Paneer Biryani ...

Paneer Biryani is a perfect rice dish to make your lunch special with your loved ones. Make this for a get-together or for a party at home and I am sure it will win all hearts. My kids love this for school so you see how it goes. Its their friends favourites to so they have to carry a lit more than usual to enjoy sharing. 

Its one perfect recipe that bursts out with flavours with every spoon of biryani you eat. Topped with spiced or marinated paneer cubes makes it taste even more wonderful. It doesnt even need any accompaniment but a simple fried/sauted onion raita on the side makes it taste divine.

A simple no-fail biryani recipe to ensure a perfect meal

Masala papad

Masala papad is a very simple snack/appetizer which has caught me up over these couple of years or probably a little more. I first had this is at a restaurant. I know it is a very simple dish but the fact is that I have never had this before. When I first had this my eyes opened up wide showing my pure liking for this. Whenever I get a chance I order it. But then its simplicity struck me down

I wanted to eat a lot of it and the best option was to make it myself. Just make your papads and top it up with finely chopped onions and tomatoes and little spice

From the day I made it at home, I have had my fill always with no excuse to go to a restaurant to just get a bite of this. How come I never knew of this appetizer before :)

Vanilla Cupcakes.... using buttermilk for flavour...

Vanilla cupcakes are the best cupcakes ever. Growing up, those were the only ones readily available anytime in the bakery. Well there were not many bakeries around as well. But now things  are different, there are bakeries or atleast baked goodies in almost every nook and corner and also we get so many options to try out even in the smallest bakery in town. But even though I have so many varieties to pick from, the one really close to my heart are these vanilla cupcakes . I can munch on them all day long

These are soft and moist and appeal to young and old alike. Kids even love taking them to school for a little snack. Its nice to share a few with their friends at school

There are so many recipes to try out and everyone has a different taste bud to appease. I follow few recipes. Some use more eggs, some more milk, some with baking powder + soda, some just baking powder. Every recipe is a little different but has a unique outcome. I love trying these recipes whenever I come across one. If our family likes it then it sure gets into the keepsake list forever.

This recipe is one which turned out really good and was a superhit among kids. The recipe is pretty simple so there is no way one can go wrong. I would suggest you to try it to believe it :)

Spicy Cheesy Fresh Veggies Sandwich

I have been a fan of this recipe for quite a while now since they introduced it in the menu in a local restaurant nearby. Me and kids used to order this a lot. Thinking about the recipe it made us feel that it is so simple that it is a waste spending so much money in the restaurants for this quick and easy snack

Fresh veggies with a little bit of cheese to perk up the taste is all it it needs to make this super yummy sandwich. It takes very little time to make it. Make it ass an after-school snack and your kids will love it. My kids hate raw vegetables but they are perfectly ok with this sandwich :)

Veggies choice is yours. You can add carrots, cooked baby corn, cabbage etc. Its all upto your taste. The sandwich is very filling  to serve as breakfast/even dinner

Paneer Paratha.... 2

Paneer parathas are special. They taste good and they sound good and they look good. Play with spices and let the flavors seep in as per your taste  buds. The taste of paneer, potato and onions with a little blend of spices makes this a perfect breakfast/dinner menu
If you have excess milk and some whole wheat flour at home, this is the perfect dish you can think to make. It doesnt take too much time either. Make the dough and filling in advance and pull them all together just before serve time

I find this to be a perfect breakfast to pack for my kids school. They find it easy to handle and tasty to munch on. I send a small serving of thick fresh curd for the side and they enjoy it

Vegetable Fried Rice / Chinese Fried Rice...

If you love Chinese then I know you are hooked on to chinese fried rice for sure. Its not just us but everybody around. We all love chinese but somehow I feel it isnt healthy when I buy it outside. I am not sure about why that feel but yes I prefer to have fried rice at home rather than getting it from outside

It is a very very simple no-fail recipe that everyone can try in their kitchen and get their family happy. My kids are overjoyed when this is packed for lunch to school. They feel very good when sharing with their friends too. The use of soya sauce is my concern but once in a while is ok I guess. It is quick to make so helps a lot in the kitchen when packing for school

Cook rice, half cook vegetables, add a couple of spices, toss everything together and you are done :) Can it get any simpler??????????

Babycorn salt and pepper .... a super yummy appetizer

Tried this recipe at a restaurant and love it. My kids loved it so much that we had to make it at home the very next week. The recipe is so easy involving just a few ingredients that I could not say no to try making it. If you looking  for a quick appetizer without sweating out a lot that is perfect to top up your menu for guests then this one is worth a try. You can just make it in no time

Finally I feel the very basic spices in our kitchen - salt and pepper - alone can do wonders in a recipe to bring out awesome taste. Loved it a lot 

Egg Roll/ Egg Frankie.... especially for kids

I already have a recipe up in the blog for egg frankie. Its tastes awesome but then sometimes kids get fussy about raw onions and the drips that might end up on their clothing when they hold their rolls. My kids love egg rolls but that is the complaint they had so we came up with this version and it has been loved ever since. They love this for breakfast, as as after-school snack or for dinner. I am happy too to serve this as its nutritious and quite filling

If kids are generally fussy about eating even one chapathi then let them try this one. They will love to have one more with a smile

Russian Salad / Olivier Salad

Russian salad is a popular entree in the Russian cuisine made with diecd fruits of choice and small diced vegetables that are parboiled. The  fruits and  veggies are then tossed in a mayonaisse dressing. This salad has a texture and flavour that is completely different from the regular salads that our taste buds are used to. I should say its a little sweet rather than the regular tangy or plain ones. Its a very quick and easy recipe to make in just a few minutes

I got introduced  to this new favourite of mine when we went out for lunch with a dear friend of ours. We loved the food at this restaurant. Just ate starters and sides and we were full :). Thanks to her for suggesting this  place. The russian salad is what was very new to me. Loved every bite of it and enjoyed to the core

Wanted to recreate the recipe knowing that it was too simple not to try. Checked online for a few suggestions that might help perk up the taste and voila I got to enjoy my favourite again

Mango Vanilla Pannacotta... a luscious dessert to serve your loved ones

Pannacotta is a favourite in my house... though everybody has a liking for a different flavour :) The most loved and most indulging flavour for all of us is mango. This recipe is nothing but a mix of vanilla and mango pannacotta but the presentation makes it beautiful for everybody to grab their cups before they are gone :)

We made this for Father's Day. My elder one Niks decided to surprise Daddy on Father's day with a very special meal especially decided and made my him. He wanted to pull out a menu which would surprise Daddy and make him the "most Happy person in the world" (thats what he said) when he tries it. The menu was supposed to be filled with delicacies as he talked to be about what he wanted. I was so happy to see him juggle his little brain to come up with beautiful options. Finally he came up with a menu with starters, main course, side dish, drink and finally a beautiful dessert. 

Initially our plan was to make mango pannacotta which is everyone's favourite in the house but suddenly he changed his plan and asked me if we could make it look very fancy like the ones we see in restaurants. I smiled and said we can try but I am not sure how. He remembered seeing a pic somewhere which showed a presentation like we have tried here. The way he was trying to explain the look of the dessert was cute... "You see mummy one flavour goes on one side as a slanting line then you pour another flavour as another slanting line "... :) ... I did not understand anything initially but then he drew out a pattern for me and that really helped

Here is what we came up with and it tasted divine with everybody getting to be happy. Daddy loved the surprise and enjoyed every bit of everything... the love, the food, the surprise, the special day :)

Paneer Kheer / Paneer Payasam

Paneer is tasty in whatever form it takes or whatever it is made into. Paneer kheer is a tasty dessert served chilled to enjoy the grainy texture of crumbled paneer in thick milk  seasoned with dry fruits of choice. Love this as a very good alternate to regular kheers which are made at home

It takes very little time to make this dessert and also it is not very heavy to eat. So a very good option when craving for a lovely dessert to end a beautiful meal

Mushroom - 65

Mushrooms drenched in a spicy, flavour-loaded batter deep-fried to get the perfect crisp makes a wonderful feast to the eyes and to the tummies. Kids and adults love it alike. My kids are damn crazy about it. Its always gone before I sit down to eat. And even if by chance if there are a couple for me to try I would always have 2 pairs of loving eyes glancing at me or winking at me asking me for those. So finally I end up having nothing if I dont serve myself in the kitchen before the snacks are served to the family :)

Quick and easy to make, it can made in minutes even if you have unexpected last minute visitors. Everyone will love them to the core

Cashewnut Pulao Or Kaju Pulao

A simple pulao recipe given a rich uplift by adding cashews and caramelised onions can work wonders on the menu when served. Fried cashews make the dish look and taste rich. The addition of caramelised onions gives it a unique taste and flavour which is loved by everyone 

Had cashewnut pulao at a nearby restaurant when we went out for dinner with a friend. I showed no interest when ordering but then showed too much interest when eating ;) I always saw it on the menu but never bothered to order. When I got to try I felt I had been missing something very very simple yet very interesting. The aroma and combination of cashews  and onions totally took the dish to a new level. It so happened that me and my kids too fell in love with this dish so its been in our menu since then. Its a lunch box special too :)

For a change why not try something rich like this and treat ourselves 

1 Minute Carrot Mug Cake

I love carrot cake... the smell of cinnamon, the freshness of soft cooked arrots, the taste of brown sugar.... It is dense yet soft and has a wonderful texture. I love it but my family is not a big fan of it. Couple of ties I made the cake I was the one to finish it except for a few slices that they try. Mug cake option has given me a good chance to have my favourite whenever I want and all by myself :)