'Boondhi' is derived from the root word 'boondh' which means drops or droplets. It involves the process of dropping the chickpea flour batter from a perforated ladle, and the round droplets frying to a crisp in the hot oil. The boondi adapts well to sweet as well as savoury flavours. This recipe here is the … Continue reading Kaara Boondhi / Khara Boondi
Gulab Jamun / Gulab Jamoon is one of my most favourite sweets since childhood 🙂 In fact, one of my favourite pastimes back then was to collect all the sugar syrup after the jamuns were eaten up, and then eat it out of a bowl with a spoon! I cannot even imagine doing that now, … Continue reading Gulab Jamun made with Homemade Khoya/ Khova/ Mawa : Step by Step
Day 7 of Navarathri - A savoury and tasty Thattai Payir/ Kaaramani (Cowpeas/ Lobia/ Black-eyed Peas) Sundal, tossed with idly milagai podi ! Thattai pair / Kaaramani as it is commonly known here, is mostly available in the white, or red variety. This delicious sundal is flavoured with Idly milagai podi, for a fresh twist on a traditional … Continue reading Thattai Payir/Kaaramani (Cowpeas / Lobia / Black-eyed Peas) Sundal with Idly Milagai Podi
For Day 4 of Navarathri, a very traditional dessert dish - Semiya Kesari ! A pudding style sweet dish, traditionally made in our house for festive occasions. Very quick to make (takes all of 10 mins) and tastes delicious! Hello all! 😀 It is day four of Navarathri today, and I see a lot of people … Continue reading Navarathri Special: Semiya (Vermicelli) Kesari, Step-by-Step
Happy Navarathri !! A while ago, I had blogged about Navarathri festivities at our home here along with a basic sundal recipe. This year, we're not setting up the dolls or having any festive celebrations; however, I will blog the recipe for one type of Sundal each of the 9 days 🙂 A 'sundal' in Tamil … Continue reading Navarathri Special Sundal Recipe: Brown Channa (Chickpeas)/Karuppu Kondakadalai Sundal
Vatha Kuzhambu ("vathal" meaning fried, and "kuzhambu" meaning curry) is one of the star dishes of TamBrahm (Tamil Brahmin) households. It is a curry made solely with tamarind broth, without lentils, and it typically may or may not contain vegetables. It usually consists of a type of "vathal", like the sundakkai vathal, or manathakkali vathal (as in today's … Continue reading Manathakkali Vatha Kuzhambu with Shallots/Small Onions/Chinna Vengayam (With Garlic Recipe) – Step by Step
The Banana tree (Vaazhai maram in tamil) is sacred to Indian culture. In South India especially, the tree grows abundantly and is an important part of both culture as well as cuisine. Even blessings in tamil contain the name of the tree, thats how important this is! 🙂 The tree is such that no part … Continue reading Vazhaithandu Thayir Pachadi/South Indian Style Banana Stem Raita/Yoghurt Based Dip
Modhagam / Modak / Kozhukattai is said to be the most favorite offering (naivedhyam in tamil) of the benevolent Elephant-God, Vinayaka, remover of all obstacles (according to Hindu mythology). His birth is celebrated as a popular festival, Vinayaka Chaturthi, all across India. Different states of India submit different offerings for this day, however, this … Continue reading Thengai Poornam Mothagam/Modak/Kozhukattai for Vinayaka Chaturthi (Steamed Rice Flour Dumplings with Coconut – Jaggery Filling)
This is an authentic Karnataka dish - the name translating roughly into Hot Lentils Rice. It is a staple breakfast/lunch/sunday brunch item in all Kannada households. Being from Bangalore myself, I love this dish in no small measure and we frequently prepared this at home on sunday afternoons 🙂 The tamil version of this is … Continue reading Bisi Bele Bhath (Rice with Lentils and Vegetables)
a burst of flavor 