tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51566542012-02-09T05:20:42.758-07:00Indian Food Rocks is a personal journey through life spiced by Indian food and anecdotes.Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.comBlogger378125IndianFoodRockshttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-4092860844284559122012-02-02T16:15:00.000-07:002012-02-02T16:15:00.114-07:002012-02-02T16:15:00.114-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>&lt;pet peeve&gt;</b><br> <br> <b>It&#39;s Ginger.</b> Not Ginger Root.<br> <br> Ginger is <i>a rhizome</i> or <i>an underground stem</i>. <br> <br> <b>That means that it cannot be a root.</b> <br> <br> <b>&lt;/pet peeve&gt;</b><br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TFPYR-MTwNY/TysH57rIWrI/AAAAAAAAHAM/Nfc9p5nzTuw/s1600/20120201-0972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TFPYR-MTwNY/TysH57rIWrI/AAAAAAAAHAM/Nfc9p5nzTuw/s640/20120201-0972.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>4 weeks old</i></div><br> I need at least one small knob of ginger in my refrigerator at all times. Over the years, I&#39;ve tried different methods of getting it to last without turning bluish-green and moldy on me. Freeze it, they said. Make a paste and store it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator, exhorted another. I tried both, even a combination of both, and rued the loss of flavor.<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/02/handy-tip-storing-ginger.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-409286084428455912?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=O2cObfil0tw:QBkvg75eoFU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/O2cObfil0tw" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com19http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/02/handy-tip-storing-ginger.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-63932546263440677182012-01-08T19:15:00.000-07:002012-01-08T19:17:29.857-07:002012-01-08T19:17:29.857-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Dam Market in Nha Trang, Vietnam is listed as a must-do on several travel web sites. I was interested in Vietnamese spices but thus far, they had seemed elusive. Snake wine, dried seafood and dried persimmons were more ubiquitous. I found one woman selling spices, buried deep inside the Dam Market. She spoke no English, our guide was no help on the spices front and my pocket English-Vietnamese dictionary was curiously devoid of anything remotely spice-related. She shoved a piece of paper and pen in my hand and motioned me to write what I was looking for. I printed cardamom carefully so that my squiggly unreadable handwriting did not throw her off as it had Medha&#39;s elementary school teachers. She stared at it and then her face broke out into one of the widest smiles I have ever seen. She rushed off into a dark alley, only to return with a packet of fragrant smoky Vietnamese cardamom. I bought some cinnamom, too, happy in the knowledge that I was all set to make some authentic aromatic Pho when I got back home.<br> <br> We had only a few more hours to explore Nha Trang so I did not go deeper into the market. I did get these pictures, though. <br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6-uU-TALRc0/TwpCGcztveI/AAAAAAAAG9g/XWCnFmjjQK0/s1600/DamMarket-3829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6-uU-TALRc0/TwpCGcztveI/AAAAAAAAG9g/XWCnFmjjQK0/s640/DamMarket-3829.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Puffer fish</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/01/sunday-snapshots-dam-market-da-lat.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-6393254626344067718?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=vwf4Con9IgY:Hxweomc1WRc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/vwf4Con9IgY" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com14http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/01/sunday-snapshots-dam-market-da-lat.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-24039306331756037172012-01-02T23:47:00.001-07:002012-01-03T13:17:03.997-07:002012-01-03T13:17:03.997-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I cannot write this without getting into pet peeves, first. <br> <br> <b>&lt;pet peeve&gt;</b><br> <b>Dal is not soup</b><br> Dal is soupy. Dal can be served as soup but it is not soup. We eat dal as part of the main course. We drown our rice in dal or use rotis to scoop up dal. Unless it is specifically made to be eaten as a soup—more an exception than the norm—dal is never served as the soup course. If it were, we would need another dal, kadhi or curry to wet our steamed rice, for we don&#39;t eat our steamed rice by itself.<br> <br> <b>We are not East Indians</b><br> The country?<i> India.</i><br> Its people? <i>Indian.</i><br> <br> Simple enough, yes? Yet, in the US, Indians are called East Indians to make a distinction between native Americans, whom Christopher Columbus incorrectly called Indian, and people from the country of India. Others explain it as a need to distinguish between the West Indies and India.<br> <br> A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indies">quick history lesson</a>: The East Indies was and is a colonial term that dates back to the 15th century. It was used to describe <i>lands of South and Southeast Asia, occupying all of the present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and also Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, East Timor, Malaysia and Indonesia.</i> <br> <br> The term East Indian is now used in the USA to refer to Indians from India. Folks from the rest of the countries in that set of countries got away from being labeled with this misnomer.<br> <br> <b>Please stop using it.</b><br> <br> Accord us the respect we deserve instead of addressing us with qualifiers that reek of colonialism, another form of slavery. Are you listening, <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/08/09/139334228/corn-east-indian-style">NPR</a>?<br> <b>&lt;pet peeve&gt;</b><br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/01/and-thats-indian-you-say.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-2403930633175603717?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=ahfDJfTMxvA:edBndxFtBnw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/ahfDJfTMxvA" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com30http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2012/01/and-thats-indian-you-say.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-41818025328560324742011-12-30T17:00:00.000-07:002011-12-30T17:08:05.173-07:002011-12-30T17:08:05.173-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Where:</b> <a href="http://www.idc.iitb.ac.in/index.html">Industrial Design Centre (IDC)</a>, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) <br> <b>What:</b> IDC is considered to be the best design centre in India for programs in several disciplines of industrial design. As we walked around, we noticed that the students painted the door to their lab, giving it their own signature touch. The building itself was a cheery departure from the staid and the standard. Dappled sunshine bathes the building through one of my favorite trees—which my friend <a href="http://madteaparty.wordpress.com/">Anita</a> will identify very shortly. Until she wakes up, take a look at some of the Doors of IDC and my favorite tree!<br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDPGBefjIaQ/Tv5CMMo-FuI/AAAAAAAAG7U/EczEhuRLmrg/s1600/IDC-1130245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDPGBefjIaQ/Tv5CMMo-FuI/AAAAAAAAG7U/EczEhuRLmrg/s640/IDC-1130245.jpg" width="480"></a></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/friday-feature-faces-of-india.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-4181802532856032474?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=Gw9C32_oTVA:2i-jKHy2FfE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/Gw9C32_oTVA" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com5http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/friday-feature-faces-of-india.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-62711689144566111742011-12-18T16:31:00.001-07:002011-12-18T16:31:06.918-07:002011-12-18T16:31:06.918-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The Vietnamese really know how to do it right. For me, that is. My throat would be parched from the incessant humid heat and they would welcome me with a mild jasmine iced tea, always on the house. <br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PatUpinCPY0/Tu5IRGmEroI/AAAAAAAAG5E/a3bv7QJqisg/s1600/Vietnam-3510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PatUpinCPY0/Tu5IRGmEroI/AAAAAAAAG5E/a3bv7QJqisg/s640/Vietnam-3510.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Iced tea on arrival</i></div><br> Rejuvenated, I could then focus on the task at hand: ordering a steaming hot meal! In this case, Mì Quảng, a noodle soup from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. According to our driver and guide, it is <i>like Pho but with a lot less water.</i> <br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2l-4NqV_ulk/Tu5JuX3b4kI/AAAAAAAAG5Q/uF7QwTrY3ig/s1600/Vietnam-3511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2l-4NqV_ulk/Tu5JuX3b4kI/AAAAAAAAG5Q/uF7QwTrY3ig/s640/Vietnam-3511.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Mì Quảng</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/feeding-those-cravings.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-6271168914456611174?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=YbnxRFyhX8k:kvjwd9NT0nI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/YbnxRFyhX8k" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com8http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/feeding-those-cravings.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-85208293686698059662011-12-11T11:56:00.000-07:002011-12-11T11:58:14.679-07:002011-12-11T11:58:14.679-07:00We spent a couple of days in a small town by the beach in Ninh Thaun Province of Vietnam called Phan Rang, as the second ceremony for our friend&#39;s wedding was to be held here. Phan Rang is often described by tourists as &quot;nothing to do, nothing to see.&quot; That, by itself, made it very attractive to us. No crowds, lots of relaxation and plenty of quality time together. We did face a language issue but it wasn&#39;t anything that a Vietnamese-English dictionary did not help resolve. Phan Rang has a twin city called Thap Cham, which is slightly bigger but since we are averse to cities, we stayed put at Phan Rang even though the beach was murky and the sea was a tad too rough. Until we discovered that the time to go into the sea was just before dawn. The otherwise-deserted beach came alive with local swimmers and fisherfolk. <br> <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/sunday-snapshots-setting-off-to-sea.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-8520829368669805966?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=FRewxpanu-M:gykA7Kuz1os:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/FRewxpanu-M" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com6http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/sunday-snapshots-setting-off-to-sea.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-52277274622933205322011-12-09T14:30:00.001-07:002011-12-09T18:06:55.272-07:002011-12-09T18:06:55.272-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> I go through this every December. And then again, the day after New Year&#39;s Day. Rage grips me and oozes out of my pores until I rationalize, calm myself down, revert to a baseline of choosing to remember only the meaningful...and all is well in my little world again.<br> <br> Soon after she died, we were informed that she had died at an inopportune time. Yes, according to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchangam">panchang</a>, her exact time of death was inauspicious. I remember the scene vividly. My uncle, downcast and apologetic, as he stood there in our living room—my mother&#39;s living room. My sister exploded as she was wont to; whereas I stared at him, hurt and bewildered. <i>Who chooses their time of death?</i><i> Hadn&#39;t she suffered enough? That, even in death, you want her to suffer more</i>, I accused him and his generation of believers. It was a while before he was able to get through to us. It wasn&#39;t about her anymore, he implored, it was about us.<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/time-to-let-go.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-5227727462293320532?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=nU-WK1ykC10:lVNBdhHeyqY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/nU-WK1ykC10" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com17http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/time-to-let-go.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-84900986905759335232011-12-04T02:30:00.000-07:002011-12-11T11:56:50.913-07:002011-12-11T11:56:50.913-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There we were, being led into the classic tourist trap: an elephant ride. We had successfully avoided it last year in Jaipur, India and each one of us was very clear that we did not want to be party to ill-treating of this gentle giant. We told Mr. Bay (Bah-ee), our driver and guide, that we would ride only if we got good vibes. My thoughts were: <i>Why? Why ride at all?</i> But there was no clear answer. We ride horses and camels, attach bulls and cows to carts; so how was riding an elephant any different? I&#39;m not sure. It just didn&#39;t feel right.<br> <br> We drove along Tuyen Lam Lake in the Central Highlands of Vietnam to a nature sanctuary and then walked about a quarter mile into the sanctuary to an idyllic spot by the lake. Huts with thatched roofs, a large wooden deck on the lake, and an elephant. It was not chained, the first good vibe. We spent a lot of time with the elephant, feeding it, talking to it, marveling at it. I think we deluded ourselves that we were getting to know it. My question, however, remained. <br> <br> Medha was the first to give the go-ahead just as she had been the first to raise the red flag in Jaipur. This child has great instincts when it comes to animals—something I lack—so I gave in. Mr. Bay rushed to get the mahout; if he could have skipped and done a cartwheel along the way, he probably would have. What I saw next touched me immensely. <br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xp8cSfyDmwQ/TtopU1_PR4I/AAAAAAAAG3g/5J0pUimRtD8/s1600/elephant-9192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xp8cSfyDmwQ/TtopU1_PR4I/AAAAAAAAG3g/5J0pUimRtD8/s640/elephant-9192.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Mahout and elephant, conversing</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/sunday-snapshots-reluctant-elephant.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-8490098690575933523?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=h-OUNnz0P2w:mQFH7bbqEu8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/h-OUNnz0P2w" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com6http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/12/sunday-snapshots-reluctant-elephant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-81173673787266079692011-11-23T10:54:00.000-07:002011-11-23T22:21:19.737-07:002011-11-23T22:21:19.737-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> It&#39;s not everyday that you get invited over to make Pho. That may be partly because authentic Pho is not made at home as often anymore. It&#39;s a day-long process—one that involves chopping, toasting, grilling, simmering, with a healthy dose of patience. It could be turned into a day of laughter, sharing and bonding. And that&#39;s exactly what we did.<br> <br> Back in August, when my friend Zarah offered to teach us the Art of Making Pho, my lovely neighbor Lisa and I signed up instantly. We were already hooked onto the Vietnamese shrimp rolls with dipping sauce, both of which Zarah makes effortlessly. Born in the Philippines, Zarah married into a traditional Vietnamese family, where her mother-in-law trained her to cook homestyle Vietnamese food. Zarah is a woman of many talents, apart from being very hard-working. She used to own and manage an ethnic Asian grocery store, working long hours to sustain her family. Today she is a successful real estate agent in Boulder County. As charming as she is funny, there&#39;s never a dull moment when Zarah is around!<br> <br> Lisa is an angel. She&#39;s also my neighbor. If I had to describe Lisa in a few words, I would simply say this: Lisa embraces. She casts a supportive net and welcomes you into her clan. I am particularly in awe of her parenting skills. Her three children, each very different from the other, stand testimony to the sheer breadth of her skills.<br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D6SyjA4_GPg/TsNeuJ888eI/AAAAAAAAGv8/7XsLWl8zJgo/s1600/1-ZaraLisa-7506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D6SyjA4_GPg/TsNeuJ888eI/AAAAAAAAGv8/7XsLWl8zJgo/s640/1-ZaraLisa-7506.jpg" width="424"></a><br> <i>Lisa and Zarah, two awesome women</i></div> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/in-kitchen-with-lisa-and-zarah.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-8117367378726607969?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=uvOf4sPvKns:GiuAX1e_0P8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/uvOf4sPvKns" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com12http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/in-kitchen-with-lisa-and-zarah.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-91402305314711457142011-11-18T02:30:00.000-07:002011-11-19T04:49:35.847-07:002011-11-19T04:49:35.847-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>What:</b> Dried Fruit and Nut Stores, big and small, narrow and wide<br> <b>Where: </b>Old Delhi / Delhi Sector 6 / Chandni Chowk<br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9MiSazmMbE/TsNdhAocvCI/AAAAAAAAGvU/iMIAnPokWbU/s1600/dryfruits-1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9MiSazmMbE/TsNdhAocvCI/AAAAAAAAGvU/iMIAnPokWbU/s640/dryfruits-1349.jpg" width="480"></a><br> <i>fancy gift packs</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/friday-feature-faces-of-india_18.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-9140230531471145714?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=D2d4AT3yu3c:Bg5TH3-ovsU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/D2d4AT3yu3c" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com4http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/friday-feature-faces-of-india_18.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-71143331197756712922011-11-14T23:44:00.001-07:002011-12-09T18:33:15.203-07:002011-12-09T18:33:15.203-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> I had a dilemma on my hands recently: a half gallon of 2% lactose-free organic milk lay languishing in my refrigerator. It&#39;s more expensive than regular milk and I did not want to see it go waste. I tried lacing my tea with it, only to have mugfuls of tea remain unfinished and untouched. Given how I felt about it, there was no question of getting help from the other two members of my family.<br> <br> Yogurt seemed like the only solution but I wasn&#39;t sure that I could make yogurt from lactose-free milk. I reasoned that since the lactose in this milk has already been broken down into its constituent glucose and galactose—something that the lactobacilli does, in the yogurt-making process—it seemed like it would be a worth a try, at the very least. Then I found this post, <a href="http://homemade-yogurt.blogspot.com/2011/01/homemade-yougurt-with-lactose-free-milk.html">Homemade Yogurt with Lactose-free Milk</a>, which confirmed my train of thought.<br> <br> But, what if the yogurt was as powdery as the milk? I needed something to mask that distasteful quality about lactose-free milk. Then I remembered how delighted I was last December when <a href="http://madteaparty.wordpress.com/">Anita</a> had yanked me into a teeny little shop in Chandni Chowk that sold Bengali <i title="sweets">mithai</i>. There was barely enough room for all of us to stand. Little earthenware <i title="terracotta pots">kulhads</i> were handed to us, filled with creamy thick sweetened yogurt. Yes! I had finally tasted <b>mishti doi</b>.<br> <br> <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kZWpQxYyvEI/TsIK3W843XI/AAAAAAAAGuo/FEdkv7kGPIM/s1600/anitamanisha-1130155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kZWpQxYyvEI/TsIK3W843XI/AAAAAAAAGuo/FEdkv7kGPIM/s640/anitamanisha-1130155.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>is that look telling or what?</i></div> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/of-uncertain-origins.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-7114333119775671292?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=ZD5QtrwDjdc:Dt94qGnCwjk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/ZD5QtrwDjdc" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com15http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/of-uncertain-origins.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-78027926092061707082011-11-11T18:40:00.001-07:002011-11-12T09:04:07.275-07:002011-11-12T09:04:07.275-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>What:</b> Street Food<br> <b>Where:</b> Delhi 6 (just like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1043451/">the movie!</a>)<br> <br> Crowded, sweaty, cacophonous, in-your-face; it was sensory overload personified. <br> <br> These pictures were shot as we walked fast in Old Delhi or Delhi Sector 6. The smells wafting from these street carts were incredibly enticing but since we had wills of steel and stomachs made of jello, the best I could do was take pictures as <a href="http://madteaparty.wordpress.com/">Anita</a> pushed us peering tourists along. <br> <br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_8d3JUGptE/Tr3PWanngJI/AAAAAAAAGrg/jfCOLbRluJ8/s1600/daulatkichaat-1343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_8d3JUGptE/Tr3PWanngJI/AAAAAAAAGrg/jfCOLbRluJ8/s640/daulatkichaat-1343.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Daulat ki chaat (milk foam)</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/friday-feature-faces-of-india.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-7802792609206170708?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=s67122xMwS0:vxFHdYsxMzc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/s67122xMwS0" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com9http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/friday-feature-faces-of-india.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-8810652382828227682011-11-06T23:40:00.000-07:002011-11-11T19:12:42.030-07:002011-11-11T19:12:42.030-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/sunday-snapshots-rajasthani-dinner-at.html#more" title="Dinner Time! by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner Time!" height="425" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6321588436_f190052c81_z.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Jimanro Samay</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/sunday-snapshots-rajasthani-dinner-at.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-881065238282822768?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=soSZrpZuVEs:SX8L06ooA9I:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/soSZrpZuVEs" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com9http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/sunday-snapshots-rajasthani-dinner-at.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-105574331517105782011-11-04T02:53:00.000-06:002011-11-04T14:56:02.464-06:002011-11-04T14:56:02.464-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> We&#39;ve had two big snowstorms, exactly a week apart; the second bringing us 9.5 inches of snow. It was not as wet and heavy as the first but since my trees are still stubbornly holding on to their leaves, it does get a tad bit distressing. But, luckily, since my tree care guy had pruned all the wayward branches, my trees did not suffer any further damage. <br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6307937120/" title="Icy Maple by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Icy Maple" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6104/6307937120_8e95c110a8_z.jpg" width="425"></a><br> <i>Icy maple</i></div> <br> The fun class at the Denver Botanic Gardens seemed like it was such a long time ago!<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/so-much-deep-fried-fun.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-10557433151710578?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=Gbqgc8JKKB8:e1FLLG3se2Y:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/Gbqgc8JKKB8" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com17http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/11/so-much-deep-fried-fun.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-87809061748052031982011-10-26T14:44:00.000-06:002011-10-26T17:56:21.389-06:002011-10-26T17:56:21.389-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Happy Diwali to all my friends!</b><br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6284182268/" title="Happy Diwali by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Happy Diwali" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6060/6284182268_e530b64f9e_z.jpg" width="425"></a><br> <i>Love, light and happiness</i></div><br> It&#39;s a White Diwali for us here in Colorado. Even if it feels more like Christmas, I&#39;m hoping that the treats I will make today remind us that it is indeed Diwali. <br> <br> October snowstorms are more the norm, than the exception, around here. We saw our first snow on October 8, much after the mountains had their tryst with the fluffy white stuff. Except that, in October, the snow is more wet and heavy, than powdery and fluffy.<br> <br> <i>Already?</i> Yes, already. <br> <br> My trees don&#39;t shed their leaves until well into November, making October storms a little stressful. Luckily, my yard is not the damage zone that it was in 2009, when we got over <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2009/10/snow-snow-and-more-snow.html">20 inches of snow</a>. But shaking big huge trees is not easy and the taller branches remain bent under the weight of the heavy snow. I can hear my big pear creaking and groaning as it sways in the breeze. Shoveling seven inches of snow off my driveway hasn&#39;t helped my back much either. <br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/white-diwali.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-8780906174805203198?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=LhIqw_qfWx4:UYkiWD-J8i8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/LhIqw_qfWx4" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com19http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/white-diwali.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-1203107180033479322011-10-18T02:10:00.000-06:002011-10-19T19:22:54.869-06:002011-10-19T19:22:54.869-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Yes! I&#39;ve been busy attending classes. I blame <b>Jen Yu</b>. It all started with her <a href="http://foodandlight.net/">Food &amp; Light Workshop</a> early August. Then my friend Teri signed me up for a canning class through <a href="http://www.bvsd.org/lll/Pages/home.aspx">Boulder Valley School District&#39;s Lifelong Learning</a> program in September. Last week, I attended a <b>Cooking 101: Cooking Basics</b> class at <a href="http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/boulder/">Whole Foods Market, Boulder</a>.<br> <br> This week, I have another class at the <a href="http://www.botanicgardens.org/content/bonfils-stanton-series">Denver Botanic Gardens</a>, except this time I will be one of the lecturers and demo instructors, along with <a href="http://userealbutter.com/">Jen Yu</a>, <a href="http://whiteonricecouple.com/">Todd Porter and Diane Cu</a>.<br> <br> <a href="http://calendar.botanicgardens.org/show/detail/37884">Three Food Blogs, Three Cuisines, Infinite Inspiration</a>. That&#39;s what it&#39;s called! I am both very nervous and very excited! There are two events: <a href="http://catalog.botanicgardens.org/select.aspx?item=937&amp;sch=19939">a lecture</a> on October 20, 2011 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm and <a href="http://catalog.botanicgardens.org/select.aspx?item=948&amp;sch=20061">a cooking class</a> on October 21, 2011 from 10:00am - 2:00pm. There are still some spots open, so if you are in the area and you can make it to the lecture or the demo or better still, both, I would love to see you there!<br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6256198257/" title="DBG by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6256198257_40e75fd291_z.jpg" width="603" height="640" alt="DBG"></a><br> <i><a href="http://catalog.botanicgardens.org/select.aspx?item=937&amp;sch=19939">Bonfils-Stanton Series</a></i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/classes-classes-and-one-more-class.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-120310718003347932?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=XmQFGzEvXtY:JfIpui6hwMw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/XmQFGzEvXtY" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com10http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/classes-classes-and-one-more-class.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-51530559059064166192011-10-02T09:25:00.001-06:002011-10-02T09:25:51.330-06:002011-10-02T09:25:51.330-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It&#39;s that day again. <br> <br> <b>Happy birthday, me!</b><br> <br> As usual, I wish I had some pearls to share with you, especially some profound thoughts. Unfortunately, wise words often come to me in the middle of the night and I wonder if I should keep a little moleskin by my head and scribble them down as they arrive. But that usually involves waking up, detracting from my favorite activity. Come morning, I am lucky if I can remember anything beyond being thoroughly impressed with myself. <br> <br> So instead I will share some of the highlights of my past week with you.<br> <br> A hot air balloon landed in the Open Space in our neighborhood last Tuesday. It first huffed and puffed like a giant dragon in the sky before floating effortlessly to a smooth landing. Since my neighbor&#39;s deck seemed to have a better view of the landing strip, I ran into her house only to bump into her as she rushed out. We ran out together, collecting more people as we did, rather like the children of Hamelin. <br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><object height="480" width="640"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&amp;lang=en-us&amp;page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpolarmate%2Fsets%2F72157627642953069%2Fshow%2F&amp;page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpolarmate%2Fsets%2F72157627642953069%2F&amp;set_id=72157627642953069&amp;jump_to="><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=107931"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=107931" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&amp;lang=en-us&amp;page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpolarmate%2Fsets%2F72157627642953069%2Fshow%2F&amp;page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpolarmate%2Fsets%2F72157627642953069%2F&amp;set_id=72157627642953069&amp;jump_to=" width="640" height="480"></embed></object></div><br> The excitement and joy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/sets/72157627642953069/show/">watching this balloon land</a> persists even now. <br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/that-time-again.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-5153055905906416619?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=Y4Dpbj4RNcU:6Jr7SmP4JEI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/Y4Dpbj4RNcU" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com18http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/10/that-time-again.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-63063963915164458352011-09-21T23:43:00.000-06:002011-09-26T12:36:45.636-06:002011-09-26T12:36:45.636-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6170356039/" title="Old Ute Trail by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Old Ute Trail" height="425" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6170356039_32bc005ba4_z.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>The tundra was calling</i></div><br> It&#39;s mid-September, time for <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2010/10/im-still-searching.html#elk-bugling">our annual camping trip</a> to Rocky Mountain National Park with the &#39;hood. I hadn&#39;t yet zeroed in on a hike so when my neighbor John suggested the <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ALI2HBgchAUC&amp;lpg=PA98&amp;dq=old%20ute%20trail%20ridge%20road%20beaver%20meadows&amp;pg=PA98#v=onepage&amp;q=old%20ute%20trail%20ridge%20road%20beaver%20meadows&amp;f=false">Old Ute Trail</a>, I was all ears. Starting at 11,440ft from Trail Ridge Road, this historic trail climbs about 200ft into the alpine tundra for about 2 miles, before descending 3000ft through subalpine forests and meandering through montane meadows, ending at the Upper Beaver Meadows Trailhead. <br> <br> Unless you push yourself and move out of your comfort zone, you will never do or see anything new nor have any mind-blowing experiences. That&#39;s what I like to tell myself. Either that, or we are gluttons for punishment. <br> <br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/09/heartily-into-tundra.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-6306396391516445835?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=BzEro0C8LV0:Jwm5chVRqbk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/BzEro0C8LV0" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com12http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/09/heartily-into-tundra.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-35677720378338314982011-09-11T18:44:00.000-06:002011-09-11T19:19:52.418-06:002011-09-11T19:19:52.418-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6138500514/" title="We Remember, 9.11: A memorial by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="We Remember, 9.11: A memorial" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6138500514_0151ff3ab8_z.jpg" width="425"></a><br> <i>A 116lb memorial from the World Trade Center</i></div><br> We missed the Memorial Ceremony at the Louisville Fire Station on Main Street this morning. It was Boulder Balvihar&#39;s 20th Anniversary. I missed most of that, too. <br> <br> But later in the afternoon, we drove to the Fire Stations to pay our respects and take pictures, as we always do each year on 9.11. To our surprise, we were invited into the Fire Station on Main Street to look at the piece of history that will rest in our little town—116lbs of warped metal from the Twin Towers.<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/09/sunday-snapshots-we-remember-911.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-3567772037833831498?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=vhX8tYzmYqM:POhv8YjUVz0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/vhX8tYzmYqM" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com3http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/09/sunday-snapshots-we-remember-911.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-71302715423502125962011-08-15T00:30:00.002-06:002011-08-15T00:51:46.106-06:002011-08-15T00:51:46.106-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Happy Independence Day to India and Indians the world over!<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ftD3gDA-5S0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br /> If you feel the same way I do as I listen to this - goosebumps and tears in your eyes, every single time - then this is your song, too. It's our song. <br /> <br /> It's beautiful and timeless. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-7130271542350212596?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=IdjCNJvObmo:UHpdOG-Sqx8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/IdjCNJvObmo" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com7http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/happy-64th-india.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-5087174577135069712011-08-14T15:42:00.003-06:002011-08-15T02:08:57.752-06:002011-08-15T02:08:57.752-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Friday saw a deluge of love in the form of <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23apieformikey">peanut butter cream pie</a> for Mikey. <br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/6043225856/" title="Peanut butter by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Peanut butter" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6043225856_80ef1fded8_z.jpg" width="425"></a><br> <i>peanut buttery goodness</i></div><br> I did not know Mikey, nor do I know <a href="http://www.injennieskitchen.com/">Jennie</a> very well. But her sudden, devastating loss hit us all hard in that place where it really truly hurts. It brought back <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2008/10/bitter-sweet-memories.html">painful memories</a> with a rush, of a <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2006/06/my-mother.html">deep sense of loss</a>. It threw me into reliving the <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/all-manner-of-grateful.html">recent family trauma</a>, and my heart longed for my husband who is over 9000 miles away. I cried with gratitude, knowing that he will be home soon. I cried for Jennie and her beautiful daughters. And, for Mikey. It did not matter that I didn&#39;t know them.<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/thought-that-counts.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-508717457713506971?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=drydCkqlq4U:ziTzFV0aWB8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/drydCkqlq4U" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com11http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/thought-that-counts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-76451142679294696312011-08-06T18:29:00.004-06:002011-08-06T20:17:52.704-06:002011-08-06T20:17:52.704-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Our trip to California had to be cut short rather abruptly due to a family emergency in India. My mother-in-law needed to be hospitalized for an urgent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angiography">angiography</a>, requiring either an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angioplasty">angioplasty</a> or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronary_artery_bypass_surgery">bypass surgery</a>. We drove the 1200+ miles continuously, breaking only for the night, until we reached home a day later. By then we knew that the situation was rather serious and my husband took the next flight out to Bombay. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse soon after he arrived, and a multiple bypass surgery was performed that very day. But she was in good hands and for that, I am forever grateful. <br> <br> I am also very grateful to the folks on Twitter who <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/indianfoodrocks/status/97165243188391936">spread the word</a> about our need for blood. A special shoutout to <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ankitsince1987">Ankit</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/theglamgangblog">The Glam Gang</a> for offering to donate blood to help a complete stranger. Close friends and family held my hand through excruciatingly long days, via Facebook, email and phone. <br> <br> Yes, there are good people in this world! Thank you all very much!<br> <br> Another couple of days should see my mother-in-law return to her home after a two week stay in hospital. She&#39;s frail but she&#39;s tough on the inside and we are all very hopeful that she will draw on that to regain her strength and quality of living.<br> <br> Our time together, as a family, working and vacationing over the weekends in California became extra-special. The last two weeks had been full of adventure and unending fun. <br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="/2011/08/all-manner-of-grateful.html#more" title="Pier by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Pier" height="425" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/6016078650_0c76ac6b31_z.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>Pier</i></div></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/all-manner-of-grateful.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-7645114267929469631?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=A6Q-SD1g4rs:jpgM18BQUdQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/A6Q-SD1g4rs" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com10http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/08/all-manner-of-grateful.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-69802094347810663502011-07-19T17:06:00.000-06:002011-07-19T17:06:39.401-06:002011-07-19T17:06:39.401-06:00A quick drive to Half Moon Bay revealed a dramatic coastline, surfers galore, and excellent seafood. <br> <br> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/5955474983/" title="Idyllic by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5955474983_4073c7f3b3_z.jpg" width="425" height="640" alt="Idyllic"></a><br> <i>patio-side late lunch</i><br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/07/half-moon-bay.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-6980209434781066350?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=yas1Vj6FqTA:ZGKAzKGf9oA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/yas1Vj6FqTA" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com10http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/07/half-moon-bay.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-46177313855882844692011-07-11T18:46:00.003-06:002011-07-11T18:54:29.059-06:002011-07-11T18:54:29.059-06:00I&#39;ve been away. And busy traveling westwards. Here&#39;s what I&#39;ve been up to...<br> <br> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/polarmate/5909288729/" title="Delicate Arch by .Manisha., on Flickr"><img alt="Delicate Arch" height="424" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5031/5909288729_c5ed0a7829_z.jpg" width="640"></a><br> <i>The Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah</i></div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/07/westward-wanderings.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-4617731385588284469?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=WY6t4uSZxSQ:y1m_gOJ2ar4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/WY6t4uSZxSQ" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com8http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/07/westward-wanderings.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5156654.post-52029311025494958622011-06-17T19:45:00.001-06:002011-06-17T19:55:44.792-06:002011-06-17T19:55:44.792-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>Who:</b> Folk musicians and dancers<br> <b>Where:</b> At Chokhi Dhani, near Jaipur, Rajasthan<br> <b>What:</b> These are real folk singers and dancers who come to Chokhi Dhani, a faux village that comes to life every night.It&#39;s a riot of color, music, dance, street food and a traditional vegetarian dinner. Saying any more will take away from the pictures. Enjoy!<br> </div><a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/06/friday-feature-faces-of-india_17.html#more">Read on...</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p>Contents & images copyright © 2003 - 2011</p><p>If you reproduce my recipes anywhere, please ensure that you give credit to the source:</p><p><b>Indian Food Rocks URL: <a href="http://www.indianfoodrocks.com">http://www.indianfoodrocks.com</a></b></p><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5156654-5202931102549495862?l=www.indianfoodrocks.com' alt='' /></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?a=IWrjoyIDoRs:97izgPeV9rU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/IndianFoodRocks?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/IndianFoodRocks/~4/IWrjoyIDoRs" height="1" width="1"/>Manisha Pandithttps://profiles.google.com/109439220446024348061noreply@blogger.com12http://www.indianfoodrocks.com/2011/06/friday-feature-faces-of-india_17.html