NeVs KiTcheN

In India we always have two different days or dates for our birthday, which means you celebrate your birthday twice. Now who will not like that :D. One according to the English calendar and one according to the Hindu calendar. The difference is our birth dates remain constant per the English calendar, but the dates change if we follow the Hindu calendar ( which everyone in India does & is considered more auspicious) according to the placement of the stars on the day we were born. The Hindu birthday is always before or around the same time as the date of our birth. Any ways to cut a long story short, last month was Mr N's birthday. Of course there were two celebrations, one big and one not so big. :) Mr N LOVES Black Forest Cake.Period. Its almost like a tradition to order a large Black Forest cake on his birthday. Now India, Australia very easy to get this cake...USA is a whole different ball game. You don't get any of the Asian pastries there, no pattice (thos...

Ho Chi Minh Vietnam Food Journey

Ho Chi Minh or Saigon hits you with a scattering of mopeds, taxis, small shops, eateries, and simple people, with a huge language barrier. You would think that English would be their first language, however apart from being left hand drive, and a coffee drinking nation: there are no traces of being ruled by an English speaking country, or they have consciously eliminated any traces of ghoulish American invasion. However, despite the chaos, and communication barrier, the city makes you feel at home! My food journey in this capital city of Vietnam, left my taste buds ever so refreshed, and wanting more. Here's a very quick tour of where we ate and what we ate. But before we begin let me tell you that Ban Minh, and the Bun are not the only things this country has to offer. Before I went I read a lot of blogs, and all they mentioned were the buns. To tell you the truth, we didn't even have the Bun as our first meal, as there are loads of other better, healthier, opti...

Fat Labrador Cafe - A unique find in a bustling city like Pune!

It’s been six months since I relocated from Melbourne to Pune, and as I am slowly getting a hang of things in India, getting my confidence back, being fearless while crossing the road, having all my senses on high alert at all times, the one thing that I have been on the lookout for is GOOD COFFEE. Now everyone’s definition of good coffee varies, but since I am a self-proclaimed coffee snob , good coffee for me means the name of the coffee should match the actual drink served. So, if it’s a cappuccino it can’t be a latte, an espresso can’t be a long black, you catch the drift. Now India is predominantly a Chai or Tea loving country, so there are chai lounges, tapri’s (around the corner shops), tea cafes everywhere, that serve all varieties of tea. Coffee is still just an item on the menu, at most of the restaurants and cafes, to tick the box. So, if you see Coffee on the menu, it means a packet of instant coffee, mixed with hot milk and served with or without sugar, as...

Vada-Pav- The good old Indian Burger!

I cant say enough about this extremely popular snack in India especially in the state of Maharashtra. Vada paav, Pav Wada, Batata Vada are just different names for the same dish, where the Vada means a Potato Patty in the shape of a ball and Pav means dinner bun or burger bun. The minute I land at Mumbai airport, and smell the familiar air, I start craving for a vada pav . And as you would have it, on the drive home if you stop at a diner or a gas station with a fast food joint alongside, you can order a vada pav with some cutting chai (which is basically chai tea served in a small glass) and you are Home!! Every morning, thousands of commuters in Mumbai, get off the trains and have a vada pav for breakfast. And yes they do this every-single-day. It is cheap, filling, quick and so tasty, that it has just become the staple breakfast item for all fast paced Mumbaikars . The reason why people have started calling it an In...

Lasooni Palak or Spinach Garlicky

This dish cant get any healthier...spinach & garlic are both full of antioxidants, blood purifier, immune system booster along with other anti-cancer properties possessed by garlic. Studies also show that garlic helps with boosting your HDL i.e the good cholesterol levels. So why wait..try this very tasty & simple recipe & remember to keep sharing the good food from Nev's Kitchen :) Ingredients: Serves 2 1 bunch of spinach leaves- Finely chopped (I use the fresh leaves available at Asian markets, avoid using the baby spinach leaves, if you dont have fresh spinach you can use frozen spinach, just add some hot water & thaw it before adding to the pan.) 2-3 tsps. Oil Pinch of asafoetida or hing 2 tsps. Cumin seeds 1 Onion chopped 8 Garlic cloves finely chopped or minced 1-2 tsps. each of coriander & cumin powder 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder 1-2 tsps. Red chili powder Salt to t...

Slice Cake from My Childhood

Do you guys remember the Monginis slice cake that was available back in India? It was one of the most delicious little thing that I used to love, as I never liked the frosting or icing on cakes. I still don't have a sweet tooth, unlike Mr. N, so for me cakes like these are perfect treats. I was having coffee one day at home, and I wanted something with it. Of course if you live or have been to Australia, you will know Tim Tam's work perfectly with a cuppa, but I wasn't looking for anything chocolaty. That's when my taste buds went back to the Monginis Slice Cake....Yellow with Brown borders, nicely sealed in small packets, ready to go. So I Googled and found a few recipes, experimented with a couple & I think I am ready to share it with all you foodies. Once I made it I was so happy & smug that I know I will be making this for my kids and it will be my signature cake, the same way I associate time spen...

Naan Roti or Bread

Fresh home made naan in 30 mins. Naan roti or bread Ingredients: 2 Cups Plain or All-purpose flour (Maida) 1 tsp. Salt 1 tsp. Sugar 1 packet or 3 tsp. Rapid rise yeast ½ Cup Plain or Greek Yogurt Oil for brushing ¾ Cup warm milk Method: In a large bowl mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, yogurt and milk in a large bowl. Knead to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Apply some oil & make it into a smooth round ball. Place in the same bowl & brush the top with some oil. Keep it covered with a cling film or a dry kitchen towel in a warm place. For me it is usually my oven or microwave without turning it on. After 30mins the dough would have risen well. Toss it out on a clean, floured surface. Oil your palms & start kneading the dough again & divide it into 10 equal sized balls. Heat a flat pan on the stove & line a baking sheet with some foil. Take some plain flour & flatten the balls & start rolling with a rolling pin. You...

INDIAN MUD CAKE -(10 Min Cake using Parle-G biscuits)

Indian Mud Cake ( 10 Min Cake using Parle G biscuits) Ingredients: 350 gm or 3 small packs of Parle G biscuits 1 Cup Milk 1 Cup Sugar 1 Tsp. Soda Bicarb & Baking Powder each 2 tsps. Vanilla e ssence Additional Flavors - Cocoa powder 2 tbsp Orange juice & zest or orange flavoring Method: 1. In a processor or zip log bag grind the biscuits to make a very fine mixture. 2. Line a 21cm cake dish with butter. Make sure you apply butter on all the sides. 3. Preheat oven to 190degree C or if using microwave you will need to bake the cake for 5-10 mins at high. 4. In a large mixing bowl, add the crushed biscuits. Then add enough milk (about a cup) for a thick paste. 5. Next add the sugar, vanilla, soda, baking powder & any flavors of your choice. 6. Mix well. Transfer to the baking dish. 7. Bake for ~10 mins in the oven or until...

Coriander Rice

I bet you will like this as much as we do. It is a usual fixture on my menu now and guaranteed success. I make it the night before for dinner and bring to work the next day for a quick lunch. Ingredients: 1 Cup Basmati rice - 2 Cups water (if you use more rice adjust water quantity 1:2, i.e. for 1.5 cups of rice use 3 cups of water and so on) 1 Large bunch of fresh coriander 6 Fat cloves of garlic 1/4 Cup dry or freshly grated coconut 2-3 Dry red chilies (these are very hot so make sure you use fewer if you cant do spicy) 2 tbsps. Peanuts 2 tsps. Chana dal (optional) 1 tbsp. Garam masala powder 1/4tsp. Turmeric powder 1tsp. Cumin seeds 2-3tsps. Oil 2 Dry green Bay leaves 1 large or 2 medium onions sliced Salt to taste Water for cooking the rice Method: Wash & soak rice for 20-30 mins. Wash coriander thoroughly we will use the leaves, stems the whole lot. In b...

Paneer Nilgiri- Cottage cheese cooked with Coriander leaves

Paneer Nilgiri Ingredients 1 Cup Coriander leaves 1/2 inch Ginger 1/2 tbsp. Garlic paste 2 Dry red chilies 1 Large Onion sliced 1-2 tbsp. Oil Salt to taste 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder 3/4 tbsp. Garam masala 450 gm Paneer cubes 6-8 Green curry leaves or kadipatta 1-2 tsps. Kashmiri red chilli powder for color (optional) Method: Make a paste of the onions, dry red chilies, ginger and coriander leaves in a blender. Add some water if needed to blend. Cut the paneer slab into cubes and soak them in a bowl with water. Drain after 5-10 mins. Heat oil in a pan and add the curry leaves. Next add the paste, red chilli and turmeric powder. Mix and cook for two mins. Add some water, lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook till all water evaporates , stir occasionally making sure nothings sticks or burns. Now add the garam masala powder and salt. Taste for seasoning, adjust any of the spices as per your ilking, you can a...

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