Come summer and childhood memories of households bustling with aunts, uncles and cousins flood back. Those were the days when summer vacation was the time for family reunion.

A part of the riotous vacation was devoted entirely to the preparation of sun-dried foods. Who would have thought that solar power could be put to such use!

A mind-boggling variety was churned out by grandmas and aunts, with the uncles and cousins chipping in cheerfully to help.

Tasty crispies called karuvadams or vadis, hot sun-dried chillies marinated in yoghurt, tomato chutneys to parcel away to relatives staying in distant countries, 'vattals' to last you through the year - these and many more goodies were prepared and stored in air-tight containers to be used throughout the year.

Here we introduce you to some of the varieties.

Sun-dried tomato chutney

Moar milagai or dahi mirchi

Punjabi vadi

Ragi/millet vadis

Rice Karuvadam

Sago vadam

Ash Gourd Vadams

Mungdal Vadium (Sun Dried Crispies)

Bhopla & Vadi Tarkari

Chane Vadia Daal