Thursday, June 28, 2007

Shameless Display



Foreground, from left to right: Ginger pickle, Peanut Powder/Spice Mix, Yellow Lentil Powder, Green Chilli Powder, Sun-dried mango pickle
Centre, left to right: Sambaaru Kaaram (a red chilli powder mix for veggies and daals, not to be confused with Saambaar Podi), Fish Curry, Bittergourd Powder
Last row, left to right: Channa Daal Powder, Mango Pickle (two jars). At the back, mangoes.


A short trip home yielded this bounty – pickles, powders and mangoes – see that huge tub at the back?

But before you begin to get jealous, let me tell you that I lost about half a dozen of those beauties – I readied some newspapers on my worktable, a large bowl to slice the fruit into and catch the nectar dripping down, and began to lovingly peel a golden orb, and peel I did, till thin, wiggly white worms came rushing out like they’d been freed from moist mango misery! And another, and another, I lost count after four, but I suspect it ended at six. Three were wormless, but after the events of this morning, which ruined my appetite for lunch and tea, I checked each and every piece I ate at dinner!

Not sure when I'll have my Mother Hubbard moment at this rate (sigh!) but at least one of these powders is galloping towards the finish line.

Cook at home also made and froze a few dishes that will last us till the end of this week, and an aunt gave us that fish curry you see in the steel container in the centre. The mango and other pickles are home-made, so are some of the powders.

This is an impromptu post, otherwise I would have slaved over the containers, tablecloth, photos and what have you, but this trip did yield a planned blog thing – I bought some background. Yes, background. I went to a marble-and-granite seller, turned over several slabs and selected a few pieces, telling the polite but puzzled manager there I am a photographer by hobby and needed some props. You’ll see them by and by, I’ll know if it was a great idea or not only when I begin using them, but tell me, what unlikely things have you done for your blog?

22 comments:

  1. Ew! Worms.. They are most common in a variety called 'Neelam'. And eagerly waiting for yr granite bg :)

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  2. what kind of question is that, sra? it should be:

    what unlikely things have you not done for your blog?

    cooking in alphabetical order, for starters.

    btw, you don't like worms? they're a rich source of protein. not contaminated with growth hormones or mercury.

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  3. you have such a great collection of pickles. I too had them when I came from India. it all done now. once we get a taste of good home made pickle, never feel like buying one at stores.

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  4. Haha, sounds like a familiar habit.. I'm guilty of "importing" stuff from home, too, just that I'm too ashamed to capture it on photo!

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  5. Unlikely things, Sra? You mean like endless fussing with my food until it's stone cold, perfect for a photo but not for eating? My husband has now gotten used to dining alone at the table while I have my face in my plate in front of the window taking pictures. : D

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  6. I am all green seeing ur loot !! Can I get one jar of pickle? and that fish curry...ohhh...seriously I did salivate !!!the unlikely thing I have done for my blog,mm..that probably would be trying out many new dishes which I would not have if not for blog :D

    Shn

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  7. Ok! Ok! I'll admit it. I'm green with envy here. ;)

    I would love to get the recipes, if it's alright with you. Esp. for the bittergourd powder, sambaaru kaaram, green chilli powder and sun dried mango pickle.

    -Mathy

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  8. Suganya, so am I! Can't wait to try out the background myself. And I haven't seen Neelam here, yet.
    Bee, LOL! Nope, I don't like worms, but my blog owes my name to them (explained in one of my memes), so maybe I should be more charitable, hein?
    Sharmi, I agree - if I buy a pickle at all, it's at the Swagruha-type stores.
    Shilpa, be shameless, we would love to see your treasures!
    Susan, I can just picture your husband - resignedly picking at his food while you "have your face in your plate!"
    Mishmash, sure! In AP, home-style pickle-making, packing and sending to "foreign" is a big business now.
    Mathy, hi, thanks for stopping by. the bittergourd and green chilli powders I will have to look for on the Net, as they were bought at the home-style stores I mentioned. The others, I will send you the recipes once I speak to the person who made them, you have your e-mail on your blog?

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  9. Liked the loot and can't wait to see what you are doing with those granite :)

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  10. Can't see the pics, flickr is banned here!! From the comments, I love to carry pickles from home.

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  11. I HATE YOU!!
    These are last pictures I want to see sitting in a hotel room away from home for a week now!!
    I am drooling!!!!!!!!!!

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  12. I am jealous not just about the tub with mangoes but everything on that table/counter :) What a bounty.

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  13. Archana, even I'm keen to start using the marble, but I'm not going to cook till I finish the curries I got from home!
    Jyothsna, I'm sorry, Blogger is not allowing me to upload pix directly, so I've been using Flickr for the last six weeks.
    Asha, heh heh heh (laughing wickedly)!
    Cynthia, I wish I could send you and Shn of Mishmash some of it - but my Blogging By Mail experience has given me cold feet - most of the stuff I sent was confiscated, despite careful choices!

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  14. can u see one green face, salivating at the same time???? yeah, thats me:)

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  15. Sia, that's so funny, it makes you sould like some monster or a cartoon or something - how was your vacation?

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  16. yeah, i look like fiana from shreak;) he he he... vacation was gr8 but now bk in office. gosh, since last 3 days i didnt get anytime to check blogs. got to cathup with so many things happening:) hope i will get time in weekend atleast. hw have u been?

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  17. oh!! i meant Fiona :) he he...

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  18. Fiona, I've been well! Any pix from your vacation?

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  19. any pics? there r MANY:) i kept clicking like crazy and now we have more than 700 pics to sort out;) will be posting some of the pics in my blog soon. not getting much time thesedays. been busy like bee(not our bee;) in office... hopefully i should be able to post abt it this weekend.

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  20. wooooo woooooooo
    i like what u did n am not jealous
    impromptu posts are always good n i like the way u arranged them :)

    www.talimpu.com

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