Brinjal Sambhar| Kathirikkai Sambhar

Sambar (சாம்பார்),- flavour of every south Indian home. This south Indian delicacy is a must-do on auspicious days. The flavour that it renders makes a divinity feel on every south Indian home. There are many ways to make a delicious Sambar and every region in Tamil Nadu follows a unique style. However, the Tirunelveli Sambar …

Rava Kesari

Rava Kesari – a simple, noble, and easy to prepare South Indian delicacy. A quick fix dessert that comes in hand when we have unexpected guests around. Also called sooji ka halwa or sheera in the northern parts of India, this subtle sweet just differs in its consistency, though their ingredients are the same. While KesariAdd …

Ulli Theeyal

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 …

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice (தேங்காய் சாதம்) is a very simple and common variety rice made in all SouthIndian households. With many variations from family to family, I follow this version given here. Though I am not an ardent fan of this coconut rice, I make it when I have plenty of fresh coconut at home. I remember those …

Channa Dal Sundal

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 …

Kalkandu Pongal

Kalkandu Pongal (கல்கண்டு பொங்கல்)is a simple one-pot delicacy that can be prepared for neivedhyam during the Navratri days. My H likes it very much, though I don’t prepare it that very often, maybe 2 or 3 times in a year. I don’t get the small-sized diamond kalkandu/sugar candy here, but only the rock sugar variety. …

Coconut Ladoo

A sweet beginning for this Diwali. I am sure that everyone around the globe is gearing up for Diwali celebrations. With Diwali around the corner, the busy ladies will be hitting the kitchen to bring out the flavors for their family and friends. It might not be easy for all the moms to make elaborate …

Ribbon Pakoda

Ribbon pakoda/ ola pakoda/ ribbon murukku – All mean the same. I am pretty sure that it has got more such names in different areas of Tamil Nadu. This is an easy snack for this Diwali, provided you have the murukku press with the ribbon pakoda stencil. I know that making murukku is a big …

Pottukadalai Murukku

Pottukadalai Murukku is one of the tasty members in the murukku dynasty.:-) The basic ingredient is the rice flour and is combined with powdered roasted gram dal. The color of this murukku is definitely a treat to the eyes. With the addition of roasted gram dal powder, the murukku renders a cream color. They are …

Vazhaikkai Poriyal

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 …

Wheat Appam

We make appam for Vinayagar Chaturthi. I also find some people making it for Karthigai deepam. This year Karthigai deep is celebrated on November 26th, 2015. We usually make pori, payasam, and vadai, along with the man vilakku. Though we do not make appam for this festival, it might be useful for those whose families have the …

Upma Kozhukattai

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 …

Vazhaipoo Vadai | Banana Blossoms Vadai

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 …

Kuthi Vangaya Kurra

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 …

Mor Kuzhambu

Mor kulambu is a very common recipe in many households. I make this then and there when I have surplus yogurt left. Authentically, it requires at least an hour to soak rice+ toor dal to make mor kulambu. But the given recipe does not require any soaking. Even if we forget to soak the dal …

Surakai kootu / Bottle Gourd Kootu

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 …

Methi Matar Malai

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 …

Ragi Dosa

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 …

Ridge Gourd Kosthu

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 …

Quinoa Bisibelabath

Bisibelabath is yummy South- Indian delicacy from the Indian state of Karnataka. I have had this for few times while in India. Though it may look like sambar Sadam of Tamilnadu, it definitely tastes different from the proportion of different kinds of spices added to it. Authentically, bisibelabath is prepared with rice and toor dal …

Black Urad dal Dosa

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 …

Yellow Pumpkin Kootu

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 …

Paruppu Podi

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. …

Thuvaram Paruppu Sadam (Urad Dal)

Thuvaram Paruppu Sadam (Toor Dal Rice)

Toor dal rice / Thuvaram Paruppu Sadam is a delicacy that is very popular in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of TamilNadu. This one-pot meal is an easy one to make and is an alternative to those days when you want to make sambar, but find no time. Thuvaram Paruppu Sadam need not be confused …

Kuzhi Paniyaram

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, …

Thenkuzhal Murukku

The Tamil month of Aavani brings in festive flavors to the household, Starting from Krishna Jayanthi, it is continuous to Vinayagar Chaturthi, Diwali, and Karthigai Deepam.  Of all this, Diwali is one funfilled festive that is close to my heart.  When I begin to pen down the Snacks for Diwali, Thenkuzhal is the default recipe …

Andhra Puliogare

Puliogare is one variety rice that pops up in mind when ever I think of it. Being a south- Indian with various options for one pot meal, Puliogare stands first  when we are planning travel or a potluck. Though it is a known recipe for every one, there are numerous ways of preparing it. In Tamil …

Omapodi || Diwali Recipes

The blogosphere is full of festive recipes. I love savories over sweets. South- Indian savory list is endless. Some are very spicy and some are very subtle, yet tasty. One such less spicy savory that are kid-friendly and elderly-friendly is – Omapodi. Omapodi is made with gram flour and rice flour with the star ingredient …

Mini Jangri

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 …

MILAGU KULAMBU

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 …

Ashgourd / Poosanikkai Rasavangi

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 …

Short Bread Cookies

Today is the official first day of Winter. But don’t ask me, its been snowing crazily over every weekend and we have been making snowman the third time until now. Come winter and here is the holiday season. Holidays call in for baking, and here is a basic foolproof recipe of shortbread cookie. This basic cookie …

BENGALI BHAJAMUGER DAL

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 …

Vazhaikkai Kola Urundai

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 …

Semiya Kesari

Semiya / Vermicelli is one kitchen ingredient that I love a lot. Yes, in my household, I am the only one who loves semiya upma. Basically, my H is not fond of Semiya at all. I usually buy the smallest pack that is available in the grocery store just for myself. The least I do …

Podi Uthappam

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 …

Achinga Payar Mezhukupiratti

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). …

Sweet and Lemon Sevai

Sweet and Lemon Sevai

Sevai is a very tasty South – Indian tiffin recipe. When you have a packet of ready-made sevai, your option to make a tasty meal is endless. From Sweet to Savory, Sevai is so versatile that it can be tasty food. Though a ready-made sevai is easy to prepare, we need to know the exact …

Patnam Pakoda

After school snack is always important when there are school going kids at home. Most of the days there is some fruit along with crackers on weekday evening since our dinner time falls over quickly. The scenario is not the same on weekends, especially on a Friday, where the schedule changes over. So Friday snack …

Peanut Rice

Peanuts are a wonderful source of protein and fiber. Peanuts are high in protein, calorie-rich, less in carbohydrates, and make you fill with a handful of them. Peanuts are an essential part of cooking in most of the South- Indian variety rice. It is also our pantry staple. I came across this peanut rice in …

Paal Kolukattai

Paal Kolukattai is a very tasty traditional sweet that has numerous ways of preparation. This is very famous in the Chettinad area of Tamil Nadu and authentically prepared with jaggery and coconut milk. Some people also make it with regular whole milk and sugar or jaggery. This kolukattai is underrated because of its appearance like …

Snake Gourd Kootu

Snake Gourd kootu / Pudalangai Kootu

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 …

Rasgulla

If you are a sweet tooth person, this sweet delicacy will definitely be on the top of your list. Rasgulla and gulab jamuns are distant cousins that have some things in common, yet are very unique in their own style. Rasgullas are very famous in the Eastern part of India, especially in Kolkatta. Rasgulla tastes …

Gongura Pachadi

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 …

Arisi Thengai Payasam

Arisi Thengai Payasam

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 …

Pepper Thattai

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 …

Jackfruit Payasam

Jackfruit is one of the very tasty tropical fruit. In India, Jackfruits can be seen in many people’s backyard. Jackfruit is a bit tricky and time-consuming to clean.  However, the taste of the fruit is worth the time spent cleaning them up. This Jackfruit payasam is very famous in Kerala and is called as Chakka …

Kerala Pariuppu Curry || Onam Recipes

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 …

Beetroot Kalyana Pachadi

Beetroot Sweet Pachadi is a must-have dish at the wedding menus. If you are a 90’s kid, you will know of this sweet pachadi that is served in lunch or reception menu at the weddings. Early last month, we did vegetable picking and had lots of beets that were leftover and needed to be preserved. …

Keerai Molagootal || Spinach Molagootal

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 …

Kesar Shrikhand

Shrikand is a yogurt-based dessert that is popular in North- India. Shrikand is usually loaded with mild spices and served chilled during festivals and celebrations. It is one of the important dishes made during Janmashtami. The usual spices that are added to a shrikand are elaichi, kesar strands, rose water, rose petals, pureed mango. Each …

Nellai Ulundhu Kali

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 …

Aapam (Without Yeast/ Baking Soda)

After all that busy holiday feasts, followed by the busy shopping, the Indian taste buds always demand us for those homemade, traditional, comfort foods. While I know how busy this long weekend would go, I planned this guilt-free, soft pillow-like aapam ahead and left them in my oven to ferment overnight ( Grr.. Mine almost …

Sakkarai Pongal

Sweet Pongal or Sakkara Pongal (சக்கரை பொங்கல்)is a famous sweet in south India, especially Tamil Nadu. This is cooked with newly harvested rice from the field at the juncture of the Pongal/harvest festival, which is predominantly celebrated in all parts of the state with great pomp and show. Marking the commencement of the year to …

Chettinad Kola Urundai Kulambu

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 …

RUMALI ROTI / Roomali roti

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 …

KERALA PINEAPPLE PULISSERY

Pulissery is a very famous Kerala dish that is usually served on a sadhya meal. Pulissery is made with different kinds of vegetables/ fruits like Ashgourd, Pineapple and Mango. It is prepared with a freshly grounded coconut paste along with sour curd. Though it is a yogurt based dish and may look like the Morkuzhambu …

ARACHUVITTA PULI KULAMBU

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 …

ORANGE SKIN/ PEEL PACHADI

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 …

CUSTARD POWDER HALWA in 15 mins

Custard Powder is a mixture of milk proteins and cornflour along with a little amount of sugar in it. The custard flour is available in stores in different flavors like banana, strawberry, oranges, and Mango. Each of the flavors has a unique taste in them. Custard powder is used as a base to make fruit …

CELERY STALK CHUTNEY

Celery is a water- rich vegetable that is commonly eaten raw alone or as salads. Celery has zero calories and hence it is a part of many people’s diet and in  weight loss. Celery stalks are also added in soups and smoothies. While it is good for health, the flavor of celery is very strong. …

PLUMS THOKKU

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 …

TIRUNELVELI SODHI KULAMBU

Say Tirunelveli, there are a lot of regional speciality from this district in South TamilNadu. For every one who knows the name of this city, the immediate one is the famous Iruttu kadai Halwa. Thesecond top on this list is Sodhi Kulambu that is unique to this region and cannot be found in any other …

SOOJI KHEER

Sooji/ Rava / Semolina is a very easily available ingredient in Indian households. The tradition of making some sweet on the last Friday of every Tamil month is followed in our households. For a Friday Pooja, I made this easy Sooji kheer with simple and easily available ingredients in the pantry. In under 20 mins, …

QUINOA DATES KHEER

Quinoa is one of the popular grain that is widely used these days. Though it originated in the South Americas , it has gained popularity in the recent few years in Indian cooking. It has much more fibre content than rice and hence people are opting for different ways to include Quinoa in daily diet.Quinoa …

KARNATAKA STYLE GOJJU AVALAKKI

Aval/ Avalakki/Poha is a very common breakfast ingredient that is used in many different ways It is easy to make and yet tasty too. There are lot of poha versions and every region has their own recipe. This GOJJU AVALAKKI is a very famous breakfast recipe from the state of Karnataka. It is made with …

WATERMELON RASAM

Water melon is a summer fruit that is rich in water content. After coming back from the scorching sunny day, we need to quench our thirst with this water rich fruit. Water melon by itself is sweet and there are a lot of recipes that can be made from it including sorbets, popsicles, drinks and …

UDUPI HAYAGREEVA MUDDI

Hayagreeva Maddi is a very famous dessert made with bengal gram/ channa dal and jaggery. It is often confused with the Kamala paruppu payasam or with the Pooranam/ sweet stuffing used to make puli and Modakams. But these are definitely different from both of them. The consistency of this hayagreeva Maddi is more of a …

APPALA KOOTU || APPALAM KOOTU

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 …

URAD DAL CHUTNEY

Chutney and Sambar are vital in a South-Indian breakfast. While Idli and Dosa are great breakfast options, the chutneys that pairs up with them, make them more interesting. I make chutney with onion, tomato and vegetables, I also love making them with dals. Refer to Chutneys in the website.One such is this tasty Urad Dal …

ALOO METHI

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 …

KERALA ADA PRADHAMAN

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 …

PULI ILLAKARI KULAMBU

A South-Indian meal has a kulambu, poriyal or kootu along with rice and ghee on a daily basis. Of this kulambu, some of them are made with dal and mostly with tamarind. After delivery, it is suggested that the moms eat healthy to heal themselves as well as foods that help in nursing babies. For. …

KESAR RAVA LADOO

It’s that time of the year, where everyone’s home and life are lit up with joy and happiness. Diwali is a time where the family gathers up for the celebration. To add more joy to the celebrations, sweets and savories are prepared and shared. A quick and tasty sweet like this Kesar Rava Ladoo will …

Spinach Murukku

Diwali means there is some deep frying that is mandated. Though sweets are super delicious, I just love the crunchy, crispy savories. From Murukku, thattai, and karasev, the savory list is my preference. How about some vegetable factor added to these crunchy savories for some goodness? Yes, I tried this SPINACH MURUKKU some days back …

Kerala Thengai Chammanthi

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 …

GUJARATI DAL

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, …

RUSK HALWA

Halwa is a traditional sweet that can be made with flour, vegetables, and even fruits. How about trying halwa with rusk? For most of us, teatime is not complete without those one or two pieces of rusk. While I got the rusks for this purpose, I had almost half a packet of them, left untouched. …

Inji Kulambu || Ginger Curry

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 …

MLA Pesarattu (Andhra Pesarattu)

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 …

Chettinadu Keerai Masiyal

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 …

Drumstick Leaves Thogayal

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 …

Srilankan Manipittu || Mani Puttu

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 …

Sun-Dried Cluster Beans/ Kothavarangai Vathal

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 …

Hotel Style Kara Kuzhambu

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 …

Godhumai Rava Payasam

Payasam is an important party. South-Indian meal. Every festive meal in South India usually consists of poriyal, kootu, Avial, Pachadi with a three-course meal of Sambar, rasam, vathal kulambu and thayir . This is usually ended with a tasty payasam. Payasam is usually made with rice, millets, dals, sago, veermicelli, and fruits in a jaggery …

Cabbage Thoran

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 …

Sathur Milagu Kara Sev || Pepper Kara Sev

Saathur is a small town in the southern part of Tamilnadu. It comes under the Virudhunagar district of Tamilnadu. Saathur is very famous for its cottage industries that are many source of income for its residents. Apart from these cottage industries, Saathur is very famous for its Karasev. If you belong to Tamilnadu, you might …

Rose Lassi

Summer is a time when we always feel the need to quench our thirst. apart from water, some cool drinks and juices bring in some sort of freshness to a thirsty throat.  Juices and Drinks are made with fresh fruits, milk, yogurt to cool down the body. Of all the summer drinks, lassi is our …

Vazhaikkai Puttu / Raw Banana Puttu

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 …

OMAM KULAMBU || Postpartum Recipes

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 …

Tirunelveli Idli Molagai Podi

South-Indian breakfasts are very satisfying and tasty. The main staple breakfast items are Idlis and Dosas with an array of accompaniments including chutneys, sambar and podis. Though I make different types of chutney, my family always wants their Idli molagapodi with their Idlis and Dosas. There are many ways to make the Idli podi. Some …

BUN DOSAI || AVAL DOSAI

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 …

Hotel Vegetable Dum Biryani

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 …

PAVAKKAI PITLAI KULAMBU

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, …

Orange Rasam

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. …

Spicy Kara Boondhi

It is that time of the year, where we don’t might on the calories. Diwali is an important festival celebrated all over India with great joy. While I try making different sweets and savory every year, there are some standard recipes, that are very special and brings nostalgic memories. One such is the karaboondhi that …

GARLIC KARA SEV

Kara Sev is a variation of murukku which is usually spiced with pepper or red chilli powder along with flavors from different combination of spices. While I love pepper kara sev, specially the thick ones, I also equally love this garlic /Poondu kara sev for it outstanding flavors. The combination of garlic/poondu with omam just …

Karuvepillai kulambu

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 …

Spicy Pori Upma

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 …

Methi Dal Tadka

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 …

Masal Vadai

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 Garlic Pickle

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

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 Thogayal

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 …

Oats Puttu

Puttu is one of the very famous breakfast recipes. It is very famous among malayalis and made with a variety of grains. Puttu can be made with rice, red rice, ragi , and wheat flour. I tried making puttu with oats flour. It is very easy to prepare and stays soft for a longer time. …

Paneer Kali Mirch

Paneer is a favorite for everyone including kids and adults. There are many recipes that can be made with paneer ranging from main course to sides, drinks and starters. Paneer Kali mirch is a very flavorful dish with fresh flavours from Pepper. This is definitely different from the buttery paneer butter masala that is commonly …