Each one has a journey and it’s their own.

Well hello folks, I am sweta, people have so many spelling for this name that even I had to heed to it and add a ‘h’ to it(shwetha). So my food journey or so to say cooking journey started young. May be post 10 years of age. Mostskills are acquired after watching my mom cook ,who is a great cook and I look for her recipes for most dishes which are close to heart.

I would find all the cookery  shows very engaging and would watch it with my mom, and had a book where I would note down recipes. looking back now I feel did have a gut feelingwith some dishes, that it would taste just so right and I would try those recipes and as I had a bent of mind towards arranging things, home decor etc and  would do some of it too and was restricted to just trying new recipes and tasting some occasionally,as those days restaurants and even our idea of food was limited, so that was just the case most of the times.As I was in teenage and in degree I had a strong career ambition and was always hoping to be a professional working in a good company withhandful salary and that was  the whole idea.

But soon after degree, my area of interest was in managementand then I pursued that with a PGDM and worked in a few companies and by the time all this was happening , I got married thinking that I would still be able to make my mark as I was head strong about a career even then, although no job was giving me major happiness, I was still in a state of figuring out what kind of job/ transition would make or give me a career break.

But the challenges were different as my presence in house was more important and I had to time and again look for part time or half day jobs etc, and the settling time into new home,environment and people  was also happening.Therewere times when I would deeply feel miserable not being able to live my dreams, there were times I felt the endless dark tunnels I was passing through not seeing any daylight. I mean this was my mental talks and my feelings when I was not doing anything as per my plan. So many times I would converse to myself as to what are my strengths(more confusing as I liked doing a lot of things- dressing,cooking,decorating,diy,paint,host/anchor) and always the answer was vague and would make me feel even more vulnerable and worthless.

Meanwhile I even delivered a son and a year or 2 passed in his caretaking but my constant botheration and questioning never stopped. I used to watch youtube then and after a lot of it I would feel if I also could do something like that , but limited my thoughts to what if’s and buts but later realizing all that was in  my head only. I was cooking and posting it on fbthen and would get lot of likes- hubby and me both being foodie would try a lot of recipes. So soon I realized this is it this is the skill which I always had and felt happy doing but somehow in these years I never tried working on it and started my youtube channel as foodandlivingshwetha , which could show recipes, fashion, motivations,skills,how to, kids activities etc which were all the interests I have and lovedoing . And then exploring and shooting , editing and social media and instagram etc all of it started and it has been over a year and I have began to enjoy it now and feel empowered that I am finally doing something as a true calling..!! may be in the journey of self exploration I might even stumble upon new avenues too but all I am saying is until we can identify us with something very personal and identity of our own we always feel like a fish out of water. Once we get used to we can learn to swim and soon that becomes a habit we would begin to enjoy. Also I would like to say that growing up it is important to have a hobby that one should per sue, which can help in times like these and continuous learning and up gradation should be focused and worked upon.

This is a journey or path most of them travel and hence I think sharing it will help people realize that it is just a passing phase and things will eventually be better and we can do what is our true calling.

Just be patient and do the job and live in the moment enjoying and taking in all that comes along the way and do not be shy to make mistake, learning and emerging out of it will just be the beginning of a great journey ahead.

Although I wish to reach more milestones and do more and better job for channel,feed,blog,brand etc I am truly happy that at least I did what I once had set as a limitation myself.

So on that note sharing a recipe I recently made-

Tawa fried vegetables  :-

Ingredients:-

Assorted vegetables- chopped thin/ sliced:

Ladies finger- 5-6

Brinjal- 1 big

Bitter guard- 1 big slit into 4 equal pieces

Carrot- 1

Beetroot- 1/2

Cauliflower florets- 10-15

Potato- boiled- 2

Tomato- 1

Capsicum- 2

For marination:-

Chilli powder- 3 tbsp

Garam Masala- 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder- 1tsp

Coriander and cumin powder- 2 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Chaat masala- 2 tbsp

Black salt- 1 tsp

Mango powder- 2 tsp

Lemon juice- 1tsp

Curd

Tomato ketchup- 2 tbsp.

Ginger garlic paste – freshly made-(Optional)

Oil- 2 tbsp.

Oil for frying

Tawa

Method:-

• Chop vegetables length wise, in the size which can cook fast enough on tawa.

• Mix all the ingredients for marination in a deep mixing bowl. Add in chopped vegetables. And allow to marinatefor 30 min atleast.

• Once done place a iron tawa on flame and heat it.  Sprinkle some oil on it.Spread marinated vegetables on it. Drizzle oil over it and allow to cook with a lid on.

• Check and turn over vegetables occasionally to check if it is done.

• Once cooked a bit charred/ smoked – Plate it and serve it hot.