• I ditched my Microwave, just not it saves energy; also it keeps us away from the health hazards of microwave cooking . Refer http://anncookbook.blogspot.com/2008/09/gift-from-hell-microwave-cooking.html
• In Summer, use the Fan - Rather cooling up the entire house.
• In Winter - Portable Heater
• I wont buy the Paper plates, cups and plastic spoons.
• Using Daylight CFL bulb - it saves energy and feels like sunny day inside the house
• I am using the cloth based floor mop(it lasts longer) instead the trendy paper based floor mop
• Once I am done watching T.V, I unplug the wire from switch board, instead just turning off the T.V ( Same applies for the rest of my electronic items)
• I don't use bottled water, I have a water filter which does it's job fantastic!
• I mostly get the locally grown vegetables and food items
• Luckily I am not a shopaholic - I only buy the things which are desperately in need.
• Oh, finally I don't have a need of paper towels in my kitchen I am getting adjusted to the cloth towels.

Well, I had not reached the absolute zenith of contribution towards Go Green, just figuring out few things every day and try to apply that in my life style. Currently I am working on how to use washing machine less and save energy? (!) will update once I am done with my research. Till then you all Stay Green !

I prepared Mexican rice with multi beans and green/red peppers. This is very simple and a delicious dish.

Mushroom korma is so delicious with kerala Parota. I also prepare this as a side for roti and rice.
Any vegetables can also be added to this korma. I like potatoes and peas as default with this korma.

Ingredients:
Mushroom chopped - 2 cups
Potato chopped - 1 cup
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion- 1/2
Tomato -1
Cinnamon -1
Turmeric -1tbsp
Asafotida- a pinch
Garam Masala - 1 tbsp
Methi leaves -1tsp
Milk - 3 tbsp (optional)
Bay Leaf -1

To grind:
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Gram Dhal -1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies -4
Cinnamon - 1/2" inch
Cloves -2
Fennel Seeds -1 tbsp
Ani seeds - 1 tsp
Onion -1/2

Method:
Fry the 'to grind' ingredients and grind to fine paste, Keep aside.
Heat oil in pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon, onion fry till onion turns golden brown.
Add the chopped tomato, mushroom -vegetables, salt, turmeric, asafotida, garam masala, methi leaves, and add the ground paste.
Fry till the raw smell subsides, mix the milk and let it cook in medium heat for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients:

Green onion - 1 bunch
Potato chopped - 2 cups
Cumin - 1tbsp
Garlic - 1
Mustard - 1tsp
Chilly powder - 1bsp
Turneric -1tsp
Curry Leaves - 5
Salt.

Method:
Wash and Chop the green onion and potato.
Heat pan with oil, add cumin, garlic, mustard, green onion and potato.
Fry well, add turmeric and salt.
Add enought water to cook well
Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro.

Ingredients:
Moong Dhal - 1 cup
Green Chillies -4
Onion -1
Cumin - 1tbsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Tomato -1
Turmeric - 1tsp
Salt

Method:
Wash moong dhal and soak in water keep aside.
Heat pan with oil and add cumin, mustard seeds, green chillies and onion, fry till onion turns golden brown
Add the chopped tomato and salt.
Add the soaked dhal with enough water and allow to cook till the dhal turns soft.
Serve with Rice.

During my initial days of cooking, half or more than a half of work was done by my microwave, which conquered big space in my kitchen. I thought I am really saving a lot of time by using it, right from making tea to re-heating the foods and frozen items. As you all know, there are so many debates on microwave cooking. Not surprisingly, no one gives much attention to it. Since it's a big celebrity in the kitchen, its natural for us to think twice before we forsake using it. Recently, I had made a little changes in my life style by introducing Ayurvedic concepts and herbs. I want to make sure that I am not doing more harm than helping myself, but microwave cooking kept me always skeptic. I been reading through a lot of articles and doing a little research on it, I was at utter shock to find the hidden health hazards of microwave cooking.
Listed the few health hazards of microwave cooking:

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

I really felt, its very harmful to take the hellish help from the microwave and its certainly inept to be in my kitchen. I have stopped using it... have you?

Kadala Curry is a very famous south-indian dish, its a best combo for puttu. It also taste good with idli, dosa, rice and roti. Amount of coconut can be adjusted as per the taste.

Ingredients:
Black Channa - 1 cup

To Grind:
Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1/2
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2
Ginger - 1" inch
Pepper corns - 5
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - 1/4 bunch
Gram dhal - 1 tbsp
Cumin - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 3

For Seasoning:
Onion - 1/2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1/2 Stick
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Soak the black channa over night and pressure cook with turmeric and salt to 2 whistles.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the ' to grind' ingredients, let it cool down completely and grind it to fine paste using very less water, set aside.
Saute clove, fennel, cinnamon, onion, add the paste and cooked channa dhal mix well and cook in medium heat for 10 mins. If needed add water.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:
Chopped beans - 1 cup
Cumin - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Channa dhal - 2 tbsp
Red chillies -3
Curry leaves - 5-6
Cilantro - 1/4 bunch
Salt

Method:
Heat pan with oil and make tadka with cumin, mustard, channa dal, red chillies and curry leaves. Add the chopped beans and let it cook in medium heat for 15 mins.
Add salt and cilantro.
Serve as side with roti or rice

Ingredients:
Methi leaves - 1cup
Mutter - 1/2 cup
Milk low fat - 1 cup
Cardamon - 1
Cinnamon - 1/2 stick
cloves - 2
Onion - 1 small
Poppy Seeds - 1tsp
Green Chillies - 1
Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch
Ginger Garlic paste - 1tbsp
Cashews - 1tbsp
Cumin - 1tbsp

Method:
Heat oil, add cumin and methi fry for few mins and keep it aside.
Grind onion, green chillies, cloves, cinnamon, poppy seeds, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves, cashews.
Heat heavy pan with oil, cumin and grinded paste fry till the raw smell subsides.
Add the Methi leaves, salt and milk, cook in medium flame for 15 mins.
Serve with Roti.

Ingredients:
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 10 pods
Any type of vathal (Manathakkali/Sunda vathal) - 5-10
Red chillies- 2
Fenugreek - 1tsp
Cumin- 1tsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Sambar powder - 1tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1tbsp

Pic - House of W.Shakespeare
My favorite English poets are William Shakespeare and Wordsworth. I absolutely adore all their work, specially the one about Daffodils and Fairy Land. In my school days, I never missed a English class particularly the poem class. My English teacher had an unique style of narrating poems by using different magical vocabulary which will take us to the imaginary world of arts and literature. That's where my thirst to visit UK begins.
- a stanza from Daffodils
"I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
huh! Finally I satisfied my thirst by making couple of weeks trip to UK - Stratford upon Avon. Which is a birth place of W.Shakespeare. I always expected it to be very greenish and wealthy, having all the mountains and valleys covered with baby green grass and cute little sheeps. It certainly din't fail to meet my expectations. William Shakespeare house is now used as a museum and they still have most of the house hold items used by the poet in display. I was quite obsessed with the elegance of this place, it has very narrow roads, old buildings and churches which now stands as a historic monuments. I would be at fault, If I miss to comment on the weather which was so graceful in drizzling and making the baby green grass to shine in the sun rays.

From Startford upon avon I travelled to small town called 'Llangollen' in east wales for the famous canal-barge ride. I got a chance to experience the english breakfast with a cream tea( it includes milk, tea, scones, clotted cream and jam). while having the glorious scenic ride in the canal, I was very curious about the sheeps which had a different number written on them in different colors, I asked the lady incharge of the barge.
Me: Are they(Sheeps) only for wool?
She replied (with her english accent) : No, it's all for Meat!
yeah, it's sad to hear that.
Well, my journey moved from Llangollen to Scotland- Edinburgh. After spending some time in a very calm country side of wales, Edinburgh epitomizes posh and liveliness. The famous castle in Edinburgh looks so fantastic and the overall city glitters in the night. Still, I have a lot to talk about my experience, but I prefer to keep it in my memories :) To the whole my journey to the land of poets were fabulous!

Ingredients:
Goovar (Cluster Beans) - 2 cup chopped
Chana dhal - 1tbsp
Cumin- 1tbsp
Mustard- 1tsp
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Red chilly - 2
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
salt.

Method:
Heat oil in a pan, make tadka with mustard, cumin, chana dhal, red chillies.
Add the chopped goovar and turmeric powder fry well with two spoon of water till it turns tender.
Add salt and garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients:

Milagu (pepper corns) - 1tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2
Onion - 1 medium size
Cumin Seeds - 1tsp
Turmeric - 1tsp
Tamarind Paste - 1tbsp
Salt


Method:

Dry fry Milagu and coriander seeds, let it cool down and grind it to fine paste. along with tamarind paste. Add very less water if needed.
Heat Pain with oil, add cumin, garlic, onion, and turmeric powder till onion turns golden brown.
Mix the milagu paste and let it boil for few mins. Add Salt.
Serve with rice.

I wasn't in the mood to prepare tonight's dinner. So, my hubby ended up making an effortless(!) spaghetti with vegetables and basil-tomato sauce. I did contribute only in the plating :)

Brussels Sprouts is a tiny version of cabbage, It taste slightly resembles the cabbage and emits a nutty flavor. It takes very less time to cook and frozen sprout takes even lesser time. It can be cooked in different ways, I like the roasted ones.

Ingredients:
Sprout - 1 cup
Red Chilly powder - 1tsp
Coriander powder- 1tsp
Cumin - 1tbsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Salt

Method:
Heat oil in a frying pan, make tadka with cumin and mustard.
Add the washed sprout and spices.
Saute well, If needed sprinkle less water till it gets cooked.
Serve as a side dish with any rice and curry.

Been raised from the country of hot weather, for me -Snow is always a fascinating thing ever since I landed in US. During Christmas time I admire all those wonderful snow statues at the street sides, I bet no one need an explanation how lively it will be in New York City!! I wanted to make a snow man of my own, but never got the courage to stay out for long in the freezing weather.
During 07' fall, I had been to Shenandoah's since its one among the top list for fall colors. To our surprise it was snowing in there and it's still the fall season, we pulled over to the shoulder line just to enjoy the first snow of that year! There was a snow man standing all ALONE(on the left in the picture) I don't know who made it and when they made it. As I always want to make a snow man, I suddenly got the enthu to make a 'Snow Girl' just besides the snow man. We dint have any hand gloves to work on the snow, but I was determined to finish that task, luckily my brother gave me his expired credit cards (I don't know how many he has in his wallet...Expired long back?) to sculpt the snow to give a lil' feminine touch, a fall leaf in her head and a few black stones to give her a face and a body! Wow..the snow girl looked so wonderful with the glam we created, I believe if the snow man could ever talk, he will surely say 'Thank you for giving me a wonderful company'. I managed to take a snap of the snow couple with my brother's mobile phone :) I felt like a lil' girl who heard the story of a happy ending fairy(Snow) tale.
So, when was the last time you made a snow man or a snow girl?

Kulfi is one of the signature dessert from Indians.. even a non-sweet tooth person could never say NO to this slightly chewy and a dense frozen dessert. It was a usual lazy day at office, we had been to an Indian restaurant in New york City - midtown for lunch. I am a person who don't like eating out, neither appreciates the taste of the restaurant food...cause you never know what goes in there... Do you? We were done with our main meal...time for a dessert! Since, I wasn't really in a mood to have a dessert at that time, I ordered the very first item in the dessert menu just for the heck of it, without even looking in to the other options. when I had my dessert plate on table..and realising that I had ordered for K.U.L.F.I looking at that wonderful pista flavored frozen dessert, small flashback was running in the back of my mind...in my good ol' days I used to crave for kulfi, I never miss to have one, whenever I get chance... jeezz it really been SO MANY years since I had kulfi !! Actually my plan was to share my dessert with my other colleague.. Poor guy dint even get a bite of it!! I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch very FIRST time in a restaurant.. humm the credit goes to the guy who made that pista kulfi !!!

It's a Saturday and raining since last night...and its suppose to rain on Sunday too! I heard that ragi is so good for cough and cold..As I want to make the rainy day cozy I made ragi-onion pakoda served with masal Chai. One way, I can get chance to use the Ragi flour which was sitting ..sorry sleeping in my pantry for quite a long time :)

Ingredients:
Ragi Flour - 1 cup
Onion - 1 big size
Cumin seeds - 1tbsp
Fenel seeds - 1tsp
Pepper corns - 5-6 slighlty crushed
red chilli powder - 1ts
Turmeric - 1tsp
Hing/Asafotida - pinch
Dry methi leaves - 1tbsp (optional)
Oil
salt

Method:
Mix the chopped onions with cumin, fenel, salt, dry methi, turmeric, hing, pepper, chilly powder, add the ragi flour, salt and mix everything together with less water. It should not be too thick or too watery. All onions should be nicely coated with ragi flour.
Heat oil, drop a spoon full of flour in to the oil and deep fry the pakoda till it gets crispy.
Serve it with chutney or with masala Chai

Autumn or fall is one among the four weather seasons we have. Many says that Spring is the most refreshing seasons of all and it could be the favorite season too, but I truly feel Autumn is The Creative, incredible and most admirable season..the mother nature paints the mountains and valleys with brilliant red, purple, tan, bright orange, yellow and gold. This season certainly has something that triggers the love for nature in all of us. what makes it even more beautiful is,
those colored leaves which are hanging in the tree branches with all its energy just to say the final 'Good Bye' to the tree, gets some help from the gentle breeze which blow them off from the trees with a melody!
Out of all colors, Bright gold is my favorite.. which one is yours?

Puloa is very simple and easy to make. You can add any dry vegetables to prepare this dish. Its a lighter version of vegetable Biriyani.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Onion - 1
Tomato -1
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup
(carrot, beans, peas, potato, corn, Lima beans, pinto beans, cauliflower)
Garam Masala - 1tbsp
Ginger garlic Paste - 1tbsp
Turmeric - 1tsp
Hing/Asafotida -pinch
Mint - 1/2 bunch
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Green Chillies - 4
Pepper Corns - 5-6
Cilantro - 1/2 bunch
salt

Method:
Heat oil add cumin seeds, green chillies, pepper.
Add the chopped onions, saute till slightly colored, mix finely chopped tomato.
Add Ginger Garlic Paste, Mint and Cilantro, turmeric and hing.
Mix Garam Masala, add the chopped vegetables let it cook for 2 mins.
Add the washed Basmati Rice and mix well with the vegetable gravy.
Mix 3cups of water and let it cook only for 2 whistles in a pressure cooker.
Serve with raita.

1. I love reading
2. Literature and fiction is my favorite
3. The Da Vinci Code is the one I find it very thrilling.
4. I enjoy cooking
5. I like to take Tea everyday
6. I never skip my breakfast
7. I am a vegetarian (Converted)
8. I love animals
9. I want to get involved in Animal care org.
10. I had a pet-dog.
11. My favorite colors: Pink, Yellow
12. I enjoy writing
13. I love Dancing
14. I respect myself
15. I almost have opinion on everything, but I keep to myself.
16. I like my job
17. I am Religious
18. I enjoy humor
19. I laugh really loud than anyone I know
20. I am thankful for whatever given to me in this life

In my childhood, I used to hate idli. Having this as everyday breakfast is so boring. This situation turned opposite after my marriage. I started loving idli and dosa, though it's a tedious preparation, I make sure idli atta is always ready in my refrigerator :)) .. I learnt few tips in a hard way to make the idli soft and fluffy (Refer Hint)!!

Ingredients:
Idli rice or Sona masoori - 4 cups
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1tsp
Salt

Method:

• Soak idli rice for 3 hours
• Soak Urad dhal with fenugreek for Half hour ( Yes, half hour soaking is really enough).
• In wet grinder, grind the urad dhal mix with very less water, grind to very nice paste (It usually takes half hour for me to get the consistency), remove from grinder and keep aside.
• Grind the rice mix till you get the semolina (rawa) consistency (takes around half hour).
• Mix the urad dhal and rice atta together with enough salt and allow it to ferment.

Hint:

• Grinding the rice atta to the rawa consistency is the key to get smooth idli.
• After adding salt, just taste a pinch of atta, if you can feel the salt taste in it, you have added enough salt.!! Adding correct amount of salt helps in quick fermentation.
• During winter, keep the atta in oven (switched off) or in Microwave (Switched off) to help in fermentation.
• Keeping atta in ever-silver vessels will help in fermentation, than glass or plastic containers.
• Keep enough space in the vessel for the atta to rise after fermentation. In that way, it wont get messy in your oven or microwave.

Ingredients:
Cooked toor dhal - 1/2 cup
spinach - 2 cups
Cumin- 1tbsp
Red chillies - 2
Mustard- 1tsp
salt
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
Heat oil and do tadka with cumin, mustard, and chillies.
Add the spinach and few spoons of water and let it cook for 5 mins.
Mix the cooked dhal to the spinach gravy and let it be in medium heat for 5 mins.
Add salt and garnisg with cilantro

I often wonder about the name of this dish, though it calls for equal amount of tomato and onion we still name it as tomato chutney... instead of onion-tomato chutney!!

Ingredients;
Onion - 1 Medium size
Tomato -1 Medium size
Red chilies- 3
Ginger - 1" inch
Garlic - 3 pods

For Tadka:
Mustard - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Split gram dhal - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Asafotida - a pinch
Salt.

Method:
Grind the ingredients to fine paste, fry in oil till raw smell subsides and do the tadka with less oil. Add salt and garnish with cilantro.

It takes slightly longer time to make than regular sambar, but the aroma and the taste of the sambar is worth the time. For me, having sambar rice and deep fried potato fry are the deadly combination. I could never get enough of it!! It holds a very unique taste when prepared with pearl onions than the usual big onions. I pretty much use any veggie available, to make this sambar.

Ingredients:
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 2 pods (optional)
Ginger - 1" (optional)
Mustard - 1tsp
red chilli powder - 1tsp
Fenugreek - 1tsp
Cardamon- 1
Bay leaf - 1 small
Cumin - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1tsp
Asafotida
salt
Tamarind paster - 2tbsp
Toor dhal - 1 cup
oil- 1tsp

Ingredients to grind:
Cinnamon- 1/2 stick
Chana dhal - 1tbsp
Corriander seeds- 1 tbsp
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Red chillies- 3
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the toor dhal with turmeric powder, asafotida and 1 tsp oil.
Dry fry the grind ingredients, let it cool and grinde in to fine paste by adding less water.
Heat pan with 1tbsp oil, add mustard, fenugreek, cardamon, bay leaf, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato.
Add the vegetable, red chilli powder and enough water for the veggie to cook.
Add the grinded paste and allow to boil
Mix the toor dhal to the boiling misture and let it cook in medium heat for 10 mins.
Add the tamarind paste, salt , cilantro and switch off the heat.

Hint - Switch off the heat immediately after adding tamarind paste, this will help the sambar to stay fresh for long hours.

Idli and dosa are the most common items for breakfast and dinner for me, It gets even delightful if there is a coconut chutney as a side :"). It also goes well with ven pongal. I prefer less coconut and more chick pea dhal. You can adjust the ratio as per your taste.

Ingredients:
Cashew - 6
Chick pea dhal - 1/2 cup
Coconut - 1/4 cup
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1" inch
Green chillies - 5 medium size
cilantro - 1/2 bunch
salt.

For tadka:
Mustard - 1 tbsp
Cumin - 1tbsp
Chana dhal - 1tbsp
red chillies - 1

Method:
Grind all the ingredients- coconut, chick pea dhal, cashew, ginger, tamarind paste, salt, cilantro and chillies to fine paste.
Make tadka add it to the chutney.

Mushroom has a very special taste, I like to cook them often, like once in a week. I usually add 'em in soups, salads, appetizer and most of the curries. Since I am a health freak, I propose an idea of healthy eating :). Mushrooms are very low in calories, fat, Sodium and yet has good amount of fiber which makes it ideal for weight watchers.

Ingredients:
Mushroom - 1 cup
Basmati Rice - 2cup
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 2 medium size
Curd - 2 tbsp
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1" inch
Garlic - 4 pods
Cinnamon - a stick
cardamon - 2
Cloves - 2
Green Chillies - 6 medium size
Mint leaves - 1/4 bunch
Cilantro - 1/4 bunch
Aniseed - 1 tsp
Fennel seed - 1 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1 medium size
Salt - as per taste

Method:

• Wash basmati rice, dry it and set aside.
• Grind ginger, garlic, half the onion, tomotoes, cloves, green chillies, half of cinnamon, mint, cilantro & keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, saute remaining cinnamon, fennel, aniseed, bay leaf, cardomon.
• Add sliced onions and mushrooms.
• Introduce ground paste, curd, stir well and add salt.
• Add three cups of water (1.5 quantity of rice) allow to cook for few mins.
• Add the washed rice and cook for only two whistles in pressure cooker or seven minutes in covered pan.

Hi All,
Finally, I have got the time to create my own blog about my cooking and the recipes. I will post all the new recipes soon.