March 12, 2008

BENGALI CUISINE/BANGLA RANNA

Crocuses, early Spring flowers in my yard at last! YAAY!!:))

Spring


Yes, Sandeepa did announce the RCI-Bengal finally! :D

This post promptly goes to RCI-Bengal and to RCI event's host this month, Sandeepa of "Bong Mom's cookbook". Thank you for hosting Sandeepa!:)
This is my last post here until May, will be on much needed Spring break. Enjoy, will see you all then! :)



About Bengal:
A beautiful Bengali woman doll in her traditional Bengali style saree, you can buy this in any good Indian art store.

According to a scripture called "Pithamala's Nigamatantra", the vast bow shaped land stretching from Dakshineshwer to Bahulapur i.e. Behala (Bengal or Bangla) is the Kalikhetra or realm of Kali, the Goddess. Read more here.
Bengal or "Shonar Bangla"(Golden Bengal), as it is affectionately referred to by Bengalis, who speak Bangla or Bengali, is an Indian state situated in the North-east of India. It's capital city is Kolkata/Calcutta, Bengal is also home for Sundarbans—the world's largest mangrove forest and Bengal tigers. Culturally rich, Bengal is the home of Bengal Renaissance, Baul, a folk music and many revolutionary activities during the Indian independence movement.
The most famous son of Bengal is Rabindranath Tagore, a poet (Gitanjali),a philosopher,visual artist, playwright,novelist,composer and also a winner of Asia's first Nobel laureate in 1913 in Literature. He is also the author of national anthems of Bangladesh and India: "Amar Shonar Bangla" and "Jana Gana Mana". Most acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray hails from Bengal as well.
Bengali cuisine is well-known for the vast range of rice dishes, desserts and various preparations of freshwater fish. Bengali cuisine is rich and with many spices,flavors with varied influences of many cultures like Islam, British and South east Asian. Great lover of sweets, they occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social ceremonies. Isn't Bengal sounds beautifully wonderful? Here is my humble contribution to Shonar Bangla, enjoy!:)

Bangla Ranna/Bengali Thali:
I chose a few dishes for RCI-Bengal from a beautiful cookbook called "Bangla Ranna-The Bengal cookbook" by Minakshie DasGupta, with few of my own changes for my convenience. Bangla Ranna means "Bengali cuisine" in Bengali.

Bangla Ranna
Alu-Potoler Dalna (Potato Parwal gravy), Maacher Sorse Jhol (Fish in Mustard gravy), Ghee Bhat (sweetish Bengali rice Pulao), Porota (Flatbread), Lankar Achar (Green chillies pickle)and Patishapta (sweet flour crepe with sweet aromatic coconut filling and topped with Saffron cream).

Alu-Potoler Dalna:
Potol/Parwal is a kind of vegetable available in India. I had a pack of frozen Parwal which I used in this dalna/gravy. I am sure fresh Parwal tatses lot better than the frozen ones.This dalna is really tasty served with Parathas.

To make Dalna:
1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee, 1 tbsp oil in a deep pan, add 2 bay leaves,1 tsp Cumin seeds, 2 red dry chillies, 1 onion finely chopped until reddish.
2. Add 3 large potatoes, cubed, 2 cups sliced Parwal (a kind of vegetable but you can any other veg too), fry these for 5 mins.
3. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp coriander seeds powder, 1/2 tbsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp Garam masala, 1/2 tsp chilli powder,salt, 1 tsp sugar. Mix well.
4. Add 2 cups or more water, 1 large Tomato, cover and let it cook until potatoes are cooked soft.Add chopped cilantro and adjust the spices to serve with Porota.

Maacher Sorse Jhol:
Sorse is Mustard seeds in Bengali, Maacher is Fish. A typical Bengali blend of Mustard seeds, turmeric and green chillies, you can add chicken, Eggs, round baby potatoes or any white fish to the gravy. Sour cream is also optional. This Cod fish is the last of my fish basket from my freezer!:D

To make Jhol/gravy:
1. Cut 2 fillets of Cod or any kind of white fish into chunky cubes. Keep aside.
2. Roast 4 tbsp Mustard seeds, 2 red chillies, 2 green chillies and grind with 1/2 turneric, 1/4 tsp salt, to a paste. Keep it aside.
3. Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a pan, add fish pieces and fry for a minute. Add masala paste, 2 cups of water.Bring it to boil, turn the heat down.
4. Add 2 tbsp beaten sour cream to the pan, mix and simmer for 10 mins.(Adding sour cream is not in the book but I thought it's good idea since it didn't have any sourness in it, you can skip sour cream if you like)
5. When fish is cooked, Jhol is ready! Tastes great with Pulao.

Porota:
Paratha or Bengali Porota are a kind of flatbread, made of plain flour, rolled out into layers and baked on griddle smeared with ghee, tastes wonderful with any side dish. Making layers for this Porota is little hard to explain without photos. Click on the collage to see the bigger photos. If using just plain flour making you work a little harder to do the layers, you could add 1/2 cup of wheat flour to make it easier to roll. But plain flour parathas are tastier!

To make Porota:
1. Mix 2 cups plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda,mix well.
2. Add in 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), 1 cup or enough hot water to the flour, knead to a stiff dough.Brush some oil on top of the dough. Let it rest for 1/2 an hour, covered.
3. Divide into slightly bigger than golf ball sized rounds, roll out each into 4"circles, brush some oil, sprinkle some flour.


4. Roll them like cigars from the wider end and stretch the ends to elongate it.
5. Now curl both ends in opposite direction as shown in the collage in the shape of "S". Place one curl on the other to make a round ball.
6. Press them down, roll out again to 5-6" circles gently, bake on a griddle or tawa brushing some oil on both sides until crisp and golden.
7. Store in an airtight container like Tortilla warmer.Reheat when needed.
Hope you got all that. Although it sounds complicated, once you get it, it's easy to make the layered Porota. Using just plain flour makes them very tasty, just make sure dough is firm like you do for pooris, not soft, which makes it harder to roll..

Ghee Bhat and Lankar Achar:
Bengali pulao is sweetish rice seasoned with ghee (clarified butter), nut and raisins. I made this ghee bhat my way by cooking the rice separately (rather than cooking with everything in one pot) and then adding the ghee seasoning.

Ghee Bhat: 1. Cook 1 1/2 cups of rice with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ghee, 1/2 cup of milk and enough water as you cook usually until done and spread on a wide mouthed plate, cover to let it dry a little. Slice 1 onion thinly.
2. Heat a pan, add 3 tbsp ghee, 2 tsp oil. Fry onion slices, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of sugar until reddish. Take out the onion onto a plate keeping as much ghee as you can in the pan.
3. To the remaining ghee, 2 bay leaves, add 3 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 2 green whole slightly crushed Cardamom pods, 2 tbsp red and golden raisins, few Almonds, few Pistachios. When the raisins are plump, pour this and onions to rice. Mix well. It's ready to serve with any gravy dishes.
Green chillies pickle in the above photo is store bought, it's Priya brand which is my favorite.
Here is the recipe as it is in the book to make green chillies pickle. I haven't tried this pickle, so I am just giving you the recipe. I will post the photo when I do try. I have lessened the proportions to make just 2 cups of chopped green chillies pickle since the book has the recipe for 1kg of green chillies! Add more sugar if you like sweet and hot pickle.
To make it:
1. Add 2 tbsp salt to 2 cups green chillies, cut into 1/4 " rounds, 2 tbsp fresh ginger strips, mix leave it overnight.
2. Grind 2 tbsp ginger, 2 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 3 tbsp mustard seeds, 1 cup vinegar,1 tbsp sugar, salt to taste and keep aside.
3. Heat 1/2 cup mustard oil, fry the green chillies for 10 mins, take them out of the oil. Add 1 cup more mustard oil to the pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds and all the vinegar masala paste.
4. Cook this mixture until it changes color, then add fried chillies, fry for 10 more mins. Adjust the seasoning. Cool and store.

Patishapta:
This recipe is not exactly as in the above book although basic idea is came for this dessert from that book, here my version of Patishapta. A pancake made of flour and rice flour, stuffed with nuts and sweetened coconut,garnished with saffron cream! What's not to like, eh?!:D

To make Patishapta:
1. In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup plain flour, 3 tbsps of rice flour,1/8 tsp Baking soda, 2 tbsp powdered sugar,1/2 tsp Cardamom pd, 1/4 cup milk and enough water to make a thinnish dosa/crepe/pancake like batter.Cover and let it rest for 15mins.
2. In a pan, add few Almonds, raisins, 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/8 cup cream, heat and mix until thickish mass. Add 1 tsp Cardamom powder, mix and let it cool.(I just mixed ready made sweetened coconut and cardamom pd)
3. Heat 1/4 cup of cream, pinch of Saffron, 1 tbsp of powdered sugar until hot and cool the mixture.
4. Heat a non-stick pan, add 1 tsp ghee. Pour in a small ladle of batter,swirl it to make a circle, cook, flip and cook the other until golden on both sides.
5. Add few tbsps of coconut mix in the center, fold over the pancake and place it on the plate. Drizzle the saffron cream on top and serve immediately.

One more look:

Done! LOVED the Bengali thali!! :D

**********************************************************************************************************************

Book I read:
Two plays written by our own famous son of Karnataka, a Rhode scholar at Oxford U Girish Karnad. He is an acclaimed director, actor, dramatist and a playwriter in Kannada and English, Chairman of Sangeeta nataka academy, a visiting professor in the U of Chicago, also honored by Padma Bhushana and Jnanapitha awards by India.

The dreams of Tipu Sultan, which was first played in YMCA, Chennai and then commissioned by BBC and broadcasted in Britain on the 50th anniversary of Indian independence.
Play is about "Tiger of Mysore" Tipu Sultan, about his last days of fighting with the British army and his tragic end, as one of his ministers remembers Tipu's dreams and records his memories of those last traumatic days. Tipu Sultan's two young sons were said to have taken by the British to Calcutta, which was the capital then and they were left to live in utter poverty in Calcutta slums as the British refused to give them any princely compensation after their father Tipu Sultan died and as a punishment for Tipu's decision to fight against the British instead of accepting defeat,making deals and giving up Mysore to them like other kings and sultans did with their provinces!
I read that Tipu Sultan's blood relatives are still living in Kolkata in poverty, not being helped in anyway to this day, I sincerely hope it isn't so but sad isn't it, if it's true?

Bali-The sacrifice. (Bali means sacrifice in Kannada, but both plays are in English)
This play was commissioned and played in Haymarket Theatre in Leicester, UK. It's a bizzare tragic and comedic story of a supposedly pregnant young queen who has an affair with a Mahout or Elephant keeper(played by Naseeruddin Shah) one night! Play unfurls as the king and the Queen mother's strange understanding of the grave situation and trying to find a solution by thinking of sacrificing an image of Cockerel made of dough to God to right the wrong! It's made of dough because they are Jains ie against any violence to "live" animals. Story ends up in a surprising twist and tragedy, which makes Queen mother a very happy woman , who plots and gets exactly what she wanted out of that situation without saying so much in words!
Clever MIL, huh? ;D
Beautiful read. Wish I had watched both of these plays!

Another book of Girish Karnad which I am going to read on my break is;
Three plays; Naga-Mandala, Hayavadana, Tughlaq , which you can buy here.

That's it for this post at FH. I have got two more posts to go at Aroma next week. After that I will be off blogging from March 20th to end of April or so, to enjoy the Spring break keeping with one my New year's resolution of taking frequent breaks. I will catch up with you all with a post on RCI-Rajasthan when I come back. Take care of yourselves until then!:))

225 comments:

1 – 200 of 225   Newer›   Newest»
Altoid said...

:-) Havent read these two plays by Karnad. I read Nagamandala and Hayavadana long back when I was in college.

Will miss you, but enjoy your break- on my behalf too Asha. I am so ready for a break myself, but cant go.

indosungod said...

Bengali dishes galore and each one looks tastier than the other. Love the fish dish - Maacher Sorse Jhol, looks delicious.

Enjoy your break, will miss you.

Deepa Kuber said...

hey nice recipe asha.. good morning.how are u doing today? u posted this recipe in the early morning?

hey i sent sailaja a mail asking y she hasnt added my name in the TOI list.. i hope she replies.does it take so much time..? :(

EC said...

U r one dedicated blogger with regards to RCI...the thali looks so delicious...

Finla said...

Hey Asha I am sure in your place everybody is waiting for the RCI as they can have all these delicious food.
You indeed do lot of reserch to RCI.
Love the whole bengali feast which you have put for all of us here.
I made sada paratha few days back , this bengal paratha i wil give it a try too. I like that you showed how to make them.
Hey you know I have a signed book ( falooda) of Satyjit Ray.
Hans met him in 89 and then he signed the book and gave it to Hans for givinh it to me

FH said...

Thanks girls!!:)

Sandeepa did announce RCI-Bengal few mins ago, hurray! Right on time for me!:)

Anjali, usually it doesn't take this long but hope she will do it as soon as possible!:)

Swati said...

I love Bengali food..Love all the vegetarian preperations they have...Shukto, aaloo-posto,their khejurer kheer...God the list is endless!!
Your bengali ranna looks yum!!
I especially loved the pathishapta...have u had the one with gur..even that tastes awesome!!
Enjoy your break! See ya soon :)

Laavanya said...

Wow that Bengali thali looks divine... nice presentation. Patishapta is such a beautiful name too.

Mishmash ! said...

Maacher Sorse Jhol is my kinda dish....looks like u re cooking lot of fish these days....:) enjoy the break...i 'm due for one too......take care...have lots of fun...

Shn

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...

Hey Asha
Loved your display of bengali cuisines and a bit of history on the culture and traditions. I love Durga Pooja and your post brought memories back..the dhol dhaap, the dishes, mustard fish curry et al.... daruun is the word, i will use for you. Have a wonderful break and come back rejuvenated and invigorated !

Siri said...

U are so fast Ashaji. and ur immense love for RCI shows in this post.. I loved all the dishes (except the fish one.. being a veggie..:D )... and thanks for the gist of the two playss.. I like Girish Karnad, as an actor/ director.. but haven't read any of his books/plays.. now I have to..:D..

Enjoi ur break Ashaji.. Miss u though!

Hugs,
Siri

ChrisB said...

Asha your crocuses are looking lovely ~mine are now beginning to go over!
Enjoy your break see you in May :)

FH said...

Swati, we do make one with jaggery in K'taka, I have posted it here before, love the taste!:)

Laavanya, shn, Aanmika, thank you. I will miss you girls too but got to have a break!:)

Siri, Chris thanks. I will see you in May.I will around until 20th though!:)

FH said...

Thanks EC, I had to post this before I go on break, glad I did!:)

F, a signed book from Mr.Ray himself! WOW!! Lucky girl, cherish it!:))

Deepa Kuber said...

hey asha, wats atom feed? mine is rss feed rite?
or is it atom?

Anonymous said...

Ohh sure everyone needs a break frm looking into ur blog and droolllling all the time, will be missing you asha
enjoy ur break with ur kids

FH said...

Anjali, we bloggers all have RSS feed I think, don't know about Atom feed at all unfortunately. Google it for more info on Atom.

Jaya K, so glad to see you. Yeah, I have been blogging non-stop since Dec, so it's time to rest a little. I will see you when I come back, take care!:)

Rachna said...

aw sweet tribute to bengal... luv that pickle recipe.....where is the rosogulla ??? :)

FH said...

Haha!! Rachna, I thought of making it but chose the easiest one!;D
May be some day, I will make Sondesh and Rosogulla from scratch!:)

Anonymous said...

Well, Your pictures are always tempting, and i love the traditional Bengali style saree which Bengali women wear.
Asha, do you have the updated list till december of this year about who's hosting RCI each month? Can anyone let me know in detail?! Thanks.

www.zaiqa.net

FH said...

Mona, thanks. I love that saree too, it's almost like Coorgi style!:))

Here is the latest list for RCI;

http://veggiecuisine.blogspot.com/2007/04/
updated-rci-event-list.html

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha
loved the bengali dishes.will surely try the porota and alu parwal gravy.

shalini

Nanditha Prabhu said...

your doll and all the dishes look so nice..
your blog sure is an inspiration...so many dishes and so much to learn:)
i remember reading hayavadana in college...:)

have a nice spring break!

bee said...

i adore girish karnad. enjoy your break, and your spring garden.

Cham said...

Seeing the parotas , i just smiled , now i have the answer why u asked me monday, are u going 2 post the parotha? May be i can link back to your post :) I love Bengali sweets... Ur dishes are so appealing. Wish u a wonderful break ! See u soooooonnnn... Yest, i saw the same crocus in Bee spot and now today in your place, Wonderful colors to start the spring :)

Manasi said...

Didi u wake up at the crack of dawn and post? U are one superwoman!!!
The Thali looks yum ( sorry cannot vouch for the fish in mustard sauce) abd loved the presentation plate too!
That doll is so sweet!

So u are off for ur spring break!!! ENOYYYYY!!! come back all charged up ( but then , u always are;) ) and bring us some awesome pics!! Have fun , all of u!!

FH said...

Thanks Shalini, Cham, Nanditha,Bee. I will enjoy the break and come back as soon as possible!:)

Cham,your parathas have even more layers, hope you post the recipe girl!:)

Uma said...

Wow, what a wonderful Bengali thali! A great array of recipes. Love the doll too! You are great at beautiful presentation. Have a nice, fun-filled break.

sunita said...

Asha,you're always ahead...look at that plate of gorgeous food...yumm.

Mythreyee said...

I love this bengali thali. Specially the Patishapta, which I would love to try. Thanks for sharing. All these dishes are very new to me. Only Punjabi food is served in all the north Indian restaurants. A must try. I have bookmarked. Thanks.

Srivalli said...

wonderful plate Asha...no words to explain..the way you are dedicated is just too good..each and every dish looks just mouth watering...those flowers look great...just saw these in bee's place...everywhere they look so lovely..thanks...and enjoy your much deserved holidays and come back refreshed...

Anonymous said...

Asha, Thnx for letting me know about this, but can i know of the details for RCI after the month of July? This list only has details till July 2008, i would like to know till December.. Because i was informed i will be hosting RCI-Authentic Cuisine of Hyderabad in the month of August'08, so i wanted to know for sure about it, and also about who's hosting what RCI after July!

www.zaiqa.net

Unknown said...

Hi..
The dishes look really great n mouthwatering..Will miss all ur posts during ur break..Enjoy ur break..

Bong Mom said...

Thanks Asha and what a spread. Given that I am not able to cook much these days, I just want to grab that thali and eat all of them. Some "Alu-Potol" er dalna is what I am craving now :D

Know what I will change the rules, you don't only send me the post, you parcel me the food toooooo

Mansi said...

you are way ahead Asha!! boy, that parotha and pancakes are eye-catching!! hope you enjoy your mini-vacation with your kids! read a lot, have fun, and come back soon sweetie!:)

FH said...

Manasi, got to get up at 6am every day whether I like it or not! KIDS!!;D

Uma, Sunita, Sri and Myth thanks you. I will come back very refreshed!:))

musical said...

Lovely! Its been ages since i heard the name Patishapta-it was a signature sweet that my namesake friend used to treat us to in the college! Wow, sweet memories indeed, Ashakka :).

And i am eyeing that mirchi achaar :). You always make the most elaborate thaalis. Enjoy the break, dear!

Btw, i LOVE Girishi Karnad's writings!

hugs,
musical.

FH said...

Mona, you will have to e mail Lakshmi to update further. She has done up to July, don't know who is hosting after that until each RCI is announced or she updates. Hyderabad by you in Aug? YAY!:)

Thanks Dhivya, I will be baaaacccck!:)

Sandeepa, I would gladly parcel for you if I could,Dalna and all!:D Glad you liked it, I was not going to wait for announcement anyway but very happy yuu did! Take care and enjoy the Bengali food flood!:))

Will do Mansi and will miss you too. Just got that second GK's book delivered today!:))

AnuSriram said...

What a gr8 spread Asha! Looks lovely..
Enjoy your break! will surely miss all your recipes and your comments...

sra said...

The fish and the patishapta look wonderful. Till May, Asha? I will miss you.

FH said...

Musie, your friend's name is Patishapta? How beautiful! I have never heard of this dessert before although kayi bellada dose is similar, glad I made this. See you in May!:)

Anu, thanks girl. Need a break now and then. Will read and cook a LOT! :D

Will miss you too sra, will read more books for you!:))

Pooja said...

Lovely spread of Bengali Dish.
I sometime wonder, what a lovely chance you kids and hubby gets to eat all variety of dishes round the clock , all time almost.
You presented it really very well Asha. You are correct this is going ot be the first entry for RCI this month, and the most yummiest too :) .

Enjoy the break double than you can , I warn you if you didn't enjoy my share of it :D.
And I feel so good to see you following your new years resolutions.
You book reviews I find so useful that i come to read it again sometime, same as I visit Viji's to read those positive thoughts she publish at the end of each post :).

Have a fun filled vacation , will be rounding up VoW-Brinjal before you leave for vacation. Hugs to you.

Smita said...

off until end of april? :(...I will miss your posts!!! Enjoy your break thoguh!:)

FH said...

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement Pooja, you are such a sweetheart. Yes, I will enjoy and come back with more. I am preparing 2 dishes for you , will post soon and link when you announce!:)

Smita, I will be missing all of you too Kids are off school for 2 weeks, so I am taking off at the same time. Will see you when I come back!:)

Shilpa said...

Wow...thats a very nice spread Asha. I am drooling over jhol and dalna. They look like something I would immensely enjoy. Have a great vacation Asha. I too have one more week to go, then we will be at home :).

FH said...

Thanks Shilpa. That mustard jhol was new to me, tastes good, easy too. Enjoy your time at home too, read and cook!:))

Unknown said...

Oh thali looks good,I like the platter. I cannot cook more than 2 dishes at a time. Some day i'll try to cook like you.
Enjoy your vacation.

Kalai said...

What a spread of delights! Looks simply wonderful!

FH said...

Thanks Madhu and Kalai. Glad you liked the thali, now try some of these!:))

Mallika said...

OH MY GOD! I LOVE it. Sandeepa is back and what a treat this is... Your bangla ranna looks amazing. I have the same cookbook by the way. She's called Kewpi and I used to go to her place as a little girl with my parents. It has been a treasure to me in my early cooking days!!

Dhivya said...

Wow!u made paratha at home...great,u hav lot of patience girl...Both bengali dishes looks great..love those fish

Hav a great break,,will miss u:(

Annu said...

Very nice recipes asha :-),nice presentation.There is huge list of recipes that I haven't done still.

FH said...

Mallika, I was looking for a genuine Bengali cookbook to cook for this event, I came across this without the cover in Amazon. Bangla Ranna sounded great, so I bought it. So glad I did too, it's a wonderful book. You know her personally, wow!:))

Thanks Dhivya. I have made so many types of parathas, this was new to me ie the way you roll into S and making paratha. Tastes great, try it!:))

Namratha said...

AWesome spread Asha dear, as always!! :) I'm so glad finally RCI Bengal has been announced, the last time we had RCI Bihar I had mistaken it to be Bengal and done my research on it too ...hehe...so now I have the dishes I want to make :)

Nagamandala is a kannada movie too right adapted from Girish Karnad;s book? Sounds familiar to me but I'm not too sure.

Have a wonderful break dear I'm headed to the whole RCI list :D

TBC said...

I like the sound of patishapta. Ican imagaine what it tastes like.:-)
Enjoy your break!

Anonymous said...

Lovely looking thali Asha! I don't check any blogs for few days and there so much to catch up with. :-)
Good entry. Girish Karnad - wonderful artist/director - love his plays and movies, have not read any books though.
Enjoy your break with the kids Asha!

Shionge said...

You are so 'naughty' by showing me the one more look hehehhe.....now I'm so full :D

I love Bengali cuisine and everytime when some of our Indian colleagues eat their lunch in the canteen I am always curious :D

Yo..me dragon lady too :D High Five!

Richa said...

whoaaa! what a beautiful spread, love that 4 compartment thali :)
dalna looks so good! have had the patishapta, i made it with jaggery 'coz i love the taste of jaggery! very tempting food!
enjoy ur break Asha!

Coffee said...

Until May!! Where are you going for such a long vacation??

That was a good insight into the bengali cuisine. :)

KonkaniBlogger said...

Yay !!Benagali cuisine, now I got it right, hehehe..Totally cool spread Asha..Lucky family of yours..Love everything on tht plate..Have a great holiday and enjoy urself Asha !!

Miri said...

I realised Im such a pickle fan when I first looked for the achaar! The spread is really tempting - especially the shorshe macher - my daughter's best friend is a Bong and she is getting to be a complete fish foodie!

sandhya said...

lovely spread... those parotas are a must try... enjoy your break!

Seena said...

You have tried and tasted almost all of the Indian (read world) food?????????
No way to stay near your house.. :D
DELICIOUS..!!
Flowers looks beautiful..post more pictures from your Garden.. :)

Lavanya Raj said...

How you managed to cook all the dishes at a time..they are splendid.

You are well-balancing your life..being busy for few months and taking off for few months..i got to leanr from u.

Purnima said...

On top of things as usual! The entire post is informative(I have very little knowledge of Bengal, hence!)I too loved GK as an actor,well rounded actor!Loved to read the gist of queen's story!Re-Relatives Tipu Sulatan,sad indeed,if true!Coming to the platter..YUMMMMMM everything loved the machli,porota,the sweet dish looks tooooo tempting!(Do u buy new crockery for every event??;) Love ur presentation a completttteee spread!Enjoy your spring vacation!(wd hv loved to see your dosa-mela unique dish entry!)

Keshi said...

WOW very interesting Asha! U always introduce the very colorful and multi-cultural food habits of the various parts of INDIA. Never knew much abt Bengali cuisine..this was an interesting read!

HUGS!


Keshi.

Anonymous said...

Lovely crocuses!

Hats off to you for taking the effort on the research regarding an area...The thali looks lovely..especially the fish that I am definitly trying..

Have a good break and come back refreshed....

Suganya said...

Enjoy your break, Asha. Hoping to see you refreshed and renewed :)

Cyberkitty said...

The bengali doll is so cute.....i love bengali sweet dishes like sandesh and rasogulla!

Unknown said...

That thali looks great..i especially loved those pancakes..will try that sometime..

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

As usual, you've managed a full meal post.
I like whatever Bengali vegetarian food I've eaten so far, except that I find mustard oil an acquired taste. Haven't acquired it yet.:)

Jayashree said...

Lovely Bengali feast....Iam not much of a dessert person but that dessert pancake sure does look good.

Unknown said...

OOrebaba!!ki daroon Spread!I really admire you alot.where do you get the time to take care of the children, the house,then read books,then you make a spread and blog about it too.You can actually wear a red S on your attire"superwoman".Hope you have agr8 vacation!:))

Anonymous said...

Wow...what a great Bengali thali!!! The pics are drool worthy.Thanks for the recipes. Come back soon from your break :)

Sia said...

whoa... RCI is just announced and u have prepared and posted ur spread!!! where is ur feet ashakka;) each and every dish looks absolutely fab!
gosh, i have to do reserach on bangla cuisine for san now.
oh ho... reading girish karnad's plays? naga mandala is really good, i am sure u'll enjoy reading it. and so is hayavadana...very interesting play. i have heard of bali but yet to read it. have u read any of shivram karath's novels? they r the best. and yeah, i am little partial as he comes from my native;)
enjoy ur break ashakka. we too are leaving for sea shores pretty soon:)

FH said...

Thank you , thank you, thank you girls, love and miss you all!:))

Fellow Dragon lady, high five back to you!:)

Sia, will be on Shivram Karanth's books like white on rice ASAP, had forgotten about him, thanks!:D

Seema said...

That was a lovely thali with Bangla Cuisine! Loved the presentation, each looks yummier than the other! Have a good break & enjoy! I will be blog breaking too for whole of April - Moving out of country ! So its packing time :-)

Anonymous said...

That's a nice round of recipes. Have a great time!!!

FH said...

Seema, going back to India for good? Good luck with packing and all. Keep in touch after April, see me whenever you can.Hugs to you!:))

Thanks Nithu, I will enjoy and come back with more!:)

DK said...

What you are leaving? I came back jus now :(

I was hiding behind this "Ohh I am so bc" bahana..but Siri saw thro it and brought me back :-D

One lesson I learnt is never ever to come to your site with empty stomach! it actually growled with hunger the minute I saw those pic! Making Parotta has been a total thorn on my side! I flopped miserable the last time I did...I cudnt see the so called layers at all even with a microscope! Will try once more :-D

Now am off to fill my tummy with some stupid cereal! Bah!

Jaya M said...

oh! u can anything in the world Asha..
simply great going ..
my fav is Pattisapta ..
hugs and smiles
jaya

Priya said...

Fish with mustard sauce my favorite and the best combo is hilsa.

I just made this recent after years and loved it.

FH said...

Hahaha! DK, happens sometimes. Stop blogging for few days, you don't feel like coming back.
Yeah, I will be off for a while. kids birthdays, beach,then some reading and cooking etc. Most bloggers seems to be taking off too.
Mix plain flour and wheat flour to make parathas and spray no-stick oil when folding, then roll gently to get great layers, hope you try!:)
Have a great time with your cereal!;D

Thanks Jaya and Priya. Bengali cooking is so simple and delcious, enjoyed it!:))

AnuZi said...

May!! Oh my...I should have started blogging sooner. I will miss your wonderful encouraging comments and of course these instructional and awesome entries that you bring forth. But have a great break and Oh I forgot to say **droooool*** hehe

deepsat said...

Bengali dishes are yummy! felt nostalgic seeing them!!! u must have heard of the Hilsa fish from bengal! they are one of the best!!!

thank you!!!

have a good break and come back soon!!

;-))

Susan said...

That thali looks too yummy! Enjoy your nice long break, Asha. I have a feeling you will be reporting back next post w/ a ton of books you have devoured! (P.S. - You are going to love the tagine. It is one of my favorite kitchen tools.)

FH said...

Anu, we have wonderful circle of desi bloggers here, you are welcome always. Enjoy and yes, I will see you again in May!:)

Satish, thanks. Yeah, somebody told me about Bengali Hilsa, never tried it though, sounds good!:)
You too have a great Spring, at last it's here!:D

Susan, thanks I will enjoy the break. I will bring plenty of Spring flowers too in May. My Tagine is very small, just for serving. But I am excited, will cook some Moroccan!:))

Kajal@aapplemint said...

I'm not very familiar with Bengal food, but it does look enticing. BTW i dare you to do just one dish in a post !!! haha u always have so many gr8 items goin on i wonder how u still manage to find something new every time. Now thats what i call talent !

Anonymous said...

must you make a complete thali for events?? you are such an enthusiastic participant....i've turned green all over!! looks fabulous...i love the crepe with filling...can just imagine sinking my teeth into it.....

remya said...

gorgeous thali...u always rocks at RCI dear...lots of imformation nd wonderful dishes...keep doin blog queen :)

SMN said...

Lovely Bengali spread ashakka.. Njoy ur break lovely flower in the garden..

FH said...

Thank you Kajal, smn, Remya and Arundati. Glad you liked the Bengali thali.
Bengali food was unfamiliar to me too, I tried a few this time, loved it. Simple and delicious!:)

Kajal, I used to post single dishes last year almost 3-4 times a week!:D
Now I do one post a week with atleast two dishes which is more convenient for me and others who come here too, works better this way!:)

Have a great weekend and enjoy.

Pravs said...

Wow ! i want to try all the dishes.Looks so tempting. Have a great break. Hugs till then :))

FH said...

Thanks Pravs, hope you try. I will be here until 20th though. Enjoy the Spring, will see you in May, hugs!:)

Bharathy said...

Again with a fabulous spread!!

Patishapta is something I would love to try!Why dont you send it for srivallis dosa mela?/since it falls under the "crepe with filling" category???Yummmmy

Break till May!Thats pretty lengthy..still...you deserve a good break!!Enjoy!
I too am joining you soon(for a break):)

Raks said...

Lovely spread Asha!Love the parotta and step by step pictures too! Enjoy your spring break and have a great weekend!

FH said...

Try the Patishapta Bharathy, it's yummy. Yeah, it will be in Dosa mela post at Aroma on Monday!:)
I still have 2 more posts at Aroma until 20th, I will be back in May. Have fun and see you then!:)

Thanks Raks, I will enjoy the break, really need it. Have a great weekend, see you later!:)

Anonymous said...

Wow!What a mouthwatering spread! Patishapta (Pati sapta - translates to "gramma ate" in Tamil ;-)) looks delicious - will try, Thanks Asha! Hope you are having a wonderful spring time there!

Cheers!
Sneha

Annu said...

Your lucky asha,spring started for you.But here still its snowing now and then.I am really really fedup with winter........

FH said...

lol! Aiyyoo Sneha, it does mean that "Granny ate" if you say it separately, funny! :D
Clever girl, never thought of that. Enjoy the weekend,thanks for saying hello!:)

Annu, I saw the snow in the North on TV! MY GOD! When does it end? Soon I hope.
We have 75F today and it's beautiful everywhere. You just have to wait for a few weeks I guess. Hugs, make some crispy hot Pakodas!:))

musical said...

No Ashakka, my friend's name is not patishapta :-D. She is my namesake :).

Deepa Kuber said...

hey asha, how are u doing?

Mona said...

wow! Parval is one of my favorite dishes & is very much available here during summer season! :)

I love the thali arrangement & the way you made parothas!

FH said...

Oops! Musie, I need to slow down a bit girl!;D

Anjali, waiting for Arvind so we can go and get Pizza for the B'day party!:) (2pm to 6pm today!)

Mona, never tasted Parval before, frozen is not that good at all. got to see if I get fresh ones here. Have a great weekend!:)

Raaga said...

Lovely spread Ashakka.. I'll get some recipes from my neighbour and make them...already have stuff for RCI Rajasthan... in drafts :-)

Little Miss Muffet said...

oooohh..i have so missed visiting your blog! will start going through all the recipes to decide which one to try first ;)

Deepa Kuber said...

oh ok, enjoy the bday party..!!! did u see my plantain bharta recipe ?

Mahek said...

hi
Asha,
As i always say , i dont know how you manage to do so much , I have to learn a lot from you, now that you have made a bengali thali , does everyone at home eat food from a different culture? You take so much trouble to cook so many dishes for the thali , but how do you manage the tastes of your family.

FH said...

Hi Raaga, got Rajashtan already! You are ahead of me now!:D
Looking forward to it, see you in May!:)

Great to see you LMM, yes, you were busy, but glad to see you though. Enjoy, I will be on break until May!:)

Anjali, birthdays went well, had good tie but I am so tired!! Will see you Monday!:)

Hi Mahek, how are you?
Thanks, I will do my best to bring something new. Kids like anything meat, desserts and parathas, so no problems in that dept, but they don't like south Indian food like dosa and idlis or very spicy food though.
Bengali, Punjabi food is not spicy, so they love it. I cut down the spices anyway since we don't eat very spicy food either.
Have a great Sunday!:)

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

hai Asha,
you were the first person that i scrapped while i got a chance to visit these blogs, might be for the previous post, not sure..not sure if u had seen it, coz i was way behind in the line of coments from ur fans!!!...
trust me, with each post of urs, i seem to respect u more n more!!
luv,
sona

Unknown said...

Hi Asha, Lovely entry for RCI-Bengal :) Loved the fish in mustard and the sweet dish :) I have always craved for those traditional bengali cuisine that includes fish :)

Lisa Johnson said...

Happy Spring Asha! Your flowers are beautiful. The trees are just budding here, but I don't think we'll see many flowers for a few weeks. Enjoy your time off! ; )

Sig said...

What a feast! I am quite busy here, finishing up last minute stuff at work before my vacation... So in case I don't stop by at Aroma next week, wishing you a great Spring break... See you when you get back...

FH said...

Sona, I read every comment and I did read previous one too. Thanks girl!:)
Have a great time, see you when I come back, hugs to you.

Roopa and Anali, enjoy the Spring. We are just getting those Crocus out, it's hot here today as well. Right time to get a brek. Enjoy, see you in May!:)

Sig, don't worry about it. Go and enjoy your vacation. I just have 2 more to go at Aroma, after that I will be off too, see you in May. Hugs to you!:))

Anonymous said...

Always made parwal and aloo dry curry, Will have to try this gravy version. We get frozen parwals too and the recipe is simple, so I am gonna try it :-)

Enjoy your break !! Looking forward to some Rajasthani cuisine !

Revathi said...

Absolutely admire your dedication to all things in life !!

Reeta Skeeter said...

I love lankar achar, and the tomato cucumber green and red chilli salad of bengalis and not to forget the puchkas :D
Lovely posT
maza aa gaya!

Lakshmi said...

Ashakka, Lovely spread of bengali dishes. Colorful and mouthwatering.Girish Karnad is a great writer. Read his book long back..happy reading!

Kalpana said...

Bengali Dishes, I heard they taste good...... Need to atleast prep one. Have good quality fun time in your break.but come back soon..........Will be missing you....

FH said...

Abha, Revathi, Skeeter, Lakshmi and Kalpana, thanks girls.
I will miss you all too. Kids will be home for 2 weeks, so I will get some time off to enjoy them!
I will see all of you in May, enjoy the Spring and have fun until then, hugs!:))

Deepa Kuber said...

hey asha, will upload the photo very soon. yes my recipes are showing up in TOI.. thanks for ur guidence, otherwise it wouldnt have been possible :D

FH said...

Glad TOI is working for you now. I see other comments too in your blog, that's great Anjali. Enjoy blogging, See you in May!:)

Deepa Kuber said...

thanks asha,
hey whats this Regional cuisine of india(RCI) thing? and also tell me abt the events, what are they?
and what happened u r not posting anythg till may? thats sad news :(

Shionge said...

Hiya my dear friend, thank you for the birthday wishes and I wish true happiness to your children too who celebrated their birthdays :D

Have a nice break, take care and be well...see you in May :D

Anonymous said...

I'm totally bowled over by this delicious thali, Asha, and nearly rendered speechless (that doesn't happen so often to me! ;) )!!

I'm glad you mentioned RCI because I have alot of catching up to do. I have to run check Aroma now before you go on break! Hope you have a lovely relaxing time. Crocuses look great. I have a few planted in my yard too, just poking up leaves. Haven't had luck with bulbs here yet; maybe this is the year and your pretty blooms will migrate north :)

Cynthia said...

I like how you tease us by saying, one more look :)

Have a restful break honey. I will miss you dearly.

Seema said...

Hi Asha, My cookbook never fails me, the pictures the recipies and the info connected to everything that you put in..very nice:) the dishes always invite me!
Those flowers are somethign they call a BEAUTY.
YOu have a wonderful spring vacation n take care.

FH said...

Anjali, I will leave a comment in your blog about events later. My blogs are silent until May, I will moderate comments and reply if you have any questions here,but no blogging or commenting in other logs, lot of resting and reading!:))

Shi, thank you for your blessings, they do need those a lot. Trisha is just ready to go to college and Tushar just turned a teenager! Help!!;D
See you in May, hugs to you. Keep well and happy!:))

Cynthia, got to tease all of ya once in a while, right? ;D
Thanks girl, you are a darling. I will see you next month or so, got to rest my hands a bit. Hugs to you and miss you too!:)

FH said...

Linda,hope you had a wonderful weekend break after all those busy days. Yeah, we need a break too, only time we can get out is when kids are free. I will enjoy my break for sure!:)
We have plenty of Crocuses and Daffodils right now, Tulips take time, may be end of this month.
I just bought a curry leaves plant Linda, will see if it survives, Arvind says he will take are of it,so it's all good!:D
RCI is on, Sandeepa did announce last week. I posted it quickly so I can leave peacefully and hopefully I don't get severe allergy this year too! ;D
Have a wonderful Spring break, see you in May. Hugs to you!:)

Seema, thank you. Yeah, Spring means beauty everywhere, soothes your soul after all the bitter and strange Winter!:)
Take care girl, I will see you in May. Hugs!:)

Unknown said...

ok thanks, enjoy!

Deepa Kuber said...

ok i will read all the blog events 1st, then i will work on the posts.. thanks

Daily Meals said...

Great tali Asha! Love the beautiful flowers...

Vani said...

Hey Ash! The Bangla Ranna looks delicous! Enjoy your break, hon! Will catch up with you when you get back! Off to Aroma to see the dosa mela you mentioned! :)

Diamond and Pearl said...

If a food blog can inspire one reluctant cook, it's a big thing! Looks like you have inspired quite a few! Have a nice time enjoying your break!

FH said...

Thanks Sakshi, see you then!:)

Anjali, Dosa mela is going on right now, you can come up with something!:)

Enjoy Vijaya, see you in May!:)

Vani, enjoy the Spring and the flowers, will see you later, hugs!:)

D & P, thank you. I try my best. I am fortunate to have great bunch of blogger friends who appreciate and encourage me!:)

Seena said...

Asha,
hope u have seen your green peas sago pic in my blog.. :)
Happy holidays Asha, will miss you..
You are the top among few I expect always.. :)

FH said...

Will miss you too Seena! And thank you for your support as always.
I will check that Green peas Sagu, usually I don't open my blog on weekends, might have missed it but I did read that comment that you tried it.My fave too. See you in May!:))

Meera said...

Your Bengali spread is absolutely delicious, Asha. I wish, I lived in ur neighborhood.

Deepa Kuber said...

yes, i know.. but i think those chips are prosessed or they dry the plantain rings in the sun and then fry them :) im just guessing!

Deepa Kuber said...

oh ok, i will think of somethg.. some unique dosas :D

FH said...

Glad you liked my Bangla Ranna Meera, it was fun knowing about other cuisines. Enjoy!:))

Anjali, I am sure you will come up with some unique combo dosa, can't wait for her round up!:D
Yeah, professionally processed chips are very different form what we make at home, but delicious anyway!:)

Anonymous said...

Asha, Nimma blog thumba chennagidhe. Thumba effort haaki shraddhe inda nammelara jothe nimma recipes hanchkothira. Naanu lingayath and mysore navalu aadarinda, nimma recipes nange ajji matte mummy adige nyaapaka agutthe.

Thank You for sharing your knowledge with us. Always looking forward to your recipes. Aadre onde hedarike spammers kaatadinda neevu yelli bareyodu nillistira antha.

You write so well, have you thought of writing a cookbook yourself. If so I will be the first to place an order.

Shilpa

Dalicia said...

i like the bengali doll if only i was that pretty ehehhe...have a nice break!!! we all need one every year. take care honey!!!

J said...

I'm late to catch on your posts....!!! But enjoyed the variety. Those plays seem so interesting!! Enjoy your break!

FH said...

Shilpa, lingayat from Mysore! Hurray! Neevu obre anta kanatte lingayatru naanu meet madiddu blog inda, tumba santoshaaytu. Matte banni illige!:)
I am just taking a break for a month, my hand hurts from too much blogging, will be back ASAP! Open a blog if you don't have it already. I am thinking of opening another blog just for traditional recipes, what do you say? It will be too much for mr but helps others!:)

Dalicia, I am sure you are prettier than that doll girl!! Enjoy the Spring, see you in May. Hugs to you!:)

J, take your time. I will be off on Friday too, got one more post at Aroma today!:))
Have a fun time there girl, will see you when I come back!:)

Prema Sundar said...

wow Asha ... what a neat and lovely presentation.. I always admire that in your blog. Bengali thali looks mouthwatering.

FH said...

Thank you Prema, glad you liked it. Made it simple this time, turned out well. Enjoy, See you in May!:)

Deepa Kuber said...

hey asha, its bit wierd. my name is appearing twice in TOI listing :D
ANJALI JOSHI and ANJALI J.
arent v supposed to change our blog profile name? i changed it from former to latter.

Anonymous said...

Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the Servidor, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://servidor-brasil.blogspot.com. A hug.

Keshi said...

aww enjoy and come bak soon Asha. Im gonna miss ya MWAHHHHHHHHH!

Keshi.

Viji said...

Asha, new dishes which i never heard of before. Enjoy your break and relax. See you in May. Viji

FH said...

Anjali, yes, it recognizes both names as separate posts but just leave it like that, twice the exposure for ya!:D
Or leave a comment there to ask her to take one off and tell her you changed the name.

Thank you Servidores,enjoy. I will check your blog!:)

Keshi,I will miss you too. Packing tomorrow. Can't wait to see the beach girl,it's been a long time since I left home!:)

Thank you Viji, will miss your delicious posts but will catch up with you n May. Hugs to you,take care!:)

Deepak Gopi said...

I will tell you a secret.
I will be making my film debut thru a bengali movie. :):)
Belated happy holi and a happy easter 2 u and family.

FH said...

You are going to be a movie STAR!!! That is so wonderful!! Hope you put a video clip when you are done with the film. I don't get to see the Indian movies that much here.
Congratulations Deepak, at last you are fulfilling a dream of your's!! Good luck to you!:))

Cakespy said...

It all sounds so, so so good--the food, the culture--wonderful! I think I will try the Porota first.

FH said...

Hi Cakespy, enjoy everything. Porota is a great start, can be used as a wrap with anything inside. Hope you ad a wonderful Spring weekend, see you in May!:)

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,

After a long time I am visiting your blog, lot of surprises... Perfect looking Bengali Thali. I like the sweet very much...

FH said...

Hello MT, that's okay, take you time.I am on break until May too, see you then. Enjoy the Patishapta!:))

Medhaa said...

The thali looks so yummy, i am so hungry now.

FH said...

Thanks. Enjoy Medhaa and hope you try some of these!:))

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Wow, gorgeous! All recipes look very tempting and delicious! Yummy!

Cheers,

Rosa

FH said...

Thank you Rosa, glad you liked them. Hope you try some of these. Have a wonderful week, see you later!:)

Deepa Kuber said...

Hey Asha how are you doing? i hope you are enjoying your holidays :D

Priyanka said...

Asha, lovely platter...the recipe for the alu-parval recipe is so similar to the oriya alu-potal rassa.

FH said...

Hello Anjali, just moderating the comments,sitting infront of the Ocean front room listening and looking at the waves and LOVING it!!:))))
I am off the lappy in few seconds.

Priyanka, that's true, I have a Oriya cookbook too. It was delcious!:)

Pearl said...

Lovely stories and photos. Have a great restful blog break.

FH said...

Thanks Pearl, great to hear from you. We are having fun, it's quite warm here at the beach although a bit windy!:)

Manju said...

trust you to come up with a whole feast for any RCI!!! :)

FH said...

Thank you SC, glad you liked it. We enjoyed the new Bengali taste too!:)

Gattina Cheung said...

Your ghee bhat is one of the ways to reveal your artistic hands :) The crocuses are really beyond gorgeous, aren't they :)

FH said...

Good to see you Gattina. Ghee Bhat and kurma is a classic combo in India, I love it!
There are flowers in bloom everywhere here right now, enjoying the colors while I am on break!:)

SaraLynn said...

This dish looks divine! Yum!

Shivapriya said...

What a wonderful treat, love the thali. Hope everything is fine at ur end Asha.

FH said...

Thanks Sara. Porota is a great bread as a wrap for chicken dishes, hop you try!:)

Hi SP, good to see you. I am doing very well, thanks. Enjoying my blog break right now!:))

bird's eye view said...

Hi Asha,
Wow you really put in so much work on the Bengali food festival. Here we have a great restaurant called Oh calcutta which serves Bengali food and we really enjoy it. I developed a complete craving for Bengali mustard sauce, called Kasundi, after visiting this place - it tastes great with their banana flower cutlets and so on.

I'm going to look up your source for Karnad's plays - have always wanted to read Tughlaq and wish i could watch it too!

cheers,

BEV

FH said...

Hi Bev,I am amazed at the simple ingredients but very tasty Bengali dishes. Very enjoyable indeed. I have never seen a Bengali restaurant so far, you are lucky.
That book is or was available in Amazon, hope you manage to get it!:)

Ramya said...

i love your blog and ur recipes.. Inspired of u and fellow bloggers i started a food blog..
do Visit my blog, http://welcomehunger.blogspot.com and pass ur comments and please link me from ur blog
Thanks,
Ramya

FH said...

Welcome Ramya. I am on break now, will see you in May.Enjoy blogging until then!:)

Cham said...

Wish u a Happy Ugadi to u and ur Family. Enjoy ur Holiday.

FH said...

Thank you Cham, hugs to you. Have a great new year!:))

Unknown said...

Happy Ugadi Ashakka..
Hope u r enjoying ur vacation

FH said...

Happy, healthy Ugadi to you and your's DV, hugs!:))

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
Wishing u a happy ugadi.

shalini

Lakshmi said...

A very nice spread Ashakka. Happy Ugadi to you and your family.

FH said...

Thank you Shalini, Lakshmi.Hope you girls had a great new year's day too. We just came home last weekend, recovering now!!:D

Deepak Gopi said...

Happy vishu 2 u and family

FH said...

Thanks Deepak, you too have a great Vishu. We had Ugadi on the 7th, I think Vishu is the same for you there, just with different name. Enjoy!:))

FH said...

There are some amazing flower display here right now Kristen, enjoying every bit of it although it's my allergy season!:))
I have successfully resisted commenting on blogs so far, makes me feel in control too at last!:D
Have a great weekend, see you in May.

Srivalli said...

asha dear...this is one long vacation!...i can see you are replying to your blog comments..mean mean...:D..when are you expected to be back!...

FH said...

Hello hello dearest Sri!;D
Yup, I still have to moderate comments and delete all the blog roll posts everyday. I baked a MW cake for you, so I will be posting that on the 30th of this month and I will be blogging just 3 days a week after that.Kids have final exams in May.Take care, I will see you later, eagerly waiting for your dosa round up!:)))

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hello Asha, lovely to see what you've been up to and so glad you're sticking with the breaks thing. Good for you.

May have to look out those books. I'm reading lots at the moment. It's so good to just sit and read. No TV, no computer, I'd forgotten how to do that.

FH said...

I second that Amanda. I too am enjoying reading tremendously.I will be blogging less and reading more when I come back from break in May, feels wonderful! Have a great Sunday, take care!:))

Annu said...

Hello Asha.How r u?Long time no see.

FH said...

Hi Annu, I am good...just relaxing and enjoying my break, will see you in May!Have a great Sunday!:)

Deepa Kuber said...

hey Asha, how are doing? enjoying ur holidays haan?i miss ur recipes. eagerly waiting for the surprise recipe which u would post, immediatly after u come back

FH said...

Hi Anjali, I am doing okay.It's my allergy season, so got my eyes itching, sneezing etc right now!:D
Will post for Rajasthan RCI if she announces,nothing special really. Take care,see you in few weeks!:)

Seena said...

Hi, how are you Asha? Hope you had wonderful holidays.. :)

FH said...

Hi Seena, I am doing well,hope you are to.I have my allergy flared up right now but coping with it.I am also surfing lot of blogs these days to look for recipes and enjoy cooking too. I will list everything I tried so far!:))
see you in few weeks, hugs.

Recipeswap said...

Hey Asha hope you recover fast.

FH said...

I hope so too Neema,thanks!:)
Unfortunately allergy lasts until mid June for me. Just have to cope with it, no choice!:D

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