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From My Family's Kitchen - Heirloom Recipes

HEIRLOOM RECIPES

Sadhya

SADHYA

From God's Own Country

From God's Own Country

Manvasanai - Flavours from Tamil Soil

MANVASANAI - FLAVOURS FROM TAMIL SOIL

South East Asian

South East ASIAN

Homemade

HOMEMADE

Breakfast & Tiffin

BREAKFAST & TIFFIN

Desserts & Sweets

DESSERTS & SWEETS

"The Ultimate Classic Carrot Cake Recipe: Easy, Moist, and Perfect for Celebrations"

Top view of a classic moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and a border of toasted walnuts.

Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting


A timeless, spiced delight featuring a luscious cream cheese frosting and crunchy Walnuts 

    The ultimate moist carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting is a flavour-filled cake with added texture, velvety finish and crunchy toasted Walnuts.  A classic carrot cake is more than just a dessert; it is a heart-warming, indulgent slice of pure happiness. With its moist, spice-kissed layers, nutty crunch, and tangy frosting, this cake remains a perennial favourite for celebrations or a quiet, cosy weekend bake. This recipe strikes the perfect balance between rustic simplicity and sophisticated flavour, ensuring a show-stopping result even for the most novice baker. Let’s dive into the art of the perfect crumb!

Authentic Cochin Fish Mollee in a black bowl with sliced tomatoes and lacy Appam, showing Portuguese culinary influence.

The Portuguese-influenced Cochin Fish Mollee, where mild spices meet creamy coconut milk


 

Authentic Cochin Fish Molee (കൊച്ചിൻ മീൻ മോലീ) | Silken Kerala Maritime Fish Stew

    Authentic Cochin Fish Molee (കൊച്ചിൻ മീൻ മോലീ) is a traditional Kerala Christian fish stew made with coconut milk, mild spices, and firm white fish. Pale, elegant, and unapologetically gentle, this Portuguese-influenced Cochin Molee is the exact opposite of loud, fiery fish curries ubiquitous to Kerala.   

    From the storied kitchens of Cochin comes the legendary Fish Molee, a silken, coconut milk based fish stew that is as elegant as it is misunderstood. While many claim the crown for the "best" version, this recipe is a refined result of thirty years of trial, error, and overcoming a rather "fishy after taste" culinary trauma. If you’ve been looking for a Fish Molee that balances the delicate sweetness of the coast without the "fishy" surprises of the past, you’ve arrived at the right shore. This Cochin Christian festive staple is perfect for your Christmas breakfast or lunch.


display of golden Kerala Achappam cookies alongside a traditional brass bowl and a vintage rose cookie mould.

Achappam Recipe - Kerala Christmas Snack

Perfectly Crisp Achappam Recipe (Kerala Rose Cookies) — A Golden Tradition

Achappam (അച്ചപ്പം) is the ultimate crispy Kerala snack that combines the delicate sweetness of coconut milk with a non-negotiable crunchiness. This authentic Achappam recipe reveals the secrets to mastering the traditional ‘achu’ (mould) to achieve golden, rose-shaped perfection every time. Whether you call them Rosettbakkels, Kuih Loyang, or Rose Cookies, this fail-proof guide ensures your rice flour batter transforms into light, airy, and stunningly crisp Achu Murukkus everytime. 

 The Secret to High-Protein, No-Bake Nuts & Chocolate Bars

Close-up of homemade, high-protein no-bake energy bar showing dense, chunky almond, cashew, and pistachio filling in dark chocolate.
No Bake Nuts & Chocolate Bars - Espresso flavoured

If you’ve ever lived with a young adult who wants to “eat healthy” but stares at a handful of almonds like they’re punishment, you’ll understand exactly why this easy no-bake nut and chocolate power bars recipe was born. My son has recently taken the high road—soaked flax seeds overnight, fresh juices, and all that noble business. But ask him to eat a handful of mixed nut and seed chocolate as-is, and suddenly he turns into a poet of boredom. Thankfully, necessity truly is the mother of invention! These homemade nut bars are the perfect solution, combine heart-healthy nuts and dry fruits with a sophisticated espresso-laced dark chocolate coating. They are the ideal high-protein, on-the-go office snack ideas that are mother-approved and young-adult-adored. Learn how to make these addictive dark chocolate energy cubes in just 30 minutes!


Close-up of a silver spoon holding a generous portion of textured, vibrant red plum jam, set against a background of plums.

Easy DIY Plum Jam Recipe

Easy Plum Jam Recipe: The Sweet Taste of Childhood Memories and Simple Preserving

Jam-making can feel like bottling sunshine, isn't it? If you're looking for a simple, yet utterly delicious, plum jam recipe that skips the stress and tastes of pure nostalgia, you've landed on the right page. This is not just a spread for toast; it’s a jar of concentrated festive cheer! With a simple hint of natural pectin and just the right amount of tang, this easy plum jam is the perfect homemade gift or a luxurious addition to your holiday breakfast table. Get ready to stir up some magic and boost your kitchen confidence!

Close-up of Palakkadan Nadan Chicken Curry in a traditional brass vessel, showing thick, spicy gravy and steam.

Palakkadan Nadan Kozhi Curry - Traditional Kerala Chicken

From The Heart of Palakkad: Nadan Chicken Curry – Achante Kozhi Curry, A Three-Generation Legacy

There are some recipes you don’t just cook — you inherit them. They arrive wrapped in memories, in the soft dust of summer holidays, in the smell of woodsmoke and wet soil after a Palakkad drizzle. This Classic Palakkad Chicken Curry is exactly that for me. Not just a curry — but a living story, a family ritual, a taste of home that refuses to fade no matter how far life carries you. My memories start in my grandparents’ home in Palakkad — a place I visited only for a few days each year...



Ambur Vaniyambadi Chicken Biryani close-up image showing chicken leg piece and orange-tinted Seeraga Samba rice, a flavorful South Indian biryani dish.

Authentic Ambur Vaniyambadi Chicken Biryani


Ambur / Vaniyambadi Chicken Biryani – The Unsung Royalty of South Indian Cuisine

     Of all the Biriyanis I’ve tasted, the authentic Ambur Chicken Biriyani holds a special, simple elegance. It remains light, richly aromatic, and effortlessly traditional—a taste dedicated to my memory of the fragrant Madras streets and the smoky biriyani dekchas of yesteryear. This recipe is a tribute to that unforgettable flavour profile of the Arcot Nawabi kitchen, where every tiny grain of rice whispers stories of heritage and delicious, approachable simplicity.

    Let's Discover the secret behind the best Ambur Chicken Biryani, the true masterpiece of Tamil Nadu cuisine...

 

Three Avalose Unda served on a brass plate with glass tumblers of black tea, vintage tea kettle, and a colourful tin of snacks in the background

Avalose Unda with Chaya – Kerala Tea Time Nostalgia


Avalose Unda alias Ari Unda – A Love Story I Never Had


“Before we roll into the recipe, let me take you back to a kitchen filled with tins, laughter, and a certain hard rock ball I never quite understood…”



Kerala Avalose Podi served with grated coconut, sugar, and steamed banana, alongside a mug of black coffee in a rustic brown-toned setup.

Avalose Podi Snack with Steamed Banana & Black Coffee – A Kerala Naalu mani Palaharam


Avalose Podi with Coconut, Banana & Jaggery – A Kerala Quick Fix Snack

    When hunger knocks unannounced, the Malayali kitchen always has an answer. This humble Kerala snack made with Avalose Podi, grated coconut, ripe banana, and jaggery or sugar is the ultimate quick fix — no flame, no fuss. Often whipped up during tea time as a naalu mani palaharam (the sacred 4 PM snack hour), it's as nourishing as it is nostalgic. While a similar quick-fix Aval Nanachathu has its own fan base, this version with toasted rice flour brings a deeper flavour and bite. Whether served with Kattan Chaaya  or Kattan Kaapi or Milk Tea, it’s the kind of teatime treat that creates memories.

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Ebook - "What I Cook – For Onam"

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Celebrate Onam the authentic way! Discover 25 timeless Kerala Sadya recipes in my ebook What I Cook – For Onam. From avial to payasam, bring home the flavours of tradition. Available now on Amazon!

I Me Myself

SM - Essence of Life
Essence of Life - Food is all about daily cooking with a simple sense of taste and health. It is all about food. Not a day goes by without eating for most of us, so what we eat matters on the whole.

Food in the mode of goodness increases the duration of life, purifies one's existence, and gives strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. Above all ingredients, the most vital one in my kitchen is love.
Sm
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AROUND THE WORLD 160 BAKING 23 BEVERAGES 18 BIRIYANI & PULAO 28 BREAKFAST 78 CURRIES 103 DESSERTS 118 FROM GODS OWN COUNTRY 178 From My Family's Kitchen - Heirloom Recipes 52 GLOSSARY 23 HOW TO... 64 KERALA PALAHARAM 20 KONGU CUISINE 21 KUIH MUIH 5 MALAYSIAN CUISINE 80 MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE 12 Manvasanai - Flavours from Tamil Soil 126 PICKLES 26 RICE DISHES 65 ROTIS 9 SADHYA 117 SNACKS & SAVOURIES 69 SOUPS 10 SPICE POWDERS 18 TIFFIN ITEMS 64 VIRUNDHU 15 WINES 10 eBook 1

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