PUMPKIN & FETA ORZO

I’m a creature of habit when it comes to pastas. I don’t do many meat versions either. (A vegetarian husband requires that my meat component is always on the side, and never in the pasta itself.) To make it into our regular meal rotations I make sure my pasta dishes follow these general rules. 1)… Read more »

BLUEBERRY & CHIA FILLED CHOCOLATES

I can count with one hand the number of times I’ve made a baked dessert this year. I don’t particularly enjoy tasks that involve precise measurements and temps (I find it counterintuitive to go down this path when I use cooking as a de-stress mechanism). Bunging things into a pan is my jam. This recipe… Read more »

MEXICAN BEAN TOASTS

Mexican bean toasts aka molletes. Molletes are open-faced sandwiches with a bean mash, cheese, and a zingy pico de gallo for freshness and balance. They’re traditionally made with black beans but I’ve used kidney beans (rajma) here. The mash itself is pretty straight forward – sautéed onions and garlic, spices, and cooked beans. For some… Read more »

RED AMARANTH RAITHA

I want to preface this post by saying this: if red amaranth is hard to come by where you live, this recipe works really well with spinach or other local greens too. You’ll get the same flavours (but without the bright pink hue of course). Amaranth—both the green and red varieties—are ubiquitous to these parts… Read more »

BROCCOLI & ZUCCHINI WITH MARINARA & OLIVES

I have the hardest time categorizing recipes – is this a salad or a side? I’d wager that it’s a side more than a salad, but you add a bit of grilled meat or serve some Turkish eggs alongside and it effortlessly transforms into a substantial main. You first make a simple marinara: garlic, tomatoes,… Read more »

LIGHTER DHAL MAKHANI

‘Lighter’ for a few reasons: for starters this dhal makhani contains no cream, and only a quarter the amount of butter that’d typically go into it. Traditionally, the dhal is cooked separately with water and added to a base of onions, tomatoes, and spices. Simmered over a low heat, it’s then finished with (copious amounts… Read more »

FRIED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

What’s not to love about a big heap of fried mushrooms? Oyster mushrooms are perfect here as they’re meaty and substantial. Very fried chicken-y. Aside from their meaty texture, they also have a significant umami flavour. It’s no wonder they feature so heavily on vegetarian menus. I say substantial since button mushrooms—as versatile as they… Read more »

PUMPKIN & CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH PECANS & FETA

Even when I’m in the mood to just potter about the kitchen, I don’t (and I can safely say this) ever cook food that’s demanding. And by demanding I mean both skill-wise and time-wise. If something has to cook for a long time, it has to be minimal prep. And then it needs to cook… Read more »

GARLIC EGG FRIED RICE

Soft scrambled eggs and crispy garlic bits are my favourite additions to fried rice. If you buy and stock garlic granules by the pound like this alliomaniac writing the recipe, use that by all means. (A word! For the garlic obsessed!) Don’t  worry if you don’t though – I’ve put instructions below for how you… Read more »

BEEF & THAI BASIL STIR-FRY

My Thai basil plant has gone rogue. It won’t stop sprouting new leaves every day and—as was to be expected—regular pruning has only made it more hardy and prolific. It sounds like I’m whingeing about it, and I kinda am, but that’s only because I can’t think up enough ways to cook with it; it’s… Read more »

Latest
  • 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 »

  • Baked eggs with purple Amaranth

    Confession – I bought this without knowing what the hell it was, because it was purple. Didn’t have a name, and didn’t know what I was going to do with it. But I had to have it. A quick Google search along the lines of “purple spinach like plant” threw up a ton of options… Read more »

  • Roasted pumpkin & garlic soup

    I’ve been mildly obsessed with oven-roasting vegetables. In the last two weeks, I’ve made two huge batches of heirloom tomatoes (much to my family’s profound bliss), and now, this roasted pumpkin and garlic soup. I knew that the tomatoes would shrink in size upon roasting, but little did I know that all those 12 plump… Read more »

  • Spiced baked figs with Vanilla mascarpone

    I’ve recently discovered a part of myself that I never knew existed..an inherent need, a kind of maternal instinct if you will, to feed my family with an extra dose of fruit and vegetables. I’m not getting ahead of myself here, I’m still talking mascarpone, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be the kind of mum… Read more »

  • CHICKEN AND SOBA NOODLE SOUP

    I recently discovered the joys of Japanese Soba (buckwheat) noodles. I’d eaten it several times at restaurants, but only recently found out that a speciality store I frequent stocked them. If there was one term that I could use to describe this dish, I think ‘restorative’ would be it. The noodles, made from buckwheat flour… Read more »

  • Nectarine crumble

    Brace yourself for this. I may just have the simplest, quickest recipe for you which actually looks like you put in a whole load of effort (says the same person who layered lemon curd over fresh fruit and made it a dessert), so you know I’m onto something here. This crumble can be used as… Read more »

  • Peach iced tea

    We know that iced tea is synonymous with summer. It’s not often that I find peaches in my market, and the mere sight of these plump beauties had me so excited! For something that doesn’t grow locally, I expected them to be tart and almost inedible, leaving me with the only option of cooking them…. Read more »

  • HEARTY SPINACH SOUP

    I always find comfort in a big bowl of soup. And one of this character and versatility is exactly what I’m talking about. Its subtle clear flavours and velvety smoothness are always so soothing – and for the amount of effort that goes into it – you’d be surprised. Speaking of which, I loved it… Read more »

  • CHILI CON CARNE

    I’ll be honest. This started off more as a mid-week fridge raid rather than something that was pre-planned and perfected on a plate. Having said that though, my usual fridge raids are seldom this fruitful. Most often, all I find are a few wilted vegetables that can only be salvaged by converting into breakfast smoothies,… Read more »

  • Enchanting Türkiye!

    Hello everybody! Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. But, I have a very legitimate reason this time..2 actually. I was travelling with a very dear friend of mine in Turkey (yes, I know right, how awesome is that!) AND my husband and I are finally moving into our very own place together. Our first… Read more »

  • STICKY MAPLE-GLAZED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

      As a food blogger, I’m constantly concerned that something big might escape my notice, and that I’m going to walk into a café and ask very naïvely for those “tiny red cakes with the white icing”. How could I have not heard about red-velvet cupcakes? You get my rather dramatic drift.. (Un)fortunately for me… Read more »

  • LEMON CURD PARFAITS

    This is more of a good idea than it is a recipe. Honestly, it happens to be no more than an assembly job, really. Not having to pull out heavy machinery in order to make a sweet something is always a good sign in my book, and I’d jump at every opportunity to get the… Read more »

  • PAN-SEARED STEAK WITH HERB BUTTER

    We all know that a good steak is a tried and tested classic that is simple to cook, as it is delicious to eat. For a slightly different take on it, I like to serve it with this gorgeous rosemary-garlic butter. Inspired by the French version of Steak frites – steak and fries – it… Read more »

  • CARAMEL CUSTARD

    I go through these phases. For instance, when I discovered the joys of herby mushrooms on toast, I remember eating it almost everyday for more than 2 weeks straight! An addictive personality or an obsession, I can’t seem to figure out. You have those dishes that come into your life with a bang and most… Read more »

  • WATERMELON, OLIVE AND FETA SALAD WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

    I think I enjoy taking pictures of the food that I cook a wee bit more than I enjoy cooking it. Oh no, did I just come on here and admit that? But here’s the thing – just because I love taking pictures of the food that I cook, more, it doesn’t mean that the… Read more »