Geetha's Kitchen

We grew up loving this classic South Indian vegetable dish. Puli Kuthi Poduthul literally means "cooked in tamarind with streusel sprinkles". I remember that Thathi (our grandmother) used to make a large pan full of this dish and she would save a spoonful of it to savor piece by piece slowly as the finale of her meal. Arbi or Taro root is delicious and cooks up velvety - the children call them 'velvety potatoes'! The only Caveat is that ARBI MUST BE COMPLETELY COOKED UNTIL SOFT BECAUSE IT CONTAINS CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTALS WHICH AFFECT THE MUCUS MEMBRANES IN A PINS AND NEEDLES OR TINGLING SENSATION UNLESS COOKED COMPLETELY. COOKING RENDERS THEM HARMLESS BY DESTROYING THE OXALATE CRYSTALS. Arbi or Taro is just like the Rhubarb that must be cooked to be edible; so don't let the warning scare you away :).  According to Elizabeth Schneider of The Essential Reference - Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini, taro or arbi has probably been cultivated and eaten in ...

This is a simple but delicious raita without onions. It goes together quickly for daily meals. I like making this raita to augment an otherwise simple meal. Use as little salt as possible; raitas in general taste better with less salt. Ingredients: 2 medium Zucchinis, grated coarsely 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped (Optional) 2 cups thick fresh Yogurt 1/2 cup Sour Cream (no-fat or low fat is fine) 1/4 tsp Salt or to taste Tadka/Thalippu: 1 tbsp oil 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds 1 pinch Asafoetida (OPtional) 1 Tbsp Urad dal (split, skinless) 1 or 2 green chili, finely chopped 1 sprig fresh Curry Leaves Method: Mix grated zucchinis, salt and cilantro in a bowl. Make the tadka: heat the oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal. As soon as the dal turns pinkish, add asafoetida and green chili and curry leaves. Cook for one minute and pour over the vegetables. Combine the yogurt and the sour cream and mix well with the vegetables; use right away or chill until ready to ser...

Ghee is the invention of some clever ancient housewife who figured out a simple way to preserve butter. Ghee is simply the rendered milk fat minus the moisture or the milk solids; the added bonus is that ghee does not need any refrigeration. With its browned buttery and nutty flavor, ghee is wonderful to have on hand to add flavor to many dishes from steamed vegetables or toast to complex curries. Rasam, Sambar, Dal, etc. get an extra boost of flavor when the tadka/thalippu for them is made with ghee; and It is used in Middle Eastern and some African cuisines also. Although one can buy ghee at the Indian markets, the flavor of homemade ghee is incomparable! It is deceptively simple to make; it doesn't require undue attention and I usually make it while preparing dinner or am otherwise busy in the kitchen. I like to make small fresh batches so generally use no more than one pound of butter at a time. Ingredients: 1 lb Unsalted Butter Method: Heat the but...

This dish is simplicity itself. It is absolutely essential to use the freshest, ripest tomatoes - so it is a great salad to make in the summertime when tomatoes are abundant. The taste of sun-ripened tomatoes, the crunchy bite of red onions and the fragrant cilantro with its citrus overtones - mmm, it is to live for :)! And the freshly roasted cumin adds its nutty, spice magic that marries everything together. We came across some friends whom we hadn't seen in about 15-20 years and the first thing they did was to reminisce about how much they enjoyed this raita :)...... Truly unforgettable! Ingredients: 4 Ripe Tomatoes 1 Red Onion 1 Jalapeño Chili (Optional) 1 small bunch Cilantro 2 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds 1 cup Thick Yogurt 1/2 cup Sour Cream Salt to taste Method: Peel the onion, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel; cut in half end to end and slice crosswise thinly into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle a pinch of salt over them. Wash and dry the chili if using, cut in half leng...

Pulav is simply Indian fried rice with vegetables (without the frying). Amma used to make it almost daily with fresh vegetables for the little ones. One can use a 12 oz. package of frozen mixed vegetables when in a hurry. All one needs is raita (vegetable salad with yogurt) or vegetable salaad to complete the meal. Basmati Rice with its long and fragrant grains is the perfect rice for making pulavs. We love the flavor of roasted whole peppercorns; they lose their heat and become mellow when cooked in ghee. But if whole peppercorns look intimidating, by all means use them freshly ground. Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati, Jasmine, or your favorite rice 1 tsp Salt or to taste 1 small Onion, finely chopped 1 lb of assorted vegetables, see below 1 pinch of Turmeric 2 to 4 Tbsp Ghee or Unsalted Butter 1 pinch Whole Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp whole Black Pepper or Freshly ground Black Pepper (Optional) 4 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped (Optional) Method: Prepare fresh vegetables in medium bite si...

Zucchinis are the vegetables of choice our house ever since Amma used them instead of the ubiquitous cucumbers. We love cucumbers but unless made and eaten right away, cucumbers make it runny with its abundant water content. (It is also a great way to use the tender zucchinis from your exuberant zucchini plants in your garden.) Now the raita is absolutely delicious and is never watery at all! This is exactly how Amma made it. This raita makes a wonderful appetizer paired with warm roti /whole wheat/corn tortillas, Naan or other breads, your favorite chips, and fried or roasted papadams. If you do not want dairy in your food, try Non-Dairy Zucchini Pachadi/Raita which is almost the same as this one but without the dairy. Ingredients : 2 large ripe tomatoes 2 large tender Zucchini 1 small Red Onion 1 small bunch Fresh Cilantro 1 tsp Salt 2 Tablespoons finely grated Fresh or frozen Coconut 2 cups fresh thick Yogurt 1 cup Sour Cream Tadka/Thalippu: ...