Tender amaranth shoots raita is a refreshing and nutritious dish that combines the cooling properties of plant-based yogurt with the tender young greens of amaranth, a leafy vegetable that has been cultivated in India for thousands of years. Amaranth, known locally as chaulai or keerai, is one of the world’s oldest food crops, with roots…
Tag: #SouthIndian
Delicious Sawchiar Recipe: A Mizo Comfort Food
Sawchiar, a traditional rice-based dish from Mizoram, is a wholesome and comforting preparation that combines rice with seasonal vegetables, pulses, and local herbs, making it both nutritious and filling. Rich in carbohydrates for energy, fiber for digestion, plant-based proteins from legumes, and vitamins from vegetables, it offers balanced nourishment while remaining light on the stomach….
Discover Sweet Bengal Gram Sundal: A Festive Delight
Sundals are a hallmark of South Indian Navratri celebrations — light, wholesome snacks made from steamed or boiled legumes such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas, green gram, horse gram, or peanuts, lightly tossed with coconut, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and a hint of lemon or grated raw mango. Because they rely mainly on lentils and pulses,…
Traditional Kerala Payasam Recipe: Pineapple Delight
Onam, one of Kerala’s grandest festivals, falls on September 5 in 2025 and is celebrated with a lavish feast where payasam, a traditional pudding, is indispensable—often with more than one variety served. I usually prepare ripe jackfruit payasam, though its availability is uncertain during the monsoon, since jackfruits need hot weather to ripen. At such…
Fresh Ginger Inji Pachadi Recipe for Festivals
Inji pachadi, a traditional South Indian dish often prepared during festivals like Onam, is a refreshing whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) side made with freshly ground ginger, coconut, green chilies, and tempered mustard seeds, with a touch of tamarind for natural tanginess. Prepared without oil in a WFPB adaptation, it retains its light, wholesome character while enhancing…
How to Make Aravana Payasam: Rituals and Ingredients
Aravana payasam is a sacred sweet offering prepared at the famed Sabarimala temple in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. This thick, rich payasam is made with jaggery, rice, and generous amounts of ghee, symbolizing abundance and devotion, and is distributed as prasadam to devotees who complete the rigorous 41-day vratham (austerity and fasting) before undertaking…
Versatile Eggplant Recipe with Nutritional Perks
“Ennai” means oil in Tamil, and “kathrikkai” means eggplant — hardly the most appetising name for one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever eaten. Eggplant, like the universally beloved potato, is a remarkably versatile vegetable, lending itself to innumerable dishes across the globe. Yet, unlike potatoes, eggplants evoke sharply divided opinions — people either relish…
Healthy WFPB Raw Banana Roast Recipe
The super-tasty raw banana roast. Avery versatile dish that pairs well with several dishes. And raises the dish several notches.
Traditional Pineapple Payasam Recipe for Festive Occasions
Pineapple payasam made with cooked fruits is a glowing example of how tradition and whole-food plant-based values can beautifully align. In the WFPB world, opinions differ—some discourage mixing fruits with cooked foods, citing digestive concerns, while others support the use of cooked fruits, especially when they are seasonal, ripe, and rich in antioxidants. Cooking ripe…
Refreshing Pachi Pulusu: A Summer Delight
Pachi Pulusu is a wonderfully cooling summer rasam from Andhra Pradesh, a dish my sister first introduced me to over 50 years ago. Unlike traditional rasams, it is made almost raw—there’s no boiling involved, just a gentle tempering at most—allowing the tangy tamarind, fresh onions, green chilies, and coriander to retain their bright, bold character….
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