Shemai Custard / Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli Kheer

Some recipes are similar so much across many countries and today we are going to be seeing one such recipe.. I am talking about Shemai Custard which is soooo similar to the Semiya payasam we do in India.. It is a kheer or custard or payasam made with vermicelli also known as Semiya. It can be served for breakfast as it has all in one from milk to sweetness to the vermicelli.. It also graces any occasion and is very simple to make. It can be served both hot and cold.

Maangai Pachadi / Raw Mango Pachadi –Tamil New Year Pachadi

A delicious pachadi made during the Tamil New Year. Life is a combination of happy moments, sad moments, excitement, thrill etc and every year in the New Year we make this pachadi which is a combination of Sweetness (from jaggery), Bitterness (from neem flower), Sourness (from raw mango) and seasonings. This is very simple to make and is also delicious..

Kanchipuram Idli / Kancheepuram Idli

Today we travel to the temple city - Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is very famous for Silk Sarees (called Kanchipuram Pattu), temples, rich tradition and culture and food wise, this delicious idli. It has a beautiful aroma from the dried ginger powder and other spices. The recipe today is the very famous idli from this city. This is a very authentic recipe and has its unique taste, appearance and flavor..

Mysore pak - Indian Sweets

Here comes a very authentic and traditional sweet that is prepared in our houses almost in all festive occassions.. It is said to have originated in Mysore (Karnataka), it is a very popular sweet and is made in many functions.. We make mysore pak also for parupu thengai. Parupu thengai is a cone shaped presentation of sweets prepared during marriages and authentic occassions. From wiki – “Mysore pak was first prepared in the kitchens of the Mysore Palace by a palace cook named Kakaasura Madappa”. Make sure you have everything ready before you start the process as you will have very little luxury time. Also keep a close watch when the color changes as you skip the time, then your mysore pak will not come correctly.. Next time I make this sweet I will try to take step wise clicks..

Ellu Poorna Kozhukattai / Ellu Kozhukattai - Ganesh Chathurthi Recipes

There are so many varieties of kozhukkattai and today we are seeing another traditional and authentic made for Ganesh Chathurthi. The taste of this kozhukattai is awesome from the sesame and jaggery...

Dal Bhat w Rice

Today we are travelling to our neighboring country - Nepal to relish their National food - Dal Bhat with Rice.. When I was searching for the combos this was one of the first ones I had selected but could do it only yesterday!!! I made this for lunch and it was a very comforting and satisfying meal.. The best part is that you felt like eating home food but it is an International one!!! Serve this hot with steaming hot rice!!

Spicy Potato Kari / Spicy Potato Fry

Potato is an universally liked vegetable, also available in many parts of the world.. This version of using the potato in a kari is a common dish in our household which is everybody's favorite.. Using a cast iron pan will make the browning better and also even.. This can be served along with Sambar saadam, Rasam saadam, Curd Rice, Bisi bela bath, Mixed rice etc.. Today I am serving this with Kaara Kuzhambu and steaming hot rice..

Spicy Potato Kari and Kaara Kuzhambu - Combo

Welcome friends to another month long marathon – “Buffet on the Table”.. Today we are starting another month long marathon – Buffet on the table with 5 categories and the week 1 is going to be "Combo from Countries". and I am starting with a delicious combo in our house.. Spicy Potato Kari and Kaara Kuzhambu. When you talk about Combos, lot of dishes come to my mind other than the Indian ones.. In our house, it is always combo dishes and rarely do we do an one dish meal.. There are lot of combos that are quite popular like – Pita Bread and Hummus, Brownie and Vanilla Ice Cream, Burger and Fries, Mor Kuzhambu and Parupu Usli, Roti and Paneer Butter Masala, Channa Masala and Batura, Fish and Chips, Fries and Sauce, Ghevar and Rabri etc…

Kaara Kuzhambu

Kaara kuzhambu stands up to its name – Kaara means – very spicy and kuzhambu is a thicker gravy and this dish is sure to make your eyes water along with your tongue.. It is super tasty and tongue tickling.. I served this along with the all time favorite – Spicy Potato Fry

Semiya Upuma Muffin–Muffin tin recipes

One of the hardest task for a lot of moms these are to make kids eat regular and daily food.. You give them idli, dosa, upuma etc, they are so bored and they want noodles, pasta, muffins etc.. And it is the same in my house.. Now the problem is half resolved with this interesting idea of using muffin tin to make the normal semiya upuma.. It is very interesting to see how kids love these as compared to the regular upuma served on a plate.. Now my mind is bursting with ideas to morph our regular food into something more interesting and yes it is also quite challenging.. Some that come to my mind are cookie cutter shaped dosas or rotis, coin dosa, tart shaped idlis and many varities and shapes of upuma, pongal and khichdi.. So let us go to today's recipe where the idea was born when Valli announced "Make in a muffin tin" for this month's BM and i was looking for ideas online where many choices were there for making in a muffin tin (other than the regular muffins and cupcakes)..

Jeera Rasam - Rasam Varieties

What is the most comforting food in our house?? It is rasam... and there are so many varieties of it.. This rasam is so flavorful from jeera (cumin seeds) and tastes awesome... Serve it hot with rice and a veg and that is such a fulfilling dinner!! This is my another choice for Lentils in different ways…

Parupu Usli

Parupu usli is a very popular dish which is made from dals and green beans. This is served in almost all marriages and functions. This is very rich in nutrients from parupu which is rich in proteins and green beans which is a green vegetable. This one is also very appealing to the eye with green, yellow and red colors. It is a great accompaniment to mor kuzhambu, rasam or sambar. It is very filling as it comes with a lot of protein. Since the grinded dal tastes similar to vadai, we also call this vadaikkari..

Saamai Idli / Little Millet Idli–Millet Recipes

Today's guilt free recipe is with millets and the cutest millet of all... It is made with Saamai called as the Little Millet.. Idli by itself is a very healthy breakfast.. Now making it even more healthier is by substituting the rice portion with the millets.. I also used the whole black urad dal with the skin. Again making it even more healthier.. Serve it with a spicy chutney and gobble them guilt free.. I made them in mini idli molds and it was so attractive

Brown Rice Adai

Do you like Adai?? My answer is a BIG yes!!! I love it so much and can eat it everyday.. It is so rich in proteins with so many dals and lentils in it... But this has equal amount of rice in it and today I tried to substitute the rice with Brown rice and the result was a even more crispier and tastier adai!! Starting this month’s marathon with this guilt free adai!!

Potato Bajji - Indian Snacks

Bajji is a famous snack in South India. It tastes best when served hot. Bajji can be done with a variety of vegetables like Potato, Carrot, Brinjal (Eggplant), Snake gourd, plantain, bell pepper, onion, bottle gourd, chili etc. Famous ones are potato, chili, plantain and onion. Adjust salt and chili powder to taste.

Aloo Bonda

Today’s recipe is a snack that is commonly served when relatives and friends visit us.. Talk about evening tiffin or snack, bajji and bonda always comes in the list.. Much before the baked goodies came in to our kitchen, it was the bajji, bonda and other snacks that were prepared for snacks..

Parupu Bonda

For this week BM we will be seeing a variety of snacks starting with a type of Bonda today. Fried items are many people's weakness.. You can just stop with one.. Same holds true for this delicious bonda. This bonda is made with a variety of lentils (parupu) along with spices ad herbs.

Murungakeerai Adai / Drumstick Leaves Adai

Murungakeerai / Drumstick Leaves is a very healthy green leafy vegetable. It is very rich in many vitamins, minerals, iron and calcium. There are many ways we use this leaf in our cuisine and the two commmon ways in our house are this adai and a kootu variety. This adai is very healthy and makes a great breakfast or evening tiffin. The quantity of the leaves added are personal choice.  You can use the batter immediately after grinding or store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Kuthiraivali Milagu Jeera Adai–Barnyard Millet Adai–Millet Recipes

Hope you all have enjoyed my Arisi Adai which is made with Parboiled rice. I saw a similar recipe here using Kuthiraivali (Barnyard Millet) and immediately tried it. I did make a few changes to the original recipe and we loved this adai.. Make sure you have the tawa on medium to medium high or the adai will become hard. You need to enjoy this adai piping hot.. You can serve this as-is. We enjoyed it with Coriander Coconut Chutney (recipe coming soon). The flavor of the pepper, coconut in this adai is amazing.. This recipe will give 6 adais of medium size.

Kambu Semiya Upuma – Millet Recipes

With the New Year brings New Year resolutions and a lot of people have “Eating healthy” or “Weight Management” as part of their resolution. Here I am with a recipe to help….I love visiting shops that healthy items like millets, many types of rice, many types of flour etc.. We learn so much about the ingredients available for us. But a lot of ingredients are new and unidentifible. I remember seeing black rice for the first time and did not even recognize it, but I was surely fascinated by it. Recently I saw various types semiya made with millets like semiya made with Kambu, Ragi, Whole Wheat. I once saw a TV show where they did upuma with Kollu Semiya. It was very similar to how I do with Ragi Semiya. Now I have tried Ragi semiya and it was delicious. Today I tried Kambu Semiya and it was even more tastier. Cut the vegetables and you have the delicious upuma ready in no time... This will serve 3 - 4. Kambu is Bajra in Hindi, Pearl Millet in English, Sajjalu in Telugu. Try this for a healthy breakfast or evening tiffin and you will be happy you did!!

Javvarisi Payasam / Sago Kheer

A delicious payasam made from javvarisi. It is quite easy to make.. There are so many varieties of Payasam and kheer we make.. Each is so unique in taste, texture and appearance. This payasam looks so beautiful with the transparent tiny balls floating in it.. I remember my child hood days where we used to play with the balls when this payasam was served. We press with the finger and the balls with move slipping under your fingers and it will be so much fun!!! We make this payasam for a lot of festivals. This can be served both warm and chilled!!