Hi, there! I'm Marina Helene, but you can just call me Helene! I started MasalaHerb.com in 2011 when I was getting to know Goa in India. My husband, Paul, and his Goan food heritage had a hand in this too and it is thanks to his continues support, that this website has been an invaluable resource. The purpose of the website was to document my experience and to share … [Read more...]
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The website is owned and operated By Masala Herb In using this website you are deemed to have read and agreed to the following terms and conditions: The following terminology applies to these Terms and Conditions, Privacy Statement and Disclaimer Notice and any or all Agreements: "User", “You” and “Your” refers to you, the person accessing this website and accepting the … [Read more...]
Stuffed Okra with Goan Recheado Paste
Stuffed Okra with a spicy red Goan Recheado paste is a delicacy, which can be enjoyed as a snack or serve it simply with the all famous Goan fish curry rice. The vegan stuffed okra, also known as ladyfinger/bhende, is quickly prepared and fried in a pan with little oil and add flavor and zing to your palate. Learn how to make stuffed okra with the step-by-step … [Read more...]
Spicy Avocado Crostini Appetizer
Quick and healthy, the spicy avocado crostini will have you craving more! Enjoy these crostinis this summer either alone or with good company. The spicy avocado crostini bites are completely vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free. Discover more vegetarian avocado recipes. Avocado lovers will also enjoy my avocado, beet, mango cucumber … [Read more...]
How to roast Cashews - How to prepare Cashew Fruit
I am sharing how to roast cashews and how to prepare the Cashew Fruit. This post is meant to educate how to roast small quantities of raw cashews in the outdoors and you will understand why further below. Cashews have turned, in the last few years, into a prime snack time choice for health-conscious people in the western world. Cashew nuts have always been … [Read more...]
Moringa Pod Curry
This flavorful Moringa pod curry is prepared with the pods of the moringa tree. This is a vegan, gluten free and low carb moringa pod vegetable curry gravy with coconut recipe. Prepare this original curry from Goa with the basic curry paste. Yes, Moringa is a vegetable. In this world, there is a tree known as Moringa, and it produces elongated, thin seed … [Read more...]
Kidney Bean Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing
Kidney bean salad is a lovely nourishing and delicious high protein bean salad, which I prepare with a homemade vinaigrette dressing. Red Kidney beans are a wonderful healthy source of protein which you shouldn't miss incorporating into your diet. Learn how to make this vegan bean salad from scratch further below and get the recipe + video! 📕 What are Kidney … [Read more...]
Golden Baked Chicken Drumsticks
I absolutely adore golden crisp baked chicken drumsticks with corn flakes and this recipe, which includes coconut and chili flakes, was featured in a magazine in Europe in spring 2014. The chicken drumsticks are perfectly cooked and the chili and coconut give it a slight Indian touch to the baked chicken drumsticks with corn flakes. Best enjoyed with the sweet and … [Read more...]
Goan Omelette Poi Sandwich
The Spicy Omelette Sandwich is a common fast food snack. This sandwich consists of a flatbread and an egg omelette and is usually served in Indian food takeaways across the globe. Goan Omelette Poi sandwich is certainly not a 5-star meal. In fact, it's a very popular street food snack in Goa, India, which is prepared by omelette gaddos (fast food … [Read more...]
Creamy Mixed Vegetable Korma with Yogurt
Vegetable Korma is a creamy, lightly spiced curry with green cardamom and yogurt as the main star ingredients. This simple to prepare nut-free, vegetable mixed Korma (aka Kurma) comes together rather easily since you can use fresh vegetable fridge leftovers or frozen veggies. What is Korma or Kurma? Korma is a North Indian dish, in fact, it's a remnant from the … [Read more...]
Limonana: Middle Eastern Mint Lemonade
Limonana is a popular, refreshing middle eastern lemonade prepared with fresh lemon juice and mint. What is Limonana? Limonana is a Middle Eastern mint lemonade. The homemade Lemonade with mint is super popular in the Middle East due to the constant heat. It's a refreshing drink, sure to become an instant hit! The Lemonade Limonana is prepared with the addition of … [Read more...]
Fried Vegetable Cheese Momo Dumpling
Momos Recipe with a veg cheese stuffing and fried for an extra crispy momo. Tibetan and Nepali momos specialties as you can find them on your journey to Goa! Learn how to make your own momos with the momos recipe below. TL;DR When you visit Goa, the unique tropical Indian coastline state, you will definitely move around and visit different restaurants. The … [Read more...]
Goan Cabbage Stir Fry
Goan Cabbage Stir Fry served as a side dish to Goan Indian meals This flavorful side dish can be easily prepared in less than 10 minutes at home. Learn how to make Cabbage Bhaji in the recipe below. We can always need quick, vegetarian, one-pot dishes such as this delicious cabbage bhaji. The cabbage stir-fry recipe is my Goan mother-in-law's specialty … [Read more...]
Breakfast Semolina Porridge with Banana and Cashews
A homemade semolina porridge, inspired by the Indian Suji ka Halwa. This recipe is best suited as a wholesome breakfast idea with banana and cashew, but of course, you can enjoy it too as a fulfilling dessert. You know, I like to have and discover different breakfast ideas, and obviously, they need to be tasty, or you will still see me sleeping at unspeakable times … [Read more...]
Finger Millet Poppy Seed Cookies
In the past few months I have been surrounded by ragi flour, it has been literally popping in into my life at different times. Ragi cake on a friend's page, ragi roti made with love by my mother-in-law (flat bread), Ragi flour bags in my friendly neighborhood grocery store and so on. Wherever I look, I can see ragi... 📕 What is ragi and ragi flour? Ragi has … [Read more...]
German Cold Cuts: A Practical Guide
German Cold Cuts or deli meats are super delicious, and I bet this is why you are here! In this post, you will learn about the varieties of cold cuts enjoyed in Germany and Austria. I help you understand the choices. ❤️ Cold Cuts in German-speaking Countries There are countless different cold meats and German sausages displayed in grocery shops everywhere in … [Read more...]
Surimi Salad with Curry Mayo Dressing
Easy summer Surimi Green Salad with a flavorful Curry Mayo Sauce. 📕 What is Surimi? Before we get to my new favorite salad recipe, I would like to explain what surimi is. The most common surimi type in this world, and the one used in this recipe post are the imitation crab sticks. Fish Surimi, lobster and oyster are another common surimi … [Read more...]
Sweet Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
Sweet apricot dumplings are a traditional dessert from Central Europe. We call them Marillenknödel. These Austrian dessert dumplings are fun to prepare and are sure to impress your family and friends. Coated by a tender choux dough sits a fresh apricot from the garden. Prepared the Austrian way, these apricot dumplings will transport you to a new uncharted food … [Read more...]
How to pick Lingonberries in the Wild
For a very long time I have been pondering how I should call these majestic rarer European mountain berries. In the end, I decided to leave it at Lingonberry. You might ask yourself why? Well, I will just let you take a look at the picture below and most probably you will come to a common conclusion. Especially, if you are from the US or Canada, you might … [Read more...]
How to pick wild Bilberries (European Blueberry)
This guide will show you how we collect bilberries in Europe in the wild. We call them blueberries or “moss” berries, so they are sometimes also known as European blueberries. Before we start, just to be clear: Only pick wild berries if you are certain that they are edible! I will be describing and sharing pictures further down that will help you to get around … [Read more...]
Red Cabbage Juice with Grapes and Mandarin
Red cabbage juice is not your usual juice, which you get from your favorite juice bar. Heck, most of us wouldn't even consider juicing red cabbage. Yet, there is something to this healthy vegetable which makes it great juicing material together with other delicious raw produce! Are you a raw food fan? Lately, I have been noticing a certain food trend … [Read more...]
Goan Beef Croquettes
I shared a New Year's Eve Appetizer collection, rounding up the best treats made by my food blogger friends. I also shared the fact that I usually don't make those appetizers but that I was an avid fan of homemade colorful, creative and above all tasty canapé. However, sometimes I like to make a batch and surprise visiting friends and I do have some goodie recipes in my … [Read more...]
Homemade Coconut Milk
Back in Europe, I always regarded Coconut milk as something super fancy and difficult to come bye Honestly, 10 years ago, you would literally have to hunt down a can of coconut milk and the best place to find a lonely can of coconut milk would be in an Asian grocery shop. Those are still rather a rarity in the Austrian alpine villages, but at least some … [Read more...]
Christmas Cookie Collection
I believe one can never have enough cookies for Christmas. Various Christmas Cookie types, such as traditional and colorful new style cookies are a must in my house and I have to tell you Christmas is for sure not the same without the cookies. In my first years in Goa, I didn't miss the familiar smell of Christmas spices and the comforting feeling of the season but … [Read more...]
Homemade Vanilla Sauce
Warm homemade vanilla sauce over a cake, Buchteln, or other delicious desserts is a must-have, and a homemade version is always a hit. Surprise your loved ones with this easy to make Vanilla Sauce with real Vanilla beans! … [Read more...]
Chicken with Mushroom White Wine Cream Sauce
📕 Take on Hunter's Schnitzel This recipe was inspired by one of our more traditional recipes in Austria, the hunter's schnitzel (Jägerschnitzel). This is a natural unbreaded schnitzel cooked in a creamy paprika mushroom sauce. Schnitzel in all its forms in Austria or Germany is always either pork or beef. So if it is to be compared to the Israeli schnitzel, which … [Read more...]
Bethmännchen Cookies
We have a massive collection of Christmas Cookie recipes in Central Europe. Seriously, you would be surprised by the number of different cookies our ancestors were able to create in time. From spiced Lebkuchen, to soft Coconut Cookies and Sugar Baiser, the choice is endless! Coming from a rich Christmas Cookie tradition, I am still surprised at times by new cookie … [Read more...]
Vodka Cookies
Vodka Cookies are for sure an entirely new concept, especially during the merry Christmastime. Yet, I felt compelled to share these colorful and fun cookies with you. Usually, it's all about rum, egg liqueur and other fancy alcohol flavors at this time of the year but when you live in the Indian coastline state of melting cultures then you need to think out of the box … [Read more...]
Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame
Saturday's used to be house cleaning days in my younger years. This would be the most annoying day and the best day at the same time in the week. My mum would make sure that my siblings and I would be up early mornings to attack the day. Yet, her plans rarely worked out and I must say I was very stubborn and cleaning the house was something I hated, but I was … [Read more...]
Goan Para Fish - Marinated Fish Pickle
Something that I thought I would never eat back in 2007, ended up being one of my most favorite Goan dishes. Dried Fish curing in fiery red marination is definitely unusual for a European, but when I was introduced to the fried Goan Para fish served with a mountain of rice and a good dose of Dal, I was instantly hooked by the flavor tango on my tongue. At the … [Read more...]
Sweet and Sour Papaya Sauce
Hello orange Season, welcome back! I have been seeing oranges lately, not in a bad way of course, no I am talking about the change of seasons and the time when orange-colored vegetables and fruits appear more frequently in the market. It might be Europe, the Americas or India, every September you'll notice warmer colored produce. While the old wives summer (also … [Read more...]
Mushroom Duxelles Pasta Sauce
More then a year ago I had introduced you to Mushroom Duxelles, a mixture of finely chopped Mushrooms shallots and herbs. Back then I had shared my stuffed Tomatoes a la Duxelles at Cafe Terra blog, so a recipe was never shared here at Masala Herb. Mushroom Duxelles is usually used for stuffing's and the most known dish stuffed with Duxelles is Beef Wellington. … [Read more...]
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Congratulation, YOUR Subscription to the free weekly Masala Herb Newsletter has been activated! Thank you! 🙂 --- Below you can find the instant download with instructions to the free recipe ebook - easy meals from around the world. FREE DOWNLOAD - Easy Meals from around the World Recipe Ebook The old ebook, Goan Recipes, can be downloaded here as well. Instructions to … [Read more...]
Kohlrabi Potato Purée
The other day I came across a vegetable that I hadn’t seen for a while in my little neighborhood market here. As you must have guessed it from the title, I am talking about the humble Kohlrabi, a plump, whitish and roundish looking leafy bulb vegetable. Personally, I am very familiar with the taste of the bulb and I blame my mother for that. She had the habit to … [Read more...]
Chicken Roll ups with Ham and Cheese
A couple of weeks ago, I came up with some fun food. I had stumbled upon this dish by chance, and it is fun to make. You see, I have been going through a whole lot of time limits recently, somehow I am always out of time. Does that sound familiar to you? Among all the life-changing devices and technology, we all ended up having less time at hand. So, … [Read more...]
Masala Herb Feature & Mention
Regular mentions at Goan Voice.org.uk Interview in India Today Women - August 2013 Print Edition Top 30 Indian Food Bloggers @SocialSamosa.com- January 2014 Speaker at the Goa Arts and Literary Festival - topics: Blogging and Food Blogging - December 2014 Blogging for a Living - The Goan Newspaper- December 2014 online & print Edition 15 Heavenly … [Read more...]
Tropical Fruit Garden India
I thought it was about time to show you all our Tropical Fruit Garden here in Goa, India. This is the best season for me to show off with all the wondrous fruit treats growing in our garden. We have many more trees, but they are still pretty young. In fact, most of them were planted a year ago, but more about that later on. Of course, we do have some … [Read more...]
Herb Soup Dumplings (Biskuitschöberl)
Nearly two weeks ago I had posted our Austrian Semolina dumplings recipe and in the same post I had promised to share more traditional Soup dumplings. Back then I had also come up with a Clear Vegetable Consommé, and today you'll be able to reuse this Clear soup recipe together with some typical, easy and quick herb dumplings. These dumplings are commonly known as … [Read more...]
Lebkuchen Spice Mixture
This little spice mix is one of the most important European spice blends during Christmastime. In the alpine region, it is the main ingredient while baking Lebkuchen cookies and without the spice mixture, it wouldn't be a Lebkuchen. These brown inviting and often decorated cookies are a form of the worldwide known Gingerbread and in dictionaries, the Lebkuchen is … [Read more...]
Easy Christmas Meringue Cookies
So I am back to the Christmas cookie season with this post. This time I decided to share with you a simple, 2 ingredients, basic cookie type known as Meringue, which is quite common in Europe over the merry festivity period. Meringues are sometimes even known as Baiser or in German even as Windbäckerei. They appear in different shapes such as drops and circles and … [Read more...]