An award and a meme

i thought i would post a recipe too….but this is already longer than i thought it would be….so if you have come here hoping for a recipe…then you’re going to be disappointed….turn back now….else dont say i didnt warn you……

is passionate about everything allright!! She’s driven me up the wall and then down it….she makes me want to gasp at her creations and turn totally green(the envious kind) at her spirit, her talent and her obvious passion for all things that she does……well in the last couple of days she’s bestowed on me a very high honour…. No I am not sucking up!! Infact I wonder if she thinks I am sometimes…the way my comments and emails are written….hop over to her place and you will know what I am talking about…..thanks Deeba….i felt on top of the world that I figured on your radar!!

“This award will be awarded to those that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!” -This is the philosophy behind the Nice matters award that was started by this enchantress-Genevieve Olsen, mother of two little girls, who loves all things vintage….go over to her site to see what I mean….
I am giving this to these people who are not only very talented, but truly deserving….
Raaga of the singing chef – we not only share the same name (spelt differently though), but we have such eerily common interests and facts about us that I wonder if we were lost in a mela….this is one feisty young lady
Srivalli of Cooking4allseasons – for her patience with me all those months that I dodged Arusuvai!! She has to be truly nice to have been that way!!
Nupur of One hot stove – one of the first blogs I stumbled upon…and it has continued to be one of my favourite places to hang out….Nupur will charm you with her heart and show you that it isn’t difficult to walk the talk….she’s so focused on living a simple, wholesome and clutter free life that is meaningful and no less fun that it inspires me each time I have an attack of “consumerism”
Coffee of the spice cafe – for her style….that she takes fabulous pictures is such a huge bonus….i’ve been coming back for more and I am not even a coffee drinker!!
The couple at white on rice couple – theirs was a recent discovery…but boy am I hooked!! Their free spiritedness and ‘totally hung up on each other’ ness comes through in a witty, kick ass style…
Vaishali of Earthvegan – for believing in what she does and making such sweeping changes for her beliefs…wow!! She also has three cute dogs and two lovely cats that she’s mom too…totally my kind of girl…she’s been given this award by someone else…but I had to give it to her again
Nandita of the saffron trail – again one of the first blogs that I was inspired by to start my own….her tips on health and nutrition are an added bonus….but she really is someone who savours each moment…that’s what I like….

Deeba then goes and tags me for what she calls a weird meme…..well…sort of to balance it out eh?? No pleasure without pain types?? Ok so here goes…. The rules first

The rules for the meme are:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself.

3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Weird facts about myself…(what?? Just 7??)

• I have been drawing floor plans and planning re-arranging of furniture since I was a kid…anyone’s house, any hotel, anywhere will do….
• I have to write down to –do’s….i have them as reminders on my phone, on the computer and compulsorily write them down in my notebook…(I do get them all done though!!)
• I made friends with the people I am closest to after we parted school, college or the workplace where we first met….all my friends….they were mere acquaintances when we studied or worked together and weirdly we always ‘discovered’ each other after we parted….
• I drive K up the wall…(but naturally!!) …when I have an important meeting, discussion, confrontation…I will analyse the situation with him….tell him what I am going to do…what I will speak…..and exactly 5 minutes before it happens I panic, call him and ask him “what was I going to say?? I cant remember why I am here!!” it happens every time….without fail…it also as you can now see why drives him mad….thank god for phones!!
• I can cry watching anything sentimental / emotional….even if it is obviously and painfully ….anything… crappy movie, badly made, terribly acted…even ramsay brothers….sometimes I don’t even realize why …. But I cry….tears just flow down my eyes…and I now no longer pretend that it doesn’t happen!! Hell!! I even cried at the final episode of friends!!
• I can never read one book / article / magazine completely at a time…. As soon as I lay hands on it…I will go back and forth….sort of checking if its all there…then read a little…flip over….read something else…come back…and repeat….you should watch me skimming the newspapers every morning
• I didn’t drink tea or coffee or even milk till 2 years ago…..then I got addicted to tea….i would have about 1 and ½ litres of it through the day!! No kidding…I’d also brush my teeth about 4 times to get rid of chai breath…. Now I am down to 2 cups a day!! Praise God!!

Am tagging all the bloggers I passed on the Nice matters award to for this meme….but no sweat….do it only if you want to……

Land of beauty and a thirst quencher

blue skies, crystal clear glistening waters of the Arabian Sea at Mandvi, Gujarat

the coast at mandvi

typical saurashtran meal

Gujarat is the land mf myriad shades….the land of beauty…..in people and nature….of rich cultural heritage…of arts and crafts….of a community that is knit together….of festivals and colours…and fabulous food….K’s parents migrated to Ahmadabad in 2003, K himself spent 6 years of his childhood growing up in Kutch in a place called gandhidham…that’s where his parents now live….since then we make one trip a year to spend with them ….i can go completely berserk shopping at law garden, rani ka ajeera or lal darwaza at one of the hundreds of shacks/shops selling crafts, arts, clothes and jewelry ….. not be disappointed at 2 a.m if I want to eat cheese sandwiches, or chaat or have an ice gola….… I love the place before this my only connection with Gujarat was that my mother studied there….graduation her career there…she always speaks glowingly of the people and the culture and the way it shaped what she became….so much was her love for the food from Gujarat, that khichdi and kadhi, shaaks of different kinds, shrikhand, aamras, khaari seeng and chunda was what I grew up on…..sadly, I don’t make much of these except for khichdi and kadhi which is on my top five comfort foods list…..

I was obviously very happy to see RCI – Gujarat…. instead of any of the elaborate dish, I planned to post of this fabulously versatile, thirst quenching drink “chaas” which no gujarati meal is without…..infact in households and restaurants alike, your glass of chaas will be refilled if you so much as tilt it half way through…..a super summer cooler….it can be your best friend if you want something light yet nutritious to fill you up…..

these beads are a thoran (wall / door adornment), made of beads and bells, their colours and tinkling bells are a delight as they sway in the breeze….i picked these up on my last trip from an artisan’s co-operative unit

Chaas is made of yoghurt …it is a spiced buttermilk….to be had on its own or to wash down a full meal….chaas can be mildly or strongly spiced, seasoned or not….the avatars it can take on are many….all delightfully satisfying …..this is off to RCI - Gujarat, hosted by Mythili of Vindu this month, and the brain child of Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine….

i scream for star anise!!

I was determined to send in an entry to think spice….an event started by Sunita which i have always followed, but never sent in an entry……it would be a shame since the chosen spice this month Star anise is my all time favourite spice…..you can read more about it here… and here too.. I first discovered star anise in a wonderfully aromatic steamed rice preparation called “bamboo rice” (steamed rice with seasonings, vegetables and meat steamed in a bamboo that gives imparts the flavor of bamboo to the rice) at a Chinese eatery in hyderabad called Chinese pavilion, tucked away in such a location, had someone not pointed it out to me and told me the food there was fabulous, I’d have never discovered this fabulous place, nor fallen in love with star anise……a friend at work drew a map for me and asked me to visit sometime…she also (thankfully) threw in that she loved their preparation of ‘bamboo rice and rainbow chicken’…..i am a Chinese food junkie….i can eat good bad or even ugly Chinese food and not complain….i was not disappointed….. K and I were dating when we discovered Chinese pavilion, and we have spent loads of time over many wondrous meals….but bamboo rice remained my favourite…when I asked what the unique flavor was from, I was introduced to this wondrous spice…sweet smelling and totally fabulous…Star anise…..when I turned vegetarian, I discovered that the veggie version of the rice didn’t lack anything and was as flavourful and tasty as the chicken version I’d always loved…..

Why am I telling you all this?? I don’t know really….i love telling a story and I have such a special fondness for this spice that it shows….I have used it in many dishes…not once any Chinese preparation although it is widely used in that cuisine…..kurmas, stews, stir fries, curries, pulaos and biryanis …..it is versatile….since it is sweet smelling and tasting I always wondered about using it in a dessert, but never really tried it out…I was tempted to put it into kheer, but didn’t…. two weeks ago i was lured to a tasting session to a gelato joint that opened near where we live….when I surveyed the offerings, star anise jumped out at me….i asked for a taste and was floored….i’d never expected it to be as fabulous as it was….the flavor of the spice melded so completely with the gelato that I think I have found my all time favourite flavor……so you see it has been on my mind a long time and yesterday I tried to give it a shot…..i don’t know the first thing about making gelato and have made icecream too only twice before….so I relied mostly on my sense of taste to guide me and let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed….. i also made a strawberry preserve to serve with it in case K didn’t like the flavor of star anise …I need’nt have fretted!! He loved it too…. …it kicked in the flavours, but plain is wonderful too …try it out….you too will fall in love…..

Don’t go by the pics, by the time I managed to take a few shots, the icecream began to melt…..since there isn’t any artificial stabilizer, I think this one will have to be served immediately after taking it out of the freezer…anyways its not going to last longer than that!! I used low fat toned milk, for a creamier texture use ½ cup full cream with the recipe….i didn’t cos I don’t need anymore extra calories!! check out sunita’s event here

tagliatelle for me!!

pasta….if i actually post each time i make or eat pasta, lets just say this blog will be overflowing with pasta posts…..it is this very wariness that has reigned me in…so much so, that i have just two posts with pasta…..to me it is comfort food at its exotic best….it can take on so many avatars, be fiery, demure, mild, kaliedoscopic and yet each time utterly fulfilling…..

with K working himself (and me) crazy…most saturday’s i am left to my own devices….rustling up something for one person isnt half as heartbreaking as eating a solitary meal….most people i know loathe it…but most times we just cant help it…..

this afternoon, to feed myself i looked through my grocery cupboard (since there were no leftovers in the fridge) and found some tagliatelle pasta (the flat ribbon shaped pasta)….K loves this and this is his favourite shaped pasta….it was too little for two people and since i have reduced the intake of carbs, it would do nicely for my lunch…i wouldnt have touched it with a bargepole if it wasnt made of 100% whole wheat either……

i’m not too fond of an overdose of cream and cheese…. i prefer the tangy spicy versions…so i more or less gravitated towards this since i was cooking for myself….. suddenly i was enthu about making lunch for myself…and even told K to hang up cos i was savouring it when he called while i was chomping away…..

this is my entry to the Mingle at Meeta’s.…the theme this month is one dish dinners

Potato rosetti for Valentine’s

There’s a café attached to a fabulous bookshop in Hyderabad is one of K’s favourite places to hangout….typically friends meander there at the end of a day’s work or sometimes even in between when they can’t take the rut anymore….what more does a guy need when he is allowed to puff away indoors and is on such terms with the staff that he can tell them exactly how long he wants his chai simmered?? As a result many evenings and weekends have been spent here over books and banter….. Having said that, this place thankfully serves very good fare at rates that don’t burn a hole in your pockets and can give any self respecting continental restaurant a run for its money…… as a result I have had all that they have on the menu over the last few years and have microscopically tried to take apart how everything is put together…inspecting not just the preparation of the item but its presentation as well………though I have never till now attempted to reproduce any of them……they make a good vegetarian steak which is essentially a veggie pattie served with a sauce and steamed veggies on the side with either garlic bread or saffron rice…K loves this and has this pretty often, so I tried my hand at it the other day for dinner…….turned out pretty good and I was quite pleased with the result. I used a new product called vegit potato flakes which is dehydrated potato flakes that look like poha or beaten rice…I generally am not a great fan of processed anything but the claim that this product made was too much to resist … It called for just adding water to the flakes and mix for mashed potato…after carefully reading the package I picked it up and while I won’t substitute this for fresh potatoes…it is a great time saver/standby when you need boiled and mashed potatoes in a jiffy…..they do need a bit of a binding agent tho, but made for patties in a jiffy….the package comes with a small recipe booklet of a few items that can be made using the product…..all in all dinner was quite a hit….plus it was healthy as all those veggies can’t be bad for you………we’re not big on valentine’s day or any other ritualistic “show me how much you love me” days…. but for the effect I lit the candles and laid out red placemats…. K rolled his eyes but indulged in me anyways!! I hope everyone had a good time too…..this will be my entry to two events, and Sia’s Ode to PotatoCulinary Bazar’s Potato fe(a)st

Baking Escapade # 11 - Lemon n Raisin Cake

Memories of my maternal home are full of this lime tree….it was an experimental variety called “Rangapur Limes” that the agricultural university my mother worked at had developed….it was dark green on the outside and the flesh and pulp was orange….it was specifically developed for its juice and I haven’t come across such juicy limes ever…. Everyone who visited us would go back with a bounty….it was a high yielding tree and when laden, the branches would sweep the ground with the weight of the fruit….they were the sourest, most aromatic and greenest on the outside limes I have seen…. they were very big for limes but would easily pass for small sized oranges…and many would mistake them as such…. The house isn’t there anymore…and the lime tree was sacrificed too pretty soon….and I cringe now when I buy lemons from the market… because no matter what, nothing can match home grown produce….on a recent trip to Bangalore, I visited a family friend…they have a picture postcard home in a gated community….both uncle and aunty are avid gardners and their home with as many as 400 potted plants, rose trellises and fruit trees is testimony to their love for gardening….they grow bananas, papayas and to my delight had another variety of limes….hard as a tennis ball but so aromatic that I who am a big citrus aficionado delighted in sniffing them…..as many who have fruit and vegetable trees/patches at home will know, for a small family it is impossible to finish nature’s bounty…and I was offered a dozen limes to take back with me…..i have savoured them this past month as they keep very well under refrigeration….so when I saw the theme for Jhiva for Ingredients….the event started by Indira and this month hosted by Coffee of the Spice Cafe was Lime and lemons, I knew I had raw material on hand…this also goes out to Bindiya, who’s theme for her monthly event “these are a few of my favourite things” this month is cakes and muffins…..

I spent yesterday evening baking and made choc rough muffins (recipe to follow) and a delightful lemon and raisin cake. this is actually a recipe for muffins, but i baked a cake out of it…increasing the baking time by a few mins…. Both were meant to be gifts and as happens in a household with too much access to chocolate, K wanted a taste of the lemon cake because it was so aromatic….i succumbed and it is almost over….the pic that is posted here is after 4 slices were demolished by us…..since the recipe is very simple with very few ingredients, I will make another tomorrow for the intended gift….for now, the aroma and flavor of the lovely limes lie infused into this fabulous cake…..

Arusuvai…seemed to take forever!!

It wont help you calling me names….i have already done more of that than you can actually imagine…..called myself many of those unimaginable and also offered my head on a platter to srivalli if she cares for it…… lamented over my lack of time management, choice of work, etc etc…..ok, why am I ranting?? Because I inadvertently became the spoke in the friendship chain…or rather the spoke in the wheel of the friendship chain…if that makes better sense…

In December, after many emails back and forth and heated arguments with the courier agency (who I thought were withholding what was mine), I received my package from Renuka Gauthaman…this lovely lady from trichy was extending her hand in friendship to me….and I was so excited about the whole thing….that I think the anticipation did me in….wow!! didn’t know that I could use that too!! its just that it came at a time that I was so busy….working, travelling, festivals, commitments etc and blogging or the lack of it wasn’t the first thing on my mind….. srivalli patiently sent me emails gently enquiring when I could post and forward the chain and I kept giving her dates I didn’t keep…. Even the ones who I was supposed to forward the chain to, gingerly enquired….. to say that I felt pressure is an understatement…and no I am not blaming any of my blogger friends….. its just that the timing was all so wrong and I didn’t have the right frame of mind to get down to this…infact with me hardly being around, the kitchen at home was actually “shutter down”…… the more delayed this got, the more guilty I felt….to be fair, this isn’t the only thing that was at the receiving end…. If you take one look at the washed clothes that need to be ironed….or the state of my provisions….or my balcony garden…..or even my nerves!! You will know….

Anyways, I am about to set that right…. When I chose to make this dish out of my secret ingredient which was whole moongdal….i went through a few books and shortlisted a few dishes…then I saw RCI Kerala and I thought of just the right thing for my whole moong dal….also a favourite of K’s but one which I had never attempted at home…always at friends places, or amma makes it for us…..payar mathan…. Ofcourse that I never posted and missed not just RCI Kerala but also legume love affair and comfort food events…is ofcourse another story….

i emailed the lovely Susan because i realised i’d posted before the 9th of feb, she graciously asked me to send it in….so this goes out to her…. she said she already has about 108 entries…!! this is one round up no one should miss!!

So here it is then….. my ode to this friendship chain of Arusuvai….started by the lovely ladies at Yum food blog…..

I am sending off the secret ingredient (finally) to Deeba and Gaurav!! Watch out for the courier guy!! I hope you have better luck than I did…and apologies to everyone who went on hold because of me…. Sorry!! And hail this friendship chain!!