Can you imagine a town set upon a warm and cozy tropical island in the ocean, saying it has no salt? Well, it happens to be one of the ironies of life, of the people of the beautiful mountain district of Kerala. Wayanad is the milk-shed of Kerala, a land of cows, whither tanker upon…
Recipes
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…
Biscuit Fritters (Vegan)
Any tourist visiting the magically beautiful state of Kerala should not go back without visiting a few of the tens of thousands of ‘teashops’ (chayakada) all 0ver the state. Teashops attract regular visitors not just because of the delicious ‘kadis‘ (snacks) they offer, but also because they are the temples of gossip of the local…
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,…
Avara Songe – A traditional Konkani side dish (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Sometimes, simple, homely meals can be far more satisfying than elaborate gourmet dinners. One such meal that I can never forget is also my childhood favorite. At lunchtime, mother would serve us a plate of hot rice with fragrant, hot dali toye poured over it, topped with buttermilk, and accompanied by delicious, hot and savory…
Masala Curd Vada – A delicious deep-fried black gram snack (Gluten Free)
My dear friends, I apologize for not having been able to post new recipes for you, these last few weeks. It was pepper season here and I had to do my part in picking, threshing, drying and cleaning our organic black pepper. I love the work, and this is the only black pepper I use…
Dalimba Solla Khadi – Pomegranate Peel Curry (Gluten Free)
It happened many many years ago. I was a sixth-grade schoolgirl, and it was a sweltering hot summer day. I had taken some street-food the previous day. Mid-morning found me writhing in pain in my abdomen and running to the toilet, only to pass loose motions with phlegm and blood. This was repeated twice more and…
Indori – A traditional Konkani dessert (Vegan + Gluten Free)
I made indori today. My husband and my children loved it so much that I decided to share the recipe with you. As I sit down to write these words, my mind flits back to the past and I am a little girl again, making indoris with my cousin, Rekha in our backyard. Only, we…
Egg Mint ‘Matoes – A starter, a snack and a gourmet delight! (Gluten Free)
Love is the secret of good food. When a dish is prepared with love for the eaters, it fills not just the stomach but the heart of the eater as well. Not only so, the dish cooked becomes a special, precious creation which lights up the eyes and tickles the palate of the diner. When…
Green Mint Chutney (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Everyone in my family loves mint chutney. So we grow organic spearmint (pudina) plants round the year. A hardy, creeping shrub, mint is easy to grow in composted, well-drained soils in full sunlight, or in the partial shade. However, they have a tendency to rot in the excessive rains of the monsoon season. so…