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…_)….

Chakka Pradhaman (Ripe Jackfruit Pudding)

The sweet, pudding-like dish has several names across India, depending upon the region you hail from – payasam, payesh, kheer and many more. These are traditional preparations, often using refined sugar or jaggery. The South Indian ones tend to be watery and is often drunk from a glass. The North Indian ones are thicker and…

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…

Olan (Ripe Pumpkin & Ash Gourd Curry)

I love olan. In the initial days after I had turned vegan, we used to have a monthly potluck consisting of only WFPB food. And there were prizes for the top 3 dishes, decided by popular vote. I was always tempted to make olan, but desisted. Mainly because olan has a very subtle taste. And…

Mathan Puli Pachadi (Pumpkin Tamarind Curry)

This is a typical and very traditional Palakkad dish. It is normally made with one of two vegetables – pumpkin or okra. A very unique and tasty dish that pairs very well with mulakootal. Hari once made this dish at a vegan cooking class. It was a super-hit. The attendees all claimed that they had…

Mithiya Kuzhambu (Fenugreek Seed Curry)

Happy New Year to everyone. My post today is a healthy curry, though spicy and definitely not for the faint-hearted. My body craves spicy food during the winters. And this is definitely one of my favourites. It is a traditional Palakkad dish where the spice content can be adjusted to suit your taste buds. The…

Kavathu Kootu (Greater Yam And Broad Beans Curry)

Though Thiruvadrai is long gone, I thought of completing my posts on this festival. Here is the last one – a delicious curry make of greater yam and broad beans. This is a typical Palakkad preprartion made on Thiruvadirai day. Though a very simple preparation, the taste will leave you spellbound. I often regret that…

Elai Adai (A Sweet Dish Steamed In Banana Leaves)

One of the very few desserts that I really enjoy is elai adai – a very simple and healthy dish. Not to mention that it is a very healthy dish too. Many cultures have the tradition of steaming dishes in banana leaves. Elai Adai is quintessentially a South Indian dish mainly prepared in Palakkad. I…

Pudalangai Thoran (Snake Gourd, Chichinda Stir Fry)

I have posted some thoran recipes earlier. This is a very simple preparation and tastes wonderful. It also pairs well with several ‘wet’ dishes that are mixed into the rice – like sambar, rasam, mulakootal, mulakooshyam, morkootan… My post today is a thoran using snake gourd. This is a summer vegetable and the season is…

Aviyal (Mixed Vegetable Curry In A Yogurt Base)

Aviyal is an iconic dish from Kerala. I am not sure if it will qualify as a kadhi (yogurt based dish) or a mixed vegetable. Perhaps a little of both. It can be made in two forms – watery (so that it can be mixed into rice) or thick (to be eaten as an accompaniment…