Update on Plagiarism!

Dasara, the festival of Victory of Good over Bad, God over Devil. Nothing very dramatic, but being wrongly accused leaves a bad taste!

Thanks to Lissie's son Alfred, who investigated this plagiarism and cleared the accusation with technical reasonings.

There is no reason for me to gloat over it, I know truth prevails in the end.

If you read through the comments in Malar and Viki blogs, it was obvious they were not ready to listen to reasons. They decided that it was me and were not willing to accept that I am not at fault. They even didn't publish few comments that carried technical reasonings.

Ignorance can be a bliss, but it can also be devastating and have serious repercussions as in this case.

I don't want to take legal action on these bloggers for defaming me. But I demand a public apology from both Malar and Viki on their blogs, so that their readers and friends know they were misinformed. If they don't take corrective actions, it will be seen that they purposely defamed me with cunning intention.

Everybody can exercise freedom of speech on their blog, but they need to have moral responsibility on what they write and claim.

And to those bloggers who were ready to jump the gun on me based on the misinformed mails sent by these two bloggers, I understand you felt the need to support your friends in need. But I only wish you had exercised it better than this. I have no ill feeling towards anybody!

My sincere heartfelt thanks to all my readers and friends who had the faith in me.

Navaratri Recipes | Navratri Special Day 9 ~ Moong Dal Sundal, Kalkandu Sadam!

Happy Vijaya Dasami to all my readers and friends!

Today's Neivedyam was Moong Dal Sundal, Kalkandu Sadam


We are going on a two trip since its holidays for the kids, will post the recipes on return!

So I will be missing cooking the feast that I planned for Vijaya Dasami.

Kalkandu Sadam!

Moong Dal Sundal

Catch you all soon!

Navaratri Recipes | Navratri Special Day 8 ~ Channa Dal Sundal, Pal Sadam (Kheer)!

Today's Neivedyam was Channa Dal Sundal, Pal Sadam (Kheer)

Channa Dal sundal is something I have always loved. Its what makes the navratri pooja even more fun, because I used to get to eat these only during the visits to the golus. Amma has never made this to my knowledge. So I used to look forward to this sundal.

Of course, I came about to make this, because it was too late last night to soak the other dried varieties and I thought this was the easiest. And tastiest too. With just simple seasoning you get a whole lot of difference to the usual and simple dal!

Milk Rice was the one supposed to be cooked today. I really didn't know one makes Milk rice or if there was a specific recipe. Finally thought, maybe they meant the Kheer! Well kheer is something that is never made at home. At least in mine, because hubby dear says we eat rice so much why consume as sweet too!

But the Kheer that I have eaten in my North Indian friend's places were just too delicious. I thought I should make it someday. Then of course the recipe that's called for kheer is quite a lengthy one. In the end I resorted to the short cut one that was easy and had this done within minutes.

Preparation Time : 10 min
Soaking Time : 30 mins

Channa Dal Sundal

Channa Dal - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 4 -5
Green Chillies - 3 nos
Red Chilies - 2
Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak Channa dal for 30 mins. Then pressure cook with enough water for about 5 -6 whistles or till its cooked but not over done.

Drain the water and heat a kadai with oil. Splutter with mustard seeds and urad dal.

Then add the curry leaves, chopped green and red chillies. Fry for 2 mins.

Add the drained channa dal and salt. Combine everything well. Cook for 2 mins. Add the grated coconut.

Remove after 2 minutes.

This makes a quick and tasty sundal within minutes.

Happy weekend to all. Kheer will be posted later (Posted here Pal Sadam). Hope you are enjoying your holidays!

Plagiarism, Blogging Etiquette, Defamation and some more!

I didn't want to do this post, but well you must know I am forced to take this step!

I sent a mail asking explanation for accusing me, from these two bloggers, Malar and Viki. They have not responded to my mail. After not getting a response from them, I spoke about it yesterday. But when I saw that the point was missed, you finally get to read about it fully!

I don't like pointing fingers at anybody for anything, least without a proof! Accusing without proof is a case for defamation and can be sued for libel.

If they thought I was the one owning that spam blog, they could have mailed me to ask so. Instead they wrote a post, making it a public issue. Now lets get it cleared out in the open.

For those of you who don't know what happened, here is a background.

On Tuesday, I spoke about my entire content being lifted along with few other bloggers. I didn't check it until I got few mails from friends alerting me. Seeing that my entire blog has been lifted, lodged a complaint on Google, left it at that. I didn't even have to time to look at the other blogs that were also copied.

On Wednesday, I got a mail from another blogger stating that these two bloggers have sent her, including many others, mail stating that I am the person who lifted their entire content and copied to the new spam blog. She was asking me to clear the doubts, as they have clearly stated in their mail and their posts pointing fingers towards me.

The reasons for this conclusion she said was, all their posts in the culprit blog was dated few days later, while my blog posts appeared even before it was published in my own blog. Now this is a brilliant deduction. Maybe they don't know one can change dates in all blogging platforms.

So I ended up checking their posts, and saw them clearly pointing me as the accused person. But they have changed their content some three times since. In both these blogger's post the original content read something like this. "All our post was published few days later, but not this cooking 4 all " They have blatantly stated they don't want to mar any body's name and they have proofs. Yet in doing this they have done it anyway. If you have proofs, bring them out in open! I am ready to answer your questions.

I have come to know that they are spreading rumors that I am the person behind this blog.

Manisha left a comment last night in Viki's post, asking them to get their attorney press Google to reveal the blogger's identity, or else they will have to get their attorney to fight a case of defamation. This comment was deleted within 5 mins of being published.

If you weren't scared, why did you delete this?

I won't say I lost sleep over this, but accusation has to be fought. It wont take me two minutes in pointing back to the people who complain so much every other month!

Instead of making this a public nuisance, they could have mailed me and cleared the air. No they want a drama, so you get one for sure!

Blogging has to be a fun thing, done for relaxation. But when so much jealousy, hatred, commotion is made over such silly thing. It looses its meaning and objective!

I fail to understand one point though. When one can share so many recipes so freely, some folks actually try that and don't credit you anyways. Why is there such a huge cry when somebody copies your content online and publishes it. That copied content has your copyright marks right, for any intelligent person to understand that it has been copied from you. So why create a big scene?

I can understand if a print media publishes after removing your copyrights. But this is beyond my understanding!

There has to be some etiquette. When you are part of a community, you got to respect the other person and their credibility. By your actions and accusations that are so blatantly I am not loosing my popularity but you are loosing your credibility and stand.

I am sure all bloggers digest plagiarism, but can't be blind to such false accusation!

If you are interested you can check the culprit blog "hot-kitchen.blogspot.com/"

And the two bloggers post

"elitefoods.blogspot.com/2009/09/side-dish-for-chapathi-event-round-up.html"

"kitchentantra.com/2009/09/plagiarism-i-have-seen-enough.html"

My intention in bringing this issue out in open is not to embarrass or find fault with said persons. Neither is this a case for getting sympathy nor an opportunity for readers or bloggers to take sides. This is purely to have an open discussion since they are not ready for a private one.

I am sure everybody is mature enough to understand and act accordingly!

Updated on 26th in response to Malar and Viki's post.

Malar & Viki,

You said you sent me alerts on my content being copied and didn't get any feedback on it. The reason being, my content has been copied so many times, that I have stopped being concerned about it. I do not have time for such things. Being online so many such things happen and we cannot do anything about it.


Maybe you haven't noticed but my entire blog has been copied too. You can check from may 20th 2007.

Comment moderation has been enabled on for all my blogs since the day one. I have published all your comments, except one which had just hi. I still have that comment in my mail box, can forward you to if you want.

If you are referring to the Microwave Event announcement page, I have more content in my blog because I had recently update the page with latest details. I don't have to explain myself but just to let you know.

You are talking about links of my post going back to the spam blog but not yours. Seriously I don't have a clue on how this can happen but I think we have better job than going and investigating all these things.

You are talking about your labels being in tact, even yours is partial like in
elitefoods.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-clean-banana-flower.html

hot-kitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-clean-banana-flower.html

And when we are talking about comments why did you delete Manisha's comment, if you weren't guilty?

Finally I have stated that I have nothing to do with that spam blog. If you want to believe that you can, else its your wish.

I repeat again, when you want to be part of a community, you got to respect and trust others. Instead of making this such a open mockery, if you had such doubts, you could have mailed me or else atleast responded to my email.

You did neither. Just because you want to keep pleading to your loyal readers saying you stood by their side, doesn't change the facts.

Thanks for the dropping that anonymous comments to let me know you updated this!

I am updating the same thing on my blog for anybody who might be interested to know!

Navaratri Recipes | Navratri Special Day 7 ~ Sunnundalu, Thengai Sadam!

Today's Neivedyam was Sunnundalu and Thengai Sadam

Navaratri Recipes | Navratri Special Day 6 ~ Verkadalai Sundal, Elumichai Sadam!

Today's Neivedyam is Indian Style Peanut Salad, which is going to be featured in my forthcoming book. It is going to be part of the salad meant to spice the meal!

And Lemon Rice.

I have posted this today because I didn't want to break my intent to post my daily puja, But otherwise I have said enough for today, so will get back with tomorrow's post!

Navaratri Recipes | Navratri Special Day 5 ~ Kadambam Sundal, Thayir Sadam!

After Kadamba Sadam, its only natural I make a sundal out of it right? You are right, when you just take one fistful of this and that, you end up having so much more than what you need. So I saved up half of what I had soaked, planning to make a sundal with it.

Chinnu saw the bowl with the raw lentils and wanted to eat. When I said no it's not cooked yet, he looked at me with a puzzled look and asked "Inka Vanta chelada (You have not cooked yet)". For both the boys, everything is referred as cooking in an full term. And once the whistle came off, he was insisting I send it for his school. Poor darling, I knew he is going to miss this and ask me later in the evening as he did!

On another note I have something about the plagiarism that I spoke about yesterday. Though I don't want to go into details, I thought I will make things clear and open. I know being subjected to plagiarism is upsetting, but that shouldn't blind one so much that they start accusing anybody and anything one wants.

I know what I am and I don't think I am answerable to anybody on my actions. But yes to my readers and friends who drop in here, I need to make things clear. I don't have to resort to such cheap tricks for popularity nor do I have time or energy for such things.

I don't have any clue about this spam blog nor did I check it until I got about 10 emails on my blog being copied. I have only this to say, before you lift a finger to point accusations, you will have three fingers pointing back. So never do it without solid proof. Least they can do is ask first, instead of accusing without reason. This is a clear case of defamation and should know they can be sued for libel!

I aim at perfectionism, if I ever wanted to copy, I would at least ensure I don't look stupid by not removing the copyright information! Huh!

Ok, lets get back to the post on hand. Today I made Kadambam Sundal and Seasoned curd rice

This is just like the usual Seasoned curd rice that we make it little different by adding more milk and less of curds if its packed for lunch!


And you can check out the Kadambam Sundal though the proportion was different this time, but you get the draft!

I hope I get back to other things and will be back tomorrow with a new one!