Spicy White Peas Masala Curry/ Ragada

Today, I made Ragada—a flavorful curry that forms one half of the iconic Ragada Patties duo. Instead of pairing it with the traditional potato patties, I served it with soft rotis, and it worked wonderfully. The beauty of Ragada lies in its versatility; it pairs seamlessly with chapathi, roti, poori, rice, or even bread, making it a go-to dish for all occasions. Ragada is traditionally prepared using dried white peas (vatana), which I don’t use as often as garbanzo beans. While they look somewhat similar—both being round and pale in color—white peas are smaller and smoother compared to the rugged…

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Cabbage Rice – a lunch box recipe

I am usually on the lookout for new and interesting ideas to pack for my lunch. I prefer light lunches that way I continue feeling alert in the afternoons.  This rice recipe with cabbage works well, as it is light and not too heavy. It is easy to make and does not take a long time. If there is some left over rice from the previous night, then this gets done in a jiffy. All that is needed is to season and sauté the vegetables and then mix the powder and rice.  I use the readymade MTR brand Vaangi Bhaat…

Drumstick Sambhar

Sambar is one of the most loved lentil based dish in the South Indian cuisine. This versatile recipe of sambhar is  mom’s  and is one of her well loved recipes. This sambhar does not use the store bought powder instead the masala is made from scratch. Lentils, spices etc are roasted and then ground along with coconut and tamarind. Drumstick is the main vegetable in this, but you can substitute with other vegetables like brinjal, radish, carrots, beans etc.  Serves well with plain rice, idli, dosas or vadas.  Ingredients:  1 cup Tur dal 2-3 medium drumsticks ( cleaned and cut…

Banana Fritters/ Kele Mulik or Mulka

Mulka or Mulik as they are called in Konkani are fritters made from fruits like jackfruit and bananas. In most Konkani households they are usually made out of jackfruit and are called as ponsa mulka. But we make them using ripe bananas as well using the same procedure.  Also since it is difficult to find good quality of jackfruit here in the US, I resort to making them using bananas whenever I have some craving for them.  These are perfect if you want to have something sweet and have some over ripe bananas to be used. Crunchy on the outside…

Mexican Rice – for a picnic potluck

I had briefly mentioned about our picnic at the park in my earlier post in which few families got together and did a potluck. With heat looming, it was a weekend well spent, as the kids spent hours together splashing in the water, while the adults stayed in the shade chatting and enjoying the assortment of delicious food. The theme was chosen as Mexican cuisine and everybody pitched in food ideas. Some criteria to keep in mind was that the food had to be kid friendly, easily transportable and would not perish soon. I prepared this Mexican Rice along with…

Blueberry Yogurt Parfait

  Blueberries are powerhouse of nutrition! They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and rate very high on antioxidants capability. You knew that already didn’t you? Now that summer is here, the groceries are flooded with varieties of fresh berries. There are different ways in which I use the berries including the regular whip cream based parfait. This parfait turned out to be unexpected treat for us at home; an accidental oversight which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While doing the regular grocery I picked up a tub of blueberry yogurt instead of the regular plain yogurt. I…

Corn Salsa – picnic recipe

Picnic at the park with friends, delicious Mexican food, kids splashing in water, chit chat, laughter; this is a tidbit of how we spent one of our weekend evenings. It was a great way to unwind and sync up with friends; it also provided a much needed relief from the scorching summer heat.  Few of our friends decided to have a potluck picnic and I made this salsa along with Mexican Rice and Guacamole to take. This salsa is based on the recipe that is served at Chipotle Mexican Grill. This is one of our favorites and a few servings…