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Cranberry Chutney and Cranberry Athanu (Cranberry Pickle)
Need some Thanksgiving inspo?! Make these super easy condiments for your meals for the remainder of the fall season (which is technically Dec. 21, don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.) Cranberry jams and chutneys reminds me of the flavors I loved in candy as a kid. I grew up on spicy tamarind candy which is very popular in Mexico. Similarly, cranberry mimics that tangy, spicy, and sweet flavor! Both of these recipes are things i grew up with and I wish I could keep them going year-round. Unfortunately these are only for the fall, but I hope you make every day of the season last!
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Mushroom Stroganoff
Mushroom Stroganoff is an easy weeknight meal! My roommate from college would always order a mushroom stroganoff when we used to go out to dinner at our favorite pasta spot. At the time I was a mushroom naysayer but I think I am recently on the way to converting. I looked up the classic elements of a stroganoff: wine, roux, and dairy! It came together fairly quick and was a crowd-pleaser right off the bat. I used rigatoni pasta instead of the traditional egg noodles to keep this recipe eggless as well. It is hearty and satisfying, you might not miss the meat!
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Garlic Knots
These semi-homemade garlic knots are a breeze to make on any night of the week. They are great pop-able sides to any meal, and they’re sure to make kids and adults happy. I like to serve garlic knots hot out of the oven with a sprinkle of cheese over the top! It is definitely worth it to add in a couple of extra minutes on the oven to get that wonderfully crispy top. Also, you can bake these in a cast iron pan with some extra garlic butter on the bottom and then mix in your favorite sauce to make a garlicky dipping sauce! The possibilities are endless!
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Garlic Butter
Pasta night is nothing without a giant pile of garlic bread. I decided to write the garlic butter recipe separately because you can really use garlic butter a gazillion different ways. You can melt it down and brown the garlic to coat noodles, or baste it on rolls, I have even seen it used as a spread to cook a steak! This spread is so universal and it can really amplify a myriad of different dishes so have at it and let me know how you use it to elevate your favorite meals!
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Poha no Chevdo
Poha no chevdo is a Diwali classic. Diwali is all about making all sorts of sweets and snacks for the upcoming new year. The celebrations are about fireworks and food, and about family and togetherness. This time of year is when so many people really hunker down to pump out all the classic dishes. We have poha no chevdo in our house all year round, but when we make it for Diwali it’s extra special because we know that so many people in our community are also doing the same thing. The tradition of giving and receiving sweet or savory items is so kind and really brightens up the fall…
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Idna
When people think of Gujju food they often think about Dhokla, my understanding is that dhokla and idna are very closely related. My sister loves a plate of dhokla for lunch life gets too busy, it’s oddly comforting for her. These can be made a bunch of different ways, but this recipe is my favorite. I love it with whole chana dal for an added crunch. My family always makes their own rice flour and dal flours which has been a blessing for us all these years, but when I moved away I needed a dose of that comfort food. The dhokla flour from Swad is a great alternative if…
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Hot Chocolate Bombs
A friend of mine reposted these hot chocolate bombs on Facebook and I knew I would have to try it out myself. I had an extra tub of melting chocolate (I use Baker’s Dipping Chocolate religiously!) in my pantry from making chocolate covered strawberries and I thought I would give it a try. This worked out great! You can fill these with instant coffee, cookie crumbles, peppermint candies, whatever catches your eye!
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Vaghareli Khichdi
Vaghareli Khichdi is one of the best comfort foods for Gujju kids. This is the equivalent of chicken noodle soup for when you’re sick, when you’re sad, when you’re hungry…pretty much everything. My mom made this with extra peanuts all the time because it was my favorite, and she never messed with cashews or raisins because that’s a cardinal sin in my house. Ultimately, when I want something easy and tasty this is a dish I often come to because I can cook everything in one pot and be done with it. I also am not going to lie, I love when it sticks to the bottom of the pot…
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Dal Paratha
This is one dish I never really grew up with, but I saw these Dal Paratha being made on several websites so I thought I would take a stab using my mom’s Dal Lahsuni recipe. I wanted something super flavorful that sort of resembled Thepla and I really think I achieved that. I recommend spicing up your dough more than you think you need to because I think it mellows out later in the process. I also recommend blending the dal into a paste before mixing into your wheat flour, just for a more smooth consistency. Check this dish out today, and never waste another serving of dal again!
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Dal Lahsuni
I first saw and tried this dish at a restaurant near me. My dad loved the extra garlicky kick to it. My mom decided to recreate it at home in her own way. This is a great way to upgrade something that’s normally so bland. Pump up your normal dal chawal and try out this Dal Lahsuni, you could easily do this in the Instant pot or on a stove top if you don’t have a pressure cooker at home, I would just make the tomato and onion mixture on sauté mode first and then add the water and dal and pressure cook until its soft and tender. Feel free…
