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 …
Tomato Chutney (தக்காளி சட்னி) is a weekly routine for a day in my house to take a break from the regular coconut chutney. My mom makes wonderful tomato chutney and I still remember the days we eat an additional dosa or idli, just for the sake of this chutney. This is my brother’s favorite and he likes …
Green Moong dal Curry( मूंग सब्ज़ी )is a hands-on sidedish when I run out of the vegetables. It so happens I mostly make this for rotis/phulkas on a Friday night or on Saturday mornings before I could rush to the grocery stores. Though I was not a huge fan of this back at mom’s place when …
Pumpkin Chutney ( பரங்கிக்காய் சட்னி)After all that Navratri celebration, with yummy foods and fun, let us treat our busily engaged stomach to a simple, colorful and tasty chutney. With the pumpkin season in its peak and we see pumpkin flavor everywhere from the pumpkin latte to the pumpkin spiced hand washes, let us try this …
Salna (சால்னா)!!!! Yes, you heard it right. It sounds like a non-vegetarian curry, nope I tried to do a vegetarian version of it. Salna is a very famous curry, relished along with parotta, and is popular in the roadside hotels of TamilNadu. Parotta and Salna are made for each other. Though I have not tested …
Firstly, a week-long gap in my posts is due to the turmoil of the Chennai floods. Though this post was scheduled to be posted in the mid of last week, I didn’t have an interest in doing that after watching videos and talking to people about the disaster to my wonderful city. How ever, Chennai …
Tikka Masala is a most wanted food for many westerners. Go to any restaurant in the US, you are sure to find Chicken Tikka Masala.. Wait!! Wait!! I am not here to share the chicken Tikka masala recipe here. I am a strict vegetarian and have no ideas about how the chicken looks like… Gweekk, except …
Rava Idly – Yup! You heard it right. Are you getting bored of having routine idly and dosas? Are you looking on for some quick-fix dinner recipes? This one is for you. The marriage of semolina (a.k.a Rava / Sooji) with sour curd without fermentation is a delight to the tastebuds. People who hate sooji …
Variety rice / One pot meal is always very easy to prepare on busy weekdays for lunch. Ranging from our South- Indian lemon rice, coconut rice to the North- Indian pulao varieties, these one-pot meals can be prepared in a jiffy. One such very simple one-pot meal is the Jeera rice. This jeera rice is …
Idli and Dosa are always a favorite for south Indians like me. However, having an appropriate side dish for it makes you gobble more or less. While coconut chutney is a classic combo always, sometimes, the taste buds ask for a spicy accompaniment. One such spicy and heart-healthy accompaniment is the Garlic Chutney. I bought …
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 …
Yes!!! I reached another milestone – Glad to inform you that this is my 50th post !!! While I wasn’t aware that I am reaching my 50th post, I quickly realized after looking at my post numbers. I wanted to celebrate this gesture with our family’s favorite and a vegetable of my little one’s choice. While …
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 …
Dry nuts are extensive storehouses of vitamins and minerals necessary for body functioning. There are some dry nuts like walnut and almonds that help in maintaining the good cholesterol in the blood. From beautiful skin and nails to a healthy heart, dry nuts offer numerous goodness. While eating them raw is good, sometimes the H …
Idlis and Dosas are staples for many of us. Finding a right accompaniment for them is a challenge. Coconut chutney or sambar is a classic combo for hot Idlis. However, there are various other options for those. One such kosthu/ sambar varieties that I often prepare with Idlis is the Ridge Gourd Kosthu from the market. This …
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 …
I have been away a while from blogging. It was a much-needed break for me, with so many things running around. I am back again and will be prompt with new and easy recipes as usual. Idli and dosas are the staples of every South- Indian. Choosing side dishes for these elevate these staples. I …
Wheat Rava is one least accepted ingredient in my family. Both the H and LO are not fans of it. There is always a big NO for this healthy ingredient and I rarely stock them up in my pantry. I somehow managed to finish up most of the packet that I bought a long time …
The birthplace of Koftas is in central Asia and Africa, especially in Egypt. Basically, koftas are made with vegetables, meats or beans and formed into a dumpling. In the northern part of India, particularly in regions of Kashmir, koftas are often made with meats. These are further cooked in spicy, rich gravy and served along …
A very popular Tamilnadu food is Idly. You go to any part of the world or even outside of Tamilnadu, you will definitely start to long for this. While Idly is a staple and all-time favorite for every age group, its taste is definitely elevated with its best friend Sambar. You start two Idlis first, …
This that time of the year again!! Yup BACK TO SCHOOL!! After that month of vacation, kids are looking forward to the next school year. While they are busy looking for a school, teachers, and friends, the moms are hitting their heads for healthy, quick lunch ideas. If your kid is a first-timer like mine, …
Making side dishes for phulka / rotis/ rice is a challenge for me. I was cleaning up the pantry and found lots of potatoes hiding up there waiting for my attention. Though the routine aloo mutter is what I make when there are lots of potatoes and peas at home. However this time I also …
I always love to experiment with different cuisine. When we call anything as North- Indian cuisine, it covers up many states. Though we may feel that paneer, aloo, butter makes up this North – Indian cuisine, there are also very subtle flavored dishes that imparts comfort flavors. One such is the Gujarati cuisine. Gujarati cuisine …
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 …
I love sweet corn. Be it a simple cup of corn or grilled ones. There are days, when I and my mom used to go shopping, just to end up eating this cup corn from those pop-up stalls outside the supermarkets. After moving to my part of the world, what tempts me most is the …
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 …
Incorporating millets have become a practice in my household these days. I try different recipes with them and one such hit recipe is this Samai Idli / Little Millet Idli. I get requests from readers and friends on the availability of millets in the USA. Please try to get them from online( amazon), Trader Joe’s has …
Uthappam is a weekly visitor in my household. I grind Idli/dosa batter every weekend. After making fluffy soft Idlis, I use the rest of the batter for making dosa and Uthappam. I also pack this for my little one’s lunch box. For tiffin boxes, uthappam is the best choice over the dosa. It remains soft …
Roti/ chapati is a regular one at my household. My LO prefers these for his lunch box. To make it more interesting and sneak peek all possible veggies to his lunch box, I make different kinds of rotis / chapathis with mashed, grated, minced, or finely chopped vegetables. One such is the Masala Avocado Chapathi. …
Whether it is Idli or dosa as breakfast, we always need chutney or sambar as accompaniment. Though there is always a stock of Idli podi at home, I prefer making chutneys for the morning meal. Coconut is a vital visitor at our household, but I love exploring different chutneys making use of vegetables too. We …
Paneer / Indian cottage cheese is a high source of protein. Paneer is one versatile ingredient that can be used to make sweets, paratha, curry, and salad. Curry is usually made with an onion-tomato base for flavor. However, Paneer can also be used in making dishes when we choose for a sattvic meal – meaning …
If you are a South- Indian, Idlis must be your staple food. The taste of any well made Idli raises when it is paired with a delicious Chutney or Sambar. If the tasty chutney turns out to be healthy too, its a bonus. Coconut chutney is an easy one and can be made with a …
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 …
Rotis and Phulkas are a part of our weekly dinner routines. From Dals to Kurmas, I pair the phulkas to make a delicious dinner. Before this COVID thing happened, dinner is the only time where we all gather together at the table with everyone following a different routine. A delicious dinner plate with the discussions …
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 …
Ven Pongal is everyone’s favorite at home. But it also counts for the calories that come with it. Back in childhood, I remember Amma making Pongal for our Saturday breakfast and we have it with Sambar and Vadai that Appa used to get from the Udupi hotel after his morning walks. That piping hot Pongal …
Kharabhat is a very famous dish in Karnataka region. Khara means the spicy version that uses Green chili and also the addition of spicy masala powder. It is almost a near cousin of Upma or Uppitu that is famous in South- India. Though both Upma and KharaBhath use similar ingredients, there are also some additional …
Green Papaya is a fruit that is loaded with nutrients. It is less in carbohydrates and high in folate – a much-needed one for women and young girls. There are some fruits like green papaya that are rich in enzymes before it becomes very ripe. Green papaya itself has a very mild sweetness to it …
Every meal with a Roti or phulka needs a perfect side dish to go along. If this side dish is going to be healthy with less greasy stuff, it is an added benefit. Baingan Bartha is one of those healthy side dishes that are tasty with less fat in it. Traditionally, Baingan Bhartha is made …
Idli and Dosa are staples in south-Indian homes. However, there are some traditional tiffin recipes that are tasty and often appear in the dinner scene in our household. One such recipe is Arisi Upma. Arisi Upma is made from coarsely grounded rice in a rava consistency. Arisi Rava is traditionally cooked in a heavy-bottomed brass …
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 …
There are plenty of kurma recipes in the blogosphere. One of the classic Kurma recipes is the Nilgiri Kurma. Nilgiri is one of the regions in the Western Ghats and luscious in nature. As the name goes by, this Kurma is very luscious and tasty. This Nilgiri Kurma is very famous and uses fresh ingredients …
Paneer Lababdar is a very rich and creamy Paneer side dish. The word “Lababdar” means a strong desire for something and surrendering to it. As the name means, the taste of this Paneer gravy makes your taste buds to surrender it. Paneer is used in two ways in this recipe. One is to add cubes …
Rumali Roti or Roomali Roti is a very famous flatbread that is super thin and extremely soft. It is such soft that it stays the same even after hours of making it. Roomali/Rumal means “Handkerchief “. Rumali Roti is usually served with tandoor dishes and rich meat dishes that people can use this roti to …
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 …
Palak Paneer is a classic recipe that is loved by many. A truly Punjabi curry, this palak paneer has many ways of doing it. Palak greens are easily available in India through the year. While it is a luxury vegetable and not found very often in my part of the world, I try to replace …
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 …
Focaccia is an Italian Flat bread that is close to the texture of pizza. Focaccia is served along side with pastas, soups or as a sandwich. Focaccia is originally made with all purpose flour which is combined with yeast to result in a porous center and crispy outer layer. There are a lot of regional …
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 …
Vindaloo is a very famous Indian dish inspired from the Portuguese dish vinha d’alhos. It is made with freshly grounded spices along with vinegar. Due to the Portuguese colonies in Goa state of India, this Vindaloo is very famous here too. After moving to the USA, I have always found this vindaloo curry on every …
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 …
Aloo / Potatoes are universal favorites. Every cuisine has a different and delicious way to make potatoes. Of all the vegetables, Potato is used widely in all regions of Indian cuisine. Each of these dishes is made either with simple ingredients or many regional ingredients to make a delicious potato dish. Of all the potato …
Barnyard Millet / Kuthirai vali arrisi is one of the positive millet that is a boon to human. Positive millets are those millets that help in curing any health issues or disorders. Hence their consumption is very good for health. The carbohydrate content of this Barnyard millet is low and it is rich in fibre. …
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, …
Kozhukattai is a quick snack or a fulfilling dinner for us. While we make other sweet variety of kozhukttais for chaturthi, we always make savory kozhukattais for dinner or a quick evening snack. Of the many savory kozhukattai we make, I love this curry leaves/karuvepillai ammini kozhukattai very much. Growing up, curry leaves was not …
Mushrooms are a naturally available source of Vitamin D. In addition, they are high in water content, making them a low-calorie food. The mineral Selenium found in mushrooms is great for bone health making them one of the superfoods. Mushrooms when combined with methi leaves elevate the nutritional level of the food. I tried this …
Chutneys are the best accompaniment for any tiffin. If you are a South Indian, you will agree to this. A flavorful and tasty chutney can make a wonderful breakfast. A train journey brings a lot of memories. Also, if you have purchased any food packets during travel, you would have tasted this spicy rail chutney. …
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 …
Kozhukattai is a famous South-Indian food that can be had as a snack or a fulfilling dinner recipe. Kozhukattais are very versatile and can be made with any grain from rice, wheat, ragi, or any millet variety. I try to include millets in our family diet regularly, mainly because they are complex carbs that are …
Raitha is an integral part of any biryanis, pulao, or mixed rice. Raitha can be made from vegetables, fruits, nuts, or a combination of them. While onion, tomato, and cucumber raithas are very commonly made, raitha with greens is a very healthy option if you like to include vegetables in many forms. This Spinach Raitha …
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, …
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 …
Mani Pittu/ Mani Puttu is a Srilankan recipe that is a combination of Idiyappam, puttu and kozhukattai. This is an heirloom recipe that had undergone many changes. Though it originated in Srilanka, it was widely made in many parts of South India. Recently many had forgotten this super tasty recipe. The process of making this …
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 …
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 …
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 has atleast two course. Usually it begins with sambar and followed by rasam. Rasam is an integral part of any south-Indian full meals. It is made of spices that can soothe the tummy after any heavy meal. While there are many traditional rasam varieties, I have used oranges to make this rasam. …
Mushrooms are a rich in Vit B, which is not very much available in vegetarian diet. It has no carbs and rich in water content. Hence it can be eaten without guilt by people who are in their weight loss journey. Also, the cooking process is very quick . Mushrooms are so versatile that they …
Paneer is a favorite ingredient for many from kids to adults. We can make any number of dishes with Paneer from paratha to curries, sandwiches and incorporate them into rice. It is so versatile, that it can be used in any cuisine. Being rich in protein, Paneer is a very filling one. While Paneer is …
Methi leaves is very healthy and rich in minerals. Methi leaves are great source for regulating the blood glucose levels, hence it is a good one for diabetics. When it is combined with dal, it makes an excellent source of protein. Methi Dal can be made in under 20 min for a wholesome lunch/dinner. This …
Beetroot is one vegetable that is rich in folate, and fibre. They have a variety of health benefits improved blood flow and maintaining the blood pressure. Oats is a whole grain that is rich in fibre. Fibre rich foods always keep you full for a long time and they are easily digestible. I paired Oats …
Breakfast and Dinner Recipes are very hard to think of. After a busy day, everyone wants a hot, and quick dinner recipe.. If you are looking for something like that, then this famous Tamil nadu style Rava Pongal is for you. Rava Pongal is very soft, delicious and quick to make. It is also very …