RecipeMuncher

Sometimes being a vegetarian is tough.Since I don’t eat even egg, it becomes a critical thing. Not on the choice of eating, mind you. But in terms of explaining to kids on why you don’t eat. I have always wanted Konda to eat non veg. And thought if she wants to stop, she can decide when she is old enough. So everytime I make chicken or mutton, I tell her that its good for health and she should eat. She gets right back and asks why I don’t eat. I say I don’t like, so I don’t eat. She says eat egg atleast, that’s so healthy right. Now what should I say. Finally I lost my temper and told her never to ask me to eat again. I know poor darling was upset but I tried my best to explain. Not sure if there were better ways to make her understand more. Anyway that left me resolving to handle things better!

This curry was also something that initiated such discussions. Parents had joined us for Sunday lunch. So we made chicken for everybody and this Paneer curry for Amma and myself. I d…

Its just like the kids to sleep when they have to get up early! Everyday they almost get up before their time and today when I wanted to take the twins for their vaccine shots, they won’t budge. Finally we had to wake them and get them ready fast. Its almost been a long time since they went out in the day time and a see through glass. Peddu was jubilant all through the way, getting excited at the fast vehicles going with us. He was going Ba, Ca, Bi, meaning Bus, Car and Bike. He was even doing a dance step to express his joy. Met the doctor and Peddu won’t allow him to touch. Normally he doesn’t complain. Not sure why he was so cranky. Once done, we took them for the shots. We had a tough time holding them in place. And Peddu even wanted to hit the nurse. Poor darlings, on their way back, it took them a while to get back to their sunny selves. So as a treat, they didn’t got to school.

Coming to these yummy vadas, these get done in flat 10 mins, if you are in a hurry. Of cour…

It was a sunny Sunday morning. I was up all early and not sure what to do. Of course, I have a dear space where I can relax and talk about what goes in our parts of the wood. But somehow I wasn’t up to staring at the screen so early. So sat out with a cuppa of coffee and wondering how the day is going to pass. With Hubby dear not around, we don’t usually plan for cooking anything. Kids were still sleeping and I remembered that I didn’t remember to soak the channa for the poori, which is our customary Sunday breakfast.

When I got inside, I saw Athamma all ready and up. Yeah, she has the task of making Sunday Neivethyam, so she was all bathed and had things cooking on the stove! When asked what’s cooking, she said she had the Moong Dal in cooker. I feel sorry for her, gone are those days when she used to relax on Sundays. Now since they got into the habit of pooja on Sunday morning, she has to be all ready early morning and on top, decide what to prepare for Neivethyam. Since …

We were getting bored with the same vegetables for dinner. And Athamma was trying her level best to get back Cluster Beans back on menu. I was opposing quite strongly for a while, but I can’t always hold back on this right. Cluster beans is called Gorchikudukaya or Mattikaya in Telugu and Kothavarangai in Tamil. Well I must say this beans is quite loved at home. Guess I have already said enough about this in Cluster Beans Curry ~ Mattikaya Kura!

Finally Athamma persuaded me to make this again. I believe this variety is her mom’s specialty dish that’s made along with Jonna Roti. So you can imagine the reaction from hubby dear. He started reminiscing about the wonders of his grandma’s cooking. The rustic and traditional way of cooking, …

Printable recipe here.

This is one of those recipes I have come up with over the years. When I first started cooking, I was a bit out of my depth finding an “easy to put together” vegetable, lentil or anything that would be good with chappathis.
In my parents rice eating south Indian home (and my husband’s), chappathis were not considered “filling” enough for lunch or dinner but more of a “tiffin”. So while I didn’t find it too difficult to cook up a south Indian meal, finding something (to serve with chappathis or parathas) that was easy to cook, wholesome and tasty took a little longer.
I have since added a few such recipes or come up with my own concoctions that are now a part of my regular cooking.

Spicy Whole Masoor (Puy Lentils) Dal by Aparna

Tags: Dal, Lentils, Masoor, Puy, Spicy