Rajma-rice, a plateful of sliced onion in vinegar, a few books in hand, hot debate on current topics and our dinner would be over in no time. This was the regular evening routine for a bunch of close friends during the college days we spent together away from our homes in Delhi, hardly missing out on homely food. We would stop by that open Dhaba (makeshift restaurant) with a very few chairs spread under a tree and wait for our piping hot plate of Rajma-rice served by this rugged looking pot bellied man who cooked & served the same meal throughout the year. At times he served us Rajma with Naan and a dessert which looked like cooked rice in sugar syrup during festivals to make sure we remain his loyal customers. Must say that I have never been able to cook nor have eaten better tasting Rajma than that.

A recent visit by a friend from a near by hill station, made me rich with piles of farm fresh mountain vegetables, yes these tender, young and juicy organic veggies are no less than a treasure. I could not control myself but to munch upon the crunchy carrots, cucumber and the lovely green pods filled with sweet little peas. One of my favorite snacks of all time I could spend hours together with a bucketful of fresh peas..press..open..pluck..plop..and repeat But alas, these veggies are a far cry in big cities, all I get here is lifeless, limp and tasteless vegetables.

Born and raised in Israel with a strong Indian Jewish ancestry this AFBHLS guest has spent half of her life in United States. Her awesome collection of Mediterranean, Indian and some unique recipes on her blog speak a lot about her command over these cuisines. Meet Shulie a wonderful food blogger from Food Wanderings, a passionate food writer and a skillful photographer.

Oh yes..you read it right..these are healthy pickle recipes infused with flavorful spices, less oil and packed with the goodness of green chili peppers! Rich in vitamin A & C, high in anti oxidants, low in fats & cholesterol the green chillies boast of many minerals as well.

What…not interested..Hmm..then these two pickle recipes will surely make you crave for green chili pepper! Very common in most parts of Rajasthan in India, these pickles are a savior recipe for many (including me) to serve those unexpected hungry guests So at any point of time you could find these two things in my refrigerator, a fresh coriander leaf chutney and this green chilly pickle.

Hello friends, its time to bring in another awesome food blogger for AFBHLS series on Lite Bite. And this time it is multi talented & friendly Simone from Jungle Frog Cooking , a photographer by profession and a food blogger by choice. If her simple yet engaging posts will force you to read the whole recipe word by word then her tempting food pictures will literally make you eat your screen “But why this unusual name for a food blog” the curious me asked. “There is no hidden secrets behind it, just that I like frogs and started my company Jungle Frog Images much before my food blog and since then Jungle Frog Cooking it is” she replied as a matter of fact.

I like how versatile this humble grain Rice could be in various forms of cuisines world over. From more exotic Sushi to Risotto to the simple curd rice from South India, this ancient grain has come a long way. Though I am not a rice loving person, having married in a place where every day starts with rice and ends with it made me reinvent some of the very famous rice recipes here. Now my menu boasts of many easy to make and scrumptious rice recipes I learned from my MIL and friends here.

And yes if you are already bored with the time consuming & tedious cooking methods of your Risottos and the Shahi Pulav these quickies will win you over hands down

With the summer vacation coming to an end and the children gearing up for the school, the days are going to be more hectic and short. Gone are the days of late night outings and no wake up calls in the mornings. Hitler rule prevails again Need a good revision of lunch box recipes to be packed to school for the kids.

Okra and potatoes being the two most favorite veggies for my kids are often packed with Indian flat breads along with a fruit or fruit juice. The one recipe which wins hands down for my son’s lunchbox is this Peanut butter stuffed Okra.

Time flies when you are enjoying what you are doing and doing what you enjoy the most. And I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation at my native Udaipur. Learned to cook a few authentic recipes from mom, visited all the historical places which were in my wish list for long and most important met many of my schoolmates after almost 30 years!

Mom made these two versions of Stuffed flat breads or Parathas for my travel food. My kids dislike air travel and given a choice would always prefer trains over flights. They love to watch green fields, rivers, animals and villages over the dull and gray clouds so I booked for the flight for one way and came back by train.

Every time I make this Spinach and yogurt delicacy, it brings back the memory of my grandmother and her earthy kitchen. I would have cooked the same recipe umpteen number of times but could never come close to the one which she used to make. The earthen pot, fire wood stove, yogurt made from the fresh milk from backyard and those experienced hands are the secret ingredients which brings the flavors missing in mine My gas stove and the stainless steel vessels could never emulate the same lest I shift to the olden days of cooking.

“The other bunch is free with the one you bought” said the vendor after watching the amused looks on my face. “No one buys these greens here, and I want to empty my cart madam” he continued. Yes Spinach is not a very common sight in many kitchens of South India…good for me, I got my bounty  But then after coming home I was perplexed about how should I make use of these huge piles of lovely greens strewed all over my dinning table!  Palak paneer was surely not in my list, neither was the spinach chapattis which my family is now bored of eating.

The whole of last week went on a spinach bonanza…baking, curries and smoothies..have tried more and enough with these greens in my kitchen. These starters is one such experiment, and if you are a spinach lover then this is a must try for you too. These no-oil Spinach ball starters, soft from inside and crisp on the outside is so simple to make, never new Spinach could give me a winner recipe