Cilantro Almond Pesto /Sauce – Bow Tie Pasta with Cilantro Almond Pesto/How to make Pesto Sauce/How to make Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Whenever I want to make a quick dinner, I immediately tend to make pasta. The main reason is, it is one quick wholesome meal and my kids love it. This cilantro almond pesto is a very easy to prepare but the taste is simply awesome. The almond pesto can be used as dip for any kind of breads or as spread for sandwiches. The pasta made with almond pesto is a very healthy when compared to the cheesy pastas but it still has the nutty and creamy texture because of the almonds. Do give it a shot friends and you will surely love it.

Here’s how to make Cilantro Almond Pesto – Bow Tie Pasta with step by step photos….

Nellikkai Thokku/AruNellikkai Thokku/Amla Pickle/Gooseberry Pickle –TamilNadu Special

Aru Nellikkai is another variety of Gooseberry/Amla/Nellikkai, which is smaller in size and star shaped fruit. Nellikkai is called as Gooseberry in English and Amla in Hindi. We all know it is rich in Vitamin C, iron and helps in purifying the blood. They help in expelling the toxins from our body and improve the defence mechanism. Amla/Nellikkai in powdered form is a great remedy for hyper acidity and ulcer. Now coming to the recipe, today I am going to share Nellikkai Thokku, my mom’s recipe. We have AruNellikkai tree in our house which bore loads and loads of Nellikkai starting from the trunk to the top most part of the tree. We plucked lots of them and I made big batches of thokku and shared it with our relatives. This thokku tastes extraordinary and when paired with curd/yogurt rice it taste heavenly.

Here’s how to make Nellikkai Thokku with step by step photos…

Potato Raita/Urulaikizhangu raita

Today I am sharing with you a very healthy, easy quick and delicious potato raita. An absolute winner among the kids, I sometimes make them as evening snacks for my girls. Without much introduction I am moving on to the recipe, do check out my other raita recipes here.

Here’s how to make Potato Raita with step by step photos…

Baba Ganoush Recipe– Middle Eastern Delight/How to make Baba Ganoush with step by step photos

Baba Ganoush is a dish made out of Eggplant/Aubergine/Kathrikkai, along with tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. The Eggplant/Aubergine is baked or broiled over an open flame and the skin is peeled out. This is done to make the Eggplant pulp soft and to get a smoky taste. It is a very common and popular dip eaten along with kuboos/pita bread in the Middle East. I have had this Baba Ganoush several times in Lebanese restaurants when I used to live in USA. Another very similar and authentic dip/chutney made in Tamil Nadu [South India] is the Sutta Kathrikkai Chutney which also has the smoky taste along with Indian spices and seasoning. Do check out the Tahini Paste which is the base for the Baba Ganoush and also try out the Sutta Kathrikkai Chutney – South Indian version of Baba Ganoush.

Here’s how to make Baba Ganoush with step by step photos…

Kothamalli Thogaiyal Recipe/Cilantro Thogaiyal/Coriander leaves Thogaiyal [Without Coconut]

Today I am posting a very healthy, flavourful and delectable Kothamalli Thogaiyal. I love this thogaiyal, because of its course texture, slightly tangy and spicy taste and packed with flavours. Kothamalli thogaiyal does not get spoilt very easily for about 5-6 days when handled properly with clean spoon. It is rich in vitmains, minerals and packed with fiber. When making either kothamalli chutney or kothamalli thogaiyal, don’t just use the leaves, use the tender part of the stem also, it is loaded with fiber and helps in digestion. Before going into the recipe do check out other Chutney and thogaiyal varieties here.

Here’s how to make Kothamalli Thogaiyal with step by step photos…

Hummus Recipe – Middle Eastern Delight/How to make Hummus Recipe with step by step photos

Hummus is a Middle Eastern delight made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. It is a very common and popular dip or spread in the Middle Eastern cuisine. Hummus is found in most of the grocery shops in the refrigerated section. Without any doubt Hummus is the tastiest and the healthiest dip, which can be served with pita bread, rotis, chapathis or even spread it on bread to make a wonderful sandwich. Tahini paste plays a vital role in the making of Hummus. Do check out how to make Tahini paste here.

Here’s how to make Hummus with step by step photos…

Homemade Tahini Paste/Sesame Seeds Paste-Middle Eastern Delight

Tahini is a paste made by grinding roasted sesame seeds along with olive oil, used in North Africa, Greece, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. Tahini plays a vital role in Middle Eastern recipes and is a foundation for many recipes likehummus, baba ghanoush, halva etc and also served as a dip on its own [Wikipedia]. Tahini paste can be purchased from shops, but can be made at home in a jiffy. I personally love Middle Eastern dishes and prepare hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush etc at home. Tahini is an excellent source of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and is also rich in copper and manganese. Tahini has relatively high levels of calcium and protein and is perfectly suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Here's how to make Tahini Paste with step by step photos....

Carrot Pachadi/Carrot Raita [Kerala Style]

Carrot Pachadi/Carrot Raita is a very traditional and authentic dish prepared during Onam Sadya in the State of Kerala-India. I have special attraction and love towards this pachadi, to start with, it is super-duper easy, very healthy packed with vitamins and minerals, beautiful colour and a perfect cooler for the hot summer days. My kids love carrots to the core, they will eat it in any form cooked or uncooked. This raita is one of their favourite carrot dishes as well. So try it friends you will surely love it. Check out beetroot raita and cucumber raita as well.

Here’s how to make Carrot Pachadi/Carrot Raita with step by step photos…

Instant Green chilli pickle

This instant green chilli pickle is very quick and easy one to make. You can choose a very spicy chilli or a very mild one of your choice. The original recipe uses the Bhavangari chillies which are long thick green chillies, but I used the bhaji chillies the big and light green ones. You can also choose the small green chillies which we use in our everyday cooking.

Here’s how to make Instant Green Chilli Pickle with step by step photos…

Beetroot Pachadi/Beetroot Raita [Kerala Style]

This week I have made a couple of pink dishes and I am going along with the pink theme. With the left over beetroots I made a very authentic, traditional Kerala dish – “Beetroot Pachadi/Beetroot Raita”. This beetroot pachadi is usually prepared during Onam Sadya along with other Sadya recipes.

Here’s Beetroot Pachadi/Beetroot Raita with step by steps photos….

Cucumber Raita - A Perfect Cooler

Raita is nothing but a simple dip prepared with yogurt/curd/dahi and different combinations of vegetables or spices. Here I have made a cucumber raita a perfect cooler to settle down our stomach and bring down the heat in our body.

Cucumber belongs to the gourd family and is believed to be the oldest cultivated vegetable originated in Northern India. Cucumbers has various health benefits, it is low in calories and fat.

Here's how to make Cucumber Raita with step by step photos....

Guacamole "Avocado Sauce" /How to make Guacamole with step by step photos

Guacamole literally means “Avocado Sauce” and originated in Mexico. Avocado is a fruit, which matures on the tree and ripens afterwards. It is fleshy and has buttery taste. It can be eaten as such, it is loaded with 20 vitamins and minerals and has lots of health benefits. It is packed with antioxidants and fiber and helps to lower cholesterol.

Now a days we get avocado in India in shops like Nilgiris, do try this fruit you will surely love the taste and enjoy the benefits of it. 

Here’s how to make “Guacamole” with step by step photos…