Remembering Dad With his favorite Sweet - Rasgolla with a South Indian Twist

It has been more than 10 days, I posted in my blog. These 10 days were the toughest days in this new year. After mom left us to heavenly abode 6 months back, my dad has also followed her. I just couldn't believe it. Now I am left without my parents and it is killing me. Until they were alive a small girl was alive within me and now I feel like I am missing that girl. Suddenly I feel very lonely and old. The only reason I am staying sane is my little girl Sruti. I didn't even feel like sitting before my PC, but I wanted something to divert me from the sorrow which has struck me the second time in six months. And this post is to remember my Dad with his favourite sweet. 

This is the snap of mom and dad before 20 years. I know the editing is very bad but I couldn't do a better job. 

Read more »

Ice Cream Falooda

I am a member of South Vs North Challenge, started by Divya of You Too Can Cook. Every month, a member from North team will challenge the South team with an authentic north Indian recipe, while a member of Southern team will challenge the North team with an authentic South Indian recipe. I try to participate every month, but once I skipped the challenge. It was on September and the challenge was hosted by Minnie. Falooda, being a rich north Indian dessert is a layered chilled dessert, the main ingredient being falooda noodle. The falooda noodles are readily available in market and it is easy breezy to make this dessert. But for me, it was tough as my fridge was giving so many problems and falooda noodles is not available at my place. I went through so many posts on making the noodles at home, but due to the lack of my fridge, I didn't attempt it. And one fine day, i.e my birthday, my hubby dear gifted me a fridge and the first thought which came to my mind was to try falooda. I didn't want to buy icecream and so made it at home. 

Read more »

Jigarthanda/ Jil Jil Jigarthanda - Madurai Famous Cool Drink

I am living in Madurai and even after 3 years of blogging, I haven't blogged about the famous Madurai drink Jigarthanda. You can see a Jigarthanda stall at every nook and corner of Madurai. They also sell it in push carts. Though I have been in Madurai for nearly 7 years, I got to taste this drink only few months back. And then whenever I see a jigarthanda stall, I never miss it. As it is available everywhere, I never thought of making this at home. My favourite Jigarthanda is available at Murugan Idli Shop near Meenakshi Amman Temple and opposite Pothy's. When I posted Falooda recipe, one of my friends suggested that I post Jigarthanda also. These two drinks are quite similar but completely different in taste. While falooda has noodles in it, jigarthanda has badam gum/ pisin instead. Both have flavoured milk and served with icecream on top. But jigarthanda is plain without any garnishes. As you all know Madurai is extremely hot and people are always on look out for quenching their thirst and cooling thier body. This drink serves both. Badam pisin and nannari sharbat, both ingredients of jigarthanda, have nice cooling properties. The home made icecream served along with this makes it an exotic drink. 

Read more »

Gulab Jamun - With Milk Powder

Today is a very special day and I will talk about it later. This post is also very special as the South Vs North Challenge I participate every month has completed a year. This challenge was started by Divya of You Too Can Cook and it is very interesting. The whole group is divided into North and South Teams. Every month north team member challenges the south team with an authentic north Indian recipe whereas a south team member challenges the North team with an authentic South Indian recipe. For the completion of a year this month members were asked to do a challenge which they missed out and I had three or four in my list. I missed last month's challenge but the other three were there before I joined the group. I chose Gulab Jamunas I haven't got this version right before. Last time I tried making jamuns with milk powder and it was an utter flop. So I always stay away from milk powder jamun recipe. This time I neede to do it right and I went through the posts of all the bloggers who took part in that challenge. All of them have got good results. So with fingers crossed, I tried them yesterday. Though little on the harder side, they tasted absolutely delicious and my hubby after returning from work devoured them. He even asked me why I made them so tasty that he couldn't stop eating. The recipe is from Pallavi of Though Shalt Cook.

Read more »

Paneer Burfi

How many of you have started your Diwali preparations? I started it yesterday with this delicious burfi. This is a cross between kalakand and milk burfi. I prepared paneer with 4 lts of milk yesterday with a plan to make kalakand. But after preparing kalakand so many times, I just wanted to make something different.

Read more »