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SWEETENED GREEN GRAM SNACK

Posted by VS May 29, 2009 22 comments



I am back to the blogsphere after a very long break and thanks to all my friends for the lovely wishes and enquiries.

It's been an exciting ride for the past few weeks. I was married, I have moved to the US - A new beginning, a new life with a new person - "S"! :-) Its been taking a lot of emotions to handle it.But I am all excited and geared up to start setting up my warm cute home.The first day I entered this home, I was stunned to see the then-bachelor S's house to be so beautiful, neat and well organized. No mess around! Everything was kept at the right place and everything looked brand new. I was thinking to myself "Gosh!! was he really been living here for the past 2 or so years or has he bought new stuffs a week before he left for India??!!?? :-)" lolz. Such a cleanaholic is my husband!!!

I had purchased a lot of desi decor stuffs to fill my home with. S has a more westernized touch to the house. So everytime something is rearranged / replaced at home, he always spares a weird expressionless look at me. Initially that bothered me but now its better may be because I stopped looking at his face or he stopped reacting to the changes I make (smiles). Well thats my rambling about the house.



Summer is just setting in here. I just love this season of the year. Early sunrise and late naah! very late sunsets. The weather is too perfect for a lovely walk along the beautiful gardens near my home or for a perfect afternoon backyard BBQ. I am just loving this bright and sunny days. I have started my cooking on the 2nd day after my landing in US. My kitchen was busy helping me with spreading a decent meal for S; salads, sphagetti, soups, sambar, pongal, rasam, Indian curries, egg masala and list goes on. Well, "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach" Right? (wink) :-)

Now the post for today isnt that complicated, its a simple bowl of
Sweetened Green Gram. A 3-step dish, which can be whipped in no time. This is one of the most nutritious snack made in any South Indian household. Its rich in protein and has zero fat. My mom used to make them during my growing up days and I am an addict to it since then. Its a sure hit among kids. The mild sweetness from the jaggery blends so beautifully with earthly flavored green gram and the cardamon infuses a beautiful aroma to it.



Ingredients
  • 1 cup green gram
  • 2 tbs jaggery
  • 2 cardamon
  • a pinch of salt
  • 2 cups water

Method
  • Soak the green gram in a bowl containing 4 cups of water overnight. Drain the water next day and steam cook them for 2 whistles. Remove the excess water and store it in the bench.
  • Heat a cooking vessel with 2 cups water. Bring it to boil and add the crushed cardamons and finely grated jaggery. Stir it to dissolve them completely. Once they begin to thicken, add the cookd green gram and give it a complete mix.
  • Add a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness of jaggery. Serve warm in a bowl.
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Who am I?

Posted by VS May 2, 2009 7 comments

In the beginning there was a little girl who enjoyed food especially the ones her amma (mom) and achi (grandmom) cooked…ate their food as if she starved for days together; an excellent food critic who never ever participated in the cooking process; comments on even the mildest mistakes in cooking (less salt…too much salt...too much oil…blaaah blaaah!!)…She grew up thinking that women who cook all the time have nothing worth doing in life… but little did she know that she would be a different person when she turned 20. That’s when her passion for cooking began and it has been on the increase since then. And that girl is ME!!!!!!

"A foodie and her cooking hat" is a humble attempt to share my love for Indian cooking. This is my canvas where I paint the different colors of tastes. I started this blog in a moment's excitement after seeing other beautiful food blogs on a warm Sunday afternoon of September 2008. For a girl born and brought up in a typical Southern Indian household, the word spices and its aroma evokes a lot of cherished memories from the kitchen. This space will carry recipes of authentic Indian dishes, of-course a lot from my amma's, mother-in-law's and achi's kitchen and their cooking tips and tricks to survive the trade. I am exploring other cuisines as well so you will find a whole lot of others too. Most of my recipes are something which I have grown up eating. Being a typical foodie and a cook, I give importance on the freshness of the ingredients used. I prefer fresh produce and organic varieties. I love to shop in my local farmer's market every Sunday .There is no harm to shell out couple of more dollars to get the nature's best.


Little about myself:

My dad gave me a name which means "A Winner" in Hindi. I was born on a beautiful day in August 1985. My dad instilled the confidence and go-getter attitude in me and has always made me think "out of the box". It's him who made efforts to take me to new places for every little break I get. I have been blessed with wonderful parents who have taken me to different places around the globe and that gave me opportunity to taste different cuisines and learn new cultures. My mom and L aunty are the best cooks in the whole world and they are my "Gurus" in cooking. I take cooking classes over phone in the wee hours and they are so patient to guide me in a step-by-step manner. My cooking experience began on a full spell during my student life. I graduated my Master's in Molecular Medicine. I am a stem cell researcher by profession and an ardent food blogger / free lance writer by passion. (Thats me and my amma at Cherthala, Kerala,India 1988.)

I am now living in the US of America with the most adorable person "S", my husband. He is being a great source of support and inspiration for every step I take in my life. Thanks buddy for not letting me fall when I stumble, for the lovely moments in my life, for making me smile when I am blue and for always being there for me. Love you loads!

I am blissfully married to a wonderful family and have been blessed with supportive and friendly in-law parents. "L" aunty and "C" uncle thanks for the prayers, care, love and affection!

Love you all so much! :-)

(Thats S, me and his maternal uncle on our wedding day, India 2009.)

I love photography and painting. I end up capturing every moment around me. I am learning a lot about it - lighting, lens, background, editing. :-) I hope I show some improvements on the pictures I take. I love to write too! My article has been published at Deccan Herald daily, Indian National Newspaper.

I am available for freelance work as a food writer. Contact me for further details.

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy browsing through my recipes and pictures.


I am sure that I am not an expert in cooking and if you guys have another way to cook it better, do let me know.

God bless!

Best regards,
VS












Thats my "Lord Ganesh" painting from 2004.
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