Before I start writing out the recipe for guava wine, I have a little story to share. Years ago, my husband took me to a visit to one of his friends’ place at Kalpetta. An avid collector of exotic plants and fruit trees, this friend took us around his plantation. After admiring the variety and…
Sweet
Mulberry Jam (Vegan + Gluten Free)
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Vegan Coconut Smoothie – A drink of love (Gluten Free)
Would you like to hear a story? This happened over a couple of decades ago. A dozen girls, studying in high school, gathered at their tuition center at Calicut. Their happy faces indicated that they had no intention of attending tuitions that day. The elder sister of Rahianath, one of the girls in the group,…
Hot and Spicy Vegan Cookies
Ever since we moved to this remote mountain village in the Western Ghats, every year on Christmas Eve, my family and I eagerly await the visit of Santa Claus and the neighborhood carol singers. The first year, a person was sent here in the morning asking us if we wouldn’t mind the children coming to…