Sorekayi Kootu | Sorekayi Masale Kootu | Lauki Masala Kootu

Hot, spicy kootu with sorekayi/lauki
07/12/2016 7:58:48 PM vindhyadesai

There is nothing like a wholesome meal of rice mixed with saaru/rasam or sambar/huLi/kootu. Imagine hot sambar/kootu on rice with some ghee on top, that is a great combination. Kootu is a Karnataka style masale huLi/sambar, it is made with freshly roasted spices and ground with freshly grated coconut. Kootu also has a special type of tadka/vaggarne/tempering generally with groundnuts added to it. Any kind of vegetable can be used, doodhi/white pumpkin or mixed vegetables like carrots and beans can also be used instead of lauki/sorekayi. ... “Sorekayi Kootu | Sorekayi Masale Kootu | Lauki Masala Kootu”

Onion Pakoda | Eerulli Bajji | Kanda Bhaji | Onion Pakora | Onion Fritters

Crisp pakodas to enjoy on a rainy evening
07/10/2016 8:03:31 PM vindhyadesai

On a rainy monsoon evening everyone feels like eating something crisp and spicy. Onion pakodas will be in the top 5 things to make on such an evening. It is easy to rustle up this snack and I love eating a couple of them once in a while. Add subtle spices like ajwain (om) or jeera, it will aid in digestion. Ensure not to fry them on very high heat, fry them on medium heat to cook them all the way till the middle. Enjoy these crisp, karara, onion pakoda/ kanda bhaji(Marathi)/ onion fritters/ eerulli bajji(Kannada) with your cuppa. These snacks are famous world over and they even sell these cold in supermarkets. But homemade fresh hot pakodas are the best! ... “Onion Pakoda | Eerulli Bajji | Kanda Bhaji | Onion Pakora | Onion Fritters”

Mango Milkshake

Super creamy and thick mango milkshake
07/09/2016 4:20:08 PM vindhyadesai

If you have a lot of ripe mangoes at home when in season, whip up this super easy mango milkshake. Thick, creamy and chilled mango milkshake is one of the best ways to enjoy mangoes. I usually do not add any sugar, add some sugar if you like it sweet or the mangoes are a little sour. Ensure not to use very sour mangoes. ... “Mango Milkshake”

Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich | ALT

Crunchy avocado lettuce tomato sandwich
07/08/2016 8.11:11 AM vindhyadesai

A vegetarian version of the famous BLT, ALT is a very popular sandwich amongst vegetarians. It is crunchy yet soft and if you are looking for a low calorie, healthy sandwich then try this version of ALT. ... “Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich | ALT”

Chocolate Brownies

Rich chocolatey brownies with vanilla ice cream
07/06/2016 8:06:49 AM vindhyadesai

Cakes and brownies, who does not like them. Brownies can be eaten as a snack or an indulgent dessert served with vanilla ice cream. I have added bananas to this recipe and they give great flavour and moistness to brownies. Using only whole wheat flour will make brownies hard and chewy, I will add a recipe when I try out a good recipe and brownies turn out like brownies. ... “Chocolate Brownies”

Shenga Chutney | Groundnut Chutney | Kadalebeeja Chutney

Super tasty shenga/groundnut chutney a side dish for dosa, idlis
07/04/2016 8:14:37 PM vindhyadesai

If you are looking for a change from coconut chutney (which obviously is the easiest choice) for idlis and dosas, then shenga/kadalebeeja/groundnut chutney is a great choice. The grainy texture of groundnuts and the added flavour like amchur(dry mango powder) makes this chutney quite rich in taste. ... “Shenga Chutney | Groundnut Chutney | Kadalebeeja Chutney”

Paddu | Davanagere Benne Paddu | Gundupongala

Crisp, golden Davanagere benne paddu, served with groundnut chutney
07/03/2016 7:16:13 PM vindhyadesai

Again, a super-speciality dish from Karnataka, Davanagere benne paddu. Davanagere/Davangere is the famous city which has given the famous benne dosa, benne khaali dosa, benne paddu is another super tasty dish. Paddu/gundupongala, is it dosa? Is it idli? It looks both like soft idli and crisp dosa, tastes like dosa and a little soft inside. Make this instead of dosa or idli for a weekend morning breakfast. Making paddu needs a special type of pan which looks like an idli plate but is like a non-stick or cast iron skillet/tawa. Making paddus needs patience but once the paddu pan is  seasoned and is hot, paddus can be made easily. ... “Paddu | Davanagere Benne Paddu | Gundupongala”

Oats porridge with toasted nuts and raisins | Oatmeal with dry nuts

Healthy oats porridge with crunchy toasted dry nuts
07/02/2016 5:09:46 PM vindhyadesai

When people think of porridge they are not very excited about it and if it is made of oats it might further drive them away. Oat is a cereal grain rich in dietary and soluble fibre and is known to lower bad cholesterol. Oatmeal or porridge need not be boring or tasteless. If it is made the right way it can be very tasty.
Do not buy the microwaveable variety instead buy regular unrefined whole bran oatmeal. Make porridge in milk, it will be very tasty and creamy. Adding in a handful of toasted nuts spikes up the health quotient of you oatmeal. Oatmeal or porridge oats are best for making porridge whereas old fashioned rolled oats can be used for making oats upma, cereal bars, crisps etc. ... “Oats porridge with toasted nuts and raisins | Oatmeal with dry nuts”

Maavinakayi Chutney | Raw Mango Chutney

Mouth-watering raw mango chutney North Karnataka style
06/30/2016 10:01:22 PM vindhyadesai

A speciality chutney from North Karnataka. Raw mango chutney or maavinakayi chutney that can be preserved like a pickle for a good few weeks. It is very tasty and is a must-have side dish in most households in North Karnataka in summer. I learnt to make this from my mother, it is her signature chutney. Use raw mangoes which are not very sour so that a lot of jaggery is not required. Make a big jar of this, use it to smear on hot chapathis with ghee, hot steamed rice with chutney and groundnut oil and aralu sandige. This is a mouth-watering chutney, big bold flavours, spicy, tangy and sweet and a little bit of bitter from the methi seeds. The perfect balance! ... “Maavinakayi Chutney | Raw Mango Chutney”

Potato Corn Chowder

Creamy potato corn chowder with rustic dinner rolls
06/29/2016 6:20:41 PM vindhyadesai

A bowlful of creamy potato corn chowder after a long day, perfect! Chowder is a type of soup made using vegetables or seafood in a cream based sauce. It has it origins in England. The sauce is creamy and smooth generally thickened with a roux. Corn chowder is one of the most comforting foods, sweet corn kernels popping inside the mouth with thick cream based soup and potato chunks in the background, it is a super combination. Season with lots of black pepper for a lot of flavour. Enjoy this on a rainy night or a dull winter evening with some dinner rolls or bread toast. I served it with homemade wholewheat rustic dinner rolls. ... “Potato Corn Chowder”