where recipes are made …
Carrots have always been in the wishlist for everyone at home. With many variations of this carrot curry around, I have my own version that my LO at home love to eat. With a tint of ginger added, it has a unique flavor and taste. Carrots are rich in beta carotenes and are one of …
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 …
வாழைத்தண்டு (Banana stem) is a fiber-rich vegetable that comes from the very noble banana plant. The versatility of banana is very well known, for every part of it is useful to mankind in some ways. Banana stem is available throughout the year in India, while in the US, I find it very rare. While I …
Ulli Theeyal(உள்ளி தீயல்) is a coconut-based Kerala dish, that I make when I buy fresh coconut. I have tried this with dry coconut powder and found the difference when it is made with fresh coconut. “Theeyal” means burnt. The taste of this curry truly depends on the level of coconut is fried. Theeyal can be …
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, apologies for the delayed posts. Been a while that I posted here. However, I did click some pictures and will be posting here regularly. Cabbage- Peas Poriyal (கோஸ் பட்டாணி பொரியல் )is a simple poriyal and rich in taste. We can see this poriyal commonly in marriages and functions. Cabbage curries bring out a good volume for …
Vazhaikkai poriyal is our family favorite. Every household has a different style of this versatile vegetable. My family too has different ways of dealing with this vegetable. Vazhaikkai can be used to make kootu, stir fry, deep fry, roast, etc. My H loves this poriyal and I usually make this for him. This version is …
Potatoes are universal favorites. Every cuisine and every family have their own favorite recipes made of this loyal vegetable that is incredibly tasty. From mashed potatoes to bakes and fries, potatoes never let our hands down. They are so versatile that they can prove themselves towards whatever method it is being treated to. Of the …
This is no fancy recipe. Green beans boiled and sauteed with mild flavors is a commonly found lunch sides in many of the restaurants here. I buy green beans whenever I see them in the market. Usually, beans poriyal or Paruppu usili is what I make. My Husband was insisting me to try this at …
Kuthi Vangaya Kurra is a brinjal curry popular in the region of Andhra. This gravy is rich in flavor and taste with its smooth paste blending together the south Indian spices and cooked alongside Indian eggplants a.k.a violet brinjals. The same recipe can be followed with green Mirchi replacing brinjal. Though I have tried the …
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 …
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 …
Surakai kootu ( Lauki Kootu) is a simple kootu and best combo for Vathal kulambu. The sweetness of surakai/bottle gourd balances the spiciness of any south -Indian curry. Surakai /bottle gourd/lauki is rich in water content and often is used in Indian cooking. A wide range of dishes ranging from soups, main course to dessert …
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 …
Yellow Pumpkin/ Parangikka is one of the sweet members of the pumpkin family. In the part of the world where I live, this pumpkin is found on anything and everything in the harvest month of October. From what we see, hear and taste, we have had pumpkin in desserts from cakes, pie, and to a …
Apart from the curry, kulambu, poriyal – kootu varieties that occupy our palette every day, there are some days of the week when the taste buds just need some subtle powders and thokku. One such is the Dal powder a.k.a paruppu podi. Hailing from the southern state of Andhra (O.k. Telengana? – O.K. No comments. …
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 …
There are some traditional vegetables that bring us their exotic flavors when cooked at the right consistency with mild spices. I always experience that cooking vegetables like okra or brinjal is a little challenging. Might sound a bit weird right? Yes, but too much or less of water added to this will definitely ruin their …
Porikadalai thogayal is a no- fancy recipe. I have been away from blogging for quiet a while and back now, looking for some comfort food. The seek for these simple foods comes after those elaborate feast at family weddings that we had over the last couple of months. One such comfort foods that we had for …
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 …
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 …
There are some tired days when we want a quick fix meal. Although one-pot meal comes in handy, we always want some accompaniment apart from the papadam/ appalam and pickle. One such is the raita. While I was doing my grocery shopping this week, these colorful organic rainbow carrot bags got my attention. I quickly …
Making a two or three-course dish for the lunch is a part of our household. Though variety rice or one-pot meals come in between, people back at home prefer to have a quick fix meal that has a kulambu, kootu/poriyal, and complete off the lunch with curd and pickle. A wee little bit planning makes …
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 …
Dal is an integral part of any Indian meal. Whether you come from North, South, West, or Eastern part of Indian, every cuisine has dal included in some form. Bengali cuisine usually consists of rice and fish as their staple food. However, most of them observe at least two or three days of strict vegetarianism …
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 …
Mezhukupiratti is a Kerala dish that often finds its place in the Onam sadhya. This simple side uses very minimal spices, yet gives a strong flavor and taste to the dish. Mezhukupiratti is often made with vegetables like green bananas(Vazha mezhukupiratti), Yam ( Chenai Mezhukupiratti), Ivy gourd ( Kovaikkai Mezhukupiratti) Long beans (Achanga Payir Mezhukupiratti). …
Gourds are groups of vegetables that include, but not limited to pumpkin, squash, and cucumbers. The gourds may be hard or soft-shelled with seeds in most of them. The gourds are commonly found in South and South-East Asian countries and have an important place in Indian cooking. They are so versatile that it gives immense …
Gongura / Sorrel leaves are an important ingredient in Indian cuisine especially in the regions of Andhra and Telangana. If you visit any Andhra restaurant or mess, the complimentary spice caddy will be filled up with goodies like gongura pachadi, Andhra parupppu podi, and Avakkai. There are also various dishes from Pappu to Gongura mamsam …
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 …
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 …
The Onam festival is celebrated for ten days in Kerala with pomp and show. On the final day – the Thiruvonam, a sumptuous and elaborate Onam Sadhya is cooked and served on a traditional banana leaf. The Sadhya consists of Upperi, Thoran, Kalan, Olan, Eriserry, Pachadi, Kichadi, Avial, Sambar, and many more. In this Onam …
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 …
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 …
Molagootal is one delicacy in Kerala cuisine. It is also popular among the Palakkad Tamils and hence they are famous in Tamil speaking households too. Molagootal can be made with mixed vegetables too. However, molagootal made with fresh greens/ Keerai tastes great. Keerai Molagootal is made with spinach greens, amaranth greens, or purslane greens. The …
Vankaya Bhajji is an Andhra delicacy that is very simple to make. Pulusu, Bhajji is usually served in the lunch menu in many Telugu households. I tasted this Vankaya bhajji at a restaurant a few years back in Chicago. Though there was a lot of menu in the buffet, this one tasted very yummy. I …
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 …
Ivy Gourd/ Tindora/ Tendli/ Kovaikkai is one least looked on vegetable. It is not very commonly seen in my grocery store. However, when I find them, I grab some of them to make poriyal, chutney, and this Dondakaya Vepudu. The first time I tasted this Dondakaya Vepudu was in an Indian restaurant back in Chicago …
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 …
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 …
Guthi Vangaya Pulusu is a very famous pulusu made in Andhra. Pulusu is a very common tamarind based curry made in Andhra regions. Generally vegetables are slow cooked in tamarind broth with basic masalas and finally tempered. Brinjal is a very favorite vegetable commonly used in Andhra cuisine and brinjal in pulusu tastes great. Some …
Orange is an immunity boosting fruit rich in Vitamin C. Orange peel is also beneficial with the presence of immense nutrients in them. The skin of Oranges have fibre and polyphenols that are great against many diseases. The limonene present in orange skin has ant-cancerous properties. Indian food as such make good use of the …
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 …
Plum is one of the stone fruit that is available for a certain season of the year. We love eating them as such, however, when we got a box of plums, we could not finish them. The three of the plums were ripe and I wanted to put them to good use. I decided to …
Mushrooms are a great source of vitamins. Mushroom Pepper Masala is a very common recipe/dish that is available in many Indian restaurants. It is prepared with Mushrooms on a gravy and topped off with freshly grounded pepper corns. Mushrooms are a large source of proteins if you are a vegetarian. I was not a big …
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 …
Every South-Indian meal has a kulambu, rasam and curd. These are paired up with portal , varuval or Kootu. Though it is not possible to make all these varieties on a single day, there is at least one of them in the lunch menu. We love Kootu as they it makes a complete meal by …
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 …
Tomato is a fruit available throughout the year. Tomatoes are so versatile and they are part of main dishes, appetizers, jams /jellies, and even pickles. Pickles are a major part of Indian cooking and Summer is a season of pickles. I usually make pickles with Mango and Lemon in the summer season. This time on …
Keerai / greens are a great source of Iron. It is good to include greens in our diet. Back In India, we can find a variety of greens. However, we can only find a few varieties like Kale, Chard, Moringa, and Spinach. We often make Spinach Dosa, Spinach Molagootal, Andhra Pappu, and Palak Paneer. Sometimes …
Sadhya Meal is a sumptuous one with at least a minimum of 20 tasty Kerala recipes. When it comes to the flavors, Kerala cuisine uses mild spices that are native to land. The use of coconut oil elevates the taste of any Kerala recipe. Thoran, Kalan, Olan, Puliserry, Eriserry, Pachadi, and Kichadi are a major …
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 …
Whenever we eat heavy meals on a festive day, the next day calls for. a simple lunch. Simple Lunch means it either has some rasam, thogayal, or a flavorful Podi with some ghee or gingelly oil. In our household, I always stock up on dal Powder/ Paruppu Podi and this flavorful Dhaniya podi. This Dhaniya …
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 …
Pregnancy is an important phase for every women and recovery after childbirth needs to be done cautiously. In early ages, where medical facilities are less and most childbirth was done at home, the diet that was followed postpartum helped in the healing process. Most of the foods given to new moms included peppercorns against the …
If you are a coconut lover like me, then Kerala dishes will be top of your list. The freshness of Coconut when added to any dish elevates the taste of the dish many folds. From kootu curry to thorans and avial, their taste gets elevated with the addition of fresh coconut. One of the very …
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 …
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, …
In our household, any medicinal Kulambu is done after the day of heavy feasting to balance the digestive health. One such is this Inji Kulambu / Ginger Kuzhambu. This Kuzhambu is made with fresh ginger pieces grounded with spices and cooked on a tamarind broth. It is finished off with some gingelly oil and jaggery …
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 …
Every South-Indian lunch menu has at least two – to a four-course meals. Normally Sambar, rasam, and finally curd is served to finish off a meal. While there are many curd-based dishes, in South-Indian cooking, this morucurry is my favorite. If you have a fridge clean-up day or days without any vegetables at home, you …
Podis are best companions for Idli, dosa, or rice on a busy day when there is less time to make an elaborate meal. We love our podis and this Pudhina podi has become our household favorite. While we like to add. a spoonful of this with rice and ghee, the kids love to eat with …
Green Leafy Vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals. Chettinadu Keerai Masiyal is a very tasty and healthy recipe that can be eaten with rice or served as an accompaniment. They are creamy in texture and mildly spiced making them kids-friendly. This masiyal can be made with any variety of green. The addition of dal …
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 …
Vathals and Vadagams are very commonly made in India during the summer months. Vathals are usually made with different forms of vegetables like brinjal, ladysfinger, and bittergourd. These vegetables are parboiled in water and sun-dried for -5 days depending on the heat. After completely dried, they are stored in an air-tight container and fried when …
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 …
The one plant that is edible in any form is the Banana tree. Of this, I love raw bananas very much. Vazhaikkai/ raw banana is used widely in South-Indian cooking from curries, kulambu, avial , poriyal , podimas , kootu and varuval. It is very versatile and blends well with any form of food. I …
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 …
There’s one plant /tree that every part is used in cooking and edible is the banana tree. Every part of the banana tree, from the stem, flower, vegetable, and fruit is edible. Raw Banana/ Green Banana is a versatile vegetable that can be made shallow fried, deep-fried, in curries, and roasted. Of all these, a …
Indian spices are rich in medicinal values. Every spice has medical benefits to cure cough, cold, indigestion, and congestion easily available in the Indian Pantry. Of these the one spice that aids in indigestion disorder is the carom seeds/ Omam/ ajwain seeds. Omam is very versatile, that it can be even given to little babies …
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, …
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 …
Karuvepillai is an important ingredient in any southIndian food. Though its presence is very prominent, most of the people throw them away. However, Curry Leaves is a very nutritious and healthy ingredient. It is very rich in Iron and anti-oxidants. After a heavy Deepavali meal, I decided to make a simple, and healthy meal. I …
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 …
Gobi/ Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be used in various cuisines and in different forms from soups to curries to fry. Gobi Tikka is a very traditional dish made from fresh spices and cooked in a tandoor. I have used the air fryer to make this Gobi Tikka with only one tablespoon of …
A very simple, colorful and delicious Pomegranate Raitha. Pomegranate is rich in a variety of nutrients from Vit.C, Iron- an important one for women and children. While pomegrante can be eaten as such, you definitely have to try this Pomegranate Masala Raitha. It is easy to make, healthy, fresh and colorful. It is definitely a …
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. …