To mixed greens, Auntie would add boiled chickpeas and let the mixture slowly cook to a thick consistency. The tadka was typically Punjabi.

Sooji upma, Indian semolina made into a breakfast delicacy is one such dish that entails an understanding of how flavours balance each other

The chicken gravy is loosely spiced with subtly caramelized onions and has a streak of acidity from tomatoes or yogurt, or sometimes both.

This recipe is the simplest kind of recipe to cook taro in typical north-Indian flavours, and has a typical Punjabi influence

An easy delicious rendition of all-time favourite potatoes with the freshness of onion stalk flowers or scallions or chives.

This khichdi is a mix of rice and whole mung beans, and loaded with fresh vegetables. It's the most ubiquitous food in Indian cuisine.

Relying on only three spices, the highlight being nigella seeds, this eggplant preparation is my answer to the easiest stir fries ever.

Okra happens to be one of my favourite vegetables, and I admire how well it can be variated to create dishes that taste so good.

I understand kale can be hard to love, and I also believe that healthy eating does not have to taste bland or bad.

For me, winter is synonymous with gajar ka halwa, an Indian confection made of grated carrots cooked in slowly simmering milk.

This clear soup made with white winter radish is quite an unheard story in the culinary scene of Odisha unlike the other more famous ones.

Although wheat rotis are thought to be the commonest flatbreads in India, there are several other grains and millets used for rotis too.

There's no load of cream or butter in this dish. Some healthy yogurt (plant based if vegan), a few slices of cashews and lots of veggies!

Fresh peas ground to a coarse paste and sautéed in cumin, ginger and tomatoes, soft boiled potatoes with lentil dumplings dunked in a stew!

I learnt to make this rice first from my sister, a pulao that's full of flavours, looks so green and smells umami!

This dish is my way of making a rustic charred cauliflower that is tender yet holds its shape.

My earliest memories of food are associated with a bowl of hot yellow dal. A well-tempered dal is a meal in itself, and a joy ride of taste.

With this section on my blog, I want to take you on a sojourn of ordinary meals that are cooked in the privacy of Indian homes.

What sets the Indori poha apart from any other poha is the addition of sev or bhujiya and the typical poha masala.

This fish curry is a perfect blend of east Indian fish gravy styles. Cooked with mustard and yogurt, it's an explosion of flavours!