Microwave Apple Crisp

The fall season is here and that means it good bye to the hot and humid summer! (Agree, I am weeks behind in welcoming fall, but hey nevertheless). Fall or autumn is between winter and summer and it can be a mixed season with warm days and cooler days. In some areas nature does a beautiful show where in the leaves turn from green to vivid colors creating an awesome sight. It is a visual treat and a photographer’s delight. The weather in Texas has cooled down considerably a huge relief from the relentless heat. It must be at least…

Microwave Besan Laddoo

For the recent Ganesh Chathurthi, I asked my kiddo which sweet he wanted to eat that day, so that I could make it for him. “Yellow laddoo,” he replied without a blink. It caught me by surprise, as I did not get the usual “nothing,” a characteristic reply, especially when I ask him about desserts. Unlike his mom, he is not a dessert person, and the only dessert he loves is something with chocolate in it, like the chocolate chip cookies. Occasionally he might eat some yellow laddos aka Besan Ladoo. I did not have the time to prepare traditional…

Kaarate Kismuri/ BitterGourd Onion Coconut Mix

Kismuri (Konkani word) is a side dish that is made of a mix of coconut, onion, chilli powder along with roasted ingredients like bittergourd, pappad etc.  Karate is Konkani word for Bitter gourd and hence the name Kaarate Kismuri. No, not the martial arts Karate, I promise you there is no such thing involved in this  recipe:-) (Note: In Konkani, this is pronounced “Kaa ra the” with a soft ‘t’)  This is a very simple recipe, yet the taste is very appetizing. The only tough part is chopping of the bitter gourd finely and then frying it. Traditionally the bittergorud…

Microwave Chocolate Pudding

The wistful part about the weekend is that it is not long enough and gets over in no time; here you are dreaming of lazy, casual Saturday morning, anticipating in doing things in a relaxing, causal way and before you know it you are driven to a hectic, groggy, rush hour Monday morning in no time. The transformation 0-90 mph takes place at the blink of an eye! This week was very hectic for us, with so many activities lined; we hardly were at home the whole of Saturday and Sunday.  Oh well, moving on… as is becoming a routine,…

Bitter Gourd Crisps/ Bittergourd Rings (Microwave)

This recipe Bitter Gourd Crisps, a long-standing family favorite has been a staple in our household for years. Prepared in the microwave, it is incredibly simple, low-effort, and yet delivers fantastic results—reminiscent of deep-fried Bitter Gourd Chips but far healthier. Every time I make these for friends or family, they rave about the flavor and texture. Both my husband and I are big fans of bitter gourd, and fortunately, we find good-quality bitter gourd (Karela) year-round at our local Indian grocery store. We prepare these crispy bitter gourd rings at least twice a month. Not only are they easy to…

Mango Peda

We love mangoes at home; both the raw and the ripe fruity ones. We prefer eating fresh mangoes, but during mango off-season we succumb to temptation and buy those big Mango pulp cans from the Indian store. I tried Mango ice-cream with the pulp and after that a good bit of mango pulp was left over. I usually store the left over in the refrigerator; however I do not like storing it for a long time and so think of ways of using it quickly. Now the other day while I was in the process of making Kalakand, it suddenly stuck…

Kalakand Recipe

  Kalakand is a popular sweet made out of solidified, sweetened milk called Khoya and Paneer (cottage cheese). Growing up in Bangalore this used to be one of our favorite sweets. It has a rich, decadent and melt-in-your moth taste. Traditionally made, it is a very long process in which the Khoya and Paneer are made from scratch. After that they are mixed together along with sugar until thickened. They are then cut into squares and garnished with pistachios. Indira has posted a detailed recipe here. Whenever I look at the post, I marvel at the description, pictures, and the…