While I have always known that Odisha was famous for its sweets like its neighbour Bengal, the range of the sweets has come as a revelation after I started blogging. This week, I got the chance to try another traditional Odisha sweet called Suji Kakara Pitha, thanks to the Recipe Swap challenge that I am…
Suji Kakara Pitha from Odisha
Dudhauri: A Festive Sweet from Jharkhand
By now most regular readers of this blog must be familiar with the monthly challenges of the Shhhhhh…. Cooking Secretly group that I am a part of. This month, we are cooking dishes from the state of Jharkhand and I chose Dudhauri as the dish to make with my secret ingredients of milk and sugar. …
Kobbari Pachadi | Andhra Coconut Chutney for Rice
In all Andhra meals, the first morsel is typically a pachadi/chutney or podi mixed with rice and ghee/sesame oil. This first morsel, called modati mudda, is said to get your digestive juices flowing and helping you digest the meal to follow. So we, will have a pachadi with almost every meal, and one of my…
Aratikaya Menthi Podi Kura | Andhra Fenugreek-flavoured Raw Banana Curry
We are very fond of raw banana and make a range of curries with it. One of my favourites is Aratikaya Vepudu | Crispy Raw Banana Fry. However, my father prefers the softer versions like Aratikaya Ava Pettina Kura (Banana Curry with Mustard Paste) and this Aratikaya Menthi Podi Kura, which is essentially parboiled raw banana…
Milagu Jeeraga Sadam | Chidambaram Samba Sadam | Pepper & Cumin Rice
I have been fascinated by this recipe for Milagu Jeeraga Sadam (Pepper and Cumin Rice) from Tamil Nadu ever since I read the recipe a few years ago. This is a new dish for me and I loved the idea of a simple rice flavoured with just cumin and pepper. As I researched it further I…
Pavakkai Sambar | Bitter Gourd Sambar | Karela Sambar
Bitter Gourd (Pavakkai in Tamil and Malayalam, Kakarakaya in Telugu, and Karela in Hindi) is a vegetable that I like and this has been a month of enjoying delicacies in which bitter gourd plays a starring role. Today, I am presenting the recipe for Pavakkai Sambar, an absolutely delicious Bitter Gourd Sambar. I love this dish…
Andhra Pesara Pappu Pachadi | Moong Dal Chutney | Pasi Paruppu Thogyal
Andhra Pradesh has a well-deserved reputation for its pachadis, podis, and uragayalu (pickles). I have not seen any other community make this unique Pesara Pappu Pachadi, an oh-so-simple pachadi made from Pesara Pappu, Moong Dal or Husked Green Gram. My father likes Pesara Pappu Pachadi a lot and so I make it for him often. I also make this…
Shengole | Shengolya from Marathwada in Maharashtra
I had planned to make a whole lot of desserts over the weekend but then ditched that plan to make Shengole, which I have heard described as a “fresh hand-rolled pasta” from Maharashtra. The trigger for making this spicy and filling one-dish meal was the incessant rain in Mumbai that always makes me crave hot…
Karela Muthia | Steamed Bitter Gourd Muthiyas from Gujarat
I had planned to try the recipe for Karela Muthia | Steamed Bitter Gourd Dumplings for ages and found the perfect opportunity this month when I had to cook with an ingredient whose English name began with B for the A to Z cooking Challenge. Karela or Bitter Gourd is a vegetable that you cannot ignore…
Karivepaku Podi | Andhra Curry Leaves Powder
Sometimes I miss writing about the simplest and the most common dishes we make at home. As I browse through my own blog, I realise that I have left out simple recipes like this one for Karivepaku Podi (Andhra Curry Leaves Powder). This is one podi that you will always find in my pantry because it…
Kong Phirin | Kashmiri Suji Kesar Phirni
While the traditional Phirni in North India is made with ground rice, in Kashmir it is made with Suji, Rava or Semolina. Flavoured with Saffron, THE aromatic that Kashmir is famous for, Kong Phirin is a creamy and light dessert that is a great way to finish off a heavy meal. This month…
Turiya Muthia nu Shaak from Gujarat
I love Methi Muthia and got a packet of fried Methi Muthias last week, just to munch on. Then as I was idly browsing what one can do with Muthias, I came several recipes of Muthia being used in curries. The one that caught my eye was Turiya Muthia nu Shaak because it used ridge…
