Food and Recipes
Dhal or Lentil Dishes
Aayi's Recipes - Chana Dal Soup (Poli Saru/Holige Saru)
Idli Varieties
**Idli is a breakfast food or snack made of steamed ingredients formed into something that looks like a muffin top. ;-) It's usually eaten with chutney or sambar.
Sailaja Kitchen - Yellow Corn Meal Idly
Veggie Platter - Brown Rice Ragi Idli
My idli/dosa recipe photologue.
Relishes and Side Dishes
4th Sense Cooking - Marinated Chillies / Moar Milagai
Sailu's Kitchen - Coriander Roasted Dal Chutney
Veggie Platter - Onion Gojju / Erragadda Pachipulusu (Photo of this, right, from my kitchen!)
Snacks
Edible Garden - Bread Paneer Rolls - Step by Step Recipe
Culture of Food- Commentary
Slices of Kerala Life - Eating out – a date with death?
As the culture of going out to eat in 'hotels' is on the rise, people must be aware of the risks of eating out.
Recipe Review Archives
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Recipe Review June 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Recipe Review February 2010
Recipe Review February 2010
4th Sense Samayal
Cornmeal Dosa
Nithya shows us how to make an easy non-fermented dosa with the use of corn flour. I have yet to try my own hand at this.
Aayi's Recipes
Tomato Rasam
Shilpa prepares rasam 'from scratch'- no ready made rasam powder allowed here! I prefer making rasam this way because the taste of the broth is much more fresh and powerful. This kind of rasam is also useful to drink while having a cold to help sweat out the impurities. If one has a sore throat, throat, I think it's advised not to have oil, so remove the tempering part (this is what I do, anyhow).
Dishes from my Kitchen
Black Urad dhal chutney with Idlis
This spice powder is a wonderful and protein-packed accompaniment to the most favored steam-cake, the idli. Click in to see Pavithra's wonderfully artistically created photos to tempt your taste buds as well as creative/artistic side.
Facebook Friends Notes
Dum Aloo
Padmini Natarajan has a wonderful repertoire of skills and knowledge in both south and north Indian food! Here, she teaches us about Dum Aloo- pan or deep fried baby potatoes in a thick, savory gravy.
Sailaja Kitchen
Chocolate Mug Cake
This looks so amazingly easy, quick and delectable! And, it's from scratch- so it's like a dream come true! Much healthier than the cup deserts from the store- no High Fructose Corn Syrup here! (HFCS) Photo used with permission.
Microwave Dhokla
Dhokla is a steam cake made with a base of chick-pea flour (besan). Typically, Dhokla is steamed in a special pan which is placed in a pressure cooker. In this method, those gadgets are not required, and anyone can make it with a few raw ingredients in a microwave! What ease.
Pineapple Salsa
This "Mexican Chutney" would be a great accompaniment to corn chips or, my thought was if it had a minimal amount of liquid to add it to a pizza as a pizza topper!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Flavours from a South Indian Kitchen
If you can not hear the audio, refresh browser or click here.
Tempted by the flavours, spices, aromas, textures and variety of South Indian and Indian cuisine? Today, I introduce you to Srivalli of Cooking for All Seasons. Click on the audio to listen a 5-minute review of her blog and new e-book "Flavours from a South Indian Kitchen." She is an amazing inspiration to cooks, women and working mothers everywhere! Her enthusiasm and passion for life shows in everything she does! I appreciate you spending your time with us today!
Enjoy all flavours of life! Try Indian - and South Indian Flavours today- in the comfort of your kitchen!
Thank you for spending your time here!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Recipe Review January 2010
4th Sense Samayal by Nithya
Black Gram Dosa / Azhagar Kovil Dosa
A unique crepe made of soaked lentils, rice mixed with spices.
Cabbage Coriander Aromatic Curry
Though cabbage is not a vegetable I prefer, I am always tempted to eat cabbage prepared pan-fried in the aromatic spices of the South Indian cuisine.
Aayi's Recipes
Horsegram Idlis (Kulitha Idli)
This steamed breakfast or snack cake is usually made with rice and urad dhal, creating a white, fluffy end product. However, as the horsegram beans are brown, cakes made with these beans have a brown color. This is a unique ildi for anyone interested in trying something different.
Cooking for All Seasons by Srivalli
Tamarind Extract ~ Indian Basics Step by Step Recipe!
This tutorial is useful for anyone who uses tamarind and extracts the 'juice' from it for various preparations like sambar, rasam and others.
Dishes from My Kitchen - Pavithra
Ven Pongal with Sambar, Chutney and Tamarind Gojju
I can never say no to Pongal- a porridge made of rice and moong dhal with mild spices. The gojju side dish is the one that intrigues me most- the gravy of onion and tamarind looks simply mouthwatering. I need to try it for myself!
Hemant Trivedi's Cookery Corner
ALL FOR ASAFOETIDA........My Saga of Hing
Some spices encourage us to live dangerously! This post chronicles one person's amazing, heart-stopping saga of bringing hing across the seven seas!
One Hot Stove by Nupur
A Mini Fiesta
Who is not tempted by the vegetarian delights of Mexican cuisine- enchiladas, queso sauce and Spanish rice. Special interest is the enchilada sauce, which to me seems like a mole (pronounced mow-lay) sauce - which unlike most I have encountered in the restaurants is vegetarian!
Sailaja Kitchen
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Sailaja creates this wonderfully simply and mouthwateringly fresh dish of tomatoes, mild spices and herbs.
Sailu's Kitchen
Aloo Methi ~ Potato Fenugreek leaves stir fry
Methi is the Hindi word for Fenugreek. Methi leaves for this recipe are fresh and picked off stems. Methi leaves are also sold as 'kasoori methi' in Indian stores, dried methi leaves. I actually made this recipe with the fresh leaves this month. It was amazing! This dish is not only a comfort food, because of potatoes, but because in the winter, methi leaves warm the body.
Suite 101 Articles by Scott Hayden
South African Cuisine
This article showcases the unique traits of a cuisine that is not yet internationally known.
A Vegetarian in the Middle East by Rajini
Oven Roasted Aloo Gobi
A new, healthier way to prepare potato and califlower curry- in the oven! YUM!
Rice- Dumpling Soup- pidi
This soup with rice dumplings is a south Indian delicacy that is little known. It also reminds me of a Hungarian soup made with cream of wheat (sooji) dumplings.
Veggie Platter by Suma Gandlur
Annamlo Podi
This powder (podi) made of roasted dhals (lentils) and eaten mixed with hot rice and ghee. Some people may also eat these powders mixed with oil, dipping dosas or idlis into it.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Recipe Review November 2009
Greetings, Friends:
It's been a few months since the last time I printed this column. I go through phases - being inspired to cook or at least, dream, about cuisine based on purely by my emotions and taste buds! This month, there was such a wide variety and long list of recipes that inspired me (and few I have actually prepared at home), that I wanted to share the links from Nithya, Aayi, Abhilash, Jaishree, Suma, and a surprise guest! Enjoy this month's recipes, I hope they tempt your tastebuds and inspire dreams of yumminess as they had with me!
4th Sense Samayal
Indian Special Kai Murukku
Nithya shares how to make a tasty handwoven deep fried snack made of rice and lentils. The snack itself is called "murukku" and, in this case, called kai murukku as it is hand rolled. In Tamil, kai means hand/arm.
This is a unique Tamil preparation using the banana flower stamens. I have had the honor to help make this dish- this is truly one dish that is best made with 'a village' of helpers because of removing the stamens. It's a job that is both time consuming and detail-oriented. And, with a whole group of people putting their attention, patience, time and love into the preparation- the end product is all the tastier!
Aayi's Recipes
Vegetable- Barley Soup
Hindu Blog
Thirukkural Quotes on the Food We Eat
Thirukkural is an ancient book of parables written in the Tamil language by the poet Thiruvalluvar. His parables cover almost every aspect of everyday life. Here is a sampling of quotes relating to nutrition, which reminded me of a multipart post on my blog- A Thought for Food and Food for Thought.
Ruchi
Spicy Oat Pancakes
Jaishree introduces us to an Indianized version of oatmeal pancakes. YUM!
Veggie Platter
Aloo Methi Matar - Microwave Version
Suma has a whole series on microwave Indian recipes. She makes it look so simple and easy! This recipe is for a potato (aloo) and pea (matar) curry with fenugreek (methi) leaves.
Masoor Dal Sambar
Suma shares a tasty recipe for a vegetarian stew made from masoor dhal, a lentil not often thought of thickening sambar, as toor dhal is usually utilized for this purpose.
Vizmaya
Mambhazha pullisheri (kerala style)
A delectable yogurt mango spicy salad eaten as an accompaniment to rice and other Kerala dishes. Who can resist this sweet sour combination?
Related Links:
Recipe Review August 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Recipe Review August 2009
4th Sense Samayal By Nithya
Alligator Fry
This is a unique name for a unique vegetarian dish- bittergourds stuffed with spicy dhals and deep fried! Creating cute little alligators from bittergourds is creative, indeed!
Chayote or Chowchow Curry
Chow Chow is a very unique vegetable and even more appetizing when taken as a side dish with South Indian food.
Chenna/Chick peas Rasam
Now, Nithya has stretched the definitions of what I thought Rasam is! Adding my favorite chick peas can't be resisted! More than the recipe, click inside to check out the photography!
Colorful Capsicum Rice
This is as close to a "rice a roni treat" as we will find in Indian food! An easy to prepare rice dish with different colored bell peppers. It can't get much easier than this!
Iron Adai
Adai is one of our favorites, but with added drumstick leaves, more appetizing for me!
Lemon Rasam
Spicy lemon enhanced soup.
Milagu (Pepper) Rasam
Who hasn't had pepper rasam from a cup- let alone a mug! The new 'hot chocolate'- and good for you too!
Pittu
Soaked, ground and steamed lentils crumbled into a curry is this dish in a nutshell! The photo to the right, by Nithya inspires one and all into Indian cookery, paper crafts, and food photography! Thanks for the inspiration (photo reprinted with permission).
Rice Ball Bean Sundal
She says she's a fresher, but how many of us can make this time-consuming and a bit complex spicy bean salad made with rice flour dumplings? I gotta come to your house, and fast, Nithya!
Tomato Rasam
Watery spicy tomato soup.
Yennai Kathirikkai- Brinjal
Oh spicy eggplant curry, the color of the dish tempts me more!
Aarthi
Red Capsicum Chutney
A tempting puree of red bell peppers, akin to a pesto or salsa that is eaten as a side dish with Indian foods. Can also be used as a yummy sandwich spread!
Aayi's Recipes
Cumin/Jeera Bread
A nice twist on what I would call cumin-infused french bread.
Facebook Friends
Greens, potato and feta cheese pie recipe by Jennifer Jones Petro
Kamala's Corner
Rawa Pongal
A mouthwatering cream of wheat porridge with lentils and mild spices eaten for breakfast or any time of day!
Life at Abhi
Revealing the Rumors of Karkidaka Kanji- Medicinal Poridge
This is a special rice gruel infused with ayurvedic and local herbs particular to Kerala had during the Karkidaka Vavu rituals- worshiping of ancestors.
MishMash
Puttu Uppumavu – Breakfast Puttu gets makeover at the teatime!
Ria's Collection
Urulakkizhangu Mezhukkuvaratti - An aromatic Kerala side dish using potatoes
This is a tempting south Indian style dry potato curry. Click into see the photos and start drooling!
Ruchi
Kunukku
Wonder what to do with left over idli/dosa batter? Tired of utthapam? Want something a bit more savory, tempting, deep fried and crunchy? Try this tempting treat!
Veggie Platter
Lime Sevai
Sevai is the Tamil word for Vermicelli. This South Indian vegetarian treat, usually taken as a tiffen (mid day snack) is a favorite of lime lovers. A mild blend of spices and fresh lime juice are mixed into cooked vermicelli to offer a unique dish loved by all!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Aloo Bonda and Bread Pakodas by Oldernwiser0
Aloo bondas are round savory deep fried potato (aloo) dumplings (bonda) covered with a slightly spicy and flavorful besan (chickpea) flour. Likewise, bread pakodas, in this context cut bread pieces cut into half or four triangular pieces, dipped into the same besan flour batter and fried.
In fact, besides using the same besan batter to cover both potato mixtures and bread pieces, if some is left over, you can add onions or spinach to it or leave it plain and fry small rounds of this. We like to eat this accompanied by ketchup (or as I learned, known as tomato sauce in India), green chili sauce, varieties of chutneys or any other dip of your choice.
I am sharing the videos for potato curry (filling for aloo bondas) and the actual frying of aloo bondas and bread pakodas by Oldernwiser0. In fact, he had inspired me on my recent trip to India to try my hand at making this for about 10 people in an Indian kitchen. Though I used a slightly different mix of ingredients, I used the same method, mixing things by hand and deep frying in in a kadai (incidentally these kadais are moved with 'thongs' in India, do not touch your hand to the handle like American pans, or you will burn yourself!) and draining oil by placing the hot fried items on newspapers.
Anyhow, here's the recipes, enjoy and try your hand as well!
This curry double as a filling for bondas, masala dosa, aloo poori, and possibly aloo paratha
Aloo Bonda and Bread Pakoda video by Oldernwiser0
Oldernwiser0, aka Srivats, is a retired senior bank executive who loves various hobbies including making easier pure vegetarian foods who lives in Hyderabad, India. Watch his YouTube channel for more interesting videos!
About the Oldernwiser0 video series on this blog:
Many wonder is Indian cooking easy? Oldernwiser0 would say, if not shout, YES! As with anything in life, it is easy or as challenging as you think it is or make it. I have always found Indian cooking to be fun, jammed packed full of surprises and about a million and one steps in addition to stocking my kitchen with a whole set of utensils and spice mixes (masalas) that I still learn about as I go along!
I have been following the Indian cookery made easier video series on YouTube created by Oldernwiser0 for about one year. His style has inspired me to make many dishes. From every third Wednesday on this blog, I will share a video from his YouTube profile and my insights. Hope you also enjoy and are able to pick up some quick and easy Indian cooking tips!
Yes, Indian cooking is both fun and easy- besides being tasty!
Related Posts/ Sites:
Oldernwiser0 at YouTube
Paneer Making Made Easier by Oldernwiser0
Other Fried Snacks:
Vada
Other related recipes:
Potato filling for Aloo Poori (Indian breakfast item - Potato curry with deep fried breads)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Indian Cooking Made Easier Series by Oldernwiser0
Many wonder is Indian cooking easy? Oldernwiser0 would say, if not shout, YES! As with anything in life, it is easy or as challenging as you think it is or make it. I have always found Indian cooking to be fun, jammed packed full of surprises and about a million and one steps in addition to stocking my kitchen with a whole set of utensils and spice mixes (masalas) that I still learn about as I go along!
I have been following the Indian cookery made easier video series on YouTube created by oldernwiser0 for about one year. His style has inspired me to make many dishes. From every third Wednesday on this blog, I will share a video from his YouTube profile and my insights. Hope you also enjoy and are able to pick up some quick and easy Indian cooking tips!
Yes, Indian cooking is both fun and easy- besides being tasty!
Leave comments for oldernwiser0 at his youtube page, click here.
This video inspires me in a number of ways, which I will simply list in no particular order.
1. There is no need to make a large quantity of paneer. I go overboard and make a lot every time. At the same time, it's impressive how much paneer looks to be made from straining through a tea strainer!
2. I don't need cheese cloth to drain paneer! The tea strainer idea is fantastic, less waste and just as effective. I also like that half-moon shape, it reminds me of mozzarella I buy in small packets in the store. It comes in that same shape.
3. The method of adding the citric acid comes first in this preparation. I have always boiled the milk, then added the vinegar. It's interesting how someone can show you how to make the same exact thing in a way that seems 'backwards' to your usual method but comes out exactly the same! (That can actually be a deep spiritual lesson if one meditates on it long enough!)
4. Reading the text provided with the video on the YouTube page, some ideas of what to use the paneer water for is listed. Some new ideas are there for me to keep in mind for later. How does one make buttermilk from this whey? That will be my next lesson. In the meantime, I like to use the whey to make boil rice in, it makes it fluffy and creamy.
Paneer making made easier by Oldernwiser0 video at YouTube is used by permission of the author. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us!
Oldernwiser0, aka Srivats, is a retired senior bank executive who loves various hobbies including making easier pure vegetarian foods who lives in Hyderabad, India. Watch his YouTube channel for more interesting videos!
Related Posts/ Sites:
Oldernwiser0 at YouTube
Earlier posts on this blog:
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