We’ll never forget the day that we ate this chicken with our friends Sumeet and Anita in the garden of a lovely colonial home in Puducherry. Surrounded by tropical flowers, in the shade of broad leafed trees, with cool stone under our feet, we savoured every flavourful morsel. How refreshing to take something as simple …
There’s much to love about Puducherry. Called Pondicherry until 2006, it’s now mostly known as Pondi. The city was the French capital of India from 1674 to 1954 and as such is decidedly different than any other part of India.
Creole. In North America, we associate the word with Louisiana. We see it as a sultry mix of cultures and food, a blend of races, spices and language. It’s where French (and Spanish) colonials met with African-Americans and Native-Americans, free or enslaved, in the heat of the south and everything melded together, willingly or unwillingly. …
Read more about Cooking French Creole in Puducherry with Anita Goubert and Sumeet Nair
Our wonderful driver Murali was a great ice cream model for us! He always seemed to know when we needed a break on the road and where to find the best dosas, chai and kulfi – India’s richer, creamier version of ice cream. Kulfi traditionally takes two days to make, with one whole day spent …
Mariya Family Restaurant Bakery and Ice Cream is a favourite roadside cafe in Kerala. It’s located in Pullapara on Highway 183. This road leads from the coast near Kottayam to Periyar in the hills and depending on which way you are headed it seems to be ever-ascending or descending. It’s a hairpin turn infested snake …
After leaving The Bangala, as we whizzed along the Karaikudi to Pudukkottai Highway, near the Thirumayam Fort, our driver Murali asked if we’d like to see a small Shiva Temple that he knew about. We had a long day ahead and had really only just got going but how could we say no? We trusted …
Read more about A Shiva Temple near Thirumayam on the Karaikudi to Pudukkottai Highway
What has nerves of steel, lightning fast reflexes, and the focus of a laser beam? If you said a professional driver in India, you’d be correct. There are a lot of stereotypes about India we can bust. The state of the roads and driving may not be one of them. There’s no refuting this stereotype. …
All Indian food goes better with an astringent chutney or pickle on the side. This is a quick and easy recipe for a pickle that can be as hot or as mild as you like. We used one teaspoon of the chilli powder but the recipe from chef Jerry Matthew at Spice Village called for …
There’s so much to like about this dish. Jackfruit is a beloved food of South India and, when in season, locals dice the fresh ripe fruit, combine it with a bit of ghee and jaggery, and boil off the liquid to create a dry jam or veratti that they preserve for future use. A tablespoon …
Paliyakudi is a tribal village in the Idukki district of Kerala. Ammachi is the word for grandmother. Kaada means quail. The people of Paliyakudi were traditionally animal farmers and also existed by hunting, fishing and honey collection. Grandmothers cooked for the family using quail the family raised and spices from the lands surrounding them. Traditionally, …
Read more about Paliyakudi Ammachi Kaada – Grilled Quail with a Mint and Green Chilli Marinade