Phursath.com

India is celebrating 78th year of independence and I am catching up on the terrible news coming from my friends. The brutality of the crime against an innocent women is too disturbing to repeat. It makes me wonder about the significance of this day and what freedom really means.

Freedom is not the ability to vote.
It’s the ability to make decisions for yourself.
It’s feeling safe, in mind and body.
It’s the ability to design your life.
It’s the ability to focus on what is truly important to you.
It’s the ability to be yourself, to be accepted as yourself.
its knowing that your voice will be heard.
It’s being able to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Freedom is always work in progress.
Freedom is a privilege.
Freedom is hard to achieve and harder still to keep.

Wishing my friends and family in India light at the end of the tunnel and freedom of mind and body this Independence Day! May we all get to define and live our own version of freedom.

And a special shout out to the wonderful staff at and to my hero .brar for my own fan girl moment!

Had to do a special post, नहीं तो आप बोलेंगे बताया नहीं!! हमने बताया था!

Sharing some thoughts and pieces of internal conversations with you all after a long time. Keep showing your love. Its keeps me motivated to write and share.

Motherland Motherland What does the word conjure up for you? What memories float in front of your eyes, or fill your nostrils? What sounds echo, what memories come rushing past? I have always lived my memories of Kashmir through the stories narrated by my family. My family would usually end these stories with....

When you think you are making a simple 5 ingredient meal but are craving 🤦🏽‍♀️

To the one who unloads the dishwasher, let’s me sleep in, wakes up when the babies cry, captures every memory, worries about my parents more than I do, fusses over the kids, makes the best coffee and stays away from social media and the limelight! ❤️

Diwali! The beginning of wintery nights, heavy Razai, fuzzy socks….
Diwali! Neither the beginning of fall, nor the end. Somewhere in between.

When the Marigold is still blooming, but the trees are already going bare.

Busy mornings but no dari to pull out, no dust to clean, no crystal platters, no cashews, raisins, pista, no waiting for guests!

But somewhere in the house,

Little minds, half awake, ready to make their own memories, ready for their half awake dreams decked with our love

And so...

We pull out our memories wrapped in festive clothes, photo albums, string lights and stories.

We fill this home with -

The crackle of phuljhadi and the patter of feet running outside to catch a glimpse of glittery rainbows exploding into the night sky and vanishing too soon.

Open doors, lit up front yard, warm hugs, crispy nights.

Lowered heads, closed eyes, folded hands, the fragrance of agarbatti filling the house, the sound of my aarti, sprinkled with pauses and giggles, as I try to remember the words and they try to catch up.
Read full text at https://www.phursath.com/diwali/

कश्मीर की यादें, कश्मीर के ज़ायक़े, कश्मीर की मेहमाननवाज़ी, कश्मीर के लोग और कश्मीर का लाड!
कुछ लमहे बस जिए जाते हैं, लफ़्ज़ों में बयान नहीं किए जाते।

Have you been following me here and wondering how you can create my recipes seamlessly? If yes, I have BIG news! I am offering my cooking class for the first time. You must be in Arlington Va to take advantage of this class. The class is being auctioned at a local Kindness sale and all proceeds will go to the Kindness fund.

Bid here - https://bit.ly/3Dlk9uL

Let the bidding war begin!

Sundays are for sleeping in, endless IPL watching and coffee drinking. In my household, Sunday’s also call for Rajma Chawal with loads of Ghee and Anardana chutney, served today with a side of French beans.
Follow my family recipe for rajma chawal (beans and rice) and anardana (pomegranate) chutney at www.phursath.com. For French beans, head over to chef .brar.

This one is for my Naanu (my grandfather). I never met the man but stories about him permeate every day life. A single father who brought up his daughters to be fierce, independent women in a time and place where it was unheard of. A consummate and selfless teacher who also owned the kitchen like a boss. Although I wish I met him , I know him just a little bit more thanks to recipes he handed down to my mother.

Sharing his Kashmiri Dum Aalu, a true labor of love! The recipe is now on www.phursath.com

When a special delivery from India brings you a rare ingredient, and a dear friend digs out a truly authentic recipe….
Presenting - Lal Maas (work in progress for now). Final version with recipe coming soon.

When older sis says “mama this needs to be on your website” and gives it the name “magic meatballs”, you just oblige!
Recipe to come soon. For now, a sneak peek into what I will proudly own as an experiment gone well.

Yes i know its Halloween! But its also almost Diwali! And Diwali will always be special to me. Last week, someone asked me for a gist of what Diwali is to me. And so many images came floating, i had to step back, watch them all float by and paint them in words!

So here’s an excerpt! No recipes for today, just words! Read the full text at https://www.phursath.com/diwali/

“The crackle of phuljhadi and the patter of feet running to the terrace to catch a glimpse of glittery rainbows exploding into the night sky and vanishing too soon.

Open doors, lit up terraces, warm hugs, crispy nights, noisy and foggy neighborhoods and smokey nostrils.

Papa's crisp Khaadi Kurta and Nehru Jacket and Mama's wet hair and easily wrinkled silk suit that makes her face shine like gold.

Platters filled with cashews, raisins, pista, Kaju Barfi, all waiting for the first guest.

Shiny long grains of Basmati, flooded with Rajma, chunks of Paneer floating in red curry, as red as mama's bindi, as red as the teeka on Papa's forehead.

Lowered heads, closed eyes, folded hands, the fragrance of agarbatti filling the house, the sound of Mama's aarti, sprinkled with pauses and giggles, as she tries to remember the words and we try to catch up.”

Chicken Biryani and India gate.

India Gate and Chicken Biryani.

I think about one, and the other shows up without an invitation.

n Delhi summers, when our tiny apartment felt especially unwelcoming, we ended up just carrying our dinner to India gate. Our favorite spot was this triangular green patch that gave us a great view of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on one side, and the India Gate on the other side. We would often get to this spot late in the evening, carrying our pressure cooked Chicken Biryani, wrapped in a thick blanket, and stay well past midnight, watching stars and enjoying the breeze.

At India Gate, we made memories with our closest friends and family, celebrated birthdays, welcomed new family members and spent many evenings, sprawled on the cool grass, sharing meals, listening to the music of bottle openers sliding across soda bottles as soap bubbles lazily floated around.

This recipe is my ode to India Gate – the sprawling greens, the magnificent walls, the breathtaking view of the city from top, the wet grass, the Chuski, the Madari, the Jamura, the balloon waala, the lover’s spot, the families’ weekend outing, the starlit night sky, and the whiff of my mother’s Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani.

Yes, this is now on www.phursath.com and always, always available to special friends on special occasions or non occasions!

Wednesday dinners are tough for many of us! Weekend leftovers are at end of their life and cooking a complex dinner in the middle of the workweek is out of question! This Amritsari air-fried fish comes to rescue on many such evenings. It adds a much needed special touch to a simple meal of dal chawal ( lentil and rice). Today, we made the dinner extra special with leek fritters!

The gluten free Amritsari fish fry takes about 5 minute prep and 15 min in the air fryer. I follow chef .brar closely and have modified one of his recipes for the fish marinade. The leek fritters were the H’s original creation! Here’s a short version of both
Amritsari Fish (Air-Fried)
Ingredients:
8 Tilapia fish filet
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder (Kashmiri or Degi mirch)
1 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Kasuri Methi
1/4 tsp hing
1 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp besan (gram flour)

Method:
1. Marinate the fish in salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and oil and leave for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the fish and mix gently, rubbing the marinade into the fish. Leave for addition 10 min.
3. Air fry at 425 F for 7 min. Flip gently and air fry for additional 5-7 minutes.
Leek Fritters

Ingredients

1 leek, chop of the darker top and discard. Chop bottom half into half circles.
1/4 cup besan or gram flour
1 chopped green chilli
Salt to taste
Water for batter

Method
Make a batter with besan and water. Add salt, green chillies, chopped leek.

Heat up oil in a deep pan. Gently drop in a scoop full of leek batter into the oil. Wait for fritters to turn golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel.

Enjoy!

When the going gets tough....the tough take solace in potatoes!

We have been trying to reduce our meat intake, for our and our planet’s health! In search of vegetarian options, I keep going back to basics, finding the simplest of recipes from my mom and mom-in-law! My mom’s Ajwani aalo is one just simple recipe, ready in no time, and bursting with flavours! All you need is potatoes, salt, turmeric and Ajwain (carom seeds).

Find the recipe on www.Phursath.com

Happy Mother’s Day to the wonderful mom’s out there! My morning was made special with handmade cards, tea in bed and a wonderful breakfast! The last few weeks have brought devastating news from back home, almost everyday! Days like these keep me sane and remind of my everyday blessings! I hope your loved ones appreciate all you do through the year and don’t wait for one day in year. Stay safe, hold your loved ones tight, and remember to pause and take care of yourself!

Sometimes, it takes many years to realize the privileges we grow up with! Growing up in the heart of Delhi, stones throw from India Gate, and with access to the most authentic Kashmir kitchen, is one such privilege! Sharing a recipe inspired by one of my favorites from that kitchen! Rista is a spicy cousin of Gushtava and an important dish in the Kashmiri wazwan. Make this to spice up your weeknight meal!

Over the weekend, I found a treasure in the India store- Bathua or Lamb’s Quarter ( Biological Name – Chenopodium album)! I was so excited, I almost cried! 15 years in this country and my craving for Bathua Kadhi was about to be satisfied.

Also around the same time, I discovered (thank you Wikipedia) that lambs quarter is as common in certain parts of North America as in India and so... maybe I will find it growing in my backyard in late spring! This recipe is an ode to my aunt (mom’s sister) who’s bathua kadhi was so delicious, we would drink bowls full! The recipe is now on www.phursath.com

Blooming orchid and new leaves on my kefir lime plant remind me that spring is around the corner! My kefir lime chicken is a tribute to the season of blooms! Recipe coming soon! Enjoy the clicks for now! @ Arlington, Virginia

I imagine that when i am old, toothless, and living a yogini’s life, I will still find myself sneaking in a Seekh Kebab or 2 into my diet! Unfortunately, I have not found Seekh Kebabs in the US that satisfy my soul the way Seekh Kebab’s in India do. So, I went about making them at home!

You can enjoy these Kebab’s on their own as a snack, with Onion Chutney, or make my dad’s Do Pyaaza version and enjoy with Roti! Recipe is now on phursath.com. @ Arlington, Virginia

“Necessity is the mother of invention”. My dad’s egg curry is one such creation, born out the need to put a quick dinner on the table, using one of my parent’s favorite ingredients – eggs. The result is a delicious and surprising twist to the Indian Egg Curry.

Make this when you are short on time but find yourself craving a homemade curry! For extra deliciousness, use pasture raised eggs. Recipe is now on www.phursath.com.

Starting the weekend right, thinking of Papa and making one of his signature dishes (with a twist)! Recipe coming soon!

Looking for a hearty and healthy dish to keep you going this week? This brown chickpeas and spinach recipe might be the answer. Find it on www.phursath.com.

Friends and followers,

It’s been quiet at Phursath, not because there’s no cooking or no stories, but because, (1) it’s been a busy week and (2) dinner time has been running late. Meaning, between putting dinner on the table and getting the camera ready, the meal is already gone!

Today, I finally got to cook one of my family’s staple - Kale Chane with Palak (Brown Chickpeas with spinach) and snuck in a picture before they were gone! Adding the picture as a teaser.

Stay tuned for this and more....coming soon on Phursath!

Macher Jhol, good for your body and good for your soul? Feed your soul and keep the doctor away with my Kashmiri Macher Jhol!
New recipe now on www.phursath.com.

This has been a week for simple and humble preparations at the Phursath kitchen! This onion chutney reminds me of the kebabs Papa used to get from Khan Market! Alas, I am too far away from Papa, Khan Market and Kebabs! But maybe you aren’t!! Make this chutney to spice up your Kebabs, or your Wednesday and serve with whatever your heart yearns. The recipe is now on www.phursath.com.

Looking for a quick weekday dinner inspiration? Try the humble Mooli ki sabzi (sautéed radish with greens)! Recipe on www.phursath.com

When you make breakfast and your kid thinks it deserves a picture, you just comply!

Cold weather calls for pakoda and chai and left over pakodas call for Kadhi! My mom’s Kadhi recipe, now on https://www.phursath.com/recipe/kadhi/ Don’t forget to leave a review and comments on the website!