Geetha's Kitchen

This delicious duo is unbeatable for making any breakfast or dessert super special.  I whipped these up one morning to serve with breakfast for some very special people :).  Use any combination of frozen or fresh berries - I use whatever I have on hand.  These sauces are fantastic on their own as  a snack or dessert or over pancakes and as toppings for yogurt, ice cream, pudding , etc. Chunky Applesauce Applesauce   4-6 servings Ingredients: 4 large Apples, one kind or assorted 1 generous pinch Sea Salt 1 Cinnamon Stick or 1/2 tsp ground 2-4 Tbsp Water 1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice a little grating of fresh Nutmeg, 1 pinch Method: Wash, core, and chop the apples; peeling is not necessary but you can if you wish. Place apples, cinnamon, salt and a couple of Tbsp of water in a pan and cook covered until the fruit is soft - this might take about 5 minutes or so.  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Remove fr...

A Puzhukku is simply a fragrant stew flavored with coconut, chiles, cumin seeds and fresh curry leaves; karamani (dried cow peas/red chori beans), are often added to vegetable puzhukkus to make them hearty. Puzhukku is a traditional home-style thick Kerala stew to accompany plain rice or kanji (gruel typically made with a grain like rice, wheat, etc). This one is made with Kabocha squash, a sweet pumpkin-like winter squash with green skin and usually the traditional karamani beans. Black-eyed peas make a great substitute when karamani/cow peas are not available as they are in the same family and very close in taste. Black-eyed peas are eaten on New Year's Day for good luck according to the Southern tradition in the United States - a very tasty and nutritious tradition that I am very happy to observe :). They are a great addtition to Mathan Puzhukku.  The chiles, cumin, and coconut flavor the stew beautifully; the protein-rich black-eyed peas balance the sweetness of the s...

Sweet Potato Pancake with Brown Sugar Syrup and Pecans These delicious and toothsome pancakes are heavenly; they remind me of pecan pralines with the brown sugar "butter" sauce and toasted pecans!  All the recipes I have seen use cooked, mashed sweet potatoes; too much hassle for me!   So, I created and tweaked my own recipe to use raw, grated sweet potatoes.  It goes together rather quickly to produce delectable pancakes.  I serve them with the brown sugar sauce, fresh chunky applesauce and/or luscious orange slices.  The leftover cakes hold up quite well and are delicious with the  cranberry thokku  too for a savory option! These make a perfect breakfast/brunch for company or special occasion.  I am serving these for the New Year's day this year!  Happy New Year's Day Everyone! Any extra sauce may be saved in a covered jar and refrigerated; warm gently until heated through when ready to use.  It makes a great topp...

Quinoa Soup is a treasure I found on a recent trip to Peru to add to my collection of fantastic soups. An Andean lady from Maras demonstrated how to prepare this simple but soulful soup; it is so easy and yet sustaining with all the essential ingredients for good health. Apparently on the cold highlands of the Andes, the day may start as well as end with a warming soup like this. Our hostess chopped and diced the veggies in the order she needed as the soup was bubbling along. She recommended eating quinoa soup twice a week for not only good health but great complexion :) - ladies take note! The first thing I cooked upon returning from the trip was ... any guesses? Absolutely Delicious! I have given the recipe here as I witnessed to the best of my recall; for best results, add the vegetable ingredients in the order given. The soup we had in restaurants had local zucchini, red bell peppers, cilantro, and once, even finely diced tomatoes in addition to the other basic ingredients; s...

These are so delicious and therefore I make them so often that now the recipe is indelibly etched in my brain!  The fact that it is simple and quick doesn't hurt either :).  I have served them to people of all ages and persuasions and everyone loves them.  A fantastic use for overripe bananas that no one wants to eat! Note: If you do not have oat bran, substitute with old fashioned or regular rolled oats. Oat Bran Muffins in the foreground 12 muffins Ingredients: 3 medium sized ripe Bananas, mashed 1 cup Oat Bran 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 cup Sugar 1 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Sea Salt 1 Tbsp Cornstarch 1/2 tsp freshly ground Cardamom seeds 1/2 cup Almond meal or chopped walnuts 1 cup non-dairy milk Toppings for decoration: Oats, Sesame seeds, sliced Almonds/Cashews, etc. Method: Peel the bananas and place in a large bowl; mash coarsely with a fork or potato masher. Add the rest of  the ingredients to the bowl...

Dal Paratha with pickles and Checca I made these parathas with leftover dal - an inspiration from Hema! Dal parathas are quite easy to prepare, delicious, nutritious, and filling.  I served them with a side of freshly made  Checca  (fresh tomato salad) and pickles - YUM.  Plain yogurt or a raita is another traditional and terrific accompaniment to parathas. Plain cooked dal may be used to make these parathas; when using plain dal, add some seasonings and herbs to your taste. These Parathas are fabulous in a lunch box  as well as a nice snack with a hot cup of tea!  Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) 1 pinch of sea salt 1 cup cold  Simple Dal  or Chunky Chana Dal Water if needed About 1or 2 Tbsp Oil for cooking A small handful Fresh Fenugreek or dry (optional) Method: Combine the atta (flour) and salt in a large bowl; stir in the dal and knead in the bowl adding a few drops of water if needed to make a pliable bu...