Khandvi

Ever since I started blogging, these pretty khandvi's had been in my to make list. Come on, there would be hardly anyone who wouldn't notice them. They are so pretty that you just can't resist to taste them and once tasted, you will fall for it. 

Usually when I give a try for the first time, I make it during snack time, so that if it doesn't come out well or if it is not liked by anyone, they would have an alternative in the pantry to go grab some quick bite. When I tried these the first time, Jacob thought I had really put in a lot of effort to make these. When he tasted it he liked it and then started asking how I made it and he too was amazed that these pretty looking khandvis are quite easy to make. They look so much more pretty for the least effort that goes into making it. So if you too want to try making it, here is the recipe.

Methi Dal Curry / Lentil Curry with Fenugreek leaves

As the weather starts giving the signs of winter approaching, we reside to comfort foods to be made at home more often. Dal is something I associate eating quite often, while growing up. I remember me complaining to my parents that I am tired of eating dal and I wanted something else to be served. But my parents made sure it is made often because apparently dal is good for growing kids. 

Now as  a mother, I ensure we do include dal in the menu quite often because we too have a lil one who is growing just too fast. But to avoid monotony we make slight variations in dal curry, that no one complaints. This dal curry has some homegrown and freshly picked methi/fenugreek leaves that went into it. It tastes amazing, we poured over some steaming white rice and topped with some ghee. Ahh, now I am hungry !

Peanut Balls/ Chikki Balls/ Kadalai Urundai

One big addict to these yumm chikkis is at my home. Jacob just loves it. When we go shopping he always keeps saying that he just can't find out one thing among so many things in an isle. But somehow, when it comes to finding out chikki in an isle, he will hunt it down somehow. 

After our marriage it didn't take long for me to realize that he liked it. As every grocery shopping list would have it included. He gets overjoyed to see it and they vanish quickly too. So we tend to make it often at home these days.

Stuffed Ladysfinger / Bharvan Bhindi / Bhindi Sambhariya

Watching television was never an addiction to me and after having Jordan I ignored it purposely to reduce screen time for him. But at times to keep my sanity I switch it on for him. One day accidentally I saw some basics of cooking being taught in a food channel and they were showing 3 different dishes with one single vegetable. The veggie being okra, which is a family favorite I chose to watch it. Thankfully Jordan cooperated as he started imitating the lady by cooking in the vessels he borrowed from mamas kitchen. 

The recipes were simple and that we usually see or eat everyday. But everyone has got their own version and this version sounded cool. So I made a note of it and tried it. It was a hit. So here is the recipe that I got hold of and is a keeper.

Lady's Finger Stir fry/ Vendakka Mezhukupuratti / Okra Stir Fry (Indian style)

I have seen many people hating Lady's finger for their mushy or gooey texture. Frankly, I too hate it for the same. But if cooked in a way that they stay separate and not clinging onto each other with those gooey texture, I love them. It would be one veggie that I would so love to have and so does my family. 

Now, how to get that perfectly done lady's finger is not rocket science. You could refer to tips section to know how. BTW, have you noticed, that the way you cut your lady's finger, decides its taste. I usually go by cutting them vertical, thin and long. I find it more tastier than the horizontal, disc shaped ones. Am I sounding weird or have you too noticed it? Before, I confuse you or make myself sound like one idiotic person to you, let me put a full stop to this conversation and move on to the recipe for the day.

Curd Rice

The most comforting food is what I would want to describe, curd rice as. I just love having it and my lil monkey has also taken over that love for curd rice from me. So we make it often. With the rise in temperature, this is one perfect lunch option. That random bite on juicy pomegranate seeds is one big thing to like about it. But unfortunately, now pomegranate is not in season. But that doesn't stop us in enjoying this delicious crud rice with some pickle and papad. Perfect ! 

Enjoy this curd rice this summer. They are perfect to cool down when it is super hot and boiling outside. Here is the recipe to it.

Kadai Bhindi Jalfrezi

Capsicum and okra are our favorite veggies. And when they come together in a single dish it sure gets a thumbs up. 

This kadahi bindi is one big hit at our place. It goes equally well with both rice and roti. Though my favorite combo is this stir fry paired with some tadka dal, roti and mango pickle. It is just yumm.

Tuna Thoran

I have been meaning to try this recipe for a long time. I had got the canned tuna and had been sitting in my store for so long. But since the expiry of these canned tuna is long I kept on procrastinating. Every time I procrastinate, it makes me think of one of our professors back in college. Every time someone would delay in submission of assignments or projects he would be like "What were you doing? Sitting on it and hatching eggs?" :P It used to be so hilarious but that atmosphere wouldn't be the right one to just laugh our lungs out right, because the professor might have been actually scolding someone. Anyways, this recipe has been pending for so long that I finally thought of trying it. And guess what, I always have canned tuna fish handy these days, in case I might want some non-veg side to prepare in just matter of minutes.

This recipe is from Nisha's blog. The very look of the picture on her blog made me tempt and wanted to try it. It is a slightly tweaked version of how my family likes it. Trust me you got to try it to enjoy what you have been missing.

Butternut Squash Erissery

The one thing I am thankful for is that my family is not very particular of having just the Indian veggies for our meals. We do cook any other veggie available, the Indian way and love them. Butternut squash is just one of them. When made erissery out of them, they are just perfect to even serve it for sadya. Since Vishu is almost around the corner, I thought I should be publishing this post for you guys to try for Vishu Sadya.

If you happen to be living in a place where butternut squash is available everywhere, but pumpkins are rarely seen, other than during thanksgiving, then this is one thing you should try, to relish on something similar to what your taste buds have been used to. Here's how to make it.

Chengodilu

The weather has been so unpredictable recently. Last week, I thought that summer was almost here when it was too hot during the afternoons. And all of a sudden it is raining today and will be raining for the rest of the weekend too. So we are stuck at home. 

Its spring break here and with the kid also at home, we have been doing so many activities together; even cooking. And he loves it. One way to make someone eat something that they hate is to make them cook it, so that they appreciate the effort it takes to make it and the thought of having worked on it makes it interesting. So the same is the strategy that I have been doing with my kid too. Thankfully he will not get to know, untill he learns to read it here so I am safe... he he.

Green Chilly Pickle / Green Chilly Achar

When I say Chilly pickle, my taste buds just go out of control. I can literally feel my mouth flooding with water. And then I start walking down the memory lane which includes a red chilly pickle and Alice aunty. Once, Alice aunty came home after she went for pickle shopping. She brought in some red chilly pickle and gave us some to taste. Wow, super hot but delicious it was. I still remember having it with hot chapathis. It was heavenly.

I had never ever had such a mouthwatering pickle before. They were so good. While I was making this pickle, all the while I kept thinking about the red chilly pickle I had years and years ago and if only I could recreate that recipe. If you have a recipe, please do send me. I would be so grateful to you.

Mangalore Buns

I was introduced to Mangalore buns by one of my colleagues. It seemed like she just had one breakfast option and that being Mangalore buns. She would always and always order Mangalore buns for breakfast. Back then I had no idea what made it so special because I had never tasted them. The day when I had these, I understood why my colleague had been so hooked to these fried bread. They are yumm. Best part, you don't necessarily need a side to go with them.

To use up the over ripe bananas, this is one great option. My husband loves Mangalore and has lived there for couple of years. But for some reason he never got to hear about them or have it. So the first time while making them, he showed least interest in it. But when he got to taste it, he says he has yet another reason to love Mangalore :). Ohh and my lil one, who is otherwise a picky eater, loves it.

Custard Halwa

Happy Diwali to all. We don't celebrate it but having brought up in North India, it definitely gets real nostalgic every year when Diwali comes. We have been sharing pics of Diwali sweets over the family whatsapp group for the past couple of days. Everybody is either making it or getting it from the market to refresh the memories of Diwali spend in the small township that I was brought up in. Getting days off from school or work was always the highlight. But nothing can beat the fun having some diwali sweets or snacks and busting crackers with friends in our neighborhood. Ahh well, those days are gone, having left us with some memories to cherish.

That last minute rush to make some goodie for festivals is always there. No matter what the festival is. Well at least in my case it stands true. I go for the last minute rush. Even though I would have made n number of things , I might just add up one more thing to make it even more memorable or interesting. If it stands true in your case too, then this might be the last and right thing to make this Diwali. A halwa that hardly has anything fancy involved but would definitely have its absence been felt if not put up on the menu. So grateful to have found this recipe while I was so badly craving for sweets having gone through so many Diwali posts from fellow bloggers and friends. Made me calm down the cravings so easily :). So go for it, this Diwali. 

Rice Murukku ~ Spicy version

With Diwali approaching, you might be spending a lot more time in the kitchen preparing all the snacks and sweets for your family and friends. Sweets are one important thing on the menu and so are snacks. I still remember having Dahi Vadas, Chaats, Chakli etc along with the sweets, which our neighbor aunty used to serve us for diwali. Yum they were. Years have gone by but those days and memories are still so fresh. This spicy version of chakli is something that you should try to add a little variety to usual murukku/chakli that you make. If your family loves spicy food then I bet this would definitely be a hit.

This recipe just happened when I was trying out some other snack and it usually takes a lot of time, but I had to head to some place in an hour and just thought of giving it the murukku avatar instead. It wasn't a flop at all. My lil one loves spicy food and when I made it, he kept coming back to me asking "Eruvulla murukku Tharamo" meaning "Can you give me the spicy murukku". 

Ghugni Chaat / Curried Green Peas (Vegetarian's Chilli)

Childhood friendship is always beautiful to remember at any point of our life time. I had friends who were my classmates as well as neighbours too - Shammi and Zammi. We were always spotted together. I remember their mom making this Ghugni quite often. Their birthday parties were incomplete without it. And everytime I had it, it tasted yummier. My family is not a big fan of dried yellow peas, so it was never or very sparingly seen at our home. So that could have made it more special. 

The other day when I was prepping to make some dry peas curry, I thought of making this ghugni chaat for tea time. Both son and father scrapped off their bowls :). The father had heard about it multiple times from me when I would be repeating stories from my childhood and had never shown any interest in it. But when finally it was served to him, he was like "You should make it often. Its like the vegetarian's chilli". Oh yes, might sound funny, but I don't know if it is the chopped red onions on top and the cumin and pulses that make it taste so much similar to beef chilli. So we have this recipe saved for the lent to have vegetarian chilly if craving for beef chilli...he he..

Aloo Parantha

Stuffed paranthas were always my favorites. While in school, mom used to pack these for lunch occasionally. I was a picky eater then, but the aloo paranthas would vanish from my tiffin soon, compared to anything else.

Luckily I married the guy who shared the same taste as mine. So I would make the mix the previous day that could help me make these paranthas real quick, for breakfast on working days. I would then have it with tomato sauce/pickle and he would have it with raita. My lil one is also a big fan of these stuffed parathas. Infact, he loves the thin version of these parathas. Hence, you see a thinner aloo paratha here. I have been asked many times by my friends and relatives how I get to make it thin without the mix bursting out of the paratha and the trick lies in the consistency of the mix.

Prawns Pollichathu

We don't have prawns served at our place, very often. My lil one doesn't like it. But rarely, when we make it, we try different dishes with prawns to try it ourselves. Last time, we bought it, we thought of making this Prawns Pollichathu. It tasted awesome with some steaming rice.

Have you tried Meen Pollichathu that I had posted a long time back. It is one of the popular posts on blog. We love it anytime. We wanted to create something similar with prawns and it was not disappointing either. It was a great side to go with rice and buttermilk to make our lunch so finger licking good. Here is how we made it.

Kerala Parippu Curry

Onam is fast approaching. Sadya is what comes into my mind when I speak of Onam. We don't usually get to eat food on banana leaf, otherwise. So, Onam Sadya is so looked forward to. Last year, we managed to make a mini sadya at home, for the first time, after having Jordan. We made the pookalam too. The little one was too excited that all the effort seemed, so worth. The other day when I told him that onam is in like a weeks time. He said he wants a sadya. My jaws dropped. I didn't expect him to remember last years celebrations. But he remembers every bit of it.

I remember asking my parents to take me for a sadya at the karshaka market (that is the place were we would get sadya served on banana leaf) when we came to kerala during one vacation. My Mom laughed and said, "usually kids ask for biriyani or porotta-chicken or icecream treat etc. But I asked for sadya". I guess my kido has also gone after me. He loves the whole sitting down for sadya and having the spread infront of him on banana leaf. Ohhh...I just can't wait to have sadya now.

Homemade Ghee

Ghee - This gold liquid is something that I would always have in stock. Making it at home used to look tedious to me whenever I saw my mom separate the cream from the milk everyday and store it in the refrigerator untill she would have collected enough to go for a batch of ghee. The cream would be churned into butter and then converted to ghee. And the greasy dishes would be another task to clean once done with the entire process.

Back then the case was different. The milk would be coming from a well known source and fresh with no adulteration. It would be still warm when delivered and more importantly full fat milk. So we had cream to remove from milk before we consumed it. But now in the market bought milk, which is cut down in fat, you cannot expect to do that. There is hardly any fat in it. So we get to make ghee from store bought butter. So there is no hazzle of fat removal from milk or churning into butter that is involved. But when you compare quality, I would definitely say the ghee made by my mom was the purest and more flavorful than the one we can get from the store bought butter. But if you can't source the purest and full fat milk where you live, you could go ahead with this simple method to have some ghee handy in your pantry.

Kovakka Kichadi or Ivy Gourd in yogurt sauce

Onam Sadya has a wide list of items on the menu and one of it is Kichadi. Pavakka Kichadi and Kovakka Kichadi is equally liked by all of us. We go with making of either one of them for the sadya at home. And it is not something that appears only for onam. We make it very often esp. in summer.

My MIL always makes us some pavakka kondattam and packs it to take home after vacation. She once tried kovakka kondattam too when she had too much kovakka from her kitchen garden. We liked it too, but not as much as pavakka kondattam. So we used to fry it and make kovakka kichadi out of it. They were superb that way. And far easy rather than slicing and frying the kovakka for kichadi. So if you have kovakka kondattam in hand, try making kichadi out of it. Its an instant one but tastes so good.