basmati rice « Signature Concoctions

cooking therapy

Its been quite a while since my last post! Well, after a fun-filled Summer and Fall at home with my family, I’m now busy working in the clouds

I’m back to work and it’s so much fun as I get to taste a little bit of San Francisco everyday! Even if it is for a few minutes, I try to step out for lunch and explore the foodie hot spots in downtown area. There are such amazing places to eat around my office building and then my favorite place in the foodie city, the Ferry Building, is just a hop, skip and a jump away . On balmy SF afternoons, I get out and join in the hustle-bustle of the farmers’ market or go strolling inside the building, getting inspirations and relishing the flavors of the marketplace.

Life’s certainly busier than ever before and I just haven’t had time to write about my signature concoctions lately. But, that doesn’t mean I have stopped cooking and clicking! When I’m done with work, I look forward to coming home and getting me some “cooking therapy” . I guess it’s my passion for cooking that makes it such a relaxing and therapeutic activity for me to do at the end of the day. And it also gives me a great sense of satisfaction to have fed my family with fresh, home-cooked food everyday.

In the last few weeks, I have been making my go-to jhatpat subzis or some weeknight quickies, primarily staying in my comfort zone. And then there were the other days when my creative juices were overflowing and I made concoctions like pasta with shrimp, grape tomatoes and baby spinach in a light wine sauce, a hearty pasta dish with fresh, clean flavors or spicy lentils with steamed brown basmati rice, a traditional Maharashtrian dish packed with proteins and carbohydrates that will leave you feeling re-energized at the end of the day and finally, baked masala fish packets, a full and delicious meal that’s done in a little pouch, making the clean up easier that ever.

These dishes are a great way to treat yourself after long hours at work – weeknight wonders that are ready in minutes and completely satisfying! Try making one of these and enjoy the therapeutic experience of cooking.

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inspirations from spring

Yes it is here… and about time too!

And with it comes all that is bright, fresh and yummy. Walking through the aisles of Montclair’s weekend farmer’s market, it was very exciting to see the spring in full bloom with vibrant vegetables and fruits. I was like a kid in a candy store – grabbed a huge bunch of things – fresh snow peas, bundles of asparagus, strawberries and much more!

With a creative spirit and my seasonal discoveries at the market, a beautiful menu came together. Check out my inspirations from Spring!

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comfort cooking

Life happens! As with all of us, when things get busy and I don’t get enough time to spend in my kitchen to whip up ‘signature’-level concoctions, I tend to stay in my comfort zone and create a few dishes from home that I grew up eating and learnt to make from my mom. This is the food that made me into who I am and how I cook.

subzi & roti

I believe we all are a product of the environment we were raised in – it shapes us in so many different ways anddefines our personalities. The food we eat growing up is an integral part of that environment and nourishes both, our body and our mind, molding us into who we are and how we fit into the world today. I have lived away from home for several years, gone through lifestyle changes, adapted to different cultures, acquired new tastes and even became a Mom along the way, but this is what I often crave and most naturally cook; this is me!

daal & chawal