Geetha's Kitchen

Janmashtami or Bhagavan Krishna's birthday is not complete without Vella Aval; at least some type of sweet aval was always made on the occasion of Janmashtami in our home. The main ingredient, the aval (Tamil), or poha (Hindi), is flattened rice similar to rolled oats. The humble aval is transformed into something truly divine in this simple dish! Vella Aval is also a favorite in many temples in South India - to be given as prasad for all visitors. The story associated with aval and Krishna is very sweet; it is about true friendship. We never tired of hearing this story as children. Here is the story for those who may not be familiar with it: Krishna and Sudama were school friends. They were best of friends and parted ways promising to remember each other always. Sudama wanted to visit his friend but was not sure he should. His wife knew of Sudama's friendship with Krishna and asked her husband to visit him. Sudama was delighted with the idea of seeing his childhood...

Dal Kachoris are delicious pastries similar to the ever popular samosas and are a great tea time favorite. They are quite simple to make but do take a bit of time; it is helpful to make the filling a day or two ahead. You can use any of the given legumes but can adjust the spices to your preference. The whole spices give a very pleasant taste treat as you munch these pastries that look like UFOs (Utterly delicious Filled Objects). :-) The store bought Kachoris typically have very little filling - the most flavorful part! I like to really fill them with a good amount; you may wish to use less filling. Also, my family likes the kachoris soft too - remove them sooner for soft or cook longer for crisp. They kachoris may also be rolled out thinner and cooked on the griddle for dal poori. 24 Kachoris Ingredients: Filling: 1 cup yellow Mung, Chana, or Urad dal or Split Peas 1 Tbsp Oil 1 tsp Whole Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds 2 tsp ground coria...

Nendra pazha pulisseri is another delicious Kerala classic to rival the popular Mango Pulisseri . Both are family favorites and quite easy to prepare. The naturally sweet pulisseri gets its sweetness from the ripe plantain - Nendra pazham in Malayalam! It is divine when paired with the Bitter melon fry ... I could wax poetic about the incomparable deliciousness about this combo. A bowl of freshly cooked hot rice with pulisseri and bitter melon fry .... yum! This delicious pulisseri could do double duty as a pachadi (sweet side dish) in a feast menu during Onam festival or other special occasions instead of mango or other pachadi.  This pulisseri is vegan and gluten-free too! Although traditionally pulisseri is made with yogurt, I used cashews to give that rich creaminess to this dish and did not miss the yogurt at all. If you like a little tartness, a squirt of lime or lemon just before serving will do the trick. Pulisseri with its perfect complement of Bitter melon fr...

Veggie Sheekh Kababs are amazingly delicious and make quite an entrance when presented to family and friends! W ith  the colorful caramelized veggie topping, they are irresistible!!  These Kababs are so delicious, we make a meal of them! Serve them as starters or with a meal.  I had them in a restaurant and the presentation was fabulous; the kababs were topped with sauteed onions and brought to the table sizzling on a hot cast iron platter! I have recreated them here for everyone's enjoyment; I added the succulent caramelized veggies with an eye for color. Veggie Sheekh Kababs Notes:   1. For nicely browned and crispy kababs, deep fry them. Alternately the kababs may be cooked in a skillet with a drizzle of oil. 2. Unripe green bananas make the best kababs - but potatoes will do if the bananas are not available. The dough may be formed into patties also and cooked in a skillet with a little oil. 3. The dough may be prepared a day or two...

We adore the pickled veggies often served in Mexican restaurants; the canned ones are too soft and just not the same. So I made our own. These pickles are very easy to make and you can adjust the heat by adding a little or lot of Jalapeno peppers. The traditional pickles usually contain carrots, onions, garlic, and the Jalapenos; but cauliflower florets, radishes, jicama, chayote squash, zucchini, green beans, etc are welcome additions. If the amount of veggies is increased, the amounts of the seasonings and vinegar need to be increased as well. These Mexican style pickled veggies are so delicious that we cannot stop eating them; in fact they get eaten right out of the jar before they have a chance to properly marinate! They are great as nibbles or starters, on nachos, as a side with any Mexican food, or great to snack on any time. Ingredients: 2-4 Jalapenos 2 Carrots 2 Onions 1 Turnip 2 cloves Fresh Garlic 1 tsp Coriander seeds 3-4 sprigs Oregano 3-4 sprigs Thyme ...

Creamy Sunflower-Pepita Butter is delicious and good for you too! I love serving it with raw veggies, chips, toasted bread; serve it any way you like it. A friend makes it and serves it with slices of carrots, celery, and a few chips for a perfect snack! The herbs may be varied - using whatever is fresh - cilantro, parsley, basil, etc. I have recreated it from the taste and here it is for you to try and enjoy! I process this spread in a high speed blender to get the ultra-smooth texture; you may process in a food processor also but you will have a slightly chunky version. Both are great but different. Notes:  When made with fresh basil, the spread started to turn brown right away on the surfaces exposed to air. Some fresh herbs tend to oxidize and turn a little brown on the exposed areas when cut or ground; although it might look a bit unappetizing, it does not change the taste and is still quite safe to eat. Blanching the herbs produces a bright green spread that does not br...

Colorful and nutritious, Quinoa Pulav is delicious! We love it with fresh and juicy  chopped salad  or sprouted bean salad . Serve with curries, a raita and chutneys or Indian pickles too if you like. Papadams (Indian lentil wafers) go well with this pulav also.  This is a basic recipe; the veggies may be varied according to availability, the season, or individual preferences. I change it up a bit by using diced zucchini, colorful peppers, corn, etc in addition to or in place of some of the veggies in the recipe. Here is a picture of the pulav with sprout salad; it is not a great one but gives one the idea. Quinoa Pulav with Sprouted Bean Salad 6 servings Ingredients: 1 cup Quinoa 2 tsp Oil 1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 1 Tbsp Chana Dal 1 pinch Asafetida 1 small Onion, finely diced 1 Tbsp Ginger, finely minced 1 Green Chile, cored and minced 1 stem Fresh Curry Leaves, leaves sliced finely 1 big pinch Turmeric 1 tsp Sambar...