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Recipe of the month: Tawa Naan
Published on 2013-05-17 22:59:00
Ok....so those of you who like my blog's Facebook page would be aware that this particular recipe was scheduled to be featured soon on my blog. I know its been quite a while since I announced that I would post it so I apologize for the delay. I
Restaurant review: Dean & Deluca, Singapore
Published on 2013-05-11 04:20:00
Dean & Deluca is a gourmet food outlet that was first established in NYC and has now made a grand entrance at Orchard Central in Singapore. Not having heard of the brand before, I was unaware of the hoo-hah that it created when the flagship store ope
Baker's Corner: Pesto rolls
Published on 2013-05-03 19:54:00
For the past few years now, my daily weekday breakfast has consisted of a single vegetable pau (steamed bun), a quarter portion of pink dragon fruit and half a cup of Old Town white coffee. I started this routine as a Master's student and even no
Back to basics: How to roast garlic
Published on 2013-04-27 03:13:00
Garlic is something that I have grown up eating.....something that I can never imagine my pantry without! I use garlic extensively in my cooking and am a sincere believer of - 'anything with garlic just tastes that much better'! I almost feel
Recipe of the month: Poori and Punjabi Chole
Published on 2013-04-09 19:41:00
I've posted a Poori - Dum Aloo recipe before. Pooris are not something I make very often because these calorie-ridden, deep fried flatbreads are a guilty indulgence that will literally weigh you down! But me and hubby love them so much that those
Baker's Corner: Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
Published on 2013-04-02 20:15:00
Anytime I think about dates (the eating variety!), I invariably think about my early life in the Middle East. I love this exotic fruit so much yet I think it is odd that I don't eat them very often. There was a time when I would eat oatmeal very
Restaurant review: Kailash Parbat, Singapore
Published on 2013-03-26 20:06:00
So, my overenthusiastic attempts at photo-taking finally took a toll on my poor Canon 40D DSLR camera and it is currently sitting at the service center recuperating! Without any thoughts of food, recipes or cooking to occupy my mind, I thought I'
Recipe of the month: Vegetable Curry Puff
Published on 2013-03-13 09:55:00
After yet another humdrum day at school, the three kids jumped out of the car (much to the amusement of their mother) and raced towards their favorite local bakery, their eyes gleaming with excitement at the thought of the delights that lay enclosed
Baker's Corner: Chocolate Fondant
Published on 2013-03-05 22:02:00
Chocolate Fondant is a popular dessert that combines the elements of a flourless chocolate cake and a soufflé. Some other names used are molten chocolate cake, chocolate moelleux and chocolate lava cake.The first time I saw a chocolate fondant being
Movie review: Silver Linings Playbook
Published on 2013-02-17 00:43:00
This Valentine's day, me and hubs went out to catch the screening of Silver Linings Playbook, a romantic comedy directed by David O. Russel. Any movie that generates Oscar buzz generally piques our interest and it is uncommon for a movie belongin
Valentine's Day Special: Vanilla-Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Published on 2013-02-13 08:24:00
This post is dedicated to those who I love dearly - my hubby, my family, my friends and my beloved pet dog Polo who I lost a few days ago. I have been blessed to have all of you in my life. Recently I was super-inspired by an spectacular looking cak
Recipe of the month: Idli sambhar
Published on 2013-02-02 19:45:00
This month's recipe of the month is a humble tribute to my South Indian roots. Idli is a steamed rice and lentil cake that is a traditional and popular breakfast items of South Indian origin. It is an integral part of any South Indian househol
Baker's Corner: Apple Cinnamon Cake
Published on 2013-01-27 06:10:00
Ok so there isn't going to an elaborate prologue to this post. I'm not in a mood to ramble today so I'm going to state my case as succinctly as possible! This is a cake recipe that I've posted on my blog before but since that was a mo
Back to basics: Making homemade paneer
Published on 2013-01-19 03:22:00
What is the best thing that you can make with just two basic ingredients? My humble opinion is the delicious and versatile - PANEER! Paneer is Indian cottage cheese that is used to make a variety of dishes. If anyone asked me what my favourite appeti
Snapshots of my trip to India
Published on 2013-01-09 20:34:00
I'M BACK!!!After a very eventful past month in India, I'm back to the grind. It feels good in a bittersweet sort of way. I'm looking forward to getting back to my usual and familiar routine of home+husband-work-friends-home+husband-blog!This post is
Recipe of the month: Vegetarian Burgers
Published on 2013-01-04 20:54:00
This is my first actual post in the new year. I wanted this post to be about something that is close to my heart. This vegetarian burger has a small story attached to it so if you arrived at this post only to check out the recipe, then please feel fr
Welcome 2013!
Published on 2013-01-03 03:06:00
I know my wishes are coming in a little late but I'd like to wish all my friends, family and blog readers a very happy new year!
Seasons greetings!
Published on 2012-12-24 22:14:00
Wish you all a merry christmas...May the joys of the seasonfill your heart with goodwill and cheerMay the chimes of christmas gloryadd more shine and spreadsmiles across the milestoday and in the new year!I'm ringing in X'mas and the New Year in Indi
Recipe of the month: Egg Biryani
Published on 2012-12-14 19:35:00
These past few days have seen a flurry of activity - cleaning & sorting things out at home, tying up loose ends at work, last minute shopping trips, baking cookies for some of my favorite people and packing for my upcoming holiday to India. YAY! I
Restaurant review: PS. Cafe (Palais Renaissance) - Singapore
Published on 2012-12-08 02:02:00
DECEMBER - My favorite month of the year is here! For me, the festive atmosphere begins much before the arrival of Christmas. I love Singapore especially during this season. The sparkling lights and colorful decorations go up way in advance which mak
Baker's Corner: The best ever Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Published on 2012-11-30 19:30:00
Before I say anything, let me tell you that my quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie has ended with this recipe! Hurray!!!To elaborate, I've been on the look out for the perfect cookie recipe for a long long time. Although I have posted onl
Movie review: Jab Tak Hai Jaan (Hindi)
Published on 2012-11-14 22:25:00
Before I delve into the movie review, here's wishing everyone a sparkling Diwali! May the festival of lights brighten up your lives with happiness and prosperity! We had a nice and quiet Diwali this year. We wanted to stay at home to celebrate ou
Recipe of the month - Rava Vangi Bhath
Published on 2012-11-06 01:29:00
Vangi bhath is a South-Indian breakfast/lunch dish that I am extremely fond of. It is a hearty vegetarian (can also be made vegan), one-pot, delicious and wholesome dish. Basically, it consists of rice or semolina (also known as rava) cooked with e
Baker's Corner- Cinnamon Rolls
Published on 2012-10-31 17:45:00
When I was on holiday in the US between Nov 2007 to Jan 2008, one of my favorite haunts was Cinnabon. Whenever I would pass by their chain of kiosks, the heavenly smells of cinnamon and butter emanating from their baked goods would take on the form o
Restaurant review: Cafe Iguana - Singapore
Published on 2012-10-27 13:34:00
Cafe Iguana is located at Riverside Point and is a popular watering hole and contemporary Mexican restaurant in Singapore. It is ideally situated by the river and features their signature margaritas and much more along with authentic Mexican cuisine. Being a huge fan of Mexican food, I will readily venture out at anyone's request if it means good tortillas, salsa and guacamole all washed down with a few fruity margaritas. Unfortunately for me, I haven't been able to find good Mexican foo [..]
Recipe of the month - Aloo Paratha (Potato Stuffed Flatbread)
Published on 2012-10-12 21:08:00
Aloo Paratha - a delicious Indian whole wheat flatbread stuffed with with a spicy potato filling, cooked on a tawa, smeared with butter or ghee and served with pickle and homemade yoghurt....comfort food at its best!I love...love...love stuffed pararthas! And for me, the KING of all stuffed parathas is aloo paratha (second-in-line to the throne would either be gobi paratha or paneer paratha). They have to be among my top picks for the Punjabi contribution to Indian cuisine. Stuffed parathas [..]
Movie Review: English Vinglish (Hindi)
Published on 2012-10-08 11:25:00
What happens when an ordinary, middle-class Indian housewife makes up her mind to change something about herself in order to bolster her self-esteem and earn the respect of her family? You get a wonderfully empowering movie called English Vinglish.
Baker's Corner - Crème caramel (Step by step preparation)
Published on 2012-09-30 19:46:00
Crème caramel (also called Flan or Caramel custard) is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top, as opposed to Crème brûlée, which is custard with a hard caramel top. This simple dessert is enjoyed throughout the world and features as a staple on many dessert menus. I don't really have a sweet tooth. I like eating sweet treats occasionally but I'm not the kind who craves for confectionery or desserts. I actually don't even like ice-cream (many of my friends actual [..]
Recipe of the month - Æbleskivers
Published on 2012-09-25 04:41:00
Æbleskivers are traditional Danish pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. Somewhat similar in texture to American pancakes crossed with a popover, Æbleskivers are solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover. They were traditionally cooked with bits of apple (æble) or applesauce inside but these ingredients are rarely included in modern Danish forms of the dish. Æbleskivers are not sweet themselves but are traditionally served sprinkled with powdered sugar and dipped i [..]
Movie Review: Barfi! (Hindi)
Published on 2012-09-17 23:04:00
Just yesterday evening I caught the screening of Anurag Basu's 'Barfi!', a movie I would label a full blown entertainer rather than a romcom. Plot SynopsisThis movie is about Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor), a speech and hearing impaired but sprightly young man and the important relationships he forms during his life. It is a tale of love, friendship, heartache, self-discovery and hope. The movie shifts between different timelines in the main protagonist's life with a change in scene from [..]
Baker's Corner: Homemade Potato Buns
Published on 2012-09-13 06:30:00
If you have been following my blog, you will probably remember that I posted a recipe for Homemade Pizza Buns not too long ago. I was so high on the success of that baking venture, that I decided to carry it out again - this time with a different filling for the bun, the desire for a little more finesse in technique and not to mention, much better photography! Among the many fond childhood memories that I have, one of them was of getting back home from school with my mom and stopping by at the [..]
Restaurant review: Hatched - Singapore
Published on 2012-09-09 01:06:00
Hatched@Holland VillageI've said it before - eggs have to be one of my most favorite ingredients in the food world. I love eggs so much that I can eat them at any time of the day, everyday, 24x7! Hatched is an egg-inspired, all-day breakfast restaurant. The humble egg is subjected to many different forms of cooking here - boiled, poached, baked, scrambled, fried, and more. For someone like me whose favorite meal of the day is breakfast (given a choice, I'd have breakfast for dinner too! [..]
Mad about curry! My mum's recipe for Methi Paneer
Published on 2012-09-02 06:05:00
Recently, I was asked to submit an entry for a "wet curry" for a monthly food blogger event organized by The Spanish Wok. I realized that I hadn't posted that many curry recipes on my blog so it wouldn't hurt to participate :) This is the first time I'm submitting an entry to a blogging event of any kind so I'm glad to be part of something outside of my own blog.Read more here»
Baker's Corner: Iced Chocolate Cake
Published on 2012-08-17 07:23:00
As I sat mulling over what sweet treat to bake next, it occurred to me to flip through one of my trusted cake books for inspiration. Hmmmm.....shall I bake a simple, non-fussy cake? How about if I whip up a batch of dainty cupcakes? Or shall I step out out of my comfort zone an attempt an intricate layered cake? All these thoughts were zooming through my head. At the end, I thought I'd stick to something basic. My agenda is to master the easy cakes first before going for something more compl [..]
Recipe of the month - Appam and Egg Curry
Published on 2012-08-10 11:08:00
Appam (also called Aappam or Aappam hoppers) is a type of food in South Indian (mainly Kerala) and Sri Lankan cuisine. It is eaten most frequently for breakfast or dinner. There are several variations of this dish. The variety shown here is the Vella Appam. These appams are fairly neutral in taste and mostly served with some spicy condiment or curry. They are made from a batter using rice, yeast, salt and a little sugar. After the mixture has stood for a couple of hours, it is fried in the "appa [..]
Happy Friendship Day!
Published on 2012-08-05 00:41:00
"A true friend walks in when the whole world walks out."It is the first Sunday of August and this day is celebrated as Friendship Day. Friendship Day is quite a phenomenon in India, especially among the school and college going kids. I haven't observed the same level of enthusiasm here though. The first thought that came to my mind this morning was the many happy memories that me and my friends shared on this day during our undergrad days in India. The tying of multicolored friendship bands, [..]
Restaurant review: La Nonna, Singapore
Published on 2012-07-31 20:54:00
La Nonna at Holland Village Holland Village is one of my favorite haunts in Singapore. It is a small busy enclave in Buona Vista in Singapore which happens to be near my workplace. A popular venue for younger Singaporeans and expatriates, it is dominated by and often visited solely for its eateries and watering holes, along with some specialist shops selling non-traditional wares.Whenever me and my colleagues have time to go out for a leisurely lunch, we invariably end up going to some restaura [..]
Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises
Published on 2012-07-22 09:03:00
Before I say anything about the movie, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the senseless shooting at the movie premier of the Dark Knight Rises in Colorado. Killing the innocent is a heinous crime and I hope the accused is brought to justice so that the families of the departed can get some closure.Now for my review...Source: http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/downloads.php#After the stupendous success of the earlier Batman movies (Batman Begins and [..]
Baker's Corner - Home-made Pizza Buns
Published on 2012-07-17 19:23:00
There is something so simple yet addictive about pizza that people of all ages can't seem to get enough of. It is no different with me. I can eat pizzas for breakfast, lunch or dinner (Pizza Hut-Singapore will vouch for that!). Whenever I make pizza at home, I use the store bought pre-fabricated crust but I always end up wondering that since I'm getting 1/2 the pizza from outside, I may as well order home delivery! I have never made my own pizza dough and considering that my baking ant [..]
Recipe of the month - Guliappa
Published on 2012-07-15 06:21:00
Guliappa is another dish originating from South India. It is known by different names and I reckon it has subtle variations from region to region. I am not sure which place it is originally attributed to though. This dish is essentially made for breakfast and goes well with a variety of accompaniments. I make the masala variation of guliappa by adding chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander and onion and serve it with either coconut chutney or sambar/stew and sometimes even just pickle and spi [..]
A vacation in Vietnam
Published on 2012-07-07 12:13:00
I've said it before....even though Singapore is a tiny speck on the world map, it is surrounded by the jewels of South East Asia. There are no dearth of places to visit and you will be left spoilt for choices. Me and my husband have been slowly ticking off countries from our list of must-see destinations in this part of the world. As we began planning our next holiday, we realized that we were left with Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines. We zeroed in on Vietnam because it has fascinating his [..]
Baker's Corner - Banana Walnut Cake
Published on 2012-06-19 19:46:00
I recently bought a recipe book titled 'Mary Berry 100 Cakes and Bakes' at a local book fair. It was the variety of recipes and beautiful pictures that caught my attention. This was the first recipe I tried from the book. The original recipe was for an 'Apple and Cinnamon Cake'. Being a sucker for anything with apple and cinnamon in it, I knew I had to try it out. I did adhere to the recipe strictly the first time round and it turned out to be an absolute winner. The cake was ric [..]
Recipe of the month - Patrode (Step by step preparation)
Published on 2012-06-16 13:22:00
Patrode is a dish from Mangalore (a major city and the headquarters of Dakshina Kannada) and something I have grown up eating. A spicy batter is made by grinding rice, dal, tamarind and red chilli. This batter is smeared on the colocasia leaves (also called taro or eddoe), which are rolled and steamed or fried. It is interesting to know that the primary use of colocasia is the consumption of its edible corm and leaves. In its raw form, the plant is toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalate an [..]