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Salads

Easy Quinoa Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing

August 10, 2021
Cauliflower Broccoli Salad with Peanuts

July 27, 2021
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with an Indian twist!

July 14, 2021
Marina Beach Salad with charred corn and mango!

July 13, 2021

Hello

I am Arch, the girl behind this blog. I am here to share how I cook. My recipes are usually quick, not too complicated and are full of flavour. Explore around and I hope you try a thing or two!

Latest Posts

Stuffed Brinjals with Parupu Usilli

February 5, 2023

Vazhaipoo Vadai | Bananaflower Vadai

January 16, 2023

Paneer Pulao | quick pressure cooker recipe

October 26, 2022

Badam Halwa – easy, failproof recipe in a pressure cooker!

October 23, 2022

Protein Rich Multi Dal and Grain Dosa

August 18, 2022

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New here, start with popular recipes!

Stuffed Brinjals with Parupu Usilli
Vazhaipoo Vadai | Bananaflower Vadai
Paneer Pulao | quick pressure cooker recipe
Badam Halwa – easy, failproof recipe in a pressure cooker!
Protein Rich Multi Dal and Grain Dosa
Gutti Vankaya Kura | Andhra Brinjal Curry
Vegetable Brinji Rice |Pressure Cooker|Instant Pot
Pepper Peas Masala | Pattani Milagu Masala
Makhani Curry | Easy Restaurant style recipe
Capsicum Peanut Rice | Capsicum Saadham

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🪔 கார்திகை பொரி 🪔

🪔 கார்திகை பொரி 🪔

Last year, I made these Caramel Pori Bars for Karthigai! Inspired from caramel popcorn, with nuts and a mild vanilla cardamom flavour, these were delicious. It’s also really quick, requires no sugar syrup consistency checking and can be customised in so many ways. The detailed recipe is on the blog. Search as Caramel Pori Bars. I’ll also leave the link in bio.

Happy Karthigai Deepam🪔

hug in a meal - love language is rasam sadham 🥰

hug in a meal - love language is rasam sadham 🥰

lemongrass ginger mint rasam and potato fry

#rasam #rasamforthesoul #comfortfood

On my lunch plate today Thakkali Kuzhambu, Carro

On my lunch plate today

Thakkali Kuzhambu, Carrot Cucumber Kosambri, Brinjal Curry, Potato Curry, Rice, Dhaniya Podi (mixed wit rice like parupu podi)

Recipe for thakkali kuzhambu is on the blog.

#meals #weekdaymeals #southindianfood #fullmeals #salad #veganmeals #indianvegan #glutenfree #healthyindian

This year, we imported a bommai from India. Quite

This year, we imported a bommai from India. Quite a special one as you can see.

Golu 2022 was the best of all years - mostly chilled at home, Amma made my favourite kunukku, puliyodharai, kesari, paavakai varuval, masala dosai and ofcourse sundals - basically whatever we felt like our God (and us) would love, I made some badam halwa, cookies just like that, we hosted some guests for the weekend when we cooked some amazing food and wore whatever our hearts fancied. Amma took a break after decades of hosting golu by breaking her usual fasting rules, she also didn’t wear her elaborate sarees most days and raided my wardrobe for clothes. She chanted slogams, songs all day, prayed in front of the golu, spoke a lot to me about everything under the sun when I was working and my home felt divine :) With Amma around, I realize I also spent very little time on social media and could spend time doing things like yoga, listening to slogams, meditating, reading books that I’d long forgotten and being in the moment.

I thought I’d look at all folks on social media and feel left out but actually, I had zero FOMO. My original plan was to wear sarees all days and I’d ordered stuff for it from India(i’ve a happy problem of too many new sarees now, yay), but come that day I was tired after work, or just didn’t feel like it on many days. Don’t know if it’s age or whatever, but I’ve come to believe strongly that what works for me, what brings me joy is the BEST option out there.

So, that’s this year’s big lesson which I hope to carry into many big things.

I lovedddd seeing so many things on IG - everyone celebrated in their own way! the daily bhajans from @divi_swarup, the kickass dresses and reels from @shilpaviswesh, the daily prasadams and sarees from @subha_vijay, @madhumitharam, @masterchefmom @streaksofindulgence @mylaporeiyeraathuponnu @shasvathi @ushajoy, the daily crafts by @lavanyahandmades and all the content creators who put so much effort to showcase stuff, share their joy. It was a beautiful time indeed. Thank you, for sharing all your joy, happiness, devotion, presence and honouring the divine. ❤️

Hello Margazhi, the most beautiful time of the yea

Hello Margazhi, the most beautiful time of the year where Pongal and Plum Cake exist in joy. ❤️make Pongal (buy plum cake!) and be merry!

#pongal #margazhi #southindianfood #tamilfood #vegetarian #indianfood

Mothership made the most excellentest meals today.

Mothership made the most excellentest meals today.

Round 1 - rice, nei, parupu podi with side of vethakuzhambu.
Round 2 - rice, nallennai, pudina thogyal, thakkali kai kootu

avalodhan appetite 😬BUT there was also a garlic rasam, thakkali thokku.

On the plate

🍃Podalangai Poriyal
🍃Thakkalikai Kootu
🍃Pudina Kothamalli Thogyal
🍃Pumpkin Vethakuzhambu
🍃Rice, nei and Parupu Podi

#lunch #meals #fullmeals #lunchtime #saapadu #lunchwitharch #southindianfood #southindianmeals #glutenfree #vegeterianfood #tamilfood #foodreels #indianfood

Ppaah, one delicious carrot halwa happened thanks

Ppaah, one delicious carrot halwa happened thanks to midnight instagram scrolling. It’s a miracle I didn’t bake something and instead made this.

This makes about 4-6 portions but I’d say you can have it by yourself over a few days.

🥕To a pressure cooker, add 1 tbsp ghee and sauté 5 cups (6-7 carrots) grated for 2 minutes on high flame and 6-7 minutes on low flame. It should get fully coated with ghee.
🥕To a vessel, add 2 cups of milk and 3 cardamoms crushed. Let it come to a boil.
🥕Take a pinch of saffron and microwave it for 10 seconds. It helps to crumble it and increase the flavour, I feel.
🥕Add the cardamom infused milk (don’t be like me; remove the pods) and pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Open after pressure settles.
🥕Saute for a minute on high flame, add 1/2 cup sugar and the saffron milk and stir again continuously until the milk evaporates. It will take 7-8 minutes.
🥕Add grated khoa or 1/4 cup milk powder and stir well. Garnish with cashews or saarapaarupu.

Enjoy with vanilla icecream or just as is❤️

#dessertideas #carrothalwa #gajerela #carrots #indiandessert #sweet #foodreel #indianfood #reels #halwa #gajarhalwa #gajarkahalwa

Looking for authentic Tamilnadu snacks this Diwali

Badam Halwa recipe is on the blog! I took time to

Badam Halwa recipe is on the blog! I took time to write it today in all variations, methods possible so you can have a foolproof recipe to try. This recipe is not new - I made it first in 2018 for Golu and wrapped them just like this as toffees. Since then, I’ve made it several times for festivals, family meals, dinners and even recently for my own valaikaapu (ok, had no time to make toffees but you get the idea). It’s my go to sweet and in this blog post, I share a number of things other than a simple recipe. There is a recipe on how to make it in an open pan the usual way, then there is a simple fail proof recipe on how to use a pressure cooker to make a sugar syrup and mix in almond paste to make a ridiculously quick badam halwa! Finally, there is a measurement to make a small batch - just 15 pieces ideal for a small family. This small batch badam halwa is what I made last evening for us. It was just perfect! I’ve also added instructions if you want to use almond meal.

In the last 4 years, I’ve shared this recipe jotted down on my Google Docs with a number of folks and many have tried. I’ve finally sat down, ofcourse the last day before Diwali and shared it in the blog!
The full recipe along with all instructions is on the blog. Do read, and let me know if you try!

Happy Diwali 🪔

#diwali #badamhalwa #sweets #diwalisweet #indiansweet #indianfood #mithai #halwa

Ven Pongal and Gotsu for this rainy day all over t

Ven Pongal and Gotsu for this rainy day all over the world! Chennai and Canberra both have amazing pongal weather today. Some of us are stuck at work, but even if you are - this meal should be quick, comforting and carb loaded, as all good things are.

Recipe for Mixed Veggie Gotsu

☘️To a vessel, add 1/4 cup moong dal, 1 chopped tomato, 2 sliced chillies, curry leaves, salt and cook for 5 minutes (if making with pongal, cook for 9 minutes)

☘️Add 1/2 cup chopped veggies - carrot and potato, 2 tsp sambar podi, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp tamarind paste. Cook for 4 minutes.

☘️To a pan (or simply use the IP itself), add some oil, temper with mustard, urad and add chopped capsicums. I added some leftover tomatoes too. Pour the cooked dal + veggie mix.

☘️Gotsu is a thin gravy, so add water to consistency. Garnish with lots of coriander leaves and serve. Alternative to tamarind is to squeeze some lemon juice at the end.

This gotsu goes well with Pongal and Idli! But we also had it with some rice and it was delicious. This is like a veggie dal, so you can really use it how you please. It’s also not very spicy, so ideal for kids and adults with baby tummies.

I love this vessel for the IP! Not really a contraption, honestly. It’s so versatile and can be used in many ways. If you’re looking to buy it, check for stackable vessels or steamer vessels for IP on Amazon. There are many brands available, measure your IP and buy one accordingly.

#IPrecipes #instantpotrecipes #pongal #venpongal #tiffin #easycooking #quickrecipes #venpongal #southindianfood

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