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How do you treat anemia in elders? Iron intake is not only important for young girls but also for elders. When my MIL came to spend spend a few days with us last month, I knew immediately on her arrival that something was wrong with her. For a person her age, she used to be very active, but she felt very tired and sleepy all the time. When we returned from a 2 day holiday after visiting her
Rava Kichadi happens to be one of my favorite breakfast or an evening tiffin to be enjoyed with dollops of ghee. My Grandmother got this recipe from a brahmin man who ran a quaint little hotel in the 60's and its been the most loved recipe in our family ever since that. This recipe also happens to be our family's lucky recipe as its been served to all the grooms who came to see the
Vazhai thandu / Plantain Stem which is also known as Plantain pith happens to be rich in fibre and also has many medicinal benefits. When my younger one was suffering from constipation years back, the Doctor advised me to feed him the juice extracted from the plantain stem as a natural cure. The juice is also given to young girls to attain puberty as it cleanses the Uterus in a natural way a
Poondu Sambar belongs to the typical South Arcot Cuisine that uses very less components for the main ingredient of a dish. I learned this recipe from my MIL and came to know that a sambar can be made with just garlic alone only after my marriage. This sambar does not have any other vegetables, not even onions and tomatoes that are used in almost all other sambar recipes. If you happen to lov
I love anything with vendakkai/okra and luckily it happens to be one of the vegetable that is loved by all at home as well. At my side of family, while we call this vendakkai gravy as puli kulmabu, in my MIL’s side they call it as Vendakkai Puli Pachadi with a slight variation in the recipe. I simply combined both the styles and started to make my own version which we all at home love. What
For a long time, I had thought a Pizza needs flour and yeast, until I came a cauliflower crust pizza on Pinterest and I was really intrigued by that idea. It had been on my mind ever since to give it a try and find out how it tasted actually. I hate wasting food and there are millions of hungry mouths and empty bellies around us and any wastage of food always makes me feel so guilty. This ve
Scones can either be had as a breakfast, brunch or as a snack. Scones are single serving cakes or quick breads that does not have yeast in them and an English version of our own Indian biscuits. Scones are very lightly sweetened and on occasions like high tea’s they are also lightly glazed on top. I have already made these Banana Cinnamon Scones which are so flavorful and this time chose the
I had always been a pen and paper girl ever since I started to save recipes as a little girl. Then started saving recipes in the computer even much before I started blogging. It does not matter whether you are a food blogger or not it is always handy to save them so that you can always go back and refer at a later date. Keeping that in mind, I would like to share with you all that T
The first time I saw Bialys was in a picture of a New york bakery shop (I believe it is Kossar's) neatly arranged inside a rack. They looked like mini Pizzas to me only to learn that they were not when I read the recipe for this month’s we knead to bake group. A Bialy is a round shaped bread with a depressed middle but not a hole like in doughnuts, and typically filled with cooked onions and
A few days ago both myself and my friend went on a shopping spree and the day we chose happened to be the most hottest day on record of this year’s Summer. More than the shopping we did, we stopped at several shops selling fruit juices as the heat was just unbearable. I was so glad that we both left our kids at home. Even imagining, handling both the kids and the baggages in that unbearable
A chaat is so incomplete without the dates and tamarind to spruce it up. This chutney is a very healthy one considering the ingredients that goes into it. This chutney is also known Khajur(Dates) Imli (Tamarind) ki Chutney. Though it is available at big supermarkets in bottled form, I prefer making it at home as it takes very less ingredients and also it is much more economical, super easy a
The Summer in Chennai is synonymous to Marina Beach, Molaga bajji, the crowd, balloons, fans and mask sellers, panju mittai (cotton candy), cone ice cream carts with bells and above all the sundal sold at the beach. There is immense pleasure in munching on them while enjoying the gentle chill breeze, listening to the waves lapping at the shore. This beach sundal recipe is an authentic one an
I’m a Lacto Vegetarian. Before you start thinking out loud, a lacto vegetarian diet includes all sorts of dairy products like milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, cream but excludes eggs. My Doc has been after me for a long time to include eggs in my diet, but for which I have yet to develop an appetite for. Recently I have started to eat eggs in the form of baked goodies and yes earlier I used to
Lychee / Litchi is a fruit grown in China and South East Asia that belongs to the soap nut family which happens to be rich in Vitamin C. Eating 9 lychee fruits a day, fulfills an adult’s requirement of their daily dose of Vitamin C says Wikipedia. But I hate this fruit like anything and never buy it at all. There is a reason why I never ask Hubby to go for grocery shopping because he h
One of my favorite combos with vegetables are potato and capsicum (bell peppers). In fact any thing with capsicum will do good for me. This side dish is a dry curry that pairs perfectly well with both rice and chapathis. As it is very easy to make, I prepare this curry in bulk and pack this for the kids with their chapathis by placing the subzi in the middle of the chapathi and roll them for
All these years, I thought pasta could be made at home only when you have a pasta maker at home but all that changed when I decided to make Lasagna sheets at home by hand as I do not have a pasta maker. If someone had told me that I would be making pasta from scratch a month ago let alone enjoy making it, I would have laughed at them, because seriously I had never even given it a thought. Wh
The most easiest, healthiest, chewy, homemade granola bars ever because it took me just 2 minutes to rustle up these bars. Isn’t that cool? 2 full minutes is all it takes to enjoy healthy snacking on the go. Also these bars do not use rolled oats and maple syrup unlike most of the granola bars, as they both come under imported goods in my place, cost a bomb. These bars takes just 5 ingredien
Torcettini / Torcetti are sugar coated, twisted cookies made from yeasted dough and have a bread-like soft texture on the inside while being crunchy on the outer. The caramelized bottom is the highlight of this cookie. Torcettini are smaller versions of Torcetti (meaning small twists), and these pear/ teardrop shaped twisted cookies are synonymous with the town of Saint Vincent in Valle d'Ao
The Word “Agua Fresca” means “Fresh Water” in Spanish and Watermelon Agua Fresca is a refreshing popular drink served throughout Mexico. As it is neither sweet and nor too heavy it is a perfect drink to quench your thirst especially during Summer. As Watermelons have 99% water content what better way to enjoy summer with this fruit to replace the salts we lose by sweating. This simple fruity
Panna Cotta is a classic and elegant Italian Dessert that will enthrall your guests when you serve this to them. I loved making this eggless dessert as Panna Cotta is the most simplest, quickest and easiest dessert that you could ever dream of making. It takes just 5 ingredients that are already available in your pantry. It also takes just 10 minutes to put this dessert together and the mo
My family needs a side dish compulsorily to go with Rice for lunch. They are not satisfied with just a papad or chips for the side dish. Having to think of some thing that does not get repeated during the week is one thing that I concentrate on. Though I sometimes feel so lazy having to come with something or other on a daily basis, it at least gives me the satisfaction to see that my kids a
I’m forever indebted to my younger son’s teacher for making him eat sprouts at last. I can’t thank her enough and words fail me. As many of you know how good sprouts are for you and the importance of its health benefits only increase manifold, especially if you happen be a vegetarian or vegan and depend on legumes and lentils for your day to day protein needs. Sprouting at home is one of the
A power packed meal to replenish yourself and to feed your body especially after a hard day at work is not so impossible if you happen to have all the ingredients at home. It becomes even more easier if you make and have a meal plan in advance. But no matter what and how much ever you plan, there is always a possibility for something to happen that may throw a spanner in your works and that
Of all the Andhra recipes, this mamidikaya pappu recipe (Raw Mango Dal) is my favorite. In fact I grew up eating this as a kid. A plate of hot steaming rice with this dal drizzled with a liberal dose of ghee along with an appalam/pappad is enough satisfy your hunger pangs during lunch. As my parents had settled down in Hyderabad after their marriage, my mom cooks recipes pertaining to An
I love vendakkai and my younger kiddo eats it raw and it happens to be a vegetable that is often made at my household. It is called as Bhindi in Hindi and okra/ladies finger in English. Many avoid cooking it as they become sticky and gooey on cooking and avoid it just for this very reason. As this stir fry remains dry even after a long time after cooking, it is very apt to pa
Paniyaram happens to be a classic Chettinad recipe that is usually had for breakfast or as an evening tiffin. They can be made either as a sweet one or a savory according to our taste buds. In my household everyone prefers the savory one very much and very recently I had exchanged my old pan for a new non stick pan as I felt that it gave good results. Paniyarams are a great way to
I await every summer for the bounty of raw mangoes to make their appearance so that I could make these Pachadi and enjoy to my heart’s content. “Pachadi” is nothing but a “relish” and this one goes especially good with rice. Mango pachadi is also present in the lunch spread made during the Tamil New Year. As the recipe is made with sour mango, sweet jaggery and slightly bitter fresh neem flo
I’m sure many of you are aware of the medicinal properties of basil leaves. But do you know the medicinal qualities of the basil seeds. Basil seeds are called as “Sabja Seeds” in Tamil and Hindi and is used in the making of a milk based drink called “Falooda” and other fruit juices as well. Today’s recipe is not even a full fledged recipe but it is to explain about the good qualities o
If you are on the look out for a sweet and spicy combination in a poriyal/curry for side dishes to rice, this is the recipe for you. As this curry is mildly spiced, the kids will love it. This curry tastes amazing and goes very well if had with a hot and spicy Kulambu rice. You can adapt the same recipe for good old potatoes as well but the taste will not be the same. As th
Ever had a cake for breakfast!!! Well if not, this will make a perfect Breakfast cake for you. This is such an easy peasy savory cake that’s adapted from Anjum Anand’s “Indian Food Made Easy” which I happened to borrow from the local library a few years back. That was the first time I chanced upon a savory cake that had vegetables in it and the recipe intrigued me. Despite
Whoever said that Soups are to be only enjoyed steaming hot and that too on a cold wintry day… This soup begs to differ on all fronts and the best thing is that this soup needs no cooking at all. Gazpacho is a Spanish style soup that is basically served cold/chilled, made from tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables along with spices. This watermelon Gazpacho is an adapted version of the tr
A perfect, white and soft bread is what you get by using this Tangzong method. This eggless bread recipe is perfect for making basic white bread at home which can be used to make toasts and sandwiches for breakfast. You can also bake this bread recipe into Dinner Rolls (Pav Buns) or as Stuffed buns. If not for the We Knead to Bake group started by Aparna, I would have never had a
Ever since I started using Couscous for Breakfast as Puttu, serving the kids in the mornings became such a breeze. But this is the first time, I’m using Couscous in a salad. With the summer building up to its peak, eating a full fledged meal is proving to be more difficult and having a wholesome diet with all the nutrients in a salad has become more than welcome. Indian summer salads use lot
The most easiest chocolate dessert that you can ever make and all it takes is just 2 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time to rustle up this quick chocolate dessert, which will be loved by kids and adults alike. The chocolate dipped almonds which I made along with these chocolate almond bark are so good to eat and will make a perfect Petit Fours for any type of party. When I was looking ou
Homemade Croissants has been on my wish list for a very long time and they were also the most postponed one considering the lengthy procedure. If not for the easy croissant recipe with the step wise instructions and the amount of discussions all the bakers of the We Knead to Bake group had, I seriously would not have considered to give this a shot. They turned out to be th
Easy pulao recipes such as this Mushroom and Peas Pulao will make a fantastic lunch box recipe both for kids and office goers alike. Pack this pulao for your kids lunch box, I assure you that the lunch box will come back empty and they will be asking you to make it often as well. As both the mushrooms and peas have high protein content and when combined and cooked along with rice, t
I can never forget the moment, when I tasted the awesome Puttu Kadala Curry at my neighbor's home for the first time. A typical preparation belonging to God's Own Country ~ Kerala, that the recipe has become so synonymous with the state itself. As the Kadala Curry is protein loaded and rich with the coconut gravy added to it, it makes a healthy and nutritious breakfast when eaten
This chocolate peanut butter will be your own homemade version of Nutella, if you happen to love it and eat it by spoonfuls. Yumm..., right. Whenever I think of the fact that I actually went and bought a peanut butter jar from the shop only to give it away to a friend as the kiddo did not like it and I myself did not know what to do with it many years ago, I feel like kicking myself,
Hey People!! So, How is everyone doing? Its been a long time and I did take my time this time to return that it almost feels like I'm coming out of hibernation as well. In my opinion every passing year is becoming more and more cold and even Chennai, where it feels like summer always was very cold this year. But guess what Spring is in the Air and it is time to shake of the
I love a good homey chocolate cake. It would be even better if I can rustle it up in a jiffy, one that does not require a whole lot of pots and pans which means a lot of cleaning up after the eating is done, one that takes only one bowl for the entire thing.... Too much to ask for right. But that is exactly what I made when I tweaked this One bowl Vanilla cupcake recipe into a fu
Its been a week since Hubby presented me with a DSLR camera for valentine's day and it would be an understatement if I say that I had been obsessed with the new toy. I'm still getting used to it and had been practicing like crazy but unfortunately my laptop died on me. This is what I say is perfect timing. It is going to take another 2 or 3 days for me to get my laptop back and I had no pl
Sago kheer happens to be one of my favorites as long as someone else makes it for me. Both the kheer and myself never got along well until a few years back and to be particular, before my marriage. We both date back to my school days and this kheer just curdled into one lumpy, ugly mess when I made it for the first time. My brother had called me to inform me that he won in a big competition
No matter how many side dishes you may have in your repertoire, you are always left wondering when it comes to preparing side dishes for rotis. At least that happens to be true in my case. It becomes even more tough when you do not happen to have any vegetables at hand and all of sudden guests drop by unannounced at your door step. That is exactly what happened last Friday. As we had a 3 day holi
In my household, as far as soups go, I do not have the luxury of opting for any shortcuts like using store bought bouillon/soup cubes which can save a hell lot of time. Arjun loves soups and I try to make a soup at least once in a fortnight and it has to be from scratch. Usually, I just make a plain tomato soup for him but recently my kids have taken a sudden affinity to pasta. Earlier they us
So, how warm is warm enough, asked my friend. She meant the water’s temperature for proofing the yeast. When I started out with yeast, even I used to wonder the same as I did not have a thermometer to check on the temperature and still do not have one. To get the perfect raised dough, the proofing of yeast is very important and if the water is not hot enough the dough will not rise or if the wate
My love for oranges is known to everyone in my family. I love citrus flavors very much and among them oranges are my favorite. I love the color and also anything and everything made with oranges. To prove my point, I have an Orange bread, Vegan Orange Cake, Shortbread Cookie and a delicious, mouthwatering Orange Kheer that will be a perfect dessert and not to mention a drink that will whet your a
Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal and also celebrating 6000 Facebook Likes. I feel so humbled with all the love being showered on me. The Second day of the pongal festival is also called as “Thai Pongal” and I had been very much busy with cleaning home, purchases and other related activities to celebrate the festival. In the 4 day long festival, my favorite is to eat Chakkarai Pongal that
Do not be surprised by the heading because what you read is correct, it took me all of 5 minutes to put together this bread and look what a beauty is has turned out to be. I still find it difficult to believe that to get a decent bread it just needs 5 minutes of our time. With this bread, you are hands free and there is literally no kneading required at all. But I do love kneading not that
We, The Gourmet Seven are back with a bang and from this month on it is only going to get better with a few more foodie friends joining us. This month we chose to cook some gourmet party food from the BBC Good Food site and I chose this Pizza recipe as I was sure that my kids would love it very much. After all what is a party without a Pizza, right. It came out fabulous but of course I had to mak
Wishing all my friends and readers a very Happy New Year. I wanted to ring in the New Year with something sweet. So, sharing with you all here is an eggless coffee cake that I made before New Year which I took to my native place where we celebrated the new year with all my relatives. As I had mentioned in Mocha Muffins post, except me all my relatives are hard core coffee addicts and I knew this
