Indian Food

Just the thought of achaar (the Hindi word for pickles) makes my mouth water! Summer is achaar season in India. This is when terraces and balconies of homes all over the country sport jars of this delicious stuff, sitting out in the blazing sun, maturing. Even so, you can make pickle in any season you like, as long as you have good sun.

Pickles and chutneys, though widely available commercially, in and outside India, are still often homemade. In India, they're made with all kinds of vegetables and fruits. Meats are not left out of this equation though, as in some states like Goa, even fish and seafood is pickled!

While they're a great add-on to any meal, Indian or otherwise, my favorite way to eat pickles and chutneys is with something mild or neutral flavored so that I can really savor their unique taste. So, I most often team them with stuffed breads or eat them with plain boiled rice and a simple daal (Hindi for lentil dish).

Make real use of the summer sun this season and make a jar of your favorite pickle or chutney. You'll be thanking yourself the rest of the year!

_{Image of Bharvaan Laal Mirchi Ka Achaar © Nikhil Gangavane | Dreamstime.com}

Mother's Day took on special significance for me when I became a Mother. Not only was I celebrating the gift of my three children, it also made me even more grateful for my Mother. She is the best! Ok so I'm biased but who cares :-)

In my personal opinion, though every day is Mother's Day, it is great that there is a special day set aside for us to focus on our Mom's, honor them, make them feel super special and let them know how loved they are. What will you do this year to make your Mom feel like the star that she is? In my family, the younger girls get together and do something special for the older girls. Among other things, we will cook them a delicious Indian meal.

Like that idea? Here are some recipes that you can use to cook your Mother a super special Indian meal... For Mother with love. To all the Mom's out there, have a pampered and happy Mother's Day!

_{Aaloo Paratha Image © Photographer: Vishakha Shah | Agency: Dreamstime.com}

Think veggies are boring? Think again! The object of starting Meatless Monday on Indianfood@About was to showcase the vast variety of delicious vegetarian dishes there is on offer in Indian cuisine.

Thanks to extremely diligent and very strict parents, I love me some veggies, so I thought I would share some of my favorites with you. Here they are...

• Chapati Arvi
• Kurkuri Bhindi
• Daal Bukhara
• Kaddu Ki Subji
• Paav Bhaaji
• Palak Ki Subji (pictured)

_{Image © 2012 Petrina Verma Sarkar, Licensed to About.com}

Celebrate Summer with some crispy, crunchy, nutritious and freshly prepared salads. When I make salad, I like to do so from scratch and use fresh, seasonal ingredients. Here are some recipes for salads I often make in my home. They are hugely popular with grown-ups and kids alike. Enjoy!

• Tangy Tomato Salad (pictured)
• Beans and Peas Salad
• Grilled Eggplant Salad
• Sowa Aaloo Salad
• Kachumbar

  _{Image © David Smith | Dreamstime.com}

While it is nearly Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Southern Hemisphere, Winter is fast approaching. With it comes a chill in the air, some rainy weather and 'soup season'!

If it's cold in your neck of the woods, warm up with a hot cuppa soup. There's many delicious ones to choose from in Indian cuisine. Here are some of my favourites...

• Mulligatawny Soup
• Spinach and Minced Meat Soup (pictured)
• Daal-Palak Ka Shorba
• Thukpa
• Rasam

_{Image © 2012 Petrina Verma Sarkar, Licensed to About.com}

No matter where in the world you are, at an Indian restaurant, there will almost always be a Korma on the menu!

Korma is from North India and Korma dishes usually have beautiful, thick gravies! They can range from mild to medium hot and are terrific served with Naan, rice and even Parathas.

Try my recipe for Lamb Korma. If you're vegetarian, don't feel left out because there is delicious Navratan Korma for you to try! It gets its name Navratan - meaning nine gems - from the nine different veggies, fruit and nuts used in it! Enjoy!

_{Lamb Korma with Naan Image © Richard Griffin | Dreamstime.com}

What's shiny, deep purple and delicious?

Before you give up, I'll give you a hint... it is only my 'most favorite' (in the words of my five-year-old when he loves something) veggie!

I often joke about how "I've never met an eggplant I didn't love." Imagine my joy when I consistently discover other people who think so too. Eggplant is the one veggie I will eat in ANY form! Fry it, boil it, roast it, mash it, grill it... I love it! Point made.

If your interest has been piqued, here are a few Eggplant or Baingan Recipes for you to try....

_{Baingan Ka Bharta Image © 2011 Petrina Verma Sarkar, Licensed to About.com}

For those who think all Indian food is complicated, takes forever to prepare and is just too hard for beginners, think again! Here are a few recipes that will prove my point...

• Peas Pulao Also known as Yellow Rice, Peas Pulao is a great alternative to plain boiled rice....
• Murg Kata Masala (pictured) - Unlike a lot of Indian curries for which the spices are ground to a paste, this curry uses whole spices and chopped ingredients....
• Beans Foogath - Foogath is the term used for any vegetable dish made with coconut and curry leaves. The ingredients are few and the recipe simple as can be....
• Kheer - Called Payasam in the South, Kheer in the North and Payesh in the East, this delicious rice pudding is popular all over the country!....

_{Image © 2011 Petrina Verma Sarkar, Licensed to About.com}

The last few days over the Easter weekend have been lazy days of enjoying time off with family and friends. Late starts, big breakfasts, movies, picnics and parties....

When one is working so hard (not!!) at having fun, it is essential to have a good breakfast and get the day off to a good start. Nothing beats an Indian breakfast for that... wholesome, filling and very tasty! Here are a few recipes for you to try...

• Aaloo Mutter with Pooris (pictured)
• Upma
• Dhokla with Mint-Coriander Chutney
• Dosa with Sambar and South Indian Coconut Chutney

_{Image © Anuj Tewari | Dreamstime.com}

No matter what your tastes or food preferences (for the various meats or veggies), there's a kabab to delight your tastebuds! That's how many there are! Round up your friends and throw a Kabab party... they will LOVE you for it! Here's just a small sampling:

• Shami Kabab
• Seekh Kabab (pictured)
• Bihari Kabab
• Galouti Kabab
• Murg Malai Kabab
• Paneer Kabab and
• Mixed Fruit Kabab

_{Image © Brian Stablyk/ Getty Images}

I would love to hear about your favorite kababs! Share your recipes on the Indian Food Forum.