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…

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…

Cucumber And Peas Dosa

Dosas are a very popular breakfast (or indeed anytime) dish. Originally from South India, they are now available in almost every nook and corner of the country. This spread has spawned several variations of this humble dish. I belong to a food group (not vegan, but vegetarian) that is immensely popular with over 23K members…

Raw Mango Salad

As a kid, I loved sour stuff. That fascination and preference continues. It is quite common in India to consume raw mangoes with salt and chili powder. But I can eat a raw mango with no accompaniment. I remember my mother invariably identifying correctly me as the culprit when she found her raw mangoes missing….

Manga Thokku (Grated Raw Mango Pickle)

My post today is a little different. It’s a pickle. I don’t paste a lot of pickles as most Indian pickles use oil as the preservative. On a no-oil diet, it’s difficult to prepare pickles with no oil. When I first turned WFPB vegan some years ago. the only pickle that I could consume was…

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…

Green Tomato Chutney

The taste of green tomatoes (unripe tomatoes) is a little different from the red ones. I have often had dishes made with the green variety and have enjoyed them thoroughly. So, I was delighted that the Saturday organic market had some green tomatoes to offer. I wasted no time in lapping them up. And promptly…

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…

Vendhaya Keerai Sambar (Fenugreek Leaves Sambar)

It’s been a long time since I posted – mainly because I have been busy. But I did not want the new year to steal a march on me. And my first post in the new year is a sambar. As all my readers probably know, sambar is a tamarind based gravy that is mixed…

Ellu Sevai (Sesame Rice Noodles)

Sevai is the South Indian term for rice noodles. These noodles are often served at breakfast or dinner. They are tasty and light on the stomach. There are several flavourings of these noodles – lemon, coconut. sesame, tamarind, eggplant, tomato… Or just plain. And the absolutely delicious idiappam (stringhoppers) that is served with an sodhi…