Marina Balakrishnan

This cuisine has my heart . Simple home style food . Innate oonu ( today’s meal) Red rice Muthira curry ( horse gram ) Kootu thoran Koorka mezhukupuratti ( Chinese potato ) Red Amaranth chutney Chutta Pappadam ( roasted Pappadam) Annadatta Sukhibhava

I remember the utterly chaotic kitchen in Thalassery. A dozen coconut shells strewn around . Water that used to be constantly drawn in from the well because my grandmother loved cooking with it. The grating sound of the cherava ( coconut grater ) that we heard all through the day which eventually became music to my ears . It’s these memories of growing up that makes my work so much more precious and true . Todays thoran - a combination of vellerika ( orange cucumber ) and padavalanga ( snake gourd ) used to be my grandmothers favourite as a side for a kanji . Not a common one yet remarkably delicious. It made me think about the constant clamour for the new and the exotic on our dining tables, despite having it all right here . All that we need to do is pause and go deeper to revive those beautiful memories of growing up .. everything is beautiful there .. we just have to seek !!! Innate oonu ( today’s meal ) ~ Red rice ~ - padavalanga - vellerika thoran ( snake gourd & red cucumber thoran ) ~ Vazhutininga - paccha manga curry ( eggplant and raw mango curry ) ~ Kovakka mezhukupuratiyattu ( Ivy gourd stir fry ) ~ Chutta Pappadam ( roasted Pappadam) Annadatta Sukhibhava

One of the most simple , nourishing , hearty and elegant of this divine cuisine . Kanji .. I could have it everyday . But the monsoon defines this food to a heightened level . A bowl of steaming hot podi ari ( broken rice ) kanji is every Malayalis favourite. I personally do not like cooking the kanji in a pressure cooker . I like to soak the rice for few hours in a Munchattie ( clay pot ) and then slow cook it . There are different varieties of kanji that can be made . To pair with the kanji , is a Muthira ( horsegram) thoran . Muthira is warming in its nature and hence during the monsoon , you will find various preparations with this goodness . From Chammandis to Thorans to curries . Again I avoid the pressure cooker here . I prefer soaking it for few hours and then I get to cooking this delicious thoran . What’s a kanji without a good Chammandi .. a stone ground beautiful Chammandi rounds of the flavours so well . And for the Pappadam, it’s always a chutta Pappadam ( roasted on fire ) that brings it all together . Now this meal is aatma samptrupti ( soul satisfying) for me . I feel instantly uplifted in my energy . This meal surely heals you from within . It’s light on the tummy and soul . Kerala Ayurveda highly recommends the kanji as a complete meal. The rains are here . You will get to see more of my kanji posts soon . Stay tuned . Podi ari kanji ( broken rice kanji ) Muthira thoran ( horsegram ) Thenga Chammandi Chutta Pappadam ( roasted Pappadam) Annadatta Sukhibhava

A meal becomes nourishment when it’s cooked with an intention . Cooking a meal isn’t a chore . The process starts from just an idea and then it’s about the intention . Everything else manifests into making the meal special . Today’s meal is special . I deemed it was important to have my favourite Rasakalan , a dish I was introduced to at the age of 8 , at the Guruvayur temple . The meal at the temple was plain . We were served a small mound of red rice , over which a generous helping of Rasakalan was poured and a little thoran on the side . I don’t think I have been able to ever replicate that Rasakalan ever .. I still am in the hope of being able to get the similar flavours of the temple some day . I m getting there !!!! 🙏 Today’s meal Red rice Rasakalan Vellerika Muringa Parippu curry Cheera thoran Annadatta Sukhibhava

A note of appreciation I began the year with the commitment to my physical and mental health goals . The last couple of years has been time where establishing my work has been of prime importance.. In that , I had neglected a lot of myself . So this year I determined to reboot my life which meant I had to figure areas of my life that needed more attention . A couple of years ago I had quit running ( for no particular reason) . So this year has been a time where I have had to begin my training from ground level . Running and weight training has been what has been my focus along with working on my mind set, nutrition etc . It’s been a constant journey where each time a dip happens , I have had to get myself to commit more deeper and stronger . Today has been my second race this year . Truly finishing a run strong in this highly humid weather is quite an accomplishment.. a strong run , an improved race timing , and clearly a happier, fulfilling and strong mindset are the by products of this commitment. And in all of this my coaches @rhythmic.runner and @mehul_lal have constantly been my motivating factors .. while I write this post , all that comes to my mind is that age is just a chronological number .. I turned 60 this year and it’s here I guess I have just begun realigning and rebooting my life …

Today’s meal is special . Flashes of the flavourful thayir mulakku ( curd chillies) curry occurred while I watched the overcast sky this morning . Memories of piping hot kanji with the thayir mulakku curry and muthira Chammandi ( horsegram) made me happy and content . It was one of my grandmothers staples during the monsoon . She had magic and a gift which I think was what made any dish special. On the side she would quickly fry some potatoes with spices . The beauty and simplicity of this meal still lingers in me . This meal is dedicated to her .. There is honestly no words to describe the flavour of the mulakku curry . ( I used a combination of the milder and hot version of chillies) Rice Thayir mulakku curry Muthira Chammandi ( horsegram) Vendakka mezhukupuratti ( okra fry) Potato fry Roasted Pappadam Annadatta Sukhibhava

Everything is magical about cooking . It’s a skill , a passion that can shift your inner reality . It’s the most nourishing and fulfilling of pursuits . Today’s meal Red rice Andhra Gongura Pappu Dondakaya vepudu Brocolli thoran Paneer perattu Cucumber salad Annadatta Sukhibhava

I began my Oottupura journey one such morning when, blissfully watching the heavy rains took me back to familiar aromas and memories. Today too, I am drawn back into memory and the past. A theeyal is quite common in kerala . The theeyal I grew up eating was the paccha theeyal or the raw theeyal . Theeyal , as its name suggests is a deeply roasted kerala dish enhanced with tangy - sweet flavours . There is also a variety that is made in homes where the coconut isn’t roasted deep . Instead , the spices are given a light roast only to tone down any raw biting flavors. The spices are then made into a smooth paste with coconut and added into the curry. I have used ashgourd and drumsticks which make it heavenly . On the side is a raw banana cut into circles and made into a light thoran . There is also the green moong thoran cooked in a traditional manner . This meal has my heart . It is relishing , nourishing and filled with flavours and textures that put me into a joyful mode . The salad on the side added the freshness and crunch to the meal . A wholesome delight… On my plate Red rice - the thavalakanna Matta rice from @spiritoftheearthchennai Paccha theeyal Raw banana thoran Cherupayar ( green moong ) ularth Home made banana chips Salad Annadatta Sukhibhava

This trip to home has been delicious, to say the least. The best bit has been spending time with friends and family and eating food that they so lovingly cooked for me. From @nonchalantgourmand ’s traditional Gujarati Kutchi Bhatia meal, @amritaoflife ’s instinct based cooking and that vibrant Buddha bowl with jowar daliya and assortments and @thatthalasserygirl ’s wholesome Ootupura meal that she cooked for me — this has been heartwarming! 🌻

This has probably been the most balanced trip of Bombay that I’ve planned in the last couple of time that I’ve been here. The first week was completely spent at home with family, and this last week is all about meetings friends and trying out some new places. One thing which I’ve ensured though is that I don’t unnecessarily pack my itinerary too much. But despite the humidity and the forever dug up roads, I ensured to make time for my friends who’ve so lovingly cooked for me. One of them being my old neighbour and friend - @thatthalasserygirl . Do I even need to introduce her? I guess not. From someone who was skeptical about sharing her food and knowledge on social media, to becoming the voice of vegetarian Kerala cuisine and causing a stir in the industry with her venture Ootupura, Marina has come far. But what didn’t change was that after all this time she remembered my favourite dishes and cooked a meal for me at home, while we reminisced about the olden days of the Gulmohar cross road that we reside in. Relaxed afternoon, delicious soulful food and a heart that is so full, alongside the stomach! As Marina would say, Annadata Sukhibhava 🙏🏼🌻 [Vegetarian thaali, Indian thali meals, Kerala cuisine, satvik food, Indian food]

This cuisine is special . When I set out on the journey of bringing this food into prominence, I have had lot of people who were skeptical about my decision . Kerala food with no non vegetarian meant a difficult proposition. My conviction and belief perhaps was stronger than others doubts . There is so much to this food than the popular sadya . It’s been an exciting journey cooking the simplest of flavours and creating meal combinations. Today’s meal is about putting an exciting naadan meal combination together . Red rice Tomato Moru curry Pumpkin , Ashgourd and raw mango curry Green moong and raw banana thoran Plantain Pullisherry Annadatta Sukhibhava #naadanoonu #vegetarian #dailymeals #oottupura #oottupurabythathalasserygirl

I call this meal an absolute naadan special. Each dish has a summer element . The recipes are absolutely home style ( something I take pride in cooking ) . The ripe mangoes on the side came from a distant memory of lunches in summer where my grandmother adorned each plate with a few slices of home grown ripe mangoes .. Today’s meal ~ Red rice ~ Chakka kuru , Muringa , pacha manga Parippu ( jackfruit seeds , drumstick and raw mango dal) ~ Idi chakka thoran ( tender jackfruit) ~ Raw mango Chammandi ~ Tender mangoes pickled ( by my mother ) ~ Ripe mango slices ~ Pappadam Annadatta Sukhibhava #homestylemeals #vegetariancomfortmeals #oonu #oottupura #oottupurabythathalasserygirl