Just a girl from aamchi mumbai

21/08/2023

Father's Day Indian Cooking Class -

So give your dad the gift of The Modern Desi, a Father’s Day cooking class to celebrate the day that is dedicated to him.

21/06/2022

https://www.themoderndesi.co/post/sorshe-maach-fish-in-mustard-sauce-with-coriander

I love being busy, I thrive in it, bask in it, and drown in it.

I have let my busyness consume me to the point that I can no longer see the end of it. I need the constant buzz of activity to keep me going. I feel validated when I am doing things, when I am being productive and when I am providing value.
Which I now realize is not such a good thing.

In this quest of appearing busy I have stopped enjoying simple things in life, so stopping to eat has become the only time when I sit down, take a deep breath, and really be in that moment. I have started to put a lot of thought into what I am eating when I am eating and how I am eating.

I have always cooked with love but now I cook with intention as well because this is the food that will nourish my soul and get me to stop and savor the moment. So, in that quest, I made this very comforting ‘Sorshe Maach’ – Fish in Mustard, which I served with Rice and Begun Bhaja, deep-fried Eggplants.

Since we are not big Mustard eaters, I added Coriander to the gravy to make the taste more palatable for us, a tip that I learned from shared many moons ago and we love it. The light mustardy gravy is not too overpowering which works beautifully with the soft fish and the deliciously fleshy eggplant and makes for such a comforting meal, that always makes my jaded heart sing, even if it is just for the few quiet moments when I am enjoying this meal.

Sigh !!!! Recipe on the blog for those who want to stop. ..

11/06/2022

https://www.themoderndesi.co/post/chana-dal-pulao

Chana Dal Pulao, a dish that spells indulgence without being too indulgent. Crunchy deep-fried onions and cashews, fragrant basmati rice and a tangy mixture of Chana dal and yogurt, are cooked together to make this decadent treat.

Recipe on the blog for those looking for that extra oomph on their dinner tables tonight..

01/06/2022

When we talk about comfort food, it is usually what we eat when we need that warm, gentle hug to remind us that things will be alright.
What we forget is that comfort food is also what brings joy to those who feed us.
Whether it is Maa making parathas (flatbreads) for you despite being tired and sick but ensuring you are well fed.
Or it is what the mother in law rustles up in her kitchen because she frets that you have lost a lot of weight.
Comfort food is that cup of Lemongrass tea, that a friend makes for you, as they hold your hand, while you wallow in self pity, one sip at a time.
Or it is the feast that the sister in law makes while she deals with her own grief, ensuring that her family is nourished.
It is also this plate of the best Bengali feast made by your friend who is drowned under a ton of work but knows you need love, so ensures you are cocooned in it with food.

When we cook for the people we love and feed them, it just doesn't fix their souls, it also mends our broken hearts. Comfort food is just that. Don't you agree?

29/05/2022

Running a small business is challenging.
Besides the logistics, the prep, and the list of never-ending things to do that never get done, self-doubt also cripples you.
You question everything.
You fear judgement from those around you who don't understand your struggles.
You worry if you will ever make a sale.
You ask why you push yourself so hard every single day and if all this trouble is even worth it.

And when people who have supported you, paid to be a part of the experience you offer, decide to come back for more, everything suddenly becomes worth it.

There is no greater validation for an over-thinker than this.

The lovely Jodie and Alissa attended the 'Art Of Indian Cooking Class' with me two months ago. They went home and recreated all the recipes we had made together and then reached out to do a more advanced class, and this time they got their girlfriends who also wanted to learn.

A group of warm, friendly, happy girls willing to cook Indian cuisine, generous with their time, compliments and laughter cooked up a storm in the Modern Desi Kitchen today.

We made sauces and masalas from scratch; there was a hearty discussion about why Basmati was not the only rice worth eating, and I hope I was able to show them that we could add salt without being scared.
And I was grateful for it all.

Thank you, Jodie & Alissa, for trusting me and making me believe that my love and passion for teaching is not wasted.

Tonight I will sleep well.

DM us to book your next experience.Q

09/02/2022

Dealing with the sweltering summer in Sydney with endless serves of the creamiest Gelato and pretending that I am in Italy 🙄🙄🙄.

29/01/2022

Sourdough bread from the local supermarket $5
Pesto from a jar slathered generously over the said sourdough $6
Cherry tomatoes not from the sad looking tomato plant that looks dejected in my balcony $3
Fresh cheese from a deli and definitely not made by me $3
Dried chives because I couldn't be bothered to get fresh ones $2
Salt and pepper because they are needed and some olive oil to stop everything from getting charred to death - Priceless

And if that is not everything else there was a cup of Chai to bring it all together.
A picture that doesn't say a lot about my cooking skills but at least my Saturday was happy. Hope yours was good too.

25/01/2022

Work has started in full swing, and now our lives revolve around the study and the living room. And in between online zoom calls and phone calls, the constant question about what to cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner looms large in the not-so-distant horizon.

While bulk cooking and leftovers from the cooking classes are always handy and rescue us often, one doesn’t want to eat them every day. So some evenings, I prefer making a quick non-Indian dinner that is easy to put together and different from our regular fare.

This Eggplant & Spinach pasta bake is that no-fuss weeknight dinner. I love that you can make the sauce in advance and fry the eggplants and refrigerate them and when ready to eat, boil the pasta, put everything together, and there you go, dinner is ready. If you are a meat lover, fry some Chicken pieces and add them to the sauce. Also, you can substitute the Spinach with Kale Or swiss chard.

Recipe on the blog..

24/01/2022

Any Monday that starts with a Cake and chai has to be good, right? I had two very ripe Bananas and a few Plums hanging around in the fridge, so I did what any frugal cook would do. I baked an easy peasy ‘Banana & Plum Cake,’ which is delicious if I must say so myself.

Also, you know I am not much of a baker, and complicated Cake recipes stress me out. I admire those who have the energy, patience, and creativity to bake beautiful, edible cakes, but I am not that person. So when I find a recipe that requires minimal effort, few ingredients, and less time, I stick to it.

The cake is eggless and refined sugar-free as I have substituted Sugar with Jaggery; you can also use Maple Syrup if that works for you. Another option is to replace Butter with Olive oil, or Ghee or Coconut oil. Not that I have anything against Butter or Sugar, and if you know me at all, you probably know that I consume both of them regularly. However, these substitutes do not remove the taste and enhance the flavour. Jaggery gives it a lovely caramel after taste and Ghee; what can I say about it that has not been said before? It makes the cake rich and addictive?

It stays good in the fridge for a week, that is, if you can resist it. Serve it with your favourite cup of Tea or Coffee, and you will enjoy this treat.

Recipe on the blog.

18/01/2022

When in doubt, stressed, tired or in a perpetual state of I don't know what to make for lunch or dinner, it is always good to keep it simple.

Also, it is raining in Sydney again, there are mangoes in season and the ache to be home is just too palpable to ignore. Hence a simple meal to tide us through today and hopefully tomorrow as well.

Recipes to make you miss home on the blog.

11/01/2022

Even though I cook every day, I have lost the desire to cook. Does that make any sense? I stand in my kitchen every day in the hope that I will make something new, shoot, share, something I used to love but I find myself sticking to the same old recipes & clinging to the familiar. Recipes that I know best, the ones that require the least amount of effort.

My brain goes on autopilot, the hands move, peeling, chopping, cutting, sauteing, adding spices without thinking. While the dishes that I churn out are generally ok, something is missing.

What bothers me more is that I seem to have even lost the desire to read & I don't know what is more disconcerting. The food lover & occasional blogger in me who doesn't want to cook, or the voracious book reader who has lost the desire to read. I used to take secret pride in my ability to devour books & retain the stories in my head. Now words become blurry, I forget the previous chapter while going through the next one & if that isn't all, the years of insomnia have finally caught up with me. I find myself dozing off in the pages of exciting chapters, & then I have to start all over again 🙄🙄.

Sometimes I reach for my phone & waste my time scrolling through random accounts & feeds that offer no value to my life, yet I am invested in them so much that I have neglected my precious books.

Is it just me, or is this happening with some of you too? Are you also feeling the blues? The constant fatigue as you try to go about your day. The inability to follow through with any of the tasks you need to do. Am I the only one in this rocky boat where there is a constant threat of fading away into oblivion?

As I navigate through life with this new ', I can't be bothered to do anything' me, I am just grateful that I have many food pictures and recipes on my blog to share occasionally. Like this 'Vegan Kheema masala,' I had made & shot last year but have only uploaded the recipe on my blog today 🙄🙄🙄.

Book reviews on the other hand will happen god knows when. I will meanwhile try & persist, loiter and tiptoe around the bookshelf, leaf through the pages of many unread books till a story finds me. Till then check out my blog.