Recipe Collections

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.

Monday, the next week, we mark the auspicious day of Janmashtami with a delicious South Indian Thali spread. This week, we don’t have the usual 3-course dinner, but a lavish range of some of the most festive South Indian meals fit to be in your thali. Have you also checked out our special pick of sweet meats and snacks for the festival?

Krishna Janmashtami marks the birth of the Hindu deity Krishna, who's considered to be the eighth avatar of Vishnu. Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapad according to the Hindu calendar.

The way this festival is celebrated differs from region to region. Dramatic portrayal of the life of Krishna, happen in the regions of Mathura and Vrindavan. While the Rasa lila depicts the flirtatious aspects of Krishna; Dahi Handi depicts his playful and mischievous side and is followed in the regions around Maharashtra. In India, people clean, organise and decorate their house to welcome the little Krishna and draws little feet with rangoli or paint, to mark Lord Krishna's footsteps into home.

Celebrated on the eighth day or Ashtami of the month of Krishna Paksha, Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami is the celebration of the birth of Krishna. It is usually celebrated by fasting until midnight, which is believed to be the birth time of Krishna. In Maharashtra Dahi-Handi or the communal breaking of the pot of curd is a popular way to celebrate, bringing friends and family together in a competitive spirit. A similar activity called Uriadi is practices in Tamil Nadu. All over South India, people worship images of the infant Krishna, visit temples and offer prayer and devotional music at midnight.

Weekends are meant for special meals enjoyed with your family. But often the thought of braving city traffic to drive to the fancy new restaurant in town, making reservations or having to wait, dining in a crowded ambience and rushing out to get home before its too late, takes the fun out of specialty dining. So we resort to throwing together things like pasta, noodles and a quick Thai meal at home, when we want to eat something non-Indian. Pasta is one of the easiest things to make - versatile, so many varieties to choose from and can easily be loaded with veggies to make it healthy, yet delicious. This week's SaturdayNightDinner round up presents an Italian meal that goes beyond just pasta and pesto! You have an entire range of options to choose from - covering soups, salads, crispy starters, of course there's more than one pasta, pizza and lasagna too. And to finish it all off, traditional Italian desserts like Tiramisu, and other options too.

As always choose from the menu below, picking one (or more!) option from each segment, depending on what you fancy eating for dinner this Saturday.

Onam marks the solemnizing of Vamana avatara of Vishnu and the arrival of the mythical King Mahabali who Malayalees consider as their King. The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam. It's also known to be a harvest festival. Like every other festival this one too is food centric. There's a huge vegetarian spread laid out which is known as Sadya. In our effort to bring in recipes to make your life easier and also to introduce you to new cuisine here's a three course Sadya menu designed especially for you.

Yes, it's that time of the year again. When sisters eagerly wait for their brothers, to tie a Rakhi on their wrist and get the much deserved 'neg'. As any other festival in India, this one too is food centric. It's a day when the kitchen is bustling with energy and the choicest of food is being dished out. But wait, have you decided what to cook for your brother this Rakhi? If not, then we have a three course meal designed especially for you.

With Raksha Bandhan and several other festivals just around the corner there is an atmosphere of cheer and togetherness in the air. You are probably planning a weekend dinner for extended family, or friends. This week we have a menu of North Indian recipes that will fit right into the festive mood and is perfect for you to serve to guests of all ages. It covers all the basics, a few zesty appetisers, lots of main course options including sabzi, dal, rice and parathas. And we have for you three desserts to choose from, because what’s a festival without indulging your sweet side?

You can’t buy happiness but you can always buy food and it’s kind of the same thing. And my happiness comes from street food. No matter how much I care about my health, I can’t resist myself when I see these yummy chaats on the streets. Well, according to me street food is one of the best ways to experience the real cuisine and in turn, the culture of any community. We come across different types of street food in different cities which help us to know the culture better and more efficiently. We have different popular chaats from different cities, most popularly from Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata like Papdi Chaat & Dahi Puri from Mumbai, Dahi Bhalle & Aloo Tikkis from Delhi and lastly Shingara, Dohi Bora & Jhalmuri from Kolkata. The chaats are almost same but they are modified according to one’s taste and culture. With the rapid growth in the food industry, everyday something new comes up in the market and we as a consumer can’t resist to try that out.

Asian food is probably one of our favourite kinds of food to eat, next only to Indian cuisine. It combines bold flavours, bright colours and a little bit of all the basic taste groups -- hot, sweet, spicy, tangy, salty -- perfectly. What's more, it features fresh vegetables, sprouts and tofu which give a whole range of textures and tastes. From crunch of appetisers like stir-fries and kimchi, to comforting curries with classic flavours of coconut milk and hot sauces with chilli and garlic to wake your senses up, we've picked a fine menu to kick off the #SaturdayNightDinner series. But that's not all, we end it all on a sweet note with a selection of desserts that are also inspired by Asian flavours and classic sweet treats.

We’ve already told you how Pomegranate – this unassuming, delicate looking fruit is actually quite the superfruit. If that hasn’t convinced you enough to include it more often in your daily diet, we’ve got more inspiration!

Pomegranates are available right through the year, in India and when a single fruit can give you a healthy dose of antioxidants, phytochemicals, fruit fibres, vitamin C, vitamin B complex group, folates, pyridoxine and vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese, there’s no reason why you’re not eating it everyday already. And before you get turned off by the idea of eating it in the plainest way possible, may we interest you in 7 ways to creatively use it in your food?

If you are the kind of person who cannot kickstart your day without a daily dose of java, today is your day! It's National Coffee Day celebrated annually on 29th September across the USA. It is a day to celebrate the much loved beverage that was originally a morning drink, but has gradually become the fuel that keeps people going. Through days at work, long nights at the desk, for that 4 o clock energy spike or even just after a meal to round things off.

Coffee comes in many different kinds, flavours, preparations. No matter what your preferences are, here are three recipes from Archana's Kitchen that use coffee as a base, to make three classics that are universally loved. Try these today and you will wish every day were Coffee Day!

Literally translating to “Festival of Breaking The Fast,” Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan (Ramzan), the month-long period of fasting, as observed by people of Islamic faith. It is a single day during the holy month when Muslims are not permitted to fast. It falls on the first first day of the month of Shawwal, following the period of fasting from sunrise to sunset across 29-30 days.

As is usually the case with most religious celebrations, food is central to the occasion. Families induge in elaborate preparations for the feast, friends and family exchange sweets and good food, sweets are prepared at home and a general spirit of love and revelry is enjoyed by all. On the day of the feast, the family gathers for a meal, usually prepared to include a huge spread of a variety of dishes. Meat and sweets usually feature high, but the focus is on cooking a meal that can be shared with near and dear ones. On the occasion of Eid, here’s a collection of some best picks from Archana’s Kitchen, fit to grace your feast of the day.

Yes, the doctor might tell you to avoid stress-eating if you're trying to lose weight and watch what you eat, but there are some benefits of eating when you are stressed. The key is to eat the right stuff. More specifically, food that helps you fight stress. As always, quantity and moderation is key and with these foods that drive the stress blues away, a little usually goes a long way!

South Indian Mini Thali is the first in the series for Mini Thali Recipe and Ideas for the South Indian Cuisine. You will find here recipes that are homely and most often cooked in South Indian homes.  The recipes are simple and are either given a twist or cooked in a healthy way to preserve nutrition. I hope you enjoy the recipes I have shared and you get to try them out for a family Sunday meal. I hope you get to make a South Indian Mini Thali from this menu idea. I will share more such Thali Menus, as and when I make more of them.

Gujarati Mini Thali is the second in the series for Mini Thali Recipe and Ideas. It is the place where you can find traditional Gujarati recipes that have been either given a twist or cooked in a healthy way to preserve nutrition.  Ever since I have started this thali expedition, starting from the Great Indian Thali, I have been excited to explore the cuisines from various other regions. Hence started with home ground Gujarat.

Having a World Cup Cricket Party (CWC2015), then you must make the 6 Most Favorite Spicy Mexican Recipes for this cricket season. Make a Pitcher of the Chilled Margarita's and serve it along with Nacho's, Spicy Mexican Salsa, the Guacamole Dip, Batata Bravas and bite size Quesadillas. Make sure you make large batches of the Salsa and the Dip, as they can get over pretty fast when the heat kicks up during the weekends for the India matches.

Below are an all time favorite Mexican dishes that I make at home that have always been a hit at cricket match parties. If you are short pressed of time, the you can order your food from Food Panda's Cricket Bites. Use the PromoCode CRICBITES to get great offers on food. Offer is valid from 15th Feb - 29th March until the cricket season is over.

Here are 12 Best Vegetarian Recipes of 2014 from Archana's Kitchen that have been a favorite. Below I have shared a recipe for each month starting from January 2014 going all the way to December 2014. With over 1000 healthy vegetarian recipes on the website, I hope I have inspired each one of you to begin cooking and eating healthy.

Gujarat is a state of business conscious people and rightly called the Jewel of Western India. The land of Gujarat is a blessed place for foods which are high in nutritive content and are delicious at the same time. The influence of Jain culture and Gandhian principles have rendered the Gujaratis most predominantly vegetarian. But there are also communities where goat, chicken, fish and other seafood are allowed in the state. Each of its complete thali combines various methods of cooking that brings out delicious flavours in food. Roti, at least one dry sabzi, at least one curry, a kadhi, rice, are quintessential portions on a Gujarati thali.

The Great Indian Thali Menu and Recipes is a place where you will find an range of Regional Indian Dishes, ranging from Gujarati, Rajasthani, Punjabi and more. I have always been a huge fan of thali's, but have never found an blend that is perfect to the palate. So I decided to create one that is simple, yet palatable and super duper delicious. 

Mulled Apple Juice

Mulled Apple Juice is a lovely winter warmer and the perfect alternative to mulled wine. It’s ideal for kids, and abstainers alike. Kick off those heels, turn on some music and relax with a glass on a comfy sofa.