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Swanky Little Millet Idli & Dosa

In Recipes on 1 March 2015 at 1:28 pm

Well well well, aren’t we getting adventurous?  These Swanky Little Millet Idlis have no rice at all, not that we don’t love rice, but if you were looking for ways to eat more millets (aren’t we all?) I can’t say enough about సామలు known in English as Little Millet and in Punjabi as Swank.  Yes, Swank.  So here are the names in various languages – check if your store has them so that you can get your swank on!

sama and urad mini idlis4

Little Idlis made of Little Millet and Urad.

Hindi: Kutki, Shavan | Gujarati:  Gajro, Kuri| Kannada: Same, Save
Marathi:  Sava, Halvi, Vari | Oriya:  Suan
Punjabi: Swank | Tamil:  Samai | Telugu: Samalu

The idlis are very easy to prepare.  Note that the grey color comes from the chilka (peel) of the urad and not from the millet which is an off-white or beige color.   You can use the same batter to make dosas or uttappams. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kodo Millet Idli and Dosa – easier done than said

In Recipes on 15 January 2015 at 11:32 am
Kodo millet idli served with pacchadi and sambar

Kodo millet idli served with pacchadi and sambar

If you were looking for a way to eat more and different millets, then you have come to the right place.   After years of talking about millets I realized I had only been using finger millet and more recently foxtail millet whereas there are so many more kinds of millet!  Was I ready to expand my millet horizons? Read the rest of this entry »

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Tricolour Kura

In Recipes on 27 August 2014 at 2:34 am

This tricolour kura is really simple and looks pretty.  Great for potlucks or just for everyday dinners.

Peas, carrots and tofu kura.

Peas, carrots and tofu kura.

Ingredients:

Note that all of these measurements are guesswork on my part as I have never measured them and am unlikely to do so. Read the rest of this entry »


Simple Tomato Soup

In Recipes on 17 July 2014 at 12:35 pm

As always, Amma promises you simple recipes, the kind that you will actually make and not longingly admire on the page.  Considering how easy it is to get actually ripe tomatoes in India, it is a wonder that dry soup mixes even make it to market.   Their appeal could be that they are popular in Western countries where the growing season is shorter and “vine ripened” tomatoes merit special announcement in the grocery store.  Here we get tomatoes that are heavy with juice, red through and through and bursting with flavor.

Soup simmers in iron wok

Soup simmers in iron wok

The yumminess of this soup depends on the tomato so don’t try this if the inside of your tomato looks pale and hollow.  Most of the soup mixes and cans use an inferior quality of tomato and add sugar, fat and artificial flavor to compensate.  A fresh, ripe tomato Read the rest of this entry »

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Korra Pulihara

In Recipes on 3 July 2014 at 7:55 pm

Korra PuliharaWe are certainly not the first to post a recipe for కొర్ర పులిహార, but we just may be the most popular – that depends on you 😉  Fortunately we have millet champion Sunitha from Seattle who has a direct link to the Millets Initiative in Ananthapur and brought home a variety of millets last time she went to visit the farmers there.  Foxtail Millet is a small grain that cooks easily.  Just as we eat different vegetables every day, why not different grains? asks Dinesh of village Kadri.  Dinesh coordinates the Millets Initiative in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh.   As someone who eats rice every day, all I can say is, “what a concept!”

Sunitha makes it look so easy and we lose no time getting the good news to you. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chocolate-Date Muffins

In Recipes on 21 June 2014 at 1:10 am

Made with whole wheat, sprouted ragi and dates, these chocolate muffins are wholesome enough to have for breakfast!  Or any time of day – not to mention they are so easy to pack for travel.  Stun your friends at the next potluck.  When we saw Chef Disha proudly display her creation, we asked her Amma to share the recipe.

Basic Vegan Chocolate Muffins (recipe adapted from Veganosaurus)

Disha shows us how it's done.

Disha shows us how it’s done.

Read the rest of this entry »


Baking bread at home

In Recipes on 17 June 2014 at 11:46 am
Today's loaf of bread

Today’s loaf of bread

When I first baked bread I used the recipe in Laurel’s Kitchen.  For years I followed this and usually baked one loaf every weekend.  It would be an afternoon’s undertaking, with all the mixing and kneading, waiting, kneading again and rising and baking.  It tended to be crumbly but we inhaled it all the same. Read the rest of this entry »

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Party Treats

In Recipes, What on 15 January 2014 at 2:30 pm

I’d have called this post “Healthy Party Treats” but in present company that goes without saying, doesn’t it?  When I was little, people used the word “healthy” pronounced hell-thee as a synonym for “fat.”  I would say “euphemism” except that it was actually kind of a compliment.  Pleasantly plump, with pleasantly understood.  Ah how times change.

Tender Coconut - fun for all ages

Tender Coconut – fun for all ages

What makes a food a party food …?  Is it merely something you don’t eat every day, eaten in the company of people you don’t meet every day?  Which if you think about it, means almost anything counts!  A plate of carrot sticks will disappear in no time amidst a lively crowd and yet who would think of carrots as party food? Read the rest of this entry »

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Pizza – Vegetarian and Vegan

In Recipes on 29 December 2013 at 4:11 am
Baked Pizza

Home-Baked Pizza

Recently I overheard a mother talk about having her children have one turn a week to plan the meals, as long as they were healthy.  As an example of what would not do, she stated,”It can’t be pizza!” Pizza is however, one of the healthiest dinners I know.    Using whole wheat dough to make the crust, and plenty of vegetables for the topping, I don’t see where you can go wrong! Read the rest of this entry »

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Vegan Delights

In Recipes on 29 December 2013 at 4:00 am

Ever since Sejal posted her recipe for Coconut-fig ice-cream, there has been a flurry of interest in vegan food.  With the new year coming, one of the resolutions some of us toy with is to try to reduce our dependence on animal products, or eliminate them from our diet altogether.  Cause we’re cool like that.

Whether for health, ethical or environmental reasons, or just to spruce up our foodie stripes, most of us could diversify our diets by bringing in some vegan items onto our menus.   Here are some fun ones to get the ball rolling.

Banana Delight
Colourful fruit sticks
Slice of vegan pizza

Read the rest of this entry »