It’s almost Thanksgiving, and the holiday season is approaching. For sure it’s going to be a busy one, even during these times. During this busy season, your Instant Pot will definitely save you! Imagine, you can make this Whole Chicken recipe even with your hands-off (almost!) and serve a perfect dinner in just less than 60 minutes. Why Cook Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot? Time is precious. Therefore, we want to use it wisely....

Our Best Coffee Cake Recipe Coffee cake always reminds me of my grandmother and childhood. Simple and moist, these cakes are generally layered with cinnamon and nuts and then topped with a crumbly crust. Casual, yet decadent. Coffee cake is the perfect cake to nibble while sipping tea or coffee at grandma’s kitchen table, pouring out your adventures (or whoas) from the day. This rustic utilitarian-style treat provides unassuming comfort that feels like a warm hug....

It is undoubtedly one of my favourite Indian meat curries from the days when I could not even spell the word keema. It took me a while to cook, click, and share this keema curry recipe on the blog. A couple of times I tried recreating my mother’s keema matar recipe but the striking flavours were missing from the curry. Though my vegan and vegetarian keema matar is superb. You must give it a try too!...

It’s been a while since I last had a piece of King Cake, but when I saw how close we were to Mardi Gras, I was so pumped that I immediately went to the store to buy the ingredients. Honestly, I didn’t have to buy much because most of the ingredients were already in my pantry. Yay!!! If you want to make this year’s Carnival celebration even more authentic and festive, this recipe takes the cake....

Creamy King Ranch Chicken Casserole When you hear the phrase “King Ranch” do you think of A) an iconic location, B) leather truck interiors, or C) cozy Tex Mex? For me, it’s C all the way. King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Tex Mex favorite named after the historic King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. It’s a recipe layered with tortillas, creamy sauce, cheese, chiles, and chicken, baked into a golden bubbly casserole....

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes Don’t worry if you do not have a dedicated kitchen pantry area; I don’t have one either. So far in life, I have always used the kitchen cabinets as a fully functional pantry. In a typical Indian kitchen, we have a lot of legumes, pulses, beans, rice, spices, and flours to store that we need on a routine basis for everyday cooking. Hence, having a considerable storage space next to the kitchen is necessary....

Anything curry is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser in my home. No one can resist the delectable aroma and rich, warm flavors with just enough heat. This lamb curry recipe is always a family favorite with its fork-tender meat and robust flavors! In addition, lamb curry is a simple and wholesome meal. Serve it over a plate of steaming basmati rice, and you have a hearty dish perfect to feed a crowd....

This recipe is a less complicated and more affordable variation of my tandoori grilled lamb chops. Great for special occasions and weeknight family meals, this recipe requires only basic pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients. There are loads of pairing options to serve with these lamb loin chops, but a few of my favorites are potato stacks, green beans in the air fryer, air fryer asparagus, and grilled peach salad....

You can DOWNLOAD & PRINT THIS LUNCH BOX MENU. We share a new lunch box menu plan every week. If you want to explore the entire lunch box series, type ‘LUNCH BOX’ in the search bar of my website. And you will get all the weekly lunch box plans at your fingertips. Every week, the lunch box series includes FREE printable menu plans, including my meal prep tips for the Indian kitchen....

Homemade Lunchbox Packing a homemade lunchbox for my husband is a part of my morning routine. It is my way to express love and care for him. The homemade packed lunch is the most comforting meal of a busy working day. It is one of the best ways to eat nutritionally balanced, wholesome, preservative-free food every day. Reasons to LOVE Homemade Packed Lunch budget-friendly healthy friendlyfresh and hygieniceasily customizablefree of preservatives...

This juice, also known as Kairi ka Sharbat, is one of many homemade refreshing juices that are popular in Pakistan and India. Long hot summers and a plethora of fresh summer produce pave the way for tamarind juice, lemonade-recipe-with-mint, this mango juice recipe, and many others. Many of these beverages are now easy to source in grocery stores. However, when I was growing up in Pakistan if you wanted to enjoy fruit juice, you made it at home....

In the coastal region of India, summer means abundant mango and jackfruit. Almost all possible recipes are prepared using unripe and ripe mangoes or jackfruit. Mango Rasayana is one such easy recipe that is prepared with fresh ripe mangoes. All you need is coconut milk (or any dairy-free milk or even whole dairy milk), jaggery, mango cubes, mango puree, and cardamom powder. About Rasayana If you want to know more about rasayana, seekarane, or hershale, you can check my recent post on banana rasayana....

One of my favorite aspects of summer is our local farmer’s markets. I literally get giddy Friday evening thinking of what I might find the next morning. This week I had the luxury of sneaking out of the house before anyone woke up. Gentle sunlight gleamed down on the white tent tops like a soft kiss. The colorful silhouettes and aromas were a feast for the senses. A perfect mingling of purpose and pleasure....

What’s your favorite party platter? Mine is this Meditteranean style mezze platter loaded with vegetarian snacks, dip, chips, and cheese. This easy-to-refill appetizer platter is always a crowd favorite and gives me time to shake a leg or two while hosting the party. What is a Mezze Platter? The word ‘Mezze’ literally means sharing. Hence, the purpose of a mezze platter is to have shareable appetizers on the table – an important aspect of Arabic and Middle Eastern cuisine....

Hey guys, let me tell you this, you know how some people eagerly wait for summer for the produce, vacations and warm weather. Yes, that’s me. It is not the same with hubby; all he looks forward to is these leafy greens. Yep. He was raised on Njama Njama and fufu corn and guess what? He has been eating these greens almost everyday for the past two weeks. You think he would be sick of it by now but Nooooo…....

Concept of No-Bake Cheesecake If you are not keen on baking an elaborate, traditional cheesecake but want to indulge in the creamy goodness – this no-bake strawberry cheesecake recipe is made for you. The DIY base of digestive cookies and butter, topped with a creamy, egg-free, no-bake cake made with – hung curd/cream cheese, cream, sugar, and strawberries. What is the difference between baked and no-bake cheesecake? Over the years, no-bake cheesecake has become a widely popular party dessert....

The pinnacle of our Maine Coastal Crawl was the one and only day we spent in Acadia National Park. In retrospect, I wish we would have planned for several days in Acadia. There are over 20 awe-inspiring trails around Acadia National Park. Some along the coast overlooking craggy cliffs, some through lush forests, and some up to the top of towering mountains. Nevertheless, it is possible to spend one day in Acadia National Park and feel like you’ve truly experienced its wonders....

Ingredients You’ll Need To make restaurant-style kali mirch paneer at home, you need: Black Pepper is known as ‘kali mirch’ in Hindi. It is the key ingredient in this white gravy. Hence, the dish got its name from the spice itself – Paneer Kali Mirch. This creamy white sauce is quite a versatile one I have used it creatively in a few curry recipes in my upcoming cookbook. Paneer in white gravy is a great change from heavily spiced paneer makhani, chana masala, or kadai paneer....

You know how good a party is when they start serving the party drinks. Oh yeah! Peach Bellini is one of my favorites. It has the perfect balance of sweetness with a little bit of tartness. And the added alcohol is not too overpowering. It’s very subtle and smooth. The perfect cocktail for those who want to party without really getting drunk. And what I like about this Peach Bellini is that it’s suuuper easy to prepare....

Inspired by Nigella’s classic brownie recipe, this is your go-to chocolate traybake… How will you eat yours?! It’s no secret that I’m a brownie fan (who isn’t?!) They are so easy to make, quick and perfect for a birthday cake alternative or to give as a present. I couldn’t quite believe that I hadn’t attempted a Creme Egg version before. (Those who know me well already know I have quite a large repertoire of Creme Egg-related desserts....