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…
Vegan
Banana Wine (Vegan + Gluten Free)
One of the most fragrant of all bananas is the Mysore poovan banana. Known as palayankodan in Malayalam, Mysore kele in Konkani and poovan in Tamil, this tall banana grown traditionally in South India produces large bunches of medium sized fruits, which turn a golden yellow when ripe. If left to ripen on the tree itself, its very fragrance…
Agati Flower Pakoda – A hot and spicy snack (Vegan)
Last week, our dear friends from Coorg, a planter couple, visited us together with a couple of their friends. My husband asked me to make some fried snacks, something new and unique, as his dear friend loved to have a spicy fried snack along with his lunch. We quickly plucked some fragrant agati blooms (Agatipoove in…
Cherry Tomato Pickle (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Three years ago, my husband was traveling through our neighboring district of Coorg. Full of lush green coffee and pepper plantations, it is one of the more enchanting places on earth. Though planters for generations, the Coorgs (Kodavas) are a cultured, hospitable, good-natured, well-educated, honest and proud people with a rich tradition and a legendary love of…
Kobba Sukke – Sugarcane Chickpea Dish (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
In our compound, by the side of the house, there is a sizeable clump of sugarcane. Three years ago, my husband got a plant as a gift from one of his friends. Since then, nourished with farmyard manure and watered regularly, the clump has yielded dozens of juicy, sweet sugarcanes. When my husband goes out…
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…
Moog Dal Fry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
In the remote mountain village that I live in, the only dal available at local shops is masoor dal – split red lentils. Whenever we need tor dal (pigeon pea lentils) or urud dal (black gram lentils) or moog dal (split mung bean / green gram lentils), we have to go to the nearest town…
Agasthya Phulla Upkari – A stir-fry of good health (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Just outside my window is a beautiful hummingbird tree (Agati or Agasthy in Malayalam, Agasthya Rooku in Konkani, Heta in Marathi, Gaach Munga in Hindi, Sesbania Grandiflora). Every morning, I wake up hearing the happy chirps and songs of countless birds from tiny little lovebirds to bulbuls, mynas, parrots, hummingbirds, wild pigeons and several others…
Valval – A yummy Konkani soup (Vegan + Gluten Free)
The Konkani people usually have beautiful, smooth, glowing skin. The secret lies in the copious use of coconuts and vegetables in their diet. Did you know that rinsing one’s face with a teaspoonful of coconut water three or four times a day can rid one of pimples and acne? Massaging your body once daily with…
Cherry Umman – hot, tangy dipping curry (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Whenever we have boiled cassava (see note) for breakfast, my children ask for cherry umman as the side dish. I am only too glad to comply as it takes less than 15 minutes to make this marvelous dipping curry. So I hasten to the acerola cherry bush to look for ripe, red acerola cherries. You can have…