I AM the desi Masala Tadka box with a twistt!!!
But how?…..
Being an andhrite, growing up in Orissa, being a daughter of an army officer who spent most of her holidays up north for the first 11 yrs of her life, learning how to cook from a punjabi friend and then being a maharastrian’s daughter -in- law…. All these experiences have had a huge huge influence on my palate and therefore cooking….
Oopsi I forgot … Living in Egypt and Dubai… One being the Cultural hub of the middle east and the other being the melting pot of world cultures….
And finally our sojourn to Italia!!!
A complete mish mash of an influence!!!…. So there you have the answer…..
Today is my first ever post on cooking, so instead of a recipe I dedicate it to the following people, in the chronological order they influenced my cooking, and taught me either overtly or subtely a lot about cooking and more importantly attitude!!
Amma – every child loves and licks her fingers clean when it comes to his or her mothers cooking and I am no different….simplicity & mothers love is her forte in cooking….
Simran – my punju friend who is the first person to teach me cooking… Innovativeness and willingness to try in cooking is her love….
Nannagaru – who never knew how to cook, but when he retired and Amma’s responsibilities at work went up he started cooking for us…. And now he has come a loong way… He is the local expert on pickles and chutneys and powders in our colony…. Never be afraid to make mistakes is what he has taught me…. we have eaten apples and mixture in sambar!!!! Pea skin soups!! Strange wheat and jaggery dishes!! There were times when we made faces but now we lick our plates clean thanks to all his pickles and chutneys….
Aayi – she is perfection when it comes to cooking…. Her recipes are precise…. Just follow them and BANG they are great!!! She used to keep detailed notes of quantities after each party…. Color, presentation, bringing out the simplicity of flavors of ingredients, balancing of flavors thats her everyday cup of tea… She does cooking not just as a chore but as her job!!
Another friend of mine (name withheld – she might not like her name being taken on a public post like this) – for whom cooking is therapeutic…. she doesnt care what others think of her cooking….. in the early of her marriage the lady used to keep trying dishes and her husband (who is very wary of trying new dishes) would order from outside, while she would cook her food and eat it…. and the best part is she is sooo “nirvaanic” about it…. “haaan theeek hai…. doesnt matter…. i enjoy it so i do it” …. Karam karo aur phal ki chinta mat karo – personified!!!
And finally the last but not the least… most recent inspirations… MasterChef Australia…. especially in “plating”….
So THANK YOU all!!!
With that Sree Ganesh i will start posting my recipes on the blog….
Soul Boheme 