Besan Ke Laddu Recipe | How to Make Besan Ke Ladoo

Learn how to make Besan Ke Laddu ~ Sweet chickpea/gram flour balls flavoured with cardamom and ghee

The festival of lights is here… Diwali or Deepavali is the occasion which brings lot of joy and laughter to fill our days with cheer and hope for something best to come! We are having a quiet Diwali at home as the man of the house is away in Scotland attending a conference and will only be back on Friday night! Which means the young man of the house is seen following me everywhere chattering and asking me non-stop questions as why we have lit dozens of the candles and diyas, what am I cooking, why the house is decked as a bride, what is Diwali, why are we celebrating it, why are we Hindus, who made us Hindus, does it mean we can’t celebrate Christmas, will he still get Christmas presents from Santa and many more until I pretend to faint! I don’t miss the fire crackers back in India as my little fire cracker is here to bombard me with his never ending questions and chatter. :)

On the Diwali eve, our home came alive with flickering of diyas and candles lit in every nook and corner with the soulful evening raga playing in the background. The fragrant smoke of incense, camphor and dhoop waltzed with the fragrance of roses and jasmine. The clang of pots and pans, the heady aroma of saffron, rose water and cardamoms and the joyous laughter in the background was everything that any festivals are about. Unlike last year’s extravagant and loud Diwali which was the first for LD with his grandparents, this year’s celebration is quiet and mellow with just three of us. As it was the case with any festival, we were missing our loved ones on this joyous occasion. The beautiful memories of Diwali of my childhood are something I treasure the most. The light, laughter, joy, great food and a lovely company is something that makes this festival so special. So I feel the real need to create wonderful memories for my young man by carrying out century old traditions passed from one generation to the next. And what better way than the stories of the festival accompanied with a delicious food which is heart and soul of any Indian festivals?!

Tameta Reveya | Vegan Stuffed Tomato Curry Recipe from Kaushy's Prashad at Home

Learn how to make Tameta Reveya/Stuffed Tomato Curry ~ Sweet and spicy peanut stuffed tomato satay

After the success of her first cookbook ‘Prashad Indian Vegetarian Cooking’ which is one of my most favourite cookbooks, Kaushy Patel’s second cookbook ‘Prashad at Home’ focuses on simple, quick and fuss free Indian cooking from her vegetarian kitchen. The recipes are little quicker and easier compared to the restaurant recipes from her first cookbook which will find its way into your dinner tables and hearts! The heart and soul of the cookbook remains the same, Gujarati inspired vegetarian Indian food with tantalising recipes which any home cook will find delightful to cook with easy to follow recipe instructions.

There is a short introduction by the author Kaushy Patel in her own words mentioning the idea behind the cookbook with simple home food which is quite different from her previous cookbook showcasing the restaurant dishes.  The recipes range from fuss free recipes to cook on weekdays to suit the busy lifestyle to elaborate dishes to enjoy in leisure to Indian fusion dishes. Kaushy emphasises on enjoying the cooking whether you have 20 minutes or 2 hours, bringing you and those you are cooking a great pleasure. Kayshy’s ‘Spice Tin and Seasonings’ contain the detailed guide to ingredients used in the cookbook and the ‘Practical Points’ shares top tips and how-to's  into preparing and using the ingredients in cooking.