|| Jai Guru Ganesh ||
//Shri Mahalasa Narayani Namostute//
//OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya//
//OM Gurubyo Namha//
** My Name is Gayathri Pai and I belong to "GSB Konkani Saraswat Community". I am a Business women by proffession, a Foodie, Blogger and Admin exactly in that order who also loves to pen down a few thoughts of my own. My passion lies in cooking, writing, reading etc. and my Blog includes them all. There are both Veg. and Non.Veg (with exception of beef, pork, alcohol) recipes included along with traditional GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine. There are also some articles, some small stories written as my thoughts-n-notes shared in the Blog. I am thankful to all those who have been kind enough to stand by me on this bumpy but joyous ride in this culinary world. Each one has contributed in their own way for my growth and I do have many more miles to go, both in learning and sharing and I am sure it will be much more delightful one with all of you besides me.
** I am proud of my country Bharat (India), my roots lie in Mangalore a famous city in Karnataka State, India, which is very famous for its Cuisine. It is my desire to spread a little bit of knowledge on Konkani recipes worldwide which I learned from my Amma, Sisters and friends via this Blog. Konkani Cuisine has lacked recognition as it has not been promoted well though south Indian food is the most sought after one when it comes to Dosa's and Idlies. However, there more to our healthy dishes that every Amchigele is sure to vouch on it. Our dishes are not only healthy but easy to prepare and once you get a proper understanding of the simple combinations You are sure to love it too. I also like to pen down my own thoughts and have been jotting a few for sometime now. I share them here in my own created space under a few hashtags for easy access.
** A few of my commonly used hashtags are ......
** We GSB's are a spiritually inclined community following our own Matt and Dharma Guru. I will always remain indebted to Kashi Matt Samstan and our Dhrma Guru, A sage who will live in our heart forever, for leading us on the journey of evolution.
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Sahasra Koti Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Our beloved Guru …..
SADGURU SRIMAD SUDHEENDRA THEERTHA.
Shree Kashimath Samsthan (Varanasi).
31.03.1926 - 17.01.2016
Also offering salutations at the lotus feet of our present Dharma Guru ....
KASHIMATADISH H H SHRIMAD SAMYAMINDRA THIRTHA SWAMIJI.
** We GSB's are a community that love food, traditions, festivals, hospitality etc. With globalization, people from our community have migrated and settled all round the world. The geographical situations and unavailability of products has taken toll on community, which has resulted in change of food habits. This is but natural, as goes the saying, In Rome be Roman, but then in my own thoughts I do feel that one should atleast keep up to a little bit of our roots to pass it on to coming generations otherwise our culture, traditions, food habits etc. will be completely lost in the years to come.
** The growing trend of fast food and ready to eat package of food has engulfed the world in such a way that today people are reluctant to toil in the kitchen to churn out traditional dishes. Lack of time due to job constraints is another reason for preferring to bring food on home delivery basis. In simple words, our healthy konkani home cooked food has taken back seat to these calorie loaded fast foods. It disheartens me to see young children and teenagers eating unhealthy food without a second thought and are not interested or are reluctant to eat our good home food and my thoughts always go back to days when Amma loitered in the kitchen to always not only feed her own large family but also to whoever so dropped by at home, be it relatives or friends.
** This is not to say that I do not enjoy these foods, I do relish them once in a way too and its fine exactly in that order. But it is not at all healthy to have them regularly and will not at all be good in the long run and I being a victim to the same have learnt it the hard way and still doing so. I belong to a large family where the kitchen was always filled with delicious aroma of good home cooked food. After marriage and settling in Thane, just a station next to Mumbai, a metro city of India, that of which all are aware off, life really began to be hectic. I was working round the clock attending office and home and was always falling short of time. It always happens with working women and home is the first to take the back seat. It is only when health deteriorates that the importance of good home food is understood and the knowledge gets drawn to why our ancestors always insisted on home cooked food especially the importance of breakfast before leaving home.
** I made breakfast the first dish a priority on my list on changing habits and after having achieved that slowly progressed towards lunch, dinner, mid snacks etc. Today I manage all very well with a little bit of planning. With time, I realized that the only hitch of our ancestors was the lack of communication experienced in olden days, they were more skilled than us no doubt, but unable to explain the concoction of dishes and why recipes were made in certain way as they just followed preparations passed on through generations in complete faith unlike present generations where we have developed a habit of questioning everything. I have learned a lot from my Amma (Mother) which I guess she learned from my grandma and so on. I would like to pass on whatever little I know to coming generations via this Blog and have explained a little bit to the best of my ability at times of which I may be wrong or have misunderstood things myself, do excuse.
** I always endorse that if the desire to cook is there in one's heart, then half the battle is won and rest will fall in place making it a breeze work. It is my earnest request to all to give these things a little bit of thought, go into your kitchen and try out dishes for your family and yourself. The joy of seeing gleaming faces and the compliments given will make all the hard work put in worth it, especially when you see you children progressing into a healthier lifestyle. Good health is the best gift you can give to coming generations and that can be done only by sharing on our traditions, festivals, food etc.
** All recipes shared in my Blog are tried and tested in my own kitchen by me which I either learnt from Amma, friends, sisters, relatives or from net, blogs etc. You can always try them and contact me via mail if you need in more information or for any other problem and I will be glad to assist on whatever little bit I know off. I am trying my level best to include most of our traditional dishes along with my own variations and concoctions as my knowledge to is limited as GSB cuisine is indeed a vast one. It is a pleasure to share my very own dishes here were it is appreciated the most by my friends and for many of whom it has been of a great help. There is so much more I would love to do, as I myself am learning a lot on this beautiful culinary journey and hopefully will be doing so for years to come with Shri Hari and Hari Guru Blessings and a lot of love from all of you.
** My sincere thanks to my parents, Amma (Mother) from whom I learnt cooking, hospitality and the way to run a home and Aanu (Father) who not only taught me the ropes of business he himself being one of the most successful business man in Mangalore who served so many youngsters on the path of education. Being a foodie himself he always encouraged Amma and us siblings on trying out new dishes at home and saw to it that we learnt a lot about cooking by providing us guidance by arranging meetings with chefs and providing cookery books for reading. I guess my inquisitive nature on food comes from him. However, my full gratitude goes to dear hubby, who taught me to think out of the box be it in the field of business or cooking. Her was all for learning new techniques, methods and always supported by being the judge and critic on my cooked food. He has been my strength throughout my career in all ways, in all fields and has stood by me like a rock on all ups and downs of life, not sure what I would have done without his support.
** Special thanks to all of those who follow my Blog and relish the dishes by preparing them at home, sending me feed backs, asking me to blog certain recipes, which I have almost forgotten, sharing in their tips and suggestions and above all sending me their love. Also I would like to thank many who encourage me to share in my written thoughts on various subjects besides food, it means so much when you spare your time to do so. Thank you dear blog friends and all my other friends too, if not for your support, It would really have been difficult for me to survive in this virtual world.
** Note : Due to the diversity of our Indian culture, original words from respective sources have be retained along with appropriate equivalents wherever possible and that of which I know off. I have included Konkani/ Amchigele words for most of the dishes and ingredients wherever possible and how much I know off. I have also included almost all of the English equivalent name of the same to the best of my knowledge. If I have not been able to get the name of the same, I have tried including pictures of the ingredients for proper understanding of the same, do excuse if there are lapses.
** I always believe in "Sharing Is Caring" ... Do browse through my Blog for recipes, articles etc. and join me in this beautiful culinary journey by subscribing/ following to my Page, Blog, Instagram and Whats app Channel to be in touch and for more updates on my shares .....
** You may use the "Contact Form" provided in the blog for subscribing or email at mannagp@gmail.com or drop your feedback as comments.
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** My Sincere heartfelt thanks to one of you, for your support and love. Once again, sending my best wishes to all of my friends with an earnest request to enjoy cooking in your kitchen and try out your hand at churning delicious and healthy dishes. There is so much joy in seeing satisfaction and smiles in the faces of you loved one’s when you serve them dishes prepared by you with love and care. Always stay connected with generations and pass on our culture to them as an inheritance. Remember Sharing is Caring and this very attitude of sharing will take us all a long way. It is not my intention to hurt anybody's sentiments and in my preface here, if anything written has hurt anybody in any way, it was not intentional and I do apologize for it. Stay Safe, Stay Blessed, Spread Happiness …
Gayathri Pai
It is always a joy to read your blog Maam :) also you have inspired me a lot to try new dishes and document them. Its really so exciting and satisfying to cook and share the recipes so that others can avoid the mistakes we make and learn something new :)
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