Onion Pakodas

Hot crispy snacks and a cuppa piping hot coffee-that's what I would say if anyone asked what I want on a cold evening.One such perfect snack is the 'pakoda'.The key to the crispness of the snack is adding hot oil to the ingredients before it is fried.This is one little secret that mom passed on to me.I assure you no one can eat just one!!;)

You need:

Besam/Gram flour-1 cup
Rice flour-3/4-cup
Onion-1 big,sliced
Red Chilli powder-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste
Oil- For deep frying

• In a large bowl,put in all the ingredients except oil.Mix well
• Heat a ladleful of oil[ to just below smoking point] and pour over the ingredients in the bowl.Your kitchen will be filled with such a wonderful aroma..yummm.....
• Use a wooden spatula and carefully mix the contents in the bowl
• After a few minutes sprinkle a little water and mix well.
• The dough should be crumbly [You must be able make a lump of the dough and it should be retain its shape.]
• Heat enough oil in a pan drop small lumps of the dough into it without crowding the oil.
• Deep fry till golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and serve hot.

If the dough is too crumbly it will separate in the oil.If this happens when u put in the first lump ,sprinkle a little water to the dough and mix well.If you add to much water ,the pakoda will not be crisp.A little trial and error will do the trick.

Sending this to Srilekha forEFM-Savories

and to Trupthi for Winter treat event

Spicy Channa Pulao - A quick and easy way to jazz up a cold day...

Winter is that time of the year which makes you crave for something hot and spicy and also that which can be on the plate very quickly.That's what I was thinking with just a little of the Garbanzo/Chickpea left after I had prepared Chole.And that's when this spicy channa pulao knocked my door :)

You need:[For 1 serving]

Chickpea/Garbanzo -1/2 a cup
Rice ,cooked-3/4th cup[grains should be separate]
Cumin seeds/Jeera-1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-1 teaspoon [Adjust to taste]
Sambar Powder-1 teaspoon or
Garam masala/All spice powder-1/2 a teaspoon
Onion-1 small,sliced
Tomato-1 small,diced
Spring onions-2 stalks [white and green portion chopped and separated]
Ginger- garlic paste-1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Butter/Oil-1 tablespoon

• Soak the channa overnight and pressure cook it the next morning till done.The channa should not get mushy.
• Heat butter in a pan and put in jeera.
• When it crackles put in onions,ginger garlic paste and spring onion whites and saute till onion turns translucent.
• Now put in the tomatoes and cook till mushy.
• Add the red chilli powder,sambar powder or garam masala,salt and cook till the raw smell disappears.If the pan is too dry add a few teaspoons of water.
• Put in the cooked beans and rice and mix well.
• Reduce the heat to minimum and sprinkle a little water if the rice is dry and cook covered for 5 minutes so the the flavours blend.
• Remove from heat and serve garnished with spring onion greens.
• Hot and spicy channa pulao is now ready to be served with plain yogurt/raita and pappad.

This spicy pulao goes to Susan's -My legume love affair now hosted by Suganya of Tasty Palettes.

Oats Halwa - Dessert in a jiffy

I am not joking.This dessert can be prepared under 10 minutes....Before I go on to the actual recipe,let me tell you what made me prepare this one...MEC-Halwa is being hosted at Kamalika's Blog.[You may be knowing that MEC is the brain child of Srivalli @ Cooking 4 all seasons] . The deadline drawing near, I had to come up with some halwa in the microwave and today I remembered bookmarking oats halwa from Ramya's Blog .So I set to prepare it and it took me less than 10 minutes from start to finish.It is a very simple recipe and u can stir it up when u have unexpected guests and need to complete the meal with a dessert.Now to the recipe..

You need:

Oats-3/4 cup
Sugar-1/4 cup
Water-1 cup
Almonds-to garnish[I used 5]
Ghee-1 teaspoon

1. Melt ghee in a microwave safe bowl and put in the chopped almonds and microwave on high for 2 minutes or till light brown.Keep aside.
2. Dissolve sugar in hot water and keep aside.
3. Powder oats.You will have around 1 cup of powder now.
4. Roast it in a microwave safe bowl on high for 2 minutes.
5. Mix the roasted oats powder and sugar syrup.See that u don't get any lumps.
6. Put it back into the microwave and microwave on high for 3 minutes [or till u get the halwa consistency.I microwaved it for exactly 3 minutes].Stir at the end of every minute.
7. Put in the almonds along with the ghee at the end of the second minute.

8. Yummy yum oats halwa is ready....The cup I used is the one which comes with the rice cooker and the quantity of halwa prepared is sufficient for one person.Add more sugar if you want a sweeter halwa.

Sending it to Kamalika's blog for MEC- Halwa...





Also sending it to FIC White hosted by Lubna of Kitchen flavours,an event started by Sunshinemom .

A peek into the Past - Best of 2008.....

Just a few more days and this year comes to an end and a bright New year awaits us....
Just a few more days and my blog celebrates its first birthday!!I am excited!!!

Srivalli has invited us to share our thoughts about our blogging in the year 2008...

Before you read on,let me warn you-This is a long post,really....Ok, here is the story...

I started this blog to share recipes with friends,then it became a sort hub for all that I cooked.I wanted to put in my experiments in cooking first but as the days went by,I wanted to put in everyday cookery and then go on to less familiar ones and then to my experiments.

I often go back and read my recipes.When I do that I am transported into the memories which revolve not only around the time I prepared that dish but also go into my childhood when mom used to prepare these tasty dishes and also recollect her childhood memories.Sometimes it would be dad's turn to talk about a certain dish and the meal time was something I would look forward to.

When I started the blog I would often ask mom to prepare some dish and would be busy clicking it.You may wonder why I did not prepare the dishes myself..Well,I was on the way to motherhood and my lil angel was almost due when I started the blog, so mom would not allow me to exert myself in the kitchen.Moreover, it is that phase of life where you are made to eat all the lovely stuff and all that you want without the guilt ;)...One fine day mom understood the reason for me asking her to prepare a variety of dishes was more for my blog than to satisfy my [pregnancy] craving !!!Later even after my bundle of joy arrived,I did not let go of my passion for blogging and have continued it till date[I resumed cooking after my lil angel was born :)]


Now back to the topic...'First' things in life are always memorable and it holds true to blogging as well.I can never forget the "first's" in blogging-my first post,first comment I received,my first entry to an event,the first event I am hosting!!It's getting exciting by the day..

But I don't think my lil angel shares this enthusiasm with me.[After all she's just 11 month's old].Many a times I can see a sort of 'sibling' rivalry brewing between the computer and my lil angel!!! She would[and still is] crawl hurriedly to grab my feet and draw my attention.[Sweet angel that she is,never throws a tantrum!!!].Once I pick her up,she will be all smiles.Sometimes she would sit on my lap and demand her share of the keyboard.But all the while,I really enjoy every bit of blogging.

Through blogging I have earned a great deal of friends from far and near and learnt a wide range of recipes from around the globe,some of which are on my blog and others sleeping in my drafts :).I find myself looking for new ingredients on the grocery aisle so that I can get to know it better and cook something with it or adapt it to Indian methods!
YINER HANGZAO LIANZI GENG-An original Chinese soup/dessert prepared with ingredients I have never seen.



BUCKWHEAT NOODLES WITH VEGGIES -An adapted recipe with buckwheat noodles,another ingredient I am less familiar with.

Blogging has also increased my passion to buy new kitchen wares.Nowadays I am always on the lookout for cutlery and crockery which stand out,something that I have never seen before and stuffs like that.Not only that ,I have even purchased some cook books in Chinese!!!Sounds ridiculous?Maybe, because I can't read a word in Chinese but the books looked too good to let go.But no worries,I have got a wonderful friend here who has promised to translate every page.Lucky me :)
My plans for 2009 are to include at least a few recipes from each Indian state and a lot more on global cuisine.Maybe I will host a couple of events,write more on fitness and easy ways to a healthy lifestyle.When I get back to India,I plan to sit with my grandparents and learn the time tested home remedies [from the kitchen cabinet] and share it on the blogosphere.

Here are some of the dishes that I love...

Also few of my fav's have been a part of Lubna's Scrummy sunday showcase..Click here to see what they are.

Last but not the least,a big THANK YOU- to my mom for not minding me clicking away when shez busy cooking ,mailing me the recipes I need,clearing my endless doubts ..And to my dad for clicking pictures of those lovely kitchen treasures for me and guiding me while I was taking pics and teaching me the tips and tricks of photography ...And to my hubby dear and MIL for patiently trying and tasting my experiments....And to all my friends and fellow bloggers whose kind words and encouragements has gotten me this far....

For those who are wondering why I am writing such a lonnng post,its because one day I will be reading this and revel in those happy moments I spent writing it..simple!!!! :)..Anyways,Hope you liked the journey into the past with me...

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and may this year be filled with all that is best and beautiful in life....

Vata Tea

Ayurveda talks about the tri doshas - Vata ,Pitta and kapha.Each dosha contain the aspects of the 5 elements of space.Though we are made of a combination of doshas one of them is predominent.Each dosha is a seperate topic by itself so here I am just going to share a few things about 'Vata' only.Vata is the force made of air and ether.It also signifies "wind" .Its actions are drying, cooling, light, agitating, and moving.The primary seat or location of the Vata in the body is the colon. It also resides in the hips, thighs, ears, bones, large intestine, pelvic cavity, and skin. It is related to the touch sensation. When the body develops an excess of vata, it will accumulate in these areas.Aggravation of vata manifests as constipation , dryness, bloating, insomnia, spasms, pains etc.

Vata predominent personalities tend to be visionary, imaginative and full of creative energy but when they are out of balance they can be forgetful, spaced out, anxious and uptight. A diet that relieves anxiety and nourishes the nervous system is best for the vata type of personality.

Here is one simple recipe that is very calming and soothing.

You need:
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Carom/Ajwan seeds
1 cup water

1. Boil water and put in all the ingredients.
2. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes.
3. Strain and serve.[Sweeten if required].

Sending this to the event -Think spice-Think Carom hosted by Raaga .

Broccoli Soup - Warm up ur soul....

Yesterday I caught the first glimpse of snow.It was not only the first one of the season but also the first one in my life!!!I was too happy for words.We went out and enjoyed a few moments[read- hours] in the snow.This sort of cold climate calls in for something warm from your kitchen but I hate to spend too much time for it.So here is quick soup that is guaranteed to comfort you .....

You need:

Broccoli-1 head,broken into florets
Potato-1 small,peeled and cubed
Garlic - 1 clove,finely chopped
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Butter-1 teaspoon
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Pressure cook broccoli and potato with a little water.
2. Cool and puree together [use the water remaining after you pressure cook the veggies] .
3. Heat butter in a pan and put in the cumin seeds.
4. When it crackles put in the finely chopped garlic and saute till the garlic turns brown.
5. Put in the pureed broccoli mixture ,add enough water[Quantity of water depends on how thick/watery you want the soup to be]
6. Simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and serve hot.

This soul warming soup goes to Trupti's blog who is hosting Winter Treats .

When I first wanted to try my hands on Broccoli soup,the searches the net but some of them seemed too complicated so I formulated my own method.Hence sending it to Culinarty's Original Recipe event hosted by Lore.

Who's Gona Cook For Me????

When your home[/office!] is full of people ,stand up and ask -Who's gona cook for me? - and you will be really surprised to see how many people would like to pitch in and cook for the you..

Well,the other day I was too bored to cook.I had prepared sambar and veggie stir fry and kept the rasam pending.I was suddenly[as always] tempted to check my mail [and my blog] so sat in front of the PC and almost forgot about the rasam until I felt a tiny pang of hunger.

MIL who was watching me must have guessed that I had forget to make a dish!I turned to her and asked,'Amma, will you prepare rasam for me coz I don't feel like cooking'..[Usually I do the cooking coz I always feel its time my MIL took leave of the kitchen for she has been there without a break for more than 50 years!].Without waiting another second, she went to the kitchen and within 10 minutes I could catch the wonderful aroma of rasam wafting through the house..Yummm...

That's when I thought why not ask our people at home,office,neighbors the same question!!!I never felt like asking MIL [or hubby dear] to cook anything..But when I did,I was so touched to see her cooking with all her love.

OK folks,are you ready?Ask[request/plead/beg/threaten..] your family members,friends,fellow bloggers',neighbors,anyone,- if they will cook for you.It can be anything- like a simple cup of coffee that hubby dear prepared with all his love or you little one helping you decorate the cookie or cake,your friend's exotic dish specially prepared for you-just anything.You can guide them but let them do the chopping , stirring ,etc,etc,cleaning up the kitchen[that's the important thing ;)]..Failure is a part of life and it peeps into cooking as well.So,even if a recipe that your loved one prepared for you turned into a complete disaster send it across to me without a second thought.After all, its their love that matters,right?

Now,all you have to do is, ask someone what they would cook for you,click it and sit back and enjoy the meal and later send it to me.[No, not the dish just the recipe and the pic :)] .

Just a few guideline...

1.Since this is a vegetarian blog,only vegetarian dishes please.[No to eggs too...Sorry folks...]

2.Send in the recipe[s] that was cooked for you along with a photo of the dish.Also mention your name ,blog URL and post URL.

3.Please mention who prepared the dish[Hubby/mom/dad/MIL etc].

4.Share with us any interesting anecdote relating to the dish or incident.

5.You don't have a blog?NO problem....You can send in your entries with the photos.

6.There is no limit to the number of entries that you send in.

7.Please make a link back to this announcement.

8.If possible put in a pic of the person who cooked for you on your blog[They will surely be pleased with all the attention].

9.If you are sending in older entries,re-post it for the event but it will be great if its a new post.

10.The deadline is 31st Jan 2009 and the roundup will be posted within 10 days of the deadline....

To send in the entries and for any clarifications contact me at -seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com

This is my first stint in hosting an event and I would be happy to see your responses pour in.

Buckwheat Noodles With Veggies - A colourful way to health

The last time I was at the mall,a brown color noodle attracted me and thinking it is ragi sevai I picked it up without a second thought.Only when I came home I realised I had got a pack of buckwheat noodles.This one is very new to me and so I did a small 'research' to get to know it better before I cook some dish with it.

I learnt that buckwheat is in no way related to wheat and is also called 'beech wheat'.It is one of the widely planted crop in China.

Buckwheat noodles is famous in Japan and was a part of the Korean cuisine until it was replaced by wheat.Buckwheat grains are used in porridges' and the flour as a thickening in soups,gravies and dressings.It is also used along with wheat,maize and rice flour in baking and in pasta products.In Korea, buckwheat starch is used to make a jelly called 'memilmuk' .There are many great recipes available varying all over India. Ever heard of 'KUTTU KA ATTA'?.I believe this is what Buckwheat flour is known as in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Since buckwheat flowers are very fragrant they attract bees and produce a special, strongly flavored, dark honey.

100g of buckwheat gives 340 Kcal[approx].The nutritional uniqueness of buckwheat is the quality of protein it contains. It is a good source of high biological value proteins . Buckwheat contains all essential amino acids[Essential amino acids are the proteins our body cannot manufacture],hence making it closer to being a "complete" protein. It has 75% complex carbohydrate which is good coz it gives us a feeling of satiety and provides enough fuel for the cells.It is gluten free and so it can be safely eaten by people who have celiac disease . Buckwheat can be a good substitute for wheat, oats, rye and barley in a gluten-free diet. It has plenty B vitamins and is rich in phosphorus, potassium, iron, and calcium. Buckwheat contains a medicinal chemical called rutin [which is a flavinoid].This chemical strengthens capillary walls, reducing hemorrhaging in people with high blood pressure.Researchers have found new evidence that buckwheat may be helpful in the management of diabetes.

I was amazed by the health and nutrient aspect of buckwheat and promptly prepared a dish.I used the microwave and the stove top and the dish was ready in a jiffy.A healthy breakfast with the goodness of vegetables.

You need:

Buckwheat noodles - 50g

Mixed veggies-to ur taste,chopped[I used a few broccoli florets,3 beans,1/2 a carrot,1/4 capsicum,peas]

Tomato -1/2,chopped

Onion-1/2,sliced

Salt to taste

Chilli / Pepper powder to taste

Soya sauce - 1/2 teaspoon.

Butter/oil- 1 teaspoon

1. In a microwave safe dish put in the broccoli,beans,carrot,peas,sprinkle water,cover and cook for 6 minutes[or till the veggies are cooked] on medium power.Remove and keep aside.
2. In another microwave safe bowl put in the buckwheat noodles and add enough water so that the noodle submerges.Microwave on medium power for 5 minutes or till done.Drain and keep aside.
3. When the veggies and the noodles are getting cooked on the microwave,heat a pan on the stove top and put in the butter /oil.
4. When the butter melts,add the onions and saute till onions are translucent.
5. Put in the tomatoes and the capsicum and saute till the tomatoes are soft.The capsicum will be crunchy.
6. Add salt,chilli/pepper powder,soya sauce and mix well.
7. Switch off the stove if the veggies and noodles are getting cooked in the microwave.
8. When the veggies and noodles are done put them all into the pan and stir on medium flame for a few seconds and let the flavors blend.
9. Serve hot.

The pack of buckwheat noodles that I got had 4 pieces- 50g each and for this recipe I used only 1 of them.The quantity of the cooked noodles with the veggies was more than sufficient for me.

This energising and nutritious breakfast will go to Sangeeth's Eat healthy during Pregnancy Event .

Jeeraga Kashayam - Digestive drink from your kitchen

We often indulge into all those yummy foods and finally feel that we should have stopped when that 'little voice ' within us was screaming that the tummy was full.When I was pregnant I used to eat all the goodies that mom prepared and also that were lovingly sent across by my kind neighbors and friends.I was desperate to put on weight and also had to be cautious and eat healthy.

Sometimes I used to gobble up the delish dishes and feel that my tummy was wayyy to full.That's when mom used to prepare an easy digestive drink.This can be taken in place of water and in a while you are sure to be relieved of all the bloating and fullness.In a few hours you will feel light and will be ready for the next meal.

Sangeeth is hosting Eat healthy during pregnancy event and I thought this drink will be useful to the mom's - to- be in case they overeat like me :)




You need:

Jeera/Cumin seeds-1.5 tablespoons
Water-500 ml

The procedure is very simple.

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the cumin seeds till you get a nice aroma and the cumin seeds brown.Take care not to char them.
2. Pour in the water .[Take care since the pan will be very hot and when you pour in cold water it will splutter.]
3. Simmer and boil for a around 10 minutes.The water will turn yellowish.
4. Remove from fire,strain ,cool slightly or drink hot.

If you feel the jeera water is bitter add some more plain water.It is a matter of personal taste.Keep the strained cumin seeds and add more water and boil and use the cumin seeds till they lose flavor.Don't keep the strained cumin seeds overnight and also discard them if you are not comfortable re-using them.


This remedy is not only for mom's-to-be,anyone who has digestion problems can drink this.

New Addition To My Shelf....

The weather seemed to be in a cheerful mood or that's what I felt, coz after days of bone chilling winds ,the weather was warm and I didn't even need the jacket I had to wear before I step out [along with the customary loads of clothing you had to wear each day].So,the climate being good,hubby and me decided to take lil angel along with us for shopping.

I didn't feel like returning home even though it was past 9pm coz the climate too good to miss and we don't get this type too often!!!Walking around the mall,we saw loads of books being sold in a make-shift stall and my love for books drew me to it.To my utter disappointment all of them were in Chinese.It looked like an ultimate punishment to me-loads of books but can't even read a single word.

My eyes fell on a table full of cookery books and worst too- it was in Chinese.Nevertheless I picked them up and drooled over the glossy pictures.The books seemed to beg me to take them home.As I was glancing over the pics,my friend,Ju,who had joined us for shopping, volunteered to translate the recipes for me so that I could try out the Chinese dishes.What more will I ask!!We selected 3 of them which had vegetarian recipes and returned home.

After dinner we [my friend and me] sat with the books and she translated the ingredients and the methods patiently.There were many of her favorite dishes in those books which I have promised to prepare for her.It was almost midnight but still we sat there reading about each dish.The books also have the health tips,contraindication of the dish and even beauty tips,home made facials and packs.We have still more to find out from them but sleep conquered us.

Here's a glance of the books...



Top-Yingyang chao shishu[Vegetable dishes-(90)]

Middle-Bai bian shui guo[Fruit dishes-(81)]

Bottom-10 Fen zhong yingyang zao can[10 minute breakfast dishes(93)]..

That's a lot of recipes to look forward to..These books will be joining my other cook-books and wait for me to stir-up exciting recipes from them :) ...
..
I will be cooking from these new books shortly and will share the wonderful tips too....Until then,....

Happy weekend folks!!!

Ragi Sevai

High class nutrients at an affordable price.!Ragi ,also known as finger/African millet,is a treasure trove of nutrients. 100grams of ragi provides 328 calories ,72g of carbohydrates,7.3 g protein 1.5g fat and 3.6g of fibre.It is also rich in important minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron and in methionine-an essential amino acid. Ragi is also a better choice for diabetics.

Right from being used as a weaning food to alcoholic preparation,ragi is used various culinary preparations-both as whole or in powdered form.The sprouted ragi seeds are used to make porridge based on the fact that it is highly nutritious and easy to digest.Powdered ragi finds its place in puddings,baked goodies and porridges.Arake is a sweet malt famous on Ethiopia.

Ragi sevai is a very simple and an easy one prepared from ragi flour.These days we get the ready made varieties and all you have to do is put them in boiling water or steam them for a few minutes and season to taste.

I got a packet of ready made Ragi sevai when I came from India and prepared this simple breakfast.The direction on the pack said the sevai had to be immersed in boiling water for exactly 5 minutes and drained.[That's exactly what I did]. I heated a little oil in a pan and added mustard,jeera,curry leaves , red chillies and when the mustard spluttered,added chopped onion and sauteed till brown.Next, in went the chopped tomatoes and cooked till soft.Finally,salt and the drained ragi sevai stirred into the veggies and served hot with sambar and coconut chutney.Yumm....





Ragi sevai can also be had with sugar and grated coconut but since I am not fond of sweet stuff ,I prepared this savory breakfast.
Related Recipe:
Ragi Porridge-Weaning food

Simple Coconut Rice

Hubby dear is so much used to having coconut chutney with iddli that the first time I prepared Rava iddli after coming to China,he felt the meal was not complete.Thus began the hunt for the coconut .The veggie section in the mall didn't have coconut and our mandarin pronunciation of coconut sounded absurd to those people.We went looking for it in the local veggie market but still could not catch a glimpse of it.

The futile search continued till one day we struck upon an idea when we saw a packet of 'Pure coconut juice' with a picture of a coconut tree and a bunch coconut s below it.I took that packet to the girl standing nearby and indicated the coconut and told her I wanted to buy 'that'.

She took me straight to the fruits section and this is what she showed me.




We had a good laugh cos we had seen it sooo many times and thought it was some kinda fruit!!!!For me it doesn't even come near to the picture of coconut we are used to see in India with all that husk around it.
Anyways,hubby dear is now getting his dose of coconut chutney .

The other day I got 2 coconuts and was tempted to prepare a simple coconut rice for lunch.I rarely prepare coconut rice-reasons not known even to me.But then I must have been too lazy or too hungry to cook anything else so I settled in for this.

You need:

Cooked rice- 1/2 a cup
Coconut,grated-5 tablespoons
Onion-1 chopped [optional]
Red chillies - 3 ,broken into bits
Roasted peanuts- a few
Curry leaves a few
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Jeera -1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal-1/2 teaspoon
Gram dhal-1/2 teaspoon
Oil-1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

1. Heat oil in a pan and put in the mustard,jeera,urad dhal and gram dhal.
2. When the mustard crackles and the dhal turns brown put in the curry leaves and red chillies.
3. Saute for a few minutes.
4. Put in the onions and saute till translucent.
5. The grated coconut and roasted peanuts go in next.
6. Saute it for a few more minutes and stir in the cooked rice.
7. Add salt,cook for a few minutes and remove from heat.
8. Serve hot with vegetable curry and pappad.
   
   

This one goes to FIC White hosted by Kitchen flavours,an event started by Sunshinemom

A Momemt Of Pride.....

I had a great time preparing and writing 30 different dishes for Recipe Marathon # 2 ,and here is the fruit for for it.....



..A TROPHY ...
I was soo happy to see the trophy with each participants name on it.Thanks DK..Hope we can do another marathon soon...

Kitchen Treasures # 1

Kitchenware, be it traditional or modern,are special to me.What is more valuable is the memory associated with these kitchen wares,especially the traditional ones.When Dibs of Chitra Amma's Kitchen announced the kitchen treasure hunt,few of my kitchen treasures came to mind but all that is back in India so I got Dad to click a few of them and send it to me.

Here they are,

1.'Kumutti'-This one , like a stove,is used to cook food.I have never cooked on this but mom says the food cooked on the kumutti taste the best.Pappad roasted on them were excellent.This one has a very different method to light up.The top portion is filled with charcoal and a bit of coconut husk[coir].The small opening below is filled with coir and a piece of cloth dipped in kerosene /oil and lighted.The flame from below ignites the coir and charcoal above but we have to fan it for a few minutes so that the charcoal turns red hot.Once done,the heavy bottom vessel is placed on it to prepare food.Food does take time to get cooked so they used to have a couple of them burning simultaneously.Different shapes and sizes of kumutti were used.

When not used to cook food,the kumutti serves other purposes as well.After hair wash,women used this to dry their tresses.The kumutti was lighted and sambrani - a kind of incense that has a fragrant smell, was put on the red hot charcoal.Fragrant fumes emanate and they invert a large bamboo basket over the kumutti and the women sit beside it and spread their tresses over the bamboo basket and their tresses dried and is fragrant too!

This kumutti ,though not used for cooking nowadays,was used for my lil angel after she was given an oil bath.My mother used to hold her above the sambrani dhoop .Since the sambrani powder is mixed with turmeric powder and ajwain/carom seeds,it ensures that the baby does not catch a cold.

2. The pickle jar.Made of porcelain,this one found its place in almost every home.Very few people use it now as glass has replaced this jar and the art of pickle making has dwindled.Grannies used to prepare varieties of pickles and fill up each jar and let them soak.It was later ladled into smaller containers for everyday use.

3.The 'Kal chatti' [Stone vessel] used to prepare gravies and the dishes prepared in this taste outof the world!!!




4.This well worn out vessel is Seestha kanchu or the 'Eya chombu' -a real treasure in mom's kitchen.The saaru/rasam prepared in this is heavenly.The saaru tastes even better when it is left in this vessel and consumed the next day.Don't know how and why but there is no match to the Saaru prepared in this vessel.Am droooooling right now!

5.Coming to the little treasure in my kitchen -the maththu or the churner.I made it a point to bring it with me from India cos it looks so cute[Its a little bigger than a dessert spoon] and I can't find one like this where I live.I use this to churn buttermilk , to make dishes like 'Keerai kadaiyal',to mash dhals /blanched tomatoes instead of using a blender.

6.This one is used to prepare ' Kuzhi paniyaram '.It is made of 'Maakal' or soapstone and is really very old[you can see how worn-out it is!!].Though fresh batter casn be used to prepare this kuzhi paniyaram,we at home,used to prepare it with the leftover dosa batter,putting in chopped onions,green chillies,curry leaves and seasoning it with mustard and jeera.This vessel is kept on the stove and 1/2 teaspoon oil poured into each hollow and then filled 3/4th with batter and cooked on both sides till golden brow.This can be had as a part of breakfast and also as a snack.Coconut chutney/Tomato chutney is served as an accompaniment.

Nowadays it is very rare to see a kuzhi paniyara kal made of soapstone.In the market you can get the same type of vessel made of metal and even non stick varieties.But I assure you that the taste of the kuzhi paniyaram prepared in this is no match to the ones prepared in any other metal/nonstick ware.

I have seen a lot more traditional vessels in my grandma's attic and the next time I visit her I am gona capture all those wonderful wares and their memories.