Wedding Gifts

This is from my home in Bangalore.

I have received some varied kinds of gifts at my wedding. Here are a few that I have preserved in my living room.

The Nataraja (Hindu Deity) staute is made of Gun metal and was gifted by my Aunt for my wedding.

The statues of women holding, called Paavai Vilakku in Tamil is also made of Gun metal was bought in Hyderabad when I was shopping for my wedding. I have placed to cup candles in the lamps to avoid the grease and dirt that might accumaulate if I use oil and vik to light the same.

In the centre lies a polished coconut made of Bell metal. This belongs to my great grandmother passed on to me through my grandmother, as a gift for my wedding.

The silver-coated low stool was bought for my wedding to serve as a seat for me and my husband to perform the rituals.

Right in the front of the stool, lie a game called Pazhankuli. It is an ancient game of the southern states of Tamil Nadu and still played in many villages. My mother and I used to play a lot of this during my growing-up years. The coins used for this game are mostly tiny sea shells called Sozhi in tamil. Sometimes, even tamarind seeds are used. All the sea shells of this set have been purchased from Rameswaram.

These two wooden dolls are called Marapaachi Bommai. It is mandatory in my family to gift this to their daughter for her wedding.

Both the lamps (the tall and the tiny one) are made of Bell Metal. The taller one is from my mother-in-law's collection from Kochi.

I had decorated my living room entirely on the floor level, mainly because I had floor seating at the centre. I din't want to break the floor level attention.

Mysore Rasam/ Arachuvitta Rasam

This is another dish I made today, also live-tweeted. The speciality of this Rasam, is the freshly ground powder. Adding coconut and jaggery is also one of main ingredients to match the authentic taste, although I've given these two a miss here. But this rasam is a slightly thicker version of the usual running consistency of an regular Rasam.

Ingredients:

Tamarind - one medium lemon sized marianted in water

1 tomato - chopped into medium sized cubes

1 tsp turmeric powder

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

2 tbsps - Coriander seeds

2 tbsps Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Split Garbenzo beans

1-2 dried red chillies

4-5 black peppercorns

1 tbsp mustard seeds

a dash of aesofatida

Salt to taste

water

Ghee/ Clarified butter

1 cup finely chopped Cilantro

Method:

Pressure cook toor dal in 1 cup of water for 4-5 whistles on medium flame.

Dry roast all of these until brown and grind them into a fine powder:

2 tbsps Coriander Seeds

1 tbsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsps Garbenzo beans

1-2 dried red chillies

4-5 black peppercorns 

In a saucepan, add the tamarind pulp, about 3 cups of water, the tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt to taste and simmer till the raw smell of tamarind goes.

Add the freshly ground rasam powder, cooked toor dal and a dash of aesofatida. Simmer for a few more minutes until froth collects on top.

Temper the mustard seeds, a tbsp of jeera seeds and curry leaves in a tsp of clarified butter.

Garnish with a cup of finely chopped fresh Cilantro.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Secret Tip:

Add about a tsp of Mustard powder, to retain the running consistency of the rasam till the end.

Note:

This can be served as soup by skipping to temper and most importantly, puree everything before serving. If your intending to serve as a soup, you could even use split deskinned green grams (moong dal) instead of toor dal.

Radish Stir-Fry

I had live-tweeted this dish as I was cooking. So here I listed it from my twitter page with lot more of detailing of course.

Ingredients:

2 radishes - peeled and chopped into cubes

 1 cup grated cocunut

ginger paste - 1 tsp

red chilli powder - 1 tsp

turmeric powder - 1tsp

curry powder- 1 tbsp

dried red chillies - 4-5 nos

curry leaves - 10-12 nos

mustard seeds - 1tsp

Split deskinned black lentils - 1 tsp

split deskinnes garbenzo beans - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil

a dash of Aesofatida

Method:

Temper mustard seeds, Chana dal, urad dal, dried red chillies and curry leaves in a tbsp of oil. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, curry powder, a dash of aesofatida and salt.

Close the lid of the pan while stirring in between. In about 2-3 minutes, the radish should be cooked. 

 Add the grated coconut and stir briefly. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Note:

If you want to retain the color of radish, then skip the turmeric powder. This goes best with sambar or rasam.

7 course Dinner meal for 6

Course 1

Welcome Drink: Mango Lemonade

Course 2

Appetiser: Plantain Flower Cutlet/ Vazhaipoo Vada

Dips: Salsa
        Green Chutney/ dip
        Sour Cream
                
Course 3

Soup: Spinach soup

Cracker: Masala Papad

Course 4

Salad: Corn Salad

Course 5

Main Course: Stuffed Aubergines
                    Peas Masala
                    Panchrattan Dal/ 5 mixed Lentils gravy
                    Mint in Yoghurt/ Pudhina Raita

Breads: Gobi Paratha
             Phulkas

Rice Varieties: Capsicum Pulav
                      Jeera/ Cumin rice

Course 6

Dessert: Chocolate Milk Shake

Course 7

Tea: Green Tea

Giant Arum/ Senaikizhangu chops

This is a dish I learnt from my mother. This can be had either as a snack or with a spicy rice variety.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

500 gms of a Giant Arum/ Senaikizhangu sliced into thin chips
1 cup Gram flour
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
a dash of Aesafotida
1 tbsp of dried Mango powder
1 tbsp Curry Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add the flour, chilli power, turmeric powder, aesafotida, mango powder, curry powder, salt and mix well. Now drop the sliced arums into and bowl and mix well. In a frying pan, add oil and shallow fry the arums mixed with the flour and spices. Garnish with some chat masala for a snack and temper with about 1 tbsp of Cumin seeds to have it with rice.

Chow Chow Chutney/ Dip

This is similarly how my grandmother makes it with Chow Chow skin and Snake gourd insides. But here I tried making it with the flesh of Chow Chow. It tasted just as yummy.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

1 Chow Chow peeled, seed discarded, chopped roughly into small pieces
1 tbsp toor dal (split pigeon peas)
1 tbsp Urad dal (deskinned black lentils)
1 tbsp Chenna dal (split deskinned garbenzo beans)
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tomato roughly chopped
4-5 dried red chillies
1/2 inch ginger roughly chopped
salt to taste
a dash aesafotida
oil

Method:

Dry roast all the pulses till golden. Add the red chillies and roast them further until the chillies turn dark red. Spread them on a wide plate and let cool. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add ginger and tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes liquifies. Now add the Chow Chow and stir fry until it turns a shade paler. Add salt and mix well. Grind the pulses first to a fine powder, once at room temperature. Later add the Chow Chow mixture and grind them all together to get a fine paste. Need not have to add extra water as Chow Chow is watery in itself. It is now ready to serve. It is best had with hot rice, Dosa, Idli, Phulkas or Upma.

Carrot Burghul/ Daliya

At home, Daliya or Burghal is often consumed as a substitute for rice. Most the days in the week, we consume this trying to make up for all those extra calories we end up consuming otherwise.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

4 carrots grated
2 cups Burghal
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 Onion finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Oil
Water

Method:

In a large saucepan, add about 1 tbsp of oil and let the cumin seeds temper. Once the cumin seeds change colour, add the onions and saute till they turn tranparent. Now add carrot, salt and stir briefly. Pour in the burghal and mix well. Add 6 cups of water and close the lid. Cook till all the water absorbed, stirring in between. Serve hot garnishing with cilantro.

Cauliflower and Potato In Curd

I tried a dry version of this recipe. Although the consistency can be adjusted according to your needs.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

500 gms of Cauliflower cut into mid-sized florets
3-4 medium sized Potatoes cut into mid-sized cubes
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 inch Ginger chopped finely
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp curd, hung overnight
1 tbsp garam masala
10-12 curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil
water

To Temper:

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Black caraways
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

Method:

Soak the Cauliflower florets in warm water and turmeric for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, throw in the potatoes and add water enough to cover them. Add a pinch of salt in the saucepan. Let the potatoes cook. Do not over-cook them. Remove them before they reach the mashable stage. Now in a pan, heat about 2 tbsps of oil, add the mustard seeds and once they crackle, add the rest to temper. Throw in the curry leaves. Now add ginger, chillies and toss briefly. Add the cauliflower florets and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and mix well. Cook briefly. Add curd and simmer till oil seperates. Now add the potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste and about a cup of water and close the lid of the pan let cook for a brief while say for a couple of minutes taking care neither the cauliflower nor the potatoes become loose and mushy. They should be able to retain a little crispiness. Remove from heat and serve garnished with a handful of chooped cilantro.

Note:

If you haven't hung the curd overnight, it is still fine. If hung overnight, the curd adds a bit more of tanginess to the dish.

Inspired by the recipe found here:
http://www.tarladalal.com/Cauliflower--Potatoes-In-Yoghurt-Sauce-9494r

Jeera Rice/ Cumin Rice

This one of the very basic flavoured rice. It is very mild in taste and very healthy too. Plus, it doesn't take much of an effort to cook this. This is a regular at my home at least once a week to detox from all the unhealthy binging through the rest of the week.

Ingredients:
Serves Two

2 cups Basmati Rice
1/2 cup Cumin seeds
Salt (optional)
Water
2tsps Oil/ Ghee (clarified butter)

Method:
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. In a large saucepan, add oil. Once the oil is ready, add the Cumin seeds and let crackle. Now add salt if required. Add the rice and mix well. Pour in about four cups of water and close the lid. Keep stirring in between and cook till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot.

Ginger - Garlic Paste

Ingredients:

1 cup roughly chopped garlic
1 cup roughly chopped ginger
1 tsp oil
Water

Method:

Blend the ginger and garlic with a tsp oil. Check the consistency of the mixture and then add water only required. The paste should be semi-solid, neither too dry nor too runny. Store in an air-tight container. Always use dry spoon to serve it off the container. This can increase its shelf life.

Spinach Soup

If you are in the mood to have something healthy, then this the right recipe for you. This is healthy and a very ideal way to begin meal with.

Ingredients:
Serves Two

2 cups of Spinach finely chooped
2 cups of low fat milk
2 tbsps All-Purpose Flour
2 tsps garlic paste
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Method:
Add a tsp of oilve oil and once the oil is ready, saute the onions, garlic paste briefly. Add the spinach and cook in enough water to cover the leaves. Simmer till the spinach is cooked. Meanwhile, mix the flour in 1/2 cup of water without any lumps. Now add this to the spinach and stir briefly. Add Salt and Pepper and mix well. Add milk and simmer until the desired consistency is attained. Serve hot.

Inspired by the recipe:
http://prathimarao.blogspot.com/2011/01/spinach-palak-soup.html

Curry Powder

This recipe passed on to me by MIL, can be used in all dry curries, to stuff Aubergines, Okra or even to stir-fry vegatables.

Ingredients:

Deskinned Split Garbenzo beans - 4 cups
Coriander seeds - 1 cup
Dried red chillies - 1 cup or to taste

Depending on how much you might need, use the above ingredients in this proportion.

Method:

Dry roast the beans until golden and add the coriander seeds and roast till the beans turn brownish. Add the chillies lastly, as they redden quickly. Roast till both the beans and chillies turn brownish. But take care they should not burn.

Spread them on a wide plate and let cool.

Once at room temperature, grind them all together very finely.

Store in an air-tight container. Although, it is best made fresh for every recipe, you could still considering storeing them if you are someone who are always on the run.

Note:

To stuff vegetables with this powder, add turmeric powder, aesafotida, salt and mix it with this curry powder.

Stir-Fried Okra (South-Indian Style)

This is my favorite way of having a lot of the vegetables, although it is not the best way to cook keeping health in mind. This goes well with bland gravies, plain Pulav's of even Indian breads like Phulkas.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

500 gms of Okra
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2-3 tsps Red Chilli Powder
2-3 tsps Curry powder
1 tbsp hung Curd
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp deskinned Black Lentils
1 tsp deskinned split Garbenzo beans
a dash of Aesofatida

Method:

Wash the Okra, wipe them dry and closely slice breadthwise discarding the caps. Keep aside. Add about 2-3 tbsps of oil to a frying pan. Now temper with mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add black lentils, garbenzo beans and aesofatida. As soon as the lentils and beans turn golden brown, add Okra. Stir briefly and add all the powders and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the hung curd and keep stirring so that the Okra doesn't burn. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Keep stirring until all the Okra have cooked and turn crisp. You might have add a little more oil if you want them crispier. Transfer to a bowl once done and serve hot.

Note:

Adding hung curd is so that the Okra pieces don't cling to each other and make the dish one whole lump of cooked vegetable. It is preferrable to use hung curd so that the excess water doesn't in turn infuse into the dish.
Adding tamarind pulp is purely optional. This is just even out the excess spice I like to have it with.
If you want a much healthier version, just reduce the amount of oil you use and keep stirring only until cooked and not till they turn crisp.
Never cook with the pan closed as it make the dish soggy.
Take care a wipe the Okra dry before cooking as this too can make the dish soggy.

Olan/ Ash Gourds in Cocunut Milk

The main ingredient of this Kerala delicacy is Cocunut Milk. The other two major ingredients can vary a bit. I have used Ash Gourd and Black Eyed Beans here, which is the most authentic form of Olan. Although other squashes like, Chow Chow, Cucumber (Kerela kinds), Yellow Pumpkin and instead of Black Eyed Beans, other beans like Red Cow Peas (Vanpayar) can also be used to make the same dish. This is one of my husband's favorite and since the first time I had it at my in-law's, its mine too.

Ingredients:
2 cups Ash Gourd thinly sliced
1 cup Black Eyed Beans
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsps coconut oil
A dash Aesofatida
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp Green chilli paste

Method:
Pressure cook the beans for 3-4 whistles and keep aside. In a saucepan, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and breifly toss the gourds and aesofatida in it. Now add water enough to cover the gourds. Add salt to taste and cover the pan. The gourds should be cooked but shouldn't become mushy. Once the gourds are cooked, add the beans, ginger paste, chilli paste,coconut milk and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, take care all the milk doesn't get absorbed. It is supposed to be at a running consistency, although you could make it to semi-gravy if you wish to have it like Kootu. Garnish with a tbsp of cocunut oil. Need not have to temper, but if you wish you could temper it with just curry leaves in the remaining cocunut oil. Serve hot with a spicy dry curry like Spicy Stir-Fried Okra.

Note:
The most authentic form of Olan doesn't include ginger paste, but here I've added just to add a bit more of the health factor.

Stuffed Aubergines/ Ennai Kathirikkai

Statutory Warning: Not recommended for health freaks.

This is one of my grandmother's specialities. Almost twice a month it is a regular at her place. As the name suggests, this needs a lot of oil to get the right taste. So, if you are a health freak or not in the mood to indulge in something just for its taste, then it is a better idea to just smell it.

Ingredients:
Serves Two

500 gms of small dark purple brinjals ( the caps need not have to be chopped off)
Oil
Salt
1 tbsp turmeric powder
a dash or two of Aesofatida
Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup (optional)

Masala Powder:

Dry roast the following ingrdients, spread and cool. Once at room temperature, grind them very finely.

Coriander seeds - 2 portions
Cumin seeds - 1 portions
Channa Dal - 2 portions
Dried Red Chillies - 8-10
Black Sesame seeds - 1/2 a portion

Roast Sesame seeds sepearately. Also, add the chillies in the end. Use as much required and store the rest in an air-tight container.

Method:

Cut the Eggplants from the bottom in the form of a cross making two cuts, keeping the caps in tact. Keep aside in a bowl of water, turmeric and salt, so that they don't change color. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the freshly ground masala with turmeric powder, aesofatida, salt and the tamarind pulp. Tamarind pulp is completely optional, as my grandmother makes with it and mother-in-law without. Both tastes equally good. The difference it can make is with the amount of spice (hotness) you require. If are someone who likes it to very spicy, then add the tamamrind pulp to balance it out. Else, just give it a skip.
Stuff the eggplants by coating the insides with this masala. Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a pan. Add these stuffed babies into it and close the lid. Once the eggplants trun pale, remove lid and keep stirring so that they don't burn. Keep cooking until the eggplants lose the sogginess and begin turning crisp. You might have to add oil if all of the initially added oil gets absorbed. Sometimes, there might be some oil left in the pan, once cooked. drain it off.

Serve hot. Enjoy one of my favorite delicacies from my grandma's kitchen.

Corn Salad

It's rather funny how I ended up making this salad. Just as I was getting ready to mix up a Mexican Rice Salad, I suddenly decided to drop the brown rice part of it and make it just a salad, a plain one. So, Corn Salad, I called it.

Ingrdients:
Serves Two

1 cup boiled corn
1 tomato chopped finely
1 cup diced Cucumber
1 cup torn mint leaves
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1 tbsp Vinegar
Generous amount of Lettuce
1 cup hung Yoghurt
1 cup sliced Olives

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients except Lettuce. Serve chilled on a bed of Lettuce.

Note:
A cup or two of cooked brown rice mixed with the above ingredients minus the Yoghurt will make for a amazing Mexican Rice Salad. To complete the Mexican taste, you could even add a cup of boiled Red Kidney Beans.

BisiBele Bath/ Sambar Rice/ Hot Lentil Rice

Just as the name suggests, it is a very traditional Udipi (a region in Karnataka) dish. Again, being the usual me, this recipe I made today has variations to suit my taste buds.

This recipe involves the grinding of a fresh masala powder . I have listed it's ingredients in portions so that, it is easier to grind a quantity depending on your needs and store the excess in an air-tight container.

Ingredients:

Serves four

10-15 baby onions peeled
4-5 beans cut to about an inch in length
1 carrot cut to thin trips for about an inch in length
1 cup peas
1 tomato diced
1 capsicum chopped lengthwise
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup tamarind pulp
1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
2 cups raw rice
1 tsp Mustard seeds
5-6 Fenugreek seeds
4-5 dried red chillies
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
a handful of curry leaves
a dash of Aesofatida
Salt to taste
Oil
5-6 tbsps of Ghee/ clarified butter

For Masala:

Coriander seeds - 1 portion
Cumin seeds - 1/2 a portion
Chana Dal (deskinned split garbenzo beans) - 2 portions
Urad Dal (deskinned black lentils) - 1 portion
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 portion
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 3 pieces
Green Cardamom - 2 pieces
Dried Red Chillies - to taste
Dry roast the above ingredients with the desired amount of dried red chillies. I have used about 12 chillies, as you can see in the picture above.  Add the chillies in the end as they tend to redden quicker. Roast them all until brownish red but take care not to burn them. Spread them and let cool. Once at room temperature, grind them very finely. If warm, there are chances for lumps to be formed while grinding and their storage capacity decreases.

Method:

Add about 3-4 tbsps of oil to a pressure cooker. Temper with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and a aesofatida. Add the onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add tomatoes and saute it liquifies. Now add all the vegatables and toss briefly. Add coconut. Add the tamarind pulp. Now add turmeric powder, ground masala and Salt to taste. Add the toor dal and rice and mix well. Add about 10 cups of water, mix well and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook till the rice turn soft say for about 5-6 whistles. Once done, add ghee and mix well, mashing the rice in the process. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot. It is best had with Raitha and Papad or Potato chips like the ones that have been homemade here in the picture below.

Note:

The recipe described here has been based entirely in the quality of the ingrdients I use. It is bound to vary espcially when it comes to the quality of toor dal or raw rice. You might need to soak either or both accordingly in water, in advance to match the method given above. Sometimes, it is also suggested that that the dal be cooked in advance.

Aamras/ Pulp of Mango

While the name of the recipe sounds as simple as it can get, to get the desired flavour definitely calls for some directions or prior knowledge. Initially, even I used to think it is just finely pureed Mango pulp, until I made it one day and realised it din't match the flavor I was used to consuming at a Gujarathi joint. It was then that I made an effort to learn how to make it the proper way.
Well, here too, like many of my other recipes, I do not have a picture, as it was finished even before it could be served. So, I had to give the camera a miss.

Ingredients:
Serves Two

Pulp of about 4 Alphonso mangoes
1 cup milk at room temperature
Sugar to taste

Method:

The pulp of mangoes once removed with hands goes in the blender with the milk.Now filter the contents from the blender using a clean muslin cloth to remove the fibers from the fruit. Add Sugar to adjust the sweetness. Serve chilled. This can be had with Puris or Rotis too.

Note:
If the pulp of mangoes is too watery, then reduce the amount of milk. Just take care the consistency of the end product isn't too watery. It shouldn't run but at the same time, it isn't too think.

Nutella Coffee

Ingredients:

Serves One

1 cup cold milk

1 tsp Instant Coffee Powder

2-3 Nutella

Sugar to taste

1/2 tsp Vennila Essence

1 scoop of Vennila ice-cream

Ice cubes - optional

Method:

Dissolve the instant coffee powder in a 2-3 tsps of hot water. Blend this concotion, milk, sugar, Nutella and Vennila Essence in a blender. Add to a serving glass and adjust the desired chillness with some ice cubes. Garnish with a scoop of Vennila ice-cream and some instant coffee powder or/ and castor sugar.

Note:

I have used Vennila Pods instead of it's essence. To use the Pods, soak them in Vodka in a closed, air-tight container. As when you need to use, cut a piece of the pod and puree it and filter to make fresh essence of it. One average-sized Vennila Pod equalls about 3 tsps of Essence.

You could even use filter coffee decoction to make this. In that case, make coffee to your desired taste and then blend it with Nutella.

This can be served hot, just by adding hot milk instead of cold milk and by skipping the ice-cubes and ice-cream.

Inspired by the recipe I found here:

http://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/2012/05/nutella-cold-coffee-recipe.html

Capsicum Pulav

Ingrdients:

Serves Two

2 cups of Basmati Rice
1 Green Capsicum (Bell Pepper) chopped lengthwise
1 Red Capsicum chopped lengthwise
1 Yellow Capsicum chopped lengthwise
1 Onion chopped lengthwise
1 Tbsp Cumin
Oil
Salt

Method:

Soak Basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes. In a large Saucepan, add about 2 Tbsp of oil. Add Cumin and let them crackle. Add the Onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add all the chopped capsicum and saute till cooked. Keep stirring so that they are slightly crispy and not overcooked. This might take about two minutes. Now drain the water out of the Basmati rice. Add the rice into the pan and mix it well with capsicum. Add needed salt and about 4 cups of water and close the pan with its lid. Keep stirring in between and cook till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot.

Vermicelli Soup

Ingredients:
Serves Two

1 cup Vermicilli
1 Tomato diced roughly
1/2 cup Spring Onions chopped
2-3 Garlic cloves
1/2 inch Ginger roughly chopped
1 or 2 Green Chillies
8 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Parsley
Oil
Salt

Method:

Dry roast Vermicilli until golden. Keep stirring so it doesn't burn. Keep aside. Now on the same pan, add about 1 Tsp of oil, add the Tomatoes, Garlic, Ginger, Chillies and keep stirring until cooked. Puree this in a blender. Keep aside. Now in a pan, add about 1/2 a Tsp of oil and add the Spring Onions and Parsely. Toss  briefly and add the Puree into the pan. Now add the roasted Vermicilli and about 4 cups of Vegetable Broth. Close the pan for about 2-3 minutes or until the Vermicilli turns soft. Now add the remaining 4 cups of Vegeatble Broth and simmer briefly. Add Salt to taste and serve hot.

Note:

If this soup is going to be your meal, add about one mashed Potato just before adding the roasted Vermicilli onto the Puree.

French Beans in Salsa

This is of course inspired by several online cookbooks with variations that suit my family and the ingredients I had access to at that moment.
I was kinda bored of the usually south-Indian food we were consuming while at home. So, I thought I should boldly try cooking other cuisines too. Mexican, it was decided. To start with, I thought I should make some Nachos. Well, of course, with Salsa to go with it. But how do I make just that little bit of Salsa for a dip? So, I decided to come up with a main course that probably would need Salsa. I opened my refridgerater and figured that I hadn't used French Beans in a while. That was it, Beans in Salsa.

Ingredients:
Serves Two

500 gms French beans - chopped evenly to approximately one inch long

For Salsa:
5-6 small sized Tomatoes
1/4 large Onion - finely chopped
3 large Garlic Cloves
5-6 Jalapeno Peppers - finely chooped
1 cup Cilantro - finely chopped
1 cup Tomato puree
1 tsp Cumin Powder
Olive Oil
Salt
Water

Method:
First, it is best the Salsa is made. I used the food processor to make this and I haven't yet come across a native Mexican who probably knows to make it without one. So, probably it is indeed one of the major ingredients to get this done.
In a sauce pan blanch the tomatoes. Drain the water and let the tomatoes dry for a while. Do not discard the water. Now in a pan, add about 1 tsp of Olive Oil, saute the onions until they turn transparent. Add garlic, jalepeno peppers, and cumin powder. Toss briefly until the oil separates. Take care not to burn it. Keep this aside and let it dry too. Peel the skin off the tomatoes. Remove the seeds if you wish to make a finer paste: but I just let them be. Now once the onion-mixture have cooled a bit, add all of them (the mixture and the tomatoes) into the Food Processer along with Cilantro, salt to taste and tomato puree. Grind them all to a coarse paste. If it is too thick, add the water that was kept aside earlier, after blanching the tomatoes. Transfer it to a bowl and Salsa is ready.
It is best had after refridgerating for at least two hours, at it lets the ingredients settle better.
If you want to store it for a longer time, add a little bit of Cider Vinegar to it, bottle it and refridgerate.

Now come to the part of making the French Bean Dish. In a saucepan, add the chopped french beans and fill it with enough water to cover the beans. I used the water that was left over after blanching the tomatoes. This helps to infuse the taste of tomatoes into the beans. Add little salt and let it boil until you get the aroma of the beans being cooked. Once done, drain the excess the water and keep aside.

In a larger pan, add 1 tsp of Olive Oil. Once the oil is hot enough, lower the flame and add about 2 cups of Salsa into it and saute briefly. I wanted a little bit of gravy, but if you wish to have it in a semi-gravy form, you could about half the amount (1cup) of Salsa. Now add the Beans into the pan and saute for about a minute just to let them mingle(!). Add salt to taste and serve hot.

Note: This dish is best had with Pita Breads or Rice. I chose to go with Rice. Since my husband craved for some coconut rice, I made them with Coconut Rice. Although, traditionally coconut rice is had with something more hot/ spicier like a simple hot potato curry, I chose to try something new and it didn't trun out to be a bad idea, as it left both hubby and baby asking for a repeat.

Spinach With Yoghurt And Walnuts

Spinach With Yoghurt And Walnuts : Wonder Woman - Who are you today?

Corn Cutlets/ Makkai Kebab

Just as I was thinking what to snack on with my evening coffee, I happened to bump into a recipe from the television: it was Vazhaipoo (Plantain Flower) cutlet. Residing in that part of the world where Plantain Flower is a definite rareity, I thought of an alternative and zeroed-in on Corn instead. Also, I've tried a lot of variations to make a healthier version.

Ingredients:
Serves four

2 cups Corn Niblets
2 cups Split Bengal Gram (Garbenzo Beans)
1 1/2 cup Onion - finely chopped
4-6 Green Chillies - finely chopped
1 inch Ginger - finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves - finely chopped
1 cup Parsley - finely chopped
3 tsps Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Saturated Oil as required
A pinch of Aesofatida (optional)

Method:

Soak the beans in water for about half an hour. Now grind the beans and make a semi-liquid paste, almost to the consistency of Dosa batter. In a mixing bowl, mix the paste with the corn niblets and salt. Leave the mixture in a steamer for about fifteen minutes or until cooked.
In a wok, add oil to fry the onions. Once the onions have turned transparent, add the chillies, garlic and ginger and stir fry. Add salt, aesofatida(if required) and Chilli powder and stir well. Now add the steamed mixture to the wok. Add the parsley and stir them all briefly. Do not let the mixture harden. Take it off the flame. The mixture by now should have taken the consistancy of Chappathi dough. Make small balls out of the dough and press it between your palms to give it a Tikki or Masala Vada shape.
Shallow fry the Kebabs/ Cutlets in a griddle or tawa. Fry till golden brown. Drain the excess oil and serve hot with your favorite dips.

Stir Fried Broccolli

This was our mid-morning snack or call it Hors D'oeuvre for our lunch meal.
Just as the name suggests, it is nothing but a stir fry of Broccolli that takes nothing more than a few couple of minutes to make. It sure is one of easiest, healthiest and tastiest snack one can possibly think of.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

Broccolli - about 2 cups
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
salt to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chilli flakes once the oil is ready. saute for about a minute. Add Broccolli and stir fry until tender. Add salt to taste. It is now ready to eat.

Simple isn't it?

Healthy Spiced Cream of Carrot and Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
Serves two
3 large carrots - scrubbed (not necessary to be peeled)
1 medium sized potato - peeled
1 small onion - chopped
3-4 baby onions- peeled
1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup lentils
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive oil/ Saturated Butter
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chilli Flakes
Coriander leaves to garmish (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
Steam largely chopped carrots, potatoes, lentils in a steamer or a pressure cooker. Add salt to the water in the steamer so that the flavor pops when cooked.
Stri fry the garlic cloves, largely chopped onions and the baby onions in 1 tbsp of Olive Oil. Saute till the oil separates or till the garlic and onions turn golden brown. Add salt and keep aside.
Puree the steamed vegetables, lentils and the stir fried garlic and onions. Add the lemon juice. Mix well.
Temper with 1 tbsp Oive oil. Add the cumin and chilli flakes. Add it to the puree once the cumin crackles.
Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
Garnish with coriander leaves if required.

 It's best had with Pav or Mini bread rolls.

Subterranean Amazon river 'is not a river'

A subterranean river said to be flowing beneath the Amazon region of Brazil is not a river in the conventional sense, even if its existence is confirmed.

The "river" has been widely reported, after a study on it was presented to a Brazilian science meeting last week.

But the researchers involved told BBC News that water was moving through porous rock at speeds measured in cm, or inches, per year - not flowing.

Another Brazilian expert said the groundwater was known to be very salty.

Valiya Hamza and Elizabeth Tavares Pimentel, from the Brazilian National Observatory, deduced the existence of the "river" by using temperature data from boreholes across the Amazon region.

The holes were dug by the Brazilian oil company Petrobras in the search for new oil and gas fields, and Petrobras has since released its data to the scientific community.

Using mathematical models relating temperature differences to water movement, the scientists inferred that water must be moving downwards through the ground around the holes, and then flowing horizontally at a depth of several km.

The underground flow is nothing like those sometimes found in caves.

They concluded that this movement had to be from West to East, mimicking the mighty Amazon itself.

A true underground river on this scale - 6,000km (4,000 miles) long - would be the longest of its kind in the world by far.

But Professor Hamza told BBC News that it was not a river in the conventional sense.

"We have used the term 'river' in a more generic sense than the popular notion," he said.

In the Amazon, he said, water was transported by three kinds of "river" - the Amazon itself, as water vapour in atmospheric circulation, and as moving groundwater.

"According to the lithologic sequences representative of Amazon [underground sedimentary] basins, the medium is permeable and the flow is through pores... we assume that the medium has enough permeability to allow for significant subsurface flows."

Glacial progress

The total calculated volume of the flow - about 4,000 cubic metres per second - is significant, although just a few percent of the amount of water transported by the Amazon proper.

The underground flow could be confirmed with coastal measurements, scientists suggest.

But the speed of movement is even slower than glaciers usually display, never mind rivers.

And whether water really is transported right across the region in this way is disputed by Jorge Figueiredo, a geologist with Petrobras.

"First of all, the word 'river' should be burned from the work - it's not a river whatsoever," he told BBC News.

Water and other fluids could indeed flow through the porous sedimentary rock, he said, but would be unlikely to reach the Atlantic Ocean because the sedimentary basins containing the porous rock were separated by older rock deposits that would form an impermeable barrier.

"But the main problem is that at depths of 4,000m, there is no possibility that we have fresh water - we have direct data that this water is saline," said Dr Figueiredo.

"My colleagues and I think this work is very arguable - we have a high level of criticism."

End of the affair?

Press reports suggested Professor Hamza was optimistic about confirming his results over the next few years using more direct methods.

But, he said, this was not the case.

"It is well known that geothermal methods are better suited for determining flows with [such small] velocities," he said.

"At lower velocities, experimental techniques may pose considerable difficulties."

It may be possible to examine directly sediments transported into the Atlantic by the subterranean flow, he said, noting that a zone of relatively fresh water extends into the ocean near the mouth of the Amazon.

The research - Indications of an Underground "River" beneath the Amazon River: Inferences from Results of Geothermal Studies - was presented at the 12th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society in Rio de Janeiro, and has not been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

The team has named the underground flow the "Hamza River".

- By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14693637

Conan The Barbarian - Movie Review

Conan The Barbarian - Movie Review

What's in Gaddafi's name?

Any tips on how to search for Gaddafi? It's no easier on Google, it seems. While most of the British media is searching for 'Gaddafi', the New York Times is looking for 'Qaddafi', the Wall Street Journal 'Gadhafi' and the LA Times 'Kadafi'. The UK government appears to be using 'Qadhafi', a spokesman dismissing the popular media's spelling by saying: 'I suppose the media spells it "Gaddafi" so people can read it easier.' Even the discovery of the despot's own passport yesterday didn't help - he'd been spelling it 'Gathafi'. Can't the boffins at Google suggest something? 
- The Independent 

5 heart attacks within 3 hours

5 heart attacks within 3 hours

All time 'high'! Sigh!

Only the Ilaiyaraja- SPB- Vairamuthu trio could have come up something as hypnotising as this!

Engeyum eppothum sangeetham santhosham
raaththirigal vandhu vittaal saaththirangal odividum
kattazagu pennirukku vattamidum paattirukku
thotta idam aththanaiyum inbamindri thunbamillai

kaalam sallaaba kaalam 
ulagam ullaasa kolam
ilamai raththangal oorum
udalil aanandham yerum
indrum endrum inba mayam
thiththikka thiththikka pesikkondu
thikkugal ettilum odi kondu
varavai marandhu selavu seythu
uyara parandhu kondaaduvom

kaalai jappaanil kaafi
maalai newyorkil cabaret
iravil thailandil jolly
inimel namakkena veli
ingum engum nammulagam
ulagam namadhu packetile
vaazkkai parakkattum rocketile
iravu pozudhu namadhu pakkam
vidiya vidiya kondaaduvom
aadai illadha meni
avan per annalil gnaani
indro adhu oru hobby
ellorum inimel baby
vetkam dhukkam thevai illai
thattattum thattattum kaigal rendu
thaavattum aadattum kaalgal rendu
kadavul padaiththa ulagam idhu
manidha sugaththai maruppadhillai

Green Tea Salad Recipe - Every Day with Rachael Ray

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The Hindu : States / Karnataka : Know how your UID is generated

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The Hindu : Arts / Cinema : Phhir - What the hell was that, again?

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NPR accused of false balance in story about homosexual conversion therapy | Poynter.

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Vir Sanghvi

Vir Sanghvi

The Hindu : Arts / Cinema : I am Kalam - To Kalam, with love

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Is Israel officially giving up on democracy? - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

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Rape in Tamil Cinema - Tamil Movie Articles - Mysskin | Yudham Sei | Paruthiveeran | Raavanan | Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu | Nadunisi Naigal - Behindwoods.com

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The Hindu : Life & Style / Metroplus : Four days in Poland

A brilliant article by my friend who makes me go green with travel and writing experiance.

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The Thirty Day Project – Day 27 – Bhimayana Experiences of Untouchability » POV

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The Hindu : Today's Paper / NATIONAL : NPAs must not stop banks from lending to poor: Pranab

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OPEN Magazine#1

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My Undying Love Affair | OPEN Magazine

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China Food Safety: Big Crackdown, but Big Concerns Remain

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The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Muslims, by any other name

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Sex Surrogates Seem Like Prostitutes But They Are Helping Hands, Say Therapists - ABC News

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Wind in the willows: A cricket bat paradise - Kashmir: The forgotten conflict - Al Jazeera English

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The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Famine is spreading, says U.N.

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Dropping the last mask of democracy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

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Let's Rescue Snakes This Nag Panchami

Let's Rescue Snakes This Nag Panchami: "As the month of August begins, so do Nag Panchami preparations, which include capturing snakes. Snakes are captured in suffocating bags, kept in tiny boxes…"

As people of color become a majority, is it time for journalists to stop using the term ‘minorities’? | Poynter.

As people of color become a majority, is it time for journalists to stop using the term ‘minorities’? Poynter.

The Hindu : Arts / Cinema : Shilpa Shetty's 'The Desire' to be screened at New York film fest

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The Hindu : Business / Companies : Nissan Motor unveils Sunny

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The Free Press: Musicians unhappy with the royalty verdict

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Nation's Infrastructure Still Vulnerable to Cyber Attack - ABC News

Nation's Infrastructure Still Vulnerable to Cyber Attack - ABC News

Why journalists make the best PR pros | Poynter.

Why journalists make the best PR pros Poynter.

10 questions to help you write better headlines | Poynter.

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Hosni Mubarak Stands Trial In Courtroom Cage - ABC News

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The World's Tallest Man-Made Structure

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2011 List of America's Top Colleges - ABC News

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Cheap Flights Fuel Mini Red-Light District in Amsterdam�Airport

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It's Not Just 'No Eating' ...

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Colon Cleansing: Not So Cleansing After All

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Study: Crying Won't Make You Feel Better

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Aura of Sleepless Dreams: Things I learnt from Asian dramas

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The Hindu : Arts / Cinema : Prayer. Paean. Painting. Pure.

The Hindu : Arts / Cinema : Prayer. Paean. Painting. Pure.

College journalists try publishing an issue without computers | Poynter.

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Gandhi to Hitler: What's the story again?

'Gandhi to Hitler' is the movie that attempts to link two disparate leaders by letters they exchange, and by the time the final credits roll – you are still wondering what the movie was really all about.

The movie directed by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar, stars Raghubir Yadav, Neha Dhupia and Aman Verma.

The story is ideally about the last days of Adolf Hitler, which he spends hiding in a bunker in Berlin while the Allied Forces close in.

One of the most hated men in history stomps around his bunker, fumes about failed plans, commands traitors in his own Reich to be hunted down and killed, believing all along that his victory is assured. In a desperate attempt to show the other side of the coin, a shadowy, unimpressive figure of Gandhi takes innumerable walks with his silent group of followers talking about his non-violent beliefs. Things get as bad as it could with Hitler muttering in rage –"An eye for an eye!'" and is juxtaposed by Gandhi's – "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind..."

Against the war of beliefs of these two leaders runs the story of a bunch of soldiers from Subhash Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj lost in the dangerous terrain between Germany and France – trying to find their way back home. The pack is lead by Aman Verma who keeps penning letters to his wife back in India – none of which he manages to send. The soldiers squabble amongst themselves, reminisce about the fields and the food back home and in their walk back to the homeland, keep losing one brother after another and only two survive. And we are not even sure if they make it back home.

Raghubir Yadav, who is a splendid actor otherwise, completely reduces the figure of Hitler to a caricature. When furious – his speech gets garbled and his shaking frame does not do justice to the leader of the third Reich. None of his officers are believable in their roles, not even Joseph Goebbels. The only two believable characters are Eva Braun and Joseph Goebbels' wife Magda. Braun tells her new husband Hitler, after their marriage in the bunker – that she does not want to die ugly – she has just been married for a few hours. Magda on the other hand, stoically poisons her six sleeping children, finally biting in to the capsule herself and dying in her husband's arms.

The acting in most cases is not believable, the sets are bad, the footage of World War II war carnage has weird orange flames added to it. The worst and the most redundant scene is perhaps the song for Holi, filmed in Punjab, showing the contrasting beliefs of Aman Verma – the soldier and his wife Amrita – who lives by Gandhian principles. Another was a soldier kissing his girl good bye and then getting blown up a few meters away from her.

The only good scene was one of the last ones – Hitler's followers burn his body, Goebbles shoots himself in the head with his dead wife in his arms – a mirror image of Hitler and Eva Braun's last moments; Aman Verma lying dead in a picturesque valley in Switzerland with the letters to his wife strewn around him and back in India, his wife turns the lantern down for the night.

Hitler with traces of tears around his eyes when his favourite architect Albert Speers puts in his papers and chooses to leave is less believable than Aman Verma breaking down in the forests with his small band of army when he sees them fight amongst each other.

The only connection between Hitler and Gandhi are the letters. Gandhi writes him one letter opposing his cruel ways and repeating the fact that he is sure Hitler is not a bad person; which Hitler is shown to reply to. Clearly neither party makes any accommodation for the others ideas.

In the end the director chooses to show the fluttering Indian tricolour with Nehru's freedom speech playing in the background – while back in Berlin, Hitler's last few followers burn his and Eva Braun's body and then shoot themselves or bite into cyanide capsules.

And one has to wonder – sitting in an empty hall – is THIS what the director tried to show? The Third Reich and Hitler failed because they did not believe in ahimsa and committed liberal war crimes?

There has to be some more connection!

- Jhinuk Sen, ibnlive.com. Updated July 30, 2011 at 03:39 p.m. IST
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gandhi-to-hitler-whats-the-story-again/171628-8-66.html

Vir Sanghvi

Vir Sanghvi

Robot Apocalypse News of the Week: Machines That�'Dream'

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Alas, Gay Marriage Will Yield Gay Divorce. Prenups Are in Order

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Amy Winehouse: Five Facts You May Not Have Known - ABC News

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How McDonald's Plans to Make Happy Meals Healthier

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Do Calorie Counts on Menus Curb Eating? Not So Much

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A Spade Is a Spade: Why a Western Terrorist Is No Different from a Muslim One

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Afghan police suffer worst casualties of war

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Dissecting the double standard

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Stop using ‘hacking’ as a blanket term for all kinds of computer-security trickery | Poynter.

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For Countries, Too, Money Doesn't Buy Happiness - ABC News

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www.outlookindia.com | Deathly Hallows Part 2

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?277740