Photo of the Week ~The Calm woods of Kolli Hills

I have bragged enough and more about the ancestral home in the village located at the foot of the historical Kolli Hills of Tamil Nadu :).Soon after the Pongal feast, this year, we ; my in-laws, parents and myself, headed uphill for a day.What you see here is just a section of the calm woods kissing the sky with the simple home garden towards the front, outside the house we stayed up the hi...

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Parippu Vada

As you may know, Parippu vada is a well known teatime snack with a hot cuppa chaya in Kerala! The crispy outsides and the chewy insides bitten into, wandering across your palate ultimately melting in your mouth alternated with the hot sip of chaya is irresistible not only to a Keralite but to anyone! So, to make this simple and tasty snack, You need: Yellow split peas dal (pattani/peas parippu)...

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Photo of the Week ~ Start of a new series!

Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long. - Walker EvansPhoto of the Week is a new series which I had wanted to start for a long time; the casual shots which my humble camera badly wants to bring forth in Spicy Chilly, the ones which get unnoticed among the regular stream of food fotos; happy moments, nature, street...

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Sago / Javvarisi Upma

Sago Upma is an easy to make meal which calls for less ingredients, less cooking time, more taste and contentment! I tasted this yummy dish for dinner at my sister in law's house a while back and instantly fell in love with it! Though the dish is meant to be taken as an evening snack, I make it for breakfast or dinner as it's heartily filling. Try this and I bet you will decide making it often...

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Thellapulusu ~ The Mildly Spiced Traditional Coconut based Curry!

T hellapulusu meaning 'a white gravy', is a much common, homely coconut based curry we have for lunch, back in Kottayam ever since we can remember! As kids, both sis and me loved this mildly spiced traditional curry which had varied vegetables cooked in it to perfection; a fine medley of spices, tanginess and sweetness, we never got fed up of!Sis had already blogged about the thellapulusu with tomatoes...

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Meringue Mushrooms

I was literally carried away by the cute looking creative Meringue Mushrooms but ultimately gave up participating January's Sweet Punch after my umpteen attempts of bringing them into perfect shape. When piped out they were rather bubbly than frothy, yet stood well in shape and came out light, pristine white, but too brittle once baked. I still can't make out where I went a bit wrong :) Is it...

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Maa Inji - Pachai milagu Oorugai / Pickled Mango-ginger with Green pepper!

Most of you had guessed it right :) but Mango-ginger is surprisingly unfamiliar to many, the humble root vegetable which belongs to the Ginger family has a bursting combo of the flavours of fresh raw mango and ginger!I got introduced to this interesting vegetable in Tamil Nadu by my ma in law from whom I learnt this simple, guilt free, yet a much addictive pickle. Cheers to Cilantro, Sumi and ?...

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Guess the root vegetable :)

Location- S. Usman Road, T.Nagar, Chennai.You can see fresh green pepper in the farther end, the street seller weighing for me :)Now, friends, can you guess the root vegetable in the basket?...and again what I made with this light brown colored root veggie along with the fresh green peppers? :) Clue - towards the spicier side...

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Best of 2010 ~ A look back with Top Ten Recipes!

Seconds giving way to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days, days to months….seasons… I realize how fast time flies when I settle down to review the top posts at the end of each year; yet another year which has whisked past, packed with all mixed moments and memories of cheer, joy, tears, bitterness, disappointments, surprises …The year had been a roller coaster one with a fabulous start on...

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