Thakkali Kai Masiyal / Raw (green) Tomato Sambhar

Necessity is the Mother of Invention they say..does that apply to our kitchens?? Have there been times, when you decide to cook something, only to realize that you dont have the ingredients to make the dish :).. What do you do?? Do you make an alternative dish or land up substituting  a new ingredient, which becomes your signature dish, that everyone can stop raving about :D

Kothavarangai Paruppu Usili/ Cluster Beans Lentil Curry

Paruppu (Lentil) Usili is a very popular dish and is done on all auspicious occasions be it weddings or festivals! Its called Usili, when we powder the the lentil and mix it with veggies...The best part of this dish is, we can alternate the taste by using different veggies like beans, cluster beans, capsicum, banana flower or even broccoli :)..

Chocolate Burfi/Chocolate Fudge

The onset of August means its Festival time :))..Before marriage, i have absolutely not helped my amma for any preparations.. for me it was just a holiday.. She would be so annoyed.. that i sleep so late on a festival day.. being a girl how will i manage after marriage..how i should help & learn a little..It all fell on deaf ears :).. My only concern would be the festival food !!

Kothamalli Thogayal/Raw Cilantro Chutney

One of the other staple items in South Indian households in Thogayal..The best way i can possibly explain this is..its a thicker version of a chutney.But we have this by mixing it with rice and ghee/oil!

Badam Burfi/Almond Fudge

I confess i love sweets :)..i love savories as well..but given a choice, i think i would always choose sweets! With the exception of Bombay halwa, i think there is nothing i would say no too :))..But an all time favourite has always been Badam Halwa & Badam Burfi!! 

Eggless Apple Cake

Has there been times when you want to eat something & you just wont find them in your fridge.. and when you finally manage to get it.. there seems to be an overstock, which leaves you wondering 'How am i going to finish all of this now??'

Parangikai Vathakozhambu / Pumpkin Tamarind Sambhar

Assuming, this would be my last day on Earth and i am given a choice of one dish that i can have..then it has to be Vatha Kozhambu and Potato Fry! I am sure, anybody who has ever tasted this will agree with me :)).. Unlike other sambhar / kozhambu the tamarind water is boiled for a very long time, till it shrinks and thickens ( vathardhu meaning to drain/ shrink), hence the name!