Curry & Side dish

“What would you like for dinner?”
“Not a curry” said NO. ONE. EVER.

Indian curry is a combination of spices, herbs, meat or vegetables and is truly versatile. In fact, there are so many ways we can cook this – simple, complex, quick, or an elaborate one. The way vegetables, meat and seafood is cooked varies from state to state and region to region. While I truly believe that Indian cooking is much much more than curries, without a doubt, this is an essential part of the Indian cuisine. Here I will put together some recipes (curry or not) that goes really well with rice, bread etc. and completes your meal wonderfully.

Kofta is deep fried meat/veggie balls in a silky smooth gravy. Typically, veg koftas are made with potatoes and paneer and soaked in a rich gravy. But the Bengali style kofta curry is made with plantains and is usually soaked in a light runny gravy. While I love the […]

Plantain (Raw Banana) Kofta

16 Dec, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged bengali food / curry / vegetables / vegetarian by Shilpa

Fish curry served with steamed rice a.k.a. mach bhath – food that is close to every Bengali’s heart. Fish is an integral part of Bengali cuisine and is cooked and eaten almost every day in every house hold. There are so many varieties of fish cooked in so many different […]

Bengali Style Dry Fish Curry (Machher Jhal)

13 Dec, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged bengali food / curry / seafood by Shilpa

Matar paneer– yet another famous punjabi dish. Cottage cheese and green peas cooked in a rich creamy onion-tomato gravy. This dish tastes great both with jeera rice as well as roti/flatbread or naan. As this is a very popular dish, there are many different ways of making this. I have […]

Matar paneer

26 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged north indian / paneer / punjabi food / vegetarian by Shilpa

Chingri malaikari – a classic Bengali delicacy in which prawns are cooked along with coconut milk and spices. There are different opinions on the origin of the name malaikari. Some say this dish originated in Malaysia (similar to Laksa) and hence the name malaikari (Malay-Curry). But most likely it’s the creamy texture […]

Chingri Malaikari (Prawns cooked with coconut milk)

21 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged bengali food / curry / prawns / seafood by Shilpa

If you are looking for something tasty, nutritious and easy to make, then look no further! Green mung bean is high in protein, packed with vitamins and minerals, and an excellent non-meat source of iron! You can use either sprouted mung or unsprouted one – tastes great either way. Add it as sides […]

Green Mung Usli (Stir fry)

15 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish / Lentils/Dal / Snacks, Street food & more tagged healthy / karnataka food / mung bean / quick meal / stir fry / vegan / vegetarian by Shilpa

Zucchini is not a common vegetable in India. I started cooking with it only after moving to Melbourne. And mostly used it in pizza and pasta. When my daughter started solids, zucchini and peas was her favourite puree. She loves this vegetable a lot and zucchini fritters and zucchini muffins are a […]

Zucchini stir fry

14 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged quick meal / stir fry / vegetarian / zucchini by Shilpa

Kosambari is a south Indian salad made with lentils. This healthy, delicious salad is traditionally served as an accompaniment and is a part of every festival in a Kannada household. Crunch from carrots, tangy from lemon, mild sweetness from coconut when combined with earthiness of lentils creates magic on your […]

Kosambari

13 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged accompaniment / festival food / healthy / quick meal / salad by Shilpa

These spicy Dill and Bengal gram lentil fritters are an absolute delight. Made mostly during festivals and celebrations, they are more of a side dish rather than a snack, unlike other fritters. Dill, know as sabbasige soppu in Kannada is used to make many dishes like stir fry, dal, etc. […]

Ambode (Dill and Bengal gram fritter)

13 Nov, 2016 in Curry & Side dish / Snacks, Street food & more tagged bengal gram / dill / fritters / snacks by Shilpa

This curry has a special place in my heart. For me and my husband, it’s an emotion. When we moved to Melbourne, we lived in the CBD for the first few months. We were in love with Melbourne – the streets, lanes, parks, riverfront, everything… An evening stroll around the city […]

Chickpea Spinach curry

13 Oct, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged chickpea / healthy / satvik / spinach / vegetarian by Shilpa

Cooking with lamb was quite uncommon in my kitchen while I was in India – it was mostly goat. But here in Melbourne, it has become a regular addition as very good quality lamb is widely available. Spring lamb which is in season is very tender and flavourful. I use freshly ground […]

Lamb curry

13 Oct, 2016 in Curry & Side dish tagged bengali food / curry / lamb / meat by Shilpa