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This weekend I decided to tackle a classic Indian regional dish: bisibelebhath An iconic dish from the Southern Indian state of Karnataka, bisibelebhath (BBB to those who know and love it) is a medley of lentils, rice and vegetables that is designed to nourish body and soul. Suma of Veggie Platter recently wrote a must-read post describing many nuances of BBB and explaining that this mouthful of a word bisibelebhath literally translates into "hot rice lentil mixture". Bisibele powder (the spice mix used to make BBB) has been a pantry staple in my kitchen for many years. MTR is a well-known and widely available brand and I have always thought their BBB powder was tasty and authentic. I use this bisibele powder to make a BBB-inspired quick pressure-cooker khichdi , my go-to dinner that is still quicker to make than picking up the phone and asking for take-out. A few weeks ago, I was the lucky winner of a giveaway at Mysoorean and Vani sent me a bunch of wo

When my mother stayed with us last year when Lila was a newborn, she often made something that she termed "Punjabi bhaaji"- a most enjoyable medley of paneer cubes and mixed vegetables in a tomato sauce Far from being anything with an actual Punjabi pedigree, this dish is simply a Maharashtrian home cook's homage to vegetables cooked in the style of popular Punjabi restaurants everywhere.

Yesterday's post seems to have touched a chord for a reader who commented about how hard it can be to make new friends and form a community. Friendship for us humans is a very powerful and fundamental concept. It is not simply a matter of having someone to hang out with on a Friday night. Close friendships and social interactions are downright essential for health . Making friends is not a trivial task. I read a post a couple of months ago that generated a lot of discussion in the comments. In real life too, this comes up often in conversation, about how we made friends quickly in school and college but now it seems to be harder for some reason. The post title is written in humor; I'm certainly no expert at the art of making friends. But I have a good track record or perhaps a very lucky streak and have ended up with the loveliest friends you can imagine, and some of these friendships have lasted for decades across continents. Like falling in love, finding a

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been trying to organize and declutter my home bit by bit, 15 minutes at a time Right now, it is the turn of the fridge door; a small space consisting of a few shelves that have become a catch-all for jars and bottles of every description: sauces, condiments and preserves. Why am I posting a silly thing like this on the blog? Because it is one of those small things that I never get around to, but it makes grit my teeth several times a week when I rummage through the jars. Making this public will motivate me to get the job done. And maybe you'll peek into your own fridge and discover that you want to do this with me. Social support is a powerful help for the big and little things in life. From now until the evening of Monday, May 14, the mini-challenge is to clean and declutter the shelves in your fridge door. If you want to take the challenge, it is simple: 1. Leave a comment on this post saying you're in.

Hello from (mostly) sunny Georgia! The huge storm Sandy battered the North East US this week- we in the South East were spared and got only high winds and cold temperatures because of the storm system My best wishes to everyone in the North East- I hope you stay safe and warm and dry. Our family moved this month and all in all, it was a smooth ride. V and I divided up our precious creatures for the move. He drove down with Dale sprawled in the back seat and our curry leaf plant strapped in the passenger seat; a 12 hour drive over 2 days. I took a flight with Lila. I'm happy to say that dog, plant, baby all arrived happy and intact. We're settling into our new home and exploring our new town. I wanted to pick up the blogging thread where I left off and the Fall Pinterest Challenge on Young House Love (YHL) gave me the perfect excuse to make something and post about it. In case you don't already read it, YHL is an endlessly fun blog written with humor and g

Lila as a slice of veggie lover's pizza: Halloween 2012 A few weeks ago, I left St. Louis with a heavy heart. We called it home for nearly 6 years (2006-2012) and they were some wonderful years. The funny thing is that I arrived in St. Louis with no intention of liking it at all. I left with a little more humility and a good life lesson in giving everything a chance and not making too many assumptions. Six years ago, V beat me to the graduate school finish line by a few months and got dibs on choosing the next place we would move to. He found this job that he really really wanted to take in St. Louis. He had job offers in Seattle and Chicago too, and I was appalled that he wanted to move to St. Louis. I knew nothing about the place. Most of our New York City friends has a low opinion of the Midwest in general. A cousin of mine had attended a year of college and St. Louis and told me, "Oh, it's a wonderful sports town- great baseball". &q

Suparna requested a tutorial for the pizza costume that Lila wore on Halloween, so here it is! When I started toying with ideas for a costume for Lila , the requirements were (1) it should be quick and easy to make, using mostly materials that I already have on hand and (2) it should be very easy to put on and not be too cumbersome or she wouldn't want to wear it at all

Swapna requested a post on homemade Indian foods for baby, so here's a quick post listing some of the foods that Lila has enjoyed since she started eating solids A few are specific to Indian cuisine and others are not. This post comes with a giant disclaimer. I have no expertise in children's nutrition and write this only as a parent with limited experience (sample size = 1). So consider your child's needs, your doctor's recommendations and your own instincts when using this information. Lila started eating solids little by little at 6.5 months of age, and now at 13 months, she eats almost everything we do, including 3 sit down meals a day. We've fed her using a combination of purees (spoon-feeding) and offering her chunks of soft food to eat with her own hands, which is often termed baby-led weaning. Banana pieces: Fast Food for baby 1. Two instant foods that need no work other than cubing or mashing are banana and avocado . I was always leer

Another day, another craft project This is a simple game that I made for a friend's 2 year old. It is a "busy bag"- a game that fits into a small bag, portable and ready to entertain a toddler for 15 minutes while you're out and about. This popsicle color matching game is inspired by ones I saw here and here . Making it was SO much fun. From the craft store I bought wide popsicle sticks , a set of markers (sketch pens) and 6 sheets of stiffened felt in colors that matched the markers. This felt was made from plastic bottles. I cut each sheet of felt into quarters (this means you get 4 popsicles from each sheet of felt). Each quarter was then cut in half. Then I rounded off the top of each piece to form a popsicle shape. I hand-sewed together the round edge of two popsicle layers using good old blanket stitch and viola, the popsicle top was ready. For the sewing averse, hot glue could be used. Then I colored the sticks with the

It's day 4 of NaBloPoMo and I'm putting the food back into the food blog. Jui requested quick and simple weeknight dinners and I think our dinner from last night fits the criteria. Noodles and tofu are on my dinner menu when I'm craving Asian take-out, which is all too often. This dinner comes together very quickly but you do have 3 pots and pans to use: one to boil the noodles, another to fry the tofu and the third to saute the vegetables. I have certain recipes that unabashedly use short-cuts for an otherwise made-from-scratch meal. This meal uses one such short-cut- Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce (soyaki is a word they made up. You know Trader Joe's and their dorky sense of humor). It is a vegan sauce with an ingredient list that is something like this: soy sauce, sugar, crushed garlic, sesame seeds, soybean oil, ginger puree, white vinegar, soy powder, sesame oil, garlic granules, minced onion, onion powder, ginger powder. Clearly it would

Welcome to the round-up of the 60th edition of My Legume Love Affair , a monthly event in which bloggers send in recipes starring legumes. This month brings 22 recipes that make up a smorgasbord of legume love. From fresh green peas to tofu, dried legumes to chickpea flour, there are many pantry favorites featured here. Click on the pics to enlarge them. All pics are contributed by the participants. Let's kick off the buffet with a couple of appetizers . This first dish is from Nilambari Desai who does not have a blog (yet!) but who e-mailed her recipe and picture for lima beans cilantro tikki. These savory patties look exactly like something that would get the party started. I've made many types of tikkis or patties but never with lima beans- they look so good. Lima beans cilantro tikki ( MLLA 60 entry by Nilambari Desai) Featured legume ingredients :- Lima Beans, Chickpea flour, Peanuts Ingredients

Once in a while, there comes along a book that is downright entertaining I've been reading one such book lately, and it happens to be a cookbook: Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch by Jennifer Reese. The book contains plenty of practical information and recipes for the home cook, and the author's voice is genuine and funny, which made this book an interesting and enjoyable read. Image: Goodreads The premise of the book is that the author looks around at all the various foods we can buy in the supermarket and in restaurants, and asks the question: Is it better to buy this food or to make it at home?

Once in a while, there comes along a book that is downright entertaining I've been reading one such book lately, and it happens to be a cookbook: Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch by Jennifer Reese. The book contains plenty of practical information and recipes for the home cook, and the author's voice is genuine and funny, which made this book an interesting and enjoyable read. Image: Goodreads The premise of the book is that the author looks around at all the various foods we can buy in the supermarket and in restaurants, and asks the question: Is it better to buy this food or to make it at home?

One of the first things I did when I arrived here in our new town was to get myself a public library card It is a nice library and I particularly like their children's programming. But they don't allow magazines to be checked out- bummer. Flipping through yummy magazines is my favorite way to kill an hour here and there. Here's what I am reading. I just started Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. It is a bestselling classic written in 1938. Now, I generally prefer reading contemporary works, and this one is supposed to be in the romantic suspense genre, whatever that means. But I suppose romantic suspense is still more entertaining than the particularly unromantic suspense of election night. Other books in my stack are- Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Bastianich: This is the companion cookbook to the PBS series that I've watched quite a bit. I'm enjoying the essays on various Little Italy neighborhoods in the US, and I plan to try a recipe from this

It has been a long day so I'll let the pictures do the talking today .. Good friends and constant companions Sunbathing in the yard

I'm sitting here making lists They're my way of keeping things under control. I have a grocery shopping list, a list for other things we need to buy (new home stuff like a guest bed and a rake), and there's a long to-do list for this weekend. There's something so satisfying about crossing things off a list- you feel so self-satisfied and productive somehow. I love reading lists too. When I see a blog post titled "5 ways to...", "7 ideas for...", "10 things that...", you can bet I'll click through and read it. I need to work on more list posts for this blog! Meanwhile, on this Friday night, here is a list of 10 inspiring and informative posts from other blogs that will leave you listless no more. 1. Tiny Buddha: 6 powerful questions that will change your life forever 2. The Simple Dollar: 100 things to do during a money-free weekend 3. Happiness Project: 7 ways to be happier at home 4. Apartment Therapy: 5 DIY play kitch

Since I started this blogging spree, I've been surprised at how many people say something on the lines of "How do you make time for all the things you want to do"? It seems that many of us struggle with how to juggle the demands of our lives I know I certainly do. 'd love to discuss this over several posts. The thing about time management is that each person's schedule is so different- it is dictated by a multitude of factors like the nature of our jobs, the composition of our families and our location and lifestyle. I'm posing these three questions as a thought exercise. Feel free to grab a pencil and paper and see if they help to clarify your thinking about how you spend your time and how you want to spend it. 1. What do you want to make time for?

Sometimes I find recipe inspiration in unexpected places We were visiting daycare centers and playschools last week- Lila will go back to daycare when I'm back at work in a few weeks, and we visited several school to find a place she will love. The schools have all their weekly lunch and snack menus posted prominently on the bulletin board and of course I'm always curious to see what's being served. One school had the most delicious menu- I saw pumpkin mac 'n cheese on the menu for lunch that day and thought- mmm, that sounds so good. Today, V had a Thanksgiving potluck lunch at his workplace and I thought pumpkin mac 'n cheese would be a good dish to send in- crowd-pleasing and simple enough to make, plus mac 'n cheese is a standard Thanksgiving side dish, with pumpkin adding some seasonal flair. There are many recipes online and this one caught my eye. Embellished with savory notes from browned butter and caramelized onions, I just had t

I went to undergrad college in Mumbai, in a lovely college in the heart of the city At the center of the college (and at the center of college life) was a quadrangle with about four and a half trees in it. It was called "The Woods"- only half-jokingly, because in the urban jungle of Mumbai, a rag tag bunch of greenery qualified as the woods. This picture is from our new backyard- and even though our house is located in town, it is packed with trees and I think I can legitimately call it "The Woods". We see deer walking through it once in a while- a totally novel experience for the city-dwellers that V and I are. There's a little tree house in the backyard, built by some previous owners. I hope Lila will have many happy adventures there in a few years. The treehouse in the woods I'm linking this picture to the Saturday Snapshot meme at At Home With Books .

We found a new vet and V took Dale in this afternoon We were trying to convince ourselves that he's back to his usual self but of course we wanted medical advice. It is not good news. The poor mutt has multiple problems including an abdominal mass and a possible infection. The vet was compassionate and competent and prescribed medication. We're supposed to check in with her again on Monday. For now, Dale's quite comfortable, being fed extra biscuits and napping in his bed near a heating vent. Thanks to everyone who's sending him good wishes. I went back and forth about whether to continue posting daily this last week of NaBloPoMo. But truly it gives me something to think about rather than watching the dog anxiously so I sat down to write this post. And writing is always therapeutic. Archana asked, "How often do you eat out and what do you guys like to eat? What's the fanciest meal you've had and would you be willing to shell out big dough for goo

We're at the halfway point of the blogging marathon that is NaBloPoMo, so don't mind if I pause a little to catch my breath I'm going to spend some time today responding to your comments on previous posts. I so enjoy it when you take the time to share your thoughts, enlighten me, challenge what I'm saying, make me think some more. Seriously, I love you guys so much. And to keep this conversation going, I have to take some time to respond properly to comments. Some of the blogs that I read regularly are also participating in NaBloPoMo- so here's a shout out to you. Arundati has been making dazzling Diwali treats day after day, and she has posted some lovely Diwali decor ideas too (someone was asking about that a few days ago). Siri does something that I just love and admire- she is a supporter of Vaidehi Ashram, a refuge for girls in Hyderabad, India. Now blogs are wonderful because they give us a glimpse into lives other than our own, but blogger

A few weeks ago, a dear friend of ours called and said she was coming to visit What's more, she was arriving on Christmas eve and staying for a few days. Most years, Christmas is not something we really celebrate in any special way. We've been known to do a "Jewish Christmas"- going to a movie theater and then to a Chinese restaurant! But the minute my friend called, I knew this year would be different. She grew up celebrating Christmas and I wanted to make the holiday special for her in some way. A few stockings went up by the fireplace. I sewed a felt garland to make the mantle more festive. And I started to plan Christmas dinner. The festive meals in my home are quite predictable and not even that different from what we normally eat. I'll make a biryani or a lasagna. Or something crowd-pleasing like pav bhaji or aloo tikki chana chaat. I looked for something different this time and decided on a nut loaf- a vegetarian version of the meatloaf

Ruma asked for ideas for make-ahead snacks, saying, "We get back home at 6 but don't have dinner right away ...that leads to major bad decisions ;) Anything that can be made in a batch, or quickly conjured up is appreciated." Er, I might know a little something about those bad decisions. In a typical scenario, we're an hour or two away from dinner when hunger gets the better of me and then the rickety wall of willpower standing between me and a party-size bag of chips comes crumbling down. You don't have to go to school to need an after school snack. So I've made it a habit to eat a hearty snack right around 4:30 PM. For me, this time is right because it is an hour before I start making dinner and two hours before we actually eat dinner. I'm not really eating 3 big meals a day, but more like 6 small meals, and this snack is one of those meals. These smaller frequent meals seem to keep my blood sugar on a more even keel, which makes for al

This week, there seems to be a palpable excitement building in the air An afternoon walk around the neighborhood yesterday revealed windows adorned with wreaths and neighbors perched on ladders stringing up lights. There is a steady stream of invitations to holiday parties. Store shelves are piled high with holiday confections and shiny baubles. And I'm sitting and thinking of holiday gifts that I want to give and wishes that I want to send, via e-mail or snail mail. Giving a gift is fun and challenging in equal parts. I think gift-giving reveals how much you really know about a person. And sometimes the one thing you know about a person is that they already have two of everything. As my darling friend Shoots said, "Turns out my family has enough shoes, hand bags, make-up, watches, wallets, perfumes and liquor to last them a life time so I was thinking of home-made food items as presents." Excellent idea! The thing about consumable gifts is, you don

A few weeks ago, a dear friend of ours called and said she was coming to visit What's more, she was arriving on Christmas eve and staying for a few days. Most years, Christmas is not something we really celebrate in any special way. We've been known to do a "Jewish Christmas"- going to a movie theater and then to a Chinese restaurant! But the minute my friend called, I knew this year would be different. She grew up celebrating Christmas and I wanted to make the holiday special for her in some way. A few stockings went up by the fireplace. I sewed a felt garland to make the mantle more festive. And I started to plan Christmas dinner. The festive meals in my home are quite predictable and not even that different from what we normally eat. I'll make a biryani or a lasagna. Or something crowd-pleasing like pav bhaji or aloo tikki chana chaat. I looked for something different this time and decided on a nut loaf- a vegetarian version of the meatloaf

It has been a long and chaotic day here at the world headquarters of One Hot Stove We're getting some repairs done and the home is upside down for a few days. And poor Dale is having a bad day with his back legs giving him more trouble than usual. I've been struggling to help him stand up. Clearly, we have to find a vet soon and take him in- and this is a holiday week so almost everyone is on vacation... So all I have today is a quick recipe idea. This one comes from my mother who is one for putting creative riffs on everyday meals. The last time she was visiting us, she made this "Chinese omelet". Basically all the vegetables that go into Indian Chinese food- carrots, cabbage, peppers, green onions, mushrooms- are sliced, sauteed and seasoned with soy sauce and lots of freshly ground black pepper and then stuffed into an omelet. You can make the omelet atop a tortilla or not. This makes for a tasty and hearty breakfast or lunch that will keep you full fo

In this season of festive gatherings, there's a virtual dinner party going on today, with bloggers cooking different dishes from a new cookbook, Made With Love: The Meals on Wheels Family Cookbook . Meals on Wheels is a community-based program that delivers nutritious meals to seniors who are unable to make their own. For their cookbook (which aims to raise funds to support their cause), they have gathered up favorite family recipes from a variety of people, including several celebrities and public figures. The result is a vibrant collection of beloved recipes that are as diverse as you can imagine- simple fixes with store bought ingredients (Mexican pinwheels made simply with tortillas, cream cheese and jarred salsa) and elaborate made from scratch ones (Martha Stewart's recipe for potato pierogi); homely fare (Fried rice with egg) and fancier dishes (Mario Batali's spinach and goat cheese gnocchi). Like all good family cookbooks, this collection has

Aren't books amazing? I mean, they're nothing but squiggles on paper but somehow as your eyes gaze on the squiggles, they make a whole new world come alive inside your head And with a good book, you come away a better person, with a tad more empathy and a little more wisdom than you did before you started . Well, here are some hits and misses from the last few months. Sometime in 2012, I started seeing ads for a new mini-series on PBS (the public broadcasting channel), named Call The Midwife . Always interested in issues of women's health, I sought out the book that this TV series is based on. The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth was one of my best reads of 2012. The author was a young woman from a comfortable middle-class home who, when the time came to make a career decision, did something very unlikely- she left her nice life and went to live in a convent and work as a midwife in the slums of London. This memoir is hilario