<p class="title">I learnt basic cooking when I was 15. I never took cooking seriously until we shifted to Zambia in the late eighties. We were staying in a place called Chingola, a mining town where no eateries of any kind were available. Even Indian groceries was rarely available. We would sometimes get it in some selected Indian shops. So we had to prepare all Indian food at home. This made me learn how to prepare Indian snacks like samosas, cutlets, mixtures and 'murukku'. I then graduated to make pizzas, pasta etc. which we used to have on weekends.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I always had a soft corner for South Indian cuisine and love to eat dosas and idlies. I also make a variety of dosas ranging from 'ragi', 'uttapam' and those made from bread. Apart from South Indian cuisine, I am also a great fan of Italian cuisine. </p>.<p class="bodytext">For me, cooking is all about homemade, healthy food prepared with lots of love and affection but no preservatives.</p>.<p class="bodytext">My mother was a really great cook and I have learnt a lot from her. I don't like indulging in complicated cooking. So I keep everything I make simple and short. 'Jeera' seeds is my favourite ingredient in the kitchen and I use it a lot as it is also a healthy choice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I like to experiment and try out different dishes and giving them my own twist.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, I am sharing the recipe for 'Morappam'. It is one of my grandmother's exclusive recipes and my mother too made it often.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Usually, 'Morappam' is made with 'urad dal' but my grandmother used 'urad papad' to make it and for the sourness and fermentation, she would use buttermilk.</p>.<p class="bodytext">'Morappam' is a very traditional dish and is an instant snack that everyone would like. Hope you enjoy it too.</p>.<p>Ingredients</p>.<p>Buttermilk - 1 cup<br />Kerala papad or urad dal<br />Papad - 6<br />Rice flour- 1 cup<br />Ginger- Small piece <br />Green chilli- 1 or 2<br />Hing- A pinch<br />Salt to taste</p>.<p>Method</p>.<p>Soak papads cut into pieces in buttermilk for half an hour.</p>.<p>Grind the above with rice flour by adding water if necessary. The mixture must have idli consistency.</p>.<p>Add chopped ginger green chilli. Add hing and salt.</p>.<p>Deep fry in Kuzhipaniyaram.</p>.<p class="byline">Parvathy Subramaniyam </p>
<p class="title">I learnt basic cooking when I was 15. I never took cooking seriously until we shifted to Zambia in the late eighties. We were staying in a place called Chingola, a mining town where no eateries of any kind were available. Even Indian groceries was rarely available. We would sometimes get it in some selected Indian shops. So we had to prepare all Indian food at home. This made me learn how to prepare Indian snacks like samosas, cutlets, mixtures and 'murukku'. I then graduated to make pizzas, pasta etc. which we used to have on weekends.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I always had a soft corner for South Indian cuisine and love to eat dosas and idlies. I also make a variety of dosas ranging from 'ragi', 'uttapam' and those made from bread. Apart from South Indian cuisine, I am also a great fan of Italian cuisine. </p>.<p class="bodytext">For me, cooking is all about homemade, healthy food prepared with lots of love and affection but no preservatives.</p>.<p class="bodytext">My mother was a really great cook and I have learnt a lot from her. I don't like indulging in complicated cooking. So I keep everything I make simple and short. 'Jeera' seeds is my favourite ingredient in the kitchen and I use it a lot as it is also a healthy choice.</p>.<p class="bodytext">I like to experiment and try out different dishes and giving them my own twist.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, I am sharing the recipe for 'Morappam'. It is one of my grandmother's exclusive recipes and my mother too made it often.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Usually, 'Morappam' is made with 'urad dal' but my grandmother used 'urad papad' to make it and for the sourness and fermentation, she would use buttermilk.</p>.<p class="bodytext">'Morappam' is a very traditional dish and is an instant snack that everyone would like. Hope you enjoy it too.</p>.<p>Ingredients</p>.<p>Buttermilk - 1 cup<br />Kerala papad or urad dal<br />Papad - 6<br />Rice flour- 1 cup<br />Ginger- Small piece <br />Green chilli- 1 or 2<br />Hing- A pinch<br />Salt to taste</p>.<p>Method</p>.<p>Soak papads cut into pieces in buttermilk for half an hour.</p>.<p>Grind the above with rice flour by adding water if necessary. The mixture must have idli consistency.</p>.<p>Add chopped ginger green chilli. Add hing and salt.</p>.<p>Deep fry in Kuzhipaniyaram.</p>.<p class="byline">Parvathy Subramaniyam </p>