Kerala Banana Chips / Ettakka Upperi

Onam is fast approaching. To prepare Onam Sadya is definitely some work, but is totally possible with some planning and prep work. This chips is something that you could make early and store, to be served for Sadya. It definitely is worth making it at home because it is easy, cheaper than store bought ones, fresh and homemade with love :). For me Sadya is not about how many dishes you made to feed your crowd, but how much love did you add in it to make it special.

These chips can never be forgotten in a Sadya. Salt and chips usually get served initially and while we wait for the rice and other 'n' number of curries to be served, these chips all vanish, which makes us take another serving of it and enjoy. Ahh, there is still time to enjoy an Onam Sadya but I think all this talking made me crave for one..he he... Cannot wait for it to be Onam. Who else is with me? Anyways, grab this recipe and make some chips before Onam to serve for your Onam Sadya.

Chengodilu

The weather has been so unpredictable recently. Last week, I thought that summer was almost here when it was too hot during the afternoons. And all of a sudden it is raining today and will be raining for the rest of the weekend too. So we are stuck at home. 

Its spring break here and with the kid also at home, we have been doing so many activities together; even cooking. And he loves it. One way to make someone eat something that they hate is to make them cook it, so that they appreciate the effort it takes to make it and the thought of having worked on it makes it interesting. So the same is the strategy that I have been doing with my kid too. Thankfully he will not get to know, untill he learns to read it here so I am safe... he he.

Quinoa Cutlets

If you are observing lent, then you would know the struggle to make your non-veg loving family finish the lunch/dinner without a fuss. In an effort to make them not crib about the food at the dining table, we have been cooking varieties. Just a way to mask the absence of meat/chicken.. he he.

My kido never tries quinoa when we make it. But this cutlet was gulped down in a matter of seconds. And if you know my kid personally, you know that is a big achievement. Because otherwise, he would be sitting with the food for hours which makes me feel if an egg might hatch out of him. 

Mangalore Buns

I was introduced to Mangalore buns by one of my colleagues. It seemed like she just had one breakfast option and that being Mangalore buns. She would always and always order Mangalore buns for breakfast. Back then I had no idea what made it so special because I had never tasted them. The day when I had these, I understood why my colleague had been so hooked to these fried bread. They are yumm. Best part, you don't necessarily need a side to go with them.

To use up the over ripe bananas, this is one great option. My husband loves Mangalore and has lived there for couple of years. But for some reason he never got to hear about them or have it. So the first time while making them, he showed least interest in it. But when he got to taste it, he says he has yet another reason to love Mangalore :). Ohh and my lil one, who is otherwise a picky eater, loves it.

Rice Murukku ~ Spicy version

With Diwali approaching, you might be spending a lot more time in the kitchen preparing all the snacks and sweets for your family and friends. Sweets are one important thing on the menu and so are snacks. I still remember having Dahi Vadas, Chaats, Chakli etc along with the sweets, which our neighbor aunty used to serve us for diwali. Yum they were. Years have gone by but those days and memories are still so fresh. This spicy version of chakli is something that you should try to add a little variety to usual murukku/chakli that you make. If your family loves spicy food then I bet this would definitely be a hit.

This recipe just happened when I was trying out some other snack and it usually takes a lot of time, but I had to head to some place in an hour and just thought of giving it the murukku avatar instead. It wasn't a flop at all. My lil one loves spicy food and when I made it, he kept coming back to me asking "Eruvulla murukku Tharamo" meaning "Can you give me the spicy murukku". 

Vegetable Cutlet

I sometimes wonder where the time went by when I see/hear Jordan. He is growing up fast and I wish I could just stop time from flying away. I hardly have any time for myself after having taken him to the park or library or other activities and the household chores. So I had been missing from the blogging world for a while now, untill last week and I loved the break. I hope to update it frequently everytime I return from a break, but I fail. Lazy me, I say. Anyways, this time I hope to update frequently.

Myself and Big J used to speak in english, when we wanted to talk something that we didn't want Lil J to hear. Now the stage has come that Lil J has started to pick up on english(overhearing our conversation and grasping it). So if you come visit us, you will see both of us spelling the words out so that Jordan can't get it. I don't see those days far when he will pick the spellings as well.

Sabudana Vada

Rains are here and last weekend it just didn't stop pouring. It was just wet everywhere because the rain is just drizzling throughout. So its cold and the only thing one would want to go is sit idle in a cozy place and read. But one can't. Because when its cold, you tend to get hungry everytime or would crave for something to munch on. We don't usually give in to fried stuff at home. But my lil one likes it and so we do make them sometimes.

Some sabudana had been sitting in my pantry for sometime and everytime I open the cabinet, I think of putting it into use. So finally today, I gave in my laziness and made these vadas for our tea. They were just perfect to pair with some ginger tea.

Vettu Cake / Fried Cakes

This is one not so often made snack at my home. But I have had it from my mom's friends place who makes it often. Infact, my mom learnt to make it from her. I used to love these then and now too. 

During my last visit to Kerala, I noticed that the tea shop near our house carried these. They looked pretty placed in the glass cupboards. I was double minded about getting it though. That tea shop doesn't have too many customers in a day and I just didn't want to get something made days back. So every other day when I would pass by that tea shop I used to crave for them looking at it. After a couple of days I realized, the stack remained the same - neither grew or reduce in size , nor did it change its pattern of arrangement. They indeed were never in demand at that shop. My craving then took a change.