Ginger Pop

February 17, 2025

This is two recipes for the price of one! Scroll further down for the much stronger “ginger pow” version.

Credits

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients

amount (weight)	amount (volume)	ingredient
250g	1 cup	ginger, fresh
500g	2 cups	water
170g	½ cup	honey, liquid
225g	1 cup	water
1 small		lemon, whole, juice of
~8oz		sparkling water
to taste		sea salt (optional)
to taste		ice (optional)

A Note on Ginger

I pre-process most of my fresh ginger in the blender and freeze it for use in all my recipes, which makes this very simple. If you’re using fresh ginger, you can blend it with the water or grate it finely on a microplane.

Process

Ginger Water: mix ginger with water, set aside
Light Honey Simple Syrup: mix honey with water, stir until the honey is completely dissolved (a few minutes), set aside
in a tall glass, add ¼ cup each of the simple syrup and ginger water (strain if desired); add the lemon juice and swirl to mix
top up the glass with sparkling water
if desired, sprinkle a smidge of sea salt for added flavor
- the salt will make the drink froth and bubble up, so make sure the glass isn’t so full that it will overflow, if adding the salt

Variation: Ginger POW

WARNING: Ginger can be a very strong spice, especially this variation which brings out more of the spiciness. Each individual has varying tolerances and health profiles, so proceed at your own risk. If you have any concerns, research the properties of ginger, and start with less of the ginger water. You can always add more later if you like.

Ginger water

to a small sauce pot, add the ginger and water and set it over a medium high flame
- if you have an exhaust fan, turn it on as the spice from the ginger will aerate from the steam and can cause coughing or irritation
cook until the water reduces by about half, stirring occasionally (it won’t be half in overall volume because of the ginger)
once the water has reduced significantly, let cool
add the mixture to a high powered blender and blend until smooth, ~1 minute
strain the mixture (optional, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t)

making the drink

Light Honey Simple Syrup: mix honey with water, stir until the honey is completely dissolved (a few minutes), set aside
in a tall glass, add ¼ cup of the simple syrup, the juice of 1 lemon, and 2 tablespoons of the ginger water
top up the glass with sparkling water, taste, and adjust the amount of ginger water to your preference
if desired, sprinkle a smidge of sea salt for added flavor
- the salt will make the drink froth and bubble up, so make sure the glass isn’t so full that it will overflow, if adding the salt

Notes

Ginger Water

Store the ginger water (either version) in a glass jar in the fridge.

Use your best judgement regarding how long it will stay good for. If the taste, smell, or texture is off, feel free to toss it. If you don’t think you’ll be able to get through all of it before it goes off, freeze it in an ice cube tray for use later.

Remember that it is just a ginger and water concentrate, so feel free to repurpose it for other drinks, like tea, kava, meat marinades, dressings, etc. You can even toss it in your salans and curries.

Light Honey Simple Syrup

I typically make the simple syrup in a glass measuring cup and then just store it in the same vessel in the fridge (uncovered). You could put it into a squeeze bottle, mason jar, whatever you have on hand.

If in an airtight container, it supposedly can last up to a month in the fridge. Again, use your best judgement.

Sugar syrups are a great way to make many different drinks, so remember to stay flexible. Use it in teas, coffees, marinades, vinaigrettes, sauces, as a soak for a sponge cake, etc.

american ○ better than takeout ○ cold ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian

Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars

December 31, 2024
Credits

Recipe adapted from Sammi Brondo.

Ingredients

Makes 9 square bars

amount ingredient
3 bananas, very ripe
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
1¼ cup oats
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup chocolate chips

Process
```
preheat oven 350º F
```
1. grease a loaf pan (with butter, spray oil, or regular oil) or trim parchment paper to fit
2. mash bananas, add peanut butter, vanilla; mix
3. add oats, salt, baking powder; mix
4. fold in chocolate chips
5. pour mixture into prepared pan
```
bake ~30 minutes
```
1. let cool, then cut into bars
Notes
- I used natural peanut butter, but you can use whatever you have on hand
- quick cooking or rolled oats work best
- could try swirling through some jelly/jam (untested)
Oven // Recipe // Sweets

baking ○ better than takeout ○ dump and go ○ low effort ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian

amount	ingredient
3	bananas, very ripe
¼ cup	peanut butter
1 tsp	vanilla paste
1¼ cup	oats
¼ tsp	salt
½ tsp	baking powder
½ cup	chocolate chips

Chicken Pakoray

September 21, 2024

Credits

Recipe adapted from Flavour of Desi Food and Kun Foods.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
500g	chicken breast, bite-sized pieces
1 T	lemon juice
1½ tsp	cayenne pepper
1½ tsp	Kashmiri chili powder / paprika
1½ tsp	chaat masala
1 tsp	cumin seeds
1 tsp	coriander seeds
1 tsp	salt
½ tsp	black pepper
2 T	cilantro, chopped
1 T	oil
1 tsp	ginger garlic paste
½ tsp	green chilies
as needed	yogurt
as needed	gram flour (besan)
as needed	oil for frying

Process

First, prep the ingredients which require it. I like to go in such an order that the meat is last so I’m not stuck chopping veggies on a nasty board or having to wash in between.

crush cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar & pestle
- you can use a mini food processor, spice grinder, or a small, sturdy glass and the hilt of your knife (carefully)…use whatever you have on hand
- no need to crush to a fine powder; some texture is good
chop cilantro
mince chilies or blitz in a processor (it’s handy to have this already in the freezer)
cut chicken into bite-sized pieces

Add all the ingredients except the besan to the chicken and mix thoroughly so that all the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for ~1 hour.

Remove chicken from fridge and add enough gram flour (besan) to the mix to make a thin coating on the chicken. You don’t want it too thick either in consistency or coating. Adjust yogurt and besan amounts to achieve this result. You can thin the mixture with the liquidy parts of the yogurt, milk, or water.

Fry a couple pakoray and taste for seasoning; if all is good, fry the rest of the chicken in batches.

Notes

My pakoray ended up getting a bit burnt on the outside in some places…I suspect this may have to do with the Kashmiri chili / paprika, so feel free to leave that out. It’s just in there for “color” anyway, and probably not really doing any favors.

don’t be scared of the spices but also, if you don’t have a couple, you can leave them out
marination time is an ideal, not a requirement
use water to wet the batter instead of yogurt if you don’t have it; traditional pakoray batter is made with water, the yogurt just helps to tenderize the meat

Mains // Recipe // Stovetop

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ desi ○ meat ○ pakistani ○ photo

Chana Pulao

July 5, 2024

Credits

Recipe adapted from Tea for Turmeric.

ingredients

amount	ingredient
300g	rice, basmati
2 cups	water
40g // 3 T	oil
1	onion, medium, sliced
1	tomato, small, quartered (optional)
2½ tsp	salt, divided
3 cloves	garlic, minced
⅓ piece	ginger, minced
2	bay leaves, small
½ tsp	black peppercorns, whole
1″	cinnamon stick
1	cardamom, black, small
5	cloves, whole
1 tsp	cumin seeds
½ tsp	black pepper
15oz	chickpeas, cooked (chanay)

process

wash rice, set aside to soak 30 minutes

mode: sauté
heat: high

add oil, onions, bay leaves and 1 tsp of the salt; brown the onions
add ginger, garlic; sauté 2 minutes until fragrant (deglaze with a splash of water, as needed)
add tomato, removing skins as they come loose (optional)
add whole spices along with the rest of the salt, mix well; add chickpeas
drain rice, add to instant pot along with the 2 cups of water

pressure: high
time: 5 minutes
release: 5 minutes natural release

open pot, fluff rice; serve

notes

optional additions / changes

can add peeled and chopped potatoes at the same time as the chickpeas
can add ½-1 green chili like Serrano, slit several times
can use 15 oz of cooked and frozen chickpeas, or a 15oz can, drained

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

better than takeout ○ desi ○ freezer friendly ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ rice ○ vegetarian

Simple Raita

June 2, 2024

For when you don’t have the ingredients or can’t be bothered to make shahi raita.

Ingredients

amount ingredient
— yogurt
— black pepper
— cumin seeds
— salt

Process

Crush the cumin between your palms and mix it (along with the rest of the spices) into the yogurt. Thin with milk to desired consistency.

Notes

All amounts are to taste; it’s not that serious.

Accompaniments // No Cook // Recipe

cold ○ condiment ○ desi ○ low effort ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ quick ○ sauce ○ vegetarian

amount	ingredient
—	yogurt
—	black pepper
—	cumin seeds
—	salt

Spicy Southwest Chicken Soup

May 17, 2024

This is a more “from-scratch” and meat-inclusive version of my quicker, spicy southwest veggie soup.

Ingredients

amount	ingredient
50g	black beans, dry
50g	white beans, dry
100g	kidney beans, dry
1 lb	chicken breast
24g	oil
160g	onion, diced
150g	bell pepper, diced
28 oz	tomatoes, diced
28 oz	water
15g	Better Than Bouillon
12 oz	corn, frozen
1 oz	jalapenos
2 T	cumin
1 T	chili powder
1 tsp	salt
to taste	black pepper
½ tsp	garlic powder
½ tsp	MSG

Process

Instant Pot

add all dried beans to Instant Pot and cover with ~1″ of water

pressure: high
time: 15 minutes
release: 10 minute natural

drain beans, set aside

sauté: high

add oil and chicken, sear until chicken is no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add all other ingredients, including chicken, to pressure cooker

pressure: high
time: 4 minutes
release: 15 minute natural

remove chicken breast and set aside to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces, return to pot

Stovetop

I’ve never bothered to make beans on the stovetop and wouldn’t recommend it to others. If you already have beans (canned, frozen, or just extra lying around, proceed with the below. Otherwise, just submerge dry beans in water and cook them forever.

in heavy-bottom pot, add oil and sear chicken until no longer pink; set aside
add onions and bell peppers, cook until translucent
add the rest of the ingredients, including chicken; simmer until chicken is cooked through and all other components have meshed together
remove chicken and allow to cool enough to handle
blend soup sporadically with immersion blender until desired consistency reached (optional)
dice chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to pot

Notes

This soup goes great with:

a dollop of sour cream
corn tortilla strips, chips, or broken up tostada/tortilla shells
shredded cheese of choice
avocado
fresh cilantro
fresh jalapeno coins
a dash of hot sauce

Instant Pot // Soup // Stovetop

better than takeout ○ chicken ○ meat

Creamy Garlic Dip

March 21, 2024
Credits

Recipe adapted from Don’t Go Bacon My Heart.

Ingredients

amount ingredient
120g mayo
120g sour cream
1 T white wine vinegar
1 tsp parsley, dried
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp garlic, minced
pinch sugar
pinch salt

Process
- mix all ingredients together in a bowl
- cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving
Notes

The covering and chilling is actual pretty vital to this recipe, although it’s tempting to skip the step. If you eat it right away, the flavors will feel off and disjointed, maybe too sweet or too tart. But once it’s had a chance to meld together in the fridge, everything becomes much more cohesive.
Accompaniments // No Cook // Recipe

better than takeout ○ cold ○ condiment ○ dump and go ○ low effort ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ quick ○ sauce ○ vegetarian

amount	ingredient
120g	mayo
120g	sour cream
1 T	white wine vinegar
1 tsp	parsley, dried
1 tsp	oregano, dried
1 tsp	garlic, minced
pinch	sugar
pinch	salt

Lahori Chole

March 10, 2024

Also known as “chikad chole” or “chikar chole” which translates to “muddled chick peas”.

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. If you cook desi food often, you likely already have them all on hand. I’ve broken the process down into its simple, individual components for the sake of clarity.

Because this is a recipe that uses interesting techniques, I highly recommend reading through the whole post before getting started.

Credits

Recipe adapted from Flavour of Desi Food. Watch the video linked to see the process and also if you’re confused on any particulars (like, “how much is 3 pieces of cinnamon?”). I’ve adapted the recipe from her, so there are some small changes, but the video is an excellent resource regardless.

Shoutout to user farzadalirdofficerscci4689 who dropped the written recipe in the comments. You a real one.

ingredients

amount	ingredient
500g	chickpeas, dry
1 tsp	baking soda
1 tsp	salt^*
110g	oil
1 T	ginger garlic paste
1 small	onion
1 tsp	salt^*
1 tsp	cayenne
1 tsp	chili flakes
1 tsp	turmeric
1 tsp	black pepper
1 small	potato
~½ cup	water
3 pieces	cinnamon
3	black cardamom
1 tsp	cumin powder
1 tsp	coriander powder
1 tsp	chole powder^**
1	chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp	amchur powder
115g	yogurt, whole milk (dahi)
3 cups	chickpea cooking liquid (aqafaba)^**
1 tsp	dried fenugreek (kasuri methi)
1	jalapeño, thin sliced
to taste	cilantro, fresh

^*salt is listed twice, as it’s used in 2 places
^**see notes

Onion paste

Making the onion paste is easy: just blend 1 small onion into a smooth paste. I used a mini food processor that came with my stick blender, but you could use a stick blender, regular blender, or even a spice grinder.

I used a mix of red and yellow onions, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

Thickening paste

Boil the small potato until fork tender. Since this will be blended up, I did not bother to peel the potato (and I like potato peels, anyhow, so why do more work?). I just cut out any suspicious areas or eyes in it and set it to boil. Once done, let cool. You can cut it into a few pieces to help speed up the process.

To the potato, add a ½ cup of cooked chickpeas, and the ~½ cup of water. Blend until a smooth paste forms. I used the same mini food processor from the onion paste.

Naturally, because it uses some of the cooked chickpeas, this thickening paste must be made after the chickpeas are cooked, so it can’t be prepared ahead of time.

Spices

Everything was made easier by portioning out my spices ahead of time since the flavors are layered in different stages. I prepped as many things ahead as I could, particularly the dry ingredients so that I wasn’t worried about measuring or missing something during the cook.

I combine anything that’s going in together in the same bowl, no need for individual ramekins for each spice.

bowl 1	bowl 2	bowl 3
salt	cumin powder	chicken cube
cayenne	coriander powder	amchur powder
chili flakes	chole powder
turmeric
black pepper

I also took out and set aside the cinnamon and black cardamom.

Process

This recipe requires a bit of planning ahead, but does offer some downtime in which to multitask and prep ingredients (see previous section). I’ve listed the processes below with this in mind to help streamline everything.

Overnight soak

Add dry chickpeas and baking soda to a large mixing bowl and fill it with water. Yes, fill it—the chickpeas will expand considerably and drink up most of it. Cover the bowl with a dinner plate / tea towel / aluminum foil (whatever you have on hand) and let soak for 12 hours.

Cooking the chickpeas

After 12 hours, drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water. Add them to the Instant Pot along with 1 tsp of salt, then cover with water. There should be enough water in the pot to cover the chickpeas with and an additional 2″ of water on top of that.

pressure: high
time: 14-16 minutes
release: 20 minutes natural release

When done, DO NOT DRAIN!

This is a good place to make the thickening paste using ½ cup of the cooked chickpeas.

If you’re using your IP for the rest of the cook, then transfer the chickpeas with their cooking liquid back to the mixing bowl (you washed it, right?), cover, and set aside. Wash the IP insert and move onto making the base gravy.

Base Gravy

add oil + ginger garlic paste to Instant Pot

sauté: medium

spread paste around evenly and cook gently until fragrant, ~30 seconds
add onion paste and cook, stirring periodically, until it changes color to an even, toasty brown and most of the water has evaporated

sauté: low

add the first round of spices (bowl 1) and sauté for 1 minute; the heat is reduced so that the spices don’t burn

sauté: medium

add the thickening paste and sauté well until everything is nicely incorporated; this may take several minutes
- if the potato mixture is quite thick, it may stick to the pan; if this happens, add water as needed (a few tablespoons at a time) and scrape the bottom frequently so nothing burns
add cinnamon and black cardamom, cook for 2-3 minutes
add the next round of spices (bowl 2) and mix thoroughly
crumble up the chicken cube and add it to the gravy along with the amchur powder (bowl 3); mix

Bring It All Together

add cooked chickpeas and yogurt; mix mix mix
add the aquafaba and stir to combine everything; it will be pretty soupy at this point
cook uncovered for ~20 minutes until the salan reduces to your desired consistency
- stir regularly and scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking
- as you stir, crush the chickpeas against the sides of the pot to muddle everything together, make it thicker and give it the signature look

Finishing

Add all the fenugreek and half the cilantro + jalapeño slices (reserve the other half for garnish); mix thoroughly and cook for ~3 minutes.

Notes

be generous with the ginger garlic paste; I use a heaping tablespoonful
the original recipe listed “garam masala” but I dislike it a lot, so I substituted with a boxed mix (Shan or other brand) of generic “chole masala”…you could probably get away with using any sort of box mix spice blend here. Or use garam masala if that’s your thing. If you have none of those, skip it.
aquafaba is the sometimes foamy, cloudy liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas, which we’ll hold onto and won’t discard in this recipe; this is NOT the soaking water that the chickpeas sat in overnight (which had baking soda added to it)

I made this entire recipe in my Instant Pot (first cooking the chickpeas, and then the whole dish in it), but you could make it on the stove top just as easily. I do recommend using the IP or another pressure cooker to cook the actual chickpeas themselves because that will take a lot longer any other way. But apart from that, you can proceed with the rest using any pot you prefer.

See the freezing guide for tips and information on freezer-safe food storage.

Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe // Stovetop

better than takeout ○ breakfast ○ desi ○ freezer friendly ○ pakistani ○ photo ○ vegetarian

Mint-Infused Sweet Condensed Milk

February 27, 2024
Credits

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.

Ingredients

makes 535g (~19oz) of condensed milk

amount ingredient
910g milk
170g heavy cream
195g sugar
~⅛ tsp salt
4-5 mint sprigs, fresh

process
1. wash mint, leaving the leaves on the stem for easy removal at the end; snap off any excess stem length
2. add all the ingredients to the shallowest pot you have or a straight-sided frying pan
3. cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved, then reduce to a simmer and cook down the mixture for ~45 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid burning/scalding
4. remove mint in the last 15 minutes or so of cooking, or whenever you feel they’ve given up their flavor; better to do this before the mixture really thickens up in the end, so you lose minimal product
nutrition

whole recipe (535g): 1,873
per 100g: 350 calories

notes
- a wide, shallow vessel will allow for more surface area and quicker evaporation
- mixture may look like it’s hardly thickening for the first half hour or so, just keep to the instructions, and it will begin to come together in the end
Base Ingredient // Recipe // Stovetop

calories calculated ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ vegetarian
Eggs, Steamed

January 29, 2024
Ingredients

amount ingredient
½ cup water
up to 24 eggs
large bowl ice water

process
1. pour water in pressure cooker, drop in trivet, add eggs
```
pressure: high
time: 3 minutes
release: quick
```
soft steamed
1. take eggs out immediately and immerse in ice water bath
2. crack, roll, and peel; if you have extremely fresh eggs that are a little stubborn, you can return to the ice bath after peeling some of the bottom so that the water enters between the shell and the egg, making it easier to separate them
Soft steamed eggs have a fully set, but tender white and runny yolk. Be gentle when peeling as the yolk is runny so there isn’t much structure to the egg. Don’t roll aggressively.

Enjoy these eggs all on their own as a decadent snack or in place of poached eggs on top of fancy toasts. They’re much less fiddly than poached eggs, and also use the entire egg without discarding any of the whites. You can also add them to hearty grain bowls or roasted vegetable salads.

Jammy
1. leave eggs inside the pot with the lid on for 5-6 minutes
2. remove from pot, dunk into ice bath, crack, peel
Jammy eggs have a fully set white and set yolks, which are still creamy and soft, with a brighter orange color in the centers where they’re not quite as set. These have more structure than soft steamed and don’t have to be handled as carefully.

Enjoy these on their own or in salads and sandwiches.

Fully Cooked
1. leave eggs inside pot with the lid on for 10 minutes, then dunk into the ice bath and peel
Fully cooked eggs have a fully set white and yolks, with no green ring around the yolk! The green ring is indicative of overcooking and also creates a sulfurous taste/smell. The yolk will be an even yellow color throughout, with no orange.

These are the standard, fully cooked eggs used in various recipes like egg salad, cobb salad, or deviled eggs. Use them in those, eat them alone with some salt and pepper, or drop them into a soupy salan like this simple aloo salan, chana shorba, or koftay. The yolk breaks down and melts into the soup, creating a creamy gravy.

Notes
- If you don’t have ice, just use the coldest water that comes out of your tap; you may need to change out the water several times, or just keep your bowl under cold running water to help delay the residual cooking process.
- The easiest way to peel them is to crack the bottom, flat part where the little air pocket sits, then gently roll to crack the entire shell.
I’ve set up this recipe so that everyone in my family who likes their eggs at different done-ness can still enjoy it just how they like without any extra fuss. So I’ll have my runny yolks by taking them out first, then leave the rest chilling in the pot for the listed times according to what my other family members prefer.
Instant Pot // Mains // Recipe

better than takeout ○ breakfast ○ dump and go ○ eggs ○ low effort ○ quick ○ vegetarian

Credits

Ingredients

A Note on Ginger

Process

Variation: Ginger POW

Ginger water

making the drink

Notes

Ginger Water

Light Honey Simple Syrup

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Notes

Credits

ingredients

process

notes

optional additions / changes

Ingredients

Process

Notes

Ingredients

Process

Instant Pot

Stovetop

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

Process

Notes

Credits

ingredients

Onion paste

Thickening paste

Spices

Process

Overnight soak

Cooking the chickpeas

Base Gravy

Bring It All Together

Finishing

Notes

Credits

Ingredients

process

nutrition

notes

Ingredients

process

soft steamed

Jammy

Fully Cooked

Notes