Badusha / Balushahi

SrilathaDessert, Indian Leave a Comment

Badusha, or Balushahi as it’s known in the northern parts of India, is a delicate, flaky, pastry that is somewhat similar to donuts. Except, I do think it’s not as doughy, and is quite a bit flaky. When I told me daughter it’s like a donut, she asked: “Is this one of those things that you say it’s like an American sweet, but it’s really not?” For some reason, my kids, while they inhale all the spicy Indian food with gusto, run when I offer them Indian sweets. They say it’s too sweet. This from the kids who would eat ice cream for breakfast if it’s an option! But then, I’m digressing. On to the recipe of this delicacy!

Simple Okra/Bhindi With Paanch Puran

SrilathaIndian, Sides Leave a Comment

This is a simple dry side dish that comes together pretty quickly, and needs simple ingredients. This is inspired by the Bengali dish chorchori or churchuri which is made with a mix of vegetables such as pumpkin, eggplant, potatoes, and almost always spinach, but all I had was okra/bhindi, and I decided to make it with what I have. It turned out really good! The original Bengali dish uses the mix of whole spices called Paanch phoron/paanch puran which is readily available in Indian grocery stores (paanch meaning five in Hindi). The original recipe also uses the spices whole, but I modified it slightly by powdering them coarsely, and adding it at the end instead of in the initial tempering.

Chole (Spiced Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas)

SrilathaIndian, Main Dish, Punjabi, Punjabi, Sides, Snacks And Light meals Leave a Comment

Chole is probably one of the most popular dishes from the North Western region of India, also known as Punjab. Punjabi cuisine is robust and hearty, and this dish is that, for sure. The kids in my family all love this, and any time they’re home, chole with bhatura or puri (fried bread) is sure to be on the menu once. I have referred to many websites looking for the authentic Punjabi version of this dish, and have tweaked my recipe to make it better with a few extra spices.