The appeal of comfort food stems from its potential to transport us to happier and more familiar times. It conjures up images of home-cooked meals, family get-togethers, and holiday traditions. Especially during tough or stressful times, comfort food has a way of helping us feel good and delivering a sense of warmth and stability. The scents and textures of comfort food are extremely delicious, giving one a feeling of indulgence and pleasure.

"Comfort food is the foundation of memories. When things are bad, a good meal shared with loved ones may provide a lifetime of peace and warmth." Indulge in the warm and familiar flavors that will bring you back to your happiest memories with these recipes by Amal Tamara.

Pumpkin Ada:

Ingredients:

  • Semolina – ½ cup
  • Pumpkin – 200grm
  • Salt – to taste
  • Cardamom powder -1/2 teaspoon
  • Jaggery syrup – 1 cup
  • Grated coconut – 200 gm
  • Cumin powder -1 pinch 
  • Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Direction:

  • Peel and grate pumpkin and keep aside
  • Pour ghee into a hot pan and add the grated pumpkin, sauté well
  • Then add grated coconut, cardamom, and cumin powder 
  • Add jaggery syrup and mix well
  • Add dry roasted semolina and make it into a smooth dough 
  • Place a small piece of dough in the center of the banana leaf, flatten it using a hand
  • Fold the leaf into half, tuck the ends of the leaf
  • Grill the ada on a pan and serve hot

Banana flower cutlet:

Ingredients:

  • Chopped Banana flower – 1 cup
  • Colocasia – 100 gm
  • Rock Salt – to taste
  • Green chili, curry leaf, coriander leaf, ginger, garlic - ½ Teaspoons each
  • Turmeric powder – 1 or 2 pinch
  • Chili powder – 1 pinch
  • Cumin powder -1 pinch 
  • Coriander powder- 1 pinch
  • Fennel powder – ½ tsp 
  • Coconut oil – 3 tablespoons
  • Brown rice puttu podi- To dip
  • Shallots – 50 gm

Direction:

  • Finely chop banana flowers and keep them in turmeric water 
  • Boil the Colocasia, mash it and keep it aside
  • Into a hot pan add coconut oil, ginger, garlic, curry leaf, and shallots, and sauté for a while 
  • Add all the powdered masalas and sauté well
  • Once masalas are cooked, add the chopped banana flower after squeezing all the water out and cook well
  • Once it cooks add well-mashed colocasia and chopped coriander leaves
  • Switch off the flame and make the mixture into cutlet patties coat the pattie with brown rice powder and grill it on a tawa and serve hot

Spinach Clear Soup:

  Ingredients

  • Spinach -200gm
  • Chopped carrot & Zucchini- 25gm
  • Vegetable stock-
  • Salt to taste
  • Crushed pepper- one pinch
  • Cumin powder – one pinch

Direction

  • Finely chop the spinach and vegetables
  • In a pan add the finely chopped spinach and vegetables and boil in vegetable stock
  • Add salt, pepper, and cumin powder and cook well
  • Serve hot