PAKASASTRA
11 recipes resurrected from PAKASASTRA — each published with its full origin story, era, and historical context.
Acid Cakes made of Black Pulse and Rice Flour
Fermented flatcakes made from black pulse flour and rice flour, leavened naturally over one to two days until pleasantly sour, then spiced with black pepper and cumin and baked…
ANOTHER KIND
A traditional Canarese-style pepper water (rasam) made by frying and grinding pepper with red lentils in ghee, then simmering with lime juice, aromatic seeds, and curry leaves.…
Brown Pulse or Horse Gram Pongal
A hearty and aromatic rice and mixed pulse pongal from the 1836 Pakasastra, enriched with ghee, nuts, vegetables, and five spices. This beginner-friendly adaptation guides you t…
Acid Curd and Rice
A simple and tangy South Asian rice dish from 1836, made by combining freshly boiled rice with soured curd and finishing with a fragrant tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, red c…
Cakes made of various kinds of Pulse
A traditional South Asian recipe of mixed pulse cakes — made from green, brown, black, and red lentils — fried in ghee until golden, then rested in a seasoned curd mixture of sa…
Beaten Rice Cakes
A traditional South Indian preserved snack made from beaten rice soaked in whey, seasoned with coriander, chilli, and sesame, then sun-dried into firm cakes. These long-lasting…
BLACK PULSE AND RICE
A traditional South Indian dish of boiled rice mixed with a spiced black pulse powder, finished with fried black pulse and red chillies. Simple and hearty, this recipe from Paka…
BROWN PULSE POWDER AND RICE
A simple South Indian rice dish from 1836 in which boiled brown pulse is dried and ground into a fine powder, then mixed with boiled rice, chilly powder, and salt, and finished…
Broad Cakes of Rice Flour
A traditional South Asian stuffed rice cake made from a blend of rice, black pulse, and green pulse flours, filled with spiced boiled brown pulse powder and served warm with ghe…
Cocoanut and Rice
A simple and fragrant South Indian rice dish made with freshly processed tender coconut, seasoned with salt and chilly powder, and finished with a mustard and cumin tempering in…
Beaten Rice and Plantain-Stalk Cakes
Crispy fried cakes made from beaten rice soaked overnight in sour curd and mixed with bruised plantain stalk, salt, and chilly powder. A traditional South Indian snack that requ…