Recipes & guides
From Paati's kitchen
Everyday Tamil recipes, plus simple guides to cooking, storing and living with traditional chekku oils.
காரக் குழம்பு
Chettinad Kara Kuzhambu
A tangy, fiery tamarind gravy built on a generous base of nallennai. Best with hot rice and appalam.
தேங்காய் சட்னி
Coconut Chutney with Tempering
The everyday partner to idli and dosa, finished with a coconut-oil tadka.
இட்லி பொடி
Idli Podi (Gunpowder)
A spicy lentil powder that only comes alive with a well of good sesame oil.
வாழைக்காய் பஜ்ஜி
Crispy Vazhakkai Bajji
Raw-banana fritters for a rainy evening. Groundnut oil keeps them crisp and golden.
பீன்ஸ் பொரியல்
Beans Poriyal
A simple everyday stir-fry with fresh coconut, tempered in coconut oil.
செக்கு எண்ணெய் ஏன்?
Chekku oil vs refined oil: what's the difference?
How a wooden press compares with the industrial process behind most supermarket oils.
Which oil for which dish? A Tamil kitchen guide
How grandmothers matched oil to dish, and how to stock your kitchen with all three.
எண்ணெய் குளியல்
Ennai kuliyal: the traditional Tamil oil bath
A step-by-step guide to the weekly sesame oil bath, a Tamil ritual for Saturdays and Deepavali mornings.
How to store chekku oil so it stays fresh
Unrefined oil is a living ingredient. A few simple habits keep every bottle tasting its best.