Hot, hot from my Kitchen, my Tawa, my Kadai: No gourmet cook or foodie, only regular healthy, nutritious and sumptuous home food for me sans window dressing. I am poor in presentation! Food is spiritual for us, I come from a family that served Gods first (Mother Goddess Annapurna) and crows waiting for the tiny morsels early morning in our terrace, before we touched our breakfast. Food is therapy down south, because Vazhaipoo (the banana flower) benefits the uterus for instance, the banana stem (Vaazhai Thandu) scours clean the most natural way our bladder and kidneys preventing stones. Turmeric (haldi) prevents Alzheimer’s. Neem cures poxes and Keezhanelli greens treat jaundice successfully (stolen and patented by the west for private profit). No way exotic, this is staple everyday South Indian or Thamizh Nadu cuisine. We infuse herbs, fresh leafy veggies everything into our food plus a plethora of natural (masala) spices that make our Desi Curry unique. Home cooking is also cathartic, therapeutic to some like me. Food is not only about catering to one of our five senses, it is also a holistic experience for food lovers like me. I love cooking for family and friends. And last but not the least: food is the shortest way to a man’s heart. The best aphrodisiac if you ask me! Explains ‘Culinary Porn!’ Here is a small serving from my platter:
madras filter coffee
broccoli soup
wet grinding the idli batter: urad dal
idlis
doas on my tawa…
kuzhi paniyaram in the nonstick tawa
the lentilly spicy ‘adai’ with curry leaf powder (kariveppilai podi)
mixing veggies for oothappam in the sour leftover idli batter
oothappam with milagai podi
kuzhi paniyaram, the chettinad dish
urad dal vada
hakka vegetable fried noodles – south indian restaurant style
vaazhaippoo (banana flower) vada
sabudana vada
hot spicy vegetable cutlet home made – with beetroot mostly
yam (suran) cutlet
red chutney (tomato chutney)
adhrak chai (ginger tea)
pan pizza or vegetable omelette, guess!
poha kheer
ven pongal the staple tamil brunch, served with coconut chutney and lentil sambar
methi paratta with aloo mutter subzi
tofu mushroom biryani
puliyodhara (spicy tamarind rice) with avial
muttar panneer pulao
lemon chawal/rice
coconut rice
vaangi bath with papad
garlic in my wicker basket
boiled vegetables for avial
avial (mixed vegetable stew) tamil nadu style
panneer mutter pulao
murungai keerai poriyal
my basic spice box for seasoning: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pepper etc
soaked tamarind in tepid water
kathirikkai-mochakottai what a combination in kozhambu: baingan-val dal kozhambu
vendhaya (fenugreek seed) kozhambu
Paruppu keerai masiyal
cooked methi greens mashed with pressure cooked thoor dal
vendhaya keerai masiyal: methi dal mash
vendaikkai morkozhambu – bindi kaddi
cucumber-tomato-onion raitha
avial : no tamil wedding without avial
vaazhai thandu, the banana stem
vaazhai poo, the banana flower
bindi
bitterguard cooked in jaggery with methi-dal mash
yam mash
carrot cabbage peanut masala puttu
kachcha or unripe mango cooked with jaggery (gur): manga vella pachchdi
aloo methi
greenpeas soya tomato thokku
vaazhathandu paruppusili: banana stem roasted with spicy lentil
mushroom roast
aloo mutter
karela (bitter guard) roast
mango milk shake
nannari sherbet with a dash of lime
home remedy: hot milk with a pinch of turmeric and black pepper powder for cough and sore throat
home remedy: betel leaf with pana vellam (palm sugar) and black pepper 2-3 for cough and cold: fold and eat thrice to 5 times a day
pakora korma, the diwali special
payatham paruppu payasam: channa dal kheer with jaggery base
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