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Keertida

@keertidacooks

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A trained chef sharing stories of regional Indian food, culture and food culture 🇮🇳

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I got to taste a really special chikki- Kovilpatti’s Kadalai Mittai and in the process discovered what makes it special.

What surprised me was how many seemingly small details are tied to its distinctive flavour- from the peanuts grown in the region’s black soil, to the jaggery sourced specifically from Tamil Nadu, and even the water used to make it: water from the Thamirabarani river, which while can’t be scientifically proven is said to naturally enhance its taste.

I love how a food can carry so much of a place within it- its ingredients, its water, its history and the knowledge of the people who have made it for generations.

Discover the authorised producers of Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai here: https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/486

Traveling with @bharatgiofficial to different parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to discover such products that carry a GI certificate makes me think of ALL that there is to discover in our diverse country. 🇮🇳 by @keertidacooks

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18 days ago

After a long day of chopping, cooking and shooting, I want something quick- but never boring.

And thats when I make this sweet potato-peanuts-makhana chaat, that is crispy and crunchy and tangy and SO satisfying. And the best part? It comes together in literally 8 minutes.

While I’ve always had an oven, I never quite bought into the idea of an air-fryer. It just didn’t seem relevant for my cooking.

Until I came across LUMA, designed by an Indian team for Indian ingredients and the way we cook, this beautifully designed air fryer (did you see that glass body?) has earned its place on my counter.

Here’s the recipe, try it!

Serves 2

In a bowl, combine
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 Tbsp peanuts

Add 2 tsp oil and toss well

Using the Air fry mode on LUMA, adjust the time to 8 minutes and start cooking the sweet potato and peanuts

While that is cooking, we make a sauce by combining
2 Tbsp Tamarind extract (try to get a thick extract, mine was a little watery here)
3 tsp jaggery powder, or more according to taste
1/8 tsp cumin powder
1/8 tsp black salt
A pinch of dry ginger powder
Red chili powder, to taste
Salt, to taste

Mix well, and adjust as needed

Now, once the timer on LUMA shows 3 minutes, add 1/4 cup Makhana and let them cook with the sweet potato and peanuts.

Once done, toss with the tamarind sauce we made, some pomegranate and mint

Enjoy!

#ad by @keertidacooks

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19 days ago

I love crispy snacks, and I’ll even travel for a good one.
This time, all the way to Tamil Nadu to taste Manapparai’s Murukku.

These crispy rice-flour spirals began as a snack sold to passengers at the railway station, and I can see why. Give me this over generic chips any day!

I got to watch seasoned murukku-makers expertly handcraft each one, and discovered what makes them so special.

This is what I love about travelling through In- discovering uniquely local products, each with their own story, technique and connection to a specific place.

And this is exactly what being GI-certified- like Manapparai Murukku, helps recognise. It protects a product’s authenticity, prevents imitations from borrowing its name, and brings recognition to the makers who’ve kept the craft alive.

Discover the authorised producers of Manapparai Murukku: https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/488

Proud to be part of @bharatgiofficial effort to spotlight these treasures.

More such discoveries coming up, so follow along!

#ManapparaiMurukku #TamilNadu #GIStories #BharatGI #IndianSnacks by @keertidacooks

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20 days ago

Discovering a centuries-old art form in my new home state of Karnataka.

I got to visit an artist and watch her bring a Mysore painting to life- from the incredibly precise line work and traditional gesso to delicately placing gold leaf, all while referring to texts that prescribe the proportions, colours and features of the deities.

Watching her work with that kind of concentration was a masterclass in an artistic tradition that traces its origins back over five centuries- from the Vijayanagara Empire to the Wodeyar courts of Mysore.

Once you see a Mysore painting coming to life, like I did @chitra_nandana_arts you begin to understand what makes Karnataka’s artistic legacy so unique and why this traditional art form is GI-recognised.

Explore the authentic artisans behind the timeless art of Mysore Traditional Painting: https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/32

There is SO much art, craft and culture to discover throughout our country, and I’m glad I get to travel and experience it with @bharatgiofficial

#MysorePainting #Karnataka #IndianArt #IndianCrafts #GIStories by @keertidacooks

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21 days ago

I thought I needed a new oven. Turns out, I just needed a Marvel. ✨

From air-drying curry leaves and roasting nuts to baking cookies and cooking cutlets, this 8-in-1 countertop oven has become my weekday kitchen workhorse.

It’s added efficiency to my cooking, and a with its beautiful design and compact size little more aesthetics to my kitchen counter- and honestly, I’m here for it.

There’s a sweet discount going on right now, comment MARVEL for the code ✨

#ad by @keertidacooks

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22 days ago

Some sweets don't just taste of a place. They belong to it.

Like Dharwad Pedha.
Karnataka's first GI-certified Mithai- once you taste it, you understand why.

Iconic stores like Babu Singh Thakur and the one I was told to visit- Tru Mishra have been making this Mithai with just two ingredients- the thick, rich milk of the Dharwadi buffalo reduced to khoa and sugar.
I watched this slow-cook on woodfire until it deepens into that signature brown colour and gets that distinct caramelised flavour.

A GI certificate isn't a marketing badge. It's a legal recognition that a product's character comes from a specific place- its soil, its climate, its people- and can't be replicated anywhere else.

Find the authorised producers carrying forward the legacy of Dharwad Pedha: https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublicSearch/Application/Details/80

This is my first stop in a series documenting India's GI-certified products, follow along!

#DharwadPedha #Karnataka #GIStories #IndianSweets #IncredibleIndia by @keertidacooks

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25 days ago

A unique Poha recipe from Konkan that needs no cooking (just the quickest tempering)- Kolache Pohe is a traditional recipe from Konkan that combines soaked pohe with tangy, spiced coconut milk to make a ridiculously easy yet incredibly satisfying breakfast/ evening snack.

While tamarind is traditionally used as a souring agent in the coconut milk, I’ve used an ingredient adored in Konkan- Kokum extract that makes the coconut milk the prettiest shade of pink. (Also better for the stomach than tamarind). Win-win.

@aazol.in and I have put together a Kolache Pohe kit and if you’d like the link along with the recipe comment POHE

#ad by @keertidacooks

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a month ago

No Ganpati in Pune this year, since Aai Baba are visiting my brother in Seattle- which is where our Ganpati will be.
And so here I am playing Akashvani at 5:30 in the morning and reliving our annual Ganpati rituals through this virtual library of our most eagerly anticipated festival.

For those of you celebrating, what do you look forward to most during this festival?
And, if you are getting to celebrate it with your family, take pictures, treasure this time and don’t take it for granted 🌸

Need to make Modak more often to get to her level!

The logic- भावाला बहीण पाहिजे which means Every brother (Modak, masculine) needs a sister (Karanji, feminine).

Skills!

I look forward to these as much as Modak. You?

Creativity shows up everywhere

Aai’s been asking us to pose way long before the social media era

I get it from my mama, clearly.

I’m looking at this closely now, and realise it’s sabunana, not coconut for saran 😅

🩷🩷🩷

Such a cool Patra right?

🌺🪷🌼

Such beauty in our everyday objects, if we look closely

Least looked forward to task of the season

Only made for Ganpati- do you make it on other occasions too?

What do you make for Gauri Jevan?

So much craft in our cookware!

Things we ate, without labeling them as foraged/ superfood

Satisfaction can also look like this

🙏🌸🙏 by @keertidacooks

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a month ago

Benarasi- a 3 ingredient mithai that is unique in its simplicity.

I came across this recipe in Ruchira, an OG Marathi cookbook and love how 3 common ingredients- coconut, rice flour and sugar were put together to make a Mithai that is stupidly simple to make, and yet surprisingly satisfying (I mean, hard to go wrong with coconut + sugar, especially when it’s slowly cooked in ghee)

The key is to let these fudgy squares slowly develop a caramelised crust in a sturdy pan. And for this, I’ve used the Brass dosa Tawa from @ptal.in since it has a naturally non-stick surface and is wide enough for our Mithai to cook without crowding.

Here are the proportions/ process I used, try it!

For 14-16 pieces

2 cups packed/ 200 gms of freshly grated coconut
1 cup/ 120 gms of finely granulated sugar
1/3 cup/ 60 gms of rice flour
5-6 cardamom, finely ground

Combine everything together and let it rest for 15 mins- you’ll see how it comes together .

Then, make lime-sized balls of this mixture and flatten it on - banana leaf/ parchment paper

Brush ghee onto your pan and cook the squares on each side till golden-brown.

Accordingly to the book, these last for 4-5 days. I have also tried a version by adding dry fruits like cashews, almonds and raisins (reduce the sugar if using raisins).

So use this as a base recipe, add-in what you like and this festive season, try it!

#ad by @keertidacooks

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a month ago

Niger seeds- also called Karale til/ Khurasni are the are the lifeline of tribal agriculture and economy across India, and this is your reminder to start adding them to your diet. 
A lifeline of tribal agriculture and economy across India, these seeds grow naturally without excess water or fertilizer and other than making a dry chutney, I like to keep some roasted and ground seeds to sprinkle on subzis like this one.   We now have a jar of chia seeds in our cabinet, can we make some space for a jar of these power-packed niger seeds?

We’re so lucky to have this wide variety of natural produce in our cuisine, and ro I like to have some

Here’shere’s the recipe for the pumpkin and avarekkai subzi, try it!  To start, roast 1/3 cup avarekkai in a dry kadhai and once cool, grind and transfer to an airtight bottle.   To make the subzi you’ll need:
2 cups of pumpkin, cubed
1/2 cup of avarekkai/ pavte (I found some fresh avarekkai in the market, you can skip it if not available)  In a kadhai, cook the avarekkai in some salted water and when 75% done, add the cubed pumpkin and let it cook.   While the pumpkin is cooking, in a separate kadhai, heat
1.5 Tbsp oil and temper it with
Scant 1/4 tsp mustard seeds A fat pinch of heeng
5-6 cloves of garlic, bashed  3-4 green chilies, slit
8-10 curry leaves   Add 1 large onion, and sauté till pink

Then, tip in the cooked pumpkin and avarekkai, mix well and sauté for 5 mins.

Just before taking it off the heat, add 1.5 Tbsp roasted and ground niger seed powder and serve.

Even a small amount of ingredient serves a purpose in our cooking and I hope you try this recipe that incorporates roasted Niger/ karale seeds. by @keertidacooks

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a month ago

Patolya, a festive preparation made even more special with beautiful Ratnagiri Alphonso Aam Ras from @aazol.in 🥭

Having spent my summers in Ratnagiri growing up, I’m a bit of a mango snob. Which is why I typically steer clear of packaged aamras- I don’t particularly enjoy the added sugar and acidity regulators that many commercial versions contain.

So I was genuinely surprised when I tried Aazol’s Aam Ras. It has just one ingredient: beautiful Ratnagiri Alphonso mangoes. No added sugar, no preservatives -just that gorgeous colour, aroma and flavour of the fruit itself.

I’m making these sunshine-coloured Patolya for Ganpati celebrations this year, and sharing the recipe so you can make them too!

Patolya

Makes 4-6

In a paraat/ wide bowl, combine
1/2 cup of rice flour
1/8th tsp salt
3/4th cup @aazol.in Aam Ras. Start with 1/2 cup, adding more as needed to achieve the right consistency.

In a bowl, combine
3/4 cup of grated coconut
1/3 cup of jaggery (add 1/2 cup if you have a higher sweet threshold)
2 elaichi bananas, finely chopped
Some nutmeg powder

Spread the batter onto banana leaves. Add the coconut-jaggery filling down the middle, then fold the leaf over and press lightly to seal.

Bring the water in your steamer to a boil. Place the banana-leaf parcels in the steamer plate/ basket and steam for 12 minutes.

Open the leaves, drizzle generously with ghee and serve warm. ✨

Save this one for Ganpati!

#ad #patolya #konkan #mangoes #ganpati by @keertidacooks

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a month ago

Festivals and their associated food traditions have a fascinating way of encapsulating the geography-history-ecology of a region and its people.
And I got to experience Janmashtami in my new city, thanks to @nisha_94 who invited me into her home.

Watching Geetha aunty cook seven preparations, back-to-back, made me think of the effortless ease with which our mothers and grandmothers manage the most arduous tasks (we really can’t thank them enough). There was much banter, learning, laughter and merriment and many feelings were felt.

There is much more to this story than can fit into a Reel, so the full video will be up on YouTube soon. 🤞

🎥 @my_blue_backpack

#janmashtami #foodculture #indianfood by @keertidacooks

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a month ago