Karuppatti Paagu / Palm Jaggery Syrup - Basics

Karuppatti Paagu / Palm Jaggery Syrup - Basics

Karuppatti or panai vellam is known as palm jaggery in English. Panai vellam is the better choice for sweetening agent than white sugar or saccharine or any other artificial sweeteners. It is widely used in Tamil Nadu. Our ancestors had been using karuppatti widely for its medicinal properties. But these days youngsters have heard about this "karuppatti" only in Tamil movie songs..

Karuppatti/Panai Vellam/Palm Jaggery

Kozhukattai (Mel) Maavu / Kozhukattai Outer Covering Dough

Kozhukattai (Mel) Maavu / Kozhukattai Outer Covering Dough

Kozhukattai mel maavu has a simple recipe with very few ingredients but not most of us will succeed in getting it soft.

I feel that the right texture of the outer covering rice flour dough, is that, when we bite the kozhukattai, it should be soft, yet firm, and the teeth should sink smoothly and pass to the poornam without knowing that we have already reached the poornam. 

The rice flour used for making dough can also be prepared at home. Definitely the rice dough prepared from the home made rice flour has a very fresh feel on kozhkattai. 

We can also use store bought rice flour. We have to make sure that the rice flour from store is fresh batch. Old rice flours might smell stale and rancid which will spoil the whole dish. 

I tried different recipes from word of mouth to get the right texture of kozhukattai. But this recipe will definitely be very clear, that even a beginner could get it right the first time. 

Let me share you the recipe which I follow to make the mel maavu.

Kadalai Paruppu Chutney - Gram Dhal Chutney

Kadalai Paruppu Chutney - Gram Dhal Chutney - Idli/Dosai sidedish

Kadalai paruppu chutney - takes my memories to my grandparents place where they used to make it in large quantity as this is budget friendly. I forgot this chutney after my grand parents shifted to Chennai and I did not have any native place to go. 

After many years, I had this chutney once in my aunt's place (her name is Kala, she passed away couple of weeks back due to illness). While having this chutney, I could feel a trace of the childhood days in my native place. Here, I would like to thank my auntie for preserving the recipe which carries nostalgic memories. Even though she is not with us now, she will always remain in our thoughts and heart. I learnt many recipes from her too. Love you and miss you Kala auntie.

Idli with kadalai paruppu chutney is good for packing for lunch too. This chutney is simple with few ingredients. Let's see how it is made..

For more sidedish/chutney recipe click  - Sidedish / chutney

Kadalai paruppu chutney

Yellu Poornam Kozhukattai

Yellu Poornam Kozhukattai / Vinayagar Chathurthi Special

Yellu poornam kozhukattai is one of the traditional dish which we generally make in our homes for Vinayagar Chathurthi and Varalakshmi Viratham. It is another healthiest steam cooked dish with the best flavour of sesame seeds and jaggery packed in fine rice flour outer covering. 

This kozhukattai can also be done with coconut poornam or kadalai paruppu poornam instead of sesame seed (yellu) poornam. Our favourite is yellu poornam. Just the sesame seeds and jaggery - complement each other very well in both taste and medical property. The flavour of yellu is intense and has lots of good fat. One of my best buddy A shared some good quality sesame seeds from her native which are more flavourful. I have used it in today's recipe with gratitude.

For more festival foods click here - Festival Foods

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Yellu Poornam Kozhukattai for Pillaiyaar Chathurthi.

Vella Kozhukattai / Pidi Kozhukattai

Vella / Pidi Kozhukattai - Vinayagar Chathurthi 

Vella kozhukattai is a very humble and light dish made with rice flour and jaggery. It is steam cooked dish. This kozhukattai is Vinayagar Chathurthi🌺🌻 special. This recipe is easy with minimum ingredients and healthy too.

We can either prepare the rice flour at home or buy from shop. Today I used the store bought rice flour. Make sure you buy fresh rice fours just before making and never use old flours which had been there in your pantry for long. Such rice flours smells stale and rancid. Here is how I make the vella kozhukattai.

For more festival foods click here - Festival Foods

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Peanut Chutney / Verkadalai Chutney

Peanut Chutney / Verkadalai Chutney

In my father's village, they used to cultivate peanuts. So, peanuts were available in abundant. People used to use peanuts in most of their dishes. Peanut was part of most of the poriyals. Just steam cooked peanuts makes an excellent time pass. And we eat peanut in any form.. raw.. roasted.. boiled.. etc. I remember my grandma bringing bags of peanut from the village when she visits us. Now, no more grandma and no more bags of peanuts..😀.

This peanut chutney was my dad's favourite.. so mom used to make peanut chutney for pongal, idli and dosai. It is such an easy side dish.. only the peanut-roasting time. This recipe is for one of my best buddy L who requested for peanut chutney recipe. Here is the recipe.. just for you L...

For more sidedish/chutney recipe click  - Sidedish / chutney

Peanut chutney

Idli Upma

Idli Upma

Do you have any previous days' left over idlies? Do not think about reheating it today and have it with some chutney. Instead.. think about idli upmaaaa !!! How many of you like.. when someone brings a small bowl of.. nice.. HOT.. grainy.. bright yellow.. cashews blinking.. roasted kadalai paruppu smiling here and there.. coriander sprinkled.. idli upma? I love it! It just cheers you up on a lazy evening. You know what.. when ever I make idlies, I make few extra so that I can make idli upma the next day😊. I prefer to make idli upma the next day because the fridge-stored firm idlies break down completely into crumbles when you crush with your hands. Here is the recipe..

For more breakfast recipes click here - Breakfast
Recipe for Idli
Basics of Idli Batter

Idli Upma

Gentle Giants - Nature Watch

Gentle Giants

It was one January, when we got a chance to see these gentle giants in Mudumalai. Many elephants present there came from different parts of south India. The elephants seemed to be very calm as there were free without chains within fence. 

Evening, during the feeding time.. the elephants gathered near the feeding place. They arrived to the feeding place like small children who gather around someone who distribute sweets.. they were so innocent like a small children. The younger ones were still cuter. The elder ones were majestic. 

Standing there, staring at the one of the master piece with the tusk, I was wondering what is nature trying to teach us. Whether it is an elephant or an ant or myself.. we are all very much different but the Energy within us is the same. Are these myself in different forms..?

Sharing some of the shots...

Ennai Kathirikkai Kara Kuzhambu

Ennai Kathirikkai Kara kuzhambu

I am very fond of this ennai kathirikkai kara kuzhambu. I love the way my mother makes it. Spicy, tangy, little sweet... I'm drooling when I talk about it 😋. My mom's kara kuzhambu is strong, thick, tangy and yummy. Especially the meen kuzhambu.. excellent the next day! 

I got this recipe from my mom. I make it in mann satti (earthen ware). When we cook it in mann satti, the kuzhambu thickens further and becomes tastier. I never miss a chance to cook in mann satti. One step close to nature, closer to healthy life style. I use sesame oil and jaggery which my mom doesn't do. Just like my mom and my ammamma, even when I make this kuzhambu, the oil separates from kuzhambu and floats on top.. adding that much oil.. this runs in my family.. 😆. Here, I am sharing with you my moms ennai kathirikkai kara kuzhambu. There are few people who find my kara kuzhambu too tangy or spicy.. so such people.. this is not for you.. this is for those who like it nice tangy and spicy. There are couple of my friends who are big fans of this kuzhambu. This is for them..

Ennai kathirikkai kara kuzhambu in mann satti

Red Sauce Pasta - My version

Red Sauce Pasta - My version

Pasta is my daughter's favourite food. She can eat it for break fast, lunch, dinner, evening snack, mid night snack and she is okay to have it for the next day too! As she has been requesting for few months, yesterday I made pasta. It was her pasta marathon for the whole day! This recipe is for her friends too who love red sauce pasta..

For more breakfast recipes click here - Breakfast

Red Sauce Pasta (coriander leaves only for garnish)

Guess the dish..

Guess the dish..

Friends.. guess what dish is this which is on stove.. type your answers in the comment box.

Vella Appam/Vella Paniyaram - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Vella Appam/Nei Appam/Vella Paniyaram - Krishna Jayanthi Special

Appam was a sweet snack/Neiveidhyam which I always enjoyed eating from temples or friends but never tried doing as I didn't know it was such easy dish. Once, I came across this recipe in a magazine, I was really surprised to see how easy the recipe was and wanted to give it a try. Bingo !!first attempt itself was a super hit. it is the feast for the eyes ... that golden brown or can i say little more than golden.. beautiful dark amber colour.. sparkling. Here is how to do it..

For more festival foods click here - Festival Foods

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Nei appaam/vella paniyaram

Festival Goodies from Friend

Krishna Jayanthi Goodies from Friend

Happiness is.. when one of my beloved friend thoughtfully shares her festival goodies with me..

Here are the Krishna Jayanthi goodies which my friend shared with me yesterday.. That is lot of hard work and lot of love.. Thanks buddy.

Idli

Idli - Soft Ildies

This morning, as I woke up, I was little excited to see the idli batter which I prepared last evening. When I entered the kitchen, I could see myself smiling as the smell of the fermented batter welcomes me. I was curious to open the lid and see the batter raised. It was as thrilling as it used to be in my college days when I open the culture plates to see the bacteria grown. I know.. it sounds gross to you right? 😝.. okay now back to idli.. You can get a detailed instructions about how to make the idli batter here. Any way I can give a short version of the idli recipe in this post. Now lets go to the recipe.

For more breakfast recipes click here - Breakfast
Left over idlies.. click Idli upma

Idlies with kadalai paruppu chutney

Rava Upma - Welcoming evening rain

Rava Upma - Welcoming an evening rain in Chennai..

It was around 5 pm in the evening. It was very dark like 7pm. We were very happy to see the dark clouds. Waited for rain till 5.45 pm. The rain showed mercy on us and showered only around 6 pm. The black clouds were bountiful. And its 7.07 pm now.. its still raining.. I dint have any idea of what to prepare for dinner. The rains pushed me to make Upma.. how else can we celebrate a rain in the evening.. that too in Chennai. 

After deciding that its upma for dinner.. I dint want to waste time anymore. I hurried to the kitchen to make upma as I wanted have hot upma when it is still raining ! My hubby was like.. "..come on.. ur gonna post upma?! everybody knows upma.. whats exciting reading about it?". I said "I know.. but I love reading about hot upma on a rainy evening.. and this post is for people like me.. " 

For more breakfast recipes click here - Breakfast

Rava Upma

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa - Sunshine Dessert

This carrot halwa recipe comes from my ammamma, via my mom. My ammamma is a quick cook. She cooks effortlessly and her recipes are very simple with minimum ingredients. She had a passion for cooking. She never measures her ingredients.. its all eyeball measurement. This is one such quick recipe, except for the grating part. This halwa looks as good as it tastes. Glossy.. that carotene colour.. cashews peeking here and there.. feast for our eyes! This is one of my daughter's favourite dessert.. Sunshine dessert for my little Miss. Sunshine...

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Carrot Halwa

Idli Batter - Basics

Idli Batter/Idli maavu

Idli...... when I sit to down type about idli.. my memories fly back to the days when I was 8 years old. During holidays, we used go to our amma-amma's (maternal grandma) house.

Pongal/Venn Pongal

Pongal/Venn Pongal

Venn pongal is a must in any south Indian breakfast menu. Go to any muhurtham or graha pravesham or pre-wedding nalungu or nichayathaartham or any other functions in the mornings which calls for breakfast, definitely it will have venn pongal in the menu along with idli, vadai, poori, iddiyappam or rava kichadi. Nobody has ever had the resistance to plan a breakfast menu for a South Indian function or a festival without pongal. There is another funny quote which goes like "if you want to have a sound sleep.. you can either have a sleeping pill or a plate of pongal with sambar chutney".😝

For more breakfast recipes click here - Breakfast

Venn Pongal

Visitor to Our Garden...

Visitor to Our Garden...

Yesterday afternoon, it started to become cloudy and just then we spotted one guest in the Pungai maram (Pongamia glabra). We have never seen him before. It was Mr. Calotes  versicolor, the garden lizard. Our house had little bit more greenery than other houses in that street. May be he liked to inspect our little garden. Any way.. it was a pleasant surprise to have him. After a couple of clicks, we left him undisturbed. Later, we couldn't see him again. Hope to see many more visitors...

Vazhakkai Varuval / Green Plantain Fry

Vazhakkai Varuval/Green Plantain Roast

Vazhakkai is such a time friendly vegetable. It cooks in no time. It is the best choice for the morning time cooking and festival menu. This green plantain is such a humble vegetable which never makes fuss to be cooked when we do not have enough time. Most of time, when I am running out of ideas of what side dish to pack with rice for the next day lunch.. vazhakkai is my saviour! Vazhakkai varuval.. another simple dish with basic ingredients... when joins with rices.. completes the meal. The recipe for vazhakkai varuval follows.

For more poriyal recipes click here - Poriyal

Vazhakkai Varuval / Green Plantain Fry

Sarkkarai Pongal / Sweet Pongal

Sarkkarai Pongal / Sweet Pongal

Sarkkarai pongal - I love making this divine dessert. When the jaggery boils, it fills the house with the festival mood. This smell of boiling jaggery is so very nostalgic. It kindles all the beautiful memories of my childhood when I used to wait for my mother to finish her cooking and start the pooja. I just cant wait to feast on the banana leaf. We use banana leaf only during festivals which is hardly 3 to 4 times a year. So, its worth waiting.

For more festival foods click here - Festival Foods

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Sarkarai pongal

Beetroot Poriyal / Beetroot Stir fry

Beetroot Poriyal / Beetroot Stir fry

Beta vulgaris - fondly known as beetroot - always made me wonder how mother nature could store such abundant pigment into a part of a plant - that too in roots!! Beets are such a versatile root-veg for salad, stir fry, juice, halwa etc., I frequently make stir fry / poriyal and halwa. One tiny thing which makes me happy to cook beetroot is that.. my palm become pinker when I cut it! I know that sounds kiddish.. but that is all making me more happy to work in kitchen. Today I will share my beetroot poriyal  / stir fry recipe.

For more - Poriyal

Beetroot Poriyal / Stir fry

Product review - Dish Wash Liquid

Dish Washing Liquid

We all like our house to be sparkling clean. Mostly, we buy the branded cleaning supplies which they advertise in televisions or neatly arranged attractive packs from the supermarket shelves. We assume they are safe. But, many of us do not know that they are dangerously toxic.

We cannot completely avoid these toxic chemicals in our life but we can gradually reduce it some extent.

One such toxic chemical which our beautiful and kind hands are continuously exposed is the dish washing liquid. These liquids have aggressive antibacterial agents which actively promotes the growth of drug resistant bacteria and they also pollute the water bodies in our neighbourhood.

Instead we can use some simple detergents and soap which does not use antibacterial agents. 

I found one such dish washing liquid in market named "Strategi - NATUREDROP" - herbal liquid dish wash. When we go through the instructions at the back of the bottle, it sounds safer than other products in the market. It claims that it is 100% herbal and No chemicals. The bottle also says that this liquid has Earth friendly formula which is biodegradable and is made from plant extracts. 

I tried this dish wash liquid. Unlike other dish wash products its consistency is not thick. This liquid is little runny, no fancy colour.. in fact has dirty brown colour, smells AWESOME like herbs, not very lathery.. does not require too much water unless the utensil is too greasy. It does clean the utensils well too. The product recommends us to dilute and use the liquid. This Strategi is Rs. 140/- per 500 ml.. where as other brands are around Rs. 120/- per 500 ml. 

I am personally happy with this product as when I used this dish wash liquid I did not feel that I am using any commercial-chemical.

Happy homemaking !!