10 days up n still no cooking blog!!! looks like my self imposed deadline has fallen flat:):)laziness has won the showdown!!

About waving adios to this blog...I have thought about it n' decided that I just can not do it..no way..I'm way too attached to it(even though I do have a funny way of showing it--not updating for month etc)
..oh well,I am trying my best to overcome my laziness so hopefully I will be writing a few posts soon!!

what next??

Procrastination seems to be my middle name right now!!!

I have been planning a cooking blog for sooo long , serioulsy,I have tried and tested loads of recipes,taken photos of all the finished product..basically I have done everything required for a cooking blog other than the most important step ie publishing the blog!

If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it. ~Olin Miller

In January when I decided to write the cooking blog..I was super excited about it but as days pass..the interest is dwindlling n' so are my kitchen experiment..lol:)

So I have given myself 10 days to start the cooking blog..or just shut down this blog..forever!!not that I am writing much nowadays..:):)..dont think anyone is following this blog other than my dad..lol:)

So,in the next 10 days I either manage to raise to the (self imposed)challenge or else its goodbye folks..........

It has been a very sad few days here in Victoria..the bush fires have been relentless n' more than a hundred odd people have lost their lives.
Personally this tragedy struck me even more when I watched the news report on Marysville,a beautiful country town about 11/2 hr drive from Melbourne city.

C n' I had visited this place about 6 months ago n' absolutely loved...a small town with a lot of character, it was one of those places where you could forget all your tensions and just relax!!We could not visit all the touristy areas around Marysville and had planned to make a trip to this scenic and peaceful location sometime this year...but it wasn't ment to be.
After the bush fires all that is remains of this once beautiful place is rubble n' burnt remains of the once thriving town!!

Its a very sad situation, I pray for everyone affected by the bush fires n request everyone to help in any way possible.
For those who want to help, please visit THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRE APPEAL by the RED CROSS.


The first 2 photos were taken by us when we visited Marysville.The rest of the photos are of what remains today of this beautiful little town.
The building next to the lolly shop used to be a pub with a bike theme..the owner a lady from the USA had the most amazing collection of license plates.Now its all gone!!

Happy New year

Its been 3 months since I wrote a post..the reason being a mix of two things..studies n' laziness!!!

Anyways,I'm back now..I dont know for how long..but I promise to write atleast one post a month!!

Also..hold your breath.... I plan to start writting a "COOKING BLOG" very soon!!!No..dont faint,u heard right..for all of u who knew me in a different era,when I hated doing anything domestic,well u should meet me now:):)

Presently I'm on the lookout for the perfect template..so eveyone waiting for my delicious contributions..next week should mark the beginning of a whole new experience for your palates n' taste buds:):)

lol...as u can see,I could not afford a PR agency to hype my new blog,so decided to do it myself:):)I'll be back soon with the link for the cooking blog..untill then..have a super duper year everyone..muah!!:)

Another year older....

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional." ~Chili Davis

Guess this sums up the story of my life..another year older n' none the wiser:):)

"Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself." ~Tom Wilson

Ok..Ok...so I am a lot older than 20..but then as Garfield says..think its time I started lying about my age!!!!:)

"The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age." ~Lucille Ball

But then the fact remains that the day was super special..atleast I made sure of that:):)
Thanks to everyone who made me feel so special..I love you all..n' to all of you who forgot my special day...I think I'm gonna have sudden amnesia when it's your bday!!!:):)

"You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely". ~Author Unknown

A year together......

1 year since we got married!!! time sure flies...

Dear C,

"Happy Anniversary"
Thanks for loving me ....especially when I'm being a royal pain in the ass!!!:)"

Love ya loads
Always,
D

Back to School!

I'm back in uni after a looooong time..n' it feels super!!:):)

I had one of the best times of my life during my college days..could be becoz I've always been a nerd:)..I do like studying n' also I had the most amazing group of friends..which helped a lot.

I've already made a few great friends..like minded gals..with a similar sense of humor,which believe me, is important:)

Hopefully being around all these studious people..puts me back in the mood to study!

In other news..its almost a year since we got married...time sure flies..now the problem is..I'm total blank on what to get for C.Its just so difficult to buy gifts for men!! Oh well, hopefully I'll think of something in the next week!

Quotes for me.........

"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important. " ~Bertrand Russell

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." ~Earl Nightingale

Its been a long wait but I've some good news finally...I've managed to be one of the select few who got into a graduate program for people from my profession, here at Melbourne.While it does carry a pretty big course fees, from what I know its absolutely worth it n' passing the entrance exam is a big deal!!

But the results for my other exam are still due n' the from the way it went, I don't think I should start celebrating yet!!!:):)

Oh..waiting is such a pain!!!!

Insight!!!!

Presenting the Bread Dosa:):)!!

As I have mentioned before the credit for my cooking success goes to my mom n' all the various food blogs that I read.
During one of my random food blog surfing I came across Srivalli's blog- Cooking 4 all seasons. She had a post asking all bloggers to submit recipes for dosas -any and every kind possible for a Dosa Mela!!
The minute I read this I knew that I had to submit the recipe of Bread Dosa asap.

Being a South Indian I think dosa has always been a quintessential part of my life.I still miss sitting next to ma in the kitchen as she made hot,deliciously divine ghee dosa's just for me!!!oh I wish I was in India:(:(...oh well!!!

While I still have not mastered the art of making perfect dosa's I can say that the recipe I'm writing about makes a hassle free,simple n' super tasty dosa .
I got this recipe from my mom's recipe book during my last trip to India just cause it sounded good; well as it turns out the recipe was a great find!!

So heres presenting the---
BREAD DOSA



Recipe Source: Mom's cook book:)
Pictures courtesy: Hubby darling:)
Serves: 8 dosas

Ingredients:
Bread- 6 slices (shredded/crumbled fine)
Eggs- 2
Milk- 1/2 cup
Tomato sauce- 1 tblsp
Onion- 1 (chopped fine)
Chilli powder- 1 tblsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- to taste
Coriander- half a bunch(chopped fine)

Method:
Cut off the sides of the bread and crumble it. I usualy crumble the bread by using the blender.
Beat eggs and add to the bread.
Add all the other ingredients and mix.
Consistency of the batter should be similar to the consistency of regular dosa batter
Heat non stick tava.
Add one scoop of batter and spread even like pancake.
Flip the side after a few mins.
Serve hot with chutney.

PS:
I usually add more chilli powder as we tend to like more spicy food in our house.
Might have to spread a little oil if you are using a regular tava.
The dosa can be eaten by itself n' its tastes better hot!!

Well as u can see by the pics..I still cannot make perfect round dosa's..but atleast they taste good..now thats all that matter right:):)!!
Hope all of u like this recipe...happy cooking people!

"If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." ~Author Unknown

....So true:)

To begin with all the studying I did, all the sleep I gave up was an absolute waste..the exams were terrible n' the worst part is that I've to wait for nearly 12 weeks to confirm that I've done bad!!!
When I came out of the exam hall..I wasn't too worried that my exams went bad as every candidate had a similar experience n' well as its know misery loves company!! I was actually elated that I wasn't the only one who had a tough time. But once I got back home n' thought over the paper again..oh well I kinda went into depression!!!
Poor C he had to put up with a cry baby for the next 2 days:):)

Well now I'm back to normal now n' have decided to start job hunting. Going back to work after a year long break is exciting n' kinda terrifying too. No more sleeping in..no more watching endless TV....no more mindless orkut surfing:):)....lol..looks like I want to continue sitting at home!!!

Oh well...weighing the pro's n con's I think I prefer working to sitting at home anyday...so all u prospective employers out there...get ready..cause here I come..lol:)

Oh ya, I found this article during one of my random web surfing n' absolutely loved it. You go gal!!!!

Exam!!

I have an exam next month n' as usual I've managed to leave everything to the last minute:)
I am just such an expert in procrastination!!! Cartoon from http://thebackpew.com/

and before anyone complains that I should be studying and not blogging..well, I agree:):)
I am just here to request all my fellow bloggers to please add this particular sentence in their daily prayer... "Dear lord, please help dee pass her exams!!!"

I know you guys wont let me down...thank you so much:):) N' now I will get back to my books!!

Will be back as soon as the exams are done...ta ta:)

2008!!

Its been a long time since I logged onto my blog...reason..I've just been plain lazy!!:)

I've wanted to write so many things but just kept putting it off to 2moro...thank god..that 2moro is finally here:):)

So let me begin by wishing everyone a Very Very Happy New Year.May this year bring loads of laughter and happiness into you lives.




I don't usually believe in making resolutions....but then sometimes even perfection can be improved on---what say?:):)


So here are my resolutions for 2008----




1. Lose weight, get fit.
2. Start studying seriously, ace my exams.
3. Be more optimistic,stop worrying about what could have been..the past is the past!!!
4. Take time to paint,draw more often.
5. Listen-Learn!!!----everything that interests me-art,dancing,music,cooking.
6. Travel more--visit as many places as possible.
7. Read more books, blog more often:)
8. Believe in myself----Mind over matter!!
9. Work towards the dream I've always had for myself--be the successful person I want to be!!!
10. Remember to appreciate what I have more often:)

I once read in one of the many chicken soup books that I have that penning down your goals makes it more feasible to achieve them...so lets see what happens!!!

Have a lovely year ahead everyone!!!!

Mogambo Khus Hua!!

Yesterday I watched Mr india...this movie has to be one of my all time favorites.The movie was really stylish for those days...the acid pool that amrish puri uses to kill his ememies,the gold,red n' green stone studded invisibility device..simply unforgettable.

Seriously who among us hasnt imitated amrish puri's finger tapping action n' Mogambo khus hua dialogue or got scandalized by sridevi's rain drenched blue sari in kaate nahi kathe song!!

I'm a hindi movie fan and a self confessed drama queen n' am proud to say that this was one of the hindi movie dialogues that I've always imitated and brought up in everyday conversations just for fun!!

Some of the other dialogues I have used..
"Rishthey mein hum tumhare baap lagthe hai, naam hain Shahensha!!"--from Shahensha
"Badi badi sheron mein aise choti choti baathein hoti rahtien hai"--DDLJ
"Saara saher mujhe loin ke naam se jaantha hai"--Kaalicharan
"Mere paas maa hai..."--Deewar
"Ye haath hamein dede takur"--Sholay
"Kuthey mein tera khoon pee jaonga"--from every movie darmendra starred in:)

I dont remember most of them right now,but will surely update the list as soon as I do!!
PS: do let me know if u guys remember any famous dialogues!!

My poor blog has been neglected for the past 1 month...but then I guess a trip to India can be considered as a valid reason right:):)

While its gr8 to be back in melbourne..I just realized how wonderful it would be if we(C n' I) could have settled down back in bangalore!!!
Having family around makes a big difference....oh well, guess you can never have everything in life n' as my friend told me..if I lived in India, dont think I would have got soooo pampered by my parents:):)

The weather's wonderful here n' I'm all set to explore a few more places...n' ofcourse to read all the posts written by my fellow bloggers during my absence.

Home????

I'm off to India for the next few days.....:)

But sitting here in singapore airport...I can't help wondering.....

"Am I going home...or did I just leave home???"

Life sure is confusing at times:):)

My day:)

So yesterday I turned a year older n' wiser:):)...

Birthdays have always meant a big deal to me. I love the fact that on this one day everyone remembers you, you become the centre of attraction....well this cartoon tells it all I guess...

Well...it was a wonderful day...C treated me like royalty....I had an amazing cake n' a superb gift waiting for me:) *Thank you darlin'...you are the best!!*

I had my folks,in laws,friends calling in for different places..oh all in all it was a wonderful day:):)

What more could a girl ask for right:):)

Oh ya..thank u all for the positive response to the goli baje recipe I posted...this has given me the guts to post a few more of my favourite recipes:)..will be doing that soon.

A special thanx to Asha of foodies hope for being the inspiration:):)

Oh ya..kavi 1 1/2 tsp gram flour is more than enough. Do try the recipe n' let me know how it turned out!!:)

I will complete the tag (tagged by kavi n' vidya) within the next few days for sure:)

Food, glorious Food!!:) Goli Baje

Cooking was something I was never interested in....during my hostel stay, when my friends cooked..I would opt for the job of cleaning up!!!

At home I usually managed to escape from taking any responsibility in the kitchen.
Whenever mom wondered what I would do once I got married, my standard answer was.."Ma, there’s always ready to eat stuff!!:)"

Well I did get married, married to a man who enjoys eating n' is a good cook himself!!:):)

So after a lot of trepidation I did start cooking n' as it turns out..I seem to be pretty good at it!!:)

Now my main help in providing recipes has of course been my MOM...she is an amazing cook..n' I usually compare the taste of whatever I cook with her cooking (some how I always fall short...guess I'll need to have years of experience to cook like her:))

The second biggest help has been FOOD BLOGS. I seriously think these people who write blogs, explaining every single detail of a recipe..posting photos..they are such a big help to a beginner like me!!!

One of the food blog I frequent is Foodie's Hope written by Asha. Recently I came across her post about "RCI KARNATAKA". her write up about Karnataka n' all the different varieties of food she mentioned in her post...had me get all nostalgic and hungry:):)

So then n' there I made up my mind to post something for this event.Well turns out making up my mind was easy..but deciding what to cook was difficult!!!!I knew I did not want to make anything complicated..so after a lot of thinking I decided on making one of my favorite snack----Goli Baje:)

For those of you who don’t know I'm a Mangalorian...n' while we do have some amazing varieties of food..Goli Baje has to be one of my all time favorites. Mom used to surprise us by
making it when we got back from college/work n' everyone always loved it.
Well as it turns out C loves having them too...so without further ado, presenting my entry for RCI Karnataka....(drum roll for my first food related post please.......)

GOLI BAJE (recipe courtesy mom)

Ingredients:
Maida/plain flour--1 cup
Buttermilk or Yoghurt--1/2 cup
Besan/gram flour--1 1/2tsp
Sugar-- 1 tsp
Green Chillies--4-5, finely chopped
Baking Soda-- 1/4 tsp
Ginger-- small piece, finely chopped
Curry leaves-- few nos
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to make a thick paste.
Keep it cover for about 1-2 hours. according to mom, the more time you keep it for, the better the Goli Baje's turn out:)
Heat the oil in a kadai
Drop the mixture little by little into the hot oil, you can either do it by hand or use a spoon.
Fry the Goli Baje's untill they turn golden brown.
Remove and drain the oil using a tissue.
Enjoy!!!

Now the best accompaniment for Golibajes will be chutney..mom usually served it with coriander chutney.
And don’t forget to have becha kapi( which means hot coffee in tulu) with this...its just the best combination ever!!:):)

This photo does not do justice to how tasty the goli baje's turn out...so folks do try this recipe,its super simple n tasty!!!!

PS: I still cant believe that I..the girl who hated to even enter the kitchen is posting a recipe..even if its the simplest recipe ever. Mom will be so proud of me!!!!lol