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Friday, August 28, 2009

ANNIVERSARY BASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two days after my Teej was Mom & Dad's wedding anniversary. I was very much excited as I would gift them another creation of my creativity. I would make a card for them. I indulged myself in one & completed it in 2 days. And I was happy with the result as well.

My brother was also making one. But in his case, he would make one on the computer as he is a Graphic Designer by profession. He makes a customized card on comp & me a hand made one, with some waste & papers lying around at home. BEST OUT OF WASTE!!!!!!





I gifted them my card & a bunch of Gerbera daisies. My brother gifted them a beautiful card & a box of chocolates.





















We met at the new KFC joint on the New Bel Road, B'lore. I was looking forward to it as there was no KFC nearby. We usually went to Brigade or Forum for one.

So heartfelt thanks & congrats to the KFC. Since it is located at a college area, it runs full through out the day. It is nearby the Ramaiah College, where my hubby did his Engineering.





We all met here & had a sumptuous treat. I enjoyed every bit of chicken I ate. I love the wings. After the heavy lunch, my family came to my place. We spent the rest of the day together here talking, watching stuff etc., They left home by 6:00 pm.

Hence went by that DAY, which we all enjoyed. Ofcourse for my sister in law (my brother's wife), it was her first bash with her new family.

Wishing them...... "Many Happy Returns Of The Day" AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

AN AUSPICIOUS DAY OF MY LIFE................

A day after my birthday fell the festival of Teej. During those days of ill health, I thought celebrating Teej would not be possible for me this time. But I was totally fine & was happy about it. Teej is a festival similar to the karwachauth, celebrated in Punjab. Teej is celebrated at Rajastan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal etc., Since I'm a Biharan now, I get to celebrate this festival.



Teej is a festival for Hindu married women. It usually falls on the third day of Shukla Paksha in Bhadrapada (hindu Month). Normally in the month of August or early September. It is celebrated for marital bliss & the well being of the spouse. And it also paves way to the purification of body & soul. They worship Goddess Parvathi or Gowri. The festival is a day long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. Married women fast for a day(24 hrs.) without food & water called as the NIRJAL VRITH (निर्जल वृत).

Here in Karnataka the day is celebrated as Gowri Habba. Teej is usually celebrated a day before Ganesh Chathurthi. This time the festival of Teej & Ganesh Chaturdashi fell on the same day. My dodamma said that it was very auspicious that this happened, but in vain. It was very unfortunate for me because usually all these years I would fast on Teej & the very next day was Chauti, when I break my fast that morning. And would attend the Ganesh pooja at my mom's place & devour all the sumptuous Manglorean Delicacies.

My hubby asked me to skip & fast any other day possible, but I did not want to be an exception. When we follow something & do it , we do it whole heartedly. And this fasting was for my Kuku & how could I cheat.

Early morning at 4:00 am, I drank the nimbu paani & start my fast. Maa (Mother in law) prepares kheer too, to start of with the fast. We can eat fruits too. But who has the patience to eat all that early morning. I just drink the paani & go off to sleep. After we wake up late (an exception for the day, so as to not tire ourselves) we start preparing some delicacies & prasad for the pooja to be held in the evening. But this time as both Ganesh & Teej fell on the same day, I had to wake up early & perform a pooja before 10:oo am, as the time after that would be the auspicious time for Ganesh Pooja.

After the pooja at my place, we left to my mom's place to attend the Ganesh pooja.





I just watched everyone eat the yummy prasad & the festive lunch after that. The traditional prasad that is prepared at home is called as "PanchaGajjaya". Would write about it sometime later.



The festive lunch comprised of Mooode (ಕೊಟ್ಟೆ ಅಥವಾ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿಗೆ), ಕಡಲೆ, ಅಲಸಂಡೆ, ಹೀರೆಕಾಯಿ, ಗೇರುಬೀಜ ತ್ಹೊಂಡೆಕೈ ಪಲ್ಲ್ಯಗಳು, ಪಾಯಸ(ಸೀಯಾಣ), ಹೆಸರು ಕಾಳು ಸಾರು, ಹೀರೆಕಾಯಿ ಬಜ್ಜಿ, Chutney, ಅನ್ನ & ತಿಳಿ ಸಾರು. ಭರ್ಜರಿ ಅಲ್ವಾ!!!!!!!







I asked mom to pack up a take away for me which I would devour the following afternoon.





As the day comes to an end & the time is nearing for the pooja in the evening, we beautify ourselves by dressing up like a bride, with all the jewelry, mehendi, alta, new saris etc., We keep all the delicacies & the prasad prepared that day as a serving in the name of God along with fruits & other accessories that adorn a married woman. At about 6:30 - 7:00 pm, we begin the pooja by singing bhajans & aarthis. Then once the pooja concludes, we are or rather I am allowed to drink a glass of nimbu paani again, since my mother in law was lenient enough, when she made me take up the fast, the first time.





Then I go off to sleep & early morning at 5:30 - 6:00 am, we freshen up & perform another pooja & then our husbands feed us the prasad & we feed them too & take their blessings by touching their feet. When I do that my hubby avoids as it tends to become very formal, but I like doing that as I do that once a year with respect & the rest of the days I do it with love (!@##$%^^).
After that I drank a cup of tea & feasted on the pooris & chole masala that my hubby had prepared for me. But after I break the fast, I hardly feel like eating anything, may be because now I know that I can eat anything I want. I slept & relaxed that day as I had to focus on my parents anniversary gifts next, which was on the 26th of August.

All these auspicious days of my life were just behind each other. And I was literally on my toes all these days.

Life mein Kabhi Kabhi!!!!

The only prasad I prepared is called as Nimki (Namkeen). There at Ranchi, my maa in law also prepares Gujiya (padakiya), kheer & some two more delicacies of which I have no idea.

Nimki is very simple, easy & does not exhaust you much.

NIMKI:



Ingredients:

Flour (Maida) - 1 kg
Ajwain Seeds (carom seeds) - 1 tsp
Mangrela (black sesame seeds) - 1 tsp (I store a mix of both)
Oil - 3 cups (to fry) +1 cup (to mix the dough)
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Mix all these above ingredients (OIL 1 CUP) in a deep wide mouthed vessel. Add enough water to knead a soft & smooth dough. Consistency to prepare rotis.



Keep it aside for sometime say 1/2 an hour.

Then make tennis ball sized balls of the dough & roll it with the help of a rolling pin. Do not roll it very thin. It ought to be a bit thick.





Once flat, cut the rolled dough into one & a half inch strips. Then further cut these strips into 1/2 a cm or a cm wide pieces with the help of a knife.



Transfer these cut pieces onto a plate or a bowl, keep it aside for a 5 minutes to let it dry.



Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a wok or a deep bottomed vessel.



Once the oil is very hot, add few cut pieces of the nimki, at a time & deep fry till golden brown.


Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A DAY I WOULD TREASURE MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!!!

I did not post all these days because of my health problems. I was totally distressed.
Days went by & it was already 21st of August. My BIRTHDAY!!! But because of my health issues, I thought
this day would just pass by, like the others, sobbing in pain. But 20th midnight was a total surprise. Kuku, my hubby, made "The Day" really wonderful & special for me by gifting me Beautiful Roses which were followed by Chocolate Fantasy & Coffee Day Mugs to add to my collection, of which, I would write sometime later. The scent of those flowers gushed all
my emotions, that I wept.
But those were not those painful tears but tears of joy, when least expected. That was the moment I found
solace in.









That day, morning, dad, mom, my brother
& his wife came home. Amrith (my brother) made a beautiful card for me which I really loved & he also
gifted me 2 box of chocolates. And flowers of course. I always looked forward to surprises from my brother,
especially on RAKHI, & it never happened. But on the day that I had least expected anything, it came as a
real big surprise & a moment of joy to treasure. I love him. May God bless our relation forever. I
believe that these simple gestures, mean a lot in relationships.











And with all the happiness, I totally forgot that I was unwell & we(me & mom) cooked a simple yet
sumptous meal for an unexpected B'day Lunch. Mom prepared Ghee Rice, Chilly Chicken, Chicken Kebab & I
prepared Gobi ke Parathe (Cauliflower Parata). We laughed a lot & chit chat too. They went back home late
evening at about 8 pm.

When I had thought I would just let the day pass, I had a blast that day. I thanked God that he made THE DAY

favor me.







The night, before I went to bed, I read a birthday wish from one of my close friends (Sandhya) & that

helped me wind up my day with added happiness.
Too many surprises & happiness, showered on me that I would treasure them, my whole life.
I love my Kuku a lot. May God keep us together till the end of our lives. May we be born for eachother, if we
are born again.
I love my family & friend.

Thankyou God!!!!!!!



Tuesday, August 11, 2009

SIMPLE NAAN (Flat Rolled Indian Bread )

Naan is one bread that mom started preparing only after we came down to Bangalore. If not while at Puttur, the only bread that was prepared, was chapati with a little oil. But after we came down to Bangalore, while we ( My brother & me ) were still small, mom prepared naan to celebrate any special occassion with chicken. Since then it has been a trend at home that any special occassion like B'days & anniversaries would not be complete without the 'Naan'.

Earlier mom prepared it on a tawa, now she uses the tandoor too. Sometimes if the number of guests are more, we use both, the tandoor as well as the tawa (Iron Skillet).



Ingredients:

Flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Curd or Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt to Taste
Water as required

Garnish:

Coriander Leaves - 1 cup, finely chopped
White Sesame Seeds (ಬಿಳಿ ಎಳ್ಳು or तिल)- 1 tbsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients well, in a deep vessel to make a smooth dough. Keep it aside covered for 1/2 hour.



Prepare lemon sized balls & roll it with the help of a rolling pin( belan - बेलन ) to any shape you like. Once the dough has been rolled to a not so thin consistency, sprinkle coriander leaves & sesame seeds & roll it out further a bit hard so as to let the garnish stick on to the bread well.













If using an iron skillet, heat the tawa & then place the rolled bread on it & cook a side. Once it has been cooked, turn it over with a help of a spoon & cook the other side, while you smear some oil or butter on the side facing you. repeat the procedure with the other side as well & cook both the sides after it has been oiled to let the oil cook.

If using a tandoor, place a thick sheet of aluminum foil, heat the pan, & then add spread some butter & place the rolled breads & spread some more butter on the side facing you. Now place the pan in the tandoor & let the bread cook well. When the bread seems fluffy, remove it from the pan & apply some more butter & cook again. Once done remove & serve.



Serve it hot with any veg or non veg gravy of your choice. For those who are oil conscious, just sprinkle oil & not spread.

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