Amma's specialities that I miss very badly!

Writing about things which you are nostalgic about is supposed to be catharitic. Well.. let's see how that works out.... Yeah, yeah I'm a mama's boy

10. Kuzhi Appam Or Kuzhi Paniyaram as it is called all over Tamil Nadu. Amma has been making it since, like forever. She makes both the sweet and the karam Variety. I miss the karam variety the most. Soft in the inside and crisp on the outside. I never could restrain myself around this one. Amma usually makes this in the tea time and serves it with molagapodi. The best thing about this is the little pieces of Onion.

9. Chepan Kizhangu Fry is probably not the healthiest food around but, when you have it with sambar, it kicks ass. Golden brown and lightly salted, you can have it separately as well. Although, I should warn you, do not try to eat it immediately after it has been fished out of oil, however fabulous it looks. For one, it hasn't been salted yet. Then, there is a fair chance, you wont be able to speak again for the rest of the day!

8. Mullangi Sambar is another speciality of amma's. The best part about this is that, it goes with just about every curry from Vendekkai to cabbage. The golden mullangi tastes fab. Oh, and amma slices the Mullangi across, so that they form coin shaped pieces. It. Tastes. So. Very. Good. With. Idlis

7. Paruppurundai Sambar is an extremely difficult dish to make by all accounts. The urundai has a tendency to either become very hard or very soft, spoiling the dish completely. Of course, Amma gets it down pat, well, most of the time. On the same note, Parupparacha karamedhu tastes great as well be it Vazhapoo or Paruppusili

6. Vazhakkai Karamedhu is made once just about every single week when I'm in Ranipet. Mom doesn't make it too spicy. Just the right amount of spice and it goes fabulously with any Sambar especially the aforementioned Mullangi Sambar

5. Bread Upma is another tea time snack. Amma makes it with tomatoes, Potato and loads of red chilly powder. When it is very spicy, I love having Bournvita immediately after. The pleasant sting that accompanies the Bournvita is a cherished memory. Best of all, she doesn't use carrot, which totally spoils the taste in my opinion

4. Molagu Kuzhambu is another favourite. Amma usually makes it on Sunday afternoons. It is normally pretty thick and goes amazingly well with Vendakkai Curry(deep fried, obviously) and Arisi Appalam. Appa mixes this on the iluppachetti with rice and serves it. The iluppachetti imaparts that ineffable something that elevates this simple food to greatness. You have to taste it to believe it.

3. Dosai along with idli, is the most common dish in South India. But, the dosais I have at home are somehow above and beyond anything else. My usual count is 4-5. Amma knows I don't care for the crisp Dosais that Badri prefers. I like to be able to fold the dosai and dunk it in to the awesome thengai chutney and the molagai podi without breaking it in to pieces. Amma's Dosais are my favourite breakfast

2. Venn Pongal and Chutney should be made staples on the menu in Heaven if they don't have it on already. When Amma doesn't overcook the Kadugu and the cumin, it tastes like a blessing. The best part about having pongal at home is that, I generally have a second helping at about 10:30 in the morning between breakfast and Lunch, after I've has my fill at about 8:30. The cold chutney with the not-so-warm pongal is something to die for.

1. Urulai Kizhangu is by far my favourite vegetable when Amma's got her hands on it. She makes it two ways either by dicing it in to tiny cubes and frying them over a small flame or the more traditional roasted Alu Jeera sized version, albeit without the Jeera. I love the former and adore the later. The larger version tastes spectacular for lunch with a thick sambar, but it kinda loses out when you have it with curd. The Kutti urlakizhangu Karamedhu on the other hand goes very, very well with curd rice. Badri and I would fill out small davaras with Urulai kizhangu and have them separately.

There are many, many more dishes I'd like to list here. But, considering my manager might walk in any moment and the fact that I can't really come up with more adjectives for great-tasting food means I will stop here....