Black & White Wednesday with Eggs

 Black & White Wednesday with Eggs

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

Vegan Avalakki Payasa/Poha Kheer: Vegan Beaten/Flat Rice & Coconut Pudding

Vegan Avalakki Payasa/Poha Kheer

Life is so much beautiful with lil dumpling and my ‘much’ better half by my side. A lot of friends ask me how my life has changed after lil dumpling came in to picture and I just smile and say it couldn’t have been any better! The one with their own lil dumplings understand it and we share knowing look and secret smiles. But the ones who are single or couples with no kid/s give me either amused look or surprised look. They are not exactly ready to believe me when they see or hear a fourteen month old screaming with joy or annoyance in the background! I don’t blame them as I know exactly what they are thinking. Few months back I too was sailing with them in the same boat…

Black & White Wednesday with Spinach Flowers

Pretty Spinach Flowers

Here is my first entry for dear Susan’s Black and White Wednesday, a new culinary photo event. I had the pleasure of participating and then hosting Susan’s popular event MLLA which revolves around My Legume Love Affair!

Dahi Aloo Recipe: Baby Potatoes in Creamy Yogurt Gravy

Dahi Aloo/Baby Potatoes in Creamy Yogurt Gravy

The day started with a big bang! I had taken a day off from work, a much deserving one that is, and decided to make the most of it. My ‘much’ better half left to office and lil dumpling nicely settled in his day care, I had huge, I mean HUGE, plan for the day ahead. A quick call to my hair stylist to book an appointment for the evening, catch up with all the emails from friends, long chat session with my Amma, cook food in leisure, and a long soak in bubbles with my favourite drink and the book I have been wanting to read for ages! Everything was well planned to T!

Shri Krishna Janmashtami Wishes

Avalakki Payasa/Poha Kheer for Shri Krishna Janmashtami celebration

Wishing all the readers of the Monsoon Spice a very Happy Shri Krishna Janmashtami.

warm regards
Sia

Tomato Pachidi/Pachidi: Tangy, Creamy & Tomato-ey!

Tomato Pachidi/Pachadi

When you move to a different place, different country and also another continent, you are blissfully unaware of how your life is going to change for ever! At least it’s true in my case! And then suddenly it hits you like a bag of bricks! You are away from your family and friends. Far, far, very far away!!! You have some other continents and some more seas/oceans thrown in between from your birth place to your current place! And not to forget about different time zones! So all this could mean only one thing, and that is you just can’t pack your bag at a spur of a moment and hop on to car/bus/train/plane to meet them in few hours time! No sire, no such luck!

Dalia (Broken Wheat) and Moong Sprouts Kichidi ~ Lil Dumplings New Favourite

Dalia (Broken Wheat) and Moong Sprouts Kichidi

It was a pleasant day to wake up to… The sun was shining brightly on a clear blue sky dotted with white, soft cotton ball clouds and little birds singing cheery tunes to spread happiness around... I got up with a big smile on my face as my lil dumpling’s warm body nestled close to my heart. He was still in deep slumber as his long, dark lashes fanned sweet, soft chubby cheeks. While a soft snore escaped from his kissable lips, his sweet breath tickled my nose. I just continued to lie there, trying to capture that precious moment in my heart for ever… It is such moments I wish to capture in a little glass bottles forever. Whenever I want to re live those moments or experience again, all I have to do is just open the bottle lid, re live them for moment and then close the lid and lock it away in a safety locker for another day! Only if… Only if something like that was possible…

Sabudana Kheer/Payasa: Sweet Pearly Delight

Sabudana Kheer/Payasa (Tapioca Pearls Pudding)

I am one of those unfortunate people born without sweet tooth! I run a mile away when I am presented with a platter of sweets whenever we visit friends and family. And to add to that my 'much' better half and now my lil moppet dives into anything sweet at a drop of a hat! So they both balance the lack of sugar in my life (pun intended ;)!

Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney: Stop!!! Save the Peels

Bottle Gourd Peel Chutney

“Can you guess what’s in it?”

There she was, my Amma, with a twinkle in her eyes and as excited as a little girl of five who just found next best thing to sliced bread!

“Oh, ho… Oh, no! Here comes trouble”, we all thought.

Methi nu Muthia: Healthy & Healing Snack

Methi nu Muthia

What comes to your mind immediately when you hear a word 'Snack'?

Whenever I hear the word 'snack', the little voice in my head often whispers high calorie, deep fried, crispy-crunchy munchies that aren’t too good for our waistline. We Indians are quite fond of our snacks. Every guest who visits us, including the unexpected guest at ungodly hours, is welcomed with a steel glass brimming with hot, strong coffee/tea and a plateful of snacks ranging from savouries to sweets. After all, we have been taught this golden verse "Atithi Devo Bhavah" in our childhood, which means treat your guests as god! Hungry or not, Atithi is expected to eat and sometimes even force fed to the point your stomach refuses to expand anymore and ready to burst!

Creamy Sweet Corn and Spinach Soup: Do you like your 'Greens'?

Creamy Creamy Sweet Corn and Spinach Soup

After days of glorious sunshine and top temperature, it was a welcome relief when rain drops hit the dry, broiling mother earth. It wasn’t some heavy pour with thunderstorms but a gentle drizzle which urges you to venture out without an umbrella. You can feel the green grass blades dancing with new lease of life when your bare feet touch them. As they tickle your bare feet, you curl your toes and lift your face to the vivid blue sky dotted with few heavy grey clouds. And then suddenly your are transformed to magical wonderland when your eyes blurred by the water droplets covering your lashes catches one of the most wonderful sights created by the nature, bright and colourful rainbow. You can’t help but wonder about the tales of pot of gold buried at the end of this colourful arch told umpteen numbers of times by your nana…