Nuts & Wheat Ladoo

How to make Nuts & Wheat Ladoo

              Also known as Atte ka Ladoo in Hindi (can also be made without nuts) is a simple Indian sweet made with basic ingredients from our pantry. A great after workout snack or a health-boosting dessert alternative. They make great homemade treats instead of store-bought processed snacks. These delicious balls are jam-packed with flavor and nutrients. These ladoos being high in calories are great for kids to keep their energy levels up any time of the day.

Ingredients for about 40 ladoos:

whole wheat flour - 3 cups

Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup

Pistachios - 1/4 cup

Almonds - 1/4 cup

(superfine) Sugar - 2 cups

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tbsp

melted ghee - as needed to make ladoos

Stove-top method:

• Dry roast all nuts in low flame for 2-3 minutes, until the raw smell disappears. Let it cool down & powder them finely and set aside.
• Dry roast the wheat flour on low heat until it loses its raw flavor and smells aromatic. 
• If your sugar is not super fine, you may powder it before adding it to the flour.
• Add the powdered nuts, sugar, cardamom powder to the roasted flour, and mix it well. Melt ghee on low flame & keep it warm, until you finish making all ladoos.

• Take a small batch of the flour mix, pour a ladle full of hot ghee, stir & make balls using your hand. Repeat the process until all of the flour has been turned into ladoos. 
• Store in air-tight container & enjoy with your family & friends.

Sharing my mom's recipe from my recipe diary with my friends at CCC #59 Oct Week 4.

Kathirikai Paal Curry/ Curried Eggplant in Coconut milk

How to make Kathirikai Paal Curry 

                This recipe has been in my recipe diary for many years now and has finally made it to the blog. Thanks to the influence my recent trip to Srilanka has had on me for dishes made with coconut milk. Let us talk more about my trip in a later post. I have had a love affair with coconut milk since childhood. The sweet, creamy & delicious milk is hard to resist after all. Let's jump straight to the recipe before I go way off topic here. A little bit of this milk can make a world of difference to your dish. Do try this recipe & enjoy.

Ingredients (3 servings):

small violet brinjals, sliced - 5 no:s

chopped onions - 1 no:

curry leaves - a few

chopped tomatoes - 1 no:

ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

thick coconut milk - 1/4 cup

oil - 1 tbsp

mustard seeds, cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp each.

red chili powder/paprika - to taste

salt - to taste

Stovetop method:

• Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil, add mustard, cumin seeds & curry leaves. Once the mustard pops, add the chopped onions & saute until translucent.
• Add chopped tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste & let cook for a couple of minutes & follow with turmeric powder, red chili powder & salt. Add the sliced brinjals and half a cup of water, cover & let the brinjals cook until tender, but not mushy.

• Finally, add the coconut milk (thick milk) & let simmer for a couple of minutes, before you serve it with rice, roti or even dosa.

Sharing this with my fellow bloggers at CCC #57 Aug Week 3. Have a look around, you might like some of their recipes too.

Inji Kara kuzhambu

How to make Inji Kara Kuzhambu (ginger in spicy tamarind sauce)

         On a cold rainy day, many of us crave for some spicy comfort food. Our morning started with snowflakes, changed into sleet & then rain. So, I decided to make this recipe from my recipe diary ( a recipe noted from a TV show years ago). The lady mentioned that the recipe was originally from Pondicherry(Puducherry), located in the southern part of India.

        Serve it with hot steamed rice, and appalam/papad or chips and you have a zesty meal to make you feel warm & fuzzy on any given day. It is a spicy dish, so go easy & drizzle some sesame oil on your rice to make it even tastier.

Ingredients:

Servings: about 4

nalla ennai/sesame oil - 2 tbsp

poondu/garlic - 5 pods

perungayam/asafoetida powder- 1/4 Tsp

manja thool/turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Puli/Tamarind - 1" sized ball soaked in water & strained with minimum amount of water

vengaya vadagam - 1 tbsp

karivepilai/curry leaves - 1 sprig

salt to taste

vellam/jaggery - 1 tbsp, powdered (optional)

coriander leaves - optional

Ingredients for the masala:

nalla ennai/sesame oil - 2 Tsp

Group 1
milagu/black pepper - 1tsp
Jeerakam/cumin seeds - 1 tsp
milagai/dry red chilies - 5 no:s

Group 2
poondu/garlic - 5 pods
inji/ginger - about 2 inches, sliced

Stovetop method:

For the masala - 

• Heat a pan/kadai with a tsp of sesame oil, add group one ingredients & saute in oil until crisp & aromatic. Transfer contents to the mixie/blender jar & let cool for a couple of minutes.
• Reheat the pan, add group 2 ingredients & saute on medium-low heat until well roasted & soft.
• Powder roasted group 1 ingredients finely & then add sauteed group 2 ingredients & run the mixer/blender for a couple of seconds to make a coarse paste.

To make the kuzhambu -

• Heat oil in a kadai/pan, add asafoetida powder, vengaya vadagam & let it fry until crisp. Add few curry leaves & garlic pods - saute until garlic is golden brown & cooked soft.
• Using a little water, wash the mixie/blender & add the ground masala to the kadai, pour the strained tamarind water, add turmeric powder, salt & jaggery(if using). Let simmer for a few minutes on low heat.

• Check seasoning, drizzle some sesame oil on top and turn off the heat.
• Serve with steamed rice & papad/chips. Can also be eaten with paruppu podi or Karivepillai podi.

Sharing this tangy recipe with my fellow bloggers at SriValli's CCC Feb #53 -- Week 1.

Coconut Meeta/Sweet Paan Ladoo

How to make Coconut Meeta Paan Ladoo

    

      From using it in religious ceremonies to eating it in the form of a 'paan'; betel leaves contain many curative and healing health benefits. My mom & grandma used to grow it in our home and these aromatic leaves were readily available to reap the health benefits from the same. Betel leaves are supposed to heal wounds when applied over a wound and bandaged. If you are suffering from a severe headache, my grandma used to ask us to use 'vetrilai pathu' The leaves have cooling properties which provide instant relief from the ache when applied externally.

         Benefits aside, I have always been a fan of the meeta paan for the sweet filling in it.  So, here is a recipe that skips the slaked lime (sunnambu) & areca nuts/supari (pakku), but has all the yummy ingredients like coconut, elaichi, gulkund, nuts & cloves. You can pick & choose your favorite filler ingredients.

Coconut Meeta/Sweet Paan Ladoo

Ingredients for about 30 ladoos:

2 cups fresh/frozen grated coconut (do not use the brown part)
8 to 10 vetrilai/paan/betel leaves
1 cup condensed milk
about 1/2 cup, dry desiccated coconut (for rolling)
1/2 tsp, cardamom/elaichi powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup of gulkund (rose petal preserve)
1/2 tsp, saunf/fennel seeds
whole cloves, for garnishing
green food color, optional
chopped nuts, optional (I used almonds)

Method:

• To a food processor, add the grated coconut & grind dry until fine. Transfer to a bowl. 
• Wash, remove the stem & the bottommost tip of all paan leaves. Add tore paan leaves, pulse until fine add condensed milk & grind till both are well combined. Add few drops of green food color, if desired. 

• Heat a pan on medium heat, add the coconut and roast for a couple of minutes on medium-low heat. Add the condensed milk - paan mixture and stir to combine. You can add the elaichi powder & fennel seeds at this point.
• Cook for a few minutes on low heat, until the mixture, thickens & forms into one solid mass. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down a bit.

• Grease your hands with ghee if needed, take a small portion from the coconut mixture, flatten it and add ½-1 teaspoon of gulkund and chopped nuts in the center. Bring the edges together and roll to form a ladoo. Roll the prepared ladoos in desiccated coconut. Repeat the same process with the remaining ladoos.

• Garnish with cloves, if desired. Refrigerate the ladoos & enjoy as a digestive/mouth freshener.

This recipe was inspired by another paan recipe from a tv show. You may add supari to the filling if you desire. Sharing this delicious recipe with my friends at SriValli's  CCC#50 Oct week 3.

Old fashioned Banana Cream Pie

How to make an old fashioned banana cream pie

          This year, for my son's b'day; we decided to have home-made banana cream pie, instead of the usual birthday cake. It's not that weird, considering the fact that he has been asking us to pick up a banana cream pie every time we hit the grocery store for the last couple of months. So I figured, why not? Whatever makes him happy, is good enough for his birthday. This recipe is from my recipe dairy, probably noted down from a food network show. Top it with whipped cream or go all the way & drizzle some caramel sauce, and top it with shaved chocolate just for good measure.

         I made the pie crust from scratch with this recipe - Buttery & flaky pie crust and for my li'l one, who is a devoted chocolate lover I made some delicious Chocolate Brownies. If you ask him, there cannot be a celebration without something chocolatey :)

Ingredients for 8 to 10 servings:

3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour or 3 tbsp of corn starch
1⁄4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium firm & ripe bananas, sliced
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
Sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip

Optional Toppings:

Caramel/Chocolate sauce

Chocolate shavings

Sliced bananas or berries

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour/corn starch, and salt; stir in milk and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil; then boil some more for 2 to 4 extra minutes until thickened.
•  Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of cream mixture into egg yolks for tempering and pour the egg yolks slowly into the saucepan. 

• Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly and remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla; mix well; allow to cool slightly. 
• Place the sliced bananas evenly in pastry shell and pour cream/custard mixture over the bananas. 
• Bake the pie for about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. 
• Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two, before topping with whipped cream & serving in slices.
• Cover loosely with foil/plastic wrap & use within 3-4 days under refrigeration.

Sharing this recipe with my friends at SriValli's CCC# 41: February -- Week 4.

Kathirikai Rasavangi (eggplants cooked with toor dal & tamarind)

How to make Kathirikai/Brinjal Rasavangi

The "Samaithu Paar" books by S. Meenakshi Ammal were the first cookbooks my mom bought for me, to take with me into my newly wedded life. At that time, I had no clue how important these books were going to be for me, when I was all alone & far away from mom with no clue on how to cook. Boy! Some of the recipes truly saved my day during my first year of marriage. Especially, when I found that my hubby had been cooking for a few years and was a more experienced & better cook than me. Through trial & error, the recipes in the book taught me how to cook some traditional/homestyle recipes. Rest assured, you will be seeing quite a few recipes from this series throughout the year in my space. Sharing this healthy homestyle recipe with my friends at Valli's CCC# 40: January -- Week 2. The ingredients in this recipe reminds me of this delicious Paavakkai Pitlay, somehow.  

Ingredients:

350 gms of tender eggplants/kathirikai, sliced
3/4th cup Toor dal/Red gram dal - pressure cooked until soft
1 lime sized ball of tamarind, juice extracted
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

2 tbsp, oil

To roast & grind:

2 tbsp Kadalai paruppu/Bengal gram

3 tbsp coriander seed

6 dried red chillies

4 tbsp grated coconut

1 tbsp, oil

For tempering:

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp ulutham paruppu/black gram dal

1/8th tsp asafoetida powder

a sprig of curry leaves
2 red chillies

1 tbsp, oil

Stove top method:

• Using a thick bottom pan, roast the bengal gram dal, coriander seeds, red chillies and grated coconut using a little oil, until crisp & aromatic. Let cool & powder finely & keep aside.
• Cut the eggplant into slices. Heat oil and saute the eggplant in it for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until its almost cooked.
•  Add the tamarind water to the eggplants and add enough additional water to cover. Add salt to taste and the turmeric powder, and bring to a simmer until the eggplant is tender.
• Add the cooked toor dal and add the spice powder previously prepared, mix well & bring to a rolling boil. Remove the pan from the heat.
• In another pan, heat some oil and add the mustard seeds. Allow them to pop, then add the urad dal and asafoetida powder. As the urad dal turns golden add the curry leaves, remove from the heat and add to the rasavangi. 
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

Notes:

• Ash gourd can be used instead of eggplant. Use 2.5 cups chopped ash gourd, cook it in plain water and add the tamarind water to the cooked gourd.
• Dried beans can also be cooked and used with either Eggplant or Ash Gourd Rasavangi.

Paal Kozhukattai (Wheat flour balls cooked in sweetened coconut milk)

How to make (wheat flour) Paal Kozhukattai

                Here is an all time south indian favorite, esp during Pillayar/Ganesh Chathurthi, only better with wheat flour instead of rice and the addition of sugar to the dough ties it in with the sweetened milk. Thus filling your mouth with some sweetness, even when you bite into the soft balls. Cos' I've tried a few recipes where the milk by itself is delicious, but the balls are just bland with no sweetness whatsoever.  Do try this version, and you will love it. 

                  The playdough Ganesh was a last minute daring attempt & luckily, I remembered the steps I learnt at a workshop the previous year. I'm posting a picture of my skinny Ganesha, for any of you,who wants to give a shot at making one at home with your kids playdough or clay. Have fun unleashing your artistic skills during this festive time of the year.  Sending this entry to Srivalli's CCC #36 :September Week 1.

Ingredients for 8 to 10 servings:

1 cup powdered jaggery

1 cup boiled milk

1/2 coconut milk

1/2 cup ghee

10 cashew nuts, broken

1 tsp elaichi/cardamom powder

1.5 cups water

For making the dough:

1 cup wheat flour

1 tbsp rice flour

1 cup water

2 tbsp sugar

a pinch of salt

****************************************

Stove Top Method:

• Fry the broken cashew nuts in a little ghee on low heat, until its golden in color.
• Make a thin syrup with the jaggery, by adding a 1/4 cup of water to it and heating on a medium-low heat; until the jaggery dissolves. Filter the syrup & set aside.

• Dry roast the wheat flour & rice flour, together in a dry pan on very low heat, until it gets hot & roasted. Take care, not to burn the flour.
• Simultaneously, take about 1 cup of water, in a pan. Add 1 tbsp of ghee, salt and 2 tbsp of sugar to the water and heat covered until it begins to boil.
• When the water boils briskly and the sugar has dissolved; turn off the heat, & add the roasted flour little at a time & stir with a wooden spatula; until you have dropped all the flour into the water. The end result should be a tight, clump free dough.
• Transfer the dough onto a workable surface & knead it, as soon as it cools down a bit. spread some ghee on your hand, if needed & knead gently to make the dough smooth. Roll into small balls (about the size of a seedai or about the size of a small blueberry).

• To cook the kozhukattai's, in a wide shallow pan, boil 1.5 cups of water, by closing the lid. When you see a rolling boil, add half of the rolled kozhukattai's into the water & close the lid again. After waiting for about 2 mins, add the remaining kozhukattai's and close the lid again for a total of 8 to 10 mins on medium heat. Intermittently, you can gently stir with a spatula, taking care not to break the balls.

• Test a kozhukattai by piercing it with a toothpick in the center to check if it has cooked thoroughly.
• Now add the jaggery syrup to the pan, gently mix & let it simmer for about a minute. Next add the milk and when it starts to boil add the coconut milk; and wait until the mixture starts to boil again. 

• Remove from heat, add the cardamom powder and fried cashew nuts. Enjoy it warm or cold.

Kalyana Maangai Oorugai / Instant Mango Pickle

How to make Kalyana Maangai Oorugai / Instant Mango Pickle

                    This was the first pickle I learnt how to make - its that simple. If you have ever tasted this pickle (probably at a south indian wedding feast); it's just too hard to resist making this spicy instant pickle (unless raw mangoes are out of season). They are so easy to make, yet so satisfying with curd rice. The shelf life is about a week in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly, unless you are willing to share it ;o) Sharing this quick & delicious pickle from my recipe book with my friends at CCC# 34: July - Week 4.

Ingredients:

1 Raw (Sour/Unripe) Mango - Chopped very fine

Red Chilli powder - 3/4th to 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/8 Tsp

Salt to taste

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 Tsp

For Tadka/Tempering:

Sesame Oil - 3 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

1 or 2 dry red Chillies, broken

Asafoetida powder- 1/4 Tsp

Stove Top Method:

• Wash the Mango - slice, julienne & chop as finely as possible and transfer to a bowl. 

•  Dry roast the Fenugreek seeds until aromatic & golden (do not burn). Pound them with mortar and a pestle and set aside. 
• To the finely chopped Mango, add the pounded Fenugreek powder, red Chilli powder, Salt & Turmeric powder.

• Heat a mini kadai/wok with Sesame oil on low-medium heat - add the Mustard seeds. When they splutter, add broken red chilli and Asafoetida powder. Turn the heat off, once the chilli is fried and pour the Oil onto the bowl with the Mango and spices. 
• Toss or mix in with a clean, dry spoon. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Serve with Curd/Yogurt rice or with your favorite meal.

Notes:

• Use the Mango along with the skin.
• Take care not to burn the fenugreek seeds, as they will turn very bitter, if  burnt.
• Refrigerate, store in a glass container, tightly covered and use within a week's time.

Sakkarai (Sweet) Pongal

How to make Sakkarai/Sweet Pongal (Pressure Cooker Method)

                Happy Pongal, everyone!! I guess, everyone has their favorite version of the Sakkarai Pongal. There are numerous combinations/ratios/ingredients/methods to try from and you will still get a yummy Pongal, no matter what. So, here's my very own version of one of my favorite Pongal's, from my recipe diary, which uses, milk & unsweetened khoa apart from the usual ingredients. 

               Along with the recipe, I'm also sharing a Kolam (poster board size), I drew for a Pongal function. Before you scroll down, let me confess, that I'm no artist & have tried drawing this one after 15 years. This kolam is probably a child's play for many of you. I salute all the wonderful Kolam experts out there :o) (More about Kolams) 

Nutritious Moong Bean Laddoo

How to make Moong Bean Laddoo / Pachaipayaru Laddoo

          You must have heard of Moong Dal Laddoo's. These on the other hand, are made from ground whole moong beans/pachai payaru maavu which is more nutritious, with a low glycemic index &  is a high fiber alternative to the moong dal. Go ahead & try these healthy laddoos this festive season & make your family's health a priority while celebrating Diwali.

Ingredients for about 30 Laddoo's:

1 cup pachai payaru maavu/whole moong dal flour/green gram flour (check notes*2)
1/2 cup kadalai maavu/besan/gram flour
1.5 cups fine sugar (check notes*1)
3/4th of a cup of ghee
Elaichi/Cardamom powder - 1/2 Tsp

Karuppu Ulundhu Sundal

How to make Karuppu Ulundhu Sundal / Whole Black Lentil Snack

         When Navarathri comes around, the first things that cross my mind are Golu, Paatu, Pattu, Sundal & a goody bag of auspicious stuff, along with a one rupee coin :o)  Every house we visit will serve a bowl of warm Sundal. Although delicious, the kids could only eat so many bowls of Sundal. So we would take home the remaining Prasadham to share with our families.

                Navarathri brings along its own share of sweet memories from childhood. It is probably the only time of the year when kids are invited with respect/importance; by grown ups, who normally wouldn't have anything to say to you; except "Where's your Amma"? or "Where's your Patti"? I would come home from school; eager to dress up in pattu pavaadai's & wear some real jewelry (finally!!) and go to almost every house on our street to see their seven or nine step arrangements of beautiful dolls & idols; that are strategically organized in to groups & categories.  Kids, mostly girls would be asked to sing songs in praise of the gods & goddesses. The funny part is, when a girl is singing, there would be so much activity going on around her; It almost feels like no one is paying attention to her song. So much for the respect, I thought we were getting...LOL!!

                 This was probably my first Sundal recipe that was written down in my recipe diary, when I only knew, how to eat :)

Vaazhaipoo Thirattu / Plantain Flower Curry

How to make Vaazhaipoo Thirattu

            Here is a mildly spiced, home style south-indian curry made with fresh plantain flowers and pearl onions, spiced with black sesame seeds & pepper corns that give this curry the dark earthy color & flavors. If you like, you can add about 1/4 cup of coconut milk towards the end & finish off, for a creamier version. 

             If the plantain flower is a new ingredient in your kitchen, please make sure, you check my notes on how to clean it; before you begin. 

Uthappam Batter

How to make the Uthappam Batter

          Not many of us are aware that the Uthappam batter is different from the Dosa batter. We tend to make Uthappam's with our ordinary Idli/Dosa batter. And that's not bad either, until you try the real Uthappam. A few years ago, I was blissfully ignorant of the same! Then I gave this recipe a try from a Mallika Badrinath's cookbook. My better half - the connoisseur of my kitchen, gave it a double thumbs up saying that it tasted just like it would, in a good south indian restaurant. It has since become a regular for our weeknight dinners. There are no limits to how many varieties of Uthappam can be made, just by switching the toppings. The picture below doesn't do justice to the Uthappam, You should try it for yourself to really know how good it is. Try Thakkali kai thuvayal, Tomato Coconut Sambhar & Thengai-Pottukadalai Chutney to accompany your uthappams. Sharing this spongy recipe with my friends at CCChallenge.

Ingredients for 8 to 10 servings:

Raw rice - 2 Cups

Par boiled rice/Idli rice - 2 Cups

Black gram dal/Urad dal - 1/2 Cup

Red gram dal/Toor Dal - 1/4 Cup

Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam/Methi seeds - 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil as needed

2 to 3 Onions - finely chopped

4 to 6 Green chillies - finely sliced

Coriander leaves - finely chopped (Optional)

Amma's Idli Milagai Podi

How to make Idli Milagai Podi/Spiced Chutney powder

       

           One of the top must have's in a Tamil household, is the all time favorite - Idli Milagai Podi. Some use this crunchy spiced powder, only when they don't have the time or energy to make any accompaniments for their breakfast (Idli or Dosa); while for others this is a must have, even if there are a variety of Chutneys or Sambhar. This is my mom's recipe, which is made with Sesame seeds, most of the time to make it even more healthier. You can also make this, without Sesame seeds. Sharing this family recipe with my friends & SriValli via CCChallenge.

                

Susiyam / Sugiyam

How to make Susiyam /Sugiyam (with step by step pictures)

           Susiyam, Seeyam, Suzhiyan, Suyya Urundai, Suiyam, Sugiyam, Suzhiyam - I wonder how many more names there are, for these mildly sweet, soft & nutritious balls; that's liked by kids, adults & seniors alike... This is a must-have on the day of Deepavali, in almost every Tamil household. My mom made these on the morning, of  Diwali. It was part tradition & partly because, it was one of dad's favorite. In my tweens & teens, i used to fill up on other sweets & savories and would ultimately end up, having to skip these goodies, because I was too full to have another sweet. I later realized, these are far more nutritious, with no empty calories & also, provide iron & protein. When serving to kids, you can poke a hole on one side & pour a tsp of warm ghee into it; to make it even more delicious. Please check the notes, for additional tips.

         I can't help but think of my dad - as this is my first Diwali without him. One thing, i did not mention in my Tribute to Dad - Last Diwali, I was contemplating on shipping him, some of my home made goodies & finally ended up, not sending any; since I thought it would be too late, by the time he receives it . I only wish, i had known - that was my last opportunity to send him my goodies! He never got a chance to taste any of my Deepavali Sweets & Savories, which had many of his favorites & now, he never can. May be that's why they say - Listen to your heart & go with it!! :( Life is short - Live, Love & Laugh.

Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai/Modak

How to make Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai

         I have been wanting to do a post on Ganesh Chathurthi, (also known as Vinayaga Sadhurthi) for so long now - but for some strange reason, i keep missing it every year. I'm glad, I've no regrets at least this year. The Modak/Kozhukattai is supposedly lord Ganesha's most favorite treat. Once you know how to make the outer covering, your filling options are unlimited, with numerous sweet or savory fillings. 

        What I like about Ganesha, is that he's really not particular about how good, his treats are shaped; or for that matter, how his shape & form is either. He's loved, worshiped & displayed in over a 100 ways as figurines, paintings and statues. Ganesha is associated with auspicious beginnings, remover of obstacles &  to bring good fortune.

         Psst!! If you would like to take a sneak peek at our first attempt (with the help of our local temple) at making a clay Ganesha idol, scroll down all the way, to see our humble creation. I must confess, at first I thought my Ganesh looked pretty good for a first timer - in the end; i was all in love with my son's infant  Ganesh, wrapped in a blanket with the cutest li'l trunk. His original idea, won many hearts.(Your comments are welcome, as always)

Rawa Pongal

How to make Rawa Pongal

                  You've possibly tried the Rawa Upma that is commonly made at home and the popular Pongal that's typically made with rice; but have you tasted Rawa Pongal? If Indian cuisine is new to you, you can relate this dish to the popular Grits, except that this is made from wheat grits, lentils, veggies & flavored with Indian spices. This is a colorful, flavorful & tasty Pongal, can be served as such or with an accompaniment of your choice & has all the qualities to make it on the list of your family favorite. For those who haven't heard about this before - this pongal is creamy, moist & soft. Add veggies of your choice to make it healthy & nutritious.

Honey Wheat Bread

How to make Honey Wheat Bread at home

      Since the time, I heard about the yoga mat chemical in fast food breads (McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, and KFC & many more); I remained, ever so slightly bothered about why the FDA permits Azodicarbonamide, while it is banned as a food additive and in food packaging in most European countries and Australia. And its use in Singapore has some pretty severe penalties. The reason being - two suspicious chemicals are formed when bread with Azodicarbonamide is baked, which is linked to respiratory problems & potentially carcinogenic.

      While we do like to have an occasional meal at fast food chains (in spite of it being high in empty calories)  & have nothing against them; the fact that we might be compromising our health, affects the decision to go back there. While reading about the additive, I learnt that this particular chemical is also used in numerous other popular brands of packaged breads. Next thing to do, was to check my regular (multigrain bread) brands for the additive & there it was listed among a ton of ingredients - decided not to buy that anymore. A week later I found that it was also on my white bread - another brand had to be kicked off my list. While your visit to the fast food chains can be controlled, the packaged breads will be consumed on a daily basis, through out the year (at least, in my home)!! At this rate, chances of any reactions from the additive are enormously higher from packaged breads than from fast foods, I would say.

        The necessary ingredients in bread are pretty basic. You need flour, water, yeast, and salt for sure. And then maybe add a little fat for dough consistency and a little sugar to get the yeast going. A little flavoring, if you like. You take a look at the commercial breads or any packaged food for that matter and the ingredient lists are freaking scary!

         Now, will I stop buying breads altogether & make my own bread, hereafter? Very unlikely! Will I read the ingredient list, before i buy any packaged bread - of course, Duh...! Although more than 500 grocery store food items have this foaming agent, you can easily get commercial breads without the additive. Even if you are not the kind of person, who fusses over what you eat, remember to check the ingredient list of all packaged foods. It's always better to go with products that have a short list with mostly natural ingredients. It's best to err on the side of caution, when it comes to health; but hey, that's just me! Eat, Thrive & Stay Healthy!!