THE POTTER

THE POTTER
The Potter man who had just lost his job went over to a shop and with the last of his money decided to buy a beautiful teacup for his wife. On the display shelf, he saw the perfect cup and told the sales person to take it down, "I've never seen a cup so beautiful!" he said as she handed it to him and he paid the money. The man had tears as he handled the lovely cup but felt sad as he looked at his empty wallet. Suddenly the cup spoke: "I have not always been a tea-cup," it said, "there was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "don't do that. I don't like it! Let me alone", but he only smiled, and gently said; 'Not yet!!' "Then. WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!', I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly; 'Not yet' He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then he put me in the oven." " I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. 'Help! Get me out of here!' I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet'. "When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! 'Ah, this is much better,' I thought. "But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please stop it, Stop it!!' I cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'. "Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed I cried. I was convinced I would never make it, was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering what's he going to do to me next? "An hour later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I did,"I said, 'That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!"'"Quietly he spoke: I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked." "'I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you."
The beautiful cup looked up at the man who had just lost his job, "So don't cry my friend. You are going through the shaping and heat and painting I went through. But when the potter stops you will be lovely to behold..! So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems awful and terrible, try this: Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest teacup, sit down and think on this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter (Ur Creator). He knows what He is doing and may just tell you: "Not yet..!"

KULCHA

KULCHA
Ingredients
Maida or Self Raising Flour- 2 cups
Baking powder - ½ tsp
Dry Yeast - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 teaspoons
Sesame seeds – 1-2 tbsps
Salt as required

Method
Dissolve the dry yeast in half a cup of warm water and keep in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes. Mix salt and oil with flour. Pour dissolved yeast mixture and mix into the dough. Use warm water to knead the dough.

Once you make the dough, Add a tablespoon of oil and mix well, so the dough becomes glazed with oil. Cover the dough with a wet cloth for around two hours. The dough will puff up and become almost double in volume. Now make equal sized balls apply a little oil if required. Roll into thick round chapattis. Brush on Sesame seeds to the top portion of the Kulcha. Apply water to the bottom portion of the kulcha and put the Kulcha on a Tava(Flat bottomed pan). Close with a lid and allow the Kulcha to puff up in a medium flame. You can use tongs to lift and check if the Kulcha is done or not. Once it is puffed up and done on the bottom side. Using tongs cook the top side on direct flame till the top turns light golden in color.

NAAN

NAAN
Naan is a very popular Indian bread served in most Indian Restaurants. People all over the world eat it with relish. The Naan is usually baked in a Tandoor which is a barrel shaped earthen oven. Coal is burnt at the bottom and heats the clay interiors. This makes the temperatures inside very hot, around 800 F. The Tandoors cook food at very high temperatures. It is impossible to have that high a temperature in a domestic oven. But for people who want to enjoy homemade Naans, you can cook it in a closed charcoal grill or in an Oven.

Eggs are usually used to soften the dough and make it more stretchy, Here is a recipe without eggs. One thing to remember is that if you are not using eggs you need to substitute it with equal amount of Yogurt in volume. If you don’t have good homemade yogurt available, substitute it with equal volume of buttermilk or whole-milk.

NAAN
Ingredients
Maida or Self Raising Flour- 2 cups
Baking powder - ½ tsp
Soda - ¼ tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Fresh Yeast - 1 tsp
Warm Milk - ¼ cup
Yogurt - ¼ cup
Oil or Ghee - 2 tbsp
Onion Seeds (Kalonji) – 1-2 tbsps as required(optional).

Method
In a Big bowl mix together 2 cups Maida, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp soda and 2 tbsp of oil or ghee.

In another small bowl, combine ¼ cup warm milk, ¼ cup Yogurt, dissolve 1 tsp sugar in it. Add 1 tsp fresh yeast and add this liquid to the flour mixture in the big bowl. Now mix all this together. Add warm water to make a very soft dough. Once you make the dough, Add a tablespoon of oil and mix well, so the dough becomes glazed with oil. Cover the dough with a wet cloth for around two hours. The dough will puff up and become almost double in volume.

Now make equal sized balls apply a little oil and put onion seeds on top. Roll it into a round shape. Stretch it from one side to give it a triangular shape like the ones you see in a restaurant.

Now put it on the wall of a preheated Tandoor or cook in a preheated oven (250 degrees Celsius) by placing it on a greased tray.

Remove when it is crisp and golden brown on both sides. Your Naan is ready to be served with any nice curry.

VARIATIONS TO THE PLAIN NAAN

BUTTER NAAN
Once the Naan is cooked. Add a dollop of butter to it. The butter will melt ans settle on top of the naan. Serve the Naan with the melted golden butter. That is your restaurant style butter Naan.

CHEESE NAAN (Naan with Mozarella Cheese)
When the Naan is almost done, remove it. Sprinkle it with grated cheese and put it back in the oven, till the cheese melts. Don’t add grated cheese to the uncooked naan as the cheese will cook very fast and the naan wont be done.

PANEER NAAN (Naan with cottage cheese)
When the Naan is almost done, remove it. Sprinkle it with crumbled or grated paneer and put it back in the oven, till the paneer and the naan get cooked.Don’t add the Paneer to the uncooked naan as it will cook very fast and the naan wont be done.

GARLIC NAAN
Chop the around 5-6 cloves of Garlic into fine pieces and mix it with some cooking oil and a pinch of salt. With a butter knife spread the mixture onto the unbaked naans, before putting it in the tandoor/oven. So when the Naan is cooked, the Garlic will also be cooked and when u serve it will stuck onto the top of the Naan, so you can easily identify which Naan it is, incase you are serving assorted breads.

PUDINA NAAN (Minty Naan)
Take fresh mint leaves and mix it with some oil and salt. You can chop the mint leaves or use them as a whole leaf. Apply the mixture to the Naan, in such a way that the leaves stick on to the upper side of the Naan. Apply it when it is half cooked else the leaves will get charred in the Tandoor / Oven.

DHANIYA NAAN (Coriander Naan)
Take fresh coriander leaves and mix it with some oil and salt. You can chop the coriander leaves or use them as a whole leaf. Apply the mixture to the Naan, in such a way that the leaves stick on to the upper side of the Naan. Apply it when it is half cooked else the leaves will get charred in the Tandoor / Oven.

Note: The Naan has to be always served hot, Once it is cold it becomes very chewy and hard.

ZUNKA

ZUNKA
Zunka is very similar to the Pitla. It is a drier version of the Pitla. Usually more oil is used for the Zunka as you need to cook it into a dry vegetable like consistency unlike the Pitla. This cant be mixed with rice but it has to be had with Chappati or Bhakri. You can add vegetables like Capsicum, Methi, Cabbage, Bottle gourd (Doodhi) etc to enhance the nutritive value of the Zunka.

Ingredients
Besan (Gram flour) – 1 cup
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Green Chillies – 2 finely chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 sprig (optional)
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil – 2-3 tbsps

Method
Fry the besan in a little oil till it turns light brown. It should loose its raw smell. Keep aside.

Heat some oil and add the mustard seeds, once it starts to crackle, add the onions and fry till the onion becomes transparent and nicely fried. Add the curry leaves and fry for a minute.

In a bowl, Take the Besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt and mix it with water, to form a batter with a liquid consistency. This is a sure shot method of preparing a successful Zunka for beginners according to my mother-in-law. As when you make a batter, there won’t be lumps and it will be easier to handle the cooking. Once it simmers. Keep the gas on a low flame and allow the water to evaporate. Keep stirring rapidly so that the besan doesn’t stick to the pan. The mixture will start to separate and loose its water content and become dry. At this point Garnish with coriander leaves and stir for a minute or two.

The Zunka is usually served hot with Bhakris or chappatis (known also as Polis). On the right is one Happy meal that can please my husband YO, A hardcore Maharashtrian anytime.

VARIATIONS TO THE ZUNKA
This type of Zunka made with vegetables is called as Pith perleli Bhaji (Vegetable rolled in Flour).

METHI ZUNKA
You can take a cup of fresh Fenugreek (Methi) leaves or if you cant get fresh methi leaves You can alternatively use Kasoori Methi. To use Kasoori Methi, Take 2 tbsps of kasoori methi in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and add warm water and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the water, The methi will be soft like fresh methi leaves now. After you add the onions and stir fry for a while, add the Kasoori methi or Fresh methi and stir fry. You will get lovely aroma of the methi. Follow the above method of the Zunka and serve hot with Bhakri or Chappati.

SPRING ONIONS ZUNKA
Take one cup of Spring onions (Pathi che Kande). When you are using Spring Onions, use the onions as well as the green leaves of the onions. Remove the skin and chop the spring onions into fine pieces and fry with the onions. The leaves of the spring onions must be washed thoroughly and chopped into fine pieces and used in the Zunka. Once the onions are fried, Add the finely chopped leaves of the spring onions and stir fry. And then follow the above method.

CAPSICUM ZUNKA
Take one cup of finely chopped Capsicum. Once the onions are transparent. Add the Capsicum and stir fry and follow the above method.

The change in the cooking comes when we use Cabbage(kobi), Bottle Gourd (Doodhi Bhopla).

Do also try my own innovative recipes of using Ridge Gourd(Dodka) and Raw Papaya Zunka.

CABBAGE ZUNKA
Take one cup of Shredded Cabbage.
Heat oil, then temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute the onions, then add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder and salt and stir for a few seconds. Add the cabbage and stir fry. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes till the cabbage is tender. Cabbage cooks very fast. At this point, Add in the Besan and mix well. Saute gently on medium heat. The flour will absorb the Cabbage juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

BOTTLE GOURD ZUNKA
Take one cup of peeled and grated Bottle gourd (Doodhi Bhopla) (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

RIDGE GOURD ZUNKA*****
Take one cup of peeled and grated Ridge Gourd (Dodka) (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

RAW PAPAYA ZUNKA*******
Take one cup of peeled and grated Raw Papaya (dont grate very finely, use the grater with big holes, so u get thicker grates).and follow the method as in Cabbage Zunka. Allow the Besan to cook in the vegetable juice and cook. Do not add any extra water! Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Please do try the Ridge Gourd and Raw Papaya Zunka. The Raw Papaya Zunka tastes absolutely divine. The taste compares to no other recipe.

Its my own innovative trial and I am sure you’ll will enjoy it too. Please do try the recipesand let me know.

AGAR AGAR (CHINA GRASS) HALWA

AGAR AGAR HALWA

Agar Agar is very good for health. This is a very light dessert and can be prepared easily and quickly and there is no tension of the halwa consistency not being proper for it to be cut into pieces like the traditional Halwa

(Refer to the recipe of Agar Agar Jelly in my blog to know how good agar agar is for your health)
Ingredients
China Grass – 1 cup
Sugar – 1 cup
Water – 3 cups
Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
Ghee – for greasing the plate or containers
Chopped Pista, Cashews and Almond slivers for decoration.

Method
In a saucepan, boil 3 cups of Water, Wash the China grass in a colander to remove traces of preservatives. Add this to the boiling water, wait till it melts completely. At this point add the sugar and the cardamom powder and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once it dissolves run a test

Test : Take some cold water in a small cup and add a teaspoon of the boiling agar agar syrup to it. If it stands means its done). Switch off the flame.

Take a deep plate and grease it with ghee, Pour the concoction. Once it is completely poures garnish with the dryfruits. Allow it to come to room temperature. Cool in the refrigerator (DO NOT PLACE IN DEEP FREEZER) for about an hour and cut it into squares or diamonds after it becomes solid and enjoy.

Serving Instructions
Pour the mixture into small ice cream cups or glass bowls leave it in the vessel itself.

Place the cups/bowls in the refrigerator, in about an hour, you can eat the halwa from the cups directly.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LIFE

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THE OVER 35 YEARS OLD :)[life span is unpredictable these days even a 25 yrs old is at risk of kicking the bucket:) ...] 1. Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.2. Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and thefew healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it. Don't leaveanything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leavinganything, you may even cause more trouble when you are gone.3. Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is onlytoday that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.4. Enjoy your grandchildren (if you are above 60 and blessed with any) but don'tBE THEIR full time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them.!Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone's kids, includingyour own grandkids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After youhave raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing andbabysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs.5. Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a partof the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow.6. Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard forwhat you do not have. If you do not have them, it's probably too late.7. Just enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren andfriends. People, who truly love you, who love you for yourself, not for whatyou have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.8. Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peaceof mind and peace of soul.9. Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid ofit. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourselfnot for death but for a new life with the Almighty.
ALWAYS BE HAPPY AND KEEP SMILING

VADU MAANGA OR MAAVADU (TENDER MANGO PICKLE)

VADU MAANGA OR MAAVADU (TENDER MANGO PICKLE)
The Vadu Maanga also known as Maavadu in some households is usually prepared at the beginning of the raw mango season. The young baby mango is plucked and pickled as a whole without chopping it. Since the mango is still young it is very tender and once soaked in the spices, entirely absorbs it and starts leaving its own sour liquids into the spices, all this gets suffused and thus we get our famous south Indian pickle the vadu maanga, which tastes divine with curd rice and the water that oozes out of the mango over a period of time mixed with the spices taste so heavenly that u can mix it with rice and some oil and just have it, its absolutely mouth-watering. This pickle is literally oil free except for the 1tbsp oil, if you want you can avoid adding the oil completely.

Ingredients

Young Green mangoes – 20-25 pieces.
Mustard seeds - 8 tsp
Red chillies – 8-10 (please use chilly as per spice required)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 cup
1 tbsp of cooking oil.

Method

Wash the young green mangoes, pat dry. Take a porcelain or glass pickle jar or Oorghai Bharani. Put the mangoes in it and a handful of crystalline salt. Keep doing this in layers. One layer of mangoes topped with salt and so on and so forth. Keep the pickle jar closed and shake it twice a day, so that the salt and mangoes mix well. After 2-3 days you will see that the mangoes have shrunk in size or the salt has acted upon the mangoes and made it tender.

Dry Roast the mustard seeds, take a little cooking oil and roast the red chillies till it becomes plump. This removes the raw smell of the red chillies and also gives it a better color. Now grind the mustard seeds, crystalline salt, red chillies and turmeric powder into a thick paste. Mix this paste with the mangoes. Remove from jar and put in an open vessel so that the paste can be thoroughly mixed with the mangoes. Now transfer the mangoes with the masala mixed into the pickle jar. Heat one tbsp oil and allow to cool. Pour this oil on top and close the lid.

For the next 2-3 days shake the mangoes well once every day. Store in air tight containers in refrigerator. This will last for about one year.

Tip: The use of crystalline salt (kallu uppu) is advised as iodized salt darkens the pickle.

WATER THERAPY - CURE AILMENTS BY DRINKING WATER

WATER THERAPY

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days

2. Gastric - 10 days

3. Diabetes - 30 days

4. Constipation - 10 days

5. Cancer - 180 days

6. TB - 90 days

7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.

Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense ... the Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water.

Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

AGAR AGAR JELLY

WHAT IS AGAR AGAR OR CHINA GRASS

Agar agar is a gelling agent made from a combination of algaes from the species gelidium. The name, agar agar, is Malaysian in origin, and the harvest of the long red and purple fronds goes back hundreds of years. The fronds are freeze dried and dehydrated naturally, producing colorless sheets which are shaped into bars. Agar is available in the traditional bars, flakes, and powder form, all of which can be used interchangeably for gelling purposes. Like the other sea vegetables, agar is a good source of iodine (100 grams agar has 160 milligrams of iodine), as well as some calcium and iron. It has no calories, and according to Paul Pitchford, promotes digestion and weight loss, treats hemorrhoids, and carries toxic and radioactive waste out of the body. It is cooling in nature, and reduces inflammations and other heat conditions as described in traditional Chinese medicine.

AGAR AGAR JELLY
Ingredients
5 g Agar Agar powder
100 g Sugar
500 g Water
1/2 tsp Almond extract / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Method
Put Agar Agar powder, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until agar dissolves. Pour this mixture onto a plate. (The jelly layer shouldn’t be very thick if you pour onto a bigger plate the liquid will spread and give u thinner slices).Allow it too cool down and then chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes until set. Cut the agar agar jelly into cubes. You can cut it into diamond or square shapes as desired.

These cubes can be added to any desserts and enjoyed.

Quotes on Criticism and Praise

Quotes on Criticism and Praise
(These are Quotes that inspire and motivate me)

"The definition of success--To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one's self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived--this is to have succeeded." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end, requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Criticism is an indirect form of self-boasting” - Emmet Fox

"Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it." - Jesse Lair

"What kind of man would live a life without daring? Is life so sweet that we should criticize men that seek adventure? Is there a better way to die?"- Charles Augustus Lindbergh

"Praise in public; criticize in private."- Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi The artist doesn't have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don't have time to read reviews.- William Faulkner (1897 - 1962)
"It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat".
- Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

"Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes".
- Elvis Presley

"Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots".
- Frank A. Clark