After a long time...

Thanks to my friends for being patient and asking me once in a while about my blog.Itz been almost eight months since my last post...Eventhough I started writing for a few times in the past,i couldn't bring myself to finish it and i still cannot bring myself to accept the fact that my beloved grandmother is no more with us.I can never forget her image during her final days.
Starting with my wonderful trip to Yosemite with my dear husband till the loss of beloved grandma,i encountered almost all the possible emotions.
I was sitting nearby her thinking about the wonderful moments i had with her for i dont know how long and she was laying there without even a trace of movement.A mother of eight children,she was a witty and smart lady with a vibrant knowledge.She was a passionate cook,an elegant crafter and a lovable person.I think Perseverance is what kept her going through the tough times and the sufferings she encountered.She used to tell me cute and short stories for almost everything saying that it never occured to her to share them with her own children when they were young.
She was 63 years older than me and yes we had quite a few disagreements between us and yet we were able to get along very well.I have always considered myself as her favourite grandchild.Once I was explaining to her about how computers work with internet connection and told her that people can see or hear each other across the globe.Some years later when i was discussing a problem with my mom,grandma interfered and suggested me to use the video conferencing through computers...I was literally standing there with my mouth agape in total surprise at that 83 year old lady who came up with a solution within a matter of seconds..From telling me how to maintain a work relationship with my male friends till convincing me to marry K when my other family members were kind of thinking about sending me across the globe,there were numerous occasions i watched her with utter surprise.Being with her i learnt a lot of things..and along with her memories ,those things will always be with me guiding me.
I should share one thing else i will go sick.During her final days,I was helping my mom to clean my grandmother(she is my mom's mother-in-law)and as mom patiently continued cleaning the wounds,i could not tolerate the smell and got out of the room.A minute later when i returned my mother was still working with the same care and affection without even a tiniest reaction in her face.God knows how many times she did this during those days and everytime with the same care and affection.I was so ashamed of myself for being intolerant and i can never forgive myself for that.But I was and am still so proud of my mom for taking care of her in such an endearing manner.She took good care of grandma all those years but the finals days should have required a lot of endurance and patience coupled with passionate affection.I am ashamed to think of myself as her favourite grandchild for my mom was there standing beside her affectionately caring and feeding her while i ran out like nobody.When I heard that grandmother passed away after having her last sip of her meal from my mom,i was overwhelmed with various emotions.This post and the blog is dedicated to my wonderful mother and my great grandma.

Jack fruit seed kulambu

I simply love jackfruits...the very sight of that fruit makes me happier.I have the beautiful memories of having jackfruit with honey and jaggery with my amma(mom) and paati(grand ma) in the olungai at our home back in srivilliputtur.Olungai is the pathway that connects the hall and the backyard.When the jackfruit season is over,we used to eat the roasted and steamed palaakkottai(jackfruit seed) seasoned with salt and chilli powder.It was a delicious and filling snack.My Paati loves jackfruit too.But she used to say she had left it in kaasi(varanasi-a holy city in northern india).Some people say that if someone can leave three things they love so much in kaasi(they should never touch them again),they are strong enough and good things will happen to aid their strong will.
Well,coming to the point,palaakottai kulambu is one thing i love.The seed is not sweet like the fruit and it has its own unique taste which combined with the tamarind and seasonings give a good flavor.I really wanted to participate in JFI-jackfruit and i did try to find a jackfruit.Wherever i find the word grocery i marched right inside and asked about jackfruit.I even tried the produce market and the fruit has been sold out.Maybe i didnt try enough.
Anyhow,I patted myself with a "better luck next time" and determined to post an article.Here it is ....without a photo.
Here is the palaaakottai kulambu recipe,
Take 9-10 jackfruit seeds,slightly roast them.Boil one and half cups of light tamarind water along with sambhar powder,the jackfruit seeds,salt,turmeric and asafoetida.After 5 minutes of boiling,remove from fire.
Thiruppumaruvathu/thaalipathu are the prevailing words for seasoning in tamil.
Well for thiruppumaara/thaalikka,take mustard seeds,bengal gram ,black gram seeds,a pinch of fenugreek seeds,asafoetida,4-5 dry chillies and curry leaves.
Heat oil and add the ingredients in order and put them in the kulambu.Boil for a minute.
Here is the palaakottai kulambu.

Chowchow(Chayote squash) thugaiyal

Here I am with another recipe of my mom.I used to hate ChowChow or chayote squash.Whether its the thorny outer skin or the taste,i dont know..somehow i didn't like it until my mom found a wonderful way to make me eat it.Yep,she started making chow chow thugaiyal.Now-a-days i even like the chow chow poricha kootu.Chow Chow puli kootu was another way my mom followed to make me eat it..will write about it another day.The truth is I have started craving for my amma's kootu's.
Well,here is her thugaiyal recipe.

Ingredients:

Chow Chow(chayote squash) - 1 medium sized(peeled and cut into small pieces)
Tamarind(lime-sized) or
Tamarind paste - 1 Tablespoon
Shredded Coconut - 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Black Gram seeds - 1.5 Teaspoon
Bengal gram seeds - 1.5 Teaspoon
Red (dry) Chillies - 4 or 5
curry leaves - few

Heat a spoon of oil in a skillet,put mustard seeds and when it starts crackling,add asafoetida(perungayam),turmeric powder,black and bengal gram seeds(ulutham paruppu and kadalai paruppu.)When it starts changing its color,add chillies,coconut and curry leaves.Roast the chow chow pieces along with them.Let them cool for sometime and grind them all into a smooth paste with tamarind paste and two teaspoons of salt using very little amount of water.Now the chow chow thugaiyal is ready to be eaten.
I poured the tamarind paste in skillet while roasting and added half a bunch of cilantro(kothumalli) for the flavor.
This thugaiyal tastes better with plain rice,curd or lemon rice and with idlis.



chow chow thugaiyal with brown rice and asparagus curry

Welcome to my page

I am from Srivilliputtur,the birthplace of Sri Andal,a great poetess/goddess.I was nurtured,taught and moulded by the wonderful mixture of tamil traditional culture there.I am a vegetarian who simply loves food adore the art of cooking,baking and presenting food in an effort to please both the taste buds and eyes.
My mom used to say that every thing you carefully prepare with love and affection as offering to others will never taste bad.Being in the internet world,this blog is my attempt to share the signature recipes of my paatis(grand ma) and my amma (mom) and my fond memories and experiences.I firmly beleive that this will give a meaning to their dedication for the art of cooking. I have added to this eclectic themes from cuisines around the world while retaining the Indian soul in every dish.Due to my husband's help and my sister-in-law's encouragement,here it is....

My First Post - Amma's MysorePa
Whenever I think of Deepavali MysorePa is the first thing that comes to my mind.A few days before deepavali,during a nice evening ,the pleasant aroma of mysorepa fills the entire house and we will get ready for deepavali and the array of bhakshanams that will be in our evening snack plates in the forthcoming days.Everytime she makes it perfect in every aspect - the yellowish brown color,the texture and it will melt in your mouth the instant you put it in your mouth.Here is her recipe,

Ingredients :

Powdered sugar - 3 cups
Water - 1 cup
Freshly prepared
and hot ghee - 1.5 cups(melt butter in stove or use microwave)
Milk - 2 tablespoons
Bengalgramflour- 1 cup

In a nonstick or a heavy bottomed vessel,boil the water,when small bubbles start to form pour the sugar.When the sugar fully disappears,put the milk in small amounts and remove the semi white residue that forms with a spoon(this step is optional).In the meanwhile ,sieve the flour,roast it very slightly.Put the flour into the boiling sugar solution at once.You have to be careful here and stirring continuously.When the flour is thoroughly mixed (it will take only a minute),pour the hot ghee slowly while stirring continuously(you can do it alone if you have the skill and confidence or you can make your sweet husband do it!),the ghee should fully mix with the flour.Stop stirring when the mixture starts to rise slightly and tiny bubbles form at the sides.
Immediately pour it in a well greased plate and level it.(if it came perfect you need not level it on your own).Let it be for 10 minutes.Cut shapes using a knife and let it cool for another 10 minutes before it melts in your mouth..
In my opinion,the flawless hot and fresh ghee is what does the magic.
Here is the picture after my trial.Eventhough it lacked my amma's kaimanam(the special touch of her hand),it came out quite good.