Bottle Gourd, Lauki or Dudhi is a staple in our home. We use it in Mukkala Pulusu, Majjiga Pulusu, assorted Aaku Koora Pulusulu (stews made with green leaf vegetables), or then use it in simple curries. One day recently, we got two bottle gourds and so came about the idea of making Lauki Kofta or Dudhi…
Lauki Kofta Or Dudhi Kofta
Kanda Koora (Yam Mash Curry or Senai Masiyal)
Kanda, as elephant yam is known in Andhra Pradesh, is very popular in our home. We make it in a variety of ways; as yam fry or Kanda Vepudu, with mustard paste or Kanda Ava Pettina Koora, or then with Malabar spinach as Kanda Bachali Koora. This version of kanda koora is just seasoned with some…
Rama Navami Naivedyam – Panakam and Vada Pappu
Ramaya! Rama Bhadraya! Ramachandraaya Namaha!! Rama Navami is celebrated on the final day of Chaitra Navaratri. The birthday of Lord Rama, Rama Navami is celebrated with great fervour in India. In Andhra Pradesh, the Seetha Ramaswamy Temple at Bhadrachalam is the epicentre of all celebrations. Read more about Rama Navami at Wikipedia. Leading up to Rama Navami, my music…
Punjabi Dum Aloo (Baby Potatoes in Onion-Tomato Gravy)
Middle of last week, I was talking to my brother on what we should have for dinner, when he suddenly asked me if we have baby potatoes at home. Stange question to ask because ours is a traditional South Indian home where baby potatoes have not too much of a role to play. Turns out…
Wattakka Kalu Pol – Sri Lankan Red Pumpkin Curry
Ever since an childhood friend of my brother’s, SP, got us some (a lot, actually) roasted curry powder from Sri Lanka, I have been looking for ways to use it. I had seen Peter Kuruvita‘s shows on TV, I looked up his site, and to my delight found this delightful Pumpkin Curry. A little more research and…
Nimmakaya Majjiga (Buttermilk with Lemon)
Summer is here and how! Mumbai is a scorching 40°C at the start of summer. Who know what heights of temperature we will scale in the days to come? We always drink a lot of Majjiga (Chaas/Buttermilk) to stay cool. Given that summer stretches for four long months, we have variations of majjiga that add…
Ugadi – The Telugu New Year
????? ????????????! Ugadi Shubhakankshalu! Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, is a time of celebration with family and friends. Here are a few recipes for dishes traditionally prepared on Ugadi: Ugadi Pachadi. All celebrations of Ugadi begin with the Ugadi Pachadi. Ugadi Pachadi is an amagamation of six tastes found in nature; sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, bitter, andsalty. The six tastes (shadruchulu)…
Gutti Vankaya Ulli Kharam (Baby Brinjals Stuffed with Spicy Onion-Chilli Masala)
Vankaya Ulli Kharam is one of those dishes that every Andhra household has a recipe for. Surprisingly, we never made it in our home. However, I have eaten it often at my uncle’s home and that thought brings me to the reason I made it this week. This past week I have been overwhelmed with…
Ulli Kharam (Spicy Andhra Onion-Chilli Masala)
Ulli Kharam is a classic Andhra masala that can be used to spice up a range of vegetables. I used it yesterday to make Gutti Vankaya Ulli Kharam (Baby Brinjals). However, it can be used with Kakarakaya (Bitter Gourd or Karela), Beerakaya (Ridge Gourd), Chama Dumpa (Arbi or Taro), or even Bangala Dumpa (Potatoes). So I thought, I…
Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan
Mirchi Ka Salan is one of those iconic dishes that, along with the Hyderabadi Biryani, define the beautiful city of Hyderabad. The first I had this dish was at Paradise, the iconic Hyderabadi eatery that is now almost synonymous with Hyderabadi cuisine, especially biryani. I was so fascinated by its eclectic mix of nutty, spicy,…
Paneer Biryani
This is a birthday gift for my cousin, Rama, who seems to love biryanis and pulavs. 🙂 What I loved about this quick and easy Paneer Biryani was just that; it was quick and easy to make, but oh-so-full of subtle flavours. You could have this biryani by itself, or then as a vehicle for…
Dal Makhani – Adapted from the Moti Mahal Recipe
Dal Makhani. Literally translated, it would mean buttery lentils and a well-made version certainly lives up to its name. :-). This rich and creamy dal was invented by Kundan Lal Gujral, the legendary founder of the Moti Mahal Delux restaurant. It is now a staple in most restaurants that serve Punjabi food, but quality tends to vary….
