My new book launch and some exciting other news
It’s unbelievable how cruel life can be. Here I am, jumping in the back of a black cab for the Christmas lights on party at a high-end shopping arcade. As I meet friends and drink pumpkin soup, I moan about the delayed celebrity guest of honour. The shortage of macaroons. And then slip off with [...]
How to make a perfect papad
Cooking curry in the middle of Italian countryside
Carrot and Radish flatbreads just like my granny or nani made them
Spicy lamb in black pepper or Gosht Kali Mirch straight from a dusty cookbook
Did I mention I was going to Morocco? I needed to get away from frantic deadlines, the summer social scene, grumpy people and smelly trains. So I chose blinding heat, crazy traffic, tribal witch doctors, snake charmers and endless souks. It was all going remarkably well until the fancy rooftop restaurant. Just as I finished [...]
A fresh, healthy and blindingly simple brunch of Paneer Bhujia and home made rotis
Sweet and spicy garden peas or Masala Mattar to complete your meal
My six unspectacular kitchen quirks as the food photographer recovers
My menu for a simple dinner party is no daddy’s little darling
International fame (almost) and my tips for spotting a good Indian restaurant buffet
Kneading dough for homemade naan can be hard work
Bothersome interference in blog posts
A Christmas fundraiser from food bloggers everywhere
Pre-Diwali nerves and planning for the big night
It’s the last day of Durga Puja, a celebration of good winning over evil and highlight of the Bengali religious calendar. I made it to the pandal (marquee) on Friday, only to be told to leave within an hour thanks to a queue of 400 people outside waiting to get in. Thankfully, I’d made it [...]
Back from the world of high-street botox, designer dogs and leapord-print everything that is Cannes, I am basking in a warm glow that is a fabulous sun tan. But until recently, I was more likely to carry a Victorian parasol in the sun for fear of catching colour than bake on a beach for hours [...]
I said goodbye to mother this week with a heavy heart and a full belly. The boozy Saturday night in before she left, we decided to have a mid-week party. My two Indian girlfriends would bring a dish each, mother would cook two dishes and hubby and his French best mate would eat for England. [...]
I am now a member of the Foodie Blogroll, a fantastic initiative by Jenn of Leftover Queen designed to bring foood blogs together the world over. If, like me, you are always the last one to wake up to good things – sign up now! The bad news is that my email mallika@quickindiancooking.com isn’t working. [...]
Rotis or chappatis are eaten as an alternative to rice around India, especially in the North of India. Not to be confused with paranthas or naan, these are cooked with whole wheat flour or atta (pictured) without any oil on a tawa or flat griddle pan. The simplest version of a roti is called a [...]
It’s Friday the 13th. Call me superstitious, but I have already had a bust up at work, a tough client meeting and slipped on my trendy winklepickers and grazed my knee. I now have a dinner party for 10 to look forward to, for which I have cooked an entirely Bengali meal of kosha mangsho, [...]
I am reading a fabulous book – “Is it just me or is everything shit” – by Steve Lowe & Alan McArthur. It just about sums up my views about life, love and everything in between as I chuckle on public transport deemed unsuitable for cattle transportation by the European Union. If truth be told [...]
I’ve been irritable all week. The first two days were spent almost entirely in the office preparing for the big mid-week meeting. Then came the meeting. It went fine and we all relaxed into our train seats, ready to tuck into whatever cold, stale food Virgin had to offer and head home. The menu was [...]
I’ve arrived back in the UK from Peru. While I’ve been gone, Shilpa Shetty has published her very own chicken curry recipe featuring tomato ketchup and a gunman’s been loose in South London, near where I live. On the bright side, it’s not snowing and I haven’t lost my job… yet! My colleagues have clearly missed [...]
The Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has been unfortunate enough to become a victim of bullying and accused racism in one of the UK’s most vapid reality TV shows – Celebrity Big Brother. Read all about it here. This has blown up into one of the most criticised TV programmes over here in recent times, with [...]
I am about to have a birthday soon. Normally, I would invite everyone I know, plan my own surprise party and buy a whole new outfit. But this year, it’s different. I am edging closer to 30 by turning 29 and as far as I’m concerned, it ain’t no cause for celebration. While I’m going [...]
I’ve been tagged. I did get very worried when I read this. Tagged? What exactly does this mean? Am I going to be followed, persecuted or simply watched closely on the blogosphere (this didn’t sound too awful). I looked this up urgently and it appears I really don’t have anything to worry about. This is [...]
I did a despicable, unforgiveable and truly stomach-churning thing last week. I ate an Indian takeaway. Yes siree. An authentic inauthentic Indian meal, glowing with oil and food colouring and resplendent in its own mediocrity. I know I must not try to justify myself, but we returned to an empty fridge from Christmas weekend only to [...]
O.M.G! Is it 2007 already? Huge wishes for the New Year. Hubby and I decided to start this New Year with a clear head and fresh air. So we took off to the countryside in our ageing mean machine. Our two bedroom cottage was on a farm near an aptly-named village called Nomansland. We had no mobile phone coverage and [...]
The truth about me, Indian cooking and eating
Discovering a closely named blog is nothing to worry about
One of my favourite blogs from the early days of blogging
Super healthy North Indian Taheri or vegetable pulao with a dollop of my crazy friend Boobie’s Anda Raita