tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46567054782646789082009-07-09T15:43:41.959-04:00My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-4334581654695956972009-05-28T18:03:00.015-04:002009-05-29T23:53:31.962-04:00

The above photo is going for Click - a food photography event hosted by JugalbandiI have been swamped these past few months, what with, I really don't know. Now June approaches and we will have visitors (family and friends) visiting one after the other the entire month.  So, I am sure with the kids, family and friends visiting and the weather getting warmer, there will be hardly anytime to blog. 

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-79053155948988546932009-05-10T10:45:00.015-04:002009-05-10T18:49:14.388-04:00

I woke up this morning to pretty roses on my door step, a warm hug from my 2 beautiful kids and a bunch of gifts my 5 year old made in school. She made 2 beautiful cards, a bright colored jewelry box, nicely wrapped in pink tissue paper and before I could unwrap the tissue she was jumping around saying open it mama, open it. There was a bracelet in the box that she had made, orange, purple and

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-46024404602545750512009-04-21T11:45:00.029-04:002009-04-30T19:46:11.424-04:00

This picture is going for Click hosted by JugalbandiMy husband surprised me a few years ago and as I continue to enjoy it.  I often use the recipes in the "in season" section of the magazine.  This month, asparagus is in season and I happen to be a big fan.  I love it as thoran/side dish, and in salads or just grilled and garnished with olive oil. Asparagus in bread seemed like a fantastic idea.

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-73811137205290129772009-04-03T07:36:00.040-04:002009-04-12T08:46:42.562-04:00

A decade or so ago I was visiting my brother in Dubai. Those were the carefree days.  I was newly married and was on my way to the US to join my husband and to start a new journey together with him. My sister in law,who is also an excellent cook, was treating me to all types of delicious food including introducing me to the Arab/Middle eastern food that I had never eaten before.  I was having a

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-7441034824030510502009-02-26T16:09:00.040-05:002009-03-26T21:19:47.335-04:00

The above picture was my last months entry to Click.So I was at the supermarket and while browsing through the aisle, this lady and I made eye contact, exchanged smiles and walked past each other.  I bumped into her again at another aisle, this time she starts a conversation.  The Lady,"Are you Indian?"Me, "Yes"The next question believe it or not was...The Lady," Do you speak English?"Me, a 

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-27944865354894661842009-02-25T13:58:00.003-05:002009-02-26T10:13:37.659-05:00

I had this Asian coleslaw at a recent pot luck party. I am not a salad person and was staying away from this salad. But when I heard everyone rave about this salad, I just had to try it.  It was fantastic. The crunch from the raw noodles gives this coleslaw a whole new dimension.  Coleslaw that I have had is usually smothered in mayonnaise and is unimaginative.  But this Asian coleslaw is light,

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-18461120792409164152009-02-04T06:46:00.001-05:002009-02-05T22:38:50.941-05:00

Roberto, my husband's Italian friend is from Capri and gets us this lovely chocolate mocha nut cake from his home town every time he goes there on vacation.  It is beautifully packed in the bakery's green gift wrap.  The cake is packed on a hard golden scalloped cardboard base with a hard plastic cover that keeps it intact and moist. My daughter and I can't wait to unwrap it when my husband

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-47165499994627773502009-01-26T12:55:00.000-05:002009-01-28T10:50:33.804-05:00

RhubarbRhubarb is in season from April to September in the United States.  I bought some when it was in season last year and clicked these photos then.  I made cake with it on the day I got to know about my son's food allergies - It was indeed a depressing day and I almost ate the whole cake.  I first tasted rhubarb when we lived in Belgium in a restaurant that served it with venison.  It went

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-86204983085743242472009-01-15T10:58:00.000-05:002009-01-22T10:14:09.497-05:00

After Indian, the one cuisine that we make a lot at home is Italian. Both my husband and I like to try different Italian sauces and soups.  Jamie Oliver's - Jamie's Italy is one book that we make most of our pasta dishes from.  I almost always have all the ingredients for this pasta recipe in my fridge and pantry.  I love the use of eggplant in this dish as it soaks in the flavors from the tomato

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-54743640538938469692008-12-10T11:47:00.000-05:002008-12-19T17:51:24.735-05:00

It has been a year since I started blogging and after an initial flurry of activity, the frequency of my posts has reduced significantly. My son is now 20 months old and a very active little guy. He keeps me on my toes all day. There is very little that I can do when he is awake, and a lot to do while he naps. Plus, he now only naps once a day.Since it was Eid-ul-Adha on the 8th, here's

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-72124324000869645562008-10-25T17:29:00.000-04:002008-11-10T13:24:39.220-05:00

Chicken Istew and Ghee RiceWe recently got to know that my one and half year old is allergic to eggs, all tree nuts, shell fish, sesame seeds and believe it or not coconut. Imagine Kerala cuisine without coconut. We put coconut in everything, curries, side dishes, rice, condiments, even desserts.  Coconut is used in various forms such as coconut oil, grated coconut, dried coconut and coconut milk

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-35657616662583587882008-10-03T12:07:00.000-04:002008-10-21T12:44:35.987-04:00

Growing up in India, this question never crossed my mind, until a dear friend asked me what it was when she had sheer kurma at my place.  Charoli is often found in some Indian desserts like sheer kurma, phirnis, kheers to name a few.  At times it is also used to add flavor and to thicken sauces, like in some meat stews or kurmas . Charoli has a nutty flavor and the inside part of the nut almost

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-22558497259732906682008-10-02T11:31:00.000-04:002008-10-21T16:45:23.165-04:00

Growing up in Mumbai, every Eid my mom used to make Sheer Kurma.  Not something you would typically find in a Keralite home, this dish is similar to "paysam" but with a lot more different nuts to the list of ingredients.  While paysam is made with vermicili, milk, cashews, raisins and sugar/condensed milk. Sheer Kurma is made with all of the above plus other nuts like pistachios, almonds, dried

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-35800429382568020552008-09-17T22:38:00.001-04:002008-10-01T06:16:25.059-04:00

Zebra CakeIt has been a while since I blogged.  First, it was my three-week vacation that I extended to two and half months as we were having so much fun.  Then, the two little ones had to deal with jet lag when we returned and this was followed by my 5 year old starting kindergarten. I was more anxious about her first day then she. Just when we were getting into a routine...Ramadan started.  So

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-11303370368934378652008-06-10T09:38:00.001-04:002008-06-10T23:31:09.782-04:00

Lemon Almond Tart I had couple of friends come over for lunch.  As I was planning the menu for lunch, I realized that one didn't like chocolate and the other didn't like anything fruity for dessert.  I was stumped - what can I make for dessert that both of them will enjoy.  None of the recipes in my extensive collection gave me any ideas.  Then as I was strolling in the supermarket to get some 

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-55630040223600466072008-06-09T22:47:00.000-04:002008-06-10T20:12:10.706-04:00

Over the years, you hear more and more about the big C.  In the last 6 years I have lost my friends father, a friends sister, a family friend, and an aunt who have all suffered till their last breath from this deadly disease.  They say that cancer not only kills the person diagnosed with cancer but also the people around physically, mentally and emotionally.   Bee and Jai from Jugalbandi 

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-33875957103771860722008-05-27T23:10:00.001-04:002008-05-29T00:00:25.032-04:00

Panchameel dalLike I mentioned in my earlier post that I was late to submit for RCI:Rajasthan. This photograph was taken just before I was getting ready to make the Rajasthani panchmeel dal for the RCI:Rajasthan event. Panchameel dal is made by using 5 different lentils. Urad, moong, toor, chana & whole moong dal. Of the photos that I clicked I have short-listed these two. As usual I can't make

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-16079245645950092342008-05-20T16:36:00.000-04:002008-05-27T23:57:26.710-04:00

I was thinking of participating for RCI:Rajasthan. I made the panchameel dal, from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe. But we didn't like the taste of it as much, my husband and I thought that the recipe lacked something, I will try the dal again and also consult my Rajasthani friend for her advice to make it worth posting. She suggested to make gatte ki sabji which is a very popular dish in Rajasthan.

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-35763500374296510772008-05-13T10:56:00.002-04:002009-05-09T15:54:48.275-04:00

Erachi pathiri is a Northern Kerala (Malabar) dish. This dish has a meat stuffing. You will never rarely find this dish in a restaurant, it is always cooked at home. It is usually made during Ramadan, and also sometimes made a day after a wedding with a variety of other dishes for breakfast to welcome the groom. Mothers, sisters, aunts, nieces, all work together preparing a long list of

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-62378353682103931432008-04-28T23:13:00.000-04:002008-06-10T23:31:52.701-04:00

My 4 year old was so much into cakes, brownies, candies, chocolates, cookies, basically anything and everything sweet that it was next to impossible to control her. She used to cry for something sweet every time. She wanted a sweet fix so often - when she woke up, before she went to school after she came from school, at snack time, at bedtime - that we had started referring to her as the "

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-4650083187299470022008-04-24T11:24:00.001-04:002008-04-24T14:39:11.588-04:00

Click: Au Naturel - Vine Sweet Red Mini PepperThis is my entry to Click the photo event. This months theme is Au Naturel. Click here to see other photos in the image gallery.

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-79598746795061730782008-04-07T21:39:00.000-04:002008-06-10T23:32:13.033-04:00

Just like my mother, my mother in law is a fantastic cook. Over the years I have learned a lot of great recipes from her. And like me, she is a keen cook and is always trying out new recipes. I grew up in Mumbai and most of my friends were north Indians. I loved eating north Indian food, be it the yummy street food, Mougali or Punjabi dishes. Other then popular south Indian dishes such as idlis

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-49786354465767823872008-04-01T13:45:00.000-04:002008-06-10T23:34:59.759-04:00

My husband and I complement each other when it comes to entertaining. He loves to have people over and I love to cook; I get a chance to try new dishes, be it curries or desserts.Each one in our family has a sweet tooth. So, I make brownies, tarts and cakes usually when we have people over or I take them with me when we are invited over to someone's place.Although, I must say that with a clingy

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-11592344892046531942008-03-22T12:40:00.000-04:002008-11-19T10:34:23.657-05:00

To be honest I have never eaten Bengali food (other then the yummy Bengali sweets). So when I got to know that Regional Cuisine of India is Bengal this month, I kept thinking hmm, what can I submit? I know Bengali’s love fish. I thought this is the best time for me to use the fish in the freezer (hubby dear doesn’t like fish, so I rarely get a chance to make it and since he is traveling on

My comfort food networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608941196441159475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656705478264678908.post-87087950197649628982008-03-20T00:14:00.001-04:002008-03-22T22:24:27.695-04:00

Puttu KuttiI couldn't make up my mind as to which image to send for the Click event. This months theme is Metal. After going back and forth with the two images, I still couldn't make up my mind...finally it was eenee, meenee, minee moe...and the latter was the one I sent. Fingers and toes crossed. :-))

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