Arundhati Raghavan

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 6 . The children enjoyed a long weekend, courtesy Youth Day. And I decided to give them a little extra as a “back to school” treat. . I made Cutlets using Amma’s recipe. I was a bit organised and made the mixture and shaped the Cutlets last night. And since Mr. 13 needed a second box, I made a Sabzi using Onions, Cauliflower, Paneer and some leftover Cannellini Beans. I stuffed this into a Wrap with some Tandoori Sauce and toasted it. . Today, for recess, Mr. 13 and Ms. 8 have Vegetable Cutlets. For lunch, Mr. 13 has a Cauliflower Paneer Wrap. For snack, they have Ritz Crackers and Parle G biscuits. Additionally, Ms. 8 has a Pain Au Chocolat. . The Cauliflower Paneer will serve as the side for lunch with Masoor Dal. All set for the day! . #raagaslunchboxseries #raaga2024term3 #sglunchboxlove #schoollunch #lunchboxideasforkids

Chocolate Chip Cookies . Ever since Father’s Day this year, Ms. 8 has been asking me to bake Cookies with her. Something or the other always seems to come up. And then, @mcsachin went to Nairobi to play in the @lastmanstandst20cricket tournament and I told the children that there was simply no point in baking Cookies for Father’s Day when the father was away. . Finally, we checked to ensure that we had everything we needed. I’m usually well stocked on baking items, but we had run out of Flour. And Butter. So, I arranged to restock all of these. And we watched @youtube videos and browsed through recipe books and settled on @chefannaolson ’s Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. It was especially helpful (to Ms. 8) that we watched the video and read her book. . We doubled the recipe and also made our own additions to this absolutely fantastic recipe. . We creamed 1 cup of Butter with a cup each of Brown Sugar and White Sugar. Then, we added 2 Eggs with 2 tsp Vanilla and beat the mixture together. We sifted in 2 1/2 cups of Flour, 1 tsp of Baking Soda, 1 tsp of Salt, and 2 tbsp of Corn Starch. We mixed all these ingredients together and added 1 1/2 cups of toasted Pecans, 1/2 cup of Cashews (at Mr. 13’s request), 2 cups of assorted Chocolate Chips and a cup of random Chocolate chopped up, including some Peanut Butter Cups. . We made balls from this mixture and refrigerated them for an hour or so, while we went to play tennis, and came back and baked them at 160C for about 18 minutes. . The children chopped all the Nuts for this and the making of dough balls for refrigeration was a family effort. . I baked 2 trays of these Cookies and I transferred the remaining dough balls to a freezer bag where they will remain until their turns come. . While this is a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies, I find that it’s a good recipe for a fun family activity and a fantastic recipe for 2 happy children. . Try it and let me know. . #raagasbakingadventures #lapatisserieraaga #cookies #chocolatechipcookies #easybaking #weekendbaking #bakingwithchildren #familybaking #recipepost #chocolatechipcookierecipe

Saturday Lunch . Since the children chose Tamil for lunch when given a choice between Tamil, Telugu and Punjabi, I decided what to cook. . Sambar was already made on Monday, and even if it wasn’t made and even though I didn’t eat it, I didn’t feel particularly inclined to make it. When I do make it and eat it, I always enjoy it. I’m just never in the mood to make it. I must try and make it more often because I know for a fact that @mcsachin enjoys it. . I’d settled on Paruppu Thogayal and Milagu Kuzhambu and I only needed to think about what to cook along with these two. . I found a recipe for Keerai Mashiyal by @chefvenkateshbhat and followed it with the only exception of having used Byadgi Chillies instead of the Gundu Milagai he recommended for the dish. It was fantastic. . I turned yesterday’s Dali Saar into a Tomato Rasam. This is one of the first leftover makeovers I’ve known about as Amma did this all the time. There was a bit of Kosumbari leftover from yesterday’s lunch which we ate up today. . I made a Vellarikkai Tayir Pachadi because it’s become a habit to make some sort of Tayir Pachadi/Raita with our meals. And as much as I didn’t want to make another Potato side, I didn’t have any other vegetables that would make a suitable side for everything else that was on today’s menu. . I made a Potato Podi Roast and added a couple of small Indian Capsicum (thanks to @theplatepixel ) and a couple of Sweet Peppers that I found in the fridge. We fried some Appalam because these relaxed meals have been pushed to the weekend and while I’m at it, I might as well go the whole mile. . We relished this meal and there were multiple possible combinations that I love, so it ticked off many boxes. I so rarely get to eat Rasam Saadam with Potato Roast and Appalam. Today was one of those days. . I missed having something sweet to eat after this meal. We have no Indian sweets in the house and I treated myself to Belgian Chocolate that @mohitahattangady brought for us. . And, today, I was able to enjoy a much needed siesta and walk in my happy place after lunch. What more could I ask for? . #raagasindianthaliyatra #raagasleftovermakeovers #raagasweekendmeals

Appam . Years ago, in a group run by @vinayaprabhu2 and some others, I saw a recipe for Appam. I saved it because it seemed easy. And it was the only recipe that felt “easy” enough to try. I started making Appams with that recipe 6 years ago, when @priyamudur brought me an Appam pan. I haven’t looked back since. . I soaked 2 cups of Raw Rice overnight. I ground it with 1/2 cup each of cooked Rice and Coconut to a fine batter. I added Salt to taste and some Sugar along with 1/4 tsp Yeast and left it to ferment overnight. Swipe to see a picture of the fermented batter. . I wanted to make Stew to go with this. Then, I thought that Egg Curry might be a better option. But I’d have to make something else for Amma. I saw @chefkunal make a basic Coconut Curry. I decided to make something like that with some Vegetables, take some out for Amma and add Boiled Eggs to the rest. . I made a gravy by loosely following Chef Kunal’s method. It was very similar to my Egg Roast gravy, except that it had Tomatoes. I heated some Coconut Oil, added Mustard, Cumin, Asafoetida and Curry Leaves. To this, I added Onions with Salt, Turmeric, Chilli, Coriander Powder and cooked it all together. Then, I added some Tomatoes and cooked it again. I was thinking about what Vegetables I could add when I found the leftover Batata Saung from yesterday’s lunch. I added that to the Onion Tomato mixture and added a carton of Coconut Milk and brought it to a boil slowly. Finally, I finished the dish with some chopped Coriander. . A hearty breakfast to kickstart this Saturday was exactly what we needed. . Now to think about what to make for lunch. Since we had Konkani food yesterday, I asked the children to pick between Tamil, Telugu and Punjabi and they picked Tamil. . I don’t feel like Sambar (I almost never do, but I must change that) and I might make Milagu Kuzhambu today. With Paruppu Thogayal. Any suggestions on what else to make with this meal are welcome. . Happy Saturday! . #raagasweekendmeals #raagasbreakfastseries #indianbreakfast #breakfast #appamstew #appam #raagasleftovermakeovers

Friday Lunch . This meal was a long time coming. The time we spent last evening looking at the slideshow of the food we cooked and ate during the lockdown catapulted this meal to the top spot. . Plus all the videos that are being shared by all my CSB/GSB friends added to the craving. And today, I wanted to eat everything - Tambli, Kayras, Bendi, Talasani, Upkari, Patrodo… everything! . Good sense prevailed and I made a simple meal. With one Bajji, which is like a Raita anyway, and Kosumbari, which is a Salad, this meal felt like a big one. And the Piyava Vadiyo took it to the next level. . I had cooked some Black Chana and so I decided on Ghasshi. I had some Breadfruit in the freezer, so instead of Kadgi Chana Ghasshi, I made a Divkadgi Chana Ghasshi. . After what felt like an age, I also made Batata Saung. This 5-ingredient superhero of Amchi cuisine hits the spot. Every single time. . I had a couple of large Brinjals. I popped them in the oven to grill like @whattheghee taught me and I made a Vaingana Bajji with it. I think Vaingana Bajji will be the dip I serve with Crudités or Crackers the next time I have a party. . On our lunch plates today, we had Rice, Dali Saar, Divkadgi Chana Ghasshi, Batata Saung, Vaingana Bajji, Carrot Mugga Dali Kosumbari, Pappad (Piyava Pappad and Batata Pappad) and Vadiyo. I didn’t bring out Appinmidi Lonche, but it would have gone very well with this meal. . I still have to make Andurli before the Mangoes disappear. Time to make a list of all the lovely things we cooked and ate 4 years ago. But until then, let me revel in the happiness that this Thali has brought me. . And, watching Amma relish this meal took my happiness level up several notches. . #raagasweekdaymeals #raagasindianthaliyatra #raagasamchiadventures #konkaniamchifood #indianvegetarian #chitrapursaraswatcuisine #amchirandap

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 5 . Week 1 of 10 done! I hadn’t planned today’s recess even as of last night. Four days of planning took its toll on me. I decided to simply wake and “see” what I could make. . Then, I remembered that Mr. 13 didn’t need to take anything for recess as he would be released early. I asked if I could pack a snack as a “just in case”. He said ok. Then, I wondered why I asked. I didn’t have any plans yet. And if I had a chance to make just one box, should I not have taken it? . This morning, I found a bag of @godrejyummiez Millet Patties and pan fried 3 of them. I packed two of these with some Tandoori Sauce and made a Cheese Burger with the third. . Today, for recess, Ms. 8 has a Millet Cheese Burger. For snack, Mr. 13 has Millet Patties while Ms. 8 has Oat Cookies, Cherries and a Pain Au Chocolat. . Now I’m in the mood for a proper Amchi lunch. One of the things we did last evening was watch a slideshow of all the food I cooked during the first lockdown. Mr. 13 said, “Amma, I know it feels like we’re eating the same things over and over now, but remember that you had a lot of time because you didn’t have your commute or your travel.” And Ms. 8, not wanting to be left out said, “But now you can make these sometimes, right?” . Yes, my darlings, I think I can. . #raagaslunchboxseries #raaga2024term3 #yummiez #godrejyummiez #burger #cutlet #patty #lunchboxideasforkids #lunchboxideasforschool

Balance . I’ve talked about meals that aren’t just Dal-Rice plates and I’ve also talked about balance. One of the things that I also need to “balance” is my time and effort as well the actual amount of food in the house. . This week, while balancing macronutrients, I also tried to ensure that all leftovers were promptly used up or turned into something else. If one meal was lacking in something, another made up for it. . Here’s how: on Saturday, we had Pesarattu for breakfast. On Sunday, we had Akki Roti. I’ve already shared our weekend lunches (Tortellini and Narlya Kheeri). On Sunday night, I found that we had a little bit of Akki Roti dough and some Pesarattu batter in the fridge. I combined the two and made Dosais. Ms. 8 finished the leftover Tortellini and Au Gratin. . On Monday, I knew that I’d be eating lunch out, so I made a Salad and topped it with Egg Mayo, because I knew my meal could very easily lack protein and fiber. That evening, I made Pumpkin Soup and Garlic Bread for dinner. . On Tuesday, I made Pasta for the children with leftover Soup. I packed myself some Soup, Fried Rice, Black Chana Salad, Stirfried Vegetables with Cottage Cheese and Fruit. That evening, I made Pav Bhaji for dinner. . The next morning, I packed some Pav Bhaji for myself. But a conversation with @sarita._.gupta the previous evening led to my making Ragi Dosa batter. I made the Korean inspired Vegetable Pancakes for the children and made some Ragi Uttapams for myself with a topping of the vegetable mixture. The family had the Bhaji with Chapatis for lunch and Ragi Dosa for dinner with a Tomato Onion Chutney. . This morning, I made the Masoor Dosa that @lifewithspices wrote about. I also made mini Uttapams and had them with the Chutney. I also packed the Noodles and savoury Overnight Oats. . I’ll go home to a fully stocked, yet empty, fridge this evening. And I’ll have to cook something fresh for dinner. And that is totally fine. I am glad that while I’ve balanced our meals with respect to nutrition, variety, etc, I’ve also balanced fresh food with leftovers and ensured that nothing has gone to waste. . #raagasweekdaymeals #raagasofficelunches #raagasleftovermakeovers

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 4 . It’s a very special day in my household when both children ask for the exact same thing in their boxes. In today’s case, they each gave me 2 options and one was common to both their requests. . Mr. 13 asked me if I could make French Toast or Kaya Butter Sandwiches. Ms. 8 asked if I could make Kaya Butter Sandwiches or Pistachio Crema Sandwiches. It’s almost as though I hit the lottery. I didn’t have to get into the battle of “Why do you get to choose every time?” . Mr. 13 has started creating a list of requests for recess/lunch. He is sure to ask beforehand if it is easy to make or if any of the items are better to suited to “not so rushed” mornings. He is waiting for Noodles and Wraps, among other things. . I decided that Noodles would be the easier way to go as one pot will simply become everyone’s lunch. . Today, for recess, Mr. 13 and Ms. 8 have Kaya Butter Sandwiches. For lunch, Mr. 13 has Vegetable Hakka Noodles. For snack, they have assorted Cookies, Jantikalu and Ritz Crackers. . Mr. 13 taste tested the Noodles before heading to school. They’re teenager approved. I’ll know when I have my lunch. . #raagaslunchboxseries #raaga2024term3 #indianchinesefood #hakkanoodles #chingssecret @chingssecret #kaya #kayabutter

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 3 . Too many posts on @instagram we’re talking about Korean inspired Vegetable Pancakes and so I decided that’s what I’d make for the children’s lunchboxes today. . I chopped a whole lot of Vegetables (Cabbage, Zucchini, Carrots, Beans, Potatoes, Capsicum and Onions) and added some spices, a bit of Rice Flour and Besan and made Pancakes. They turned out a bit spicy and I covered the one I made for Ms. 8 with Cheese. Mr. 13 wanted it spicy, so I do hope that he is happy. . Today, for recess, Mr. 13 and Ms. 8 have Vegetable Pancakes and @la.boulangere Pain Au Chocolat. For snack, they have Apple Slices and some @officialparleg Biscuits. . Keeping it simple but also trying to get out of a rut. How’s your week looking? . #raagaslunchboxseries #raaga2024term3 #vegetablepancakes #vegetarian #omiebox #lunchboxideasforkids #lunchboxideasforschool

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 2 . I decided to make a Butternut Squash Soup for dinner last night before heading out for a walk. When I was almost back home, Mr. 13 messaged me to ask if I’d made the Soup and let me know that it was delicious. So much so that he took a second serving. . Usually, when I make Soup for dinner, I know that it will perform double duty as the next day’s recess/lunch in the form of a Pasta Sauce. I’d normally add Ricotta Cheese to the Soup to thicken it (and add some protein) but this Soup was thick enough. So I tossed it with some Garlic Herb Butter and Macaroni. . I also made a Schezwan Egg and Vegetable Fried Rice for Mr. 13’s lunch. Since the #omiebox would not be the most convenient for Pasta and Rice, I reverted to his old #lockandlock container. . Today, for recess, Mr. 13 and Ms. 8 have Butternut Squash Pasta. For lunch, Mr. 13 has Egg and Vegetable Fried Rice. For snack, they have some Jantikalu, Ritz Crackers and some Cookies. . Lunch for myself is a smorgasbord of the different things available at home. Lunch for those at home will be leftovers from yesterday’s lunch and this morning’s lunchbox packing. . #raagaslunchboxseries #raagasleftovermakeovers #raaga2024term3 #pasta #vegetarian #eggfriedrice

2024 Term 3: Lunchbox 1 . I have let an entire term go by without posting a single lunchbox post. I remembered to take pictures of all lunchboxes packed, but I simply wasn’t inclined to write about them or share what was going on at home. Much as I believe that life must go on, in light of the loss, all of this seemed so trivial. . School reopened today for Term 3. Half the year is over and we begin the journey of the next 20 weeks. I asked the children what they’d like in their boxes and both of them asked for Sandwiches. When I asked if they had a preference, Ms. 8 said, “Kaya or Pistachio Crema or Egg, whichever is the easiest, Amma.” . Egg Mayo Sandwiches weren’t the easiest of the three, but they were more nutritious than the other two. So I cooked some Eggs in the @instantpotsingapore and into the peeled Eggs, I added some Garlic and Herb Butter, Mayonnaise and Mustard. Finally, I added some Salt and some Piment D’Espelette. . Today, for recess, Mr. 13 and Ms. 8 have Egg Mayo Sandwiches. For snack, they have Apple Slices and Soda Crackers along with assorted Cookies that my sister-in-law sent especially for this purpose. . I packed myself a Salad with the Egg Mayo to eat as part of my breakfast because lunch was going to be out. With all the healthy eating that’s been going on, today’s lunch was a bit out of the ballpark. I’m glad I balanced it beforehand with the Egg Salad. I’ll share a picture in my stories. . #raagaslunchboxseries #raaga2024term3 #lunchboxideas #omiebox #omieboxlunch #eggmayo

Food: My Love Language . Tell me you love me without telling me you love me. That’s easy peasy. For me, that would be through cooking you a meal. . Here are some of the meals I’ve cooked in recent times for friends and family (in no particular order): . 1. My classmate Jonas was in Singapore and came over on one of the days for a cooking lesson followed by lunch. I made Pulao, Masoor Dal, Cucumber Raita and some Cauliflower, Potato and Onion Baje. . 2. @mehr.arora9 told me a long time ago that she loved Variety Rice, so I cooked her a meal with Puliyodarai, Tengai Saadam, Yelimichai Saadam, Avial, Sundal, Potato Podi Roast and Vattal. . 3. When @hrishi.raghavan was visiting, I made a few special meals. Pizza was a big part of our childhood and I made Pizzas exactly the way Amma made them. . 4. @vasanthmusic came home for lunch with his son and his parents. I promised to keep lunch simple, so stuck to Bisi Bele Huli Anna, Tayir Saadam, Vellarikkai Pachadi and Baby Potato Roast. . 5. A Telugu Thali I made when @hrishi.raghavan was here. I brought out my copy of Cooking at Home with Pedatha and cooked up a storm. I also added @aavinindia Palkova to the Thali. . 6. A Tamil Thali also for @hrishi.raghavan with all of my favourites. I can only hope that some of the items were his favourites too. . 7. We got Amma back into the kitchen for Poori making while I made the Chhole and Sukhe Aloo. . 8. @mcsachin specifically asked me to make him a meal a couple of nights ago. Something he rarely asks for. I made him a spicy Egg Fried Rice with an Egg on top. The Chilli Oil made all the difference. . 9. Self love is also much needed, don’t you agree? One day, I came home and didn’t much feel like eating anything that was there, so I quickly whipped up a Pulao and a special lazy Palak Paneer. It was such a hit with everyone. . Of all the ways to say “I love you”, this will forever be my favourite. . #raagasweekdaymeals #raagasweekendmeals #raagasindianthaliyatra #indianvegetarian #lovelanguage