Jaisalmeri Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas in Yogurt Gravy)

A kala chana recipe from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Cooked chickpeas is simmered in a yogurt-chickpea flour (gram flour or besan) gravy along with other spices. Serve with roti, naan or chapathi.
Recipe Courtesy: Chitti's Kitchen

Cabbage Mor Kootu (Cabbage in Yogurt Gravy)

Mor kootu is a Tamil Nadu style preparation where vegetables are cooked in a coconut-yogurt gravy. Sounds very similar to Kerala's kichadi aka pachadi, huh? I never made kichadi with cabbage though. I gave it a try and loved this crunchy cabbage side dish with rice.
Recipe Courtesy: Suganya's Tasty Palettes

Pavakka Kichadi / Pachadi (Bitter Gourd in Coconut n Yogurt Gravy)

This is a traditional kichadi/pachadi from Kerala with regional variations in recipe. Here fried bitter gourd is cooked in a coconut and yogurt gravy along with other spices. Frying of bitter gourd and the addtion of yogurt help to reduce the bitterness of the gourd to some extent. I am a die-hard fan of pavakka and this is one of my favorite dishes.
Recipe Courtesy: Live.to.eat

Beet Greens in Yogurt Gravy (Mor Kootu)

Mor kootu is a side dish popular in Tamil Nadu where vegetables are cooked in a coconut yogurt gravy. It tastes very similar to kichadi / pachadi of Kerala cuisine. Here beet greens are used for the curry. If you use just beet leaves and not the stem, the dish will look more to the greener side. The more the stem you add, the more the pink the dish will be.
Recipe Courtesy: Madhuram's Eggless Cooking

Gujarati Kadhi (Yogurt Chickpea Flour Gravy)

Kadhi is a North Indian delicacy and there are regional variations in recipe. I loved this side dish from Gujarat. It is made by simmering yogurt and chickpea flour (besan or gram flour) along with other spices and jaggery. I reduced the amount of jaggery not wanting to make it too sweet. Traditionally, this kadhi is served with khichdi but it could also be served with plain rice or pulav.
Recipe Courtesy: Parita's World

Shrimp Korma (Prawn in Creamy Gravy)

This is a creamy shrimp korma in a yogurt-coconut-cashew gravy. This could be served as a side dish with idli, dosa, rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Speciality Recipes From My(e) Kitchen

Beetroot Kichadi / Pachadi (Beetroot in Coconut n Yogurt Gravy)

Beetroot is one of the varieties of beet rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. This kichadi is a traditional Kerala side dish served during sadya (feast). Beetroot is cooked in a coconut gravy and yogurt is added towards the end. To my surprise my four year old son also tried the dish as he was excited to change the color of his rice to pink!
 Recipe Courtesy: Suja's Kitchen Corner-Try It

Bihari Aloo Dum (Baby Potato in Yogurt n Masala Gravy)

Dum Aloo is popular dish in North India with regional variations in preparation. This time I tried the Bihari version. Here cooked baby potatoes are skinned and fried in oil/ghee and then cooked in a tomato-yogurt gravy along with spices. This could be served as side dish rice or roti.
Recipe Courtesy: Aipi's US Masala

Vellarikka Kichadi / Pachadi (Cucumber in Coconut n Yogurt Gravy)

Kichadi/Pachadi is one of the side dishes in traditional Kerala sadya (feast). There are different varieties of kichadies made with different vegetables. In our part of the world we call this kichadi. In some other parts of Kerala this curry is called pachadi. Pachadi and kichadi have 'totally' different definitions in some other regional cuisines of India. It's all very confusing and I don't want to go into any details! Traditionally cucumber with yellow-orange skin is used for this curry.
Recipe courtesy: Shn's Mishmash I didn't grind mustards seeds with coconut, so mine should be kichadi as per the definition in the blog.

Thayir Sadam (Curd Rice / Yogurt Rice)

Curd rice, native to South India, is rice flavored with yogurt and seasoned with a variety of lentils. Sometimes, milk is also added to the rice to reduce the sourness of the curd. This is not something we usually make at home. I have a faint (sweet!) memory of eating thayir sadam when I was young while visiting a relative in (then) Madras.
Recipe courtesy: Deepa's Simple Home Cooking

Sambharam (Spiced Buttermilk)

Summer is here and what could be more refreshing than a glass of flavored buttermilk! Sambharam is a traditional hydrating drink of Kerala, used as thirst-quencher during the hot and humid summer months. It is buttermilk flavored with ginger and spiced up with green chillies. It is also served with rice in traditional Kerala sadya (feast).
Recipe courtesy: Kairali sisters' Pazham Pappadam Payasam

Mango Lassi

Summer is around the corner and we are in the midst of a heat wave. A glass of mango lassi is a good option to chill out in the scorching heat. Lassi is a Punjabi delicacy. DH loves mangoes and I made this lassi for him. I followed this recipe in the blog Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes. I used  a pinch of cardamom powder for flavor.

Vellarikka Moru Curry (Cucumber Buttermilk Curry)

Pulisseri (buttermilk curry) is something that I have at home all the time. This time I decided to make this curry instead. Traditionally, cucumber with yellow skin is used for this curry. My mom makes another version of this curry without the yogurt in it. I found this recipe in the blog Kaipunyam. The use of garlic in the curry is new to me and we loved it. Thanks to Tina for the recipe.