The banana leaf sadhya made for Onam, Vishu or any of the Kerala festivals has an array of side dishes that are served on the top half of the leaf. Some of these we have posted earlier
Aviyal
Thoran
Pachadi
Kichadi
Erisherry
Mango pickle
However, the mildest, creamy yet simple olan is missed if it is not on the leaf. Have you made it?

What is olan?

Olan is a slow cooked stew made with gourds cooked in coconut milk. It is a mild creamy curry that predominantly uses ashgourd and pumpkins. Depending on regional variations you will find yard long green beans (payar) or cooked cowpeas added to it. It is flavoured gently with salt,curry leaves and slit green  chillies. Unlike a lot of Kerala dishes it doesn’t have a mustard tempering, rather a good tablespoon of pure coconut oil stirred in as soon as it is removed from the heat for that roundeness and fragrance you experience.

How is sadhya olan different from regular olan?

If you are familiar with Kerala recipes, you will know that olan is one that is probably the least made in most houses. This is because the regular olan is a runny curry with less complex flavours. However  the sadhya olan with the creaminess from the coconut milk and the cooked cowpeas is a thicker version which never runs. Though mild it has a well flavoured along with the semi mashed vegetables. The key to making the sadhya style olan is managing the liquid content.

Ingredients to make olan

Vegetables: since this is a mild stew with gourds and pumpkins, so they make the bulk of this recipe. the withte fleshed wintermelon ( elavan) is preferred over the giant ash gourds. The pumpkin adds a it of colour and sweetness. if you cant get the wintermelon, bottle gourd, watermelon peel or chayote work well too.
Bean: the creamy composition works because of the earthy flavours from the cooked cowpeas. Cowpeas have an earthy flavour and are perfect for this mild recipe.
Coconut milk: coconut milk is the cooking liquid here. At first the this cococnut milk is used to cook the gourds in. At the final stages, string the thick coconut milk or coconut cream. this ensures that the final result is thick olan and it is creamy.
Seasoning: Salt is the only seasoning here.
Spices: this is a mild stew and uses no spices. The single green chilli added is for fragrance, not heat. This is opional.
Oil: the final roundedness of the recipe comes from half tsp of coconut oil stirred in at the end. This is an optional step, but brings the flavour exactly like the one in the sadhya.

Mealprep this mild gourd stew

The gourd stew or olan is a great recipe to mealplan. It stays good for a few days under refrigeration. They do freeze good, but not great. The gourds do go a bit limp upon thawing the frozen one. So add it to your mealprep not much to your freezer list.

What pairs well with sadhya olan?

Sadhya olan is a great accompaniment to the banana leaf meal or a South Indian thali. It pairs well with idiyappam (string hoppers), steamed breads or chappathi. In a great rush week, Olan is perfect with some toasts or just as such warmed in a bowl resembling a chunky soup.

Lets make Sadhya Olan

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Hope you had a great Onasadhya. If you are looking for the best organizational tips to make sadhya, do check out our post
Guide to Sadhya.
When you make this olan recipe, do share your thoughts in the discussion below. We would love to hear from you.  If you like to share or save this recipe, here is the pin link.

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Why we make Ganesha idols at home?

DIY Ganesh idols we have tried

 
Significance of turmeric ganesha

Get the ingredients to make Haridra Ganapathy

Festivties and naivedyums following Ganesh stapana

Can we make the statue with just turmeric powder?

Apple almond kheer is a delightful no sugar added Indian style dessert fit for any festival. Flavoured and thickened with almond flour it is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for beginners.

I am  not good when it comes to viral recipe trials. By the time I decide buy the ingredients and try it, the trend is over!
Clearly,it needs much more devotion and promptness. So that is an area we shall leave it to the enthusiastic experts. However there is one recipe I have been wanting to try and was waiting for the apple season to come. Enjoy my version of the apple kheer with no added sugar. 

What is apple kheer?

Made with full fat milk that’s slow cooks rice grits,  kheer is a must try  dessert. This is traditionally served in festivals  and grand Indian  weddings. We have added a whole collection of kheer in our post- Payasam pathaman and kheer
Apple kheer a fusion dessert  that embodies the idea of a kheer but has apples and almond flour to flavour and thicken. It is not a super sweet version , rather one to share at dinners or home gatherings.

Is this diabetic friendly apple kheer?

I make this with no added sugar or sweetener, just the sweetness from the apples making it a bit more on the diabetic friendly Indian dessert side. Please be aware that the apples are sweet enough, so moderate the portion size.

Ingredients to make almond apple kheer

Apple: crunchy sweet apples are the base flavour for this kheer. Personally, I like pink lady or red apples to make this kheer. I would avoid tart green apples as they can be too sour and may split the milk.

Butter or ghee:To kick off the caramelization and the colour on the apples, unsalted bautter or a small amount of ghee is helpful.You can use coconut oil if you are making it vegan. 

Almond flour: the almond flour gives a rabdi like feeling to the kheer. I use the blanched almond flour. If you don’t have these you can grind a few almonds or soak them and grind with the milk. Instead of almonds you can used any nuts of your preference like cashews, pistachios. Melon seeds or puffed makhana(lily seeds) powder also taste good and thicken the kheer easily.

Milk: full cream milk is best suited for this recipe. It has the right consistency and doesn’t easily split the milk when adding the sauteed apples. I would avoid almond milk to make this kheer among the plant based ones as it easily splits. You could use coconut or soy as well.

Sweetener: I have actually not added any in this recipe as the apples were super sweet and we like a mild sweetness for our kheer. You can add sugar as the milk boils. If adding jaggery syrup or maple syrup add it after you remove from heat. Alternatively date paste will be lovely in this kheer.

Spices: the common sweet spices used in Indian desserts are saffron and cardamom. I have used a few strands of saffron and powdered cardamom to finish the recipe.

Let’s make almond apple kheer

It does take a few steps to make this kheer, however, it is not a hard recipe to follow some absolutely recommend beginners to try it.

To prep the Apple: the Apple can be chopped like I have done or grated to have a smoother kheer. It is optional to peel the apple as this will be all about mouth feel. I leave the peels in as it gives a good bite. Once prepped add the apples to a pan with a touch of unsalted butter. On a low heat let this mix cook down and caramelize. Ensure that this is a low heat process. You can cover the apples for a minute if you feel they are dry. This captures the water from the juices allowing the apples to steam.

Boil the milk: in a separate sauce pan,  boil the milk. As it bubbles and boils, stir in the almond flour.
Thicken the milk the almond flour is the thickening agent. When the milk has started boiling and rising a bit, lower the heat to a simmer. Sprinkle the almond flour on the boiling milk. Stir well ensuring it is lump free. Let this cook down for about 5 to 6 minutes with stirring in between.

Add the apples: add the cooked apples into the mix and mix well. You can take off the heat at this point.

Flavouring the kheer: sprinkle cardamom powder and a few kesar strands and mix well.  At this stage my kheer is done. If you prefer to add sugar or jaggery syrup do so at this stage and mix well.

Is this a vegan kheer?

If you are using plant based milks the recipe can easily be turned vegan. Coconut milk or soy tastes good. For sauteeing and caramelizing the butter, coconut oil is best. 

Can we make this with other fruits?

Of course  you can change the fruits to make a variety of kheer. Mango ,jackfruit or plantain banana will be my first choice.
You can try dates and dried figs too. When using sweet dry fruits adjust the sugar accordingly.

Other quick try kheers

Sabudhana kheer
Sweet potato kheer
Mothichoor ladoo kheer
Rajgira kheer
Manipuri black rice kheer

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When you try out this almond apple kheer, let us know in comments how much you liked it. Share it with family and friends.
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The winter blustery nights should be renamed as stay at home curry nights.

I am talking about the curries that feel like home, not the greasy,masala heavy ones. The aloo curry, lauki ki sabji or the tofu curry, these are the ones that i seeing this group. There is one more that I love to make on the coldest nights,Andhra style dappalam. There is no particular explanation  why dappalm on winter nights other than comfort. If you havent tried this Indian curry, today is your day.

What is Dappalam?

Dappalam or mukkala pulusu is a tangy, stew made with pumpkin, sweet potato, moringa pods, eggplants, yams and ashgourds to be served with rice. This light and low calorie curry is from the andhra cuisine. It is a lentil free, gluten free and nut free stew.

Is dappalam same as sambhar?

Dappalam is very different from sambhar both in flavour and ingredients. Though the vegetables used and the tamarind feels the same,dappalam does not use any cooked dals to thicken it. It is thickened using rice flour.  Dappalam also doesn’t use any spice mix unlike sambhar which needs sambhar podi or the ground paste.

Ingredients to make dappalam

Vegetables: most vegetables that feature in Southindian curries can be used in this curry as well. Pumpkin, wintermelon, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, small eggplants, tomato, moringa pods all work well in this recipe. You can add spinach, moringa leaves, methi leaves can also be great additionally. The spiciness is added in two fold using green chillies and later on as chilli powder. Serrano peppers provide a good flavour here.

Tamarind: the tanginess is what keeps the curry interesting. Dry tamarind soaked and pulp extracted is the commonly added one. You can use storebought tamarind paste. If adding the paste ensure you stir in a little at a time as it is stronger in intensity than fresh pulp.

Spices: not much of whole spices or.spice mixes are made for this recipe.  What goes in is salt turmeric powder amd red chilli powder. Choose your red chilli powder based on the heat you prefer. It can be mild Kashmmiri chilli or sick thikat lal. You can also.vhoose between paprika or cayenne.

Jaggery: the balance of the heat from the chillies is well balanced by a bit of jaggery that is added.
Infact the jaggery also enhances the sourness from the tamarind.

Rice flour: rice flour thickens the gravy to a pouring consistency. This can be white or red rice flour..ensure it is a fine ground powder. Glutinous rice flour is not useful to make this as it will make the gravy a bit jelly like (not pleasant to have).

Lets make this mukkala pulusu

The mukkala pulusu is a easy curry eve  for beginners to master as you can  keep adjusting the spices as the curry boils.

• Wash peel and cut the vegetables chosen into chunks.
• Soak the tamarind in warm water and set it aside to extract the pulp.
• After 10 minutes , crush with hand and extract the tamarind pulp.
• Add the vegetables into a cooking pot with turmeric and salt.
• Add the tamarind pulp and mix well.
• Add just enough water to submerge the vegetables.and cook them on medium heat.
• Add red chilli powder and jaggery as the vegetables start to become soft.
• Cover and cook this till the vegetables are soft.
• Make  a slurry of the rice flour.
• Pour this into the curry while constantly stirring.
• Let this slow boil and thicken the curry
• When it is a pouring consistency and the curry appears glossy, it is ready.
• Remove from heat and serve. 

What pairs well with dappalam?

Dappalam with steaming hot cooked rice (white or red), lettuce veppudu and some sago vadam is our Sunday meal. Don’t forget the dollop of ghee on the hot rice to get the authentic flavour.  You can pair this with soft rotis, fluffy set dosa, string hoppers or idlies too.

Is dappalam a vegan recipe?

Yes Dappalam is a wonderful vegan stew recipe. It is loaded with vegetables and  is free from dairy  nuts and gluten.

When is Dappalam made in Andhra cuisine?

Dappalam is often made during the Sankranthi festival as a part of the elaborate meal. You can swap the sambhar out of a banana leaf meal to add this or in the south Indian thali. 

Other south indian curries

Thengarachukuzhambu
Kulith saar
Manga pachadi
Aviyal kuzhambu

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Hope your curry nights will be easier with dappalam. Let us know in the comments how you served this curry.
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Thankfully that Indian borage plant, that was generously shared by my husband’s cousin is happily growing. We have made so much chutney and rasam with these leaves.I have some more leaves to make new recipes. Since it is winter, the leaf growth will be slow. So I am salvaging some of the excess leaves to make a thokku and keep for a few days so the plant can be left alone to be its best. So here is omavalli thokku.

What is a thokku?

Thokku is a borderline between pickle and chutney. It is spicy, roasted in oil and has a lot ground vegetables with spices and seasoning. It is a long standing version when compared to a chutney. The common varieties are tomato thokku, gongura leaves thokku or mango thokku. It is different from a thogayal as there are hardly any lentils used in this recipe. Thokku is used in the place of a pickle in the South Indian meal. They taste great with thair saadam or as a dip for idlies and dosas.

Ingredients to make the omavalli thokku

Omavalli leaves: fresh fleshy leaves of Indian borage plant is  a key ingredient in this recipe. They have a slight peppery flavour laced with an oregano smell. The leaves wont give much volume to the thokku but is key to the taste and flavour. We don’t have much swaps here without altering the flavour. However, you can make mint or coriander thokku the same way.

Shallots and garlic : since it is a thokku recipe is like to store and use both for rice based meals and for idly dosa breakfasts, I add shallots and garlic for flavour. These also provide a good fragrance along with the omavalli leaves.

Tomato:here is volume and sourness that is needed for the thokku. Fresh tomatoes are the best. However, they are not the best at the moment in season so plain canned one will make the cut. You can choose just plain ones or the ones that are peeled and chopped. It is important to make sure they don’t have any salt or seasoning added to them.

Tamarind: to pack in a thokku punch you need a small lime sized ball of dried tamarind. You can swap this with about a teaspoon of prepared tamarind pulp.

Spices and seasonings: salty and spicy with a hint of sour is the aim of the best thokku. So let’s start with salt. You can use seasalt, table salt or the rocksalt crystals. My parents believe in rock salt. I have used generic salt from the supermarket.

For the colour and heat dry red chillies are used. I have chosen the bydgai variety to lower the heat index and just add flavour and colour. You can choose the variety you have at home for Indian cooking. Red chilli powder is fine to be used too. Paprika will not be useful, cayanne is ok. 

Fenugreek seeds add a distinct aroma to the thokku. It is a usual ingredient in south Indian pickles.

Oil:sesame oil into a generous amount is needed to make this. The oil not only allows to cook and roast the thokku, but also acts as a preservative forming a layer on top. This cuts off aerobes and prevents the thokku from going moldy. Oil is added first at tempering and a second portion almost at finishing stages.

For tempering: mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies are needed for tempering the oil. I prefer to grind the curry leaves along with the omavalli leaves as i don’t get a lot here.

Lets make Indian borage pickle.

Though the ingredient list was a bit long, the making steps are simple. Slow cooking is the best hence the time taken is a bit for the best results.

Prep the ingredients: wash, drain and check the Indian borage leaves. Peel as set aside shallots and garlic to go with the blend. I have used canned tomatoes, however you can use fresh ones to make the blend.

Grind the mix:into the blender add the shallots,garlic, curry leaves, omavalli leaves, tamarind, chillies and fenugreek seeds. Add the tomatoes and blend to a smooth paste.

Tempering: add the half the quantity of sesame oil into the deep pot and set on medium heat. Add mustard seeds,dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds to it and let the mustard splutter.

Slow cooking: once the mustard seeds crackle, add the blend paste. Mix well so the the oil mixes in well. Add salt, asafoetida,  pepper powder and slow cool this on a low heat. Mix intermittently and as it thickens add the rest of the oil. Cook it the oil starts showing up on the surface. Keep mixing and cooking till it is like a paste. At this stage the thokku is ready.

Storing: Remove from heat and cool it down. Transfer to dry bottles and once completely cooled, press down a bit so the oil layer is on the top covering the paste.  Seal and store in a dark corner of the pantry.

What pairs well with omavalli thokku?

The reason I store thokku is because you can spice up a lot of lunch box ideas within minutes. So here are my best combos.

• I like the lunchbox with thokku rice and cauliflower mezhukkuperatti. As a fusion I make thokku pasta with loads of vegetables. I use a spoon of thokku in stirfries and kadamba poriyal.
• As a classic sit down meal, steamed rice with kootu, some vattal or vadam and this thokku is a soulful end to a massive week.
• Dont limit the thokku to just home meals. Try a wrap with baked veggies and the thokku spread on the wrap. Ooo, yum!!

How to store Indian borage pickle?

The thokku stays well for upto three months. Ensure you transfer them warm into clean, dry glass bottles.
If you have made a huge batch remove a small portion into a smaller bottle to use often.this helps to reduce contamination of the bigger stock.
Use a dry spoon to remove a serving of pickle and don’t leave the pickle open for long.

Other pickle ideas

Here are a few ideas that you can make and keep for a long while. Click on each of these highlights to take you to the respective recipe.

• Green pepper pickle
• Gooseberry pickle
• Mango fenugreek pickle
• Ginger pickle

Stay connected

If you have not grown an Indian borage plant,I highly recommend one. They don’t rely on your green thumb,hardy and live well. In addition to making them as food the leaves can be seeped as tea.
When you have a lot of leaves, try this recipe and let us know what you think.
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Ingredients for jeera rice

Let’s make jeera rice

• Washing the rice and soaking: measure the rice and add to the bowl. it is so important to wash the rice multiple times till the water runs clear. Don’t pop it into a sieve and run it under water, it doesn’t help. Rather, rub the rice grain and drain the water each time. It takes about 3 to 4 washes to get the rice run clear. Drain well and set aside.
• Now to soaking, measure the water 1:5 times of the rice. Add to the drained rice and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes ( can go up to 30 minutes), drain the rice and save the soaking water. The cooking water is the cooking medium later as you have already measured it out. 
• Saute the spices add ghee to the instantpot. Saute them on low heat till they are aromatic and slightly change in colour. The ghee is now flavored with the volatile oils of the spices. 
• Frying the rice: Frying the rice on  low heat for a a few minutes coats the rice grains with the aromatic ghee. This process also ensures that the rice does not stick to each other when cooking. I prefer to add the salt at this stage so it is evenly distributed. 
• Cooking the rice: Pour the soaking water that we drained and set aside, back into the rice. This water is enough for the cooking process. Place the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle ( the Indian pressure cooker measure). Remove from heat. Let the pressure hold and naturally release. This takes about 15 minutes off the heat. 
• Fluff and garnish: When the pressure is naturally released, use a fork and fluff the rice gently. Be careful as the steam is still hot.  Once this is done, the jeera pulao is ready to be served.

Can I make this recipe in the instant pot or rice cooker? 

Should I soak the rice? 

Key points to remember.

• Do not use excess water to soak the rice. The water as per the ratio is plenty.
• Do not drain the soaking water and add fresh water afterwards to cook, this changes the ratio of water for cooking the rice to fluffy separate grains. 

Can we make this recipe vegan?

What pairs well with jeera rice?

Mealprep and storage

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What is sabhudhana kheer?

Ingredients to make sabhdhana kheer

What are the best tips to make sabhdhana kheer better?

• Cooking down the milk: reducing the milk actually brings forth a creamy density. This flaours the tapicoa pearls really well.
• Evaporated milk cuts down a fair bit of the cooking time. It also doesn’t take away from the flavour.
• In certain recipes for the kheer you will find the addition of milk powder. This again increases the creaminess of the milk.
• Soak the tapioca pearls: it is no fun to bite into a hard centered tapioca pearl. So ensure you wash and then soak the tapioca pearls for a couple of hours

Is jaggery suitable to be added to this kheer instead of sugar?

You can certainly use jaggery in the place of sugar to make this recipe. If using jaggery, do not add it like you do with sugar. Instead dissole the jaggery in a bit of warm water and make a syrup. oil the syrup and remove the impruitirs that skim on top. When the cooking process for the kheer is finished, add the jaggery syrup after you remove the kheer from the heat. This will ensure the kheer is not curdled.

Meal prep for this kheer

Serving ideas for sabhudhana kheer

Can I make this kheer vegan?

Can I make this a sugar free dessert?

Enjoy a lipsmacking thogayal made with dals and peels of the ridge gourd in traditional south Indian flavour. Pair it with meals of your choice to wow, your family.

What I see as a difference between home cooks and chefs is not just in the size of meals that we make. Chefs have to keep up with so many of our taste factors, cost control and visual appeal. Home cooks, do know the people they cook for, so fairly easier for them to play around with the ingredients to suit the home needs. Moreover, home cooks can focus on ensuring the best of nutrition from best of produce.What do you think

Here is an age old recipe that a lot of South Indian home cooks rely on, peerkangai thol thogayal.

What is peerkangai thol thogayal?

Peerkangai thol is the peel of ridgegrord. This along with roasted lentils, spices, coconut and tamarind is ground into a coarse paste. This is peerkangai thogayal or ridgegourd chutney. It is a popular recipe among all South Indian states and has a few different names, peechinga chutney in Kerala, beerakaya pachadi in Telugu,  heerakai chutney in Kannada.  Often paired with steamed rice, a dollop of ghee and some stirfried vegetables on the side, the recipe is a classic homestyle one.
The recipe as such is

• Vegan
• Gluten free
• Onion and garlic free
• No nightshade added
• And dairy free

 

Ingredients from ridge gourd chutney

 Angled loofah or ridge gourd belongs to the cucumber family. The tough outer skin has predominant ridges. The gourd as such has soft flesh that is cooked into curries or stirfries. The peel is the one we have used to make this recipe

Dals: the dals add volume and depth of flavour to this recipe. I use a mix of skinned black gram dal (urad dal) and chick pea dal(channa dal). When roasted thr dals and ground the dals add the necessary volume to the dish.
Spices:there is very minimal spices in the recipe. Red dried chillies are a huge part if the flavour. The second main flavour comes from curry leaves. Along with the salt, the small pinch of asafoetida added offsets any need for garlic or onion.
Coconut: grated coconut added a softness. The milky flavour of the coconut works well with the ridgegourd. Tamarind: there is a slight hint of sourness that you experience while having this recipe. This comes frontiers dried tamarind that is added and  ground along with the ingredients. It adds a zesty flavour to the dish when having with grains or breads.

Let’s make peerkangai thogayal

The recipe is a medium intensity one where the roasting of dals is the one that can go wrong as it burns easily.

Prep the peerkangai: the peel of the ridge gourd is the one used to make this recipe. However, the ridges have a tough fiber running through them that needs to be removed.

• Wash and pat dry the riodge gourd.
• Using a knife or peeler approach of the pointed ridges. This js where the fibres are.
• Press down the peeler and remove the green skin completely. Save this part of this chutney. Save the spongy part to make kootu or stirfry.

Roast the dals and spices: in a heavy bottomed pan, add the urad dal and channa dal and a tsp of coconut oil. Dry roast this on low heat. Add the curry leaves and red chillies as the dals start turning golden and roast all together till the chillies are crisp and the dals deep golden. Remove this from heat on to a plate and set it aside.

Roast the peerkangai thol: Add the skin. Stir fry this till the peels look deep green and vibrant. Remove and add to the same plate. Let this cool down as well.

Grind the thogayal: once cooler to handle add the roasted dals, chilli,curry leaves, sauteed ridgegourd peel, tamarind, salt and coconut to the food processor and blend into a coarse mix.
Remove the coarse ground mix to a bowl and the thogayal is ready to be served.

Best pairings with peerkangai thol thogayal

Here are a few ideas for you to try with this thogayal
Peerkangai thogayal with steamed rice, a small spoon of ghee and poriyal on the side is one great Sunday meal.
At home, we like this as a side to rasam rice and often with some kootu.
Alternatively, you can use this as a dip for idlies, dosa etc too.
We use this as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. Pretty much the thogayal and cheese sandwich is a great try. Use some  grana padano or  aged cheddar instead of saltier ones like feta.

Meal prep and lunch boxes

Thogayal stays well in the fridge for up to a week without any issues. It also freezes so well, that we often rely on a frozen block for quick lunches. We love thogayal cheese sandwiches for our lunch box. You could also use it to stirfry the rice with, like we made ghee podi rice.

Other chutneys and thogayals

Thogayals, chammandi and chutneys are a big part of South Indian meals. Here are a couple of ideas
Thenga chammandi
Curry leaves thogayal
Doddapathra chutney
Mango chammandhi
Watermelon rind thogayal

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The comfort of hot rasam on a plate with steamed rice and a ball of this thogayal is Sunday for us. We enjoy it as a meal together that screams simplicity yet home.Hope you enjoy making this chutney as much as we love bring it to you. If you make it slightly different tell us your version, we always love to try different ones .
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Milk is not one of my favorite drinks. I always disliked a cup of milk whether you add sweetness to it or not. So, when I was little my mum devised a few clever ways to make me have some. The one that I did not put up much of a fight with was for the warm cup of cardamom milk during the cooler months. As the slow autumn chill is coming through here currently, I had a sudden urge to try this elaichi doodh back again.

What is cardamom milk?

Cardamom milk is an excellent winter warm drink where steamed or boiled milk is infused with the aroma and flavour of cardamom. This elevates it from just being a drink to a copy dessert like feeling. It is also the same recipe called as cardamom moon milk.

Ingredients to make elaichi doodh

Milk: classic elaichi doodh used full cream milk. However, it is up to you to use skim, lactose free or half and half milk or plant milk like soy or oat. Ensure you have a thick bottomed pan to boil it in.

Cardamom: green cardamom pods are the ones used in the recipe. When you buy them,ensure they look deep sage green or slate green and are so fragrant as soon as you open the pack. The skin is discarded (use in curries or to make tea) and  the seeds are ground to add to the milk.

Sweetener: this can be entirely your choice. Honey, cane sugar, stevia, monk fruit or add none if you prefer it that way.

Let’s make cardamom milk

Making cardamom milk is as simple as slow boiling the milk and stirring in the cardamom powder and sweetener .

• Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods.
• Crush them well.
• Slow boil the milk till it is bubbly and frothy.
• Stir in the cardamom and remove from heat.
• Stir in the sweetener. If using honey, wait till the milk cools down a bit.
• Pour into cups and serve warm.

Will cardamom milk induce sleep?

Cardamom as a spice  is a soothing relaxant. Along with milk that is well known for inducing sleep the Cardamom milk combination makes it and excellent combination. It certainly is not a remedy for sleeplessness. 

Can elaichi milk be vegan?

If you are following this recipe with soy milk, oat milk etc,  the recipe naturally becomes vegan, however you don’t want honey in the recipe.

Can we serve this chillied?

Absolutely, pop them into small bottles and leave them in thr refrigerator. If using UHT milk, it will stay for almost a week with no issues.

Milk recipes from this blog

Kesar doodh – aromatic saffron milk

Mexican Atole | Hot corn drink

Ulundhu paal | blackgram drink

Jeera milagu Kashayam paal | spiced milk

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Hope you are a better milk lover than I am and enjoy this recipe more often. Let us know if you have some soothing warm drink recipes like this that you absolutely love in the comments below.

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Till the covid lock downs came i never realised my food tastes really good coz amma send the bases needed for the nice meal. So the sambhar podi, rasam podi, vattals and vadams needed to make a south Indian meal all were perfect as amma made them. This lack of skill really was a big gap that I couldn’t help learning to bridge. With ammas guidance vattals were the first try, then the sago vadams and then slowly trickier ones like mor milagai. This year as I was making some of these recipes I remembered to take images of mormiliagi to share with you.

What is mor milagai?

Sundried chilli pickle made in south Indian homes and served with lunch or dinner. These chillies literally are translated as buttermilk chillies. The chillies are marinated in traditional buttermilk. This infuses the flavours of the yogurt, tenderises it and reduces the heat of the chillies. The marinated chillies are sundried and the stored. To add to a meal, these are deep fried.

Ingredients to make mor milagai

The mor milagai vattal doesn’t require much, just three ingredients.

Chillies: green chillies are the main ingredient of this recipe. Ideally slight plump but spicy chillies are used for the recipe. However, you can use jalapeno or Serrano peppers too to make this recipe.  Slightly plump thin walled chillies are the best as they dry fast and are delicious.

Traditional yogurt :natural set yogurt is what makes this recipe best. Ideally slightly sour yogurt is preferred as it makes the chillies less intense after marinating. Churn the yogurt with a bit of water to aid in the marination.

Salt: crystal salt or table salt is best to use here. You don’t need anything fancy.

Let’s make yogurt cured chilli

This is probably the part that is going to test your patience and bit.

• Wash and clean the chillies and pat them down with a kitchen towel.
• Trim the stalks with a scissors so you a centimeter above the stalk.
• Slit the chillies and set them aside.
• In a jar mix together yogurt water and salt.
• Shake it up till it becomes evenly incorporated.
• Soak the slit chillies in this mix. Shake up the mix well and leave it overnight to soak.
• Drain the chillies the next day morning and dry the chillies in sun. Place the remain liquid in fridge.
• In the evening, place the partially dried chillies back in the buttermilk solution.
• Dry them again the next day.
• This process repeats t0 about 3 to 4 days till the buttermilk milk mix is almost over. And the chillies semi dry.
• For the next couple of days, sun dry the chillies till they are crisp.
• Once well dried, store in air tight bottles.
• To deep fry, heat oil in a small wok. Once the oil is hot or sizzles when a small piece of the chilli is dropped in it, place 3 to 4 chillies at a time and roast till it us crispy.
• Drain from the oil and the chillies are ready for your meal.

Storing the sundried chillies

Sun dried vattals and vadams are best stored in a dry box with a tight lid and away from moisture. When removing some for use, ensure your hands are dry. In about 3 to 4 months it is best to sun the vattal again so it remains crisp and moisture free.

How to use the mor milagai vattal?

Once the yogurt cured chillies are completely dry, you can prep fry them in hot oil as needed for the meals. Alternatively you can airfry them too.

Serving ideas for mor milagai

Fried mor milagai can be served with papads in any South Indian meal. Commonly paired with Thair saadam, koozhu , or ulundhu saadam, it provides a crunch and a heat kick to these nutrients dense lunches.
The mor milagai vattal is a perfect addition to the South Indian tempering when making poriyal too as it is slightly less pungent than the dried red chillies.

Other sundried vattals from our blog 

Sago fryums

Lotus root vattal

Mango vattal 

Kumbalanga vattal 

Stay connected

Mor milagai vattal is a traditional South Indian recipe that few make at home. It is not hard, but a slow task so keep up the patience and try atleast once.  Let us know in the discussion below how your batch turned out with our recipe. Share the idea with friends and family.

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May it be any Indian festival, payasam, prathaman, pongal or kheer is the sweet ending. There is a certain bit of comfort we derive from hugging a bowl of this dessert. Resembling a pudding, the dessert is a combination of  a grain, fruits or seed cooked in milk and sweetened perfectly.Depending on the region where it is popular this dessert is slightly different and goes by the names payasam, payasa, payesh prathaman, pongal or kheer.

Why is this Indian pudding made?

Cleverly crafted the payasam or kheer is a age old tradition. The bowl of kheer symbolizes a celebration hence it is made for festivals, birthdays and any occasion to celebrate success. Combined with milk  (plant milk) and sweetness it is a beloved navivedyum (bhog) which is a divine offering.  If you look at the varieties carefully, you will notice the regional and seasonal changes that made to the basic recipe, still holding on to the very essence of celebration and sharing with love. 
Here is a collection of 25 varieties of this dessert that you can trust for your festival offering. Each one of them is tried and tested multiple times, some classic and some fusion. Save it and enjoy.

Try these payasam recipes

Payasams come in many forms. Listed here are some of the most popular and some unique payasams you must try when trying the south Indian meal.

Pink paal payasam: Kerala style payasam made with raw red rice and milk is a comforting recipe made famous for it pale pink hue. Made during Krishnashtami, Onam and Vishu the payasam is one of Kerala’s favorite.

Semiya payasam:  the classic adaptation of the thin vermicelli cooked in milk is one of the best propagated fusion recipes that we have all loved. Make it for a birthday, a get together or any festival and make some memories.This is also called the vermicelli kheer or seviyyan kheer.

Chatha chathayam: An ancient rice and coconut milk based kheer, flavored with jaggery and banana. This is a niche recipe made during Shastapreethi. It is also a vegan payasam.

Teff payasam :a clever use of the Ethiopian seeds to form a creamy payasam laced with shredded coconut.

Mongil arisi payasam: is a slow cooked pudding with bamboo rice and milk. It is a rare payasam recipe popular among the forest region where bamboo rice is more available.

Kadala parippu payasam: uniquely satisfying chickpea payasam from Sizzling tastebuds is to be savoured atleast once. The chickpea dal is roasted to bring out the best of flavours in this recipe.

Rice rava payasam:  Quick and easy payasam made with crushed rice (rice rava) and jaggery. Best part is it is done under 20 minutes, hence a brilliant idea for festival days that fall on busy week days.

Carrot payasam: orange or purple carrots make the most delicious drinking style payasam. Very often we make this during Navrathri.

Aval payasam: instant payasam idea with flaked rice and coconut milk the rice is loved for its quick comfort that I learnt from my husband’s family. 

Badami payasa: Enjoy this Karnataka style payasa made with almonds, coconut and milk from Preethis cuisine. It is rich and perfect for small serves and for festivals like Ugadi

Varagu paal payasam: slow cooked millet in milk is one of our house favorite. It is perfect for vrat days or naivedyum.

Nuruku godhambu payasam : done in Kerala style this crushed wheat based payasam is made during home celebrations. This is again a vegan payasam.

Chaler payesh: classic rice payesh made in Bengali style is a recipe from Evergreen dishes. The unique feature about thie recipe is the subtle fragrance from the added bayleaf.

What is the difference between payasam and prathaman?

For the love of Kerala, prathamans find thier way more often than payasams. Prathaman are a rustic style payasam made with coconut milk and jaggery. The slow cooked prathaman is often made with rice, fruits like plantain and jackfruit or dals. It is a bit thicker than payasam and best served on a banana leaf. This paysam stays good for a couple of days as well.These recipes are made for Onam, Vishu, Christmas and Easter.

Here is a collection of prathaman

Mango prathaman: Ripe mango and jaggery cooked in coconut milk is a seasonal prathaman recipe that is made often during Vishu.

Paalada prathaman : made using sundired rice flakes, milk and sugar the paalads prathaman is slightly different from the prathaman recipes that use jaggery and coconut milk.

Kadala parippu prathaman: made with Bengal gram the prathamn is a slightly ifferent version from the chickpea payasam.

Nendrapazham prathaman: made with ripe plantains nendrapazham prathaman is an unavoidable recipe for Onam once you have enjoyed it.

What is the difference between payasam and kheer?

Though cooked fairly similar, kheer is a smoother and thicker version of the Indian pudding compared to payasam. Compared to a payasam there is a lot of crushed nuts added to the kheers, where as in payasam it is a roasted bunch of nuts and raisins alonv with the ghee that is addded. Very often kheer can be seen served chilled where are payasams are preferably served warm. The differnece exists even in the way they are served. Payasams are served in a banana leaf or glasses with a spoon.however, kheer is usually served in small earthen bowls or any bowl as it is a bit thicker to have.

Must try kheer varities

Kheers as discussed re very similar to payasams. Here are some comforting and some special ones that you can use throughout the festival time

Rajgira Kheer: made popularly during navrathi season or vrat this is amde with popped amaranth seeds. gently and slowly cooked in milk it is an incredible mouth feel like little pops.

Sweet potato kheer:The most delicious creamy cooked sweet potato in milk an flavoured with jaggery or sugar and cardamom.

Chakhao ambui kheer: made with forbidden black rice it is a unique recipe that is fragrant and creamy and purple.

Kheer komola: this unique recipe with oranges in kheer is a seasonal speciality from The world through my eyes.

Mothichoor kheer: Fusion to the best,this kheer is made with crushed mothichoor ladoos and the warmth of milk.It is best served chilled.

Apple kheer: What is a better way to hve some apples than use them as a kheer. So fragrant this recipe from Mayuri’s jikoni will ensure your sweet tooth is well taken care of.

Bagarichi kheer: Bagar or millet based kheer is a delicate recipe made for Janmashtami, Check it out on The Madscientist Kitchen.

Paneer kheer; Is a royal creamy cottage cheese recipe, served chilled. This gluten free recipe is from Food trails.

Sago kheer: simple and easy yet comfortingly creamy kheer with tapioca pearls is one you should never miss. Make it with stands of saffron for that unique color and flavour.

Badam kheer: Soaked and ground almonds turned to the creamiest kheer. Try this from My cooking journey.

Phool Makahana kheer: Traditional kheer recipe made with foxnuts and nuts is a popular dessert for Holi, Navrathri or Diwali. Check it out from Cook with Renu.

Lauki kheer: Bottle gourd cleverly disguised as a dessert is an incredible idea for a kheer. Do try from Batter up with Sujata.

Stay connected

Hope you have a sweet tooth to hold on to this incredible collection of Indian dessert that is essential to celebrate every festival at its best. Share with us if you have any unique ones you make so we can add it to the collection
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Literally as simple as putting together peaches and cream this no-bake dessert is one that you will love for its simplicity. Enjoy this popular 90’s restaurant dessert, an under-10-minute dessert that can feed a crowd.

When it comes to any fruit, the simplest way appeals to the lazy me. Mostly it is cut and eaten. Otherwise, do something simple with it like add it to a salad. This is exactly what I plan with the first batch of peaches I have hauled. Once the first two or three peaches satisfy my appetite, I need to determine the future for the rest of them. The dessert that easily comes to my mind is peaches and cream.

Choosing the peaches

That perfectly ripened peach is an absolute must for this dessert as it relies on the lovely flavour of the peaches. Look for the round peaches as the tree-ripened ones tend to go round. Smell them! The aroma of that fruit permeates through the soft skin. Then, gently press them. If the fruit yields gently it is ready and juicy.
For this dessert, you can choose white or yellow peaches. yellow peaches give a classic look, that’s all. Flavour wise they are the same.

How to remove the pit from a peach?

There is a line running along the side of the peach. Cut the peach along this line. Now you have a cut to separate them into two halves. Twist one-half and gently pull it away from the other. That one-half separate. Now, wiggle the seed to loosen it. Pull it away from the other half. Remember not to squeeze the flesh much as the fruit is easily bruised.

Ingredients to make this peach dessert

The basic recipe for peaches and cream needs only 2 ingredients. However, this doesn’t do justice to the popular 90’s restaurant dessert. Hence here is my version
Peaches – Once you have chosen and pitted the peaches, slice them or dice them.
Sugar- unrefined sugar works perfectly fine in this case. It is only to keep the pears juicy while you get on further and prevent excessive browning.
Lemon zest-Thi is a small twist that adds a lot of freshness to the dish. As the cream can be pretty heavy the lemon zest helps to lighten the flavour.
Cream- Pouring cream is ideal in this recipe. We are not looking for soft whipped peaks, so no whipping cream is needed. If you want to cut down a bit the calories, try light cream or low-fat cream.
Vanilla- Scrape out a few bits from a vanilla pod and add to the cream. Without te addition of any sugar this gives the simple dessert a fantastic fragrance. 

Making it healthier

Honestly, this dessert is not for you if you are looking for a healthy dessert. I would rather dunk the fruit in chocolate tofu dip to keep it cleaner and simpler.

Make ahead

This is certainly an easy dessert to put together for a crowd. However, you cannot prepare and assemble this dish much in advance. Here is what you can do the previous day.

Prep the glasses ahead.

Cut the peaches, and mix in the sugar and zest. Keep them covered in the fridge.

Whip the cream with vanilla, slightly so you have a pouring consistency. Keep this covered in the fridge.

Once these are set it is as simple as spooning the fruit and cream into the individual glasses.

What other fruit can I try with the cream?

Given an opportunity, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the cream combo with strawberries, mango, grapes, bananas, melons etc. You can also mix a combination of fruits in this vanilla cream.

Stay connected

Hope you have a collection of recipes like this that hardly takes a few minutes but satisfies a crowd really well. In our attempt, the fruit salad with honey dressing and the peaches with cream are my top picks to share on a barbeque day. Let us know in the comments how we are doing with this blog. As usual, leave us a rating on the start system with 5 stars if you like this recipe. Don’t forget to subscribe or connect with us through Instagram or Facebook.

For now, enjoy the sun and the sunny peach season.

Kothavarakkai poriyal is a basic stir fry made with cluster beans. Valued for its medicinal properties this cluster beans stirfry is a gluten-free, vegan addition to your everyday Indian meals.

The visit to Bengaluru this time has seen so many changes. My mother-in-law is finally hooked on blogger world. She is now curious about the new idea. She was talking about bloggers, YouTubers and plenty more who have daily appearances on her devices. So, the suggestion to be videoed while she was making the daily food was welcomed instantly. So as a start, we have kothavarakkai poriyal from her kitchen.

What is kothavarakkai?

The tender pods of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba are used as a vegetable known in regional languages as guar, gawarfali, the green seed pods that grow in clusters are the product of interest. Grown in crop rotation the guar plant notably provides the legume but also improves the soil by nitrogen fixation. The low-calorie pods are a good source of fibre and potassium.

Did you know?

The much-valued commercial flour improver guar gum is extracted from the endosperm of the mature dry seeds of this plant. This is used in breadmaking, the cheese industry and ice cream manufacture.

Ingredients for this kothavarakkai poriyal

This kothavarakka proiyal is made by my mother-in-law. It is one of the simplest stirfries yet very very tasty. Here is the list of ingredients you need to prepare this
Cluster beans or kothavarakkai is the main ingredient in this recipe. Wash and clean the beans. Remove the beans from the thick stalk. Pinch off the tail as it tends to be a bit chewy. Now slice the beans as thin as you like.
Tempering: the classic south Indian tempering is of mustard seeds that crackle to flavour the coconut oil, a touch of dals (split lentils ) for the crunch, followed by curry leaves and red chillies that further flavour the oil.
Seasoning: the recipe is usually just seasoned with salt. However, if you like it spicy use about half teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder can be added.
Garnishes: the final addition of the freshly grated coconut adds a lot of difference to the dish. Honestly, it doesn’t feel the same with the desiccated coconut. However, grated frozen coconut still manages a good bit of flavour.
Additional adds:
Shallots: sliced shallots can be added along with the curry leaves. This gives a wonderful aroma to the poriyal. However, this is not common in Tambaram kitchens so my mother-in-law doesn’t use it.
Cumin: if you don’t have mustard seeds, use cumin. The cumin (jeera) gives a different flavour to the oil.

How to make the poriyal?

As a part of this new journey, we have made a short mature video of how the poriyal is prepared. My mother-in-law is the one who is making this so the measurements in the video are approximate. However, you can follow the recipe card below to get the exact measurements and step-by-step instructions. Hope you will like and share this video too. 

Serving suggestions

Kothavarakkai poriyal paired with steamed rice, quinoa or millets with a classic gravy like sundakkai thengaarachukozhambu or podipotta sambhar is a perfect South Indian meal.
To make an easy wrap use a spinach phulka as the base and fill up with this poriyal. If you have cooked potatoes mash add it up to give a  filling wrap.

Meal prep and storage

The poriyal can be made and saved for about 3 days if refrigerated. If storing for a week, I avoid adding the coconut. Since the coconut added is fresh add it after thawing. The cluster beans stirfry is not the best to be frozen. It turns a bit rubbery if texture.

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As we are exploring new ideas this year, hope you stay with us by subscribing to our newsletter. When you try this recipe don’t forget to let us know in the comments how you like it and rate the recipe with a 5-star rating. We will love to stay connected with you. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to receive updates more often.

          Staying in Seattle you get used to graying weather in winter months every single day. I mean literally every day. And this gloomy weather makes me crave more spicy foods and this dish tops the quick-cooking foods. Alugadda ellipaya Karam or Garlicky Potato fry is a quick and easy stir-fry served as a side dish.

             This Telangana Style Potato Roast is a gluten-free, vegan, spicy side dish. It gets ready in under 15 minutes and makes a perfect winter dish to cook on busy weekdays. The reason why I say it’s perfect for winters is the generous usage of garlic, as garlic is considered warming food. Warming foods produce more heat in your body and keep your body warm enough to endure the chilly winter. Hence we include warming foods like sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, chilies, etc in our diet. 

What makes this Alugadda ellipaya karam special ?

         Telangana regional cuisine is all about spice and garlic, and this dish just depicts the true flavors of this beautiful cuisine. Alugadda is a potato in the Telangana Telugu dialect and ellipaya karam refers to garlic spice. We eat lots of garlic and we make this special garlic spice Ellipaya karam every winter to have it in our daily meals. Some people call this dish Alugadda fry, vellulli alugadda vepudu or Alugadda vepudu. You can also call it Garlicky Potato Roast, Potato Stir-Fry, Aloo Fry, or crispy Indian potatoes. 

       In this recipe, potatoes are tossed in basic Indian spices and quick-roasted in the pan on high flame till they turn golden and crispy! Oh Yum! writing this I’m salivating already. There was a time in my life, I used to carry only potato fry and rice in my lunchbox every single day during my schooling days. That’s how much I love this dish and I promise once you try this, you’re going to love it. Also, contrary to many beliefs, potatoes are a source of good carbs when consumed in moderation!  So do include this Alugadda ellipaya karam in your weekly menu! 

Checkout more vegetarian sides and curries from my blog

Jackfruit ghee roast

Stuffed peppers in creamy tomato gravy

Dondakaya Barada

Lauki palak pakoda kadhi

Chana aloo masala

Potlakaya perugu pachadi

Munagaku podi pappu kura

Chamakura kadala pappu

Gobhi fry

Now let’s get into the recipe!!

Print

ALUGADDA ELLIPAYA KARAM

Alugadda ellipaya karam is a quick and easy potato stir fry, loaded with garlic and Indian spices making a best side for Indian meals.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Telangana, Telugu

Keyword Side dish, vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 3 Servings

Author Shravani Abhishek

Ingredients

• 4 no Potatoes medium size
• 2 tsp Red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 8 cloves Garlic small size, coarsely crushed with cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ + ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 2 tbsp Desiccated coconut

Instructions

Let's prep the potatoes

• Wash and peel the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into medium size cubes.
• Add the chopped potatoes to a bowl of water to get rid of excess starch.
• Peel the garlic cloves and coarsely crush them with ½ tsp cumin seeds in a mortar & pestle.

Let's start making Alugadda ellipaya karam

• Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet, add oil and once it's hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add curry leaves and let them crisp up. Now add the chopped potatoes and on high flame toss it well.
• Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt. Toss the potatoes to the coat the spices and cook on high flame for 3 mor min.
• Add the coarsely crushed garlic cloves with cumin seeds and toss the potatoes.
• Keep the flame high and toss it regularly and roast it till the potatoes start crisping up and turning nice and golden brown.
• Now add in red chili powder and give it a good toss.
• Finally add in desiccated coconut / grated dry coconut and coat the potatoes.
• Turn off the heat and serve hot alugadda ellipaya karam with rice and dal/rasam of your choice.
  

Notes

• You can add ground coriander/dhaniya powder and garam masala for additional flavor.  

 If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also, you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook. Also follow @taste.of.telangana on Instagram for more traditional recipes, culture, and stories.

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              SALLA MIRAPAKAYALU, also known as buttermilk/curd chilies is one of the most loved pantry items from South Indian Kitchens. Now buttermilk chilies don’t refer to some kind of chilies, but it’s a preservation process. Mildly spicy chilies are slit and soaked in buttermilk, and then sun-dried during the day. This process is repeated for about a week until the chilies absorb as much buttermilk cure as possible and the chilies are dried to a crisp by the sun.

         During this preservation process, the chilies develop a tangy, yogurty, salty, and slightly cheesy flavor. These flavor packed Buttermilk chilies make a great accompaniment with mild dishes like Curd rice, Dal rice, Sambar rice, etc. But hey your options aren’t just limited to that, you can add these buttermilk chilies to the tempering. Imagine the ton of flavor it would impart in tempering of chutneys or raita and Dal tadka.

         The sign of a perfectly made Salla mirapakaya is that when you break a fried one it should crumble easily. Less spicy, little salty, and tangy is the perfect definition for this Salla mirapakayalu. I know that the process seems a little intimidating for beginners, but trust me this is one of the easiest processes you could ever make.

A tradition of making sun-dried vegetables

    When Summer is here, then begins the tradition of making of Wadiyalu/Papads/fryums. And apart from that we also Sun-dry vegetables, fruits, seeds which have been in our culinary tradition for ages. When there is an excess of produce, our ancestors came up with ways to utilize them smartly. So that they come in handy on a rainy day.

       They are equally healthy as the process which they undergo like pickling, drying, marinating, and curing which makes it even more delicious. The tiring scenarios of the womenfolk in the scorching Sun bring out the best goodies in their pantry. These sun-dried goodies appear out of nowhere during mealtime.

More avatars of these SALLA MIRAPAKAYALU / Buttermilk chilies

       These yogurt/curd/buttermilk-soaked chilies are inseparable from the menu of South Indian Cuisine mainly because of their spicy taste. Now call these buttermilk chilies or we Telugu people call it Oora Mirapakayalu, majjiga mirapakayalu, uppu mirapakayalu. Mor milagai in Tamil, Sandige menasu in Kannada, Dahi Mirchi in Hindi, Dahi ke mirchiyaan in Dakhani, Mahi mircha in Chhattisgarh region and Takla mirsang in Konkan region. The beauty of diverse cuisines across India, one dish with many names. 

       With diverse cuisines across India, these buttermilk chilies come in various flavors across the country. Some stuff the chilies with spices like carom seeds, fenugreek powder, etc. And they add another layer of flavor profile to these chilies.

Checkout more traditional Indian recipes from my blog.

Dibba rotte

Palli chutney

Bebberla garelu

Sunnundalu

Odappalu

Ulava charu

Chegodilu

Barada

If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . 

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             Palli chutney, an utterly creamy and nutty peanut condiment served alongside Dosa, Idli, Wada and other South Indian tiffins. The green chilies and garlic lends a bit of heat and spice to the creamy peanuts. Then we add a crackling tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dry red chilies that elevates the flavor and aroma. This Palli chutney / peanut chutney is equally loved by adults and kids, because of it’s nutty and creamy taste. 

          Chutneys are a quintessential accompaniment to every Indian meal, we always have some kind of chutneys in everyday meals. And this Palli chutney is a regular thing at home in every Telugu household for tiffins like Dosa, Idli, Wada and Upma. It’s super simple, healthy, delicious and comes together quickly under 15 mins. 

         Like every other recipe, each household or region has their own variation and in Telangana we use only peanuts, chilies, garlic cloves and a basic tempering. You can find peanut chutney with urad dal or some add roasted gram dal or chana dal to make it more nutritious. Below recipe of palli chutney is something I’ve grown up eating and found across Telangana.

Is this recipe Vegan ?

As all the ingredients we are using here are completely plant based, vegan and gluten-free. 

Note : Please do not try this recipe if you have peanut allergy.

Ingredients needed for Palli chutney

• Peanuts
• Green chilies
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Tempering – oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic cloves, dry red chilies, urad dal and curry leaves

How to make Palli chutney

1. Firstly we need to roast the peanuts, peeled garlic cloves, green chilies, cumin seeds in a tbsp of oil until peanuts are well roasted. 
2. Let this roasted peanuts to completely cool down, then grind everything to a smooth paste by adding some water.
3. Add salt, blend it again, taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste preference.
4. Let’s make a tempering now. Heat a small tadka pan, add oil, once it’s hot enough add in mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal. Let them splutter.
5. Now add in chopped garlic cloves, curry leaves, dry red chilies and fry until garlic turns golden brown.
6. Transfer this tempering to the Palli chutney. Voila, that’s it!!

Let’s get into the detailed recipe now, before that check more delicious recipes from my blog.

Nalla nuvvula roti thokku

Bachali aaku kadala thokku

Ellipaya karam

Potlakaya perugu pachadi

Kobbari avisala karam podi

Munagaku nuvvula podi

If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . 

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      An irresistible savory cake with a crispy exterior like Dosa and a soft interior like an Idli, yes I’m talking about this classic Andhra Breakfast DIBBA ROTTE. Serve this delicious Dibba rotte with Aavakaya, chutney, or sambar, this recipe is filling and absolutely delicious. Dibba rotte is a classic recipe that is very easy to make and a total crowd-pleaser.

 

       

           Traditionally Dibba rotte is made with freshly ground Idli batter, and Idli Rava or Rice Rava is used here. The Telugu-speaking regions use Idli Rava for their Idli batter instead of parboiled rice/uppudu biyyam. The coarse texture of the Rava gives it’s signature crisp exterior and granular soft interior. I bet once you try this, you’ll end up making Dibba rotte every time you make Idli batter. And the good part is you needn’t ferment the batter, just add the tempering to it and make Dibba rotte right away. But we have tried making it with fermented batter and the beautiful sour notes adds more magic. Now to get the perfect color and crunch, the key is to use a heavy cast-iron Kadai/pan. Let the Dibba rotte cook on low flame for longer to get the irresistible crunchy exterior.

        I have learnt making this dish from my best friend who hails from Machilipatnam and they make it quite regularly. I remember tasting this dish at her home and I fell in love with the dish instantly and I’m telling you if you are a person who loves slightly crispy bits in the bottom of the pan(like me) in dishes like upma, then this is just for you.

What is Dibba rotte and how to make it?

      The word Dibba means plump or fat and rotte means bread/flatbread. And traditionally rice Rava or Idli Rava is used instead of rice. As throughout Telugu-speaking regions, Idli is made with Rice Rava or Idli Rava, the granular idli texture is just irresistible.

        First, we need to soak the Urad dal and later grind it to a fine consistency, and then we add soaked rice Rava/Idli Rava to this batter. You can let this batter ferment to make idlis or use it to make Dibba rotte instantly. You can take a portion of this batter and add a simple tempering to the batter, using mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chili paste. If you are making for younger kids, you can skip green chilies or omit them.

       Traditionally we use a heavy and shallow cast-iron Kadai or brass Kadai(itthadi ginne) to make this Dibba rotte. But any thick bottomed pan will work, just make sure to keep an eye on Dibba rotte and it’s not burning. Our goal is to achieve a golden-brown crispy exterior and cook through completely. While making spread light cooking oil on the Kadai and then pour the batter. Cover the pan and cook on a slow flame until it turns crispy on the bottom. Flip it through and cook until done. Then Serve hot Dibba rotte with pickle or chutney of your choice. Ginger chutney makes a great combination with this.

More names of Dibba rotte

   This Dibba rotte is also known as Dibba rotti or minapa rotti in some parts of Telugu-speaking regions.

Serving suggestions 

       Dibba rotte is traditionally cut in wedges and served as you get to taste the outside crusty exterior and the soft fluffy texture inside. The taste is not like that of idli as there is no sourness in the batter (since the batter is not fermented), but you can make it with fermented batter too. The crisp texture is what makes the dish more interesting.

    This Dibba rotte is a savory cake and has a similar color, shape, and texture. One of the reasons why people call it Andhra cake and most loved by kids. Serve with your favorite pickle or chutney or Podi of your choice. But I’d recommend you try with Ginger chutney.

So what all Ingredients do we need?

   All you need to make this dish is idli batter. So, you can use your favorite idli recipe. To make the Andhra way, use urad dal and idli Rava. You only need a handful of ingredients for this recipe:

• urad dal – either whole or split. 
• Rice Rava or idli Rava – Look for idli Rava in your nearby Indian grocery stores. The key for its signature granular crispy exterior is Idli Rava. 
• Fenugreek seeds – Helps indigestion
• Salt
• Tempering – Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves.

Please check out more delicious festive treats and tea-time snacks from my blog.

Chegodilu

Odappalu

Makka garelu

Palm jaggery whole wheat biscuits

Perugu wada

Vegan millet cutlet

Vegan potstickers

Let’s get into the recipe now

If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . 

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Basava Kajjam, a divine dessert and one of the ancient recipes from the Land of Telangana. Tiny wheat flour balls cooked in milk and creamy moong dal, sweetened with jaggery and topped with roasted nuts. Any Celebration is incomplete without a nice sweet dish to relish, and this dessert is just the one to brighten your day. The people of Telangana savor a special porridge/pudding kind of preparation made of moong daal, wheat flour, milk, sugar and dry fruits. This delicious dish has a nice rich aroma that is enhanced with the use of fresh ghee.

More about Basava kajjam 

Basava kajjam is an age-old traditional dessert prepared using Moong dal, whole wheat flour, milk, jaggery and nuts. And what makes this dessert special is the mini wheat flour balls, we call them as undalu. Traditionally they are shaped as tiny balls similar to the size of split moong dal. Making these tiny wheat flour balls requires huge amount of patience, but trust it is all worth it. Just a tablespoon of this dessert will take you back to your grandma’s kitchen. 

This traditional dessert is absolutely comforting, and nourishing, each spoon of this dessert feels like a warm hug. Even though I’m from Telangana, I have never tasted or heard about this dish until my dear friend Chandana has shared her heirloom recipe with me. She was sweet enough to share the details of the recipe and allowed me to share it with you all. Please do checkout her Instagram page, she’s a passionate cook and has immense love for her culinary heritage of Telangana.

She told me that her Grandma used to make this dessert specially for her in her childhood. And that this dessert is traditionally made on festivals like Maha Shivaratri and Bathukamma as an offering to the deity. Also I have done a little research on this regional delicacy, where some people call this dish as BASAVA GARJANAM. With the rustic Telangana dialect, the name could have been slowly settled as BASAVA KAJJAM. 

Ingredients needed for BASAVA KAJJAM

• Moong dal
• Whole wheat flour
• Jaggery
• Milk
• Nuts
• Ghee

How to prepare this Dessert?

Initially we need to soak the lentils for about an hour or two, which helps in cooking the lentils quickly. In the meanwhile we need to make a firm dough of whole wheat flour. Rest the dough for 30 min, later make tiny balls/undalu using dry flour and keep aside. 

Now we need to cook the wheat flour balls in the boiling water, add soaked moong dal and cook until the wheat flour balls are 90% cooked. Add in jaggery, milk and cook for 5 more min. Later roast some nuts in ghee and add it to the cooked moong dal and wheat flour balls. Basava Kajjam is all ready to Serve now.

Is this dish VEGAN ?

You can make this dish VEGAN-FRIENDLY by substituting the regular cow milk with plant based milk. Skip roasting the nuts in ghee and add them directly while cooking the wheat flour balls.

And if you have GLUTEN INTOLERANCE, I would suggest you to use gluten-free flour to make Undalu/balls.

Checkout more traditional festive foods and more Telangana delicacies.

Godhuma thalikala payasam

Kanda gadda Bakshalu

Pappu bakshalu

Nuvvula bakshalu

Vadapappu bellam panakam

Godhuma Nooka sheera

Shegala payasam

Sattu Pindi

 If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . Also follow @taste.of.telangana on Instagram for more traditional recipes, culture and stories.

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Kanda gadda bakshalu is an authentic sweet potato stuffed flatbread savored on Maha Shivaratri in the Telangana region. These Bakshalu have an utterly creamy, healthy and divine sweet potato stuffing, and my kid absolutely loved it. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, they support Healthy Vision, enhance Brain Function and Boost Your Immune System.

Sweet potatoes have a dense fiber composition, and it satiates the hunger for longer periods. Hence, in Indian subcontinent we widely use it as fasting food. On Maha Shivaratri, majority of devotees observe a special fast consisting largely of fruits along with plenty of water and milk which keeps them hydrated. And sweet potatoes are fast friendly, filling and healthy. So these Bakshalu makes a great recipe to make on this coming Maha Shivaratri.

Significance of Maha Shivaratri

The festival of ‘Maha Shivaratri’ which literally translates to ‘the greatest night of Shiva’ is one of the most revered Hindu festivals across the Indian subcontinent. The Temples across the nation witness an outpour of devotees who gather around the Shiva Linga with their abundant offerings to appease Lord Shiva. Prayers and vigils go on throughout the night of Maha shivaratri. But what makes the festival special is its characteristic fasting or the Maha Shivaratri Vratam. The vratam marks a very high significance for every Shiva devotee, with some opting to even go on fasting through the day without a single drop of water. But majority of the devotees observe a special fast consisting largely of fruits along with plenty of water and milk which keeps them hydrated.

What are Bakshalu?

Bakshalu are a traditional delicacy, that we make on festivals or special occasions as an offering to the deity. These bakshalu are stuffed flatbreads, which can be made sweet or savory. In the Telangana region, Bakshalu are a traditional dessert or sweet and it has various stuffings. And stuffings like chana dal, moong dal, sesame seeds, sweet potato, Kova, etc. are used.

Now call this bakshalu poli or Holige, obbattu, bobbatlu, burelu, polelu, vedmi, boli this one dish has many names and avatars across diverse India.

In certain regions of Telangana, people call these Kanda gadda bakshalu as Mouram gadda polelu or mouram gadda bakshalu. This Kanda gadda bakshalu are specially prepared for the Maha Shivaratri festival for the kids, as they are fasting friendly and filling too. 

Ingredients needed for Kanda gadda bakshalu

• Kanda gadda – Sweet potatoes, they are also known by Mouram gadda, Ratnapuri gadda in the Telangana region. 
• Jaggery / Sugar – As sweet potatoes alone are sweet enough, we will be using minimal amount of sweetener.
• Cardamom – this is completely optional
• Whole wheat flour – You can also use Maida / All purpose flour instead.
• Oil
• Ghee

How to prepare this Kanda gadda bakshalu?

 Like every other flatbread, this bakshalu can be either made with Maida/all-purpose flour or Whole wheat flour. And I like to use whole wheat personally as it’s more healthy and that’s what I have grown up eating. So if you prefer using All purpose flour or maida please feel free to use it according to your convenience.

Stuffing – First step steam the sweet potatoes, later mash them with jaggery / sugar, and keep them aside.

Now the kind of sweet potatoes we get in India are quite fibrous and stays firm when boiled or steamed. They doesn’t require any further cooking after steaming them. You can just steam/boil them, peel the skin, mash them with jaggery powder/sugar.

And as I’m staying in the US, the sweet potatoes, which I get here are quite soft, when I steam/boil them they turn very mushy. Hence, I cook the mashed sweet potatoes slightly until they turn firm.

Dough – This bakshalu can be made with two kinds of dough, One is the wet dough that has been soaked in oil for hours and the other is a semi-hard dough that we regularly use to make roti. If you are using slightly firm sweet potatoes that we get in India, I would recommend you to use the firm dough. And if you are using the American variety of sweet potatoes then go for the wet dough.

Is this recipe VEGAN ?

You can skip the ghee part while roasting the Bakshalu or stuffed flatbread to make it vegan-friendly. If you have Gluten-intolerance, please substitute the whole wheat flour with gluten free flour to make these Bakshalu.

Serving suggestion

These Kanda gadda bakshalu/polelu are  traditionally served with warm milk. But a simple drizzle of ghee on warm Bakshalu is good enough for savoring.

Checkout more traditional festive foods and more Telangana delicacies.

Godhuma thalikala payasam

Pappu bakshalu

Nuvvula bakshalu

Vadapappu bellam panakam

Godhuma Nooka sheera

Shegala payasam

Sattu Pindi

 If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . Also follow @taste.of.telangana on Instagram for more traditional recipes, culture and stories.

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Banka laddu, made using edible gum resin (banka/gond), cashews, almonds, khajoor, and all the wintery goodness. A quintessential winter food, which is utmost divine, delicious and nourishing which keeps you warm in chilly winters. These energy balls are rich in calories and nutrients and hence ideal for kids and the elderly. Also, these are given to Lactating or postpartum mothers to regain strength, helps in speedy recovery and provides nutrition. Hence these laddus are more of a medicinal confection than indulgent food.

What is Banka or Gond ?

Banka or Gond is an edible gum collected from hardened sap sourced from wild-growing acacia plants. Banka is a Telugu(more in Telangana) term for glue or gum substances, hence the name. 

Edible gum has a lot of medicinal value. It not only cures heat-stroke yet it even combats constipation, improves the health of skin and hair along with increasing our overall immunity. My grandmother used to say that winter is the perfect time when your body has the maximum capacity in absorbing calcium. And this edible gum helps in soothing inflammation, lubricates joints, and reduces joint stiffness caused by arthritis. Besides protecting against cold, gond is used to heal wounds. It is also known to treat cardiovascular ailments and chronic kidney diseases. 

More about Banka laddu

 Banka laddu or Dinkache ladoo or Gond Ke laddu, as the name suggests are prepared with Gond or Edible Gum. It is a popular sweet, that is made in Many regions across India during winters. 

The recipe I’m sharing here is an heirloom recipe that has been passed down from many generations. And our version of Edible gum laddu calls Dry Fruits, Nuts, Seeds, and lots of ghee. This laddu is usually looked at and served as a medicinal food rather than a delicacy. Hence it is mostly served with a glass of warm milk first thing in the morning. 

These nourishing energy balls are considered very healthy to consume in Winters due to their rich ingredients which are warm and keeps our body protected from the chilly winters. Also, these are made for postpartum mothers or lactating mothers, which helps to keep the body warm and helps in lactation. These Banka laddus are great nutritious snacks for kids and toddlers, as they are rich in iron, calcium, and protein.

Ingredients needed for Banka laddu

• Banka / Gond –  Edible gum sourced from the Acacia plant. It is quite odorless and tasteless. 
• Nuts – Nuts are the essential part of these laddus and I have used Cashews, marking nut, Pistachios, and walnuts here. 
• Dried fruits – Traditionally we use khajoor powder(dried dates powder), as I could not find the dried dates here, I used Medjool dates instead.
• Ghee – Ghee acts as the binding agent here, so do not skip on the ghee. It adds richness, flavor, and essential nutrition to the ladoo.
• Seeds – I have used Almonds and Melon seeds here. You can also add poppy seeds for extra nuttiness and richness. 
• Dry Coconut – We add a little amount of dried coconut here, which adds a lovely coconut flavor and nutrition.
• Spices – We are going to add Ginger powder(sonti podi/ saunth), pepper powder, and Nutmeg. They provide flavor and helps in providing warmth to our bodies. 
• Sugar / Jaggery 

How to make these Banka laddus?

 With diverse cultures and cuisines across India, the foods have regional influence and hence it varies with each region. You can see many Gond ke laddu recipes on the internet, where some add whole wheat flour, and some just use dried fruits and nuts. Unlike many recipes of Gond ke laddu you find on the internet, we don’t roast or puff of gond crystals. Instead, we just grind them as is, and we do not roast any ingredient too, just powder up everything and add piping hot ghee to shape the laddus. 

Check out more delicious desserts and Indian sweets from my blog.

Sunnundalu

Shakkarpara

Motichoor laddu

Shegala payasam

Sabudana payasam

Palm jaggery whole wheat biscuits

Penilu

Badusha

 If you’ve tried this recipe, please share your valuable feedback in the comments below. Also you can Tag your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda  or on Facebook . Also follow @taste.of.telangana on Instagram for more traditional recipes, culture and stories.

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