The scientific name of Murungaikai also starts with M. Drumstick tree a tropical plant is known as Moringa Olifera and the drumsticks are known as Moringa Pods. According to this site, drumstick tree is called the “Powerhouse of Minerals”. Basically, the drumsticks are fruits but used as vegetables. When it comes to Tamil Nadu cuisine, I cannot skip Murungai or Drumstick. It is one of the staples of Tamil Nadu and it’s a very common backyard tree....

My last post was about couple of blue tooth devices that I use during workout and mentioned that I do a lot of outdoor workouts. I use the “RunKeeper” app for measuring the distance and calories. I love that app. Today I am going to talk about another app. “MyFitnessPal”. When I started my personal training, my trainer was asking to write all I eat and maintain my intake calorie count....

Nepal is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It borders China in the north and India in the south, east and west. Much of Nepalese dishes are made in India too, especially in the North eastern Indian states. Even though Nepali food is not as famous as it’s neighboring countries, it has many distinctive qualities. There are quite a few different cuisines in Nepal: Newar - from Kathmandu is one of the most richest and most influential in Nepal....

I have such fond memories growing up of going to church softball games and watching my dad play in the church league. It was a great opportunity to spend time with my friends, and clearly the best part about these evenings was heading to the concession stand and loading up on treats. One of my favorite candies were Nerds and to this day, they bring back such fun memories. Love Nerds?...

This old fashioned Easter egg candy is a generations-old recipe that has been in my family for a long time. It’s amazing, highly coveted by family friends, and it also includes a critical secret ingredient that you might have not seen coming. Potatoes. Believe it or not, the filling for these Easter Egg Candies is made partly of mashed potatoes. I’ll be the first to admit that I had was severely skeptical the first time my mom showed me how to make this candy....

Country: O for Oman Dish: Khabeesa (Cream of Wheat Pudding) We are moving on to Oman today. This is the only country that I know of that starts with an O, so I’m pretty sure what most of my fellow BMers have picked today 🙂 Oman is an Arab state in Southwest Asia. Oman is an absolute monarchy in which the Sultan of Oman exercises ultimate authority, but its parliament has some legislative and oversight powers....

Paneer dosa is quite a popular menu item in many Indian restaurants. But it is very easy and more healthy to make at home. Try this recipe at home and I’m sure you will never order this at a restaurant 🙂 Recipes for crispy dosa and spicy paneer filling are included below. About this Recipe Idli and dosa happen to be one of my family favorite breakfast items. And so I am always looking to make something new and interesting....

One taste of this parsnip purée was all it took to totally blow me away. Parsnip purée is here to stay at my table. I (rather reluctantly) shared a small bowl with my mom to get her reaction. Same thing! She and my dad are crazy about it, too. How long it takes: 30 minutes (extra time to roast garlic) Equipment you’ll need: saucepan, blender or food processor Servings: 6 (makes about 3 cups) Parsnips are just so flavorful....

Thanks to Torani for launching these amazing new flavors (Raspberry, Peach, Passion Fruit) which means we can have it all year long. How to Make Passionfruit Mint Sangria : On my recent visit to Walmart (think BBQ party haul), I came across these new colorful Torani syrups in the tea aisle. And the first thing that came to my mind was ‘oooooh passionfruit sangria’ 😉 and many other cocktails/mocktail recipes followed....

When Grapes from California (sponsor) asked me to fall in love with grapes by creating a fall-inspired entree recipe using grapes, I immediately thought of this pasta with a creamy Dijon white wine sauce, juicy red grapes and healthy lean chicken. You might be raising your eyebrows at the thought of mixing red grapes with chicken and pasta but I’m telling you, it works. The sweetness of the grapes is such a terrific contrast against the richness of this dish and the tangy spiciness of the Dijon mustard....

Poondu means garlic in Tamil, and Kuzhambu means tamarind based tangy stew/gravy in Tamil. I have shared quite a few kuzhambu varieties before, but today’s recipe is something special. I made this garlic kuzhambu without any sambar powder. Before getting into the details, let me talk about kuzhambu. Kuzhambu is an integral part of the Tamil Nadu cuisine. When you explore Tamil food, you will realize that this kuzhambu be it veggie based one or meat or seafood-based, is a part of everyday cooking....

To me, this pot roast recipe is synonymous with Sunday dinner. How long it takes: about 3½ hours (mostly hands off) Equipment you’ll need: Dutch oven Servings: 6 Sunday dinner is a time for families to gather around, sharing stories and laughs, before the chaos of the week starts. While I was growing up, we always went to my grandparents’ house after church and often pot roast was on the menu....

Pumpkin Cheesecake in Cookie Form So far I’ve shared pumpkin cheesecake in classic form, as mini no-bake cheesecakes, and most recently, as cheesecake bars. Today, I’m taking things one step further and sharing pumpkin cheesecake cookies! Another addition to my gourmet cookie collection, these cookies are as decadent as their predecessors, but with a fun fall flair. The cookie part itself is moist and richly flavored, while the cheesecake filling is creamy and decadent....

The traditional method is a little elaborate. But my Instant Pot version is quick and tastes just as amazing as the original. Give this chana dal biryani a try and I am sure you will love it. About the recipe I love making biryani. Even though they need a bit of work to make, they are versatile, and are absolutely delicious. I think everyone has to try Hyderabadi vegetable dum biryani at least once....

There’s nothing boring about this quinoa salad! It covers all the bases: lots of protein in the quinoa, chickpeas, and feta; plenty of crunch in the red onions and candied pepitas; juicy purple blackberries and chewy sweet dried apricots; bright flavors of fresh mint and parsley; and a standout homemade vinaigrette. Every bite is so satisfying! How long it takes: 40 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large mixing bowl Servings: 6 This salad is a feast for the eyes and tummy, and nutritionally, it’s a powerhouse....

Carrying on with the roasted veggies obsession, I bring you roasted radishes. I know, you’re falling into one of three camps right now: How long it takes: 35 minutes Equipment you’ll need: baking sheet, oven Servings: 4 I hate radishes, goodbye. I love roasted radishes! HUH? Roast? Radishes? Weird! About These Roasted Radishes Radishes, tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper and stuck in a hot, hot oven, become the tastiest sweet little morsels....

Rotimatic Beetroot Puri I have been always sneaking in vegetables in my idli and dosa, but these day I have also started to hide the goodness of veggies in my poori, too. Last week I shared the Rotimatic Masala roti with quinoa flour and now it’s the time for poori. The next in the rotimatic series is the puri, precisely beetroot poori – a recipe that pleases your palate both visually and tastewise....

Pongal – The Indian Harvest Festival: The word pongal refers to two things. It refers to the Indian harvest festival pongal and also the dish pongal. Sakkarai pongal is the sweet jaggery rice, and that’s what I am sharing today, and the savory one is the ven pongal. I am not sure if the dish got its name after the festival as the pongal festival meal is incomplete without sakkarai pongal....

Saravana Bhavan Style Executive Thali A South Indian executive thali consists of all variety rice with one dessert and one dry curry. Usually, the dry curry will be potato curry, and the variety rice varies each time. I have already posted a similar combo for adi perukku. We usually prepare no onion no garlic kalanda sadam or variety rice for adi perukku. But today’s variety rice doesn’t have that restriction....

Pongal Festival- The Indian harvest festival is just around the corner, and with my makeover kitchen, it isn’t very easy for me to make elaborate meals. So I am opting for quick and straightforward options. I am not skipping both savory pongal and sweet pongal. Planning to make them in Instant Pot and stove-top pressure cooker. Kitchen Updates- This weekend we started our cabinet installation. Once we get those installed, then comes the counter-top installation, and that’s going to take ten days....