Barfi OR Katli? Though often used interchangeably, there is a lot of difference between barfi and katli as regards methodology and taste. Barfi needs the sugar syrup to reach one thread consistency at least. Katli is more fudge-y as it can be made when soft-ball consistency or half-thread consistency is just achieved. Katli is made read more…
Vegan pear frangipane tart

Frangipane (fran-juh-pan) is a sweet filling used in many desserts. It is made of almond meal, and predictables like eggs,sugar, butter and a small helping of flour. The flour, I think is just to help the almond meal firm a little. Once baked, the crust turns firm and golden and the rest of the filling read more…
Vegan strawberry and sherry vinegar ice cream

We are still getting gorgeous strawberries half-way through March. Of course, we are making the most of it. I love strawberries and had a plan in place last week. On Sunday morning Mr.P expressed thick coconut cream and coconut milk. I had purchased two boxes of beautiful, red, plump strawberries the evening before. For inducing read more…
Thai spiced, strawberry soup

A couple of years back, my beautiful blue-eyed friend, Veronika, blogger and photographer at ‘Kitchen Finesse‘ posted a tempting photograph in flickr. The title read ‘strawberry coconut milk soup’. You know what caught my eye, right? Every word, actually. I am fond of soups, like strawberries and absolutely love coconut milk! There was no thing read more…
Clementine, chamomile and poppy seed cake

One of the perks of being on facebook is that one meets many like-minded people, some of whom can become your friends even if you have never met. I belong to a group that has some lovely ladies, mostly Palakkad Iyers like me, who come up with interesting topics every day on the forum. Last read more…
Indian coconut and jaggery panna-cotta | pudding | flan | jelly

My daughter, as you might know already is allergic to gluten, dairy and most nuts. This cuts off some delicacies for her, though not all. With my inclination to not use xanthan gum, the limitation only increases. What I cannot make for her, I make up by making other desserts she likes, as many times read more…
Vella payasam, a porridge made with brown rice, coconut milk and molasses

The best thing about being vegan in India is that you do not have to give up desserts, sweets or most of your favourite eats, for that matter. Being South-Indian only makes this easier. Where I come from, we did not have many dairy-based sweets to start with. Sweets in earlier times were consumed judiciously, read more…
Vegan sticky lemon cake drizzled with lemon-mint syrup – gluten-free

This post kicks off my first day with the veganmofo challenge. Veganmofo is an annual event in which participating vegan food blogs from all over the world, post one vegan delicacy a day on their sites. Considering that I do only two posts a month, this is going to be a huge challenge. You can read more…
Sesame and Balsamic Glazed Asparagus Cranberry Tart

I am sure as bloggers you too have gone through this experience – bonding beyond boundaries with ‘faceless names’ that later blossomed into cherished friendships, haven’t you? Then there are friends who connected more than others, so much that they became your family, even though you have never met them. I am proud to have read more…
Gluten-free Carrot cake with vegan cashew condensed milk

Gluten free carrot cake with faux ‘condensed milk’ I was away on a ‘soul nirvana’ trip last week. Some go to spas for rejuvenations, others turn to yoga or pilates for relaxation. For me, it is spending time with family and meeting up with my parents, sisters and cousins that fuels my soul. It is read more…