mooli.life

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Fall lingered this year. The trees were heavy with tones of copper, gold, and saffron. And, overnight it seems, the sidewalks were blanketed in crunchy leaves, the air dry, crispy and cool. Nature felt neglected, nudging for attention. Now it is winter. Dry, less colorful but still with stunning sunlight and stinging air. And here…

Roasted Red Pepper Soup!

I am going to make red pepper soup! The declaration cut through my reverie like a knife as I dreamily strolled through the aromatic, vibrant farmer’s market stalls on a crisp October morning. What a great idea! I thought to myself as I wondered if someone in the skies was giving me a not-so-subtle hint….

Crunchy Okra (Kurkuri Bhindi)

A slimy superfood, okra is rich source of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins; often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. Traditionally, crunchy okra is sliced and deep fried to get the right bite and remove the viscosity . I baked it and was very happy with the results! Ingredients: Okra, 1…

Trinkets

Today is Day 14 of my visit to Karachi. I got here after delaying the trip numerous times to get our renewed passports located and in our possession. The day after I got here, the country went into lockdown. My dad is on Day 12 and mom on Day 8 of their Covid diagnosis. It…

Chicken Pulao

The delicious smell slowly wafting up to my room is an enduring memory of Sunday lunches gone by. It was a tradition carried over by my parents from their childhood homes. Sunday was pulao day always. Our family loved this tradition and had many ways of preparing it. Pulao is a dish of rice and meat or…

Avocado toast on-the-go

A blessing of weekly farmer’s market trips is that I have in-season foodstuff in the fridge that wouldn’t necessarily buy in a grocery store. It makes for fun experimentation when in a rush or not. A selection of choice ingredients and this was a delicious lunch. Ingredients: Avocado, ripe Red radishes, 3-4, thinly sliced and…

Pickled Beets

I pickled these beautiful beets two ways in Spring this year – red beets with cloves and star anise and yellow beets with nigella seeds and red pepper flakes. Both had a good amount of crushed poppy seeds which I add when pickling. Easy to do and so delicious! One thing to keep in mind…

I made Ratatouille!

I have been obsessed with ratatouille since I saw the movie by the same name in 2007. Loved everything about it, the animation, the music, the city and the sentimentality of a rat who outwits a food critic with a simple dish that reminds him of his mother. I must have seen the movie half…

Scrumptious Chicken and Spinach Saag

Many winters ago, I had gone for a vacation with some friends. Zain had stayed behind. Along with him, what I missed very much was cooking in my kitchen. I daydream about cooking on my trips away, is that normal? To figure out ingredients, smells and taste of dishes I enjoy and think of how…

Roasted Radishes in Salted Butter

I love radishes! So much that they are the inspiration for my blog (mooli = radish in Urdu). In addition to being delicious, radishes are full of fiber and antioxidant vitamin C, along with other vitamins and nutrients, including compounds called glucosinolates, which are being studied by researchers for their role in reduction of the…

Mixed Pepper Pickle

Throwback to the summer; the Farmer’s Market was overflowing with all types of peppers this summer. So beautiful, in a plethora of colors and sizes, ranging wide across the Scoville scale. Mouth-watering and numbing! Definitely not in season anymore but the pickles are keeping us ‘warmed up’ in these frigid, snowy times as a fiery…