Sia Krishna & MonsoonSpice

Today we are delighted to have the very down-to-earth, shy and extremely talented Sia Krishna. The face behind the wonderful blog MonsoonSpice. I have been a silent reader of her work for years now until I decided to join her bandwagon. Her words will always have a hint of traditionalism and paint a picture in your subconscious.Such a beautiful writer and blogger.

She was born and brought up in the beautiful small town Puttur close to the coastal city of Mangalore in Southern India . She holds degrees in engineering and management, but her true passion is writing, photographing, making and churning memories of food, spice and life. She currently lives in a England with her better half and a 5-year-old little brat 🙂 who takes most part of her time, energy and heart. She quit her full-time job in IT field two years ago and now spends her sabbatical days with her son chasing the butterflies in a garden, jumping on a trampoline, burying her feet in a white sand, gazing at the floating clouds, wetting her feet in a cold sea water, eating chocolates and ice creams and reading books about the friendly dragons, not so friendly ogres and funny little boys.

Why the name Monsoon Spice? Can you paint your blogging journey on a canvass?

Monsoon, just the word is enough to bring back a flood of fresh and drenched memories of magical monsoon rain; the sound, sights and smell of home. For a girl born and brought up in southern India, the magical word Monsoon evokes feeling of happiness in me. So when it came to naming my blog I couldn’t think of any better name than Monsoon Spice.

Monsoon Spice was born on the day when I couldn’t find the recipe scribbled in hurry on a piece of paper/back of the bills while making zillions of SOS calls at ungodly hours to my Amma and Atte. When it was needed the most, I found myself running around the house like some headless chicken, checking all the drawers and every nook and corner, while our smoke alarm made enough noise to wake half the neighbourhood! That was when I decided to catalogue all the recipes online and the rest, as we say, is history! Monsoon Spice has been up and running since September 2006!!!

I fell in love with cooking long ago even before I knew the techniques and methods of real cooking. I was introduced to authentic and traditional Indian cuisine by my grandmother, mom and half a dozen aunties at very tender age. I grew up in a typical joint family where life revolves around food, love, laughter and good dose of gossips! I was never serious about cooking, but was a foodie all through my school and college days! The real cooking happened only after I got married and moved with my husband to Britain eight years ago. With beginners luck and zillions of SOS calls at ungodly hours to my mother and mom-in-law, I reached a phase where I could cook a decent pot of rice and Rasam. Slowly but steadily I graduated from cooking simple, everyday home food to exotic and exciting Indian and world cuisine. I continue to enjoy this exciting and adventurous culinary journey with few kitchen disastrous, some blunders and tears, and lot of laughter and good food on the way spicing up my life!

What is the meaning of home for you ? (Your hometown where your childhood was spent or the one you made from scratch).

For me the meaning of ‘home’ is ever evolving. When I was a kid, home was a palatial bungalow where I was born and surrounded by dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins, my grandparents and parents. It was a place where I woke up to jingling of anklets and bangles, clattering pots and pans, aroma of rasams and sambars bubbling in a large copper pots, sound of sizzling tadka and gossiping women in the kitchen. Home was the warmth of being held closely to my uncles chests, tickling fingers of my aunties, skipping and running bare footed with my cousins, splashing waters in a crystal clear streams, sleeping peacefully on a cosy bed of my grandpa’s chest, morsels of food being fed by my grandma under the star lit skies, and being sandwiched between my parents before drifting off to sleep.

When I was 6 years old, my parents moved to their current home to be close to the best schools and dad’s clinic and it became our home where we drove each other absolutely crazy one moment and made one feel like million dollars the next. It was a place which nourished me and always made me feel safe, loved, and cherished. Home was a place that welcomed me with open heart and a plate of amma’s home cooked meals!

After marrying the love of my life, home was a small terraced house with old rickety kitchen where I learnt to cook a decent meal. It was a place which made us work harder to make the rags of our life into quilts and a few extra pounds were simply welcomed as ‘more of you to love’! When our baby was born, our new house became a home the day he came home with us. The sense of relief when we pulled into the driveway after a long stay in the hospital, a quiet kiss on the head of a baby asleep in my arms and the warmth of my husband’s arms around my shoulders, smiling faces of my parents as they opened the doors to welcome us! Till then home was many places I’ve had lived, but its comforts were defined by the blissful, simple moments like these!

So home is a place where I feel comfortable cooking breakfast in my pjs; a place where I can be blissfully imperfect myself; a place where absurdities of days can be shared – unchecked, unedited and without remorse; a place that evokes a sigh of relief as I walk in the door; a place where I can spend a day in shocking pink yoga pants, a holey yellow t-shirt, very old flip-flops and uncombed hair twisted in a messy knot; a place where a perfect mix of laughter and feel good drama makes me smile even on a difficult day! Home is a sound of my husband’s laughter and his off-key singing; home is my lil boy’s toys and books scattered all over the floor and me tripping all over them; home is my kitchen churning plates of food that tastes of homes that I’ve left a long time ago. In the last 10 years, my husband and I have lived in 5 different homes. Home to me is now unpacking that last box! Home is wherever we gather with our family and friends. The houses can be bought and sold, a home stays with us always when we are with our loved ones!

What’s your idea of a perfect Friday night? 

My idea of perfect night is with my boys wrapped in a soft blanket in an oversized couch eating takeaway pizzas and burgers with a big bowl of fries generously doused in ketchup and watching re-runs of favourite sitcoms or animated movies and drifting to sleep with toasty-warm bodies tucked close to one another.

Do tell us about your dumpling and how he plays a role in your everyday cooking and blogging ? 

LD is someone who can drive me up the wall with his mischief in one moment and a sweet lovable boy the very next moment. He can bring me to my knees with his stubborn streaks in one moment and make me puff up like a toad the very next with his love, kindness and compassion. Life is never dull with him around; always jumping, skipping, hopping, and running around my legs. He has made me see the mundane things of my adult life transform into a thing of wonder when I see them through his eyes by awaking the sleeping child in me.

He plays a major role in my everyday life, especially with everyday cooking.  He inspires me to cook fresh and healthy food that has strong root in our Indian culture and still embraces the world cuisine with same passion. The best time of the day is with him sitting on the kitchen counter chatting away while I prepare our evening meal. We have come a long way from sitting on his high chair in a safe distance watching in amazement as I stirred in vegetables and spluttered spices as he now enjoys being my little sous chef. We have learnt about colours looking at colourful fruits and vegetables, numbers and counting while topping the cupcakes with choco chips, letters in a product packaging and enjoyed little science experiments during everyday simple cooking. The kitchen for us is not just a place where the food is cooked to nourish one’s body, but also a place that nourishes one’s curious mind and soul.

 The best part about being a food blogger?

The best part about being a food blogger is getting a positive feedback from someone whom I have never met in real world! Every day I receive many emails, messages and comments on my blog from a complete stranger who says that they can relate to the stories I share on my blog, feel the connection, encourage them to try the recipes as it reminded them of their childhood or someone special in their life, and then actually cooking and loving the food prepared following the recipes I have posted! I blog not because of recognition, fame or monetary reasons! I blog because I enjoy sharing my stories, because I love to cook for my loved ones and also because it makes someone happy when the food they cooked from my blog makes them walk down the memory lane or create new fond memories to be cherished in future!

The worst part?

Plagiarism. Stealing others hard work and passing it as your own.

Blog or read? 

Read. Period.

Vintage or new? 
Vintage.

Cornwall or Leeds?
Both, for different reasons.

Vegan or Vegetarian? 

Vegetarian as I find it difficult to give up yogurt.

Facebook or Instagram? 

Facebook as for someone who is introvert, Facebook is a best place to meet someone who shares same passion.

What do you enjoy most about living in Cornwall so far?

Weather, beaches and the beautiful unspoiled countryside.

What would you like me to cook for you? You are coming over for dinner….

How lovely of you! I will leave it up to you to make something that you enjoy cooking as I feel one cooks the best tasting dish which they absolutely love. ☺

She can also be found at the following places :

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonsoonSpice

Twitter: https://twitter.com/meetsia

Pinterest : https://www.pinterest.com/siakrishna/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/siakrishna