Pretty, total yummers, and comes together quickly - really great for those last minute appetizer ideas and an eye candy addition to your Diwali potluck/party! Works great for Thanksgiving apps or any holiday menu 😊

Dano is a winter dish that celebrates abundance – abundance of local corn, of ghee, of friends and family, of happiness. Desi Makai no Dano is an iconic dish made by the people of Dahod that celebrates the abundance of desi corn grown in the Panchmahal region. Dano derives its name from the Gujarati word for corn kernels – makai na dana; a dish made from dana became known as dano ( daa-no) – desi makai no dano.

It would seem as though the spirit of Ottolenghi joined me in the kitchen today & inspired this FRESH BUTTER BEANS & PURPLE YAM SALAD W/ HERB CHIMICHURRI. Doesn't it look like something you'd find in one of his cookbooks; veggie forward, gorgeous contrasting colors, paired brilliantly with herbs?

Chevdo is a crispy, addictive savory snack made of poha aka beaten/flattened rice flakes and other yummy bits. The Chevdo made for Diwali has poha fried in oil, and even when it is roasted, the amount oil is considerable. Now yes, thats how it's made and maybe thats how grandma made it. But we don't have the same lifestyle as grandma, so it doesn't make sense to eat everything the same way. Sure, there are some things that are better pristine, but a lot can reimagined in our modern context and updated lifestyles. Don't you agree?

Parathas with achaar (pickle) was something mum learned from her friend. She’d make it with “gol keri” - a sweet and spicy mango pickle. It was a tasty, travel-friendly paratha; you could just roll ‘em up and dunk in the hot chai that so alluring calls your name at the train station…

One of the most forgiving and unfussy bake is a crumble. Super adaptable to the fruit you have at hand. Rhubarb crumble is quick to assemble and gluten free! The sweet-tart rhubarb flavors are paired with vegan cardamom ice cream. Even if you aren’t lactose intolerant or vegan, the vegan cardamom ice cream made using coconut cream is delightful! It’s deemed to be a household hit.

Indian Gooseberries are loaded with vitamin C and E that increase immunity and fight off free radicals. Therefore, great to eat in fall/winter. By itself, Gooseberries have sharp and sour taste, so the best way to eat them is by brining in salted turmeric water.

It all started with my oregano plant that has been growing like the giant beanstalk. If you don't see me posting for a while, I might be caught up in the castle of the unfriendly giant. Fee-fi-fo-fum! 👻

The matchstick-thin slices of turmeric root is pickled in salt and lemon juice, and are ready to be eaten within two days and refrigerated. A tbsp of the pickle eaten with meals, packs a punch with it’s immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, blood-purifying and tons of other benefits.

Pickling, drying, making preserves and jams or murabbo/chundo as we Gujaratis called it, are some traditional style of preserving seasonal produce that I have come across most commonly. Murabba is a sweet preserve made predominantly of seasonal unripe summer mangoes.

Shrikhand or flavored strained yogurt, is the creamiest, yummiest and fastest indian dessert you can ever make! To get nice and thick Shrikhand that would put store-bought ones to shame, you want to start with a really good quality full fat greek yogurt. I use Fage yogurt - it’s my absolute favorite. It’s less tart than any other yogurts I’ve tried and great for making Kadhi and Shrikhand.

Broccoli florets are tossed in avocado oil, tandoori masala and salt seasoning, charred on grilled or regular iron skillet, and served with creamy, tangy, medium spicy (😉) yogurt sauce.