Some super friends and nice gestures

I am super excited with the bonds of friendship developing around the blogsphere. People just think of nice ways to bring lots of smiles through sweet gestures. It means more to me as a person than anything else. I'm fully enjoying all the love you send my way.

With all humility I accept all these awards and tags. Thank you all, sincerely.

Shanthi Krishnakumar passed this on. Just with participating, I learn that you reap an award!

Thank you very much Shanthi. I am honoured. You are a great cook and a super blogger.

Hema and Priya have shared these lovely ones. You two are super girls and thanks for having thought of me. Hema has simply showered all her bounty on me.

Rupali of Chakh-Le-Re has passed on the following two. Thank you so much dear, you are a sweetheart.

Sandhya and Purva tagged me with ABCs. Thank you girls. Just got it done. Read them here.

Sanghi has celebrated her milestone post by sending out goodies to us. That is a very nice way to celebrate and I wish you many more with all your three spaces Sanghi.

I have crammed my thanks here. I owe a lot of my learning to one and all of you. I am in cloud9.

Not just the above mentioned people, but all of you have given me loads of love and reasons to smile.

Please accept this whole bounty from me as a token of appreciation.

Hope all of you will keep blogging yummilicious recipes, so I can try them out and indulge myself and the family.

Honest scrap

Shanthi Krishnakumar of Shanthi Krishnakumar's cookbook and Padma of Padma's recipes have passed on the Honest Scrap to me. Thank you very much Shanthi for this as well as for encouraging many of us.


This award comes with the following rules:
I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it
I must list 10 honest things about myself
I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links
I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also.
I shall do the honours by the end of this post.

Blogging has been a thoroughly learning experience. But the best of all this is the many talented and sweet people I have befriended in the past 6 or so months. Thank you one and all for all the smiles you've given me.
Now, 10 honest things I can think of right away are,
I am very sentimental, I can get emotional hearing Jana Gana Mana...also
I can never keep late nights, but can wake up as if every other day is Deepavali. My day typically starts at 4.30 in the morning and by 9.30 at night my eyes droop.
I am a bookworm, will read anything I can lay hands on. There are some books I read and reread.
My family is my strength. Between my parents and husband they have never said 'no' to anything.
Tailoring is another passtime that I love. At one point it got so bad that my daughter was wearing anything I sew, even her school uniforms were sewn by me.
I remember birthdays and anniversaries of most of family and friends.
I am an extrovert, like to meet people.
I believe learning has no limits and if you put your heart to it everyting comes easy.
I have energy swings from procastination to over enthusiasm, thankfully my mood swings are not so erratic.
I try to keep things as neat and tidy as possible, but not always happen that way :(


Now is the toughest part of identifying atleast 7 others,
I would love if the following people might share their 10 honest things:
Rekha of Plantain Leaf
Varunavi of My Kitchen's Aroma
Chaitra of Aathidyam
Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes
Sree Vidya of Vidya's kitchen
Lakshmi Venkatesh of Kitchen Chronicles
Suparna of Food Fascination
Ladies hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did.

Showered with awards

I am ecstatic...there are no words in my limited vocabulary to describe the feeling. The other day I had these awards passed on by Shama of easy2cook recipes.

Again, Chitra of Ratatouille - Any one can cook has been sweet to post one of my recipes as T&T while passing on these awards.

And the dream route seems to continue as Shobha of Anubhavati - Tastes from my kitchen has done the honours.

It is kind of awe that is humongous!! I am just floating in the air. There can be no better recognition for one's simple efforts.The awards have to go to blogs which

Inspire you
Encourage you

May give Fabulous information

A great read

Has Scrumptious recipes

Any other reasons you can think of that make them Scrumptious!

and the rules are,

Put the logo on your blog or post.

Nominate at least 7 blogs

Let them know that they have received this Scrumptious award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

Though I have utmost admiration for all the bloggers I have been asked to recognise atleast eight others. All of you know how difficult this is. However, let me try, and the eight of you please pass it on to more friends.

Have also been tagged by Shobha. I've done the tag on an earlier post here. But two questions she had answered and coined remain to be tackled. They are,

What do you consider to be unethical in blogging?
It is disheartening to see your effort and work being stolen..hence PLAGIARIZING is most unethical.
What is your most prized possession in your kitchen??

I have few utensils handed down from my grandmother. They bear the initials VD to denote my grandpa's name, few of these are his mother's. Those heavy stainless steel utensils that have survived three generations are precious to me and best loved is the Mixie!

Now to add a question of my own…

Which gadget of the modern kitchen is of least use to you?

Trust me, I have a few in the list...just want to be sure I'm not alone there.

I would love to pass this on to these wonderful bloggers

Muskhan and Sadhana of A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine

Jyoti of Food Seasons

Jayasri of Samayalarai - cooking is divine

Sowmya of Visit my kitchen

Roma Sharma of Roma's space

Ann of Happy and Healthy cooking

Nithya of Nits Arts and Crafts and

Rajeshwari of RAKS Kitchen

Thank you Shama, Chitra and Shobha once again and all others for being supportive and doing a great job.

Punjabi Chole in Microwave and Awards

Everybody knows and loves this dish. No introduction is needed for this spicy, tangy Punjabi dish that is so irresistible. I cooked this dish entirely in the microwave cooking mode. I was apprehensive about the cooking of the pulses, but they simply cooked well and soft. The resultant taste was as delectable as ever.
I use a microwave oven that has maximum output of 1000 watts. So if I say 100% power it is on high with 1000watts output and I have timed for that power. Please decide the time taken depending on your machine’s output. I have been specific about the power in percentage rather than writing high, medium and so on. Thus, you can apply accordingly with specifications of your own machine.

Ingredients:
1 cup Chick peas ( soaked overnight)
3 cups water
2 - 3 teaspoons rock salt
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions sliced
2 tomatoes chopped
A lime size ball of tamarind (soak and extract a thick pulp)
2 teaspoon ginger paste
2 green chillies (ground to a paste)
½ tablespoon powdered jaggery
1 tablespoon channa masala
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 small onion sliced very thin
2” piece ginger cut in thin strips
Coriander leaves for garnish
Method:
Wash the soaked channa. Take it in a deep, broad microproof utensil. Add 3 cups water and cook covered in 100% power for 12 minutes.
Let it stand for another 5 minutes. Drain some of the water. Reserve this water for any further grinding purposes. Add salt and return to microwave. Cook covered for 5 minutes on 60% power.
In another bowl, place chopped onions and tomatoes. Cook covered on 100% power for 3 minutes. Allow to stand a further 2 minutes. Remove, cool and blend to a paste in a mixie.
Take 2 tablespoons of cooked channa. Blend in a mixie to a smooth paste adding some of the reserved water.
Combine all the pastes, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, jaggery, garam masala powder, channa masala powder to the cooked channa. Add some more water if required.
Place the pan in the microwave and cook open for 3 minutes on 100% power until the masala thickens.
In a flat dish combine oil, onion slices and ginger strips. Place in the microwave and cook without cover on for 3 minutes on 80% power.
Add these and coriander leaves as garnish.
Serve hot with rotis, chappatis, naan etc.

I served them with Usha’s Herb chappatis.

I am forwarding this to
Microwave Potluck Party event initiated first and being hosted currently by Srivalli,

And to
State Special event being hosted by Shanthi Krishnakumar

Next, on a gleeful note I would thank Jayasri and Chaitra who have been sweetly generous to pass me the Kreativ Blogger, One Lovely Blog and I love your blog awards.

Thank you both for the same. Words are inadequate to express my thanks. I have already done the tag and meme. So, I would be happy to share these awards with all of you.

Because I was Tagged... Okra stirfry.

Hema of Salt to taste has been very sweet to pass this award on to me. Thank you Hema. I deeply appreciate your lovely gesture.

She has also tagged me in her quiz. That is all this post is about.

Though she had sent it about a week ago, I took my time to go about this post. But, by now this has been well circulated and all of you seem to have had fun answering. So I don't want stale matter in your spaces. With deep and sincere appreciation, I pass the award on to all fellow blogger friends.

Now, to honour Hema's post read what she quizzed me on and enjoy yourselves.

What is your current obsession?
Collecting pottery and bamboo baskets.

What are you wearing today?

Saree, because I went grocery shopping.

What’s for dinner?
Mini idlis in sambhar.

What’s the last thing you bought?
Of course groceries, but last thing that I bought for myself is a silk saree from India.

What are you listening to right now?
Birds chirping in my garden and tick of the clock.

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Hema, is an adorable mother and a simple Indian girl.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Any where. Doesn’t matter if I have a well stocked kitchen to go with it.

What do you try to cook when you have cooking blues (When you feel real lazy to cook some thing)
Make a soup of sorts with all veggies and have. Or cook up a simple upma.

What are your must-have pieces for summer?
Body spray, face wash and hand tissues.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Home to my family or to Kansas to see my daughter, is that paid for too?

Which language do you want to learn?
I’m a beginner in French would love to learn higher levels.

What’s your favourite quote?
Lance Armstrong’s “A BOO is louder than a CHEER”
I read this in Quotable Quotes section in a particular issue of Readers’ Digest and it stuck in my mind.

Who do you want to meet right now?
My daughter.

What is your favourite colour?
White.

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
My yellow Garden saree. It holds loads of sentiments.

What is your dream job?
If you enjoy doing whatever you are doing, that is your dream job.

What’s your favourite magazine?
Readers’ Digest.

If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Send it to CRY foundation.

What do you consider a fashion faux pas? (faux pas mean error in ettiquette.. )
Wearing something you let others know that you are not comfortable in.

Who are your style icons?
Nobody. I do appreciate people with dress sense but no icons.

Describe your personal style
Errr…there is no particular style.

What are your favourite movies?
Mouna raagam, most black and white oldies, Amar prem, Anand , Mera naam Joker,
Sound of music, Home alone.....

What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?
There aren’t any that I can’t live without.

What inspires you?
Hymns, vedic chants, music, greenery.

Give us three styling tips that always work for you:
Be confident about yourself.

Stand erect and tall.

Don’t wear anything that doesn’t please you.

What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)?
No choice; have to dig out something from all those ‘nothings’ in there.

Coffee or tea?
Tea, black.

What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Watch cartoons or cry really hard and bring it all out.

What is the meaning of your name?
It is a Sanskrit word for Creeper. Though I was named Kamakshi, after my great grandmother, Lata is official.

Which other blogs you love visiting?
Each and everyone I visit, though I am not following, I read from aggregator.

Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Payasams with jaggery and milk sweets all the way.

Favorite Season ?
Certainly not winter.

I hope you've enjoyed this.

I shall post also a quick fix Okra stirfry, microwave version.

Vendaikkai kari -100% microwave cooked.

The all time favourite vegetable cooked entirely in the microwave, in minutes.

Ingredients:
250 grams of fresh, tender ladies fingers.
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1/4teaspoon asafoetida powder
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 teaspoons channa dhal
1 tablespoon thin extract of tamarind or very dilute yoghurt

Wash ladies fingers and wipe them dry. Cut to desired size.
Mix the salt, chilli powder, asafoetida powder, one teaspoon oil and the tamarind extract.
Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Put the rest of the oil in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for 30 seconds on high. Add the channa dhal and mustard seeds, return to the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute.
Open and add the prepared vegetable.
Cook covered on micropower high for 6 minutes stirring once or twice in between.
Let it stand for another 5 minutes before removing from the microwave.
A very delectable yet simple side dish is ready.

This goes to Microwave Potluck Party event hosted currently and has been initiated and run successfully for the past two years by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons.

Kreativ Blogger award

There can be no more recognition and encouragement than a comment on your work. But an award...??? Well that has thrown me off balance. I am reeling in delight.
Pavithra of Dishes from my kitchen , Ann of Happy and Healthy cooking and EC of simpleindianfood have kindly passed me this award.



Thank you Pavithra. Thank you Ann. Thank you EC. Love you ladies.
I would cherish this friendship forever.
The Kreativ Blogger award comes with some rules:-
1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on which of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated

So here I am telling you about myself, how interesting I will not know..
1. I love ( in the same order) reading, doing crosswords, eating and so cooking. I love all the special festival foods like, pongal, thirvaadhirai kali, kootu, kaaradai etc.
2. I am married to a Mangalorean, who gave up eating even eggs just for my sake. ( earlier also it was just eggs and occasionally Chicken.)
3. Just to amuse my daughter who was then about eight years of age, I used to cook for a whole week steamed treats, dosas etc. We used to coin names like Dosai week, aavi (as for steam)week , lentils week and so on.
4. My rasams are my star recipes. I have had freinds packing them home after my lunch parties. But between my sister, daughter and myself, we can have just kootu made of any vegetable, a full bowl and some yoghurt and our lunch is done.
5.I have once cooked for a particular Navrathri lunch, 33 items on the menu and will want to try repeating that feat again but with one dish atleast from different Indian Cuisines.
6. I am influenced by the rest of the family while selecting my wardrobe. They talk me into buying anything that they feel will suit me.
7.I am a gadget freak that my own kitchen in Coimbatore is fitted with more plugpoints than any other room in the house. I have on count about three mixies, citrus juicer, hand mixer, fruit juicer.......The mixies have more extra jars than the original package!!!! And the slicers,knives etc. etc.

Now is the next task. I love most other peoples blogs and am fascinated by them for lot many reasons. I would gladly nominate all of the fellow bloggers for this. However, I still have special mention for some, so would love to pass this on to,

Mahima of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen
Usha of Veg Inspirations
Jayasree of Experiments in Kailas Kitchen
Laavanya of Cookery Corner
Shoba of Anubhvati-Tastes from my kitchen
Priya of Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes
and
Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen

To all my fellow bloggers, thank you all for being supportive and encouraging. All of you are special. Keep creating magic on and on...

An Award and Two entries

Thank you JYOTI for presenting me with the award. Words are inadequate to express my joy upon this recognition.





I would love to share this with All Bloggers out there :)

Just to name a few....

Laavanya, who introduced me to blogging and never tires finding fundoo recipes,


Anu Sriram, who has a fascinating theme and not to mention lovely recipes,


Pavithra , the creativity queen,


Anupama whose recipes are so everyday - like , that I mail them to my dorm-living teen,

Ann who holds me bound with her Saatvic recipes,

and

to my lovely daughter, Niki , who has an interesting spot of her own, for just being there for me always.


I am today forwarding two of my earlier posts to Padma's Dosa Corner Event.


Aapam with Kurma.





Godhumai Rawa Adai.

A big day for me -An Award

I am thrilled; Someone seems to like my blog so much to share her award. Thank you Sowmya , (visitmykitchen), you made my day.
But friends please bear with me.I am such a novice, that I have to first learn how to go about it. However, I can't express adequately how very touched I am for the recognition. As such when I receive a comment it is overwhelming. This is much larger in magnitude.
Thank you al once again.
Lata Raja