I love eggplants in any form. It is the most versatile vegetable that I have come across. There are tens of varieties of eggplants; and hundreds of recipes. I have not even begun to scratch the surface of the different dishes using eggplants. But I love all the ones that I have tried. This recipe…
Tag: #SouthIndian
Omavalli Kuzhambu (Ajwain, Carom Leaves Curry)
Kuzhambus are normally tamarind based thick, spicy curries. But it is not always so. For example, mor kuzhambu is a yogurt based curry that is neither thick nor spicy. There are hundreds of tamarind based kuzhambus – each one with a distinctly different taste. Since these preparations are spicy, I do not prefer them in…
Paasi Parupu Sundal (Mung Bean Snack)
It is Navratri again, the festival of nine nights. In the North Indian tradition, these are in celebration of the nine forms of Durga. In the South Indian tradition, the days are equally divided between Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi. Women (and men) maintain a fast during these nine days. In South India, the concept of…
Kurukku Kaalan
I wonder why I haven’t posted the kurukku kalan recipe earlier. Possibly because I make this dish only once in a while. But definitely for Vishu (Malayalam New Year) and Onam (Malayali harvest festival).Kurukku means to reduce. Since this recipe was traditionally made with dairy yogurt, the yogurt was reduced by simmering. Hence the name….
Beetroot Kodo Millet String-hoppers
I love string hoppers. I have written about it before. Traditionally, string hoppers are made with white rice. When I started making it at home some years ago, I switched to brown rice – and it was still superb. Last week, I was in the mood for string hoppers – but was wondering how I…
Palakottai Kuzhambu (Jackfruit Seed Curry)
The recipe today is an exotic one. Jackfruit seed curry. I am very fond of jackfruit seeds. But, being based in North India, it is very difficult to find them. I had an elderly lady who used to supply me this every week. Since the Covid lockdowns began in February 2020, I have not seen…
Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu (Tamarind Based Curry)
I have tried several times to describe the magic of kara kuzhambu (tamarind based curry) – but have never been successful. That’s because the taste of kuzhambu is really unique. It lifts the spirit up. It transports you to a different plane altogether. We made this simple kara kuzhambu (there are several of these) yesterday….
Chembu Elai Kuzhambu
I am aware that taro roots are used widely across the world. But I am not sure about the leaves. For the sake of convenience, I am going to call this taro leaves (arbi patta, chembu elai). This is used in India to make a number of dishes like fritters, rolls and curries. But there…
Sivappu Keerai Thandu Puli Kuzhambu (Red Amaranth Stem Curry)
Many people classify amaranth, especially the red amaranth, a super food. Amaranth is a fantastic vegetable – all its parts are edible, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds. The seeds are a good substitute for cereals. I had planted some red amaranth seeds in my garden about 45 days ago. I now have a…
Chidambaram Kathrikkai Gothsu
Chidambaram is a small temple town in the South Indian state of Thamizhnadu. Most activity in the town revolves around the temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a very old temple (more than 2,000 years) and huge. Many parts of the temple are in ruins. It is said that Shiva assumed his dancing form…
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