Dry Fish Curry

I like Fish, in fact love Fish but, I usually prefer them fried, grilled, baked, but never a curry. I think it might be due to the fact that growing up, my mom wasn’t used to making a variety when it comes to fish curry. My hometown never has more than one kind of fish and of course one way of making it, so there was no way it impressed me.

Every time, we traveled to Delhi or Mumbai, we tried prawns and different fish, fried or grilled, but I still could never bring myself to trying the curry. And, that continued well after Mr. Parveez and I got married. He is a big fan of fish curry and it was clear that I was neither going to share it nor I was good at making it. So, from me never attempting to cook a fish curry to enjoying it has been a long and funny journey.

One day, we happened to be at a fancy restaurant with some friends. The restaurant was popular for its seafood. When asked for their signature dish, they suggested some Dry Anchovy curry. I thought I would just stick to the grilled and fried stuff, but you know when you go out with people and they insist that you try something, and even though you don’t like it, its hard to convince people who are eating something extra ordinarily delicious and believe firmly that it would be a dish loving and flavor changing experience for you, and you just have to take some, and so I did. Trust me, that bite was so good that it changed my idea about fish curry altogether.

Since then I have started trying making dry fish curries with different fishes mixing in veggies and the outcome has always been lovely. I still haven’t come down to eating the regular fish curry, but its definitely better than before and you never know, a mind blowing fish curry might make me fall in love with fish curry too. This dish is made with Tilapia boneless fillet, but you can even opt for Sea Bass or striped bass. Try and stick to fish fillet and a fish that does not over power the flavor of veggies and blends in well.

Dalia Sooji Laddu

Laddus don’t need an occasion, it just tends to make the day special when you make them. Have you ever noticed the expressions of your little ones running around the kitchen and making excuses to keep tasting the boora while you are still in the middle of making those laddus. The excitement and happiness makes me even happier making these little balls of delight.

I make different kinds of laddus and its always easier to add or change something while you are still making them and that’s the reason I find them an easier sweet dish to experiment with than the other sweets.

This particular recipe is my family favorite. This is made from Chane ka Dalia, which is healthy and tastes super delicious.

Gulab Jamun Sandwich

Gulab Jamun are the “go to” sweet dish for every home in India. Popular, Likeable, or should I say lovable by every soul. And, if you love Gulab Jamuns, then a Gulab Jamun Sandwich just comes in as something fancier and nicer.

Though Gulab Jamuns aren’t referred to as Bengali sweets, but I think the variation has nothing to do with Bengal. Gulab Jamun sandwich is a milk solid based rich sweet from the Indian subcontinent, very popular in India, Nepal, Pakistan. In Maldives they call it Gulab Jaanu Sandwich, and in Bangladesh, its called Gulaab Jaam Sandwich.

It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from Khoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Mixing in butter, flour, and milk/yogurt with the soft Khoya and form cylindrical balls, deep fry and add them to the sugar syrup. The sugar syrup is made of sugar, water, saffron, cardamom powder and rose water. Modern recipes call for dried/powdered milk instead of Khoya, which is fine as well. The middle part is made of Khoya and granulated sugar. You can always add a few saffron stands and screw pine water for enhancing flavors. It is often garnished with dried nuts such as crushed pistachios and almonds to enhance flavor.

For preparing this it is necessary to give cylindrical shape to  the classic or traditional Gulab Jamun and fill it with extra khoya in between. You don’t really need that little mix pack or run to the store to have these perfect, rich delights at home. Making Gulab Jamun Sandwich at home, with ingredients you will find at home, is pretty easy and not at all time consuming. The only thing you need is a perfect recipe.

Now, if you ever thought Gulab Jamun Sandwich is a gift of India to the world, you are wrong. Gulab Jamuns are actually a gift from the Mughals. All these sweet dishes that used Orange Blossom water or Rose water or screw pine water with saffron are all delicacies that came in from the Middle East and were introduced to Indian cuisine during the Mughal Era.

As the history says, the Gulab Jamuns were first prepared in the era of medieval times in India, derived from a sweet fritter recipe that a Central Asian Turkish invader brought to India. One theory also claims that it was accidentally prepared by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s personal chef. All in all, it is a sweet dish inspired by the Middle east.

The word “Gulab” is derived from the Persian words gul, which means flower and āb, means water, referring to the rose water-scented syrup. Jamun is also defined as a fried delicacy in dipped in sugar syrup. A middle eastern dessert Luqmat al-qadi is very similar to gulab jamun, though it uses a different batter. Gulaab jamun Sandwich must be a variation tried by the Mughal Emperors as well, since the era has its own tales of rich food, made from Milk, saffron and dry fruits. And, I believe if a community can make use of milk solids to cook their non vegetarian dishes, they can definitely do a lot with their vegetarian sweet dish.

These outstanding Gulab Jamun Sandwich have a remarkable depth of taste and texture, achieved very carefully combining few ingredients to form cylindrical balls. Fry them slowly in ghee or oil, further soak them in syrup, Cut them from the middle and fill the middle part with Khoya filling. Decorate with a silver leaf and crushed nuts. Serve and amaze. With such detailed recipe, its hard to go wrong.

Chicken Tandoori Flat Bread

Who doesn’t love Pizza? We all have a heart that has a special place for Pizza, no matter the changes it brings to the scale…LOLzzz. Flat breads are the new in thing, more like thin slices of thin crust pizza. I kind of prefer it to the regular pizza, since flat breads generally are lighter in cheese and usually a little extra sauce which to me is always a little better. Flat breads usually also have a little sprinkled dry Parmesan cheese on it and it makes it look different from pizza and if you are not a very big cheese fan like me, you will definitely like the taste of dry cheese powder. Sprinkling a little dry oregano or chili flakes also enhances the flavor.

Now coming back to this experiment, we love tandoori chicken and I always try to make my pizza with an Indian touch. There is always so many real flavors of pizza and flat breads available at restaurant and I think if you try and make the same thing at home, it beats the purpose of us going out to eat. So, when trying something at home, I always try to make it different from what we get outside. It could be a little different or more different depending on what you are making, but if its made at home try to add your flavor to make it unique.

So, to make this recipe, you will need around 2 cups of tandoori chicken. I made mine fresh, but leftovers from dinner should also be fine. You can always feel free to make tandoori chicken any style you like or can follow my Chicken Tandoori recipe.

This flat bread can have Paneer or Tofu as well, if you want to have it as a vegetarian option. You can always marinate them with tandoori flavors and make it the same way.

Chane ki Daal ka Meetha

This is the first sweet dish that I made from my Sasuraal side. Coming from Rajasthan, I was in love with Moong ki daal ka Halwa and when I heard about Chane ki daal ka Halwa, I was super excited and loved the taste when I tried it. Once we moved to USA, I started trying to make it on home.

The first try was something I did by myself, without asking my Mother in law for the recipe, but for some reason it wasn’t as good as what we had eaten and neither me, nor Mr. Parveez was able to figure out what went wrong or what was missing. And, that’s when my Mother in law came to the rescue. I spoke to her over the phone, giving her details about how I tried making the “meetha” and that I didn’t understand what went wrong. She patiently explained the over all recipe and the “magic ingredient” that I missed was Cinnamon and cloves.

Little did I think that Cinnamon and clove make so much difference to this Halwa. I could never imagine adding these 2 ingredients will actually add so much flavor and fragrance to this sweet.

This sweet dish is one of the easiest sweets I have ever made and it has always impressed everyone. The best part that I like about this sweet dish that, it’s mistake proof. Having said that, I mean that there is no mistake that you make while cooking this, that cannot be fixed and that too easily. So, if you are new at making Indian sweet dishes, this is your go to dish. It’s great for beginners and also great if you have to make something in a jiffy.

Bheja Fry

This dish is Brain Fry, made from Goat or lamb brain. Being from the Muslim community, I have never known a family who does not make this at home, though the opinion of people differ. People like us are big fans and love it each time its cooked, but then I have my kids, who never enjoyed the texture and taste and no matter how much I tried convincing them, it never worked till now. Keeping my fingers crossed that someday they would like it.

Now, brain fry is very popular in traditional dish and is made in restaurants that serve traditional Muslim food and you will never find it on the menu of all restaurants. This dish is popularly served for breakfast with parantha, along side with paaya curry or even on its own. If you ever want to try this dish, I would recommend you to either try it in Muslim home or if you happen to be in a city in India, popular for their Muslim food, like Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, do try them in the high populated Muslim areas.

This dish is made in a very traditional style. Though its super easy to make, the brain is a little fragile so you cannot cook it the way we cook traditional chicken or meat. Being fragile, you have to make sure you cook it carefully. Turn around carefully specially when you mix it with the masala in the end.

Chane ke Laddu

One of the first laddu experiments that I did. Experiment sounds extremely funny, but the fact is that it was a complete experiment. I was newly married and wanted to impress my husband with my “Indian sweet” making skills. This was the time when my cooking were still doubtful and my food was mostly an experiment, when I tried something new.

Its really amazing to see yourself grow confident for something you are always so passionate about. Its not that I never make any cooking mistakes anymore, we all do at some point. Sometimes a dish made in rush turns out amazing and something that you give a lot of time to gets messed up, and leaves you wondering that what could have you possibly done wrong. But, you are a master when you learn how to fix up your mistakes and still be able to serve a lovely dish. The art of being able to fix a dish is called cooking.

Coming back to the Laddus, so these sweet balls of flavor were a hit from the first time Mr. Parveez tasted them. But, the original thought of making Laddus wasn’t what I had in mind. I was actually trying to make Rajasthani sattu. I believe the amount of ghee that needs to be added in making the sattu was the reason I didn’t get the dish right. Mr. Parveez doesn’t enjoy Ghee much, to my disappointment, and as much as I would like to add ghee to my sweets [the Marwari in me], I am not able to. So, the sattus didn’t turn out right due to me watching and deducting the quantity of ghee and once I messed that up, I needed to fix that and this is when the Laddus were made. I figured out that adding sooji gave them a little crunch and made them taste better too.

Now, the sugar that we have in USA is granulated sugar, so if you tend to use a thick grain sugar [white or brown], I would suggest you powder it before using. A lot of Laddus require chashni or sugar syrup and since this recipe requires adding sugar in solid state, you need something that mixes in properly.

These are easy to make for beginners as well. So, if you happen to be new at cooking and would like to impress loved ones with something easy and special, this recipe is for you. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Kalmi Kebab

The origin of Kalmi Kebab is from the Mughal era, of course, I mean where else will Kebabs so delicious can come from except for the Mughals. The Mughals introduced Kebabs to the Indian cuisine and when their Kebab making skills were fused with the spices of India to give super delicious and scrumptious dishes. This dish now is very popular in Hyderabad and is very prodly an addition to the Nizam cuisine, which of course is greatly influenced from the Mughals.

Tangdi Kebab are everyone’s favorite. Tandoori kebabs are pretty popular amongst people and mostly when we think of Tangdi kebab, the first kebabs that come to mind are the red tandoori kebabs.

With the huge variety that Chicken offers in the “World of Kebabs”, these happen to be one of the easy ones and definitely something beginners can easily cook to impress. The kebabs need marination time, overnight is not needed, 3 hours are enough. If you are running out of time, marinate and wrap them up with cellophane or a tight lid and leave them in the freezer for 15 – 30 minutes. Not any longer or the chicken pieces would freeze.

The chicken can be cooked in the oven as well, but going through the traditional way for cooking Kalmi Kebab, I decided to pan fry them. With pan frying, the besan cooks properly adding crunch to the chicken, which otherwise in the oven to take longer. Again, you might prefer the oven and if you do, its 350F/180C for 20 minutes each side.

As I said before, the dish is great for beginners and super easy to make. If you are a great cook, this dish makes an excellent side dish to your party and the flavors show great efforts. Hope you enjoy making it as much as I did.

Pistachio Khoya Kulfi

The wonderful world of cold desserts and the version of ice creams served in India “Kulfi”. The word Kulfi or Qulfi is an Indian word derived from the Persian word “Qufli” which means “covered cup”. The dessert was likely originated during the era of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. The mixture of milk, sugar and nuts. Kulfi is a gifted recipe from the Middle eastern travelers and settlers to India and neighboring countries. Along with so many architectural gifts to India, like the Taj mahal, which even till date makes our country so proud and has millions of visitors travel India only to see Taj Mahal once in their lifetime and so many gorgeous forts, along with Red Fort where the PM addresses the nation every year are all an awesome example of Mughal architectural skill.

Coming back the Kulfi, Indian cuisine were not aware of using Orange blossom, Rose water, saffron or a wide variety of dry fruits in the cuisine. The Mughals while introducing their cuisines and blending them with Indian flavors resulted in wide variety of Biryanis, Kebabs, curries and sweet dishes including Gulab Jamun, Jalebi and Rabri to name a few and of course, Kulfi.

This sweet dish is rich in flavor and can be made in various flavors and is always served cold. It can be served with Basil seeds or sabza that are soaked for an hour, as falooda. It can be flavored while serving as well. I usually like mine to be served with Rose syrup, or the popular Rooh Afza.

This particular recipe has Milk boiled till it thickens and reduces. Added Khoya and cooked further after adding sugar, cardamom powder, saffron, crushed Pistachio, Pistachio flavoring, a little green color and Milk powder to thicken the mixture making the Kulfi more dense and creamier. You can always change the flavors in a Kulfi keeping the base the same.

I also use Silver leaf for decoration, but that’s always optional, but something that makes you home kulfi different from the restaurant and trust me, even better.

Ambur Biryani

Ambur, nestled in the Vellore district of northern Tamil Nadu, is renowned for its signature biryani, a dish that has become emblematic of the region’s culinary identity. What sets Ambur Biryani apart is its use of zeera samba rice—a short-grain, aromatic variety known for its ability to absorb flavor while maintaining a firm texture. Unlike the long-grain basmati used in many other biryanis, zeera samba gives Ambur Biryani its distinctive mouthfeel and subtle fragrance.

🍽️ A Glimpse into Ambur Biryani’s Origins

  • Historical Roots: The dish traces back to the Nawabs of Arcot, whose kitchens blended Mughal techniques with local ingredients. Some stories suggest that Mughal soldiers, craving biryani while stationed in the south, adapted their recipe using available spices and zeera samba rice.
  • Regional Spread: Though Ambur is the epicenter, neighboring towns like Vaniyambadi also share this biryani tradition, each adding its own nuance.
  • Flavor Profile: Ambur Biryani is known for being moderately spiced, with a curd-based gravy and a higher meat-to-rice ratio. It’s often served with dalcha, khatte baingan, or raita, making it a complete and satisfying meal.

Ambur & Vaniyambadi Biryani: A Legacy of Flavor

Ambur and Vaniyambadi, neighboring towns in the Vellore district of northern Tamil Nadu, are known not just for their leather craftsmanship—but for a biryani that has become iconic across South India. With a significant Muslim population and a rich culinary heritage, these towns gave rise to a style of biryani that’s both humble and unforgettable.

The dish is believed to have been introduced by the Nawabs of Arcot, whose royal kitchens blended Mughal techniques with local ingredients. Another story suggests that Mughal soldiers, stationed in the southern region, longed for the biryani of their homeland. With limited access to familiar spices and basmati rice, they adapted the recipe using zeera samba rice—a short-grain variety native to Tamil Nadu, known for its ability to absorb flavor while retaining texture.

📺 A Friday Tradition, A New Flavor

As most of you who follow me know, I have a soft spot for trying new biryani recipes. It’s become a bit of a ritual—every Friday, without fail, I cook biryani for dinner. It’s my way of ending the week with warmth, aroma, and a plate full of comfort.

One Friday morning, while watching an Indian TV channel, my husband, Mr. Parveez, spotted a segment on a restaurant serving Ambur Biryani. Intrigued by its unique style and regional roots, he couldn’t resist. I was out grocery shopping when my phone buzzed with a FaceTime call from his office.

Baccha, can you look up Ambur Biryani and make that today?” I smiled. Of course I could. That’s the beauty of biryani—it’s endlessly adaptable, and every version carries a story. That day, Ambur Biryani became ours.

🍽️ A Pleasant Surprise in the Aisles

While I’m always up for trying something new, I’ll admit—having to rearrange my shopping list last-minute can throw me off. So when Mr. Parveez requested Ambur Biryani on a Friday morning, I braced myself for a bit of a scramble.

To my surprise, the recipe didn’t call for anything fancy. In fact, I had everything I needed right at home. No exotic ingredients, no elaborate prep—just honest, flavorful cooking. It was so straightforward that after finishing, I double-checked the recipe to make sure I hadn’t missed a step!

Ambur Biryani turned out to be not only easy to make, but a true crowd-pleaser. If you’re a biryani lover like me, this one’s a must-try. It’s proof that sometimes, the simplest dishes carry the richest stories.