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BEEF AND LENTIL MOUSSAKA

    If you’ve never heard of using lentils in a moussaka, don’t worry. Until about two weeks ago, neither had I. An ideal alternative, or in this case an ideal addition to meat, lentils retain their shape upon cooking making them the perfect vehicle to carry the structure of a traditional moussaka. Jackpot, right?… Read more »

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ZUCCHINI AND CORNMEAL WAFFLE SANDWICH (GLUTEN-FREE)

I wrote this recipe for Better Homes and Gardens, India, for their ‘breadless sandwich’ challenge. It’s in their July issue if you want to grab a copy! I contemplated lettuce wraps, veggie stacks, and polenta muffins for the base but they aren’t really sandwiches, are they? The real challenge here was to find a suitable… Read more »

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MEXICAN STUFFED PEPPERS

Leafing through my untidy pile of scribbled notes and ingredient lists, I chanced upon a tattered piece of paper from when I was travelling in Turkey. It said ‘dolmas’ (stuffed grape leaves) on the top, and ‘rice, beef, garlic, sumac, raisins, and tomato paste’ jotted below. Not a recipe by any means, but ingredients that… Read more »

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SAMBAL OELEK ROASTED CHICKEN

Sambal oelek or ulek as it is sometimes known, is a Southeast Asian spice paste that mainly comprises red chillies, salt and vinegar. Sometimes you’ll also find variations that are flavoured with shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, onions and fish sauce. Traditionally made using a mortar and pestle (that’s also how it derives its name), this… Read more »

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Stuffed banana peppers with tomato sauce

When I started blogging, I seriously had no idea what would come out of it. I just knew that I really liked to cook, especially for my husband who, as it turns out, solely blames me for his having gained 7 kilos within 6 months of our marriage! And if I got lost in the… Read more »

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Spaghetti with roasted red pepper & cream sauce

Roasting peppers is something that we don’t do often enough. The tender smoky flesh inside all that charred blackness is the heart of this dish, literally and metaphorically speaking. This simple pasta dish has it all – it’s wholesome, not entirely different from what makes it comforting, and makes for a very fulfilling meal.

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Black bean, egg and mushroom fried rice

Chinese black bean has been all the rage in our household for a while now. Known as Douchi in Chinese, they are essentially black soy beans that are heavily salted and fermented and used extensively to flavour everything from stir-fried vegetables and meats, eggs, to rice dishes. These little umami-laden nuggets are salty and sweet… Read more »

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Chorizo, spinach & tomato frittata

Anything that is meant to be set just right “with a slight wobble to it” intimidates me. Cheesecake, crème caramel, quiche, custard pies..I fear you. The first recipe that I came across for a frittata looked pretty simple to follow, ingredients accessible, but the oven timings “varying widely” bit really got to me. I chickened… Read more »

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Chicken quesadillas

While you see some simple, regular chicken quesadillas here, what I see is a Mexican – Portuguese twist on what was supposed to be just simple, regular quesadillas. I mean, I’ve been planning to make them for so long now, I even had it all planned out for dinner next week..and then this happens (I meant… Read more »

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Aubergine Parmigiana (Melanzane alla Parmigiana)

Remember that time I made this aubergine and broccoli pasta bake? So this is a slight variation from that, with regard to inspiration (and photo clarity. Thank goodness!) I’m slowly trying to get my head around exploring the plethora of options and features on my DSLR, so please bear with me as I share the developments… Read more »

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Cinnamon French toast with stewed apples

I think this is my first breakfast dish on here. Which when I think about, doesn’t make any sense since I’m that person that loves to eat breakfast foods at any time of the day. No strict time restrictions in my head. A full English breakfast for lunch? Oh yes, please. Dosa for dinner? Hell… Read more »

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Chicken laksa

I’m so excited to tell you about this recipe. I’ve made this laksa a few times now, tweaking it here and there and adding/omitting ingredients along the way, and I think what I’ve landed up with now pretty much hits the spot, if I do say so myself. If you’ve already taken a quick glance… Read more »

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Couscous with roasted vegetables

Is it just me, or did you also think that Couscous was a grain? I remember reading somewhere a while ago that it was actually a pasta in a minuscule granular form, but it must’ve completely skipped my mind when I made it alongside some Spaghetti arrabiata for dinner last night. How very un-savvy of… Read more »