Simple and Delicious !

Thick Tomato Curry / Thakkali Chutney

2009-07-09T15:29:00.005+05:30

Once my Daughter asked "is tomato a fruit or vegetable?" I had no doubt to reply it is a vegetable. She smiled " Yeah, that's why Encyclopedia Britannica explains farmers say tomato is a fruit , but those who love cooking says tomato is a vegetable....!" Any way this doubt has never arisen in my thoughts all these years.... :) Whatever it is , I liked it very much , in raw form or cooked.This

Baby Food - Wheat Cereal / Godhambu Kurukku

2009-07-01T08:25:00.007+05:30

Welcome to all young mothers and those who eat all yummy baby foods! ;) I can boast to any one that my kids have grown up without eating much ready made baby foods since a big amount of cerelac I bought for them have gone to my stomach! Yeah, they don't like, but I like. That too directly from the can, without adding water.. :) I have seen some taking this wheat cereal / godhambu kurkku , for

Beef Biryani

2009-06-25T09:22:00.013+05:30

Can you imagine of a period when biryani was not much famous? Yeah, mom remembered an incident that happened during her child hood.The day was her cousin's marriage (mom now in her fifties) and lunch for the bridegroom's people were arranged at bride's place.At that time biryani was not much a well known dish in Thrissur, and it was mostly cooked by the Muslims of North Kerala. Mom's uncle wanted

Chammanthi Podi / Roasted Chutney Powder

2009-06-18T09:03:00.006+05:30

Am scared to look at those serious faces! Years back, the picture was different. I have seen parents talking with others while waiting out side of a Dr's room, when I was a child.Nowadays people are more cautious and many don't speak to strangers, and some are stubborn to give a smile back. Moms from the previous generation are more innocent, who would never give up a chance to talk! When I look

Easy Butter Chicken

2009-06-10T11:34:00.007+05:30

Though I have posted a butter chicken recipe earlier, I had been looking for a simple recipe and found a similar one in two or three different websites! This is so easy to prepare, no frying needed.You can serve this thick gravy with rice, roti, parotta or bread!IngredientsChicken pieces 1 1/2 cupsonion 2 medium sizestomato 1 big ripealmonds 10cashews 3garlic paste 1 tsp / 3 big garlic

Cabbage Dal Curry

2009-06-03T12:07:00.006+05:30

Summer vacation is over, last week was so hectic with packing things, calling friends.. While getting up, only thought in mind was what to cook simply today,not in a good mood to try out any thing new, or to call grocery for things..I checked fridge and there were a piece of cabbage with a pale face and a capsicum waiting for their turn...I was afraid to leave it again thinking about the

Green Peas Pulao / Pilaf

2009-05-27T17:02:00.006+05:30

Pilaf / pulao is a simple form of making rice dishes mixed with meat or vegetables. Mine is a similar version of biryani, which is born once during usual experiments in the kitchen. So you can call it "green peas biryani" too. I made this for dinner with butter chicken, and was loved by everyone. It has been long since I participated in any blog event, so after a long time, sending this to

Sweet Bread Balls

2009-05-19T17:49:00.007+05:30

What would you do with the leftover food you have? I have seen many of our food bloggers have published recipes with leftovers. I too use it in many ways.Here, my kids have a slogan "eat old, get old"! :) As a food blogger I get lots of chances to handle it, hm? ;)I have met some personalities who do not touch leftovers.. If they are allergic or they have some health problems I would have agreed

Mint and Lemon Juice - A Green Cool Drink For The Summer

2009-05-13T17:28:00.007+05:30

We have some mint / pudina plants in the back yard. Our helper often said she has seen some people drinking the juice of mint regularly and is there any benefit for this. Though I know mint has many health benefits we used it only while making biriyanis, or making chutneys / pudina chammanthi, or just added in raita. I think mint tea is popular worldwide. Mint is very good for stomach disorders

Goan Fish Curry

2009-05-06T18:15:00.007+05:30

Before trying a Goan dish, I thought grinding is a part of Kerala cooking only.Most of the Keralites are always fed up of grinding batter for idli,dosa, or blending coconut for milk or paste or making chammanthis... Mixie or mixer grinder often stops working and many are still in search of a good mixer grinder. Even last week I checked the 'blades' of many brands, and was not satisfied! Some

Simple Cabbage Salad

2009-04-29T10:07:00.004+05:30

You may think whats special in this "recipe"? For me and my family this is very important. My little veggie haters LOVE this one! During school and college days, this was the one saved me from taking the curries which I don't like.Still I crave for it some days! For those who love spicy and sour food,with or without cabbage, this is a good option for you to take with rice.. This salad is also a

Jaggery / Sarkkara Carrot Cake

2009-04-22T11:51:00.009+05:30

All of my baking equipments are packed and thrown to the upper part of the cupboard. Hope I can restart my baking experiments once after the house renovation is done.This Carrot Sarkkara Cake which I had tried a few months ago, kids thought it is chocolate, seeing the outer part! The carrots disappeared when the cake was done, so there was no worry for them about eating it. Everyone who tasted

Njandu / Crab Roast

2009-04-16T13:46:00.007+05:30

I had to wait to reach Dubai to try out some crab recipes! Back home in Kerala, no one likes it, and they are even afraid to watch it.. :) There, kids are familiar with crabs only when the fish vendor shows them, the crabs he got with other fishes accidentally.This is a simple recipe for cooking crabs as we usually do for prawns.Ingredientscrabs 8onion 5tomato 6curry leaves fewcorriander leaves

Cooking Tips - Indian Cooking - Part 1

2009-04-11T12:57:00.001+05:30

If dosa sticks on the griddle / tawa - Cut an onion and wipe the griddle / tawa with it.Don't heat your dosa pan too much while making dosa, dosa will stick to it.While making chapathi , porotta or pathiri, wipe the griddle each time with a clean cloth when you cook a new one. This is to remove the dust and oil left by the previous one.Cooking time for eggs - for half boiled eggs - 3 or 3 1/2

Cooking Tips - Indian Cooking - Part 2

2009-04-10T14:14:00.000+05:30

While making curries, reduce the heat after once it is boiled, you get nice taste for curries cooked on a medium / low heat. moreover, you can save some gas too.. :)Soak onion / small onion in warm water, so you can peel it easily.Sprinkle little water over the idlis soon when they are cooked and taken from the idli cooker and allow to cool, this will help you to remove idlis easily from the idli

Cooking Tips - Indian Cooking - Part 3

2009-04-09T10:04:00.001+05:30

Mix cocum / kudampuli / kokum with little coconut oil and salt.You can increase it's shelf life.Soak the garlic cloves in cold water for some time, this helps to remove the peels quickly.Cutting yam makes itching for some hands, apply little coconut oil on hands before chopping it.Add little all purpose flour / maida to omelettes to make it little bigger and soft.While making cutlets you should

Irumban Puli Achar / Bilimbi Pickle

2009-04-08T16:04:00.008+05:30

Our villagers had a very painful day on last week. A seven year old boy hanged himself on the window, for some silly matter! Could you believe? It was easy to believe if some more years have added to his age.I do blame only mothers and other family members who are addicted to Tv serials and films.Movies or serials simply shows how easy to end a life.. Mothers here, do not care when children

Almonds / Badam Payasam

2009-04-01T11:42:00.005+05:30

Since I was little busy, I had been looking for a simple recipe to publish this week. This was waiting for long in the line, now it is best time to show its face, specially in this hot weather..Actually I had no idea what to call this, simply a payasam or a delicious chilled drink? A drink prepared with almonds would always be rich and delicious! I loved it when served chilled, especially its

Raw Papaya Curry

2009-03-24T12:10:00.005+05:30

Here is a very simple papaya curry for those lazy souls like me.. :) This tastes great with rice and pickle or fish fry or a chammanthi, but no hard work to make.. I think papaya known in many different names like karumoos, dharmas, omakkaaya etc.. Whatever the name, most of keralites may be familiar with the different dishes prepared using papaya, at least a juice or shake with the ripe papaya

Madakku Pola / Folded Crepes

2009-03-16T10:39:00.011+05:30

Last year, I had written about the white beautiful polas / arippodi dosa / rice flour pancakes from our cuisine.It still remains as a wonderful member of the breakfast / dinner menu which can be taken with any curry! This time, another "pola" from my place which you might have noticed in many other blogs in various attarctive names! Love letters,madakku san, mutta kuzhalappaam, Thera ada,elaanji.

Koonthal Ularthu / Squid Cooked In Coconut Milk

2009-03-08T00:11:00.012+05:30

A simple Squid / koonthal Recipe for you this time, which I got from a news paper clipping. Though my favourite with squid is always the koonthal roast, I loved to take this with pathiri or chapathi. Ingredientskanava / koonthal 1/2 kgonion 2tomato 1ginger 1/2 " piecegarlic cloves small 4green chillies 3pepper corns 1 tspfennel seeds 1 pinchgaram masala powder a pinchcoriander leaves chopped 2

Ilaneer / Tender Coconut Drink

2009-02-26T06:35:00.001+05:30

Last year, during summer a sweet friend of mine Mrs.Meena Prakash had asked me for some tender coconut or ilaneer recipes to escape from the heat.At that time I was not aware of this drink, but had seen some dishes with it like puddings etc. But during last Ramadan this was prepared at home and I found it was very good for the body after a whole day's fasting.This would be a nice, cool and

Chettinadu Pepper Chicken

2009-02-14T11:50:00.009+05:30

Ask your kid what they think about you.You will get innocent answers.You might have heard the proverb " a friend in need is a friend indeed". But I don't believe it. Most of the time you may get flattering from them.Yeah, they are not dare to tell about your real behaviour, even if they don't like it.If they tell the truth, your friendship may break there at the moment.You may think she / he has

Pacha Manga Curry / Raw Mango Curry

2009-02-08T16:16:00.009+05:30

Another simple recipe to try out during this mango season! This will taste better if you prepare it with some "moovandan mangoes"..And small mangoes / kanni manga are very good for this.Manga Curry IngredientsMango pieces peeled and chopped 1 cupcoconut grated 1 cupchilly powder 2 tsp or as desiredturmeric powder 1/4 tspcoconut oilmustard seedscurry leavessaltHow to prepareCook mango pieces with

Badam / Almonds Burfi

2009-01-27T22:41:00.003+05:30

This is one of the recipes of Mrs.Mano.I was thinking to ask her what is the difference between burfi and halwas.Any way I forgot to ask and googled for it . I was really surprised seeing the word "halwa" is an Arabic word refers to many sweets! Until this time I thought it is Indian.. :) Burfi / barfi contains milk and that may be the difference. Expert visitors please help..If you are