Healthy is the Plate that Serves Green- The New Indian Express

These days all moms are so much concerned about their kids having right kind of nutritional meal that they avoid too much of fat, sweets etc. in their diet at home. The moms work under pressure all the time as their kids fuss over the healthy food and always prefer junk food over the greens.In […]

The Toast That is Not Simply French Any More- The New Indian Express

Many historians claim, besides many other reasons, the Queen of France Marie Antoinette was executed during the French revolution for making the remark, “If they do not have bread, let them eat cake.” For whatever reasons such a remark was made, but I am sure bread is bread and no cake or pastry can substitute […]

It Takes the Cake in the Harsh Winter- The New Indian Express

Christmas is long over but as long as the bitter cold days persist, the plum cake will always occupy a special place in my heart. Though baked specially to celebrate the Lord’s birth, one doesn’t need an excuse to indulge in this ripe cake. However, I would always eagerly await Christmas as our neighbours who […]

Raise a Toast to the Spirit of a Barbeque- The New Indian Express

“Mein alcoholic hoon” and “Jhoom barabar jhoom sharabi” are among the Bollywood songs which have prompted me to write this week’s column. Since I have been researching on kebabs for a long time for my book on the kebab trail, I will share a secret of a good barbeque with you. Barbeque is as good […]

Desi Answer to Cheesecake Minus Crust – The New Indian Express

My love for cheesecakes and sweet dumplings may be the reason why I love rasmalai so much. Rasmalai, which is often described in the west as a rich cheesecake without a crust, took me by surprise when on my recent visit to New York I ordered a cream cheesecake from the menu only to discover […]

A Spicy Legacy of the Days of the British Raj-The New Indian Express

During 2005 I was invited to the Nehru center to speak about the Indian curry .Owing to a huge British demand of Indian curry there are many curry houses or restaurants all over England. UK celebrates national curry day in may every day. Curry is actually an English word . It was used by the […]

A Persian Import That is Here to Stay, Forever – Indian Express

As a child I was often confused between the Chinese noodles which I enjoyed eating with green chilli sauce and the translucent noodles which my mom used to serve with kulfi, the subcontinent’s answer to ice-cream or with rose flavoured milkshake with jelly and sometimes even diced fruit. Although there was little similarity between the […]

Say Cheese to a Cypriot Classic, the Halloumi-The New Indian Express

I have always loved the Cypriots for inventing the Halloumi, one of my favourite cheeses in the world. It is my desi Punjabi palate which succumbs to the addiction of milk products, whether it is a simple glass of milk to desserts made from milk and cheese. This column is dedicated to the top of […]

The Hots for Coconut Water

The only drink which seems to quench my thirst these extremely hot summer days is coconut water—naturally sweet and cool. Coconut water is a juice found in the interior or endosperm of a young coconut. Its water is one of nature’s most refreshing drinks, consumed worldwide for its nutritious and health-benefiting properties. The juice is […]

When Red is Uber Cool- The New Indian Express

Last week I was in China to receive the Gourmand Best Cookbook (Foreign cuisine) award for my third book On the Kebab Trail. Of course, besides the excitement of receiving the award, which is like the Oscar of cookbooks, there was excitement of exploring China, as it was my first trip to Beijing and Shanghai. […]