I will be making atleast one type of sprouts everyweek. Summer is almost over but I am hoping California weather will help me with my sprouting even in winter. We will see!
This week target- Mung beans, Ragi and Wheat. Will post the update soon.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Trip to Andaman - Guest Post
My sister who is a "Doctor in the making ", a fun loving, chirpy person has something to say about her trip to Andamans. She is very well read person with a unique and elegant style of expression! After reading this, I felt how much I missed those childhood family vacation!
*****************************************
Awesome is the word.The trip was rejuvenating-in the true sense of the word. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city…the calm and clear waters, the serene atmosphere and the lush greenery all around was a treat to the eyes and to the stressed mind. Except for a few instances, a little here and a little there (where amma kept nagging appa and appa kept losing his temper) the trip was superb.
At 11:00a.m. On the 1st of March 2008 we left for Chennai by jet airways. I was a trifle nervous…as I'm not a frequent flyer. The flight was delayed by half an hour. Added to this was the heavy traffic in Chennai and we reached athai's home only at 5:00p.m. Everyone was mildly surprised. The nerd of the family who'd never let go of her books for even a minute, the bespectacled geek, the bookworm, had indeed started on a tour!! There was pal payasam waiting the arrival of the V.I.P. ….
I was slightly put off by the flight delay (very superstitious that I'm, the delay at the very outset of the journey dampened my spirits) but there…sitting in my sister-in-law's lap was my cute niece-Saranya,a baby angel, scrutinizing all the aliens infiltrating into the threshold of her sweet home. I picked her up and she screamed the place down, tears gushing down her pink cheeks like water rushing out of a hose pipe…I put her down, more depressed…
Having nothing else to do, me amma and appa decided to tour Korrattoor in the evening. We visited several shops and walked till the bus stop. My concern however were elsewhere-stray dogs roaming around the streets. My eyes were in constant pendular motion-a horizontal nystagmus, directing my feet to the point farthest away from each dog…finally on returning back to the safe confines of my athai's home, I learnt that she'd taken the pains to make chapatti for me while everyone else was served rice. Being a nerd and a constant topper does have its advantages at times!! J
We started early next morning. Our flight was scheduled at 5:45a.m. And you guessed it right! Our flight got delayed by 2 hours!! "'s alright. Everything happens for our own good "I said to myself….
Grrr…grrr…I heard a distant rumble…a lion in the airport??!!Some more grrr's followed. Oops that was my tummy. I browsed the airport for a snack bar. Lo and behold! There was one right in front of the waiting hall. No it was definitely not a mirage…I went there with appa and checked out the menu:
Veg puffs Rs 40 Veg sandwich Rs 50 Veg roll Rs 60 Veg burger Rs 60 Veg samosa Rs15 Coffee Rs30
I could almost hear appa snort at the prices. I knew the veg samosa was all I could hope for. But will u believe my luck????? It was not available! The veg roll and the sandwich were the only things the snack bar had to offer. I turned my back on the shop and returned to my seat. It was hardly two months since amma underwent a hysterectomy. She was very nervous about the trip. And probably that was why she was spending more time at the loo than in the waiting hall…
Finally… at long last, we were flying to the destination of my dreams-Andaman...
We stayed at the BSNL holiday home and our travel agent was the BSNL SDE (a very very obvious guess) but unlike usual BSNL quarters, the holiday home at Port Blair was very neat, cozy and comfortable. After lunch at the nearby "Annapurna" restaurant, we started our tour at 1:00p.m. We just had half the day left. So we planned some local sight seeing. To my dismay however, all the places had closed down for lunch and the shops had the shutters down too as it was a Sunday-the 2nd of March 2008.
After waiting for half an hour in our qualis we started with the anthropological museum. From then on it was a tornado of fun…
Having familiarized a little with the history, geography and culture of Andaman, we left for our next stop-the samudrika naval marine museum. The museum had in its display beautiful shells, colorful corals and a number of fish tanks-boasting the rich fauna of the oceans around Andaman.
The next stop-the cellular jail, was one which would remain etched in my mind forever. Being a KV product, patriotism is one strong flavor you will readily sense in my blood. The stories of Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Vir Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji…still ring loud in my ears…
The visit to the jail heightened the empathy I felt for our freedom fighters. As I was standing there fighting nostalgia, our driver cum guide announced that we will be visiting the nearby Corbyn Cove beach where we will be spending the next half hour before returning to the cellular jail for the sound and light show.
The show was mesmerizing…I found myself traveling back in time…stories of David Barry, Vir Savarkar, Ullaskar…ah…the swadheentha andholan… and our brave martyrs…
The next day we left for Havelock Island which boasts of Asia's no. 1 beach-the Radhanagar Beach. Kudos to the tourism department in Andaman. The beach was extremely clean, not one single plastic wrapper in sight. Bamboo huts, bamboo chairs, bamboo dustbins…ecotourism at its best. I rolled up my jeans and strolled the shore with amma and appa. It felt blissful. There was no one of my age to give me company or I could have splashed about in the clean and clear waters at the beach…the afternoon lunch was at a very small hotel called Nala's Kingdom. However small though it was, the roti and dhal was the best that I'd ever tasted and the place was spick and span. The journey back to Port Blair that evening was uneventful.
The next day our itinerary included visits to North Bay Island and Ross Island. The journey to North Bay was cool. The water was a clear crystal blue. The weather was warm and a gentle breeze added to the delight…The North Bay Island is a coral island-The main attraction being scuba diving and snorkeling to catch a glimpse of the multitude of corals and fishes thriving in the ocean surrounding the island. I am an absolute zero when it comes to swimming. But I pushed and persuaded appa into snorkeling to view the corals while others like me were taken around in a boat with a glass floor for the same. Once appa got into the water there was no persuading him back to land. He was transported back to his childhood days and was thoroughly enjoying himself.
At 1:00p.m. we started for Ross Island. But then, it started raining. The rain continued to get heavier and the winds got more unruly. amma got very scared. So we cancelled our trip and returned to Port Blair instead. By then it turned into a heavy downpour. By the time we reached our qualis, I got fully drenched. Yahoo!!!!!!! It was wonderful. I may not have captured it in a snap…but the picture has been framed and etched onto a wall in the tortuous maze that my mind is…
That evening, the sky cleared and the sun shone bright. We went to chidiya tapu to enjoy the sunset. The place was deserted except for a couple at the far end of the shore. The sunset was breathtakingly beautiful and the mangroves magnificent.
Just one more day left. We had a choice-we could visit Jolly Buoy island another coral island or Baratang-a tribal area with tropical rain forests and limestone caves. I chose the latter. Being the stubborn brat that I am, as always, I had my say. Except for the bumpy ride in the Tata Sumo and the short ride in a ship (which had a strong urine stench) the trip was splendid. The walk through the tropical rain forests, the bamboo huts to rest on the way, the cool limestone caves, the boat ride in a stream full of mangroves, the bubbling mud volcano emitting cool mud, the tribals en route to Baratang…a treasure trove in my memory bank…
On the 6th of March 2008 I returned home…promising myself another visit to the heavenly islands.
*****************************************
Awesome is the word.The trip was rejuvenating-in the true sense of the word. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city…the calm and clear waters, the serene atmosphere and the lush greenery all around was a treat to the eyes and to the stressed mind. Except for a few instances, a little here and a little there (where amma kept nagging appa and appa kept losing his temper) the trip was superb.
At 11:00a.m. On the 1st of March 2008 we left for Chennai by jet airways. I was a trifle nervous…as I'm not a frequent flyer. The flight was delayed by half an hour. Added to this was the heavy traffic in Chennai and we reached athai's home only at 5:00p.m. Everyone was mildly surprised. The nerd of the family who'd never let go of her books for even a minute, the bespectacled geek, the bookworm, had indeed started on a tour!! There was pal payasam waiting the arrival of the V.I.P. ….
I was slightly put off by the flight delay (very superstitious that I'm, the delay at the very outset of the journey dampened my spirits) but there…sitting in my sister-in-law's lap was my cute niece-Saranya,a baby angel, scrutinizing all the aliens infiltrating into the threshold of her sweet home. I picked her up and she screamed the place down, tears gushing down her pink cheeks like water rushing out of a hose pipe…I put her down, more depressed…
Having nothing else to do, me amma and appa decided to tour Korrattoor in the evening. We visited several shops and walked till the bus stop. My concern however were elsewhere-stray dogs roaming around the streets. My eyes were in constant pendular motion-a horizontal nystagmus, directing my feet to the point farthest away from each dog…finally on returning back to the safe confines of my athai's home, I learnt that she'd taken the pains to make chapatti for me while everyone else was served rice. Being a nerd and a constant topper does have its advantages at times!! J
We started early next morning. Our flight was scheduled at 5:45a.m. And you guessed it right! Our flight got delayed by 2 hours!! "'s alright. Everything happens for our own good "I said to myself….
Grrr…grrr…I heard a distant rumble…a lion in the airport??!!Some more grrr's followed. Oops that was my tummy. I browsed the airport for a snack bar. Lo and behold! There was one right in front of the waiting hall. No it was definitely not a mirage…I went there with appa and checked out the menu:
Veg puffs Rs 40 Veg sandwich Rs 50 Veg roll Rs 60 Veg burger Rs 60 Veg samosa Rs15 Coffee Rs30
I could almost hear appa snort at the prices. I knew the veg samosa was all I could hope for. But will u believe my luck????? It was not available! The veg roll and the sandwich were the only things the snack bar had to offer. I turned my back on the shop and returned to my seat. It was hardly two months since amma underwent a hysterectomy. She was very nervous about the trip. And probably that was why she was spending more time at the loo than in the waiting hall…
Finally… at long last, we were flying to the destination of my dreams-Andaman...
We stayed at the BSNL holiday home and our travel agent was the BSNL SDE (a very very obvious guess) but unlike usual BSNL quarters, the holiday home at Port Blair was very neat, cozy and comfortable. After lunch at the nearby "Annapurna" restaurant, we started our tour at 1:00p.m. We just had half the day left. So we planned some local sight seeing. To my dismay however, all the places had closed down for lunch and the shops had the shutters down too as it was a Sunday-the 2nd of March 2008.
After waiting for half an hour in our qualis we started with the anthropological museum. From then on it was a tornado of fun…
Having familiarized a little with the history, geography and culture of Andaman, we left for our next stop-the samudrika naval marine museum. The museum had in its display beautiful shells, colorful corals and a number of fish tanks-boasting the rich fauna of the oceans around Andaman.
The next stop-the cellular jail, was one which would remain etched in my mind forever. Being a KV product, patriotism is one strong flavor you will readily sense in my blood. The stories of Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Vir Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji…still ring loud in my ears…
The visit to the jail heightened the empathy I felt for our freedom fighters. As I was standing there fighting nostalgia, our driver cum guide announced that we will be visiting the nearby Corbyn Cove beach where we will be spending the next half hour before returning to the cellular jail for the sound and light show.
The show was mesmerizing…I found myself traveling back in time…stories of David Barry, Vir Savarkar, Ullaskar…ah…the swadheentha andholan… and our brave martyrs…
The next day we left for Havelock Island which boasts of Asia's no. 1 beach-the Radhanagar Beach. Kudos to the tourism department in Andaman. The beach was extremely clean, not one single plastic wrapper in sight. Bamboo huts, bamboo chairs, bamboo dustbins…ecotourism at its best. I rolled up my jeans and strolled the shore with amma and appa. It felt blissful. There was no one of my age to give me company or I could have splashed about in the clean and clear waters at the beach…the afternoon lunch was at a very small hotel called Nala's Kingdom. However small though it was, the roti and dhal was the best that I'd ever tasted and the place was spick and span. The journey back to Port Blair that evening was uneventful.
The next day our itinerary included visits to North Bay Island and Ross Island. The journey to North Bay was cool. The water was a clear crystal blue. The weather was warm and a gentle breeze added to the delight…The North Bay Island is a coral island-The main attraction being scuba diving and snorkeling to catch a glimpse of the multitude of corals and fishes thriving in the ocean surrounding the island. I am an absolute zero when it comes to swimming. But I pushed and persuaded appa into snorkeling to view the corals while others like me were taken around in a boat with a glass floor for the same. Once appa got into the water there was no persuading him back to land. He was transported back to his childhood days and was thoroughly enjoying himself.
At 1:00p.m. we started for Ross Island. But then, it started raining. The rain continued to get heavier and the winds got more unruly. amma got very scared. So we cancelled our trip and returned to Port Blair instead. By then it turned into a heavy downpour. By the time we reached our qualis, I got fully drenched. Yahoo!!!!!!! It was wonderful. I may not have captured it in a snap…but the picture has been framed and etched onto a wall in the tortuous maze that my mind is…
That evening, the sky cleared and the sun shone bright. We went to chidiya tapu to enjoy the sunset. The place was deserted except for a couple at the far end of the shore. The sunset was breathtakingly beautiful and the mangroves magnificent.
Just one more day left. We had a choice-we could visit Jolly Buoy island another coral island or Baratang-a tribal area with tropical rain forests and limestone caves. I chose the latter. Being the stubborn brat that I am, as always, I had my say. Except for the bumpy ride in the Tata Sumo and the short ride in a ship (which had a strong urine stench) the trip was splendid. The walk through the tropical rain forests, the bamboo huts to rest on the way, the cool limestone caves, the boat ride in a stream full of mangroves, the bubbling mud volcano emitting cool mud, the tribals en route to Baratang…a treasure trove in my memory bank…
On the 6th of March 2008 I returned home…promising myself another visit to the heavenly islands.
Update
I am back! Just few changes though - changed name of the blog and will be hopefully logging my food and fitness habits, just so that I inspire myself and hopefully the few who read my blog as well.
Sep 15th 2008
Had fruits for breakfast. Honestly was not enough. Want to make sure to eat heavy breakfast from now on. Got my dabba for lunch and ate nice dinner (Adai) for dinner.
Walked 15 min during lunch and biked 30 minutes in the evening.
Couldn't help my friend's truffle offer - ate one truffle... they were ohhh sooo good! Well... not bad for a start !! :)
Sep 15th 2008
Had fruits for breakfast. Honestly was not enough. Want to make sure to eat heavy breakfast from now on. Got my dabba for lunch and ate nice dinner (Adai) for dinner.
Walked 15 min during lunch and biked 30 minutes in the evening.
Couldn't help my friend's truffle offer - ate one truffle... they were ohhh sooo good! Well... not bad for a start !! :)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
That was a very long slumber!
I have been away from blogosphere for a very long time. New home, Job change, couple of trips to hometown (unexpected!) and soon to come exam have kept me occupied.
Cannot wait for summer and I promise to be active again! Meanwhile stay tuned for some occasional changes and updates on my weblog.
Cannot wait for summer and I promise to be active again! Meanwhile stay tuned for some occasional changes and updates on my weblog.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Too many things going on...
Just not finding time to blog with lot of stuff going on .... However found time to bake a Chocolate chip banana cake with white chocolate shavings on top for R. :) Hopefully will blog in detail soon ! See ya till then.
My sister's handiwork
R surprised amma with Chappathi / Kurma and Pal-Adai Pradhaman for her B'day. Fantastic for someone first time even entering kitchen with "cooking" in mind. :)
You go Girl !!
You go Girl !!
Saturday, July 07, 2007
What is your definition of " Healthy Eating " ?
Things that drive me crazy :
1) A local donut shop, out of a blue has a huge flyer that reads " No Cholestrol, No Trans Fat, Healthy Donuts". Ok now are they thinking " Who will know about the saturated fat and sugar ? ... the foolish customers " ?
2) Any recipe that calls for a pound of butter or loads of cheese and claims it is " good for you " just beacuse of the trivial amount of veggies in the dish.
3) Any recipe that calls for instant noodles like the Top Ramen variety (if you are not aware, these contain very high amount of saturated fat as they are fried over and over again in the same oil!) and again gladly claims that it is heart healthy, just because you can spot that tiny broccolli floating.
4) When AHA ( American Heart Association) has given the permission to use their label on diet that just meets these standards - Low in Saturated fat and cholestrol plus high in fiber.
How can this label be applied if a cereal is high in fiber and low in cholestrol & saturated fat but contains High Fructose Corn Syrup and 17 grams of sugar per serving be, for God's sake heart healthy ?? Hello... diabetes... ringing a bell ? anybody ? Even a normal healthy person having such high amount of sugar every single day has increased probablity of diabetes . Excuse me if Iam terribly wrong. Iam not a nutritionist but I think Iam sane.
5) Resturant that uses vegetable shortening and plain enriched flour and calls " Healthy Whole Wheat Breads " !
6) Smother a bottle of Olive Oil in the pan and say it is good for your heart and skin. Skin may be but NO... it does have calories and any fat used in high amounts is certainly may not be the best.
Give me a break !
I keep telling myself that I need to calm down and just ignore such things that ticks me off. I say to myself - people are free to say what they want and free to choose what they eat. But when you know the most valuable thing on earth is human life and when humans themselves act so irresponsibly , I lose my sanity. I am not sure if it is my obessesion or passion for health. Call me crazy but please let us refrain from sending wrong signals !
When you don't know DON'T CALL IT HEALTHY. Of course Iam not saying that home cooks should start using some gadget to get the nutrition measured but if you are in doubt be a little conservative in what you claim.
And always remember the golden words that your mom taught you when you were young - Eat your veggies, Exercise, Go less on junk food. You will be fine. You need not depend on the media or the hoopla created around nutrition labels.
Eat Healthy ...Live Happy !
1) A local donut shop, out of a blue has a huge flyer that reads " No Cholestrol, No Trans Fat, Healthy Donuts". Ok now are they thinking " Who will know about the saturated fat and sugar ? ... the foolish customers " ?
2) Any recipe that calls for a pound of butter or loads of cheese and claims it is " good for you " just beacuse of the trivial amount of veggies in the dish.
3) Any recipe that calls for instant noodles like the Top Ramen variety (if you are not aware, these contain very high amount of saturated fat as they are fried over and over again in the same oil!) and again gladly claims that it is heart healthy, just because you can spot that tiny broccolli floating.
4) When AHA ( American Heart Association) has given the permission to use their label on diet that just meets these standards - Low in Saturated fat and cholestrol plus high in fiber.
How can this label be applied if a cereal is high in fiber and low in cholestrol & saturated fat but contains High Fructose Corn Syrup and 17 grams of sugar per serving be, for God's sake heart healthy ?? Hello... diabetes... ringing a bell ? anybody ? Even a normal healthy person having such high amount of sugar every single day has increased probablity of diabetes . Excuse me if Iam terribly wrong. Iam not a nutritionist but I think Iam sane.
5) Resturant that uses vegetable shortening and plain enriched flour and calls " Healthy Whole Wheat Breads " !
6) Smother a bottle of Olive Oil in the pan and say it is good for your heart and skin. Skin may be but NO... it does have calories and any fat used in high amounts is certainly may not be the best.
Give me a break !
I keep telling myself that I need to calm down and just ignore such things that ticks me off. I say to myself - people are free to say what they want and free to choose what they eat. But when you know the most valuable thing on earth is human life and when humans themselves act so irresponsibly , I lose my sanity. I am not sure if it is my obessesion or passion for health. Call me crazy but please let us refrain from sending wrong signals !
When you don't know DON'T CALL IT HEALTHY. Of course Iam not saying that home cooks should start using some gadget to get the nutrition measured but if you are in doubt be a little conservative in what you claim.
And always remember the golden words that your mom taught you when you were young - Eat your veggies, Exercise, Go less on junk food. You will be fine. You need not depend on the media or the hoopla created around nutrition labels.
Eat Healthy ...Live Happy !
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Birthday Thoughts - Jabber or Wise ? You decide...
Why do we celebrate Birthdays ? Iam not trying to be clever or something but these thoughts swept by as I was driving the other day. Well for one it marks the day we entered this world. Thats the most reasonable and straight forward answer I could come up with. What did we do - JUST POP OUT from Mom's womb. Thats it ! For anything it should be Mommy's day. So for every child's Birthday we should congratulate his/her mom (Happy Mommy's day!) and may be give her flowers ... let her cut the cake ... for all she underwent to get us out into this world.
Well Well... I know by now you must be muttering .. " Oh there she goes ... trying to say something smart ". Actually no... While I understand we do have one universal Mothers day for celebration... I just thought it would be a nice day to be that extra kind and acknowledge mothers. :)
Anyway to be honest like everyone I enjoy that day every year. Special treatment, gifts, cakes, flowers... C'mon who doesn't like it. This year I was not very particular about it just because I realised - Iam not getting any younger! Ouch... that hurts. But still it is nice to feel that extra special. This year I wanted to go a bit further- Thought to seize the day to check out how life is going. Do a little introspection. Come up with some resolutions. Forgive my mistakes, be proud of my achievements and ofcourse look for improvements. Afterall this is the day you came in and it does leave a special mark as it is YOUR new year. Don't you think it is more meaningful than a calender new year?!
Go ahead feel that extra special, but take a step further and see how you can make your life more meaningful to you and lastly never forget your mother amidst all the fun as she is the reason you are seeing this day !
Well Well... I know by now you must be muttering .. " Oh there she goes ... trying to say something smart ". Actually no... While I understand we do have one universal Mothers day for celebration... I just thought it would be a nice day to be that extra kind and acknowledge mothers. :)
Anyway to be honest like everyone I enjoy that day every year. Special treatment, gifts, cakes, flowers... C'mon who doesn't like it. This year I was not very particular about it just because I realised - Iam not getting any younger! Ouch... that hurts. But still it is nice to feel that extra special. This year I wanted to go a bit further- Thought to seize the day to check out how life is going. Do a little introspection. Come up with some resolutions. Forgive my mistakes, be proud of my achievements and ofcourse look for improvements. Afterall this is the day you came in and it does leave a special mark as it is YOUR new year. Don't you think it is more meaningful than a calender new year?!
Go ahead feel that extra special, but take a step further and see how you can make your life more meaningful to you and lastly never forget your mother amidst all the fun as she is the reason you are seeing this day !
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Idli Disaster
We all have good days, bad days and "the usual routine" days. But sometimes bad days hits you in a way as if it was designed to be the worst - whatever you do has a negative impact. I have had bad days at work - I even remember the date November 27, 2006 - Monday : every thing I did , talked , reported was error ! Well.. you learn, and move on.Last night was a disaster. I made the worst idlis in the world. May be I could have been awarded - " Best prize for the most awful idlis anyone can make". Well... we all have disasters in the kitchen, especially when we start a fresh. I have had my bad days in kitchen but I shrug those off because of the excuse " It is my first time". First time it was for me with idlies. But my ego doesn't allow me to shrug this one - Hello... Iam a South Indian for God's sake ! How can a " thachi mammu" (curd rice) like me go wrong with idlies ? This is like a North Indian making bad phulkas or Italian making bad tasting pasta !
To be honest, in my 2 years of cooking record, I have not made Idlis. I did not have idli cooker / moulds at home till now. Yesterday I wanted to try my new idli cooker. Try I did - and ended up with half cooked idlis. Well , all I can think of now that may have gone wrong is my urad dal quantity and the consistency of batter. Hmmm... even a chocolate cake that R got for me at 11 PM last night to compensate did not pamper me. Anyway now that I have returnted to my sanity, I will surely give my try until I make idlies like my amma - soft , fluffy like a " mulla poo" ( Jasmine Flower) without any baking soda added ! I promise to follow up with a post. :)
We all write about the fancy dishes that we make, proudly showcase artwork, achievements, but c'mon... we are human beings and we make mistakes ! I thought why not vent out my frustration.
So much for my first post after blogging break !
Cartoon Credits: http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com
***********************************
Update:
Tip to use the leftovers:
As I mentioned the reason for my disaster was slightly more urad dal which made the dough overly fluffy. In case that happens to you, just add some roasted rice flour (or any rice flour) and make either dosa or Uttapam. I added some rice flour, grated carrots, onions , green chillies, made some mini uttapam, gave it a new look and the dough was over in 30 minutes !
Also I disguised the half cooked idlis too - you wanna know ?! - I cooked them for a longer time in the cooker, till they were holding their idli shape, then I put them in the fridge overnight. Next day, I mashed them, took a nonstick skillet, seasoned it with a teaspoon of oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, sauted some chopped onions, added the mashed idlis, a teaspoon of molagai podi (spice powder), sauteed for a while and devoured it with a dollop of yogurt!
Did you think I will give up and waste food ! Sorry, No wasting entertained . :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
