Ezhantha vadai

It wasn't until much later in life,as an adult,that I knew the English name for the ezhantha palam.The Indian jujube as it is also known is a huge favourite in rural India. For me the ezhantha palam will always remind me of the ezhantha vadai,that was and still has my brother and cousins drooling. This is one treat that always evokes many memories of fun times at school,the pranks,the teasing,the laughter,the spicy/sweet/tangy taste of the ezhantha vadai in your mouth,that leaves you craving for more !!!

Ezhantha palam

This small red fruit is dried in the sun,then sometimes the seeds are removed,not always ! I so prefer the seeds removed,that way you can eat it faster ;)) Once it's dried,it is pounded together with tamarind,jaggery and red chillies..(drool drool and more drool).. and then it's left to dry some more ! In the school canteens,little sachets of the same blend used to be available in a semi liquid form...the number of plastic sachets with teeth marks on them were too many to count but ...oh my god!!!... they were so good !!!

 As I'm writing this I can so visualise the affectionate but not to be messed with grandmothers,who were very particular about the quality of the fruit and very precise about the process of making the ezhantha vadais. Until this day it is my grandmother and her siblings,who continue to think of us and send us these nuggets of salivating deliciousness,without fail,every year, during the ezhantha palam season and make us feel like greedy little children,all over again !

Ezhantha vadai

I can only imagine what it must have been like at a different moment in time,back then when things were far less complex,the women of the home busy during the summer months,in the tasks of pickling and preserving...the conversations they would have had out in the field beneath swaying coconut trees,the satisfaction they must've derived at being masters of their craft,the pride they felt at running a home,knowing fully well that no man could do these tasks so well and with so much ease...the knowledge of elevating the 'job' of a homemaker to an art form! I am proud to have grown up around such strong women and acknowledge the fact that the woman I am today has a lot to do with that kind of powerful examples of womankind...they did more than just make ezhantha vadais !!!

Bento Box

The Japanese are famous for their artistic flourishes whether in food,their living spaces,their attire,their tea ceremonies and the way they present their wares. It's a culture where respect and reverence is steeped in every action,the guest is indeed treated on par with the divine.  They shower so much attention on their guests from the moment they walk into their home and make them feel so special and welcome,that one just cannot help but enjoy being pampered !
I would like to share with you some pictures of an amazing meal at the home of a Japanese friend and the well packed lunch that was presented to my spouse at a luncheon meeting...the care and precision taken keeping in mind our food preferences was absolutely amazing ! An absolutely unforgettable experience both for the palate and for the eyes !!!

Bento is a single portion meal usually consisting of rice, meat/fish ,pickled vegetables and other accompaniments...they are arranged together artistically,whether it was carried to work or to school,the same perfection was always a requirement ! Japanese homemakers do spend a lot of time on carefully prepared lunch boxes for themselves,their spouses and their children. These were arranged in beautiful wooden lacquered boxes,which are a visual treat themselves ! Nowadays you do find the aluminium and plastic Bento boxes too along with the beautiful wooden ones ! Bento boxes taken to work or school were tied daintily with a cloth and secured with chopsticks,these when opened became the napkin/tablecloth and eating utensil respectively ! How very ingenious !
Many restaurants also serve their meals in well crafted bento boxes as it makes for elegant dining...and the Japanese are masters at making everything look so pretty and minimalistic !!! Nowadays ready made Bento boxes are available at airports,at railway stations for people on the move...it certainly makes for a convenient meal !
The flavours of soy,wasabi,Norri along with pickled vegetables and cured fish,tempura make for a very satisfying meal and will suit most palates ! If you do have the opportunity to taste a home cooked Bento Box meal...I promise you,it will be an experience worth mentioning to others ! :))

Orange peel

When people talk of citrus fruits...Vitamin C quickly slips into the conversation...drinking OJ world over,is very common and most all breakfast buffets will serve a pitcher of this refreshing orange drink...it's one of those foods that signify health instantaneously...the sweet sometimes tart taste of the fruit finds it's way into many many dishes both sweet and savoury.Now a whole lot of varieties are also available from different parts of the globe...the Indian 'kamala orange'  more than makes up for taste what it sometimes lacks in colour !
I wonder how many of us actually utilise the whole orange ? Like most citrus fruits the rind has natural oils which are great for the skin...as healthy as the fruit is to eat ,the rind also has amazing anti aging properties,keeping the skin supple not to mention adding a healthy glow ! So,if you don't already do so,the next time you use oranges at home,dry the peels out in the sun instead of discarding them...when they are completely dry,that will take a couple of days,the brittle peels can be ground into a coarse powder,that makes for a great scrub!
If you want to use it as a mask,just add a bit of gram flour and some 'malai' (milk skin)...mix to a smooth paste and apply for 15mts...it truly does feel wonderful and the skin really does feel pampered.
In some countries in the middle east they make 'spoon sweets' out of orange peel..very interesting...who's gonna throw away the Orange peels now eh ?!! ;))

It keeps really well in an airtight container in a cool dry place...make sure the jars are clean and free of moisture before storing...it's a great scrub for all skin types...do try !!!
 

Kaffir lime aka Narthangai

Kaffir lime,that fragrant ingredient that has permeated into our home and our food...full of flavour and really adds zestiness and zing to an Asian dish ! The citrusy flavours go so well with the sweet flavours of coconut milk and the spiciness of fresh red chili...truly a marriage made in heaven ! While we fret over the fact that it's not easily available and no Thai or Malaysian dish can come close to authenticity without this 'exotic' ingredient...it did lead people to do a lot of thinking as to why can it not be grown here,after all the climate fits the required profile...!!! So,I'm grateful to all these curious minds,one among whom is my mum, that lead to the discovery of our very own Narthangai...similar in size,shape and colour...with the same zesty fragrance...could it be the Indian cousin of Kaffir lime or are they in fact the same ??!!!

Narthangai

Kaffir lime

Kaffir lime

Narthangai

While most people are convinced that they in fact are one and the same...one does find a critic or two that insist that the flavours of Kaffir lime are very different to that of the Narthangai....I for one do find the fragrance of the leaves quite similar and I'm more than happy to use the locally grown leaves and fruit in all my Asian dishes...I suggest you get a Narthangai sapling,it's so versatile,we make pickles,pachadis in Indian food,thuvayals and chutneys too...and it is a key ingredient in Asian cooking...and the flavours are so fresh,you might just be inspired to create your own dish...after all,isn't that what cooking is all about ;)))

Food disguises

Food disguises....what you see is not what you are actually eating...many chefs all over the world have mastered the art of making dining an art form .One of my favourite chefs whose work I am completely in awe of is Heston Blumenthal...his 3 michelin star rated restaurant 'The Fat Duck' has been consisitently voted among the top dining establishments in the world.Having read about him and his recipes before, I first saw him cook and actually saw his recipes be created on an episode of Masterchef Australia...and he was like this highly sophisticated food scientist ...his flavours extraordinary to say the least !

Is that a pic perfect fruit or is it not ?!!! His fruit platter has to be seen to be believed...how a person can begin to conceive and then go on to create that which he has conceptulised...to perfection is 'sheer genius at work'!!!!

There you have the fruit which is actually a cheese platter...hence the bread !
His restaurant takes fine dining to a whole new level...some of his dishes are actually served with ear phones with sounds of the sea or other forms of music pertaining to his dish...a lot of aura and mystique surround some of his creations like they are lost lands which you can see through a foggy haze...he believes that the act of eating is for all the senses and not just for the taste buds alone....who am I to argue with him !!!!!?!!

Artisitic food

Diwali cupcakes

I've long believed that food is an expression of who we are as individuals,what we appreciate in life...as in beauty is in the eye of the beholder ! To be an artist one need not always express themselves on canvas...while I am an art lover...art is also in music ,theatre, fashion ,jewellery ,writing and in food too ! Food allows all kinds of artistic expressions....food photography is growing every day with more and more people getting addicted to it...case in point ;))
Food stylists are also more in demand today than before...the simple act of eating has been re invented to 'fine dining'...whether at home or at an expensive restaurant...how fortunate are we that we have evolved into bringing happiness into our lives and to the lives of our children,friends and family by lending artistic touches to food in tiny ways...the way the eyes light up or the gasps of delight are more rewarding than any other reward monetary or otherwise....and there is no right or wrong...as it's rightly said...beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder !!!
I'd like to share with you some pictures of fun festive designs on cupcakes,cookies and halwas...especially for Diwali...why should Christmas have all the fun?!! ;))))))))

festive halwa

I can only imagine the smiles on the face of this person who thought up of presenting the halwa in this manner...a happy soul for sure...a lot of love has gone into this dish !

bright festive cookies

This is something I really look forward to trying out for next year...the colours and designs are amazing ,on a simple butter cookie...stunning ! If any of you do try it out,please do send me your pics !!! This is just an icing sugar and hot water icing...so festive and cheerful !

Idigarai murukku

A long time ago before the arrival of samosas,kachoris,puris,sev and other fried delicacies from the North, became popular in Tamil Nadu,the people of the South indulged their taste buds in fried snacks made from rice and dhals...murukkus ,seedai , thatta murrukku , ribbon murrukku or ottu pakoda  and many variations of the same were most popular .Usually home made by women who had time on their hands and very nimble fingers,these were made in a clean environment and great care for hygiene was taken by the person involved in making them...almost a reverence was given to the task of making 'palagaram' ...in other words..festive food...not to mention the happiness that surrounded these people who while cooking would indulge in stories and gossip and that I think was the secret behind their long tireless toil!!! Hearing the elders in my family speak of a time when it was easily available at markets in Idigarai...I feel sad that these handmade tiny circles of yumminess are only made by 1 woman now...I'm also very grateful that I was able to see and taste these murrukkus !
 Murrukku in tamil means to twist...the word is also familiar as an errant child would be threatened that he/she would have their ears 'murruki' if they behaved badly :D OUCH !!!

The murukkus were so special to me,that they had to be shared and be a part of my diwali basket this year !!!

Food trivia

As I was reading the amazing cookbook,Pure Vegetarian by Smt.Prema Srinivasan,I was amazed at how they excelled at making so many varieties of dishes,for eg, from one batter and the sheer devotion and complete dedication involved in preparing a meal for the family.
The pride they took in their kitchens and home cooked food is incomparable...it was truly food for the soul...the aesthetics involved in preparation,serving and presenting of a dish makes one want to have the time to pass on such traditions ,they involve not only the food itself but of a culture filled with respect and reverence to the art of dining and for the gratitude of prosperity.Few today ,in the world of instant mixes and masala packets,that no doubt helps us to multi-task,even reflect on a moment on the origin of these dishes and the labour involved in making them from scratch :)
In her book,her section of dosais,I learnt a piece of trivia that brought a smile to my face for the sheer simplicity of it... she writes and i quote..."The origin of the popular word dosai is dwi osai ,being also onomatopoeic,mimicking the hissing sound of batter as it is poured over the hot griddle and once again making the same sound when it is turned over to cook on the other side. Dosai has evolved from dwi osai,meaning two sounds"
This book also seems to have many simple dishes for healthy every day eating,I cannot wait to try out some of the recipes :))