tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190018082012-02-01T01:30:41.975-05:00Kaynoreply@blogger.comBlogger811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-33056319307217264452009-07-17T14:32:00.002-04:002009-08-06T07:46:35.878-04:00

Whenever I think back of my childhood, I fondly remember the Otaheite Gooseberries (சின்ன நெல்லிக்காய் / Phylanthus acidus/Phylanthus Distichus) tree that mom planted, when we were kids. It was a small tree in our backyard, that bore a million fruits which was more than enough for us and all the kids on the street. Passers by would shake the tree and enjoy the fruits and my mom gladly let them

Kaynoreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-76607828133422903202009-06-24T09:45:00.019-04:002009-07-22T10:35:30.661-04:00

(Homemade plain Kefir - shaken a bit to show how it coats the bottle, papaya kefir!)When I was just getting started into Kombucha (another post), I kept coming across something called Kefir (pronounced Keh-fear!). Not wanting to distract myself, I just briefly glanced through it and forgot about it. Soon came the diabetes, the Candida and the food intolerances - all pointing to something wrong

Kaynoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-44457736801106023752009-06-09T17:48:00.007-04:002010-11-10T22:44:15.414-05:00

Call it by any name - Chettinad mutton soup, Chettinad mutton bone soup, Aatukaal soup, Aatukaal paaya, Trotter soup, Nenjelumbu soup based on the type of bones used - This is my most favorite soup in the whole world! :) There's absolutely nothing else like this one. To top it off, this mineral rich bone soup is very good for health.My mom learnt this recipe in Sivakaasi, from her neighbors who

Kaynoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-30573162036882664302009-04-21T14:30:00.009-04:002010-02-10T15:14:13.616-05:00

Every time we come home from the hostel and its time to go back, the following conversation would occur on the day before, between my mom and either me or my sister or both. We were in the same college and hostel so our timings to go back to the hostel would be the same.Mom: What do you want to take along when you go back?Me/my sister: Thakkali OorugaiMom: Just that? Me/my sister: Yes. By now,

Kaynoreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-74643391183150697022009-04-08T19:12:00.009-04:002010-03-15T17:01:15.604-04:00

It all started when I read the book 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon. An online friend from one of the forums I belong to, told me about this and I went looking for it in the library. It is a book that really challenges the politically correct nutrition... What I read there, shocked me, surprised me but mostly, overwhelmed me. And then life intervened in the form of newborn and I promptly

Kaynoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-22085351988575131932009-03-06T04:14:00.000-05:002009-03-06T08:20:04.300-05:00

The words 'Beetroot kulambu' doesn't make me gape with a look of horror on my face now. But it did once. I was 12 then. Both Amma and Appa had to goto a very early wedding at 4 am in a different town. And my neighbor, an Aunty who lived with her family, in the house above ours, volunteered to serve us breakfast. My younger sister and me liked that Aunty, so we didn't think much about the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-91405288939540535772009-02-13T21:42:00.001-05:002009-02-13T21:52:03.418-05:00

Kaynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-53678481406464706612008-10-20T10:05:00.010-04:002009-04-22T09:21:45.913-04:00

I used to love those 'Love is....' comic strips in the morning newspaper. Still do. I wish I could get my daily dose of those comic strips now in email. Anybody know of a source? Anyway, here's my attempt at a 'Love is....'Love is being served with a plateful of kollu chutney, kollu kulambu, rasam and rice when you have a bad cold and can't think straight and when everything else tastes like

Kaynoreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-134847104393794452008-09-30T22:43:00.014-04:002008-12-05T08:22:23.336-05:00

Little Miss Mischief is a big fan of muffins and mini-muffins are of the perfect size for my little muffin. She used to jump with joy exclaiming 'Mashay Mashay Mashay' which I think came from Milkshake but she really meant muffins! Oatmeal banana muffins, Carrot muffins, Wholewheat muffins, Blueberry muffins - she loves them all. Filled with nuts and fruits and wholegrain goodness, muffins used

Kaynoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-44215427982831181812008-09-29T12:23:00.017-04:002009-02-03T13:15:44.773-05:00

Once in a while, some of the creative genes in my body wake up. I'd love to say, they wake up and dance! But to my horror, they just wake up and create a mess. In the kitchen. Now if only I can overlook the mess they make, then I'd say, some of those times resulted in some yummy things. But there was this instance where the creative genes woke up and left absolute no mess - just some yummy yummy

Kaynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-16170454974524459672008-09-18T14:12:00.004-04:002009-04-09T12:56:14.911-04:00

Sprouted moth dal, ready to be frozenEvery time I make sprouts(just any beans), I make a large batch and freeze half of it. Comes in very handy later. I use it later in many dishes, like this one, stir fried with some spices. Sometimes I throw a handful in soups; or in green beans stir fry. I think I could even grind it and use it in adai or dosas or make pesaraddu. I squeeze out as much air as

Kaynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-38996508436226354062008-09-17T08:19:00.014-04:002008-09-17T10:38:00.865-04:00

I Love Fish. I love it more when it's roasted in the oven. You might have seen previous posts on roasted fish here and here. This summer, we craved for grilled food, but we couldn't grill outside since we live in a super high rise building with no balcony!DH and me were talking about this and about the still unused stove top cast iron double burner reversible grill/griddle that we got for a nice

Kaynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-67550098775902354192008-09-13T14:31:00.006-04:002009-06-25T12:51:58.928-04:00

Manathakkali or manithakkali or milagu thakkali is a type of nightshade plant. In English, it is black nightshade. Looks like it is called Makoy or chukkitti keerai. Indosungod also has a picture here. The leaves and berries are very healthy and is a cure for many ailments. Esp. stomach ulcer! I can't remember the number of times my mom fed me these leaves and berries... These plants were always

Kaynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-41465476496184060762008-08-26T11:45:00.006-04:002008-10-30T10:42:15.157-04:00

Moth beans/Matki sprouts is something that I discovered while in Pune. First from my friend's dabba; then from fresh vegetable markets. The vendors sold these sprouts in small packets. These sprouts are used in Misal and Usal dishes and just by themselves - sauted with some spices. After trying to use the market sold sprouts (which had tiny stones!) twice, I resorted to sprouting it at home. And

Kaynoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-44701556634513404842008-08-18T09:35:00.009-04:002008-10-20T12:03:07.838-04:00

It was only after I came to the US, that I discovered this dal. First it was the orange colored broken masoor using which my roommate made an amazing dal. I tried to replicate it on my own, after I moved out. But failed miserably. The whole masoor dal didn't turn out any better too. It tasted okay... but okay wasn't good enough. I wanted tasty. Then it was Meenal Mehta's Sabut Masoor dal which

Kaynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-35243831504404573672008-08-12T14:06:00.015-04:002008-10-21T08:25:08.211-04:00

Some of you must have read about my really poor baking skills in comments sections of many posts by skilled bakers. I had almost given up on breads until I found out about bread machines. :) Obviously I was thrilled, when a friend of ours gave us her Bread machine before she moved. I scoured the net for all types of interesting recipes to use in the bread machine. One such winner is this 100%

Kaynoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-32266602221700272772008-08-03T21:14:00.008-04:002009-04-22T09:21:45.913-04:00

As far as I can remember, no Diwali passed by without my mom's special Ribbon Pakoda. We had to have it to make it a Diwali. Thick, crunchy, crispy, right amount of salt, right amount of heat, not oily at all by any means - the perfect way it should be. Amma used to soak 2 kgs of rice and grind it in her grinder machine and add pottukadalai powder (roasted gram dal) and other stuff and make it

Kaynoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-77066647649881715582008-07-29T13:57:00.009-04:002009-04-22T09:21:45.914-04:00

Mor Urundai Kuzhambu - A mor kuzhambu (yogurt sauce) with paruppu urundais (lentil dumplings) floating in it. Ahhh! I first had a taste of this yummy goodness from a friend's lunch box in my XIth Std. at School. Now, My mom makes awesome mor kozhumbu - the best I've ever tasted. And I love it. I love it to the point that I could keep it in the fridge and have it for the new two days, till it gets

Kaynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-27416656105768091102008-07-18T09:01:00.007-04:002009-04-28T15:55:45.696-04:00

My late-mama (maternal uncle) used to brighten up a room with his presence and be the life of the party anywhere anytime. Once in a while, he used to get an urge to cook and he'd do it without any masala powder or chilli powders. And the end dish would be really good. Lip smacking, tongue tickling, 'give me more, right now!' - THAT good! Once in a while, I try to make some dish like that -

Kaynoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-62723388756672233692008-07-17T15:47:00.003-04:002009-04-09T12:56:14.911-04:00

I get very less time to cook these days. Like every other parent. Or a busy non-parent. I do double a recipe once in a while and freeze it for later, but the taste isn't really as good as freshly cooked. So, I've resorted to prepping some stuff, these day, to help me to cook faster. The fridge and the freezer help me to get my kitchen more preppy. While the obvious advantage is that it saves me a

Kaynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-9167376472906935412008-05-26T14:28:00.012-04:002008-09-17T09:21:00.754-04:00

Some are crust-people, Some are cheese-people. Obviously, We are toppings-people. We are the kind who think 'Toppings maketh a pizza.'Thanks to a Wholewheat pizza base from the store, some yummy organic cheese and a pizza stone suggested by this couple, we had our first glimpse of pizza heaven. Absolutely delicious! Yumm! It was a zillion times better than delivery pizza, at least 10 times

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-6750127530171686422008-05-26T13:05:00.011-04:002008-09-16T17:43:47.068-04:00

Yep, I got my mojo back!VennPongal is the fair looking cousin of the rich Pongal. When I wake up on a Saturday morning, with no idli batter, no mood for upma, a 'Noooo way!' for cold cereal, a 'Yuck!' for slimy oatmeal, 'You got be kidding me!' for bread and eggs and 'Nope, I don't want to stand in front of the tava for long' to make besan cheelas or yellow mung dal dosa, the thought of

Kaynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-45574675788984746322007-09-22T11:12:00.001-04:002008-09-16T17:10:11.382-04:00

I have had the delight of eating Authentic Kannadiga food prepared by loving friends and their families. Maybe that is why I was very shocked to hear a friend of mine say that she doesn't like Kannadiga food, because it is tooooo sweet esp. the sambar! I was shocked! And then I started laughing... Loud!See, this is the friend who asks me to prepare sambar every single time she comes to my place..

Kaynoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-34634306039452154672007-08-21T15:49:00.000-04:002007-08-21T18:38:04.199-04:00

The Swaminarayan Temple in TorontoWe finally had a chance last weekend, to visit the new temple in Toronto - The Swaminarayan Temple. It is a very beautiful temple - full of intricately hand-carved marbles imported from India. Read more here. Using no nails and no steel, the temple is held together through the sheer force of gravity and has been assembled like a jigsaw puzzle.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-13611760280583332102007-08-13T11:21:00.002-04:002008-11-03T08:35:30.332-05:00

Many might say 'Ewwww!' or 'Blech!' but there are some serious fans out there for chicken livers. Chicken livers are excellent source of nutrition (click here) ... Just a 22 gm piece of chicken liver can give 62% of Vitamin A, 14% of Iron, 77% of Vitamin B12, 41% of Folate, 29% of Riboflavin, 22% of Selenium and 17% of Pantothenic acid, 14% of Niacin and also satisfy 9% of the protein

Kaynoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-23330297285855435842007-06-12T20:08:00.001-04:002008-10-20T12:03:07.842-04:00

Most of the times, it's simplest foods that are eaten more heartily. Be it, Dal, chawal/roti, sabji, or rice, rasam and poriyal or a salad - Very simple food; Very comforting... Is that why, whenever the complexities of life surround us and life just seems too busy to handle, we seek comfort in simple foods?One such comfort food for us is a simple meal that comprises of green gram dal, rice and

Kaynoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-51782911572702363642007-05-08T22:39:00.001-04:002008-09-16T17:37:25.520-04:00

When you are surrounded by lovely food bloggers and blog love, there's always good food around. And everybody eats heartily. Anybody arguing this?Here's a picture from a meal I cooked, from a recipe from a Indian food blog. Any guess what the dish is and which blog this came from?Reveal: It is Vellai Poondu Vengaaya Kulambu by Kitchenmate. The kulambu was very yummy. I have tried it with many

Kaynoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-77881101016575581302007-04-07T07:52:00.004-04:002009-04-22T09:21:45.915-04:00

Vendaikai Pulikulambu is very common in Kongu cuisine. Could be because of the fact that, those days, most of the people in Kongu region had their own farms and they had fresh vegetables (like okra/ lady's finger, silk squash, snake gourd, pumpkin, drumsticks, brinjals, raw plantain, tomatoes, etc, etc) coming out of their farms. The usual combination for Vendaikai Pulikulambu went like this -

Kaynoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-29664345993383618922007-04-02T10:31:00.001-04:002008-09-16T17:12:54.996-04:00

Tomatoes and me go a long way. We've had a love-hate relationship all along. Love - when it was Amma's tomato rice that she used to bribe me with, when she had to goto work on a Saturday when I had that day off [Could you believe it, when I say, those days, I chose 'Tomato rice' over Amma?] ; Love - when she packed her famous tomato pickle in a big glass jar for me; Love - when she made her

Kaynoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-75044358612646392812007-03-24T07:40:00.004-04:002008-09-17T09:17:12.404-04:00

This is another dish, Priya, one of my very good friends, introduced to me. It was a time, when both of us were very busy with our respective careers and didn't have much time to cook. So, easy recipes were given a special welcome. One fine day, she calls up - 'hey, I have an easy recipe from a friend - Want to try?' I say 'Ofcourse!'. So, I gave it a try and it was so easy (and very tasty), so

Kaynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-66627349288469049762007-03-23T11:36:00.002-04:002008-09-16T17:38:57.534-04:00

I learnt about RiceSevai - the readymade kind, from my friend Priya. At the time, Priya had justed started to cook and didn't know many 'fundoo recipes'(as she'd say!). But one spoonful of her capsicum sambar, or the lemon-rice-sevai, you'd never believe she was a beginner. And the effort she takes to give really good food for her guests tops it off. When I saw a packet of rice-sevai at the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-47843602789323940672007-03-05T22:00:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:15:20.889-04:00

(Icon credits: Sandeepa of Bong Mom's cookbook)One of Yahoo! India's Portals has lifted content from a food blogger (Suryagayathri) and used the content word-to-word in it's portal. When Yahoo was contacted about this, they gave a lame reply. A really, really lame one. That the content was provided by Webdunia and that if we have problem with the content, we should contact Webdunia.Huh?This is

Kaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-43022451072082379672007-01-18T15:57:00.002-05:002008-09-16T17:16:25.588-04:00

Trust me. Just 1 tbsp oil! Prepared using this method.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-75601867070272075882007-01-05T08:21:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:17:02.655-04:00

I got my love for eating fish from my father. For a typical Sunday lunch, you can find my mom making fish curry and roasting fish on a tava with her trademark 'I-love-to-cook-for-my-family' look on her face. And while eating, Appa usually comments - 'This curry should be had again for dinner. By dinnertime, the taste increases two fold'. Yes, the tasty fish has to marinate in the sauce for the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-88028353622700688642006-12-07T06:58:00.003-05:002008-09-18T09:40:27.075-04:00

Jaggery, the queen of all sweeteners, hold a special place in my heart. Not only for the health benefits that it brings, but also for that wonderful taste that's unmatched by any other type of sweetener. That's why I chose 'Jaggery' as the ingredient for this month's JFI.My heartfelt thanks to the wonderful bloggers and non-bloggers who chose to participate in this month's JFI, inspite of all of

Kaynoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1165155926245412472006-12-03T09:20:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:18:19.898-04:00

A lovely lady, Kiran, has sent us her entry ‘Methi Kheer’ via mail. She doesn't have a blog. So, I'm publishing her entry in my blog, for her.After seeing ‘Jaggery’ as the ingredient for Jihva, I couldn’t pass up the event even though I don’t have a blog. The first thing that came to me was ‘Methi Kheer’. It is a recipe that was taught to me by my mom and I haven’t come across anything similar

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1165154536186928432006-12-03T08:53:00.002-05:002008-09-16T17:19:22.957-04:00

Wowzer! What a response! As of this moment, I have 31 entries for this special event. I'm touched by the enthusiasm of the bloggers who have participated in this event, inspite of their busy schedules. Thanks guys! ! :) You are wonderful! I am in the process of making the recap and will post it by Dec 7th.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1165151926244037602006-12-03T08:18:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:18:56.021-04:00

As I mentioned earlier, December is my birth month. Every year, a week before my birthday, my mother used to ask me what I wanted to eat, as a special dish, for that birthday. The answer was my favorite 'medu vadai-paasi paruppu payaasam'. ALWAYS! Every year, same question, same answer. All of my birthdays that I celebrated at home were stamped with these delicious vadai-paayasam and a visit to

Kaynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1162653160113002372006-11-04T10:05:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:19:09.681-04:00

Indira of Mahanandi's 'Jihva for Ingredients' have been going on since May 2006. And it's my pleasure to host this for the month of December. December has always been my favorite month. It is my birth month and I've noticed a heightened sense of happiness and excitement during this month even after my birthday. That's why I decided to host 'Jihva' for December. What is Jihvā ? (In Indira's words

Kaynoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1159130783434709702006-09-24T16:41:00.002-04:002009-04-16T15:25:10.511-04:00

With great pleasure, I'd like to share with you all that we've been blessed with a little princess.:)Thanks for everybody who expressed their warm wishes and sent us positive thoughts and strength to help us get through this pregnancy.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1155410542168736922006-08-12T15:12:00.001-04:002008-09-16T17:19:58.358-04:00

I've always been interested in cooking.... So, why haven't I tried cooking anything other than the usual dal, rasam, subji stuff.... Why do I dread entering the kitchen, except for a quick look into the fridge? Am I losing the interest in cooking? I dont get it... I seem to have become the world's latest lazy bum ...Maybe I'll blame this craziness to one of the side effects of being pregnant ;)

Kaynoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1150128255930784112006-06-12T12:02:00.002-04:002008-09-17T09:22:38.971-04:00

Well, yes, yes, yes, I agree, It's high time I started blogging again. :) Here we are, in Toronto, slowly settling down. Moving to a new country is almost like starting your life, from scratch, all over again. Toronto is nice, it's much more crowded than what this I-prefer-suburbs-anytime girl is used to, but I guess it's ok in it's own way! :) So, what's cooking in Kay's kitchen these days?

Kaynoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1143483206547727642006-03-27T13:09:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:20:42.893-04:00

Since the move to Toronto is getting closer, I'm going on a blogging break. It might take a while for me to settle down and start blogging again. I hope to come back and play catch up with you, dear blog friends, in about 2-4 weeks. Until then, Byebye! Take care! - Kay

Kaynoreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1143151286105616172006-03-23T17:00:00.002-05:002010-07-16T15:11:12.251-04:00

Ooooh! Sandavai! I remember the fresh 'Eat-me-right-now' smell that comes when my mother steams the Idlis for making this kind of Idiyappam. I have no clue why, we, people from Kongu Naadu area of Tamilnadu, call it Sandavai, instead of the well known name, Idiyappam. This is not an everyday dish - It takes some time to prepare it and so it is usually a delicacy or a special-occasion dish. Many

Kaynoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1143151174410505372006-03-23T16:58:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:21:57.925-04:00

Idiyappam / Sevai / Sandavai / Stringhoppers - Call it by any name, I Love Idiyappams - both types - one that my mom makes at home and also the ones that restaurants serve. You might wonder what the difference is. Well, there are two types of Idiyappam - based on the method that it is prepared. First method is the long process - where the rice is soaked for 5 hrs and ground to a batter and idlis

Kaynoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1143124035965587522006-03-23T09:10:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:22:18.565-04:00

For a person who doesn't have much preference for fried-anything, I liked the taste of fried fish. Not the concept of frying, but the taste of fish, fried. Even then, I did not think I'll be cooking fish often! Fish curries are yummy and fish fries taste wonderful, but the time it takes to sweat in front of the stove to fry fish, the process of deep-frying and the stink in the kitchen after

Kaynoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1142969409977737902006-03-21T14:24:00.003-05:002009-09-10T21:43:33.849-04:00

I've seen this Rasam made in almost all the families from Kongunaadu. The people from Kongunaadu were mainly landlords and farmers (in Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and around areas). These days, like any other community, they have branched into other occupations and businesses as well. Since these people have a strong rural connection, many of their recipes are like a typical rural cuisine - the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1142883278171093242006-03-20T14:14:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:22:58.322-04:00

I don't get it! I used to eat very healthy before this whole pregnancy thing started - Tons of Greens, Loads of Veggies, Wholewheat rotis, Smoothies loaded with fruits, etc etc etc... But since January, I couldnt eat anything because of the morning sickness and the feeling of no-appetite. Everything seemed tasteless, I guess this is what happens during the first trimester. I understand this

Kaynoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1142440785805560752006-03-15T11:37:00.002-05:002009-02-16T19:58:14.433-05:00

Besan Cheelas are vegetarian omelettes for breakfast, I learnt about, during my dieting days (Yep, I've had a share of those). But my dieting was more focussed to a new lifestyle eating healthier and better. I've never starved (I can't!) just because I wanted to lose some extra pounds. My body responds beautifully to exercise. And I'm so glad it does. The first time I read about this, it was in '

Kaynoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1142361349013598692006-03-14T13:32:00.001-05:002008-10-20T12:03:07.844-04:00

Sailu had once asked me if I had tried sprouting black eyed beans. I hadnt tried it then, but I was intrigued by her question. Any kind of dried beans, which can be used as seeds, should be able to sprout, but would it taste good? would it be bitter? I wondered and wondered and then decided to try it anyway. The wastebasket isn't very far from the sink, is it? ;)Yes, It sprouted after soaking for

Kaynoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1142022464364427942006-03-10T15:03:00.001-05:002009-04-22T09:21:45.917-04:00

Dear Husband of mine cooked this dish for me. :) Been craving for 'Amma kai Sapaadu' (Food prepared by loving mom) these day and he took it upon himself to re-create one of my favourite foods cooked by my mother. He followed the same recipe and I should say, it was almost like my mom's. Hers is not a typical pulihodhara recipe with ground powders, but a very simplified one. And Oh! It never gets

Kaynoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1141407091912519942006-03-03T12:26:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:24:17.613-04:00

When in India, somehow some form of Keerai (greens) would get in my food, atleast twice a week - Palak, Methi, Araikeerai, Mulaikeerai, Ponnanganni, Pulichakeerai (Gongura! yumm), Line Keerai etc etc. After coming to US, the only greens I've been eating regularly are - Palak(Spinach) and Methi leaves(Fenugreek). I've tried Kale once and didnt like it much. Beet greens are yummy with potatoes. And

Kaynoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1140991244460785832006-02-26T16:54:00.001-05:002008-10-20T12:03:07.846-04:00

Sundal is a protein packed snack, that children love. I remember the days, when I used to blackmail my brother, with the Sundal Prasadham, they give in the temple, to drag him to the temple. :) I swear, he used to come with me only for those Sundals! Ofcourse, the temple sundals are without garlic, ginger and onions. Sundal can be made with any kind of dried beans; the most common being - dried

Kaynoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1140638054721827732006-02-22T14:33:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:24:53.052-04:00

I shy away from Anouncements. So, I put them off as far as I can. But I guess, now I'm ready to share some of my joy with my blog friends. I'm pregnant! Third month of the first trimester. - Yep, nasty morning sickness and all those usual stuff. Been craving junk food, that's why this month finds me with less home-cooked stuff. Other announcement is because of Indira. She was telling so much

Kaynoreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1140381563922441552006-02-19T15:34:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:25:11.349-04:00

Senai kilangu (Tamil) / Suran (Hindi/Marathi) / Elephant Yam(English)- whatever you call it and however you cook it, it tastes just delicious! Usually it is made into a crisp varuval (fry) as a side dish. Some people half-boil it and then deep fry it with masalas. I've seen some Keralite dishes use this yam in their kootu curries. Backhome, My mother makes a yummy Senaikilangu Varuval (fry). You

Kaynoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1139755593624892452006-02-12T09:32:00.002-05:002008-09-17T09:15:39.901-04:00

Pulaos are rice dishes which are wonderful to have with curries. I think, Pulaos are Indian versions of Persian Pilafs. While Biryanis and Pulaos look similar, the cooking method differs. Also the Biryanis are more spicier than Pulaos. My mother makes an yummy Pulao made of freshly extracted coconut milk and serves it with her delicious egg curry or spicy kurmas. I'll probably, make a separate

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1139426835556922982006-02-08T14:13:00.002-05:002008-09-17T09:19:11.202-04:00

I love pickles and have been known to eat an entire cup of small amla pickles in one go while watching TV, when I was a kid. Well, not anymore, I've turned down the heat in my cooking and the food I eat, but I still love good pickles - my mother's tomato pickle was the best, then came mango pickles and amla pickles (both small and big gooseberries) and lemon pickles, in the same order. These days

Kaynoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1139244905493873312006-02-06T11:52:00.002-05:002009-04-22T09:21:45.918-04:00

Amma makes this delicious Tomato Kurma (Thakkali Kurma) for breakfast. I don't know where she got this recipe from. When I think of it, it's always been there, when we grew up. It is wonderful to have this with idlis and dosas. She makes Potato Kurma is the same way, substituting boiled potatoes for tomatoes. Sometimes with cauliflower and fresh green peas. These kurmas taste the best, when had

Kaynoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1138836034560897222006-02-01T18:14:00.001-05:002008-10-20T12:03:07.847-04:00

I made kootu curry recently and I used a mystery vegetable in it. I'm not talking about the broccoli on the side. There is a vegetable in the kootu curry. Yes, this is a part of my new year's resolution to try new vegetables. This is 2 of 12 new food stuff to try this year.So, what is this mystery vegetable? Can anybody take a guess? (Click on the picture to see an enlarged version)The mystery

Kaynoreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1138654332608937042006-01-30T15:45:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:26:49.686-04:00

One of my resolutions this year was to try 12 new foods so that I will start experimenting with new food stuff that I havent tried before. When I frst read about couscous and that it was a healthy grain, I was curious to try it. But never got around doing it at that time. When I visited Yamini, a dear friend, in UK, she mentioned that this is indeed a great grain and very versatile and can be a

Kaynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1138652233743264142006-01-30T15:04:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:27:11.321-04:00

Bhindi / Vendaikai / Okra / Lady's fingers has always been my favourite vegetable for as long as I remember. My only criteria when it came to Vendaikai was that it shouldn't be sticky. It has taken me years to learn to make it right, only it didn't involve any fancy tricks as I thought it would. I love all forms for vendaukai - 'vendaikai pulikulambu', the tangy curry that mom makes, vendaikai

Kaynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1138311932800740052006-01-26T16:24:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:27:44.098-04:00

When Indira tagged me to list my Cold Remedies, I was reminded of the spicy Kozhi Rasam (Chicken Rasam) and Kozhi/Kari Varuval (Chicken Fry) that my mother used to cook for us when we caught cold. The rasam is very spicy and it helps fight the cold. You can call it a Tamilian Chicken soup. The chicken fry goes well with this rasam and is very soft in texture but very spicy because of the pepper

Kaynoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1138056313538179852006-01-23T17:41:00.002-05:002008-09-17T09:21:55.800-04:00

Baked Pasta is a very delicious dinner dish that can be put together very quickly. We buy our organic or all natural wholewheat Pasta from Trader's Joes(TJ) - Among the types of dried pasta I've tried so far, I've like 'fusili' the best and 'penne' comes next. Since we do not have a TJ in our state, everytime we go cross country travelling, we make sure to stock up from the TJ's in those states.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1137893507621093602006-01-21T20:28:00.002-05:002008-12-05T09:46:48.816-05:00

'Somebody' wanted to see how we celebrated Pongal. Since the request was made and the picture was already in my camera, I'm writing this entry, a week later, after Pongal was celebrated.Pongal is the harvest festival of South Indians. The harvested rice, sugarcane, turmeric, pumpkins and jaggery freshly made from that year's sugarcane - are offered to the Gods along with dishes made out of that

Kaynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1137608730425605362006-01-18T13:21:00.000-05:002006-01-21T00:14:31.956-05:00

Thanks Tina, for tagging me!7 Things to Do Before I Die: I have a million things to do before I die. :)1. Sky diving (Rappelling, Bunjee jumping and white water rafting have been done! yayy!)2. Learn to swim (My Dad tried to teach me when I was 6. I didn't learn because of a stupid dream. I'm 'still' learning to swim.)3. Learn a self defense technique (like Karate) 4. Make my own soaps and body

Kaynoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1137606322498792442006-01-18T12:39:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:29:30.661-04:00

Bhajji and Bhaaji are different. South Indian bhajjis are vegetable fritters deep fried in oil, where Marathi bhaaji means 'vegetable'. It can be raw or cooked. Like how the hindi word 'Subji' or 'Subzi' is used. I learnt this recipe from Meghana, a sweet, Marathi friend of mine. She brought this for lunch along with rotis and it was so yummy that I almost finished it. ;) Here's Meghana's recipe

Kaynoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1137446315435113772006-01-16T16:15:00.006-05:002009-04-16T15:43:10.396-04:00

Recipe for this powder came from my friend's mom, as I mentioned in my previous post. I have found that it is incomparable to any of the store-bought ones. Dry coriander seeds - 2 cupsDry Red chillies - twice as much as you can grab with your palms, say 2-3 cupsPoppy seeds - 2 tight fistful [about 2 tbsp]Dried curry leaves - 1 cup [packed lightly]Methi seeds - 1 tbspAsafoetida - 1/2 tspDry roast

Kaynoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1137445647588846212006-01-16T16:05:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:30:47.209-04:00

Sambar is one of the most widely available South Indian foods. It goes with Idlis and dosas and also with Rice (and papadums, ofcourse!). Here's a simple sambar recipe, that I learnt from my friend's mom. The 'Secret Sambar powder' recipe also came from her. I used to hate sambar with a passion. But, after eating Sambar at her place, I was so smitten by the taste of that, that I had to have the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1136560496576197422006-01-06T10:08:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:31:05.998-04:00

Who doesnt love a fried fish? It is the best side dish to go with Fish curries. I havent come across a better dish to go along with Fish curry and Rice. Being a health freak that I am, I used to wish, if only there was a way not to fry fish and still get the great taste! Well, there was.... When I started using the oven, I started baking marinated Chicken drumsticks. Since it was great, I tried

Kaynoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1136385498635304572006-01-04T09:24:00.001-05:002009-04-22T09:21:45.918-04:00

You might find this combination, a bit odd. Idli with Sambar and/or Chutney is the usual combination you'll find in restaurants. But, in South Indian homes where Idli is a standard staple for breakfast, having Sambar and Chutneys every day becomes a bore. So, Once in a while, Kurmas made of Potatoes or Tomatoes or Cauliflower and peas are made to go with Idlis, to break the monotony. Sundays are

Kaynoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1136305325731521582006-01-03T11:06:00.002-05:002008-09-17T09:16:33.488-04:00

A sprout is produced when a seed starts growing into a plant. Sprouts have very high levels of disease-preventing phytochemicals and they contribute to better health, from prevention to treatment of life-threatening diseases. You can make sprouts out of any seeds - green mung beans, garbanzo beans, moth, alfalfa, radish etc. Infact, sprouts are the only thing that can be grown any season,

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1136301696185321692006-01-03T09:58:00.001-05:002008-10-20T12:03:07.849-04:00

When Priya made her Kadala Curry with Appam, I was reminded of the delicious Kadala Curry that goes along with Puttu, a Keralite breakfast dish made of rice flour. Kadala is brown garbazo beans in Tamil and Malayalam. My recipe for Kadala Curry is very simple. Sometimes I even, allow the brown colored garbanzo beans to sprout for added nutrition and taste. It's more yummy than using the

Kaynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1135780363047596602005-12-28T09:26:00.005-05:002009-09-07T00:19:04.723-04:00

Every Indian Non-Vegetarian loves a good Chicken Biryani. If there's one that doesn't like it, then I'd say he hasn't tasted real Biryani yet. Chicken Biryani, a delightful dish with rice simmered in a spicy chicken gravy, is everybody's favourite dish. You can call it a spicy Indian casserole. Just like there are a zillion recipes for meatballs, there are a zillion recipes to make Biryani too.

Kaynoreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1134336861446502802005-12-11T16:18:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:33:30.024-04:00

This is the first friend who visited me welcoming me to this neighbohood, when we first moved into this apartment. I was so happy to see him. I think it's a he. I call him Mr.Red Bird. He visits me on all weathers - Rain or Shine. I've seen Mr.Red Bird sitting by the balcony on sunniest days, rainiest days and coldest days. I want to welcome him into my house but lo! He flies away at the first

Kaynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1134159153542297682005-12-09T15:01:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:33:44.944-04:00

I love working out. It gives me such a high and makes me feel good. Scientists say that it must be all the endophins released. But I don't really care. I feel happy at the end of a work out. And I become more healthier, stronger and more confident. And I look good. Do I need anymore reasons?But I've been slacking for past few months... Call it laziness with a big L! Once in a while, I get all

Kaynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1133283977170572102005-11-29T11:54:00.002-05:002011-01-23T11:34:27.288-05:00

Garbanzo beans are yummy when cooked in any way, be it, Mediterranean Falafal or Morrocan style or North Indian Chole (Garbanzo beans curry or Channa masala as it is called in some places) or South Indian Kadalai curry or even raw, as sprouts. While I love Chole, I don't seem to be able to make it as delicious as I like it. ;) I've been reading Indira's blog for a while now and when she posted

Kaynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1133278804359675352005-11-29T10:32:00.002-05:002008-09-16T17:34:53.402-04:00

Egg curry is so easy to prepare and still, manages to make a meal special, without being very heavy. It was from my roommate R that I got a liking for egg curry. Nupur had made Egg Rassa (Egg curry-Marathi) and reading that reminded me of my roommate. So, I decided to try it. The recipe was pretty similar to mine except for the addition of tomatoes, but the amount of spices used was very high. I

Kaynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1133233207002747192005-11-28T21:52:00.001-05:002008-07-09T11:21:44.638-04:00

Here is the list of all the recipes that is 'On the Menu' at Kay's Kitchen. This page will be continuously updated as Kay keeps trying new dishes at her stovetop. Feel free to try these recipes and you are welcome to post your comments. Please do not steal the pictures. Healthy Cooking TipsSprouts 101, Making of Idli batter, Cold RemedyBreakfast TimeIdlis with prawn curry, Couscous Upma, Idlis

Kaynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1132869672586157542005-11-24T16:53:00.004-05:002009-04-06T07:04:01.194-04:00

I am not a big fan of Karela aka Bitter Melon. Bitter melons are an acquired taste. Some love it and many hate it. I hate it too. Before I got married, I always managed to escape the horror of eating bitter melon that my mother lovingly cooked for us. My mother used to tell me how good this vegetable was, for our health, but it fell to deaf ears. I even went to the extreme of avoiding being in

Kaynoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1132532214125843432005-11-20T19:03:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:36:36.564-04:00

I was always interested in eating better. I've never liked oily or greasy or fried foods (very few exceptions). I don't crave for sweets. I'm lucky that my husband is also pretty good with his eating habits. We don't buy much of the processed stuff. I can do without the chemical preservatives and massive amount of salt hidden behind those labels. Anything that can't be pronounced, anything that

Kaynoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19001808.post-1132083771856690112005-11-15T14:38:00.001-05:002008-09-16T17:36:56.055-04:00

I started this blog to help me move towards a better life. To make my tomorrow better than yesterday. I will be working on making my life better on all angles for aHealthy Life by eating rightStrong body by exercising moreFinancially Secure TomorrowEnriching my life in many other ways I've already been working on this idea and have picked up a few tips on the way. I'll be sharing those and hope

Kaynoreply@blogger.com12