Tahini

Tahini is a very delicious paste made from sesame seeds. It makes a delicious and important addition to Mediterranean cuisine.. It is an important part of the hummus.. It is advised to store the tahini is the fridge to avoid spoiling. Also addition of oil is not compulsory, but it gives a creamier texture.

Herbed Oil / Flavored Oil

Flavored oils are so much handy to have on hand and it is the best way to induce flavor and aroma into a dish. I made this flavored oil long ago (when I made my Focaccia Caprese). It is quite simple to do and can be stored for at least 15 - 20 days.

Coconut Milk–Thick and Thin Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is an important ingredient in many countries cooking. It is used to thicken gravies, served as a drink with sweetener, sometimes is served as a condiment. Coconut milk makes a great condiment due to its subtle flavor along with the mild sweetness. It will taste great with spicy Thai dishes.

Caramel Sauce

I love the sauces that is served with the ice creams and the list is topped with caramel sauce. Did I know that it is so easy to make at home? No I did not as I did buy a readymade caramel sauce from the super market and licked it in the ice creams we ate at home.. Then I wanted to try this sauce at home and thought it would be so hard, but I was so wrong. This one is so simple and can be stored easily and used when needed. You need very few ingredients and I am not sure why I did not try this before. Enjoy your ice creams, shakes, cakes, pancakes and waffles with this delicious sauce.. Indulge!!

Panch Poran

Welcome to North Eastern State - Tripura. This was the most difficult state for me to as the Vegetarian options for the state were almost none. I was almost in the verge of skipping Tripura when BM group friends gave me the idea that Bengali population in the state is quite high and the Bengali cuisine is a major part of their traditional and delicious food. I did come across a few Tripura veg and meat based dishes that uses Panch Poran (a Bengali Spice mix) as the main ingredient. So here comes the recipe for the simple spice mix.

Now a small flash back - about 9 years ago. I went to US and was newly married. My husband had a stock of a spice mix (which I have never seen before) and I used it in one of the dishes (I do not remember which one) and it tasted awesome.. So I asked my husband what it is and he said he got in the Indian Grocery store. Just a spice mix and he did not mention the name. My mom and my MIL also loved this spice mix when they had used it in the subsequent years.. Now I did not know its name. The next few times I went to the grocery store, I could not find this spice mix there and also did not know what to ask the store person. I did not know its name.. Then after so many years, I knew its name was "Panch Poran". Panch means 5 and Phoran means spices in Bengali. This is a classic Bengali spice mix.