Karuvepilai Chutney (Curry Leaf Chutney)

Karuvepilai Chutney (Curry Leaf Chutney)

I have tried many versions of karivepilai chutney. But this recipe is awesome flavourful and goes very well with idli and dosai. perfectly sauteed curry leaves.. right amount of dry red chillies and tamarind gives this chutney a balanced flavour and taste which is perfect for idli/dosai or bajji/bonda. It is quiet easy to make in the busy mornings too. 

Channa masala - "Fast food" Style

Channa Masala - "Fast Food" Style

Everytime, Channa masala tastes little different where ever we eat. doesn't it? But, i always enjoy eating it. 

"Semmai Marabu Koodal" in Chennai.

சென்னையில் "செம்மை" மரபுக்கூடல் 

For details: www.semmaivanam.org

Boondi Laddu - Let's Bring It back this Deepawali

Guess Lot of Us Lost the Love for this Luscious Laddu..

For more sweets and snacks ideas click here - Deepawali

Laddu.. used to be a main sweet in the weddings, festivals, special occasions etc. But now a days.. kids prefer some fancy sweets to these traditional boondi laddu. Being born and raised in this land, I think it I to sow some seeds of love for these traditional sweets in our kids hearts. I am making boondi laddu this Deepawali. 

Beetroot Halwa - For Beautiful Moments

Beetroot Halwa

When I see brilliant colours in flowers, fruits and vegetables.. I have always wondered how nature brings these bright pigments in one place. In flowers, its colours and fragrances.. in fruits and veggies its colours and tastes. I always relate colour to happiness. when I see any fully bloomed Cassia fistula tree this summer.. I feel it is the most happiest tree on earth. It just flowers like crazy. That is so very contagious.. I feel happy the very instant I see it. I can understand why flowers and fruits are brilliantly coloured. But why beets and carrots are colourful.. they are roots!! 

Flavourful Brinjal Gravy - Complements any Biryani

Spicy Brinjal Gravy - Flavoured with roasted sesame seeds and groundnut paste

It is a beautiful combination - biryani and the brinjal gravy. this particular brinjal gravy.. where brinjals are sauted with lots of sesame oil.. sourness from tamarind extract.. infused with roasted peanut and sesame seeds paste flavour.. cooked perfectly till that above mentioned "lots of" sesame oil floats on top of the gravy.. final touch with the dash of jaggery.

Wood Apple Sweet Salad - Sweet-Sour Duet

விளாம்பழம் - Wood Apple Sweet Salad

Vilaam pazham (விளாம்பழம்) (Limonia acidissima) commonly known as wood apple was one of the mostly ignored or forgotten fruit in south India. during my childhood days, i too did not know anything about this fruit. we used to see in the markets during Krishna jayanthi and Vinayagar chathurthi, that is, during the month of August and September. As a child, i wondered how this was a fruit, as this did not have any of those fancy features of being a fruit. In my house they never used to buy this during the festival too as nobody was fond of this fruit. so, i never got to know anything about this fruit. and more over this fruit was not very appealing too.. looked corky.. rough.. dull colour.. it was more like a cricket ball... how to break it?!

Masala Egg Pasta

Masala Egg Pasta

Simple masala egg pasta - is the masala version of the regular egg scramble pasta. I add onion, tomato, ginger-garlic paste and garam masala to egg scramble pasta. this is more Indianised flavour.

i prefer more egg