weekend story - idli sambhar

I don't have many memories about idli being cooked at home dosa yes many times I tried doing the batter at home but now due to the availability of various brands of batter I get the batter and go ahead with the preparation . Last week my friend had passed me homemade dosa batter and I cooked idli for dinner , weekends things become easy when you are passed something like this I paired idli with sambhar cooked with homemade sambhar powder passed by another friend.
on a weekend the aroma of homecooked meal and the taste of other kitchen fragrance of home I could feel it as the family indulged in this simple comforting meal .this post is about the warmth pulled from one kitchen to another .mothers love packed in the pudi powder which I drizzeled on the idli the ghee from india what else you need on a weekend .

phalahari aloo for navratri

Its festival time again and this year has been roller coaster ride for me I can see the days flying and year 2018 will soon be around. As I write I know too many things are knocking on my mind but this post is not about those things its about festival time to reminisce about days gone and celebrate with family. Today is second day of navratri and I am missing the fun and gaiety here.
When did life become so busy as I write this I know what all I have to do today but this post I don't want to crib I want to bring the colours of India here fragrance of food cooked at home from a country where food festival means food.
Yesterday for fasting had cooked phalahari alloo which I had with curd and chai
Recipe blogged here
A simple meal which connected me to home .

and there are many more cakes - steamed cake

While growing up the only cake I has was pan cake , fruit cake and cream roll brought from a small bakery and the occasional birthday cake which would be too creamy slowly there was pineapple cake as we grew up which would have tiny bits of pineapple on the extra sugar cream layer with time I was introduced to black forest during my higher studies and to brownies and other fancy delicacies  and that's when I realised not all cakes are meant for us wheel of time brought me to Singapore and I thought I was in paradise so many to choose from more then cakes it was bun which enticed me so that's how I was introduced to croissant and other kind of bread this is how your childhood when you don't grow up in a metropolitan city and I don't think so I missed anything but yes life was different now a year in Lyon france made me fall in love with the breads there sold in the open market and now that I am back I am still trying each day something new always my eyes are searching for something new to relish - steamed cake is one such delicacy which appeased my taste buds its not creamy there are different flavours to choose from the one I had yesterday had berries in it light and flavourful perfect for my evening cup of chai .

now that you love dal chawal - open letter

Dear advay
Now that you love to eat dal chawal its become easy for me to cook during weekends ,with too many things running on my mind and to serve food to family being the priority its dal chawal  which rescues me and I am happy that way you have learnt to appreciate simple food .
So in one hour a simple meal of dal chawal and a side dish mostly stir fry is ready to be served .
You loved this stir fry of brinjal and potato , its very simple and cooked with home blend masala given by your nani so I made full use of all the three burners and together dal chawal and this subzi was cooked , once in a while even I love to eat dal chawal reminds me of old days .
Will be sharing the recipe so that you can cook anytime

Dal Chawal

Recipe - stir fry brinjal
Ingredient
Brimjal two sliced
Potato three sliced
Ginger garlic paste one tbsp
Onion paste one tbsp
Home blend bharwa masala one tbsp
Mustard oil one tbsp

In a mixing boil mix all the ingredients except mustard oil
Heat oil in non stick wok
Once hot add the mixture
Keep turning till it becomes brown and crispy
Serve warm with dal chawal .

Btw I love writing to you here
Love
Mummy

and you were back - a letter

dear advay ,
this time it was different the wait was there but less of anxiety , I read a lot books after books and slept too so it was like holiday for my soul when you were away ,updates were sent but not too many in one pic I recognised you by your shoes in another by the colour of your shirt .only in one pic you were there smiling back as if telling us you are fine and we held that pic , the day you came back you showed us your hand which had a bandaid and the soles were ripped off from your shoes but you looked happy and you had stories to tell what else we needed
I will try to update this space more often
love
mummy

Words which melt your heart a curry and a letter

Dear Advay
Yet like any other weekend I was toiling in the  kitchen so that by 1 pm food is ready you walked in silently and saw me frying onions I told you to open the window so that you don't cough and then you told me " mummy maybe the fragrance of food will cure me "
These words son melted me took me somewhere I was not cooking any thing special simple alloghost curried meat with potato and missi roti because weekends I try hard to put a decent meal on the table
Not because that's what is expected but because I love too

Recipe of allo ghost is blogged
Recipe of missi roti is blogged here
And thanks a ton for your visits to the kitchen makes me happy
Love
Mummy

another festival which awashed me with memories - MahaShivratri

Another festival which takes me afar
I remember going to temple
And the mela and the rides
I remember it all
Morning I told my son
Today its shivratri

Shiva

But nobody told us
We knew there would be Shiva songs
On the street queue before temple
But now things have changed I need
To tell him
And I tell because that's how
Stories are shared memories is made
How can I end this just because
I am not in my country
And this is what your mother had
For breakfast
Fried makhana and chai

a soupy letter and other things for Advay

Dear advay
I know again it took me so many days to come here and write to you , what triggered this can be many things
- I am reading letters home by Sylvia Plath , I loved the way the book starts innocence of words excitement of new place its like listening to her yes words have that effect
- yesterday at bus stop you told me you had slight irritation in your throat and I told you why didn't you tell your father because being a doctor he can tell you better but your answer saddened me when you said he said its nothing and the way you said I could see it ,evening when your father was back I told him and he had look of guilt on his face the thing is dear son you are just like me direct , you don't keep anything but if you feel bad you never forget it.
- when you came back from school you had slight cold you asked me to cook soup I could understand why you asked last time when your father was sick I had cooked the same so maybe now you know if you are sick its soup but you are lucky I don't have such memory we would eat the same food cooked and there was no one to ask but lets not go there now just in case in future you have the craving to eat
It was mutton do pyaza which I had made soupy  sharing recipe below

Ingredient
Mutton pieces 4
Onion two chopped
Ginger one fourth chopped
Garlic six chopped
Salt as per taste
To temper
One tbsp mustard oil
Pinch of asafoetida
Cumin seeds one tap
Bay leaves two
Crushed red chilli one
To be added later
Coarsely pounded  cardamom one  black pepper six
Clove five and kebab chini
Pinch of turmeric and garam masala

Procedure
heat oil in non stick wok
Add tempering ingredients followed by
Chopped onion ginger and garlic
Let it brown once translucent
Add mutton pieces let it cook for 10 minutes
After that add powdered masala salt
Coarsely pounded whole spices
Stir nicely and one cup of water
Pressure cook for five to ten minutes
Serve warm with wholemeal bread ..