Recipe Collections

World cuisine or world food is increasingly becoming common with the boundaries on the culinary map of the world fast getting blurry, and east to cross. While fusion food is another genre altogether - and focuses on an amalgamation of diverse cuisines, world food is more about sampling many different classic dishes from different stretches of the world. With access to a wider range of exotic ingredients, recipes from around the globe and influences being shared easily through food blogs, gorgeous pictures and cookbooks, putting together a meal that gleans from all over the world is not difficult to do. Indeed, given how multi-cultural the food map of the world is getting, it often feels like the world is a quite literally a melting pot inviting you to dig in!

 Indian street foods are always a hit when added to a party menu! When made at home they're fresh, zesty and bring in all the essential flavours that make it perfect for a party indulgence. From tangy to sweet, spicy to sour, crunchy to soft, and deep fried to fresh and raw - Chaat Favourites from the nooks and corners of India have a wide range of flavours and tastes across so many different preparations. This weekend's family meal features 9 such Indian street food favourites that you can very easily make at home and wow your guests with.

It’s the weekend and we're taking a break from the typical lunch and dinner menus we have been curating so far. Festivities have probably also had us all overfed and we are looking to break the monotony with something different, refreshing and a spread that you can decide how much you want to indulge in. Brunch is a wonderful option for days like this. Falling right in the twilight zone between a lazy breakfast and a leisurely weekend lunch, it allows for enough space to either nibble on a bunch of things or indulge on your favourites. The best part? Space is out and spread it over a few hours and you can skip lunch all together, freeing up time to catch up on your reading, spend time with friends, take a long nap or even just veg out in front of the television. That's what weekends are about, right? This weekend menu will put you in the mood for brunch!

It's time to give thanks for the abundance in our lives. Gratitude for family, friends, togetherness, success, prosperity and everything that you have had the good fortune of experiencing this year. And what better way than to get together with your near and dear ones over a hearty meal. If you're battling rain and chilly weather where you are, this meal will hit all the right notes. It's a vegetarian take on the traditional Thanksgiving Meal - but captures the essence of all the main elements. So fire up that oven and get baking. This is a meal you will want to make and share with those around you as you give thanks for all that you have received, pay it forward and welcome the new year with a open mind and heart.

Although it originated in the countries and cultures surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Cuisine has fast become popular in restaurants across the world. It is not uncommon to find a pretty authentic Mezze Platter on many menus in restaurants we frequent, but few go beyond just the basics that we know. However the cuisine is rich, diverse and very hearty, gleaning from multiple countries such as Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Egyptian and Greek cuisines too. Often called Lebanese food, or food from the Middle East too, a Mediterranean menu usually is hearty, featuring the staples like good quality Olive Oil, wholesome legumes and some kind of flatbread. With a little preparation, this is an easy and delicious cuisine to cook in your own home. We will show you how.

Get into the festive spirit with a traditional South Indian thali. As we welcome the festival of lights, your home is probably already abuzz with activity and your kitchen, a scene of hectic preparations. While you get your annual dose of Festive Sweet And Savoury Favourites and plan that Cocktail Menu for your Diwali Party - here is a traditional home-cooked South Indian meal menu to bring back some comfort to all your planning.

It’s hard to resist the temptation to celebrate Diwali when there is a party with a lot of good food and drink, hearty conversation and cheer included. Whether you are really religious, understand the traditional significance or even celebrate the festival annually, here's a party menu that is going to get you in the spirit of the festival. If you haven’t been invited to a Diwali bash as yet this year, how about you host it yourself?

With the festival of lights around the corner, your kitchen must be buzzing with activity. Knowing you must be at your busiest best we thought we'd share some ideas on the sweets and savouries that can be prepared for this festival. The shared recipes also make great favours that you could take for your friends as gifts to add a personal touch.

A delicious Punjabi dinner is a perfect excuse to have a party at home with friends and family. In this section we are ticking off all the classic Punjabi recipes, from Pindi Chole to Achari Paneer Tikka and Stuffed Kulcha and Gajar Ka Halwa to top it off. So get into your kitchen and whip this meal up for your loved ones. It's the perfect way to get into the festive spirit! 

There is something incredibly romantic about the festival of Karva Chauth and for me, this romance was created long before Shahrukh and Kajol made the festival popular with DDLJ. Every year I would see my parents showing love and affection publicly, something that was typically not a common thing in our household. 

Today, we bring to you must have recipes from across the country that are most popular on Archana’s Kitchen. It's an experience in itself to look at the kind of diversity we have in our country on the food front. And we have it all right here, just for you. So go right ahead and feast your eyes and your tummies to the most delightful spread we have for you here.

It’s the weekend and with festivities in full swing, this week’s dinner calls for some extra celebrations. Dining options that are away from the ordinary. Something zesty, that will bring the whole family and your closest friends together. So we have for you a selection of mouth-watering chaats – spicy, tangy, sweet, cool, crunchy – this list covers it all. Making a medley of flavours that of some of the most loved chaats from across the country. There’s no better way that a festival to celebrate with a party that centres around food!

As you already may have read, Oats is a species of cereal grain loaded with nutritious properties and health benefits including lowering harmful effects of cholesterol and controlling diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Packed with more dietary fibre than any other grain and containing vitamins of the B-family like B-1, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B-6 and folate, oats can help in metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, fats and nucleic acids from your food consumed, allowing the body to use energy drawing from it. 

Maybe you’ve suddenly become conscious of eating a more healthy diet free of refined foods? Or maybe you’ve read up a lot about the benefits of consuming whole grain flours? Or perhaps you just love the grainy, nutty taste of whole wheat compared to refined flour. And if you’re just looking for an excuse to make your baking healthy so you can bake more, guilt-free for your family, this is the list for you. 

The most festive months of the year is upon us and preparations are probably in full swing in many homes. Many families observe the no-onion-no-garlic rule during the auspicious time of Navratri and it is often looked at as a time of restriction and not a time for variety in tasty meals. While you binge on sweets and ignore the savoury side of things, this weekend meal will prove that a no-onion-no-garlic meal doesn’t have to be boring and tasteless. It may be simple, but it is perfectly possible to cook a delicious, flavourful and festive meal even without onions and garlic! See how. Choose one (or more) dish from each row (course) below to make a complete festive meal for you and your family to enjoy during Navratri.

Eggs give you the much required health boost. Today, on World Egg Day (October 9th) we’ll take you through the benefits of having this inexpensive source of goodness that your body needs.

If you’re not a regular egg eater here are some reasons why you should. Eating a whole egg on a daily basis will take care of some of your body’s calcium, iron and protein requirements. It helps you fulfill your vitamin intake of vitamins like B2, B12, E and C. Eggs are also packed with minerals like iron, zinc and phosphorus which are all essential for the body.

There’s a sudden nip in the air thanks to a temporary return of heavy rains and gusty winds, and there's nothing more comforting than a hearty bowl of soup in this weather. The obvious benefits of health and nutrition aside, soups are a great way to introduce a range of vegetables you might not otherwise cook with. Ever thought of putting celery and apples into soup? Or made a savoury drinkable recipe with watermelon?

Cuisine from the state of Gujarat is popular all over the country today. From the amazing spread of snacks including Dhokla, Khandvi, Papdi etc, to flavourful vegetables typically called Shaak and dals and curries, and of course the quintessential Kadhi, Gujarati food has become a phenomenon. Several specialty restaurants now dish out elaborate thali meals for lunch and dinner, to reflect the flavours of the state in a single meal and plate. But you shouldn’t always have to go out to eat food that is essentially home-made goodness. So this weekend we’ve selected the best Gujarati spread from Archana’s Kitchen, just for you. 

The term Vegetarianism originated from a greek word ‘vegetas’ which means totally healthy, fresh and vigorous. It means that our food provides complete energy for the body and keeps the physical body healthy.

Recent studies indicate far reaching benefits of a vegetarian diet. Eating a fresh and well balanced vegetarian diet helps lower body weight, improves good cholesterol levels and lower risk of developing various diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, certain forms of cancer and more. You must remember, that to keep our body healthy and help lower the risk of diseases, it is important to have a healthy diet, that is high in fiber and low in fat.

Pizza and pasta unnecessarily get a bad rap these days, and often get passed off as junk food. With fast food chains and commercial kitchens dishing out excessively rich and unhealthy versions of these Italian classics, its no wonder, really. But not all pasta and pizza needs to be made with super processed ingredients. You can make a perfectly good pizza or pasta at home that is wholesome, nutritious and healthy too. There's a world of flavour beyond stringy cheese and plain old white sauce and pizzas and pasta can be delicious for the whole family too!

It’s not just the mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives and women amongst us who come to Archana’s Kitchen looking for simple, healthy and easy-to-cook meal ideas. We have a whole section of recipes that caters to food that Bachelors can cook. This week’s SaturdayNightDinner is dedicated to all the men in the audience. This is a meal that you will be able to put together with little or almost no help at all. Simply pick form the selection below, follow the recipes step by step, and you will have a meal that balances taste and nutrition well. But most of all, these recipes have that element of ease – by way of quick procedures and simple progression. In some cases you can also refer to the videos too, to make your life even simpler. So, if you’re looking to wow the lady in your life with a home-cooked meal, or if you want to have your friends over to sample your culinary skills, or even if you simply want to see how easy it is to rustle up a delicious and healthy meal, this one is for you.

Ganesha Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the elephant headed God, Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, starting on the Shukla Chaturthi. The festival usually lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period). Like any other festival, this too has a few popular dishes that are made during the time the festival is being celebrated. Here are the top ten savory and sweet recipes for the festival. We, at Archana's Kitchen wish you the best for this festival and hope you'll like the recipes shared with you.

Late to the explosion of world cuisine in India and a slightly newer entrant to join the Indian food party is Mexican cuisine. A glorious combination of Mesoamerican food with a touch of European flavours and Spanish elements, the hallmarks of Mexican cuisine are beans, corn and chillies. Also common are native Mexican ingredients and produce like avocados, tomatoes, cocoa and vanilla. Contrary to popular belief, Mexican food is not complicated to make. Neither is it difficult to source ingredients for. This week’s Saturday Night Dinner is a Mexican spread that is wholesome, covers all the essentials and most importantly, that can be made quite easily right in your home. With a little preparation and a good shopping list, you can throw this meal together quite easily and perk up a weekend dinner with your family.

As usual, pick a minimum of one dish from every set below to make a 3-course meal. Of course, you can feel free to choose more, if more than one item in each row catches your fancy!

One of the most widely celebrated and significant festivals for the Jain community, Paryushan Parva is quite different from what one expects of a typical Indian festival that is celebrated with pomp and festivity. On the contrary, Paryushan is a solemn occasion that is observed as a time of penance and purification. Over a period of eight days for Śvētāmbaras and 10 days for Digambara, usually occurring during the months of August or September, people of the Jain community reflect, introspect immerse themselves in penance or various kinds as a means to purify the mind, body and soul of all toxins. 

During this time, apart from the rituals that are performed, meditations and prayers offered, people also fast for as many days as possible. Many subsist on sipping water through the day, alone. Those who partake of meals, observe several restrictions. Usually all root vegetables, green leafy vegetables and honey are avoided. This really pares down an already vegetarian diet, eliminating even basics like ginger, garlic, coriander, curry leaves and so many things we take for granted.

To commemorate the occasion, here is a list of 35 recipes that are can be made during the time of Paryushan.

Note: Some of these recipes may have ingredients like honey, ginger, coriander, curry leaves and green chilies, but if you are observing the fast in its totality, simply eliminate them while preparing these dishes.