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Now that the dark cold days are gone, it is time for fresh vivid and lively food. Salads perfectly fall into that category. As some of you may have known, I was not a great fan of Salads until I taste the pine nut caesar salad at "The Melting pot" and after that salads feature regularly once a week in our dinner table. I have become a great fan of radish salad especially with a tangy dre
A very usual combination for idly/dosa is sambhar or chutney or Milagai Podi (Gun Powder). The chutney are usually made with coconut or Onion and tomato. But this Andhra bowl is quite unique and different from the regular chutneys we make. The instant sourness followed by the stinging heat from the chilli is sure to liven up any drab meal as well as your taste beds. Don't you worry, you can always
Nothing quite reminds me of summer as much as the smell of mangoes. Every night after dinner sliced ripe mangoes were our dessert. The smell of the fresh ripe mangoes fills the entire house and it urges us all to gather around the table at once. Sometimes we used to fight over for getting the mango part with the seeds on. Though licking and sucking are not the elite table manners, it is heavenly.
Fennel seeds are a big turn off for me. I would not be able to digest even an iota of fennel seeds in my dish. However my taste buds did a big leap quite recently when I tasted Rosh Bora. Its the aroma and the scent of those crushed fennel seeds that made me like the entire dish. Even though I started appreciating their taste from then onwards, am yet to get fond of them. So I was really worr
Sindhi cuisine native to the Sindh region, now in Pakistan is rich, dynamic and varied as any other Indian cuisine. The Sindhi region belongs to the Indus valley civilization - an ancient Indian civilization Mohenjadaro. As wheat is the staple food, parathas and rotis are more common. One such variety is Masala Koki - A Sindhi paratha that is crispy and flaky unlike the regular ones we
The previous post was about making simple easy handmade recipe cards. Well for the final post of this month's long marathon, it is about recipe card holders. Another simple and an easy DIY. I have shown two types of card holders. One is a newspaper box and another one is like a stand. For the newspaper bag follow the same instructions as mentioned in my previous post Newspaper Bag DIY.
The best way to make your loved ones to rejoice is by gifting them handmade things. There may be tons of beautiful, cute, fancy things out there. They may be cheap or worth your every penny and you may be even ready to get them. But if you just pause and think for a moment, you will realize that things that you personally gift them are more valuable than those goodies. Even the simp
Another DIY for gift packing. Pillow boxes made with either cardboard or to make your life easy with toilet paper rolls. Well for people in India the second option is mostly ruled out. Making it with cardboard is also a simple process. This is one of the simplest DIY. Does not require much time. This can be used to pack candies, chocolates and nuts etc. If you can make a bigger size this can very
For the past three days we have discussed seen different edible gifts and how we can wrap it with things easily available. Similarly in today's post you will see how to make a rustic paper bag to carry these items. To be precise newspaper bags. If you are wondering what to do with your old (not very old) newspapers, this is one of the best way. These cannot be classified as trendy or sop
Yet another edible gift mainly for Indian occasions. Jamuns. I know you are licking your lips with a big Hmmmm! Who does not like this melt-in-mouth soft spongy balls soaked in sugar syrup ? Well the regular jamuns can be served for guests that come to your house whereas the dried ones are suitable to be gift to anyone on any occasion. Baking cups have a multi purpose use. Not only for
Edible gift is becoming more common nowadays. Along with flowers and teddy, you also get a box of chocolate, sweets like Rasgullas, dry fruits etc. I like the idea of giving a basket full of dry fruits to someone you care. Especially on occasions like Diwali these can be gifted as well. Since Indian cooking has an extensive use of dry fruits, this might be a very thoughtf
It all started a year back, when I had to quit my lovely job and become a stay-at-home. The initial days, in fact the initial months were a bliss. I could kiss honey good-bye, go back under my comforters once again and back into my utopian world. Those ecstatic days slowly turned into boredom. Thats when I started exploring this blogosphere. This became one of the mean
I have never known that soups can be served hot and hearty as well as cold and refreshing! I had a bunch of cucumbers that had to be finished within a day. There were too many to make our usual salad or a raita for just the two of us. So as usual I was goggling for some cucumber recipes and stumbled upon this which said chilled cucumber soup. I was surprised. This was the best way
Vasantha Neer - An exotic drink from the kaveri belt of South India. Vasantham means pleasant and neer is a drink. So it is literally translated to a "Pleasant drink". A very interesting name. Sweet as well as slightly tangy and both perfectly balanced. Mango and coconut water being readily available during the summer, this drink is very refreshing and apt for cooling down the summer heat.
Pesto, a sauce native of Italy is a universal and an adaptive dish. It can be used as a sauce for pasta, mixed with rice, or used as a spread etc... Generally a pesto contains olive oil, garlic, basil, pine nuts and Parmesan. This is traditionally prepared by coarsely crushing these ingredients in a mortar and pestle until they form a creamy consistency. Pesto is a generic term for anything that i
This is one veggie that is not often cooked at home rather never cooked at all. But after tasting it once, this has become a frequent guest at the table. Indian style Brussels dry curry with rajma. This is a very interesting vegetable that can be easily adapted to the Indian way of cooking. This can be had plainly as a salad or with rice as a side. They are abundant during th
One of the most aromatic herb used in cooking would be mint. The moment you take it out of the grocery bag, the entire area around you would be minty. Powerful yet an approved fragrance. It is used in many dishes to impart flavour and is extensively used in the Indian kitchens. It is used in preparing Briyani, mint tea, mint lemonade and esp in south India, it is used to make pudina
When it comes to eating, each and every one has something to say. Some even take pride in preaching this to others. Out of the so many free advises, seasonal cooking is the only thing that I (try to) pay attention to. There are so many benefits on following seasonal cooking. Apart from being cheap, it is in its best shape and form; appears very fresh and there is a significant
In India, no summer passes without having this lively energetic drink. You will be able to find it in every convenient store and with every street vendors. A simple but the best thirst quencher. I always thought that lemonade and nimbu paani were same until recently. The only difference is that Nimbu Paani has salt and sugar directly added to it whereas for a lemonade sugar syrup is made and there
Indian cooking has been significantly evolving over the time with a perfect blend of various culture and ages. Due to numerous cross-cultural interactions within and from outside, both its culture and its cuisine has become diverse and adapted. So is the present Tanjore cuisine adapted form the Marathis during the Maratha reign. Over time it has become the Tamil common man's food.
Idly and Dosa being the staple dish of the South Indians and consumed almost everyday for breakfast, we have quite a few options for its accompaniment. Each one has their own taste preference as to what to have. Some like (me) like the fiery Milagai podi (Gun powder!) or some like to have different chutneys or some have sambhar poured all over the dosa and few (again like me) like to mix all
Two weeks of successful Blogging Marathon and now its the third week with "Seasonal Theme". As it is Spring/Summer in most parts of the world, you will find a weeks full of refreshing and energising recipes to enjoy the spring. Mother nature is always surprising and strange. There is one half of the world praying not to have a scorching summer while the other half is in desperate ne
An authentic sweet delicacy from the Kaveri Delta region. Suitable for festive seasons. Sugar syrup coated crispy pooris with a sweet coconut and roasted gram filling. Pictorial representation SURUL POLI | THANJAVUR SPECIALCrispy and sugar coated rolls filled with sweet coconut fillings . Tradtional Thanjavur Sweet for special festive ocassions.Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: Und
The Thanjavur cuisine is influenced more by the Marathi cuisine as well. The well known tamilian dishes like idly, uthappam, sambahr have come form the Marathas Kitchen. The genesis of this dish sambhar has an interesting tale linked to it. Sambhar was developed by the Maratha king Shahuji, who is also a great cook. He was fond of Amti (a maratha dish made with Kokum). One pa
This used to be my everyday snack after coming from school. There is a bakery shop nearby my house from where my mom used to get cakes, chocolates, buns savouries and lot more... There were no calorie restrictions and no weight watchers and parents also didn't mind as long as they are hygienic. Do we like it or not was all that mattered. Innocent and guilt free.
This is one of the classics from South India. Healthy and a very filling steamed rice dumplings. Thanjavur now more commonly known as Tanjore (with accent) is world known for its arts and paintings. Tracing its roots to the historical golden era of the early 18th century, Tanjore artwork is one of the many indigenous art forms for which India is noted. Fine artistic work, use
More Koozh or More kali is a tangy and a spicy porridge cake made with rice flour and buttermilk. Perfect light tiffin for after school/work. Whenever there is excess curd, it either becomes more kuzhambu or More koozh at home. A rare and a unique dish from the Thanjavur region that is not well known outside of Tamil Nadu. This is the kind of dish that either you fall in love with it or just
For the past one week, it has been raining occasional festive recipes on this blog. So for the last two days under the Occasions theme for this BM, it is going to be party food. In a social gathering inevitably there will be many kinds of people, which means varied taste and preference. So as a hostess it is easy to think of something that is appealing to many. Paneer is one such hit in all t
Tamil Puthandu marks the beginning of Tamil New year. One of the special dishes on this festive day is this raw mango pachidi whih is the representation of the six tastes. Sweet, bitter, sour,salty and spicy. symbolically says that our lives should be well balanced with everything. MAANGAI PACHIDI | RAW MANGO PACHIDI | TAMIL NEW YEAR SPECIAL .Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: Under 15 Mins
The word Krishna brings us an image of a naughty boy gulping down the butter or a cute little boy amidst the damsels enchanting them with his flute! He is known for his "Leelais" (pranks). Fondly called as "vennai Thirudan" (Butter Thief) and his liked by everyone in spite of his mischievousness. His Birthday is celebrated by Hindus as "Krishna Jayanthi" or Gokulas
Navrathri is a Hindu festival celebrated for nine days. Nava means Nine and rathri means night. Nine forms of Goddess Shakthi is celebrated on each night. This is also celebrated throughout India with slight variations in each region. Up in the North the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi or Dussehra. The legend says that lord Rama killed Ravana on this day after a ten day battle. People cele
Vinayaga Chathurthi is a spectacular festival celebrated in the honour of Lord Vinayagar/Ganesha. The moment we hear of Ganesh chathurthi we are reminded of Bombay. Though this festival is celebrated all over India, it is the most happening in Bombay and Goa. The occasion becomes very lively and enthusiastic with the devotional songs, dances and drum beats being a part of the rituals observed
Fridays are considered auspicious by Hindus and they pray to Godess Shakti (or her other incarnations). Thai Velli (Friday) and Aadi Velli are very significant. In all four days (Fridays) of the Tamil Thai month, we worship Goddess Shakthi for leading a successful life. Similarly in the Tamil month Aadi, we pray to Goddess Durga. Generally Pooja is done at home and an o
Food and special occasions always go hand in hand. A simple celebration or a festive celebration; apart from the getting together with the loved ones and enjoying the moment, sweets and savouries delights us. Every occasion has some signature dishes. So for the first week of Mega Blogging Marathon you will get recipes that are made during the Tamil festive occasions. Check out the o
A simple and a easy lip smacking dish that comes very handy. This is multi dimensional and versatile in use. This can be used as a chutney for Idlis/Dosas/Chappathis, it can be used as a pickle for curd rice and also can be mixed with plain white rice. This dish certainly jogs good old memories. As my mom had to leave home very early in the morning for work, she always resorted to
Garlic is best known for imparting flavour in dishes and it is native to Central Asia. One clove is enough to impart so much flavour into a dish. The ancient Indians valued the medicinal properties of garlic and thought it to be an aphrodisiac. In the ancient times, garlic was used in Ayurvedic medicine. According to ayurvedic system, tt was thought to possess five of the six rasas or taste
Kuzhambu is a quintessential dish for us South Indians. Some kind of sambhar (with veggies) will definitely be there in a South Indian household. Especially if there are older generations in your house, it is a everyday meal even both for lunch and dinner! We mix this with rice and have some stir fried veggies on the side and on weekends also a papad. During my childhood d
A perfect snack in the afternoon that would carry you until dinner. Grab it with your hand and dip it in any dip and bite through the juicy crispy and flavourful eggplants. This simple dish is for third week of Blogging Marathon under "Sandwich with no Bread" theme. Check out the other Marathon bloggers here.Crispy Juicy Eggplant Fries CRISPY EGGPLANT SANDWICHPrep Time: 5 Mins | Cook Time:
This never ending winter makes me lazy to the core. As it is I am one. Don't feel like cooking anything elaborate and whenever I can I make large portions and reserve some for the next days. There was some pancake batter leftover from the weekend. I just wanted to use them up soon but didn't really feel like having it drenched again in a sugary syrup and cream cheese. :) Thats
There is something magical about these mashed potatoes. There are no wonder ingredients in it. Just the good old potato and cream and yet it tastes so delicious. I have just had them a couple of times and fell in love with it. I wanted to have them again and this time something different from the regular stuffed potatoes. Thats when I found that there are salads with cucumber and mashed
Home made stuffs are always a treat. One can instantly find a class apart difference between store bought items and home made and more cheaper. So is this home made paneer. Once you get to make this at home I bet you ll never turn to the store for getting these. Certainly this needs no introduction. Paneer Butter Masala, Palak Paneer, Paneer Saag, paneer Tikka Masala - who is ignorant of the
Tabbouleh is a Arab Salad and traditionally served on a lettuce. This is a classic dish that brings out the wonderful flavours of fresh herbs. Arabic cooking is full of flavours and aromas, that are moderate and harmonious. Herbs are used in almost every type of dish. Parsley, Mint, Coriander and Dill are the herbs of the Arabic herb world. This dish uses all of the mentioned herbs
These thinly sliced small radishes fascinate me a lot. Simply because I love that combination of white and the vibrant pink outer.Wish I could have captured what I am saying. Duh! This camera let me down! Well not exactly that way, you know what it is! ;) ;). Anyway I always eyed this on the market and walked away without getting them. After so many days of pondering and wonder
I have never had parsnips before mainly because I have never seen it in the market back home. For those of you like me, parsnip is a root veggie and can be cooked like potatoes. They are best in soups and taste equally good when it is roasted with spices and herbs. I got this recipe from Wholesome kitchen and adjusted it according to my pantry ingredients. We lazed around our weekend eve
For some reason this year I was not so very keen on making anything fancy or shower my spouse with surprises. He, as always was never keen on this. We just wanted to have quality time with each other in the evening after work and some comforting delicious food and oh I forgot! definitely at least one valentine letter mail. Yes! Am an old school teacher who thinks letters are always the best f
How would it turn out ? Will it taste good ? Hope I don't waste the entire thing. These were my mind ramblings when I decided to do whole grain bakes for BM. I was very skeptical about the texture, taste etc... I never thought wholegrain bakes are as yummy as the regular ones. Baking with whole grains can be difficult at first as you might see a slight change in texture and taste. But o
A perfect snack with a cup of tea, a healthy filling breakfast and can also be eaten just like that. These stuffed savory goodies are perfect for anytime. This is for BM - 25 and check out the other marathoners here. STUFFED BUNS Inactive Time: 2 hours 30 minutes Active Time: 15 minutesIngredients For the outer covering1 Cup Whole wheat flour 1/2 Cup All purpose flour 1 Tbsp Red&n
Quick Breads as the name implies are breads that are made quick without being fermented or kneaded. Its a North American term for breads made with chemical leavened like baking powder without the use of yeast. It was developed by the end of 18th century when pear lash was discovered. Pear lash is a refined form of potash, and it produces carbon
Bengali's are known for their sweet tooth. A typical Bengali meal ends with curd and something sweet. Rosh Bora, is a traditional Bengali sweet. One of the yummiest recipes of the Tiger state, apart from the famous "Rasgulas and Sandesh". To the Southern people, it is tweaked Vadai sans chilli and soaked in sugar syrup. While preparing it, I was a bit skeptical on how it would taste.
Simple is the key word for food in East India and this "Kumro Chenchki" is a classic example of that. The "panch phoron", a five spice mix unique to the East Indian cuisine is used for tempering in stir fry veggies flavouring the oil.. It is a mix of equal quantity of Cumin seeds, Black cumin seeds (Nigella), Mustard Seeds, Fennel seeds and Fenugreek seeds. Kumro Chenchki , a simp
