Sukanya's musings

“Kashmiri Haak Recipe (Authentic Collard Greens) – Simple, Healthy & Traditional”

2026-05-01T15:25:26.246+08:00

🥬 Kashmiri Haak – The Soul of Kashmiri Simplicity

There are some dishes that don’t shout for attention, they quietly win your heart.

Kashmiri Haak is one such gem. Minimal spices, no heavy masalas, yet deeply nourishing and comforting. This is not just food… it’s heritage in a bowl.

🌿 Ingredients

Haak (collard greens or mustard greens)

Mustard oil – 2 tablespoons

Dry red chilies – 2 to 3

Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Water – about 1 to 1.5 cups

🌿 Method

Wash the haak thoroughly, as greens tend to carry a bit of soil. Chop them roughly, not too fine, as the rustic texture is part of its charm.

Heat mustard oil in a deep pan until it reaches its smoking point (this removes the raw smell). Lower the flame.

Add the dry red chilies and a pinch of hing. Let them release their aroma, this is where the magic begins.

Now add the chopped haak directly into the pan. No sautéing for too long, just gently stir.

Add salt and pour in water. Cover and let it cook on medium flame until the leaves soften and release their natural juices.

Do not overcook, haak should remain vibrant and slightly textured, not mushy.

🌏 Ingredient Notes (Singapore Friendly)

Collard greens are available in Singapore through specialty online grocers, international supermarkets, and sometimes in high-end air-flown produce sections.

If you can’t find them, don’t worry — haak adapts beautifully👌

You can use,

- Kai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) – closest in texture and robustness

- Chye Sim / Nai Bai – lighter, but still works well

- Swiss Chard – a good substitute from specialty stores

Each brings its own personality, but the soul of the dish remains intact.

🍲 How Haak is Traditionally Enjoyed

Kashmiri haak is not plated like a curry, it is experienced.

It is typically prepared as a simple, light, soupy broth, known as haak-rus, where mustard oil, dried red chilies, hing, and sometimes garlic come together in quiet harmony. (My recipe doesn't have garlic)

The leaves are kept whole or roughly torn, never fussed over.

Even the stems are treasured, cooked until tender, offering a gentle crunch and natural sweetness.

🍚 The Classic Pairing

Haak is always served hot, over a generous mound of plain steamed basmati rice.

The magic lies in the rus, the broth, gently coating each grain of rice, creating a meal that is comforting, grounding, and deeply satisfying.

It is not meant to be indulgent or heavy, it is meant to nourish, sustain, and soothe.

🥗 Nutrition & Cooking Wisdom

Collard greens are an exceptionally nutrient-dense, low-calorie cruciferous vegetable.

Rich in Vitamin K (over 600% of daily requirement in one cooked cup)

High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium

Supports bone health, immunity, and overall wellness

Important Note:

Due to the high Vitamin K content, those on blood thinners should consume it consistently and mindfully.

Selection Tip

Choose firm, dark green leaves, smaller leaves are usually more tender and sweeter.

Cooking Tip

Lightly steam or cook for 10 minutes or less to retain maximum nutrients and that beautiful green vibrancy.

✨ The Sukanya Touch

No onion. No elaborate masalas.

Just purity, simplicity, and respect for the ingredient.

The real beauty of Kashmiri Haak lies in what is not added.

🌼 Closing Note

In a world chasing complex flavours, Haak gently reminds us, less is not just more… sometimes, less is everything.

#KashmiriHaak #CollardGreensRecipe #HealthyIndianFood #KashmiriCuisine #SimpleCooking #ComfortFood #IndianVegetarian #CleanEating #TraditionalRecipes #SukanyasMusings

Khaman Dhokla – Gujarat’s Golden Snack with Traditional Secrets & Modern Twists

2026-04-28T17:23:43.035+08:00

Khaman Dhokla – Gujarat’s Golden Snack with Traditional Secrets & Modern Twists

Some dishes do more than satisfy hunger — they carry the warmth of tradition, the joy of sharing, and the brilliance of regional wisdom. Khaman Dhokla is one such timeless treasure.

Soft, airy, delicately spongy and glowing in its sunshine-yellow hue, Khaman Dhokla is one of Gujarat’s most loved culinary gifts to India. In the bustling streets of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara, steaming trays of freshly prepared dhokla are an everyday delight. Cut into neat squares, bathed in fragrant tempering, crowned with coriander and coconut, and served with lively chutneys, it is breakfast, teatime snack, travel food and celebration — all in one plate.

Its beauty lies in its versatility. It can be made instantly in a jiffy using besan (gram flour), or in the traditional style by soaking and grinding chana dal, which gives it a richer and heartier texture. It may be steamed in a classic dhokla steamer or conveniently prepared in a microwave oven for the modern kitchen.

Simple in ingredients, elegant in taste - this is Gujarat’s golden legacy.

🌼 Ingredients

For the Batter:

Gram flour (besan) – 1 cup

Semolina (optional) – 2 tablespoons

Sugar – 1 tablespoon

Ginger-green chilli paste – 1 teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Water – ¾ cup (approx.)

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Eno fruit salt – 1 teaspoon

For Garnish:

Fresh coriander (chopped) – 2 tablespoons

Fresh grated coconut – 2 tablespoons

🌼 Method

In a mixing bowl, combine the gram flour, semolina, turmeric, sugar and salt. Add the ginger-green chilli paste, lemon juice, oil and enough water gradually to form a smooth, flowing batter without lumps. Allow this batter to rest briefly so the ingredients settle beautifully together.

Meanwhile, grease a shallow plate or dhokla tin lightly and keep a steamer ready with boiling water.

Just before steaming, add the Eno fruit salt to the batter. Sprinkle a teaspoon of water over it and gently fold. The batter will instantly turn frothy and light. Without delay, pour it into the prepared plate and steam until cooked through and spongy to the touch.

Once done, allow it to cool slightly before cutting into elegant squares.

🌼 Tempering

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Green chillies (slit) – 2

Curry leaves – 8 to 10

Water – ½ cup

Sugar – 2 tablespoons

Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon

Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the slit green chillies and curry leaves. Pour in the water, sugar and lemon juice and allow it to simmer briefly into a fragrant sweet-sour mixture.

Pour this warm tempering generously over the dhokla pieces so every square absorbs the flavour beautifully.

Finish with fresh coriander and grated coconut.

Serve warm or at room temperature with green chutney and dates-tamarind chutney.

🌼 Traditional & Popular Varieties

Nylon Khaman

The most popular market-style version — feather-soft, extra light and melt-in-the-mouth.

Vati Dal Khaman

Prepared from soaked and ground chana dal rather than besan, offering a richer and denser texture.

Amiri Khaman / Sev Khamani

Crumbled khaman tossed with spices and topped lavishly with sev, coriander and pomegranate.

Sandwich Dhokla

Two layers of dhokla with green chutney in between — colourful, flavourful and festive.

🌼 Modern Variations

Gujarati kitchens have joyfully reinvented this classic in many delicious ways:

Green Dhokla

Green Peas Dhokla

Tomato Dhokla

Schezwan Dhokla

Pizza Dhokla

Makai Dhokla

Cheese Dhokla

Paneer Dhokla

Sandwich Dhokla

🌼 Street-Style Serving Variations

Rasawala Dhokla

A Surat favourite where khaman is served with a warm lentil-based rasa, transforming it into a wholesome meal.

Pav Bhaji Dhokla

A playful fusion where dhokla is tossed in pav bhaji masala or layered with spicy pav bhaji filling.

🌼 Sukanya’s Little Tips

If using chana dal, soak it for at least 6–7 hours for softness. Always steam the batter immediately after adding Eno for the fluffiest results. If the dhokla feels dry, sprinkle a little tempered water over it. The final flavour should always carry that signature Gujarati balance of sweet, tangy and gently spiced.

🌼 Final Thought

Some dishes are recipes. Some become memories. Some carry the soul of a region.

Khaman Dhokla is Gujarat’s sunshine served on a plate.

#KhamanDhokla #DhoklaRecipe #GujaratiFood #GujaratiCuisine #IndianSnacks #IndianFoodRecipes #VegetarianRecipes #HomemadeGoodness #IndianStreetFood #SnackTimeIndia

Bastani Persian Ice Cream Recipe | Rosewater, Saffron & Pistachio No-Churn Summer Dessert

2026-04-23T13:57:15.450+08:00

There are desserts, and then there are desserts that carry the fragrance of history, royalty, and romance. Bastani Sonnati, the beloved traditional Persian ice cream, is one such treasure. Rich with the delicate perfume of rosewater, the golden luxury of saffron, and the nutty crunch of pistachios, Bastani is more than just ice cream, it is an experience.

Originating from Iran, Bastani has long been cherished in Persian culture and is often enjoyed tucked between thin wafers as a delightful ice cream sandwich. It is said that saffron and rosewater were once ingredients associated with nobility and celebration, making this frozen dessert a symbol of indulgence and joy.

On a hot summer afternoon, when the sun feels relentless and only something chilled can bring comfort, Bastani arrives like poetry in a bowl. Creamy, aromatic, luxurious, and beautifully golden, this simplified no-churn version lets you enjoy the magic at home with ease.

Ingredients

Pistachio gelato or pistachio ice cream – 1 pint
Rosewater – ¼ cup
Powdered or ground saffron – 1 teaspoon
Chopped pistachios – 2 tablespoons, optional for garnish
Fresh cream pieces or malai – 2 tablespoons, optional for a traditional touch

Method

Remove the pistachio gelato from the freezer and allow it to soften at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes, until smooth and easy to scoop.

In a small microwave-safe cup, gently warm the rosewater for around 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly heated.

Add the powdered saffron to the warm rosewater and stir well. Let it rest for a minute, allowing the saffron to bloom beautifully and release its rich golden colour and delicate aroma.

Scoop the softened gelato into a mixing bowl and pour the saffron-infused rosewater over it.

Gently fold and mix everything together until fully combined, creating a luscious creamy mixture with a gorgeous golden hue.

Fold in the chopped pistachios or little pieces of fresh cream, if using, for an authentic and indulgent touch.

Transfer the mixture back into its original container or into a freezer-safe box. Smooth the top lightly.

Freeze for at least an hour, or until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve scooped into pretty bowls, garnished with pistachios, or enjoy it the traditional way nestled between thin wafers as a delightful Persian ice cream sandwich.

Tips

Use gelato for the creamiest texture.
Good quality saffron gives the best aroma and rich golden colour.
Chill serving bowls beforehand for a luxurious touch.
Rosewater can vary in strength, so add gradually if preferred.

Variations

Add crushed almonds for extra crunch.
Mix in cardamom powder for a deeper Middle Eastern flavour.
Serve with falooda noodles for a fusion dessert.
Make Bastani sandwiches using wafers or thin biscuits.

Every spoonful of Bastani feels like stepping into an old Persian courtyard filled with roses, music, and summer breeze. Elegant, fragrant, and unforgettable, this dessert is proof that some flavours never go out of style.

#Bastani #PersianIceCream #RosewaterDessert #SaffronIceCream #MiddleEasternDessert #SummerDessert #HomemadeIceCream #NoChurnIceCream #PistachioDessert #SukanyasMusings #EasyDesserts #FrozenTreats

Mango Falooda – The Ultimate Creamy Summer Dessert

2026-04-22T01:25:01.187+08:00

This summer I prepared Mango Falooda, The Ultimate Summer Dessert with Alphonso Mangoes |Creamy, Chilled & Irresistible😋

When the summer sun shines bright and mango season arrives, there is only one fruit that truly steals the spotlight, the glorious Alphonso mango. Revered as the king of mangoes, Alphonso is loved for its silky texture, deep golden hue, intoxicating aroma, and luscious sweetness that feels like sunshine in every bite.

And what better way to celebrate this royal fruit than with a tall, chilled glass of Mango Falooda, a dessert so indulgent, refreshing, and beautiful that it instantly lifts your mood.

Imagine layers of velvety mango puree, creamy milk, delicate falooda sev, soft basil seeds, scoops of ice cream, and jewel-like mango cubes coming together in one magnificent glass.

Each spoonful is pure summer bliss...cool, creamy, fruity, and decadently rich.

It is the kind of dessert that feels luxurious yet nostalgic, perfect for hot afternoons, festive evenings, or whenever you crave something truly special.

If summer had a signature dessert, this Mango Falooda with Alphonso Mangoes would surely wear the crown.

Ingredients

For the Falooda

Alphonso mangoes (ripe) – 2 large

Chilled milk – 2 cups

Sugar – 2 to 3 tbsp (adjust to taste)

Falooda sev (vermicelli) – 1 cup cooked

Basil seeds (sabja), soaked – 2 tbsp

Vanilla or mango ice cream – 2 scoops

Fresh cream (optional) – 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder – a pinch (optional)

For Garnish

Mango cubes – 3/4 cup

Chopped pistachios – 1 tbsp

Almond slivers – 1 tbsp

Rose petals (optional) – few

Extra ice cream scoop – optional

Method

Begin by preparing the mango puree. Peel the ripe Alphonso mangoes and blend the flesh into a smooth, luscious puree. Taste its natural sweetness and add a little sugar only if needed. Chill the puree for a richer and more refreshing flavour.

Cook the falooda sev according to package instructions until soft and silky. Drain and rinse under cold water so the strands remain separate and delicate. Keep aside.

Soak the basil seeds in water for 10 to 15 minutes until they bloom into beautiful translucent pearls. These add a lovely texture and cooling quality to the dessert.

Now take tall serving glasses and begin layering this masterpiece. Add a spoonful of soaked basil seeds at the base, followed by cooked falooda sev. Pour in a generous layer of chilled mango puree, then add some cold milk gently sweetened with sugar and a touch of cardamom.

Top with scoops of vanilla or mango ice cream, more mango puree, and plenty of juicy Alphonso mango cubes. Finish with pistachios, almonds, and an optional drizzle of cream for extra indulgence.

I finished my Mango Falooda with a generous topping of fresh Alphonso mango cubes instead of nuts(As seen in the picture), making it extra fruity, naturally sweet, and absolutely perfect for my kids, who love every spoonful of mango goodness.

Serve immediately with a long spoon and straw. Every spoonful brings creamy milk, fragrant mango, chilled noodles, and crunchy nuts together in one heavenly bite.

Serving Tip

For a regal presentation, serve in clear tall glasses so the gorgeous golden layers shine through beautifully.

#MangoFalooda #AlphonsoMango #SummerDessert #FaloodaLove #IndianDesserts #MangoSeason #HomemadeDessert #FoodBlogger #RefreshingTreat #SukanyasMusings

Golden, Cheesy Aloo Methi Paratha That Will Steal Your Heart

2026-04-21T23:14:23.841+08:00

Golden, crisp, and irresistibly aromatic, Aloo Methi Cheese Paratha is comfort food at its most indulgent. Imagine a perfectly rolled whole wheat flatbread, gently roasted on a hot tawa until it develops beautiful golden-brown spots, each one hinting at the deliciousness tucked within.

As you tear it open, a warm and fragrant filling reveals itself, soft, spiced mashed potatoes blended with fresh fenugreek leaves, bringing their signature earthy depth. Then comes the most tempting surprise: molten, gooey cheese melting through the mixture, adding a rich, creamy contrast to the rustic flavours.

The aroma is simply irresistible, nutty from the ghee, herby from the methi, with delicate notes of cumin and green chilli in the background. Every bite is a perfect harmony of crisp edges, soft layers, bursts of spice, and indulgent cheesy goodness.

More than just delicious, this paratha is wonderfully nourishing too. Rich in protein, calcium, and wholesome goodness, it is a hearty meal that comforts, satisfies, and energises in every bite.

Served with chilled yogurt, tangy pickle, or melting butter, this is not just a meal, it is pure homemade bliss on a plate.

Golden, Flaky & Irresistibly Delicious Stuffed Flatbread

Ingredients

For the Dough

Whole wheat flour – 2 cups

Salt – ½ tsp

Oil or ghee – 1 tsp

Water – as needed for kneading

For the Filling

Potatoes (boiled & mashed) – 3 medium

Fresh methi leaves (fenugreek), finely chopped – 1 cup

Cheese (grated mozzarella/processed/cheddar) – 1 cup

Green chilli, finely chopped – 1

Ginger, grated – 1 inch

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Roasted cumin powder – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped – 2 tbsp

For Cooking

Ghee or butter – as needed

Method

Begin by preparing a soft and supple dough. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, salt, and a teaspoon of oil. Slowly add water and knead into a smooth dough. Cover it and allow it to rest while the filling comes together beautifully.

For the filling, take the warm mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl and add the fresh chopped methi leaves, grated cheese, green chilli, ginger, red chilli powder, garam masala, roasted cumin powder, salt, and coriander leaves. Mix everything gently until you have a fragrant, flavour-packed stuffing that smells absolutely heavenly.

Now divide the dough into equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. Flatten one ball slightly, place a generous portion of the filling in the centre, then carefully gather the edges and seal it. Gently roll it out again into a thick paratha, ensuring the filling spreads evenly inside.

Heat a tawa or pan over medium flame. Place the paratha on the hot surface and cook until light golden spots appear. Flip, drizzle with ghee or butter, and cook both sides until crisp, golden, and beautifully speckled.

As the cheese melts into the spiced potato and methi filling, the aroma becomes impossible to resist. Serve piping hot with chilled curd, pickle, butter, or a cup of masala chai for the ultimate comfort meal.

Every bite is soft, flaky, cheesy, and bursting with wholesome Indian flavours.

Storage Tip

You can prepare the filling in advance and refrigerate for up to 1 day for quick breakfast or lunch preparation.

Hashtags

#AlooMethiCheeseParatha #IndianBreakfast #ParathaLove #HomemadeGoodness #StuffedParatha #CheesyParatha #IndianFoodBlogger #ComfortFood #FoodieDelight #SukanyasMusings

BEST VEGETARIAN THAI GREEN CURRY RECIPE (Creamy, aunthentic & easy)

2026-04-18T15:15:00.006+08:00

“Cooked for lunch… gone in minutes!” 😄🍃

That’s exactly what happened with this creamy Vegetarian Thai Green Curry, every last spoonful polished off!

There’s something irresistible about Thai food, the burst of aromas, the riot of colours, and the balance of flavours. And this dish brings it all together beautifully. 💚

What makes it truly special? A fresh, homemade green curry paste👆, packed with herbs, roasted spices, and bold flavours that elevate the entire dish.

Simmered in rich coconut milk and loaded with vibrant vegetables like broccoli, baby corn, zucchini, carrots, and peppers, this curry is as nourishing as it is indulgent.

Traditionally paired with jasmine rice, but at home, we absolutely love it with steaming hot basmati rice… and honestly, it’s pure comfort in a bowl! 🍚✨.

Every bite is creamy, fragrant, slightly spicy, and deeply satisfying — proof that wholesome food can also feel indulgent. 🌱💚

🌿 Ingredients

Homemade Paste:

Shallots/Onion – 7

Galangal (or Ginger) – 2 inch

Ginger – 2 inch

Green Chillies – 2–3

Lemongrass Stalks – 2

Coriander Leaves – 1 handful

Basil Leaves – ¼ cup

Kaffir Lime Leaves – 2–3

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds – 1½ tbsp

Peppercorns – ¼ tsp

Cloves – 2–3

Vinegar – 1 tsp

Curry Base:

Coconut Milk (full-fat) – 400 ml

Vegetables:

Broccoli – 1 cup

Cauliflower – 1 cup

Baby Corn – ½ cup

Carrots – 1 cup

Zucchini – 1 cup

Bell Peppers – 1 cup (any colour you have!)

Flavorings:

Oil – 1–2 tbsp

Soy Sauce – 1 tbsp

Green Chilli Sauce – 1 tbsp

Brown Sugar – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Lime Juice – to taste

Method Thai Green Curry Paste🌱☘️☘️

Dry roast coriander and cumin seeds on low heat until aromatic. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, add white peppercorns, and crush into a coarse powder.

Add the remaining ingredients and pound into a smooth, fragrant paste (or use a mixer grinder for convenience).

Store the paste in the refrigerator for a couple of days or freeze for up to 2–3 months.

Use half for this recipe and save the rest for a quick, flavourful curry anytime.

Method Thai Green Curry 🍲

Heat 200 ml coconut milk in a pan and boil for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add the green Thai curry paste and cook on medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the colour deepens and the oil separates.

Pour in the remaining coconut milk, stir well, and bring to a gentle boil.

Add baby corn and cook for 2–3 minutes.

Add remaining vegetables, brown sugar, and salt. Cook for a few minutes, adjusting consistency with veg stock if needed.

Finish with kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, and red chillies. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

#ThaiGreenCurry #VegetarianRecipes #HomemadeGoodness #HealthyEating #ComfortFood #PlantBasedMeals #FoodLovers #HomeCooking #AsianFlavours #CurryLove #VegetableLoaded #CleanEating #FoodInspiration #InstaFood #FoodPhotography #DesiFoodie #SingaporeFoodies #EatHealthyLiveHappy #FromMyKitchen #SoulFood

KANU FESTIVAL

2024-01-16T23:01:00.012+08:00

KANU FESTIVAL
The festival of Kanu is celebrated one day after the Pongal festival in Tamilnadu.
Kanu Pongal is widely celebrated in Brahmin households by ladies for the well-being of their Brothers, it’s like the South Indian version of Raksha Bandhan.
Other communities, especially farmers celebrate this day as Mattu Pongal.
Kanu day is not considered an auspicious day. In tamil, we call it as “Kari Naal” or “Kanu Peedai“.
Kanu is celebrated in temples as well by the priests who offer it on behalf of the Goddesses. Every year, on the next day of Pongal, at Sri Aaravamudhan Sannidhi, Sri Komalavalli Thayar "Kanu Utsavam" will be celebrated. On that day, along with Sri Komalavalli Thayar, the consort of Sri Chakkarathazhvar Sri Vijayavalli Thayar, the consort of Sri Ramaswami Sri Seetha pirati and Sri Rukmini Thayar of Thopputheru Sri Rajagopala Swami celebrate the Kanu Utsavam in Potramarai Thirukkulam
Kanu is a celebration of sibling bonds. Every festival in India has a significance and further instils the bonds between families.
On Kanu festival, a lot of varieties of rice are prepared with the freshly harvested rice.

These dishes are then packed and taken by the women to their parental house/visit their brother’s to be shared with the family.
During this ritual, women and girls sing and pray for the well-being of their siblings by offering rice balls to the birds, especially crows, who represent the ancestors.

“Kanni” Pongal is celebrated coinciding “Kaanum” Pongal for the wellbeing of unmarried women and for the fertility.

How to Pray on Kanu day?
Women must do the Kanu rituals, first thing in the morning before sunrise and before taking a bath.
All the ladies of the household, including small girls must celebrate this festival.

Yesterday’s left over white rice is used, it is mixed with Kumkum(to make red colour balls), Turmeric(to make yellow colour balls), curd rice balls and sweet pongal(leftover) balls. Sugarcane pieces are kept on top of each balls as done in my house by my mother.

Raw turmeric is sliced at the bottom and is used rub it on the foreheads of the women/girls after which namaskaram is done and the Kanu is offered to the birds.
How to keep the kanu ?
Make a Ma-kolam on the terrace or an open back/front yard where birds can visit
Keep Aarati ready to take Aarati post kanu. Keep Pooja items like camphor, vilaku(lamp), betel leaf, banana, pancha patra udrani etc ready for the poojai.
Turmeric plant leaves should be kept ready, this is usually available as we all would have bought this for pongal the previous day. Make balls of the rice as mentioned above and keep in an orderly manner over the turmeric leaves. Offer the Balls by chanting the prayer below.

Sprinkle water over them as well as around them, ring the religious bell, show camphor and pray as follows:-

Kaaka Pidi vechen, Kanu Pidi vechen,
Kaakai kku yellam Kalyanam,
Kaakkai kootam pirinthalum ,
Namma / Yen kootam piriyatha irukkanam
Kuruvi kki seemandham,
Poondhaam Pongi Vaazhattum,
Pirandhaam Thazhaithu Vaazhattum.

The verse loosely translated would mean:
One ball of rice for the crow,
One ball of food for the Kanu festival
It’s the marriage day for all crows,
Even if the group (family) of crows separate,
Our / My family should not get separated,
Sparrow’s baby shower (Seemantham)
Let the in-laws house overflow with goodies,
Let the house that we were born in, be forever prosperous

Then do poojai and finally take Aarati. The eldest lady in the family must rub turmeric on every other ladies forehead (raw manjal kizhangu)

Make sure to shower(head bath) Immediately, and wash the clothes that you were wearing.
Then all of them visit older Sumangali women for their blessings (Some references say that this is done after offering Kakai pidi and taking bath).
There’s an auspicious song/blessing that is usually sung,
Thayodum, thanthayodum,
Cheerodum chirappodum,
Perodum pugazhodum,
Perumaiyodum, keerthiyodum,
Chiruvayathil thaali ketti,
Periyavalaaki, pillaikal pethru
Kondavan manam magizha,
Thayyal naagi poala,
Thonga thonga thaali ketti ,
Thottilum pilaayumaage ,
Maamiyaar maamanaar mecha,
Nathiyum mamiyum pothra,
Piranthagathor perumai vilanga ,
Pethra pillaigal aayul onga ,
Uthraar uravinarodu ,
Puthaadai puthu malar choodi
Puthu maapillai marumagalodu ,
Puthu puthu santhosham perugi ,
Aal poal thazhaithu Aruge pal yer odi,
Yendrendrum vaazhanam,
Yeppothum chiritha mugathudan irukkanam
(தாயோடும், தந்தையோடும- ்,
சீரோடும். , சிறப்போடும- ்,
பேரோடும், புகழோடும்,
பெருமையோடு- ம், கீர்த்தியோ- டும
சிறுவயதில்- , தாலிகட்டி
பெரியவளாகி- பிள்ளைகள் பெற்று
கொண்டவன், மனம் , மகிழத்
தையல்நாயகி- போலத்
தொங்கத்தொங- ்க த்தாலிகட்ட- ித்
தொட்டிலும்- , பிள்ளையுமா- க,
மாமியார் மாமனார் மெச்ச,
நாத்தியும்- மாமியும் போற்ற
பிறந்தகத்த- ோர், பெருமை விளங்க,ப்,
பெற்ற பிள்ளைகள் , ஆயுள். ஓங்க,
உற்றார் உறவினரோடு
புத்தாடை. புது மலர். சூடி
புது மாப்பிள்ளை- , மருமகளோடு,
புது. புது சந்தோஷம் பெருகி,
ஆல்- ோல். தழைத்து. அருகே போல். ஏரோடி
என்றென்றும- ், வாழணும்
எப்- போதும் சிரித்த முகத்தோடு, இருக்கணும்- .)

Which loosely translated means :
“Along with mother and father,
With wealth and prosperity,
With great name and fame ,
Getting married at a young age,
After maturing giving birth to children,
Making the husband happy,
Like the goddess Thayyal Nayagi,
With mangalsutra hanging always(indicating mangalyam),
Along with cradle and children,
Being appreciated by the father in law and mother in law ,
Taken care of well by the mother-in-law and sister-in-law,
Earning a great name for your parents family,
With your own children living very long,
Along with friends and relatives,
Wearing new clothes and adorning fresh flowers,
Along with son-in-law and daughter-in-law ,
With new joys ebbing out,
Spreading like a banyan tree,
Developing deep roots like Arugam grass,
You should live forever,
And be bestowed with a smile on your face always.”

On Kanu day a variety of mixed rice(Kalantha Chaadam).
Coconut rice, Lemon rice, Tamarind rice and curd rice. They are offered to God and later the family have a great picnic lunch in their homes only.

PAN FRIED TOFU

2020-10-06T00:05:00.000+08:00

PAN FRIED TOFU
Tofu is made from soybean curds. It is an excellent source of iron and calcium. Contains no cholesterol. It is naturally gluten-free and low in calories.

Tofu is an important source of protein, especially for vegans and vegetarians.

Tofu is used as an alternative to meat and used in many Chinese vegetarian dishes as Mock meat here in Singapore.

How is Tofu made?
Tofu is made by coagulating soymilk to create curds. The curds are then pressed and compacted into the gelatinous white blocks recognized as tofu.

To make Pan fried tofu you need to use Extra firm Tofu.

Unfortunately, the extra firm tofu was out of stock so I had to buy the silken Tofu (It was slightly difficult to manoeuvre the tofu for this dish) but the end result was lip-smackingly delicious.

Pan-fried tofu is a dish that everyone at home will love. It can be served as starters/ finger foods in parties/ social events too. Even those who are not a big fan of Tofu will love this recipe.
Tofu is very versatile. You can flavour it with any sauce or curry powders.
You can add Pan-fried tofu to fried rice or noodles as well.
I have used very simple ingredients.
But if you want you can add curry powder, sauces etc while tossing the tofu.

Ingredients
Tofu – 1 block (Firm)
Corn flour – 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour – 1 tablespoon
Red chilli crushed – 2 teaspoons
Coarse Pepper – ½ teaspoon
Soya sauce – 2 teaspoons (Optional)
Salt as per taste (Refer Tip)
Oil for frying
Coriander leaves for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon

Method
Tofu comes with some whey (Curdled water), We need to remove all the extra water, so Press the tofu by placing paper towels on the top and bottom of the block and absorb the whey.
After this slice the tofu into ½ inch cubes.
In a small bowl, combine the tofu with the flours, salt, crushed chilli, soya sauce (Optional) and pepper.
Toss gently to coat the tofu well.
Take a frying pan or a large skillet, add oil, heat the oil, once hot, Add the coated tofu.
Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly crispy.

Serve it hot, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves, some crushed chilly and toasted sesame seeds.

Tips

· Firm or extra-firm tofu is best for frying
· Adjust salt if adding Soya sauce else your dish will become very salty
· Pressing the tofu is very important as it allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavours otherwise it will become soggy.
· If you would like a firmer pan-fried tofu, freeze the tofu cubes for about 30 minutes.

· For firm Tofu, you can use less oil and shallow fry but the silken tofu needs oil for deep frying.

Variations

· You can add paprika, curry powder, turmeric for some colour and flavour

NAAN BREAD EASY HOMEMADE RECIPE WITHOUT TANDOOR/OVEN - ONE POST COVERS ALL NAAN VARIETIES WITH VIDEO

2020-09-22T00:08:00.003+08:00

NAAN BREAD EASY HOMEMADE RECIPE WITHOUT TANDOOR/OVEN - ONE POST COVERS ALL NAAN VARIETIES WITH VIDEO
Naan bread is a very popular bread and originated from the Indian subcontinent. The popularity of Naan is spread far and wide and is available in many restaurants in the World. It’s a very loved bread and can be made with various toppings and fillings

The story of Naan
The word Naan stems from the Sanskrit word “Nayan”
The Persian invasion in India changed the name to “Naan as Naan in old Persian means bread, and in Iran it indicates any kind of bread.
Naan has yogurt, milk, and sometimes eggs or butter in it, resulting in a softer texture. When the dough is made, bakers shape it into a ball and slap it on the interior walls of a tandoor, a clay oven.
The bread puffs up and bubbles as it cooks.
The biggest reason why they taste so good is because they are cooked in a clay oven. The method of preparation and the heat of the oven changes a regular dough to the best tasting bread ever. Naan bread is moist and tender due to the added ghee/butter/oil

Popularity of Naan
Naan or Nan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in West, Central and South Asia. Originally, naan was a general term for various flatbreads from different parts of the world.
The Naan bread is served in all the Indian restaurants from all over the world.
Naan can also be covered with, or serve as a wrap for, various toppings of meat, vegetables, or cheeses.
It can also be dipped into soups such as dal and goes well with Curries.
Nan tastes best when it’s served hot, it has a crunch on the top where it’s brown and soft inside and tastes yummy when eaten with curries.
Stuffed naans can be eaten as a snack.
I will share with you all the variations of the Naan bread in my recipe along with a video. Mesmerize your family and guests with my start recipe that has never failed to impress.

Ingredients
(Makes about 8 Naans)
Plain flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Yogurt (Thick Dahi) – ½ cup
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Baking soda – ¼ teaspoon
Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
Salt as per taste

Method
Sieve the Plain flour.
In a bowl, take the sieved flour, Add the baking soda and baking powder, Salt as per taste, sugar, mix well.
Add oil and mix, Add the Yogurt and mix well. You don’t need to add much water. Try to mix all the ingredients well and knead into a soft dough. If required, take little warm water to bind the dough properly.
Knead the dough for at least 15 minutes.
Once the dough is done, you will notice that your hand comes out clean, take a teaspoon of oil and lightly apply to the dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth.
Let the dough sit for about 2 hours in a warm place (See Tips)
After 2 hours, you will notice that the dough has risen.
Now, divide the dough in parts.
Take one part and roll it in the flour.
Then Roll the naan one at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll it in the shape and size of your choice.
Brush on some water lightly on one side of the naan.
Heat the tawa on medium heat and put the side with the water over the tawa, once the naan start bubbling and dough start drying (Refer to the video)
Turn the Tawa and place the top side of the over the flames keeping about 2 inch away from the flames to cook the naan from the top. You will see brown spots appearing, move the Naan evenly over the flame so even browning happens. Once the naan is cooked to your satisfaction, use a spatula and remove from the Tawa. Your Plain Naan is ready. Refer below the different variations of Naan.

Variations
Shape & Size – Roll the Naan in small, medium or large size as you like it. Some like the Naan Shape to be round, some a triangle, some a square, roll it to your desired Shape.

BUTTER NAAN
Cook the Naan as above and once done, brush butter liberally on the top. Your butter Naan is ready.

CORIANDER NAAN
After rolling the Naan, place a few coriander leaves (Chopped) on the naan and press gently with a rolling pin and then cook as above.

METHI NAAN (Fenugreek leaves)
After rolling the Naan, place a few Methi leaves (Chopped) on the naan and press gently with a rolling pin and then cook as above. If don’t have the fresh Methi, you can use Kasuri methi (Dried Methi leaves)

PUDINA NAAN (Mint leaves)
After rolling the Naan, place a few Mint leaves (Chopped) on the naan and press gently with a rolling pin and then cook as above.

GARLIC NAAN
When you make a Ball then roll it into a small naan, Add 2 teaspoons of finely chopped Garlic in the middle, seal the ball with the garlic in the middle, roll the naan and then cook as above.

KASHMIRI NAAN (A sweet Naan loved by the Kashmiris)
When you make a Ball then roll it into a small naan, add 2 teaspoons of Tutti frutti (Green and red colour available in the market), some raisins, seal the ball with the stuffing in the middle, roll the naan and then cook as above.

DRYFRUITS NAAN (An exotic dessert Naan)
When you make a Ball then roll it into a small naan, Add 1 teaspoon of Khoya (mawa), 1 teaspoon of dry fruit like slivered, almond, pistachio and cashew nut, seal the ball with the stuffing in the middle, roll the naan and then cook as above.
Tutti frutti and raisins can also be added. This tastes like a dessert.

Tips

· After kneading the dough, cover with a muslin clothe. Now, On your microwave with nothing in for about 2 minutes. The inside of the microwave becomes warm. Keep the bowl with the Naan dough inside covered with a cloth and close. This helps in raising the dough well.

· Use only Stainless Steel or Iron Tawa. This recipe won’t work with Non-stick Tawas or very smooth surfaces like Anodized.

· Spread the water evenly, if you don’t spread the water evenly, the naan may fall off the Tawa.

· If the Naan falls of from one side while cooking it over the flame, don’t worry. Just take a teaspoon of water and add it like you add for dosa and stick it back.

· Nigella seeds (Kalaunji/ Onion seeds) are commonly added to naan.

SUPER TIPS

· The same dough you can use for Pizza as well.

Mango Modak / Mango Peda / Mango Barfi – 3 Easy Indian Mango Sweets with One Recipe | Festive Dessert Ideas

2020-08-25T15:56:00.002+08:00

Every year for Ganesh Chaturthi, I lovingly prepare a variety of Neivedhyam (offerings) for the Lord. While many traditional sweets are delicious, some can be quite tedious and time-consuming, often requiring advanced preparation. So I am always on the lookout for simpler recipes that save time in the kitchen and allow me to spend more precious moments in prayer and devotion.

This year, I tried making Mawa Modak using mawa / khoya / khawa and it was an absolute delight. Since khoya is now easily available in Singapore, it makes the process wonderfully convenient compared to the days when it had to be prepared from scratch at home.

The recipe is so quick and effortless that I decided to elevate it further by adding an exotic mango flavour.

The result was divine rich, creamy, fragrant, and utterly irresistible. In fact, I was so thrilled with how they turned out that I made them almost three times during the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations!

By the end of it, I truly felt like a seasoned modak maker especially when someone said, “You can start a business making these modaks!”

Honestly, nothing compares to the taste of freshly made homemade sweets. They have a purity, softness, and richness that store-bought sweets often lack. Many commercially sold modaks tend to have a slightly powdery texture, suggesting fillers or flour mixed into the mawa, whereas homemade versions made with pure mawa are far superior in taste and quality.

Do try making this beautiful sweet at home. It is easy, festive, and incredibly satisfying.

✨ Bonus: With the same base recipe, you can create 4 different delicious variations.

Find the recipe below for Mawa Modak (simply omit the mango pulp for the classic version). The mango mixture can also be shaped into peda or set into burfi for equally delightful treats.

Ingredients
Khoya – ¾ cup
Milk powder – ¼ cup
Sugar – 1/3 cup
Mango pulp – ½ cup
Cardamom powder (Elaichi powder) – ¼ tsp
Nuts for garnish
Kesar a few strands
Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method

Heat a wok or non-stick pan over medium flame and add the grated khoya. As it warms, you will notice the khoya begin to soften and melt into a luscious, creamy mixture.

Add the milk powder and stir continuously.

This helps absorb excess moisture and allows the mixture to thicken faster.

Next, add the sugar and mix well. Once the sugar melts, the mixture will loosen and turn glossy and slightly runny, this is perfectly normal.

Now add the mango pulp and cardamom powder. Stir everything together until the mixture becomes smooth, fragrant, and beautifully golden.

After about 2 minutes, add the saffron strands and chopped dry fruits. Mix again so the flavours are evenly distributed.

Continue cooking on low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the moisture evaporates and the mixture begins to come together into a soft mass, leaving the sides of the pan.

This is the perfect consistency.

Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

Once cool enough to handle, take a small portion of the mixture and press it firmly into a modak mould. Remove any excess mixture, then gently open the mould to reveal a perfectly shaped modak.

Repeat with the remaining mixture.

And that’s it, simple, quick, and utterly delicious Mango Mawa Modaks, a beautiful exotic naivedyam offering for Lord Ganesha.

Tips

Preferably use a non-stick wok or pan to prevent sticking and make stirring easier.

You can add the nuts while cooking, or use them later as a surprise centre filling inside each modak.

If you don’t have a modak mould, simply shape the mixture by hand into a modak form and use a toothpick to create decorative lines.

Variations

Create different flavours by adding ingredients like rose essence, cocoa powder, coconut, or pista.

✨️The basic recipe remains the same.✨️

Peda Version: Roll the mixture into balls, flatten gently, and top with a pistachio.

Barfi Version: Spread the mixture onto a greased tray, allow it to set, then cut into squares or diamond shapes.

Freshly made sweets carry a charm no store-bought mithai can match and these mango-infused modaks are pure festive bliss.

#MangoModak #AmbaModak #MangoPeda #MangoBarfi #MangoDesserts #IndianSweets #HomemadeSweets #EasyDesserts #FestiveRecipes #GaneshChaturthi #ModakLove #MangoSeason #SummerDesserts #TraditionalSweets #IndianDesserts #SweetTooth #DessertLovers #FoodBlogger #HomeCooking #EgglessDesserts #QuickRecipes #MithaiLove #FreshMango #DessertInspo #FestivalFood #SukanyasMusings

CRISPY MASALA PAV (BITE SIZED) / CRISPY & SPICY BITE SIZED BUNS

2020-08-13T22:54:00.004+08:00

CRISPY MASALA PAV (BITE SIZED) / CRISPY & SPICY BITE SIZED BUNS
Mumbai is famous for its street food and Masala pav is yet another Mumbai innovation which consists of a Pav laden with spicy masala.
If you are in a mood for pav bhaji or Masala Pav and do not want to indulge in the elaborate preparations and want to rustle up something quick to satisfy your cravings. Here is a recipe, which is quick, easy, tastes equally good.
This recipe can be made as a starter for parties or you can enjoy them as a quick fix meal.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Pav – 1 Ladi (6 pavs)
Onion – 2 medium size
Tomatoes – 1 big
Green chillies – 2 chopped small
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Pav bhaji Masala – 1 tbsp
Kashmiri Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Lemon – squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon (Optional)
Coriander for Garnish
Oil for frying and cooking

Method
Take a ladi pav and cut them into bite size squares. Keep aside.
Shallow fry until crisp, you can alternatively toss a tsp of oil mix well and toss them into the air fryer for about 15 minutes until crisp. Keep aside.
Now finely chop the onions, tomatoes & Green chillies.
Melt a tablespoon of butter/Oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the butter melts, add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
Add a tsp of ginger garlic paste, saute for ½ a minute, followed by the finely chopped green chillies and saute for another ½ a minute.
Now, Add the chopped onions and mix.
Cook till the onions become translucent and then add chopped tomatoes. Add Asafoetida, pav bhaji masala, salt and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix well. Cook until there’s no more water left. (Refer to Tips).
Toss in the Fried pav bits. Toss well until you see the masala coats the pav completely.

You can cover the pan for about a minute and let the aroma enter into the pav bits. Do not cover until it starts steaming then your pav bits will become soggy. This step is optional.

Squeeze half a lemon without the seeds.
Garnish the Bite sized Masala Pav Bits with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Instructions

· Serve your Masala Pav hot.

· Alternatively, you can place the Bite sized masala coated pavs on a platter with toothpicks inserted as a party starter

Tips

· As mentioned above you can shallow fry the pav bits on a skillet or Air fry them.

· Do not deep fry as the pav tends to absorb too much oil and becomes very oily.

· The masala shouldn’t be dry but it shouldn’t be too watery either. So, cook till the masala reaches that consistency. If you find the masala too dry, then add ½ a cup of water and cook for about 5-7 minutes till you achieve the desired consistency.

· Do not cook after the lemon juice is added, as it may make it bitter

Variations

· You can completely avoid frying the Bite sized pavs and just toss them in the masala. I just like it a bit crisp, so this is my recipe

· Vegans can avoid butter in the recipe.

· You can add Kasuri Methi for added flavour.

· You can add Green bell pepper (Capsicum). If adding Capsicum, Chop finely and saute with the tomato.

· Lemon Juice is Optional.

UPPU SEEDAI / SALTED CHEEDAI (SAVOURY CRUNCHY RICE BALLS)

2020-08-11T00:33:00.002+08:00

UPPU SEEDAI / SALTED CHEEDAI (SAVOURY CRUNCHY RICE BALLS)

GOKULASHTAMI / KRISHNASHTAMI /JANMASHTAMI /KRISHNA JAYANTI, the Birthday of Lord Krishna is round the corner and one of his favourites is Seedai/Cheedai, a savoury crispy crunchy rice lentil balls.
Every year during Gokulashtami Amma used to make Seedais and we used to absolutely love them. We as kids used to toss Seedais into our mouth or each other’s mouth to see if we can aim right, we used to enjoy this challenge although, we used to get scolded for it.
Making seedais was a family ritual, with all of us involved in the rolling the dough balls.

Ah!!! Missing those days of family bonding so much, especially in making seedai, the more the people the merrier it would be.

Appa (the major general of our little army) would trick us into competing on who would roll out more seedai balls quickly, we would immediately take on the challenge, so we can win. We would await this ritual every year eagerly until one year, Amma had kept everything ready but as she popped the seedais into the oil, the seedais burst and the oil splattered and she got burnt badly, she had very bad burn marks on her stomach and hand.
My Appa got so angry that he threw all the dough into the bin and told Amma that henceforth she should not make any Bakshanam(Savouries) that would have the potential to burst and that was that. Appa used to buy all the Bakshanams from our dear Madras Stores(Readymade).

Amma used to prepare Appam, Vadai etc for neivedyam but no more savouries.
The fear continued and I never attempted making seedai to as the incident had scared me. Anyways, Grand Sweets (Chennai) available in our Abdul Rahim stores, Upper dickson road, Singapore was always there for my rescue, Jai Ho!!!
But looking at so many people attempting this savoury, I got tempted to try too.
Just to be honest with you, I’m a "quick gun Murugan" chef and like quick recipes I don’t like to do too many laborious preparations. So in my recipe I have used the store-bought Rice flour and Udad flour (readymade flours), I have used dessicated coconut as well.
Here’s my recipe of the Seedai, My recipe can make about ½ a kilo (500 gms) of Seedais

Ingredients (Makes about ½ kg of Seedai)
Rice Flour – ¾ cup
Split white lentil (Udad Dal /Urad dal/ Ulutham parippu) Flour – 1 tbsp
Split Bengal Gram lentil (Chana Dal/Kadalaparuppu) - 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida (Hing / Perungayam) - ½ tsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Salt as per Taste
Oil for Deep Frying
A muslin cloth or towel

Method
Soak the Chana dal in water for about 15 minutes.
Dry roast the flours in a non-stick pan for about 2-3 minutes in a low flame, ensuring to stand and monitor the roasting and not letting it change colour or catch the bottom. Let it cool down.
Now, Sieve the Flours, this is very important. Do not use the flour which has not passed through the sieve. This ensures that you get a smooth flour with no lumps.
Now, in a deep Mixing ball, Add the flours as per the measure above, add in the grated coconut, asafoetida, butter, the soaked and drained Chana dal and salt as per taste. Mix well, the butter should get one with the flour, so that when you hold it in your hand, it forms the shape of your hand. Then add water little by little and knead well to make a smooth dough. The best part about rice flour is it’s easily manageable with people who are not much experienced as well.
The dough should be stiff and not sticky to your hands. Add water slowly, sprinkle little by little if not confident.
Now, grease your fingers with some oil, take a small quantity of dough and roll it into a tiny ball.
While rolling, we need to roll it gently into a pliable ball, if too hard the seedai may burst.
Do not make big balls, the smaller the balls, the crunchier they turn out. Continue making the balls.
If you do not have people helping you making the balls while you are frying then you need to wet a muslin cloth, squeeze the excess water, the cloth must be moist and throw the balls onto the moist cloth, this is to ensure that the flour doesn’t get dry. Rice flour gets dry very fast.
As you keep making the balls then just cover it with the cloth gently.
Once finished rolling all the balls check, if you feel the balls are moist, allow them to dry out a bit before you start frying
Now comes the frying part, this by far is the most crucial part of making the Seedai.
Before you start, frying we need to ensure that the oil is nice and hot, but not fuming hot. Put a tiny pinch of dough to check first, if you see that the dough comes rising to the top, means your oil is ready.
I usually out one as a test run to see how it reacts (Because of my fear factor), once done, and all ok I add batches of about 15-20 balls at a time. Once you put in a batch of seedais in oil, keep the strainer ladle on top just in case and do not turn them immediately. Increase the flame a bit as when you drop a batch the temperature goes down, after about a minute, lower the flame and slowly turn the seedais to the other side. Let them fry on one side. If we keep the flame high to speed up the process, the seedai will turn brown and instead of being crunchy will be cooked on the outside and chewy on the inside.
The right temperature and being alert during the frying process is a must to ensure perfect seedais. Deep fry the balls until golden in color and you can feel them sound like little marbles on your ladle. Remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel. Allow it to cool down, then store the seedais in an airtight box.
I made this is as a neivedhyam Bakshanam for Gokulashtami. It gave me immense pleasure to serve my Lord, the Home made seedais made with love.
Enjoy these little crunchy balls on the go or as a snack with your tea/coffee.

Statutory Warning !!!
Do not pop into your mouth, the hot seedai balls once out of the oil you may burn your tongue. Let it cool down first. The crunch comes only once cool down.

Tips

· Follow the ratio exactly as given in my website. We need to use the right ratio otherwise the seedai will not turn out good. Adding more udad dal flour, makes the seedai burst open as well and you will see that the color would become dark, similarly adding less udad dal flour makes the color very light.

· You can sieve the flours twice to ensure that the flour is butter smooth, this ensures that the seedais won’t burst when frying. Better to be safe than sorry since we are using the store-bought readymade flours. Anil Rice flour/Kuzhakattai flour/Idiyappam flour are all good to make this recipe.

In my recipe I have used dessicated coconut. Incase, you are using fresh coconut roast them to a pink colour. After roasting, let it cool before adding to your flour mix.

· Adding more butter will make the seedai too brittle.

· To make more just double the measurements given

Variations

· Vegans can replace butter with 1 tablespoon of Coconut oil, if adding oil, slightly warm up the oil before adding.

· For those who want to make it the traditional way using the home made rice flour, which is considered by the elders and experienced as the best due to its smooth texture and also because you know what rice goes into the making.

Vegan Yang Chow Fried Rice Recipe | Easy Filipino Chinese Style Fried Rice

2020-07-30T18:22:00.003+08:00

Did you know that Chinese Filipinos are one of the largest overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, with a rich heritage that has deeply shaped Filipino culture over centuries? Through early trade and migration, the Chinese brought lasting influences to the Philippines...especially in the world of food.

From stir-fried dishes and delicate rice cakes to beloved noodle favourites like Pancit, Chinese culinary traditions blended beautifully with local flavours to create iconic fusion cuisine. One delicious result of this heritage is Yang Chow Fried Rice, a vibrant, flavour-packed dish loved across the Philippines.

Traditionally prepared with barbecued pork such as Char Siu and juicy prawns, this version offers a delightful vegetarian twist with hearty soya nuggets. Colourful, aromatic, and satisfying, this Yang Chow Fried Rice is a complete meal in itself, comforting, wholesome, and absolutely irresistible.

Ingredients (Serves – 4)
Rice – 2 cups
Soya nuggets – 1 cup
Soya sauce - 1 ½ tbsps
Onion – 1 chopped
Green peas - ¾ cup
Carrots – 1 julienned
French Beans – 1 julienned
Corn – ½ cup
Lettuce – 8- 10 leaves
Ginger minced – 1 tsp
Garlic minced – 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Cooking Oil – 3 tbsps
Salt as per taste

Method

Cook the rice beforehand, or for best results, use rice cooked the previous day and chilled in the refrigerator. This helps the grains remain separate and gives the fried rice its signature fluffy texture.

Rinse the soya nuggets well, then soak them in boiling hot water with a pinch of salt for at least 15 minutes. Once softened, transfer them into cool water. Drain through a colander and squeeze out all the excess water so they are ready to absorb flavour beautifully.

Prepare and chop all the vegetables before you begin cooking.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high flame. Add the ginger and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Add the onions and cook for about a minute until slightly softened.

Next, add the soya nuggets and sauté well. We want them to soak up all the delicious flavours. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce and continue stir-frying for 2–3 minutes until the nuggets are lightly browned and flavourful.

Now add in all the vegetables. Stir-fry on high heat, season lightly with salt, and toss continuously. The vegetables should remain vibrant, crisp, and slightly crunchy—not overcooked.

Add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly so everything is evenly combined. Pour in the soy sauce, sugar, and adjust salt carefully, keeping in mind that soy sauce already adds saltiness.

Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes so the rice absorbs all the wonderful flavours.

Finally, add the chopped spring onion greens. Toss everything together and cook uncovered for another 2 minutes.

Your delicious Yang Chow Fried Rice is now ready to serve. Enjoy hot with chillies marinated in soy sauce on the side.

Tips

I have used Thai Rice in this recipe. The key is to use rice that fluffs up well and does not turn sticky.

Leftover cold rice works wonderfully, as chilled rice grains remain separate and are ideal for fried rice.

If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a large plate or tray and allow it to cool completely before cooking. This helps prevent clumping.

Variations

This recipe is completely vegan-friendly.

The soya nuggets can be replaced with tofu, tempeh, or store-bought mock meats for different textures and flavours.

Traditionally, Yang Chow Fried Rice is made with Char Siu and prawns, so non-vegetarian versions can include these classic ingredients.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AADI POORAM

2020-07-24T15:35:00.002+08:00

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AADI POORAM

Today is a very Auspicious Day. As per the Tamil Calendar, Today is Aadi Pooram (Tamil: ஆடிப்பூரம்), plus it's Aadi Velli (Fridays during this month is of great significance) and added to that it's Naga Chaturthi.

What's this Aadi month all about?
Ashadha or Aashaadha or Aadi is a month of the Hindu calendar that corresponds to June/July in the Gregorian calendar.
Aadi month this year is from July 16th – August 16th (32 days), it is the 4th month of the Tamil Calendar.
Aadi month in 2020 corresponds with Ashadha Month and Shravan Month in North Indian Hindi Calendars which follow the (Purnimant Panchangam) and other Amavasyant Panchanga systems (Telegu, Kannada , Marathi and Gujarati)
The next six months from Aadi to Margazhi is the Dakshinayana punyakalam. It marks the beginning of the night of Devas.
Traditionally, Aadi month is considered as inauspicious and most people avoid auspicious ceremonies during this period.
This month is special for Goddess Shakthi. People worship Goddess and her different forms during this month to get her blessings for their wealth and happiness.

Andal Thirukalyanam Pic courtesy - Tamil Brahmins

The Significance of Aadi Pooram
Aadi Pooram (Tamil: ஆடிப்பூரம்), also called as Aandal Jayanti is a prime festival of Tamilians.

Aadi Pooram is the celebration of the birth day of Goddess Andal, an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.

This festival is celebrated during Aadi month in the Tamil calendar that corresponds to the English months of July-August.

It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in the places all over the world with Tamil population.

The word ‘Aadi’ signifies the fourth month in the Tamil calendar while ‘Pooram’ denotes one of the 27 Nakshatras mentioned in the Hindu Astrology.

The story of Goddess Andal is known all through the state of Tamil Nadu and her devotion to Sri Ranganatha (a form of Lord Vishnu) is widespread in the whole of southern India.

The celebrations of Aadi Pooram are very splendid in almost all the Lord Vishnu temples located in Tamil Nadu.

The day also holds immense significance in Goddess Shakti temples scattered all over the country. The day of Aadi Pooram is also observed as the day of Goddess Shakti as it is believed that the Goddess herself comes to Earth in this auspicious day, to bless Her devotees.

The devotees therefore worship their deity with full dedication to lead a happy and prosperous life.

In the Saiva temples, the day of Aadi Pooram is observed as the festival of ‘Valaikappu’. In the event, glass bangles are offered to Goddess Andal and then distributed among all devotees. It is believed that by wearing these bangles, the couples will be blessed with offspring and also when pregnant women wear these bangles; it shields their child from all the evil forces.

Rituals during Aadi Pooram
Aadi Pooram is a 10-day festival observed with great pomp and show in all Lord Vishnu temples in the state of Tamil Nadu. Of these, the last day (10th day) is observed as ‘Aadi Pooram’ and a grand marriage ceremony of Goddess Andal and Sri Ranganathaswamy is conducted. This event is also known as ‘Thirukalyanam’.

On the day of Aadi Pooram, the women of the household get up early and start making the preparations. They decorate their house beautifully with kolam. Goddess Andal is fond of lotus flower, red color and kalkandu rice. The women of the household make an elaborate meal for offering to the Goddess.

In the temples, Goddess Andal is adorned with silk saree, glittering jewelleries and garlands. An elaborate feast is offered to the Goddess that is contributed by every household in the community. As the festival of Aadi Pooram celebrated the marriage of God and Goddess, thousands of devotees visit the temples to witness this ceremony.

Special rituals are performed on this day that is accompanied by playing the traditional music. The celebrations continue till late at night and then after the ‘aarti’ the food is distributed among the devotees.

On this auspicious day, the devotees also read the ‘Thiruppavai’ and ‘Lalitha Sahasranamam’.

"Goddess Andal"Pic courtesy - Picuki.com
Artist Vishnu

The celebration of Aadi Pooram is very elaborate in the Goddess Andal temple at ‘Srivalliputtur’, which is the birth place of Aandal located in Tamil Nadu. The 12-day festival here marks the birth star of Goddess Andal. This festival is also observed as a big event at ‘Srirangam Sri Ranganath Temple’ for a period of ten days. On the last day, the marriage ceremony of Lord Ranganatha and Andal is held with great pomp and show. It is a popular belief that unmarried girls who worship Goddess Andal on the last day will very soon get married. Moreover, when the festival of Aadi Pooram falls on a Friday, as per the belief, it becomes more auspicious and the celebrations become more elaborate with countless rituals.

So, Celebrate Today, Chant God’s name and let’s pray for peace and joy in the world.

BOTTLE GOURD HALWA / LAUKI KA HALWA/ DOODHI KA HALWA WITH KHOYA & CHAR MAGAZ

2020-07-23T00:27:00.000+08:00

BOTTLE GOURD HALWA / LAUKI KA HALWA/ DOODHI KA HALWA WITH CHAR MAGAZ
Bottle gourd is very good for health, it’s packed with nutrition, but unfortunately, it’s not very popular at home. Whenever I buy bottle gourd it lies around in the fridge and sometimes needs to be stashed.
The moment I say I will prepare bottle gourd, the kids will say “NO”, and it will have to go back inside the fridge. This time it was a week and the kids were not ready to eat the bottle gourd, and I also didn’t have the energy to force them, so I decided to make the Doodhi ka halwa, which is my favorite.
It tastes yummy with crisp Maida pooris which I had tasted in a friend’s house who belongs to Madhya Pradesh. I think it may be a specialty there or probably their family favorite combination, but I loved it too.
The last time I made this halwa, I added Char magaz.
Char Magaz is a mixture of four types of melon seed kernels – watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber and rock melon (cantaloupe). You can find these seeds in the Indian Grocery Store.
These seeds contain several nutrients and provide nourishment and strength to the body.

Ingredients

Bottle Gourd – 500 gms

Milk – 2 cups
Sugar – 1 cup
Ghee - ¼ cup
Khoya /Mawa (Milk Solids) – ½ cup (Optional)
Cardamom – 4 pods
Dry Fruits – Almonds/Pistachio slivered for garnish
Char Magaz seeds – 1 tbsp (Optional)

Method
Peel bottle gourds, then remove the seeds.

Grate bottle gourd properly.
Now add the grated bottle gourd in a pressure cooker/pan and add 2 cups milk and cardamom powder. If using the pressure cooker, cook up to 3 whistles. If using Pan cook until tender.
Now in a nonstick pan, add some ghee and when warm add the boiled bottle gourd and cook until all the milk is absorbed into the bottle gourd.
Now add sugar.
Cook on low flame for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
You will notice that after adding sugar the mixture will become watery. Keep stirring until the sugar is absorbed and the water dries up.
Meanwhile, in a small pan add 4-5 tablespoons of ghee. Add the dry fruits, Slivered almonds, pistachios and Char Magaz and slightly sauté.
Add this to the Halwa, mix well.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes and serve warm

Serving suggestions
Serve warm

VARIATIONS

· You can skip the khoya in this recipe and cook without it as well.

· Vegans can avoid all dairy ingredients like Milk, Khoya and Ghee.

PINAKULUANG / NILAGANG OKRA (STEAMED OKRA / OKRA SALAD)

2020-07-16T18:09:00.000+08:00

PINAKULUANG / NILAGANG OKRA (STEAMED OKRA / OKRA SALAD)
I’m absolutely loving, cooking Asian dishes at home, some of the dishes are so simple, you never knew that cooking could be this simple and the best part is the nutrients are intact.
One such dish is the Steamed Okra /Ladies Finger. This dish is a simple and economical dish and very affordable.
In the Indian cuisine we add a lot of spices to enhance the flavors of the dish, it sometimes tends to overpower the actual taste of the vegetable. While I absolutely love the Indian Bhindi (Ladies finger) in any form hands down. I would have to admit that this recipe is by far the simplest recipe ever and manages to pack in the nutrition in it.
It is steam cooked lightly, still managing the crunch and yet not being raw.
There’s a study that says, cooking vegetables 10 minutes or less generally gets you the most benefits.
Asian cuisine is synonymous with cooking “under”, they love the crunch in the vegetables.
Traditionally, this dish is served with Bagoong which is a mix of *Fish sauce, with a dash of lemon and chilly, like a vinaigrette.
They allow the lemon and chilli slices to marinate in the fish sauce and eat the okra by dipping in this Vinaigrette.
This Recipe is an Oil free recipe, diabetic friendly and for weight watchers.
Enjoy making and relishing this recipe.

Ingredients
Okra – 12 -15 pieces
Salt as per needed (Optional)

For the Bagoong(Vinaigrette)
*Vegetarian Fish Sauce – 3 tbsp
Lemon juice – ½ lemon squeezed without seeds
Green Chilly – 1 chopped into fine pieces

Method
In a wok, add water Put water in a small pot, add a pinch of salt for extra taste (Optional), bring to a boil then add the okra. Cook until okra is tender, remove from pot and drain the water, give it a good shake and then place in a plate.
Combine all the ingredients mentioned for the sauce and serve hot with steaming hot rice.

TIPS

· I didn’t cut the top and bottom part of the Okra as I didn’t want my Okra to be slimy. It’s also way more nutritious to cook it as a whole.

· Once the water reaches boiling point, put in the Okra and let it cook for 2-3 minutes

· Take a fork, if the fork goes through it’s done.

· You can alternatively retain the water that the Okra is boiled in, add a dash of soya sauce/salt and a dash of pepper and enjoy as a soup as this water is very nutritious

VARIATIONS

· If you do not want to use the Vegetarian Fish Sauce, you can replace it with soya sauce instead.

KATHIAWADI LASANIYA KHATTA DHOKLA (KATHIAWADI GARLIC WHITE DHOKLA)

2020-07-11T23:57:00.000+08:00

KATHIAWADI LASANIYA KHATTA DHOKLA (KATHIAWADI GARLIC WHITE DHOKLA)
Kathiawadi cuisine hails from Kathiawar in Saurashtra region of India and other areas in Southern Gujarat.
Kathiawadi cuisine is usually spicy, they add onion and garlic in many of their preparations.
What I love about Kathiawadi cuisine is the lack of sweetness in their preparations which suits my palate.
Today I’m going to share with you’ll the recipe of Kathiawadi Lasaniya Dhokla, which packs a punch of flavours and gives your taste palates a jolt.
This variety of dhokla hasn’t been blogged much about.
This is a healthy recipe since it’s made with Broken wheat (dalia).
It’s a no fail recipe provided you follow the recipe given here to the “T”
Do Try this recipe.

Ingredients

Dalia / Broken wheat - 1 cup
Semolina (Rava / Suji) - ½ cup
Yogurt (Dahi) - 1 cup
Green chilly - 3 (Small size)
Ginger - ½ inch
Garlic – 2-3 pods
Oil – 1 tsp
Baking Powder – ½ tsp
Baking soda – ¼ tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) – ¼ tsp
Salt as per taste

Tempering
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2-3 tsp
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig

Green chillies - 2 whole with stem slit for decoration

Oil – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves – For Garnish

Method
Pound the Green chilli, ginger and garlic into a coarse paste.
Take a big bowl, add 1 cup of Broken wheat(dalia), ½ cup Semolina (Rava/Sooji) and 1 cup thick Yogurt, add salt, asafoetida(hing), chilly-ginger-garlic paste and 1.5 tsps of Sesame seeds.
Add ¼ cup water if the batter is thick.
Mix well.
Keep it aside for 30 min.
Let it marinate in the spices and let the dalia and semolina soak in the yogurt and water.
Meanwhile, prepare the steamer and grease your dhokla plates or any moulds of choice with a little oil.
Check your Dhokla batter, Your batter should be like the idli batter
Add the Baking Powder – ½ tsp and Baking soda – ¼ tsp to the Dhokla batter, mix well and immediately pour the batter into the prepared plates/moulds.
Do not beat the mix vigorously after adding the baking powder and soda. Just whisk it gently so that it mixes into the batter evenly.

Use an Idli / Dhokla Steamer pot and cook the Dhokla on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
After 20 mins, take a tooth pick and check. If it comes out clean then your dhoklas are done. Turn off the gas and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. After which you can remove the stand. Let it cool for a few minutes.
Take a knife and cut into desired shape.
The next step is tempering. In a small pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and once they crackle, add the sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chilies and take the pan off the heat.
Drizzle this tempering (tadka) over the dhokla using a spoon.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and Serve hot. Enjoy this snack with tea or as a starter.

Serving Instructions

· Serve it hot with some oil (Preferably Peanut or Sesame oil). The reason it’s served with oil is because it’s a bit spicy and the oil dip brings down the spice and enhances the flavour of the dhokla

· Serve hot with green chutney and sweet date chutney as preferred

Tips

· Use Roasted Dalia/Semolina. If not roasted and kept. Roast the Dalia and Semolina and keep aside. Wait for it to cool

· For those who do not have an Idli/Dhokla steamer can use the pressure cooker without the weight(whistle) or use plates and place onto a stand in a wok with water and cover and steam cook.

Variations

· You can use Eno fruit salt – ½ tsp instead of the Baking powder and Baking soda.

BANANA HALWA KERALA STYLE / PAZHAVARATHI / PAZHAM VARATTI /

2020-07-09T00:10:00.000+08:00

BANANA HALWA KERALA STYLE / PAZHAVARATHI / PAZHAM VARATTI /
For all you banana lovers like me, I would like to share this wonderful recipe of the Pazha varatti.
Pazham means banana in Tamil/Malayalam and Varatti means cook until dry.
Usually Pazha varathi is made with Nendram pazham (the Bigger sized Bananas mostly eaten by Keralaites). Banana is an integral part of any Kerala meal and it is said to aid in digestion. No Banana leaf meal is complete without the humble banana.
In my recipe, I used the regular banana. I had 3 big size bananas which had become over ripe
I had 3 over ripe bananas lying. I would have had to throw them so decided to make this beautiful banana Halwa known as Pazhavarathi in Kerala.

Ingredients
Bananas - 3
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Jaggery - 2 cubes if grated about 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1- 2 tsps
and cashews for garnish/decoration.

Method
Peel and mash the bananas and puree it in a mixer/blender. The bananas in my recipe were over ripe so I could skip this step.
Melt the jaggery, once melted, add the mashed ripe/overripe bananas, mix well,
Add a teaspoon of ghee and keep stirring until there's no more water and the Halwa leaves the sides of the pan.
Once done, add a teaspoon of ghee for the glaze and then stir once and serve. Garnish with cashew for decoration.
Tastes yum👌

Serving Instructions
· Pour into a greased cake tin and allow it to set and cut to desired shape and serve

· You can serve it in a bowl.

Tips
· It’s best to make this halwa in a non-stick pan as the banana sticks to the bottom of the pan a lot.

· If using Nendram pazham you need to steam cook the banana before Mashing/ Pureeing it.

· You can either mash or Puree the banana.

· I like a bit of natural banana feel to it hence I don’t puree in the mixie.

VARIATIONS

You can add a 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut

SABUDANA CHIVDA (SAGO SAVOURY SNACK)

2020-07-01T22:40:00.002+08:00

SABUDANA CHIVDA (SAGO SAVOURY SNACK)
Devshayani Ekadashi or Ashadi Ekadashi is followed by all Hindus, but it’s very popular in Maharashtra and is known by the name of Ashadi Ekadashi.
Every year, there is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) in honor of Lord Vithoba.
Palkhis (palanquin processions) carrying the paduka’s (foot prints) of the deity and various saints, most notably Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram from the Warkari sect, are taken from their respective shrines to Pandharpur.
Warkari is a Marathi term which means "one who performs the Wari" or "one who venerates Lord Vithoba".
The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old.
Devotees from all over Maharashtra and nearby areas set out for Pandharpur, wearing holy basil beads (Tulsi mala) and singing the glories of Lord Vithoba and the holy saints.
Today is the day when upon reaching Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, these devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Chandrabhaga River/Bhima River before proceeding to visit the Vitthal Temple and offering Prayers to the Lord.
The devotees also observe strict fasting on this day.
Those who cannot fast are allowed to eat certain fasting items (Vrat ka khana).
One such item is Sabudana or Sago.
Today I’m going to share with you’ll the recipe of Sabudana Chivda.
Chivda is a mixed snack and usually had with tea. This is a crispy crunchy chivda with an interesting mix.

Ingredients
Sago – 1 cup
Peanuts – ¼ cup
Slivered Almonds – 1 tbsp
Raisins – 2 tablespoons
Potato Grated – 1
Green Chillies - 2-3
Curry Leaves – 1 Sprig
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Powdered Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying

Method
Heat oil in a wok / frying pan. Before starting to fry, add a sago and see if it pops up. First add sabudana and fry it till the sabudana changes color. Once done transfer the fried sabudana in a large bowl.
Now fry the grated potato to a golden brown color. Add it to the sabudana mixture.
Now in another wok fry all the ingredients one by one on a low flame ensuring that you don't burn them. Fry the peanuts until golden and split, then the Slivered almonds until golden, Raisins until plump. Fry the green chilies and curry leaves together. Once they are done add them to the sabudana mixture.
Drain the oil well and mix all the ingredients that you fried with the fried Sago.
Add salt and sugar. Mix everything well.
Sabudana Chivda is ready to snack on!
Let this get cool for some time then store it in an air - tight container.

Tips

· You require the larger variety of Sago pearls known as the “Nylon sabudana”

. Use Sendha Namak (Rock Salt) for fasting.

· Always wash the sago well 3 times and then sun dry it and then fry the sago.

· Ensure that none of the ingredients become black while frying. If they become black throw them, don't use them in the chivda as the taste of the chivda can spoil.

· Preferably use a net to fry all the ingredients, as it is easy to catch all the ingredients from the oil.

· Toss all the items a couple of times to mix everything well.

· You can use the dried potato sticks available in the market instead of the fresh grated potato.

Variations

· Can Add Grated Coconut, Just fry golden and add (If add coconut, the shelf life reduces)

· Can add Cashew nuts. Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

· Can put whole almonds. Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

· Can avoid Green chilies and use only red chili powder

· Can avoid Red chilly powder and use only green chilies instead.

· You can use slices of dried coconut (Kopra). Fry Golden and add to the Chivda

BAGUIO SOY GARLIC BEANS

2020-06-30T00:08:00.000+08:00

BAGUIO SOY GARLIC BEANS
Exploring Asian Cuisine as the tastes of the people at home is getting diverse thanks to living in Singapore.

Today, I’m sharing a recipe from the Filipino Cuisine.

Baguio is a place in the Philippines where the Beans are commonly grown, hence the name Baguio Soy Garlic Beans and as the name suggests you can guess the ingredients.

Beans are a versatile dish and you can make it in many ways.

The Filipinos are meat lovers and add meats as a variation to this beans dish. But I’m going to share with you’ll a Vegan version of this dish.

What I love about Asian cuisine is, the dishes are very simple to cook.
They do not overcook their vegetables, they only half cook it so they are slightly crunchy and retain their original taste. The spices do not overwhelm the dish. And the best part is they are quick to cook. This dish takes all of 7 minutes right from the cutting to the cooking to the plate. Vegetables are served as sides in the Filipino cuisine. Garlic gives this dish a potent flavor and aroma

Ingredients
French Beans (Baguio Beans) – 200 grams
Sesame Oil / Cooking oil – 1-2 tsps
Garlic – 2 pods / 1 teaspoon finely chopped
Soya Sauce - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds – ½ tsp toasted

Method
Trim the edges of the beans. Wash them well. In a pan, Boil water, I added a pinch of salt for the extra punch. Now, dump in the beans and cook for a couple of minutes until partially done.
Fork out the beans and keep aside. Retain the water as it has a lot of nutrition.
In a wok /pan, add a ¼ spoon of sesame seeds, when it starts to splutter, remove and keep aside.
Now, in the same wok/pan, pour in the sesame oil, once hot, add the garlic and saute for a minute, do not cook until red, it will cook some more with the beans later. Add the Beans, Pour the Soya sauce. Give it a good stir.
Cook, just until the green beans are done and most of the sauce has been soaked up. The flavors permeate into the beans and make this dish very aromatic.
Transfer the cooked beans on a plate along with the garlic and the sauce as show in the picture.
Sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds and serve hot with steaming hot rice.

Tips
· The water that the beans was cooked in can be served as a plain soup with a dash of soya sauce as a side.

Variations
· The Filipinos add meat to the dish, Vegetarians/Vegans can add crumbled Soya chunks to the above recipe.

LEMON RICE / LIMBU SADAM

2020-06-24T17:37:00.001+08:00

LEMON RICE / LIMBU SADAM
Rice is a staple food of the South Indians. There are many varieties of rice that is made in the south Indian cuisine, one such rice is Lemon Rice (Lemon flavored rice).
The Kerala Iyer’s settled in Mumbai had a different lingo(slang) for everything.
Lemons are known as Limbu in Maharashtrian language and everyone calls it Limbu in Mumbai. In other South Indian states, it’s known as Elimichai (Tamil), CheruNaranga fondly called as Naranga as well (Malayalam), Nimmakaya in (Telegu) and Nimbe (Kannada) and so on and so forth.
Tambrams in Mumbai were such an eclectic mix language wise that we adopted whatever was easy on the tongue and easy for all the generations to understand, so Lemon Rice at my place was called Limbu Sadam. Amma used to pack Lemon rice for us in our tiffin boxes and the wafting aroma of the lemon, hours after it was cooked was still so refreshing. That could be the reason it was packed for our long journeys by train/bus.
I’m going to share the basic recipe of Lemon Rice made by my mother. It can be made exotic by adding various other ingredients as well.

Ingredients (Serves 2)
Rice -1 cup
Lemon -1
Oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
White lentil (Urad dal split) -1 tsp
Bengal Gram (Channa dal/kadalai paruppu) -1 tbsp
Red chillies - 1-2 (broken in 2 halves)
Green chillies - 2 -3 (Broken in 2 halves)
Asafetida (Hing) - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped (Optional)
Salt as per taste

Method
Soak the rice for about 20 minutes, after that cook the rice, preferably cook it in the proportion of 1 cup rice:2 cups water. (Refer to tips below).
Rice must not be gluey or stuck to each other, it has to be separate. The texture of the rice is very important to get this recipe right.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, white lentils (urad dal), Bengal Gram (Chana dal), Red chilies. When the mustard starts to splutter and the dals are turning slightly pink, add in Green chilies, curry leaves and asafetida.
Add the cooked rice, turmeric and salt as per taste. Give it all a good mix, Sauté for about 5-6 minutes till the mixture becomes uniform and is hot. Turn off the gas.
At this stage, squeeze the juice of a lemon (De-seed), Give it all a good mix so that lemon is ingested into the grains of rice
*Very Important - Do not cook after adding the lemon juice, the taste may become bitter!!!
After this, check for salt and if needed, add again and mix well.
Garnish with Freshly chopped coriander leaves (optional).
Serve hot or let it cool and pack it in Tiffin boxes.
Traditionally, lemon rice is served with Papads (Lentil Crackers) / Vadaams (Fryums).
Lemon rice goes well with any dry curries(sabzis) as well.
Serve it the way you like. Eat it the way you enjoy.

Tips
· Use Leftover rice to make the lemon rice as the starch in the rice gets less sticky as it gets colder. There is a big chance that the rice won’t stick to each other.

· If using freshly cooked rice, after cooking, spread it on a plate and let it cool down under a fan.

· Spice levels can be increased or decreased as per taste

· Addition of lemon decreases the salt taste, so after adding the lemon, check for salt and if needed, add again

· Do not skip Chana dal as it gives a crunch to the lemon rice.

VARIATIONS

· Can Add peanuts to the lemon rice. Fry the peanuts in Oil and keep aside and add when you add the cooked rice.

· Can Add Cashew nuts to the lemon rice. Fry the cashew nuts golden in Oil and keep aside and add when you add the cooked rice.

· You can add green peas, if you are adding green peas, sauté until lighter color in the oil after you add the green chilies and curry leaves

· You can add grated or diced(small) carrots for extra nutrition. if you are adding carrots, sauté until soft in the oil after you add the green chilies and curry leaves

· You can add onion to this recipe.

· You can add ginger to this recipe. Pound ¼ inch ginger and add along with chilies in the recipe.

VAZHAKKAI MEZHUKKUVARATHI /PORIYAL/CURRY (RAW BANANA STIR FRY)

2020-06-23T00:56:00.000+08:00

VAZHAKKAI MEZHUKKUVARATHI /PORIYAL/CURRY (RAW BANANA STIR FRY)
Raw Banana is widely used in Kerala Cuisine. Every part of the banana is packed with nutrition and health benefits. This humble plant, with its flower, stem, fruit and leaf, can be consumed in different ways for overall wellness.
I think no one can cook the Vazhakkai Mezhukkuvarathi (Mezhukkupuratti) like my Grandmother Kaveri, we used to fondly call her “Amma”. Her recipe had the authentic Parawoor (Kerala) touch; that only one of her daughter’s could manage to get close too. Sadly, both are no more. But thankfully, since I was interested in cooking and watched them make this simple recipe very closely, I can share it with all my viewers today.
Amma (My grand mom) moved from Parawoor post marriage in her teens or early 20’s to Bombay (Now Mumbai, but I will refer to as Bombay here) and as most Tamil-Brahmins, Palakkad Iyers (referred henceforth as Tam brams) settled in Matunga. Matunga has a special place in the lives of the Tam brams as it was the land of opportunities and people came to make their fortune here and Bombay being Bombay; full of industrious people, it made available everything that the migrants needed. The coffee powders, the vegetables that would be popular etc. Those days, the vegetable vendors would bring the vegetables straight from the farms in double cane baskets loaded on either side of a pole balanced on their shoulders. They would walk through the lanes and by lanes and market their vegetables by shouting out. Amma used to patronize a vendor as she felt his vegetables were fresh and economical. This guy used to come from Vasai (He was fondly addressed as “Vashaiwalla” by Amma). The guy a Maharashtrian used to speak Hindi in a slang and understood some Tamil words and our enterprising star, Amma who picked up Hindi but with her south Indian slang would bargain with him while buying and also place requests, “Agli baar aaya toh Vazhakkai laana, dhoda jyaada laana, accha kaccha hona mangta, payam nahi laana”
It meant, get more raw bananas next time, it must be nice and green and raw don’t bring it when it has started to ripen.
And the industrious “Vashaiwalla” would say, “It’s very hot and by the time he brings it in the sun, it starts to ripen…ha ha ha.

I’m surely going to cover Amma and her experiences in Bombay in another post of mine.

As a child, we have been in awe of our Grand mom's intelligence and quick wittedness and burst into laughter listening to her hindi at the same time. But no matter what her don't give up attitude is what is the strongest memory we have of her.

The reason Amma’s cooking tasted so good was because the whole process was quality centric. Amma would choose the green, hard and long bananas to the Mondangai’s that would be used in her home town, she said the Bananas in Bombay were delicate and cooked faster and had more taste provided the Vashaiwalla got it as soon as he plucked them and delivered it fresh.

The Vazhakkai Mezhukkuvarathi cooked by the Kerala Iyers (Brahmin style) is very simple. It does not need any other ingredients as used in the regular Kerala Vazhakkai Mezhukkupuratti which has onion, garlic, curry leaves, coconut etc.

But there is one ingredient that cannot be missed and that is “Coconut Oil”.

Some recipes are simple, yet not all can do justice in making it; I wonder why?

There’s so much emotion attached to this simple recipe that every time I wanted to share it, I would get emotional and wouldn’t be able to proceed.
Raw bananas are very nutritious and you must try this simple recipe. Add lots of love too.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Raw bananas - 3-4
Virgin Coconut Oil – 3 - 4 tbsps
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
White lentil split (Urad Dal) - ½ tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Asafetida (Hing) – ¼ tsp
Dry red chillies – 2, broken in half
Salt as per taste

Method
Wash the bananas, de-stem and cut the end as well. Peel the banana and cut in square chunks. Once diced, put in the water otherwise it will get discoloured. Keep aside.
In an Iron Wok/Pan, Add the coconut oil, once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, Urad dal and red chillies, when the mustard seeds start to splutter. Add the diced raw bananas. Add turmeric, Asafetida, salt and red chilly powder. Mix well. Add a 4-5 tablespoons of water.
Cover and cook in a low flame, stirring occasionally, until done.
The important thing is the banana has to get cooked well but not become mushy, then add a tablespoon of hot coconut oil and let the raw banana cook until its gets crisp on one side and soft inside.
Serve the vazhakkai Mezhukkuvarathi hot with hot rice, a dollop of ghee, some hot dal (Paruppu) and rasam.

Tips

· Use coconut oil only for the authentic taste

· Apply coconut oil before you start peeling and chopping raw banana as it tends to leave a stain on your hands.

Variations

· Vazhakkai Mezhukkupuratti can be made by adding onion, garlic, curry leaves & grated coconut as well to the existing recipe.

HYDERABADI CHICKPEAS PULAO/BIRYANI / GARBANZO BEANS PILAF / BIRYANI

2020-06-20T22:17:00.000+08:00

HYDERABADI CHICKPEAS PULAO / BIRYANI / GARBANZO BEANS PILAF / BIRYANI
The locked down has given me the opportunity to try many new recipes and one such recipe is the “Hyderabad Chickpeas Biryani”. I wonder, how I missed making this beautiful dish all these years.
I had soaked chickpeas and wanted to rustle up something quick and easy.
This dish is a One-pot meal which is what I like to cook on those lazy days when I have to drag myself to the kitchen.
The Texture of this dish is moist like a Biryani so you can call it a Biryani as well. This is an ideal dish to be packed into tiffin boxes to take to work or for kids. Quick to cook, Good to eat.

Ingredients (Serves - 4)
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Chickpeas - 1 cup (Boiled)
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Pulao / Biryani Masala or Garam Masala – ½ tsp
Pickle Masala – ½ tsp (My secret ingredient)
Onions - 2 medium sized
Tomatoes – 2 medium sized
Green chilly – 2
Ginger – ½ inch
Coriander leaves for Garnish

Masalas (whole)
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 slit vertically
Star Anise - 1
Cloves - 2-3
Mace (Javitri) – 1
Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi) - 1-2
Cardamom whole (Elaichi) - 1-2
Cumin seeds - 2 tsps.
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Soda bi-carb - a pinch (optional)
Cooking Oil - 4 tbsps
Salt as per taste

Method
Soak the chickpeas overnight with a pinch of soda. Rinse it well in the morning. Add the soaked and rinsed chickpeas in a cooker. Add water to cover it completely and a cup more. Boil it up to 3 whistles in the pressure cooker. Keep it aside.
Meanwhile, pound the chillies and ginger into a fine paste. Chop the onions into strips(slivers). Chop the tomatoes into chunks.
I cook this dish in the Handi pressure cooker. You can cook it in a wok/pan too.
Add the oil, when the Oil is hot, add all the whole Masalas. Sauté for a minute then add the chillies and ginger paste, fry for a minute, then add the onion slivers and some salt and cook till transparent. Do not cook until brown, Add the Tomatoes and cook until mushy. Add the boiled Chickpeas and stir. After this, add the Pulao / Biryani Masala powder or Garam Masala powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder, Turmeric powder, Pulao / Biryani Masala or Garam Masala and Pickle Masala (My secret ingredient). Give it a good stir.
Wait until the water in the chickpeas is dry already.
After this, Add the Washed and drained Basmati rice into the mix and mix well.
Mix with a gentle hand, ensuring that you don’t break the grains of rice.
Now add water, the proportion of water and rice 1: 1.5, so for every cup of rice, you add 1.5 cups of water. In our recipe, we will add 3.5 cups of water.
Stir gently till all the ingredients are mixed well.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves and check for salt.
If you need add salt at this stage.
Usually the mix will be slightly salty but everything will balance once cooked. Now close the lid and cook up to 3 whistles in the pressure cooker, if you are cooking in the open pan /wok, close the pan/wok tightly with a lid and steam cook until all the water is absorbed.
Once done, give it a good fluff with a fork.
Do not press hard and stir as you may break the rice.
Hot Chickpeas Pulao is ready.
Garnish with finely chopped Coriander leaves.
Serve Hot with Yogurt (dahi) /raita /pappad /pickle.
Enjoy this beautiful one-pot meal.

Tips
· Do not soak Rice for too long or else they will become soft and break easily and you won’t get to see the beautiful long grains.

· Adding soda bi-carb to chickpeas while soaking is optional, I added because I wasn’t sure if the chickpeas would be hard or soft. Sometimes, chickpeas don’t get cooked

· When you add Kasuri Methi, rub it between your palms and add, as this brings out the aroma out

· I prefer to cook in my Prestige Handi as it requires no supervision, However, if you are cooking in the pan/wok, please ensure that you put off the gas immediately when the water is absorbed and let it cook on steam else you may burn the bottom side of the pulao.

Agbeli Kaklo / Bankye Kakro (Cassava Croquettes) – Crispy Ghanaian Cassava Fritters with Coconut | Easy African Snack Recipe

2020-06-11T21:23:00.000+08:00

Cassava is one of the world’s most beloved staple crops, nourishing millions across continents with its hearty, starchy roots. Native to South America, cassava was introduced to Africa in the 16th century by Portuguese traders, and over time became an essential part of daily life in many African countries. Today, it remains one of the most important root crops, valued for its affordability, versatility, and ability to provide lasting energy.

In the Ghana, Togo, and Benin regions, where the Ewe language is widely spoken, cassava is called Agbeli, meaning “there is life.” What a beautiful and fitting name for a crop that sustains so many communities.

Today, I’m sharing a delightful Ghanaian favourite - Agbeli Kaklo (also known as Bankye Kakro), a delicious snack made from this humble tuber. Locally, cassava is known as Agbeli or Bankye, while Kaklo/Krakro means fried. The result is a crunchy, savoury croquette that is wonderfully satisfying.

The recipe is beautifully simple, requiring only a few ingredients, yet the flavour is comforting and deeply enjoyable. Crisp on the outside, soft within, and traditionally served with freshly grated or shaved coconut, this snack is a true celebration of how humble ingredients can create something extraordinary.

Perfect as a tea-time treat, light snack, or something different to explore from African cuisine, Agbeli Kaklo is easy to make and impossible to resist.

Ingredients (Serves - 4-6)

Cassava - 2-3 Medium size
Onion – 1 Medium size
Green Chilly - 1-2
Cooking oil
Salt as per taste
Fresh coconut, sliced or grated into thin shavings

Method

Wash and peel the cassava, then cut each piece lengthwise through the centre so you can remove the fibrous thread running through it. Cut into large chunks and grate the cassava finely.

Transfer the grated cassava to a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess starch. Leave it to drain well.

Next, place the grated cassava in a muslin cloth and squeeze out as much liquid and starch as possible. Spread it onto a plate and allow it to air-dry slightly if desired (this step is optional but helps improve texture).

In a mixing bowl, combine the prepared cassava with finely chopped onions, chopped green chillies, and salt. Mix everything well.

Take portions of the mixture and press firmly in your palms to form tight balls, ensuring they hold together well. (Refer to picture.)

Deep fry the balls on a moderate heat, turning them intermittently to evenly cook them. Fry until golden brown. Strain off excess oil.

Serve Agbeli Kaklo hot with freshly grated or dried coconut on the side. Enjoy it as a delicious snack with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

It also makes a wonderful starter for parties, something unique, flavourful, and sure to pleasantly surprise your guests.

Variations

If preferred, you may omit the onions.
Add freshly chopped coriander leaves to the mixture for extra freshness and flavour.

Tips

If you do not have a muslin cloth, you can simply squeeze out the excess starch using your hands.
If the cassava is not air-dried slightly after squeezing, it may absorb more oil while frying because of the remaining moisture. However, this step is optional.
The starch extracted from cassava can be saved and used in puddings or as a natural thickener, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.

#AgbeliKaklo #BankyeKakro #CassavaRecipe #GhanaianFood #AfricanCuisine #CassavaCroquettes #TraditionalRecipes #EasySnacks #HomemadeSnacks #FoodFromAfrica #CrispySnacks #VegetarianRecipes #WorldCuisine #SnackIdeas #SukanyasMusings

THAI BROCCOLI SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK

2020-06-05T00:39:00.003+08:00

THAI BROCCOLI SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK
Thai cuisine has some beautiful vegetarian dishes or rather dishes that can be made into vegetarian or even vegan without altering much of the taste.

One such recipe I had earlier shared in my blog was Som Tam (Click on the hyperlink for the recipe)
The thing that I love about Thai cuisine is; it’s simple to cook and they use so many aromatic herbs and sauces and chilly to enhance the taste and tickle the palate.
My trips to various parts of Thailand and having friends living in Thailand to guide us has helped us enjoy this cuisine.
Today I’m sharing the recipe of Broccoli Soup. Do try this Thai Broccoli Soup.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Broccoli - 1/2 kg
Rice bran Oil - 2 tablespoons
Garlic cloves - 3-4
Ginger - 1 tbsp pounded
Green chilli padi - 1 pounded with the ginger
Shallots - 2 chopped fine
Lemon grass - 2 tbsps chopped
Kefir lime leaves - 4 (optional)
Salt as per taste
Coconut cream - 1/2 tin (1 tin = 13.66 oz) of Thai unsweetened Coconut cream
Spinach - 3-4 leaves (For colour only)
Coriander leaves - 5-6 Tbsps (For Colour and Garnish)
Lime juice - 2-3 tbsps
Vegetarian Fish sauce - 1- 2 tsps (optional)
Croutons for Garnish

Method
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/wok.
Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chilly.
Sauté until the shallot is transparent. Add lemongrass and sauté 1-2 more minutes.
Add 1 cup water, kefir lime leaves, salt and broccoli and bring to boil – it’s OK if the broccoli isn’t all submerged, it will still steam.
Bring this to a boil, cover, lower heat and gently simmer 10-12 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
Once tender, turn the heat off, uncover.
At this point, you could add a handful of spinach (Optional) to give the soup a more vibrant green colour.
Add 4-5 tbsps of coriander (save the rest for garnish). Let this cool down and blend until very smooth using a blender.

(Caution - Blending a blender full of hot ingredients will explode!)
Place the smooth blended soup back in the pot/wok, and let it simmer over low heat.
Stir in the coconut milk – you can start with half a can and add more to taste. After adding the coconut milk do not boil the soup. Just a simmer would do.
Add lime juice, and optional fish sauce (Vegetarians can use the Vegetarian Fish sauce) to taste.
Serve hot in a bowl, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and croutons.
You can add a dash of coconut cream as garnish too. I didn't because I'm loving the beautiful green colour.
Dunk into the steaming bowl of the hot soup and enjoy.
A solace on cold winter nights and rainy days...

VARIATIONS

· The coconut milk can be replaced with dairy for non-vegans

· If not adding the Fish Sauce, check for salt and adjust accordingly by adding a little more salt to taste.

TIPS

· Blending a blender full of hot ingredients will explode. Please be careful. Allow the ingredients to cool down before running it in a blender.