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Petpuja.com is where food meets curiosity! Explore delicious recipes, traditional Indian food, cooking tips, food science, forgotten culinary traditions, myths and the fascinating stories behind what we eat. From everyday kitchens to the history of our food, we uncover the why, how and wisdom behind every bite. Come, savour food with us—one story, recipe and discovery at a time.

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Why Does Milk Curdle? The Science Behind Paneer & Curd

Posted by Neerja Bhatnagar on August 13, 2026

casein cooking science curd dairy Food Science Indian cooking Kitchen Science milk milk curdling paneer Petpuja Top Blog at blogchatter Top post on indiblogger whey

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Why Tea Makes Conversations Better: Science Behind Every Cup of Chai

Posted by Neerja Bhatnagar on August 03, 2026

Chai chai stories comfort food conversation Food Psychology Food Science Indian lifestyle Indian Tea neuroscience Petpuja Tea tea culture Top post on indiblogger

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Why Tadka Is Added at the End: The Science Behind Tempering

Posted by Neerja Bhatnagar on July 29, 2026

cooking tips Cumin curry leaves dal Food Science ghee Indian cooking Kitchen Science mustard seeds Petpuja spices Tadka Tempering Top post on indiblogger

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Why Leftover Indian Food Often Tastes Better the Next Day

Posted by Neerja Bhatnagar on July 24, 2026

biryani chole cooking tips Food Science food storage Healthy Eating Indian Food Kitchen Science leftover food Petpuja rajma reheating food sambhar

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Tripura Queen Pineapple: The GI-Tagged Royal Fruit Winning Global Recognition

AI image A Sweet Memory from Childhood Before I tell you about Tripura's famous Queen Pineapple, let me share a small childhood memory. Growing up in Hisar, Haryana, we did not see pineapple very often. In those days, transportation networks were limited, and most towns depended largely on locally grown fruits and vegetables. Seasonal produce arrived in abundance, but exotic fruits were occasional treats. Every summer vacation, we would travel to Delhi to spend time at my nani's house. I still remember how excited I would be when my mausi, Kusum Aunty, sometimes brought home a pineapple. It felt special, almost luxurious. The fruit was carefully sliced and shared among everyone. What I loved most was its unique taste—sweet, yet pleasantly tangy. In fact, I remember it being more tangy than sweet! As the years passed, India’s transportation and supply chains improved dramatically. Pineapples gradually became available in Hisar as well, though nowhere near as abundantly as they a...

FOOD ITEMS FROM "Q"

"Q" is an alphabet, not many food items start with. I would like to recorrect this - not many Indian food items start from "Q". Anyway, now, as they say, the world is shrinking (literally and metaphorically too), so let us take food items from Q, irrespective of their origins. Before listing the other food items, I will share what comes to my mind with Q - this one is everybody's favourite - Quaker's oats. Quaker is a popular brand that produces many healthy(?) breakfast options. The other is Quesadilla is a Mexican Pic Wikipedia dish made with a tortilla filled with cheese and other fillings. There is a post in my blog about it. Please do check here . It has an Indian cousin invented by Indian mothers made with the available leftover roti and sabzi. :) Even Quinoa (pronounced as k iː n . w ɑ) is something we have recently introduced to. When I read about it and searched online, I found it very expensive. But to my Pic : Wikipedia surprise, I went to...

Sawan Foods to Eat As Per Ayurveda: What Your Gut, God & Grandma Agree On!

When the Sky Weeps, Let Your Stomach Rejoice—The Ayurvedic Way! Sawan (or Shravan Maas ) isn’t just about bhajans, barish, and belpatra—this sacred monsoon month is also a cosmic signal for your stomach to slow down, detox, and tune in. According to Ayurveda , the rains dilute digestive fire ( Agni ), making heavy or greasy food a strict no-no (yes, we’re side-eyeing that samosa). But worry not, fellow foodie! PetPuja is here with a delicious list of what to eat during Sawan , balancing tradition, taste, and tummy . Why Eat Differently in Sawan? In Ayurveda, seasonal eating is key. During monsoons: Digestion becomes sluggish due to increased humidity The risk of infections (think stomach bugs) is high Vata and Pitta doshas tend to go out of balance Hence, Sawan is the perfect time for a Satvik, plant-based, clean diet, which aligns beautifully with traditional Shravan fasting rituals. Top Ayurvedic Foods to Eat in Sawan 1. Lauki (Bottle Gourd) – The Underdog ...

Why Leftover Indian Food Often Tastes Better the Next Day

"Yesterday's dinner is today's delight!" Almost every Indian household has experienced it. The rajma tastes richer, the chole more flavourful, the sambhar somehow more comforting, and the biryani... well, many people swear it's at its best the next day. Is this just nostalgia? Or is there real science behind it? As it turns out, our grandmother was right. Many Indian dishes genuinely become tastier after resting overnight. Food scientists even have a term for the complex changes that continue long after the stove is switched off. Let's explore why. It's Not Your Imagination Cooking doesn't stop when the gas is turned off. As food cools and rests, hundreds of flavour compounds continue interacting. Spices release more aromatic oils, starches change structure, proteins relax, and liquids redistribute throughout the dish. These slow changes often produce a deeper, more balanced flavour than freshly cooked food. This is why dishes rich in spices, legumes,...

From Farm to Plate: The Invisible Labour Behind Every Meal We Eat

AI image Every plate of food carries a story — of effort, struggle, hope, and countless unseen hands. Have You Ever Wondered How Food Reaches Your Plate? Yesterday morning, while eating my usual bowl of oats with nuts and seeds, a simple thought crossed my mind: How did this food actually reach my table? We often talk about recipes, flavours, restaurants, and healthy eating. But very rarely do we pause to think about the long journey our food takes before becoming a meal on our plate. Behind every roti, every cup of tea, every bowl of dal, there exists an invisible network of farmers, labourers, transporters, vendors, and homemakers whose efforts quietly keep India fed. And honestly, once you begin noticing this journey, food starts feeling very different. It All Begins in the Fields A few years ago, during a visit to a village, I met an elderly farmer standing quietly in his wheat field early in the morning. His hands were rough from years of labour, but ...

Lost Recipes of Rajasthan: A Culinary Treasure Trove Worth Reviving

A recent visit to Shree Kesariya Veg in Apnu Ahmedabad turned out to be more than just a delicious outing — it became the inspiration for this blog post. Sitting in that warm, aromatic dining space, enjoying authentic kaair sangri , rich rabri , and the beautifully patterned Khoba Roti , I was struck by how deeply rooted these dishes are in Rajasthani culture — and how rare it is to find them on everyday menus now. That meal wasn’t just satisfying; it was a reminder. A reminder that so many traditional Rajasthani recipes, once staples of royal thalis and village kitchens, are slowly vanishing from modern plates. This blog post is an effort to bring those lost recipes back into the spotlight — to honour their origins, explore their stories, and encourage more people to cook, taste, and preserve them. Why These Recipes Matter More Than Ever Rajasthan’s harsh desert climate shaped a cuisine of remarkable resilience and creativity. These recipes evolved with ingredients that were lo...

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