Dals (as opposed to the South Indian kootans) are rarely made in my home. The reason is simple enough. Lunch is the main meal and it invariably consists of whole rice, a kootan, a vegetable and a salad. Since dinner is a simple affair, the kootan gets carried over to this meal. Depending upon the…
Tag: #gluten-free
Mullangi And Carrot Mulakootal (Radish And Carrot Dal)
Mulakootal is a traditional ‘dal’ native to Palakkad. The dal is in quotes since South Indians do not have a concept of dal – it is normally a kootan, a wet dish to be mixed with rice. Mulakootal is a bland kootan. It normally is made with vegetables such as ash gourd, spinach, Chinese potato…
Masala Kakrol (Teasle Gourd Curry)
I have seen teasle gourd (also called spiny gourd) in the market for several decades, but never found the inclination to purchase. That’s mainly because the vegetable is alien to me, never having seen or tasted it in my formative years. About a couple of years ago, I decided to give it a try as…
Seyal Bhee Patata (Lotus Root And Potato Curry)
Several decades ago, the Indian Express Group of Publications presented me with a cookbook (I still have this with me). It featured recipes from all over India and some from the rest of the world. One recipe, in particular, fascinated me. It is a Sindhi recipe using lotus root. Till then, I had only consumed…
Kolhapuri Mixed Vegetable (Spicy Vegetable Curry)
The Kolhapur region of Maharashtra is famous for its unique and spicy cuisine. When I used to travel to Mumbai, I was always on the lookout for local dishes that would pair well with rice or Indian breads. Gujarati food was not a top priority since I do not have a sweet tooth and restaurant…
Raw Papaya Soup
Frankly, I am not much of a soup person. But, once in a while, I have the urge to have a soup. Once, when I when I was running a temperature, I had the irresistible urge to have a soup. Nothing else. My doctor absolutely forbade it, saying I must have some carbohydrates. I came…
Chickpea Flour Bread (Besan/Kadalai Mavu Bread)
The primary purpose of my blog is to help people overcome lifestyle diseases like diabetes, blood pressure and the like. One of my friends has celiac disease – even a micro-milligram of ingredients containing gluten triggers it off. Gluten has never been a big issue with me and I had not given gluten-free recipes much…
Tinda Masala (Spicy Apple Gourd Curry)
I have never been fond of tinda (apple gourd). Even with Hari‘s versatile cooking, I have not been able to overcome my dislike for this vegetable. Bias? Mental block? Perhaps. I have never seen this vegetable in Singapore or South India. Therefore, it was not part of my childhood food training. I was first introduced to…
Avarakkai Thoran (Broad Beans, Semphali Stir Fry)
Broad beans is a wonderful vegetable. Whenever I find it in the market, I invariably pick up about half a kilo. It can be prepared in several ways, but one of my favourites is the Kerala style thoran. You can use several other vegetables to prepare thoran too (cabbage, long beans, snake gourd, French beans…_)….
Mathanga Erissery (Green Pumpkin Curry)
Erissery (also called Elissery) is an essential part of any celebration in Kerala. It is difficult to imagine an Onam sadya without this very popular dish. It is not spicy, but has a distinct taste that is very pleasing to the palate. The most popular versions of this dish are with green pumpkin or a…
wholefoodplantbased 