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Announcing MBP-June
2008-05-27 09:58:00
Is your bookmark page is over-loaded with recipes to try? Mine is. Every day it?s the same old story. Blog hop and bookmark mouth watering recipes which has grabbed your full attention. With so many recipes bookmarked I always look forward to participating in Coffee?s Monthly Blog Patrolling a.k.a. MBP. Here is one event which encourages us to cook something from our fellow bloggers blog which you had meant to try for ages but had no time till date. This is one event which not only gives you a chance to explore the food blog world but also spreads link love. And I am proud to be guest hosting June edition of MBP and this month?s theme is Street Food.The term "street food" best describes the casual, delicious and local cuisine sold in stalls, carts and open air markets around the world. Chats and Kebabs from India, hotdogs from New York, Mexico?s mango on a stick, stir-fries from china, caramel-filled stroopwafels at an Amsterdam stand?street food is convenient, finger licking delici...

From the Temple Town: Udupi Sambar
2008-05-22 14:43:00
Tucked in between the majestic mountains of Western Ghats on the east and mighty Arabian Sea on the West, there is a beautiful small town called Udupi. There are not many places like Udupi that has rich history, colourful diversity, vibrant people, virgin beaches, incredibly charming buildings and simply irresistible cuisine. I remember visiting the Krishna Temple with my parents and grandmother once in every six months when we were small and a walk on a Ratha Maarga (Chariot Street) was one of my favourite parts of the trip. Dad would take us to small shops on Ratha Maarga looking for any unusual piece of art and craft for his antique collection and promise us to take to our favourite hotel on a way back home for sinfully delicious, crisp Masala Dosa. A lazy stroll along the streets of Ashta Matha (8 temples) with Ajji while she narrated an amazing story of Saint Kanakadasa and Lord Krishna is something I will always cherish. It?s been quite some years since I visited the temple bu...
More About: Town , The Temple

Blast from the Past: Bell Pepper Soups
2008-05-19 10:54:00
A soup has always been one of my favourite meals and my weakness. It being a typical weather where sunny uncle playing hide and seek in my part of the world, we get solace in slurping big bowls of delicious soups. This week it was all Pepper s pepping us up in a form of Red Bell Pepper Soup and Creamy Green Pepper Soup. And they go to my dear buddy Pooja who is hosting two-in-one events JFI & VOV-Bell Peppers. Enjoy these blasts from the past.Red Bell Pepper SoupCreamy Green Pepper Soup
More About: Soups , Capsicum , Blast from the Past , Past

Foodie's Paradise: Jolada Rotti Oota
2008-05-17 09:09:00
I had been dreaming of authentic Jolada Rotti Oota ever since I left Dharwad after graduation. And then comes my dear friend Arun who not only shares delicious picture of Jolada Rotti Oota at Kamat?s but also with a description that almost made me chase him and commit murder!!! What a show off!!!Well, I would have done so If I had missed eating it to my heart?s content this time when we visited India. It was the last day of our trip and we were in Bengaluru, at my sister?s new home and feeling kind of miserable for our short trip getting over so soon. To cheer us up my sister and her hubby decided to take us for homely food and no prizes for guessing what we had!!! Yes, Jolada Rotti Oota on a green plantain leaf at Pai?s. Boy!!! I was shaking with happiness. It was the best meal, apart from home meals, I have ever had. Thankfully we had our camera with us and I could quickly click few pictures before dropping the camera to attack the food. Sorry if you find the images to be little b...
More About: Travel , Photography , Paradise

Mango Memories: Spicy Mango Chuteny/Pickle
2008-05-15 09:57:00
Mangoes here, mangoes there, and mangoes every where! There they are swinging along on a laden tree; Here they are tightly packed in a wooden cartoon. There they are neatly sliced and piled on a plate, Here they are pickled and brined to perfection. It?s a season of Mango Mania. - By Yours Truly Sia Wordsworth ;)It is and it will always be mangoes that rule my world and my childhood memories. Forget all exotic fruits- pineapple, peach, kiwi, plum, berries; nothing can ever come quite close to magnificent Mangifera Indica in flavour, taste or aroma. It?s a same story every year. Just one look at them and I start reminiscing about the Mango Season, the season of the king of fruits, back home in India.Come summer and it meant only one thing for me and my sister, long vacation at Paternal Granny?s home. The memories of those sunny, glorious summer days of endless fun, pranks and digging our teeth into succulent mangoes warm my heart even today. Granny?s house was just like many other be...
More About: Mango , Memories , Chutneys , Spicy , Pickle

Cooking with Babies: Baby Corn & Carrot Masala
2008-05-13 09:58:00
Every time I come back from India I kind of go under emotional roller coaster ride. There you are, surrounded by your loved ones at any odd time of the day or night sipping a cup of filter Kaapi and talking about everything under this sky and it feels like time just flies without you knowing. And here you are, with only your partner to talk to (that to when he is not busy giving bubble bath to love of his life Lajjo Rani (don?t fret, its our car I am referring to) or jumping up and down like crazy guy while stuck to idiot box watching football or cricket (I call it kiri-kiri meaning irritating)). There you are, eating all wonderful food cooked by every other person other than you and hardly required to move your big fat ass. Here you are, fretting over what to cook everyday and arguing whose turn to empty the waste bin. There you are, just required to walk few steps to eat your heart?s content and yet pay few pennies. Here you are, travel miles together to eat at reasonably good res...
More About: Baby , Cooking , Babies , Market , Currys

One Stinking Flower: Cauliflower/Gobi Paratha
2008-05-09 09:50:00
I was a typical headstrong, independent, strongly opinionated teenager who never hesitated to say ?NO? for food cooked using particular vegetable or greens. With 90%+ vegetables and greens which belonged to my black list, it was not an easy task for my Amma to cook something which every family member loved. For me Green Leafy Vegetables were simply horrible to look at let alone taste it. Root Vegetables were loaded with little too much of carbohydrates for my taste. This strange piece of information I seemed to have picked from our Botany class taken by handsome lecturer with cute dimple on his left cheek whenever he smiled and I could see every girl in my college falling for!!! And there were not many vegetables which grew above ground level that caught my fancy. So what did I really eat as a teenager? If your answer is junk food containing lots of deep fried, greasy, spicy, bubbly, unhygienic food cooked every other place except home, then think again. Like many millions caring, s...
More About: Flower , Cauliflower , Stinking , Paratha

Simplicity at its Best: Sorekai Bolu Kodhel
2008-05-06 13:09:00
We are back from short yet wonderful vacation from India and already missing home! Here I am in my office, feeling sleepy and jetlagged and terribly homesick. Each and every minute of those 18 days were filled with excitement and fun and our ears are still buzzing. It feels strange to be here away from all buzz and excitement. The two big family weddings in two weeks of our vacation kept us on our toes all the time. Mehendi, shopping, facials, flower decorations, shopping for gifts, last minute purchases, travelling, houseful of guests, shopping (did I say shopping again?!), phone calls to friends? It was complete madness and we enjoyed each and every moment of it. It won?t be exaggeration if I had to say that we hardly got time to think about coming back (Will write about it more in my later posts). Surprisingly even the flights were on time and everything went smoothly.Can?t believe that we had been away for just few days and there is already change in weather. Thankfully the gloo...
More About: Garlic , Currys , Simplicity

Spring Cleaning: Minestrone Soup
2008-04-15 00:49:00
Looks like new posts of Monsoon spice are not showing up at Sailu’s Taste of India. Please click on the RSS image or Click Here to subscribe and get notification on any new posts posted on Monsoon Spice. Or you can get e-mail notifications by entering your e-mail on the top left hand sidebar. Can of Red Kidney Beans – Check Two Cubes of Frozen Spinach – Check One each Red & Green wrinkled Peppers
More About: Cleaning , Spring , Soup

Ayurveda in Cooking: Kokum Tambli
2008-04-12 14:59:00
Today I was composing an official mail to my colleague and pressed spell check just before hitting the send button. Horrors of horror the whole mail had red highlights which surely had given heart attack to my English teacher. No, I am not talking about spelling mistakes but more serious matter than that. Without realising I have been using too many internet slang/lingo in my day to day life. LHM
More About: Cooking , Ayurveda

Cooking with Love: Huli-Menasina Kodhel
2008-04-10 00:59:00
Ajji, my paternal grandma was the most beautiful lady I have had ever seen. Whenever I think of her, the aroma of fragrant Jasmine wafts away which she would wear on her scented oiled hair combed back in a knotted bun. Most of the times she was seen wearing silk sarees with half a dozen of green and red glass bangles in between lovely gold bangles. While the brightest of bright shade of Kumkum on
More About: Cooking , Love , With Love

Ugadi Greetings... From Us to You
2008-04-08 00:17:00
As the New Year Dawns May it Bring Happiness and Prosperity To You and Your Loved Ones Happy Ugadi ಉಗಾದಿಯ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು Warm Regards Sia & Krish

Some Like it Hot: Mushroom Chettinad
2008-04-06 00:59:00
Aunt S: Are you sure this is what you want to eat. Me: Absolutely. This looks like a spicy dish. This is exactly what I want to eat. I am tired of eating tasteless hostel food. Aunt S: This one is really spicy. Do you think you can handle it? Me: That’s what my taste buds are begging for after eating bland food all these days. Please Aunt S. Cook this one for me. Aunt S: Ok, as you wish. Then don
More About: Mushroom

My Old Coffee Mug and Moong Dal Chilla/Cheela
2008-04-03 11:59:00
It was time… It was time for me to say good bye…. It was my last day in my hostel… It was the time for the final cleanup of my room and I knew I will be fined by warden if I don’t do it right. Actually, I had more important things on my mind… Everything seemed secondary… The thought of never being able to participate in any of birthday bashes and midnight parties, never having to pay fines for
More About: Coffee

Revisiting Recipes from the Past
2008-04-01 11:56:00
It's been more than year and a half since I wrote my first post in this blog and it's been one roller coaster ride. I had my ups and downs. Made many good friends with whom I share wonderful friendship not just online but offline too. My heartfelt thanks to each and every readers of Monsoon Spice who made this blogging experience worth to be cherished. But now the time has come to say Good Bye to
More About: Recipes , Past

Last Minute Click
2008-03-30 16:42:00
Yes, another last minute entry for Click -Metal hosted by Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi. This is an antique brass Havan/Yajna Spoon and my priced possession. According to Wiki, "A Havan is a sacred purifying ritual (yajna) in Hinduism that involves a fire ceremony. It is a ritual of sacrifice made to the fire god Agni. After lighting a Havan Kund (sacrificial fire), objects such as fruits, honey, or
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From India's Bread Basket: Mooli Paratha with Lassi
2008-03-29 00:59:00
There is a land that is drenched by five rivers, their shimmering magical water making it India’s ‘bread basket’. It’s the land that has its own colour, aroma and unique life style with cheerful and most lively people. In this same magical land there is one beautiful farm house with white washed walls and a large courtyard right in a centre of lively, lovely, golden mustard farm with delicate
More About: Basket , Bread , Paratha

Old is Gold: Ridge Gourd Dal
2008-03-27 00:59:00
Bowl of popcorns, soda, crisps and pakodas, thick pillows and duvet and we are all set to watch one movie after another… Most of the Sundays are spent this way and last weekend we decided to roll back the time and go to 60’s and 70’s Bollywood movies. Boy, why don’t we have those kinds of movies with great storylines anymore!!! Watching them is like travelling through kaleidoscope of colours and
More About: Gold , Ridge

Sakura
2008-03-26 00:45:00
"Shikishima no Yamato-gokoro wo Hito-towaba, Asahi ni niou Yamazakura bana." (If one should ask you concerning the heart of a true Japanese, point to the wild cherry flower glowing in the sun.) – Norinaga Motoori (1730-1801) "Could I die under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom on a full- moon night of spring?"
More About: Sakura

Cooking with the Queen: Bendekai Gojju
2008-03-22 00:59:00
Ladies Finger… such an elegant name for Okra/Bhindi. Considered as the queen of vegetables with its slender shape and crown on top, it is one of my favourite vegetable to cook with. Not many people prefer it because of its sliminess. When cut into pieces this queen likes to cling to anything it touches, knife, chopping board, your fingers. Well, no wonder that it’s not everyone’s favourite
More About: Cooking , Queen , The Queen

Ode to Potato: Grand Finale
2008-03-17 00:58:00
“A man who prides himself on his ancestry is like the potato plant, the best part of which is underground” - Spanish Proverb quotes The humble, modest and unassuming Tuber grows out of sight, underground and when pulled up it looks like a part of earth. Have you ever seen it competing with any of the vegetables? Have you ever heard a vegetable vendor calling attention to this humble Tuber? When
More About: Potato , Finale , Grand

A Twist in the Tale: Palak Tofu
2008-03-15 00:59:00
Me: Eiks… What’s that ugly green thing Amma? Mom: Its spinach. I am making spinach curry for tonight’s dinner. Me: Eww… Don’t bother! I had rather eat plain rice than eating that yucky green thing! Mom: Why don't you taste little and see if you like it. Me: I don’t want to taste it because I know I won’t like it. So why tasting it when I already know I am not gonna like it? Mom: Because it’s good
More About: Tofu , Tale , Twist

Winter Warmers: Carrot-Coconut Shorba
2008-03-13 00:43:00
Warm, cold, cold, cold, warm, warm, cold, warm, cold… No, I am not chanting some mantra nor I have gone mad. Well, it’s my usual grumbling about the weather here in Britain. I guess I can write a thesis on changing weather and still be left with much more thing to talk about. Two weeks back it was earthquake and now its flood warning!!! Mother Earth is really angry at us and I am not surprised!
More About: Winter , Coconut , Carrot

Back to Childhood Days...
2008-03-10 00:14:00
Come on people move For childhood is calling time to get up and groove there is no time for stalling Enjoy the warm sunny day and chase all of your blues away this is a day that is so enthralling listen, as your childhood is calling old men sit and are soon recalling and slowly as their hair is graying they hear the siren song of youth playing saying that their childhood is calling the time
More About: Childhood , Back , Days

Saga of Saagu
2008-03-07 00:08:00
There lived a house wife in some part of Karnataka with her husband, kids, in-laws and other family members. Every morning, be it on weekday or weekend, she would get up early before the golden sun rays caressed the mother earth. With pearls of water adorning her long curly hair and the diamond studded nose ring sparkling from the golden glow of Diyas she entered her humble kitchen to prepare
More About: Saga

One of Many: Badane Ennegai
2008-03-04 00:51:00
Question: How to make Badane Ennegai? Person #1: Oh, it’s very simple. You take little bit of fresh coconut, and then… Person #2: No, you don’t use fresh coconut for Ennegai. You need desiccated coconut and you grind it with … Person #3: Hey, hey… Aren’t you forgetting something? The authentic recipe calls for roasting the spices and coconut. Person #4: Yes, roast dry chilli preferably Byadagi

One is Not Enough: Double Decker Paratha
2008-03-01 00:55:00
Have u ever been obsessed with anything? Something you can’t stop thinking about it. You see it everywhere even with your eyes closed. You dream of it when you fall asleep and still day dream about it when you are wide awake. Yes, that type of obsession and my current obsession is rolling Paratha s. Not just plain parathas but some mean stuffed parathas. It feels good when you master (no place for
More About: Double , Decker

Ayurveda in Cooking
2008-02-27 00:59:00
Indian cooking is not all about curries, biriyanis and spices. Indian home food also benefits from the combination of Ayurvedic knowledge with day to day ingredients. In Ayurveda , India's ancient science of life, health and longevity, food plays a prominent role in promoting health and is therefore considered medicine. Dating back over five thousand years, Ayurveda is still a highly respected
More About: Cooking

Soup for the Soul...
2008-02-21 00:59:00
Where else could you catch a massive cold, if not in wet and cold Britain? I was surprised to see how I survived from Jan to mid Feb from the clutches of cold and flu when colleagues in my office were walking around with a tissue stuck to their nostrils!! Just when it seemed like we are going to celebrate early springs with daffodils smiling at clear blue skies, the temperature plunged to -10
More About: Soul , Soup

Finally... I did it...
2008-02-18 09:26:00
I have had seen his larger than life pictures in many blogs, glossy cookbooks and magazines, cooking shows. He had tempted and seduced me enough to touch his well toned body, caress his face, and smell his heavenly fragrance! Oh!!! How badly I wanted him. He was always out of my reach and it was my friends whom he favoured. I envied them and the way they seemed to compliment each other. He never
More About: Finally