Though I have lived in Haryana for over 15 years now, I do not know much about the local cuisine. I was bemoaning this fact recently and decided to correct this situation. However, my Haryanvi friends warned me that most local cuisine contained milk and/or ghee and that it will be difficult to ‘veganise’ these…
Tag: #gluten-free
Elavan Kootu (Ash Gourd Curry)
Kootu (a wet curry) is almost a staple in most South Indian homes. It is invariably bland and there are several types of kootu. Often paired with a sambar (or any other spicy curry that is mixed with rice), kootu is the perfect counterbalance to a spicy curry. There are several ways of preparing kootu…
Mullangi Chutney (Radish Dip)
Chutneys are a regular feature in my home. We make a chutney about 3-4 times a week. That’s because I like a cooked breakfast rather than one from a packet. Therefore, it is invariably a dosa, idli, utthapam, pesarattu… These pair well with chutneys. The classic in chutneys is the popular coconut chutney. But I…
Varagu Idli (Kodo Millet Dumplings)
Idlis are really healthy. I read somewhere that doctors are recommending this dish for heart patients. I normally make idli using brown rice. The milllet version is even healthier. Given that it is fermented, it is easy on the digestive system and good for the gut. I was a little worried that the idlis may…
Varagu Dosai (Kodo Millet Crepe)
I often have millets as part of my diet. My personal favourite is kodo millet, but I love all the other millets too. One of the things that I really miss, after adopting a WFPB diet, is rava (semolina) dosa (crepe). I have tried several substitutes for rava, but it is not quite the same…
Chettinad Kara Chutney (Spicy ‘Dip’ From Chettinad)
Chettinad cuisine is often spicy with any or all of chilli, onion, garlic and black pepper added generously. Though the cuisine is known for non-vegetarian dishes, there are several wonderful vegetarian dishes too. As winter approaches North India, my body craves spicier food that what I normally have. This chutney is spicy (you can adjust…
Grapefruit Salad
I have never been a grapefruit lover – until I discovered this wonderful salad. Not that I dislike grapefruit. It is a difficult fruit to clean – and the taste, after all the effort, is sour. But I have often been told that it is great for diabetics. And, therefore, virtuously have it every time…
Ponnangani Keerai Thogayal (Dwarf Copperleaf, Garundi Chutney)
I had recently made a Sri Lankan dish using dwarf copperleaf. The result was outstanding. I still had a bunch of the greens left. Rather than making the usual South Indian dishes using greens, such as poriyal (stir fry), masiyal (mash) or kootu (wet dish), I decided to try something different. I had recently made…
Mukunuwenna Mallam (Ponnangani Keerai, Dwarf Copperleaf Stir Fry)
I have heard a lot about Ponnangani Keerai, but don’t recall ever having consumed it. Probably because it was not available in Singapore when I lived there. Therefore, I was not even aware of what this green looked like. I visited a roadside vegetable vendor last week and saw this green tucked away in a…
Soya Granules Cutlets
Hari used to make a curry using soya nuggets. I used to love this dish as it was healthy, spicy and worked well with either rice or rotis. In those days, there was only one brand available – Nutrela from Ruchi Soya Industries. When I turned vegan some years ago, someone introduced a brand called…
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