Busy with married life

Oh yeah!
Married V and looks like this is a fairy tale!
Happily Ever After!!!!

Totally dramatic :)
I'll post a pic of us soon....especially my favourite pic from the wedding...

V has forgotten cooking and with an effort to make channa last night - he made it flaming hot!
Resuming writing some recipes here just for R - my friend from kindergarden.
We just bumped into each other last year and guess what we married the guys with the same names and from the same caste and from the same city
Silly us! They were relatives!

She is a darling! and I want to write on here for her!

Happy Deepavali - Diwali wishes - a nostalgic write up attached.

This was something I wrote in 2005 - My second Diwali in the US.
Its almost 3 years now.....Didnt want this to get lost in the mails...

Hello everybody

Diwali wishes to each and everyone of you.
Aish, Ush and myself have been talking about the Diwalis we spent as kids.
The spark of conversation set fire to my thoughts and I just jumbled them to create a few meaningful sentences.

It is definitely a long writeup. Those who are interested can read and add more.
We need to have stories to tell our kids who will hardly get to enjoy the kind of fun we had.

Diwali days...

On a cloudy day, when the rain played its beat on the window panes, a friend so close to heart but miles away called to wish me Happy Diwali. Sweating out, we toil day in and day out, working towards a Graduate Degree or busy at the work place or silently fulfilling the duties of a wife away from the smoky morning, sounds of crackers, streets filled with kids, houses filled with laughter and the festivity of the occasion.….

The Diwali mood starts from the day when the whole family decides to go to Mainguardgate for shopping. Recollecting this, I went to the mall just to pick a shirt that read “Made in India”. Some crazy satisfaction…
Looking at the mirror I found myself in an old jean and a t-shirt that read “America - Love it or Leave it” carried me back to the day when we had difficulty in making choices between two new dresses. Taking long before we tried to look best with those matching bangles, hair bands, jimkis(ear rings) shopped just the night before exclusively for Diwali.
“Hey Aish! I burnt the chakkarai paagu (sugar syrup) talking to you…Let me clear it and get back to the conversation” – Here I go…Again drifted to those beautiful days when we always wanted to experiment in the kitchen, willing to help mom in the preparation of murukku, adhirasam, laddu and our inquisitiveness creating a mess making mom all the more tensed. Her
tension was my delight cos I wouldn’t be assigned any more tasks. :) Happily off to watch my brother light those bijlis and this is when I remember how much fun the little one had when I offered my share of lakshmi vedi, ganesh vedi and atom bomb for him to light.
(Well…huh…I was a little scared then….)

‘What are your plans Aishu?’ “I am going to be at work Swa and yours?” ‘Well, I have school buddy’…

On the evening before Diwali dad brings home a long incense stick so that I will be at a safe distance yet get to enjoy the f un my brother is having blasting the double sound, seven shots, 1000 walas and rocket bombs.
Not happy with 2 bags of crackers “We want more” my brother and I are now in union asking appa to buy more. As demands increase, dad fails to refuse the sweet pleadings and there we are off to the Nehru stadium. Yeah! That’s where the stalls for firecrackers used to be. ‘Hey Rahul! That’s my friend from school da. I told you about the guy who eats chalks nah…’ silently whispering in his ear.
Familiar faces curving smiles and fading byes bring me back to reality.
Switching on the TV again brings back those suntv, rajtv, vijaytv, jayatv programs, channel fights on who screens the latest movie, latest songs…Having varied preferences, we strike a deal as to who will watch which one and when.

Interest loosens and to save the moment I get a call from Usha asking if I am going to wear marudhani or mehendi. Unable to choose between richness of color and a fantasy for design…..I go for both. Mom helps in feeding while brother finds it the best time to play pranks on me as he clearly knows I can’t get my hands on him. Impatiently waiting for the colors to turn red I fall asleep counting minutes before it dawns.

At 12 someone in the neighborhood bursts a cracker and there we shout within those warm walls of the house “HAPPY DIWALI”. Mom will be busy in the kitchen getting things ready for the next day’s pooja and I m in my sleep occasionally checking if the mehendi had
got dry…if the color is getting red…

Mom wakes me and kisses me happy diwali…my brother and I march to the pooja room where granny is ready with oil…everyone fresh but for us we get ready, dressed in our best and ready to run out to burst the first cracker.
After a big discussion in choosing which one to burst first, dad’s already set the splinter on the 1000 wala saram.
Patpatpatpat..pat..pat….pat…………….pat……………………………………pat…………………………………………………………………….\
pat(cracker sound)
The last one goes and then you enter from the safe zone to begin the game.

Manadho sandoshathil thulla
Kaigalo nadunadunga
Kangalo gavanamai
Thiri patri kondadhaa
Endre nokka
Arugil irukum thambiyo
Pathikichu pathikichu
Endru achurutha
Poiyaay kobithu
Veeram kol endru
Manadhirkul kuriye
Mudhal vedi vaipen
Adharkum enakum sila nooru adigale…
Nerupum thiriyum muthamidum nodi
Veede adhirum sathathudan
Saravediyum sirika
Manadhirkul aayiram patampoochigal….

After offering prayers, the whole family sits down for
an early breakfast. As we savour each bite, non stop phone calls from relatives and friends. Taking turns on the phone to wish everyone with lots of joy and cheer in the voices, the initial greeting changes from a Hello to a Happy Diwali feeling privileged about being the first
one to convey the wish. ( I remember Kalpana started with me)
Mom’s voice from the kitchen…“Tv paathukite irukadheenga, friendsku poi sweets kodukanum” ‘Ok amma…’
I call Usha again, “Hey Ushi get ready! lets go to Aishu’s house”

Carrying those neatly packed sweets covering it with a crochet lace, Usha and I pedal our cycles to Aishu’s house. Exchanging sweets, three of us on that poor blue Kinetic Honda to Pallavi’s house.

Thoughts get blocked by a knock at the door - The mailman. Not diwali greeting cards but some fedex for my roomie.

Are we getting so engrossed in our work and schedule that we seldom have the time to sit back and think about all the good old times when we used to go to the shop to buy greeting cards for birthdays, diwali, Christmas, sign and post them?
Ecards have taken place but there are still complaints of no time to choose one and send it across. Hmm…

Nostalgic, again I start thinking what all did we doon this wonderful day.

My brother comes to me running, “Akka namma veetuku munnadi kuppai kammiya
iruku….Vaa…pattasu vedikalam…” As we go to the front of the house to burst crackers, we see unfortunate little kids who keep looking for a half burnt splinter here and there, willing to even probe the USEME for some goodies making us realize how blessed and fortunate we are. Thoughts strike deep and as kids, half heartedly we part with a few crackers only to see
beautiful smiles on those faces that make Diwalis all the more memorable of having tried to make a difference in someone’s life for a few seconds…say…until the flowerpot sparkles turns into ashes?

The afternoons pass with exploring and sorting out which cracker is for Diwali and which one has to be saved for karthikai deepam, which fancy cracker goes first and which one will be at the end of the show. While the elders take a nap or relax, we girls used to gather at one of our places for more chit chats and gossips.

Dusk sets in and the mood of the twilight is enhanced by the numerous little flames from the oil lit lamps that ornate each and every house. Rows of lights giving more meaning to Deepa + avali, the occasion – girls of the house feel it as an honor to light the first lamp. Dressed up in those glittering, shimmering pattu paavadais, wearing flowers and anklets and most
of all the innocent smiles, joys, happiness and excitement buried behind all this, the whole family
gets ready to visit the temple.

As I fold my hands to pray to God, I notice my friend and wonder…is it okay to wish? Is it okay to talk between prayers? Is it okay to go and stand near her?
Holding dad’s hand, silent smiles and nods of the head translate wishes and friends faces grow fainter. Not a second delayed, as soon as we reach home, change and we are ready for the show. (Remembering what the science teacher said “wear cotton clothes while bursting crackers”)
Changuchakkaram, bhusvaanam, colour mathaapu, colour matchbox, pencil, saatai, train, vishnuchakkaram, and what not.

A sole candle aids the whole process. Despite my best efforts to make the fire start from the candle, I start it from my brother’s mathappu (btw whats the English word for mathappu?) grrrr….that’s the reaction I get in return.

Someone in the neighbourhood lights a rocket and we all look at it awe. “Akka, evlo heightla poi vedikudhu paaru, nammalum vaikalam…vaa”. A request which can’t be ignored.
While granny and dad search for a bottle to keep the rocket, my brother is already busy making a mud pile to stick the rocket in. While most of the rockets whiz and whoosh, there is an occasional dawdle. Elders taking a walk on the road, little kids with their dad and mom, cyclists and people on motor bikes wait for the signal to pass and then move.

“ponga ponga naanga innum vedi vaikala” Voices here and there.

Close to 8pm in the night, the crackers are slowly gone and now a little sadness creeps in. “Pattasu theendhu pochu ”
The last one is generally a fancy cracker or a saram and now mom, who was making dinner, also comes to watch. Alls well that ends well.
The close of the night signals the completion of the celebration. “Wash your hands with soap and then come for dinner” voices ring and we silently dine.
Suddenly a thought comes, “amma, we are not done yet.
We still have the colour matchsticks and paampu maathirai”

hahaha…
Happiness sprouts again as we see the snakes rise…what fun!

Cherishing every bit my eyes carry me to sleep waiting to go to school the next day and talk about the Diwali day.

Aishu and Usha, thanks a lot girls, we did spend a Diwali translating back in time.

A little prayer from the bottom of the heart,

God! Can you give us one more Diwali to spend the way
we did as a child???

Long time

Its been a long time since I scribbled here.
I no longer enjoy reading blogs or writing here.
Everybody writes what they want to.
And I am not appreciative of reading everything I find as a blog...
Maybe its just me...

My inclination now has turned towards reading classics.
Just picked out the list 100 best books to read.
Just promised myself I would read one book at a time and will say goodbye to blogging.

I prefer the traditional style.
Writing recipes on a recipe book at home.
I really enjoy that....I can see my own handwriting change with every day....
I dont like to use fonts - they just dont have any individuality....

I communicate better with a pen than a keyboard. Technology fascinates me but I prefer the pen and the paper to be more powerful....Has a better therapeutic feeling....

Baingan - bartha? sabji? chutney? - cut the name

This was something new and I simply tried on my own and it worked!
I broke my fast at 12 and ate a lot!!!!
Couldnt resist my cooking for the first time..w.elllll not exactly....

Lets go

Appearance - Good. a little garnishing with coriander and parsley will make it.
Taste - You can taste the eggplant ( even if they are big, the baking gets the taste on them)
Smells - Brinjaaaalll smells mixed with ginger root
V's Rating - Appreciated me

Ingredients

2 egg plants - bigger ones
1 yellow onion - chopped
1 tomato - diced
3 green chillies - chopped
1/2 inch ginger - finely chopped
1 tbsp sombu ( forgot the english name as I am typing this)
1/2 tbsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil - I prefer gingely oil when I cook Indian food

Method

Preheat oven at 350 deg C.
Bake the egg plants for 25 -30 minutes on 450 deg C.
Peel the skin and keep the pulp aside.
Take a pan and add 2 tbsps of oil and add the sombu.
Add the garam masala to the oil. (i think this works better than adding the masala after everything is done)
Add onion and green chillies and fry till a little before golden brown.
Blend it to a medium paste (you must be able to see onion pieces)
Toss the tomatoes in the pan and just saute them for 2 minutes.
Blend it to a medium paste.
Add onions, chillies and tomatoes and saute them.
Add ginger to the ingredients in the pan.
Add 1/2 tbsp corriander powder and salt before adding the eggplant.
saute them for 6 - 8 minutes.
Now add the eggplant until egg plant mixes well with the rest of the ingredients.
Keep on low heat and allow all of them to get cooked.
10 -15 minutes should be good and they are ready.

This brinjal curry is absolutely easy to make and V and me thought they were really yummy.
Goes well with rotis.

Happy me!!!

V and me got engaged and now I have to cook for the rest of my life.
What more can I ask? A best friend to walk life's journey....
boo hoo - tears of joy.
Love mom and dad for putting up with all my whinings.
Its V's turn from today ;)

Lettuce Wraps - A refreshing recipe

Couresy : http://www.finedinings.com/

Oh Yeah!

After a long time made something yummy for V's tummy.

Appearance - Healthy and Colourful
Smells - Garden Fresh
Taste - Crisp, Nutritious, - simply delicious
V's Rating - LOVED IT TOTALLY

Ingredients

Base wrap - Lettuce

The Filling

1 small red onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
10 olives - chopped
2 tbsps peanuts (salted/unsalted)
1 tbsp spinach dip
1 tbsp mozarella cheese
a pinch of pepper
a pinch of garlic powder
5 -6 cilantro stems - chopped
salad toppings (usually contains almonds, chowmein)


V likes Chicken
so grilled chicken breast - chopped (I tossed it in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and some garlic and pepper seasoning)

Method

Its simple.
Mix all the ingredients mentioned under the filling.
Take a lettuce leaf, (a larger one makes it easy to wrap) add necessary amounts of chicken and filling. Wrap them up and enjoy :)
If you need a vegeterian wrap just exclude the chicken.

This is something which is healthy, fast to make and good to eat :)
V loved it absolutely and he was all praises....

Tip

The filling can be anything you want it to be...
Inime V ku lettuce wrap dhaan - I pity his state.
Makes my work a lot easier.... :)

Boo me

Boo me
Havent made anything that V loved in the past one month
V - am terribly sorry.
Will get something cooking soon