tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-318764292012-02-13T07:08:54.953-05:00A never ending source of food....Recipes from India and Round the World..Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.comBlogger701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-4445309034987898022011-01-01T03:08:00.002-05:002011-01-01T15:54:33.798-05:00

Dear All,Wish you and your families a very Happy New Year!

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-54048586167660421942008-10-04T22:34:00.003-04:002008-10-05T10:36:39.408-04:00

This post has been pending for way too long...The last few months have been very busy for us and blogging has taken a back seat. It was more of a cook comething, eat something and rush kind of routine, with no memory of what was eaten. So, where is the space for a camera here? :-)But anyway, today I made it a point to publish this simple recipe. We had gone vegetable picking twice over the last

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-55701081744648672752008-09-03T21:34:00.002-04:002008-09-03T21:37:55.531-04:00

Wish you all a very Happy Vinayaga Chathurthi!

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-16960714689748705942008-07-28T10:10:00.001-04:002008-07-28T10:23:27.715-04:00

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes and I make it very often. The sauce used is the mother of all sauces, the Bechamel. Nutmeg is a must in bechamel and blends with the milk to create an enticing base.Recipe:Uncooked Pasta - 1 Cup ( Any small variety like penne, elbows, shells)Garlic Powder - 1 TbspBlack Pepper Powder - 1/2 TbspLime Juice - From 1 LimeFor the Bechamel Sauce:Milk - 1

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-52306248576875365592008-07-09T15:42:00.000-04:002008-07-09T16:36:22.187-04:00

Hello friends,I am back after a 6 month blogosphere hibernation. I was ill and could not come anywhere near blogs or cooking. It was sudden and hence I could not leave a message here. I hope you will continue visiting as usual...On to the recipe now...This is a simple Spinach dal which has been recreated on a lot many blogs till now. I have tweaked my mom's recipe a bit and the result was very

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-42137820391042198412008-01-28T00:27:00.000-05:002008-02-11T10:03:57.189-05:00

Dear Friends,Here is the much delayed AFAM-Dates roundup. AFAM is a wonderful event started by Maheswari of Beyond the Usual and it focuses on a particular fruit every month. November was my turn and I chose Dates. Thank you Maheswari for giving me this opportunity.I am sure I am the only host who has taken so long to post a roundup and I am terribly sorry for it. I wish to thank each one of you

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-65296832404936997342007-12-27T22:25:00.000-05:002007-12-27T23:06:57.357-05:00

I guess I am the only host who is so late for her own event. A very hectic work schedule left me with zero time for any other activity. I don't have enough words to express my apologies. Thank you for bearing with me.During college as a B.E grad in Comp.Sci, the grueling lab sessions under the hawk like supervision of Dr.T.Chockalingam, our revered HOD left us with binary 1s and 0s even in our

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-16425735693848215802007-12-09T20:04:00.000-05:002007-12-09T21:25:17.199-05:00

OK..without any further ado, let me get to the recipe quickly..I am already late for JFI-Toor Dal event hosted by Linda of Out Of the Garden and started by our beloved Indira.. My heart sank when Linda said no more entries after Dec 7th midnight, but the next line in her post provided a breath of air saying that it was better to be late than never..Thank you Linda..Hope you will accept my very

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-4476561935662411902007-11-29T23:35:00.000-05:002007-11-29T23:44:08.516-05:00

Dear Friends,Thank you all very much for your entries to AFAM-Dates. I will be posting the roundup around Dec 10th. Till then, do keep sending in your entries.I owe you all an apology. Due to a very hectic work schedule, I have not been able to reply to any of your mails or visit any of your blogs. I have got all of your emails and I really appreciate it.I will get back to all of you in a couple

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-9848750144263669402007-11-13T19:27:00.000-05:002007-11-13T22:12:20.298-05:00

I am not a fan of Diwali, thanks to the fire crackers. To be honest, I don't remember enjoying fire crackers even as a kid. My mom, dad and sister fall into the same category too. Before you think we are some sort of outcasts in the world of festivals, let me clarify that we love the spirit of Diwali and celebrate it with light, like all others. Except that we light lamps, rather than the noisy

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-62115304908406074232007-11-07T20:58:00.000-05:002007-11-07T23:20:15.075-05:00

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES A VERY HAPPY DIWALI! Hope you have a wonderful, fun filled time!Onto the post now... :-)The time has come for me to host a blog event - My very first blog event. I am both excited and nervous. Do lend me your support and help me make it memorable and successful...AFAM (A Fruit A Month) is a wonderful event started by Maheswari of Beyond the Usual, to highlight fruits.

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-40202710184600468862007-10-31T21:38:00.000-04:002007-11-06T21:22:49.503-05:00

I love the color 'Peach'. At one point, my wardrobe was overflowing with garments in every shade of peach, that my mom, dad and sis frowned when I reached for one more piece of clothing in Peach. Well, that was in the past. I have reached a state of balance when it comes to my love for Peach. :-)About the fruit Peach, there is only one word which comes to my mind - luscious! Until now, I have not

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-39385441963000307832007-10-31T01:16:00.000-04:002007-11-02T01:52:45.532-04:00

It has been quite a long time since I posted something new. It had been a very busy month, dotted with bouts of sickness. The cold weather which is slowly sneeking into this part of the world along with the flu virus, did give me quite a number of headaches. So, my expriments in the kitchen swayed from wild and wacky to bland and pure, in accordance to what my tastebuds craved. Wow, what a month

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-10197761746210544352007-09-30T23:23:00.000-04:002007-10-01T00:58:11.946-04:00

It's JFI time again and lovely host Mandira has chosen the ubiquitous fruit Banana to be the star this month. Banana is rich in potassium and is a powerhouse of energy. A glass of milk and a banana forms a complete meal. My original choice for JFI - Banana was a Banana Cream pie from one of my favorite cook books. But there has been a surge in the number of sweet items I am baking and cooking

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-79768438399653088262007-09-25T23:04:00.000-04:002007-09-26T12:04:17.438-04:00

It's been quite a long time since I blogged. And blame it all on the hard drive crash which left me pretty disabled for more than a fortnight. Family recipes, treasured photographs along with a plethora of documents went down with the hard drive. I chided myself for not taking a backup, but it was too late. However DH fished them all out diligently. My prayers were answered, but the lessons were

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-83629513713782107022007-09-15T11:10:00.000-04:002007-09-15T11:12:49.435-04:00

Wish you all a very Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi!

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-15925541810046018022007-08-30T20:47:00.000-04:002007-08-30T21:00:35.778-04:00

Yippee! BlogRolling seems to be working again, which is pretty much evident from the little stars in the my blog roll. But for how long, only Blogrolling can tell. I rely heavily on this particular tracker to keep track of new posts in my favorite blogs and when it stopped working, I almost lost touch with the my foodie friends. Even though Google Reader provides a similar facility, I always

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-64207008431459142942007-08-27T07:00:00.000-04:002007-08-27T22:02:48.020-04:00

Lychee or Litchi - The fruit with a prickly rough skin and luscious pearly pulp. The aroma of the pulp reminds me of roses or rose essence to be precise. And thanks to Sig, the host of AFAM, I tried my hand on Litchis this month.I didn't have the heart to juice or puree these beauties which stood with the toughest of tenacity. So I simply blended them in a creamy tapioca pudding.Recipe:Litchies -

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-8890830448120591612007-08-26T00:59:00.000-04:002007-08-26T01:44:00.734-04:00

Terror strikes our India again in the form of twin blasts at Hyderabad, the quaint old city. Among the myriad of emotions coursing through my mind at the moment, the one which is all consuming is the awareness that terrorism can strike so close. At this most distressing moment, my heart goes out to the innocent lives and I pray for the strength of their kith and kin.More Information

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-11746828987035987822007-08-06T23:04:00.000-04:002007-08-06T23:04:43.535-04:00

For MM-Earth Food, Meeta has asked us to write about the measures we have taken to save our earth and the two things which come to my mind right away are :1. My family stopped lighting fireworks ever since I was 13. My dad pointed out the hazards created by the debris and noise of fireworks and we kids agreed. The first year was hard but the feeling of satisfaction was immense. On Diwali while

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-29086867765774880282007-08-01T22:00:00.000-04:002007-08-01T23:57:29.521-04:00

Its JFI time again and lovely Nandita has chosen the red carpet for Chillies. May be because Chillies are an integral part of Indian cooking, I found it very difficult to choose any particular recipe. After much wavering I settled on Jalapenos and an appetiser I had been wanting to post for long. As usual I modified the recipe to suit my palate and it turned out great. Without any delay I reveal

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-74402773436390335682007-07-30T22:31:00.000-04:002007-08-02T00:01:40.329-04:00

( I wrote this post on July 30th and forgot to post it. However I have not changed the date.)Today was the day a year back when I gingerly stepped into blogosphere, wondering what was in store for me on this virtual journey and for long I would be traveling. Well, its been a year now and so far so good.Believe me, I was blissfully unaware of food blogs for a very long time. In 2006, around May I

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-13488279133997670252007-07-24T23:09:00.000-04:002007-07-25T20:40:19.328-04:00

This one is for AFAM hosted by Jai and Bee, the charming couple of Jugalbandi. And this is also the first time I am participating in AFAM, despite numerous futile tries before. We all love Watermelon, don't we? And that brings to my mind an incident which was narrated by my landlady R when I was around 12.She was an elderly lady having the wisdom which village life bestows on its inhabitants and

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-74413243595061319062007-07-22T01:49:00.000-04:002007-07-22T11:59:43.515-04:00

It has happened again. First it was ifoodTv which stole my photos and now its the popular Telugu newspaper Eenadu which has stolen two of my recipes, Potato Sticks Curry and Poha Laddoo with photographs in their July 22nd issue. They have cleverly morphed the photos and published my recipes in their newspaper and website. This was brought to my notice by Ramya of Aromas Of My Food. My many

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-70196194006520083572007-07-16T22:11:00.000-04:002007-07-16T23:54:05.237-04:00

Last weekend was fun. We had gone blueberry picking at Boyce Berry Farm, NJ. Fresh vegetable, fruit picking is what I love the most about summer. While apples are at their best during september and october, strawberries show up in their red garbs during may - june and blueberries are ready to be picked during July - Aug. My first picking trip was to Apple orchards. The fruit we picked were enough

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-13982165404673165122007-06-30T08:30:00.000-04:002007-07-16T23:36:13.711-04:00

I am back from my short vacation rejuvenated and am ready to take up new challenges. I thank all my readers who had left a comment and I should hopefully reply back to all in a day or two. While my trip was good, I had a horrendous time while coming back and have not yet recuperated from the turmoil Air India put us through. I will save that for my next post.Two weeks of sitting at home and

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-89511084075118753392007-06-06T22:16:00.000-04:002007-06-07T01:33:47.901-04:00

I had been wanting to make pies for a very very long time. A couple of years I should say. Though a lot of our fellow foodies baked mouth watering pies and tempted me into the verge of trying them out, I used to shy away at the last moment. Pies seemed too complicated. Then, Meeta announced MM-Big Birthday Bang and I had to make something for this lovely lady who has such a passion for

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-54489546232136746432007-05-31T23:12:00.000-04:002007-06-01T00:28:39.526-04:00

This month's JFI theme chosen by charming couple Bee & Jai is Jackfruit. The gentle giant of the fruit kingdom with its enticing aroma and sweet scrumptious pods is all set to entrance us in a variety of mouth watering recipes in JFI array, thanks to Indira.The jackfruit tree itself creates ample interest in the way the fruits are borne on the trunk. Like pearls hidden inside the silky bed of an

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-57031038874826105742007-05-29T23:34:00.000-04:002007-05-31T01:03:05.507-04:00

First of all, I owe a big apology to all my blogger friends who cared to leave a comment on my previous posts and my inability to respond to them on time. Though it could have been looked upon as arrogance or ill manners, my friends, it is not so. I had not been feeling well. A cold which turned severe and brought along with it its companions sore throat, cough and fever, has taken possession of

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-64267620823128634372007-05-09T22:59:00.000-04:002007-05-10T00:00:56.827-04:00

This time of the year in India, the air is filled with the heady aroma of mangoes..Green ones, ripe ones..Each variety ripening in its own time. While ripe mangoes rule the roost, unripe green mangoes have a magic of their own. A simple favorite snack is to have them sliced thin and seasoned with a dash of salt and chilli powder. My mom uses green mangoes while making Sambar, my aunt makes yummy

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-49936834905191581542007-04-30T21:45:00.000-04:002007-05-04T18:43:25.608-04:00

Yet another JFI post...and this month JFI joins hands with Nandita's WBB and is dedicated towards green leafy vegetables. It is hosted by dear Indira of Mahanandi, who is the mastermind behind this wonderful food event. Green leafy vegetables conjured up umpteen number of recipes, but none of them could be executed on time and I had to settle in for a simpler one. I miss the variety of greens

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-24483602045327538022007-04-01T12:01:00.000-04:002007-04-02T00:10:31.088-04:00

Tomatoes are botanically fruits and are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene's bioavailability is more in cooked or processed tomato products, with the main factor being heat. Almost all of our recipes use tomatoes and I wanted to post one which is exclusively dedicated to tomatoes.Though popsicles are available all over the world in flavors unique to each region and culture, the

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-32393057238805806812007-03-05T23:27:00.000-05:002007-04-02T00:07:31.273-04:00

I am joining hands with my fellow bloggers to protest against Yahoo - India's indifference towards copyright violation issues. It is sad and shameful that a corporate giant like Yahoo India which ought to set a good example, is stooping down so low. Webdunia and Yahoo India could take a leaf or two from the book of publishing etiquette. Plagiarism whether online or in a printed form is a serious

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-76981058180374638322007-03-01T01:31:00.000-05:002007-04-02T00:07:46.171-04:00

Oh My! How time flies...It seems just yesterday that Vaishali announced the ingredient for this month's JFI and I remember promising myself that I would not miss this event, having missed Coconut and Ginger in a row.. I was still in my own world blissfully thinking about the couple of more days left for the event, when it suddenly dawned on me that Little Miss February had only 28 days! And had I

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-17863186923586659242007-02-07T19:57:00.000-05:002007-02-07T20:38:58.578-05:00

I am grateful to all of you, my friends who cared to enquire about my health.I am feeling much better now. Thank you so much for your concern. I really really appreciate it...It's been almost a month since I posted. And I wanted to come back with a something special, or rather something sweet. And what could be more enticing than a rich chocolate brownie, perfect for the Valentine season and

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-40944248833041916852007-01-10T13:24:00.000-05:002007-01-10T13:24:21.191-05:00

Of late, I have been craving for spicy and tangy food...Blame it and a host of other things like not being able to participate in JFI-Coconut and not being able to wish all of you on time, on the fever which is sapping my energy now and then and is pushing me into a dark abyss of restlessness and irritability...Of irritability I can say that even the sound of water running in the faucet is enough

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-87637254676727152552007-01-01T09:32:00.000-05:002007-01-02T09:34:45.474-05:00

Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year filled with Health, Happiness, Fun and Laughter!

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-16993218243893691612006-12-14T15:07:00.000-05:002007-01-31T15:34:55.100-05:00

Shorter days....Longer nights...Chilly winds...Bulky clothing...Hibernating animals..Dying plants...Early sunset...Late sunrise....All these signs herald the arrival of Father Winter and set the stage for warm, comfort food to drive away the moody blues.Creamy soups, piping hot chocolate, perfectly roasted nuts and al dente pasta are all my soothing, comforting companions in the food section,

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-46613355243242799952006-12-04T16:54:00.000-05:002007-01-09T02:04:08.927-05:00

I had wanted to write this post for long, but somehow got postponed. Along with two other families, we went on a trip to Pittsburgh a month back. It was not the very best time to go on a long trip, taking into account that it was good 8 hrs drive and that it was raining cats and dogs, but we were bent on having a glimpse of Lord Venkateshwara!The drive was uneventful with plenty of laughter and

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-74067796927570199822006-11-30T17:41:00.001-05:002007-01-09T14:05:08.951-05:00

Nowadays , how much ever I try, I am not being very successful in reducing the time gap between two posts. Either I would not have cooked anything interesting, or even if I do cook, the dish vanishes by the time I could take a photograph...With so many things coming into play, I keep wondering how my fellow blogger friends manage the show! :-) I missed a lot of food events recently and I didn't

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-45356413480921159052006-11-15T11:12:00.000-05:002006-11-15T11:31:16.328-05:00

Hi all,I moved to Blogger Beta on Nov 11th and I must say that it went on without a hitch. The only drawback though was that comments left by non-beta-bloggers showed up as 'Anonymous'. I am pretty sad about it because, I have no way of identifying the authors who had spent much time and effort to leave comments during the past months. But I am hoping that as non-Beta- Bloggers start moving their

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1163222697542156432006-11-11T00:23:00.000-05:002006-11-11T00:24:05.445-05:00

Hi friends, I am moving my blog to the new Blogger Version. I am not sure how my template will change or look like. But I hope to get it back to its original form. See you all soon!

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1163099839173837712006-11-09T14:17:00.000-05:002007-01-09T02:01:34.805-05:00

It feels so nice to be missed and that's what I infer from the comments left by my foodie friends...I apologise for keeping quiet for so long. I have been a little busy lately and have been feeling a little under the weather too. Added to this, I had my share of blogger and PC problems to deal with. But when I saw all your comments, rain or shine, I had to post. So, here it is.This recipe is a

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1161206369480133152006-10-18T17:14:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:06:26.503-05:00

Yep! You guessed it right. This is my entry to JFI: Special edition by VEE of Past, Present And Me. This Diwali, I wanted to try something different in the sweet arena. Back home, the usual stuff made during this festive season range from adhirasams, halwa, Boondhi laddoo to badhushas and the like. I neither have the tools nor the patience to make all these, but my DH has quite a sweet tooth for

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1161020039672763062006-10-16T13:07:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:23:12.739-05:00

Today is World Bread Day. The International Union of Bakers and Bakers-Confectioners (UIB) have declared 16th of October as World Bread Day. I got to know of this when I chanced upon Zorra's site, who is hosting a bread blogging event and has invited all bloggers to bake or buy a bread and blog about it. You can get more information from Zorra and from Paz.I had been wanting to bake a bread for

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1159750224059266742006-10-01T20:21:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:24:58.072-05:00

I had been wanting to make flavored butter for a very long time, but just couldn't find time. Finally today was the day for butter, after Sam of Cooking Medley announced JFI: Ghee & Butter. I am not very sure if Sam would consider my entry, but nevertheless, I am giving it a try. :-)I chose this particular recipe because it talks of butter and butter alone. I made four types of flavored butter

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1159208638781177142006-09-25T14:17:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:26:27.130-05:00

Ever since our last visit to the doctor, we have made a conscious effort to analyse our food habits and the result was an even more conscious effort to cut down on cholesterol rich and sugary foods. Since then, whenever I wanted to bake, I found myself hunting for recipes which don't require much sugar or butter. Even if a recipe calls for such forbidden ingredients, I have been reaching out for

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1158950114998547072006-09-22T14:21:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:27:45.784-05:00

Yesterday, our dinner was Besan dosa with coriander chutney. Coriander chutney is a favorite of mine and was very often made at home. Besan dosa was something which I found in a weekly long time back, didn't give a try till yesterday. Together they made a good combination. These dosas are to be made a little thicker than normal dosas. Hope you like them too...Another version of Besan Dosa can be

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1158699889082131522006-09-19T16:55:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:28:33.761-05:00

One of my friends was down with a severe bout of indigestion. I came to know if it pretty late, after about 10 days and she was still not ok. In an effort to bring her back to normalcy, I made Jeera Chutney.In my family, I was the one who was prone to indigestion troubles. It would start with a mild stomach pain and go on to fever... The first thing my mom used to make during these days was Jeera

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1158641829165372352006-09-19T00:25:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:31:59.342-05:00

First, my thanks to Nandita of Saffron Trail for tagging me for this meme... It has been quite some time, since I wrote a post and I felt this would be a good one to start with... This meme did force me to do some soul searching...Hope you would enjoy reading this insight into my mind, as much as I enjoyed writing it...I am thinking about tomorrow and what it will bring with it.... I said to

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1157141646738406892006-09-01T15:37:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:39:45.541-05:00

When Vineela of Vineela's Cooking announced the topic for JFI#5 - Milk, I was delighted and went off on a trip down memory lane reliving all my "milkilicious" memories...! This is my entry to the event.I love milk...I really love milk. My mom used to say that even as a child, when kids my age made their moms run after them to make them gulp down a glass a milk, I would finish mine and ask for

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1157071441207972012006-08-31T20:40:00.000-04:002006-11-11T00:23:59.096-05:00

I never thought writing a post for Blog day would be so tedious, not because I had not found any new blogs, but because I had so many that I did not know which one to list down... :-(I found out about Blog Day from Paz. BlogDay was started as a way for bloggers to discover new blogs of different cultures, views and areas of interest. More information is available atPaz's blog.First of all, I

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1157050366268273172006-08-31T14:52:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:45:11.927-05:00

My husband is a fan of bitter Gourd and I try to make it in as many ways as possible, from slow frying to stuffing and everything in between. My favorite is a gravy recipe which is tangy, spicy and masks the bitterness.I love the Kaarakozhambu my mom makes and though I haven't reached her level of perfection, I have done my best. In the usual recipe, coconut milk or ground poppy seeds are added

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1156967492420459412006-08-30T14:44:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:47:11.532-05:00

I found this greens at an Indian store last week and was I thrilled! One of the things I miss about my hometown is the wide variety of greens we could use, right from SiruKeerai, Ponnanganni Keerai, Agathi Keerai....The list is long and I could go on and on...I know those greens only by their Tamil names...Oh, I forgot to name those green beauties I found. They are Amaranth leaves or MulaiKeerai

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1156894192833919452006-08-29T18:36:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:50:58.386-05:00

After a nearly two week hiatus, I am back again with a simple yet different recipe. I made rasam with a twist. The original recipe is of Mysore Rasam. But instead of toor dal, I added black-eyed beans (Alsandhalu/ Karamani). Sounds eccentric? But it tastes good...and it is a relief from the soaring dal prices...Let me get to the recipe:Recipe:Ingredients:For Powder:Toor Dal - 2 TeaspoonsChanna

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155760087690526762006-08-16T16:21:00.000-04:002007-01-09T14:59:17.676-05:00

I made this concotion yesterday for our dinner. Most of the time, our dinner is very light, consisting of traditional Indian breakfast recipes. Yesterday, I tried a different recipe with wheat rawa other than the usual upma, which resembles bisibela bath to some extent. Here is the recipe.Recipe:Ingredients:Wheat Rawa/Cracked Wheat - 2 cupsCarrots - 3Beans - 3/4 Cup choppedPotatoes - 1

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155572621003507782006-08-14T12:22:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:01:30.316-05:00

Yet another entry for IDFP...celebrating our country's pride...This recipe reminds me of Madras. The quaint old city where ancient traditions rub shoulder with modern landscape. Madras has a magic of its own, with its beautiful beaches, numerous temples, conservative outlook, lively people, the much notorious 'Madras Bashai' and the omnipresent heat and humidity. Madras is very dear to me, has a

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155513342651826032006-08-13T18:38:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:02:10.835-05:00

As I was pondering on a suitable entry for the Independence Day Food Parade, conducted by Indira of Mahanandi, my hubby mentioned a recipe from his hometown in coastal Andhra Pradesh - Dried Shrimp with Dosakaya or Dosakaya Endu Royilu Koora.Well, I made it and it was our Sunday lunch. We got dried shrimp from a Chinese food market and dosakaya (a kind of cucumber) from an Indian Store. It's a

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155219117597434202006-08-10T09:58:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:02:40.022-05:00

This is a traditional Andhra recipe from my hubby's hometown. I first had a taste of this recipe after marriage and the tanginess of the tamarind, the heat of the chillies and the crispiness of the onions bowled me over. It's very simple to prepare, it took me hardly 10 minutes to put it together. It can be had with rice or by itself as a soup or rasam.Recipe:Recipe Source: My

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155142082602519692006-08-09T12:38:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:02:59.169-05:00

Kosambari is basically a salad specialty of Karnataka. Traditionally its made with green gram dal and cucumber. This is a variation. If you are like me, who never liked radishes, then this recipe is for you...I never had much of a liking for radish...I used to be put off by its pungent smell and taste...Not until a friend's mom introduced me to this recipe... I was surprised at how the pungent

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155133662517775792006-08-09T10:21:00.000-04:002007-01-09T16:03:50.688-05:00

I was digging through my old photo albums when I found this photograph of a cake I made in January this year, for the first birthday of my friend's kid. It's not a great photo and the date stamp is wrong, but that was all I had and I wanted to share it with you all.I had decorated the cake with homemade fondant. It was a very simple, basic sort of decoration with a kid's theme. It was my first

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155068110746209742006-08-08T16:02:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:04:38.803-05:00

Almond milk is a milky drink made from ground almonds. Almond milk contains no cholesterol or lactose and can be used as a substitute for animal milk in many recipes. Historically, almond milk was also called amygdalate.Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats as are found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease.Here is

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1155045094458820962006-08-08T09:32:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:06:09.756-05:00

Black- Eyed beans are known as alsandhalu in Telugu and karamani in Tamil. Black-eyed beans are rich in soluble fiber, which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, copper, phosphorous and manganese. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure.Way back in my grandmother's village, on one of my numerous childhood visits

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154539309879166622006-08-02T10:57:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:10:30.107-05:00

The hypnotising chant of mantras, the echo of the temple bell, the fragrance of camphor and sandalwood, the rustle of silks, the feeling of reverence and awe and the unforgettable taste of puliodharai are the evergreen memories of temples etched in my mind...Puliyodharai also known as pulihora in Telugu and Puliyogare in Kannada is a perfect blend of sourness and spices in one delectable dish...

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154528100789596802006-08-02T09:01:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:16:53.597-05:00

Tomato Rice used to be a staple part of my diet when I was away from home, working. Its so easy to prepare and is definitely bound to set your kitchen afire with aromatic flames!Recipe:Source: My MomIngredients: Cooked Rice - 1.5 CupsOnion - 1 BigTomatoes - 2 MediumGinger - 1 InchGarlic - 5 FlakesGreen Chillies - 4 - 5 Bay Leaves - 2Cinnamon - 1 inch stickCloves - 3Cardomom - 2Saunf (Sombu) - 1/

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154408670827960152006-08-01T00:32:00.000-04:002007-03-08T17:13:40.465-05:00

I love vegetables and I love any simple vegetable dish. One of my favorite's is Buttered Vegetables. It's an extremely simple dish, which can be finished in a matter of minutes. I would also call this recipe as a comfort food. It brings back all those memories of Bangalore, where I worked for lot of years, its culture and my many friends...A word of caution has to be said that this dish is pretty

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154393327701721432006-07-31T19:49:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:12:38.593-05:00

This is my entry for the JFI - Flour blog event hosted by Santhi of Me and My Kitchen. Ragi is a wonderful cereal packed with nutrients. Ragi is rich in methonine, which is an aminoacid lacking in most of the other cereals. It also contains a high amount of calcium (344 mg per 100 gms) and is a good source of fiber.Apart from dosas, sangati and other savory dishes made from ragi, my favorite is

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154385728567890862006-07-31T18:09:00.000-04:002007-01-09T15:13:42.718-05:00

Hmm...Comfort food...Any food which makes us feel good and gives a sense of wellbeing is comfort food. It is food which is simple to prepare and is typically associated with childhood or home cooking memories. My comfort food list is pretty long with cheese and macaroni, potato soup, chocolate, cake, cashews and a lot more....Today I made roasted cashews, a very simple snack, but very comforting.

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154327694980838262006-07-31T02:10:00.000-04:002007-03-04T22:06:08.084-05:00

The sun was as usual at its zenith yesterday and our hopes of a cool drizzle to quench our parched bodies were wasted. I was not in a mood for an elaborate lunch, so Sai and I settled in for lemon rice with peanut chutney, along with a glass of kiwi milkshake. I tasted the kiwi fruit in US, for the very first time. I cannot say that I was thrilled by its taste. It tasted more or less like a berry

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31876429.post-1154318020331664982006-07-30T23:50:00.000-04:002007-01-09T16:06:27.555-05:00

I never knew I was a foodie, till I left home to pursue a career. Being away from home and from homemade food made me realise, like all others before me, how much I loved and missed homemade Indian food.I have started this blog in an attempt to share the recipes which I have gathered, tried and tested and learnt from my mom and mom-in-law.Born in Tamil Nadu, brought up in Karnataka, married to a

Chandrikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278347737248767924noreply@blogger.com3