Indians/Chinese cause the food crisis ??

If this comment had been made by some irresponsible guy on the street I would just brush it aside as some creep who is ignorant of what he is speaking. But the President and The Secretary of State saying such unthoughtful comments without any statistical backing - That is sheer arrogance and height of stupidity.

I wish these idiots would see the statistics from their own country regarding wastage. Just like when Hillary made undue comments about Gandhi - she was made to apologize, I guess The Bush guy should also apologize !!

What do you think ? Is there any statistical study been done ? I would like to know your comments about this.

Over 41 billion pounds of food have been wasted this year (www.secondharvest.org).

According to a 2004 study from the University of Arizona (UA) in Tucson (http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=56376), on average, American households waste 14 percent of their food purchases.

Fifteen percent of that includes products still within their expiration date but never opened.

- Official surveys indicate that every year more than 350 billion pounds of edible food is available for human consumption in the United States.

Of that total, nearly 100 billion pounds - including fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, and grain products - are lost to waste by retailers, restaurants, and consumers.

-According to a 1997 study by US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS) entitled "Estimating and Addressing America's Food Losses", about 96 billion pounds of food, or more than a quarter of the 356 billion pounds of edible food available for human consumption in the United States, was lost to human use by food retailers, consumers, and foodservice establishments in 1995.

Source :http://www.soundvision.com/Info/poor/statistics.asp

The authentic Chettinad kitchen - Paruppu Thovayal

Ever since I ate in the Karaikudi restaurant in Chennai a decade ago, I have been addicted to Chettinad cuisine. The excuisite addition of different spices, the elaborate preparation method is to be experienced to appreciate the cuisine.

Chettinad means land of Chettiyars, the community that thrived in the Sivagangai district of Tamilnadu. During the 19th and 20th centuries, they went abroad for work and were the flourishing community. They spent the money earned abroad well on architechture and food. They used teak wood from burma for their mansions. The intricate carvings on the vasalpadi ( entrance), use of pillars inside the homes is typical and a trademark of chettiar homes. They also built several educational institutions, palatial mansions and huge wedding halls. ( Source: Wiki )

Recently the government of Tamilnadu has identified the historical importance of their architechture and lifestyle and promoting visit to Karaikudi and the sorrounding villages as part of tourism.

Though I dont belong to that community, I find many similarities between our cuisines. For a long time I was hoping to find a food blog from someone who knew chettinad food inside out. I was exhilarated when I found Solai Aachi's blog who is from Chettinadu. Aachi has started her blog to help out her newly married daughter. Today I tried a really simple paruppu thovayal from her blog which is very simple but filling and nutritious.

Check out aachis' nenju elumbu kozhambu, chettinad chicken, fish fry.

With just 3 ingredients, its one of the easiest recipes.

More about Chettinad cuisine and Karaikudi

Taste of Yellow - Saffron Milk

The Livestrong Foundation raises awareness about cancer and was started in 1997 by Lance Armstrong. LAF has raised $181 million to support cancer survivorship programs. May 13th is the LiveSTRONG day.



Barbara of winosandfoodies has started a cooking event where we cook something in yellow, for spreading the awareness about cancer. Barbara is one of my heroes, with the undeterred fight she has put up with the disease. We admire you Barbara and wish you a complete recovery.

I had a lot of ideas for the event but with time constraints I made Saffron milk. Saffron is the spice derived from the flower of saffron crocus. The stigma of the flower is the spice and not the flower itself and is red in color. Saffron, which has for decades been the world's most expensive spice by weight. When saffron is dissolved in water or milk, it leaves a deep yellow hue. ( Source: Wiki )
To prepare saffron milk -

Soak a pinch of saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk

Powder 3 cardomom along with 2 teaspoons of unrefined cane sugar, tablespoon of slivered almonds.

Heat the milk over low flame. When the milk is boiling add the cardomom powder and the soaked saffron.

Drink warm.

This is my entry to Barbaras' Taste of yellow.

Happy New Year !

Varusha pirappu spread - Spread on the New Year !
Vadai, sambar, arisi-thengai paal payasam, mango-vepampoo pachadi, kathirikai poriyal

Punthandu nalvazhthukkal to all !

Metal - Click - Stainless steel plate

My entry for the Jugalbandi's Click-Metal Event.


Sunday lunch on Stainless steel plate

This photo was taken for lunch on Sunday. One of the lunches I really enjoyed. White rice with brocolli dal, gongura pachadi, bittergourd fry and rasam.

Its served in a stainless steel plate. They are commonly used to serve food in Indian homes.

Arusuvai friendship Chain - Warmth before the Spring !

The Arusuvai Friendship bug has bitten me too. Its so inspiring to see how a simple gesture started by a few ladies, Latha, Bharathy and Bhags, spread its wings far and wide around the world. Kalai of Samaithuparkalam extended the friendship to me with a lovely lovely package with a card ( She has such a lovely handwriting ! If handwriting is any indication she is a very very organized person ! ), the secret ingredient, some idly podi and best of alll beetroot halwa. I have not eaten such tasty beetroot halwa in a longg time. I was very hungry when I came home and got this package. Could not appreciate more, the sweet melt-in-your-mouth halwa !!

Where is the halwa you ask ? As tasty as it is, its not easy to photograph - to feel better after the failed photo, I needed something to comfort. What better than buttery halwa ?

By the way, Can You guess the secret ingredient ?






Thank you Kalai for being such a sweetheart !!

Wholegrain pancakes with oats

When Indira mentioned that jazzing up oats is like dressing pig I had a hearty laugh.. How true !!! When Shankari told me about her designer oats I told her I just didnt beleive it.

Recently my friend R gave me a recipe for oats Dosai. She said Revathi it will be like oothappam. Very soft and nice. I tried it and it was a gloppy caramelized blob. I am sure I messed up the recipe.

Then I came across a Homemade wholegrain pancake mix on the King Arthur site, which had oats, whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose flour. On a whim I tried it. I made two changes - Omitted the oil completely and powdered the oats completely since I was using steel-cut oats. You have to make it to beleive it !!!

Now I still beleive the oats cannot be dressed but can be disguised and I will give the designer oats and oats dosai another shot !!!

Some flour facts :
Bleached and Unbleached flour : Bleaching is the process in which the wheat flour is bleached with oxidizing agents to make the flour more whiter and to increase the gluten-content. In unbleached flour the oxidization naturally happens to wheat flour over time, hence more expensive. The calorific value and the glycemic index of both the flours is the same - however chemicals used as oxidizing agents for bleaching flour.

Wholewheat and all purpose flour : All purpose flour are heavily processed and the nutrients are added later. The fiber is almost completely ripped off. Wholewheat flour has a lower glycemic index compared to APF and also much higher fiber content.

Now other things are done to the flour like enriching, and bromation. Bromation also increases the gluten-producting potential.

Nutritonal inforation of whole wheat flour and APF



Wholegrain pancake mix - Not a drop of oil !

2 cups unbleached All purpose flour
3/4th cup whole wheat flour
2 cups powdered oats flour ( use quick oats or steelcut)
1 tablespoon brown granulated sugar
1 and half teaspoon baking powder
half tsp salt
half tablespoon baking soda

Mix everything in a clean dry vessel and store in an airtight container. When you want to make pancakes, add a cup of the mix to one cup of liquid ( a little less than a cup )

Liquid can be
- just water
- half cup water with half cup of buttermilk and 2 egg whites (or whole egg)

I have used all these combinations and all are equally good. The pancakes are fluffy, soft and filling. Use buttermilk, egg whites for the pancakes and drizzle blueberry mapple syrup to make it a complete wholeshome breakfast
This pancake mix goes to the Wholesome breakfast Event hosted by Mansi.