Mulberry season hits around this time, and when your hands are tinged beautifully with these purple indigo juices, something beautiful has to come of it! First I made a little sauce with half the mulberries that came my way. A simple coulis with a bit of sugar and salt and some water, simmered down to a thick and chunky sauce. Initially I was planning some kind of cool dessert. But then a luscious crate of mangoes made it’s way towards me and I felt the urge to do something “exponential”.  Whole mulberries and mangoes diced and brought together with some bright green spring onions and coriander and some heated kick from jalapenos and chilli flakes sounded like a good idea to me. Normally one would use a bit of lemon juice, but because I love spice, I instead use the brine liquid from the jalapeno bottle. This adds the citric sourness but is infused with the jalapeno hot seeds. At the last minute I added some cheese too – nothing fancy, but good ol’ Amul cheese to bring in some saltiness and of course, bind everything together. This quesadilla will surprise your eaters and the infusion of the senses creates fireworks in the mouth. You don’t need any accompaniments to this quesadilla – the mulberry sauce adds enough juiciness and there are enough flavours to let it stand on its own. Note: You can use whole wheat rotis/chapattis for a healthier and easier version. Photography Credits: You will, no doubt, notice these breathtaking pictures. Yes, you guessed it right, I had a talented young lady come in to take these for me. You can read more about her at: www.krishnalalbhai.squarespace.com/ Follow her at: Instagram: Krishna.s.photography Facebook: Krishna.S.Photo  The Recipe Serves 4 Ingredients 8 Tortillas 1 1/2 cup Mangoes, finely diced 1 cup Mulberries, chopped 1/2 cup Spring onions, finely chopped 4-5 slices Jalapenos 1 tsp Lemon juice or jalapeno bottle brine 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes (optional) 2 tbsp Coriander 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Mulberry Sauce 1/2 cup Shredded cheese 3/4 cup Mulberries 2 tsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Salt 1 cup Water Instructions Place all the ingredients together in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. With the back of a fork, press down the fruit to squash and release the juices. Cook for another 5 minutes before removing from heat and set as die to cool completely before use or storing in an airtight jar in the fridge. Stir the mangoes, mulberries, spring onions, coriander, jalapenos, chilli flakes, salt and lemon juice together. Gently push the fruits together with the back of a fork to squeeze out some of the juices. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. To prepare the quesadillas, first place a non stick pan on high heat. Smoothen out some mulberry sauce first on one tortilla and then add the mango and mulberry filling and some cheese. Cover with the second tortilla. Place the quesadilla on the hot pan and grill for 3 minutes on each side. Cut the quesadilla with a pizza roller into 4 pieces and serve hot.

[ EASY, DELICIOUS, AND SUPER FANCY ] Bruschetta is now a norm at most gatherings – but upping the game here is with a spread of homemade hummus (which is ridiculously easy peasy), and topped with baby tomatoes, roasted in the oven for no more than 10-15 minutes with garlic, balsamic and olive oil! Garnish with freshly cut parsley – and we’re good to go! Check out the video below: The Recipe Serves Ingredients 1 cup Boiled Chickpeas Chickpea’s Boiled Water 3 tbsp Tahini Paste 2 Garlic Clove Lemon Juice Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt To Taste 10-15 cherry tomatoes: 1 tbsp Olive Oil 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Salt to taste Black Pepper Powder Minced Garlic Baguette Bread Slices Fresh Parsley Instructions 1. For making the hummus, take a blender jar and add boiled chickpeas along with some of its water. 2. Add in the tahini paste, garlic cloves, some lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste. 3. Close the lid and give it a blend in a blender till it achieves a certain consistency. 4. Take a small bowl and add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper powder and minced garlic. 5. Give it a stir and keep it aside. 6. Now in a baking tray covered with parchment paper, add chopped cherry tomatoes. 7. Drizzle some of the balsamic-olive oil mix over the chopped tomatoes. 8. Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius for about 7-10 minutes. 9. Take few baguette bread slices and spread some hummus over the base of the bread. 10. Then place roasted tomatoes on the bread slices. 11. Garnish with fresh parsley from the top.

A yeast-free cracker-focaccia-bread cross that is a great addition to a cheese platter, side to a salad or with pre-dinner drinks! Pairs perfectly with this asparagus dish and blackberry dijon sauce The Recipe Serves Ingredients 1 cup flour ¼ cup semolina flour (50g) 3 tsp olive oil ½ tsp salt ¼ – ½ cup water to sprinkle: olive oil, sea salt, parmesan cheese, rosemary, dried garlic powder, herbs, pepper Instructions In a medium bowl whisk together flours and salt, then add oil and water to form a loose dough Then move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth, form into a ball, and put back into the bowl and cover and let rest for 30 minutes Preheat oven to 200C and prepare a pan with light greasing of vegetable oil Divide the dough into 5-6 balls and roll thin flat shapes (cover the other balls while working Place on the pan and brush generously with olive oil and sprinkle the toppings of your choice Bake for 12-14 minutes – the edges must brown and be crispy Let cool slightly before eating

Potatoes, truffle, mustard – is like the three musketeers, who really uplift each other to new levels! This is the smashed potato recipe,  which has been shared earlier with a za’atar and yoghurt condiment dressing, but for today, we are upping the game with the gorgeous What The Truff Truffle Mustard and White Truffle Oil that is whisked with garlic, salty capers, pink peppercorns and a few spring onions. This is a masterpiece recipe, but can go alongside a pasta dish, meat / fish dish or a very big Italian Lentil Salad. Enjoy! The Recipe Serves yield: 12 Ingredients 12 baby potatoes olive oil salt pepper Dressing: 2 tsp What The Truff Truffle Mustard 1 tsp What The Truff White Truffle Oil 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp salt 2 tsp chopped up capers + some of it’s brine 1 tbsp chopped spring onions ½ tsp red chili flakes Instructions par boil the baby potatoes in a large pot with salt – this should take 20-25 minutes, depending on their size. The potatoes should be cooked through, but not overcooked Remove the potatoes from the water and let them dry completely on a tea cloth. Leave the potatoes to come down to room temperature (30-45 minutes preheat the oven to 200C Grease the baking tray Place all the baby potatoes on the tray. Gently place a butter paper on top the potato, and with the palm of your hand, gently press down the potato, to smash it just a little, but not too much to break the potato into pieces. Drizzle olive oil on top of the potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, keeping a careful eye to ensure no burning. The potatoes should be browned and crispy on all sides. in the meantime, prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together and keep at room temperature until ready to serve When the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven. The potatoes should be crispy on top and soft on the inside. Plate the potatoes on a serving tray and drizzle the dressing on top

Warm and soothing spices swirled with indulgent chocolate is a delightful blend in Nature Therapy’s Chai Masala Hot Cocoa. But with hot summers arriving, the soul tends to crave something cooler than a hot cuppa. So, I decided to spice up my regular granola with this indulgent blend. Coconut oil and coconut sugar replace the usually unfavourable components, seeds, nuts and dry fruits are flexible to what you have in the fridge, and heaping tablespoons of the chocolate blend does full justice to your morning smoothie bow or yoghurt parfait! I sometimes add some honey or seasonal jam for a bit more sweetness! Enjoy! The Recipe Serves Ingredients 2 cups gluten free oats ½ cup cold pressed coconut oil ¼ cup coconut sugar (or grated jaggery, palm sugar, honey or brown sugar) 3 tbsp Chai Masala Hot Cocoa ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt ½ cup chopped cashews (or almonds, cashews, pine nuts) ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (or: melon seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds) ¼ cup chopped dry fruits (or: dates, figs, dried berries, dehydrated fruits Instructions Preheat the oven at 180C and prepare a large baking tray which has at least an inch of side lip with parchment paper In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, nuts, seeds and dry fruits and set aside In a smaller bowl, add the coconut oil, sweetener, Chai Masala Hot Cocoa, salt and stir well to combine Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine well, ensuring no dry pockets Spread the granola mixture out on the tray evenly Bake in the oven for 10 minutes first, keeping an eye for burns. At 7-8 minutes, you can remove the tray, to toss the granola about and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C for the second round Remove from the oven to cool completely on a wire rack before breaking apart and store in an airtight jar at room temperature Shelf life: 2 weeks

There is hummus, and then there is flavoured hummus. Now rarely do I like to deviate from the original but when my last blood report showed up skewed, I was fed beetroot at every meal – I have to admit, it was not a great experience. So I found a better way to incorporate it – protein rich hummus! This classic hummus recipe, has raw beetroot, turmeric powder and toasted cumin powder which makes it a great Ayurveda experience, paired with raw veggies, gluten free crackers, toast, or even leftover roti – it works beautifully, is a pretty pink in colour – is there a better way to start your day? The RecipeServes Yields: 400g of hummus Ingredients 100g uncooked chickpea – soaked overnight and pressure cooked, cooled 30ml lemon juice (1.5 lemon) 30ml extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp black pepper powder ½ tsp toasted cumin powder 5g garlic cloves 35g tahini 40g raw beetroot, roughly chopped Instructions After the chickpeas are boiled / pressure cooked through, drain the water, saving a cup or so, and set the chickpeas aside to cool down In a large mixy, add the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, turmeric powder, pepper, salt, extra virgin olive oil, toasted cumin powder and raw beetroot, followed by the boiled chickpeas (without the water) Pulse down to make a smooth mixture, watching to see if you need add some of the chickpea water to combine better. Remove the smooth mixture into a container and seal and refrigerate for a few hours before serving Serve cold with crudites, crackers, pita bread, etc.

Cheese, butter, garlic, herbs, chilies bursting with flavour, plus that extra pinch of sea salt on top… ooh la la! When I got my hands on this delicious churned butter with tons of fresh green herbs and garlic from Shweta of Sowhyte fame – I instantly felt a biscuit was in order. This is a simple recipe of butter, flour, salt, herbs and cheese! This biscuit is not a cracker, but a softer one similar to that of an English scone, albeit a slimmer one! I’ve used them as croutons on top of soup, placed on a cheese platter, served alongside this Spicy Onion Relish…. Easy, instant, and if the cookie cutter is laborious to you, simple use a pizza cutter and cut into squares! Also, if you wish to make this into thicker scones, add a pinch of baking powder and cream of tartar into the dry mixture and then add to the dough. Purchase Sowhyte from: https://instagram.com/sowhyte_ (psst… she has the most delicious orange marmalade I’ve ever had!) The RecipeServes Yields: 24-36 biscuits Ingredients 100g Garlic + Herb Butter from Sowhyte 1 tbsp vegetable oil 125g flour ½ tsp salt 1 tsp red chili flakes ¼ tsp cayenne pepper pinch of nutmeg 50g grated cheese (2 cubes of Amul processed cheese) 1 tbsp parmesan powder cheese 1-2 tsp red chilli flakes 1 tbsp milk (for brushing) sea salt Instructions Preheat the oven to 150C In a big mixing bowl, whisk the flavoured butter and oil until creamed Add the grated cheese, salt, chilli flakes and nutmeg and whisk Then add the flour and combine to a dough Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to a 1-2 cm thickness Then sprinkle red chilli flakes and parmesan cheese and gently roll over once to set Cut out with your desired shape of cookie cutter and carefully transfer to a prepared baking tray with parchment paper Brush the biscuits with milk and sprinkle sea salt on top Bake for 15 minutes Then remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool down completely before eating NOTE: If the dough is too soft to work with, place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so Adjust salt level as per the cheese you are using If you are unable to get your hands on Sowhyte, you can replace with the following: 100g butter (room temperature) + 2 tbsp dried Italian herbs + 2 tsp minced garlic

A bialy is what I have gorged on much in the past (I’m talking over a decade ago, during college in numerous rendezvous with New York city)! This is where I discovered the beauty of a bialy, the famous bagel’s cousin. The bialy is similar in texture, a bread item, but instead of a hole going all the way through, there is a dent for filling in with flavour. This means, no cutting across and spreading cream cheese, and hence adding a few steps towards achieving a snack. The bialy, much like the focaccia, is to be had on its own, without any fuss, for breakfast, a snack, with soup or salad! The baking method does not require boiling in water like the bagel, but just like any other bread roll – proofed only once and then straight into the oven after shaping. A bialy does not last many days as like the focaccia, it is to be eaten the same day, fresh and warm. If you do want it to be eaten the next day, I recommend storing at room temperature, and then reheating the oven for a few minutes. The filling or topping – whatever you may call it, for me is onions cooked in butter, and a bit of cheese. I have eaten more exotic ones like peaches + blue cheese, caramelized onions and gruyere – but for the sake safety from covid and venturing out to stores, I chose simple reliable pyaaz, some garlic powder and Amul dabba cheese. But the options are aplenty! Go ahead, try these fail-proof bialy’s and enjoy a little piece of heaven with every bite! Instant Dry Yeast that I use: shop here The Recipe Serves 10 pieces Ingredients 2 ½ cups flour 1 tsp instant dry yeast 1 tsp salt 1 cup warm water + some extra if needed Topping: 1 onion, finely diced ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp butter ½ cup grated cheddar cheese Instructions Whisk the flour and instant dry yeast Then whisk in the salt Slowly pour the warm water into the mixture and combine to bring into a dough. Knead within the bowl to incorporate and make a dough Tip over the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5 minutes to smooth – dough will be sticky, but do not add more flour Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a cloth to rest for 1-2 hours or until double in volume In the meantime, cook the topping – heat butter in a small pan, add the onions and cook. After a few minutes, add the salt and garlic powder and cook for a few minutes Set aside to cool Once the dough has doubled, set the oven to preheat at 200C and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper Gently punch down and give a few kneads and divide into 10 equal pieces Apply oil to your hands and gently make balls of each part and place onto the tray With the back of a small bowl, gently indent each ball for a small hole Fill a teaspoon or so of the filling into the dent, sprinkle cheese on top Brush some milk or olive oil around the tops of the bread Bake for 20 minutes Remove from oven and allow to cool on the rack Serve while warm

A simple, satisfying and fun snack, side to a big bowl of soup or roasted veggies – crackers + dip! Now that I’m going into office twice a week not just for me, but the whole family, I’ve had to rummage through their drawers to bring back their forgotten stuff – which also is quite a bit of fun. I found bars of chocolate, candy, peanuts and these gorgeous rye crackers which are now all part of my personal stash. These crackers needed a showcase of its own – they are that good. Ideally, a bit of good quality cheese and a sweet preserve would be wonderful and my go-to, but I’ve ran out of cheese, cream cheese and all kinds of spreads – so I had to lean towards the next best thing – a hung curd dip. I make at least a cup or so of it at all times in the fridge – it’s cooling, delicious and versatile. With the current heatwave, this yoghurt is an amazing savior – dip for chips, crudites, lavash, khari biscuit, plain biscuit, into sandwich, on top of potatoes… the list is endless! The Recipe Serves Ingredients 1 cup yoghurt 1 tsp garlic minced 2 tbsp mixed dried herbs 1 tsp red chili flakes ½ tsp salt crackers tomato slices onion slices microgreens black pepper Instructions Mix the yoghurt with garlic, dried herbs and chili flakes and refrigerate Spread a generous amount of the dip on the crackers, top with tomato slices, onions, and microgreens and drizzle of olive oil, pepper

No sliced bread, but have cheese cravings and you can only see leftover roti? Journeys ignited from this can either lead to brilliant discoveries, or land you flat, face down. Some may think I landed flat face down here, but I have no regrets. I have yet to have a better comforting, cheese-y and easy snack that brings the satiated feeling of delicious fullness. A leftover cold roti, a slice of generic cheese and the only gourmet is a homemade chilli sauce that I’ve been working on – but any brand that’s your favourite chilli sauce would work here – even chili garlic Asian-style sauce works. This is a snack that gets folded into a single leftover chapatti – grilled in a hot pan (no extra butter or oil – in other words, less work and cleaning up!) and that’s it! Say what you will, but I’ve had this three days in a row at 5PM. Lockdown has brought in some real masterchef qualities! The RecipeServes Ingredients 1 leftover roti, room temperature or cold 1 cheese slice 1 tbsp chilli sauce Instructions Spread the chilli sauce generously on the roti Cut the cheese slice into smaller bits to arrange on one half side of the roti on top of the chilli sauce Fold over into half to fasten like a quesadilla Place a pan on high heat and once hot, put the quesadilla to cook on both sides for a minute or so Remove from pan once cheese has melted and warm Eat immeditately

Kitchen Therapy X Toska Chocolates Veganism has been overtaking my household in the past month – which, if you knew any of us, would shock you – you should see our cheese bills! I have yet to be converted, but as an open-minded soul (ahem…) I respect other dietary preferences and have now taken a keener interest in developing easy and Indian-kitchen friendly recipes. Most vegan recipes have options of expensive nut milks – that once opened, goes bad in about 36 hours and vegan butters that require deep pockets and imported stores – both of which do not appeal to the lazy, home cook in me! But this recipe came pretty easily for me as a baby step towards vegan baking – vegetable oil (easy), sugars (always by my side), flour (but of course), and spoonfuls of my soothing warm Chai Masala Hot Cocoa – a collaboration with Toska Chocolates – that helped the winter go comfortably for me, and now with the sun coming out more, perfect into that mini bite of cookie! Give this cookie a shot – dunk into non-dairy milk or a cup of espresso – or just like that, while you’re heading out the door! SHOP: Masala Chai Hot Cocoa Mix {Toska Chocolates X Kitchen Therapy} The Recipe Serves Ingredients 1 cup flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder pinch of salt 3 tsp {Toska Chocolates X Kitchen Therapy} Masala Chai Hot Cocoa Mix 1 tbsp castor sugar ½ tsp brown sugar 2 tbsp water, room temperature ¼ cup vegetable oil Instructions Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, water and sugars until well emulsified Add the Masala Chai Hot Cocoa Mix and whisk again Add the dry ingredients and combine with a spatula to form a dough Tip over onto a cling film and wrap properly into a disc shape Refrigerate for at least 12 hours To bake: gently flatten the dough with the palms of your hands Use a small cookie cutter of desired shape and place on lined baking tray Freeze for 10 minutes Bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 8-10 minutes Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack completely before eating

Healthy and Kitchen Therapy have a somewhat volatile relationship. My natural instinct is to go for indulgent, decadent and comfort (and I know, it shows!), because my attitude to life is to enjoy it. Unless of course, there’s a threatening health issue, my choices generally revolve around things that make me feel good, make me smile, and make me want to live a bit longer in the big bad world! But I also like a challenge. There is something rebellious in my head that refuses to accept defeat. For example – why can’t you have that cookie and still be healthy? And if it’s healthy, why does it taste like cardboard? This recipe is a solution. I use a mixture of jowar flour (sorghum flour) and oats, a hefty dose of unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon and chopped cranberries. This can be made vegan if you substitute butter with coconut oil. The add-ins are pretty flexible – use orange zest, fresh ginger, a bit Kitchen Therapy Chai Masala, diced dried fruits or nuts – whatever you like, I have previously made this with a lot of fresh orange zest and it’s a delight on the palate! I was hesitant to call is cookie or biscuit, because the texture is slightly crumbly and soft – and could be termed as a sweet healthy bite – but that felt a bit vague. For the lack of creativity (and time), I am calling this a cookie, but go ahead and call it whatever you like. This is also a convenient addition to the kids tiffin boxes or a snack with milk at odd hours. In the picture, our ‘cookies’ are placed on our handmade multifunctional Ceramic Dish from Nature Therapy which you can shop for: here The RecipeServes Yields: 15 cookies | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Total Time: 1 hour Ingredients 1 cup jowar flour ½ cup oats ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon powder ¼ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened ½ cup palm sugar or brown sugar ¾ cup melted butter 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup chopped cranberries Instructions Prepare a baking tray with baking paper Whisk the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla for at least 5 minutes Then add the dry ingredients and combine into dough Use a mini ice cream scooper and place on the baking paper, leaving 1.5 inches apart from each other Place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes Bake in a preheated oven for 12 minutes Note: if you make bigger cookies, recommended to make the cookies flatter, and increase the cooking time to 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before removing from the tray and store in an airtight container once completely cooled.