Peppermill

Peppermill is an attempt to chronicle my love affair with cooking – from giddy teenager trying to bake in mother’s kitchen to independent girl living alone for the first time; from not-so-shy bride excitedly setting up a kitchen in a new city to suddenly being pushed to the brink of no return by a rare condition which didn’t allow me to eat for a whole year; from cautious patient-in-recovery to carefree mother who wants to enjoy every minute with my beautiful daughter.

I have, over the years, collected a number of recipes through family, friends, books, magazines and the internet. Most of them have been tried out, favorites are much repeated, others get buried under the comfort of routine, still others call to me every time I see them but never seem to have that one ingredient which even I ,the Queen of substitution, can’t overlook. Through this site, I hope to share these recipes, try out some new ones and recreate the memories that were created along with the dish.

Why peppermill? Pepper is one of my favourite spices – indigenous to India, it was “black gold” at one point in time – valuable trade currency and one of the reasons the spice route to India became so famous and led to her being colonized by the Europeans. This adaptable spice brings its own touch to any cuisine it flavours – from mild European to scorching Chettinad; and as it goes through the mill, the coarsely ground flakes filtering down seem to come out all the more stronger in flavor – a trait I would like to think I identify with.