It's birthday time!

Birthdays are so exciting and full of promise... ask my little princess and she will nod in agreement. It does not matter whose birthday it is, sing the birthday song and she will clap her hands, smile cheerfully and even dance around.

Reasons to celebrate!

A beautiful angel has come our way

With a sweet smile to brighten our day

A gift so precious, she's a treasure

Filling our hearts with joy and pleasure!

As you see, I turned mum sometime ago and that explains why I have been missing from this space. Thankyou to those who asked after me, left me birthday wishes, onam greetings and for the baby. :) Life has been hectic with the baby and a relocation to new shores, and the blog took a backseat. But today is special, Currybazaar turns three! It has been a wonderful journey meeting fellow foodies, knowing about cuisines from around the world and learning new recipes, presentation techniques, tips and tricks. I will post as and when time permits, meanwhile enjoy some treats from Currybazaar!

Happy Vishu!

May this Vishu bring joy, good health and peace to your home!

New Year Greetings!

Happy New Year !

May the dawn of this new year
Open up for you new horizons,
Fill your heart with new hope,
Promises of a brighter tomorrow
Wishing you happiness and prosperity in the New Year!

It's time to feast, again!

Onam Greetings to all visitors to Currybazar!

What is this?

Can you name these leaves?

I picked these leaves at the market yesterday for their freshness and pretty shape. The vendor didn't help me much with a name in any language I knew. All he said was they tasted sour, which they did as I promptly tasted and tested. I think they'd do well in a salad with other veggies, but my husband thinks they should be ground into a lovely chutney. Can you tell me what these leaves are and how they are used in cooking? This is not a guessing game and all information and suggestions are welcome.

Happy Diwali

Wishing all of you a Happy Diwali! May the lights of the season bring happiness, good health and prosperity in your lives.

Meeting in the real world and my four-in-one life!

Blogging has it's surprises, like meeting a blogger in flesh and blood. I've often associated bloggers with those I've known or met, conjured up an image from what they portray on their blogs and wondered what they look like in person. Hop over to her blog and you instantly know she's charming and talkative, loves to entertain, enjoys cooking and her photography skills are far superior to most others. She's passionate about blogging and gives us insights into life in Weimar, Germany where she lives with her family. She's one daring baker and invites us every month for a mingle at her place. What's more, she even conducts Bollywood Cooking sessions!! Yes, I'm talking of Meeta, attractive, vivacious, multi-talented and warm and the first blogger I've met in person. I also met her son, Soeren who features in every post she writes and her mother. Meeta is here in Sharjah visiting her parents. Meeta, it was great meeting you! Hopefully, we'll catch up on more next time you are here!

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Sra of When my soup came alive tagged me for this Fantastic Four meme (thanks Sra!), so here goes!

4 Places I’ve lived:

I've lived only in Mumbai, India and Sharjah, UAE.... wonder where life will take me next.

4 Jobs I’ve had:

1. During babyhood - the boss. Could eat, sleep, laugh or cry at will. The coolest job ever!

2. Student life - Rocking career, fun and frolic all the way!

3. Working life - Real world job for real money, loved it.

4. Currently - Chef, laundrywoman, dishwasher, homekeeper, interior decorator all rolled into one, on call 24/7, unpaid, lacklustre job.

4 Favorite places I’ve holidayed:

1. Maldives - for the sun, sand and sea, the most beautiful place I've been to

2. Switzerland - for the mountains, lakes, meadows, villages, chocolates and cheese

3. UK - for the history, the countryside, the underground

4. The Far East trio: Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore for great food and affordable shopping

4 Favorite foods:

Thats so hard to decide but my favourite cuisines are:

1. Indian - absolutely all kinds of Indian food

2. Italian

3. Indo-Chinese

4. Malaysian and Thai

4 Places I’d rather be:

1. Travelling around the world, hosting a travel show

2. At a beach, enjoying the waters by day and barbecuing at night

3. At a serene cottage in the countryside with lush green meadows, colourful flowers and chirping birds

4. In a shopping mall, finding fantastic bargains

4 bloggers I like to tag:

Sandeepa

Sia

Cynthia

Bee

Happy Onam!

Happy Onam to all of you!

Safety Moment #4: Kitchen Appliances and Tools-II and a Meme

Continuing the series from here…

Microwave ovens

· Make sure the microwave is located at approximately waist level and within easy reach, to provide for ease in the lifting of hot foods.
· Follow manufacturer's instructions for operating microwave ovens.
· Cover foods cooked in microwaves to avoid splattering.
· If the food is covered during cooking, make sure to leave a small portion vented, or uncovered, so steam doesn't build up and burn you when the covering is removed. Use caution when opening covered containers. Open containers away from the face because they could be extremely hot.
· Do not microwave whole eggs in its shell. Always prick potatoes, eggplants, sausages to prevent steam buildup and an explosion.
· Be aware that food cooked in the microwave can remain hot long after the microwave turns off. Use appropriate personal protective equipment such as hot pads when removing foods from microwave.
· The foods should sit as directed in the recipe after being removed from the oven so the heat can continue to spread and dissipate. This is called 'standing time', but it is actually more cooking time.
· Most ovens have hot spots, and if you eat the food directly from the oven, a few areas could be superheated and will burn. On the flip side, there can also be cold spots where the food doesn't get hot enough to kill bacteria. Follow stirring and rotating instructions carefully.
· Do not use metal foils or containers unless the recipe specifically directs you to. Microwaves bounce off metal, which can cause arcing and a fire inside the oven.
· Some recipes may call for shielding parts of the food, especially meats, with small amounts of foil. This is perfect acceptable as long as the directions are carefully followed.
· Keep the interior of the microwave clean to avoid splattering and popping.
· Make sure door seals are in good condition and free from food or grease buildup. Never operate a microwave if the door is damaged or doesn't close securely. Damaged ovens may emit harmful radiation.
· If you notice any sparking inside the microwave, immediately turn off the microwave, unplug it and do not use it, until it is repaired.
· Do not operate the oven while it is empty. This can also cause arcing and start a fire.
· Make sure any glass, plastic containers, and plastic wrap you use are labeled 'microwave safe'.
· Do not heat water or other liquids beyond the time recommended by the manufacturer or any recipe. Superheating can occur when plain water is heated in a clean cup for an excessive amount of time. The water will look innocuous, but when moved it can literally erupt out of the cup. Don't heat the water twice - that adds to the superheating risk. Adding sugar or coffee granules/teabag to the water before heating it will reduce the risk of superheating. But never add sugar /teabags to freshly microwaved liquids while holding the cup in your hand or close to your face.
· It's also a good idea to stand atleast a foot away from the microwave when it is operating - just to be on the safe side and avoid microwave radiation. Be advised that microwaves may interfere with the workings of pacemakers.

Refridgerators

· It is important to monitor and maintain the temperature of the fridge. Find the refrigerator setting that keeps the temperature within the range of 1 to 3º C (34º to 40º F) or colder throughout the refrigerator.
· Be sure that the refrigerator doors are closed tightly at all times. Do not open the doors more often than necessary and close them as soon as possible.
· It is important to remember that cool air in the refrigerator moves downward and forces warmer air near the bottom to rise. This circulation of air is essential in maintaining the appropriate temperature throughout the unit.
· The placement of food is also important for refrigerator safety. Do not overpack the shelves with food. The refrigerator air needs to circulate to keep every food item at its optimum temperature.
· Food storage: Cover foods to retain moisture because the air circulating in the refrigerator will dry out any uncovered or unwrapped food items. This also prevents them from picking up odors from other foods.
· Clean out the fridge clean regularly.
· Freezer temperature should be maintained between 0º F and 5º F (-17º C and -15º C).

Stoves and Cooking ranges

· Always make sure the oven and stove top is clean. If not, clean them thoroughly and safely. Residue grease and food can catch fire.
· Keep pot handles turned inward, away from the edge of the stove. Don't wear long, loose sleeves that can hang over the stove while cooking.
· Flammable fabrics, such as towels, dish rags or curtains can be ignited merely by being used or stored near a gas or electric range.
· Vapors from contact cement, gasoline, cleaning fluids or other flammable liquids can be ignited by the pilot of the kitchen range.
· Always remember to switch off the stove when not in use.

Asha has given more tips, read here.

Disclaimer: All information is taken from various sources on the internet.

Lately, it's been raining meme's on foodblogs and I was happy to escape being tagged. But I was tagged twice yesterday by Dhana and Ramya to reveal Seven Random Facts about myself. So here it is…..

1. I used to be a very reserved and quiet person, but am pretty talkative now. I was a very good Bharatnatyam dancer and quite passionate about it, but lost touch after college.

2. People I meet remember me a girl with long hair. My hair was so long – a hereditary factor - it would inch towards my knees if I didn't trim them. Even today if I run into someone, they will check how long my hair is and chide me for cutting them off!!

3. Right from my babyhood, I entered the kitchen only to eat, and never to cook, observe the on-goings or help around. My younger sister was just the opposite; she knew how to dice the veggies for sambhar or slice them for aviyal from the time she was 2 or 3 years!! Everyone mentioned how clever and nice the younger one was and how I didn't know anything. Obviously, I didn't like that. So one day I told my mum I'd help her to cut French beans. Help I did and with the beans, I also cut my finger. Seeing all the blood ooze out, I nearly fainted. After that, I didn't venture to the kitchen for a long, long time!!

4. In high school, I showed "interest" in cooking. I told my mum that I would make vegetable biryani every Sunday. But I had some conditions – I hated to chop the vegetables, so mom had to do that bit. And since she was anyway at it, why not cook them and keep aside? Then ofcourse, she had to keep the masala ready. I didn’t know to cook the rice, so that was her department too! So come Sunday, I'd return from my dance classes and enter the kitchen, put on my apron, fry the masala and layer the biryani and tell everyone I had made it!! I thought it was boring to make regular home food. Everything I made would be christened Shahi something, or Nawabi something or Royal… you get the hint?

5. I hail from a veggie family and had never seen chicken bought, cleaned or cooked ever before I got married. The first time I made chicken, I felt a whole range of emotions!! And the chicken burned! I kept mum about the chicken and didn't serve it to my BIL and family who were invited to lunch. But my better half announced that it was my first trial, and both he and BIL being magnanimous, were eating the burnt chicken!! God bless them. After all my cooking escapades, I have a foodblog!!!! And I have to say, I've come a long way from the burnt chicken days!

6. I enjoy reading books, articles, anything. I love traveling; my husband travels a lot on work and I'm ever ready to travel with him to Iran, Sudan, Azerbaijan, Aberdeen, Papua New Guinea etc etc….. except that my pleas fall on deaf ears!

7. I'm very sensitive to smells. A strong perfume may make me faint!

Now who do I tag… Mallugirl (Malabar Spices), Meeta (What's for lunch, honey), Sandeepa (Bong mom's cookbook), Susan (Food blogga), Anita (A mad tea party). Take it if you like.

My rendezvous with the kitchen

"Eat to live or live to eat?" Well, for me it works both ways! My inspiration to cook is my husband who is a complete foodie! I luv to experiment different recipes just to see his huge, ear-to-ear grin!! His words of encouragement is all it takes to put my culinary skills to test....