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This is a deliciously easy cake that has a subtle flavour of cardamom and tart bites of strawberry. The brown sugar adds a slight caramel flavour, which I absolutely adore in my baked goods! I never ever bake with white flour or refined/white sugar anymore, and I guarantee you this healthier version is just as addictive as any traditional cake. In fact, better ingredients just means you can have more guilt-free ;). Bake this pronto!
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This all-natural indian-style chutney made with fresh beets, raisins, tamarind and spices is a deliciously balanced sweet & spicy condiment on crackers, breads, dosas, idlis or even eggs!
For a recent event, I served this chutney with kale paniyarams (pan fried semolina cakes - pics below) and the guests licked off every last bit. Truly versatile, and fast becoming a must-have condiment in my kitchen.
Read More"I want muffins, and I want them now,
Sweet, savory or spicy, i'll devour them any how!
A cold winter storm, and baked so fresh
Melted cheese and butter, and soft soft flesh
A bite or two, and boy I was hooked
Never did I ever, for spicy muffins look!
Now breakfast is served, and lunch & dinner
I think my friends, we have a baked winner!"
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ChanaSloppyJoes4
I applaud extraordinary. I smile at eccentric. And I adore weird concoctions.
Chana Masala or Chole is one of the most common and loved dishes of Northern India. It consists of a semi-dry curry made with chickpeas, and seasoned with spicy and tangy spices, simmered for hours. Probably the most common way to devour this delicious dish would be as Chola Bhatura or Chickpea Curry eaten with leavened Deep Fried Bread. Mmmm, it’s hard not to salivate just writing about it. This dish also happens to be really versatile. How you ask? Read on.
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Kale Upma1
Upma is a quintessential breakfast/brunch dish in the southern part of India. Fragrant, light, low on spices and a very satisfying bowl on rainy day, it's my constant go to when I find myself cooking for 1. It not only comes together in minutes, but can also be adapted to seasons by using any produce abundant at the local farmers market. Here is my nutrient packed version with Zucchini & Kale - a healthy kickstart for a cool autumn day!
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Sevai Poha1
"Breakfast of champions, this gotta be
Flavourful, and packed with nutrients you cannot see..
A warm comforting bowlful, or some quick spooned bites
Putting the muffin aside? Yes, you just might!
Inspired by home, and the bright summer sun
Perfect for meatless monday, or after that morning run,
It's vegan, but fancy a dollop of yogurt? Feel free
Specially if you're a spice wimp, like me!
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KYC [Kay. Vai. See] - Know.Your.Client. A common phrase in the Investment Banking world that refers to knowing detailed information about who you do business with. In our world, it is simply knowing who stirred the curry.
Last week, we launched the 29. KYC Dinner Series. A series of dinners focussed on learning, interacting, collaborating, sharing and of course...eating. Our first dinner was held with our favorites - the ever creative team at West Elm Market in Dumbo, Brooklyn - a spot that all food, condiments or table/dining ware fanatics like myself must must check out! Warning : it's hard to leave the store empty handed.
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It's been a while since I wrote about an event. I must be busy.
Someone asked me today whether my events are getting easier [and better] as I host more and more of them. It got me thinking about my first popup just a year ago. And boy (if I may say so myself), have I improved. From struggling to fill 10 seats, to 20 spots going off in a flash within 48 hours, I am inclined to think I must be doing something right. And learning. Still learning.
Read More"Herbs" Dal meant nothing to me till a few months ago, when I made a simple spinach lentil curry and my husband says "Oh, this reminds me of our Herbs Dal". Being of South African Indian origin, my husband's foodie language is sometimes just as confusing as their mixed culture, so I decided to dig deeper. I discovered that Indians households in SA make a version of spinach lentils with a bunch of mixed greens & sour leaves. I couldn't exactly find all the 'herbs' they used, so decided to make my version with a few favourite seasonal greens.
Read MoreWhen I served this at one of my events, I really didn't expect for people to ask me the recipe. Had the plain ol' cucumber salad cut un-laboriously for every childhood meal, suddenly become mainstream? Or was it that in an effort to appreciate complicated food, one had forgotten how simplicity tastes? Either way, I couldn't help but remember those summer days when mum used to serve this alongside a Rajma (kidney bean curry) Chawal night, and we always tried not to look at it (as though it would magically disappear!) - not that we didn't like it, but as kids, who wanted to have anything green!
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Did you know beetroot leaves are edible? Yes sir! The young ones can be eaten raw, and as they get older it is advisable to cook/sauté them as you would do with spinach. Packed with vitamins and other nutrients, 1 medium beetroot – leaf, stalk & root et all helps boost immunity, fight infections, lower blood pressure and increase red blood cells. Aren’t those enough reasons to add it to your next meal?
And if you cook it like I did, you won’t care how healthy it is. You’ll just want more.
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Pearls, glorious pearls
Infused with spices strong,
A creamy mixture stirs
With flavors that don’t go wrong.
Risotto has a re-birth
In an Indian-inspired home,
On a bed of Korma broth
Far far away from home..“
Read More“A desi breakfast staple, goes mainstream this spring,
With asparagus for an oomph, I create this seasonal fling.
Humble and easy, this flattened cousin of rice,
Is ready in minutes, and bears nearly no vice.
Cook up for a weeknight, oh you’ll do so on repeat,
After you taste the magic, once you sit down to eat..”
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The idea was born, the time came, and just as quickly, it was all over. But not for nothing.
Two months of hard work paid off last night, when 29. hosted it's first ever Supperclub dinner inside the West Elm Chelsea home-store in New York! 15 guests were treated to, apart from my non-stop banter, a tasting menu inspired by Indian cuisine. The story behind it all? What is 'home' to me. Oh, and if it's not already hard enough playing host + chef, I was also trying to be the event photographer!
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Nutella Amaranth Kheer5
Ever since I can remember, I have disliked persimmons. What a way to start a recipe right? I know.
It's the classic tale of something I used to love as a child, probably overdosed on one season, and swore never to touch it again. It's amazing how memories remain embedded in your brain, enough to not want to taste that fruit/dish again, even though over time you forget why you disliked it in the first place. Such has been my relationship with this bright peach fruit - one of mysterious aversion.
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Farro Fried Rice1
“Farro is nutty, Farro loves spice,
It is my solution, To something other than rice.
Cooks in minutes, And blends in well,
Be it soup or curry, Or a bake so swell.
With a grainy bite, And a fragrance mellow,
I now turn everything, Into a version A-la-farro…”
Read MoreIt's the 29th! What better a date than this to recap the 29. endeavors in 2014.
2014 was a special year for me. I completed my first full year as a chef. Yay! Swapping careers took a while, and despite the many times when I questioned the decision, I am happy to report that I am indeed exhilarated. This year was about growth, learning, accomplishments, partnerships and tiny milestones that mean a lot, yet keep me humble. The only drawback of being your own boss is that there is no team to throw a holiday party with! But I'd like to believe that I'm in part celebrating with hundreds of new friends I made in 2014. Wherever in the world they might be. (Are you listening folks?)
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Celery&SpinachSoup7
Soup - people love it or hate it. But given the ease and practically no-recipe for coming up with these concoctions (not to mention the health factor!), I had to put this recipe up.
I was waiting for a cousin to come home for dinner. She had been on a vacation, and I wanted to give her something healthy to eat after all the junk on the road. At the same time, I wanted to empty my refrigerator before I left for holiday [chuckle!]. That combination, my friends, turned out to be pretty magical. I pulled out everything from my vegetable tray and created this recipe as I went along. The music definitely helped ;). With bold Indian flavors, a hint of spice & all the 'green' from the veggies, this bowl of deliciousness was too tempting to pass on while I worked on the photos. Honestly, I didn't expect it turn out as good! Slurp.
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"The fault was mine, I'd held it wrong
Made an incision, while humming that song,
And it bled and bled, all over the counter it bled
Luscious, sweet, a river of red,
There was no turning back, the damage had been done
It was now in two, once a wholesome one,
I sighed, someone had to pay for this pain
So I tossed it all up, and created a salad insane!"
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Quinoa Poha3
Anyone who has grown up in Norther India has come to love Poha - that light & easy breakfast dish traditionally made with flattened rice. But what's the fun in traditional! Here is my version with quinoa - full of flavor, pretty healthy and completely vegan/GF.
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