Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary..I published my first post after lot of No's and confusions the same day last year..Since I was a novice in computers I was little bit reluctant to start a blog amidst full of talented and innovative bloggers.. But once I started I slowly get confidence and of course I know its all of you blogger friends continuous support and your valuable comments...I am so happy that I could reach the first year though my baby is facing a lull for a couple of months..This will continue for some more time as I have some personal affairs to do. A special thanks to Harish who helps me technically whenever I need..A big hug to my sweet Nandhu who loves all my food and my first critic too..Not to forget hubby for he has tasted all my experimented food though till now he never knows my URL.. And finally all my blogger friends U all made my day..Thank you so much for your continuous support..Will come up with more recipes next week..Have a grt weekend!!!

Happy New Year and a Break

It has been a long time I couldnot blog..All our holiday spirits and moods were spoiled due to the sudden virus attack in our computer...I couldnot even open the computer and feared of loosing all the sweet memories of my kids pictures and delicious bookmarked recipes..But I finally could able to retrieve all the datas..Still I have some problem with virus..Missing the blogging world very much.. Wishing you all a very Happy New year.. See you all Next year..

Digestion ( Jeerana podi ) Powder

I have scheduled this post for Jhiva for Love months back .

I couldnot send this because of the non- availability of some

pictures. Today is my Paati's ( Dad's Mom ) Death Anniversary. So

I thought today would be opt for posting this.

It has been a decade since Paati left us . But her

memories still lingering in my heart.Paati was born

and brought up in Rangoon,Burma.

She did her studies in International

School , Rangoon.But she was destined to leave

Burma as Japan bombed Rangoon during

World War II.Paati's kith and kins had to leave all their

belongings there and then settled in her native village in India.And

all through her life she was made to live in the small places since

Thatha was a Govt.doctor.

As a kid I enjoyed Paati's stories about her

childhood in Rangoonand I used to make fun of calling

her as" Rangoon Paati". The most attractive feature of Paati

was her beautiful long hair.She had a very long beautiful hair

that goes beyond her knees.The most saddest part was She lost

all her hair due to the malignant disease Cancer and the follow up

treatment of Chemotherapy.

My regular visitors and dear friends would all know about

Amma's passion for cooking and craft . Though Amma is good

in both cooking and crafts before marriage itself It is more

intensified because of Paati's brilliance and craftiness . Amma

is still having Paati's precious old craft books .

Coming to the recipe , This is Paati's signature podi.

I still remember Paati standing besides Thatha with a tiny

bowl of this podi when Thatha was having lunch . It was a rule

of Paati to give a pinch of this podi with hot mashed rice and ghee

for the first two bites to the babies . For the adults She used

to mix the podi with buttermilk and drink it after finishing the lunch.

Ingredients

Omam ( Ajwain ) - 2 tblsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tblsp

Whole pepper - 1/2 tblsp

Hing - 1 tsp

Dried ginger - 1 inch

Salt - 1 tsp

Method

Dried everything under sun . Grind in the mixie to

a fine powder . Store in an airtight container.

This goes to Raaga's Think Spice Event Ajwain started by Sunita

How to use

Take 1/2 tsp of podi and mix with 2 tblsp of buttermilk.

My Kitchen Treasures

I don't have much kitchen treasures as I left all those

precious things back at my home in India..But When

I started packing for US I am so particular in packing

these three treasures..Not a cozy one..but definitely

so useful in everyday life..

I don't like to use the non-stick dosa pan for making

crispy dosas..If properly managed this iron tawa is

great for making dosas so crispier..

And the kadai I used mainly for deep frying the papads ,

pooris ... We call this as" Ozhukkal chatti " in Tamil.It looks

like a strong one but it will break when it falls down.

And finally the most precious for me is the Murukku Kuzhal.

I use this for making all my murukkus , Ribbon pakoda..

Amma and me specially travelled miles away to get

this ..The speciality is the holes in the plates are small ,

so gets cooked easily .

And this is off to Dibs Kitchen Treasure event

Celebrating Amma's 60 th B' Day

All mothers are special in their own way... As my blog name

says Amma is a true inspiration to me . She teaches us to be

humble , respectful , polite , honest and more importantly

patience.. With all these qualities she stands high today.

Today Amma is celebrating her 60 th B' Day.. She is more

popular around her circles for her tasteful cooking and beautiful

craft works . All the new born babies are adorned by amma's

beautiful knitted shawls and sweaters.. She is more happy

to teach embroidery , knitting and all the handworks whoever

approached her . She is never reluctant to share her works

and ideas.. Through all these years she has been teaching

handworks without getting money ..

I would like share few of Amma's works here.

Amma's Knitting

Amma's Kasooti Embroidery

Kasooti in a saree

Tatting Work

Kutch Work

Embroidery at my daughter's Pattu Pavadai

I owe amma for everything I am doing now .

Without her I couldnot be in this place now..Happy

B'day Amma.. I miss you so much here.

Fund Raising for Lakshmi ~ Donate for Heart

This is an appeal to all of my friends , readers and bloggers on behalf Anita Lakshmi.

Anita Lakshmi is 28 yrs old and suffers from coronary artery disease . She has 6 & 3 yr old children . She is dependant on her mother financially who helps in the household of our co blogger Srivalli. For more information click here. Lakshmi was undergoing treatment in Vijaya Hospital . The entire operation and other costs will go over 5 - 6 Lakhs ( 15,000 USD ) . In srivalli's own words ,

We have set up a bank account and consulted a lawyer for all other formalities. I have also roped in Lakshmi of The Yum Blog. Since she is a volunteer for the Banyan, she said she will try to get help from people she knows. I will also be involving other Chennai food bloggers in this fund raising. We will be managing the funds and will pay the hospital directly, once she gets admitted. No funds will be directly handled by the family members. The fund collected will be used for her operation, post operation charges plus to support them for atleast few months.

I appeal to my friends and viewers to help us achieve this target. Here is my Raffle Prize sponsored by my sister. Red stone embeded Necklace with matching pair of ear rings.

Bidding Price : $ 10

Shipping : Restricted to India only

Code : kamala_Red Necklace

Green Stone Embeded Necklace

Bidding Price : $ 10

Shipping : Restricted to India Only

Code : kamala_Green Necklace

Make your donation at the chip in button at any

participating site.Once you get the confirmation from Paypal

Please forward the mail to lakshmi.fundraising@gmail.com.

You can mention your choice , bidding price and location

along in the mail.

Your donation can be made securely through Credit card, paypal

and goes directly to Lakshmi's account.

Thank You.

My sister's Wonderful Creations

This is a long pending post in my draft.I thought of blogging together with my sister when I first started blogging.Being a little one both at my mom's and her in - law's place she has not got the chance to do anything new in the kitchen until recently.So she

is in a bit of dilemma and finally said No to Blog.

My only sister who is a good friend,

and companion for me now,was a great rival in the early days.It is not more like a rivalry , but as an elder one I was over protective to her as a hard task master.Both are contrary in everything , right from the looks to characters and all.She is more well organised ,works to a neatly sketched timetable , strong minded , never show up her feelings outside.I simply adore her for these qualities.

We both get ( atleast a little bit ) interest in handworks from Amma's genes. Because We both are married to different place whenever We meet at Amma's place its time for sharing the ideas whatever we learned in the period of time.Here are some of the creations she made. Aari work in blouse and salwar

Jewellery Making

Flower Aaram for Brides

I am so proud of my sis who is more energetic and supportive to

me all the time

My Click!!!

This is my entry to Click Beans and Lentils.Asusual

I dont have any idea for clicking till today.Atlast

I finally get this Teddy bear Dals ( atleast resemble

close to teddy !!!).

Panguni Pongal festival

I still remember during my school days, we all would be

waiting for the end of the final exams....for summer vacation?

No atleast for the southern parts of TamilNadu.

Mariamman kovil festival comes at the end of hectic

and fearing final exams.All my uncles and aunts come over

from distance places for this festival.So it happens to

be a meeting time of all my cousins.I always think our

ancestors made this Temple festivals as a get together

or a gathering of kith and kins coupled with offerings

to God.

People in and around Sivakasi give more

importance to Mariamman kovil Pongal festival than

Thai Pongal.All the local offices will be closed for 2 days

for this festival.

The festival starts with flag hoisting in the

Temple usually in the first sunday of Tamil month Panguni

( mid of March).Marriages should not be held until the

lowering of flag.The 21 st day after the flag hoisting

is the Pongal festival.The next day is the Annual Agni

Thiruvizha with hundreds of devotees taking up fire

pot procession.

The third day is the ( Therottam ) Temple car festival.

The Temple car goes around the main streets .And the festival

ends wiht the lowering of flag.Almost all the people

who lives in other places gather here for this big festival.

Another interesting thing during this festival

is matrimonial arrangements.People consider this festival as

the perfect place for looking around for brides and grooms.Lot

of marriages will be held after the festival.

Panguni pongal festival is so much to us like the

big festival Diwali.

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A new addition to my kitchen.

Few weeks back i celebrated my birthday. The kids enjoyed this more than me.Creating cards ....secretly,

discussed about gifts to give.And finally it was decided to be Ice cream maker.I made tasty icecreams to shower back all the love i got from them. I remember my aunt has that old manual ice cream maker. So whenever we had holidays we brought that to our home and rotate it for 45 min without stopping to make yummy

icecreams. Years later,Amma got the electric icecream maker.

Except the electrical everything is same as old manual one

of filling with ice and salt. But this cuisinart Ice cream

maker is really good.No more fussing about ice and salt

......The kids loved this new member very much.

My Click

Though I am not a good photographer , as a newbie

in the blogging world i like to participate in

Click the metal event.

Amma is having this murruku press since my childhood.

When Appa had his postings in Kumbakonam she bought this.

After my marriage I searched for this in various places.We

could not get this in any other place.So we got down to

kumbakonam just to buy this few yrs back.So I love

and treasure this little one.The holes in this press

are very small and I use for murruku and Ribbon

Pakoda.