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CHICKPEA AND SPINACH CHEESE TOASTS

There’s a lot you can do with chickpeas which is why my pantry is rarely without it: added to curries like your typical chana masala, stirred into stews or tossed through salads, it’s a great way to bulk up a dish and make it substantial especially in lieu of meat. What I’ve also found is… Read more »

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KALE BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

I know ‘bubble and squeak’ sounds like a made-up name to sneak veggies into your toddler’s lunch. Unfortunately though—at least for those of us that enjoy quirky food names: oat-thappams, anyone?—it’s pretty straightforward. Bubble and squeak originated in the UK and was a dish of cabbage and fried meat. And the name came about because… Read more »

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ROASTED AUBERGINE WITH HARISSA + WHIPPED PANEER

At first glance this dish may look and sound intimidating. And that’s exactly why I did the poll asking if you guys wanted it on here. A whopping 97% of you said yes so here we are! This recipe is loosely adapted from Ottolenghi who makes his version with griddled aubergines and feta. As soon… Read more »

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10-MINUTE THAI CHICKEN WITH HOLY BASIL

I realize I sound like a broken record every time I say “use thigh meat instead of breast”. That doesn’t stop me from saying it however, so here goes: it’s not because chicken breasts on a good day taste like cardboard, but mainly because chicken thighs are a lot more forgiving for meal-prep and bulk… Read more »

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STOVETOP RATATOUILLE WITH PUMPKIN

Here’s how I decide what to cook: I shop for things that are fresh in the store/market, and then rack my brain to find different ways to use them up. More prosaic than you might have thought, but that’s the truth of it (or at least most of the time). Sure, I meal plan and… Read more »

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SOBA NOODLES WITH ROASTED TERIYAKI MUSHROOMS & BOK CHOY

I love a good teriyaki sauce provided it’s not too cloyingly sweet. Which, unfortunately, always seems to be the case with most dishes/recipes associated with the name. So although I say teriyaki here, you’ll find that it doesn’t really have that same sweetness that you might expect from it. All the same flavours, only, not… Read more »

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SPINACH & PANEER STUFFED BANANA PEPPER BAKE

The main idea and concept for this dish comes from my aunt. It’s her adaptation of the Mexican classic – Chile Rellenos. In typical Rellenos fashion, her version uses only cheese in the filling (no spinach). After stuffing the peppers, she batter-fries them in an egg white-flour mixture before dousing in tomato sauce. Traditionally they’d… Read more »

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GRITS + CHICKPEAS & SMOKY VEGETABLES

Corn grits—albeit not a South Indian staple—are easily available in Chennai. They come packaged in a few different varieties in bigger stores and are also sold by the kilo, wrapped in newspaper, in smaller shops. They work as a great replacement for polenta, so if you’re someone that shells out ₹₹₹ for that expensive stuff… Read more »

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DOUBLE BEAN TUNA SALAD

I usually don’t hold back on posting recipes here that use ingredients like fish sauce and dried shrimp. They’re easy to get a hold of, inexpensive, and will last an age in your pantry. Basically ticks all my boxes. (Most grocery stores stock fish sauce and there’s a whole street dedicated to dried fish in… Read more »

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ROASTED TOMATO & VEGETABLE PASTA SAUCE

This is unlike any pasta sauce you may have made before. For starters, there’s no pan involved for the sauce itself; you will of course be cooking your pasta in a pan (yet to come up with a nifty trick to dispense with that step, but we’ll get there). Hate to sound like a broken… Read more »

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DOUGHNUT FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

I don’t have many breakfast dishes on here but that makes sense since breakfast most mornings is porridge and fruit. Every now and then I like a bit of Sunday indulgence though – pretty much all the breakfast dishes on here are as a result of that. The fact that I can recite every Nigella… Read more »

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ZUCCHINI, CARROT & PANEER LATKES + CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE

It’s pretty incredible that what is essentially a shallow-fried vegetable disc takes on so many different forms: pancakes, latkes, fritters, hash browns, cutlets, boxties, patties. And this is just me naming a few off the top of my head. It gets a bit mind boggling especially when within each of those broad categories, there are… Read more »

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ROASTED BEET PASTA WITH FETA

I saw Nadiya Hussain make her version of what she calls ‘blender beetroot pasta’ on her new show on Netflix, and I was immediately taken by its simplicity, accessibility of ingredients, and if you know me—this gorgeous colour! She uses cooked beetroot, garlic, chilli, lemon juice and dill in her recipe, and I realize now… Read more »