Anda is the Hindi word for 'egg'. There's a lot you can do with eggs! Especially in Indian cuisine. You can scramble them, curry them, make them into omlettes, rolls....

My Mom often tells my sons, both fussy eaters, how good I was about food as a child. They listen wide-eyed as she regales them with stories of how I could polish off half a dozen eggs at a time! This is no tall tale! I still love eggs and while I can't uphold my previous record any longer, I will still happily tuck into a good egg dish - savory or sweet - any day. Take a look at and try out some of my Egg Recipes....

_{Egg Curry Image © 2010 Petrina Verma Sarkar, Licensed to About.com}

The Versatile Anda! originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Thursday, July 29th, 2010 at 20:09:23.

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Tomorrow is the start of Term 3 of school for my six-year-old. This means, the three-week-long holiday from having to plan interesting, nutritious lunchboxes, is over! It's tiffin time again.

In India, the word 'tiffin' is used to describe either a lunchbox or the food in it! While every parent wants to pack a tasty lunch box, we also want it to be healthy. Not a lot to ask for is it? This however, is one task that causes a lot of parents anxiety! Children often come home with half eaten food, simply because they think it's boring.

Planning what will go into your kids' lunch box need not be a nightmare. Check out my list of tasty Kids' Lunch Box Favorites that will have them polishing their food off in no time!

_{Image © Photographer: Suzanne Tucker; Agency: Dreamstime.com}

Kids' Lunch Box Favorites originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Sunday, July 25th, 2010 at 05:35:05.

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I love the slightly pungent taste of ginger (called Adrak in India) and enjoy adding it to my cooking. Adrak is a vital part of Indian cooking not just for the flavor it imparts but often for its other properties - digestive, anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, etc. In Ayurveda, it is believed that one should try to eat a piece of ginger before every meal. The belief is that it not only increases the appetite but also improves digestion, assimilation and the subsequent efficient distribution of nutrients in the body! Freshly extracted ginger juice or dried ginger powder is often very effectively used to soothe symptoms of a cold or cough.

In Adraki Murg (pictured above) - which is a hot favorite in my home- the ginger is only added in the last stages of cooking and yet its lovely fragrance and flavor infuses the whole dish! This seriously tasty dish is also garnished with ginger julliennes to intensify the flavor.

Cook it in your home and serve it with fresh, hot Chapatis or Parathas and a vegetable side dish or green salad. The only sounds you'll hear are those of hearty approval!

_{Image © 2010 Petrina Verma Sarkar licensed to About.com}

Adraki Murg originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Saturday, July 17th, 2010 at 07:14:23.

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My Mom cooked dinner for me tonight and it was good! She made Masala Kheema (spicy minced meat - pictured) with lovely, flakey Parathas (pan fried Indian flatbread). I can safely say I was in food heaven, since nobody cooks like my Mom! I'm sure I am biased but that's okay.

I love that minced meat is so versatile. You can make it into Kofta Curry (meatball curry) or Spinach and Minced Meat Soup, Kheema Bharvaan Karela (bitter melon stuffed with minced meat).... Talking of versatile, leftover Masala Kheema can be made into yummy minced meat and spinach pizza the next day! Now that's what I call double duty.

Image © 2010 Petrina Verma Sarkar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Multi-purpose Minced Meat originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 08:11:09.

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There's nothing to beat juicy, fresh summer tomatoes. I love them so much, I often just slice them, sprinkle a little salt and enjoy. Yummy!

Besides eating them raw, there's a lot you can do in Indian cuisine, with Tomatoes. From salads to rice dishes and curries to pickles, take a look at my Tomato Recipes and try some...

_{Image © Photographer: Digital Vision/ Getty Images}

Start with Tomatoes... originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 08:14:44.

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The English version of the Indian word Chatni, Chutneys must not to be treated casually! They may seem like humble side dishes or condiments but they can add seroius wow-factor to a meal. Think about it - what would Idlis (steamed South Indian rice cakes) or Dosas (crispy savory South Indian rice pancakes) be without South Indian Coconut Chutney, or Steamed Momos (wontons) be without Sikkimese Tomato Chutney? You get my drift?

The best thing about Chutneys though, is they can be used as dips, spreads, pasta or salad dressings (bet you didn't think of that one!), marinades or well, just themselves.

Convinced you need to race off and make your own batch of the tasty stuff? Here are some recipes ranging from the harmless and mild to the seriously fiery!

• Mint-Coriander Chutney
• Tamarind Chutney
• Hell's Flame
• Shengdaana Lehsun Chutney (peanut garlic chutney) and
• Spicy Peanut Chutney

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Chutney anyone? originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 05:29:26.

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It's annoying when some cookbooks assume you know what some ingredient is, when in truth you may never have heard of or seen it! With so many languages and each region in India having its own food specialities, the list of terms and ingredients used in Indian cooking used can be exhaustive. They can also be very confusing for a novice to Indian cooking.

If you don't know an Achaar from a Biryani or Chai from an Idli, the glossary of cooking terms and ingredients is the place to get aquainted!

_{Image © Photographer: Harrison Eastwood/ Getty Images}

What's that? originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 05:55:52.

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From Thandai to Lassi and Squash (juice concentrate) to Chatpata Nimboo Pani there's heaps to help you cool off when the days get hot. With so much to choose from, you can make yourself a pitcher of something different everyday!

Pour out your chilled drink of choice, sit back and relax....

• Angoori Lassi
• Pina Colada Lassi
• Lemon Ginger Squash

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Summer Coolers originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Friday, June 18th, 2010 at 03:58:15.

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My husband went to boarding school (far from his home in a small town in West Bengal) for most of his school years. I love to listen to him tell of his train journeys with his father, to and from school when it was time for holidays. The food they would eat on the train features hugely in these conversations!

Jhaal Muri (spicy puffed rice salad) was his hot favorite! He got me to try it on one of our trips to visit his parents and I loved it too! This simple yet delicious snack can be put together in minutes and features typical Bengali ingredients like mustard oil. It makes for a great light lunch or early evening snack option.

I finally got around to asking my Father-in-law for the recipe and here it is.... Enjoy!

Puffed Rice Image © Jan Tyler | Getty Images

Jhaal Muri - Spicy Puffed Rice Salad originally appeared on About.com Indian Food on Monday, June 14th, 2010 at 03:51:29.

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