Sago Kueh (Sago dessert)

Southeast Asian desserts are delicious, delicately flavoured and not as sweet as South Asian ones. They are lighter as well, mostly made from sago, sticky rice or jello. This particular dessert, Sago Kueh, has the lovely flavour of pandan and rose. Ingredients Sago 2 cups Water 3 cups Rose syrup or Roohafza 5 tbsps Sugar…

Corn bread

I love the corn muffins sold at Kenny Rogers restaurants and decided to try and make them at home. The same recipe I use to make corn bread that goes well with soups and chilli. You can use corn meal or corn flour or makki ka atta to make this bread. Ingredients Corn flour or…

Käsestange

I fell in love with the German bread Käsestange almost three decades ago while on a research fellowship in the beautiful Bavarian city of Munich. Once I bought it from a bakery close to the train station on my way back home, a flat at the Schloss Blutenburg, built in the 15th century. After eating…

Banana Bread with Walnuts and Raisins

When I was working on the newspaper desk in Singapore, we would start work at the unearthly hour of 4.30 am and the one thing that kept us going was that we would take turns to bring in warm bread for an early breakfast. One of my colleagues used to make this really divine banana…

Green Garlic Chutney

Garlic cloves are said to be good for your health, but fresh green garlic is even better. It is available only for a limited season in winter. Fresh green garlic is easier to consume than garlic cloves as the smell is less pungent. It can be had in salads or made into a chutney. This…

Mac and Cheese

A comfort food and a favourite with my son throughout his schooldays was Mac and cheese. I used to make it three or four times a week. I use sharp English mustard and chilli flakes, which impart a unique flavour to the dish. Ingredients Elbow pasta 2 cupsAll-purpose flour 3 tbspsButter 2 tbspsOlive oil 2…

Apple Pie

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is maybe even more relevant in today’s pandemic-ridden world. And there are so many ways the apple can be eaten. Apple Crumble, Apple Pie or Stewed Apples, to name a few. And there is no better smell than an apple pie baking in the oven. It…

Tomato soup: Comfort in a Cup

I feel that tomato soup is like the Indian dal — there are as many ways of preparing it as there are people in the world. And each recipe is unique. With winter setting in, there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of hot tomato soup. This particular recipe I learnt from a friend…

Mutter-mushroom Curry (Peas and Mushroom Curry)

The combination of mushrooms and peas in a delicately flavoured tomato gravy is delicious. This is a dish that I fell in love with when I was a young girl. I loved the version of this curry sold at a restaurant called Chic Fish near my home. I have experimented till I have managed to…

Tomato Garlic Rice

This is an adaptation of my friend’s recipe that I first tasted when I was in my 20s. She served it with fried chicken. I sometimes serve it with potato wedges or baked chicken tenders. Ingredients (Serves 4) Basmati rice 2 cups Tomatoes 6 medium Garlic 7 cloves, crushed Coconut oil 2 tbsps Salt to…

Fried Chinese Potatoes (Koorka)

The tuber known as koorka or Chinese potato in Kerala — botanical name Coleus rotundifolius — is a perennial herb native to Africa. I remember my mother making it occasionally and revelling in the delicious taste and firm texture of the dish. The Chinese potato is neither from China nor is it a potato. It…

Mango, tomato, onion salsa

I consider this summer in a bowl. It is a very welcome dish in the hot months and works well as a starter with nachos or chips and a side dish with pasta or biryani. Ingredients Mango 1 large, ripe Onion 1 small, chopped Tomato 1 medium, chopped Green chilli 1, minced Chilli flakes 1/2…

Vanilla and Almond Cake

This is a cake that I whip up in 15 minutes and bake for 40 minutes. When guests call and say they will be at my place in less than an hour, I make this for tea and gossip. Goes well with wine as well. Ingredients All-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups Eggs 3 Butter 180…

Jackfruit Biryani

It is jackfruit season in Kerala and the tree in my cousin’s backyard is laden with fruit. She gave me raw jackfruit and my original plan was to cook it the traditional way with coconut. But the smell of fresh raw jackfruit as it boiled was so tempting that I decided to try to make…

Aloo Parantha (Potato Pancakes)

Aloo paranthas or wheat pancakes stuffed with potatoes are a favourite with most people. I have found that my friends all enjoy hot potato paranthas, irrespective of race, nationality or gender. This aloo parantha can be made even if you don’t have the traditional implements — chakla or marble rolling tile, belan or rolling pin,…

Chicken Meatloaf

This is an extremely moist and flavourful meatloaf that goes well with a green salad and mashed potatoes. I use Ching’s Secret brand of red chilli sauce that is delicious in this dish. I also soak the bread in skimmed milk that keeps the loaf moist. I also use a mix of red chilli sauce…

Bal Mithai (fudgy milk sweet)

This fudgy milk sweet with a deep chocolate colour is a delicacy from the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It’s origins are lost in the mists of time. While some ascribe it to a local halwai in Almora, others say it came from Nepal in the 7th century A.D. and was modified by halwai Joga…

Mutton Rogan Josh (healthier option)

Traditionally Mutton Rogan Josh, a delicacy from Kashmir, is made by cooking lamb in clarified butter or ghee. Of Persian origin, rogan means oil and josh means passion, just as it does in Hindi. The intense red colour of the curry comes from a herb called ratan jot or alkanet. I don’t use it in…