The Singing Chef

The Singing Chef The Singing Chef is a home cooking blog that focuses on simple, fuss free baking and vegetarian cooking from all over the world.

A food blog that has over 500 easy to cook recipes. The variety ranges from simple home made pies, cakes and muffins to traditional Indian food as well as western and oriental dishes. Whether it is a healthy lunchbox option you're looking for or a quick sinful dessert, this is a vegetarian's one stop shop.

Mother’s DayI’m so blessed to have received the prettiest bouquet of flowers from Ms. 10. And since my love language is ...
11/05/2026

Mother’s Day
I’m so blessed to have received the prettiest bouquet of flowers from Ms. 10. And since my love language is food, I cooked Amma a nice meal of Bisi Bele Bhat, Seppankizhangu Vadakkal and Vellarikkai Tayir Pachadi.
The best gifts are those that money can’t buy. And time is most definitely one of those. I’m glad to have spent time with my mother and my children (and in the past few days with my own village and the village that raised me).
❤️

Saree LoveAbout 80% of my Saree collection comprises Kanjeevarams. But I find that I haven’t shared too many Kanchipuram...
05/05/2026

Saree Love
About 80% of my Saree collection comprises Kanjeevarams. But I find that I haven’t shared too many Kanchipuram stories with you here.
The story of this one is super special.
My mother’s sister had a very similar saree that I loved. When she passed away, my Uncle gave that sari to me. But since it was very old, it had started to give way. I didn’t want to wear it out of fear of tearing it completely. So, Amma decided to buy me one that was similar. I had gone shopping to with my college gang as one of them was getting married.

I saw this saree and fell in love with it. I bought it to wear at my friend’s wedding. When I took it home, Amma said that it was too grand a saree to wear at a friend’s wedding. She said, “I somehow feel you’ll be getting married soon, so you should save this for your wedding. I think you’ll get married before Diwali this year. If you don’t, then you can drape the saree at Diwali.”
I did argue that if it was too grand for a friend’s wedding, it was possibly too grand for Deepavali! But, I nicked her Paithani for the reception instead.

proposed to me 3 months after this conversation and we got married a month before Deepavali that year. And this was my reception saree. So, it is a special “lucky” saree.
I draped this Saree for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary and have draped it for several Navaratris as well.
The loveliest shade of blue to which only a self border could do justice. Radha Silks may not have been the store where I bought the most Sarees, but it definitely is where I found some of my favourites.

Chickpea Spinach StewThis hearty Spanish inspired Stew has been doing the rounds in our home. We’ve had it 3-4 times in ...
04/05/2026

Chickpea Spinach Stew
This hearty Spanish inspired Stew has been doing the rounds in our home. We’ve had it 3-4 times in the last few months. And I definitely try to make it when I find fresh Pane Di Casa at .
I came across several recipes for this type of Stew when I went looking for one. I saw so many people (especially plant focused food creators) use Chickpeas in their Stews and I wanted to step beyond my Chhole-Ghasshi-Kadalai Kuzhambu routine.
The final recipe that has stuck with me is generic. It involves sauteeing Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil, followed by Baby Spinach (or any Spinach, for that matter). Then, in goes some Salt and Smoked Paprika. This is followed by cooked Chickpeas and the Chickpea liquid. Sometimes, I add a Stock Cube into the mix and then let everything cook together. Just before I turn off the flame, I squeeze in a bit of Lemon Juice. I finish with a little Fresh Cream.
What takes this dish to a different level altogether is a little crumble mixture of Panko and Almond Meal toasted with Salt, Garlic and Paprika or some Dukkah, which is what I used here. I also add a dollop of Sour Cream if I’m feeling fancy.
While this Chickpea Spinach Stew is great on its own, we find that it pairs particularly well with crusty Bread. And Pane Di Casa is our current favourite.
Mr. 15 does suggest trying with much softer bread so we can mop everything up rather than try to soak everything up. We’ll try that the next time.
In this sweltering heat, this is a saviour. On long weekends when I want some handsfree cooking, this is a great go-to.
Try it and let me know what you think.

Sunday LunchAmma has been feeling out of sorts lately. She has been rejecting food, preferring to sleep, drink juice and...
03/05/2026

Sunday Lunch
Amma has been feeling out of sorts lately. She has been rejecting food, preferring to sleep, drink juice and have a snack instead. Even freshly cooked food isn’t enticing, let alone reheated food.
We’d been to Mustafa on Friday (note to self: never go there on a public holiday) and loaded up on things. We ran up the biggest bill ever, since we moved here. Prices of things are skyrocketing and while our shopping was a lot more than usual, the bill was disproportionately higher. It’s a sign of the times, I guess.
I made a mental note of everything we bought so that I could plan our meals this week. I’d picked up some Pairi Mangoes and Jackfruit. I thought a nice amchi meal might perk Amma up.
I made Kadgi Chana Ghasshi with the Jackfruit and Andurli with th Pairi Mangoes. while Andurli is traditionally made with Gontambe, the smallest variety of Mangoes that I could lay my hands on happened to be Pairi!
I had some Fine Beans in the crisper and so, I made Beans Kosumbari that I learnt from . I found a bag of Patrodo in the freezer and decided that the contents must be used up!
Dali Saar of course and Rice to complete the meal. Plus yummy Piyava Vadiyo for that Sunday special crunch. Amma enjoyed this meal and so did the rest of us. It had all the makings of the perfect Sunday lunch.
And the icing on the cake is that I don’t have to cook again until Tuesday. What’s not to love?

Happy 19th, The Singing Chef19 years ago, on Buddha Purnima, I started this food blogging journey on a whim. I have gott...
02/05/2026

Happy 19th, The Singing Chef
19 years ago, on Buddha Purnima, I started this food blogging journey on a whim. I have gotten so much out of this, whether through the blog itself, it’s page or this space here that I remain eternally grateful.
This journey has not just taught me a lot but it has also shaped how I think about food and all it encompasses.
I’m here with a small bowl of Gajar Halwa to say thank you for being part of this journey.
Happy birthday, The Singing Chef. And thank you for everything.

Saree LoveAnother week, another Mysore Silk. Since I’d received the Green Mysore Silk when I was pregnant with Mr. 15, A...
02/05/2026

Saree Love
Another week, another Mysore Silk.
Since I’d received the Green Mysore Silk when I was pregnant with Mr. 15, Amma felt that she had to gift me a Saree when I was pregnant the second time around as well. So, off she went to KSIC in Malleswaram again.
This time, the prices of the pure silk pure zari Sarees had skyrocketed and I’d really not resumed draping Sarees back then. She must have thought why empty the pockets for a Saree I might not even drape.
The gentleman in the store showed her this Mysore Silk with a Silk thread border in gold and he assured her that this wouldn’t fade or turn black.
When my parents reached Singapore, I could tell Amma was uneasy gifting me this. She felt that much as she disliked the idea, she was treating my second pregnancy differently from the first. I assured her that I loved it and that I did not see this as preferential treatment in any way towards my first.
I draped the Saree barely two months later when we had the ear piercing ceremony for Ms. 10. We didn’t do it on day 11/12 as we had to wait for .raghavan to come and hold her in his lap for the piercing. The first photograph is from 2015.
I got the blouse made only a couple of years ago. But now I am ready to mix and match away!
❤️

Chocolate Chip Pecan CookiesAfter going for weeks and weeks with only store bought snacks for school, I decided that I s...
01/05/2026

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
After going for weeks and weeks with only store bought snacks for school, I decided that I simply had to try and figure out some homemade options.
While not the healthiest that I could have zeroed in on, at least it put me back in the baking zone. And I can’t complain about that, can I?
I followed the recipe from The Weekend Baker for the ingredients, but not for the method this time. I simply put a cup of Butter, 1 1/2 cups of Brown Sugar, 2/3 cup of Sugar, 3 cups of Flour, 2 Eggs, 1/2 tsp Salt, 2 tsp Baking Powder and 2 tsp of Vanilla Essence in the and whisked everything together. Then, I added 1/2 cup each of White and Milk Chocolate Chips as well as 1/2 cup of Pecans.
With Ms. 10’s help, the dough was scooped out onto a tray and then the Cookies were baked at 180C for 18 minutes. After they cooled on a rack, I packed them into a box. We got about 50 cookies from
They’re meant to last this coming week, but they’re disappearing at an alarming pace. I must use this long weekend and make a few other snacks, or I might have nothing to pack in the lunchboxes next week.
Try it and let me know!

Meals this weekIn no particular order, here’s what we’ve been eating:Paneer and Vegetable Biryani made by for Sunday lu...
27/04/2026

Meals this week
In no particular order, here’s what we’ve been eating:
Paneer and Vegetable Biryani made by for Sunday lunch
One pot Sambar Saadam with leftover Tayir Vadai and Vadam
Narlya Kheeri with Instant Mango Pickle
Chapatis, Aloo Methi, Vegetable Pulao and Moong-Masoor Dal Tadka for when my cousin and his wife came home to dinner.
Saturday lunch which was a classic example of - all leftovers in th fridge went into the with some spices and came out as lunch
Peanut Sesame Kway Teow with pan fried Gyoza and Chilli Garlic Edamame
Bhel Puri, because why not?
Keeping everyone fed and watered. Happy is a bonus.
What have your meals looked like recently?

Saree LoveThe first Mysore Silk to appear in this space is not the first I draped nor the first I owned. It was a gift I...
20/04/2026

Saree Love
The first Mysore Silk to appear in this space is not the first I draped nor the first I owned. It was a gift I received 16 years ago.
In the Chitrapur Saraswat community, to which Amma belongs, there is a “5th month green ceremony” during pregnancy. I wasn’t at or near home for the most part of my pregnancies and I didn’t have a Seemantam or Valaikaapu or any pregnancy related ritual.
During my 5th month, organised a fun green ceremony. She bought me a cute green kurta and cooked us a meal with green vegetables/dishes.
The same month, we traveled to Bangalore to meet Amma Appa and I was gifted this beautiful green Mysore Silk Saree by Amma.
I paired it with a matching 2x2 blouse initially and draped the Saree without ever removing the blouse piece. Later, I paired it with a brocade blouse that I’d bought from Madhu Fashions on Amazon.
It was only a couple of years ago that I finally had the blouse for it made. And while contrast blouses are all the rage now for plain silks, especially those types of Mysore Silks, since I did finally have the blouse ready, I paired the Saree with its own blouse to attend .music’s concert with .anand.jaidev.
The Saree itself is a little different from my other Mysore Silks. The double rows of zari standing out from a single thin row or thicker paisleys.
I did finally drape this beauty for Mr. 15’s first Deepavali (swipe to the very end to see a picture from then). And I have draped it several times since. I love how it catches the light in the sun and how it is still perfect for an evening.
will forever have a piece of my heart. It is possible that after Nalli Sarees, the most I own from a single place must be KSIC. Malleswaram Circle or Mount Road - can be dangerous or slippery if I happen to be in the mood.

Varsha Pirappu 2026I’d decided to push the festive cooking to the weekend and I’m glad I did. I put together the entire ...
19/04/2026

Varsha Pirappu 2026
I’d decided to push the festive cooking to the weekend and I’m glad I did. I put together the entire menu based on what we already had at home. The meal was not entirely conventional, but I ticked off all the boxes.
And one of the dishes I added to the menu last year was Arachuvitta Sambar. This year, Ms. 10 asked if Gulab Jamuns were Tamil enough to make it to the menu. I dropped the Sambar in favour of Gulab Jamuns.
We had:
Rice
Yelai Paruppu
Manga Pachadi
Fresh Mango Pickle
Vadam
Carrot Zucchini Mor Kuzhambu
Tomato Rasam
Vazhaikkai Vadakkal
Beans Paruppu Usli
Purple Cabbage Karumadhu
Cucumber Kosumbari
Puliyodarai
Vadai
Tayir Vadai
Badam Kheer
Gulab Jamun
We had friends join us for this meal. We had plenty leftover and I didn’t have to cook today. My second Pandigai Saapadu for the year is done.
Ms. 10 requested Bhel Puri for dinner and that was easy to put together.
Even though late by a few days, our celebration of the Tamil Varsha Pirappu was everything we’d have hoped it would be.
உங்களுக்கும் உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினருக்கும் என் இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துகள்!

2026 Term 2: Lunchbox 5 - 13I’ve been very busy these past few weeks. While cooking has been in full swing, so has socia...
18/04/2026

2026 Term 2: Lunchbox 5 - 13
I’ve been very busy these past few weeks. While cooking has been in full swing, so has socialising. And as a result, I’ve barely had the time now the inclination to chronicle these everyday boxes.
March 30: Jowar Beetroot Thalipeeth from for recess. Banana Chips, Butter Cookies and Apple slices for snack.
March 31: Handvo (with some White Butter for her) for recess, Capsicum Rice for lunch. Butter Cookies and Oranges for snack.
April 1: Oats and Rava Paniyaram for recess, Egg Wrap for lunch. Banana Chips, Butter Cookies and Apple slices for snack.
April 2: Pistachio Crema Sandwich and Egg Wrap for recess. Chana Dal Cheela for lunch. Butter Cookies and Khakhra for snack.
April 7: Pistachio Crema Sandwich for recess. Masala Egg Fried Rice for lunch. Butter Cookies and Apple slices for snack.
April 8: Gava Pittye Doddak with White Butter for recess. Assorted Biscuits and Apple slices for snack.
April 9: Button Podi Idlis for recess. Masala Quinoa BeeHoon for lunch. Butter Cookies and Oranges for snack.
April 10: Pistachio Crema Sandwich for recess. Assorted Biscuits and Apple slices for snack.
April 13: Egg Wraps for recess. Assorted Biscuits and Apple slices for snack.
April 14: Lobia Chana Dal Cheela for recess. Capsicum Tomato Rice for lunch. Assorted Biscuits for snack.
April 15: Egg Prata Wrap for recess. leftover Puli Sevai for lunch. Assorted Biscuits, Vietnamese Moong Bean Snack and Apple slices for snack.
April 16: Handvo Paniyaram for recess. Mooli Paratha for lunch. Assorted Biscuits and Vietnamese Moong Bean Snack for snack.
April 17: Pistachio Crema Sandwich for recess. Assorted Biscuits, Vietnamese Moong Bean Snack and Apple slices for snack.
Writing about so many lunchboxes has its benefits. I’ve realised the rut I’ve fallen into. However, I’m blessed in that both children remind me often that recess is simply an extra meal. I also tell myself that even if it’s a rut, it’s not an unhealthy one.

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