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…
Category: Main Dishes
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…
Iru Puli Kuzhambu
This is a typically Thirunelveli dish. Thirunelveli is a region in the south Indian state of Thamizhnadu. It is famous for it’s distinctive cuisine. This traditional recipe tastes delicious. I have only started experimenting with Thirunelveli cuisine and have fallen with it. Many recipes of Thirunelveli are similar to dishes from Kerala since the city…
Tidali Dal
In many states of India, especially the southern states, there is a concept of ‘kootan’. Kootan means a gravy dish that can be mixed with rice for a meal. It is separate from a dish that is eaten along with rice and kootan. In other parts of the country, especially the northern states, the ‘dal’…
Unda Kuzhambu (Lentil Dumplings In A Tamarind Gravy)
Unlike most other parts of the country, South India has a tradition of ‘kootan’ to describe the gravy dish that is mixed with rice. Kootan is a generic Palakkad term that covers the entire range of sambar, kuzhambu, yogurt based dishes… but nor rasam. As it is easier to use a single word instead of…
Dal Makhani (Creamy Lentils)
This is possibly one of the most well known dals of India. It is a great dish with the smooth taste of butter. Any restaurant in Indian serving North Indian food will have this dish on their menu. I have had this numerous times and always enjoy it thoroughly. i, of course, make this very…
Oyster Mushroom Curry
I find North Indian cuisine using mushrooms quite often. But not so in most other parts of the country, though this is changing with increased experimentation with food. Mushroom was not my favouite either due to its rather slimy mouth-feel. But a few years ago, my friend asked me to test a mushroom recipe for…
Potlakaya Kura (Snake Gourd Curry)
I like to pair my dal/ kootan (the dish that is mixed with rice) with the vegetable main dish (broadly curry). I will call this dal for the sake of convenience. So, if the dal is bland, then the accompanying curry must be spicy and vice versa. What I have discovered while planning meals every…
Eggplant In Yogurt
Years and years ago, the Indian Express Group of Publications gifted me with a cookbook. It has been a treasured possession since then. It is now badly torn with constant use, but I still keep referring to it. I love many of the vegetarian recipes in the book and try to modify them to suit…
Mochakottai Kuzhambu (Lima Beans Curr
From a very early age, I have had dishes using lima beans flaming hot. My mind is therefore conditioned to eat this legume really chili hot. When Hari first joined my family, he made a dish using lima beans – and it was not hot at all. My taste buds were left with a sense…
wholefoodplantbased 