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Category Archives: Home food
Suda Suda Sundal: 9 varieties for 9 days!
It’s that time of the year again when Mylapore is flooded with roadside doll shops, Vijaya Stores is thronged with customers out to buy “Seap-Kannadi-Kumkumam-Manjal,” (Comb, Mirror, Kumkuma and Turmeric) and items for gifts, and the shopping spree is ever so rampant. It’s also that time of the year where the sale of pulses and lentils reach an all-time high! YES, you guessed it right (Or just figured where I was going at after reading the title.)
Picture Credits: Google.
Golu Season is here and so is the nine days of protein filled healthy food! Navagrahas are the nine planet deities who are said to impact the lives of human beings. It is a common practice to appease these divine beings by offering grains and lentils. So, during Navrathri, sundal is offered each day in remembrance of these brazen deities to appease them and hope that all good things will reign! It’s not only the Navagrahas who are happy during Golu, it’s every mami, mama and child who leaves a house with at least one packet of this healthy and tasty (Yes, finally both manifest in the same food) snack. Here are 9 varieties of Sundal you can make this season!
- Black Channa (Konda Kadalai) Sundal: This is one of the most common varieties of Sundal that you would come across. Made with black channa and topped with grated coconut, this has 0% fat and makes a wonderful diet snack too!
- Horse Gram (Kollu) Sundal: It is a good source of protein, iron and calcium and is high in anti-oxidants. Horse gram is known to benefit diabetes and aids in weight loss as it low in fat and high in protein. If taken in moderate quantities, this is extremely good for health.
- Karamani (Black eyed peas) Sundal: There are two types of the Karamani sundal itself- Sweet and Spicy. Kids are particularly fond of the sweet sundal, and adults, spicy!
- Thenga-Manga-Pattani (Coconut-Raw Mango-Peas) Sundal: This is a very popular snack sold in Marina beach and is absolutely refreshing and tasty! Sour, spicy, and sometimes sweet, this is the complete package!
- Pacha Payaru (Green Gram) Sundal: This is one Sundal that a lot of people do not like because it is made of Green gram (Sprouts!) Doesn’t make it any less healthy though.
- Kadalai Paruppu (Channa Dal) Sundal: Made with a dash of lemon, this is a simple sundal, yet is packed with flavours!
- Rajma Sundal: This is a relatively new addition to the list of normal Sundals that people make. Rajma has a distinctive taste and the sundal is ever so healthy and one also gets a slight Mexican feel! 😀
- Ver Kadalai (Peanut) Sundal: Most common, most tasty! The peanuts in this sundal are crunchy as well as soft!
- Nava Dhanya Sundal: This is made with 9 different lentils/pulses and is completely protein packed. This is usually prepared on the 9th and last day of Navarathri.
From setting up the golu steps, to brushing up on your Carnatic music, (Or saying, “Enakku paada varaadhu, aunty. Akka paaduva!” From giving gifts and getting gifts in return, the 8 day, 9 nights festival is truly special.
This nicest thing about Navarathri, however is the element of surprise. You wonder what Sundal your mother is going to make that day, what Sundal the pakatha veetu mami is going to give you and how much you are going to collect that evening! The smell of the asafoetida and curry leaves wafting through the house as you come back from school is absolutely divine. It is not every day that you find foods that are healthy as well as tasty (No, Maggi’s “Taste bhi, health bhi” doesn’t count.*MSG*) BUT SUNDAL DEFINITELY IS THAT FOOD.
-Anagha Natraj
You can order sundal and much more on moremilaga.com 🙂
Ganapathi Bappa Moriya, Kozhakattai Konjam Thaariya?
It’s that time of that year again where we celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha, of House Hinduism, first of his name, Lord of wisdom and auspiciousness, remover of obstacles and the protector of the realm. Basically, Ganapathi Bappa Moriya! The birthday of the elephant headed god is here and so is the time to eat kozhakattai. Filled with coconut and jaggery on the inside and a soft outer covering made of rice- this is the form of kozhakattai/modak that most of us would have eaten.
There’s a lot more that goes into the making this divine sweet- You “Shuddham ah” sit with your mother as she grates the coconuts and makes the jaggery syrup. You watch in awe as the poornam starts to thicken and develops a beautiful shine. You wait patiently for it to cool down and then start filling them into the rice dough (Or- you try; you miserably fail and end up making some weird thing that is definitely not kozhakattai, and then you pass the baton on to your younger sibling).
After the steaming of these kozhakkatais, is the most difficult part where you have to wait for the pooja to get over. The moment your dad rings the bell and “Deeparadhanai” gets over; On one hand, you try your best to pray for good luck and prosperity and on the other, you desperately try not to think of the prasadam for the next two minutes. And once that’s done, THE TIME HAS FINALLY ARRIVED for the sweet taste that was worth the entire wait! The only thing that remains is to safeguard your share of the kozhakattai and make sure your sibling doesn’t encroach upon your territory.
This Kozhakattai season, here’s a list of 5 different types of kozhakattai that you should try!
-The Original One: As mentioned earlier, this is the kozhakattai that all of us would have eaten, be it for Varalakshmi vritham, Ganesh Chaturthi or any other Hindu festival. The original kozhakattai is a living testament to the statement, “simple and best.” The other forms of kozhakattai are just variants of the original one.
–Fried Kozhakattai: Also called Sugiyan in many households, this is the variant where people use gram flour maavu, coat the original kozhakattai with it, and deep fry it in oil or ghee. This is made for the Chaturthi of every month!
–Paal Kozhakattai: This is a bit different from the other types of kozhkattai as it does not have a filling. These are small dumplings made out of rice flour and are soaked in a gravy of coconut milk and jaggery. (With or without elaichi)
–Paruppu Usilli Kozhakattai: Made with a filling of channa dal and spices, this is a savoury kozhakkatai and is hence called uppu kozhakattai. This makes for a tasty and nutritious evening snack.
–Ammini Kozhakattai: This is generally made with the leftover rice dough of the original kozhakattai on Ganesh Chaturthi. This is a savoury kozhakattai too, and does not have a filling. It is instead tossed in chilli powder and other spices!
What are you waiting for? Forget the calorie count, just like Ganesha! Go indulge in grandma’s homemade kozhakattai, or you can always order from moremilaga! 😀
- – Anagha Natraj
NAVA-RASA: TOP 9 TYPES OF RASAM
“A South Indian soup, traditionally prepared using tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato, chili pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as seasonings” – Wait what? Is that all Rasam means to us? Of course, not! To a South Indian household, it is one of the staple diets. It might be called by different names, Chaaru, Saaru and Kabir, but the comfort that it gives us hasn’t changed overtime. On a cold wintry afternoon, you couldn’t possibly imagine anything better than a hot steaming cup of Rasam or hot rasam rice with ghee! Every time you fall sick, be it a cold, sore throat or a fever, the number of times hot hot rasam sadham has come to your respite is uncountable and the relief it provides, immeasurable. Rasam isn’t just a “south indian soup,” it’s a lot more than that. It’s something that your mom makes every day, it’s probably some secret recipe passed down for generations; It’s a constant.
4 of the Navarasas! Source: Google
Although it’s a constant, it has its own variables. There are atleast 15 different types of Rasam. The Top 9 are:
1) Paruppu Rasam: This is the one we make at home regularly. Easy to make and extremely tasty, this rasam is also called Thakkali(Tomato) Rasam.
2) Poondu (Garlic) Rasam: Garlic has been a natural antibiotic and a blood cleanser which helps in lowering blood pressure. This rasam is not only nutritious but also incredibly tasty!
3) Jeera (Cumin) Rasam: Jeera is known for its digestive properties. This is made frequently in many households to keep stomach ailments away!
4) Pepper Rasam: It is prepared with cumin seeds, pepper and garlic. It is very comforting and effective when taken during fever or cold.
5) Lemon Rasam: Tangy and sour, this rasam is made by many who want to cut down the use of tamarind! It goes well with hot rice and ghee along with any vegetable stir fry!
6) Pineapple Rasam: This is a twist in the normal rasam. Sweet and refreshing, this rasam is something completely different and is totally worth a try!
7) Mysore rasam: This is different from other standard types of rasam because of the use of coconut and a lot of spices!
8) Vepampoo (Neem Flower) Rasam: Neem flower has many medicinal properties and are used in treating intestinal worms. They are said to purify blood and remove toxins from the body. Although neem flower has a bitter taste, this rasam is absolutely delicious and the bitterness cannot be tasted!
9) Kandathippili (Long pepper) Rasam: This is the all in one medicinal rasam. It helps to cure cold, soothe cough and also helps with digestive and stomach troubles. This rasam is a testament to the fact that nature has a solution for every problem!
On a cloudy evening, sitting in the balcony, legs on the rails with a book in hand and piping hot Rasam. Bliss, isn’t it?
-Anagha Natraj
If you have difficulty preparing any of these nava rasas, either ask your mom/ grandmom or just order from www.moremilaga.com or 9884721737 🙂
Know our Team: Ragini Murali
For all those who have called our helpline and wondered who it is at the other end, meet our Operations and Customer Engagement In charge: Ragini Murali
Ragini Murali
A housewife turned enterprising professional and a mother of two bright engineers, Ragini’s the goto person for all situations.
“I have always kept myself engaged by the way of Sloka classes and community service, and Moremilaga provided an ideal platform to explore a different facet of me” says Ragini whose husband is a Senior Manager in a PSU bank.
In case you don’t find her answering the helpline, you can safely assume that she’s either at Venkata Narayana Temple doing service to the Lord or at the Sathyam Theatre 🙂
Step by Step, into the past!
Gone are the days when making vadam was a family event. From buying ready made packets in stores and then directly into tiffin boxes, kids these days don’t know the emotions and sentiments attached to their every day foods.
Nice and Spicy Vadam koozhu
Given below is a step by step ’emotional guide’ to the vadam making process.
Step 1: Paati would make the maavu, called vadam koozhu. Just like how we all attack the cake batter before it goes into the oven, the kids (currently, our parents) had to literally be driven out of the kitchen for the same!
Step 2: Paati would spread out the vadam koozhu in different patterns on thatha’s dhoti (which he desperately searches for, in the upcoming week!) and leave it out in the sun to dry.
Step 3: The kids then become the legal guardians of the “out to dry” vadam. They sit out in the sun all day, pretending to study and drive away the birds that come to eat their precious accompaniment to any food!
Step 4: BLAME THE CROWS for the missing pieces of vadam. Always blame the crows.
The crisp sound catches your attention very easily, but it’s the making that enticed kids from the 90s. Many a times, kids are found in the terraces and rooftops trying to shoo crows away. Sometimes it’s a squirrel or a small animal trying to get a nibble of some nicely ground and spiced up batter left to be dried. But, no. The kids would never let the animals win.
“I remember how my mother used to keep the vadam under lock and key. But most of the fun was in eating the semi dried maavu… That was totally in our control,” says Latha, a teacher. Change is the only constant and nothing is immune to it. Not even one of the tastiest traditional snacks of Tamil Nadu. “Nowadays, there’s just no time. Chillies have replaced the children as guardians, Thatha’s dhoti has become plastic sheets [good for thatha, but traditions?] and the packet vadam is still raw,” exclaims Shyamala Gopal, an IT professional.
Such a joyous occasion has been lost to the tides of time. Making Vadam koozhu is a ritual engaging the grandparents and the grandkids when the generation in between is out to work. Such bliss is incomparable. Unfortunately, it is now unrecognizable.
Get back the nostalgic feeling, order your homemade Vadam koozhu and much more, only at www.moremilaga.com
-Anagha Natraj
Thayir Sadham: The National food of Tamil Nadu
You might have gone out for a fancy dinner at let’s say Leela Palace or Grand Chola, or you might have just ordered a pizza at home. You may relish in the cheesy flavours of Italy or in the hot peppers of Mexico, but the moment your mother says, “Konjam Thayir Sadham sapadraya?” (Will you eat some curd rice?), you just can’t say no. It’s like coming back home after an exile. Thayir Sadham, it’s not just food. It’s an emotion.
A necessity in some Tambrahm house holds, you could say; their (stereotypical) priority list in life reads somewhat like
-Get son into IIT/Get daughter married to IIT Boy (first priority, sorry)
-Thayir Sadham
-Everything else.
“With pomegranate and grapes!” exclaims Nivetha, a college student.
“With Kadugu thalippu (tempered with mustard seeds) and cold creamy curd. So creamy that it looks like ice cream. With a dollop of manga thokku,” says an excited Prathiksha. “Eat thayir sadham the way it’s meant to be eaten… With your hands,” she says.
“It’s the light at the end of the tunnel, the ray of hope to get me through a bad day. I can say it’s the secret of my energy,” says Sandhya, an IT professional.
One of the greatest things about thayir sadham is that it can be what you want it to be. Hot or cold. Spicy or plain. Round, rectangular and even heart shaped! (round dabba = round Thachi mammu).
However you may like it –tempered with mustard seeds, chillies, coriander, pomogranates, avakka, chuntney, ketchup, what not!? just sink your hands (and not the spoon) into that box of Thachi Mammu. After all, it is the food (hero) that you(gotham) may not deserve, but it’s a food that you need!
-Anagha Natraj
Order your Thachi mammu now and other homemade food at moremilaga.com!
Eating home-cooked meals may help keep diabetes away: Study
People who often eat food prepared at home are less likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes than those who consume such meals less frequently, new research has claimed. There is an increasing tendency for people to eat out, involving more consumption of fast food, researchers said. The study has found that such people have a diet rich in energy but relatively poor in nutrients -this could lead to weight gain which is, in turn, associated with type 2 diabetes risk, said Qi Sun, from the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Heath in the US.
Sun and his team employed large prospective datasets in which US health professionals were surveyed, with rigorous collection of data on health indicators, including eating habits and occurrence of diabetes. The results were corrected for factors that could affect dining habits, including marital status. The study analysed 2.1 million years of follow-up data.
The findings show people who reported consuming 5-7 evening meals prepared at home during a week had 15% lower risk of diabetes than those who consumed two such meals or fewer. A smaller, but statistically significant, reduction was apparent for those who consumed more midday meals at home.
Moreover, less weight gain could partially explain the reported reduction in occurrence of type 2 diabetes in those often eating meals prepared at home. Well-established diabetes prevention strategies include behavioural interventions aimed at increasing exercise and dietary habits.
Source: Times Of India, July 7th 2016
So why wait, order today authentic Home-food from Moremilaga.
Keep Calm and eat Puliodharai
Keep calm and eat Kovil Puliodharai is the common refrain in the lanes and bylanes of Triplicane.
On a rainy Wednesday Morning we get on the Puliodharai trail and meet this charming man at the Parthasarathi temple Madapalli.
“We only use pepper and Gingelly oil for the Puliodharai. No red chilies or groundnut oil. We don’t want to agonize Lord Parthasarathi coz he has already taken a lot of arrows on the battlefield.
For everything else we use ghee.
Even if you try out the recipe at home you wouldn’t get this taste” He continued
“Why?”
“Coz, the Kovil Puliodharai contains one additional ingredient, the blessings of Lord Parthasarathi”
FYI, the Puliodharai sold at the temple Prasadam stall is not from the Madapalli.
Yeah, all Puliodharai is not Kovil Puliodharai.
We rush as its getting late to office when this man tells us that it’s Prasadam time.
“Thanks sir but then we gotta rush”we tell the gentleman.
“That’s okay. Keep calm and have Puliodharai. All other things can wait” he tells us
And, things wait and wait as we help ourselves with a third serving 🙂
Share recipes, your thoughts on food or anything in between @ Moremilaga 🙂
My mom isn’t the best cook in the world..
Back then when mom used to work, cooking happened between waking us up, homework, making us eat breakfast, packing our bags, and a million other things.
Umpteen times the potato curry tasted burnt, the sambar lacked salt and the rasam too sour.
Was too embarrassed to share my food with others at school, I confess.
Years passed, I moved. The potato became mashed, changed into wedges or sometimes into fries, Kara curry or Podimass.
The other day I walked into this Mess with my friends and they served Sambar rice with potato curry. Others found the potato to be burnt. But then, I found mom.
Umm, I like it. Let me eat some more of it.
BTW, why do I get reminded of my 9th standard summer holidays spent playing ‘bet matches’ when I eat a particular variety of Manga?
My friends feel it’s too sour. They tell me, after all a Manga is a Manga is a Manga. (Apologies Shakespeare)
I doubt.
Is food about taste or emotions? I wonder
Share recipes, your thoughts on food or anything in between @ Moremilaga