I actually think tahini is pretty underutilized in most kitchens. Sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) is pretty popular these days but it seems like tahini is usually just reserved for hummus. I’ve decided I’m going to make an effort to use tahini more – it’s a great nut-free butter that works oh so well in both sweet and savory dishes. To make this sweet and salty tahini chocolate bark, I first melted my dairy-free chocolate and poured it onto parchment paper....

Semiya kesari is the one I learned from my friend Janani’s mom Mallika aunty, when I was in Singapore. Mami makes delicious semiya kesari and those days I never know we can make kesari with semiya. This is a super-hit recipe among my friends too. Coming to Karamani sundal, it is made using a fresh podi. The podi recipe I learned from my friend’s mom. This podi can be used in making curries and rasam too....

Find this recipe on page 108 of Dinner. I’m not just doing this to torture you, I promise. This page exists to display the how-to video for this recipe which I exclusively created for my debut cookbook, Dinner. Every recipe in the cookbook has a tutorial video. To watch it, you simply scan the QR code with your phone or tablet and it will take you straight to the recipe video like the one shown above!...

Alvas Yogurt 3/4 cup Pomegranate 1/2 cup Red chili powder 1-1 and1/4 tsp Cumin powder | Roasted jeera powder 1/4 tsp Salt as needed Sugar 2 pinches Video of How to make Spicy Pomegranate raita In a wide bowl add the thick creamy yogurt. Whisk this well without any lumps. Add red chili powder, roasted cumin powder,salt and sugar. Mix well. Add the pomegranate to this. Fold gently. Serve chilled with any spicy biryani or parata of your choice....

BONUS: oven baked Sweet and Sour Pork directions included! Sweet and Sour Pork There’s a lot of information in this Sweet & Sour Pork recipe, so I’m going to skip all the usual attempts at a charming story and just give you the high points! Wait a sec – did I just convince you that you’ve gotta try this?! 😂 How to make Sweet and Sour Pork – OVERVIEW Pork Marinade Ingredients Here’s what you need for the pork and marinade:...

Chai masala, or tea masala, is a blend of fragrant Indian spices. You infuse these spices into black tea in order to make spiced chai. Every Indian family has its own way of making chai, and today, I’m sharing my family’s secret recipe with you. Authentic Homemade Chai Masala For years, I’ve wondered why my chai never tasted as good as my mom’s or dad’s chai. I figured it was because my parents just had more experience making chai....

Arai puli kuzhambu Vendakkai puli mandi INGREDIENTS: METHOD: Chop the tomatoes into fine pieces. In a pan add sesame oil and add the mustard seeds, toor dal vendayam(fenugreek seeds) and when the mustard crackles add the red chillies. Now add the sambar powder and saute for few seconds. Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute well for 3minutes in a medium flame. Now add 2 cups of water and add salt, turmeric powder and jaggery....

Only homemade tuna sandwiches One of my dark food secrets is that I’m actually a picky eater. The list of things I don’t want to eat is actually pretty long. Which is why I have to cook. Case in point – tuna sandwich. There’s just no way I’d ever get one from a food court sandwich shop let alone a pre-packaged one from a servo (that’s a gas service station, for all you non-Aussies out there!...

Most of us have a fear of uppu seedai bursting in oil or vella seedai getting disintegrated in oil. I have posted the uppu seedai and vella seedai recipe in Jeyashri’s kitchen with full video. For the past 20 years I am doing seedai and every time it is a successful attempt only. My mom is an expert in making both uppu seedai and vella seedai. I have learnt it from her only....

Idli rice 1/4 cup Raw rice | sona masoori 1 tblsp Vendhayam | methi seeds 2 tblsp Urad dal| ulundu 1 tblsp Sesame oil | nallenai 2 tblsp Ghee 1 tblsp Vellam | jaggery 3/4 cup Cardamom powder a pinch (optional) Wash and soak the idli rice, vendhayam, raw rice, urad dal in a bowl for 3 hours. Grind this in a mixie or grinder. Do not grind this into a very smooth paste....

Complete your Vietnamese banquet with fresh Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls to start and a side of fluffy coconut rice. And don’t miss the chicken version – Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken! Vietnamese Caramel Pork recipe Vietnamese Caramel Pork is one of those gems that seem exotic, yet is unbelievably simple AND you can get everything you need at your local supermarket. The pork is braised until tender, and looks completely unimpressive until the last 5 minutes when it magically caramelises and turns into something that you’d pay serious $ for at a posh Asian restaurant....

It was only recently that I opened my eyes mouth to gazpacho, a chilled, Spanish-style soup. In my mind, soup is supposed to provide warmth and comfort – not cool refreshment. Well, I’ve come around. If you’ve never had gazpacho, this watermelon version might just make you a cold soup convert too. Even though I’m now a fan of cold soup, I haven’t warmed up (heh) to the idea of cold fruit soup....

This white chicken chili is made with chicken (of course), cannellini beans, and corn! It’s an easy and comforting chili. If it’s cold outside, this is a must-make recipe. If it’s raining or snowing, even better! Grab yourself a bowl of this chicken chili, curl up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket, and watch a feel-good (read: terribly cheesy) movie. I came up with this recipe when I was brainstorming what to make for my husband’s birthday party....

When it comes to making smoothies, I always throw a few spices into the blender. Spices have been used for thousands of years for their healing powers and adding a pinch to a smoothie is an easy and tasty way to add some extra health benefits to your diet. Below is a list of 16 spices for smoothies. Also in this post, I’ve included some of my smoothie making tips as well as options for dairy-free milk....

Apple season is my favorite season! I consider apples a transition fruit, a gentle reminder that summer is coming to an end and that it’s time to ease into fall. I love seeing apples of all colors pop up at local markets – it gets me into a fall state of mind. I love eating crisp apples on their own (or with peanut butter), and I love cooking with apples too!...

Antipasto Chickpea Salad Professional food writers would probably describe chickpeas as a blank canvas for flavour. I’m not that eloquent. I’ll just say bluntly – I find chickpeas rather bland. So when you see chickpeas in a recipe of mine, they are always with big, bold flavours. Think – Indian curries, chorizo stew, Moroccan tray bake, Brazilian stew, Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad. Today’s recipe is no exception. Take canned chickpeas and toss with lots of punchy flavoured antipasto things – sun-dried tomato, roasted red peppers, artichokes and feta – tossed in a dressing made using the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomato....

Aval vadai recipe is a super easy vadai recipe, which you can prepare with very minimum ingredients at home. You can make this vadais, when you have sudden guests at home. I made this as a no onion no garlic version. This vadai is made with 2 main ingredients, poha | aval, and curd. Aval vadai stays crisp for a few hours after frying. Usually, we soak urad dal or chana dal for making vadai which needs advanced planning....

“Freeze! Cut! Don’t move!” “Faster, faster, faster!” “Dozer, move! MOVE!” “Chop chop chop, come on, let’s get this scene done!” “Dozer. I said MOVE!” One day, I need to use the sound that’s recorded on the footage that I shoot for the recipe videos. When I watch the clips, I’m always in hysterics when I listen to the ridiculous conversation: me batting Dozer away, listening to my mother getting all stressed out when I crack the whip to chop faster, her mocking my Baby Hands and throwing her weight around as the “talent” in my videos....

Authentic tasting Banh Mi with just a trip to your local grocery store? YES YOU CAN! Banh Mi recipe Fellow Banh Mi lovers, this one’s for you! A recipe that’s been in the works for a very long time, with much taste-testing research done (it’s hard work, but someone’s gotta do it… 😂). In today’s Banh Mi recipe, I’m going to show you: I certainly had more than my fair share of Banh Mi when I was in Vietnam last year…....

Garlic Bread You can’t order pizza without a side of garlic bread. It would be like ordering a burger at Maccers with no fries. (Oh the sacrilege, talking about so much fast food in one post! 🙈) And while some people dive straight for the biggest slice of pizza, I always – ALWAYS – go for the garlic bread first. Who’s with me here??? 🙋🏻‍♀️ How to make garlic bread There are many ways to make garlic bread....