One vegetable that rules almost everyone's heart around the world is potato! Boiled, grilled, roasted, baked, fried, mashed or made into soups, stews, salads or au gratin recipes, these oblong and round starchy root veggies are amongst the top five most wanted crops around the globe. It's interesting how this one vegetable connects so many of us around the world through its various forms and creations! Recipe PDF Potatoes are a highly celebrated vegetable in the Indian cuisine. I cannot think of one state in India that doesn't include potatoes in one or more of its dishes. Like other colonies, pre-Independent India learned about potatoes through the Portuguese, and the British helped popularize it in the Indian subcontinent. Potatoes have been on the earth for a long time. First cultivated by the Incas in Peru around 8000 to 5000 BC, they were brought to Europe by the Spanish. Easier to grow than other staple crops like wheat or oats, potatoes ruled European farmers' hearts soon. Through colonization, Europeans (most likely Irish immigrants) introduced potatoes to North America, and by 1719 there were clear signs that this tuber was going to be permanent in the Americas. The recipe I am writing today is an extremely simple one. It uses yellow baby (petite) potatoes but you can make it with any kind of baby potatoes you have or like. It's a great side to go with your sandwiches or soups or any main course meal. You could also choose it as a snack option! The inspiration for this recipe comes from the backside of a packet of petite potatoes I had bought at a grocery outlet in Toronto. Nostalgia easily takes hold of me when I remember Toronto, the very first city I lived outside India. The city where I met my husband and made an incredible bunch of friends who twinkle so bright in the sky of memories. Before I disappear into memory land, let me quickly summarize few things cooking baby potatoes: They are quite versatile and fit most of the potato recipes you could find anywhere. Although I personally feel that they are perfect for salads, roasting and frying. Petite potatoes have a more concentrated flavour as compared to their bigger kins. These potatoes cook faster (of course! they're smaller in size) and fit well for even recipes like the Indian dum aloo. They need no peeling! And, that makes life so much easier on those busy days when you're running for dear life! You would peel them if you're making dum aloo, but not for this recipe! In India, we're typically used to having a pressure cooker in home kitchens (I am getting nostalgic again - the sound of a pressure cooker's whistle going off early in the morning is common in any Indian household), and we use it to boil vegetables (including potatoes) and pulses. Outside of India, I have mostly seen potatoes being boiled in an open vessel or in instant pots more recently. Baby potatoes do not need high pressure cooking, and so fairly easy and less time consuming to boil. Recipe Ingredients 300-400 grams petite/baby potatoes (one full or 1/2 a pack of baby potatoes) 1 small thinly sliced onion 1 tsp roughly pounded garlic 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 10-12 sprigs of thyme 1 tsp ground black pepper salt to taste Method 1. Boil baby potatoes and set aside. No need to remove the skin. 2. In a frying pan or skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and add garlic. Sauté for a few seconds. 3. Add the sliced onions and half of the thyme. Fry for about 10 minutes on a low to medium heat. The intention is not to brown the onions and not burn the thyme. So, adjust heat accordingly. 4. Add the potatoes with skin intact and continue to sauté until potatoes are brown. Cut some of the potatoes in the pan using your spatula as you sauté. 5. Season with salt and pepper. And, add the remaining thyme. Serve hot and enjoy these browned yellow beauties of pure joy! I can munch on them pretty much at any time of the day. I enjoy them a lot as breakfast too, beside a simple omelette and coffee. Oh! I can smell the thyme and feel the crunch of the potatoes as I write this. Go, try this easy recipe soon!

Are you looking for a quick starter or side for a party you are hosting? Or something healthy to nibble because you are craving for a snack? Do you want some crunch on your salad leaves? Wait no more, because this recipe of seared Brussels sprouts with a quick dip on the side answers all of these questions! Some of you may not be excited about Brussels sprouts, and I understand if they aren't your favourite. But moving them completely out of your diet may not be a good idea, unless your dietary restrictions ask you to do so. Brussels sprouts are high in fiber and packed with vitamin C. They are extremely easy to cook and taste amazing with simple tossing or roasting. Recipe PDF The close younger twin of cabbage, Brussels sprouts are believed to have been cultivated in Belgium as early as 1200. And, that's how they were named, "Brussels" sprouts! Cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower along with Brussels sprouts belong to the Brassica family, the largest vegetable family in the plant kingdom. How can I make this recipe completely vegan? The dip in this recipe is made of yogurt, and to make it vegan you can opt for soygurt or yofu. You can make vegan yogurt at home too. It takes only minutes! Put tofu, some cashews and few squeezes of a lemon into a blender, and tada! Your vegan yogurt is ready. You can then proceed with the instructions for the dip given below and replace the yogurt with your own homemade vegan soygurt! Can I make tahini at home? The dip in this recipe involves tahini, a condiment made of toasted sesame seeds. If you don't have ready-made tahini dressing at home, you can easily make it at home too. You would need hulled sesame seeds to make tahini. Hulled sesame seeds are completely white in colour as their covering has been completely removed. To make tahini, lightly toast sesame seeds on a pan, and then add them to a blender once cooled. Blend into a crumbly powder and then add extra virgin olive oil (1 tbsp at a time) to make it creamy. You can also add some salt into the tahini. And done! Yes, it's that simple! Recipe Ingredients For the Brussels sprouts 1 pack of Brussels sprouts (about 300 to 500 grams) 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (feel free to replace with vinegar of your choice if you find balsamic too strong for your palette) 2 tsp minced or roughly chopped garlic 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper Salt to taste For the dip 1 cup of yogurt (use soygurt if making it vegan) 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp tahini 1 tsp chives Salt (if you feel you need some after mixing the above ingredients) Method Sear the Brussels sprouts: In a skillet, heat some olive oil on medium heat and toss in the brussels sprouts. Mix balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, pepper and salt together in a bowl, and toss into the pan over the searing brussels sprouts. Sauté and cover the pan. Maintain heat at medium. Open the pan after five minutes and turn the sprouts to sear on the other side. You can sprinkle some water if you think the Brussels sprouts are burning too much. Cover again for five minutes and then turn off the heat. Done! Make the dip: In a bowl mix five tablespoons of Greek yogurt, half teaspoon Dijon mustard and half teaspoon tahini. Give a good mix and sprinkle some chives. Taste and see if you would like to add salt. Note: My homemade tahini usually has salt already in it, so I don't add extra salt in the dip. Enjoy this quick snack as is or make a meal out of it by adding in some salad leaves and quinoa or any legumes of your choice! Or serve it with scrambled eggs and grilled asparagus!! You can also serve it as a side with a main course meal.

You made a big batch of paneer tikka, and now you wonder what to make of the left overs? The answer is simple - make a paneer tikka masala gravy. Paneer tikka, the smoky Punjabi appetizer, (can also be eaten as one whole meal) easily slides into a creamy gravy and tastes best with some hot naans or rotis. I must warn that this is not one of those light-on-the-palette dishes. It's rich, savoury, and one serving may leave you feeling extremely full! Recipe PDF Post a barbecue, the vegetables, meat or paneer are well roasted and succulent. Tossing into a gravy helps in an easy utilization of leftovers, and I make sure no food goes waste. Having said that, I wouldn't say that paneer tikka masala is only the result of leftover paneer tikka. It's a coveted item on the menu of many Indian restaurants and grandly served in parties or weddings! Paneer tikka masala should not be confused with paneer butter masala. Paneer tikka involves pre-cooking and grilling the marinated paneer before adding it to the gravy. Paneer butter masala is cooked in a different set of spices and does not involve pre-cooking of paneer. It's not as spice as paneer tikka, and tends on the slightly sweeter side of the flavour scale. If you choose to make this dish as a fresh one, and not from leftover paneer tikkas, I must say that the procedure is longer and you may need to devote about one and a half to two hours! Recipe Ingredients Note: If you have pre-cooked tikkas, you can move to the ingredients for the gravy. For tikka: 250-300 grams paneer cut into cubes 2-3 medium bell peppers cut into cubes 1 medium red onion cut into quarters 1 medium firm tomato (red or green) cut into quarters For marination: 1/2 cup yogurt (use vegan yogurt to make this dish vegan) 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1 tsp kasoori methi 1 tsp roughly crushed ajwain (carom seeds) 1 tbsp mustard oil or extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp roasted besan (chickpea flour) 1 tbsp degi mirch (red chili powder) or paprika A pinch of turmeric Salt to taste 1 tsp lime juice if the yogurt is not sour For gravy: 1 tbsp oil 1 bay leaf 1 onion chopped 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp red chili powder (Kashmiri would be best) 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp cumin powder 1 tomato pureed A small portion of the marination mixture 1/2 cup cashew paste 1 cup water 1 tsp kasoori methi Method Note: If you have pre-cooked tikkas, you can move to the instructions under "make the gravy." Marinate the veggies and paneer In a bowl, add the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp kasoori methi and 1/2 tbsp oil, and mix well. Next add crushed carom seeds, salt, roasted chickpea flour, turmeric and red chili powder, and mix again. You can add a few drops of lime juice if the yogurt is not sour. Keep aside a small portion of this marination for the gravy. Add the paneer and veggies into this marination mixture and coat them well. Skewer the vegetables and paneer and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Grill or bake the paneer: If using a grill pan: Heat 1/2 tbsp oil on the pan and place the skewers on it. Roast the paneer and veggies by turning them over once in a while to get a char on most sides. Set aside. If using an oven: Preheat the oven to 430 degrees F. Place an aluminium foil on a baking dish or tray or keep a cooling rack on an oven safe pan, and set aside. Brush the paneer and veggies with 1/2 tbsp oil. Place the skewers on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, turning once after every 5 minutes to cook all sides of the cubes. After 15 minutes, switch on the broiler and broil the veggies and the paneer for 2-3 minutes to get a char on their surfaces. Remove carefully and set aside. Make the gravy: Add oil in a pan or wok on medium heat. Add the bay leaf, and then the onions. Sauté till the onions turn pinkish. Add the ginger-garlic paste, and sauté again. Next add the dry spices mentioned in the ingredients for gravy. Once the onions, ginger garlic and spice mixture is fragrant and turns golden grown, add the tomato puree and then the cashew paste. Let the tomatoes and cashew paste cook slightly, and then add the leftover marination mixture. Mix everything well. Add 1 cup of water and let it start boiling. Adjust the seasoning and consistency of the gravy at this stage. Toss in the grilled/baked paneer and veggies into this mixture. Cover and cook on low heat for about 7 minutes, and then turn off the heat. Open and sprinkle kasoori methi after coarsely crushing in between your palms!

I think everyone has one of those days when you are tired and don't want to cook, you don't feel like ordering in or picking up a takeaway on your way home, but you surely want to enjoy a delicious soul-satisfying meal. On such a day, shrimp scampi is that meal for me. Not so much for the husband as he is a vegetarian. But, I have this sorted. While a big batch of pasta boils away, I toss shrimps in one pan and let asparagus grill in another. Recipe PDF My version of this recipe is non-alcoholic. I prefer to use white vinegar and vegetable stock instead of white wine. While it's an easy weeknight dinner, it's also perfect for a weekend soirée! It needs a handful of ingredients, and let me tell you the cleanup is truly a walk in the park. Sizzled in a white garlic butter sauce with a hint of lemon, shrimps are served on a bed of linguine or spaghetti - the sauce is licked and the shrimps are heartily chewed with every bite! Shrimp and scampi are two different crustaceans. In Italy (where this dish originated), it was traditionally made with just scampi (Norway lobster). As the recipe traveled to the Americas, shrimp gradually replaced scampi. Funnily enough, scampi wasn't dropped from the name of the dish. What are some tips to make this typically restaurant made dish at home? Be careful to not overcook the shrimps or shrimps will loose their texture. If you are using frozen shrimps, be sure to thaw them before you start cooking. Remove the tails beforehand if you don't want them in your dish. Start boiling the pasta first and have it ready to be added to the warm shrimp and sauce. Rinsing the pasta with water is not a good idea as it will not let the sauce to cling to the pasta. Chances are that the pasta will cook before the shrimps are done. Add some drops of oil into your pasta while boiling, this will help it from sticking. Don't add a lot of different spices in this dish. Too many types of spices will interfere with the taste. Avoid using any flavoured vinegar like apple cider vinegar. It will impart a sweet note and take away from the savory taste of the sauce. Recipe Ingredients 1 pack of your favourite pasta (I prefer linguine or spaghetti for this recipe) 600-700 grams of large shrimps 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp unsalted butter 5 large garlic cloves minced 1 large bell pepper (optional) 1/2 cup vegetable stock 1/2 tsp white vinegar 2-3 pinches of freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes (optional) 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice A few chopped parsley Salt to taste Method Start cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. While the pasta is boiling, place a skillet/pan on medium heat and melt the butter with olive oil in it. Add garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until golden. Don't brown the garlic. Add the bell pepper and sauté for the next 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and vinegar and cook until reduced to half. This should take about 3 minutes. Add the shrimps into the pan, season with black and red pepper and salt, and cook until the shrimps turn pink. About 2 minutes per side should be enough. Stir in the lemon juice and toss the pasta with the sauce and the shrimps. Add the chopped parsley and serve hot! This recipe is a keeper. Easy to put together, delicious on the pallet, and packed with subtle fragrances. If you are making it for guests, it's best to cook while your guests have arrived. And, if you're making it for yourself, you needn't be told that you must relish it as soon as it's done! Bring in that mojito or open that bottle of wine you have been saving. What better time to open it and enjoy with this bed of pasta and shrimp love!