Kobbari Chutney Pudi, or Dry Coconut Chutney Powder, is something I’ve only recently discovered through an ex-partner. From time to to time his family would send these lovely little care packages brimming with sweet and spicy treats from home. It was the first time I had smelled such an interesting mix of sweet, spicy and buttery aromas that had me hooked on learning to cook Indian food after years of only eating the typical dishes you’d find in American “Indian” restaurants in the early 2000s.
Ratatouille is one of those country dishes that, despite its simple ingredients and appearance, is surprisingly complex to produce well. If you’re not careful it can easily turn into a watery/oily bowl of mushy vegetables. Something no one ever wants! However, with a couple simple little steps you’ll be well on your way to mastering not only ratatouille, but a whole world of wonderfully exciting veggie dishes that will keep your family coming back for MORE!
Growing up, I spent a good bit of my early years living on a farm just outside Crawfordville, Fla. The majority of the food we grew was for our personal use. We’d grow the normal stuff you’d expect… tomatoes, watermelons, okra, bell peppers and greens were pretty much always on the list to plant. As you’d expect, we’d do various things to preserve the fruits of our labors. The most commonly used method was canning. (Followed by open-air dehydrating.)
When I was growing up there wasn’t really ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’ food in the South. That was only for those “hippies in…