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February Favourites

Miscellaneous March 5, 2019 Comments: 6

It’s about 10am and I just sat down at my work desk with a cup of coffee. When I say work desk, it’s actually my dining table with the laptop and half a dozen planners, diaries, recipe books etc……

Blogging is a lonely profession or should I say a deeply internal one. I know there are a few who would disagree but many would agree with me. And lonely does not have to be a bad thing necessarily; I enjoy the calmness of working from home with no one around to disturb me except the occasional doorbell. It gives me the freedom to have a relaxed morning and not stress about getting ready, rushing out the door, daily commute etc… I have the luxury of working in my PJs, having the flexibility of working yet being available for my son when he is back from school.

There are so many advantages to this profession yet I call it lonely. To start with, there is very less human interaction. In traditional jobs you have colleagues and the joy of shared spaces, lunch outings, conversations; but here I am the boss, the secretary and everything in between. And some days, you just don’t want to do it all, you want help and to be able to share your work and responsibilities.

And because there is no clear distinction of roles and responsibilities, most people simply do not get the amount of work that goes into the job. There is often a nonchalant attitude from most people in my life when it comes to my job, simply because they cannot believe it takes so much effort. After all how difficult can it be to make a dish and photograph it! And the fact that people don’t always understand also makes it a bit lonely.

Well I don’t intend to sound like a broken record because in spite of everything, I love this job and wouldn’t have it any other way.

That means we are back to the topic of food!

Tacos are a favourite at our home. We love all variations of it and I find it’s one of the easiest meals to put together. I agree there is a bit of prep work involved especially if you are making everything from scratch but still it’s a meal that can be bulked up easily. And it’s a meal that requires everyone to come together at the table, which is a winner in my opinion.

Some of our favourites are;

Moving on to other favourites for the month;

Baking a batch of these delicious almond butterscotch cookies.

Bookmarking this chicken and rice soup for late autumn/winter which is not far behind

Beet salads are always gorgeous, but this version looks even better

Shrimp lettuce wraps. Bring it on!!

This tuna sandwich is a game changer.

A wine I am looking forward to trying out.

This cocktail, when the blood orange season arrives.

Vegan does not necessarily mean boring, and Richa’s blog is ample proof of that.

My favourite Pinterest account for vegetarian grub.

This Scanpan copper set looks amazing; guess it’s time to throw out the old pots and pans.

I love attending interesting events and so every month, I go through a list of events that are taking place in Melbourne and surroundings. Here are the top free events happening this month….

I dream of visiting Lucknow someday, and eat my way through history. If you are visiting, here are some suggestions.

January Favourites

Miscellaneous February 20, 2019 Comments: 2

What a memorable month it has been!

Those who follow me on Instagram would be aware that I was away on a family holiday to India last month to attend my little brother’s wedding. Well, not so little in the eyes of the world, but for me, he’s always going to be the little bro as there’s a good ten year age gap between us. So for me, it was not a sisterly affection but rather a maternal instinct that has always been the predominant emotion at the base of my relationship with him.

I remember being totally besotted with him when he was born, spending hours staring at his innocent face. He was such a happy baby and according to me, the most beautiful one I have laid eyes on. So to have that boy all grown up and getting ready to embark on the next chapter of his life has been quite a bit of an emotional one.

Emotions ofcourse ride high but a wedding also means lotsa shopping which is very enjoyable though hard on the pocket. So I did splurge a bit……after all, have to play the eldest sis role to perfection.

For the engagement, I chose to go Western in a full length couture gown from Jadore Australia, purchased from Demile boutique based in Brunswick. I had to research and spend a lot of time getting this outfit simply because I didn’t know where exactly to look.

For the initial part, I kept looking in shopping centres; while there were plenty of choices for wedding guest outfits, there weren’t many options for full length couture gowns. But after much searching, I realised that I was looking in all the wrong places. One of the best places to go wedding shopping in Melbourne is Sydney Road, Brunswick which has so many boutiques with all kinds of price points. Whether you are a bride, bridesmaid or a guest, there are so many options here. I particularly liked my experience at Demile, because of the customer service and the staff went out of their way to get me the size and colour I needed even when I had very little time.

The best thing about Jadore was the designs were beautiful, plenty to choose from and reasonable priced. If you are looking out for formal wear, then check out their website for designs and then find a stockist that’s nearest to your location as the brand does not sell directly to public.

For the wedding, I decided to go traditional and wore a saree after such a long long time. And also a shot with my boys in too….

It was the first time after so many years that my whole family came together for a holiday. Usually it’s difficult for my siblings and their families to take a holiday at the same time as us since we live in different countries and the vacations never match. But this time owing to the wedding, all of us were there with our kids in tow which made it one of the most memorable holidays ever.

Getting back to life here, I was down with a really bad bout of flu after reaching back which meant that my best laid work plans all went haywire. Finally after a hiatus of about 1.5 months, got back into the kitchen for the first proper homecooked meal of 2019. And I wanted to indulge in a comforting Indian meal…

Also on the menu for the week ahead is Baid Mutajjan – a Middle Eastern style of fried hard boiled eggs coated with sumac and sesame seeds. It’s a simple dish but works brilliantly as a side to most meals and also as an after school snack for Adi.

2019 is for experimenting and learning more about ancient grains. Starting with this Bajra Khichdi.

Kaima idli….breakfast, snack, lunch box or even a party starter!

A vegan one pot taco spaghetti….sounds unique and delicious.

Korean egg rolls; this is the humble omelette gone gourmet.

A veggie loaded butter chicken curry. Interesting!

I love couscous and forever looking for interesting ways to make it; this recipe definitely on my list.

Have you ever tried the Bohri style Dal Gosht (mutton with lentils)…it’s simply heavenly!

If you have a sweet tooth, then you must definitely check out my Pinterest board for loads of delicious inspiration and recipes.

Continuing on the sweet note, this raspberry pistachio chocolate is to die for….

Eco-friendly steel art for your home! I can’t wait to splurge on some of Lisa’s designs; do check out her IG account.

Time to go knitwear shopping!

Adieu 2018, Welcome 2019…..

Miscellaneous January 3, 2019 Leave a comment

“Rest when you are weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work” – Ralph Marston

This is my goal for 2019….

As I mentioned on my social media pages yesterday, I do not believe in resolutions but smaller goals that are motivating and achievable. And my biggest goal for 2019 is to listen more to my body, rest and refresh when necessary and then get back to work because I realised that I am not productive nor is my work any good when my physical or mental self is tired.

2018 was a great year for work with so many interesting and meaningful collaborations with brands. And I also got to develop some amazing recipes that so many of you have loved and tested out. Do you have a favourite recipe from my blog or did you try out any for the first time last year? I really would love to know….

And even though it’s really hard, I would still like to pick out my Top Ten favourites from the year gone by;

This Khichdi photograph also made it to Indian Link’s Top Photographs of 2018. Especially pleased about this one because not only is it a dish so close to my heart, it is also a style of photography that I started practicing last year.

Your opinions, feedback and suggestions mean a lot to me; it has always helped me create content and also focus on improving this space. So do let me know your feedback and also what’s the kind of recipes/content that you would love to see here this year.

Finally it’s time for all my favourites for the month of Dec.

The most beautiful Pure linen French blue tea towels….

This Antique silver 5-piece cutlery set is on sale; I am getting one to add to my prop collection.

Totally investing in a Staub French Oven this year.

My big project for 2019 is to set up a home office.

Love greens and this is just another delicious way to eat it.

Chickpea and lentil taco salads; this would be perfect as a work day lunch.

Bookmarking this vegan soup for autumn and winter.

I have never used tahini in a noodles dish before. How interesting!

Roasted vegetable lasagna; I am definitely trying this out. How about you?

Are you a zoodle lover? Then this article is for you.

I am a huge fan of sheet pan dinner for weeknights, and this chicken recipe looks absolutely fabulous to try out this year.

October Favourites + a Review of Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery

Book Reviews, Competitions and Giveaways, Miscellaneous October 31, 2018 Comments: 4

Just two more months to bid goodbye to this year!!!

Where has time flown? But then that’s how I start every monthly favourite post of mine, isn’t it?

But sometimes it’s scary right when time rushes by so fast that you wish you had the power to hold it in your hands and keep it still…..shhh, just stay still till I have caught my breath.

Alas that never happens, and the only option seems to be to flow along with its tide….

At the same time, there is also the excitement and joy of the approaching festive season. While there is so much work to do during this time, both personal and professional, I love the energy, the joyous and festive spirit that’s in the air.

On the professional front, I am planning recipes more suited for the season so if any of you have special requests, do comment below and I will try my best to take that into consideration.

Reading is a very passionate hobby of mine, especially hard copies. I do not like digital books or tools for reading as I think it destroys the very joy of holding a book in your hands. While I do read a lot of books, I do not talk much about it on the blog except when it’s a book related to food.

This month, I got the opportunity to read Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery – a Guide to the truly good restaurants and food experiences of Australia, Edited by Jill Dupleix.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery - a Book Review - thespiceadventuress.com

The book is part of a series of the world’s first guides to restaurants and establishments serving truly exceptional, sustainable, organic and ethical food.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery has a simple yet elegant design and layout; the photographs are outstanding yet simple and real focusing on the food and nothing else. Published by Blackwell &Ruth, 5% of the publisher’s revenue from the sales of the book goes towards the National Indigenous Culinary Institute (NICI) which is absolutely fantastic.

Food guides like these have always been a part of my library and I actively seek out restaurants suggested – local, regional and international. The restaurants suggested in this book are not just about delicious food; that’s definitely a criteria but it’s more about the care and passion that goes into the sourcing of the ingredients, giving back to the farming community, the attention to detail while each ingredient is prepped and prepared to create the final harmony on a plate.

One of the first things I did on getting the book was going through the ‘Victoria’ section; a curiosity to know the recommendations and how many places I had dined at. To my surprise, there were just 2 restaurants that I had been to from the list – Higher Ground and IDES. Both of these serve exemplary food; while the former is a casual café style setting, the latter is a high end fine dining affair. But yes, the food was exceptional.

Barramundi with garlic and red wine - at IDES, Melbourne - thespiceadventuress.com

One of the spectacular dishes I had at IDES, Melbourne – Barramundi, red wine and garlic

I know for a fact that I will use Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery as a guide, ticking off restaurants and food experiences as I travel along through this country. And I would love to get my hands on the rest of the series that showcases establishments in other countries too. But if you are only interested in knowing about the place you live in, do grab a copy for your country from the series.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery is not a book that I will read back to back in a few sittings; it’s a guide that I will keep returning to whenever I want suggestions of an exemplary restaurant, a place where I want to dine at not just for delicious food but where I will be served a dish created out of passion, joy and purity.

There is an exciting giveaway happening on my FB and Insta page. You can win 1 x double pass (valued at $160) to Wine & Symphony 2018, Saturday 3^rd November, held at Mount Langi Ghiran.

Spend a beautiful spring afternoon in the spectacular grounds of Mt Langi Ghiran winery in the Grampians. Also treat yourself to wine tastings, a cheese feast, vineyard promenade and sun basking followed by 40 minutes of classical music performance by 4 ace musicians, with a glass of the renowned Langi Shiraz in your hand.

So why are you waiting….head over now to my FB or Insta page to enter. Good Luck!

Wine & Symphony 2018, Saturday 3rd November, held at Mount Langi Ghiran. - thespiceadventuress.com

Now it’s time for all the other favourites for the month;

I had the worst attack of flu and sinusitis this month; this tea was an absolute miracle.

One of my favourite vegetarian snacks using spinach.

I wouldn’t be able to stop at just one bowl of this soup

Absolutely love pumpkin soup; and this one is fantastic.

Another exciting vegetarian recipe; absolutely fingerlickin good!

Lentil and Egg Stew; I have never had anything like this before.

Absolutely stunning food photography!

She inspired me to start a monthly favourites column

How beautiful are these candle holders? Would be perfect for my Christmas table set up.

Need to upgrade my summer wedges

August Favourites

Miscellaneous August 30, 2018 1 Comment

What a month!

Most of you would have heard about the Kerala floods situation. While floods or natural disasters are not uncommon in the world we live in, you realize the scale of devastation and trail of destruction it leaves behind only when it strikes so close to home.

While my immediate family was spared the misery, there were plenty of friends and family who were affected badly. Communication with loved ones became the most difficult thing as many houses and regions were cut off due to the flooding.

There cannot be anything positive when disaster strikes, but the fact that the community came out to help each other was an encouraging one. A sheer testimony to the power of humanity in the face of adversity.

The worst is behind us now but the path of rehabilitation and progress is going to be a slow one for God’s own country.

Getting onto other topics, a lot of you had messaged me about this Khichdi recipe and how you have been enjoying it immensely. It’s one of my favourites too as it’s a hearty, delicious and super healthy one pot meal.

As September is almost here, the kiddo is getting excited about his term hols and we have already started planning activities, workshops, play dates and events to attend. One of the events that we are most looking forward to is the Jurassic Creatures.

It’s an interactive walk through event exploring the world of animatronic dinosaurs. With plenty of related activities, sand art, fossil displays, interactive set ups, this is going to be fun for the young and old alike. Jurassic Creatures will run at St Kilda Triangle (adjacent to Palais Theatre) from 15 September – 14 October 2018. So don’t forget to book your tickets soon.

Well, it’s time to bid adieu but not without sharing all my other favorites for the month. Enjoy reading!

Time for a Whiskey Sour. Cheers!

And if you are into cocktails, then check out these gorgeous glasses.

This Thai style rice soup sounds so hearty and comforting.

Not a big fan of the classic shrimp cocktail but I think infusing Mexican flavours is the secret.

Summer is gonna be here soon and I am saving up all the chicken wings recipes that come my way, starting with this one.

Clam toasts for breakfast! I could eat this everyday….

This is what a summer salad should look like

Speaking of summer, I need to invest in a couple of these dispensers.

This South Indian chicken curry has given me the drools.

Have you tried a beer can chicken before?

Planning any trips to Vietnam? Then you need to read this street food guide.

I love the idea of kitchen islands; adds so much character to the kitchen and can be customized to suit every space.

I can spend hours looking at rugs online; yet a bit crazy but I totally love this one. What do you think?

June Favourites

Miscellaneous July 2, 2018 Comments: 2

School holidays are here, and it’s such a relief from the monotony of a routine.

We totally enjoy the school holiday period, especially because it means no need to wake up to the alarm clock. It’s such a relief folks because I love to sleep.

And I enjoy having Adi’s company too. He is quite happy to do his own things and do not disturb me unnecessarily which means I can still manage to get in a bit of my work done. I try not to take up too much work anyway so that I can spend time with him, take him to activities etc….

We are so looking forward to the Disney on Ice, 100 Years of Magic performance this week. It’s our first time and quite excited for it. Then there are a couple of playdates planned and a few other activities which should keep him engaged during the holiday period.

What’s your plan for the holidays? Any special activities planned?

Getting to food, it’s been a really interesting month. Tried out so many different recipes both for the blog and for clients, and it’s been a really amazing experience. There’s also a project that I have been working on for a while now and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. But a few more days before the big reveal. So excited!

Plus, I am taking part in the NEFF Kitchen 50 Best Home Cooks contest. If you live in Australia, I would be deeply grateful if you could take a minute and vote for me. Thanks so much folks…

The voting link can be found here.

And the dish that I have entered for the competition is the slow cooked Lamb Shanks with Srilankan curry powder.

One of my favourite recipes that I developed for a client this month was the Pan grilled Fish Skewers with Sambar Powder.

My love for sambar powder is common knowledge, especially among my blog readers. But for those who are new here, sambar powder is a spice blend that is predominantly used to make sambar, a lentil stew with vegetables that is a traditional South Indian dish, but now a highly popular dish worldwide. But apart from making sambar, I love using the spice blend to season many other dishes and these fish skewers are the latest.

A highly aromatic blend, the sambar powder works as a brilliant rub for grilling fish, meat or vegetables. It can be used to season curries or stews too, adding a nice depth of flavour. In this dish, I have used it along with yoghurt to make a marinade. The fish and veggies were added to this and coated well; finally the skewers were pan grilled to perfection. An excellent starter to any meal.

Now getting to other recipes and tidbits that became part of my June favourites…

A cocktail for the Campari lovers.

A delicious way to have broccoli. Yum!

This wedge salad is drop dead gorgeous.

Can’t wait to try out this linguine recipe.

Totally love mussels and this one is lipsmacking delicious.

Okra, my absolute favourite vegetable and a delicious recipe that I am going to make next week.

I have already started searching for burger recipes for Father’s Day. This one and this one are close competitors.

Have you seen the new Salt n’ Pepper Vegemite range?

This feather tray would sit beautifully on my coffee table.

My favourite winter aroma.

May Favourites

Miscellaneous June 1, 2018 Leave a comment

Yet another glorious month has passed by, one that bought along plenty of joys and plenty of little moments to rejoice. It was not without its fair share of challenges, but looking back, I can feel only happiness and gratitude at the life I have been blessed with.

Technically autumn, but May was a crazy month when it came to weather. Plenty of rain and cold, gloomy days meant that we needed warm, delicious comforting food on our plates. And the best was this Risotto with Dried Mushrooms and Bacon Crumbs. Absolute yumminess!

Leftover rice is perhaps a very common ingredient in most households and there are quite a few quick recipes on the blog to use it, after all we don’t want to waste food right. All of these recipes are made frequently in my kitchen whenever I have leftover rice to create something delicious for the next day’s lunch box.

One such dish is the Stir fried rice with Salami, Sun dried Tomatoes, Bell Peppers and Herbs. Not a combination that’s common, but I promise it’s really delicious. It’s quick to make and Adi loves it in his lunch box with some cucumber sticks on the side.

Speaking of food, did you read my review about the new South Indian menu launched at The Rochey, Fitzroy? Absolutely chuffed that the cuisine of my hometown would make it to a mainstream modern Australian pub. It’s definitely a small world out there, especially when it comes to food.

Rochester Hotel aka ‘The Rochey’ (Fitzroy, Melbourne) - thespiceadventuress.com

Duck Hearts ( Chargrilled with Recheado and a sweet and sour spicy sauce) – One of the highlight dishes of the day for me. Absolutely loved the flavours, that perfect blend of sweet, sour, spicy; absolutely divine. And highly recommended.

Also, we got to meet Mickey Mouse!

Adi had the most exciting time at the launch of Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic. The spectacular show returns this year to Melbourne during the school holidays and we are so excited to watch it; it’s our first time.

If you have plans to go, then waste no time in booking the tickets…selling out like hot cakes.

Now getting to last month’s favourites; everything that inspired me be it food, drinks, lifestyle, travel, words or even beauty.

This sangria is different to any I have seen or tasted before. But I am going to try it only when summer returns to Down Under.

These drumettes are fingerlickin’ sexy!

I would say the same for this chicken dish too.

Crack, slurp, mix…..those words define it all.

I am not gonna miss the noodles in this one.

Totally love her Instagram handle; has the most delicious food with some stunning photography too.

A lesser known fact about me is that I binge watch beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. In fact, I hardly watch any cooking channels but I have all the info about the who’s who of the beauty blogging business. And one of the channels I am absolutely loving at the moment is this luxury blogger. She’s sassy, bold and one hell of a woman.

April Favourites

Miscellaneous May 1, 2018 Leave a comment

What a wonderful month it has been.

A happy month as I would like to call it because there were lots of great moments with family and friends. It was also the month of birthday parties which is always a nice occasion to catch up with friends.

It was school holidays at the beginning of the month so it was all about spending time with Adi, planning playdates and taking him for workshops and activities. One of our favourite places for creative workshops is at the Heide Museum of Modern Art. This time, Adi enrolled in the stop motion/animation class which was quite an exciting one for him. And after the workshop, we always make it a point to visit the ongoing exhibitions at the museum.

The museum has an extensive open space which is absolutely stunning and the perfect place to plan a picnic. But I equally love the café too, the food is just brilliant.

The best thing at the gallery is that they have interactive activities for the parent and child in relation to the ongoing exhibition which is a great way to engage a young child to appreciate the finer arts.

Heide museum of modern art - thespiceadventuress.com

When Adi was away, I relaxed inside this beautiful hut with a coffee and my favourite book. The best kind of relaxation!

The other highlight of the month was the Michael Jackson tribute show, The Legacy Tour by William Hall and his live band. We had gifted Adi the tickets to this show as his birthday gift. Though he had to wait for more than a month to enjoy his gift, he was absolutely ecstatic being a crazy MJ fan.

He even got the opportunity to go on stage and dance to one of MJ’s songs which I think he did full justice too. Many of you even wrote to me about his ‘moves’ after watching the video on my Instagram page.

Getting back to food, I finally have the recipe for this chickpea dish (Sundal) on my Facebook page. Lots of friends have been asking for it and since it’s a pretty common one, I decided to post the recipe on my page than dedicate a full blog post to it.

The Sunday chicken curry used to be a very memorable tradition in most Indian households. And even though the novelty has worn off these days, I still try and continue with my version. Find the recipe on my Facebook page.

Also in love with these plates I picked up while I was on holiday in India; totally digging the wildlife theme. The salad spoons are from Nigeria that I bought on Ebay eons ago.

Other favourites:

I love savoury breakfasts, especially if it involves egg and bacon!

Homemade extracts! Now this is very informative….

This ravioli looks too pretty to eat.

This chicken tagine and this chicken piccata.

Pork stir fry and green beans. Not a combination I would generally try but this looks so yumm.

Mexican frozen hot chocolate……this is chocolate heaven, guys.

Mother’s day is almost here, so how about some interesting gift ideas?

Can’t beat this rather unique ‘sausage bouquet’! Definitely for a foodie mom….

If a quiet tea time is her thing, then this exquisite tea set collection is a must buy.

But I have been throwing hints about this one. Beautiful, isn’t it?

February Favourites

Miscellaneous March 1, 2018 Leave a comment

A short and sweet month, that’s what I always feel about February.

The month always goes by fast and for us, it’s always a month of planning as Adi’s birthday falls in March; mine too. We are planning something really exciting on his birthday, so stay tuned for that info….

Coming back to Feb, it was a month of getting back into routine with schools reopened. After the holidays, it was such a welcome change to get back to our everyday lives and for me, especially to get back into the kitchen after a month long break.

One of my main goals this year and hopefully, future ones too is to send more packed work lunches as it is much more healthy (approaching 40s always makes you mindful) and also great for the wallet. And that means cooking food that’s simple, can be reheated and consumed easily yet tastes delicious.

And one such dish that I have been cooking a lot is Tomato Rice.

It is such a versatile and easy to make rice dish that is delicious just with a raita as accompaniment or with any sort of veggies or grilled fish or meat. I had shared the recipe for this traditional South Indian preparation on my Facebook page and Instastories so if you missed it, make sure to check it out.

I have also started consciously putting an effort into our after school snacks. Adi is growing up and that reflects in his dietary needs too. He is ravenous when he comes back from school and needs something more substantial. Since he has his dinner much later, the snack has to be filling and healthy but light on the tummy so that he can enjoy his dinner too.

So I have been trying out so many different snacking options and one of our favourites is salsa, in all forms. We have been enjoying this mango salsa a lot but also this corn and sprouts salsa, which doubles up as a salad. Really healthy and delicious….

Guess I have blabbered enough, now onto all my other favourites from around the Internet world….

This pineapple ginger tonic has so many medicinal benefits.

This salad is always on rotation in my home.

Guacamole on a Pizza! Bring it on…

Love the combination of Avocado, Mango and Yellow Lentils

Aloo Kachori – it was my staple breakfast while pursuing Master’s.

Who can say no to Falafel burgers?

A large batch of this makhni sauce in your freezer; a lifesaver for busy weekdays.

Gummy hearts and sparkling rose, it’s like a dream!

Totally making this for the next kids’ party!

Feels like this article was written for me….

Raising Sweet Boys and not Angry Men

Top 10 Recipes of 2017 – a Reflection on the Year Gone by

Miscellaneous January 22, 2018 Leave a comment

“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” – Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

This line totally reflects the state of mind I am currently in.

As most of you would be aware, I was away on holiday from mid December to January, which saw me take an almost complete break from work.

Initially, it was a bit overwhelming and unsettling seeing the kind of content that most bloggers and influencers do over the holiday period, but soon I realised that the long break was a blessing in disguise for the very tired soul inside me.

Now that I am back, I realise that break was necessary as it helped me reflect on the past one year, both personally and professionally.

While the first half of 2017 was immensely gratifying, the latter half saw me going into a state of stagnancy. I had become too comfortable in my space here that I forgot to push myself creatively and by the end of the year, I was bored.

And boredom is not a great feeling especially for someone who is creatively inclined. But the break happened at the right time and looking back, I see it as a wakeup call. The first thing I did after the holidays is reflect on how to take forward my blog and everything else associated with it. Because for me, this blog is everything…it’s an extension of my soul, my very being and not just a job.

The best way to reflect for me was to go back and see for myself the kind of content I had created for 2017. Because that gives me the inspiration and the clarity on how I want 2018 to be….

And that’s exactly why I decided to do this roundup. It was hard to pick just ten recipes but these best reflect me and my food philosophies. Now if all of you could take a moment and let me know which of these is your favourite and also what do you expect to see from ‘The Spice Adventuress’ in 2018. Your feedback would mean a lot to me….

Before signing off, wishing all of you and your loved ones a blessed and prosperous 2018!

Omelette Brochettes

This recipe was a major hit of 2017. After all, who doesn’t love eggs!

A quick and simple one, these brochettes are great as school snacks, potlucks or even as party canapés. Pair it with a great chutney and you have a clear winner on your hands.

Salmon Kebabs

These salmon kebabs were the result of a happy accident. I had set out to make salmon croquettes, instead ended up making kebabs when I ran out of time. And it has become a hot party favourite in our home ever since.

It’s so simple and salmon is an excellent choice for making these kebabs and always a hit amongst our friends.

Tatrelo Kolmi Patio (Parsi style Prawns)

Another first for me this year. In spite of knowing that Parsi cuisine has some of the best dishes that India has to offer, I took so long to try some out. Started with this delicious prawn preparation that was quick to become a hot favourite at home.

Methi Dana ki Sabzi (Indian style Fenugreek Seeds Stir-Fry)

This recipe was a major discovery for me this year. Indian cuisine is so vast and the traditional dishes from each region continue to surprise me.

I was thrilled to learn this regional recipe that is popular in a few states in North India where the fenugreek is used as the main ingredient in a dish instead of as a spice. We all know how healthy fenugreek is and though this is a tad bit difficult in the preparation stage, I do make it occasionally for its health benefits.

Fish Tacos (with Pickled Slaw and Jalapeno Mayo)

Tacos are a hot favourite in our home. It’s so easy to put together a whole meal in such short time and we like how it can be customized to each one’s liking. And I think tacos are great for bringing the family around the dinner table. One of my personal tacos favourites for the year was these delicious Fish tacos with pickled slaw and jalapeno mayo.

Crispy slivers of barramundi with sweet n’ salty pickled onions and carrots, finished off with jalapeno mayo to spice things up a bit. You ought to check these out for sure!

Moroccan Lamb Chops

This year’s Easter party was a big highlight as I prepared a feast for some of our closest friends. I chose to make a selection of dishes from different cuisines, but all flavours we enjoy.

And hands down, the winner of the feast was these delicious Moroccan Lamb Chops that so many of you have tried and got back to me with amazing reviews.

Tandoori Chicken Thighs (with Grilled Vegetables and Couscous)

I absolutely love my homemade tandoori marinade, using which I have created so many memorable dishes in my kitchen. This one’s special because I made it for my parents while they were visiting us for holidays.

Bring out your barbecue if you have one which is the best way to make a tandoori. And these chicken thighs smothered with the flavourful marinade make it one of the most delicious dishes I prepared last year. Paired with an unlikely side of grilled veggies and couscous.

Fettuccine Carbonara (with Spicy Sausage Meatballs)

I am a big fan of Sucuk, a Middle Eastern style sausage which we often have just grilled as a snack or for breakfast. This time, I decided to make meatballs by removing the external casing which was great as Sucuk has loads of flavour and you need not add any extra spices or aromatics. Paired with a simple carbonara, this is a pasta dish that comes together in under 30 minutes. Needless to say, it’s a favourite!

Duck Kurma

Another favourite this year was this Chettinad style Duck Kurma. This is the first time I prepared a duck dish on my own and I was so ecstatic that it turned out really delicious. Also a part of the ‘Great Australian Curry Campaign’ which makes this dish all the more special.

Spiced Rum Chocolate Mousse (topped with Buttercrunch Toffee Crumble)

Deliciously wicked silky and smooth Chocolate Mousse laced with spiced rum and then topped generously with buttercrunch toffee crumble. And maybe some strawberries too…..

Do I need to say more as to why this was a hot favourite on the blog?

The Spice Adventuress

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