Shukto (Bengali Mixed Vegetable Curry)

I never thought that I would learn to like and enjoy Bengali cuisine – and yet, I did. When I was first introduced to Bengali food by a friend, I ate it out of politeness. My friend is a generous soul and kept on inviting me and our common circle of friends for meals –…

Avakkai (Mango) Pickle

Avakkai pickles originate from Andhra Pradeesh/Telengana of South India. These pickles are iconic and consumed widely all over South India. They are hot and spicy, but taste wonderful. I am a great fan of avakkai but have stopped consuming it as the pickle literally floats in oil. It has been my earnest desire to develop…

Mampazha Pulisseri (Ripe Mango Curry)

This very exotic dish is straight from Palakkad and uses ripe mango. There is a version that uses raw mango too. The recipe is in this blog under the title Mango Kadhi. The ripe mango version is really tasty provided you like sweetness in your curry.There has been a lot of debate (especially in India)…

Awadhi Dal

As I have had occasion to mention before, I am always on the lookout for interesting dal recipes. This one is from the Awadh (also spelt Avadh) region of India (roughly corresponding to the North-Eastern part of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh). This is where the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is situated. Another…

Aloo Kundru (Ivy Gourd And Potatoes)

Ivy gourd is a vegetable that is easily available throughout the year. It is not a sexy vegetable in the sense that we can prepare exotic dishes with it. But several tasty dishes can be prepared with this humble vegetable. One of the reasons for its easy availability is that there is no need to…

Macaroni Indian Style

Pasta is not very popular in India. And there is very little involvement with ‘western’ food, except on special occasions. This is partly because the ingredients are either not available or too expensive. And partly also because Indians had not been widely exposed to western food. This is slowly changing as availability has increased (at…

Palakottai Sambar (Jackfruit Seed Sambar)

I am incredibly fond of jackfruit seeds. I cook it in several forms, each one tastier than the next. But even for a South Indian like me, this recipe was exotic – and lip-smacking tasty. I don’t get jackfruit seeds in North India where I stay. Thankfully, Amazon India does deliver this from the southern…