tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post4736259474582275859..comments2024-03-09T07:26:47.685-08:00Comments on Peppermill: The End of an era or Evolution?Mirihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-85227412318497078182010-06-26T22:31:28.896-07:002010-06-26T22:31:28.896-07:00I guess we think on the same lines Raaga, as your ...I guess we think on the same lines Raaga, as your post shows :)<br /><br />MiriMirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-79642552236042941052010-06-22T05:18:29.931-07:002010-06-22T05:18:29.931-07:00My mom does things her mother or MIL did not and I...My mom does things her mother or MIL did not and I am certain my cooking is very different from what she did/does.<br /><br />She's made life easy by keeping scrapped coconut in the freezer, tamarind paste (with a bit of preservative), chilli, ginger and garlic pastes etc ready. She cooked despite having a full time job, like your mom. I do too.<br /><br />http://chefatwork.blogspot.com/2007/08/drumstick-sambar-and-raw-banana-curry.html<br /><br />:)Raagahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14736416344880614248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-68612746858699682112010-06-21T16:57:58.591-07:002010-06-21T16:57:58.591-07:00Very interesting discussion Miri... I do think it ...Very interesting discussion Miri... I do think it is evolution and quite natural. My mom employs many short cuts in the kitchen that my grandma frowns upon, and that continues with this generation too. And I actually think that in this era of documenting recipes on the internet, we are actually preserving the "traditional" recipes, and doing a better job than our previous generation.Sighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16949737485794919264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-75189178978033552252010-06-19T23:54:38.021-07:002010-06-19T23:54:38.021-07:00Thank you so much everyone for such an interesting...Thank you so much everyone for such an interesting discussion and sharing your views!!Mirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-46472141796919254382010-06-18T22:51:05.737-07:002010-06-18T22:51:05.737-07:00I am not worried about our traditions dying. They...I am not worried about our traditions dying. They may be under a lot of pressure but I think a lot of it will survive or metamorphise. Which is exactly what the 'traditional food is - it was not like that always!<br /><br />Maybe the rapid urbanisation and change is making it happen in one lifetime while earlier it was more gradual and therefore, less 'dramatic'.<br /><br />I agree when Arch says that when we have families, we will behave like our moms! We will be more careful about what our families eat and resort more to 'tradition' which we trust. There will be new traditions too - Southies living in Delhi will include paranthas into their traditions and Northies living down south will have sambar as a staple!<br /><br />What I serve at my table is hardly 'typical' of what my parents ate when they were children, but their own meals today are a lot more different from what they were used to! we live far away from the places where the traditions started so it is only natural that new traditions will emerge. We can all hope that these new traditions will continue to build upon sensible food habits and nutrition!<br /><br />The West has come a full circle - from fast food to slow food. If we are straying, we will be back for sure!<br /><br />Can you imagine that perhaps, these 'mundane' food blogs of ours that are recording our everyday meals might be just the resource the help people do that!<br /><br />I do have help in the kitchen today. But it was not like that just a few years ago. Planning and having 'all-your-burners-on-go' was how I did it too! I also think that Southern as also Kashmiri (and likely a lot of other regional) cuisine have adapted to the pressure cooker so well and reduced the drudgery in the kitchen.<br /><br />My (twenty) two cents. :-)Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06002754872631420601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-89128805423495886752010-06-17T23:48:27.142-07:002010-06-17T23:48:27.142-07:00hi miri, thanks for dropping by, while i do agree ...hi miri, thanks for dropping by, while i do agree with the live traffic feed comment, I wanted to know my google search rank... thats the reason i put it there. if you know any other method to find this out let me know. its mainly for the visitors who land here through search engines. but if its disturbing you, let me tell you i'll be removing it shortly, though not immediately, and please dont let that be a reason for not dropping by :)Rajanihttp://www.eatwritethink.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-8133580390609492612010-06-17T16:15:49.617-07:002010-06-17T16:15:49.617-07:00That is great post. I ve recently seen many Ready ...That is great post. I ve recently seen many Ready to eat food swamping the aisle! But very rarely people buy here, wonder who buy it! Outside food and processed one is only great for one day, probably when we are sick or out of the city!<br />What ever we change, we always love the Traditional food! The variation will be there but mostly stick to what mom/granny prepared.<br />I usually cook more dhal and freeze in ice cube tray for parrupu rasam!<br />Cut the veggies over weekend and freeze it too.Chamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06912395013740648068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-65728398680383567162010-06-15T21:18:07.199-07:002010-06-15T21:18:07.199-07:00loved this post miri!! yes indeed we are so busy t...loved this post miri!! yes indeed we are so busy trying to find convenience foods that we are losing confidence in preparing all the meals we were fortunate enough to have when we were kids. in my case mu daughter is genetically inclined to eat rice and always finishes her meals when i prepare malayali dishes, i grew up in an army household influenced by a many cultures that lived together in the cant. so though we enjoyed rajma cholle etc... it was always north indian for dinner and sambhar rice, mulagoshyam rice etc.. for lunch along with the mandatory mezhukkuporatti. well i try to keep this tradition alive in my home as well :)Rajanihttp://www.eatwritethink.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-81357145417392419522010-06-11T11:39:06.885-07:002010-06-11T11:39:06.885-07:00Lovely post, Miri, and I couldn't agree more w...Lovely post, Miri, and I couldn't agree more with you. While it's true that people eat a variety of cuisines now, most of us hearken back to our traditional foods for the most special times in our lives.<br />I think what we need to worry about is that our tastebuds will get oversalted and assaulted by all the fast-food chains that have swamped India. It may take a generation or two, but that could certainly do more damage to both people's health and the preservation of traditional foods.Vaishalihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09369537263521672493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-85423961614596590192010-06-10T20:37:37.745-07:002010-06-10T20:37:37.745-07:00Great post. While most of India is still cooking r...Great post. While most of India is still cooking regional/ traditional food, I think that it is urban India that is slowly losing out on the traditional fare.<br /><br />It is true that many of us do not have the time to cook elaborate meals at the end of the day. But if you look at it, I feel that it is mostly festive fare and the like that requires time in the kitchen. <br /><br />Regular Indian cooking, with a bit of planning, takes very little time to do. <br /><br />Many of us have changed our traditional style of eating by including non-traditional fare, but I feel that most of us still end up cooking what we grew up eating, a large part of the time.<br /><br />So there is still hope. :) <br />While I do like reading Vir Sanghvi (even though he's rude and opinionated), he invariably lives in a very small world which is not how most of India lives. :)Aparna Balasubramanianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02989967318453941084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-87591298845735827862010-06-09T06:55:24.792-07:002010-06-09T06:55:24.792-07:00I'm in such a fug after work and when I get up...I'm in such a fug after work and when I get up (now where does that leave me any time for preparation or considered cooking?) that it makes for some very unsatisfying food (not junk, though). So now I 'meditate' for a few minutes on 'what to make tomorrow' and I believe even that little act is going a long way towards giving me some comfort. <br /><br />I only recently began chopping vegetables ahead but stopped as soon as I started because I keep thinking of 'loss of vitamins'. But then I think, what the heck - I keep swinging between the two, actually. This morning, I cut up some ridge gourds before I went to work, but now have no clue what to do with them, until I meditate. :)srahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03243944393796831559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-50004863174422896512010-06-09T00:29:33.325-07:002010-06-09T00:29:33.325-07:00:) Smiling at the quotes being used by the kids, A...:) Smiling at the quotes being used by the kids, A - they will thank you too, much, much later for caring so much about them ;)<br /><br />Thanks for the tip - there are many who will be able to use it, Maggi has even come out with a "bhuna masala paste" - well we can make our own without the extra salt and preservatives..<br /><br />And from you I have had some amazing food - the karela in curd is my absolute favourite and so also the butter chicken and your Biryani!Mirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-51163663826975472202010-06-09T00:24:12.465-07:002010-06-09T00:24:12.465-07:00Thanks to you R, I have evolved my south Indian cu...Thanks to you R, I have evolved my south Indian cuisine repertoire beyond dosa-idli-sambar(now pronounced correctly!. Faithfully following your blog, I have been able to add the much needed variety to the menu at home. As for home cooked food, you know my obsession about "healthy, fresh, nutritious, well-balanced food" (the bits in quotes are what the kids are sure to use when they bitch about me later;))<br /><br />As for time saving methods, my mom used to always make tamatar-pyaaz masala (used in so many Punjabi dishes) on a sunday and refrigerate for the week ahead. Though I must admit, I rarely do this myself.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06237272595053318188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-44692940690203175932010-06-08T22:56:38.306-07:002010-06-08T22:56:38.306-07:00Nina - pickles are something I love when they are ...Nina - pickles are something I love when they are home made...and I worry too that we are losing a lot of that art. Do tell when you make some of these (and send with S ;))<br /><br />I think its because we don't want to make "ghar ka khana" when we have people over! When we entertain, I try to alternate with regional cooking, and especially when its a smaller crowd I go with Tamil cooking or Kerala cooking which I know will be liked. Or like a couple of times I combine, baked chicken/fish but in a traditional gravy like the Kerala stew....Mirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-31753968718091911562010-06-08T22:52:42.580-07:002010-06-08T22:52:42.580-07:00Thanks Arch - about the onions, I always freeze th...Thanks Arch - about the onions, I always freeze them if I chop them in advance....and they never smell. But will be more careful..Mirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676408925598600874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-72527948360105311742010-06-08T22:42:00.187-07:002010-06-08T22:42:00.187-07:00Wow, thats a really nice and thought-provoking pos...Wow, thats a really nice and thought-provoking post...For the first few years after I was married and was working at the other end of town, we lived on maggi and some quick-fix stuff, but now I like to cook fresh for every meal...when kids are in the picture, we become our moms and I have started bringing all sorts of veggies home...for festivals, i love to go all the way and make things that i had when i was a kid...its the best time to do that ! I like your tips, very very well put...one thing though, please do not keep raw onions, even in the fridge..if you have leftover onions, fry them, raw onions tend to attract a lot of bacteria...will mail u about it...Archanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13681417269435377576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-58124091720742178102010-06-08T22:42:00.189-07:002010-06-08T22:42:00.189-07:00Wow, thats a really nice and thought-provoking pos...Wow, thats a really nice and thought-provoking post...For the first few years after I was married and was working at the other end of town, we lived on maggi and some quick-fix stuff, but now I like to cook fresh for every meal...when kids are in the picture, we become our moms and I have started bringing all sorts of veggies home...for festivals, i love to go all the way and make things that i had when i was a kid...its the best time to do that ! I like your tips, very very well put...one thing though, please do not keep raw onions, even in the fridge..if you have leftover onions, fry them, raw onions tend to attract a lot of bacteria...will mail u about it...Archanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13681417269435377576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-47730679303075212732010-06-08T22:22:15.549-07:002010-06-08T22:22:15.549-07:00great post R! i agree to some extent with Vir Sang...great post R! i agree to some extent with Vir Sanghvi - increasingly whenever we are invited for a meal, its always something like couscous and hummus or pasta and no regional dishes at all [except for the odd cocktail vadai]<br /><br />my latest obsession is making traditional pickles and vadams myself - seems to be a dying art and i have nightmares of no one knowing how to make them once our artisan mamis have passed on...<br /> <br />anyway, having stayed with you - i know how organised you are - and from experience i know it makes a big difference to spend an hour a week organizing the kitchen and fridge - cooking is much less of a chore...<br /><br />my 2 bit - i cut veggies while yakking with my daughter the previous night so in the morning all i have to do is set the cooker and steamer so half the job is done while i'm enjoying my chai!ninahttp://www.eatwritethink.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-24101879214761036132010-06-08T09:43:01.646-07:002010-06-08T09:43:01.646-07:00Brilliant post Miri.dont know whether its the end ...Brilliant post Miri.dont know whether its the end but definitely its a rapid changing pattern especially in the urban areas. we prefer traditional food with which we grew up on weekends and on some week nights. betweeb some of our bachelor friends were asking me for some quick traditional recipes. I was thinking of making a post with some tips to cook traditional meals and see you have some great tips here. will recommend it to them. again thanks for such a lovely post. very very close to my heart. love SayantaniSayantani Mahapatra Mudihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02806613341538564779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-565128388709486902010-06-08T07:16:18.636-07:002010-06-08T07:16:18.636-07:00A really really wonderful post.
My friends here c...A really really wonderful post.<br /><br />My friends here cook a lot of traditional food at home in spite of the no-help scenario. It is really amazing how they manage to do that even if it is only 2-3 times a week.<br /><br />My Mom is always amazed at repertoire of authentic dishes these girls cook, especially for a party. She says folks back home are tending more towards short cut and try to avoid such detailed cooking.<br /><br />I think for my friends here, it is more of the nostalgia that makes them go through the whole nine yards and then it doesn't seem like that much of a hard work eitherBong Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15407918137263251235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-45107973661806897752010-06-08T06:05:22.043-07:002010-06-08T06:05:22.043-07:00Miri, a comprehensive writeup and some excellent t...Miri, a comprehensive writeup and some excellent tips as well.<br /><br />One example, DD was excited about eating cafeteria food the first day at school. One taste and she begged me to pack lunch for her everyday.<br /><br />Processed or take out foods are good for an occasional meal. Like everything else it is a habit that once formed is hard to get out of be it home cooked food or take out food. It is in all our best interests to get used to the better stuff.<br /><br />As for regional cooking dying out, my mom does not cook like my grandmom did and I do not cook like my mom does not always anyways. We all adapt and so evolution is the right word.indosungodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11556193051268397994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-58250435943687830082010-06-08T05:57:27.387-07:002010-06-08T05:57:27.387-07:00Dear Miri
I just dropped in here from other blogge...Dear Miri<br />I just dropped in here from other blogger friends! You have an awesome collection...I am wondering , how come I missed this gold mine, I mean the recipe mine !<br />The write up is as tempting as few recipes I managed to read so far...<br />I liked the introduction too.<br />Will try recipes soon ..<br />Happy cookingUshnish Ghoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09727310069092219284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365475580414476982.post-38132126092978395882010-06-08T04:54:04.357-07:002010-06-08T04:54:04.357-07:00Keep the traditions alive and well while learning,...Keep the traditions alive and well while learning, changing according to new era and adding new cuisine to the old, that's what I would say!:)<br /><br />Your post beat my post this week, looonnggg! ;D<br /><br />Great read, enjoy. All the dishes are delicious. I sometimes cook double or triple the quantity we need, make into portions and freeze them individually for next time, lot less work.FHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16120251231228218853noreply@blogger.com