My vegan Kaju Katli is an Indian fudge made with cashew nuts and flavored quite simply with saffron and cardamom. A gluten-free recipe. It's Diwali, everyone, and hope yours is warm ...
Besan Cashew Halwa
In India, right now, 'tis the season to be holy. Everyone's just winding down from a birthday bash for Ganesh the elephant-headed god, Dussehra's already at the doorstep, and Diwali will be here ...
Fruit and Nut Burfi, an Indian-Style Fudge
Desi has a monster sweet tooth and I try as much as possible to keep it happy with homemade goodies like this Fruit and Nut Burfi. Made with no added sugar and with the wholesome goodness of dry ...
Vegan Mung and Rice Pudding With Coconut and Saffron
Here's a Mung Rice Kheer (an Indian pudding) that my Konkani parents make for Makar Sankranti, a celebration in their part of India that falls on the same day as Pongal. The recipe is very similar ...
Saffron Shankarpali
Anticipating festivals can sometimes be more fun than the festivals themselves. The evidence is all around us. Take the holiday season when just about everyone you meet appears to ...
Almond Halwa
Diwali's the time of year to go a little bit over the top, particularly with food. It is time when every Indian kitchen is overrun-- but never overwhelmed-- with sweets and savory snacks of every ...
Chavde (Mande) for Ganesh Chaturthi
I have a real weakness for crispy sweets. And at the top of my list is an exquisite, lacy, sesame-seed-and-cardamom-sprinkled delicacy that's perhaps not very well-known outside Maharashtrian and ...
Puran Poli
The Ghost of the Banyan Tree The story was that the Ghost lived in the 100-year-old banyan tree that stood just behind Building No. 13 in J. P. Nagar. At night he or she (for no one had actually ...
Adhirasam for Chalks and Chopsticks
Adhirasams bubbling away in a pot of oil. This is how it must smell in heaven. Krishna scurried out of bed and into the kitchen. Amma was at the stove, sari tucked above her knees, a hand splayed ...
Doodhi Halwa
wee If I could wish for something absurdly impossible and food-related, I'd wish for the Vegan Midas Touch. Y'know, where all the foods I love would just magically turn animal-free, after which I ...
Mango Halwa
It's hard to stay away from sweets during this time of year and now that the season for everything orange is on, I couldn't help but make one of my quickest and most favorite recipes: Mango ...
Badusha For Diwali
It was always the sound of fireworks that woke me up each Diwali morning, well before the sun was up. Powerful Lakshmi bombs that could rip off an eardrum, rockets whistling out of empty glass soda ...
Mava Cake
A mava cake is a cardamom-scented delicacy popularized and sold almost exclusively by the wonderful Irani restaurants of Bombay. These restaurants, unique little bakeries and eateries opened by ...
Modaks (Sweet Indian Dumplings)
Celebrations in India often hinge around religious events, but you don't have to be religious to join in the fun. This week, Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, a festival so crammed with food and ...