This is a popular dish in Thamizhnadu where it is often paired with rasam. It is an extremely tasty curry that is quite easy to prepare. Some years ago, I had an Iyengar friend staying with me. Hari had made a rasam and this cabbage kootu. He went into raptures and I was quite surprised….
Category: Main Dishes
Pargarkkai Varuval (‘Fried’ Bittergourd, Karela)
Bitter gourd was not one of my favourite vegetables. I used to intensely dislike the bitter taste. Things did not get much better whenever my father used to visit me. He was a great fan of bitter gourd. The more bitter, the better. He therefore used to request Hari to make just bitter gourd stir…
Karamani Katharikai (Eggplant and Cowpeas, Baingan Lobia Curry)
This is one of my favourite eggplant dishes. Though a typical Palakkad dish, not very many people know about it. Several people have told me that they have never heard of this dish or tried this. Goes to prove that there are variations in recipes from household to household. This dish is not spicy at…
Parwal Masala (Pointed Gourd Curry)
I do not know the name of pointed gourd in Tamil or Malayalam. I understand it is simply called parwal. This vegetable is plentifully available in the region where I stay. Parwal (pronounced padwal) is a summer vegetable. It is a local vegetable and very inexpensive in season. I hated this vegetable, but used to…
Arai Keerai Kootu (Amaranth, Chowlai Curry)
Amaranth is one of the tastiest greens. I like both forms, the green and the red. I use this regularly in my cooking. Since it is widely used all over India, I find organic amaranth easily available. This green was a little bit of luxury when I was growing up in Singapore in the 60’s….
Idichakka Thoran (Kathal, Jackfruit With Coconut)
As I have mentioned before, there are several types of jackfruit. Most commonly, idi chakka (tender jackfruit) and kada chakka.(breadfruit). One of the most iconic dishes of Kerala is the dish prepared from tender jackfruit. It tastes divine. I make this quite often in season, since tender jackfruit is available all over the country. It…
Chena Mezhukuperatti (Jimmikhand, Elephant Yam Roast)
I tend to use elaphant yam, at least once a week, in my cooking. Either on its own or in combination with other vegetables. Especially raw bananas. There a number of recipes using this root vegetable, all of them incredibly tasty. But many people hesitate to buy it as, in its raw form, it can…
Masala Kalmi Saag (Masala Water Spinach)
Water spinach (kalmi saag in Hindi, vallal keerai in Tamil) belongs to the morning glory family. It grows abundantly in tropical and semi-tropical regions. I used to have a lot of this when I grew up in Singapore. It is called kangkong in Singapore and Malaysia. I was delighted to find this green in the…
Kathal Masala (Tender Jackfruit Curry)
There are several varieties of jackfruit in India. I know only two – idi chakka (tender jackfruit, kathal) and kada chakka (breadfruit). And there are several different patterns of consumption. For example, North Indians only have the tender jackfruit. In Kerala and Tamizhnadu (perhaps in some other states too), breadfurit, tender jackfruit and the ripe…
Kovakkai Poriyal (Ivy Gourd “Fry”)
Ivy Gourd (Tindora, Kundru, Kovakkai) has many other quaint names. Baby Watermelon, Little Gourd, Gentleman’s Toes or even Gherkin. It is an exotic vine. You can, with some surety, buy it in the open market as it is a hardy vine and chemicals and pesticides are not normally used in its cultivation. This hardy vine…
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