Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Year, A Century and a MeMe with a simple recipe!

Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!! Today is my 100th. post and it's been a Year since I started this Blog!!!! (ok, I admit, I was waiting so I could combine these 2 'events'!)

Unlike many of you, I was not as confident about how, if at all, I could manage to blog, post recipes and over all, keep it going! I was also not aware of blogs.. it's only when we came to California, that I had the leisure to surf without restraint and explore new avenues. It has been such an enriching experience. Though I liked to cook, I had never experimented before and never dreamt of a blog!

There were times when I was doubtful about being able to blog with office , chores , but I guess, when I love blogging as much as I do, it comes naturally! (not to sound nasty and b****y, but ... this did not make some people happy, who think this is a ridiculous idea, and have made snide remarks and maybe even hoped that my job would put a stopper to my blogging!!)


This year has also been a humbling experience. So many AWESOME bloggers! So many recipes and themes! Talk about creativity! My blogger friends, I owe you all a lot!! all the encouraging comments have worked wonders on my confidence.. THANK U ALL!!!! It is because of all of you that I will step into the second year of blogging with renewed enthusiasm. I wanted to make something fancy -shmancy today.. but that can wait, I have some maintainence work happening in the apartment and it is a bit difficult to manage a simple meal in all that mess.. I keep reminding myself that I have miles to go before I can be like my fellow bloggers who can whip up amazing dishes ! But I'm gettin' there!!
In the mean time, as summer temperatures soar, we look at something that looks cool!! Dahi wada comes to my mind (with a lot of other options!!) .. This is one of my favourites!!!

If you are familiar with the geography of Mumbai, you would know what I am talking now... I was born and brought up in Wadala, and Dadar was a stone's throw from my house.. so any shopping (school uniform, bags, shoes..... school books ~shudder~) we went to Dadar West. Now, shopping in Dadar is not like making a beeline and getting the items on the list... it usually takes about 4 hours to do a half an hour shopping! And 4 hours is a very long time to go without food in an area which has restaurants at practically every step!!

My sole aim in accompanying my Mother for shopping was to eat out.. I knew that along with my books she would want to buy some fresh vegetables and fruit, some matching blouse piece and we were also bound to meet one of her friends in the streets and spend time with her... after a couple of such sessions I had gleaned as much that if I start making a nuisance of myself after the book buying and before the matching blouse piece, she would take me to one of my favourite joints and stuff me well enough not to make any noise for at least the next 3 hours and spoil her bliss! This arrangement suited both of us!! She would take me to fixed restaurants, 'Natraj' or 'Visava', whichever was closer. The waiters there knew me and knew what I wanted, so Mom would place her order and just nod in my direction, the waiter knew... sada dosa and later dahi wada and GlodSpot, to wash it down. The salt, pepper and red chilly powder shakers would be placed on the table. With a gleam in my eyes I would attack the food in front of me and my Mother would look on.. thinking.." that has given me 3 hours to finish off till the next round.. wonder if she will ever grow up liking shopping for shopping purpose or just for the food.." Well, I have grown up and grown up with a passion or both food and shopping.. and she still isn't happy with me!!!

I often wonder how these wonderful dishes were created in the first place... who was 'that one person' who added the wadas to yogurt with a bit of garnish .. well, whoever he / she was, they were brilliant!!
YOGURT( DAHI) WADA
1 cup Urad Daal
5-6 Methi/ Fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
Water to soak the wadas
1/4th. Ltr. Yogurt (should not be sour)
Sugar to taste
1 inch Ginger
3 Green chillies (+/- to taste)
Red chilly powder, pepper, cilantro, chaat masala (for garnish)

Soak the Urad daal and methi / fenugreek seeds in water for 4 hours.
Grind the daal. Add salt. *Tip to make soft and light wada: mix the batter in one direction only and with a light hand. Heat Oil. Make wadas and deep fry them to a golden colour.Transfer the fried wadas in water and let them soak for 3-4 minutes.Lightly squeeze the water out .
Beat the yogurt and make it smooth.Grind together the ginger and chilly. Add this to the yogurt. Add salt and sugar. Dip the wadas in the yogurt, garnish and serve chilled!I would like to send this to Nupur for the A-Z of Vegetable series... if, she will accept this entry (no vegetables u see .. :(( )!!
And now for this MeMe!!
I was tagged byTee and Valerie Adams for this MeMe!!



Fact 1: My Sunsign ...



Fact 2: I believe...







Fact : 3


Fact 4: (with reference to Fact 3)
Now don't go getting the wrong idea about me.. I am fairly good at a few things... like??


Fact 5 :


and may I also mention.....
(mind you ... never had any training!!!!)



Another talent......



So all in all I am....(Fact 6)


Fact 7 : CONCLUSION:


I would like any blogger friend to take up this MeMe... I sure had fun doing it!!!!
Pin It

40 comments:

Suganya said...

My heartiest congratulations Manasi. Yr 100th post is AWESOME ;)

J said...

Congratulations! Many people are celebrating their centuries and blog bdays lately! :)

SeeC said...

Congratulations Manasi. It is not so easy to keep going as people think. You made it !!!

Lip-smacking dahi vada.

Finally your cute and innovative MeMe. On the whole a Lovely post

Tee said...

Congrats ! A year and 100 posts with a job and daily chores...Amazing! Its so shocking to read that some people actually want you to stop. You go girl!
Dahi Wada sahi distoy! I have to make some soon now :)
And your MeMe was fun to read...very innovative way talking about yourself :)

Saju said...

Congrat Manasi! 1 year and 100 post are awesome. Yay you.
Dahi Vada look great too. I too recently posted the very same (for RCI Punjabi food)!

bha said...

Congrats Manasi on the Anniversary and the 100th post. Thats a very cute MeMe, and the dahi wadas are lovely...

Laavanya said...

Manasi, Congratulations! I loved your meme - very cute... :)
The Dahi vadas look tantalizing.

Padmaja said...

HEY manasi, what a write up, thoroughly enjoyed u'r shopping trips saga and your visual meme, u are creative!!! congrats for your 100th!! u deserve all the praise dear

FH said...

WOO HOO!! Same as me but with a MeMe!! Congratulations on 100th and a year! Hugs and kisses to you from me.(I want to know the names and addresses of those B....hes so I can hound them for discouraging you!!)
You are a great blogger and a very humorous one at that too.I love reading your posts.We foodies are not REALLY here just for recipes,are we?
We are all smart,talented,happy and love to be one of foodies.Anybody who thinks blogging is a competition and be nasty to each other are the biggest fools on this Earth!I mean it!!
So my girl,blog on.I will be there for ya always!:))
Dahi Vada is of course is a fab.dish for summer.Great entry.Loved animated MeMe as always it's darn funny!:D

Shammi said...

Congrats twice over, Manasi :)

That kitten in your meme is SOOOOOOOOO cute - and I dont even like cats!! :)

Manasi said...

Hi Suganya!! Thank U!! Thank U!!!

Hi Jyothsna!! Looks like a good month for bloganniversaries!!! Thank U!!

Hi Seec!! Thank U!! Only a fellow blogger will know how much love and effort goes into it!!

Hi Tee, Thank U dear! Isn't it shocking how petty people can be!?
But then, it is my blogger friends support which bolsters me and I am raring to go!!

Hi Saju! Thank U!! Ur blog rocks !! maybe mine will too, one day, soon!!


Hi Bhags!! Thank U!! Those dahi wadas are so soft and yummy... 'scuse me.. i'l go get one more! ;)

Manasi said...

Hi Laavanya!! Thank U so Much!! I love dahi wada, any da, any time!!


Hi Padmaja!! Thank u soo much dear!! I am grateful to my blogger friends, they have done so much for me !!

Hi Asha!! I LUV U!!! U r such a warm lady and do wonders on a persons morale!! HUGS TO U!! I dont know how competion comes in, but as u mention, it peeps in to make people nasty.. moreso becoz of their insecurities! wel, time for them to rise above these things!! hope they read ur comment!! BEWARE... u lot!! I have friends who will stand by me!!

Hi Shyam!! that is a cute li'll thing, ain't it!!!

Coffee said...

Manasi dear.... a BIG HUG to you! :) ITs been so nice know you all this while and your posts are just always outstanding!
And who the hell are those ******* ? Just give us their names and see what we do!

I am a mumbaite as well and loved reading your walk down the memory.... err dadar lane ;)

Neelam said...

Hi Manasi, Congratulations on your 100th post. Great achievement and enjoyed reading your post. The recipe of Dahi wada is so simple..I too make it in a similar way...have to make it soon now! And Your meme, it is very innovative and lovely, had fun reading it. All the Best and keep it up!

Padma said...

Congrats on your 100th post and 1st anniv. Hey I am also from Kalyan- Mumbai. We used to go for shopping in Dadar-W and was loving so much reading the story of shopping and eating.
Dahiwada looks superb and ur MeMe was really creative way of expressing...

arundati said...

Dear Manasi, congratulations on both counts!! and can i throw in my two cents worth to add that you are doing a fabulous job of blogging?? never mind the jealous insecure ppl, they're all over the place....so cheers and enjoy!!

musical said...

Congrats! Keep more great posts coming, sweetie :). and thats the cutest meme i've seen :-D

hugs, much love and a joyous blogathon ahead,
musical.

Nupur said...

Congratulations on the blog birthday, and wishing you many many more!!! Your presence in the food blogging community is wonderful!

Srivalli said...

Congrats Manasi..you have a wonderful blog and your meme is very nice...innovative way of writing about yourself...

keep it up...

Srivalli
www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com

Viji said...

Manasi, congrats and as you said, all your posts are quite natural. You seem to be a natural person I feel. You are so modest. We are all in the learning curve. Dahi vadas looks great and the meme - i am still smiling :) Very nice. Have a good day my dear. Viji

Anonymous said...

Lovely post. Had fun reading the meme.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your on a year and the 100th post is mouthwatering, Super Century for you Manasi.well done.

Shilpa said...

Haha, too darned cute! :) Congrats on your 100th post! Ugh! I doubt I'll make it to 100 by my anniversary! If it's of any consolation, I'm not always very "inspired" also and blog only when my food is photogenic, heh heh.. ;-)

keep up the pretty pictures and yummy food!

Sia said...

congratulations and celebration.... la la la la... :)
and who is that 'people' who wants u to stop blogging. just gimme their address n i will take care of everything;) ~devilish grin~
like everytime i enjoyed reading abt ur eating cum shopping trips to dadar;) he he he... i can very well imagine the expression on ur mom's face;)
u too are a cancerian? i should have known long bk while going through ur posts:) it was fun to read/see ur 'colourful' meme:) u go girl....

Richa said...

Hey, congratulations on the century, many more to go...
dahi wada looks YUM :)

Sharmi said...

Dear Manasi, congrats on your 100th post and wish you happy anniversary.
oh the meme was too good and was presented really well. was a nice idea to do it this way. enjoyed knowing you.
the dahi wadas look yummy.

bee said...

awesome post. wish you several hundreds more.

Anonymous said...

wow 100th! congrats! i'm on like 20 and it's been 1.5 yrs! well, just surfing around on blogroll - come visit my lil place some time yeah?

Priyanka said...

Congrats on your 100th post Manasi. Thanks for the recipe. IT was fun reading your meme. Good luck and keep it going....:)

Swapna said...

Hey Sweetie,
Congratulations on your 100th post and one fantastic year at A cook at heart. Hugs and love to you.
I love reading ur posts and urs is one blog which always brings a smile on my face:)
I just came back from a trip to Dadar:). I will eat pani puri and think of u.
Wish u and ur blog a very bright future!
Luv,
Swaps

marriedtoadesi.com said...

Wow! That was an amazing MEME. Really creative. I loved it!

Kanchana

Kajal said...

Ohhh...Late but not miss....very nice picture I am really very happy to read all this.:)

Raaga said...

Congratulations and hugs Manasi.

I can so identify with the shopping = eating out equation. Amma always says I refused to go out with my dad for this very reason... he'd never entertain requests like dosa and vada from me!!

I completed 100 posts and 3 months today.

Manasi said...

THANK U , THANK U SO MUCH!!! I LOVE U ALL!!! I am really touched by all the good wishes.. what would I do without the motivation from my blogger friends!!!! U ALL are my inspiration to try and do better, and to learn more!

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Better late than never! :p
Congrats Manasi. You rock!

Manasi said...

Hi Roopa!! where hv u been Gal!!!! Missed u here!Thanks Sweety!!

Sig said...

Manasi, congratulations on the 100th and on the blorthday... :)

And that is the cutest meme I've ever read! :D

Sia said...

thanks manasai for letting me know. i am not sure what to do at a moment. guess i will just drop a line n i hope she understands the pain we take to write the recipe step by step.

Latha Narasimhan said...

Your meme is great manasi!
Congrats for your 100th post and 1st anniversary in blogosphere!

Every one around is so quick to comment once there is a new post in any blog. I am just trying to get to know atleast a few bloggers.

Your shopping with mama is so real and interesting!

Meena Shankar said...

congratulations on 100th and anniversary posts...
Delicious mouth watering dahi vadas!!!mmmm..
and very very innovative meme.....Now we do know a lot about you..ha ha ha...

Share

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape