Wanderberry Tales

You know, there are some growing up memories that just never fade away and the happiest ones are invariably around the dinner table. Our family had a few ground rules - did I ever mention that my parents are professors? (No wonder we had rules!:P) Rules need not always be bad and are not always meant to be broken. There are some rules that shape your habits and looking back you would never regret having followed them. Our rules were simple - Always have every meal together - be it breakfast, lunch or dinner! We still follow it. Never skip a meal. Mamma says,' if you skip a meal it is I who go hungry not you', so I make sure she never goes hungry:) No TV while eating! Gosh, I wish I could follow that one. That is one rule we had to coax Pappa into relenting at times when our favorite TV programs were running. It was always the same meal for everyone, no specials! You like it, eat it or eat whatever you like that is on the table but special food for one individual was hard...

I keep saying that every dish has a story behind it and Shibin says every photograph should tell a story. So we definitely have a 'Once upon a time' in this dish and a 'happily ever after' too. Most of us have heard of Barbeque Nation and have atleast been there once to satiate our barbeque cravings.What you probably did not know was this restaurant chain is owned by Indore based Sayyaji Hotel. I was fortunate enough to spend two days here and that is where my love affair with crispy fried sweet corn started. I have tried making this snack couple of times - but never achieved success till about two weeks back. This definitely does not meet BBQ Nation standards but still we loved it this way. Last week, we had a family over for dinner and we spent most of the time playing carroms. The need for a quick snack at the carroms table was what reminded me of this recipe. It turned out crispy as I wanted it to and that led me to making it again the very next day for ...

Every vacation has three phases -  The waiting phase - You have planned your vacation, arrangements have been made, you are on a shopping spree, you are texting your relatives and friends on your upcoming vacation plans, you are clearing your fridge and finally packing your bags. To add on - I do an additional cleaning of the house because I love to see the house clean and neat on my return! This is an exciting phase and the feeling that you have something bright to look forward to makes even the most daunting task enjoyable. The actual vacation - this is the fun part. Your waiting is over and here it is finally - the execution of all that you planned. Meeting family, friends and relatives - lots of nostalgic moments, being pampered by family until the day it is time to pack your bags and return. The vacation hangover - the most annoying phase that comes after your vacation. The feeling of emptiness, a vague sense of nothing to look forward to, a weariness to get back to tra...

There is nothing like a hearty breakfast! I would not say that breakfast is the best meal of the day for me - I am always partial towards dinner. Yet having a good breakfast keeps you going for most part of the day.  As a part of my first job in India, we were part of the HR panel for Campus recruitment of freshers. This demanded of us to travel to different cities and were often put up in hotels approved by the company. No compromise on safety and security! Goes without saying that we had the luxury of staying in a couple of prominent 5 star hotels - royal bedrooms and hearty meals. Breakfast is complementary in these hotels and we would definitely not miss that! It was always a combo of Indian and English - from idli, vada, sambar to the croissants, muffins and sausages - name it and you had it there.  So even now when I hear of breakfast buffets I jump at the idea. The widespread buffet is such a visual treat and leaves you with a happy tummy. So over to my recipe...

Often happiness comes in small packets and learning to live in these small packets makes the complex system called life all the more meaningful. Not that I live to dot as per the philosophy I just quoted above but I do try and do want to. The same is applies to food as well - its not just elaborate buffet meals that satisfy your souls, it could be quick fixes like the recipe for today that brightens the soul. I do not mean to dampen the spirits - I know buffets can be more than soul satisfying for the foodie in us but a serene evening in the company of simple food can just do as well when hunger pangs are not too ardent. Another beginners recipe - Kala Chana Sundal with minimum ingredients and that can be snack in itself or a side dish. Hoping on to the recipe. Ingredients (Serves - 2) Black Chickpea - 1 cup boiled Onion - 1 medium finely chopped Coconut grated - 3 tbsp heaped Coriander leaves - chopped Chilly powder - 1 tsp Oil Salt to taste Method Soak ...

The climate wasn't exactly friendly this week. Lots of sand and dust up in the air and the temperature soaring higher by the hour. The hot and dry summer is here again! Getting out onto the streets seemed like a nightmare and we yearned to get back to the house in the evenings.We definitely were in need of something fresh and cold to cheer us up. A refreshing bowl of salad came to our rescue. I am not very fond of salads but I could give this one a pass by any day any time. I am sure your would love digging in this bowl as well. Every time I boil chickpeas for some gravy, I make sure I keep aside some for the salad too. My favorite bowl of salad could be yours too. Here you go - Ingredients  ( serves -2) Chickpeas - 2 cups boiled Capsicum/Green Pepper - 1 medium size chopped Cucumber - 1 skinned and chopped Tomato - 1 finely chopped Coriander leaves - a handful finely chopped Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon Pepper  - 1 tsp coarsely crushed Olive oil - ...

On our recent trip to Archies library here in Dubai, I came across a cook book written by Madhur Jaffrey. A flip of the pages and I am her instant fan. The simple style of writing and her way of bringing in a personal touch to each of these left a strong impression on me.  It wasn't just her recipes but the intricacies of cooking she detailed in her book that mesmerized me.  From how to perfect your sauces to the tempering of the spices - it is all in there. True Indian cooking still original to her roots - that is Madhur Jaffrey's cooking to you. Having said this, it is my sincere endeavor to give my recipes a personal touch and keep it simple. Here is my latest venture in the kitchen - a retake on the pepper chicken by bringing in flavors of corriander and spiciness of green chilly. Ingredients Chicken - 1 kg ( cleaned and cut) Onion - 2 medium Curry leaves - 2 sprigs Salt to taste Oil For marinade: Pepper  - 2 tbsp coarsely ground Coriander leave...

It is simply amazing how simple ingredients come together to form a perfect cuisine. This Pola recipe combines egg with bread and plantain to form a delectable snack. It was only recently that I was introduced to Malabar cuisines and I am loving them. I definitely intend to try more of the Malabar flavors. Quite co-incidentally, during my recent visit to India, my aunt, in order to save overripe plantains from rotting away introduced me to this recipe. I liked the combination and ventured to add bread also into the recipe to make it a wholesome dish. Here is the recipe - a simple quick win snack. Ingredients Eggs - 5 no.s Plantain - 4 medium size Bread - 6 slices Sugar - 2 tbsp Milk - 1/4 cup Salt - 1 pinch Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp Ghee - 2 - 3 tbsp Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp chopped Raisins - 2 tbsp Method Cut the plantain into cubes and shallow fry them in ghee until the yellow color of the plantain begins to turn brown. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in...

In the hustle bustle of modern life, people find it difficult to cook up elaborate recipes. We look out of quick wins that soothe our taste buds after a stressful day. A couple of my bachelor friends requested for recipes that are quick and easy to whip up. So both the needs combined together, we decided to come up with some easy beginners recipes - that are soul satisfying in both the ways. Here is a recipe with hard boiled egg that takes you a maximum of 5 minutes to make if you have boiled eggs with you. It is a spicy kick to the normal boiled eggs. Ingredients Egg - 2 no.s Oil - 1 tbsp Chilly powder - 2 tsp Salt to taste Method Take 2 eggs in a saucepan with water just enough to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil. Simmer on medium flame for ten minutes and switch off the flame. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of tap water and let it cool. Peel the egg under running tap water - makes it easier for the shells to come off. Using a knife create slits on the ...

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la, la la la la Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la Christmas is here and so is the holiday season. While we  prep up our lunch and dinner menus, lets not forget the breakfast! Quick and simple recipe which the young and the old will love alike - peanut butter sandwich with honey and fried banana. This time round we made the sandwich with homemade peanut butter!That is quick and easy too, if you have not yet tried. Before I move onto the recipe, let me remind you to make the festive season fun filled and all the more christmasy, do not forget to watch some Christmas movies. We have already begun ours with The Holiday and Polar Express! Just so Perfect! So here is the recipe -  Ingredients Bread slices - 3 Banana  - 1 Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp Butter - 5 tbsp Peanut butter Honey Method Heat a pan and add butter to this. Once the butter melts, place the banana t...

It is scorching summer in Dubai and everyone is out to find ways to escape the heat. From being holed up at homes and offices to cooler recipes to bring down the heat. Watermelon is probably the best summer fruit. I remember the times when my mom used to serve us freshly cut watermelon when we were back from our evening games or when our father was back from his badminton games. Watermelon was the delicacy at our summer coaching camps as well. I was on the lookout for a new cooler recipe when my cousin suggested this combination which she constantly uses to beat the Delhi heat. As to the name of this cooler, my husband suggested it and I found it quite unique too:) There you are - The Water-'lemon' Mint Cooler: Ingredients Watermelon - 2 cups de-seeded and diced Cucumber - 1 cup diced Lemon - 1 small size Mint Leaves - 2 sprigs Sugar - 2 tsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Ice cubes Method Add the diced watermelon, cucumber and mint leaves into a juicer and blend ...

Did I not tel you that every dish has a story to tell.  This one connects my mother and my husband:) It's my mothers quick recipe that she packs when either me or my sister travel. She happened to cook this once, when my husband was home. He just loved it  and could not believe it was so simple to make.  He named the dish " Onion Chicken" and I retained the name in this blog. Time and again he has asked me to replicate the recipe and I have failed time and again. He " claims" - Ria your dish is good but definitely not like your mother's. Well, today I had my mother send me the recipe and tried it out in my kitchen. Yet I could not match her dish. After all your mothers recipe is always special. Nevertheless we loved the chicken and had a hearty meal. This is a very easy recipe ideal for working women who want to put together something for dinner after a long day at work. So, here goes -  Ingredients Chicken - 800 gms Onion - 3 big - ...

I wanted my first ever recipe on this blog to be really special. I spent almost two weeks wondering what it could possibly be. I came up with a big zero and that is when I made this fish thoran. It was a quick decision. I had few slices of fish left in the refrigerator and definitely did not want to fry it. That is when I remembered a dish my mother used to make. Without a minutes delay I messaged her and the next minute I had my recipe and in the next 45 minutes my dish was ready :) So I guess no dish can be more perfect than this to start off. A recipe from my mothers kitchen and  a dish my husband devoured. Thoran is a Keralite dish that is generally eaten with steamed rice and usually made from vegetables. Here is my attempt at creating a seafood version of the traditional thoran which is medium spicy and trust me quite crunchy too. Ingredients Fish  - 3 whole medium sized Mackerel( Use the fish of your choice - but I found Mackerel to be really tasty when ste...