Ragi Dosa / Finger Millet Crepes

Ragi is called finger millet. They are small grains that are red in color and are highly nutritious and packed with protein. It is commonly used in porridge and also to make crepes or savory pancakes such as this one. Ragi has a pleasant aroma and is extremely palatable.

Ragi dosas can be prepared with minimal effort and time. They require no fermentation and are really tasty and healthy alternatives to regular rice and black gram dosas. They even store well, so they can be stored for a few hours and had as left-over lunches or dinners. 

My mom is a big fan of ragi. Growing up, I think I have had as much ragi as I have had rice, and that's saying something if you are a South-Indian! Every breakfast of mine had ragi in it, and I am grateful for ingesting something whose nutritional value I am only now appreciating.

Radish Greens & Chard Dal

Most greens from root vegetables such as radishes, carrots, and beets are edible and even nutritious. They are commonly cooked with moong dal (mung beans) and flavored with a very simple and mild mix of cumin seeds, chillies, and sometimes, coconut. My mom and grandma add a little jaggery to spinach based dals and masiyals, so it gives a mildly sweet and savory taste to the dish. 

Here's how it's done.

Pulikachal / Puliyodharai

Pulikachal is a concentrated tamarind based spicy condiment. This is a defining condiment in South-Indian cuisine. It is mixed with cooked rice to make a really delicious rice called Puliyodharai. Puliyodharai is commonly served in temples as an offering. The spiciness and tartness of the dish make it really flavorful in a one of a kind way!

In simple terms, pulikachal is prepared by stewing tamarind juice and a few spices for a long time until the tamarind extract thickens and turns into a paste that can be scooped with a spoon.

This takes time to prepare, but is no way labor intensive. This my mom's, my grandma's, and my grand-aunt's recipe to make tasty pulikachal.

Eggless Lemon & Lime Cookies with Palm Sugar

I love a certain brand of lemon cookies that are handed out in specific airlines. Needless to say, my husband is also a big fan of citrus based desserts and sweets. So, this is actually long overdue.

I have been trying to bake with sugar substitutes like splenda or truvia, so that everyone can enjoy the baked treats. But, it's been a challenge to use these substitutes and get an end-product that is satisfying and not a complete compromise. My mom had been asking me about the availability of palm sugar here, and I was clueless. A quick visit to the organic section of our grocery store revealed the presence of several brands of palm sugar (coconut palm sugar), so I picked up a packet. And what a wonderful discovery! Palm sugar tastes wonderful - it is slightly less sweeter than regular white sugar, but with amazing smokey caramel undertones. I also read that palm sugar can be comfortably substituted for white sugar (measure to measure) while baking. So, I used palm sugar to bake these cookies and they turned out fantastic, probably even better than regular sugar!

Palm sugar is called pana vellam (in Tamil) and is commonly available and used in India and rest of Asia. It has a low glycemic index (that is, it doesn't cause blood sugar spikes) and is rich in nutrients, so it is ideal for both people with diabetes as well as those that are trying to cut down on white sugar. Yes, it is definitely more expensive than regular sugar (outside of India/Asia, at least), so it's not economical to splurge on desserts with palm sugar alone. But, for special occasions, everyone can enjoy desserts made with palm sugar without much guilt.

These cookies are so lemony and chewy and fragrant, they are refreshing and yummy! Plus, because of the addition of palm sugar, the cookies have a slight caramel flavor and they are chewy and soft. And of course, they are not too sweet, so one can munch on a few too many without realizing how many have gone in! Palm sugar is similar to brown sugar in that, while used in baking cookies, they make the cookies soft and chewy. White sugar makes the cookies crisp. So, a mix of brown and white sugars ensures a chewy middle and crisp exterior, like Nestle Tollhouse cookies!

Anyway, I think my excitement at finding a good white-sugar alternative is palpable! I will stop now and go onto the recipe.

Olive Tapenade

Tapenade, a chunky topping to spread on crusty bread, is a very common Italian/Mediterranean French starter. Although its origin is French, the ingredients in it make it a common starter in Italian and Mediterranean restaurants. A while ago, we took my parents to an Italian restaurant, fingers crossed hoping they would like at least some of the dishes and the overall experience. This was before they had even tried pesto, so I wasn't sure what to expect from them. But, I have been pleasantly surprised at how well they are taking to different cuisines! I am impressed and proud that they are open to trying everything (even sloppy burgers), and find something to like and relate with every cuisine. At the Italian place, my mom loved the complimentary olive tapenade! She raved about it and said it tasted very similar to raw mango. So, this week, I thought of making some simple olive tapenade at home. 

Tapenades, especially olive tapenades are extremely easy to make. It involves just grinding olives and a few ingredients along with olive oil. So, here it is.