where recipes are made …
Aloo Gobi Matar (आलू गोबी मट्टर ), is an easy fix side dish, made with potatoes, cauliflower and green peas and is suitable for rotis/phulkas or rice. My family loves any version of boiled potatoes rather than the deeply roasted versions. So, I prefer to make this low cal version. With cauliflower available throughout the year …
Channa | Garbanzo bean| Chickpea |வெள்ளை கொண்டக்கடலை is a protein-rich dry bean that is highly recommended. Though the Punjabi chole masala is my favorite, I mean to make this sundal every year during Vinayagar Chaturthi and Navratri. We prefer to have this white-colored chickpea over the brown. It is a myth that most of us …
Channa Dal Sundal ( கடலை பருப்பு சுண்டல்) is one of the easily made sundal variety for upcoming Navratri season. Remember those days when amma does this sundal for Saraswathi pooja every year. Also, my maternal grandfather loves this sundal. He calls this “Poomparuppu sundal”. He insists that this sundal had to be cooked perfectly soft like …
Vazhaipoo Vadai (A.k.a) Banana flower vadai is a traditional Chettinad recipe. the mild flavor of fennel seeds along with slight bitterness from the banana flower makes this lip-smacking vadai. The banana flower is full of nutrients. The medicinal value of the banana flower is such that it can regulate insulin levels in the blood. It is …
Proteins are the building blocks of life. Agreed!!! While there are so many advertisements on protein powders and shakes, why not we try including proteins our way – The Indian way!! This moong dal dosa is inspired by the pesarattu. I follow the same procedure as I do for it. They can be prepared for a …
Millets are the new trends. It is good to know!! However, the sad part is, this is not a NEW thing to our culture. These millets were a part of the healthy and long life of our elders. In ancient days, our grandmoms were so innovative with these millets, that they tried their hands on …
Vegetables are the heart and soul for every human being, especially the vegetarians. Every vegetable has its own goodness. I agree with this fact and try to incorporate most of the vegetables to our diet. However, there are some vegetables that are in my least likely one’s list. Bittergourd is at the top level in …
I am back again with another millet recipe. This is no fancy recipe. Those who know to cook with millets and have been doing the same would definitely be aware of this. As far as I know, ragi is one of the very common millets that people have been using, due to its availability as …
The inclusion of beans is a part of the Indian diet, irrespective of the region we belong to. Indian cuisine can enhance the flavor of any bean with the subtle addition of spices to it. One such very commonly used bean from the bean galore is the Soyabean / Karamani Kadalai / Lobia. Soya bean …
I am back again with another healthy dosa option. Whole black Urad dal is used in Indian cuisine in many ways. One of the popular dishes that are famous throughout the world is Dal Makhani, where the black urad dal is the chief ingredient. In Tamil Nadu, we use this dal for dosas too. It …
Oats has become a common food these days. It’s usual to have porridge either with milk and sugar or with buttermilk and salt. I have been taking trials with oats in adapting this fiber-rich grain with an Indian touch. A bit of desi spices along with the goodness of vegetables makes this Oats Uthappam – a …
Navratri is all about the season of sundals. In most of the households, the evening snacks during Navratri days are sundal. Ranging from green gram, channa, Kala channa we use a variety of beans for this. Meanwhile, lentils like channa dal and moong dal are also made. Channa dal sundal is usually made on Saraswathi …
Yaay!!! Hurray !!! Yes, I did it!!!! This sweet dish is my long term wish to prepare, click, and post. Though I prefer savories, there are some very particular sweets that I love for it. Jangri, Gulab Jamuns, Rasagulla, and Rasmalai. I know they are all very sugary and completely soaked up in syrup, yet …
The Cold weather around brings in a lot of uninvited guests – cough, cold, strep throat. Also, we look on for hot, spicy stuff to treat our tastebuds. Milagu Kuzhambu is one such version of spicy, traditional remedy for the winter weather troubles. The combination of fresh spice powder, combined with tamarind juice and garlic pods …
Karthigai Deepam is an important festival celebrated at houses and temples all over in Tamilnadu. It falls in the Karthigai Masam of the Tamil calendar. It is to be believed that a constellation of six stars group together to form a pendant shape. Thirukkarthigai is celebrated with lamps placed all over the houses for three …
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas 2016!! We had a good vacation too. This post is a long pending one. I had clicked them when I prepared Carrot Raitha. I usually have a packet of frozen mix veggies in my freezer. There are times when I run out of vegetables and just rely on …
The other day when I went for my grocery shopping, some fresh green plantain caught my eyes. I love fresh vegetables. I grabbed two of them keeping in mind making vazhaikkai poriyal. Somehow, I just used one of them only as it was enough for my family. The other plantain was however sitting in the …
If you like the Kanda Poha or Lemon Aval, this is similar to them with a Bengali twist to it. This very famous Bengali Chirer Polao makes use of winter vegetables along with a generous addition of raisins/kishmish, peanuts, and cashews flavored with mild spices. The addition of sugar and raisins along with vegetables gives …
The Tamil month of Aadi sets the beginning of various festivals in Tamil Nadu. It is customary in our house to celebrate every Aadi velli ( Aadi Friday) very religiously. The smell of agarbathi with flowers and boiling sambar along with a background of devotional songs is what I have grown up watching. My mom …
Vellaikari is a very tangy kulambu/ curry recipe that is famous in the Tirunelveli region. Sambar, Puli kulambu, and Rasam are very common in many households. When we get bored of these kulambu varieties, we make this vellaikari. Vellaikari is made with fresh ground spices without the addition of any Dal Varieties. It is very …
Dosa is a daily fare in many Indian households. Apart from the regular Idli-Dosa made with rice alone, it is a bonus if we could incorporate some healthy greens too. One such healthy and evergreen hit dosa is this spinach dosa which the kids love. In addition to the rice, I have also added quinoa …
If you have been to Chennai Marina beach, you might not have definitely missed tasting this. Masala Puri is very famous at Marina beach in the evening hours. The piping hot masala puri combined with the cool sea breeze is definitely to live for. I have recreated this Masala Puri at home with dried green …
Thattai is a traditional recipe that is made in Tamil households for Krishna Jayanthi and Deepavali. Thattai can be stored and consumed for two weeks. The right mix of rice flour and roasted gram flour or besan flour and seasoned with pepper or red chili powder for the spiciness. Thattai is also called as Nipattu …
Olan is one of the components in Onam Sadhya. It is served on the banana leaf along with other sides. Olan is a very mild preparation made with ash gourd, coconut milk, and green chili, tempered with coconut oil and curry leaves. Commonly, cooked black-eyed peas / Vanpayar are added alongside ash gourd to make …
Gajar Pulav or Carrot Pulav is a very simple, healthy, and flavorful one-pot rice recipe that can pair up very well with any rich or spicy curries. The kids in our household are a great fan of carrots. Carrots are very healthy and rich in nutrients. They are a great source of Vitamin A and …
Every week, while I plan my weekly menu, the one question that arises is what do I make for dinner. It is easy to plan out my breakfast menus as Idlis, dosas, cereal, or Oatmeal are our go-to ones on weekdays. Though we have a routine of soups, phulkas for dinner, the kids get bored …
Pulav or Pulao is a Sunday favorite for many of us. Vegetable Biriyani can be made in many ways from less spicy to very spicy ones. There are so many ways of preparing it too from slow cooking, pressure cooking, cooking in electric cookers, etc. Whatever the method of cooking is, they serve as an …
Ulundhu Kali is a very famous and traditional dish in the Tirunelveli region. There are different recipes of this Ulundhu Kali in other parts of TamilNadu too with variation in the proportion of ingredients added. However, the key ingredient in this is the Whole Black Urad dal. My Amma is a specialist in making this …
Diwali is around the corner and many of us are gearing up with Diwali preparations. The joy of Diwali is complete with preparing sweets and sharing them with family/friends. From childhood, we have the tradition of making sweets at home and Amma tries a new variety every year. The process of cleaning up rice, dal, …
When it comes to South- Indian breakfasts, the accompaniments that are served along with Idlis and Dosas are eye-catching to everyone. From the simple coconut chutney to many varieties of vegetable chutney, the chutney always enhances the flavor of the breakfast mains and makes everyone want more of them. While coconut chutney is everyone’s favorite, …
Garlic is one of the very healthy vegetables that are heart-healthy. It is a key seasoning ingredient that is used widely around the world. A south-Indian meal is not complete without a bowl of creamy curd rice. A spicy pickle elevates the taste of the curd rice. However, a store-bought pickle is loaded with preservatives …
For a south Indian, everyday lunch comprises rice, poriyal, and importantly kulambu/ gravy/ pulusu or Rasam. This is an important part of the lunch and made with tamarind base or buttermilk base with the addition of dals/vegetables. In Tamilnadu cuisine, Chettinad cuisine is very famous for its unique flavors. There are certain spices and vegetables …
Paneer is a very favorite ingredient from kids to adults. Biryani is another weekend affair for many including vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Adding the favorite Paneer to Biryani is a great combo. The south-Indian Biryani is usually a bit spicy and has a burst of flavor from the spices. They are also made predominantly with Jeera …
Millets are becoming an essential part of everyone’s diet these days. While millets are available as a whole grain or flour, they are also available as rava or flattened rice /poha. I usually grab a pack of millet Poha during my grocery hauls. Poha upma is an usual affair with them. However, I wanted to …
Phirni is a Punjabi dessert that is made with rice and cooked in milk. The main difference between a Kheer and Phirni is that kheer is cooked with whole rice grain, while Phirni is cooked with grounded rice paste. The consistency of phirni is on a creamier side and it is definitely a crowd pleaser …
Dal Makhani is a very healthy and creamy Punjabi curry. The main ingredients for this are black Urad Dal, Rajma, butter and cream. As the name goes, this dal is tempered with butter and finished off with some fresh cream. This Dal makhani is rich in protein content from both the pulses and pairs up …
Mangalore Cuisine is a distinctive south-Indian cuisine. The addition of coconut and curry leaves in most of their dishes make them stand out of others. Mangalore cuisine can be seen in Udupi, Tulu people. Some of the famous dishes of Mangalore region are Korri roti, Ghassi, Udupi Sambar and Neer dosa. Of these Ghassi is …
Every Tamil Nadu meal consists of a many varieties of kulambu, Poriyal, Kootu and pachadi. Of all this, kulambu variety is prepared every day in different households. Kulambu is prepared with tamarind, butter milk or addition of dal. Though Sambar is a famous kulambu variety prepared with dal and vegetable on a tamarind broth, other …
Coriander / cilantro is a part of every household. They are one herbs that have a strong flavor when used in any dish. While they are commonly used to garnish any dish or make green chutney / thogayals, this simple to put together Cilantro/ Coriander rice is very tasty and filled with strong flavors. It …
Millets are trending grains these days. Though these super grains are not new to us, we have completely avoided them so far. Also, the misconception that they can be had only as porridges/ gruel had not interested many. However, we can incorporate these super grains into daily affairs like Idli and Dosas. They are not …
Pearl Millet is one of the fibrous millets. Pearl Millet/Bajra/Kambu is a boon to diabetic patients. Bajra has a very high fibrous content and tends to digest slowly. This will release sugars gradually and hence pearl millet is very diabetic friendly. Pearl Millet is also gluten-free and hence it can be consumed by people with …
Millets are a wonderful substitute for rice and wheat that is consumed widely. Though these wonderful grains are not new to us, they were definitely forgotten for a while. With the internet people are becoming more and more aware of these wonderful grains. While some of them had switched back to millet on a daily …
Nei Appam is a very traditional Kerala recipe that is made with rice, jaggery, cardamom, coconut and cooked in ghee. It is called Kerala Unniappam and is a part of festivals from Onam, Chithra Vishu etc. “Unni” in Malayalam means small and “Appam” means made with rice. Though there are many dishes in various cuisines, …
Kanchipuram Idli / Kovil Idli / temple Idli is a very famous Idli variety that had its origin in a small town -Kanchipuram, TamilNadu. This is served as an offering in the famous Sri Varadharaja temple and meticulously made in bamboo cases lined with Mandharai leaves. Though it seem to be a regular Idli, this …
One Pot variety rice are like savior on a busy day. Each state in India has their own speciality one pot recipes. Though Pulav / Biryani are the favorite of many, their variants like this Masala Bhath/ Baath is equally loved. Masalae Baath is a Maharasthra regional speciality. It is usually served alone with some …
Cilantro / Coriander Leaves is a versatile herb that is very commonly available around the world. It can be easily grown at home garden too and makes any dish flavorful. Also it is used widely in many cuisines around the world. Once such cuisine is the Mexican cuisine that I personally love due to its …
There are days when the tummy demands some light and easy dinner. On those days, soups and salads are big saviors. Also, they are highly nutritious as there is less cooking and hence there is minimal loss of nutrients. While we love tomato soup the best, our new found fa is this CARROT APPLE GINGER …
Azhagar Kovil is a very small village in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. The name of the village is from the very famous Azhagar/ Kallazhagar Kovil. The main deity of this temple is Sundarabahu Perumal in standing pose ( Nindra kolam). Azhagar Kovil is one of the 108 divya desam as per the Vaishavite …
Suraikkai / Bottle gourd is a variety of the squash family and rich in water content. Lauki is very commonly used in Indian cooking to make sambar, stews, kootu, kofta, and stir fry. This vegetable is also aids in weight loss due to the water content in it. It has immense health benefits, relieving stress, …
Ada Pradhaman is a Kerala delicacy. It is made with flattened rice strips that are cooked with jaggery syrup and finished off with thick coconut milk. Ada Pradhaman is. apart of marriages or as a part of the Onam Sadhya meal. There are a lot of ways to make this Kerala Ada Pradhaman. Some people …
The richness of any regional cuisine is mainly focussed on what abundantly is available in the place or what is suitable for its climatic conditions. This vegetable curry is from “God’s Own Country”, with the star of their food- Mr. Coconut!!! Yes, You heard it right. Most of the dishes from Kerala is incomplete sans …
Kootanchoru is a very famous dish in the Tirunelveli region. Growing up as a kid, I remember this Kootanchoru made whenever we have family members gather for any family events, or during travel. Traditionally, Kootanchoru is made in a large open pot and cooked on the woodstove. Kootanchoru is often confused with Sambar Sadham which …
Dal is an integral part of food in many regions of India. being rich in protein and the comfort it gives, dals are cooked and served in different ways. One such is the Gujarati Dal. Gujarati Dal is made with toor dal/ split pigeon peas along with boiled peanuts. The dal itself has a sweet, …
Coconut is one freshly available food that is loaded with all richness. Coconut is generally considered a healthy form of fat. Being South-Indian, any Poriyal or thoran is not complete without Coconut in it. While I had plenty of grated fresh Coconut, I decided to make this super soft and flavorful coconut dosa instead of …
One-Pot Meals are always easy to make for a weekday meal or for lunchbox. If they have some incredibly healthy vegetables in them, then it is a bonus making the meal a complete, wholesome one. Cauliflower is one such vegetable that has low calorie, but high in fiber. Cauliflower is also anti-oxidant rich that protects …
The Masala box is an important one that is available in every Indian Kitchen. Each of the ingredients in the Masala box brings flavor and enhances the taste of the dish it is added to. One of the ingredients seen is Fenugreek which has a bitter taste, yet gives awesome flavors when added to sambar, …
Pesarattu is a very healthy and wholesome breakfast option. It is a very famous breakfast/ tiffin from Andhra Cuisine. It is called Andhra Pesarattu, Pesara – means green moong bean and Attu means Dosa or crepe. It is also called Pesara Dosa or Cheeldo. Pesarattu is rich in proteins and is very filling. It is …
Brinjal is a very commonly used vegetable in Indian cuisine. It is so versatile that it is used in North and South Indian dishes from Sambar, to chutney and stuffed ones. There are hundereds of stuffed Brinjal recipes in Indian cuisine and this Bharli Vangi is a Maharashtrian version of stuffed brinjal that uses peanuts …
We need to include healthy foods into our daily diet. Healthy foods need not be always salads and soups. We can make our regular meals incorporating these healthy ingredients to it. One of the plants that have most of its part that is edible is Drumstick/Moringa tree. The leaves, flowers, vegetables can be safely consumed …
Karamani Vadai (Lobia/காராமணி பயிறு) is an attempt to infuse bean into our diet. I made this vadai last year during the Navratri season. I was a bit hesitant during the process of making this vadai, fearing its outcome. Surprisingly it turned out very crunchy like our normal masala vadai. The kids liked it very much …
For a South-Indian, lunch means it has rice, kulambu and a side of poriyal/stirfry and Kootu. While Sambhar and rasam are almost liked by many, KaraKulambu is one that tastes great with a tangy and spicy side . I love the Karakulambu served in hotels as they are flavorful and spicy. The hotel style Karakulambu …
Every South-Indian meal comprises the main course as rice with any kulambu with a side of poriyal, kootu, varuval and thoran. Of all, I love the thorans. Thoran can be made with vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beans, broad beans, and most green vegetables. The Cabbage thoran that I made the other day is our family’s …
Paneer is a favorite ingredient for many from kids to adults. There are many recipes with paneer that are tasty. We tasted this specific Paneer curry in a restaurant. Normally, Hariyali Paneer tikkas are served in many restaurants. But this was more like curry and perfect for phulkas. It is very tasty and subtle in …
The Indian subcontinent grows about 6000 varieties of rice. While, the world knows much about the Basmati and the Sona masoori rice, there are may varieties like the rajamundhry, thooyamalli, kaatuyanam, kavuni arisi among those thousand varieties. Of these, the black rice, which is commonly called the Kavuni Arisi in South India, is very good …
If you think of Kerala recipes, there are a lot of recipes that come to mind. Coming to sadhya meals, every meal will definitely have this Pradhaman to finish off an elaborate lunch. Pradhaman is a sweet dish made with fruits, dals, or rice ada. I love the Ada pradhaman. Also, I equally love this …
Idli is a universally accepted comfort food. It has the right proportion of lentils (proteins and rice ( carbs) for a healthy breakfast. Urad Dal is the main component of the Idli. It is so important to make a perfect Idli. The main deal to get a soft Idli is to master the ratio of …
Parfait is a French dessert which means “Perfect”. Originally, thee parfaits are made of eggs, heavy cream and a layer of berries. The American version of it contains yogurt, granola and topped with fruits and nuts. Though these might be like a dessert, it is an easy go breakfast for quicker mornings. The parfait has …
Summer is for fresh and easily digestible foods, that must be filling too. We always love our salads and juices made with fresh vegetables and sprouts and fruits. While the sprouts are very healthy to eat and highly nutritious for all, they are also very highly priced in grocery stores, for a small quantity. Trust …
Dosai is an emotion if you are a proper south-indian. There are many varieties of dosa that is available like the paper roast, ghee roast, masala dosa, millets dosai and many more. OF all these, some dosa varieties are famous in certain places like this BUN DOSAI . This dosai is very very soft like …
While Kulambu , poriyal and kootu are everyday affairs, the essence of the weekend is achieved only with Biryani. For many, Biryani is more than an emotion and a weekend or holiday, or celebration is made special only with Biryani. Biryani has its origin in Persia and slowly entered India. It is differently made in …
Every South-Indian meal usually has two or three course. Starting off with Paruppu or thogayal or Podi , followed with Kulambu. While Sambar, Kara kuzhambu and Rasam are commonly made, there are some kulambu varieties that are traditionally prepared with freshly grounded masala. One such very flavorful Kulambu is Pitlai. Pitlai is made with bittergourd, …
Pori/ Puffed Rice is usually used in making snacks. During ayudha Poojai, Pori is served along with jaggery and roasted gram. After this, most of the households leave them as such. I tried making a spicy version of this Pori upma with the leftover puffed rice/ pori. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the …
One pot meals are always quick to make on busy week days. It will be an added benefit if it is nutritious with lots of vegetables. While Pulav and south- Indian variety rice comes in handy, I love exploring various cuisines. One such is this Maharashtrian cuisine which has close flavors and ingredients that are …
Masal Vadai is made with dal and spices. It is very crispy and crunchy outside and soft inside. The Masal vadai is so flavorful with a burst of spices in every single bite. Though it is a very simple recipe, a lot of techniques need to be followed. It is important to get the texture …
Cranberry is a super fruit that is very commonly used during holiday seasons. It is made as a chutney or relish for Thanks giving Dinner. The fresh cranberry fruit is available very commonly in grocery stores. It is rich in nutrients and anti oxidants making it a super fruit. During off-season, it is available in …
Gummidikaya Pulusu or Dappalam as it is locally called is made with yellow pumpkin on a tangy tamarind broth. This is similar to the kulambu variety made without dal. The pulusu is generally not very thick as sambar or pappu. This dappalam is made generally made with country vegetables like drumsticks, sweet potato, yellow pumpkin. …
Pudhina/ Mint is a flavorful herb used in many cuisines. It is used in main dishes, gravies, salads, soups, as garnishing. Today i made this very flavorful pudhina thogayal . This thogayal is very appetizing with the bright color and its taste. You can enjoy this thogayal with idli and dosas. This can also be …
Poosanikkai / White pumpkin / Ashgourd is a vegetable rich in water content. It is usually tasteless and very commonly used in sambar, mor kulambu , kootu. Ash gourd kootu is also made, but many do not like it. If you are one of that kind, then this puli kootu is a must try. …