Spiced Sweet Potato Bites

November 26, 2014 Karishma

Samosas are the most popular among all Indian food. But thats just my opinion. I have never met anyone who dislikes samosas. They're spiced potatoes wrapped in dough and deep fried - a staple at every Indian restaurant and a favorite snack across the board. There are some great ways to make them healthier by substituting them with sweet potatoes. Or you can bake them instead of deep frying like my friend Priya at Recipris did. I love indulging in these savory enclosed galette-like snack.

You may not know but there is another dish that's the underdog of this category of food. They're known as "puffs". A mixture of spiced potatoes, onions and peas wrapped in puff pastry and then baked. I mean, its potatoes enclosed in a buttery flaky goodness, whats there not to like?!

Persimmon Pudding

November 23, 2014 Karishma

I never quite knew what to do with them when I was first introduced to them. Recently, I have been seeing more and more recipes where this delicious, beloved fruit is incorporated. Just the other day my hubby sent me this New York Times article on Thanksgiving dishes around the country. And voilà another persimmon dish! Indiana is my hubby's American hometown (actual hometown is in India) and it just happens so that Indiana's Thanksgiving dish is Persimmon Pudding!! Of course my hubby couldn't stop talking about it. And in his adorable ways he kept hinting me to make this pudding. Of course, I had to make his hometown's Thanksgiving dish for him. He is a cutie and I love making food that makes him happy.

Roasted Tomato Soup Infused with Goat Cheese

November 14, 2014 Karishma

Oh how comforting tomato soup can be on a cold rainy night. Ok not rainy because I live in California and it hasn't rained much for a really long time. But it has been getting a big chilly at night. All I can think of is taking a break from the books and bundling up in my warmest clothes, putting on fuzzy slippers, wrapping myself in a soft blanket and sipping on warm soup. On another note, I am almost finished with the first semester of grad school! Woohoo! I am looking forward to cooking more often during my break!

Raspberry-Pecorino Salad with Toasted Almonds

November 2, 2014 Karishma

I usually don't like fruit in my salads. I'm a savory salad kinda gal. I don't like sweet dressings either. My favorite dressing is lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I know, so boring but I really enjoy the flavors from good EVOO and tangy lemon juice. I don't know what got into to me but I tried a version of this salad at Pizza Antica at Santana Row and immediately fell in love. The restaurant's version had strawberries and pecorino on a bed of arugula with a drizzle of balsamic dressing and a sprinkle of toasted almonds.

Spicy Green Beans

September 11, 2014 Karishma

If you live in the Bay area and haven't been to Burma Superstar, then you need to change that...STAT. This place is always crowded, granted it is a super small restaurant, but still. I often crave their Samusa Soup, which is a thick spiced broth with potatoes and peas filled fritters and falafels. My mouth is watering just writing about it. We always get the soup and their Tea Leaf Salad. Yes, you heard it right, tea leaves...in your salad. Don't cringe just yet...its not the regular English Breakfast tea leaves. In fact its fermented green tea leaves, which means the tea leaves are steeped in hot water and then blended with spices. It sounds strange but this happens to be their most popular dish. My husband, who doesn't like drinking tea or coffee, actually enjoys eating this salad. I always make him try weird food and I almost always fail to impress. But this tea leaf salad was a winner.