Thai Chicken Curry

We’ve always loved Malaysian and Thai cuisine, but finding halal options has been a challenge. It was actually Mr. Parveez who first introduced me to both. What I love most is how familiar the flavors feel—there’s a comforting connection between Indian food and these cuisines.

Thai food, for example, often uses peanuts, red chilies, and coconut milk or coconut cream as its base, creating a beautiful balance of spice, sweetness, and creaminess that reminds me of home, yet with its own distinct character.

Since we only consume seafood, we often miss out on many flavors from different cuisines. So, trying them at home becomes our only way to experience them—and honestly, I think it’s a blessing in disguise. It’s not just about learning to cook something new; it’s also a healthier way to eat.

When you cook at home, you choose fresh ingredients, you control what goes into your food, and you serve it right away. That freshness doesn’t just elevate the flavor—it adds real nutritional value too. Every bite feels cleaner, brighter, and more satisfying.

This curry is quite simple to make. I used store-bought Thai red curry paste—since I wasn’t too sure about balancing all the flavors on my first try, I didn’t want my experiment to stray too far from the authentic taste.

For the vegetables, I used bell peppers, onions, scallions, and garlic. You can always add baby corn or any other vegetables you like. That’s the beauty of Thai curries—there’s so much flexibility, and every combination brings a slightly different flavor and texture to the dish.

Serve it with some boiled Rice and enjoy it warm.

Lobster Curry

My love for Lobster Curry began in 2012, during our first visit to Kerala. We stayed on a houseboat in Alleppey, surrounded by the serene backwaters and blessed with the most perfect weather. It was around Christmas time — truly the best season to visit Kerala. During our stay, our hosts served an array of traditional Kerala dishes, especially seafood prepared in rich, aromatic coconut gravies. That’s where I tasted Lobster Curry for the very first time which I loved — and it was pure magic.

I had tried Lobsters before at several seafood restaurants, but they were always mildly cooked and flavored with nothing more than garlic and salt. The Lobster Curry in Kerala, however, was beyond my expectations — rich, flavorful, and absolutely unforgettable. The houseboat had three men who managed everything — from cooking to cleaning and maintenance — and they did it all with such warmth and care. Our time there remains one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. The weather, the calm of the backwaters, the walks surrounded by lush greenery, and the incredible hospitality made every moment truly memorable.

After tasting that unforgettable Lobster Curry, I just had to ask for the recipe — and our gracious host gladly shared it with me. Though the recipe was more of a rough guide than exact measurements, it was enough for me to understand the essence and recreate this wonderfully delicious dish back home.

The original recipe was cooked in coconut oil, but I made mine using olive oil since I don’t usually cook with coconut oil. I honestly don’t think it changes the flavor too much — it just makes the dish a little less “coconuty.” Since I still add coconut milk, the curry retains that perfect balance and richness that complements the rest of the ingredients beautifully. I did make a few other changes too, so I can’t really call this an authentic Kerala dish anymore — it’s more of my inspired version of it.

When I order lobsters for home delivery—which is, of course, the preferred option these days—I clean them myself. But if you’re picking fresh ones at a fish market, you can always ask them to crack the claws and cut the lobsters in half for you. I usually parboil the lobsters with a little turmeric powder and salt; it helps get rid of any musky smell.

To make the curry, I start by heating oil and adding black seeds (kalonji) and curry leaves, followed by finely chopped onions. Once the onions turn soft and transparent, I add ginger-garlic paste along with all the spices and some fennel powder. I find fennel powder brings a lovely freshness, especially to seafood dishes. Next, I pour in the coconut milk—or coconut purée—and tomato purée, stirring until everything blends together beautifully. Finally, I add the lobsters and let them simmer gently for about 10–12 minutes, until the curry thickens and the flavors come together perfectly.

The Lobster Curry might look complicated, but honestly, it takes less time to prepare than a regular chicken curry—and it looks absolutely stunning on the dining table. The best part is that this same recipe works wonderfully with crab too; just substitute the lobster for crab, and you’re good to go. I truly hope you enjoy cooking this dish and love it as much as my family and I do!

Bengali Fish Curry

I do not have an idea about what connects me to Bengal, but I am one big fan of their cuisine. It all started from the Kolkata Chicken Roll, went on to Biryanis, from their to their mind blowing Bengali sweets and now to the awesome fish curries that they make.

Honestly, I am a no fish curry person. I have no idea why, but I could just never bring myself down to liking fish curries. God bless my Late Father, he was a big fan and always looked forward to the fish curries my mom made. Jodhpur, the city I belong to does not get fresh fishes very often. The chicken market also sold fish when the season would be on and my father happened to be one of their regular customers. My father would always get enough to be made into curry and to be fried as well. I would never try the fish curry and would love the fried fish and that’s how it continued.

When I got married, Mr. Parveez loved the fish fried on the side with Daal-Chawal, but he also loves his Fish curry, so he would make his favorite fish curry just few times a year. I tried my level best to like it but its just something that puts me off. Then, one fine day comes in the phase of me finding my new love in Bengali cuisine and you know how Bengali food and fish go hand in hand. So, I came across this wonderful recipe of Bengali fish curry. now, honestly my search was for an authentic “Machhar Jhol” recipe and my search is still on. But this fish curry is the closest I could get to an authentic Machhar jhol.

This fish curry is also made in Bengali style and the taste is amazingly delicious. The flavor is mild and different from the regular fish curries. The recipe is pretty simple and easy to make, and the the recipe does not require any fancy ingredients either. I made this curry using Tilapia fillet, but you can use Halibut, Sea Bass or any other fish of your choice. The fish should be slightly mild for this recipe, so whichever fish you pick, it should not be extremely fishy in taste. Enjoy!!!