Saturday, February 9, 2008

"Sanjay Thumma the menace"



What a way to remember "Sanjay the menace"!

It has been so long and I have been wondering where you were. It is so weird. I have been married for about 10 years now Sanjay, and one fine morning my wife suddenly announced that she was interested in learning to make new dishes. I was thinking to myself that finally good times have arrived.

Imagine my surprise when I went to Youtube to search for Indian cooking, and clicked on the first video that came up! I was shocked to see the face of my dear childhood friend. I knew you were a good cook, but I am really excited and happy to see your website and your videos. Obviously things have changed since we last met.

I wish to tell all your vahrehvah users - I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM PROBABLY THE FIRST PERSON OUTSIDE SANJAY'S FAMILY TO EXPERIMENT AND SURVIVE HIS COOKING HOBBY. Those were the good and happy days and I wish to share some very intimate moments of our childhood to give you a glimpse of this man. Sanjay me and other friends spent a lot of time together as young boys and had very happy days going out hunting, fishing and biking in the wilderness around our homes. Almost 27 yrs ago, with home-made bows and arrows, home-style kind of airguns, and our friends parents calling us 'dennis the menace' characters, we proudly roamed the streets of this beautiful green township called BHEL. We had so much freedom in this township and if at all a kid had to grow up and be a kid it was this place. My childhood was beautiful and I am so glad I spent it with sanjay that you know today as 'Vahchef'. Yes Sanjay Thumma was a good childhood friend! - Maybe not the model kid, but so much fun to be with!
I don't think I should elaborate too much and describe ALL the adventures we did and how many times we were caught red handed by our parents. (We were called pittala doras :) because all the time we used to carry catapults at our waist and hunted for birds. His hunting skills extended beyond just the birds that fly and I must say there are a lot many girls who still remember this crazy hunter : )

I was so happy to see that you mentioned my name together with all our friends when you shot the Sooji Halwa episode at Vahrehvah. You actually remember all our friends and that is so good. While my wife and I were watching you skin a chicken you claim to have learned this "fine skill" at catering college , but I think all your friends will testify that at age 10 we saw you do it similarly with the birds we caught. I can go on and on with adventures of our childhood – but all I want to say is that I am so happy to see you play this role on the world stage and internet these days. Instead of just influencing me and few others pals, it is nice to see you influencing what happens in so many kitchens.

Why are you not telling your audience the truth about the fishing and fish eating episodes. I remember that eating fish we caught on the spot was your specialty- I still can remember when you would lit a flame even before we put the bait for fish! I remember how much fish used to be your passion. So when I saw you eat the fish and show the full bones – I was thinking that only your friends would understand where that devotion came from! Good show!

Anyway keeping aside my friendship. Honestly I think this is a wonderful service to the food loving community and I sincerely hope that you make it to the top and stay there. As some of your visitors have indicated, it is indeed addictive.

My wife may not realize it, but she is helping me to relive my childhood adventures and giving me the true taste of my memories literally.

Best Wishes

Phani Koganti

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Sanjay,

Your show is really excellent and you are a practical person. I enjoyed almost many of your receipe , i would like to talk to you, please may i have your phone# or Email.

Thanks
Suresh

ardent said...

hey sanju ! we love your show. believe me your cooking class is the best class we have ever seen... best wishes
jugesh & phoni

Unknown said...

hi Sanjay Mama,

great to see u... i have heard alot about u by Mom and my sisters... the only thing i remember about u is ur cake which u made for us at our home...

I am really proud to see you on the website...
I WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST FOR YOU LIFE... HOPE TO MEET YOU SOMETIME...

SANGEETHA VAITLA

smitha said...

hey sanjay even i am from BHEL.BTW ur doing a gr8 job.

geeta said...

Keep up the good work!!!
You really inspire people to cook.
Thank you for all the new techniques and also that you make your recipe for vegetarians.
I live in Holland but when i cook it is like i am in India and my family also enjoys my cooking.
U are also very funny with ur djenjing dhenjing hahaha...
Keep up the good work and hope to meet you someday!

God bless you.

Geeta

photos said...

hai sanjay
yr recipe inspired me to cook.
thanks for ur guidance.
your hard work gives more satisfaction to the public.please keep doing ur work more successfully and also god will bless u.

KAVYA said...

hi sanjay...

u r a great cook...ur way of presentation is inspired me a lot..keep going...my wishes to ur great success...

shell said...

Hi Sanjay..

You are just Amaaazzzzing Cook!!!
the simplicity with which you explain and demonstrate just drives my cooking fears away!!!..
you have an innate talent and you should keep up to it!!!
...Best Wishes for your Future Endevours!!

Jasmine said...

Nice to know about you sanjay. U remain my inspiration to cooking!! You are doing what u r believing and thats a great job...not many has that opportunity in this world..u r blessed!!

rasanjoru said...

Hello Sanjay: I love your tips for many mouth watering vegetarian dishes. To tell you the fact, I am a good cook myself and enjoy hours of time cooking traditional dishes of Tamilnadu.
If you don't mind let me give you one small friendly advice - Please don't encourage, nor yourself indulge in non-vegetarian cooking. The upanishads proclaim that many of the ill-sanskaras built up by the animal or bird that is slaughtered and eaten, attaches itself to the person who eats them; even so if the slaughterer is not yourself but someone else does it for you! You are such a lively and nice person, so I just wanted to give you this friendly advice. Of course, you are free to take it or leave it as you wish.
Sincerely,
Karthik Ramaswamy

J said...

Shooting harmless birds for no other purpose than for amusement?!!! I think my respect for Sanjay Thumma has gone down drastically after reading this.
Back to respectable and dependable Sanjeev Kapoor for me.

pavani reddy said...

sanjay sir..
u r a true inspiration for me...u just transformed me frm a girl who can make only omlette n tea to girl who can make a whole party meal for 25....thank u sooo much...i tried most of the recipes n just loveeee non-veg dishes,sweets n ya all!!!!
u just rockkkk!!!!!
thank u..n wish u loads of luck n happiness...

Mrspetlover said...

Hello Sanjay

I love your site and videos.

Recently I made Masala and Chhole using your recipes. Thank you so much for providing wonderful recipe with a fabulous presentation..Love watching your videos.

Best wishes and Thanks alot

Mrspetlover (USA)

BTW where r u located?

neelam said...

Hello Karthik,
Reading ur words was as if i was listening to someone very deeply settled with our culture and ethics.plz do let me know more about hindu upnishads proclaimations about non veg eating.
Regards
neelam
neelamsonoo2010@gmail.com

neelam said...

Sanjay ji
it is always nice to c ur videos and learn cooking in different ways.u not only teach in a simple manner but also interestingly so the learner doesnt get bored of and mpreover u give suxh practical tips to make cooking easy that its automatically comes the way u show
gud work
thanks and keep doing suxh good job.
I make potatoes in corriender like we make palak all green. It tastes really different if u feel like sharing it wd ur audiences.
Regards
neelam

neelam said...

Hello Karthik,
Reading ur words was as if i was listening to someone very deeply settled with our culture and ethics.plz do let me know more about hindu upnishads proclaimations about non veg eating.
Regards
neelam
neelamsonoo2010@gmail.com

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