Vadapalani(Circulated in Select Areas of Vadapalani, Saligramam and Virugambakkam)
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SATURDAY DECEMBER 21, 2013 A PRESENTATION FROM TIMES NEIGHBOURHOOD of THE TIMES OF INDIA ADVERTORIAL AND PROMOTIONAL FEATURE VADAPALANI(CIRCULATED IN SELECT AREAS OF VADAPALANI, SALIGRAMAM AND VIRUGAMBAKKAM) PHOTO: NEHA MATHUR PHOTO: CULINARY DIARIES Taking you on a culinary journey across the world, Ranjini Rao and Ruchira Ramanujam's food blog – Tadka Pasta – along with their cookbooks, gourmet baking, and cookery workshops is an inspira- tion for avid, budding chefs. Times Neighbourhood catches up with the duo who were in the city recently promoting their latest book 'Around the World with the Tadka Girls' > Nidhi Adlakha hat started off as a neighbour- release, introduced their book to audi- Tamil dishes for my husband." fairs across South India, and now a foray into hood friendship in the United ences in a unique way."Chef Priya Roy, Doing what they enjoy matters the most to baking and corporate cookery workshops, WStates many years ago, blos- put out five dishes from the book for the the Tadka girls and what has set them apart we're fortunate and grateful for the opportuni- somed into a great venture based on the audience to sample, which was the high- from the many home cooks is their storytelling ties that have come our way." Ranjini and pure love for food. Ranjini Rao and light of the evening. The chef added that technique - be it through words or pictures. Ruchira are now working on their new book Ruchira Ramanujam met on the way to a it was a refreshing change for her to be a Ruchira adds, "Our core idea has always been and are looking at continuing their focus on community potluck in Chicago and their part of the exercise, with the role rever- that food should appeal to all the senses." They cooking workshops for individuals and corpo- interest in food and writing resulted in sal in terms of being handed recipes to add, "We prefer to use local and seasonal pro- rates. Ruchira adds, " We also have a range of their food blog 'Tadka Pasta'. Since then, follow," says Ruchira. duce in our kitchens, and keep away from over- gourmet baking and spice mixes at hand, their friendship has seen them through The book brings together a delectable ly complicated dishes. Inspiration for our which we plan to package and promote more many kitchen disasters and sampling so- collection of breakfast and brunch op- recipes comes from our travels and the efficiently in the coming year." journs. "The idea for the blog came about tions inspired by Mexican tastes and the cuisines that we've experienced." three years ago, almost on a lark. Fairly traditional American bed and breakfast Speaking of their journey from the online to Visit their blog: Tadka Pasta, or check out inspired by Leah Eskin's food column in spread, soups and salads, melt-in-your- the offline world, Ranjini says, "We've since https://www.facebook.com/Tadka the Sunday Tribune, we hoped that Tad- mouth breads, pasta and rice, and an en- transformed into much more than a food blog. Around the World with the Tadka Girls is avail- ka Pasta would set the tone as a kitchen tire section dedicated to their signature Right from a chance to host a talk for the Culi- able in India on Flipkart, Amazon, Sapna and eBay. poetry blog, both in terms of the writing tadka dishes that they have brought to- nary Historians of Chicago on Indian food, to as well as the workings of our culinary gether from their journeys to kitchens participation in various bakers' showcases and [email protected] experiments," says Ruchira, a self-taught across the world, desserts and a bunch of cook who has been exposed to various recipes for children. Every recipe is ac- cultures. companied by real-life stories, be they visits to a school potluck, or a drive down a wine trail in a Midwestern American town. The most noticeable and common thread that binds Ranjini and Ruchira, who are now settled in Bengaluru, is how their love for cooking and food in general developed. They say,as children, watching their mothers whip up delica- cies in the kitchen is when their individ- ual journeys into the world of food be- With a collection of about 200 unique gan. Ranjini, says, "I was seldom allowed recipes under their banner, they went on to tinker around in the kitchen as a to publish an eBook, 'Mango Masala: 60 child, but that didn't stop me from being Indian Recipes from your Local Super- a curious and keen observer and assist- market' last year, which became a Num- ing my mother in the kitchen. It was ber 1 bestseller on Amazon within a when I was in my early teens, when she week of its release. Their recent release, underwent a major surgery that I actual- 'Around The World With The Tadka ly wore my apron and took on the mantle Girls' is a book filled with fresh, imagi- of the kitchen chief. Then came the native recipes, inspired by the authors' wider exposure to multicultural culinary quests and experiments in dif- cuisines, during my stints outside India, ferent cuisines, all blended with the and being married to a Bengali has only inimitable Tadka style in their Indian accentuated my culinary and foodie ex- kitchens. Ranjini, a writer, says, " The periences over the years." Ruchira adds, idea for our latest book, transpired over "I started out helping my mother bake, a phone call when we realised we had too and I started to enjoy working in the many stories to tell and too many recipes kitchen and the appetizers and desserts in our collective repertoire." would be delegated to me whenever we The culinary evening held on Decem- were entertaining. Once I got married I ber 14 in Chennai, in light of their latest taught myself to cook a number of.