Pudalangai Kootu Recipe - Snake Gourd Kootu Recipe

Padavalanga / Podalangai Koottu is one of my favourite types of koottu. I always say that koottu is the Tamil version of thoran, a staple recipe in Kerala cooked with a variety of vegetables. I make that as often as I make koottu, to balance out the Tamil-Mallu couple that we are. TH doesn't like too much coconut in his food either way, so I compromise by toning it down a bit.

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Kathirikai Masala Recipe | Brinjal Masala Recipe

If you are a brinjal lover like me, then you will surely enjoy this Kathirikai Masala Recipe. It was an impromptu one that my mom-in-law made when she was visiting and I loved it! I made it again last weekend following her precise recipe word by word.

Generally brinjal masala is made in a red chilli based gravy but green chillies add a wonderful flavour to brinjal recipes as I found out. Try out this brinjal rice recipe and serve with warm rice and any kuzhambu of your choice.

Brinjal in a shallot-green chilly-coconut base

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Spicy Baby Potatoes | Roasted Baby Potatoes Recipe

This spicy potato masala recipe has been totally and completely flicked from my sister's blog. I didn't have curry leaves in the house and mine didn't come quite as delicious-looking as hers, especially the gravy, but both TH and I licked the bowl clean. The simplicity of this spicy baby potatoes recipe makes me wonder why I've never tried this version before.

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Vazhakka Bajji | Vazhakkai Bajji Recipe - Quick Snack Recipes

I love vazhakkai in any form. Be it stir-fried vazhakka, as a vazhakka thoran, in kaalan, even vazhakkai podimas or better still, as a steaming bajji dipped in tomato ketchup on a rainy day. Bliss! TH loves them too so this time his parents visited, we made vazhakka bajji. We just used 2 raw bananas and still there was more than enough for the four of us and we weren't hungry at all for dinner.


This is a great party snack for kids and adults alike. Who can resist the golden, crispy goodness of bajjis?!. 


The basic recipe for all South Indian bajji is the same - we mix some chillies and spices with besan flour, dip the vegetable of choice, and deep fry them. The consistency of the batter is important, it shouldn't be too watery or the bajji will drink up oil. If it's too thick, the bajji will turn hard. Ok, don't let all of this scare you away because with a little practise, you can make great South Indian style bajji yourself.

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Paneer Peas Pulao Recipe | Easy Paneer Pulao Recipe

Recipe for Peas Pulao with Paneer

Though I collect dishes-to-cook-over-weekend all through the week, come Sunday and I am too lazy to do anything much. I hate myself for that cuz I am letting all the lovely natural light go away when I could cook something new and photograph it!


Anyway, on this particular Sunday that I made the peas pulao, I was too lazy to make a side-dish with the paneer I had so I added it to the pulao! The light was just too perfect for me to pass on taking food pics. No harm done and so much time saved, right? Well, TH would have still preferred Palak Paneer to go with the peas pulao but when one's wife is lazy occasionally, one can't complain too much, right? ;)

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Aloo Palak Recipe | How to Make Aloo Palak

I really can't believe how fast time is flying. Its been week since my last post. I have been making mostly simple sabzis the past week since we have been apartment hunting almost every evening after work. A subzi and some steamed rice is all I have energy for after work and poking around strangers' houses.

Aloo Palak

Aloo Palak is a sure-shot winner at home since TH loves both potatoes and palak. And its generally a quick recipe for me since I chop the spinach during weekends and freeze it or sometimes buy it chopped.

Aloo Palak is originally a Punjabi recipe, (which reminds me - what happened to RCI??) and the authentic recipe includes addition of some methi or fenugreek leaves to it. My version is very customized to my laziness so you may or may not find it to resemble something you would get in a Punjabi restaurant ;)

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Thakkali Chutney Recipe - Tomato Chutney Recipe

Thakkali Chutney (Tomato Onion Chutney) is one dish that has many many memories associated with it. My grandma used to make it quite often since me and my brother loves it. And we call it 'thakkali oorindi' where the word 'oorindi' comes from saying 'noorindi' very often. 'Noorindi' in "our" telugu means ground (past tense of grind!). Ok this explanation is getting way too confusing so I will fill you in on why I call the word "our" telugu and where in India I am actually from. because that's a long (long) story. We eat this Thakkali Chutney with pretty much everything - dosa, idli, pongal, chapathi, even puttu!

My sis took the recipe from amma last summer and I took the picture. This Thakkali Chutney is really a family favourite and a keeper of a recipe which I keep referring to again and again when I need a chutney recipe with little or no coconut and has a longer shelf-life than regular chutneys.

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Kaalan Recipe - Kerala Onam Sadya Recipes

Its been a while since I posted any Kerala recipes in here so I fished this out from my drafts. I make this quite often since this is one dish with coconut that TH doesn't mind too much. Not that I refrain from any other coconut-heavy Kerala dish 'cuz of his slight dislike :)

Kaalan is a staple in any Kerala Sadya especially for Onam Sadya. The usual kaalan recipe has both elephant yam (chena) and raw bananas (pachakkai). I add only yam since that's more readily available here. Also, its important that the curd is slightly sour, otherwise the curry will taste a bit 'flat'. Adding a bit of tamarind might take care of this, I haven't tried that though.

Kaalan

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