Vegetable Biryani

Our first meal in Hyderabad was a late lunch of Vegetable Biryani overlooking Hussain Sagar Lake. We were dining with our guide Srinu at The Waterfront Restaurant. We ordered a side of Grilled Paneer Kebabs. The tables had bright blue linens reflecting the serenity of the lake view. The restaurant was quiet at that mid-afternoon …

Steamed apple segments in a bowl

Steamed Apple Slices

You’ll feel light as a feather after a breakfast of Steamed Apple Slices. This is the fare on offer each morning at CGH Kalari Kovilakom – The Palace for Ayurveda. It may not sound like much. But for the guests who will undertake a morning of yoga and treatments, it’s an important part of the …

Pumpkin and Pigeon Peas with rice and curry leaves sit in a black serving bowl.

Pumpkin Pigeon Pea Erissery

This vibrant Pumpkin Pigeon Pea Erissery is a treat when travelling through Kerala. Each year at the fall harvest festival of Onum it’s easy to find. It’s an essential part of the banquet feast or sadya for that festival. And, a whole lot of feasting goes on during that 10 days each year. We are …

Moong Dal Curry

Without the use of oil, this Moong Dal Curry is nicely spiced. It hits a home run for flavour and ease of cooking too. Overall, it will leave you feeling light, satiated and refreshed – just like the ideal Ayurveda meal should. We loved watching the chefs at Kalari Kovilakom prepare meals for the patients …

Bright red tomato soup with a green cilantro garnish.

Ayurvedic Tomato Soup

What makes this Ayurvedic Tomato Soup Ayurvedic? Well, how you prepare it is the key. Many of us sauté aromatics (celery, onion, carrots, garlic) in oil to bring out maximal flavour in soups and sauces. Ayurvedic cooking is much lighter. Ayurveda is an ancient form of medicine based on the five elements and three body …

Green Chilli Fritters Frying

Green Chilli Fritters

Whether you are a visitor travelling across South India or a local bustling through a frenetic day in the life of Mother India, street food is often the easiest fuel supply to keep the human engine running. We spied these Green Chilli Fritters at a stall across from a monument we were visiting in Kochi. …

A bowl of shallot salad

Quick and Easy Shallot Salad

Chefs love to talk food. And, we love to know what they are cooking – both professionally and at home. We always ask about their favourite dishes. Often, they are amazingly simple recipes like this Quick and Easy Shallot Salad. This is a dish that one of the CGH Earth Experience Hotel‘s chefs – Francis …

Keralan Vegetable Ishtoo

Keralan Vegetable Ishtoo

Vegetables are a huge part of the diet in Kerala. And, locals enjoy their vegetables especially when they are served in Keralan Vegetable Ishtoo. Ishtoo is the Malayalam word for stew. The vegetables involved in this stew vary depending on what’s fresh at the local markets. Cooks pick the freshest seasonal ones. Then, they simmer …