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My mother and I…

Like many of you, during this time at home, I have been trying to get through some organization and general Spring cleaning. It’s really amazing just how much we accumulate through the years. It got me thinking…do we really “need” all these items, or is it just more “stuff”? I wondered if maybe it was time to simplify our lives. I went through closets and closets full of items, opening up suitcase after suitcase filled with a variety of long-forgotten memories. I stumbled upon a suitcase full of old saris and I just couldn’t bear to discard any one of them. It’s because each and every sari has a special story behind it. I am hoping that one of these days I can sit down with my granddaughters and tell them all the stories behind the saris. Who knows maybe they will want to keep some of the saris and wear them? I just hope they do and when they grow up they will remember why the sari was so special to Dadi (grandmother). I know that I still use one of my mother’s shawls to this day, despite the fact that it has some tears and is not in the best condition. It doesn’t matter to me because for me, it is somewhat of a security blanket and something to hold onto as a comforting memory of my mother.

Of course, going through my belongings comes with memories of my childhood, especially memories of my mother. My mother was one of a kind and just filled with wisdom. Her perspective towards life was very positive. She managed this outlook even though her health was not good. When she was resting, I would sit close to her. She would hold my hand and talk. I could feel her warmth as she softly spoke to me. She was gentle, caring, and giving. Oftentimes, I was left puzzled at some of our conversations because they were deep conversations that were hard for me to understand at my young age. However, now when I think back to those conversations, I understand that she was trying to pass on her values in addition to what things I should let go and give importance to.

While she had many health issues, one thing that stood out is that she never complained about feeling unwell. I was the oldest child and often felt I should help her take care of my younger siblings, especially given her health problems. Maybe this was all in my head because, despite her health issues, she was the most positive person and always had a smile on her face. One would never guess she was enduring health issues.

My mother was the type of person to always help someone out. She would see someone feeling unwell and immediately bring them home and take care of them. She did this no matter who the person was. I remember feeling confused as to why she bothered helping people she didn’t even know. When I asked her this question, she would simply calmly ask me to bring that person a glass of water. I knew to not question her further. This was simply my mom’s character.

She was full of life, always laughing and giggling. She felt it was extremely important to be involved with her children’s lives in every way. My friends loved to hang out with her and felt so comfortable around her. In the back of their minds, I knew they all wanted their moms to be like her.
I must have been nine or ten when I decided I would help my mother in cooking and learn the proper way to cook. Her hands had magic. She made simple food but her food always looked and smelled delicious. Even at that time she enjoyed serving food with style and flair. I still remember so many family and friends eagerly await her dinner invitations. When I asked my mother why her food tasted so good, her answer was simple. She smiled and said her first advice was to serve food with a smile. Next, she said always use fresh ingredients and only use spices are to enhance the flavors of the food, and not cover it up.

She also emphasized that cooking with love and care were also important ingredients in a dish because they added to the flavors of the dish. Back then, I didn’t understand her answer. How could cooking with love and care be important in a dish? But now I know exactly what she meant. Even today, sometimes when I am tired, I just want to cook something quickly and get out of the kitchen. But then my mother’s words would ring in my ears. She would always say you should never cook if you are tired, irritated, or simply not in the mood. She used to say it would affect the taste of the food. I did not understand what she meant and used to think her food tasted good because she just had great cooking skills and techniques. However, with age and having fed my family for 50 plus years, I realize there was wisdom in my mother’s words. Now when I feed my friends, family, and loved ones, I can see that my mother’s advice was spot on!

So, during this time, why not make your family feel loved and cook special dishes for them? I know that I have enjoyed doing so! Stay safe and healthy!

Many of you have asked me about the man behind-the-scenes of Manjula’s Kitchen…Well as many of you know, that person is my husband Sikander aka Alex. Alex is responsible for me being in the spotlight of Manjula’s Kitchen, while he prefers to stay in the background. The simple truth is my YouTube channel exists only because of his hard work and dedication. He introduced me to this new concept for me at the time, YouTube. Alex takes the lead on all of the hard work these videos take, from the editing to ensuring the recipes meet his quality control (i.e. taste testing!) Every recipe has to meet Alex’s high standards for being posted. Alex feels so proud when reading the comments on my posts and always tells me that he is my biggest fan. With a huge smile on his face, he will tell me your fans don’t know that the biggest fan of yours is standing right next to you!

Alex and I have spent over 50 memorable years together and of course with that comes ups and downs. Sometimes it feels like Alex and I still don’t know everything about each other, and I think that is a good thing! We still love to learn new things about each other. Every day is unique with different challenges. During another lifetime, we ran a business together. For 20 years, we worked in an office together, sitting side by side. It was nice that we got to spend so much quality time together. Now as we enter our golden years, we still enjoy working together, even though we are partially retired. We both work from home and can still enjoy sitting side by side! I cherish the fact that we are never alone.

Our marriage was an arranged marriage. In today’s times, I recognize that it sounds really outdated. However, ours was an arranged marriage with a happy ending. Alex was my father’s choice. At their first meeting, my father was extremely impressed with him. They first met Alex for about an hour, but it felt like they knew him for a lifetime. My father described him to me with great detail. I was amazed my father could pick up so much on someone he just met! What stuck with me is my father finished by emphasizing that Alex would love and respect me and that because we shared the same values I would be proud of the person I was when with him.

My father invited Alex and his family for afternoon tea so that I could meet him myself. I was so curious to see what my father had seen in Alex. I knew that Alex had already decided to marry me and told his father that he was already in love with me. Alex had been working abroad in the U.S. and at this time and was in India visiting his family and to get married. We had just one month before he had to go back to the U.S. for his work. It happened so quickly. We got married within the week. It was at that point it hit me. I would have to move to the U.S. too. My mother was not happy with this situation and was upset at my father. Of course, she didn’t want her daughter to move so far away. I was very confused, but I knew my father he will not take such a big step unless he was sure it was absolutely the right decision.

We got married and moved to the U.S. and settled into a brand new way of life. It took some time to get used to a new country, a new language, and most importantly new food. But it was a life we enjoyed discovering together. When my parents visited us in the U.S. the first time, my mother and Alex spent a lot of time together. The immediately formed a great bond, becoming best friends. My parents noticed just how much Alex cared for me and how happy we were together. They would say Alex would light up when I was near him.

Alex really enjoys pampering me. The gestures were small, but with great care. Alex happily makes me the best cups of hot tea and always with a smile. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I made tea for myself. He always makes sure I take care of myself, leaving my daily vitamins/medicines and water on the kitchen table to make sure I don’t forget. Then there are those times he can sense I need a break and I will see a fresh hot grilled cheese sandwich waiting for me. Everyone (especially our grandkids!) in our family has decided that Alex makes the “world’s best” tea and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Of course, we have our share of disagreements and arguments, as every couple does. Alex is not one to say sorry very easily so most of the time I’ll give in and say sorry. The next day I will see a beautiful bouquet of colorful flowers waiting for me and all is well again. I suppose that is how a good marriage works – you know when to give in. I can say with confidence that my father chose correctly for me and I married a man who truly takes care of me. We’ve made a good life for ourselves, with our two sons and their lovely families. More on them later… Stay safe & healthy everyone!

My journey to start my YouTube channel began in December 2006. I still find it hard to believe I am still running a successful channel that I enjoy with all my heart. We will continue to bring you great content as long as we can. When I say “we” I mean my husband Alex, who has been instrumental in this journey as my videographer, and I. This foray into the world of YouTube and social media was something I never imagined I would be involved in, let alone plan. This was especially true since I had no idea what YouTube even was at that time. Not knowing just how big YouTube was or what kind of platform it was probably an advantage for me because I did not feel scared or threatened by it.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be sharing my recipes worldwide. As I have always said, I am not a formally trained chef. After our first video, I just felt in my heart that I just may have stumbled upon something special. I asked Alex if he we would be willing to work with me to try one more video. At that time, there were limited Indian cooking YouTube videos. YouTube was also relatively new and nothing like it is today. My younger daughter-in-law, Joy, heard my idea and suggested I do simple recipes for new cooks, with precise, easy-to-follow directions. She thought it was important I use exact measurements and making sure I try every recipe, so the measurements are perfect. She also suggested I venture into fusion dishes, taking elements for various cuisines and perfecting them into my own recipes.

My family could tell that something was sparked within me. I felt happier than ever. Had I found a second career after many years of retirement? Maybe, just maybe I had stumbled into something special? I remember my oldest granddaughter being so excited that Dadi (grandmother) was on the computer! When I first started this venture, everyone in the family helped out. My kids helped me take the videos. While I did not take it seriously when I first started, I knew I was really enjoying what I was doing. I felt good doing something I loved and was passionate about. I also knew that I was helping other people learn to cook!

After some time, I remember receiving an e-mail from YouTube asking if I would like to partner with them. We were told we would get paid depending on the amount of “views” we received. At the time, I had no idea how this process worked. However, we decided that could only be a win-win situation and immediately filled out the application. After being accepted as an official YouTube partner, I can vividly remember the feeling of elation and joy when seeing my first paycheck. I was more happy about accomplishing something I did not think I could do, then the actual paycheck. Of course, I could not believe I was getting paid to pursue my passion and hobby!

After producing about 40 plus videos, some viewers suggested I launch a website featuring my recipes and videos. My computer-savvy nephew thought this was an excellent idea and introduced me to his friend who agreed to design my website. Sateesh, my original website designer, did an excellent job with my website and still runs it to this day! Thank you so much to my viewers who suggested this idea.

While Manjula’s Kitchen and my YouTube channel is merely a hobby, it has given me immense happiness. It has boosted my self-confidence and has really given me a sense of pride. I take pride in ensuring my videos consist of quality, well thought- out recipes! The positive and gracious feedback I’ve received really has inspired me. I love it when I meet the young viewers who tell me they learned everything they know about cooking from me! I can’t tell you how grateful I am for you, the viewers, who have stayed with me for all these years, and of course YouTube who presented me with this fabulous opportunity. I hope you enjoyed learning about how my journey began…Stay safe & healthy everyone!

Diwali is fast-approaching and I have already begun my preparations! This time of year is full of parties, fun, and celebration. So why not bring a homemade gift to the next party? Homemade gifts are truly special in that they show you really put some thought and care into it. Some ideas for simple homemade gifts are:

Masala Puri

Chiroti (Khaja)

Date and Nut Ladoo

Atta Ka Ladoo

Rava Ladoo

Spicy Cashews

I think we all look forward to appetizers! They are samples of exciting tastes and textures that allow us to anticipate a delightful social interaction. For me they are an important part of every family get-together or in hosting a party with friends and making new acquaintances. You can do a great deal of the preparation for some of the appetizers in advance and serve them in several variations. You can play around by mixing and matching the ingredients, creating different tastes and looks.

Here are five highly favored recipes from my viewers:

Samosa Pinwheels

These appetizers freeze very well. In preparation for freezing, fry them half way and then cool them down to room temperature and then freeze the pinwheels. These can be refrigerated for 5-6 days, and can be frozen for a month.

Khasta Kachoris

These appetizers will stay good for 4-5 days at room temperature. Before sealing them into a storage container be sure they are at room temperature. I have heard from viewers that their Kachories are soft and they want to know why this has happened. If they are still warm when stored, condensation will form inside the storage container causing them to soften. If they have softened, place them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. The crispiness will return.

Bread Potato Rolls

These can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Make sure to cover them with moist paper towel and keep in flat container. When you are ready to serve them, take them out from refrigerator and fry.

Crispy Aloo Tikki

Uncooked patties can be refrigerated for 3-4 days before frying, shallow fry them time of serving.

Vegetable Rice Cutlets

If you need to prepare these patties in advance of your event, add some bread crumbs to the mix, and then make the patties. Now they can be refrigerated for 2-3 days.
Gather up your ingredients and prepare your magical delicacies. Enjoy!

Included are some suggestions as to how to best store and serve them, making them unique every time they are served. You can make them small or a little larger in size depending on how you want to serve them and the space needed for toppings. All of these appetizers are traditionally served with cilantro and tamarind chutney. They can also be served like a Chaat, drizzling the appetizer with whipped yogurt and chutney. Additional variations can develop by serving them with Aloo Dum or Spicy Chole. The various sauces enhance the flavor of your appetizers.

This holiday season was so special as I got to spend quality time with family. On Christmas Day, my family and I enjoyed a great dinner. When my grandchildren get together, there is so much life and energy in the house. They run and shout and know that they can do anything they want! Of course, they are always careful not to break or misplace anything! I like to think of my house as a play house for the grandchildren. The adults are usually engrossed in lighthearted fun conversation in one room while the grandchildren run about the house. Sometimes I feel we spend more time talking than indulging in food! But of course, a family celebration in my house is not complete without tasty food. This year I experimented with two new appetizers and both were considered a hit by my family.

The appetizers were Taco Samosas and Corn Chaat. We then enjoyed crispy and delicious homemade cheese, cabbage and vegetable pizzas. For dessert, we enjoyed crisp waffles topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries; followed by soothing tea made by husband, Alex. Here are some photos of some of the dishes.

The recipes for the below will be posted soon! I hope you all have a very happy and healthy New Year!