Creamy Pumpkin Soup

The Building Blocks: Putting it all together:

Bhut Jolokia Chilli Oil

A fan favorite. Chilli oil goes with literally everything and anything. My favorite would definitely be combining it as a dip with momos. Drizzle some oil over your favorite momos and oolala, momos are suddenly transformed to gourmet food. Very very simple to make, hardly takes 10 mins. You can store in a glass container

Sarso ka Saag and Makki ki Roti

Not living in the Northern Part of the country, I really miss out on experiencing real winters down south-west. I absolutely love the snow, the chilling air, the layers and layers of woolen clothes and stylish jackets and best of all, warming up the cold hands and feet next to a heater / fire. But

Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Saalan

Hyderabadi Biryani is incomplete without a side of lip smacking, spicy and masaledar saalan. This spicy, tangy gravy is prepared with big Kashmiri Green chillies which are often also used in making Pakodas (you stuff them with aaloo and coat them in gramflour/besan) These chillies carry a slight amount of heat and great flavor. Another

Chicken in Creamy Mushroom Sauce with Sautéed Veggies

When eating healthy is on my mind but I also want it to be wholesome and delicious, this is usually my go to meal. Its the most well balanced meal you could take off your stove with the richness of proteins from the chicken, the fibers and carbs from the veggies, low fat content and

Walnut and Raisins Banana Bread

“Happiness is the smell of freshly baked bread” ~ Secret Gourmet We often wonder what to do when we buy too many bananas and then once we are fed up of eating them, they just lie there on the shelf, ripening away, till you don’t feel like eating it anymore. Well, the solution is simple,

Aam Panna (Green Mango Drink)

“Summers are for Mangoes and the Nostalgia it brings” ~ Secret Gourmet Usually when we hear Aam Panna, the drink resonates with old summer holidays when you are relaxing at home and your dear mum brings all of you a refreshing cool drink of sweet and tangy aam panna. As we sip on that refreshing

Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

“On the subject of wild mushrooms, it is easy to tell who is an expert and who is not: The expert is the one who is still alive.” ~ Secret Gourmet There are a few items in the vegetarian cuisine that I love and the one that tops my list is mushrooms. There are so

South Indian Vegetable Sambar

“One simply does not serve Idli and Wada without Sambar” ~ Secret Gourmet The Building Blocks: 1 cup lauki (bottle gourd) 1/2 cup okra (bhindi) 1/2 cup baby brinjals 1/2 cup carrots (gajar) 1/2 cup french beans 1/2 cup cauliflower (gobi) 1 large drumstick (peeled and chopped) (fali) 1 large tomato (large cubes) 1 large

Paneer Butter Masala

“Tomato and Cream, best base for any dish” ~ secret gourmet The Building Blocks 10-12 cashews 3 tbsp milk 3-4 medium sized Red Tomatoes (cubed) 1 large onion (cubed) 200gms Paneer (cubed) 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 bay leaf (Tej Patta) 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi) 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder 1 1/2 tsp

Dilli Wala Rajma Chawal (Rajma Masala)

“Rajma-Chawal is not a meal, its an emotion” ~ Secret Gourmet Nothing makes the heart overflow with love like some home made Rajma-Chawal topped with Ghee. It leaves a wide smile across your face and eyes filled with love and sleep after every heavy meal (Heavy because you can never go lite with Rajma Chawal).

Farm Fresh Leafy Greens Sandwich

“Life is like a sandwich. The more you add to it, the better it becomes.” ~ A secret Gourmet As the name states, an astonishingly fresh tasting sandwich. The magic here comes from the use of fresh lettuce, cucumber and cabbage which give it that crunch and the use of fresh coriander leaves for the

Veggies Paradise Italiano Bread Pizza

“Life is not about finding yourself. It’s about finding pizza.” ~ Secret Gourmet Who says breakfast should be simple and boring? Isn’t it the popular belief that breakfast should be the heaviest meal of the day? Well, I am a firm believer of that (at times) and this bread pizza is here to facilitate just

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Pizza Sauce

“Behind every great pizza is a beautiful pizza sauce” ~ Secret Gourmet Being a home chef, I absolutely value the taste of fresh pizza sauce. Trust me, its a small effort to put in for the brilliant pizza sauce that results out of it. I never returned to canned/bottled pizza sauce after having this sauce.

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.

North Indian (Punjab Da) Pav Bhaji

“We go together like Aloo & Gobi” ~ Secret Gourmet I know what you are thinking, Punjab da Pav Bhaji?! Isn’t Pav Bhaji a Maharashtrian dish??! Yes, you are absolutely right. Pav Bhaji does originate from Maharashtra and is a local favorite here. You’ll often see all Dhabas, famous vegetarian eatouts and street vendors selling

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.

Spinach, Corn and Cheese Sandwich

“Once you lose the weight, you’re really anxious to eat healthy.” ~ Secret Gourmet A simple power packed breakfast with absolute minimal efforts for preparation. If you are dieting, then this is an absolute winner. Using the classic combo of Spinach, Sweet Corn and cheese, this breakfast has all the nutrients to keep your energized

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.

Exotic Vegetarian Pan Pizza (No oven)

“Happiness is a slice of Pizza” ~ Secret Gourmet Pizza is an all time favorite. As unhealthy as they are, they are also irresistible at times. But you do not need to fall prey to ordering in unhealthy pizza. Just take some time out and bake yourself this simple Pan pizza at home for a

Misal Pav

“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate. ” ~ Secret Gourmet This is a traditional, locally loved Maharashtrian dish. Though my origins lie up North in India I have spent almost 20 years in Pune, Maharashtra and and this dish is definitely worth a mention. If you are ever visiting Pune or any

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.

French Omlette Your Style

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast ~ Secret Gourmet French Omelette is a very basic but delectable recipe. The beauty of this recipe and why I love it soo much is because of the number of variations you have to play with when it comes to the stuffings and type of cheese. You can

View post to subscribe to site newsletter.