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…
Vegan
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…
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…
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…
Tomato Smoothie (Vegan + Gluten Free)
My husband’s chief hobby is organic gardening and he spends much of his spare time growing a plethora of vegetables and fruits in our garden. I never feel the need to refrigerate any vegetable or fruit as any day, I only have to step out to collect what I need, pesticide and chemical free, fresh…
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…
Indian Mint Fritters (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Plectranthus amboinicus or Coleus aromaticus is a thick-leaved, creeping, perennial plant of immense medicinal benefits to mankind. Also known as Indian borage, Indian mint, Mexican mint, Cuban Oregano and Spanish Thyme, this wonderful plant has graced the courtyards of Indian households for centuries. While the Konkani people lovingly refer to it as sambraguli, the Malayalis call…
Indian Mint Cough Syrup (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Millions of people may share nostalgic memories of the unforgettable taste of homemade cough syrup that they were made to drink as kids and even as adults when laid up with the flu. Such is the taste and efficacy of this simple home remedy that even today, my husband asks me to make him some whenever he…