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| Any guess on this photograph ? Answer at the end of the page. |
Hey ! this is Meena. Welcome to my space.
My blog has become my medium of expression and a way of keeping me happy.
I started off as novice in cooking and over the years my husband has put up with all my disasters in such a gracious and enduring manner , I owe him a lot for that… I have improved considerably from that stage(at least i think so) and I picked up a liking for cooking , started paying attention to nuances and appreciating food better. But I was not sure if my family thought it was good enough until one day my husband told me “You should start a blog!!” Wow!! that was a huge acknowledgement from him …. and thus“elephants and the coconut trees”was born.
Update after few months of blogging: I am having fun writing ,clicking and guess what designing blog headers have caught my fancy like never before so stayed tuned to see the latest 🙂
Do take your time to wander around my growing yard.
It is such a pleasure to have you here.Read, try out recipes,there may be so many memories similar for you and me to talk about .You are free to write comments and critique on the recipes in a constructive way. I really appreciate when u take few minutes to acknowledge my efforts.
Send me ur feedback: elephantsncoconuttrees(at)gmail(dot)com
I do stick with authentic recipes and let you know thru my notes all the short cuts and changes made. Please get back to me if u have any queries.
I cook all these myself unless stated otherwise.I do give due credit to the recipe source.
Please remember that I spend a lot of time putting everything together for posting and that I am not here just to while away hence I can assure you quality of recipes.I refer my notes, so rest assured guys !!
In return please ask first before you take anything from my yard…
Disclaimer:I am not to be held liable in any way for your cooking disasters and please use your discretion to judge what is right for you.
More about the blog:
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| A header I made for the blog sometime back . Still get comments asking me to bring this one back 🙂 |
Why have a food blog when there are thousands of other food blogs?
My husband and I have lived in many places, kept an open mind and developed a liking for many different cuisines that I try to recreate .This blog is my journal for saving the recipes I collect and of all that I cook at home , in the hope that someday when my daughter takes up serious cooking she would have everything she grew up with in one place, provided the blog stands the test of time in the ever changing technology scenario.I believe today’s food becomes tomorrow’s memory so every time she and I want to rekindle the food cravings we could flip through the pages..meanwhile the blog is open to food lovers too who share the same thought.
Why such a name for a food blog?
If you are a malayalee I need not explain, if not then read on..
Well.. to me the name makes sense in a lot of weird ways…
Beginning with the love of elephants, it is almost reverence mixed with joy,at times these giants make me feel so insignificant.Their massiveness scares me yet their being docile amidst humans pleases me.
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| Elephant from Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple |
You see, I hail from the southern most state of India known as Kerala(which literally means land of coconut trees). Coconut trees as far as your eyes can see, makes the terrain serene and green. Backwaters ,elephants , coconut trees are all part of a malayalee’s everyday life and it becomes nuggets of nostalgia as soon as he leaves home.He soon realizes without coconut no traditional food is made and without elephants no festival is complete.
Elephants are an integral part of the Hindu Temples. A tusker which has the most ideal features and best temperament is only bestowed with the highest honor to carry the idol of the deity during festivals. Elephants are usually fed with cooked rice ,jaggery,banana etc..but their favorite is coconut palm leaves.So now you know why I have the coconut trees :).
If you would like to see the feeding ritual of elephants- watch here“Aanayoottu“
The Asian subspecies found in Kerala are elegant and have chiseled look unlike their African counterparts.Especially their ears and tusks.
In an age where the world is after pocket sized chihuahua, leashes it to take on morning walks !!, the wealthy malayalee still keeps elephants as pets, are you not intrigued by the thought and scale of massiveness? Almost like a dragon in ur front yard right!!
If you really appreciate and enjoy watching elephants at their best (not the pathetic looking chalk painted type but gold ornament adorned) then here is another You tube video “Thrissur Pooram“ .You will be amazed by the grandeur the small state in India has to offer.
update:I have few Pinterest boards dedicated to the beauty of my land if that interests u you can join me there.
Kerala ,the spice capital of India has been a prominent exporter of spices such as black pepper,cinnamon,cardamom,ginger,nutmeg,turmeric to name a few since 2000 years attracting traders from all over the world.The cuisine of the state is heavily influenced by the spices , a blend of indigenous dishes and foreign ones adapted to Kerala tastes.
Hope I have given you enough insights to ponder. If I have not bored u enough peek into my other windows 🙂 and catch up on
Google+,
Pinterest ,
Facebook
Thank you for stopping by my yard and being a part of my adventures.
Meena
(PS : Answer: A 400 year old hanging brass oil lamp (called as tooku-vilaku) with a knight on horseback at the poomukham (grand entrance) of Padmanabhapuram Palace,Kerala, India. See the complete architectural excellence of the palace HERE )
Woow . Elephant and coconut tree kandapol manaselaye u oru malayali. Good blog .Keep it up.
Thanks Beena :))
Hey you have a nice space! Loved reading your blog.
Thank you,C to K.
Hi Meena, first time here. Loved reading about you and I so liked your 'Disclaimer' part…cheeky yet classy 😉
Nice to know another malayalee blogger. Hope to keep in touch. You have a beautiful space.
-Manju
Manju,Thank you so much for stopping by and really glad u liked my space. Disclaimer ha haa :))
Will surely keep in touch.
Good thought Meena, to keep a blog for your daughter to refer in her future. She can check them at anytime and from anywhere. I see a caring and responsible mother in you. I am also a malayalee. Happy to see ur blog and recipes. Best wishes.
Maria
Thank you so much Maria for those kind words.It really means a lot to me.
Best wishes to u too.
First time on your blog and I was really happy to see the name of the blog, literally it took me back to home. You have a beautiful space!!!
Oooooh….elephants! I love them. They fascinate me to no end and are my favorite “wild” animal. (I mean other than the typical domestic animal such as dogs, cats, farm animals, fowl, etc. I cannot watch any movie or TV show or read a book where they may be mistreated in any way. I just cannot stomach it. For me it is best to simply not visit a zoo because I despair for the elephants and other animals. I feel the same way about circuses. Did you grow up knowing an elephant as a friend?
What an experience that must be! I am also endlessly fascinated with India and Indian food. I experiment with Indian recipes whenever I can and love the sweet and fragrant spices used in that delicious cuisine. I'll be back to visit your blog!
Hi Meena, i stumbled upon your blog and am happy to have found such an amazing collection of traditional Kerala recipes!! Being a Keralite myself, i adore your blog title 🙂 Fantastic blogging and great going!!
Thank you Shibi.
Caterina, sorry for the late reply.I do share the same feeling of despair when I see captive animals.What did they do wrong to suffer this life.
Elephants if domesticated with respect becomes one's best friend .Keeping them as pets are not for everyone.They need 2-3 mahouts/caretakers on a daily basis, not to mention the vast land, gallons of water and grass & leaves to be provided. Yes,some day I too will have one:)
Thank you so much for stopping by Caterina,Its always a pleasure to have someone who appreciates Indian food and its spice aromas here.
Thank you so much Aiswarya.Glad to meet another malayalee.I am coming over to mykitchenmoments right now.
Thank U for stopping by my lil blog and for your wonderful words…always wanted to stop by ur blog but I am not that active nowadays..so late but before i forget,thought of saying …”WONDER FULL ” blog and beautiful clicks….way 2 go gal ..ur blogname transports me 2 God's own country ,my naad!! 🙂
Hi Meena, glad to know you through your blog.beautiful clicks and superb flow of writing.