Cooking - only for the brave at heart!

Please don't be intimidated! You can do it too! :)

When i say 'only for the brave', it just refers to me 5 years ago! Armed with a recipe book and my measuring spoons/cups, i stood at the stove and tried to follow every step to the smallest detail. I was so afraid to change the recipe in any manner that i forgot to respect my own taste buds! If the recipe required 15 red chillies***...i would go with it(and no I am not from Andhra, the author of the book was though!) Following a recipe 'as-is' is the worst mistake a novice cook can make...half the disasters are caused due to this! Of course, if you are making dessert/baked stuff...please go with the recipe or you might turn out with something weird!

The key to 'creating' pleasant tasting and 'unique' food is to alter recipes and forget the measuring utensils! Looking back...measuring and being so anal was part of the reason i would take forever to cook a simple dish! It just HAD to be PERFECT!! No more...no more! Mix it up, play with your food and enjoy! If you used Kitchen King today, use Garam Masala tomorrow...or just skip the store bought powders for the whole spice!

So, do you agree with me...isn't cooking for the brave?!

*** I have to share this story! There was a time when i didn't know that red chillies in a recipe meant the dried ones. I used to painstakenly pick out all the fresh ripe red chillies amidst the fresh green chillies at the store!! Needless to say i got the stares!!

Freecycle: Basket full of Lemons

Basket full of Lemons, originally uploaded by Priticrafts.

Have you heard of freecycle? It is a wonderful network that promotes waste reduction and helps save landscape from being taken over by landfills! Membership is free and requests can be localized. This network operates in many countries and cities.

I always look at all the lemons growing on the trees in my area and wonder what people do with all those lemons. Then it occurred to me to make a "Wanted" post at freecycle...and voila...three days later i get a message from a very generous person offering me a bag full of gigantic lemons!

This small act of kindness kept me thinking and made me feel very thankful. Lot of good karma at freecycle...and a wonderful way to reduce, reuse and recycle! One person's trash is another person's treasure literally...check it out and you will see...ask and you shall receive! :)

Can't wait to use these wonderful Lemons! Thank you Ann.

Five years ago, cooking and the very thought of the 'kitchen' intimidated me. The idea that from now, not only will i be living in a country far from Amma(mom) but also cooking to feed myself and another human being was unbearable! Amma did everything for me, without her i was handicapped.
The husband was pretty amazed at my level of ignorance when it came to anything related with food! Fortunately, he had the skills to keep us going for a few days until i managed to learn a few dishes from him. Amidst the phone calls and e-mails to Amma and Mamiyaar(mother-in-law) and live lessons from the husband, i developed a passion for cooking! I wondered, "Who made the first chappathi or idli!? How amazing to 'invent' a new dish!"
Now, the husband is pretty much limited to heating his cup of water in the morning or peeping in to add his 'expert comments' on the food i make. The rest of the kitchen is my domain! I dedicate this blog to three people who have been instrumental in kindling my love for cooking - Amma, Mamiyaar and the husband! Amma, for whom i have yet to cook a dish! (yeah, can you believe that!) Mamiyaar, who stayed with me for a couple months and taught me invaluable tips, and the husband who was ever so patient and willing to eat 'anything' i made!

So welcome to my home where you can enjoy your meal with 'Sampurna Thripthi'!