Yesterday we celebrated Vishu, a holiday in Kerala to celebrate springtime, the new year, and new beginnings. I unfortunately did not do anything for the holiday in 2022 due to its being on a weekday and having to work, but I celebrated it for the first time with my own family in 2021. The day…
Tag: Kerala
Mom’s Recipes: Spicy Fish Curry
Here’s another red hot recipe (literally). In full transparency, I sought some help from YouTube because following my mom’s verbal instructions never yielded the deep red color that she achieves when she made fish curry. The picture above is actually from when my mom recently made this dish using Porgy. The last time I made…
Mom’s Recipes: Kappa (Spicy Mashed Yucca)
Today I’m sharing another favorite dish that I consider to be some serious comfort food: kappa, or spiced mashed yucca. The hardest part about this dish is peeling the tough rind off the yucca, but you are welcome to buy pre-cut frozen yucca instead. The rest of the cooking process is super simple and, as…
Kabocha Squash Curry (Mathanga Erissery)
I used to call this a pumpkin curry, because I figured an orange fleshy fruit that tastes pumpkin-y was a pumpkin. I later learned that it’s actually called a kabocha squash (Japanese squash) which just sounds way more intriguing and exotic. Also, how fun is the word kabocha? I always loved this dish which is…
Mom’s Recipes: Palappam
I am beyond excited to share this recipe because it is absolute my FAVORITE Kerala breakfast! Idli sambar is a close second. Typically our breakfasts are savory/spicy, but sometimes we opt for mildly sweet breakfasts. The sweetness comes from, of course, coconut. I would not call this dish particularly sweet like American pancakes, but they…
Mom’s Recipes: Spicy Kerala Shrimp Curry
I find that whenever I try to make fish curry like my mom’s, it never quite turns out right. It tastes fine, but the color is totally off and it’s not spicy enough. The last time I made it, I asked her what the heck I was doing wrong and she informed me that I…
Mom’s Recipes: Beans Mezhukkupuratti (Simple Sautéed Green Beans)
First of all, I am super impressed with myself and my google skills in finding the English spelling of the name of this dish, ha! Malayalam does have a soft “R” sound, in addition to two other R sounds. Why does it have to be so complicated?! Anyway, the soft “R” is spelled as a…
Mom’s Recipes: Coconut Curry Chicken
Well that was a hiatus and a half. Sorry about that…life duties, you know? I finally had a week in which I could breathe a bit…so I decided to start overhauling and organizing and minimizing my entire house and possessions lol. That’s still a work in progress, but I’m so glad I finally got around…
Mom’s Recipes: Tuna Thoran
In keeping with the theme of my mom’s Malayali cooking and our heavy reliance on coconut, my next dish is a great option for fish eaters. As I mentioned before, Malayalis eat alot of fish and seafood. My mom always purchased fresh fish from the local Indian or Asian grocery store, bones included. We enjoyed…
Mom’s Recipes: Avial
As part of a new series, I’m excited to share the glories of some of my favorite Indian recipes, namely what my momma taught me. My family is from the southern Indian state of Kerala, and the food I grew up eating is not typically found in the Indian restaurants we all frequent. Some restaurants may…
pen . paper . storm 