RAG Demo

Tag: Mild spice

  • Qubani ka Meetha

    Qubani ka meetha is a classic Hyderabadi dessert made from dried apricots, which reached the Deccan from Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is a must at Hyderabadi weddings, where it is served as the final sweet course, often next to double ka meetha. The small, hard, light-brown dried apricots with their stones are essential to the true taste.

    The apricots are soaked, stoned and cooked slowly with sugar until they break down into a thick, glossy, amber-brown compote with some pieces still whole. It tastes deep, tangy-sweet and slightly caramel. It is served warm or chilled, topped with cream, malai or custard, and the cracked kernels from the stones are sometimes used as garnish.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsdried apricots / sugar / cream / almonds

    Ingredients

    • 250 g dried Hyderabadi apricots (qubani), with stones
    • 4 cups water for soaking
    • 1/2 cup sugar, adjust to taste
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup fresh cream or thick malai
    • 10 almonds, blanched and sliced

    Method

    1. Wash the apricots well and soak them in 4 cups water overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until plump and soft.
    2. Remove the stones by squeezing each apricot gently; keep the soaking water. Crack a few stones and remove the kernels for garnish if you like.
    3. Put the apricots and the soaking water in a heavy pan and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until very soft.
    4. Mash about half the apricots with a spoon, leaving the rest in pieces.
    5. Add the sugar and cook on low heat for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens to a jammy consistency and turns glossy and deep amber.
    6. Stir in the lemon juice and switch off. It will thicken more as it cools.
    7. Serve warm or chilled in small bowls, topped with cream or malai and sliced almonds or the apricot kernels.

    Tips

    • Use the small Hyderabadi or Afghani dried apricots with stones; Turkish apricots give a different, brighter flavour.
    • Taste before adding all the sugar, since apricot sweetness varies.
    • Vanilla custard is a popular alternative topping at weddings.

    Serve with

    Fresh cream, malai, vanilla ice cream or custard.

  • Double ka Meetha

    Double ka meetha is a royal Hyderabadi dessert that is said to descend from the Mughal shahi tukda. The name comes from double roti, the old Hyderabadi term for bread, which doubles in size as the dough rises. It is served at weddings, during Ramzan and at Eid, often next to qubani ka meetha.

    Slices of bread are fried golden in ghee, soaked in a cardamom-saffron sugar syrup and then cooked with reduced milk until they soak it all up. The result is soft and moist, almost like a set pudding, but still with some texture from the crisp fried bread. It is very rich, sweet and fragrant.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsbread / ghee / milk / sugar / saffron

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices white bread, a day old, crusts removed, cut into triangles
    • 1/2 cup ghee for frying
    • 1 litre full-fat milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar for the syrup
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp sugar for the milk
    • a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 2 tbsp khoya (optional)
    • 12 almonds, sliced
    • 10 pistachios, sliced
    • 10 cashews, halved

    Method

    1. Simmer the milk in a heavy pan on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until it reduces to about half. Add 2 tbsp sugar, the saffron milk, cardamom and khoya if using.
    2. Meanwhile, make a syrup by boiling 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water for 5 minutes until slightly sticky but not stringy. Add a pinch of cardamom.
    3. Heat ghee in a frying pan on medium-low heat and fry the bread triangles in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp and evenly golden. Drain.
    4. Fry the almonds, pistachios and cashews in the remaining ghee until lightly golden and keep aside.
    5. Dip each fried bread slice quickly into the warm sugar syrup and arrange them in a single layer in a wide pan.
    6. Pour the reduced milk over the bread. Cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the bread absorbs most of the milk and turns soft but still holds its shape.
    7. Garnish with the fried nuts. Serve warm or chilled.

    Tips

    • Day-old bread fries crisper and absorbs less ghee.
    • Fry slowly on medium-low heat; quick-fried bread is golden outside but soggy inside.
    • For a shortcut, use a can of condensed milk mixed with 1 cup milk instead of reducing.

    Serve with

    Served after biryani at weddings and Eid dinners.

  • Goli Baje

    Goli baje is the tea-time snack of Mangalore and Udupi, sold in every hotel and canteen along the coast. Also called Mangalore bajji or Mangalore bonda, it is made from maida and sour curd fermented briefly so the batter becomes light and airy. The name refers to its round, golf-ball shape.

    The fritters are golden and slightly crisp outside, with a soft, spongy, almost bread-like interior studded with green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and coconut bits. The sourness of the curd gives a pleasant tang. They are eaten hot with coconut chutney and a cup of tea or coffee. They are best within minutes of frying, while the outside is still crisp.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / green chillies / ginger / coconut

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups maida
    • 1 cup sour curd
    • 1 tbsp rice flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 2 tbsp coconut bits or grated coconut
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Whisk the curd, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl until frothy. Leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Add the maida and rice flour and mix to a very thick, sticky batter. It should drop off a spoon slowly, not flow. Add a spoon of water only if absolutely needed.
    3. Beat the batter vigorously with your hand or a spoon for 3-4 minutes. This incorporates air and makes the bajji fluffy.
    4. Cover and rest for 2-3 hours at room temperature until it rises slightly.
    5. Stir in the green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, coconut and cumin.
    6. Heat oil on medium heat. Wet your fingers, take small lime-sized portions of batter and drop them into the oil.
    7. Fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, turning, until they puff up and turn deep golden on all sides.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Very sour curd gives the best flavour and rise.
    • The batter must be thick; a runny batter makes flat, oily bajji.
    • If the oil is too hot, the bajji brown outside and stay raw inside; test with one first.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and hot tea or filter coffee.

  • Neer Dosa

    Neer dosa, meaning water dosa in Tulu, is a breakfast staple of the Mangalore and Udupi region. The batter is made only from soaked rice and a little coconut, ground fine and thinned with water until it is almost like milk. It needs no fermentation, so it can be made the same morning.

    The dosas are thin, soft and delicate with a lacy surface full of tiny holes, and they are cooked on one side only, never crisped or browned. They are folded into triangles and served with coconut chutney or, in Mangalorean homes, with chicken curry or kori gassi. The mild flavour makes them a perfect partner for rich, spicy gravies.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / coconut / water

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups raw rice (dosa rice or sona masoori), soaked 4-6 hours
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3 cups water
    • oil for greasing the tawa

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked rice and grind it with the coconut and 1 cup water to a very smooth batter. Rub a little between your fingers; it should feel completely fine with no grit.
    2. Transfer to a bowl, add salt and stir in about 2 cups more water to get a very thin batter, like thin buttermilk.
    3. Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned iron tawa on medium-high heat. Grease lightly with oil.
    4. Stir the batter well each time, since the rice settles at the bottom. Take a ladleful and pour it from the edge of the tawa in a circle, moving inwards to fill the gaps. Do not spread with the ladle.
    5. Cover and cook for about 1 minute until the top looks set and white, with tiny holes, and the edges start to lift. It should not brown.
    6. Without flipping, fold the dosa in half and then in half again to form a triangle, and lift it onto a plate.
    7. Grease the tawa lightly again and repeat. Do not stack hot dosas flat or they stick; keep them folded and slightly apart.

    Tips

    • The batter must be very thin; if the dosa is thick or does not form holes, add more water.
    • A hot tawa is essential for the lacy pattern, but reduce heat if the dosas start browning.
    • Use the batter within the day; it does not need or benefit from fermentation.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, kori gassi (Mangalorean chicken curry), or jaggery with grated coconut.

  • Ragi Mudde

    Ragi mudde, or ragi ball, has been the staple food of rural south Karnataka for centuries, especially in Mandya, Mysore, Hassan and Tumkur. Farmers eat it because it is filling and gives steady energy through a day of field work. Ragi grows well in dry conditions, and a meal of mudde with saaru is still everyday food in many Kannada homes.

    The balls are smooth, dense and greyish-brown with a mild, earthy taste. They are not chewed: a small piece is pinched off, rolled in the gravy and swallowed. That is why mudde is always eaten with a thin, spicy gravy such as bassaru, soppina saaru or a mutton or chicken saaru.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsragi flour / water / salt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup ragi flour (finger millet flour)
    • 2 cups water
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp ghee or oil (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring 2 cups water, salt and ghee to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed pot.
    2. Take out about 1/2 cup of the boiling water and keep it aside in a bowl.
    3. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the ragi flour all at once in a mound in the centre. Do not stir. Let it sit on the boiling water for 2-3 minutes so the flour steams.
    4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a traditional mudde kolu, stir vigorously to combine the flour and water, breaking up any lumps. It will be a thick, stiff mass.
    5. If it is too stiff, add a little of the reserved hot water. Keep stirring and pressing on low heat for 3-5 minutes until smooth and the flour is fully cooked. It should not stick to a wet finger.
    6. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2 minutes, then switch off.
    7. Wet your palms with water, take a portion of the hot mixture and roll it into a smooth ball on a wet plate. Repeat. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • Adding the flour without stirring at first is the trick to lump-free mudde.
    • A cooked mudde does not stick to wet fingers; if it does, cook a little longer.
    • Use a wooden stick or the back of a wooden spoon; a metal ladle will not mix it well.

    Serve with

    Bassaru, soppina saaru, avarekalu saaru or a spicy country chicken curry.

  • Mysore Pak

    Mysore pak was created in the kitchens of the Mysore palace during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. The palace cook Kakasura Madappa is credited with it, and his family went on to run a well-known sweet shop in the city. Pak or paka refers to the sugar syrup, and the sweet is made from just three ingredients: gram flour, sugar and ghee.

    There are two styles. The traditional one is firm, porous and slightly crumbly with a honeycomb texture, while the soft version made popular by Chennai sweet shops is dense and melts in the mouth. This recipe makes a soft-porous version, golden with a deeper colour at the base, rich with the flavour of roasted besan and ghee.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves12
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / ghee / sugar

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup besan (gram flour), sifted
    • 1.5 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1.5 cups ghee, kept hot on a separate burner
    • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder (optional)

    Method

    1. Grease a 7-inch square tin or tray with ghee and keep it ready near the stove.
    2. Mix the sifted besan with 1/2 cup of the warm ghee to a smooth, lump-free, flowing paste.
    3. In a heavy kadai, dissolve the sugar in the water on medium heat and boil until it reaches one-string consistency, about 5-6 minutes. A drop pressed between finger and thumb should form a single thread.
    4. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the besan-ghee paste to the syrup, whisking constantly so no lumps form.
    5. Now add the hot ghee, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, stirring continuously. Each time the mixture absorbs the ghee and bubbles, add more.
    6. Keep cooking and stirring for 8-12 minutes. The mixture will froth up, turn porous and lighter in texture, and begin to leave the sides of the pan with ghee oozing out.
    7. When it reaches this stage and smells of roasted besan, immediately pour it into the greased tin. Do not spread or press it.
    8. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares while still warm. Allow to cool completely before removing the pieces.

    Tips

    • The ghee must be hot when added; cold ghee will not make the mixture porous.
    • Remove from the heat as soon as it froths and leaves the sides; a few seconds more makes it hard and crumbly.
    • Cutting while warm gives clean edges; once fully set it breaks unevenly.

    Serve with

    Served on its own as a festive sweet or after a meal, with filter coffee.

  • Palada Payasam

    Palada pradhaman, often simply called palada payasam, is the crowning sweet of many Onam and wedding sadyas. It is made with ada, thin flakes of steamed rice, cooked slowly in milk and sugar. The milk reduces and caramelises gently, turning a soft pink colour without any colouring, and the ada becomes silky and tender.

    The famous Ambalappuzha temple payasam is a related milk-and-rice preparation, and the slow-cooked pink colour is the mark of a well-made palada. It is rich, creamy and sweet with a hint of cardamom, and it is served warm at the end of the meal, sometimes poured over a crumbled pappadam and a banana.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time75 minutes
    Total time85 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice ada / milk / sugar / ghee / cardamom

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup rice ada (store-bought or homemade)
    • 1.5 litres full-fat milk
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 10 cashews, halved (optional)
    • 1 tbsp raisins (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add the ada, switch off and leave for 30 minutes until soft. Drain and rinse in cold water so the flakes do not stick together.
    2. Pour the milk into a heavy, wide pan and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring so it does not catch.
    3. Add the drained ada and the sugar. Lower the heat to low-medium and simmer, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom and sides.
    4. Continue for 50-60 minutes. The milk will reduce by about half, thicken, and gradually turn from white to cream to light pink.
    5. When the payasam is pink, creamy and the ada is completely soft, add 1 tbsp ghee and the cardamom powder.
    6. If using, fry cashews and raisins in the remaining ghee until golden and add to the payasam.
    7. Switch off and let it rest for 15 minutes; it will thicken further as it cools. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • A wide, heavy pan speeds up reduction and prevents scorching.
    • The pink colour comes only from long, slow cooking of milk and sugar together; do not rush it on high heat.
    • Pressure cooking milk, sugar and ada on low heat for 45 minutes, as some caterers do, also gives the pink colour, but watch it carefully.

    Serve with

    Served warm at the end of the sadya, traditionally with a small crushed pappadam.

  • Kerala Parotta

    Porotta, as it is usually spelt in Kerala, is the bread of the state's roadside thattukadas and hotels, eaten at any hour with beef fry, chicken curry or egg roast. It is thought to have arrived via Sri Lankan and Tamil migrant cooks and has since become a Kerala icon, so popular that its nutrition has been debated in public for years.

    A good parotta has dozens of thin, flaky layers that pull apart easily, crisp at the edges and soft inside. The secret is a soft, well-rested dough, plenty of oil, and stretching the dough until it is almost transparent before pleating and coiling it. After cooking, the parottas are stacked and clapped between the palms to loosen the layers.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietEggetarian
    CourseBread
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / egg / milk / oil

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups maida (all-purpose flour)
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • about 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp oil for the dough
    • 1/2 cup oil for oiling and stretching
    • ghee or oil for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the maida, sugar and salt. Add the egg, milk and 2 tbsp oil, then add water gradually and knead for 10 minutes into a very soft, smooth, elastic dough, softer than chapati dough.
    2. Coat the dough with oil, cover and rest for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours. Resting is what lets it stretch thin.
    3. Divide into 8 balls, coat each in oil and rest covered for another 30 minutes.
    4. On an oiled counter, flatten a ball and roll or press it out as thin as possible. Lift and stretch it with your hands, or toss it, until it is translucent and paper thin. Small tears are fine.
    5. Drizzle a little oil over the sheet. Gather it from one edge into loose pleats, like a fan, forming a long rope. Coil the rope into a spiral and tuck the end underneath. Repeat for all, and rest the coils for 10 minutes.
    6. Gently press each coil into a disc about 15 cm across, using your fingers rather than a rolling pin so the layers stay intact.
    7. Cook on a hot tawa on medium heat for 1.5-2 minutes per side, drizzling ghee or oil, until golden brown spots appear on both sides and the parotta is cooked through.
    8. Stack 2-3 hot parottas, and clap them firmly between your palms from the sides a few times to open up the layers. Serve hot.

    Tips

    • A soft dough and a long rest are non-negotiable; stiff dough tears and will not layer.
    • For an egg-free version replace the egg with 2 tbsp curd and a little extra milk.
    • Cooked parottas freeze well; reheat on a tawa and clap again.

    Serve with

    Beef fry, Kerala chicken curry, egg roast or vegetable kurma.

  • Olan

    Olan is the mildest curry on the Onam sadya leaf, and it is there on purpose: after the tang of pulissery and the heat of pickles, olan cools and calms the palate. It is a simple preparation of ash gourd, sometimes with pumpkin, and red cowpeas, cooked in coconut milk with nothing more than green chillies, salt and curry leaves.

    It is pale, light and delicately sweet, with the ash gourd turning translucent and soft. There are no ground spices, no tempering and no onions in the traditional version, so the quality of the coconut milk and the fresh coconut oil at the end matter a great deal. It is eaten with rice, and many people enjoy it the next day too.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsash gourd / red cowpeas / coconut milk / green chillies

    Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup red cowpeas (vanpayar), soaked 6 hours
    • 400 g ash gourd (kumbalanga), peeled and cut into thin 3 cm squares
    • 100 g yellow pumpkin, thinly sliced (optional)
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1 cup thin coconut milk
    • 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1.5 tbsp raw coconut oil

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked cowpeas with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt for 3-4 whistles until soft but whole. Drain.
    2. Put the ash gourd, pumpkin, green chillies and salt in a pan with the thin coconut milk.
    3. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the ash gourd turns translucent and is soft when pressed.
    4. Add the cooked cowpeas and simmer for 2-3 minutes so they absorb the flavour.
    5. Lower the heat to the minimum and stir in the thick coconut milk. Heat gently for 1-2 minutes until just hot, without boiling, then switch off.
    6. Add the curry leaves and drizzle the coconut oil over the top. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Cut the ash gourd thin and even so it cooks quickly and uniformly.
    • Black-eyed beans can replace red cowpeas, though red cowpeas are traditional.
    • Use fresh coconut milk if possible; canned milk makes olan heavier.

    Serve with

    Kerala matta rice with sambar, thoran and pappadam as part of a sadya.

  • Erissery

    Erissery is a thick pumpkin curry from the Kerala sadya, made especially at Onam and Vishu. The name is often linked to eriv, meaning heat, a nod to its pepper and chilli, though it is not a very spicy dish. Ripe yellow pumpkin is the usual vegetable, sometimes combined with raw banana or yam, cooked with red cowpeas.

    What makes erissery special is the final topping of grated coconut fried in coconut oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves until deep brown. That roasted coconut adds crunch and a toasty aroma to the soft, sweet, partly mashed pumpkin. It is thick enough to scoop and is eaten with rice in the middle of the meal.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsyellow pumpkin / red cowpeas / coconut / cumin / coconut oil

    Ingredients

    For the curry

    • 1/2 cup red cowpeas, soaked overnight
    • 500 g ripe yellow pumpkin, cut into 2 cm cubes
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the coconut paste

    • 3/4 cup grated coconut
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 2 green chillies
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

    For the topping

    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1/2 cup grated coconut

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the cowpeas with 1.5 cups water for 4-5 whistles until soft.
    2. Cook the pumpkin with turmeric, chilli powder, salt and 1/2 cup water in a covered pan on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until soft.
    3. Grind the coconut, cumin, garlic, green chillies and pepper to a smooth paste with a little water.
    4. Add the cooked cowpeas to the pumpkin and mash lightly with a ladle so about half the pumpkin breaks down and the rest stays in pieces.
    5. Stir in the coconut paste and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes until thick and the raw smell is gone. Add a little water if it gets too thick.
    6. For the topping, heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies and curry leaves, then add the grated coconut. Fry on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes until it turns deep golden brown.
    7. Pour the topping over the erissery, mix in half of it and leave the rest on top. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • Choose a ripe, sweet pumpkin with deep orange flesh.
    • Fry the coconut topping patiently; it should be evenly browned, not burnt in spots.
    • Raw plantain cubes can replace half the pumpkin for a firmer texture.

    Serve with

    Rice with sambar, pappadam and other sadya dishes.