Why thoughts from the grinding stone?

Why thoughts from the grinding stone?

As early as I can remember hearing the work of the grinding stone in my grandmother's kitchen meant that there was going to be some fine food made. The grinding stone however has more significance to me than just grinding wonderful chutney or idlis. It was in essence what made up a kitchen. This blog is a record keeping of activities in a kitchen quite far from India and with no such grinding stone like my grandmother had, but in its place the spirit of the grinding stone I remember.

Thursday, September 2, 2010


So this has to be the best chocolate chip cookie I have had that has been made by me. I like my chocolate chip cookies chewy and moist and I love walnuts in them. Oh and of course a glass of milk to go with it! I have to admit, I like the chocolate chip quantity to be quite low. I like more walnuts in mine and so that is what I did with these.

I adapted the recipe from
smitten kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/chocolate-chip-cookies/

I played around with different flours and the result was delicious. I would definitely experiment more with flours maybe use barley or buckwheat flour.

1/2 cup white sugar (partly raw)
1/2 cup brown sugar ( I used raw cane sugar-jaggery-that I got from an Indian store)
3/4 a stick butter
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts

Move rack to top third. Preheat oven to 300 f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl cream the sugar and butter together. Mix in the egg and vanilla. In a smaller bowl mix the flours, salt, sieve in the baking soda and mix. Mix the flours with the butter and sugar, add in the walnuts and chocolate chips and mix.

With a small cookie scooper, scoop out cookies on to the lined baking sheets. These cookies spread so make sure you leave enough room between them. (4 inches apart) Bake for 18 min or until golden brown.



Preheat oven to 300 f. Line to baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

An ode to Chaat. More specifically Papdi Chaat.


This week has been a mish-mash of sorts. There is no other way to fully encapsulate this week than making one of my favourites: Papdi Chaat.

Chaat is eaten as a snack in India. The best chaat, papdi chat and pani puri are usually found on the street side in India. I don't know what makes it so good! Perhaps it is the challenge of not getting a horrendous stomach flu after. Usually the men who tend to make these mouth-watering dishes come from word of mouth. I am lucky to know people who know good chaat makers. When ever I visit India, I make sure to visit these men. I have however yet to find the where-abouts of my all time favourite- a grumpy but phenomenal chaat maker that use to make all sorts of chaats by where my grandparents use to dwell in Bangalore ( the house that had the grinding stone).

Although these things taste really great on the street side in India, they can easily be made at home.

That crunchy, sweet, savoury and tangy flavour of this mish-mash dish can be re-created with a few essentials.