Methi is a favorite green that I use way too much in my daily cooking. 🙂 I drop these leaves by the fistful into a pot of simmering soup, khichidi, dalia (porridge) or even a vermicilli upma. It gives great flavor and brings with it a whole lot of nutrition. Most North Indian recipes that […]
On Sunday, it was Bisi Bele Bath and Kodi vepudu aka Chicken fry. Makes a delectable combination with some appadams. I just realized that I havent blogged any stir fry chicken dishes. This chicken fry is the simplest ever that even a 10 year can prepare. Usually I cook the chicken in its own water […]
Three years of food blogging! An what a journey its been, virtually connecting with fellow bloggers and readers, diligently responding to reader queries, spending significant amount of man hours updating posts and visiting blogs. Its overwhelming to receive warm emails from readers that touch my heart and make my day. Honestly, its been exhausting at […]
For a good many years I couldn’t get myself to eat chicken pickle or any non-veg pickle for that matter. Not until one Sunday when a friend invited me home for lunch (remember those combined studies days!). She coaxed me for a very long time with pleading looks, “Taste the gravy, at least”. And taste […]
Pappu Chekkalu, Thattai, Nippattu We made Pappu Chekkalu (Thattai, Nippattu, Rice Crackers) and Ribbon Murukku for Diwali. During my early days of messing around in the kitchen I was intimidated to prepare Chekkalu like most first-time nervous cooks trying to prepare traditional foods. Its not easy and certain food preparation does require some experience before […]
Read More… from Andhra Snack – Pappu Chekkalu (Rice Crackers)
Deepavali lit up the kitchen with fun, laughter and culinary conversations. Our family whipped up an elaborate vegetarian meal which included Pulihora, a traditional favorite among South Indians, an unassuming tangy rice dish speckled with spices, roasted peanuts and aromatic curry leaves. The aroma of Pulihora preparation is enticing that brings nostalgic memories of my […]
Wishing all my readers, visitors and friends a happy and safe Deepavali! Phew! Its been a marathon of sweets dishes at our home. Three sweet recipes for my dear readers this Diwali – Badam Halwa, Annam Payasam and Bobbatlu. With a home full of near and dear loved ones and the background sound of crackers […]
Read More… from Diwali Sweets – Badam Halwa, Bobbatlu & Annam Payasam
Golden brown treats flecked with sesame seeds and toasted almond pieces, subtle in flavor, slightly nutty and crunchy. This recipe is definitely a keeper and a snack that is sure to be popular among kids! […]
Chegodi A gem among Andhra traditional snacks is Chegodi. Golden in shade, speckled with spots of white sesame, moong dal and cumin, crunchy with an irresistable addictive taste – that’s chegodi, my all time favorite munchies along with janthikalu, especially during travels. If there is a contest for the best traditional Andhra snack, the odds […]
Read More… from Andhra Pindivanta – Chegodilu – Savory Snack
Shilpa of ‘Aayis Recipes’ needs no introduction. She is a prolific food blogger who regularly updates her blog with simple everyday recipes with a focus on Konkani food. I admire Shilpa for her dedication to bring Konkani recipes on the world food map and has even got her Aayi (mother) to blog about food. I […]
Read More… from Indian Food Trail – An essay on Konkani Cuisine – by Shilpa
Coriander pudina rice I know I have mentioned numerous times that I love coriander. I am partial to coriander and most often than not, add a wee bit more than the recipe calls for. Mint or pudina did not win me over right away when I was first introduced to it but over the years […]
Festivals reflect the cultural diversity of India, a land of many religions. Festivity denotes – new clothes, rangoli/muggulu, mango leaves thoranam, smell of camphor and incense sticks, family get togethers, fun, laughter and most importantly home cooks diligently prepare traditional sweets, savories and elaborate festive meals. Semiya Payasam ~ Rava Laddu Today being Dasara, it […]
In the past few months, bomb blasts in Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bangalore have caused an unprecedented unease in India. This has cast a shadow on the Eid, Navratri and Durga puja celebrations. Guest author, Gauri, asks why mindsets cannot gel as easily as cuisine can. ~ Sailaja Cuisines, Celebrations and Communalism ~ Gauri Gharpure Ravan […]
The queen of Andhra pindivantalu (festival foods prepared with flours) would undoubtedly be Janthikalu, a classic traditional savory snack. No auspicious occasion, picnic or a family get together is ever complete without these crunchy treats. Many a student will recall how their mothers or grandmothers lovingly packed their suitcases with a dabba of these favorite […]
I used the left over chopped mixed vegetables from the baked vegetable jalfrazi, to prepare Mexican rice. The recipe is by no means authentic. I liked the flavors of cumin, tomato sauce and worchestershire sauce mingle with the vegetables and rice. The recipe calls for cheese and cream which I avoided and served the cooked […]
Baked Vegetable Jalfrazi with Home made bread Though this recipe is time consuming in terms of preparation, its worth the effort and time. Makes for a satisfying, nutritious, and delicious one pot meal. And not to mention, its a great way to get Nehal to eat his vegetables. Be prepared for some good amount of […]
Pulusu aka stew is a typical Andhra preparation which is a tamarind based gravy dish that provides a tangy flavor to vegetables, lentils (pappu pulusu), meat (mamsam pulusu) or fish (chepala pulusu). Pulusu originates from the word ‘pulupu’, the tangy flavor of tamarind or lemon. In our parts of Andhra, jaggery or sugar also make […]
Meera concludes her article on traditional Maharashtrian food with a focus on snacks and sweets, including festival delicacies. Thank you, Meera, for giving us an indepth article on every day, home cooked Maharashtrian food. ~Sailaja Sailaja invited me to write about Traditional Maharashtrian Snacks and Sweets. It sure was a very delectable invitation which instantly […]
Read More… from Indian Food Trail – Traditional Maharashtrian Snacks & Sweets (Guest Post by Meera)
Vangi Bhath Brinjal is a prized possession in my kitchen. I know a few of you will wince on reading that. I love brinjal cooked in any form! This vibrant purple beauty has always been my favorite since childhood. Yesterday there was a bit of chill in the air with no sunlight, pretty dull kind […]
Continuing on the food trail of Maharashtra, today we have Meera of Enjoy Indian Food share with us home-cooked traditional Maharastrian thalis. Meera’s blog is home to many authentic home-style recipes of Indian regional cuisines, be it Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Malvani, South Canara, Rajasthani, Punjabi or Goan. Whenever I visit her blog I always have this […]
Kanda aka Suran Vadas Like bittergourd, I disliked yam aka ‘suran’ (kanda in Telugu) as a child. It was a chance encounter with this vegetable in the form of kebabs, from a friend’s tiffin dabba, that I had to re-think my opinion of suran. One bite into the kebab and I was sold. At first […]