Tag Archives: easy

Masala Eggplant in Jersey City

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Conjuring up this dish brings back fond memories of living in a highrise apartment in Jersey City, right along the Hudson River. The whiff of the nigella seeds toasting in oil, reminds me of floating blocks of ice gliding across the river in front of me as I peered out of the large windows framing the Manhattan skyline.

Masala Eggplant Close up

Usually in the evening, with my pots simmering away in my awesome little kitchen – I’d sit near the window and gaze across the river into the city, waiting patiently for my husband to come home. Now, now, don’t get carried away with your imagination, it was not like an Indian movie…and I was surely not wearing a sari. Well not on that day anyway 😉 Continue reading →

Dhokri or Dhokla – Steamed Savoury Cake

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Dhokri is my comfort food… I ate a lot of it whilst growing up and could count on there being a plateful of dhokri at any given event.  Apart from being a delicious mouthful Dhokri does make for the perfect finger food.  The lemony yellow snack would shine away as if peeking out from behind a cloud – heavy with rain. The tangy sponginess accompanied by the snappy crunch of the sesame seeds, laced with the herby aroma of the cilantro will have you salivating unapologetically.

Dhokri is a slightly spicy and tangy savory snack mostly made in Gujarati homes.  It has the texture of a light sponge cake.  The bulk of the recipe is made with chickpea flour and the dough is tied with either buttermilk or yogurt, along with several spices and left to ferment overnight.  It’s then steamed in trays, cooled, cut and garnished with fresh cilantro, sesame and black mustard seeds.  It does seem kind of daunting at first, but believe me once you get the hang of it, it’s ‘putsy peasy’. Continue reading →

Gulgoolas – Fritters Stuffed with Cherries and Dark Chocolate

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Gulgullas stuffed with cherries and chocolate

Gulgullas stuffed with cherries and chocolate

Summer is zooming by and I’m struggling to hold onto it’s tail strings. Ramadan is almost over and a single Ramadan celebratory food post has not appeared on Fortheloveofghee.  A friend suggested a Ramadan  post at the beginning of the month, which I was all for… well… in my head anyway!

So with out further ado and less than a week before Eid, heres a recipe you can indulge on in the next few days.  My recipe for gulgoolas, a fried sweet fritter, is eaten at the beginning of the meal after breaking fast with a glass of milk and fresh dates.

Gulgoolas are usually made sans the Cherries and Dark Chocolate, but I just couldn’t help myself…what?? with all the fresh cherries practically being thrown at me at the grocery store and my kids eternal craving for chocolate… I just had to succumb to what the season was offering… Continue reading →

How to Make Basmati Rice

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1 cup basmati rice
1 tbspn ghee
salt to taste (I ussualy add 1 tsp of sea salt)

Rinse the rice with cold water about 3 times, drain and then transfer to a deep pan.  Add 2 cups of water, the ghee and salt.  Bring to a boil on medium high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan and let the rice cook till most of the water has evaporated (when you see little holes forming around the rice).  Close the lid, turn off the heat and let the rice steam for 15 more minutes.  To serve, lightly fluff with a fork and spoon into individual plates or pile into a huge serving bowl, family style.

  • Tips and Childhood Memories

Childhood Memories

I remember when growing up, my mum served the rice straight out of the pan.  This kept the rice warm for second helpings.

A delicious childhood memory, especially on cold wintry days, was eating hot rice with crunchy sugar and loads of yummy ghee.

Another way of indulging in a bowl full of rice is to lather it with plain yogurt and a dollop of spicy indian pickle.

Pure heaven!