She is no more in this earthly abode…but Pedatha lives on…in our hearts and in our kitchens. Although we miss her immensely, we move ahead, in the knowledge that life has to go on….no matter what. Today is a year since she passed on, and it is befitting to pay tribute to her through recipes for our little ones from generations wisened by age and experience. Thank you Sharmila for the lovely idea of Cooking for kids. Thank you friends for sending in your entries for Cooking for kids with love, and for your enthusiasm and support in making this event a success.

The daunting task of selecting the three best posts has been done by Pedatha’s beautiful sister, Sarala Athaiyya. It is a daunting task because it is not easy to sift through a treasure trove of cherished memories and yet remain impartial. Beyond the language and the recipes and the photographs, the simple ingredient of love makes every post special. Once again, thank you all.

The WINNERS are the FIRST THREE posts in the list below. Congratulations Harini, Linda and Radhika . The other entries are in Alphabetical order below.

Harini of Tongue ticklers – Mah ki dal

I have also seen that this is another area where I completely take after my Mother. She too would tell us similar tales, and introductions as she podded pine nuts for us as we soaked up the warm winter sun in the backyard, or made porulvilanga urundais when we sisters were kids.

Linda of Out of garden – Nana’s Tomato Sandwich

In later years when she wasn’t so nimble, she would direct us between the rows of green, calling “out of the garden”. She did this in such a sing-song voice that I can still hear her tone now, thirty-plus years on…She was a wise woman — having us set that small creature free to fire up our childhood dreams.

Radhika Mohan – Naani’s Chana Masala

It’s amazing, how a recipe can remind you of someone! The flavours and aromas arouse a longing to see her again. Needless to say, I can never eat or cook Chana Masala without reminiscing about my mom!

Anne-Katrin Sura – Mom’s magical recipes

I am sharing some recipes that my mother used to make for us children – when the summer was hotter and the cherries sweeter…made with love and in big amounts ingredients are easy and affordable even on a larger scale) – because we were many and always had other kids around!

Chams of Spice Club – Aatta Keerai Thanni Saaru

The recipe swirls almost from 4 to 5 generation in my family…Our ancestors created with love and affection, taking care of the health and keeping in mind the taste of the kids with few ingredients…Add plenty of love in Ingredients list, any ordinary dish will become extra-ordinary. That is what our ancestors did!

EC of Simple Indian Food – Mysurpak

a tribute to my grandma who used to make delicious sweets for me.

Gayatri and Hema of Justurs – Karuppati idly by Mom

I have seen my kid sonu eating this dish, without any problem from his grandma [My mom], Whenever i visit my hometown, she is ready with this dish, to serve her grandson. There is some special taste when my mom prepares this dish.

Gayatri and Hema of Justurs – Stuffed Dry Jamun

My mom just loves her grandson tasting her recipes, she enjoys looking her grandson from Webcam as she is in India and I am in United states…I believe every kid will definelty will love it.

Gayathri and Hema of Justurs – Suzhiyam/Maida Roll

This is an authetic dish, i adapted from my grandma. I made of list of recipes my son – sonu likes. He is very much excited and waiting everyday for his special dishes.

Gayatri and Hema of Justurs – Milk Shake with Icecream

He had already tasted the same in some Indian restaurants and loved it very much, hence I thought I will try it at home. To my surprise, it came out exactly the same way…

Hema of Adlak’s kitchen – Gram dhal Chutney

I learnt this chutney from my mother.. my gal love to eat this with chapatti/dosa/idly.

Hema of Adlak’s kitchen – Tomato and Onion Chutney

I learnt it from my sister-in-law (elder one). When I was in early stage of cooking and newly married. I often prepared this, as it was so easy and favourite of every one in my family.

Jayu of Sharingmyxperiences – Amma’s tasty ‘Poornam’

But this one has got a special place in my heart because Amma tries to woo me with it whenever I’m frustrated, angry,depressed or simply not in the best of days.And to tell you the truth, it does brighten and cheer me up!!!

Kayal of Kayals Kitchen – Aaya’s Keerai Kadaiyal

I can really say this is my kid’s favourite for his lunch. I feel good nutrients along with proteins is sent through this recipe.

Laavanya of Cookery Corner – idli-milagai-podi

I particularly love this spicy powder and always associate it with fond memories of train travel…My paati would always be mindful to pack extra idlis for each of us since she says that we always eat more during these occassions…

Maya of Konkan World – Potato Burfi

Apart from making it with love for my son, I should say ‘Just For You Mom’, also, who will be happy to know that I did cook a recipe of hers which was liked by her grandson.

Pavani of Cook’s Hide out – Ammamma’s Idlis for Dhruva

There might be millions of recipes for basic idli and chutney, but this is how my mom makes and this is what my son loved…These are extremely simple recipes, but when made with love, they are the most comforting.

Poonam of Poonam’s Kitchen – Chana Poha

Since this dish is filling and healthy it was prepared frequently among the joint families…Thankfully we all liked it during our childhood days and even now. My daughter too adores it.

Priya of Easy N Tasty Recipes – Crispy Mullu Murukku

…this recipe is one of our family savoury dish which was almost prepared at home for every diwali from my grandma , then by my mom and now by me…

Priyanka of Asankhana – Nani wale aate ke ladoo Advay ke liye

whenever my mother comes to visit us she gets box full of them,..easy to prepare recipe was passed to her by her mom ie our nani…she is 80 plus but still she manages everything on her own…

Randi Lewin – Memories with Cookies & Fruits cobbler

Through the lessons covertly taught in their kitchen, children learn about life in general, mathematical skills that last a lifetime, proper manners for today and tomorrow and overall how to share and enjoy the goodness that life offers.

Rajee of simply innocence – Our families with Pedatha

My heart is pounded with cup of tears when I write about her in my blog. I feel inside that she knows what I wrote about her in my blog. We really missed her lot and also her last smiles.

Rajee of simply innocence – Cooking with Pedatha

Yes, I am very sure that even Kids love to eat that meals to their heart content cooked by my Pedatha.

Sharmi of Neviedyam – Sunnundalu

My Mother-in-law made this delicacy for me on my baby shower…It is a healthy laddu and “is good for backbone during pregnancy” says my mother-in-law!!

Shoba of Anubhavati – Quick mango Lemon Sevai

We lived in a lovely large joint family of 8, so…all the children of the family would be called for shaping the cooked balls…Madurai amma would be watchfully overseeing us, to make sure that there is no small talk in the middle of the proceedings!

Swapna of Cooking with Swapna – Kalyani patti’s fruit kabab to Visisht

Aamma makes sure she feeds us with fruits in our daily routine. She has plenty of ideas to make different fruit dishes each day…he loves it b’coz “its Kalyani granma’s special”!

Swapna of Crafts and Cooking – Ammamma’s ‘peshal’ to Ichu

She was amazing in the midst of emergencies – a choking child, suspicions of snake bite, fits.. she was there to render first aid and then rush the person to the hospital… She had a spry way of walking, halfway between walk and run.. some of my classmates had nicknamed her ‘express’ ammamma because of that !!

Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes – Milk Burfi

This sweet is my mom’s signature dish…Every one likes this. It is little time consuming, but really worth trying.

Vidhas of Appetizing Recipes – Rava/sooji Kesari

We celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary today. Nine years with two lovely kids, life is cool. My mother in law prepared this kesari for us. This is my favourite and I asked her the recipe.

Vineela of Vineela’s Cuisine – Amma’s Carrot halwa for Akshay

My mother is my Guru in cooking. She has given us nutritious and healthy food, and I am trying to follow her recipes in my culinary journey

POSTED BY JIGYASA & PRATIBHA

Our dear friend and passionate cookbook writer Anne-Katrin who holds a degree in romance languages and literature, was raised in Brussels, the home town of the European Union. She has traveled a lot and all the different styles of European and more exotic cooking are familiar to her. In 2005 she and her four children settled in Koenigstein, near Frankfurt. Her cuisine encompasses the best recipes Europe’s cuisine has to offer. Anne-Katrin loves to entertain her friends and family and besides being an excellent host, she teaches children and grown-ups the art of cooking.

Her award winning cook book titled “Die Leichtigkeit des Kochens:The Lightness of Cooking – A Host’s Cookbook” has been published by “Haedecke” in 2006.

The second cook book of Anne-Katrin’s published by “Haedecke” in 2007 titled “Das Männerkochbuch:A Men’s Cookbook – Adventure in the Kitchen” has turned into a best-seller.

In September of last year “Knesebeck” published Anne’s “Fit for Cooking” - the ultimate kitchen training shows the importance of a functionning kitchen with all its ingredients to become the perfect “chef”!

ANNE-KATRIN SURA writes:

Inspired by “Cooking for kids with love” hosted by dear friends Jigyasa and Pratibha, I am sharing some recipes that my mother used to make for us children – when the summer was hotter and the cherries sweeter…made with love and in big amounts ingredients are easy and affordable even on a larger scale) – because we were many and always had other kids around!

Summer Tomato Soup - this is how summer tastes!

The pure and intensive taste of beautiful, ripe summer tomatoes is so tempting and uniquely intensive, that there are never any left-overs.

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1,5 kg summer ripe tomatoes

1 teaspoon of sugar

Slightly stew the chopped onion and whole garlic cloves and add tomatoes (cut into small pieces) and slightly cook with pot closed at low temperature for an hour. Put everything through a ricer, add pepper and salt – voila the soup is ready.

You can add freshly chopped basil, a tad of fresh cream and roasted croutons. This excellent soup is the prefect addition for every fine dinner.

a picture of my mom with my 20 year old daughter!

Hot apples – magic of childhood

This is a recipe with hot apples and the lovely scent of cinnamon! A classical dessert that we eat more in winter than summer (because it is hot, but goes with almost every menu).

1 apple per person

1 tablespoon of cranberry jelly

a little bit of butter

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of almonds thinly sliced

some vanilla ice cream

Wash the apple and take out carefully the apple core, without breaking the apple. Put some cranberry jelly in the hole, a little bit of butter, some cinnamon and almonds.

Preheat the oven and bake the apples at 200°Celsius ind the middle of the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Really yummy with vanilla ice cream!

Tribute recipe by ANNE-KATRIN SURA, Introduction by Jigyasa

Radhika Mohan writes:

My mom made the most delicious Chana Masala! She is no more, but her recipes linger not only in my mind and kitchen, but also in my daughter’s heart. It’s amazing, how a recipe can remind you of someone! The flavours and aromas arouse a longing to see her again. Needless to say, I can never eat or cook Chana Masala without reminiscing about my mom! I am delighted at making this recipe immortal by sharing it with you all, through “Cooking for kids with love” hosted by Jigyasa and Pratibha.

“Naani” as my daughter called her, whipped up the most delicious chanas with ease. I don’t think the secret lay in the ingredients, but it was her love and passion to dish out something special for her kids and grandchildren, that made all the difference. She seasoned it with affection, tempered it with love and drizzled her warmth over all that she cooked! It’s amazing that a particular dish can bind generations as well as evoke emotions.

Do people continue to live beyond their life, through these aromas? Do they leave behind a lingering fragrance long after they are gone? The best tribute I can pay my mom is by sharing her simple recipe for lip smackingly delicious Chana Masala…

Ingredients

250gm kabuli chana

2 tsp chopped ginger

3 tbsp oil

6 long slices of deseeded green chillies, cut in half

Salt to taste

2 tsp dhania

2 tsp red chilly powder

Masala

Roast the following ingredients together for 2 min with a pinch of salt. Grind in a mixie and keep aside.

2 tsp roasted jeera

6 peppercorns ( sabut kali mirch)

½ tsp black salt

1 tsp anardana

Method

Soak the chana overnight.

Cook the chana in a pressure cooker with 8 glasses of water. Strain and keep aside. Cook for approx 30 min, or till the chanas are tender.

Heat oil in a karai and add chopped ginger, followed by the slit green chillies.

Add one tbsp of the masala and stir, so that the masala releases colour.

Add the boiled chana.

Add dhania, red chilly powder and salt. Stir till well blended.

Add remaining masala and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.

If the chana appears too dry add some of the water which you used to boil the chana. The chana should ideally be moist and sticky.

Decorate with onion rings and lemon wedges.

Serve hot with puris or chappatis. Remember the kids love it! Try it out! Maybe you will also weave a tapestry of love someday with a recipe that becomes a common thread between you and others….

Shanta Bhalla certainly lives on with her Chana Masala…

Posted by Radhika Mohan

Radhika Mohan is a freelance writer based in Chennai. A smiling and cheerful person, she makes friendly easily with her quick wit and pleasant persona.  You can read  some of her articles by clicking on Bai God, Swirls of Colour, A Whiff of Perfume? Have a Green Mehndi!