Caprese Flatbread

You could call it Pizza if you so fancy or even nanizza if you are feeling creative because essentially this yummy dish is nothing but classic caprese style toppings over a naan flat bread. A few moons ago I had shared a similar flat bread pizza with some classic makhani style paneer topping. Of course the choice of toppings is only limited by your imagination but for me a very good combination (when its not paneer of course) is a simple but a classic combo of tomatoes, cheese, basic and garlic. Not to mention it is much simpler to put together than a traditional pizza if you use store bought naans which work perfectly well in this preparation.
Read more »

Tags:Caprese Flatbread

Sauteed Garlic Herb Mushrooms

When you are either learning the basics of cooking or have been at it for a while, being asked to create a dish from memory is always challenging and tricky. The challenge increases multiple fold when it has to be from someone else's memory. Yes that is the story behind this dish. This other day when I made pizza - which I have several times - hubs somehow decided to take a trip down the memory lane. He began describing how when he was in India, they had opened a brand new Pizza Hut in his city, one of the very first ones in the entire country in those times. He of course had paid a visit to eat a veggie pizza that as he describes cost an arm and a leg. The one thing they brought with the pizza was a sampler of sauteed garlic mushrooms on the house. The pizza was great, he goes on, but the taste of the mushrooms stuck with him. Of course I took the hint, asked him a few questions on what more he remembered of what it looked like, and tried it. Yes he said these were better than the ones he had way back when. What a relief!

Read more »

Buffalo Tofu Bites

I do not care much for tofu. Well read on, there's more to it. Of course I did not grow up eating tofu. Not so very long ago, it all started as a misunderstanding between mister tofu and I. I had heard a lot of good things about it. I even found out that it was made from bean curd which put me right at home with it. To top it all it looked like paneer, my favorite ingredient of all. That was the mistake. I tried it with the expectation for it to taste like paneer. Not tofu's fault. It is a great and very versatile ingredient but one of a kind. I have since tried it many different ways and this recipe is the best way I like it. Done appetizer style, breaded, baked and with the spicy kick of a homemade buffalo style sauce. Tofu is back again. 

Read more »

Smashed Spicy Baby Potatoes

Oh this one is just yum! We finished a plateful only a few hours ago and as I write this I am craving bad for another bite of these cuties. Yes, no kidding, they are that good. With their super crispy skin coated and infused with spices that carry a kick that could lift any spirit, warm creamy insides that are ever so slightly crunchy with all the roasting, they are so good I could bet you would fight the others at the table for the last one. Do try these especially with my homemade Tandoori masala.

Read more »

Vegetable Pizza Pull Apart Bread

Doesn't this bread just look just worth drooling over. For me at least I have seen this made by several folks and have wanted to make it for a while now. Funny thing is - I actually have. This is probably the third time around that I am making this but it was only this time that I actually got around to be able to hold everyone off till I took the pictures! A perfect snack (or even lunch) for bread lovers and a great crowd pleaser, this bread not just looks great itself, it will make you look good too. Slicing the bread just right takes some patience. Too deep a cut with make the bread fall apart and too little will not allow for enough filling. Filling it with veggie mixture needs some patience as well but tell you what, in the end it is all very well worth it. So pull away!

Read more »

Baked Buffalo Broccoli Bites!

Now I realize the post before the last was Brussels Sprouts and here I am trying to sell you guys in to Broccoli - another vegetable that is famous in its notoriety for not being the most liked. But trust you me, after you eat this, you might just discover your new found love for this nutritious member of the cabbage family.
I speak from personal experience. Usually I try to make a vegetable many different ways - in a curry would be my first way, dry pan roasted, oven roasted, tandoori style, mixed with rice as a one pot meal and probably a couple others. Most vegetable are very agreeable to most these methods and come out pretty good. Your good old broccoli on the other hand, not so much. It usually only works for me only when roasted dry with some light seasoning. After tasting these bites, especially with the spicy homemade buffalo sauce, this will be the preferred way to eat broccoli in my household at least for some time to come.

Read more »

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Sour Cream Dip

Who wants to eat brussels sprouts, right? If you were to make a list of commonly available vegetables that most people dislike, these little guys would most probably be very near if not the top of that list. Heck they use these even in TV shows when they have to show parents trying to stuff veggies into kids and the kids kicking up a fuss. Well, not in my family. Hubs loves them and the way he likes to put it "Who wouldn't especially if made the way you make 'em"! This was a new vegetable to me as well until a few years ago when their cute little cabbage shape got my attention. No points for guessing that curiosity got the better of me and I got a batch immediately. Of course the first thing I tried was to cook them like cabbages - in a curry. That was a success. Since then I have cooked them several different ways but these roasted ones are the most popular in my family. They are easy to make, not to mention very nutritious and with their crispy exterior and juicy soft insides, they make a great appetizer or a side to a meal.
Read more »

Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip with Garlic Toast

Its snack time at USMasala again. And talking about snack time, it is just in time for the weekend to gather around your big flat screen with your favorite people and favorite snacks and just have a good time. Now I don't claim to be a big fan of the game, heck I barely know how it is played. I am still at heart the good old girl from that part of the world that lives and breathes a good game of Cricket. But watching a great game with family and friends gathered around definitely brings back some vivid memories. Just remember to handle this ever popular dip with care. It comes out of the oven really hot and just so flavorful and yummy with all that creamy spinach goodness ready to be scooped up with your favorite chip or a nice crunchy garlic toast that if you got too much into the game you might be scraping the bottom of the bowl - no pun intended.
Read more »

White Spinach Pizza Grilled Cheese

Not much of an exciting story behind this one, just one afternoon felt like making a sandwich for the three of us. Well, to make it less boring than 'just a sandwich' thought of playing a little with some stuff I had in the fridge. Didn't feel like a cold sandwich and what better than a grilled cheese with a twist to make a warm sandwich. With some crafty use of ricotta, mozzarella and spinach, I could give it a catchy name as well, a name with the word 'pizza' in it. The little one sure bought it and loved it too. Let me know what you think.

Read more »

Rasam Vada/Crisp lentil dumplings in a spiced tomato soup

This has been in my drafts folder forever. Not sure why it never made it out the door, well at least not until now. Guess I was waiting for the right moment. Talking about the right moment, these crispy dumplings soaked in the spicy soup is just perfect while you wait in the comfort of your home for that first snow, not that it ever snows here in south Florida. This dish hails from southern India but has come to be popular in all parts of the country of course with the details varying on how its done every couple hundred miles. Here I present how I like to do them. Hubs is a big fan of this and when I pulled out this recipe from my drafts, I did get to hear a mouthful on how I haven't made these for him in a while. When you take a spoonful into your mouth, while you enjoy the crispiness from the dumplings, the spicy soup kicks in and makes it just a delightful mix of flavors on your palate. The recipe is not too tricky either. It uses simple ingredients including the Rasam powder that are easily available in any Indian grocery store. And yes, if you cannot get the  donut shape right, it is perfectly okay to just shape the dumplings as regular dough balls.

Read more »

Sauteed Corn and Avocado Salad!

With fall just behind us and winter fast approaching, the weather has been such that we mostly tend to spend the evenings getting cozy and comfortable on our couch. Getting cozy on the couch often gets associated with a hot cup of tea and something to snack on. This warm corn salad is another one of my mom's recipes that makes me nostalgic during those fall-winter evenings. Of course the avocado was my touch to it to add another texture dimension to it (and not to mention for my avocado crazy hubs). The sweetness of the corn together with the kick from the spices and the creaminess from the avocado chunk creates an interesting play of taste and texture on your palate. Not to mention the occasional peanut to add that nutty flavor and a crunch.

Read more »

Spicy Roasted Baby Potatoes!

This one's for hubs. Granted potatoes are very versatile and well liked but he is something else. You could write songs for his love for potatoes. There are only two ways he does not like potatoes, in the raw and in the vodka form. If you are not so much of a potato fan, don't lose heart as these little guys here might just win you over. Coated with spices and slightly crispy from being sauteed and nice and tender and juicy from the inside, they are the perfect snack. Use it when entertaining guests or heck teach him how to make it so he can use it to get some points with you every now and then.

Read more »

Dahi Vada/Dahi Bhalla/Lentil Dumplings in Sweet Tangy Yogurt Sauce

Where do I start about Dahi Vadas. Let me just say they are the most favorite savory snack of all time for me. Right up there where a molten chocolate lava cake would be for a sweet one. Yeah... that much. Now that you got an idea about how much I like it, for those of you who are not aware of what it is, it is a crispy fried donut shaped dumpling made of ground lentils, very lightly seasoned and if fried right, is light and airy. Now let that crispy airy dumpling soak in a lightly salted thick yogurt sauce and here's the kicker, garnished with a spicy tangy tamarind chutney and a bunch of dry ground spices. Does the picture in your head look close to the one above?

The dahi vada is a signature dish for some of the major festivals in India, especially Holi and Dussehera. Dussehera, that was yesterday, was the occasion this time around that I made it and I am proud to say I make it just like my mother did growing up. Another occasion which proved all over how many memories food evokes.
Read more »

Jeera Aloo/Cumin Flavored Stir Fried Potatoes

 If you are ever in a rush but still want to eat a tasty, savory home-cooked meal - sounds like most of the time, doesn't it - this dish might just be your perfect answer. Ready in under ten minutes if you have the ingredients and very versatile in what it can go with. Hubs tells me he relates to this dish in a rather strange sort of way. In his single days in India, when he almost always ate out at restaurants, he always saw this dish in most every menu but always ignored it - who goes to a restaurant to eat sauteed potatoes, right? Well right until he got so sick of eating the same paneer and mushroom every single time that he finally ordered it with some plain rice and yellow daal and loved it. That's how he says he remembers this dish. Not a very fun way to remember such a flavorful preparation, I tease him, and we have a good laugh about it.
Indeed, there is something to be said about the versatility of this dish. Eat it as a side with some rice and daal or just with your humble roti and it becomes lunch or dinner, wrap it up with some lettuce and onions in a tortilla and it makes for a great wrap or just stick some toothpicks in them and they are a great starter. What's more is that they are a great picnic food too and can be carried in a lunchbox for a few hours without the need to be refrigerated. This makes them great for short trips as well. Give it a try and it tends to stick with you for those times when you cannot think of anything else or those when you simply crave them.

Read more »

Missi roti/ Spiced Chickpea flatbread

India makes several different kinds of flat-breads, roti, paratha, naan, chapati to name a few of the most common ones. Missi roti is another such flat bread but with an interesting twist. This roti is made primarily with Besan or Gram flour unlike its counterparts that almost entirely are made of grain flour (most commonly wheat). Missi roti has its origins in the western part of India but due to its exquisite flavor profile, texture and the fact that being made of gram flour it is loaded with good protein, it is now common in many households and restaurants across the country. Needless to say it is one of my favorites too.
Read more »

Tandoori Paneer Tikka

Paneer has been a very big part of me growing up. Those who are regular here know my obsession with this glorious cheese (if you can call cheese that, that is)! Mention paneer and there will be a sparkle in my eyes.

This dish probably needs no introduction besides its chicken counterpart being more popular. For us vegetarians out there (I have also met some meat-eaters that rave about it) this is an absolute delight on a stick. Appetizers are usually loved by people, so is paneer... add tandoori masala to it and wait there's more roast it all in an oven to get the great tandoori flavor... drooling yet?

Read more »

Olive Garden style Bread sticks

When eating out, even when I am ordering an entree that costs me twenty bucks a pop, more than waiting for my order to show up, I anxiously look forward to those tasty baskets of warm and fresh baked rolls or bread sticks. And more often than not I am sure to ask for a second helping. Yes, I am a total bread lover. Love all kinds. Love eating 'em as well as making 'em. Guess our bodies are programmed to like carbs.
Seeing the overwhelming response to the pizza hut bread sticks, I got reminded of some of the other kinds of bread I have eaten at restaurants. On popular demand here is a recipe for Olive Garden style bread sticks. And trust me I got reminded of a few others, so stay tuned :)

This one is the the easiest breads I have baked so far. The recipe is simple and almost effortless and the result is a soft flaky bread stick with a thin crusty shell that garnished with seasoning is a snack unto itself, yes feel free to sit with a knife and some butter if you must.

Read more »

Caprese Pizza Dip!

Caprese salad is always my fallback when I don't feel like the regular lettuce and dressing. Mozzarella and Tomatoes are definitely a match made in food heaven - a totally classic combo and Mozzarella being such a versatile cheese you are often tempted to try variations with it. So a caprese dip sounded like a fabulous idea and I was (very) tempted to try it. I was not disappointed. It has the unmistakable flavor of fresh tomatoes with mozzarella and being warm and melty, it definitely has the essence of your simple caprese pizza. The fact that all these fabulous ingredients take the shape of a dip makes this dish extra fun to eat as you scoop it out with your favorite chip or toasted bread.

Read more »

Pizza Hut Style Breadsticks with Dipping Sauce ~ All Homemade

Those among my readers that like to cook and experiment in the kitchen will surely agree that recreating a dish that you had somewhere just by memory and getting similar results, if not better, has that extra special kick. You get to eat what you like and can do it whenever you like without having to drive out, not to mention at a fraction of the cost. If you have followed my work, you would know I am a bread lover. Every now and then we take kiddo to our local dine-in Pizza Hut for her fix of pizza. I hit the salad bar and mostly load up on that while hubs and the little one tear open little packets of grated parmesan, sprinkle on their slice and devour it while emphatically claiming how good it was. They offer me a slice which I gladly accept. Every now and then we order a side of breadsticks as well. It would probably be no surprise to you when I say I love those. This weekend I pushed my memory a little and attempted to make them at home. Yes it a success story and a nice one at that. They came out just perfect. Light and fluffy, slightly crispy at the bottom and perfectly seasoned with cheese and spices. I had a taste and instantly knew they will be a hit. My proof came when kiddo, who never wants to eat, took one stick and walked away. Couple of minutes later she returned to the kitchen saying 'mommy can I have one more please'. I did not need to hear any more.

Read more »

Gobhi Manchurian/Crispy Cauliflower in a spicy chilli-garlic sauce

Featued on: The Kitchn

Growing up, I remember this was one of the few dishes we would expect to eat only in restaurants. Always thought it was too difficult to be made at home or there was some special closely guarded secret to making it. Then one day mom got brave (that she always is and not just about food), using her exceptional skills to be able to tell the components in a dish merely by tasting it, tried it at home. It was an instant hit among family and friends. My brother and I could not wait for the next time she would make it - at times we would force her :) These days the sides have switched a bit. Hubs is a big fan of this dish as well and now it is his turn to talk me into making it every so often. I don't mind either.

I love Chinese food but I have a certain (very strong) bias towards Indian-Chinese (aka indo-chinese) cuisine. We Indians have had a long-lived love affair with Chinese food. Long before pizzas, burgers and junk food became popular, it was Chinese food that most of us wanted when we craved something different. One may argue that Indo-chinese is not really Chinese food as it is not very close to authentic Chinese food. It has been totally adapted and re-flavored to suit an Indian palette. But hey, that is what fusion food is all about, right? Who knew the marriage of a little soy sauce with Indian spices could be so delicious!

My favorites have always been the chilli and manchurian varieties. These dishes may be made with cauliflower, paneer or chicken and are extremely popular in India. The sauce has no basis in the historical Chinese cuisine. In India this ever popular dish is served at glamorous restaurants as well as by the street-side vendors and is consumed with vigor and excitement among all class of people.

The cauliflower has a crispy coating and is tossed with a mouth-watering spicy tangy sauce. These are perfect for appetizers or may even be served as a side dish. Use a toothpick or a fork as you please and enjoy with cocktails during or before a meal.

These are really easy to make at home, taste awesome and are always a big hit with guests. They are often paired with Chinese style fried rice. These are great for potluck parties and will be gone in seconds! 

Read more »