tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352293332011-08-16T09:31:22.601+02:00Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-53346603775304788862009-04-23T22:20:00.013+02:002009-04-29T21:49:00.948+02:00

The good thing about blogging is that you write whenever you want and pick up from whereever you left off. Over the past few months, something or the other has kept me from penning anything down, even though I have been eagerly following all my favourite blogs. My job got busier, went to India on a vacation, attended brother's wedding which was awesome, got busy again with work; then the dark

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-22607071639201822222009-01-28T01:54:00.007+02:002009-01-28T02:06:30.325+02:00

This goes as my entry to Click for the lovely 'Red' theme. Its from when I made marzipan roses a while back!

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-76755369448657821732008-08-02T22:17:00.018+02:002009-01-24T23:00:42.169+02:00

Wow, this Jihva has been so thrilling for me. I was intrigued with wonder with each and every entry. It was way beyond anything that I imagined. I got an entry for all the flowers I wanted to see the recipes of and much more. I want to sincerely thank all that sent in their beautiful entries, and to Indira for giving me the opportunity to host Jihva.In alphabetical order of flowers, here are your

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-68312458703454271022008-08-02T21:20:00.008+02:002008-08-02T21:36:19.066+02:00

Some lovely Marzipan Lilies, while the Jihva roundup is being compiled....

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-15358575431850113022008-08-02T04:17:00.009+02:002008-08-02T04:49:03.486+02:00

So much for hosting a fancy schmancy event as Flower Power Jihva, and I fail to find any edible flower petals where I live. I would have loved to find hibiscus petals or rose petals, but instead found lots of specialised food stores nearby that didnt stock them. I couldve ordered some online, but instead found a bottle of 'Arq-e-gulab' at the local Indian greengrocer that I thought would suffice

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-81187993440620073032008-07-31T02:16:00.006+02:002008-11-13T04:06:31.487+02:00

This is a guest post. This entry has been sent in my my mum and her friends Meera and Sunita. Thank you ladies, you are the sweetest!Kachnaar ki kali are beautiful yellow blossoms of St. Thomas's tree also known as Bauhinia Tomentosa. This is what it looks like. I believe the leaves and flowers of this plant has medicinal values too. Here the ladies have made a sabzi(sauted preperation) with the

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-40087754031964831002008-07-22T01:52:00.003+02:002008-07-22T02:05:35.398+02:00

I'm getting lots of queries on if they can contribute recipes for flower power Jihva with cauliflower as the main ingredient. Yes, technically cauliflower is part of a flower and I guess I will not refuse an entry with cauliflower. Also broccoli, kale and kohlrabis are technically parts of a flower.However, I would prefer and also will except decorations and garnishes that look like a flower,

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-4436168368876145552008-07-01T03:54:00.014+02:002008-07-01T05:38:18.782+02:00

Having spent most of my life in the semi arid climate of Southern Africa, seeing flowers’ blooming all around me is a luxury. Here in the US, spring time and now summer in New England, I’m told is one of the best in the US. The change of seasons and all the colors has been so exciting for me. I have been taking pictures of every bud and every flower that I’ve come across outside my home and

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-26215511717288671402008-06-23T03:25:00.009+02:002008-06-23T17:21:26.480+02:00

This carrot kofta goes to jugalbandi for their special click event for Bri.I posted these carrot koftas last year and am sending them for this month's special click event at Jugalbandi. Bri: we are with you, take care!

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-8543701880349814152008-05-31T02:24:00.011+02:002008-05-31T04:40:04.276+02:00

These bean brownies go to jugalbandi for their click beans event. yes... brownies made from beans... reactions to this statement are of two types. The first is 'Eww...bean brownies, no way?!!!", and the second type of reaction is 'wow...bean brownies, really? I'm glad mine was of the second type, otherwise I would have never tried this recipe.Just like the comments to the post where I found this

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-78678221573085676922008-05-11T06:03:00.011+02:002008-11-13T04:06:32.732+02:00

There is a small village in rajasthan called Nathdwara, its the place Ive been going to since childhood on every trip to India from Africa... the places and darshan of the deities refreshes the soul and also ignites your gastronomic senses. From the prasadam that we get with all the darshan to the street food, it is the best Ive ever had. I consider my Dad a connosieur of taste and when he says

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-55160874978968569332008-04-20T05:40:00.011+02:002008-04-20T15:05:05.163+02:00

Apples: are my entry for Jai and Bee's lovely Click event: and this month's theme is 'Au Natural'.One fine day when I entered my apartment lobby, I got a wift of the most aromatic masala and thought to myself, "Gosh these neighbour bachelor boys are cooking up a storm today....why dont they use their exhaust fans when cooking and not make us so hungry". As I turned to check my mailbox, I saw a

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-5196656168030833012008-03-29T04:30:00.007+02:002008-03-29T05:16:20.262+02:00

My Click entry: sunlight through my colander.Wow, it isnt easy when you are shifting city, country, and continent, to a new city, new country and new life. Life changes totally and everyday is a new expirience. Moving from laid back Africa all the way to the US needs changing your gears up a notch or two. Of all the major changes I had to go through, the two main changes affecting me daily is the

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-19153443342303390052007-11-16T11:36:00.000+02:002007-11-16T11:55:57.231+02:00

This is my entry for the click event. This month's theme is noodles.... I made this kheer for karva chauth.This picture was taken, whilst I toodled around the house on Karva Chauth Day wondering how to take my mind off my hunger pangs, and my mum thought it was sad that I was trying to take pictures of food to try and forget my hunger...... :SIn the the previous statement I got carried away.... I

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-56864703299348175622007-11-09T10:24:00.000+02:002007-11-12T11:22:23.411+02:00

Happy Diwali !!!!!!!I would like to wish all my readers a very happy Deepavali…. Wishing everyone lots of happiness, joy and prosperity.Diwali is the festival of lights, the celebration of good over evil…light over darkness. Deepavali as it is also called ....means a row of lamps. These lamps are usually made with clay and some women at home make them with ‘aata’ or roti dough. When I saw the

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-54953194865217675812007-10-30T15:24:00.000+02:002007-10-30T16:31:04.669+02:00

I love fasting on karva chauth despite it being a grueling day of controlling your hunger and thirst, and not because it’s the most fanciest custom that bollywood has to show in their movies nowadays. But fasting like this is when one gets to really appreciate the food we eat and the water we drink daily.Mostly I feel more thirsty than hungry. But somehow it feels good to fast on the day. Its not

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-20882978709438985302007-10-19T15:32:00.000+02:002007-10-24T10:51:18.532+02:00

These ladoos are so easy and are great for kids to learn and make. But first I want to put in a plea to keep contributing to ‘feed a hungry child’ as there are still a few days left for the fund raising drive. Even though the fund-drive goal of raising 3, 360 dollars has been crossed, we can contribute more to feed more mouths.(FHC): feedahungrychild.org is a not-for-profit charitable

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-48726409642102213632007-10-15T16:47:00.000+02:002007-10-16T10:30:48.743+02:00

Its navratri time, time to fast, feast and wait for all the rest of the festivals to hit you! Navratri is composed of nine days of celebrating the female energy of our creation, in the most revered form, the Mother Goddess. All throughout India, from state to state, the Goddesses are prayed."All Hindus celebrate this festival at the same time in different ways in different parts of India as well

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-83463122360766257422007-10-03T16:01:00.000+02:002007-10-16T09:35:30.435+02:00

I just cant believe that Ive been blogging for just over a year now. Most people like me discover the food blogosphere in the quest for a recipe... I was looking for Naranaga Pickle and stumbled upon Injipennu's Ginger and Mango... then onto Asha's Foddie's Hope....and I was amazed at the way these ladies would cook and present their recipes. I was truely inspired... I wanted to make my

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-40136004992305559272007-09-14T14:22:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:37.720+02:00

Nuts are the best to snack on as opposed to fried snacks, chips and crisps. Yes, they are not low fat but the health benefits of consuming them far outrun the fact that they are calorie laden. As opposed to fried pakodas and chewda, nuts have the good fats (mostly monounsaturated and poly unsaturated fats). Nuts are also one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber,

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-2046343351940090172007-09-03T16:14:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:38.359+02:00

Shri Krishna Janamashtami also known as Krishna Jayanti, Shri Jayanti and Gokulashtami amongst many names. It is the most revered festival in our house.Janmashtami, (as it is casually known) is one of the most popular festivals of Hindus which celebrates the birth of their beloved God, Sri Krishna. Detailed story of Janmashtami or Lord Krishna's birth has been narrated in Puranas. Please read

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-36860475853464504412007-08-24T16:17:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:41.679+02:00

Let me just add in my very first line that this is a non-food related post.Onam ashamsakal (onam greetings to you)Onam is such a special festival for me, every year I thoroughly enjoy taking part in activities, whatever I can, that make this beautiful festival so unique. I love making the athapoo/pookalam (flower carpet), I absolutely love making the sadya (which I plan to on the weekend). I love

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-58323020564735982672007-08-21T16:02:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:46.573+02:00

As I near the completion of 20 years in the beautiful country of Botswana, I decided to dedicate a post to it and send a postcard to lovely Bee and Jay at Jugalbandi. When I finished the postcard, I still had a lot to tell about this lovely country and I had gone through tons and tons of my old photographs. I didn’t know which picture to send in the postcard and which not to. I selected a few and

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-50040665155586104982007-08-17T15:26:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:47.573+02:00

Ok, I give in. This whole week, I said to myself I wudn't fry, and be on this 'healthy' salad diet. And what do you know? There's an event, more like an invitation to a party to encourage us to fry pooris and to have it with the ever tempting aaloo sabzi...grrrrSo yesterday I said, what the heck...I might as well make it :) which made hubby the happiest person on the planet. Anita, this whole

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-78654179362429077802007-08-16T08:26:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:48.590+02:00

As a country India is now 60 years old, and as much as Aug 15 makes one feel all fuzzy and patriotic, and as much as the Indian economy has reached new heights, I feel as a country it has a long way to go. I know I might create outcry amongst some readers but lets face the fact that only looking at the positives and self praise in vanity never improves any country.Yes, we have an amazing culinary

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-69178848302247791742007-08-04T15:24:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:49.416+02:00

How many times do we want a quick meal because we are so hungry, or because we are out of time? A lot of times I have a hungry hubby calling me that he's on his way home and ravenous. Amd most times no take away order satisfies the belly like a yummy homemade meal.The express event in which we need to cook a full nutritious meal within 30 minutes conceived by mallugirl of Malabar Spices is a

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-4931703559246229412007-07-31T18:07:00.000+02:002007-07-31T18:15:59.454+02:00

I just want to announce some changes...Fusion Food is now Soul FoodDumela = RachnaRachna = Rachna Therefore, Rachna is Rachna, and Dumela is going to fall off soon as it was causing confusion and people were thinking I am two people... and since for the first time ever, someone told me they like the name Rachna, Dumela is out.... (some letters have even fallen off already, and by the end of the

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-29054147298911175122007-07-24T23:27:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:49.992+02:00

Using Gud (Jaggery) instead of regular sugar for the syrup in this recipe takes these lovely paras to another level. This recipe is from one of my fav bhabhi, whose an ace gudpara maker. These can be stored in an airtight container for a month or two and is yummy in the winter months. The saunf also gives them a lovely flavour. I usually pop a couple in my mouth after lunch, which satisfies my

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-85400194901921018312007-07-17T22:22:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:52.696+02:00

I love paneer (fresh cottage cheese) with a passion, and if it was possible I would use it in every dish. Bechara (Poor) hubby hardly tolerates it in the usual dishes. Once when we were on transit at the Dubai International airport, I ordered a paneer masala dosa, hubby was so disgusted at me for ruining a dosai by asking the waiter to put paneer masala in it.Apart from my fusion uses my fav

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-43377332304400611162007-07-01T22:35:00.001+02:002008-11-13T04:06:54.054+02:00

I know my hubby was a punjabi in his previous life and I must've been a malayalee. The passion with which he looooves makki ki roti with dal, aalo ka parantha with white butter, any kind of dhaba food, pakoras of any kind is beyond comprehension. The same way, my folks wonder what happened to their punjabi daughter (me) and my changed taste buds when I go on on about the intoxicating onam sadya I

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-39134463779046820872007-06-30T00:17:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:54.869+02:00

I am chugging along in recipe and cooking-land in my skoro-skoro (local african word for an old about-to-break-down-any-minute car!) when a flash hits me in the eye, and I adjust my rear-view mirror to see a sparkling, fast moving object approaching from behind. "It's a beamer", I say to myself, as it approaches and wooshes by, overtaking me and dissapearing upfront. Heee heee, that was the best

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-28405515188032393472007-06-20T18:39:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:55.593+02:00

NO, this cake is not my creation. I cannot be a computer engineer, study for my post-graduate degree, organize a birthday party for 150 people, be a mom AND bake the cake! And whenever I can't bake, the request goes to our cake baking lady and a good friend, Aisha. She's been baking cakes for us for 7 years now. She has an amazing ability to transfer my different north and south ideas into a

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-26077178530786940442007-06-04T14:14:00.001+02:002008-11-13T04:06:57.216+02:00

I love to make trifle for dessert when a small group of people are coming over or for a special treat. Its so easy to assemble and proves to be a hit with everybody. Usually I stick to a colour theme, and throw in fruits of the same colour. Sometimes seasonal fruits determine the colour of the trifle! Like when mangoes are in season, its Trifle yellow, and for peaches it Trifle orange and Trifle

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-83693253793354155472007-05-22T14:42:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:58.133+02:00

Why is it that as we grow up, one by one, we start liking, in fact relishing, those very foods and dishes that we detested when we were younger? I remember I used to hate ginger when I was a child, I used to hate the chilliness and tingling sensation felt on the tongue, but now ginger in a dish just ranks it so much higher to other dishes... and I love Injipuli (ginger chutney) to bits. There was

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-78771931841328277532007-05-04T10:38:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:59.269+02:00

Most food bloggers that I have been reading recently are talking about the ‘lovely spring air’, ‘spring blossoms’, ‘warmer weather’, ‘fresh spring vegetables’, etc etc. While all the food bloggers brag about the warming weather in the northern hemisphere, here we are hit by colder and colder winter nights, and a chill in the air in the southern hemisphere, brrrrr.Even though it doesn’t snow in

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-76322099613501265712007-04-24T10:25:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:06:59.969+02:00

This is a typical punjabi dish and the burji leaves a unique bitterness in the mouth. Its typical of a mooli after taste and its really an acquired taste that comes after trying it several times. The first time I enjoyed it was when it was served with makki ki roti that was stuffed with grated white icicle mooli with a blob of white homemade butter and a huge glass of salt lassi at home by my mom

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-55149348816966771142007-04-13T10:19:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:07:00.292+02:00

Hmm evening tea time is the most important meal of the day, ahem for me that is! Well, I could skip or rush though any meal of the day, but come 5pm I need my cuppa with a yummy snack. When I am super hungry I know I need to assemble something fast, and my fav thing is to spread some cream cheese or cottage cheese on some salty crackers and throw in some toppings, the results are always yummy and

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-45043628011532202132007-04-01T17:17:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:07:01.513+02:00

Tomatoes.. I gotta have a bunch in my refrigerator no matter what. Plus they act as a contingency for other cooking plans and recipe disasters. In fact I always find my family members wondering why they appear in every dish I make. Heck, I could throw them into my green salad, who cares if its not green anymore. Contingency because, when I’m in one of those what-do-I-make confusion states or when

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-1173367166493253622007-03-08T17:12:00.000+02:002008-11-13T04:07:02.258+02:00

I hadn’t blogged for so long and I promised I would cook for Jihva for ingredients by mahanandi, this month it was hosted by Vaishali from Happy Burp and the ingredient for this month was potatoes. As she rightly describes it, it’s the most versatile vegetable I have ever come across, it can be boiled, baked, fried in hundreds of ways. It is true that we have a love-hate relationship with it. As

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-1161334159994863552006-10-20T10:16:00.000+02:002007-08-11T23:42:08.133+02:00

Puli inji, or Ginger chutney (as they call it in my house) is a must must must for any sadya. I can even have it with rice and moorkootan, and its great with dosa and idli too. It can even bring to life a plain kichdi. Even though kerala and malalayees are quite unique from the other states and people of india, there exists so many variations in the food and language within the state too. This is

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-1160044555162874532006-10-05T12:23:00.000+02:002007-04-19T15:08:25.924+02:00

Sadya laden plates... so inviting... for this year's sadya I made sambar, thoran, aviyal, pineapple pachadi, kootcurry, olan, pulinji, naranga pickle, kalan, kerala papad with rice offcourse. I also made idlis for variety, so desiced to call it fusion sadya!! Offourse to finish off there was ari payasam...my panjabi friends loved the pachadi, kalan and pulinji so posting recipes soon...

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-1159522445076983872006-09-29T11:12:00.000+02:002007-08-11T23:40:45.021+02:00

I usually make this during navratri... they can be made on any occasion really and they are so easy to make...Ingredients1 1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy)3/4 cup icing Sugar (can put 1 cup if you want more sweet)1 cup khoya (grated finely)1/2 cup dessicated coconut5 tbsp ghee (enough to moisten the peanut mixture)Add all the ingredients (ghee, peanut butter, sugar, coconut and khoya) in a wok on

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35229333.post-1159519604118737542006-09-29T10:45:00.000+02:002006-09-29T11:06:59.206+02:00

Cooking has a therapeutic effect on me. When I'm tired, bored, frustrated or wanting to do something creative, I cook. Lucky hubby i hear you say, tabhi tho ....kha kha ke mote hote jaa rahe hai....!!I attribute my cooking skills to my mum, although its my dad whose brought in the fine tuning and perfectioned touch to my recipes. And hubby dear, he's responsible for the quality and testing (

Rachnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12796760582582675972noreply@blogger.com0