Garlic Rice/Poondu Sadham

Garlic has great health benefits and the one which really catches my eye is that it aids in cholesterol control and weight reduction. Also I love garlic in any form so this rice was my life saver during the days when I used to work. This rice used to appear atleast twice in a week in my lunch box. Now coming to my present I have a garlic hater M at home.

Mushroom Kola Urundai/Savory Mushroom Bites

Kola Urundai is one of the traditional recipes from Chettinad cuisine that makes many drool over. Now how kola urundai made with mutton/minced lamb is gonna feature in a vegetarian blog? Well it’s gonna transform into mushroom kola urundai just so even vegetarians can get a bite of this drool worthy dish. Having said that it’s a drool worthy dish the looks may not be that inviting but sure when you take a bit you ll get to know what I mean.

Home-Made Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese

Paneer is a healthy source of calcium and proteins though it’s a bit rich, it can be in your diet once in a while and of course should be included if you are a vegetarian and that gives a reason for me to cook paneer often.. ok,, very often!! But honestly I m not that into homemade paneer not that I m a rookie relying on store bought packets all the way, or who doesn’t approve of the more luscious, soft and way more hygienic paneer made at home.

Masala Chai/Indian Spiced Tea

Indian Chai is very famous all over the globe. You can get Indian spiced Chai lattes too in some of the famous food joints. But its nothing like what you get in Northern part of India. Actually I m not a beverage person but on pushy circumstances I choose tea over coffee and  nowadays I have acquired a taste for this masala chai especially this winter has really made me think that a cuppa of chai is more comforting than a warm bowl of mac and cheese (calories!) .

Soya Chunks Biryani

Soya chunks are healthy alternative for meat-eaters if you are on a vegetarian diet. This biryani is made with brown basmati rice so skipping the ghee and coconut makes it a guilt free meal but for sure doesn’t compromise in taste plus it’s a one pot meal that comes to your rescue on days when your pantry run out of veggies.. Do give it a try and I m sure you will be impressed.

Pindi Chole/Pindi Chana-Tea flavoured Chickpea Curry

Pindi chole is a tea leaf flavored chickpea curry that tastes different from other chana/chickpea preparations. I include this gravy once in a while, when I m in a mood to eat something that doesn’t pinch my taste buds. Somehow M has acquired a taste for it by dunking in a thick slice of brown bread into it topped with chopped onions and shaved mozzarella.

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

Aglio E Olio is the easiest pasta recipe one could think of. It has the simplest flavors and a clean taste. My second favorite international cuisine would be Italian as I like Mexican the most. But if you ask If i have tasted authentic Mexican that would be a big NO, whereas I have taste some of the most authentic Italian food.

Elai Adai/Ilai Kozhukattai

I love traditional recipes. Nowadays apart from those dishes made on festivals and special occasions we generally resort to junk food for our daily snacks. I try my best to keep munchies mostly home made. One such search led me to this healthy and tasty Kozhukattai as I would call it!

Aloo Paratha/Potato Stuffed Flat Bread

Hi all.. Hope you all had great Pongal.. We had a good time too. Now after a short break I wanna start with a simple stuffed Paratha that can be made to pack for lunch. Unlike the rotis they don’t need a side dish to taste better as the stuffing does a good job. I like it simple and I pair it with pickle and Onions. You can make elaborate masalas and gravies if you are in the mood. Here is the recipe.

Vendakkai Pachadi/Okra Pachadi

M loves okra in any forms. Even my son A is a huge fan of okras. By this I mean to say I cook okras atleast twice a week and have tried quite some variety of recipes. The only thing that puts me off while making the okra is the chopping part! They really mess my knife and chopping board and thatz the reason I have kept a cheap plastic board and (free for something) knife for okra sake!

Chettinad Mushroom Masala

Chettinad cuisine is our family favorite as they are spicy and delish. M likes anything spicy especially this winter makes him demand for spicy food that will make his taste buds go crazy. This is one such dish that can be made that way but that shouldn’t hold you from trying this recipe as the spice levels can be adjusted and can be made according to your taste.

Aubergine/Egg Plant Tawa Fry/Kathirikkai Varuval

Aubergines are those big, purple veggies that sure make your heads turn to take a look in the fresh market. I make a lot of brinjal dishes but mostly I use small /baby brinjals. Occasionally I buy these for making Baingan bhartha, baba ghanoush,mutabbal or mousakka. Its set in my mind that these bulgy beauties will find their way into my kitchen only through these dishes.

Avarakkai Kondakadalai Kootu

This is another dish I made for lunch menu 3 and so here I am with the recipe. It’s a healthy combination and an interesting choice for a change from the regular kootu varieties. M liked it a lot and the recipe found its way here.

Mushroom Biryani/Kalan Biriyani-One Pot Meal

Mushrooms are rich in protein and have high water content and therefore they are healthy. I absolutely love mushrooms and my love for biryani is an unsung story. So when both favorites are combined, it is a winning combo. M was not a fan of mushrooms earlier but now he has started including it for its health benefits and he likes biryani too. So I make this atleast once a week. To me mushroom biryani is a fuzz-free one pot meal that doesn’t require much of a preparation but sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Paneer Tawa Masala/Pan-Fried Cottage Cheese Gravy

Paneer is one ingredient which can transform into many avatars but doesn’t fail to amuse each time with different flavors and taste. I keep experimenting with paneer and this time it has found its way into this space in the form of tawa masala. I find this somehow an easier process than other elaborate paneer recipes but tastes equally rich and delish!

Milagu Kuzhambu / Pepper Kuzhambu

As I have posted the lunch menu along with this kuzhambu I m here with the recipe. The kuzhambu is lip smackingly delicious and spicy and both M and I love this kuzhambu. Its my Amma’s special. Se pairs it with Kathirikkai kootu,paruppu thugayal and sutta appalam. I have made some changes to the pairings (lunch menu 3) and it was equally tasty. The recipe is authentic and I followed the recipe to the T as I don’t want even a slightest change in the taste and it worked. Do give it a try!

Thiruvathirai Kali

Today is Thiruvathirai and usually Amma makes this kali and kootu. But In Coimbatore they celebrate it as mangalya nombi and they invite neighbors for a feast after prayers. Amma is a specialist in making this kali. She makes in a heavy bottomed kadai/vengala uruli with tons of homemade ghee and it just slides through your tongue with lots of texture from the cooked grains of rice and moong dal, a mild sweetness from the jaggery with hidden notes of cardamom.

Lunch Menu 3

It’s been sometime since I posted a lunch menu in this space. One reason is that I didn’t prepare an elaborate lunch for quite some time now and second reason is that the weather is always cloudy and the clicks aren’t turning up as I want them to.

Paruppu Payasam/Moong dal Payasam

Wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today I made this paruppu payasam which is my personal favorite and I wanted to post it today so I m doing this last minute post.Its a simple festive sweet. Do try it.