Tales from the kitchen, culinary techniques, cultural practices, recipes,travel, health and life
My classmate in school loves the Indian Chai. She always keeps asking for Chai. In many of the Coffee Chains like Starbucks, Peets coffee etc Chai has become a famous drink.Although they call it Chai tea- which actually means tea tea, because Chai means tea. I remember waking up to my mom and dad with... Continue Reading →
Boodida Gummadikaya or Ashgourd Halwa is a popular recipe from Andhra Pradesh in which grated ahgourd is cooked in milk and ghee and made into a sweetened pudding. Ashgourd is used as a symbol to ward off the evil eye and as a blessing to families and hence is made on festivals like Diwali.Preparation time30... Continue Reading →
Having settled in the US for quite a few years now, the few things we can never replace living here is the festivals and the fruits of India.Mango being the number one fruit I miss, this Jamun ranks the second "the Indian Blackberry" also called as Kalakhatta or Neredu Pandu in Telugu,Naga Pazham in Tamil,... Continue Reading →
Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a single layer cake baked on a bed of brown sugar,butter and pineapple and served upside down once it has baked.The pineapple, brown sugar and butter caramelize into a golden syrup during the baking process and ooze into the cake thus making a scrumptious dessert.Preparation time60 minutesServes8Serving Size1/8 recipeCalories Per... Continue Reading →
A Kudumu is a rice flour dumpling steamed with either salt(savory) or jaggery(sweet).This recipe is for the sweeter kind with jaggery and rice flour with ghee.A typical recipe made in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, these are also shaped as a fist of the hand or flat disks.I remember eating them as a kid from... Continue Reading →
Modak is known to be the favorite sweet of Lord Ganesha.The typical Modak shape originated from Maharashtra although variations of the recipe in different shapes exist in other parts of India.These are made with a jaggery and coconut filling called with other names as Teepi Kudumulu, Kozhukattai, Sihi Kadubu etc.This recipe is a variation of... Continue Reading →
Rumchata is a alcoholic version of Horchata (a rice based drink from Spain).This is readily available in stores all over US.I created a mousse from the rumchata and served it along with some churros and pineapple bits and caramel topping and I really loved the way flavors played with each other in this dessert and... Continue Reading →
"Neela Megha Sareera" they call him, comparing his body with a hue of the blue clouds.As we celebrate Sree Krishna Janmashtami, I was thinking what new dish can I prepare which embodies the festival.So I decided to make Malai Peda but with blueberries added in it, symbolizing the blue hue of Lord Krishna.Preparation time30 minutesServes20Serving... Continue Reading →
Payasam is fondly called the king of sweets in South India.There is not one occasion where Payasam or one of its cousins is not included on the menu.The base of this dish is milk and includes a starch like tapioca or rice or vermicelli and jaggery or sugar.Sometimes coconut milk and coconut are also added... Continue Reading →
As I write this post I am recollecting very fond memories of my childhood.Back in the day every woman that got married and moved away from her parents had an elder neighbor lady helping her out getting upto speed with cooking and house chores.My mom had one such aunt living in our downstairs apartment and... Continue Reading →
Prathima Koneru 