BATATA VADA Batata Vada is made in different states of India, but nothing can beat the authentic taste of batata vada’s made in Maharashtra. In south, the batata vadas is known as Uralakazhangu Bonda in Tamil or (Potato bonda). The recipe varies slightly in the south from the Bombay recipe. I think any person who comes to Bombay from any part of the world, will be totally hooked to the Vada-Pav (which is a Bombay dish or rather we can say a Bombay street food). The Vada Pav is nothing but A pav (bun) stuffed with chutneys and batata vada) Its very tasty and filling. Its something that is totally irresistible. Usually garlic is added in the batata vada, but my recipe is without garlic, but if you like the flavor of garlic, you can always add some garlic and make a paste along with the ginger and green-chilly. Here is the recipe of the Batata vada, Vada Pav and Vada Pav my style. Do try this yummy dish out.
Ingredients Potatoes - 6-8 Green chilies – 4-5 Ginger - 1 small piece Finely chopped Coriander leaves Gram Flour (Besan) – 2 cups Turmeric powder – 1tsp Red chilly powder – 1tsp Oil for frying, Asafetida – 2 pinches Salt as per taste Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Method Boil the potatoes, Peel and mash the potatoes with your hands. It should be mashed in such a way that its slightly chunky and not completely mashed. Keep Aside. Grind ginger and green chilies together into a paste. Keep aside. In a Kadhai (wok), take 1 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, add the cumin seeds and the ginger - green chili paste, a pinch of asafetida, now add the mashed potatoes, add turmeric powder, salt according to taste and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Check for salt. If the taste is okay keep aside. Allow to cool down. Once the mixture has cooled down, make balls of the mixture and keep aside. In a separate bowl, take the gram flour, add salt, red chilly powder and a pinch of asafetida and mix well. Add water and mix, there shouldn’t be any lumps in the mixture.The batter should be in the consistency of the dosa batter (not too watery or too thick.). To test take some batter in a spoon and drop it inside the batter. It should flow like a ribbon inside the batter. Now in a Kadhai (wok), heat some oil. To check if oil is properly heated, drop some batter in the oil. If the batter immediately turns soild and float on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. The oil should not be too hot, else the vadas will become dark from the outside before they are actually done from the inside. Now dip each ball in the batter, letting the excess batter drip off and slowly add to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the kadhai, else the temperature of the oil reduces which in turn slows down the frying process. Deep fry all the vadas until golden in color. Remove on a paper towel and drain. Your Batata Vadas are ready.
VADA PAV Pav is a freshly baked bun. If pav is no available, you can use any other unsweetened bun or even bread. We use freshly baked French loaves in Singapore, as we don’t get unsweetened pavs. Cut the French loaf into equal pieces and then split them in the middle. Now add Coriander chutney, Dry Lasoon chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and freshly chopped onions if you like. Place the Vada inside and serve hot.
VADA PAV my style*****
With the left over gram flour batter, I usually drop boondis in the hot oil, through a spoon with holes in it. I get fresh, crispy boondis. I also fry green chillies in the oil and keep aside the fried green chillies mixed with some salt. Split open the pav, Add the chutneys of your choice, finely chopped onions, a pinch of chaat masala, the freshly fried boondis and then place the vada, close the pav and indulge in this tongue tickling Vada pao with a bite of the fried chillies.
What more can a person ask on a rainy day or any day for that matter. Vada-pao is like a complete meal.
(Refer to the Chutneys and Sauces section of my blog for the recipes of Coriander chutney, Dry Lasoon Chutney and Sweet Tamarind Chutney)
Doing yoga for one day will increase your life by ten days’ Thursday June 28 2007 20:37 IST Kamini Mathai http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEL20070628111113&eTitle=Living&rLink=0 More secrets to long life from Dr Asana Andiappan Dr Asana Andiappan never wears footwear, a watch, or a ring. He does not eat solid or cooked food (he lives on fruit juice… “one day cucumber, one day orange”). Never goes to hospital (not even to visit a sick relative). Does not wear glasses. Practices yoga every single day without exception (even if he is on a train, he does it in the passage way or on the platform). And the 80-year-old yoga master got his BA Music degree just this year (a fact he is really proud of because he has been practicing hard for the exam every morning between 6 and 7). Andiappan is now onto his next mission in life — to make sure physical education masters are not allowed to teach yoga in schools. In fact, Andiappan, now the president of the Tamil Nadu State Yogasana Association, stood in the Vrksasana (tree pose) for an entire day, along with other teachers and students of yoga, to protest the new government order. He’s still fighting the case.
Andiappan credits everything to his exercise regime. “Doing yoga for one day will increase your life by ten days,” says Andiappan, who lives on the ground floor of his base yoga centre in Anna Nagar, Chennai. “I do three hours of yoga a day. I know I am going to live to the age of 110. No doubt about that.”
Andiappan learned yoga at the age of 20 and says that he toured with his master and “performed” at various cities. It was at a yoga conference in Mumbai that he was nicknamed ‘Asana’ Andiappan by the other yoga professisonals because of his ability to do 100 asanas in ten minutes, something he can still do, he says.
A few years later, Andiappan donned a black underwear, twisted into a complicated variant of the ek pada asana pose, got himself photographed, plastered posters of it all over Chennai and the “asana” Andiappan brand of yoga was born. At the age of 80 he remains the mascot for Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre and has not relinquished that. Today, he has centres in Chennai, one in every district in Tamil Nadu, as well as centres in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, England and Germany. He’s roped in the whole family — while his son manages the Hong Kong centre, his wife has joined him on the posters to make women feel at home, and his son in-law helps him run the business in Chennai.
Andiappan says that most schools of yoga only teach the basic asanas and then move on to pranayama and meditation, skipping the more complicated postures. But Andiappan says that’s why he has decided to specialise in asanas which he feels is the most important aspect of yoga. “There are lakhs of asanas,” he insists. “Yet, most other than the basics are ignored.”
As for why he never goes to a hospital, he says it is to maintain his brand image. “I am a VIP. People recognise me. I have not had any illness in the last 50 years, not even a fever. If I go to a hospital, people will think I am lying about the benefits of yoga.”
Live long, live healthy Asana Andiappan’s tips for longevity and well-being
Wake up before sunrise. Andiappan wakes up at 4 am.
As soon as you wake up, drink one litre of room temperature water and then make yourself vomit. “It washes your stomach clean.”
After that, have a bath. Only then must you embark on your asanas. “The bath lubricates the system.”
The older you grow the less you must eat. “You must rest your digestive system if you want to live longer.”
Eat only sattvik food. In other words, be a vegetarian. You can do yoga only four hours after food.
Do not eat after sun set. “I believe that if you do not eat at night, you will live longer.”
Pranayama or breathing exercises must be done at the beginning and end of a yoga session.
Don’t try and stop your vices (smoking, alcohol etc) before you start yoga. “Yoga will ease you out of your vices.”
Do your yoga everyday. The asanas you need to do everyday are — Pavana mukta asana (where you twist and turn every joint from the fingers to the neck and toes). “There are 45 positions, which you can do in 45 seconds.”
Surya namaskara: Sun salutation Viparita karani: An inverted pose, where you lie on your back, with your legs perpendicular to your torso. “This, in my opinion, is the most useful asana as I feel it is best for overall well-being.”
Sarvangasana: Literally means a pose for all the parts of the body.
Ardhasirasana: Half headstand
Breathing: Deep breathing (breathe in fast, breathe out slow), breathe in through left and out through right and then in through right and out through left.
THE RICH HYDERABADI CUISINE Hyderabad – The capital of Andhra Pradesh. History It was founded in the late 16th century by the Qutab Shahi dynasty, a line of rulers known for their beautiful "monuments, mosque and mistresses". In 1589, Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah decided to shift his capital from Golconda to the banks of river Musi. Consequently, a city adorned with magnificent palaces and mosques, embodying a style of architecture that was unique to the place - the domes and minarets dressed with splendid stucco ornamentation - was born. In 1724 taking advantage of the waning Mughal Empire the viceroy of Hyderabad Asaf Jah, declared Hyderabad as an independent State and founded his own dynasty. So begun the dynasty of the Nizams of Hyderabad, a dynasty that would, for seven generations, rule the kingdom, a dynasty whose scions would be included among the "richest men in the world", a dynasty under which traditions and customs of Islam flourished and a dynasty under whom Hyderabad developed into a focus for arts, culture and learning and the centre of Muslim India. The Nizams held sway over Hyderabad until 1948, when the State was merged with the Indian Union. Cuisine A state located in the south of India influenced by the north Indian and Mughlai cuisine. When u talk of the rich Mughlai or Nawabi food we cant forget the Hyderabadi cuisine which is unique, a fusion between the north and the south. A rich marriage of 2 cuisines. The word "Nawabi" is as synonymous with the Hyderabadi cuisine as "Shahi" is with Lucknowi. These terms conjure delicacies that are rich in taste and texture with mouth-watering aromas. Hyderabad's 400-year-old culinary history, like its culture, is unmatched by any other state in India. In fact Hyderabad was known for the spectacular way its aristocracy entertained. Of all the Muslim cuisine, Hyderabad is never complete without the mention of the "Shahi Dastarkhan". The Dastarkhan is the Dining place where the food is served and eaten. It is normally a low chowki for the dining table and cotton mattresses for squatting and bolsters for the back rest. The Dastarkhan holds a place of reverence in every household. The Cuisine of Hyderabad has been influenced by various regional and religious cuisines, both Indian and Foreign, despite which it has been able to create an identity of its own. It has also been able to contribute towards making Indian cuisine popular world wide. The "Biryani" from this cuisine is one such example. What makes the Hyderabadi Cuisine special is the use of special ingredients, carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree. The food is very rich, spicy and aromatic, to match their lifestyles. They use plenty of whole spices, Whole cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon are daily used spices to flavour their dishes, also used abundantly are are the key flavours of coconut, tamarind, peanuts, cashwenuts, sesame seeds and chilly(which is used in abundance in the entire Andhra Pradesh). Some exotic ingredients significant to this type of cooking include tamarind flowers, drumstick flowers and leaves, and rosella leaves(rosella is a sour herb which enhances the taste of dishes. It looks like spinach it is also known as Lal Ambari in Hindi). Their style of cooking is also unique, the food is usually slow cooked. It is cooked on Dum. Dum pukht refers to a slow method of cooking food. ''Dum'' means steam and ''dum pukht'' literally means to choke off the steam. The food is placed in a pot, usually made of clay, and dough is used to create a tight seal to prevent steam from escaping. The food is slowly cooked in its own juices and steam, allowing herbs and spices to fully infuse the meat or rice, preserving the nutritional elements at the same time. Most of their dishes are cooked on a handi (Shallow wide flat bottomed). You could easily say that handis are their favourite cooking vessel. The Masalas or the rich blend of herbs, spices and condiments give the dishes a base, or what is popularly known as "Gravy". Some of these blends are a well-kept secret that pass only down the family line or from the Ustad(Teacher) to his Shagird(Pupil). The head cooks or the "Khansas" were an asset to the household, and were treated with due respect. The "Kebabs" in Hyderabad need a special mention, the "Shammi Kebab" is one such popular dish. The Kebabs are originally from Greece!! The Hyderabadi meal is never complete without the bread from the kilns of the local bakers. The breads from this cuisine are equally popular, be it rich "Sheermal" or "lukmi" (bread stuffed with savory mince meat). Bread is not only an accompaniment to the meal but also forms a base for a popular sweet dish "Double Ka Meetha".
Though most of their fare is non vegetarian, The Hyderabadi cuisine also offers a lot of mouthwatering dishes for vegetarians. It is the only cuisine of the sub-continent that can boast of a major vegetarian element which has much to do with the local influences. Considering that the elite of the erstwhile Hyderabad state came from the north of India and was almost entirely Muslim, this is a little surprising. The nation's vegetarians, of course, stand to gain by it And so do we as my blog is dedicated to vegetarianism and vegetarian cooking. There is 'Bagara Baingan', a rich spicy preparation of brinjals and Mirchi-ka-salan (Mirch-ka-sabu), a preparation of chillies in a creamy gravy. Apart form these, the 'Tomato Qoot' is an aromatic puree of tomato with flavorings and 'Shahi Dahi Vadas' which are lentil dumplings in Youghurt sauce. On the dessert menu, Hyderabad is famous for double-ka-meetha (a bread and cashew nut pudding) also known as Shahi Tukda, Badam-ki-Jhab (marzipan or a candy), Another popular sweet dish is the 'Qubani-ka-Meetha' which is a stewed apricot dessert and 'Dil-e-Firdaus', a rich, milk-based sweet are widely eaten. During the festival day of Id-ul-Fitr, it is traditional to serve 'Sheer Korma', the delicious 'Kheer', made with 'Sevian', dried fruits and dates. Apart from these delectable desserts, one can also enjoy a wide variety of fruits like Mangoes, 'Anabshahi' grapes, custard apples, etc. Their sweet dishes are also quite unique and rich. Sweet dishes usually include milk as a major ingredient.
After consuming such rich food, we come to an end of this gastronomic journey with a 'Paan'. Which aids in digestion and serves as a mouth freshner.
Refer to Vegetarian Hyderabadi dishes like the Rumali Roti in my blog
DIFFERENT TYPES OF RANGOLI OR KOLAM Before we go to the different types of Rangolis or kolam lets have a brief introduction of what the rangolis is and also the when, why and where of it. This article intends to bring to you'll the Evolution of the Rangoli or Kolam.
What is Rangoli? 'Rangoli' is a sanskrit word which means a creative expression of art through the use of color. When,Why and How is Rangoli applied? In ancient India, rangolis were used to decorate the entrances of homes, a floor-painting which provided a warm and colourful welcome to visitors. In a rangoli, powdered colors are sprinkled on cleaned and dusted floors to form decorations. The colored powder is usually applied 'freehand' by letting it run from the gap formed by pinching the thumb and the forefinger. One important point is that the entire pattern must be an unbroken line, with no gaps to be left anywhere for evil spirits to enter and thus are they prevented from entering the inside of the home. In Indian culture, all guests and visitors occupy a very special place, It is said “ Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guest is equal to God) and a rangoli is an expression of this warm hospitality. The Diwali festival is widely celebrated with rangoli, since at this time, people visit each other's homes to exchange greetings and sweets. It is a tradition to paint a Rangoli at the entrance of one's home during Diwali. This is done because it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits well-lit and decorated homes on Diwali to bless its members. Therefore, people make colorful Rangolis to welcome this benign Goddess and to usher in the New Year with color in their life. Rangoli also has a religious significance, enhancing the beauty of the surroundings and spreading joy and happiness all around. Women learn to make Rangolis from an early age and it is almost like a family heirloom passed through the ages. Rangoli Patterns are usually designed to resemble Nature like Peacocks, flowers, swans, mangos and creepers. Traditionally the colors were derived from natural sources like barks of trees, flowers and roots. However today they are synthetically manufactured. Besides that a host of other ingredients like rice, chili, turmeric, cereal and pulses too are used to further enhance the beauty of the Rangoli and to create a 3-D effect. Rangolis can be vivid three-dimensional art complete with shadings or they can be the traditional plain, yet as beautiful, two-dimensional designs.
What is a Kolam? In the South of India Rangoli is known as Kolam. Kolams are thought to bestow prosperity to the homes. For special occasions limestone and red brick powder to contrast are also used. Though kolams are usually done with dry rice flour, for longevity, dilute rice paste or even paints are also used. Modern interpretations have accommodated chalk, and the latest "technology" in kolams are actually vinyl stickers (that defeat the original purpose). When people get married, the ritual kolam patterns created for the occasion can stretch all the way down the street. Patterns are often passed on generation to generation, mother to daughter. Rangoli in front of house during Pongal Kolam is not so flamboyant as its other Indian contemporary, Rangoli, which is extremely colorful. However, the beauty of a kolam, bordered with blood-red "kaavi" (red brick paste) is also considered exceptional. Evolution of the Rangoli(Kolam) Techniques have evolved over time and now the use of the cone, sieve and funnel are popular. A few very talented artists actually throw the color, and the end results are stunning works of art. The materials can be virtually anything that fancies the rangoli maker, but more traditionally it is 'chiroli' marble dust to which pigments have been added. Finely ground maize (corn) flour which has been subsequently 'dyed', grass and gravel have also been used. Petals of flowers, grains and pulses have been used to form attractive and unusual designs.There have been some innovations in the Rangoli making it look more exotic and increasing the aesthetic beauty of the Rangoli. Some of the rare varieties are the floating rangoli, 3-D kolam, funnel kolam, stencil kolam, portrait kolam and bubble kolam
Floating Rangolis/Kolams What is a floating Rangoli? This is a new and interesting concept in Rangoli. It was discovered by some artistic people that water kept in a large Urn or Urali(a traditionally used wide mouthed flat & thick & flat bottomed pan vessel usually used for cooking (can be metal or made of Terracota or clay also) also becomes a surface for putting rangolis. So the powder is dropped in an artistic way on this surface to make patterns, Colors added give the picture beauty. Even Flowers can be added. But there is one condition though, the Urn or Urali cannot be moved or shaken for if it is shaken then the entire work of art is mixed with the water. As the powder or flowers float in the water they are called as floating rangolis. The powders used for floating rangolis are not the usual rangoli powders that are available in the market as they may dissolve in the water so a different type of powder has to be used which will easily float in the water. A different base is used to make these rangoli powders, If the base is light like saw dust, it can be used to make floating rangoli on the surface of stagnant water. If a rangoli is to be made on water, the color should preferably be insoluble in water. I guess, Rangoli competitions held all over India have spurted the youth to discover new and innovative ways of applying Rangoli, Thus, giving it a whole new dimension. Here’s an interesting read on floating rangolis (excerpts from an article in the newspaper): Those days have gone when Rangoli used to be done with simple dots and a free hand. After years of practice, an artist in Rajkot has come up with varieties of 'Rangoli' that has left even the president of India stunned during his visit to Rajkot. Rangoli on water, under water and in the middle of water is something that artist Pradeep Dave is an expert at. This year, he tried something new and has balanced a Rangoli on Peacock's feathers. But what has taken everyone by surprise is the Rangoli that balances itself on air.According to Dave, this is not magic but a fine combination of Art and Science. Dave has not taken any formal education on making Rangoli but it was just through practice and the application of Science that has help him through his various experiments of making varieties of Rangoli. It was in 1986 that he first made a Rangoli inside water. Then after years of practice he could make it on surface of water and after three years of research he could finally do it in middle of water. According to Dave, doing Rangoli at the bottom of water is easy, but doing it on the surface of water is the toughest job because the entire Rangoli is done without help of any support or base drawing. A Rangoli in water takes a minimum of eight to nine hours depending upon the detailing of the drawing. This New Year, Dave has made a total of 13 varieties of Rangoli. "After three years of reasearch I was successful in making a rangoli between water.According to science, things either flow or sink in water.But this rangoli neither flows nor sinks.I have named it Trishanku. Every year, I try to make a new rangoli," said Dave. One can see a Taj Mahal inside water or a portrait of Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Amitabh Bachchhan and even Narendra Modi. Where the Taj Mahal took around 27 hours for Dave to complete the portraits have taken some 20 hours each. A Rangoli done in the shape of a carpet can be easily misunderstood as a real one. Dave knows some 45 different types of Rangoli, which includes on the walls and even on the roof. Rangoli done inside water can remain intact for around 15 days if preserved properly. Dave made a rangoli of the president of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam inside water , during his visit to Rajkot, he was not only surprised but was stunned to see a fine combination of art and science. The rangolis made by Dave have been kept open for public and every day a large number of people flock his residence to see these rangolis. Some could not believe even with their naked eyes that the rangoli has been done with the help of gypsum colours or a poster placed inside the water. "These are very good.It is so difficult to make an ordinary rangoli and we wonder how he has made a rangoli on water," said Disha Mehta, a visitor. "I never thought that it is possible to make a rangoli inside water.It is good. All colours and shades are also very nice," said Beena Joshi, another visitor. According to Dave, there is no technique but simple rules of science that he follows. All that he uses is gypsum colours and oil for making rangoli inside water. While the Rangoli placed on feather and in air is done with extremely fine colours that weighs less that the feathers. Dave through his art now aims to enter his name in the Limca books of Records and Guinness Book of World Records. (ANI)
3-D Rangolis/Kolams 3-dimensional. A graphic display of depth, width, and height. There are several ways to make a rangoli like using colored petals of flowers arranged on ground OR on still water. Rangoli is also drawn on sticky hot wax using sandy powders (where it is impossible to swipe the color powder once it is filled) and immersed under shallow water to get the 3D magnified effect. Some artists use the 3-D effect for borders alone while others create beautiful designs using grains and beads entirely. Coloured powder can be directly used for fancy decorations, but for detailed work, generally the material is a coarse grained powder base into which colors are mixed. The base is chosen to be coarse so that it can be gripped well and sprinkled with good control. The base can be sand, marble dust, saw dust brick dust or other materials. The colors generally are very fine pigment podwers like gulal/aabir available for Holi or colors (mentioned above) specially sold for rangoli in South India. Various day to day colored powders like indigo used for cloth staining, spices like turmeric, chili, rawa, rice flour, flour of wheat etc are also variously used. Powder colors can be simply mixed into the base. If the base is light like saw dust, it can be used to make floating rangoli on the surface of stagnant water. Sometimes saw-dust or sand is soaked into waterbased color and dried to give various tints. However that probably cannot be used on water. If a rangoli is to be made on water, the color should preferably be insoluble in water.
Funnel Rangolis/Kolams If you find it hard to make diwali rangoli designs with hand, use a small nozzled funnel, control the flow of the filled rangoli with thumb or middle finger, and make desired designs easily. Do not use pure colours without rangoli in this way because they will not fall through easily. If you find it hard to make diwali rangoli designs with hand, use a small nozzled funnel, control the flow of the filled rangoli with thumb or middle finger, and make desired designs easily. Do not use pure colours without rangoli in this way because they will not fall through easily.
Tibetan Sand Painting or Mandala Sand Painting This Floor Painting style is a part of Tibetan Tantric Art tradition. The Tibetans call it dul-tson-kyil-khor, which literally means "mandala of colored powders." Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks. The heartbreaking part of this ritual is that after days of determined hard work and perseverance the very monks who work on these paintings have to destroy them. The beginning of mandala sand painting is an auspicious occasion which is marked by a ceremonial ritual. In this opening ceremony the lamas, or Tibetan priests, gather in front of the painting the site and call forth the supreme power of goodness. This is done by the means of chanting, music, and mantra recitation. In the first day of the painting process the outline of the painting is drawn on a wooden board. In the consequent days the outlines are layersed with different colored sands. The sand is poured from a metal funnel called chak-pur. This funnel is an important part of the tradition too. The monks involved in the apintings hold a funnel in their hand and run a metal rod on its surface. The vibrations caused by the metal rod makes the sand flow like water from the funnel mouth. These paintings follow the prescribed Mandala motifs. A Mandala is a symbolic geometric pattern, which is a metaphysical or symbolical representation of the cosmos, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective. The center of the Mandala can be used as the focal point of meditation. In fact the complex but symmetric web of structures around the center draws one’s eyes towards the focal point. Make dots on the ground using a small amount of flour. Connect the dots by using small amounts of flour to trickle between your thumb and forefinger but for children or people who find it difficult to use hands to do it or aren’t familiar with making rangoli before u can use a large funnel and tap the flour out of the end of the funnel to make the line. There are many items you can use to make a funnel, depending on your resources. For example:- Rework a sundae spoon by bending the handle inwards to form a funnel or tube, scoop the sand using the spoon side and tilt it to pour the sand through the tube. - Or glue a straw to a sundae spoon flaring it out into the spoon so that it catches all the sand in the spoon. - Or fashion your own sand painting tool out of soft metal like tin or aluminium or plastic or wood.
MAKE YOUR OWN RANGOLI 1. Choose a simple design and the appropriate colours. 2. You will need the following basic ingredients: A hard board of size 30 × 30 cm; Pencil/Chalk; Ruler; Spoons; Small funnel, with a very thin spout; sieve; 3. For even spreading, make a small cone or tube, and at the tip place a thin sieve/gauze. This will help considerably in even spreading of colours and minimise wastage. A stiff paper cone is ideal for margins, dots and borders. 4. Buy rangoli colours from Indian shops or from India. Alternatively, make them yourself. 5. Spread the colours by hand, tube or cone as necessary to make your rangoli. P.S. I made a mention of the Tibetan Sand paintings as the Funnel Kolam is an idea inspired by this.
Bubble Rangoli/Bubble Kolam Kolam as connected bubbles The trick is to use the symmetry of the kolam. The typical symmetry used is the cyclic symmetry, as shown in the above figure. This is also the most complex and the most impressive one, apart from being the most common (the others are reflection symmetry between the halves). This reduces the problem of remembering the whole kolam, to one of remembering just one quarter of it. Of course, nothing stops us from creating a completely asymmetrical one, but I haven't seen it in daily use (maybe I should explore more of that, now that it is easy with this program). I think this symmetry part has been used extensively by the kolam creators. But, this is not enough. You need more patterns to make kolam drawing as simple as connecting points with line. If you see the above figure, I've specifically shaded the closed areas that contain the dots ('Pullie' in Tamil). This way you can see clearly that a kolam is just a connected network of many 'bubbles' (if you can call these shaded parts so). This is important because, this way you only have to join different dots creatively, and the regulation part of weaving the curve around them could be automated. This is not to say that joining dots is easy, because traditionally only certain dot-connections are considered beautiful. You are free to explore, but don't blame me, if your mom gives an indifferent glance to your masterpiece. The above are some frequent and pleasing connections of dots. You can see the connecting lines in green in the above figure. The darker shaded bubbles, is only to highlight that, if a dot is connected to one or more dots, the bubble will be connected similarly. I have highlighted one vertex each for degree 1,2,3 and 4.
Stencil Rangolis This craft involves the cutting of an intricate stencil depicting scenes ... the use of this paper stencil is then made in creating a rangoli. The stencil Rangoli is a welcome addition for those people who don’t know how to put Rangoli or who have never attempted to do it but still want the real effect of a Rangoli. Since you are using colors it still stands as an ideal source of colorful welcome to the festive celebrations. For the beginners who want a beautiful rangoli can do so by getting themselves a rangoli color-and-stencil kit, now easily available, also available are roller stencils just put the color or plain white rangoli powder inside the pipe of the roller whose one side is open and one side is closed and roll it on the floor for beautiful patterns.
Portrait Rangoli Portrait Rangoli means, portraits of people drawn with rangoli powders, it can be Portraits of Gods, people sometimes inanimate objects or nature. Portrait Rangoli looks very realistic and is more like a drawing on paper. We can see some portrait rangoli on the streets, where artists paint pictures of God on the pavement and collect money for their art.
Rangoli has evolved into many a beautiful forms. If any of the readers know of any more different types of rangoli please do share with me.
Here is the Recipe of Ennai Kathrikai. This is basically a Chettinaad dish( A Tamilnadu speciality). There are people who love brinjals and there are people who cant stand brinjals. This recipe is for both the categories. Sometimes, brinjal when cooked in a different style can taste totally different, Brinjal has a quality which many vegetables don’t have. It has a tenderness and easily absorbs the spices in, this totally changes the taste of the humble brinjal also known as Eggplant and Aubergines. ENNAI KATHRIKAI (Brinjals stuffed with masala powder) Serves : Four Time Required : 40 minutes
For the masala powder : 6 dry red chillies 3 tsp coriander seeds 11/2 tsp chana dal 11/2 tsp urad dal ¼ coconut 11/2 tsp salt a pinch (hing) asafetida
To prepare the masala powder : Heat two tsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the red chillies, coriander seeds and the dals to a reddish brown colour. Keep aside. Grate the coconut and fry in two tsp oil to a reddish brown colour. Powder the fried chillies and coriander seeds with the salt. Add the fried dals and fried coconut. Powder once again. Add asafetida. Mix well and keep the masala powder aside. Cut the stems and slit the brinjals into four, taking care that the brinjals do not get cut into four pieces. Stuff each brinjal with a little of the prepared masala powder. Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, When they splutter, add the stuffed brinjals. Sprinkle a little water, if necessary. (If the brinjals are very tender, there is no need for water. Cover and cook till very soft, truning the brinjals quite often. If the brinjals are not very tender and have seeds, soak a marble sized ball of tamarind in half cup water, extract the pulp and sprinkle this tamarind pulp, instead of water, over the brinjals. Nutritive value of each serving : Calories : 178 kcal Proteins : 1.8 g Fat : 16.7 g Minerals : 0.4 g Fibre : 1.6 g Carbohydrates : 5.0 g
RASAVANGI Rasavangi is a south Indian dish with a Maratha influence is what I thought but Rasavangi is actually a Maharashtrian dish that has been adapted in the south from the Maratha’s. History has it that when the Maratha’s ruled Tanjore some of their dishes like the Pitlai and Rasavangi slowly made an appearance into the south Indian cuisine. So here’s the recipe for Rasavangi south Indian isshtyle…… Rasavangi Ingredients :
1 big Brinjal, chopped
1 cup toor dal
4 tsp coriander seeds
6 to 8 red chillies (depending on how spicy your red chilly is)
2 tsp chana dal
3 tsp coconut grated
1 tsp Tamarind paste or u can alternatively use Tamarind powder or also soak tamarind in water and use it according to the sourness of the Tamarind and your taste.
¼ tsp Turmeric (haldi)
½ tsp mustard
½ tsp udad dal
4 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt to taste
A small pinch of Asafoetida (hing) and a few curry leaves
Method :
Cook toor dal seperately in 2½ cups of water and keep it aside.
Cut the Brinjals into 1 inch blocks.
Fry coriander seeds, red chillies, channa dal, and hing in 2 tsp of oil and wet grind the above mixture with coconut. Grind until the coconut milk gets released from the coconut. If u want u can slightly roast the coconut also as this will give a fine aroma and enhance the taste further, but it is not necessary
Fry brinjals in 2 tsp of oil until it becomes soft. This is very important as only then the brinjal will loose it’s raw smell and the taste will be very good.
Add turmeric, salt, Tamarind paste and 2 cups of water to this and allow it to cook for a few minutes.
Now put the ground masala, and let it cook for 10 minutes, and then add the cooked toor dal, and let it cook for another 5 to10 minutes.
Heat some oil, splutter mustard, then add hing, udad dal, and curry leaves and add this to the rasavangi.
Here again there are variations, If u want u can add tomatoes, some people even add onions to enhance the flavour. It’s again a personal choice. Do what is most popular in your home or what suits your pallete.
Why does Gold loose its glitter? Gold unlike Silver doesn't tarnish, but it can be dirtied or dulled by the oil in your skin, body lotion, makeup or other substances.
How to protect your Gold Avoid wearing gold jewelry in swimming pools because chlorine can discolor the metal.
Avoid wearing gold in the shower as soap dulls the gold.
Protect your gold ring from chemicals. While your hands can take on just about anything from exotic oils to chlorine and even bleach, your ring cannot. Whenever you handle harsh chemicals always remember to remove your wedding ring. The best protection against harmful chemicals like bleaches and hair dyes is avoiding the enemy.
Protect your ring from scratching. Scratches can be caused by a harsh cleaning brush or any kind of physical work in which your hands are active and your ring could come into contact with a sharp object.
Store your Jewelry in a soft velvet box or keep them wrapped in Jewelry paper which you can get from your jeweler.
Clean your ring regularly. No matter how well you store your Gold jewelry, it still needs to be cleaned regularly. Therefore, clean the ring regularly and carefully. Use liquid detergent and some warm water as a cleaning solution and rinse well.
Toothpaste Toothpaste is good for cleaning your Gold jewelry. Coat you Gold items with toothpaste, work it into a foam and gently clean your Gold pieces. Rinse well, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. The bristles of the toothbrush work well in cleaning all of the crevices and hard to reach places. Always check for loose stones before you start cleaning and plus the hole of your sink, lest you loose on valuable precious gems or your gold ring. Note:Toothpaste is mildly abrasive so don't rub hard. Don’t use a hard brush. Don’t use a gel toothpaste, Use the regular creamy toothpaste.
Dishwashing Soap and Ammonia Try cleaning your gold jewelry by soaking them for a few minutes in a solution made with 1 part liquid dishwashing liquid soap and 1 part ammonia. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth. They always come out beautiful. No scrubbing at all and no paste to get out of little cracks and crevices.
Ammonia Fill a small jar with ammonia, add your gold or silver items, put on the lid and let it sit for a while. Open it up later and polish each piece with a soft cloth. This works best for gold.
Dishwashing Soap and Water Add two cups of warm water and a few drops of a mild dishwashing liquid soap. Soak you Gold Jewelry for about 15 minutes in this solution.Gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
Dandruff White flakes/scales in the hair due to excessive shedding of the scalp skin. Home remedies for dandruff -Hair washed with fenugreek (methi) seed paste prevents dandruff, falling hair, baldness and dandruff keeping the hair long, healthy and black. Just soak the fenugreek seeds overnight in water to soften the seeds and grind in the morning to make paste. Before hair wash, apply this paste on scalp and hair and leave it on for half an hour. Wash off with shampoo later. -Dandruff can be removed by massaging the hair for half an hour with curd or apply fenugreek seed paste for half an hour and wash. Always remember to keep the hair and scalp clean. -Soak fenugreek (methi) seeds in yogurt overnight and apply the curd on your scalp for half an hour before washing in the morning. · Soak 2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds in water overnight. In the morning grind into a fine paste. Apply all over scalp and leave for ½ an hour. Wash with mild shampoo. · Aloe vera dandruff cure - with aloe vera gel . About 10-15 minutes before you wash your hair, rub a lot of aloe vera gel into your scalp. leave it on for 10 minutes, and shampoo your hair like you regularly do. if you do this everyday the dandruff will stay away. · Using lime juice to wash hair. · Ingredients: Olive oil and almond oilInstructions: Mix the olive oil with the almond oil. Leave it on about 5 mins after it starts to burn. Rinse well to clear dandruff. · Massage your hair with warm coconut oil and apply the juice of 2 lemons, steam your hair and leave the oil on for about 2 hours. Shampoo with a mild shampoo. Repeat 2-3 times a week. · Boil a handful of neem leaves in 4 teacups of water. After cooling and filtering, use for rinsing hair. Neem reduces the itching of the scalp as well.
Natural Anti-Dandruff Massage: - Massage your scalp with warm coconut or castor oil twice a week. - Massage with the tips of your fingers in a circular movement for at least half an hour. - Leave it on overnight and shampoo the following morning. - This prevents the hair from becoming dry and moreover prevents dandruff and falling hair by improving the circulation and strengthening the hair roots. -Add six spoonfuls water, two spoonfuls pure vinegar and apply it on the scalp with cotton wool before going to bed. Tie a towel around your head to protect the pillow. Wash your hair next morning. After shampooing, rinse again with vinegar water. Continue this once a week for at least three months. -Mix a spoonful of lemon juice with two spoonfuls of vinegar and massage on the scalp. Wash your hair with an egg shampoo or any other mild shampoo after this. -Egg Pack for Dandruff: Beat two eggs and add two tablespoons of water to it. Wet the hair and apply the egg mixture over the hair. Now massage your scalp and let the mixture on for ten minutes to fifteen minutes. Then rinse the hair with lukewarm water. This will keep both dandruff and hair fall problem away from you. -Take Rosemary Leaves 1 handful, Water 1 litre, Vinegar 2 tsp. Boil the water and soak rosemary leaves in it. Let it stand for one night. Strain and add vinegar to it. After shampooing wash your hair with this preparation. It treats the hair very fast. OTHER HAIR PROBLEMS
-If you have no time to shampoo your hair before going out, then brush 1 tablespoon of talcum powder or corn flour through your hair. Try this out first when you are not in hurry to make sure that it works the way you want. -To prevent hair loss you should have a biotin rich drink. Blend bananas with honey, yogurt and low fat milk. Drink this for a few weeks. -To add extra shine and glow to your hair add 2 tablespoons of malt vinegar. Use it as a last rinse and towel dry your hair.
A COLLECTION OF CUTE TAMIL RHYMES
This is my attempt to learn Tamil from my 4 year old daughter and to go a step closer towards learning my mother tongue. Being born and brought up in Bombay and not being exposed to Tamil except for speaking Tamil at home put me at a relative disadvantage when I moved to Singapore and realized that people here are so passionate about the Tamil language, since its one of the national languages of Singapore, its taught at a very low cost to children to promote and make children love their national language.(The Government encourages and supports teaching and promoting the national languages of the country), so I sent my daughter to a Tamil class which happens to be just below my block and now Iam trying to learn Tamil from her and I am quite fascinated by the language and especially love the rhymes. This collection is an ode to my daughter, who absolutely loves these rhymes. Since I don’t know to read and write Tamil, the rhymes are written in English for people of all languages to enjoy.
A
ADHO PAAR PATTAM
Adho paar pattam
Pada pada pattam
Kannai kavarum pattam
Katril medakum pattam
Meaning
See there is a kite
Flapping in the winds is a kite
See how eye-catching is the kite
Floating in the wind is the kite
ANIL (SQUIRREL)
Aniley Aniley odi vaa Azhaku aniley odi vaa
Koyya marame eri vaa Gundu pazhamai kondu vaa
Paathi pazham unnidam Paathi pazham ennidam
Kooti kooti iruvarum Kotittu kotittu tinnalaam
Meaning
Squirrel, Squirrel come running, Beautiful Squirrel come running
Climbing up a guava tree, Bring a fat ripe guava fruit back to me
Lets share the fruit half half
Lets relish the fruit.
C
CHUNDELIKAL
Tak Tak ghadiyaaram Tattu niramba paniyaaram
Kutty kutty chundelikal Ety etty paartanavey
Tan tan endrathu Ghadiyaaram, Taavi vandatu karimppoonai
"Mai" (also known as kajal in Hindi) is a thick black kohl usually prepared at home which is used as an eye liner to enhance the baby's eyes, it also acts as a coolant, and protector against the evil eye. Flowers often adorn women's hair. This beautiful song calls for each bird to bring something for the baby. The idea is to introduce birds and commonly used items to the baby through a song.
Thiruttu poonaikyu "en ponnai thirumanam saidhu tharamathen".
Vendaam indha sambandham vettka kedu poi varalam
Meaning
The Cats' marriage was being conducted and
all the people in the world were enjoying it,
Going around the village sitting on an elephant chariot,
(Ottagam)Camels and (Chivingi)Giraffes dancing,
All the village birds were singing in the background,
There was fine food served for all the invitees
At the time of tying the "mangalya rope" the male cat was missing,
everybody searched for the male cat,
and they all returned worried.
It seems that the male cat was stealthily drinking the milk of neighbor.
"For a thief cat I won't give my daughter,
it was disgusting to give my daughter to a thief.
I don't want this marriage proposal" says the father-in-law cat.
And with that the marriage broke out.
Vettkakedu (Vekkakedu) Shame on the cat, (Poi varalam) lets take our leave.
Moral: We should not steal.
S
SAAINDHAADAMMA SAAINDHAADU
Saaindhaadamma saaindhaadu
Saayakilliye saaindhaadu
Thithikkum thene saaindhaadu
Thevittadha tamizhe saaindhaadu
Mayile kuyile saaindhaadu
Maadapuraave saaindhaadu
Kattikarumbe saaindhaadu
Kaaichiyapaale saaindhaadu
Kuthuvillakke saaindhaadu
Kutti nilave saaindhaadu
Meaning
Rock baby rock
Rock my colorful parrot
Rock sweet honey
Rock insatiable Tamil
Rock my peacock, my cuckoo
Rock my dove
Rock my sweet sugarcane
Rock my boiled milk
Rock my lamp
Rock my little moonView
"This is a popular rhyme sung in every Tamilian household. This is sung while one actually rocks a baby sitting on the lap. The baby is rocked in tune with the rhyme and it never fails to put an instant smile on the baby's face.
U
UYIRUM NEEYE( This is the special prayer for Mother’s Day)
Uyirum Neeye Udalum Neeye Uravum Neeye Thaaye (2)
Un Udalil Sumandhu Uyirai Pagirndhu
Uruvam Tharuvaai Neeye (2)
Un Kannil Vazhiyum Oru thuLLi Podhum
Kadalum Urugum Thaaye
Un Kaaladi Mattum Tharuvai Thaaye
Sorgam Enbadhum Poyye
PeNNai padaithaan MaNNai Padaitthaan
Katrum Oliyum Mazhaiyum Padaitthaan (2)
Boomikku Adhanaal Nimmadhi Illai (2)
Sami Thavitthan Thaayai Padaitthan
V
VAL VAL ENDRU KURAIKKATHU
Val val endru kuraikkathu
vaalai vaalai aatathu
engal veettu naai kutty
enakku piditha naai kutty.
Paalum sorum unnathu
pakkam azhaithaal varathu
engal veettu naai kutty
enakku piditha naai kutty.
Angum ingum odaathu
athanaal thollai kidaiyathu
engal veettu naai kutty
enakku piditha naai kutty.
Appadi enna naai kutty
athisayamana naai kutty
appa enakku vaangi thantha
rubber bommai naai kutty.
Meaning
It doesn't bark like, "Bow, wow!"
Its tail doesn't move.
Our house puppy,
My favorite puppy.
It doesn't eat milk and rice
It doesn't come near, if you call.
Our house puppy,
My favorite puppy.
It doesn't run here and there,
So its no trouble at all.
Our house puppy,
My favorite puppy.
What type of puppy is it?...
Surprising puppy,
My father bought it for me,
A rubber doll puppy
VARAPPU UYARA
Varappu uyara, neer uyarum.
Neer uyara nel uyarum.
Nel uyara, kol uyarum.
Kol uyara kon uyarvan"
- The verse was composed by Ouvaiyar.
Varappu means field bed to hold water
Neer means water for irrigation
Nel means paddy we grow for our food
Kol means Sceptre held by Kings to rule. (In tamil Sengol)
THATTAI Thattai is a savoury which was primarily made in Brahmin households. It is made for Gokulashtami, Deepavali etc. Nowadays there are different versions of the Thattai available in the markets, there is the Thattai available even with garlic, but nothing can beat the homemade thattai made with love. Here are 2 recipes of the original traditional Thattai to tantalize your tatse buds. These recipes are minus the grinding and pounding traditionally done to make the Thattais.
RECIPE 1 QUICK & EASY THATTAI Ingredients Rice flour - slightly heated rice floor -3 cups. Uluntham podi (udad dal powder) - 1/4 cup Butter 25 gms Chana dal soaked 2 tbsp Curry leaves 1 tbsp Chilly powder 3 tea spoon Asafoetida 1/2 tea spoon salt to taste oil (refined) to fry
Method: Mix together all the ingredients except the oil. Add water little by little to the mixture. Make it a thick dough.
Take a polythene cover and grease it. Make small balls of the dough and flatten it on the on the polythene cover. Poke it with fork twice or thrice (otherwise it will puff up while frying and wont be so crispy). Deep fry in oil till it is golden in color. It must be crispy. You can store them in air tight containers and enjoy it during tea-time.
RECIPE - 2 Here is my mother’s recipe. This is a nutritious one(because it has pottu kadalai) and ofcourse very very tasty and crunchy.
Ingredients Rice flour- 4cups Uluntham podi(udad dal powder)-1/2 cup Pottukkadalai podi (Chana ka daali or chutney chana as they say)-1/2 cup Grind the pottu kadalai in the mixie. Ghee- 4 table spoons (if you add butter, the oil will froth) Green chillies - 5 Curry leaves- 2 to 3 sprigs chilly powder - 1 to 2 teaspoons (if you like it spicy) Asafoetida (Hing)- 1/2 teaspoon Salt 2 teaspoons or to taste Method First grind the green chillies and curry leaves. Mix all the above ingredients.Add two teaspoons of raw Pottu kadalai. Add one teaspoon white sesame seeds.Then add water. Make into a dough. Take a polythene cover and grease it. Make small balls of the dough and flatten it on the on the polythene cover. Poke it with fork twice or thrice (otherwise it will puff up like puri while frying and wont be so crispy). Deep fry in oil till it is golden in color. It must be crispy. You can store them in air tight containers and enjoy it during tea-time P.S. Some people add bits of coconut to the dough. It does taste very good if it can be finished soon or if u are making a small quantity, but, it’s a bad idea if you intend to store it for a while because the thattais will soon acquire the flavour of the stale coconut.
Anyways, I hope you guys try out this crunchy munchy recipe. It was requested by one of our members. Iam sure there are various permutations and combinations to the recipe of the Thattai and I would be glad to know different variations in this recipe. Hope you’ll enjoy the Thattais.
such a way that its slightly chunky and not completely mashed. Keep Aside.
separate bowl, take the gram flour, add salt, red chilly powder and a pinch of asafetida and mix well. Add water and mix, there shouldn’t be any lumps in the mixture.The batter should be in the consistency of the dosa batter (not too watery or too thick.). To test take some batter in a spoon and drop it inside the batter. It should flow like a ribbon inside the batter.
bun or even bread. We use freshly baked French loaves in 
