To the sericulturist, the mulberry tree is often just a source of leaves to feed the silkworms, but to me, and perhaps to many of you, the mulberry tree is a haven of nostalgic childhood memories. I vividly remember the wizened old mulberry tree at my eldest cousin Meerakka’s home, at Cochin. Right opposite their…
Dessert
Ambya Umman – Konkani Ripe Mango Curry Dessert (Vegan + Gluten Free)
One of the finest of ripe mango curries is the Konkani ambya umman / humman. Since time immemorial, huge mango trees have been growing all over the plains, foothills and plateaus of India. In summer, these trees produce luscious mangoes in great abundance, shedding the ripe fruit every day on the ground. The birds, squirrels…
Vegan Jackfruit Cake
It is the start of the jackfruit season, and our fifteen or more bearing jackfruit trees are heavy with fruit. They don’t ripen all at once, but over a period of two to three months. So, that gives me ample time to prepare delicious jackfruit dishes to share with you all. The other day, my…
Cashew Cookies (Vegan)
After my marriage, I moved to my husband’s ancestral home in the coastal town of Telicherry (now Thalassery) in Kerala. I knew practically nothing about baking at that time. Every other evening, my husband would bring home fragrant, freshly baked bread, buns, and a variety of cookies and cakes from the famous Mambally’s bakery. This bakery,…
Rava Unniyappam – A sweet evening snack (Vegan)
Homemaking mothers often ponder on what dish to prepare for their hungry kids coming back from school at four in the evening. Rava unniyappam is an excellent treat which you can cook easily and is always loved by children and adults alike. The batter can be prepared at noon and the rava unniyappams can be fried…
Sweet Khichadi – A traditional teatime snack (Gluten Free)
Whenever I think of Khichadi, all of sudden, I am a little schoolgirl again, transported back to the magical time of childhood. I remember waiting for the long bell to ring at the end of the last period to rush back home, often running at breakneck speed, to see what goodies mother has cooked for…
Dudali – A traditional arrowroot dessert (Gluten Free)
In the good old days of my childhood, when fast food was unheard of, pure unadulterated arrowroot powder was freely available in the market. Whenever a person in the family was struck down by illness, especially typhoid or diarrhea, and unable to take solid food, arrowroot powder would promptly be used to make a reviving hot…
Eggless Banana Cake (Vegan)
Last week, while enjoying a walk along the slope down the bottom of our garden, I spotted a beautiful little bunch of mature Nendran bananas, ready for harvest. My husband quickly cut it down and severed the combs. At home, I use a large metal container to ripen banana bunches. Old newspapers are spread out…
Sheera / Rava Kesari – A quick and easy dessert
My son loves sheera. Often, he asks me to make some sweet dish for him. One look at his face and I can tell, he yearns for sheera! I am only too happy to comply, as it takes just under 20 minutes to make this delicious, sweet dessert. Sheera, which is also called rava kesari,…
Neyyappam – A deep-fried Kerala delicacy (Vegan)
Long before adulterated vegetable oils were introduced into the cuisine of the Malayali (Keralite), together with their concomitant host of ailments and diseases, the people of Kerala enjoyed a healthier way of life using pure coconut oil in their daily diet. Every town and village had its own quaint wooden oil press powered by oxen…