Vegetable Biryani is a one pot  meal that  that is  fit for company .   Even  the  die hard carnivores in the  family  do not  refuse  this   dish .   Vegatable  Biryani in Hydrabadi  Dum way  is a  very fragrant , aromatic  and  rich  dish .   Aromatic  basmati rice  and  vegetables  cooked  in …

The famed  red velvet cake – smooth  velvety   texture, bright read  color  and  buttery taste with a  hint of  cocoa –   does a  cake  need  anything  more  to make it  irresistible ?  The only problem  I had   with  it  was   the amount of  food  color .  The  synthetic  Red dyes  used  to …

The  other  day I  got  to pick  a  bag  of  oranges  from  a  friend’s  backyard. Fresh  sweet oranges   are  always  a  treat, especially when handpicked and had fresh. I am  especially fond of  the  zest, right from the tree these are even more fragrant than those from the market. So there I was with …

Flat breads  or  rotis  are  found  everywhere in  the  Indian  subcontinent.   Usually  made  to  order   and  eaten  warm  with accompaniments .  These are  made   with a  variety of  flours ,  but  wheat  remains  predominant .   A  tour of  the  region  will  definitely introduce  one  to the  lean rotis, layered rotis ,  stuffed …

One of  the  perks  of  living  in  Southern California is   that one  gets  to  experience  different  cultures and cuisines.  Sometime back  I found  these   wonderful sweetbreads   called  Gata  in a nearby  middle  eastern bakery .   A  bit  of  research  led  to  Armenian  Gata .  It is a  sweet and  soft  bread …

Rich ,   fun   and  ready to  share  – if  there  is   party bread  , this  is  it .   Hard to believe  that   it is  just a  doled  up  cousin of  humble   white  bread .  Nothing   complex , just a  bit of filling  and  shaping   and   voila   …

Here is an easy to make basic sourdough starter recipe. Flour and water are all it takes to make incredible starter from scratch. Once you master this vary the flour and liquid components to create more nuanced flavors.

Every now  and  then  you are  reminded  of   why the   classics are  what  they are . Victoria   Sponge  Cake  is  one of those  recipes .  So named after  Queen  Victoria ,    who  was  partial to  the  sponge  cake   with  her   afternoon  tea .  This simple recipe   is not  just  for …

Here is a sweet and tangy jelly with a hint of spicy beat. Ripe red peppers give the jelly its beautiful red color and a little pectin reduces the cooking time greatly . Use it to spread on toast or to on roast chicken or pork.

Dilkush or Dilpasand is an enriched bread with a sweet surprise hidden inside. From the outside, it looks like a plain loaf of bread but as you cut into it the filling comes into view. The typical filling is made with coconut, sugar, candied or dried fruit, and cardamom. It is delicious and visually appealing. …