Granola Ellunda -- Rolled oats- sesame seeds balls

Sweet sesame seed balls were a childhood favorite back home. Last week, there was some leftover coconut-jaggery filling which begged to be used. Heated some ghee and pan seared the rolled oats and the sesame seeds -- can use black and white or both -- and mixed it with the melted jaggery-coconut filling And this was the result. Granola balls! Delicious!

Battenberg cake

Another English favorite. Made the marzipan with sugar syrup and almond meal. Didnt want to use egg white or gelatin.

Estonian kringel bread

Another beautiful, delicious cinnamon bread made with a mix of spelt and all purpose flour. Saffron, cardamom optional, I hear.

Kozhukkatta and Peecham pidi

Nazrani Palm Sunday specials. Kozhukkattas are rice flour dumplings with a sweet coconut filling . The sweetener can be regular sugar or jaggery. and Peecham podis are made with mildly sweet rice-flour-coconut dough, steamed. 

Sambar

Sambar is one of the staples in our house. There will be some always. It goes well with rice, rotis, dosa and idli and vada etc etc. And it is healthy and spicy delicious and aromatic. It has a lentil base, and all kinds of vegetables, all kinds of spices including turmeric, coriander, asafoetida, and a few others.  One of the basic food item of South Indians. A soup, a stew, a so-called curry.

this one is special because I used a mandolin to prep the vegetables. Till now I did everything by hand, as I realize that I am kind of a perfectionist. Each vegetable piece had to certain shape and size.
But once I used the gadget, things looked different, but somehow easier. Tasted the same, anyway.

final seasoning with mustard seeds, dried chillies, spices

rice and sambar and ground beef

London Iced buns

Yummy treat with tea or coffee

Lamb ragout with farro and spring vegetables

Waiting at the counter at the grocery store,  saw the picture of a stew on the cover of a magazine,. Came home, googled and found it in bon appetit magazine. Unfamiliar flavors, especially that of dandelion greens. But we enjoyed it.
The method and the spices used aren't that different from other stews. The greens is what made the taste different, I think.

prep: