For many of us of Indian origin, atta (whole wheat flour) means one thing: roti (a soft Indian flatbread). My earliest memory is of my …
Using Atta in Different Ways
My Writings
Cooking with Besan
Besan, or gram flour, is the quiet hero of my kitchen (and I suspect many other Indian-origin kitchens too!) It thickens gravies, binds fritters, and …
How to Make Your Own Masala Blend
In every Indian kitchen, there’s a masala or spice blend that feels like the family’s signature. My grandmother’s garam masala, for example, was heavy on …
Rice, Rituals & Remembrance – Basmati
In my childhood home, basmati was more than just something served during a meal. Everything, it seemed to me, that had to do with rice …
Understanding Dals
When I was six, my first real kitchen chore was dal duty. My mother would hand me a steel bowl filled with lentils, and I’d …
Painting with Spices: How to Layer Flavor Like an Indian Cook
My spice rack has never just been a row of bottles—it has always felt more like a box of colors waiting to be opened. Each …
The Overlooked Heroes of Indian Cooking
We all salivate over the glamour spices: cardamom with her perfume, saffron with its seductive gold, garam masala with its mystique. But behind every great …
Holiday Gifts 2016
I am sharing a few things I love –  books, foods, appliances, services etc! I hope you will find something useful here as well. Link on …
Who should define us?
(This appeared on Writers Unboxed in 2015) Last week, I made a rather harsh decision. I decided to quit writing. Forever. To know how hard …
Top ten things I have learned from exceptional women
Get Monica’s free Indian Expresss recipe eBook when you sign up for email updates. Thanks for visiting! **** This past weekend I was delighted and honored …