Spoonful of Delight

Cookie Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:57:00 PDT

Recipe: Homemade Cookies

One of the fond memories I have as a child is of baking cookies at home... I liked to experiment in mom's kitchen in the late afternoons when she would be either taking her afternoon nap just before her second shift at work or catching up on her stitching...

I used to rummage through magazines looking for cookie recipes as well as other interesting things to bake.

Since we did not have cookie cutters, I used my mum's murukku-maker to squeeze out the cookie dough into interesting shapes... I could have just rolled out the dough and then cut it out with a knife... but this was more interesting to the 10 year old me.

Because of this childhood hobby of mine, my parents had gifted me with a Wilton's Cookie press sometime ago.

Watery Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 07:51:00 PDT

Recipe: Neer Dosa

When I saw neer dosa for the first time, it was in my office cafeteria. I felt it looked like appam's distant cousin and was expecting a similar taste. I'm not a big fan of appam but since I pride myself in trying out new and different kinds of food, I had to try this too...

When I tasted it, I loved it. It was refreshingly unfermented (unlike appam, regular dosa, etc) and had a delicate and soft texture.

Custard Cravings

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:35:00 PST

Recipe: Vla (Dutch Custard)

The food cravings in pregnancy can be really specific and sometimes weird. Some days I'm craving for the authentic Arabic shawarma and another day its my puttu (steamed rice cake) and kadala curry (curry made with bengal gram).... (that's really weird considering that I never really liked my kadala curry before this pregnancy...)

And then there are those days when I just need to get a chocolate fix - and not just any chocolate, but specifically deep, dark chocolate... and preferably Lindt with 60% or more cocoa :) You may be getting the feeling that I'm using this pregnancy as an excuse to over-indulge.. but trust me these cravings just don't go away with substitutes....

The Ride Called Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:45:00 PST

Recipe: Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
Motherhood is like a roller-coaster ride... for a lifetime! It's full of ups and downs....
From the highs of being pampered in pregnancy and the patient 9-month long wait to see your cuddly little one to the extremely intense and unforgiving pain on the D-day.
Finally after all that you are so happy and thankful to see your little baby and hold him and take care of him.
Before long your bubble of joy bursts as you can't take any more sleepless nights after about 10 in a row... and your ears keep ringing all the time after hours of relentless screaming/crying by the little one... Even small things like having the time to pursue a hobby or even grocery shopping seems like a luxury.
But then the happiness associated with watching your little one grow, give you the cutest toothless smiles, learn new things and play is surely unmatched... Amazingly enough, as you learn to love your child unconditionally, you discover new things about yourself too...
And as you are basking in the content thoughts of doing the best you can for your little one, then suddenly there comes the battery of criticism and opinions from total strangers as well as near and dear ones! Of how you are not doing enough... followed by clicking of tongues and shaking of heads....
These highs and lows do not stop... as the child grows, there are different kinds of them..... One day your eyes are brimming with tears of pride as your 3 year old just gave his favorite packet of candy to a poor needy child on the street. And at another moment, you are probably wishing you could disappear into thin air as your child throws a really nasty tantrum in a very public place which is full of people you know and you are not sure how to take control of the situation.

The Daily Grind and an Elaborate Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 04:36:00 PDT

Recipe: Mango and Bavarian Cream Cake

"Yes! We did it", I exclaimed grinning...
My 5 year old son and I made it on time to catch his school bus in the morning inspite of the hurried crazy rush at home...

Every week day morning is rushed in my house, especially the couple of hours between waking and dashing out through the door to go to work/school.

Just a couple of minutes of waiting for the school bus and I felt that something was missing. But then I feel that way every morning and just brushed the thought aside. It finally dawned on me!

Where was my son's school bag???

I had forgotten to take it from the house!!!!

Simple Things

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:42:00 PDT

Recipe: Tomato Chaat - Dieter's Version

My idea of a perfect holiday is

1) Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed filter coffee
2) Eat a light breakfast
3) Go back to sleep and continue sleeping till noon
4) Wake up to a yummy lunch
5) Watch TV, read, eat some more, sleep on the couch for a while and finally head back to bed

Kiss from God

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 01:06:00 PDT

"Is there anyone that is perfect? Anyone who does not have even one flaw or disability and is completely enabled?" Sujit Sukumaran asked the audience in TEDx Alain.

And sure enough there was no one!

Diet Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:15:00 PDT

Recipe: Baked Chickpea Patties

The regular food that I have been accustomed to has always been high in carbs and sugar. Though I did always try to keep a check on oil and fat, that wasn't enough for me to lose weight.

Easter Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:49:00 PDT

Recipe: Chicken Grilled in a Mustard and Coriander Sauce

Easter is the triumph of Life over death and God's Love over human inadequacies. It is a day of celebration of the gift of life in all its fulness.

HAPPY EASTER !!

Cool Desserts for Hot Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:45:00 PDT

Recipe: Blueberry Frozen Yoghurt

It looks like summer has started with all its fury.

The Indian summer is merciless with no respite...
It's blazing hot everywhere. The frequent power cuts and water shortage add to the misery.

Though Bangalore is one of the places in India with a pleasant and cool climate, the summers are still harsh. This place too feels like the inside of a hot oven. On second thought, the inside of my electric oven will does not get a chance to be hotter than the rest of the world outside it thanks to the unscheduled power cuts!

The best thing to do in this climate is to drink lots of refreshing drinks and eat plenty of frozen desserts to cool off.

Marshmallow Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:39:00 PDT

Recipe: Honey Marshmallows

There are some things that you will never outgrow - the excitement of going to the theatre to watch a good movie, the thrill of going shopping with close friends, the wonder and amazement in seeing a new-born baby, the enjoyment in indulging in rich, creamy, dark chocolate, the joy of biting into soft, spongy marshmallows...

Yes, marshmallows have always been one of my favourite things!

New Home

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:56:00 PST

Blogging is bright with possibilities and colourful with creativity..

Moving...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:57:00 PST

Spoonful of Delight is moving to www.spoonfulofdelight.net.
See you all there :)

Time-Tested Treasures

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:07:00 PST

Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kebabs

The other day my parents announced that they were going to throw out some old stuff. Amongst them was the Philips table-top kebab grill which did not work anymore.

Grilled meat was one of my favourites ever since I was a child and suddenly a big part of my childhood seemed tied to that gadget. This grill and the happy times we had with it was etched into memory. I couldn't let them throw it away. Even though this machine is as old as I am, I begged them to let me keep it.

Oranges and Love

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:48:00 PST

Recipe: Orange Mini-Icecream-Cakes

The blogosphere is buzzing with excitement for Valentines day... Have you planned anything special for your loved ones?

But what exactly is true love?

Is it "selfless care for the good of another"?

Or "Deep emotional attachment towards another person".

These definitions seem incomplete to explain the entirety of love.

Here is an interesting write-up about it.

Even though it is arguable that any day is perfect to show your special someone that they are indeed the centre of your universe, it is still nice to have a day appointed for it and to hear about the things people do for each other on this day :)

Weighty Wins

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:25:00 PST

Recipe: Salted Almond Praline

As I look back on the past year, I realize that I have grown...

The only problem is that all my growth has been in size and that too horizontal ! :(

The funny thing is that I didnt look so fat when I looked at myself in the mirror.... It's only in photographs I looked ballooned up. (Later J informed me that the mirrors in our house actually makes one look thin!) When clothes got tighter, I just assumed that the fabric had shrunk and murmured to myself that they dont make clothes the way they used to!

Years go by

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:29:00 PST

Another year has drawn to a close.

And a brand new one has blossomed.

Reason for the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:50:00 PST

Recipe: Honey-Roasted Almonds

It's Christmas time !!!!

The house is filled with the fragrance of freshly baked plum cakes, cookies and other Christmas goodies.

There's an excitement in the air as friends and family plan their holidays, put up the Christmas tree and decorate their houses.

People are rushing to get the perfect gift for loved ones and trying to be Santa for their little ones.

Many like to celebrate this season by helping people in need.

Baking away the Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:15:00 PST

Recipe: Plum n' Pom Cake

Last week, my son and I caught a big bad bug... After a couple of sleepless nights and a couple more sick days, I was down in spirits too... Scary mountains of work were looming large! Or probably it was just that "work" has a way of seeming gigantic and insurmountable when we are sick. To make it worse, I was at the verge of losing the chance to do something I had so much wanted to, all because of the bad timing of the fever.

By the end of the week, I was depressed, irritated, sick and was also driving everyone around me nuts. I needed some serious brightening up...

Warmth in a Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:56:00 PST

Recipe: Pasta with Crunchy veggies, mushroom and sausages in white sauce.

It was a cloudy and wintry Saturday morning. The cold wind blowing through the windows sent shivers across the house. I was all set to make a fiery red fish curry with a generous drizzle of coconut milk to beat this cold weather hoping that the heat of the red chilli powder, the tang of the malabar tamarind and the creamy comfort of coconut milk would knock us out of our hibernation-like existence. The fish was thawing on my kitchen counter and I was getting all the ingredients ready for the curry... I broke open the last of my stock of coconuts and to my dismay it was rotten inside....

Frozen Fruity Passions

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:56:00 PST

Recipe: Passion Fruit Frozen Yoghurt

In my childhood days, even though my mother had a full-time job which took up 9 hours of her day, I remember her slaving over a hot stove before she left for work to ensure that her family had good and nutritious food to eat. Since we had ravenous appetites, we would eat up whatever she made for us. After that, when she was away at work, my brothers and I would raid her kitchen cupboards :) This is not because we were hungry or anything. But because we knew for sure that she would have stashed away some goodies like nuts or dried raw mango pieces or jaggery in order to cook something special for us when she got time.

After our kitchen-cupboard-raiding-and-gobbling escapades, we made it a point to keep everything back just as they were. Later, when she would look for the stashed stuff to cook something with it, the boxes and jars would be much lighter and when opened, they would be empty most of the time :) And we all would have a hearty laugh when she would claim that there isn't any corner in the house where she can stock food items for longer than a day thanks to super sleuths like us.

My personal favourites from mom's stashes were olives in brine, tamarind in gooey jaggery syrup and dried raw mango pieces. Yes, I loved all things that were sour and tangy (and no, not just pregnant women crave for such things). This love of sour and tangy foods runs in the family - mom, grandmom, my cousins, my son, all of us love it.

Passion fruit is one among the favourite fruits in my house and the passion fruit variety that grows in my parent's farm is very sour and tangy. Its sweet and fruity fragrance is so wonderfully intoxicating.

Creamy Greens

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:17:00 PST

Recipe: Palak Paneer / Pan-grilled paneer cubes in a creamy spinach gravy

Palak is not very common in the traditional cooking of my hometown. Amaranth on the other hand, is very much favoured - infact it is cutivated in every home garden and periodically harvested for quick stir-fries with coconut and light spices (commonly known as "cheera thoran" and "cheera mulagittathu" in my native language). And hence for a long time, "spinach" meant amaranth leaves to me and we never ventured into having any palak dishes.

One fine day, long ago, I was out with friends at a restaurant. Palak paneer was ordered by one of them. The moment I tasted the luscious, creamy green gravy with buttery paneer cubes, I loved it immediately. And I could hear the foodie in me say - move over amaranth, palak is here to stay! Since then, palak shared the same position in this foodie heart of mine as the other green leafy veggies. And I absolutely love my greens.

Festival Bright

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:19:00 PDT

Recipe: Ribbon Pakoda / Kokkuvada

Isn't it interesting how "darkness" is usually associated with "evil" and "light" with "good"? One of the meanings of the word "darkness" is "the absence of light"....

A small flame is all it takes to dispel darkness...

It is that time of the year again, when the houses are adorned with small clay lamps which are filled with oil and lighted in order to signify the triumph of good over evil. The air is filled with the smoke of bursting fire-crackers and sounds of laughter and mirth fill the streets as the festival of Diwali is celebrated.

The Perfect Ending

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:48:00 PDT

Recipe: Passion Fruit Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Pomegranate

As much as I love the perfect ending to a good story or movie, I also love having a perfect ending to a wonderful meal. But most of the times that I have guests over I'm usually fussing over the other things such as the starters and the main course or tidying up the house, making sure at least most things are in their place.

This finally leaves me with no time to plan for and make an elaborate dessert. And I end up serving the easiest dessert I can think of - which is mostly store-bought ice-cream with some custard and fruits.

Tagged and Pan-Grilled

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:55:00 PDT

Recipe: Pan-Grilled Potatoes with Oregano and Olive oil

Maintaining a food blog is not as easy as it looks. Cooking is one of my favourite things to do. And for a person like me, who gets easily bored with the usual food at home, it comes naturally to experiment and try out different things.

But photographing the results and documenting it needs a lot of time, patience and (most importantly) good, natural light. Even though I cook almost everyday, the only time I get to click good pictures of the food is during the weekends. The other week days, I am unable to photograph because I am at work for all the times of the day that have the best light. And hence most of the cooking and photographing for the blog happens during the weekends.

The rest of the work that goes behind every blog post - reading about food and photography, deciding what to cook for the blog, editing the pictures, writing down the post, reading and re-reading the post goes on slowly in the next 1-2 weeks, whenever I can squeeze it in or sometimes even during the weekend, that is, if I am not too exhausted with all other things that are packed into it.

Inspite of all the hard-work, having a blog on something that interests me does give me an immense sense of satisfaction. It is my creative outlet, my stress-buster and best of all, I get to meet (virtually) so many talented people with similar interests.