A milestone and How to browse this blog efficiently
This is the 500th post on this blog. So thanks to all my readers who have given their immense support to me for last 2+ years.
I always wanted to do something about bringing my aayi(mom)’s culinary skills to people, since I knew every person who tasted her food had praised her. Her pickles were not only popular at my home but also my relative’s relative’s relatives knew about them. We thought of creating a website but that looked like lot of work at a time. When I got married, my husband suggested to create a blog and created ‘Aayi’s Recipes’ for me. Thats how it all started about 2.5 years ago. To begin with, I never thought this blog would be anywhere close to what it is now.
I started posting regularly after we moved to USA. The reason for the regularity could be attributed to the fact that, I was missing my aayi’s cooking a lot and wanted to keep track of the recipes so that I could go back to them whenever I wanted. Like a reference. Slowly but steadily people started to visit this blog, and I took more and more keen interest in it.
Over the last one year I received huge number of emails from readers who benefited from this site in many ways. I also started getting success stories of people who never cooked before and had tried recipes on this blog. It is an amazing feeling that this work has brought happiness and fond memories of their favorite food to those who live away from their home, from all over the world.
My main strength and inspiration comes from those who send me comments/mails giving me suggestions, ideas etc. There are few people who are constantly in touch and I greately appreciate your time, thanks a lot.
How to efficiently browse Aayi’s Recipes?
Let me explain each and every feature of this blog. Please read on.
Search – There is a search on the top which allows you to search for a particular recipe. So when you want something like ‘moong‘, enter it in the box and hit ‘Enter’. Select the one that you need. I am writing this specifically, because I have seen some readers almost ‘never’ use search. They ask me for a recipe which they could have got to, in seconds. If you try using search first, you might get to your favorite recipe much faster.
On the top navigation bar-
About - On this page you can find answers to questions like – Why did I start this blog? Which is my home town? What do I do for a living?and more such.
Cooking tips – These are some tips I have learned from my aayi, Varada and also collected from different sources. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section of that post and I will try to reply.
ArtCampus – This is a place where I have posted some art work from of my hobbies like painting, knitting and crocheting, drawing etc
Contact – If you want to contact us, please use this page.
Disclaimer – Many don’t seem to have read this post at all. Please read it.
Kid’s lunchbox – These are collection of recipes from different blogs/sites which can help moms in creating great lunch boxes. If you find any interesting lunch box ideas, please leave the link on this page. If you have any ideas of your own, please leave them too. It will be helpful to others.
From other blogs – These are few recipes that I tried from other blogs and I loved them. I don’t make separate posts about them on AR, as I feel if it is required, I can directly go to original and try them. These are only a *few* of the lot I tried. I try my best to keep this page updated. There are many more which I need to add here. I wish to do it more regularly hereafter.
Glossary of ingredients used in my recipes is built right in to the posts, with links that take you to a glossary page with picture of the ingredient with description.
I have tried to create an extensive user friendly glossary. The main intention of this glossary is to make everyone understand an ingredient easily. It will have a picture of the item along with it’s name in different languages. This is an in-built glossary, that means, wherever an ingredient appears in the post, it will have a link to the term. For example, urad dal, avrekalu etc, just click on the link to read about the ingredient. You need not go searching for it.
This feature requires a lot of time and it’s laborious so I am working on it whenever I get some free time.
Popular posts – These showcase some of the most popular recipes on this blog. The popularity depends on number of comments. So if there are some dishes which are hugely popular but have less comments, they don’t show up here.
Recipe Index – I have created the categories depending on the type of dish. I think that is the easiest way to search because it is more convenient. I see that people don’t use this feature a lot. Please use it, it makes searching for recipes (names you don’t know) much easier.
On the right side bar -
Revisited recipes – These are the recipes that I had posted long ago. As and when I get time, I rewrite these posts and update pictures. This is done mainly because when I started blogging, I didn’t know how to write a post. Primarily, I change the pictures, correct mistakes if any etc.
Latest posts – These show the latest 10 posts on this blog. Click on any to go to particular post.
Latest comments – Latest 10 comments on this blog.
Request -
- I can hardly speak 4-5 languages. So when I am writing the glossary, I can write the translation mostly in these (or few of these) languages. Please send me the translation in your language, if it’s not listed, so that I can make it more useful for everybody.
- Please leave comments/feedbacks when you try a dish. This helps me to know what you all like. This also helps me to plan future posts. While posting comments, please leave the comments on relevant post. For example, write a comment about date cake, at date cake post instead of some other post. This is because your valuable comment might help someone else.
- Please be polite while leaving comments. This is not a paid site where you are paying for recipes. So at the least, it helps being polite while commenting and creates a positive influence on everyone.
Thanks for reading…
Again, I thank each and every one of you.
THANK YOU !!!
500…………Whoa!!!!
Shilpa, you really are an inspiration!
It is always my pleasure to visit ur site and I wish you All The Very Best for many many more postings to come….
You are doing a wonderful job preserving ur Aayi’s recipes, she must be proud of you!
Dear Shilpa, many hearty congrats on ur 500th post. I am not even half way through. you are my super senior! you recipes have always been unique and worth giving a try. I have tried one of your dosa and it came really well. keep them coming!
I am just about a month old and started my blog just like to show my kids when they grow up and as a tribute to my mom and grandmas cooking. Hope one day i would atleast reach 5% of what u have here now!!
Congratulations, Shilpa! Aayi’s Recipes is a gem of a culinary resource. Wish you many many more enjoyable and delectable posts. I have tried so many of your recipes and enjoyed them all. You’ve done your Aayi really proud with this.
Congrats on the 5th century for your posts!
I love all your recipes and your posts!keep it up and may you post many more recipes.:)Great going Shilpa.
Congratulations Shilpa. 500th post is simply amazing! Here is wishing you all the best and hope for many more posts to come.
500 posts!!!!! I am speechless Shilpa… Congratulations girl… You know how much I love your blog… your dedication is amazing… Wish you many many more years of blogging… And thanks to your Aayi too…
congrats on your 500th post and on a great blog, shilpa.
Hey sweetie,
Congrats!!! That’s a beautiful heartfelt post. The best thing I like about ur blog is its name.Everytime I visit it, I think of my aayi too:)
wow, super….great going…wishing u many more achievements in the future
Way to go, Shilpa! Keep up the good work.
Great Shipla.
Thanks a lot yr site is helping me a lot as i am a beginner.
All the best. Keep going.
hi shilpa
congrats on your 500th post.
its really a good site.
CONGRATS ON THE 500TH POST and also for keeping aayis recipes in such a wonderful form. May you reach the 1000th very soon.
Congratulations Shilpa for achieving this milestone..
Your Mother is very lucky to have a daughter like you, who is putting so much effort on this blog to bring forward her Moms talents.
Am sure this is the best gift your mother ever received from you.
I must add, this is not just about bringing your mom’s culinary skills to people, this is about celebrating your Aayi and all the memories you have till date.
Keep Blogging,
Best Wishes
500 th Post !….Congrats and hope to see many more.
Awesome job Shilpa! This is one of my favorite sites and I don’t miss a day without browsing this site. Keep up the good work!!!
Shilpa, it was your beautiful blog that inspired me to begin my own! Congratulations on 500 posts- wow! And I admire your work with the glossary, as I am sure it would be useful to many cooks. I take my hat off to you…
Congratulations!! This is really a wonderful moment in your life..It also encourages the new bloggers just like me…!!
Congrats Shilpa, to yourself and to your mom too:) I’m still reading the recipes one by one and they are 500…. i better be fast:)
Congrats dear,
I am sure u really deserve these compliments for all the efforts u put in these receipes in return helps a novice like us.
With lots of luv and good wishes for the next 500th post.
Shilpa,
Heartiest congrats to you and your lovely post, your family for the support they have given you and your readers for preparing the tasty delicacies you posted! Thanks and keep going on!!!
Congrats on the 500th post….. and wish u more successful blogging ahead!!
I do come and check your blog regularly.
500 that is really to be very proud of.
500 posts!!!! congrats shilpa. ur blog is a home away from home for all people who miss their aayi’s food.
Congratulations Shilpa!!
500 posts in 2.5 yrs is a great achievement Shilpa. Many times, I have thought of stopping my blog, and I have been around only for a year!!:D
Kudos to you and you are doing a great job keeping the tradition and making your parents proud.Keep it up, hugs to you!:))
shilpa, congrates and thanx for posting on how to use ur blog efficiently. helpful.
also can u add me to ur blog list
http://nourishingindianfood.blogspot.com/
thanx a head
500…..wow…great job Shilpa. Congrats and your blog was one of the very first I used to go to long before I started blogging. Love your dedication
Dear Shilpa,
many hearty congrats on your 500th post. Keep up the good work as always.
Thanks
Shilpa, congratulations to you & your family to make it such a huge success. Keep up the good work. I am sure your dream of publishing aayisrecipes in book form will come true too.
Dear Shilpa,
Congratulations on your 500th post. It is really an amazing feat.
I read your blog every morning… Its a kind of routine.
And whenever I cook something different, my hubby says “Is this from your Aayi’s website ?” I think he is more happy that I found this website
And anytime , anybody asks me for a recipe … I direct them to your website and say…. just follow her directions… and it’ll be good….
Shilpa,
Congratulations!
Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Congratulations Shilpa!
Wish you great success in future as well.
Shilpa, many congratulations on this milestone! 500 posts is a huge achievement!
Congrats Shilpa for this achievement. Keep the good work going
All the best!
Hi Shilpa,
Congratulations on completing 500 posts.
This blog has helped me tremendously in my cooking and it still is.
Thanks to you and your aayi.
Keep up the good work.
Your blog will always be an inspiration to me! Congratulations!
Good Lord Shilpa, 500!!!
I have been meaning to leave a comment since March this year when a cousin recommended your website to me stating the famous “date cake”. I tried it and ofcourse I need not tell that it DID generate a certain “cake fever” here among my friends and relatives!!
I am a kannadiga married into a Konkani family, my source for amchigele recipes were my MIL and my husband’s cousins until I came across your website..
So now whenever I make something new, the first thing people ask is “Kyon aayis ka recipe?”
A mere comment will not do justic to the way your site has helped me “come-back” to cooking. It deserves a BOW.
And if you ever publish these recipes into a book, count me in your ardent fan fare who will be one of your first buyers.
THANK YOU GIRL.
Hi Shilpa,
Congratulations on the awesome milestone reached.Thanks to your enthusiasm and niceness in sharing your recipes with everyone. Wishing you the best in everything and keep the recipes coming. I have tried many & liked them. Have so many more to try.Wow!!!
Congratualtions Shilpa. Always keep up the good work. This site is the best.
Hey Shilpa,
Congratulations on reaching the 500th post! Great Going. You are a great inspiration me. Its a very hard task to keep posting very consistently and creatively for 29 months! and still going. Kudos to your family as well for their support.
You have a great variety of recipes with plenty of authentic dishes. A Pioneer in Indian food blogging who has inspired many readers like me to cook and also blog. A good friend and great friend.
Happy Blogging and Looking forward for many more posts to come.
Shilpa,
Congrats to you on the 500th post! You are a truly remarkable woman and I feel privileged to know you! Keep up the fantastic work my friend!
Congrats shilpa on 500th post.I love ur recipes
Hey Shilpa……Congrats on your 500th post!!
Your work not only inspires people but also teaches about the tradition & culture….thanks a lot & keep up the good work.
dear shilpa
great going
i hope that there’s lot
more in the offing
poonam
Shilpa,
Congratulations on your milestone achievement! Wish you many more. What began with a novel thought has today actually inspired lot of people on exploring the hidden secrets of good food!!
Good job!!
Cheerz
Ashwini.
great work shilpa keep it up guess ur really find time and energy for making this so creative fine wwork and kudos for the same
Good Show..
Keep it up. God Bless.
Ashok
Hyderabad
congrats!!!!!