Christmas Wishes and then some Venting, that's long due.

First let me wish all my readers a belated Christmas. I sincerely hope your Christmas was truly blessed.
The past three weeks have been a little more than depressing for me due to the chilling and horrifying slew of events happening all over the world.
I am a Mom, a woman and a wife, these things affect me to an extent that I really cant be creative without my brain wandering. To top that food has always been associated by me, to joyful times. So for three weeks, every weekend I stared at my blog main page, unable to come up with anything even remotely appetizing. Turning on the news was just awful. Every time I saw a panic-stricken parent's picture or the terror of another one realizing his/her little one's life was s unjustly snuffed out, just reduced me to tears. I hugged my kids tighter and prayed for granting the mental strength to those parents who lost their kids in the Sandy Hook Tragedy and the brave adults who laid down their lives trying to protect the little ones. May your souls rest in eternal peace.

And then as things started getting back to the normal, I hear about the young student who was attacked in Delhi and I was shocked. What kind of boys are we raising who can do such things to another living being?
As the poor girl lay in the hospital bed, fighting for her life, my face book page was filled with images of graphic punishment suggestions for the perps and protest profile picture changes and heated emotional outbursts from men and women, all over the nation. I had to keep clenching my fingers, to not type anything caustic and offend someone! :-/
First of all, its pure hypocrisy to feel all that angst, because I have seen it for myself how much all these people want to escape to the safety of their cocoons, when there is a real need for pro-activeness. Everyone would rather be just a by stander so that they can share how terrible was it, via words or worse, their camera phones; or how it "actually" happened...rather than helping a victim. I know first-hand that when violence is seen there are only a handful of people in a million who would rush in to get the victim help or have the balls to report it. All for the fear of the big bully that is the system itself.
So you post a black dot on your Facebook profile page to protest the rape, but will you actually be able to stop it or report it to the authorities, bear witness at court if it ever reaches the court?
So you want rats to gnaw on the perps'  body parts, but have you ever voted for someone who can actually change the system, or even thought about how a change can be brought about in the current, flawed system?
I leave these questions hanging for you to answer yourself, for the day these questions will be answered positively, the change will have already begun.
Until then lets steer clear of the hypocrisy and just pray for the victims and their families and be just thankful its a stranger and not your own. 

Happy Diwali, Peeps!!!

Wishing each and every one of you lots of Joy, Prosperity and Health this Diwali and always!!!
Hope the Festival of Lights spread a lot of Warmth and Good Cheer in your Hearts and Hearths!

Love,
Mamma

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!
Lots of love,
Mamma
xoxo

Lost in some good-tasting times.

Almost everyone of us turn to some kind of food when in stress. I am no exception. I am rather one of those who are so tuned in to stress and comfort foods that whenever I make a comfort food, I realize that its been stressful lately!
While growing up, my Mom made the yummiest prawn curry and rice which made me anticipate the meal the entire day, drooling at the aromas of tangy sweet tomatoes and that inviting perfume of the seas that only a true sea-food lover can appreciate. She made it with fried ground coconut with a sour tamarind and rustic chunky tomatoes which never fails to sate me. There was just something about it that made you forget everything that made you tense and just moan and give in to the flavours exploding in your tastebuds. Sounds like something else, but you get the idea!
And then there was my BFF's Mom who would make the Khichda- a lovely porridge out of goat meat, spices and broken wheat. I was notified in advance whenever it was made by Auntie and I believe she knew deep in her heart that even if she didnt tell me I would sleep-waft into her kitchen next door, in the aromas emnating whenever she made it. This porridge, was watery with the rice and meat cooked till everything was a homogenous hodgepodge of heaven, with a sprinkling of fried onions in ghee on top made a believer out of me...that simple foods are the most tastiest ones ever made.

The vegetarian part of me was always bullied by the non-veg half but that does not mean I was not fond of veggies. I was blessed to have some of the most blessed cooks in the family and also in my husband's. His Aunt was one such person. She never planned her menus. One look at her vegetable basket and whatever was there was lunch or dinner.The thorans- finely cut veggies cooked lightly with coconut, cumin and green chillies; avial- julienned mixed veggies in a coconut sauce and sambaar - lentils and veggies cooked with spices in a watery base, were to die for. The danger of growing up and getting used to such awesome food is that you miss it the minute its not there. She moved away and I went through a very painful withdrawal. anyways, God must've felt a little pity on me, my MIL ( also happened to be the same Aunt's sibling)  totally swept me over with her vegetarian dishes whipped up in ridiculously short notice and  deliciously spontaneous! And this time I tried learning a few things from her, which handsomely paid off later.
My MIL is a great cook and I lose to her hands down when it comes to her son, our common darling's favorite dishes.  And I dare not compete!!! All I hope is her skills rub off a little on me . But on the good side, I get to eat her creations whenever I am with her and she likes my feeble attempts at impressing her.
But I would be never as good coz who would think of adding tender coconut pieces to pilaf? Or just roast veggies with salt and coconut oil that u simply cant stop munching on?
Now, I am in a country which smirks at vegetarians and limited in its ideas when it comes to vegetarian food. Here, I admire vegetarians who still maintain their eating habits coz believe me, its tough here. There is no stuff here that comes pure-veg. And the only places you find them are overpriced Desi restaurents.
I have always believed myself to be a good adaptor. I easily acquire new tastes and mesh with my surroundings. But even for me, sometimes a crisis hits home where I crave these lovely comforts from my loved ones.And thats when I make some of these delights guessing the ingredients and sheer will-power, coupled with a mind- hellbent on recreating those good memories. Sometimes its trial and error and other times its the exact replica of the memory I have. And believe it or not, thats how I learnt to cook. Creating the exact copies of my memories, of how something smelt like, what it tasted like, how I felt then...Funny how foods bring back memories that otherwise waft by unnoticed by us, huh?
Only if we could trap those wafted aromas, interlinked inseparably to each other, creating a dimensional synesthesia of smells, memories, visuals and tastes.
Sometimes all it takes is a pinch of ground fenugreek into a pot of boiling fish curry to make it complete, to evoke that strong memories in us...and as you stand lost in time, you see the same curry mixed with hot rice fed to a sleepy child, by her grandma, a cool rainy day, by the light of an oil lamp. Yes, just a pinch of fenugreek, and small insignificant things like that, which makes no sense except as a part of the big picture.
Maybe thats the recipe to Nostalgia.

November: Staying Warm from the Inside.

When I was a kid, my Grandparents always used to say, "Always eat hot food and drink hot beverages when its cold outside". And when I grew up to be able to do things on my own, I always challenged those old, wise words with rebellious words and actions, just because I could! And when I reached the age where it all made sense, I ended up saying the same thing to my kids. Its especially tough to follow through those wise words, when you live in a modern world where refrigerators come with ice and cold water dispensers and freezers just grow in size. But generally I have observed that any cultural-born, Old sayings that we heard from ancestors and passed on to the next generations, will be scoffed upon by skeptics until it becomes a celebrity induced fad or is proven by someone's research to market a product. But that calls for an entirely different buzz post...for now, I don't want to stray from the original topic. :-)
But nevertheless, its always a comforting thing to have something hot when its pouring cats and dogs outside or just cold and windy outside. Once fall sets in, I love making something hot for my kids, when they get home with red noses and cold hands (keep them away from me, brrr!) from play or school. And after the initial protests, that they are hot, I have always seen the goodies disappear, even before they are completely cold.
I usually have snack-y soups, occasional fried savories that goes well with Teas, lightly sweet or savory cookies with Hot cocoas and grilled cheesy sandwiches and Hot Ciders, especially for this time of the year, which surprisingly never seems to end here, in Seattle.
Scientifically, human body mimics a lot of animal behavior during Fall and Winter by being more hungry and therefore, eating more than usual and storing fat. That's why its more important to be really careful about what you eat during these seasons. Eating more complex carbs that will make you fuller, faster and using lean meats and proteins will make sure you get full, and stay full, faster and longer respectively. Eating small meals frequently is one way that works for me, and snacking is a good way to go. And adding a low calorie beverage to any snack makes it a winner.

That brings us to this Month which marks the start to chilly winters, at least to this part of the world. This month, the spotlight will be on Hot Snacks and appetizers that will warm you up, keep those hunger pangs at bay until dinner, or the next meal. This month I will be sharing, Creamy Tomato Bisque and Grilled Cheese Sandwich dippers,  Pepperminty Hot Chocolate, a much awaited Biscotti recipe and then some.
Some of them are traditional favorites and some a new approach or an invention. ;-)
Hope you have fun trying them all......Happy November and Bon Appetit! 

Diwali Greetings from MMP

Dear Readers,

Wish you and your blessed families a Wonderful, Safe and Prosperous Deepavali!!! Hope this amazing Festival of Lights light up your life and drives away all your worries and troubles, forever!

Love, 

Mamma 

October----All for Baking!

Since I started writing this blog, I was constantly torn between the Simplicity and novelty of baking and the comfortable familiarity of Indian cuisine. So finally when the Summer disappeared and the chill in the air became a little too obvious, I decided I had enough with blogging of Nostalgic food.
October is the month when the leaves here change to a beautiful yellow, orange, brown and the Holiday season  starts in earnest with Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas. Halloween is the starter course of the treats that drives the kids crazy and keeps them in that perpetual sugar-high well until the New Year. Costumes, Trick-or-treating and the sights of carved Pumpkins, just adds more fun to this celebration.
I love the smells that waft around on a good fall evening, of  that newly crisp air, the occasional aroma of cinnamon from a neighbor's kitchen, the savory dinners baking away with a vengeance in ovens....well you get the picture!
That brings me to my theme for the Month! Baking. I started with baking when I got over my shyness with the landlord's oven in our first apartment. I remember the first thing I ever baked was an Orange Pound Cake. Pound Cakes are pretty much any beginners' confidence builder. There's a very low margin for error. But even then, my first attempt rose up like a dome, and collapsed the minute it came out of the oven, leaving a sagged, cracked surface, I sulked over for hours.
But a taste test by my brave man, proved, that we wont die if we eat it and, it was tasty! And then I stuck to cake mixes from the Grocery store for awhile until we moved. My baby had grown into a toddler who loved his Public television and his naps. He was also a picky eater, which meant I could experiment with creating the stuff he liked, while he napped away for 2 golden hours in the noon. And thus I actually started baking. It started with cookies, then cakes (no more cake mixes....Yay!) and finally baked dinners like Whole chicken, part chicken, Fish in Foil and various kind of Roast vegetables. Some went horribly wrong and had to be marked HAZMAT and thrown away (Ok I exaggerate, but you get the idea!) while others were gobbled in even before it cooled down. Small batches were never my strong suite so I was lucky enough to get some good feedback and tips from the ones I shared them with.
And thus were born this month's featuring recipes. I never could stick to a particular recipe without altering and making it personal (unless it was desserts from Mama Paula Deen or Amazing Italian grub from Chef Nick Stellino)

Mama Paula Deen: I want to be her when I grow up!

I grew addicted to Paula Deen, after living in Atlanta for some years and loving the warmth and wholesomeness of the South. Her recipes on Food TV gave me the courage to try those and raise confidence levels in my baking. A lot of the cookie recipes I make (but I don't post) comes from her. Well, I want to be her when I grow up! :-)

Nick Stellino: Pretty easy to look at too! :-P

And when it comes to Italian Food, you know passion has gotta do a lot with it. One cool, blue eyed chef who is very passionate about his Cooking took my heart away with the sweet simplicity and rusticity of his dishes. And that was Nick Stellino! And nope, I wouldn't change a single ingredient from what he makes!
Anyways, I do have a wide group of chefs I love and get inspired from, varied in my range of Fanaticism (Anthony Bourdain, Sanjeev Kapoor, Emeril etc etc who have influenced me in some major way) but in the end, Mamma's gotta cook her own grub, to write her own Blog!

Yep, the guy I envy with all my heart, love and adore! Anthony Bourdain.

And this month I will be posting step by step recipe of a yummy simple buttery sugar cookie, a wholesome filling Shepherd's Pie, Pizza's more silent sibling Calzone and for dessert, a cake that can be decked up to be a Gorgeous birthday cake or will be still delicious when you serve it as a simple unadorned dessert or coffee-mate. So stay tuned, Keep your eyes open for the lovely fall colors and Bon Appetite! 

September Special: Men in Kitchen

Hi Yum-lovers,
I have always fancied a job in a commercial kitchen and I have watched every cooking show in earnest and have come across the mucho macho chauvinisto piggo statement that "Men make chefs , and women make cooks!" And I have always wondered if thats because men can intimidate women better, and women can adjust better and take orders, much gracefully.
Well, I dont mean to argue or state a debate, but if I need to believe that statement, somebody better give me solid proof, because in my life of 30 years, I have to yet see a man who can cook. And the real men, who do enter the kitchen and tell his salad oil and frying oil apart can be counted on the fingers of my stirring hand!
Growing up in a house full of women, I have seen men enter the kitchen only to get water or some tool substitute. My uncles have wrung chicken necks,pulled out feathers and even cut it down for the women, but I dont remember seeing any of them get in the hot room and stirring pots or draining the rice. My dad changed a lot of my assumptions for me by helping mom chop, scrape and sometimes even cook a couple of rare but decent dishes, in the kitchen.
Dad makes everything with a kind of earthen simplicity, and tastes just great! I always loved to watch when he cooked- knives being sharpened with drama, the onions peeled to such perfection that it was worth displaying, the tomatoes seeded and cut into such perfect tiny cubes and everything else done with such grace and precision. Hmmm, who cares if he took so long that dinner had to be postponed by hours or an entire hour was needed just for the post-op cleanup? Um, Well, Mom would care, albeit deeply than I am letting on!
Dad made everything yummy and we gobbled it up...well everything, except his stuffed Bittergourd!

Indian Bittergourd aka Karela

                                                        

 Bittergourd or Karela is one of those miracle foods that is believed to help Diabetes patients immensely, in India. Like the name suggests, it is one of the bitterest veggies I have ever tasted in my entire life. But many have their own tips and tricks to reduce the bitterness and make it more palatable. So Dad would wash and remove the seeds from the gourds and stuff it with a spice mix. He would then use a needle and thread to sew it shut and then roast it in an open fire. Roasting is a very good technique to seal in the juices and concentrate the natural flavor of anything that is roasted. And sealing in the juices of the bittergourd and concentrating the flavor just made it even more unbearable for us kids. And we would make excuses, eat early or feign sleep to escape them.

Then again, that was the only exception...but my mouth waters even today, thinking of his Uppu-Puli (meaning Salt-Tamarind)---a simple dish with tamarind pulp, salt, hand crushed fresh green chilies and shallots; his stuffed eggplant gravy, which even Mom couldn't replicate; and my most favorite, Dad's Prathaman---the king of all desserts. If you are from Kerala, you get it! This mandatory dessert can be seen on every special occasion, like, weddings, Shashtis (60th birthdays), Onam (South Indian Equivalent of Thanksgiving)  and so on. But no one makes it the way my Dad does it. He would wake up early on the Onam day, and keeping out of Mom's hair(believe me, when it was Onam, nobody wanted to get between Mom and her cooking), he would set up our rarely used kerosene stove and invert an empty metal canister near it to make a stool for himself.  And once he got started, the sweet robust aromas of cardamom, fried coconut tidbits and melted jaggery would waft out of our small home into the streets, where people would pause a moment and breath in the heady mix. The curious would poke their head in and inquire and whoever was available at the moment would explain the occasion and the aroma.

I hope my Mom doesn't see this post because she might probably just disown me if I said I cant remember her version of the Prathaman but its Dad's Prathaman I crave and have tried very hard to recreate. My Dad is pretty broad-minded in the kitchen, and I remember once we were having some VIP guests for lunch. Mom really wanted to put together a raw mango pickle but she returned back from her grocery hunt upset and panicking because she couldn't find the off-season mangoes anywhere. Dad pacified her and put together a tindora (gherkin) pickle, which, when coated in the heavy spice mix and mustard oil, lent the same crunchiness as raw mangoes and easily passed off as a great substitute and had everyone of the guests talking for a week.
And I have also tried to recreate my Father-in-law's Mutton Curry, who is just another awesome cook. He cooks his own non veg dishes as my MIL is a pure vegetarian. I was personally relieved when I realized he loves his fish and mutton, and I think the relief was mutual, since I was the only female in the family who could and would cook meat.

And since a lot of my friends want to know if my husband cooks, the answer is a big NO!!!! He tried in the early days to impress me by cooking up some fluffy omelets and Maggie Noodles. But that's it! He makes an occasional tea for me, but other than that I have a gnawing doubt, all my experiments and obsession with cooking actually spoiled him, rotten! And before my topic gets out of hand, let me tell about the theme for the month of September is Men in Kitchen. The featured recipes are foolproof and easy, and the results are just going to be great. I encourage all my guy friends to give it a try and see it for yourself what I always say....Anyone can cook good food. So get in that kitchen and get cooking! But always remember to remove the darned battery cell from the Smoke Alarm! ;-)





Mamma's Note:
A very special thanks to  an equally-crazy-about-Food Friend of mine, who helped me put together this month's special. Thanks for letting me pick your brain, borrow those awesome ideas and put it out to the world! :-)

The way I remember it: Chinese Food Craze

Dear Readers,
Ok....This post is something entirely about some of the nostalgia of a Mumbai-ite growing up in the suburbs, in a middle class family. And this is also about something that really took place when we grew up and grown to such an epic proportion that has even left its mark in the food capital New York.

This post is about my observations into a very Indian phenomenon called Indo-Chinese cuisine that I discovered in the US, one glorious evening out with some old dear friends in downtown New York. We went to this amazing Indian restaurant, celebrating a wedding anniversary of our friends. It was my first time going to a proper restaurant after we had our little boy. Proper: meaning, anything that doesnt involve drive-through, pick-up, or delivery...lol. I was really nervous, hoping the baby wouldnt ruin everyone's evening, but my son was the perfect angel that night and let us enjoy our food in peace, busy making funny faces and cooing and laughing in his car seat wedged between the booth and the bench.

I remember we had some real good appetizers that night. I got to taste some lovely Chicken Manchurian and Chilli Gobi (Cauliflowers) there. And those dishes in their taste and in their simplicity and  have made their own place in our lives from that day. That evening truly opened my eyes as I looked around and saw the amazing eclectic mix of a lot of cultures stuffed in that restaurant, chatting happily and tucking into Asian inspired dishes seasoned delectably with aromatic Indian spices and served with American beverages. And all this creative cooking under one banner of Indo-Chinese Cuisine!

For you who are not from India, Indian-Chinese cuisine is not some amazing diplomatic union between the two nations' cuisines. Its more like the discovery of Soy sauce and AjinoMoto (Monosodium Glutamate) by the Indian Chefs. When they finally discovered it, they started incorporating it into the basic noodle and rice dishes. And because any self respecting Indian wont touch any food that doesn't have chillies or spices on it, they had to modify the authentic, simple ingredients of Chinese cuisine into delectably spiced variations of the originals. Paneer Fried rice, Gobi Manchurian are all excellent examples of that trend. There were also some brilliant creativity by the cooks in the form of American Chopsuey, which is nothing but fried rice or noodles with egg.

And note that I said cook. The most popular Indian Chinese recipes were born as street food in the streets of big cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. The bright red carts with a super hot wok propped up everywhere like weeds in a lawn. And I remember my Dad catching on to the fad, took the family out to one of these. We all had Chicken Hakka Noodles and Sweet Corn Soup. The veggies used were purely out of the traditional mold for us. Bell peppers, Corn, Green Onions were all available in the markets but using them in Indian cooking was still kind of a strange thing for my Mom's South Indian kitchen.
We loved the soy, garlic and vinegar sauce assortment on the table where we could customize our food the way we wanted it. Us kids, who never had a choice when it came to food rejoiced as if we were given voting rights.

And we prayed to God every night after that, and the prayers mostly featured this delicious discovery. Back then, eating out was a luxury we could afford only once in a blue moon. So yeah, praying was the only thing that worked.

And somehow God heard us and the other hundreds of kids in our neighborhood who had or yet had to taste these delicacies. Our neighborhood had its first Chinese Fast Food Center opened. And miracle of miracles, they did home deliveries too. The whole business boomed and soon our streets were filled with tiny red four wheeled carts which initially had peeling paint, and sold Cone Ice creams and Pav Bhaji (fried Sourdough Buns with deliciously spiced Cooked Veggies in butter). And every other cart proclaimed its connection to China through the adoption of names that ranged from Bruce Lee movies to Dragons to simply the Mundane. (Some I still remember are Mandarin Cin, (our Family favorite), The Cantonese, Enter the Dragon Chinese, Golden gate, and the Warrior Dhaba)  I remember jobless young men from Nepal who actually resembled Chinese in their facial profile were whisked away and trained to work in these small cafes to give it an authentic feel. Blood Red Walls, Dragon Murals, Chinese Lanterns and Nepalis speaking excellent hindi, serving you delicious "Chinese" food. Such lucrative thriving business, made many Nepalese quit their jobs as prized corporate security guards and go into full time restaurant business.

Coming back to this fusion cuisine, people were thrilled to have a change from the regular rice, rotis and curries, which made these the latest fad. 5 star hotels with star chefs were already serving a Chinese and Continental menu to the crowds, who could afford it. But the street stalls still continue to thrive due to the simple different and economic fare, they cook right in front of customers and serve or pack for the people waiting at home.

Years later, when I went to college and almost every birthday lunch we friends went together to, were in these tiny Chinese restaurants.  Even now, when it gets too hot to cook in my hometown, my parents dial the number and in half an hour we have steaming food ready to be devoured, delivered right to the door.

When I finally came to the states, I got a chance to sample the amazing simplicity of authentic Chinese cuisine. The lightly cooked seafood, the stir-fried vegetables, the clear soups and steamed dumplings took my breath away. Authentic Chinese Food is still my true love, means I love it as it is, but then again I love the fusions that followed it. Its really like a bright yellow touching the orange and creating that vibrant hue of ochre or the blue trailing into the green to create that startling aqua marine ocean blue. Well, who knew two entirely different culture's cuisines melding would make me go color wild?

Anyways, before I knock myself out with my verbal diarrhea, what I really want to say is this month, I will be sharing with you 4 of my most favorite Indo-Chinese recipes. These are dishes that are moderately high in oil and sodium (thank Soy Sauce!) but full of veggies and makes the My Plate concept (that replaced the Pyramid structure of food) easy.

So stay tuned......Wishing you Good Times!

Love,
Mamma

Mamma's Melting Pot-- Of beginnings and cross roads.

" Food is defined as any substance consumed to provide nutritional support to the body."
 But is that everything? Not to me!!!


I don't remember for sure when, how or I started falling in love with Food. As a child, in a small Coastal village in Kerala, food was always fresh, homemade and took forms of bribe, a treat, nourishment and represented love from the older women at home.We didnt have even one bad cook in the family. My uncles bought us kids fruits and pastries when they visited. The hugs and the delicious fare were indiscriminately appreciated, anytime. 

Laid Back Villages in Kerala, my birthplace.

Later when we moved to the big city so that we could have better opportunities and more time with our Dad, who worked in Mumbai, food took up more forms. It broke the ice for us and made friendships thrive. It broadened the spectrum of our palates, as the different cuisines found their way into our plates. The tropical, coastal fare I grew up eating as a young child, was always there at home, but now there was this whole new possibilities, with more local ingredients and a variety of culturally and geographically different goodies that we dug into wholeheartedly and hungrily when they were offered to us by our new friends and neighbors, who were eager to make us comfortable in the warmth of their hospitality.

My teenage years brought about a freedom from the home-cooked and mundane (at the time) meals to a choice of cafeterias at the College and quick on-the-go lunches at cheap fast food stalls with friends. Thats where we discovered supposedly Chinese takeout (all made with aromatic Indian Spices) and gobbled up delicious chat from the numerous chat vendors along the local  waterfronts. 

Mahadev Meditation Center in the middle of Lake Masunda

When it was "pay-day" (when we got our allowances) we treated ourselves to delicate pastries at Monginis and when we ran out of cash, by the second week, we rationed the money and shared huge Vada Pavs at Kunjvihar. The allowances were so tight we had to make a choice between having a delicious spicy "Samosa-pav", at our college canteen or take a bus from College to the railway station. The Samosa pav always won and we gladly walked all the 3 kilometres daily.
My working days were highlighted by daily potlucks, of tiffin dabbas filled with breads and sabzis which were laid out in the staff lunch room tables, and everyone sampling everything. The monetary freedom only enriched the yum-seeker in me to try out more cuisines. Gujarati, Sindhi, Punjabi and more yummy Maharashtrian delicacies. Another great discovery was Samosa Chat from Guru-kripa in Mulund.
Until this time I never cooked anything on my own. My Mom was trying her level best to get me do something in the kitchen. But all I would make in those days were Pepper-Tomato Scrambled eggs and Sabudana Khichdi made from Tapioca Pearls and crushed peanuts.
The real cooking started when I got married to my soul-mate and as a new bride, I got trianed in that department under the watchful guidance of my Mother in law, who is one of the best cooks I have ever met.

Avial- A mixed vegetable dish as taught by my MIL

Thinking back, that's where my evolution as a cook began. As time went by my love for cooking never burnt out like my other whims. It just went acquiring dimensions. As I started out, it was mainly to cook my husband's favorite dishes, then as I had my son, I learnt how to make his favorite dishes and when my hubby started travelling, in Atlanta, I ventured out of my Indian Mold and tried recreating American Classics.
Then the next stage was recreating my favorite restaurant dishes at home. The habit caught on, when I got severely sick and pregnant. I would throw up any fast food or restaurant food, and tired pretty much all the time. Finally the rest and simple meals were what helped, but nothing helped the cravings. So I looked up recipes and learnt to make pretty much everything I craved at home, which was healthier and went down much easier. There were nights when we would have Ragda Samosas (savory pastries in pigeon pea soup) for dinner. 

And then my little girl came to the world and I was eternally pressed for time. Then I learnt the tricks of easy cooking. Until my in-laws came to stay with us, I never cared for a low sugar low fat diet, but it was then I learnt a few good healthy recipes, for them. 

Home-made Samosas from Scratch

Every scenario of my life has taught me something that added to my cooking experience, but that fire to learn is still roaring.  I will keep tending that fire, learning and if you would like to be a part of those lessons, of those explorations, then stay tuned....its not even halfway done. 
So stay tuned in for more of these sans-boundary attempts I make, I am going to share them right here with you. Keep cooking and Bon Appetit! 

Hey Food lovers! Presenting Mamma's Melting Pot!

                                 








"My love for food started pretty young and is still going strong. And I would credit it to all the wonderful women and a couple of awesome men who put in their love for me into their delicious food and awakened that foodie in me.


Over the years, my travels and life have affected my cooking. And I try not to be a purist. Just someone who appreciates the various flavors and embrace them in real life, and make them my own. The recipes in this blog are originals. My take on various dishes!And then there are foods that are part of my memories. I don't change those. Those recipes are a part of my childhood and growing up, and I have tried to keep the original ingredients and recipe, within the limitations of availability.


And then there are plenty more which I learned on my own, watching great cooks on TV and reading my favorite chefs' books. If the original recipe is not altered I will mention the source. There's plenty of fun recipes I want my readers to try.


And if you try them, and not find it suitable to your palate, go ahead and do try to make that your way and let me know. I would love to try it your way. Because cooking is never something mastered and there is always a way to make it better.


Bon Appetit! "