Indian Cooking Workshop on 20.03.2018 at my workplace

Workplace must be fun and should be a place we love to go, bringing around most of our day time, strictly calculating on an average most of the people spend 8 hours sleeping, another 6-7 hours with family and another 8-9 hours with colleagues at workplace. If that is fun filled, one would love to be there and feels contented. Working in different teams never gives us a chance to spend good quality time with people from other teams. A casual talk over the lunch with colleagues 2 weeks back about cooking and the plan of a workshop popped up. And yes I came up with a plan of 3 menus, posted them in doodle and votes were counted. It was decided that we would do a menu that included Vegetable Cutlets as starters, Pav Bhaji as main course and Vermicelli Payasam as dessert.

Baked Samosa with Aloo/Potatoes

Baking is something that I occasionally do, but for me to ensure my newly built kitchen is up and running this was something I had to try, I mean, to be frank I wanted to check my oven (As how it works) Now for me I get wild thoughts and a list of food items flash in my mind and my brain scans them, when I try to get creative. Well it was DH's birthday and ways to surprise him in simple things gave me immense pleasure. I tried this time something baked for him to carry to his colleagues. Yes, baked version of our very own Aloo Samosa. It's real taste is when it is deep fried. I  am pretty much sure it couldn't be reached for sure but not a bad idea to have them baked says my inner mind (deep there arises my health consciousness).

Masala Chai / Spiced Indian Milk Tea

However the life goes, whatever the hurdle is, the only thing that just makes me forget everything is this one thing which is very close to my heart, is this hot beverage with subtle flavor of various aromatic spices. I can say no to anything but not to Chai. Anyone can lure me with this drink 😉.
Thank God I get to drink even at my workplace Indian tea, thanks to the thermos being carried by me and my Indian colleague here. We just love tea.

Groundnut/Peanut Chutney

More than a year passed by, 2017 was a difficult one for me, with my DH moving to a different work location and managing the household with a growing school going daughter was not that easy. It so happened that in 6-7 months of time we decided that this could not continue long and to be home together I had to think of a new job and I made a move in August 2017, moved all the way in December 2017 to south of Germany, a new city, new life, new home, new work environment. Getting settled down slowly and my kitchen took its shape last month and I decided to start my blog all over again, hoping to keep this up for the years to come, to make sure that this blog is still alive!
Well, no long speeches to hold you on, today I tried something new in my kitchen.

Whenever we have dosas (Indian Crepes) at home, we make sure that there is a coconut chutney that accompanies it, but unfortunately I couldn't do that as I had not coconut at home😐. Crazy isn't it.

Dry fruits and nuts spiced cake

Winters are at least for me very depressive. The day for me begins with darkness, sun out for a while and darkness again by the time you reach back home. It is the season when I succumb to cold and cough and that circulates within the family. I am just waiting for spring. Baking a spiced cake was in my mind for a long time, and Christmas here gave me a valid occasion to bake one. I was out in search of small gifts for my kid, when I accidentally noticed a bundt baking pan.
Yes, I say accidentally because Mr. S was like if you go shopping you will pick up many things that are not really required on a daily basis. Yes, baking happens very rare at my place, so he was right at that point. I still managed to get the bundt cake pan home and just couldn't resist baking. The very next day on 25th December, I and my kid baked an aromatic egg less cake filled with dry fruits, nuts and spices. That way I could get her eat some dry fruits and nuts. I followed the recipe from show me the curry website, I did alter the measurements according to my choice based on the availability of ingredients.