Mayonnaise (Homemade)

Why run to the store, when you can make it at home at quarter the cost? and yes, you can store it in airtight bottles for upto two weeks. (to be on the safer side, refrigerate)
This can be used as a sauce with grilled kebabs, fish, salad dressing, with vegetables for a sandwich.....anything!!!!!

Egg yolks: 3 (I use the whole egg, yolks and white...works fine)
Mustard: 1.5 tsps or Garlic: 4 cloves (depends on what flavour you want)
Pepper Powder: a pinch
Vinegar: 3 tbsp
Salad Oil: 12 ounce or 340 grams (I use sunflower oil)
Sugar: 1 tsp
Salt: as required

Cream together egg, salt pepper, mustard and sugar in your mixie.
 In case you are using garlic,run the mixie for a minute with just garlic alone and then add the egg, salt, pepper and sugar.
Add vinegar and continue beating the mixture while oil is added in tea spoonfuls at a time.
As the mayonnaise begins to thicken (yes, you need patience...it will take some time) the oil maybe added in table spoonful until all the oil is used up.

What can go wrong? Well if it curdles,  (which very very very rarely happens......of the 1000 times ive made, once it happened to me when i used garlic......only once )..... but dont panic....take it out of the mixie....clean the bowl, and again beat one egg and then add the curdled mix in spoonfuls, and you will get a perfect sauce.

Pineapple Jam

I prefer homemade jams to the store bought ones and whenever Pineapples, Mulberries, Guavas, Mangoes, Strawberries, Bananas or Oranges are in season, I grab the opportunity to make tons of Jam- In short, all throughout the year!!!!! :)

So heres the all time favourite-pineapple jam recipe!!!

Fresh Pineapple: 3, peeled and chopped

Sugar: 1.5 cups

(if the pineapples are not very sweet, you will have to add more sugar)

Lime juice: of 2 small lime

Cinnamon: 1 stick

Cloves: 3

Take a thick bottomed pan, mix all the ingredients and heat over medium flame.

Stir in between so that it doesnt stick to the bottom.

Skim off the foam.

When it reaches a thick consistency, take off fire.

(the whole process will take a long time, almost an hour, so be patient!!!)

Pour into sterilized bottles.

Spread on a slice of bread and enjoy delicious homemade Jam!!!

Banana Jam

While growing up, this was the only Jam I used to eat. I can finish one whole bottle just like that. It is that tasty but unlike other jams, this is a bit time consuming but worth the effort.

Ripe Bananas: 4 kg

Sugar: 3/4 kgs

Cinnamon: 2 sticks

Peel the skin of the bananas and place it in a big pan

Add 4 cups water and let it boil on medim heat for sometime

When it reaches a light pink shade remove from fire and let it cool.

Sieve the bananas through a clean cotton cloth. You will have to squeeze properly, so be ready for a hand workout!!!

Now pour the syrup in a big vessel and add sugar and cinnamon and let it cook on medim heat and break an egg into the boiling syrup. This is to remove the banana stain.

After a few minutes, remove the egg and shell and you will see the stain on the egg shell.

Now let it boil till one thread consistency is reached.

Let it cool and then store it in sterilized bottles.

Spread on bread and serve.

This is an update- answer to a question asked in the comment.

The pulp cannot be used, it has to be thrown away.

The egg shell has to be completely removed from the boiling syrup. It is very easy to remove it with a slotted spoon. You can omit this step if you are not comfortable with adding the egg. It is just to remove the the banana stain that we add the egg with the egg shell.

Strawberry Jam

Making Jams and preserves every summer has become a habbit for me. When I was in Chennai, it was Mango jams, Guava jams and Mom used to make mulberry jams and send over. This time, I made Strawberry Jam.  Since I made only 1 bottle which Iam sure will be over in 3 days, I didnt add any preservatives. So if you are making only a small quantity, no need to add any preservatives provided you keep it in the refrigerator, but if you are making large quantities, you should add citric acid to the boiling preserve towards the end.


Strawberries: 2 cups (Wash, drain and take off the stem)
Sugar: 1.5 cups

In a wide bottomed pan, put the strawberries and sugar and boil on a low flame.

Swirl the pan once in a while.
After about half an hour, you will get a thick consistency syrup which if you drop it by spoon on a plate, will stay like that.


Turn off stove and allow it to cool.
Yes, the strawberries will stay fruit like itself without breaking! :)

Guava Jam

Guava is my dad's favourite fruit. We have 3 guava trees back home in Kerala and when I was in school, mom always used to make guava jams and jellies. Once when I started college, It was me instead of mom making the preserves. Very easy to make and I love to spread it on crackers...hmmm absolutely delicious!!!!

Guava cut in to small pieces: 4 cups

Water: 2 cups

Sugar: 2 cups

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Cinnamon: 1 stick

Take a pot, add all the ingredients and bring to a boil on high heat.

Now reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 45 minutes. Stir in between so that it doesn't stick to the pot.

Turn off the stove and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Now pour it through a metal sieve to separate the seeds. You will have to use a spoon to completely squeeze out the juice.

Now transfer it again to the pot and add 1/4 cup water, cinnamon stick and boil it again on low heat for 20-30 minutes till it thickens

Transfer it into bottles and store in refrigerator.