Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes. We get inspired by our freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for our freedom; we are inspired by our baby who tries her utmost to walk despite falling several times. The baseline in all these inspirational stories is that the inspirer chooses to live life on her terms. Mrishtanna is a case on point.
The author of the blog shifted to the US after getting married, like several thousand Indian women who get married to a US groom and become homemakers. But the owner of Mrishtanna chose to tread a different path. She started a blog/ website about food called
Mrishtanna. Mrishtanna is not simply a blog about food. There are zillions of those in the internet. The mission of Mrishtanna is to make those "sumptuous" but not-so-popular Indian dishes known to everyone. One needs to read the comments to each of the posts to know how popular the blog is not just with Indians. The blog has an international fan following!
The author of the blog, Ms. Uma, was a junior in college. She is a great example of what one could do despite spending most of the day at home. She is truly an inspiration to many. Below is a brief interview I did of Uma's Mrishtanna journey.
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| Gulab Jamum- From Mrishtanna |
Badri (B): First tell, me, what was the trigger behind beginning this blog?
Uma (U): It actually started as a hobby of writing down the procedures of all the recipes in a notebook. Gradually, I started to realize the varieties in South Canara cuisine that not many Indian cuisines offer. So I thought sharing my passion for food through a blog would be a good way to spread the hidden joys of cooking.
B: What is Mrishtanna about?
U:“Mrishtanna” means “Sumptuous ” in Sanskrit and I intend to show how you can learn the elements of a sumptuous meal one dish at a time. More importantly, I want to show recipes that not many people know about.
B: I understand that the recipes are predominantly South Canara (Mangalore & Udupi Districts) based dishes. Are you planning on extending it to other cuisines?
U: Definitely! I have always been inclined to try recipes that either are easy to prepare or are very healthy vegetarians recipes. As I continue to cover the south canara recipes that I know, I will expand into other cuisine like Kerala or Tamil Nadu.
B:What is special about South Canara cuisine?
U: South Canara cuisine presents lot of varieties or options for each vegetable. There are a few key ingredients that are not very common to other indian cuisine, like Jaggery, coconut, etc. There are usually two or three ways to prepare a curry with every vegetable.
B: How did you learn these dishes?
Most dishes I have posted in my blog are ones that I learned from my mother and mother-in-law. They are both great cooks in their own way and I have tried to mimic their magic as much as possible.
B: Before posting a blog, do you simply reproduce the recipe you know or you do some research on it?
U: I pick and choose the recipes that I think are not very common. I do some research on the key ingredients that make them healthy and special, before posting a recipe. The one thing that is common in all my recipes is the originality that I maintain.
B: Before posting the recipe you obviously try making it isn't it?
U: Absolutely! I make sure that the procedure and quantities that I call out in the recipe are accurate.
B: The photos you post along with the recipes look extraordinarily delicious. Do you take the snaps yourself or do you source the photos from the internet?
U: All the photos you will find are from my kitchen. I am no expert in photography, but I try to present them in good light to help the reader understand the details and texture that I try to achieve. You will be surprised what you can do with a simple phone camera.
B: Do you use any special camera to take these snaps? Did you take formal photography lessons for this?
U: I use the camera in my smart phone thus far with a few exceptions when I used a full-body point and shoot camera. I have not taken special photography classes but I try and enhance just the important details in all photos.
B: What is the support you get from your family?
U: My family has supported me immensely! My husband and brother-in-law help me in maintaining the blog as well as sharing my recipes with their friends.
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| Cucumber Dosa from Mrishtanna |
B: Have you monetized the blog? What is the kind of income/ revenue you get by monetizing it?
U; My first priority has been to create quality recipes that I can share with friends. I am also trying to monetize the site by recommending the right product to buy through Amazon store. I also run a few google ads, but as of now, the site does not generate any mentionable revenue and it is not my highest priority either.
B: How difficult is it to monetize? How is the money paid to you?
U: Monetizing with a blog is fairly common these days. Half the battle is won when the content provides real, actionable value to readers. So I focus my efforts on bringing value for the time being.
B: Do you take special efforts to share your blog posts with a wider audience, such as, say, through twitter/ linkedin/ facebook, etc.?
U: Yes I do. Apart from my friends and family, I am also a member of local community groups and social media groups in Facebook and Twitter. I have a growing audience in San Diego as well as parts of South India.
B: How do you balance blogging and managing the family?
U: I try and keep a consistent timetable with my recipes. I try to post at least two recipes every week. It was a little difficult at first, but as I continue to blog, I got be lot more efficient at the process.
B: What would be the tips you give to homemakers like yourself who want to start a food blog?
U: Start early and start small. Find your niche and be sure to research on how you can make your content unique to your reader. Although the blogging tasks seem overwhelming at first, they will become second nature as you continue to blog.
And that, readers, is all about Mrishtanna! Happy reading, happy cooking and happy and healthy eating!
