Bhindi/ Okra Masala

There are a couple of posts in which I have used okra as the primary ingredient. Every time I use okra, I try to make it a point to clarify that it is a tricky vegetable to cook with. If not done right, it can get slimy and texturally unappealing. A simple trick can get it right and avoid keeping you from liking an otherwise wonderful vegetable. The trick is as simple as dry them completely after washing and before cooking and always cook them uncovered. Most people just fry them to avoid the slime but using these two simple tricks, you can uncover a whole new side of okra. This okra preparation is tangy and mildly spicy and one of my personal favorites. Even though you will intend to serve it as a side to a meal, they tend to be more popular as finger food and will be gone before you get a chance to serve!

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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!

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Dhingri Matar/ Mushroom Peas Curry

Up until a few years ago in India, before they started farming mushrooms and all those supermarket chains started opening up and selling those farmed ones, the only kind of mushrooms available were the wild ones. They used to be a rarity that would only be available for a few days during the monsoons. You would find some vendors, usually local farmers that found them growing somewhere, selling them in small wicker baskets along the roadside. And boy were they gone fast. If you didn't get there in time, they were gone in the first few hours. People loved them then, and they love them now. We are no different in our family our little one included. I have come to make mushrooms many different ways. Here I present a mushroom curry done in the north Indian style. It has the bite of the mushrooms, the kick and heat from the spices along with the sweetness from the peas. One of the ways we love our mushrooms. 
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Gobhi Takatak / Stir fried Spicy Cauliflower!

This is the flower that is bought the most often into our household. No offense to dear hubs, the red rose is in fact a close second. Jokes apart, the cauliflower is indeed a versatile vegetable. At least in India, the cauliflower, which is mostly available during colder weather, is cooked many different ways, liked by most and is eagerly awaited to be available in the local markets. To be honest and no offense to anyone, I believe not enough justice is done to the cauliflower here in the US. The few things that I have seen made with it like mashed, baked with cheese or even served raw with a dip just does not extract enough mileage from this vegetable.

This recipe is one of my most favorite cauliflower dishes. A nice big floret, all wrapped in the thick gravy just explodes with flavor in your mouth and if you added enough heat in it as I do, the kick of the heat with the spices just makes you want to do a happy dance. If you a fan of curries, this one is a must-try.

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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.

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Butter Chicken/Murg Makhani

If you have been following USMasala you would've probably guessed that hubs and I are vegetarians. This is the second chicken recipe among the close to three hundred that I have published so far - the only other being Chicken Tikka. I have sung praises of my Chicken-holic brother if you read the chicken tikka post. That should give you an idea how much he has to have chicken in some form at least for one or even two meals every day. This might surprise you but I do cook chicken for him at home when he visits. Yes that's right, I make it for him without even tasting it and like he says it is some of the best chicken ever and trust me he is honest when it comes to his opinions - especially to me. For that I give myself some serious bragging rights.
Now for the recipe itself - the name Butter Chicken might be misleading as I believe the word 'butter' in it for the creamy texture of gravy rather than the fact that it is loaded with butter. I have seen the literal interpretation of the name in many preparations in the local restaurants. This recipe here - believe it or not - uses no butter at all and trust me, you will not miss it. Also, unlike the impression that the ingredients list might give you, the recipe is rather straightforward to make. So for all you chicken lovers, let me know how you like it.
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Mushroom Spinach Lasagna Rollups

Lasagna is many things to many people. For some it would be a daily deal, for some, a dish that they only make when their kids ask for it, for some it is an exotic dinner they have only when they visit their local fine Italian restaurant. I simply think of it as comfort food. Super easy to put together yet super impressive in the way it sounds and looks. If you love Italian food this is definitely for you, something you will most definitely want to try. It is fancy - hey it's 'Lasagna' - loaded with fresh goodness of spinach, mushrooms, creamy ricotta - hearty and beyond good! The simple twist with this preparation is that instead of the lasagna sheets being layered, the sheets instead are rolled into a... well... rollup. This is a meal you are going to remember on how well it came out and your 'customers' can be a regular feature of your weekend brunch.

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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.

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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.
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Mushroom Tikka masala

This dish is one of the staples in my household. I make it often but for some reason never thought of posting it yet. Hubs mentioned this morning that he hasn't seen a curry on USMasala in a while. Incidentally I had plans of making this curry for dinner (yes the eternal quest for what to make for dinner was to be fulfilled by this curry today). The obvious idea clicked in my head to share it with you guys followed by of course the clicking of the camera.
Paneer and mushroom are hot favorites in our household. This recipe combines two of my absolute favorite things- juicy marinated meaty mushrooms in a tikka masala gravy. The result is always rewarding especially when I hear feedback from the little one like 'mommy  this is million gazillion nice' that she somehow manages to speak with a mouth full of the piece of roti and mushroom that she just so eagerly gobbled up. Another great thing about this dish is its versatility. You can pair it just as easily with naan and roti as with some biryani or plain white rice. A definite must-have for your next pot-luck.

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Thai Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles with Basil and Peanuts

As I have said several times before Thai food is my favorite after Italian (and of course Indian) cuisine. I like everything about the cuisine - the ingredients used, the flavor, the way it is cooked, the fresh herbs and aromatic spices and above all the way it tastes. Another reason for my soft corner for Thai food is the familiar spices that inspire flavors similar to my very own Indian cuisine. Among the different Thai dishes the variety of curries definitely top the charts. The unique burst of flavors and the gorgeous color is so appealing and appetizing. Hubs, kiddo and I are all BIG into noodles so the Pad-Thais and other kinds are definitely the highlight of our trip to any Thai restaurant or takeout. I have shared quite a few Thai recipes that you can see here and this is my very own version of spicy Thai noodles with aggressive yet subtle flavors and simple basic ingredients. The chilli-garlic oil is definitely the highlight of the recipe. It gives the noodles the clean and crisp taste and yet the spicy kick it renders definitely kicks it up a couple of notches.

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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! 

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Pasta in Roasted Mushroom Garlic sauce with Green Peas

have a met a lot of pasta lovers and very few haters - as far as I am concerned I am neutral - I don't hate it neither is it one of my most favorite. My daughter on the other hand (who is fussiest eater around) is notorious for her love of pasta. Even her preschool teacher complains she doesn't eat anything but pasta. She even went on to suggest we change her menu plan to pasta everyday at school! Hubby well- he is not fond of pasta- so the scene at home is I make pasta mac'n cheese to be precise almost every single day at home for the kiddo but never really make pasta for ourselves. That probably is the reason why I have only a couple of pasta dishes on the site. We don't even order a pasta dish when we go out to eat. Last Sunday evening I was in no mood to cook two separate meals for us so I tried to make hubby like the pasta by making this dish with lots of earthy mushroom and garlicky flavor - hubby loved it and even the kiddo enjoyed it.

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Tandoori vegetable paneer pizza ~ all homemade!

love Italian food. Love eating it and love cooking it. Love the different layers, flavors complex yet simple, exotic yet rustic - flavors that have stood the test of time - just like Indian food. You can sense the rich culture and the legacy from the food. When there is a mention of Italian food the first thing that comes to mind is of course the ever-popular Pizza. You guessed it, I love Pizza... a lot. Regardless of crust or toppings - pan, hand-tossed, deep dish, Brooklyn style, thin-crust even the bread and bagel pizza :). A soft chewy bread loaded with veggies and other toppings with a generous helping of cheese! Just can't stop raving. Coming to the US, I had my first ever pizza at Pizza Hut a few years ago... and boy.. I was completely hooked :-) India - at the time - was still coming of age as far as Italian food was concerned so I'd had pizza a couple of times, but this was different. Ahh the good old days.. we used to order delivery, be total couch potatoes and sit in front of the TV for hours watching the 24 hour marathons of Law and Order.

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Vegetable Hakka Noodles/Vegetable Chowmein

hinese food definitely has its place on the menu of practically every restaurant in India. The fact to be noted here though is that over the last several decades as India gradually adopted this neighboring cuisine, barring a few key ingredients, the cuisine has taken a life of its own. So much so as to build a global identity and even aptly being named 'Indo-Chinese cuisine'.
Not just on menus of restaurants, this cuisine is so much a part of the Indian lifestyle now that with every couple of roadside push-cart food vendors selling  your usual pani-puri, kulfi or dosa-idli, you will find a cart that boasts of the best chilli chicken or hakka noodles among other things.
Chinese food here in the US sure is different. Your veg. lo-mein from the local Chinese place that comes in that iconic chinese food carton, tastes great but after you are a few digs into it, you sure get reminded of the corner chinese-wala back home and the sound of the sizzling noodles in his wok on his stove-top and the makeshift push cart that showed up on that very corner religiously every day at five in the evening.
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Roasted Curried Butternut Walnut Soup with Spicy Cheese Straws

uickly browsing through my recipe categories, you will realize that I am not much of a soup person. There are very few kinds, actually only a couple, that I would even allow myself to taste and that too made at specific places or by specific people. This soup is one of them. My first encounter with butternut squash was aboard a Caribbean cruise liner out in the middle of that vast blue spread of the Atlantic. It was an acquired taste. Hubby tells me I made a sorry face when I first tasted it but the expression soon changed with the second and third sips. Very seldom happens to me. I either like something or I don't. Things don't normally 'grow' on me, but this was different. Having remembered seeing butternut squash on the shelves of the grocery stores, yes of course I decided I would try it at home. 

Since then this soup has been either a part of the entire dinner for us on several occasions. I normally accompany it with some salad and bread toasts or these cheese straws using puff pastry sheets - the supermarket wonder. Of course the cheese sticks are a winner combo so I picked them for the post here. A savory, spicy, cheesy crunch is all you need to clean your palate when enjoying this hearty soup. A few touches that I prefer with this soup is I like the version with the squash roasted better. Also I add some Indian masalas and some walnuts for that spicy nutty taste. Regardless of the twists and the masalas, each time I make this soup, the fond memories of the cruise vacation still pass my mind and I feel myself seated on the deck looking at the vast blue nothingness with the breeze in my hair sipping slowly from a hot bowl.

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Methi Matar Malai with a Fragrant Saffron Cumin Scented Pilaf

ppears that my last few posts have been about making dishes with my favorite ingredients. Here's a dish featuring another one of my very favorite, fresh Methi or Fenugreek. To give you an idea how much I love it, whenever I am at our local Indian grocery I eagerly scan through each one of those yellow wooden plank boxes sitting randomly on the floor where the nail is still sticking out from where the lid was forcibly pried off, secretly hoping to find one such box with bunches of fresh methi leaves stacked up. When I lay sight on such a box, my pulse does go up a few beats a minute, I kid you not. Hubby is well aware and when he goes grocery shopping by himself and get me a couple of bunches, he sure earns a few points ;) I also grow them in my backyard as well to have a limited yet regular supply. Last but not the least, I always keep a box of Kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves in my pantry just in case I run out in my backyard and the stores don't have it either, proof enough? lol.

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Zucchini Thepla/Spicy Zucchini Flatbread

rowsing around the categories on USMasala you will notice a couple of different other Thepla recipes - the classic Methi Thepla and the Tofu variation of it. Here's another one.
You may find this a little unusual but the thought of this dish puts me on a train with my family... the train speeding through the country and I find myself sitting on the lower berth (after of course having fought with my brother for the window seat) with my gaze fixed outside staring at the lush green crop fields that race past us and the warm yet cool breeze rushing in as we wait for the train to take us to our destination... then you are suddenly pulled out of the trance by the loud sound of your name... thats mom demanding we get together as it was lunch time... and there it is... she opens her tote bag and pulls out a couple of boxes. Wrapped in tinfoil in those boxes are these wonderful flat breads with awesome dry potato curry and pickle. The already beautiful breeze is now filled with the wonderful aroma of the roasted fennel and carom seeds from the bread and the potatoes.

Mom almost always made these as lunch and as dinner when we traveled. She claimed they stayed nice and fresh even after being packed for several hours... and fresh they were... gone in minutes. Of course I didn't think much of it those days... after all that was mom and this is what she always made, right? ... aah... the things we take for granted.

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Kashmiri Dahi Baingan/Eggplant in Yogurt Fennel Gravy

 have seen quite a few eggplant haters and also few ardent lovers but no one even comes close to my dearest eggplantaholic hubby. Oh yes, he just LOVES eggplant and can't get enough. He can eat it every single day and in all its forms :) Before I got married to him I didn't detest this vegetable but it was definitely not my favorite. Later however the vegetable grew on me especially with the killer Baingan Bharta he makes (yes he can cook eggplant too, not just eat). His love for eggplant was so well known that I was advised to learn as many eggplant recipes I could by family and relatives alike... lol. I used to keep an eye out for eggplant recipes everywhere possible books, newspapers, magazines, cookery shows and used to jot down (something I still do) in my treasured little diary of recipes. This dish is one of them. If 'Khana-Khazana' rings a bell, you would know - yes this is inspired from a recipe from one my most favorite chefs Sanjeev Kapoor.
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Saag Paneer Calzone/Spinach Paneer Curry Calzone (whole wheat)

love Italian food! Love eating it and love cooking it. Love the different layers, flavors complex yet simple, exotic yet rustic just like Indian food. You can sense the rich culture and the legacy from the food .
Our (indians) love for indo-chinese is well known but another cuisine that has come in from across the shores and become a part of the cuisine... is Italian. With its pastas and pizza and other goodies and use of herbs, five star restaurants as well as hole-in-the-wall stores near every street now have some kind of “pizza” on their menu! It keeps the essense of pizza that is a thick bread smothered in tomato ketchup topped with melty cheese, but almost always has a local (desi) touch to it whether it be use of paneer or chicken! Lots of fusion recipes have been born, you can easily find panner pizza even butter chicken pizza in any pizza hut franchise in india - I have few on my blog too. This time around I took my classic saag paneer recipe and tucked inside a calzone and the result was a beautiful marrige of two of my favorite cuisines - a fusion food heaven!
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