Vegetable Poha (Avalakki / Aval Upma)

Poha Flattened rice (also called beaten rice) is also called Avalakki in Kannada, Atukulu in Telugu and Aval in Tamil. This vegetable Poha is one of our favorite go-to meals. I make this whenever we are in a hurry or have to eat something healthy or just don’t know what to cook. It is light tasting, healthy, full of nutrients but yet manages to fill the stomach for an hour or two. Poha tends to have a dry taste after few bites, so some tips to overcome this is to add slightly more oil during seasoning, more onions, add some…

Poori and Vegetable Saagu (Karnataka Style)

Growing up, Poori (fried flour flatbread) was always my first choice whenever we dined out. Of course, I often skipped the accompanying chutney, Potato Bhaji, Korma, or Potato Masala back then because they felt too spicy for my young palate. Over time, I grew accustomed to their flavors, and soon enough, my love for Poori expanded to include the side dishes too. I even reached a point where I found myself visiting restaurants just to savor their chutneys and Vegetable Saagu—though the Poori was still the main attraction! These experiences came from old-school, traditional eateries that focused on the authentic…

No masala, No Oil Green Chili Lemon Pickle (Achar)

Not so long ago we had one of those lazy weekends where we did not feel like cooking much , did not feel like going to restaurant either and just lazed around, made just plain rice and simple daal. But then when hunger struck us we were left drooling and thinking of different possibilities, options and more yummy stuff to munch along with the plain food. Dear Husband (DH): “Wish we had a simple lemon pickle at least and that would have kicked up a notch of this plain food. We need to make it next time and keep it…

Cucumber Kosambari / Taushe Koshimbir

Kosambari is a typical and traditional saladin Karnataka. It is prepared during major festivals, auspicious occasions, and marriages and even offered as ‘prasada’ in temples. This is also called as Koshimbir in Konkani and Maharashtra and is very easy to prepare. Kosumbari does not involve any cooking, it is basically a mix of soaked lentil and raw vegetable of choice (cucumber or carrot or both) with right seasoning.  It is very high in protein and also has a cooling effect on the body because of Moong Daal and Cucumber.   Kosambari tends to become runny if kept for a long…

Announcing Herb Mania – Fenugreek

This month’s herb for the Herb Mania Event is Fenugreek. This event was started by Dee of Ammalu’s Kitchen and when I checked with her, she graciously agreed to let me host the event for this month. Thank you dear Dee for giving me this opportunity. I am also nervous and excited as I am hosting a blog event for the first time. Fenugreek is used both as an herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). Methi has been widely used for its culinary and medicinal properties. Fenugreek is mainly used as a digestive aid. Supplements of fenugreek…

Oven Baked Potato Basil Fries/ Healthy French Fries

Oven baked potatoes fries are a frequent at our house especially on Sunday’s. This along with our regular Lima Beans Saar, Upkari and a salad is something that makes our Sunday lunch special. This is a very good alternative to those deep-fried fat laden potato fries. Peeled potato are cut into strips and then baked in the oven. Sweet potatoes can also be baked similar way and forms a wonderful accompaniment to any meal. This is a good one for the kids too.  I have used sweet dried basil as on of the seasoning. This is readily available in regular…

Bhindi in Spicy Coconut Curry/ Bhendi Masala Curry/ Okra Curry

  I am not exactly an electronic or a gadget buff unlike the other half who literally drools over anything that has “technology” written over it. But then after some deliberation I brought this sleek Media Player by Creative and I am so glad I did it. It is the size of a credit card, lightweight and easy to carry around. One of its cool features (at least in my opinion) is the option to play FM stations and so I have preset some of my favorite stations into it. I listen to it during work especially when there is…