Geetha's Kitchen

Semia Payasam Semia Payasam is another wonderful pudding just like Pal Payasam (Rice and Milk pudding) that is often featured at feasts in South India; in fact no feast is complete without at least one kind of payasam. It is one of our family favorites and I love making it often. I like to offer payasams in general as a dessert as they tend to be the healthier with a low fat and low sugar content compared to other desserts. They are also easy to make with the least amount of prep work. Semia are fine noodles made from wheat just like vermicelli; they are called 'seviyan' in Hindi. Usually the payasam settles in the pan while cooking and is burnt very easily. I figured out the secret to making great payasams without all the constant stirring! One time I added the sugar to the milk by mistake but went ahead with the payasam rather than toss out the sugary milk. Well, that accident proved very useful! Now any time we want payasam, I just add the sugar to the milk a...

Corn Cakes are utterly delectable and very easy to make. They are scrumptious with  Tomato Chutney   but maybe served any time with any of your favorite accompaniments. Some even like it with ketchup! Serve the corn cakes as a light snack or lunch or dinner with roasted corn chowder or another soup , any salad or raita . Variations: Mix 1/2 tsp (or to taste) of Sambar Powder into the batter for a nice change. And/Or stir in 1 small grated zucchini or carrot or a little of both for beautiful color, delicious flavor and added nutrition. Adjust the seasoning of the batter when adding extra ingredients. Sambar Powder is a classic South Indian spice mix that even people who profess to dislike "curry" absolutely enjoy; it is readily available in Indian markets. My friend L is one such example who would probably balk at the thought of going to an Indian restaurant, but happily sprinkles Sambar Powder quite liberally in all sorts of dishes except of course her fabulo...

A lovely pasta salad with a bounty of colorful vegetables to celebrate Earth Day! Use your own favorite combination of vegetables - here is one of mine. Great for lunch bags too :)! A fabulous variation is to use Pesto (homemade or store-bought) with a little more  olive oil to dilute it and use this to dress the salad instead of other dressing. 8 main dish servings; Each serving as prepared below contains: 320 Calories; 13 g Protein; 8.5 g Fat; 12.8 g Fiber; and 46 g Carbohydrates. Ingredients: 1 lb Multi grain Pasta, any short type like penne or rotelle Salt to taste 1 large clove Garlic, chopped 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Orange or Red Bell Pepper (Capsicum) 1 Yellow Crookneck Squash 1 Zucchini 1 Leek OR 2 Green Onions OR 1 small Red Onion 1 small bulb Fresh Fennel or 2 ribs Tender Celery 10 Kalamata Olives (or any type) 2 cups Broccoli florets 4 to 6 Baby Artichokes 3 Ripe Tomatoes 1/4 cup Fresh Italian Parsley 1/4 cup Fresh Basil Leaves 2 tsp ...

Molagushyam is another classic Kerala stew that we adored as children. Although it does not sport an impressive list of herbs or spices, it is simply divine and satisfying. I have only seen it served for family meals and never at any formal occasions. It definitely belongs in the homey, comfort food category. It is one of Amma's favorite dishes too; she would forgo the traditional rice in favor of enjoying a little more molagushyam! I remember that although she preferred using the Indian 'thali' or stainless steel plate instead of porcelain plates or bowls in general, she would bring out the wide soup bowls with a big smile to serve the molagushyam :). According to Ayur Veda, mung beans are restorative and strength building. Mung bean, especially the split yellow dal, generally leads the list of the "pathiam" or convalescent foods which are the traditional get-well foods which are easy to digest and nutritious. Mung beans provide high quality nutr...

Channa Payesh is an easy, breezy recipe - a wonderful make-ahead dessert based on freshly made Indian Channa or Paneer Cheese. If you use the ricotta cheese or store-bought paneer, there is absolutely no cooking involved at all! It is utterly divine with fresh berries, mangoes, peaches, etc. 8 Servings Nutrition Information per serving as prepared with ricotta cheese without any fruit: 163 Calories; 7.1 g protein; 14.1 g carbohydrates; 8.1 g fat Ingredients: 1 lb Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese or fresh Paneer 6 Tbsp Sugar or to taste 2 tsp Rose or Kewra Water 1/4 cup Almonds(blanched if preferred), coarsely ground 2 Tbsp Pistachios, finely chopped Fresh fruits of your choice (Optional) Fresh Rose Petals (Optional) Method: Cream the ricotta cheese with the sugar until light and creamy in a food processor. If using paneer you may need to use a few spoons of cream to moisten as necessary. Stir in the rose or kewra water and the almonds and mix well. Cover well and chill for at least 4 h...

Here is a Kerala classic that is at home with fancy feasts or modest meals. My sister won a prize when she entered this recipe at the Mango Festival! According to my sister 'Parikkai Fry' (Bitter Melon Stir Fry ) is the perfect dish to balance and accompany the sweet Mango Pulisseri :). Mangoes are returning after a long winter and now is the time to try this recipe. No feast in Kerala is complete without Mango Pulisseri especially during mango season! Another one of our childhood favorites that we were always happy to eat! Firm mature mangoes work best for this curry. Whether or not you add sugar depends upon the sweetness of the mangoes and/or how sweet you like the curry. Taste a piece of the uncooked mango first to decide. We like the pulisseri tart or sweet. With the sweet one it is nice to serve parikkai fry ; with the tart one I like to serve some type of paruppu usli curry (sautéed vegetables with steamed and seasoned dal). Note: For a dairy free...

Brown Rice and Barley Pongal is a very healthy and delicious food. I make it nonfat (see the directions below) so that individuals can decide to add ghee/butter if they choose. I love to include barley in everyday cooking as much as possible. Pleasant tasting barley grains are a good source of B vitamins and soluble fiber that helps reduce cholesterol and lowers your risk of heart disease. According to Ayurveda principles, barley is good for the reproductive/urinary tract health especially in women. Barley tea or water is a highly recommended beverage to prevent swollen legs and feet for pregnant women in Southern India. 6-8 Servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup Brown Rice 1/2 cup Barley 1 handful each : Chana Dal, Toor Dal, Masoor Dal, Split Mung Dal with skin, and Red Chori (Karamani) beans 1 tsp Turmeric 2 tsp Salt or to taste Thalippu/Tadka: 2 Tbsp Oil,  Ghee or Unsalted Butter 1- 2 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns (Mulaku) 1 Tbsp Whole Cumin Seeds (Jeera) Method: ...

Assorted Roasted Veggies The roasted vegetables make for wonderfully tasty and nutritious sandwiches and wraps especially with homemade Pesto . If you roast a few extra veggies, they can be used to make the delectable Tricolor Pasta with them. Use your favorite breads and cheeses to make the sandwiches. Some of my favorite breads are Chapatis(whole wheat tortillas), ciabatta, sourdough, or French rolls, and lavash. I vary the cheeses each week; Cheddar, Jack, Cream Cheese, Goat Cheese, Feta Cheese and fresh Mozzarella among others - all are delicious :). These make great school lunches along with some crunchy sprout salad or chopped salad and a fresh fruit; I put the pasta, salads or veggie slices in a leak-proof resealable plastic bags and include a fork/spoon. Bon apetit! In answer to a good question that came up about the use of cheeses in vegetarian cooking: I am a vegetarian too and use the specific cheeses mentioned in this recipe - they are made with only mi...

These are not true bajjis; they probably belong to the pakoda category. Traditionally bajjis are vegetable slices or pieces dipped in batter and deep fried whereas pakodas are made from a dough formed by mixing all the ingredients including finely chopped veggies. I made these recently for teatime to celebrate congenial company. It is an old recipe from Amma and it is absolutely delicious. I have only eaten them at our house so this recipe seems to be another one of Amma's clever creations. Amazing to say the least, Amma was incredibly inventive; if one ingredient was not available, she found a replacement that worked just as well or even better. It is my guess that perhaps she substituted the whole wheat flour for the traditional besan for some reason - I am glad she did :)! Using whole wheat offers a delectable change from the typical bajjis made with besan (chick pea or garbanzo flour). Do include the rice flour for crispness; otherwise the bajjis will be softer....

The white pasta, delectable bright red roasted bell pepper, and the succulent greens make a lovely presentation of the Italian flag colors but includes an international cast of vegetables such as Italian Zucchini, Japanese Eggplant, and Chinese Bok Choy :)! The fact that the vegetables can be prepared ahead of time makes it very convenient. The bell peppers, eggplant, broccoli, and zucchinis can be roasted one or two days before and refrigerated until ready to use. In fact you can bake extra veggies when preparing Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches and save the extra for this dish or vice versa. Wash, dry and slice the greens and herbs one day before. Then on the day of serving, cook the pasta, the garlic and tender greens, and combine all together. Use gluten free pasta if you wish; cook them according to package directions. 8 Servings Ingredients: 1 lb dry pasta, any type 1/2 lb Baby Bok Choy 2 large Red Bell Peppers 2 medium Japanese or Chinese Eggplants ...

Mixed sprout salad As the season warms I am longing for lighter foods like simple, crunchy, munchy, sprout salad that is not only healthy, but also delicious. Makes a wonderful snack for lunch bags too! Snacks like these are sold by street vendors all over India. There is absolutely no cooking involved - the sprouts are raw! so the salad goes together very quickly. You can use homemade sprouts or buy them from the store. If you are not a fan of raw sprouts, steam them lightly. Chat Masala is readily available in Indian Grocery Stores. You can use just salt and pepper and a little ground roasted cumin seeds or other herbs/seasonings instead as another option. 4 servings Nutrition Information (As prepared below): 38 Calories, 1.6 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 0.15 g fat Ingredients: 1 cup fresh sprouts , any kind or a mixture 1 medium Carrot, diced 1 small Red Bell Pepper, diced 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro(Coriander Leaves) and/or Italian Parsley, chopped 1 small cucumber, diced 1/2 sma...

Lentils, Peas, Red Chori, Mung, Brown Chick Peas Dry ones in the foreground; soaked ones behind It is very easy to sprout various dried beans and peas. Sprouting does take a little planning though; it takes about 2 to 4 days from start to sprout (in warmer weather the seeds sprout quicker). This is also an educational and fun "cooking" activity for children - they can eat their experiment :) !! As you probably know, children will most likely eat what they help prepare. You don't need any special equipment for sprouting; just any bowl and a clean piece of cloth will do. I like using glass jars for my sprouts; I love watching the progression from seed to sprout. It is fun to have a few types going at the same time. I sprout and store the different types of beans in their own containers and mix them for specific dishes as needed. Sprouts make a nice addition to all types of dishes - salads , Chundal , Bajji , Adai , Corn Cakes, Molakootal, Kootu, stir-fries, c...