Bengali Rice Payesh (Rice Dessert)

Kheer/Payesh/Payasam is so typically Indian. Other cultures may have these, but I am not sure. In my young days, payasam was prepared on special occasions like festivals, birthdays, special occasions, etc. The idea of a cake or any other sweet dish was unheard of. I remember all my birthdays till I was 16 (I left…

Idli Upuma

Idli is one of the commonest breakfasts in South India. I would not be wrong to say that it has grown into a national dish. These steamed dumplings of lentils and rice/millets are also fermented, making idlis a very healthy dish. Once the hard work of grinding is done, it becomes a cakewalk to make…

Katharikka Pachadi (Eggplant Curry)

I have mentioned on several occasions that I love eggplant. It is such a versatile vegetable that literally hundreds of dishes are possible. Eggplant has a taste of its own. But it readily absorbs the taste of all the masalas that are added to the dish. This is fascinating since it becomes easy to create…