Sleepless in Seattle, 1 year Anniversary and Arusuvai Friendship Chain

View of Space Needle from Kerry Park, Queen Anne Neighborhood, Seattle

I can't believe it. My one year anniversary as a food blogger went right under my nose last month (!!) and I didn't do a darn thing about it. Horrors. No big sentimental post about great food bloggers that I have met. The online friends I have made. Food tried and tested. Nothing. Horrible Silence. Just terrible isn't it?

May 4th of last year I opened up the doors to Archana's Culinary Adventures with an ode to my favorite food blogger Indira. Its came around full circle this May because I received a wonderful package from Indira as part of Arusuvai Friendship chain. Of course, I was jumping up and down in glee to receive anything from Indira and she did not restrain herself... She went all out and sent me these gorgeous food items. Both S and I gorged on all those cookies and murukkus and even my non-spicy son loved her murrukkus. Now that's true testament to good cooking. To please a picky toddler! Here in her own words the contents of the package:


The parcel has:
Pappula podi: with dalia (or putnala pappulu), dry coconut, dried red chillies, cumin and salt. Powdered together. It tastes good with rice and also to spread on dosas, and with upma, idly, pongal, and to sprinkle on dry, saute style curries like potato fry, capsicum saute etc. It is also called gun powder in some parts of Andhra. Usually garlic is also added, but I didn't. Spicewise, I made it very mild. My personal favorites are pappula podi with oatmeal upma or with dosa. Both taste excellent with pappula podi.

Mamouls (middle eastern date cookies): Covering is made with all purpose flour, fine semolina, ghee, cane sugar and rose water. Filling with dates, rose water and just a tiny bit of cane sugar. I actually have a special wooden mold to shape the cookies in flower shape. But the dough came out little bit on the soft side and was sticking to the wooden mold. So I used a fork to decorate the rounds. Hope you liked the cookies.

Muruku: Traditional recipe. Dough is made with rice flour, besan, sesame seeds, salt, chilli powder and a pinch of baking powder. Mixed with water. Deep fried using peanut oil.
Chikki, Karachi Halwa, Soan Papidi and Moong Dal are from Haldirams.

I made a special avvalaki upma with her pappula podi and it was so tasty. Of course I did this a month ago and didn't jot down the recipe but the combo of fried tofu, beaten rice, sweet n sour tamarind, fresh cilantro and tender zucchini topped of with Indira's podi was amazing. So thank you Indira for your inspirational cooking and blog, it truly opened up my world to another channel and I have been addicted to ever since.

Treats from Indira
My beaten rice upma with her podi.

I know I am supposed to be passing on the friendship chain but due to some good news (NO MORE BABIES if you are thinking that!!) I have been too busy to cook like I typically do.. I will restart my blog after a few weeks of silence. Thank you again Indira and everyone who checks into my little space. I appreciate all the comments!