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I’m Madhuram living in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA with my husband and my son who is two and a half years old. Although my mother tongue is Telugu, we are convenient with Tamil because we were born and raised in Tamil Nadu. The language we speak is a mixture of both.
I’ve always had interest in cooking. Back in India I used to follow all the cooking shows regardless of language, eagerly look for recipes in magazines be it veg or non veg. Being vegetarian, I used to think maybe I can use cauliflowers/potatoes in a non-veg recipe. But the truth is I didn’t cook as much as I watched the shows. Occasionally I used to try some interesting recipe or cook when my grandmother or mother was not feeling well which was very rare.
AFTER MARRIAGE:
Like many others who come to US from India after their marriage I also packed as much as I can, which included a LOT of books on cooking. But again I did’nt get a chance to experiment all those recipes because my husband was a VERY VERY VERY DIET/HEALTH CONSCIOUS person. He did’nt want anything fried in oil, nothing spicy or salty, nothing very sweet. God that was a tough period to learn a different kind of cooking altogether! So again I was just reading recipes, now from websites. That was the only difference. We did’nt have cable tv connection then, so was not able to watch FOOD TV.
MY NEW LOVE:
We had to move to Canada for a couple of months. There I started watching Food TV regularly, or to tell the truth, I was watching only Food TV. I was so thrilled to see the hosts baking cookies and cakes, breads and muffins. I just fell in love with baking. Until then I did not know what to do with the oven, I was just using it like another kitchen shelf, storing my oversize cooker, dosa pans etc.
MY EXPERIMENT WITH BAKING:
One day my husband and I were watching an episode in Food TV. Yes my husband also, even though he doesn’t eat much, he likes to watch Food TV. In that episode, the host was preparing potato puffs with puff pastry sheets. My husband told me that I should also try that, and to my surprise he also said that he will go to the store immediately and get the puff pastry and baking sheet and meanwhile I can prepare the potato stuffing. So I prepared the masala and switched on the oven to preheat it. My God, that was a big process because I had kept so many boxes etc in my oven, remember I was using it as a storage only. I had to remove all of them, find a place for it. (Now that I’m using the oven more often, not for baking per se but for preparing the store bought frozen French fries and making pizzas, my mother in law has converted the dishwasher into a storage area, seeing me moving things out each time I want to use the oven) My husband got the cookie sheets made in aluminum foil and the puffs came out very well. Hey I can hear what you guys are telling, this is not baking, it’s just using the oven. Yes I agree, but that was by itself a big deal for me.
Sometime later I bought a baking set because it was on sale. It was just lying idle. I did’nt know from where to start. Because I’ve seen in the Food TV shows, that they were using the big hand mixers etc. I didn’t want to invest in them without having a clue how to use them. So I used to google to see if there were any classes for baking nearby. But found none. Earlier I had bought the Magic Bullet blender and one day I was going through the recipe book given with that. There were some recipes for muffins. The process of preparing the batter was so simple, just put flour, oil etc in the blender’s big jar and pour it in the muffin pan. I wanted to try it, but I had to use eggs. As mentioned earlier being a vegetarian I was hesitant to bring eggs home. (But the secret was I started eating eggs after coming to US, I love Dunkin Donuts’ egg and cheese sandwich very much. Sshhh….. don’t tell my mother.) Then somehow I mustered some courage to buy eggs and try the recipe. I simply followed the instructions and it came out well, but both my husband and myself could’nt tolerate the smell of egg in the muffins. I don’t know whether it was psychological or something, we did’nt feel like eating it at all. We do enjoy the pastries bought from the store, we are conscious of the fact that they are made with eggs only, but the idea of brining it home and baking with them made us uncomfortable. The same happened when I tried chocolate chip cookies also. So I did’nt bake anything later. But I did want to learn to bake and got a book “BAKING FOR DUMMIES”. I did see some eggless recipes in that book for cookies, but I don’t know why I didn’t try them. With a newborn and related pressure I forgot all about this.
BACK TO USA:
We moved back to US again. Once I was googling to find out how to break the jaggery mounds we get in the Indian store. That time I found a link to Indira’s site. I was really dumbfounded after visiting that site. It was EXCELLENT. There I found a recipe for an eggless cake made with bananas and carrots. I tried it the next day itself and it came out very well. I have tried that cake with so many variations and each time it’s a hit. This rekindled my passion for baking.
MY INSPIRATION:
From Indira’s site I visited lot of other fabulous blogs. Until then I had no idea what blogs were and was not aware of the fact that there were so many other passionate cooks out there. Shilpa’s www.aayisrecipes.com, sunitha’s blog and so many other food blogs inspired me so much that I also wanted to become a part of this delicious world.
So that’s how egglesscooking.com was born.
Back in Canada again, since 2009.
Madhuram just read about you.. SAME PINCH even my oven was used for storage as my kitchen was too small and i was zero at baking.. now i have started baking and its so much fun ! you rock ! i love your recipes and your innovations in cooking !
Thank you very much Pooja.
Just clicked here to read your about after leaving a comment on your vadais…my family is also Telegu as we’re originally but Andra but all settled in Tamil Nadu now. So we also speak that mixed version of Tamil and Teluegu!
That’s really nice to know Nithya.
I’m a college student in California. I love cooking, but only recently became interested in baking. My family is from Karnataka, and my dad is a strict vegetarian (no eggs!). I’ve been searching for and experimenting with vegan dessert cupcakes/quick-bread recipes so I can bake him something delicious that he can actually consume and enjoy! This is an AMAZING website –I only discovered it today (when trying to understand why vinegar is used in vegan quick breads) and I’ve been on several times since. (Also, very exciting and inspiring to learn you are a south Indian woman!)
a thousand thumbs up.
Thank you very much Parijata.
hi maduram,
i hope you wont mind if i list your website on my blog and as well, link back to your recipes. cheers, yamini
i happened to come across your blog when i was googling for eggless recipes. i am a vegetarian who does not take eggs. i recently discovered a love for baking, and am now exploring ways of making baked goodies without eggs for my vegetarian friends
Sure Yamini. Happy Baking.
Yay! My vegan-wannabe housemate is gonna loooove this! hehehe… (I’m vegan, just not much of a cook, so I love when she just starts using all the recipes I bring home.)
Hi Madhu,
Excellent website. I am glad I found your website. Like the way you were insipired by Indira’s site…I am inspired by yours. I am curious to start up a website on cooking as well..though I am no where near it
. I am collecting recipes..and hoping to start one soon…thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Gayathri
Thank you very much Gayathri. I’m thrilled to know that you are inspired by my blog. Do get in touch with me if you have any questions regarding starting a blog.
Hi Madhuram,
you have a very nice site. I am a vegetarian as well and very rarely eat eggs. You have some nice recipes for eggless baking. I recently started my own food blog. I blogrolled you if that is fine. Keep up the good work!!
Hi Madhu,
I really loved your recepies and I’mlooking forward to try one. I was going through the cake recipies but I could’nt understand
what is silken tofu. Can you tell me please? Thanks……you rock!!
Thank you very much Priyanka. Silken tofu is a type of tofu, the others being soft tofu, extra firm and firm. You can get it in regular American grocery stores and Oriental stores. Just get it and put it in the blender and blend it and use 1/4 cup of the puree for each egg to be replaced.
Hey Madhuram
You have a wonderful website – a goldmine !!! Hats off to you [:)] I wish i had come across it earlier. My background is very very similar to yours… a south indian [tamilian from madras] – eating habits, lifestyle, love for cooking and baking, husband’s food preferences etc [:)] i am yet to try your recipes… but am very confident that they will come out well. keep up your good work.
good luck
Swapna
That’s so nice of you Swapna. Thanks and keep visiting.
Hi,
nice blog you have.photos are also very attractive. hope we interact more.
Thanks Kamala.
Hi Madhu, I am very much inspired about your blog. Hats off to you I added you site to my inspiration blog list. Keep going…
Thanks Sarmila.
Hello Madhuram!
For the very first time I have finally found a site that has eggless recipes… I have been googling for a year now and never came across your site…but I’m so happy I did now. Just today I found the recipe of blueberry muffins here and I also tried it…I have never been so excited in my whole life about baking as I did when I saw my muffins…Your recipe is really very good…My husband was amazed at the sight of it….Thank you so much and please keep adding new and amazing recipes
always.
Lots of love
Tejaswini.
Thank you very much Tejaswini. I’m so glad that the muffins turned out very well. Great job! All the recipes from Joy of Vegan Baking (at least the ones I have tried) have never failed me. Give that book a try to become a confident (eggless) baker.
Hi,
I thought oven nd dishwasher r only for storage,unless I stumbled upon ur blog.wow!!!my hubby loves cake.Well he is a vegan.sometimes orae guiltya irukum if myself nd the kids eat shop cake(with egg).but now after reading ur receipe I am sure i can get away with the guilty pangs.going to try urs straight away..
Thanks a lot!!
Thank you very much Lakshmi. Also check http://www.earthvegan.blogspot.com. It’s my friend Vaishali’s blog and she too has a lovely collection of vegan baking recipes and veganized Indian recipes.
wow…I tried our ur kaaju katli receipe..without the rose essence.It came out really well.U have made my day.Tomorrow is my son’s b’day nd he just loves this sweet a lot.So more happy now tht i have mastered our family favourite Sweet.
Thanks a lot!!!
You’re welcome Laksh. The recipe is not mine though, I tried it from the fatfreekitchen website. Happy birthday wishes to your son.
Hi Madhuram,
I’m just a beginner in this blogging world. I like your site. Nice collection. I tried cupcake brownies from your site…came out good, marked few more rec. to try.It’s been almost 4 yrs. that i stopped baking with eggs.Since then i mainly use fruit sauce,milk,condensed milk & buttermilk in the receipes.Sometimes it can be tough but i guess it take little patience & practice to get that good taste without eggs…..and yes it’s worth.
Welcome to my blog and thank you very much for trying the cupcake brownie recipe. All the best for the new venture.
Hi Madhuram,
We tried your Eggless chocolate cake and it turned out to be one of the best chocolate cake we have ever had. And the best part was it contained no eggs. Just Spongy & moist chocolate cake, Delicious !!! We Must congratulate you for such a nice and informative website. Thank you so much.
You’re most welcome Nishith and Shivani and thank you very much for the feedback.
Love your site.
Have been Dairy/egg free for about 5 months and really missed baking cakes…muffins etc!! not now!! made the vegan blueberry muffins yesterday! and wow!!! amazing!!
Looking forward to trying out a few more of your recipes soon xx.
Thanks Jo.
This is such a great site. I’m extremely allergic to eggs, and I have never been able to eat cupcakes or cakes. I’m excited to try some of the recipes here. Thanks!
Thanks and you’re welcome Nikki.
Hi (:
xx
Im writing too say Thank you very much! Im 13 and i have a Fatal Allergy too Eggs, this Website make’s thing so much easier for me! Thank you so much!
Erin
Erin, you’re most welcome.
Hi Madhuram,
Thanks a lot for creating such a useful blog. I am a veggie but always greedily surrender to cake cravings (eggs u know).
You have wonderful recipes. My wife has yet to join me in US, but I will try all of your posts here as soon as I can
Nice work for veggies. Keep it up.
You’re welcome Bhuvanesh. Happy Baking.
Well, I Googled “eggless cake” and feel like I stumbled on a gold mine! My daughter was recently diagnosed with egg allergy, but is also allergic to soy and chicken. I am anxious to try the chocolate cake here, but hope that I can make a substitution for the tofu in it…maybe with plain yogurt? We have tried to use the egg substitute in the box, but it’s made for some very disappointing cookies, they are much too hard and crunchy. I’ve sent my daughter a link to your site. I’m sure she’s going to be interested in the chocolate cake too!
Kim, yogurt works just fine in that recipe. I have tried that variation too and check that recipe in the following link. http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/03/23/eggless-chocolate-cake-yogurt/.
Also I have literally 100% success with Ener G egg replacer powder in cookies. It turns out just fine if a couple of basic tips are followed. You will have to blend the powder with specified amount of warm water in a blender until it is frothy. So warm water and blender are the 2 key things here. If you do that I can assure you that the cookies will turn out perfect. Check the following cookie recipes using Energ.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/01/23/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/12/21/gluten-free-cookies-chocolate-chip/
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/02/04/vegan-chocolate-crinkle-cookies/
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/02/09/cranberry-chocolate-chip-cookies/ (these are chewy)
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/12/23/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
If you want the cookies to be chewy instead of crunchy just take it out of the oven 2 minutes before the time mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks so much for the hints! I can tell you that we didn’t use a blender for the Ener-G powder, so we’ll have to do that next time. Our cookies and brownies were like bricks! We definitely prefer chewy cookies. We’ll be trying your recipes soon…thanks again!
You’re welcome Kim. I haven’t tried brownies with EnerG, but heard from a couple of people that it does’nt turn out good. But I can guarantee you that it works excellent in cookies.
hi madhu
ur blog is amazing…the recipies are adorable.. i m doing the same as u had used the oven before. i m new to u.s and i dnt knw any basics of baking.. i ll follow ur blog and try to learn a lot.. namma aalu indha madri innovative ah recipes post panradhu enaku romba inspiring ah iruku.
glad that u too a tamilian and an vegetarian.. we dont use eggs. i ll try out ur recipes and msg u. thanks for ur informative blog.
Baking easy dhaan Nalina. Try pannunga. Do feel free to ask me questions about baking and I’ll be glad to help you.
Hi Madhu,
I stumbled across your site while googling for an eggless cake recipe. My husband and I eat eggs but our 2 1/2 year old daughter Anjali is very allergic to them (also to cow’s milk, tree nuts and peanuts) I am very excited about trying out so many of your recipes. It will open up a whole new world for Anjali and now her Daadi won’t have any excuses not to start baking eggless recipes that she can share with her cousins!
Thank you!
You’re welcome Katrina.
Hi Madhuram,
I am visiting your blog for the first time and I am lost in your this yummy blog world… you are amazing!
Thanks for these varieties……
Thanks Prabha.