Once happened when my parents decided to make Chywanprash at home. Yes, it can be made even at home. The recipe was given by my father's maternal grandfather. He was a famous Vaidya of his time. There were close to 50 ingredients needed for Chywanprash and when my father brought them from the market, I was mouth opened. I had never seen any preparation with 50 ingredients. Opening each of the packets, I asked my mother about it. Those were mostly spices and dry fruits. Then there was a cute small box that pulled my attention. I took it in my hands and saw the price tag. 1000 rupees!! I was stunned and astonished. How come such small quantity cost this much? My mother explained that it was the costliest and the most precious spice, Kesar. For the first time, I heard about something which looks like threads but is pricey like anything. Z For Zafaran  Kesar is called Saffron in English. However, I have decided to mention it with name Zafraan  as the Persian word...

It is mango season again. The fruit market is getting decorated with a variety of mangoes here in Delhi. And in the vegetable market, raw mango is in biggest demand. These initial days of summer bring a flood of raw mangoes in my hometown's market. And most of the ladies get busy into making mango pickles. Yes, that finger licking pickle which makes our food tastier. Pickle making is not a process, it is rather a tradition in many of the Indian families. But while mangoes might reign supreme, the truth is there is no Indian fruit, vegetable or berry that you will not find in a pickle. The most common ingredients of any North Indian pickle are fennel, asafoetida (Heeng), chili and of course the very important Mustard. In every pickle, either mustard powder or mustard oil is used as a base which when used with salt, acts as the preservative. For many of us, mustard is a black round shaped spice that is commonly used in tempering. However, there are many types of mu...

One of my Ex-managers, Varada, is from Goa. She is a lady with great personality and very attached to her culture, traditions, and cuisines. Goan cuisine is famous for a variety of seafood. Spices, fish, and coconut which have ruled over the Goan food for centuries. However, Varada is a Goan Brahmin and a vegetarian from her roots. She used to bring authentic Goan vegetarian dishes in her tiffin. And thus my lunch hours used to be so heavenly (until I worked with her) as I am also a vegetarian foodie. Most of the times, a curry, and steamed rice was all about her lunch. I found a freshness in the food that she used to bring to the office because that was a completely new taste for me.  It was spunky and addictive. One specific curry that I still remember is Xacuti/shakuti. It is a delicious coconut based curry. Varada used to make Goan vegetable Xacuti, although Xacuti is best prepared with seafood. The heart of Xacuti is a spice mix w...

Tell me one thing that you like most about winters? For some people, winter could be a time to enjoy the icy weather, for me the best thing about winter is Food. With winter comes great fruits and vegetables. Despite all that we eat, our stomach stays chill. During the winters, I also enjoy one more delicacy, that is, Gajak. The crispy, nutty, sweet and tasty gajak becomes my everyday snack in the winters. In Delhi, as winter approaches, gajaks, chikky, and other jaggery made items are easily available too as these are sold at a number of shops. The base ingredient in these winter savories is a tiny yet super healthy white seed known as 'Sesame'. W For White Sesame Seeds Sesame Seeds or Til (In Hindi) are an indispensable part of Indian winters since ancient time. From til ke ladoo to variety of til ki gajak, it is difficult to imagine winters in India, without taking sesame into account. Although the significant ingredient I am talking about starts with letter S, I did n...

During my childhood summer holidays, I used to go to my village. Living there for a whole month was like living a life free from pressure, worries, homework and even any kind of scolding. My Masi used to make pickles and Aam Papad. It was such fun seeing pickle making. My village in UP (Indian) during summers become a plaza for fruits like mangoes, jackfruits, cucumbers, and melons. And when the rain starts, there always happens an abundance of Jamun (Indian Blackberry). Kids enjoy these fruits in plenty and even get bored having them every day. And during the summer vacation only, Masi used to sieve the cane vinegar which was no less than an event for me as a kid. Yes, she used to prepare vinegar as well at home. My today's topic is also Vinegar which is a commonly found item in Indian kitchens. V For Vinegar  Vinegar is a sour liquid that is prepared by fermenting alcoholic liquids. The name vinegar comes from a French naming, vin aigre, meaning sour wine. Since ages,...

Every woman handling a kitchen knows that spices and seasoning can both make and break a dish. For a new learner, it could be quite confusing and frustrating how to decide the right spices for any preparation. In Indian cooking, spices are an integral part of every dish. We often add them whole and also in ground form. Another way of enhancing the taste and aroma of any dish is called "Tempering" or "Tadka". Tadka is basically a technique of infusing the goodness of spices in any dish. However, for tadka not only picking the right ingredients is important but adding them in the right order is also necessary. Some common tadka spices are Cumin, Mustard Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds etc. But today I am going to write about a unique tadka element,  Urad Dal . While tempering a dish, we heat oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a little pan and add whole or ground spices and dals in the hot oil or ghee. it makes the spices crackle and a soothing aroma spreads all aroun...

Spices have been closely associated with cultural traditions, preservation, medicines, magical spells, and embalming since early human history. And in Indian culture, spices are assimilated so strong that you can find them not only in kitchens but also in Puja ghars and temples. Do you know the clove finds a mention in the epic Ramayana? While these spices are easily available to us in the nearby market only, there was a time when people risked their lives for spices. The trades happened with the exchange of spices and a few spices used to be a symbol of royalty and were accessible to rich only. Coming back to the point that spices are part of our Hindu culture, these are the items liked by even Hindu Gods and Goddess. And hence devotees offer these spices to the diety during their worship rituals. One such commonly used spice is assumed symbol of the Sun, good luck and fertility. I am talking about Turmeric, a beautiful yellow colored spice which is more than being j...

To those who are aware of the spice I am going to talk about today, it is the most beautiful spice I am sure. At least for me this a star-shaped spice is no less than a pleasing wonder as this doesn't appear to be a spice at all. Basically, this start shaped spice is one of the five spices in Chinese five-spice powder. The flavour of this spice is one of the predominant flavors in Vietnamese Pho (a noodle soup), and Sambuca (an Italian liqueur). Yes, you guessed it right, it is Star Anise. S For Star Anise Spices can be of any shape and size in their originating form, and Star Anise is the second example of it. First is of course Kalpasi . Star anise grows as dark brown pods with eight segments, each containing a pea-sized seed used as spice. The eye catchy spice naively belongs to South Eastern China and commercially grown in China and Vietnam only. It is produced in in Arunachal Pradesh in India also but its pr...

Perhaps there is no other spice that is most unanimously recognized for its fiery hot effects on taste and touch than the dried red spice I am going to talk about today. It is none of other than Red Chilies. R For Red Chili Today, it is unimaginable to think of India cuisine without chili. Although chili is not a native spice of India, it is one of the mandatory spices in every Indian kitchen. The strong red color of this spice adds a beautiful tint to the food while its taste can make a dish spicy and truly very spicy. Red chili belongs to the family of Capsicum Annuum. It is obtained from a little plant. The variants of this only plant provide us red peppers, cayenne, paprika and bell pepper and our today’s spice, the chilies. Red chilies are basically the ripe form of green chilies that many people prefer over the former considering the later comparatively less pungent and hot. All of us know red chilies as a strong spice that makes our food even spicier and tasty particula...