Cooking Diva Manjusha

JANGRI RECIPE|JANGIRI RECIPE|IMARTI RECIPE - Meet the twins of Jalebi and Funnel Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:24:00 +0000

What is love?

"From the spiritual and inner point of view, love is self-expansion. Human love binds and is bound. Divine Love expands, enlarges itself."

The spiritual concept of love is not a feeling or emotion. It is a state of awareness.” — Anthon St. Maarten

These heartfelt quotes are dedicated to my spiritual Valentine’s day that fell on Feb 15^th,2026 on the auspicious occasion of MahaShivaratri ,one of the most significant spiritual festival of Hindu tradition of India.

Credit : lyrics from Late.Mr.Gulshan Kumar's devotional album

What is MahaShivaratri ?

MahaShivaratri means the great night of Lord Shiva and his Divine wife,Goddess Parvati and mainly represents the blissful union of Ardhanareeshwara (Half Lord Shiva and Half Parvati Maa ),the divine union/holy wedding of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati,symbolizing cosmic harmony and spiritual completeness. (credit:SamarthGurudhwara.org)

As mentioned in the SamarthGurudhwara.org,”Another story relates that Lord Shiva performed his supreme cosmic dance, Tandava— the fierce dance representing the creation, preservation, and the destruction — on this night of MahaShivaratri. This cosmic dance represents life’s cycles and inspires devotees to embrace change."

Hidden mantra.com says MahaShivaratri represents the unity between two opposing yet complementary parts of our reality – Shiva (the awareness) and Shakti (the energy) – as all that we create and hold in this universe.

Maha Shivaratri symbolizes the inner stillness, the divine consciousness, and the triumph of light over the darkness. Unlike most Hindu festivals that are joyful and outwardly celebratory, Shivaratri is deeply inward-focused– a night meant for silence, reflection, devotion, and awakening for the devotees and a reminder to the rest/the forgottens.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati/Durga’s devotees celebrate the great day by offering prayers at home and at temples mainly by chanting the Panchakshara Mantra - “Om Namah Shivaya”. Recital of the mantra is believed to calm the mind , create spiritual awareness and to get more closer to the Divine.

It is a special night for unmarried girls as it is believed that if they fast on MahaShivratri and stay devotely awake at night chanting prayers to Lord Shiva and Divine Mother,Parvati,they will get a blessed and a compatible groom soon with a bright future.

Significance of MahaShivaratri

People observe Maha Shivaratri seeking:

Prosperous Wedding /Marital harmony and emotional balance
Inner peace and clarity
Release from past karmic patterns
Heightened spiritual awareness
Devotion to Lord Shiva

Many describe the night as emotionally cleansing and deeply grounding.

Every Maha Shivaratri , devotees across the world observe/honor together this powerful night of spiritual alignment.At its core, Shivaratri symbolizes inner transformation– moving from darkness to light, from restlessness to stillness.

So,basically, like mentioned in the rudralife.com ,”Spiritually, Mahashivratri symbolises the night when darkness dissolves into awareness, and ignorance gives way to wisdom. It is a time when devotees turn inward, away from distractions, to connect with the formless, timeless essence of Shiva. “

Britannica also mentions the festival also celebrates Lord Shiva as Tripurantaka, the destroyer of Tripura, three fortified cities ruled by the asura brothers Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha, and Vidyunmali. Granted a boon by Lord Brahma, the moving cities could be destroyed only when aligned, once every thousand years. When the right moment arrived, Lord Shiva fired a single arrow from the Pinaka bow (his special weapon) , destroying them and symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.

Who is Lord Shiva ?

Lord Shiva is one of the main deities of Hinduism whom Shaiva Hindus worship as the Supreme God. As mentioned in Hinduvism.com,”According to the Puranas, Lord Brahma creates the universe, Lord Vishnu sustains it, and Lord Shiva dissolves it when necessary, allowing for rebirth. This cycle ensures balance and the perpetual flow of cosmic energy in all realms. “

🙏

I am mentioning more or less exactly as stated in the respective websites mentioned above as it is so apt and accurate and I donot want to play with the words and change the enlightening impact it has otherwise.Because even I am learning...

Radha Maa Lord Krishna as Twin Flame

So,basically since I was born on Janmashtami under Lord Krishna’s star/zodiac sign (yeah blowing my own trumphet :D),I am naturally devoted to him by birth but I have a very special devotion to Lord Mahadev/Shiva and Divine mother,Parvati/Durga/Kali.

My nature is more or less like my Divine family – Lord Shiva is also known as Bhole Baba meaning one who is very compassionate ,who owns the entire Solar system/Realms/Dimensions/Galaxy ,supremely rich in every way but still clad in a tiger skin with jewelries in the form of rudraksha (which is infact Lord Shiva’s own tears),holding holy Ganga and Crescent/Moon on top of his long braided hair (baba’s special hair accessories ) with a sacred serpent/Vasuki coiled comfortably on his neck like a precious jewel ,with a powerful weapon,Trishul on his hand for everyone’s protection ,always ready to bestow his devotees with their deserving wishes ..

Inchin Bamboo Garden's 2021 Calendar ..The Sep picture resembled the Bruce Lee Malayalam version ,rest pics didn't make sense then,but somehow now it does...

On the other hand when he is angered/provoked ,for justice as a part of his leela/modus operandi,he becomes the angry man of the Heaven ,The Rudra/Bhairava.

Divine Mother is also like that ,a true Divine Feminine in every way,Mother of all yet fierce enough to destroy the evil for balance , harmony and justice of all.

So,I am also like that bholi bhali,gusse wali (kind and humble yet mad for the right reason :D ) !

Life is a series of struggles in some way or the other for everyone .Some take it easy, some takes more time,effort and support of loved ones and when it comes to me ,more than anything the way I was raised,I have an unwavering faith towards almighty ..just like how a parent would throw an infant or a little kid up to the sky ,the kid knows that the parent is gonna catch the kid safely because of his/her trust in their parent.That’s the bond I share with my Divine family.No worship,prayers ,offerings,fasting can ever justify my faith towards Divine.So,glory and heartfelt gratitude to my Divine !

There are many incidences in my life where there were no way but Divine was always there in the nick of time to take care of the problem I was facing,which is called the divine intervention.

Praise the Lord/Divine !

🌸When I landed in USA after my marriage away from my mother and all loved ones,that was the first time I saw my Divine Mother in my dreams here.Hence,I call myself the special doter of the Divine.🌸

Flashback

I might have already mentioned in my old posts but it requires to be reminded again here .It was during Corona,when I got stuck in India during vacation with my toddler who was quite handful to take care of by myself and coincidently many other reasons I mentioned in the previous blogposts,I literally requested the Divine to give me month long vacations until I feel I am ready to be back to USA with my child (though I went for 3 month long vacations) and lo behold Corona happened out of no where and my wish was granted .

I think it was the spiritual awakening phase of my life .Like mentioned in the brainwisemind.com,”Spiritual Awakening involves a profound shift in consciousness that leads to personal growth and a deeper connection with yourself and the universe.”

Angel numbers,synchronicities,strange Karmic connections which was hard to explain to anyone ,I was kinda led to venture into Tarot readings in Youtube for answers/my curiosity and I was blown away with the almost accurate readings from not personal but collective readings rendered by many Tarot card readers (Heartfelt Gratitude !) .

I was thankful to Divine for choosing these readers to guide me with my circumstances I was going through .It was so helpful and comforting! These people had no idea up until know but I know my Divine will always lock my original energy and will only allow what is necessary that others can access to .So,there is no way that any tarot readers or astrologers or anyone else can access my energy just like that .Still it was so enlightening ! (In short,Please don’t shoot the messengers !)

I am ANNOINTED ,not a prophet per se...

I still believe that I do have some kind of past life connections with what appears to be the Karmic duo (Prince and Princess of dArk :D) as I am able to retrieve almost exact messages through tarot readings even though it is not personal and a collective/public reading and not 100 % right and the message I get for me is always expressed under the Divine Feminine and rest explains the Karmic partners.

No offense, but I’ve a strange feeling that in past birth these two were of opposite genders that’s why one is quite colorful🌈 and other/the female one is more masculine by nature now 😀 ….and we three were somehow connected ...

I am sure the Tarot community can assure/attest that and if it was not this connection and if I would have come across these Tarot readings before, I would have thought people were playing some card games and making videos...I don’t know about others but it is very fascinating for me….Hence I shared before and now for my records especially..

Just before Corona,I had such a great time in Kerala ,like at a stretch attending many weddings - meeting all kith and kins,many temple festivals ,shopping etc as if Divine was hurrying up that I should have a great time before Corona lockdown strikes.

Thankfully my doter had such a great time in Kerala with my parents/her grand parents and all our relatives ,learning the mother tongue/Malayalam,getting used to the Indian culture /Kerala culture,playing in nature to the fullest ,participating in the Kerala festivals etc etc.Oh she had so much fun that we kinda forgot her father alone in USA who was supposed to join us in 3 months to pick us up to return to USA otherwise we would have to return soon :D

It was during those days,I noticed all the local processions of our temples that includes visiting all homes in and around the temple area of either lord Mahadev and Maa Jagadamba /Parvati or Maa Kali exclusively as if my Divine parents wanted to comfort me and re-assure me that everything will be alright .My Divine parents gave me exactly 8-9 months long vacation to rest,rejuvenate and renew without anyone to stop/mess/cancel it otherwise.Since then I tell my parents that they are just my surrogate biological parents.:D

My parents said,reminds me of the Goddess from our local temple (Murungodi Kaavu Shetram)who represents BhadraKali but in a little girl form who was adopted under mysterious circumstances by her parents .

One day as she didn’t get fruits ,sweets she wished for ,she felt mistreated and she left home and the priest at the temple probably had a vision to build a temple for her and Maa/Jagadamba in the form of a little girl left home and presided into the temple and became an idol to be worshipped who took care of the entire place especially her ardent devotees and she had to kill a demoness/yekshi who was harming many of her innocent devotees non-stop .Since she cried for mercy/forgiveness from the Divine Mother,Maa BhadraKali gave her a boon of being worshipped alongside her as long as she never harms any innocent people/Mother’s devotees around.

Somehow ,my story little bit sounds similar...lol/Rofl/Lmao

So,during lockdown I was in a (kind of) hermit mode .Looking back I feel ,personally,Corona happened for my personal protection by my Divine parents as if they were trying to alert me of an impending danger/viral which was beyond explanation or and can be misunderstood .It was a mystery then, now it’s like an onion ,layer by layer I can understand,everything is kinda falling into place ..

On a funny yet serious note for me,as if my Divine parents were warning and locking up all harmful people inside their own homes (kind of Divine justice) and to cover up for any blame/frame on me in future ,making them realize ,”How will you feel if you are locked down at home for long ?“ …

Just before I went for vacation, it was when I virtually encountered celebrities from all (Indian) Film industries in Instagram (saw celebrities responding to my blogposts,that was very overwhelming).That itself was a miracle of its own since my blog was not popular then and with hardly any social media exposure.Like every fan did follow couple of my favourite celebrities.

Other reason was I literally flee/flew to India just thinking being away for a while will make all these celebrities disappear /their response manageable or may be it was kind of overwhelming for me though I was/am grateful beyond words to all who gave me their esteemed attention and time .#EscapeMode

So,I had no idea that my blog with hardly any readers was read by many far and wide.I kept blogging just to record/store recipes I learnt from my mother while I was in India ...Then I started hearing some weird rumors etc that was very hurtful so I had to mention my personal issues kinda in detail …..It somehow got blown out of proportion ….

Hum toh bhai jaise hain waise rahenge,ab koyi khush ho ya ho khafa hum nahin badlenge apni adaa samjhe,Na samjhe koyi,Hum yahi kahenge...

So,Corona vacation occurred hopefully to make people understand my predicament what I went through raising my toddler by myself far away from my loved ones and being at home with little help ,though my hubby is very helpful especially when it comes to the baby but he is a very hard working man and at that time his work involved travel.My mother’s health was also not good then .I also wanted to be there for her to render a helping hand as well….

Here in USA, people are quite busy and I am not good at asking people for help or to bother others until or unless it is an emergency.I also have a beginner level OCD syndrome so it was taking a toll on my health and it was time to take a break not small but long .Now,it happens with most of the mothers with a newborn baby/toddler with less help/support around but mine was going to what looks like a legendary nerve racking story :D

Ajeeb daastan hai ye,kaha shuru kahan khatham....

Credit:Veer Zaara Movie Dialogues/How I was raised !

The picture I shared of the Malayalam movie Bruce Lee which looked almost like the picture of Lord Shiva in the Calendar at my home (posted above) that I also uploaded in a previous video of the Superman cake , now I feel my Divine father requesting the Karmic masculine/Macho :D for no issues/bruises/ not to hurt me,just turn back :D

Because of the intriguing and phenomenal karmic connections and the dragging pain-inducing saga related to it ,my Divine parents being the Ardhanareeshwara ,the significance of 51 Shathipeeths ,especially the Kamakhya temple in Assam and the twin-flame spiritual connection of Lord Krishna and Maa Radha representing the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine combined in one was quite helpful to ease my bumpy spiritual awakening journey full of surprises and to cover up my dignity and purity …

My circumstances might have forced me to over react at times leading to misunderstandings/hurting others unknowingly !

My adversaries simply wanted everyone to hate me/dislike me in anyway or form/to be forgotten/ignored/irrelevant/non-existing .I saw them humiliating even my date of birth however they can and providing special treatment for some people making their name/letter and DOB famous even if it was pun intended .What was painful was that ,on my date of birth /6^th something bad happened around the world conducted by my enemies as if to prove everyone that I was such a bad omen to be destroyed by hook or crook.#TheirDarknessIritatesMe #SeeingIsBelieving#VeryHurt

On the other hand,I again saw my Divine parents/families from heaven celebrating my date of birth by making sure most of the famous Hindu festivals especially falling exactly on either 6^th or a combination of number = Six .There were people who didn’t even spare my doter but thankfully,as I have already mentioned in my previous posts ,when my doter was 1 month old and not feeling well , the number “7” literally appeared on the wall and we couldn’t trace the origin of the source and I do have the picture ,though lost the video I shared once in the Facebook .

Movie:Veer Zara

It was my Karmic connection which made me wonder if it has got any relation to the movie,”Veer Zaara” as the story is still going on in some or the other way ..and I realized the importance of the number “786”,the holy number for Hindus and Muslim but later realized the brave in the movie suits me and the character of Zaara was also in me .However,since then that holy number 786 (since I am born on August 6^th and the huge number 7 appeared on the wall after my doter’s birth ) also took care of my dignity,integrity and purity .

But then I did come across a Veer/Brave,another family connections that took care of my Veer part temporarily :D .We both were also linked unnecessarily (just like the Karmic Masculine) which was infact a cover up of the hit-meet-greet trend going on worldwide..#Ro-man-ce #FeedBack

Since then many festivals fell on 6^th ,most memorable one is last year’s Janmashtami,birthday of Lord Krishna celebrated on August 15^th(India’s Independence day ) - August 16^th and similarly,this year the MahaShivaratri fell on February 15^th and it was also Ramadan on February 18^th .Well,it is speculated that Lord Shiva as Makeshwar Mahadev resides in the holy place of Muslims,Mecca Medina in Saudi Arabia.For me,Divine is everyehere ! So,long story short,this year I celebrated Valentine’s day exclusively dedicating it to my Divine Father of the Universe,Lord Mahadev/Shiva.

I felt like my Divine father was trying to heal me and cheer me .So,as a token of gratitude,I wanted to cook something wonderful as a special offering for Lord Shiva on the auspicious occasion of MahaShivaratri.

After scratching every nerve in my brain ,browsing and researching recipes online I came across a mithai/a sweet recipe that had my Divine father’s name included – JanGiri/JanGir ...Giri/Gir means mountain and since Lord shiva resides in the Himalayan mountain and like many devotees ,he is also my jaan,my Darling Divine Father.Coincidently Jangiri is also called Omriti and Jahangir (Makeshwar Mahadev ki Jai ho !)

Moreover,I do have enemies who want to see me fall and Girija on a funny note means in Hindi,Gir-I (means fall I) and ja means Go and on a serious note,Girija is also name of the Divine Mother,AdiShakthi/Maa Parvati,the Divine consort of LordShiva.

Hence,I thought no other recipe would justify such a perfect combination and dedication to lord Shiva and Maa Parvati on the auspicious eve of MahaShivaratri 2026.I am also a Halwa/Puri/Mithai/Kheer girl just like my my Divine mother.I also made Panchamritam for my Baba (Divine Father,Lord Shiva).

Needless to say,I was looking forward to make this MahaShivaratri as special as my Divine Father wanted to make it exclusively for me .I was so excited to prepare Jangir sweet at home though I knew it was going to be an herculean task.The name Jangiri of this sweet was definitely new to me but the shape and look of this sweet was a shock to me as it resembled another mouth-watering sweet called Jalebi.They do look like identical edible twins.However,they are as different as their respective names .

JALEBI - Credit:Google images

I used to always think even Jalebi would be very difficult to make at home perfectly .I did try couple of times but I was not satisfied with the outcome .So,when I saw Jangiri/Jangir my eyes were rolling just like its complicated yet beautiful flower shape :D ...like ghoomthey reh jaoogey type lol

My childhood memories reminds me of the bustling street shops of the place I was raised in North India ,where whenever I went for shopping I remember watching some skilfull confectioners/mithaiwallaas/Halwai on the roadside, holding and squeezing a potli with a hole/pouch of cloth filled with some batter over brimming hot oil in a wide vessel on coal fire/Earthern stove /Chulha in Hindi and rotating continuously in such a way that it would become an edible sweet in a concentric circle form like a spiral shape ,later dipped in sugar syrup ,that would be soft from inside and crispy,sugary , crunchy and dripping from outside.That looked like an art not so easy to master and better to be admired edibly .

Credit - Jalebi/Imarti making at shops

I have never seen Jangir/Jangri in my life except in pictures not even in shops or I might have seen but ignored them thinking it might be Jalebi shaped in a new style.

So,when it came to MahaShivratri celebration ,I had to make Jangir by all means.I thought I will try atleast or as always I will be on a Jangir diet due to my food experimentation/perfection attempts until I get it right. And if it doesn’t come out to be an eye sore,I will blog it and store it for my records as always. But to my surprise,I was able to successfully make Jangir in my first attempt itself .It was so fun yet time taking,hurting elbows and heels …...but worth the effort ! I felt like a child with a toy making an edible art ...mazaa aagaya (how fun !)

I must say the name Jangir did intrigue me .As I was researching more about it ,I came to know some mind-boggling facts about Jangir.

First thing first Jalebi and Jangir are not same.Mainly,Jalebi batter is made with all-purpose flour/Chick Pea flour and Jangir batter is made with Black lentils .I never thought you can make a sweet with black lentils and that too that looks and tastes if not better than Jalebis.

In Lord I trust - Gratitude regardless !

What is Jangir/Jangiri

Jangir/Jangri is a melt-in-the-mouth dessert/Sweet ,a look-alike of Jalebi (The national Sweet of India) in a fancy way .Jangir is made using a smooth black lentil batter mixed with rice flour etc and piped into hot oil in a flower shape,that needs to be mastered and later soaked in sugar syrup.Jalebi or Jangir are mostly popular as street foods loved by people from all walks of life.At home,people prepare such sweets to make every celebration extra special .If you have a sweet tooth,then Jalebi/Jangiri is your best option ...I forget my weight gain battle all of a sudden ...You just can’t stop at one especially me ...Yes,you are right the secret of my voluptous body ! (Evil eyes are welcome as long as they can make me slim !)

Guess what I found another look-a-like or kinda taste-alike even here in US when I went for the state fair,here it is popularly called the funnel cake made with similar ingredients like Jalebi but with egg in it.

The Funnel Cake

My research study about Jangiri sweet found some amazing facts about Jangiri .

DID YOU KNOW ?

1. Jangir/Jangiri/Jangri is also known as Imarti/Emarti/Omriti/Amriti/Jahangir .Jalebi’s old name was Zulbiya,in Arab known as Zalabiya and in Persia known as zoolabiya.Other names are Jerry/jilipy/jilapi/Zalabia.

2.Jangir was originated in Northern India during the Mughal era but guess what the name Jangir was named by the people of Kerala and popular in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with different names as well in South India like Andhra Pardesh,Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Jalebi originated in Persia and are popular all over the world especially in India,Bangladesh and Pakistan mostly.It is also speculated that Jalebi originated in ancient India and was known as Kundalika or Jalvallika and due to Mughal influence later it became Zalebi to Jalebi.Both are considered to be the most sought after dessert/sweet of Raj Bhog/royal food menu. Aye Aye Bhog Raj :D lol

3.Jalebi batter may or may not need fermentation but Jangiri doesnot need any fermentation but then the black lentils have to be soaked in water for 4 hours or more until they are soft enough to be ground into a smooth batter .

4.Jalebi is crunchy and syrupy while Jangiri is more flexible,can be little soft inside and crunchy from outside.

5.In Afghanistan Jalebis are served with fish in winter ...what a combo ! Holly Molly !

OMG..that made my GK logically interesting and yummy as well!

Now let me share the Jangiri recipe I made at home and was an instant success .

(NOTE/DISCLAIMER:Call it fancy dress/mono acting but in no way I am trying to blame anyone/shame anyone/remind any bad experiences ,Kimono etc are just my way of alerting/spreading awareness to people to be careful .Heard and saw so many painful incidents that this is just my way of averting any future gut-wrenching circumstances/incidents if possible . Fans' are crazy about celebrities and what are celebrities without those fans'! ..Love is expressed in many ways 😎 ...still be careful !)

Jangir/Jangiri recipe

Ingredients

Black Lentil/Urad Dal – 1 cup

Water to soak

Rice Flour – 1 Tbsp

Corn Flour – 1 Tbsp

Salt a pinch (optional)

Baking Powder ¼ Tsp (Optional)

Piping bag/any small plastic cover/ziplock cover to use for piping

Sugar Syrup

Sugar – 2-4 cups

Water – 2-4 cups

Cardamom powder a bit

Orange color/Red color (optional)

Wide pan

Oil for deep frying

Blender/Grinder/Food Processor

How to make Jangri at home :

First soak Black Lentils in water covering it for 4-6 hrs until they are soft enough to grind.
Then wash and clean the Black lentil under water until water is clear and drain and keep the lentils aside.
Transfer the clean lentils into the blender/Food Processor/Grinder,it will have little water even after draining .Just grind the lentil until it becomes a smooth batter.DONOT ADD TOO MUCH WATER,little by little like 1 tbsp each time until you get a smooth batter that is neither too runny/thin or thick yet it should be something in between ,easy to pipe down later.
Add rice flour ,corn flour ,a pinch of salt,a pinch of orange/red color and baking powder and grind well until it is a lumpfree smooth batter.
Transfer the batter into another bowl and keep aside for 5-10 minutes to make the batter ferment a little for fluffy Jangir.
Heat oil in a wide pan for deep frying.
Meanwhile start preparing the sugar syrup,add sugar and water with ground cardamom powder in a wide pan and let it come to a full boil.I don’t add color for my syrup,the color of fried Jangirs are enough .
Reduce the flame,stir once and let it get thickened a bit ,keep an eye,should become almost one string consistency/sticky between fingers.If the syrup is not sticky the jangir will become soggy and not the desired texture of jangir coated with sugar syrup ,what takes the jangir to the next level of delicacy.Time taking,needs attention and patience ,make sure syrup doesn’t become too thick/caramelized as well.
Insert a piping bag into a tall glass .
Side by side,once again mix the jangir batter well and transfer it into the piping bag above without overfilling and twist the top and tie it with a rubber band tight.Or transfer the batter little by little into a small plastic cover and snip the bottom tip and squeeze to check if the batter is coming out properly or not.If it does,then get ready to fry.
Better to try a few on a plate to master the shape ,pipe two-three circles and make small swirls in circular motions all around the circle which would look like a flower.
First thing first,put a little batter into the oil if it springs up to the top, the oil is ready for deep frying.Donot skip this method ,if the oil is not hot enough the jangirs won’t fluff up properly .
If the oil is ready for deep frying,reduce the flame ,on low-medium flame,pipe the jangir batter ,2-3 circles followed by swirls in circular motion all around the circles which would look like a flower.
Continue without over-crowding.A wide pan is a must or it will be time taking to make them all.
Once the bottom of Jangir turns crispy ,it will also change into a bright hue/color ,then turn and fry the other side until crispy.Donot fry for too long.
By this time the sugar syrup should turn of the sticky consistency .Turn off the flame.
Transfer the fried Jangir onto the "WARM" sugar syrup and dunk it/coat it well so that it does soak up the syrup inside out.Keep them for a minute or two for the same.If syrup is cold,Jangirs will take longer to soak up..
Continue the process until all Jangirs are fried well and coated well with sugar syrup.
Keep all readymade/homemade Jangirs on to another plate/wide bowl.
Serve Jangirs warm or cold as you wish.
Store the rest in a container with a lid.
Tadaaa,Jangiri are ready to munch .
Enjoy this edible delicacy and feel royale !

Ironically,I enjoyed Jangir with a huge bottle of water …Guess what I had a severe headache that got vanished...Magical and mystical indeed !

One who believes in Divine/God,everyday is a MahaShivaratri/Janmashtami/Durga Puja etc...And one who has love in heart,every day is a Valentine's day regardless...

Even though it's been a while since Feb 15th,I am still celebrating it...You see I believe one can celebrate a Valentine's day with Divine as well...There are so many things to be grateful for ...So,that/this was my special Valentine's day celebration this year ....

💛By the way,Happy Belated Valentine's day !💛 Love yourself first,then everything will look/be lovely indeed...

What is your no.1 thing towards Self Love/Self Healing ?

“May every Maha Shivaratri , Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati remove darkness from your life and fill it with light,love,clarity, peace, tolerance and inner strength.”

Om Namah Shivay ! Jai Mata ki !

Last but not the least, coincidently,Google says ,Jangir is Iran’s festive dish and war regardless is painful.So,this is also my way of spreading sweetness to the war...Praying for peace and harmony in and around the world !

Once again,glory to my Divine and thanks to my enemies because of there spells I saw Archangel Michael in my dreams wearing a grey shirt ,fair ,Light borwn hair and in western style/American/European looking at me with deep concern and picking something as if he was removing some harmful spells from my body ...Because I truly Believe in Divine !

Everything mentioned about Divine here are just my way of expressing my profound devotion towards the Divine from all religions and spreading their glory whether anyone likes it or not...

Rest in next,

Take care wherever you are,wherever you go (especially adventurous place/activity) ,however you go,whatever you do and if you feel yourself or your loved one's acting strange ,be extra careful and take help and even if you are an atheist,kindly PRAY..any Psalms/Mantra/Prayer for protection against all evil in and out ...Rest whatever happens,happens as Divine's will ! ~ Concerned me (whether anyone likes the advice/request or not) ! Not instilling fear,just be extra-vigilant #FAITHOVERFEAR

Love and Light,

Balushahi,Milk cake and Pinni recipes -My favourite Mithai

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 21:03:00 +0000

Mithai a.k.a Sweets in Hindi or Urdu is one of my favourite thing to eat anytime,anywhere .I know, if you have read many of my previous posts with sweet recipes,you might have already heard that zillion times..earful huh ?

Well, the secret to my rolly-polly weight or nicely put ,my voluptuous body .Holly Molly ! :D...Rhymes and reasons...

I think I can beat anyone.....I mean in any sweet eating competition with ease.Shaala...Control hi nahi hota ...And hence my closet is full of dresses of different sizes except Small.I do workout at times.But being a foodie who hates to diet is really challenging.Struggle is real !

Thankfully I do have a few dresses that can camouflage and adjust/manipulate my body/figure like a shapewear and look bearable/presentable...One of the strange reason I give a special appearance in my cooking videos is to check my weight gain or loss...Holy cow,just to make sure I scare the right people for the right reason !:D

You see at present my blog and vlog/YouTube channel are my passions to work for. And to be frank,I am not getting my adsense/google money at all .My hard-earned money disappears/is stucked exactly like my subcribers count since 2020 and likes/feedbacks/share even though viewed worldwide well.I do get people's/strangers positive/funny reactions wherever I go by Divine's grace .If my intuition is right may be my money was used to pay off meet-ups teams .👍😏

May Divine bless me more to work hard towards all my goals successfully ! I know enemies/haters are a part and parcel of the journey.......Rest my Divine family will take care of...Tum rakshak kahu ko darna...

I recall my school classmate/my dear friend Ritvik's/we used to call him Kitpit's advice in my autograph book : Shukriya dost !

"Ruk jana nahi tu kahin haar ke

kaanton pe chalake milenge saaye bahaar ke,o rahi o rahi "

(Meaning:Do not stop, after being defeated; walking on the thorns, you will meet the shades of spring/you will reach your goal/right destination.O traveller, O traveller !)

Coming to the topic, bottom line is ,being a hardcore foodie and gaining weight like a balloon ,it is difficult for me to buy dresses atleast for myself without requesting/disturbing my husband always.

Anyways,as always I am minding my own business and working hard for the right reason inspite of a few kinda imposed unnecessary distractions which needs to be sometimes addressed to stop any violent escalations (well,trying to do my bit ,hoping to make difference for the best, even if it is small)

Well,for now,I will try my best to control my yearnings for sweets .Hoping for the best !Bada mushkil baba bada mushkil...ye dil hain ki maanta nahi...:D ...The filmi keeda/germ in me :D

Having said that,Indian festivals and any celebrations are incomplete without any sweets or desserts.Since last few years,I was not really celebrating any festivals per se.But this year my doter compelled me to celebrate Diwali and the only reason I like to celebrate festivals here is to make my doter value the Indian traditions and to rekindle the bygone days of celebrations in India.

Like I mentioned in my previous post,I prepared Double ka meetha and Shahi tukda pre-diwali to get into that festive mood.

As in India,you can feel the festivity in the air months before the festival.But alas,here,you have to create that festive mood somehow.So,during and post-Diwali (different versions) ,I made something very special as a token of recap of some unforgettable incidents/memories/lessons in the form of very popular Indian sweets called Balushahi/Badushah,Milk Cake and Pinni Ladoo .

In short how my Diwali especially was happy and yummy -> B-a-l-u-sha-H-I,M-il-K cake,P-in-ni :D...kitni tej hu na mein ,my intuition is sometimes smart ,sharp and magical....Tareef karoon kya uski jisney mujhey banaya ;D :P

I am just like my divine mother ,halwa ,puri,mithai makes me very happy .I think I may complete 56/51 Bhogs of Jagannath swamy faster than my Divine ...ohh kkk..when I don't compete with anyone,how can I compete with my Divine/The Supreme ...Bolo ShriKrishna Bhagwaan ki jai ho !

Are you still awake or lecturing me bass karr kahi diabetes na hoajaye ...Isliye jann ke hith keliye ,bheja fry ko mein karthi hu break,aur recipe karthei hu mein fek..I mean Recipes bataoon ? Kya karoon rhyming ki mein diwani hu..

Toh nek kaam mein deri kaisi,I mean,let me share with you all how I made my favourite sweets - Homemade Balushahi recipe,Milk cake homemade style and easy Pinni recipe..

Balushahi/Badusha

Balushahi/Badusha/Makhan Bada is a very famous Indian sweet that "looks" like Medu/Lentil vada/fritters or a Doughnut though they all taste different.Balushahi is a North Indian sweets that is flaky from outside and soft from inside covered with sugar syrup making it juicy while the twin version called badusha is from South India that is made in a similar way but less sweeter .

Balushahi's origin traces back to the royal culinary and even it is believed/read online(lost the link) that after defeating the demon king/hellraiser Narkasura (funny..Narak means hell and asura means devil/demon/monster),Lord Krishna celebrated the victory by eating delicacies like Balushahi and more.

Did you know that ,Naraksura's wish before death to Lord Krishna was that his death anniversary should be celebrated by the people of Earth (as he was the son of Earth/BhuDevi ) and hence,that day is celebrated as "Diwali".It is celebrated as "Naraka chaturdashi"/"Choti Diwali" as a special pre-diwali celebration in Goa exclusively.

Coincidentally, Diwali also represents the celebration of the arrival of Lord Ram and family after 14 years of exile from the forrest to Ayodhya/The kingdom of Lord Rama.

Similarly ,Diwali also marks the annual return and remembrance/homecoming of King Mahabali. When the Vamana,the dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu defeated King Mahabali ,MahaBali requested Lord Vishnu to grant his death request for the same.

Mere bhagwan ke lila aprampaar hai :D

Balushahi/Badushah recipe

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour/Maida 1 cup

Clarified butter/Ghee 1/2 cup

Baking powder 1 Tsp

Water (I used a mix of water and milk to make it more softer but I realized it doesn't make a huge difference though)

Salt a bit (optional)

For Sugar Syrup :

Sugar 2 Cups

Water 2 cups

Cardamom powder,a bit

Oil/Ghee for deep frying

How to make Balushahi/Badushah at home

1.Add all purpose flour,ghee,baking powder and bit of salt in a wide pan and mix well.(Some people say adding little curd will make it more tastier)

2.Add water little by little and knead/mix until it becomes a dough.Dough doesn't have to be stiff,it can be little sticky but knead-well.Do not overdo it or it will become dense and won't give the right texture.

3.Keep it aside for a few minutes so that the baking powder activates and makes the dough more fluffy.

4.Meanwhile heat oil/Ghee is a deep/wide pan for frying.(You will see the kanjoos/miser in me using oil with just 1 Tbsp of ghee ,because it will consume the entire bottle I buy usually ,that's why :D)

5.Knead the dough again to release any air.DONOT OVERDO IT.

6.Then take some dough ,roll on your palm and make a small ball.It doesn't have to be neat and perfect.So,it will create a texture in the ball which will give the apt shape of a Balushahi .

7.Put a dent in the center using your thumb finger or any finger you are comfortable with.Repeat with all dough and keep them all aside.

8.Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup by adding water,sugar and the cardamom powder into a non-stick pan "preferably" so that it doesn't stick to the bottom and bring it to full boil.

9.Then reduce the flame and let it reduce to a sticky consistency.

10.Side by side,make Balushahis- Add a pinch of dough into the oil and if it springs to the top,the oil is ready for frying or wait until it does to fry all dough balls properly.

11.When the oil is ready,put each dough balls one by one without over-crowding.

12.Flip the dough balls and fry them till golden brown all over on lower flame.It may be time taking but do not hurry up to fry them fast or it will spoil the texture of the Balushahi.It will look crunchy/slightly flaky from outside but from inside it will be little soft.

13.Once lightly golden brown,transfer all the Balushahis one by one onto another wide bowl preferably.

14.When the sugar syrup has reached a sticky consistency ,"almost" to the one thread consistency.Turn the cooking gas off and let it cool down a bit.If the sugar syrup is not sticky and is thin ,will make Balushahis soggy and if the sugar syrup is like thread consistency,then it may cover the Balushahi from outside only but it may or may not enter into the Balushahi making it aptly juicy and with the genuine taste.

15.When the sugar syrup is still hot/very warm,pour the homemade sugar syrup all over the Balushahis in such a way that Balushahis should be completely dunked/flip couple of times to make sure all Balushahis are covered with sugar syrup.The hot/very warm sugar syrup will make sure that the sugar syrup properly penetrates into each Balushahi well to make it perfectly juicy and tasteful.Keep it aside for couple of hours/overnight for this process.

16.Test a Balushahi if it is juicy and syrupy from inside or keep it longer (warm the sugar syrup if it is cold for apt penetration).

17.Then decorate with pista pieces and serve it and enjoy.

If you have a sweet tooth ,then you won't stop at one ,oh so yummy,but if you have diabetes ,then you can only have a bit of it as it is loaded with sugar syrup ,suit yourself !

I made and ate different versions of Balushahis and I know look like one .So,I hoped onto the other sweet preparation ,which is one of my all time favourite sweet - The milk Cake Indian style.

Milk Cake Indian sweet

Milk cake is a Rajasthani/Alwar special sweet fudge made with milk,sugar and a curdling agent.Milk cake has a grainy texture which makes it melt in the mouth .I love to eat this sweet a lot.

Similarly,there is a classical Mexican dessert,a sponge cake called Tres Leches which is popularly known as Milk cake too.

Milk Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Whole Milk 6 Cups

Condensed milk 1/2 cup

Vinegar 1-2 Tsps

Ghee/Clarified butter 2 Tbsps

Caramelize sugar

Sugar 1/2 cup

Water 1/2 - 1 cup

How to make homemade Milk Cake recipe

1.Boil milk in a non-stick deep pan preferably ,it will prevent the milk from scorching.

2.Then stir well and reduce the flame .

3.Keep on stirring to avoid the milk getting scorched at the bottom and let the milk reduce to the half quantity.This is time-consuming and will test your patience especially of your eyes and hands.

4.Add the condensed milk and mix well.

5.Keep on stirring or milk mixture will burn at the bottom and spoil the taste.Let it reduce to one-third quantity.

6.Add the vinegar and stir well .Keep on stirring and the milk mixture will start to curdle little by little .Keep on stirring as we don't want any big chunks of milk solids but teeny-weeny milk solids.It is time taking.

7.Continue stirring until the water gets soaked up or evaporates leaving only milk solids.

8.Add ghee and mix well.

9.Once all milk disappears and only milk solids remains,turn off the cooking gas.

10.Meanwhile,take a pan and caramelize sugar by adding sugar in the pan and let it melt on lower flame .If it liquidifies properly ,sugar is aptly carmelized or just add little water till it is in a flowing/ moving thick consistency.

11.Now take a box ,put a wax paper (it will be easy to remove to cut them properly later)and layer with some milk solids ,followed by caramelized sugar and finally the other layer of milk solids.Press it down. Cover it with a lid and let it set overnight or couple of hours.

12.Then remove the wax paper with sweets from the box and chop the sweets into rectangular shape.

13.That's it Milk cake Indian style is ready to eat.

NOTE:

As I was learning how to get the right texture of making milk cake,I realized at shops,they usually use glucose syurp to get that caramelized texture in between the milk cake sweets.

At home,you "may" get it if instead of putting condensed milk just add sugar to taste ,let it reduce to milk solids after curdling and when set the middle portion may be more brownish than the rest of the sweets.Sometimes it just browns the entire sweets instead.

Hence I followed the method I mentioned above/my way to make sure the middle portion of my milk cake sweet is indeed brown in color for sure to give that authentic texture and taste of store-bought Milk cakes.

Usually people use lemon juice to curdle the milk to make milk cake but I used vinegar which doesn't have any sour after taste like lemon juice .At store they use citric acid/alum+liquid glucose instead.

Bottom-line - "Milk cake is simply finger-licking !!

And finally I made winter special,Pinni Ladu/ladoo/Laddu

Pinni

Pinni ladu is a Punjabi Atta Ladoo ,one of the winter famous sweet ball(Laddu/Ladoo) from Punjab,the North-West region of India which is wholesome and nutritious made with whole wheat flour,sugar and mix of crushed nuts and ghee/clarified butter.I prefer sweets made with whole wheat flour than the all-purpose flour/Maida,giving me the excuse to eat the sweet guilt-free that whole wheat flour is healthy comparatively.

Pinni Recipe

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup

Clarified Butter/Ghee 1 cup

Cardamom powder 1 Tsp

Sugar to taste - 1 cup approx

Mixed nuts,coarsely powdered -1/4th cup

Nuts to decorate preferably almonds

How to make Pinni Ladoo at home

1.Heat ghee in a pan and add whole wheat flour and saute it .

2.Add cardamom powder,sugar taste and mixed nuts coarse powder and mix well.

3.Saute it until the mixture thickens up , changes color to slightly brown and gathers to the center.

4.Turn off the cooking gas and allow it to cool off a bit but still warm enough to shape them into ladoo/sweet balls.

5.Once the mixture is comfortable enough to touch,shape them into small golf shaped balls/ladoo/laddu.

6.Decorate the ladoos with nuts.

7.That's it Pinni Ladoo are ready to serve/eat.

BottomLine- All I can say is Pinni is certainly maa Varahi's favourite bhog/Prasadam.

Humble request:Donot dare to laugh/joke at Maa Varahi's face PLEASE .Lord Varah and Maa Varahi 's boar/wild Pig face avatar was for the protection/saving the planet Earth.

Glory to the Divine!

And that's how Diwali ended !Well,regardless,Mithai and motapa is a part and parcel of me.Ek weakness hai aur doosra bin bulaya mehmaan ..well not all athithis are devo bhava I guess :D....

Achcha ye bataayiye,aapka weakness kya hai,achcha wala ...Ky kaha aapka family aur aap..haina ?

Ye soch ke mera dil bhi meetha hogaya,Ek meetha sa gaana hojaye ( one of my fav. song from one of my fav. hero Ajay Devgan sir's movie "Phool aur Kaante" ("Flowers and thorns" ,yaad rakhiyega...rakhenge na..)

👪Dheere dheera pyaar ko badana hai,
Hadd se guzarr jana hai,
Ek doojey ko aazmaana hai,
Hadd se guzarr jaana hai ......

(Meaning: Slowly slowly the love will grow beyond the limits ,there will be testing times,but love will survive and thrive regardless)

Phir milengey chalthye chalthey...

👪Take care wherever you are, wherever you go,👪

Double ka meetha| Shahi Tukda|Hyderabad Special royal recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:27:00 +0000

Itti si haseen itti si khushi
Itta sa tukda chaand ka
Khwaabon ke tinkon se
Chal banayeinn aashiyan …

(Bollywood movie:Barfi)

Meaning :A little smile,little happiness, a small piece of moon,with lots of dreams, let's make a happy home.. Now that's the principle of my life!Simple and sweet ! To emphasize that ,this blogpost is all about two royal sweet recipes from the place my hubby grew up and is settled in,"Hyderabad" and this time a sweet dedication to myself ,yes,you are right (banta hai boss),blowing my own trumphet.Relax..it is called self-love !

Hyderabad is the capital and the largest technologically and culturally rich city of the state of Telangana,South India.As per Wikipedia,"The name Hyderabad means "Haydar's City" or " The Lion City", from Haydar 'lion' and ābād 'Prosperous city'.Makes sense ! :D

Hyderabad was established by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, in 1591.Hence,Hyderabad is known as the city of Mughals and Nizams.Sounds perfect to me ! Anything with a royal touch entices me ..especially the outfits and the royal cuisines .

I love Hyderabad because it also kinda reminds me of the ordinary place in North India/Jharkhand where I grew up and where my heart still belongs to.

Not to mention the varieties of sweets ,pickles ,biryanis and other one-of-a-kind mouthwatering recipes.O my...I am thankful to have my sasural/husband's house in Hyderabad.

So,today's recipes are all about royalty - Double ka meetha and Shahi tukda. These sweets/desserts represents ME !(Blush blush) Sweet and kinda regal by nature and taste.You see,Double stands for my hubby's birthdate :D ,Meetha means sweet in Hindi/Urdu ,Shahi means royal and his surname goes by "Chandra" ,hence tukda Chaand ka/slice of Moon lol...Ahem ahem...too sweet to digest ???:D ..Hajmola sir and Madam !;D :P

I tasted my first bite of Double ka meetha and Shahi tukda in America and I thought that should be some fancy and complicated recipes.It tasted fancy and royal .Rich in taste,look and presentation.So,that was something I wanted to cook sometime when I have no other sweet recipes to try.Last but not the least !

Somehow ,I didn't get any other recipes that would fit me/describe me exclusively.Guess what ,when I was looking for the recipe ,I realized though it is fancy ,pancy ,rich and royal - Double ka Meetha recipe and Shahi Tukda recipe are very easy to make even at home with very handy ingredients easily available at most of the home.They are nothing but a very simply prepared royal bread puddings.

All you need are bread slices,milk,sugar,ghee and a few edible garnish of your choice to make these royal desserts. Can you believe that ? I didn't...Sounds perfect for the lazy me who craves for the sweets most of the time....There is simplicity in royalty too...

A video demo how to make homemade Double ka meetha and shahi tukda and also show-offing the bond with my spiritual team (a part and parcel of me and means a lot to me) ,well,something funny :D

Interestingly ,double ka meetha and shahi tukda are used interchangeably by many .Though what makes the double ka meetha differ from shahi tukda are their origin and that for double ka meetha,cube size fried bread pieces are dunked with sugar syrup and rabdi/thickened sweetened milk dessert while the latter is in the form of fried triangular shaped bread pieces covered with rabdi only.Both these recipes are quite famous in Hyderabad/India,Delhi,Lucknow and Pakistan exclusively and a must in most of the celebrations,festivals and wedding.

So,let me share with you all how to make Double ka meetha recipe and Shahi Tukda recipe at home "yours truly" way .

What is Double ka meetha ?

Double ka meetha is a rich Hyderabadi bread pudding belonging to the Deccani Mughlai cuisine.Double roti a.k.a Bread meaning dough of the roti that rises to nearly double its size during baking, and meetha, meaning “sweet” in Hindi/Urdu.

So, here is how I make my homemade "Double ka meetha" recipe :

First I prepared a rabdi recipe.

What is rabri/rabdi recipe?

Rabdi/Rabri is a sweetened thick boiled milk served as a dessert by its own and can be used to take any other sweets to a next level by layering or dunking in rabdi like Jalebi,Gulab Jamun and Double ka meetha and Shahi Tukra and more ...

Rabri recipe

Ingredients

Full fat milk 4 cups

Condensed milk 2 cups

Cardamom powder 1/2 - 1 Tsp (adjust as per your taste)

Saffron strands ,a few

Chopped dry fruits like pistas,cashewnuts,almonds,dried rose petals as needed

Non stick wide pan

A few drops of Kewra water/Rose water (optional)

Step by step method to make homemade rabdi/rabri

To make instant Rabdi/Rabri at home ,take a non stick wide pan .Non-stick pan will prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom and it would be quite easy to make Rabdi/Rabri aptly .
Add the milk to it and let it come to boil on high flame.Keep an eye to avoid the milk from over-flowing.
Then reduce the flame and add the condensed milk to it and stir well.
Add cardamom powder and a few saffron strands as needed.Stir well.
Let it simmer on medium-low flame.
Keep an eye.Scrap the edges of any cream/malai and stir continously until the milk thickens.
Let it reduce to half the quantity or the desired level of creaminess/thickness.
Some people do add little bit of ground powder of bread slices to thicken the rabri/rabdi fast and to make it lacchedar rabdi recipe.I didn't.
Switch off the cooking gas.
That's it Rabri/Rabdi is ready to serve.
Allow the rabdi/rabri to cool off.
(Optional,just incase you don't like any pieces of thick malai/cream part,you may ground the Rabdi/Rabri in a mixer grinder until you get a smooth liquid consistency)
Then or later while serving garnish it with drops of rose water/kewra water and chopped dry fruits.I even used bits of dried fruit jellies for a twist.
Once cold ,put the instant rabdi/rabri mixture into the refrigerator for setting up properly and reaching the rich texture with full flavor.I kept it overnight .Next day it was more thicker and creamier.

Double ka meetha recipe

Ingredients

Bread slices - 3 Nos

Oil 1/2-1 cup

Ghee 1 Tbsp

Wide pan for frying

Milk/Rabdi 1-2 Tbsps

Waraq/Varak/Silver edible foil for decoration (optional)

For making the sugar syrup/Chashni

Sugar 1 cup

Water 1 cup

Saffron strands,a few

Cardamom powder 1/4 Tsp

Non-stick pan

Step by step method to make Double ka meetha recipe at home:

Trim the edges of all bread slices and cut them into four cube size pieces and keep them aside.Make sure the bread slices are not too soft or chewy kind of.
Add water into a pan followed by sugar .
Let it come to full boil.
Then reduce the flame.Keep stirring in between and keep an eye.
Add the cardamom powder and saffron strands as needed.
Let it reduce to a sticking consistency.It will take sometime.
Meanwhile,heat oil in a pan and add little ghee ,allow it to melt.You can directly use the ghee and skip the oil.But to save ghee :D:P,I added little ghee with oil (best of both).ha ha...
Add a pinch of bread piece into the oil, if it is frying properly,oil is ready for frying the bread cubes.
Remove that fried bit of bread.On low flame,put all bread cubes one by one without over-crowding and when the bottoms are golden in color not dark brown/burnt,flip to cook the other side similarly.Repeat with any bread cubes.
Make sure not to hasten the process by frying those bread cubes fast on high flame out of patience and do not fry it for long and make it very crunchy.It should be soft yet a tad crunchy texture.
Remove all the fried bread cubes into a plate or directly to the sugar syrup if ready.
By this time,sugar syrup might have reached the right consistency.
Carefully take a bit of simmered liquid/sugar syrup and stretch between fingers.If it sticks and stretches/breaks.That is the right consistency I use for making my double ka meetha.It doesn't have be one thread consistency chashni/sugar syrup.
Transfer all fried bread cubes to the prepared sugar syrup when it is still HOT.Cover every fried bread cubes well with the HOT sugar syrup .If you miss to add the fried bread cubes to the sugar syrup when it is hot,the sugar syrup won't soak up the fried bread cubes well and it won't render the correct double ka meetha's taste.
Add little rabdi/fresh milk and mix well.This can be avoided but it makes the double ka meetha richer in taste.
Let it cool off.
Then serve immediately if you wish.Garnish it with chopped dry fruits of your choice.Add a few pieces of varak/waqr/edible silver foil if you wish.Optional though.
Or,once cold,let it set in the refrigerator and serve it next day.In that way the fried bread cubes soaks up the sugar syrup and flavor so well that it tastes finger-licking.I love it cold!
Double ka meetha is ready .
Serve it,enjoy it and feel royal !;)

What is Shahi tukda ?

Shahi Tukda is the non identical twin of the Double ka meetha .Shahi tukda recipe is also a decadent bread pudding recipe belonging to the royal Awadhi cuisine.Shahi means "Royal" and Tukda means slices/pieces in Hindi.

So,here is how I make my homemade "Shahi Tukda" recipe :

Shahi Tukda/Tukra recipe

Ingredients

Bread slices - 3 Nos.

Oil/ghee for frying

Chopped dry fruits and varak/edible silver foil for garnishing

Rabri/Rabdi as needed

Step by step method to make Shahi Tukda recipe at home

Trim the edges of the bread and diagonally cut it into two.Repeat with all bread slices and keep them aside.
Meanwhile heat oil/ghee in a pan .Put a bit of bread piece to make sure the oil is ready for frying.When that bit of bread piece is fried ,remove it.
Place all cut bread slices one by one without over-crowding and let it fry on medium-low flame until golden brown not dark brown ,little crunchy texture, flip to cook the other sides similarly.Repeat with any leftover cut bread slices.
Transfer all fried bread slices one by one onto a plate.
Add a little rabdi in a bowl or a serving plate and place all fried bread slices one by one.
Top them with more Rabdi as needed.
Garnish with chopped dry fruits of your choice and varak/edible silver foil.
Serve it immediately .If kept longer they may become soggy .If you add little rabdi otherwise can prevent it from becoming soggy though.
That's it my Shahi Tukda is ready !
Enjoy and feel like a shahi tukda . ;)

How I sweeten up my life ! Keep going..Strive and thrive dear friends !

So,if you are like me,you have a sweet tooth ,you are an ardent fan of royal foods like Mughlai and Nawabi cuisines,your celebrations and festivals are enhanced with your edible creations and even if that is not the case,if you are bored of the usual Indian sweets or give them a break and or if you are fed up of eating same bread recipes,then these royal yet easy to make royal bread puddings /desserts/sweets are worth trying for , so quick to prepare,tastes rich and delicious,smells aromatic and looks extravagant,an ode to edible royalty.

So,these royal sweets are part of my pre-diwali preparation .Hope you all will also try it,love it and share it .

So,here's wishing you all a very Happy Diwali in advance ! May this festival of lights ,bright up your life with joys,good health,long life,positivity,prosperity and delightful moments .May this festival of lights be the reminder to ignite the light in you,forget/blast the dark/past,enjoy the present and the future be blessed .

And Forever...Be loving/loved and in light !

Till we meet again,please take good care in everyway.Firecrackers , flames and too much sweetness (Except the exceptional ME :D) can also be hazardous to our health...

Duaon mein yaad rakhna mere tarah/Remember me in your prayers

SRILANKAN RECIPES|Mutton curry|Dhal/Dal curry|Cabbage Mallung|Pani Pol|

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:26:00 +0000

परित्राणायसाधूनांविनाशायचदुष्कृताम्|

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थायसम्भवामियुगेयुगे|| 8||

Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām

dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge

Meaning: For the protection of the good/pious, to annihilate the wicked and for the establishment of dharma (righteousness), I (the Lord) am born from age to age.

“One should lift only such weight as will not exhaust one beyond a limit. One should eat only such food as will easily digest.Who will engage himself in such action as will get him neither dharma nor reputation nor lasting fame and which will only result in physical exhaustion?” - Jatayu to Ravana

Heartfelt thanks to the directors/producers of the epic Indian T.V. serial Ramayana and Mahabharata and likewise for reminding our wonder-full ,legendary mythological/factual stories and the gems of wisdom hidden in that which when understood and remembered can act as a perfect moral guide to live a peaceful and content life.

The above mentioned stanza/shloka/quote are from one of the famous Hindu mythology,Ramayana .

Ramayana and Mahabhartha are the two main Indian epics of Hinduism that has shaped Indians' culture,beliefs,values and the right way of life since ages.

Ramayana is an ancient epic that represents the life and adventures Of Lord Shri Rama,the seventh incarnation/avatar of Lord Vishnu,his beloved wife,Sita/Siya ,the incarnation of MahaLakshmi and one of his brother,Lakshmana,the incarnation of Sheshnaag,the king of all nagas ,who is believed to hold all the planets of the universe on its hood,the divine serpent upon whom Lord Vishnu rests in Kshirasagara, which is the ocean of milk and prabhu Ram's loyal companion Lord Hanuman /the Monkey God ,who is in fact according to the Shiva Puran, is the 11th Rudra avatar of Lord Shiva ,a divine team who took birth in human/Ape form towards the conquest against evil ,establishing and laying guidelines towards dharma/the righteousness and a virtuous life on planet Earth.

Thanks to the sage Valmiki ji for composing this ethereal saga of Ramayana during Treta Yuga in the Sanskrit language, which consists of 24,000 verses divided into seven Kandas (books), detailing Rama’s journey from his birth,to his celestial wedding to his divine counterpart Sita,to his 14 years of long exile at the request of his own father for the sake of the righteousness over his personal royal comfort,the long war to defeat the demon king Ravana who kidnapped his pious wife sita to his coronation as the king of Ayodhya , the birth of divine twin sons,luv and Kusha and Maa Sita leaving her beloved family by merging with the Mother Earth and heartbroken dharmaraj ,Shri Ram still establishing Ram Raajaya marked by peace, prosperity, harmony ,truth and justice, setting an ideal example for an ideal governance and societal upliftment.

The “Ramayana” not only chronicles a captivating unforgettable story but also imparts the ultimate moral ,humane and ethical lessons, making it a timeless moral guide for the welfare of the humanity.

Kuber, the God of wealth, had constructed the golden Lanka for himself but was overthrown by his half demon brother, Ravana which is popularly known as the SriLanka today.

According to Ramayana, during Prabhu Shri Rama’s ,Maa Sita’s and Lakshmana’s 14 year exile in the forrest ,the divine mother /the divine counterpart of the Lord Shri Rama, was abducted and was held captive on the island of Lanka (now known as the Sri Lanka) by the the multi-headed rakshasa/demon king Ravana in a pushpaka vimana.

With the help of vanara sena/an army of monkeys and other animals,Lord Shri Rama,Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman built a bridge famously called the Rama Setu bridge over the sea to rescue Maa Sita from the confinement of the demonic king Ravana after a ferocious long battle.

Rama Bridge is also known as Adam's Bridge. As per some sources, the Islamists who came as traders to Sri Lanka believed that the Adam (the first human on Earth) crossed the bridge from Sri Lanka (Sri Pada Mountain (Adam’s Peak)) to India after he was expelled from the Garden of Eden or Garden of God/the Biblical Paradise.The Cane and Able of biblical stories are believed to be buried on one of these islets (Pratt, 1892).

This ancient monumental bridge is basically a chain of natural limestone shoals, connecting Rameswaram Island (also known as Pamban Island) in Tamil Nadu and Mannar Island in Sri Lanka.As per some sources,it is believed that the bridge was walkable until the 15th century. According to the Ramanathaswamy Temple records, the bridge was above sea level until a cyclone destroyed it in 1480.

A NASA satellite image revealed a chain of limestone shoals exactly like the Rama Setu bridge that can still be seen between India and Sri Lanka. This Adam’s/rama Setu bridge has since been a subject of scientific and archaeological interest, with studies/research exploring its origins and significance.

DID YOU KNOW these facts about Ramayana? (Courtesy:Google search)

Ravana was the most influential king of the prosperous Sri Lanka.

Ravana was a 10 headed demonic king of Lanka who was a Brahmin by birth,the eldest son of sage Vishrava and demon princess,Kaikasi and was a learned scholar/pandit even acknowledged by the Divine .
Ravana's initial name was Dahanana (Ten headed) who later got his name Ravana(which means the one who roars loud ) for being a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva .Ravana wrote the famous Shiva tandav stotram .It is believed that he supposedly installed a huge Shivalinga in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh and hence both Ravana and Lord Shiva are worshipped by the fishermen community there. Ravana temples are not only in Srilanka but also worshipped in places like Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh ,a Jain temple at Alvar in Rajasthan.
Ravana and his brother Kumbhkaran were actually Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vaikunta ,the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu and MahaLakshmi.
Ravana was a great Ayurvedic physician and an expert in astrology/astronomy.
Like the famous Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Udhhava Gita, and Guru Gita - there is another Gita called Ravana Gita (the song of Ravana). In it, Ravana teaches many sermons/life lessons/politics to Lakshmana on his deathbed at the request of Lord Shri Rama.
Ravana was a great musician, who designed his own string instrument called Ravana Veena and Raagas.
Gayatri Mantra ,a sacred vedic hymn dedicated to the divine sun ,and Divine Mother,Gayathri/Saraswati ,is formed from the first letter that comes after every 1000 verses of Ramayana.
Maa Sita took the ferocious form of MahaKali during the long unending dreadful battle between Lord Rama and Ravana when Lord Rama fell unconscious to defeat the unstoppable demonic king Ravana.

Well,for me when I see an Indian squirrel and an American squirrel I feel the difference that Ramayana was indeed true as the white stripes on an Indian squirrel’s body are believed to be given by Lord Rama for helping him during the construction of the Rama Setu bridge.

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि।

अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि॥

mac-cittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāttariṣyasi

atha cettvamahaṅkārānna śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi

Meaning :If you become conscious of the divine, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional life by divine’s grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing the divine’s call, you will be lost.

I second that ! Well,the reason why I am writing about Ramayana and the known and the unknown facts are because today I am gonna share with you all a few of my favourite SriLankan recipes.So,when I think of Srilanka,it kinda makes me happy because this country especially reminds me of the legendary Ramayana.

And what I love the most about the Ramayana and other divine true stories are how divine takes birth in different forms for the welfare of his devotees and most importantly the pain and suffering they go through in this human birth even though they are Divine in disguise and they could easily skip all these hardships.

So,when people ask me why are horrible people living well while innocents are suffering the most ,I tell them even it was not easy for any divine on Earth .Even divine had to sacrifice a lot for everyone’s well-being.All these mythological stories and our holy books states that eventually karma balances everything out in this birth or later but for sure whether they are human or the Divine.No one can skip that !However,the true faith on the Divine ,pure intentions and the prayers for the right reason does help a lot to ease all the troubles .

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानंनात्मानमवसादयेत्|

आत्मैवह्यात्मनोबन्धुरात्मैवरिपुरात्मन: || 5||

Uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet

ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

Meaning:One is alone responsible for his own degradation or rise because a person’s best friend or his worst enemy is none other than his own self.Nobody can traverse the path of God-realization for us. Saints and Gurus show us the way, but we have to travel it ourselves. Lord Shree Krishna says that we must use the intellect to control the mind towards positive direction and elevate our self.

That first shloka mentioned above the blogpost reminds me of my lovely childhood days desperately waiting for the epic Mahabhartha serial aired every sunday.

India reminds me of every God/Divine but SriLanka reminds exclusively of all the sacrifices made by my Lord Shree Rama ,the agni parikshas of sacred Maa Siya ,Lakshmana ,the definition of true devotion towards divine by bala Brahmachari(celibate by birth) Lord Hanuman ji,the brotherhood between all brothers and Shree Rama and their 14years of exile in a forrest away from their royal kingdom and life.

Being the doter of the divine mother,it hurts to imagine all the pain , sufferings and sacrifices a pure royal divine feminine had to go through as Maa Siya with not a happy ending ...It is an inspiration as well !

Reminds me of my father’s advice a day before my wedding that a woman must have the tolerance level of the Mother Earth (Bhumiyollam shama vennam sthree aayal).Sounded like a movie-dialogue back then but now it makes sense..

Point noted ! However,I don’t have any more tolerance level to share with you all my popular Srilankan recipes at my home:

Ayubowan/Hello all...😄💓

Srilankan Dhal/Dal curry

Srilankan style dal/dhal curry is a lentil curry made with coconut paste and a few spices.Usually they prefer to use the red lentil/masoor dal to make this lentil curry Srilankan style.I hardly use this lentil curry for cooking so it was really good to learn to prepare this red lentil curry Srilankan style .It tastes just like an Indian Dal curry like a mix of North Indian and a South Indian style.Just like in Malayalam,Srilankan call this lentil curry the parippu curry.Like Indians use curry leaves ,Srilankans use Pandan leaves for cooking.I really liked the taste of this red lentil dhal curry Srilankan style.

How to make Srilankan style Dhal/Daal curry

Srilankan Dhal curry|Srilankan Parippu curry

Ingredients

To Pressure cook:

Red Lentil/Masoor dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder 1 Tsp

Red chili powder 1 Tsp

Onions sliced 1/2

Green chillies chopped 2-3 Nos.

Water as needed

For tempering:

Mustard seeds 1 Tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/4 Tsp

Dry red chillies 1-2 Nos.

Garlic,chopped - 3-4 Nos.

Onion chopped - handful

Green chillies chopped 1-2 Nos.

Pandan leaves a few

Curry leaves a few

Tomato chopped ,small - 1 No.

Turmeric powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil 2-4 Tbsp

Coconut milk 1/2 cup

The preparation method of making Srilankan dhal at home :

Rinse the dal under water,drain it and transfer it into a pressure cooker with all the ingredients mentioned under "to pressure cook".
Pressure cook it for two whistles or until cooked.Keeping the flame high first and then low.
Once cooked,turn off the cooking gas , allow the pressure to release .
Meanwhile heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds,lower the flame and add all ingredients mentioned under "for tempering" one by one and keep on sautéing them until they turn soft.
Then add this tempering into the cooked dal and mix well.
Add more water if you wish and salt to taste.
Let it come to boil.Lower the flame and let it simmer a few minutes and finally add the coconut milk to it and mix well.
Let it simmer for a while until it thickens up to your preferred consistency.
Then turn off the cooking gas.
That's it the Srilankan style Dhal curry/Dal curry SriLankan style is ready to eat .
Serve hot with boiled rice and other preferred side dishes.

Srilankan Mutton Curry

Mutton curry Srilankan style is a spicy creamy curry made with mutton/lamb pieces.This Mutton curry tastes just like Indian style mutton curry.The addition of pandan leaves,lemongrass , cinnamon spice and the curry powder makes the goat curry of Srilanka extra special.

How I prepared Srilankan style Mutton curry

Srilankan Style Mutton Curry recipe

Ingredients

To Marinate

Mutton 2 Lb/1 Kilo

Coriander powder -3-4 Tbsps

Red chili powder 2-3 Tbsps

Turmeric powder 1 Tsp

Fennel powder 1-2 Tsp

Curry powder - 1-2 Tsp

Pepper powder - 2 Tsps

For making the Mutton/goat curry

Mustard seeds 1 Tsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Cloves 2-3 Nos.

Cardamom -2 Nos.

Dry coconut pieces (optional)

Bay leaves as needed

Pandan leaves a few

Curry leaves a few

Lemongrass a few (I didn't add here)

Onion,large,sliced - 1 No.

Green chillies sliced 2-3 Nos.

Ginger garlic paste 1 Tbsp

(1 inch ginger and 4 garlic in paste)

Salt to taste

Oil 5-6 Tbsps

Tomatoes chopped 1 No.

Coconut milk 1 cup

Water as needed

How to make Mutton curry Srilankan style

First wash the mutton pieces well and drain it and marinate with everything mentioned above and keep it aside for 30 minutes approx.
Then transfer everything into a pressure cooker and pressure cook with water 1-2 inch covering everything for first whistle on high flame and 3-4 whistles on lower flame or until cooked but not over-cooked.
Then turn off the cooking gas and let the air pressure release to open the lid .
Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.Lower the flame and add everything mentioned above for making the goat curry.Keep on saueting it without burning anything.
When the onions turn translucent,add the chopped tomato pieces and mix well,cover it with a lid until they turn soft.Then remove the lid.
Now carefully transfer all the cooked goat pieces into this and mix well.Add water if necessary.
Add salt to taste.
Let it come to full boil,the simmer until the curry thickens up.
Finally add the coconut milk to it and mix well.
Let it simmer for a few minutes.
Turn off the cooking gas .
That's it traditional style Srilankan Mutton curry is ready to serve.
Serve it hot with cooked rice and other side dishes or with any breads like roti,paratha or naan.
Idiripate fi meaning enjoy in sinhalese/Srilankan language

Srilankan Cabbage Mallum/Mallung

M-A-Llum /Mallung is a shredded/grated vegetable dish made with coconut and a few simple ingredients found in most of the home.The most popular ones are the cabbage one called the Srilankan Cabbage Mallum/Mallung.

In Kerala we make similar cabbage recipe but I was surprised that Srilankan mallum recipe uses cinnamon as well.

Srilankan Cabbage Mallum/Mallung recipe

Ingredients

Cabbage ,shredded/grated 1-2 cups

Onions sliced 1-2 cups/handful

Green chillies,chopped 2-3 Nos.

Garlic chopped 2-3 Nos.

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Pandan leaves handful

Curry leaves a few (optional)

Coconut grated 1 cup

Red chili flakes as needed

Salt to taste

For tempering :

Coconut oil or any cooking oil 2 Tbsps

Mustard seeds 1 Tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/2 Tsp (optional)

Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp (optional)

Dry Red chili 2-3 Nos

Cinnamon stick 1 Inch

How to prepare Cabbage Mallum/Mallung Srilankan style

Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds.On low flame add the fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds followed by the cinnamon stick,dry red chili,onion,green chillies,garlic and pandan leaves.
Saute everything well until the onion turns soft.
Add the cabbage ,turmeric powder and mix well and cover with a lid for 1 minute just to fasten the cooking method to soften the cabbage leaves but don't keep it for too long or it will become too mushy .
Remove the lid and keep on saueting it until all water evaporates.
Finally add the coconut , red chili flakes and salt to taste.Mix well.
Make sure no water is left.
That's it Srilankan style cabbage Mallum/Mallung is ready to serve.
Mallum goes well with cooked rice and other curries.

💕Pani Pol💕

Pani Pol is a Srilankan style sweetened crepe recipe .Kithul jaggery or sugar are used with grated coconut and made in an all purpose flour batter.

My mother makes a similar crepe recipe but without adding any egg into it and I always wanted to post a recipe of that and I am glad that this recipe is perfect for now.

Pani pol recipe|Srilankan sweet Pancakes

Ingredients

Jaggery/sugar ,grated/chopped 1 cup

Coconut,shredded/grated 1 cup

Cardamom powder 1 Tsp

Nutmeg powder 1 tsp(optional)

salt a pinch

All purpose flour 1 cup

Egg 1 No.

Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp

water/milk/coconut milk as needed

Oil/butter/ghee to grease

How to make Pani Pol

Heat a pan and let it become warm enough to add the grated jaggery .Keep on sautéing it until the jaggery melts .Keep an eye or it will burn up.
Once it completely melts,add all the spice powders and the grated coconut and mix well.
Keep on stirring until all the jaggery is coated well and no liquid remains.
Then turn of the cooking gas and allow it cool off.Keep it aside.
Now take a wide bowl and beat an egg well.
Add the all purpose flour to it and water/milk/coconut milk little by little and keep on stirring/beating making sure no lumps are formed .The batter's consistency should be thick and of pouring consistency.
Keep this batter aside for 10 minutes.
Then mix well once again.
Heat a pan ,apply little oil/ghee/butter.
Put a drop of batter onto the pan if it sizzles and forms a shape,then pour a long ladle full of batter onto the pan and spread from the center like a dosa.
When the top will change the color on low flame,flip to cook the other side .
Don't cook too much.
Then transfer them onto another plate.Repeat.Crepes are ready.
Then place some fillings onto the center of the crepe and either roll it or shape it like a burrito as shown in the video.Repeat.
That's it Pani Pol recipe is ready to eat.

So,those are my few Srilankan recipes for now.For a Malayali and a Tamilian,Srilankan foods will suit their taste buds for sure.Hope you will also give it a try.

I always wanted to try Srilankan foods but more than that and more than India like I mentioned above ,for me Srilanka reminds me of Shri Rama,Maa Sita,Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman and Ravana .Jai ho!

By the way,did you know ,exactly as mentioned in Wikipedia , "The flag of Sri Lanka is called the Sinha Flag or Lion Flag.The lion and the maroon background represent the Sinhalese race, while the saffron border and four bo leaves represent the concepts of meththa, karuṇā, muditā and upecka respectively. The stripes represent the country's two largest minority ethnicities, with the orange stripe representing the Tamils inhabitants—namely the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka—and the teal stripe representing the Sri Lankan Moors (Muslims of Sri Lanka). The golden yellow border is a catch-all representing the various minority communities of the country. I love that concept !

DISCLAIMER/For the record,I am a non-stop learner .So, I am sharing all these info and it is certainly not to belittle,poke,preach ,impose my beliefs on anyone or instill any kind of uncomfortabilities to anyone . Purely for informational and entertainment purpose only.No offense to any one !

I love all these shlokas from Bhagwad Geeta and Ramayana .........

अपिचेत्सुदुराचारोभजतेमामनन्यभाक्|

साधुरेवसमन्तव्य: सम्यग्व्यवसितोहिस: || 30||

Meaning:Even a confirmed sinner in this material world, worships the Divine, with unwavering faith and devotion, will be considered righteous, because, he has decided to reform himself.

All praise and gratitude to my divine !

Till we meet again

Take good care of yourself (SERIOUSLY)

Rest in Next

Love and light ,

Puran Poli recipe|Batata Vada recipe|Vada Pav recipe|Dhuska Recipe|Paan Kulfi recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 23:39:00 +0000

Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahan
Zara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan

Kahin building kahin traame, kahin motor kahin mill

Milta hai yahan sab kuchh ik milta nahin dil...

(Bole toh,jhakkaas...Thought provoking lines from one of the famous old Hindi movie C.I.D)

Well,ye dil wil pyaar vyaar Apun kya janoon re,jaanoo toh bass itna ki food ko apna manoo re...

Food can be nutritious and less disastrous when compared to anything less .That's why I am a huge foodie. I can totally count on foods and I became a passionate food blogger to jot down my edible journey here.

I am so glad that we have so many countries,states,towns etc as we have the golden opportunity in this world to try varieties of food in this human birth.As they say,"Variety is indeed the spice of life ! "

Being a food blogger and vlogger is helping me to explore at least all the recipes around the world .It is like an edible travel to different parts of the world for free .

Today,I am gonna share a few of my favourite Mumbai recipes that represents the Mumbai's culinary soul .

My memories connected to Mumbai is a little sour and a little sweet.Still,I love Mumbai !

Mumbai earlier popularly known as Bombay is known as the commercial capital of India and has famously gained the tag line ,"The city that never sleeps" and "The city of dreams" .The name Mumbai is derived from the famous deity of the Mumbaikars called "The Mumba Devi/aai (meaning mother in the local language) " and is an amalgamation of seven islands.

Mumbai is a place where the stars,slums/homeless ,thugs and locals co-exist and cohabit unanimously and happily battling their own ups and downs.The local attractions,finger licking foods ,cultural festivals,streets bustling with people ,skyscrapers,job opportunities,non-stop transportation facilities and people with big heart to say the least , makes the crowded Mumbai one of the most well-liked place in India.

I visited Mumbai to meet our friend and for consulting doctors for some health issues .From taxi drivers to auto drivers to street hawkers to doctors and locals,all were very friendly towards us.Memorable hotel stays,delicious foods ,beautiful places to visit especially the dargah / mosque for the first time,street-mall shopping made my stay in Mumbai cherishable forever .

The health issues and complications I was facing was little disappointing but the content yet hopeful people living in slums and homeless people on streets were like a Divine's way of reminding me just like my mother would always say,count your blessings and be grateful to almighty for what you have.Compare to people who are less fortunate than us then you will realize how blessed and lucky you are .And that's what made me adore Mumbai the most !

So,here I am gonna share a few of my favourite popular staple dishes of Mumbaikars that I ate in Mumbai and are loved worldwide.

By the by,DISCLAIMER: Reader/Veiwer discretion is advised as these names of recipes made me giggle and laugh and I couldn't resist myself from noting all these recipes in my blog and sharing with all foodies out there with a harmless laugh(provided you get my humor).NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE !!! ...Guess what all recipes nowadays are having double meanings .Bheedu...Tension nahi lene ka ...Kisi ka waat nahi lagane ka..samjhey kya ?

Toh ho jaaye shuru ..ek kalti lene ka aur ye recipes try karne ka.....

Here's to my popular Marathi recipes :

Puran Poli

Puran Poli is one of the most sought after dish of Maharashtra . As per Wikipedia,Puran Poli is a sweetened flatbread a.k.a. vedmi (વેડમી)in Gujarati, bobbatlu or baksham or oliga in Telugu, Andhra Pradesh , holige (ಹೋಳಿಗೆ) (mainly in North Karnataka) in Kannada and obbattu (ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು) ( in South Karnataka), payasaboli or simply boli (ബോളി) in Malayalam and Tamil ,bhakshalu or pole or polae in Telugu, Telangana and ubbatti or simply poli in Konkani.

The stuffing makes the difference in each of the sweetened flatbread recipes made in all these places mentioned above.In Marathi,the local language of Mumbai ,Puran is called the stuffing and Poli is called the outer covering of the flatbread.

Puran Poli is one of the most famous dish prepared by Maharashtrians during festivals and celebration.Puran Poli recipe is made with a stuffing of crushed lentils with some special spices and filled inside a flatbread made out of all-purpose flour and/or wheat flour .Puran Poli is very flexible to prepare at home and can be made in various creative ways .

For me Puran Poli is a greasy affair !

The first time I made this Puran poli recipe was for my doter when she was a toddler as I found this recipe to be very healthy .As simple as this Puran Poli recipe looks,it is not that easy to make.It can be complicated to prepare puran poli at home if it is not followed step by step as mentioned below.

This is how I make Puran Poli recipe at home

Puran Poli recipe

Ingredients

To pressure cook

Bengal Gram Dal/Chana Dal - 1 cup

Water as needed - 3 cups approx

Turmeric powder 1/4th Tsp

Salt a pinch or two

Jaggery,chopped or powder 1- 1 1/2 cups

Cardamom powder 1 Tsp

Fennel seeds/powder - 1 Tsp

To make Poli

All Purpose flour/Maida 1 Cup

Whole Wheat flour 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder 1 Tsp

Butter (optional) 1 Tbsp

Water+milk mixture as needed

Ghee as needed

salt to taste

Oil as needed

How to make homemade Puran Poli recipe

For preparing the Puran poli filling : Soak the lentils in water for about 1 -2 hour approx until they become tad soft to touch and the size increases .This is one of the most crucial stage for making the filling properly as this lentil takes time to cook properly or get softened up.
Then wash the soaked lentils,drain the water and transfer everything mentioned under "To pressure cook" into a pressure cooker with 1-2 inch of water covering everything.
Wait for the first whistle on high flame.Then reduce the flame and wait for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.
Put off the cooking gas.Wait for the air pressure to release by itself and then gently remove the whistle and open the lid of the cooker carefully.
There will be little water left.Wait if it is too hot or either drain the water and mash everything into a soft lentil paste or transfer everything onto a pan .
Add little ghee on a pan and add the spices one by one and saute it and then add the jaggery and the mashed lentils or the lentils as it is with water into the pan.
Saute everything until the jaggery melts and the water dries up.
Then when everything accumulates to the center,turn off the cooking gas .
Allow it to cool off a bit.
Then mash everything into a smooth paste using a potato masher or in a mixer grinder.It is very necessary to make it a very smooth paste ,otherwise it will be difficult to make the Puran Poli properly as the filling may leak out and /or will be bumpy and torn and in an improper shape.
You should be able to make balls out of the filling then the stuffing is of the correct consistency.
Transfer all these filling into another container and keep it covered.
I personally put these stuffing in to the fridge .It helps in making the stuffing more pliable and in proper consistency.
Meanwhile,to make the Poli ,the dough,add the flour into a wide container or a wide bowl,turmeric powder,butter,little salt and mix well.
Luke warm the mixture of milk and water a bit and add the liquid into the dough little by little and start to knead little by little so that you don't add too much water and then it will be very difficult to make the dough properly.Lukewarm water+milk mixture helps in making the dough soft.
Knead it into a semi-soft dough,cover it with a damp cloth or a plastic wrap or with a tight lid or the dough will dry up and it will ruin the shape and texture of the poli .
Keep it aside for an hour.I keep it in the fridge .
After an hour ,smear hands or add a teaspoon of ghee and knead once again into a soft dough.
Heat a pan/tawa.Keep the flame low but ready for making poli.
Smear little oil on to the rolling disc and the rolling pin .This helps me to avoid using the flour powder for dusting and making the Puran Poli aptly .
Make small golf sized ball out of the dough and roll it using the rolling pin into a small puri shape like a mini tortilla and then make a small ball out of the sweet stuffing and place it in the center.Then as shown in the video ,try to cover it from all sides of the dough ball like a potli or dumpling .
Then roll the ball using the rolling pin gently without using any flour which will give the perfect texture for the right puran poli or if you find it difficult to roll it ,smear it with some dusting flour on the side to roll it into a roti shape/tortilla shape.
Try your best to keep the stuffing not leaking out a lot.The edges should be thinner too.The more greasy is the rolling pin or rolling disc and the dough ball ,more easier it is to roll it into a roti or tortilla shape properly and it adds to the taste.
Spray oil or smear little ghee onto the pan.Transfer the puran poli onto the pan and let it cook down a bit on low flame.When the bubbles appear on the top,smear more ghee or butter or oil and flip to cook the other side well.
When both sides are lightly brown,transfer the Puran Poli onto the plate.
Repeat the same with all other dough balls.
That's it Puran Poli is ready to eat.
Enjoy it as it is or with the famous Amti or more ghee.

NOTES:

You can also use toor dal/Pigeon peas which can be cooked directly without soaking but it cooks fast comparatively to the chana dal.
The addition of fennel seeds or powder makes it taste amazing.You can also add 1/2 tsp of ginger powder and nutmeg powder for a different taste.
The all-purpose flour makes the Puran Poli more tasty in texture than simply using the whole wheat flour.Hence I have used both.
After making the filling,insert a spoon into the mixture if it stands up right, then we have reached the right consistency and make balls to make sure if it holds the shape .
For the perfect texture of Puran Poli add ghee/butter/oil from time to time as required as mentioned above.The grease helps in rolling properly ,keeping the filling inside and making it soft and delish to eat.
You can simply use the warm water to make the dough soft ,I added little bit of milk into the water to make the dough more softer and yummy.
Its very necessary to make the stuffing as soft as possible making sure all the lentils are well-cooked and soft to eat or it will pop out while rolling and would burn while cooking the roti.

That's it Puran Poli is ready to serve !Puran Poli is a healthy and a filling recipe .Good for toddlers to all ages as it can be made healthy with innovative ideas.

Batata Vada |Alu Vada|Alu Bonda

Batata Vada a.k.a Alu Vada /Alu Bonda/Potato Bonda is one of the most comfort food available 24/7 especially in the state of Maharashtra .This potato chickpea fritter is a quite popular street food in Mumbai as it is the most delicious snack equally liked by the locals to the celebrities.Hence August 23rd is celebrated as the world Vada Pav day in Mumbai.

Alu Bonda is made with chickpea flour batter and a spicy potato filling.Alu means Potato and Bonda means snack.Though these batata vada looks extra tasty when it is sold by a Tapri/street hawker,these vada pav recipe can be easily prepared at home without any special ingredients.

This Batata vada is best served with the signature green chutney and the garlic chutney and I am so surprised like how this garlic chutney is made with the leftover fried chickpea batter in the pan after frying the bondas .What a great way of reusing the choora/leftover fried chickpea batter into something palatable -great idea to make such a chutney. Otherwise I used to to throw all those fried chickpea batter away.

As mentioned in the timeosIndia.com article , once the famous cricketer Mr.Vinod Kambli presented 35 vada pavs to the Master blaster ,the iconic Mr.Sachin Tendulkar when he broke Mr.Sunil Gavaskar's 34-century test record in March 2006.Haila !

Ye baat hai,to chalo apun dikhathi hai how I make quick and easy Alu Bonda recipe at home

Batata Vada|Alu Vada|Alu Bonda|Vada Pav

Ingredients

For making the chickpea batter

Chickpea flour/Besan - 2 cups

Rice flour 1 Tbsp (optional to make it crispy,I didn't add )

Turmeric powder 1-2 Tsp

Red chili powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Baking powder 1 Tsp

Water as required

To grind the paste for bonda

Green chillies - 2-4 Nos.

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 Tsps

Cilantro leaves,a few

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Coriander seeds 1 Tsp

For making the filling

Potato,medium size - 4-5 Nos.

Water as needed

Oil 1-2 Tbsps

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Curry leaves a few

Cilantro leaves a few

Lemon juice

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

For making Green chutney

Cilantro leaves handful

Mint leaves 2-3 Nos

Green chillies 2-3 Nos.

Ginger-garlic paste 1/2 Tsp

Cumin seeds 1/2 Tsp

Dry coconut as needed

Peanut 1 Tbsp

Yogurt/Curd 1 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Water as needed

For making the garlic chutney

Leftover choora/chickpea fried leftover pieces handful

Dry Red chillies 1-2 Nos

Garlic ,medium size- 2-3 Nos

Peanut 1 tsp

Dry coconut 1-2 Nos

Tamarind marble sized

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Whole Green chillies as needed for garnishing

Pav/mini buns/Dinner Rolls as needed

Butter

How to make Alu Bonda recipe at home street style

First make a THICK batter using all the ingredients mentioned under the "for making the batter" above.Make sure the batter is lumpfree and smooth not runny and thick for coating.Keep it aside for a few minutes.I keep the bonda batter in the fridge to fasten the process to make the batter thick and of right coating consistency.
Pressure cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker with enough water covering them for 2-3 whistles until cooked.Do not over-cook the potatoes for longer or it will become too soft .
Turn off the cooking gas.Once it is safe to remove the whistle,open the lid and remove just the cooked potatoes and transfer into a bowl.
Remove the skins and mash the potato using hand or a potato masher and keep them aside.Make it as soft as possible.
Meanwhile grind all ingredients mentioned above under the green chutney to make the green chutney for the vada pav.Keep it aside.
Now to make the potato stuffing ,start by grinding all ingredients mentioned above to make the paste for bonda .
Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard seeds.
Lower the flame,add the cumin seeds,curry leaves,cilantro leaves,asafoetida and the above prepared ground paste and saute well.
Then add the mashed potato mixture ,turmeric powder and salt to taste.
Keep the flame low.
Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.Keep the flame low.
Continue with the bonda mixture in step 9 and mix everything well for a minute or two until all liquid evaporates.
Add lemon juice and mix well.I omitted this time.
The vada/bonda filling is ready.Keep it aside in a different bowl to cool it off a bit .
I usually keep this Bonda stuffing in my the fridge just to make sure it becomes more flavorful and thick enough to shape the bonda properly.
Then I keep the batter and the bonda filling outside for a few minutes before deep frying.
Whip the batter once again .
Pour little batter into the deep frying oil to ensure if the oil is indeed ready for deep frying.If the batter springs to the top then the oil is ready or wait for the batter to sprung to the top.The right consistency of oil for deep frying is very necessary to make the right texture of the bonda.If the oil is ready,lower the flame.
Then make small balls out of the bonda mixture and dip each balls into the batter and cover it as much as possible.If needed use a spoon to do so.The thick yet coating consistency batter will make the perfect Alu Bonda.
Shake off the extra batter and then put the batter covered bonda into the oil for frying.
Fry every Bonda one by one without over crowding the pan.
Make sure all sides are cooked and turns golden brown and crispy.
Remove all the Vada/Bonda one by one and place them all onto the paper towel to drain any excess oil.
There will be many leftover choora/fried chickpea batter left in the oil after deep frying the Batata vada or put some batter into the oil and remove the lightly fried batter,it doesn't have to be crispy .
Then make the garlic chutney for the Batata vada by first frying the garlic and red chillies in this oil lightly and then grind with all other ingredients mentioned under "for making the red chutney".This chutney will look coarse in texture while the green chutney will be slightly runny.
Fry a few whole green chillies and keep them aside.
That's it Batata Vada/Alu Vada/Alu Bonda/Vada Pav are ready to serve.
Serve the Mumbai style Batata Vada with the green and the red chutney/garlic chutney.
Bite the fried green chillies in between .
Tasty!!
Turn this batata vada into a vada pav by smearing little butter , green chutney and red chutney on the pav/dinner rolls/buns and place a Batata Vada in between .
Place the fried green chilli in between.Throw in a few cilantro leaves,lemon juice and onion slices as needed to make it a sandwich .
Enjoy the adorable Alu Bonda!!

The good thing about Batata Vada is that you can turn a snack into a meal like a sandwich by stuffing the vada or bonda into buns or dinner rolls.Then Alu Bonda is so filling and enough !

Reminds me of my 4th Std. friend in school/a Malayali batchmate named Aapsara who loved this bonda like crazy.Now I know why !

That's how you can taste Mumbai by sheerly enjoying Alu Bonda ! Amazing indeed !

I've also made other famous Mumbai hit recipes long time ago like

Sabudana Khichdi recipe

Modak recipe

Falooda recipe

Last but not the least,like they say,"All is well,that ends well !" a twist to the theme ,like a light to the end of the tunnel ,concluding the blogpost with one of my famous recipe from Jharkhand ,Dhuska.

Dhuska

Dhuska is a well-known deep fried snack eaten all over the Jharkhand,North India.Well,I was raised in Bihar which is known as Jharkhand now.So,this is one of the famous delicacy of Jharkhandi cuisine.

‘Kos kos pe badle paani, chaar kos pe vaani‘, it’s an old Bhojpuri/Bihari local language saying meaning whether we are at our home town or thousands of miles away, there is something about our mother tongue and the languages we were born around that it never loses its appeal.

Well,this is also one of my way of thanking the place I was raised in, to introduce me to all the delicious North Indian recipes which I can't get enough of . My edible memoir !

When I was little I thought this dish was some kind of different variation of a puri recipe .Recently I came across this recipe when I was trying out to prepare all these above North Indian recipes at home .

Not to mention ,the name (meaning D-hus(Partner)-Ka) made me smile with love and taste, lip smacking !

Toh chalo hamre gharma,dikhathey hai hum kaise banathey hai Dhuska...

So,this is how I make Dhuska recipe

Dhuska recipe

Ingredients

Rice (I used Sona Masoori) 1 cup

Bengal Gram/Chana Dal 1/2 cup

Black lentil/Urad Dal 1/4th Cup

Water1/2 cup or as needed

For grinding paste

Green Chillies 2-3 Nos.

Ginger 1 Tsp

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Asafoetida a Pinch

Carom seeds/Ajwain - 1/4th Tsp

Peppercorns/ Powder 1/4th Tsp

Oil for deep frying

How to make Dhuska at home

Soak rice and all lentils in sufficient water for 3-4 hours.
Then wash them all ,drain the water out.
Grind everything with water enough to make it a thick batter of pouring consistency something like the idli batter.
Keep it aside for 1-4 hrs for fermentation depending upon the room temperature.Warmer the temperature,keep the batter aside for an hour ,otherwise keep the batter for 1-4 hours .
To speed up the cooking process, add the baking soda or eno a teaspoon and mix well,then fermentation process can be avoided.If using Eno use it immediately .
Then grind everything else mentioned above to make a paste and add it to the batter or even can be grinded with the batter.The former is preferred.
Mix into the batter and whip well.
Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.Add a pinch of batter when it springs to the top make dhuska.
Then pour a ladle full of batter into the oil .The top of the dhuska will swell ,then flip it back to fry all sides on medium-high flame.
Fry until it looks crispy yet soft and donot fry for long or it will become stiff.
Repeat without over crowding the pan for frying.
Remove all Dhuska one by one onto the paper towel for draining extra oil.
Enjoy it as soon as possible for the best taste or store them in a casserole.
Enjoy it as it is or with pickle or any curry
That's it Dhuska is ready !

Least and the last ,I realized something sweet is missing in these recipes.So,having a sweet tooth,I made a quick and easy Paan Kulfi .Paan a.k.a. Betel nuts in English wrapped in a betel leaves with lots of dry fruits etc is one of the famous natural mouth freshner in India .Some people get so addicted to Paan that they don't even care if it spoiled their teeth or health.It makes me lol when I see people eating betel/paan and a red liquid oozing out as if there mouth is filled with blood.

I love those sweet paans .So,I bought these Paan masala long time ago because I always wanted to make Paan ice cream at home .So,here I am with a Paan Kulfi with a few simple ingredients easily available at home .This kulfi is not for people who can't stand sweet ,it is that creamy and like a cold candy or a cold melting mouth freshner .

Paan Kulfi

Ingredients

Whole Milk 4 cups

Sugar 1/4th cup

Cardamom seeds

Paan (Betel) masala to taste

Ice cream moulds

How to make Paan Kulfi at home

Heat milk in a preferably non-stick pan.
Powder cardamom seeds and the pan masala into fine powder.
When milk comes to boil,add the ground powder and stir well.
Reduce the flame and let it simmer down and become half the quantity of milk.
Keep stirring in between.
The milk will become thick and creamy.
Turn off the cooking gas and let it cool down.
Then either drain the liquid mixture or pour directly the liquid mixture into the ice cream moulds.
Refrigerate the ice cream moulds for 8-12 hours or until set.
Then remove the ice cream mould and keep it aside for a few seconds.Keep an eye.
Then try to remove the set ice cream from the mould.If it doesn't come out easily,run it under the water a bit and check.
Donot keep out for long or the ice cream will melt fast.
That's it quick and easy paan (Betel) kulfi is ready to serve.
Enjoy it cold .

So,these were a few North Indian recipes I was experimenting recently ,the secret behind my increasing waist and more .So how can I stop myself from jotting down all these voluptuous recipes in my blog .Pls feel free to put your evil eye on my weight gain only :D

I agree with Giada De Laurentiis - "Food brings people together on many different levels. It's nourishment of the soul and body; it's truly love."

Like Pat Conroy said ,“A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.”

So,I hope all foodies out there would give all my recipes a try and enjoy a good meal my way .

Food and life are not perfect ...Like every food every life matters (especially without any harm) ..All educated people will agree with me right ? -#AaajKaPravachanFreeHaiNoFees :P

Achcha toh ham kalti marthey hai meaning good bye/Adios/Alvida/Ciao/Namaste for now

Hey,phir milenge chalthey chalthey

Rest bheja(brain) fry in next !

See you all soon till then stay safe and take extra care (SERIOUSLY) !

LOVE and LIGHT !

My God/Divine is bright !

Infinity LOVE cake - A tribute to Love for humanity !

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Fri, 30 May 2025 19:19:00 +0000

Kya log tthey wo diwane, kya log tthey wo abhimaani
Jo shaheed huye hain unki, jara yaad karoo mein kurbani

Jab hum baithe tthey gharon mein, wo jhel rahe tthey goli
Tthey dhanya jawan wo apne, thi dhanya wo unki jawani
Jo shaheed huye hain unki, zara yaad karoo mein kurbani

Koyi Sikh, koyi Jatt-Maratha,Koyi Gurkha koyi Madrasi,

Sarhadd pe marnewala, har VEER tha Bharatwaasi............

A few of my favourite lines from the famous Indian patriotic song , " Aye mere vatan ke logo " sung by the legendary singer Late Ms.Lata Mangeshkar ji on 26th January,1963 for the first time ,commemorating the Indian soldiers who sacrificed/fought their lives bravely for the India in the 1962 war.

I dedicate all these patriotic songs mentioned in this blogpost honoring all precious human beings who lost their lives in the brutal Pahalgaam attack recently in the Kashmir that tore my heart into 26 pieces.This blogpost is also my way of healing and consoling my heart .Genuinely, from the bottom of my heart,I may smile,I may laugh,I may celebrate now and then but that wound and pain will always remain with me till my last breath.Needless to say,it hurts !

I remind myself of those beautiful lines from the movie,Kesari "Terri Mitti" to solace myself

Aye meri zameen mehboob meri,meri nass nass mein tera ishq bahe

Pheeka na pade kabhi rang tera,Jismon se nikal ke khoon kahe

Ho watna ve, mere watna ve Tera mera pyar nirala tha

Kurbaan hua teri asmat pe,Main kitna naseebon wala thaa..

Also thinking of all wars going around and innocent bravehearts fighting all around the globe,family suffering the loss helplessly ,the Sindoor on my forehead reminds me and operates my crying heart reminding of the beautiful lines of the song "Karr chale hum fida jano tann saathiyon" from the movie ,Haqeeqat..

जिन्दा रहने के मौसम बहुत हैं मगर,
जान देने की रुत रोज आती नही ।
हुस्न और इश्क दोनो को रुसवा करे,

वो जवानी जो खूँ में नहाती नही ।
बाँध लो अपने सर पर कफ़न साथीयों,
अब तुम्हारे हवाले वतन साथियो ।।

It is indeed painful beyond words for me to see all those tears of families who lost their precious braveheart sons of Mother India for no valid reason ,who were simply enjoying and entertaining their beloved,gone forever from this realm but always in heart ,a few bodies clad in our Indian flag still carrying the faint stain of the last blood ....Salute to my hidden heroes of my India !!

May the brave sons of Mother India rest in peace and may their families get immense strength and healing to bear this loss beyond repair . Atleast their last memories were sweet and precious .Harm to none,simply love...Short or long life,it was sudden yet memorable in its own .Bravehearts and broken hearts...Hats off ! Gone forever but will never be forgotten with regretful memories...

I feel the departed souls singing those heart touching lines for their loved ones...

मेरी माँ के पैरों को छूँ के तू उसे उसके बेटे का नाम दे
ऐ गुजरनेवाली हवा ज़रा
मेरे दोस्तों मेरी दिलरुबा मेरी माँ को मेरा पयाम दे (Sandese song..from the movie,Border)

O Heer meri tu hansti rahe
Teri aankh ghadi bhar numm na ho
Main martha tha jis mukhde pe
Kabhi uska ujaala kumm na ho

O Maai meri kya fiqr tujhe
Kyun aankh se dariya behta hai
Tu kehti thi tera chaand hoon main
Aur chaand hamesha rehta hai ..........

(Song "Terri Mitti" from the movie "Kesari")

All I could do is pray for the families and the least I could do is requesting them,jo gaye ,so gaye,jo amanath aap ko chhod ke gaye hai,unki achchi tarah se khyaal rakhein ,unkey aatmao ke shaanthi keliye.Baaki sab beshakk maya ka khel tha...I know you all will for sure but mere tootey dil ke sukoon keliye ek choti si reminder/request...

Kabhi bhi ek dost ka jaroorath padey toh yaad rakhiyega,sarhadd parr ek insaan hai jo mere veer jawaano keliye ,apne jaan ko bhi de sakthi hai...matlab mere pati ke saath ya hamare saath ek date keliye mil sakthey hai (safe and healthy with your parent's/elder's permission)..matlab with my hubby's permission I can sacrifice him for those women who lost their better halves life for no factual reason.The least I can do and I would be proud to do so.#ForHimanshe I saw a few video clips where I felt you all (Victim's family members) were thinking about me even in your unbearable moments.So grateful !

I am using all these movie dialogues and songs to express my emotions rather ,as my heart and head are still kinda frozen in pain and healing from this heartbreaking incident.Haan wo sab mere apne hi tthey,mujhey beintaha pyaar hai unsab se...

Like that another dialogues from the movie,Veer Zara, " Sachi mohabbat zindagi mein sirf ek baar hoti hai…Aur jab hoti hai… Toh koi Bhagwan ya khuda usey nakamyab nahi hone deta...

Mohabbat kya hoti hai yeh toh main nahin jaanti...Lekin,wo sab mere bhi ek tarah se andekha sa,anjaana sa healthy wala Mohabbat ttheyy,isliye

Yeh khuda ke roop mein Insaan hai… ya Insaan ke roop mein Khuda..jinlogo ke mann mein mere liye pyaar tha,respect tha nafrath nahi....The vibe I got/I feel/My intuition...

So as a token of love,respect,gratitude and broken heart, I made an Infinity love cake for the VEER Jawans and their families .

Infact my 6th sense says this cake idea was perhaps suggested by late Mr.Vinay Narwal /HiMANshe because I think I felt his presence while I was commenting to console his beloved wife and family members in a Youtube video and after baking the cake when I was looking for a box to store,it was written "Happy Birthday" and I saw a You tube video where his birthday was on May 1st and was being celebrated recently .I feel this cake is his way of expressing his untold feelings to all....Also,during the recent occassion of pitru Amavasya,I was praying for all those 26 souls and after a while when I closed my eyes,I had ,kind of vision of late Mr.Shubham ,wearing an army dress,smiling and eyes closing...May be this is their way of informing their families that wherever they are ,they are happy and in peace.

So,I am happy to cook something for them atleast like this and also since this incident tortured my head and hurt ,I have even sung dedicated two songs,devotional and a patriotic song for all of them which may torture your ear but hopefully everyone will bear with me...Last but not the least tribute from my heart to all those 26 souls ...

This Love cake recipe is adapted from many types of Love cake recipes around the world to make it extra special.

Love cake recipe

Ingredients

To make Homemade fresh rose water

Fresh rose petals a few preferably red or pink for dark color

Saffron strands

Water 1/2 cup

To make dry ingredients:

All Purpose Flour - 1 Cup

Almond flour - 3/4Th cup

Semolina Flour - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder 1/4Th Tsp

Baking Powder 2 Tsps

Butter,room temp - 1/2 Cup

Sugar 1 Cup

Eggs ,room temp - 3 Nos.

Oil 1 Tbsp

Yogurt 1 Cup

Vanilla essence 2 Tsps

Orange and green food colors

3 Bowls of same size

Cake Pan

Oven

How to bake a homemade Love cake :

Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.
Heat water in a pan.Lower the flame and add the rose petals and saffron strands.
Once it releases colors,turn the cooking gas off.
The homemade rose water is ready .
Allow it to cool off.
Keep it aside.
Next seive all the dry ingredients one by one for fine powder.
Keep it aside.
Beat the butter (which should always be kept at room temp and slightly melted) in a deep pan with a hand beater or stand mixer until creamy.
Add sugar,powdered sugar will help to soften it fast.So,beat the sugar until dissolved and creamy.
Break and add egg one by one into the batter and beat well.
Add oil ,vanilla essence and yogurt and beat well.
Add all the seived dry powders into it and beat well until well-mixed.
Do Scrap when necessary .
The cake batter is ready,tap it to release any bubbles.
Divide the batter into three bowls .
Add orange color as needed into one bowl (I mixed red + yellow color to get an orange color) and mix well until orangish.
Similarly add the green color to the cake batter and mix well.
Take the cake pan,add the Orange batter first,next layer it with the white/plain batter gently making sure it doesn't get mixed with the orange cake batter and finally add the green cake batter gently on top of it spreading evenly throughout.
Place the cake batter into the oven for 45-60 minutes or until well baked.The baking time may vary as per different ovens.
Donot open the oven too often or it will disrupt the baking procedure.After 45 minutes,insert a knife to check if the inside of the cake is well-cooked or not.
Bake it until the knife comes out clean.Try to poke 1-2 sides to make sure all sides are well baked.
That's it my infinity Love cake is ready !
The right type of tea goes best with a slice of cake..like I did !

(Dear Parineeti ma'am and Raghav Sir,not planned but I am surprised how the songs I selected suits the beautiful jodi ..The song is so beautifully sung by Parineeti ma'am .Please pardon me for singing it non-melodiously...the only song that could express my emotions as a musical dedication to the unsung heroes ! )

Since people have already stained me,I want to use that stain and rather say its ME,I love them ALL regardless, who have love and respect for me in their heart ,with no strings attached,pure,healthy ..nice and harmlessly naughty...Being Humane! Insaniyath mera dharam hai !

Dear world,

Kindly allow us all to be hopelessly , harmlessly ,innocently romantic , smile,blush,laugh and just LIVE well.

In this monotonous stressful life,let us be love and spread love.For some lust is love and for some love is just a pure emotion ! Some feelings are hidden and other expressed in different ways...Call it being romantic or jumantic or vellapanti (head over heel) !

There are so many critical and heart breaking humanitarian crisis/disaster unfolding day by day that needless to say,needs everyone concerned's attention,intervention and humongous help the most....With power comes responsibility afterall ! Like Gandhi ji said,"An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind." Live and let live!

Love for humanity is my religion !

Not preaching but doing my bit, at least for my relief/peace of mind, if it can remind,refresh and enlighten somebody towards right steps and action for the betterment of humanity, keeping our personal agendas aside.The Ripple effect.

Hoping and praying no more painful and worthless incidents like these will ever happen in future .Hoping there will be more love,cooperation,understanding and compromises and less hatredness , revenge,power battle and superiority complex ...Our ordinary lives matters !!


What is heaven and who/what is hell ?

Well,I am venting my frustration and pain out,hoping for the best ....I know people will understand my point of view as per their perceptions and limitations but my intentions are harmless and as always with best interest for everyone's well being .

There was a rock on my heart ,now I feel light ..


The world is already suffering immensely,silently and helplessly trying hard to get the needful intervention ,attention and aid.#WhatMattersTheMost (Kindly donot overthink/overeact about these pics,emotions behind the images matters )

Maalik ne har insaan Ko insaan banaya

Hum ne use Hindu Ya Musalman banaya

Kudrat ne toh hume baksi thi ek hi Dharti

Humne kahi Bharat Kahi Iran banaya

Nafrat wo sikhaaye wo Dharam tera nahi hai

Insaan ko jo ronde wo kadam tera nahi hai

Quran na ho jisme wo mandir nahi tera

Geeta na ho jisme wo dharam tera nahi hai

Tu aman ka aur sulah ka armaan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai Insaan banega

(Tu Hindu banega na Musalmaan banega song – Dhool ka Phool movie)

I hope and humbly request - any date or incidents related to me (if at all/just incase directly or indirectly) brings the right change or put a positive impact on the society, ignoring the harmless aspects and bringing a subtle solution to anything harmful with a graceful outcome for the betterment of all.

Now I am so scared to wave goodbye...I meant bye for now not forever !! Good bye to all my harmful heartless enemies though ...

United we stand,divided we fall

From the bottom of my heart I will be praying for all. Considering many incidents happening out of control ,just for my peace of mind ,on a serious note,I would request you all to please take extra protection measures like wearing energized amulets,pray to the Divine sincerely and stay EXTRA VIGILANT and careful wherever you all are.

I would also request all practitioners/priests connected with Spirituality to please send positivity ,protection and blessings ,promoting all the spiritual protection methods to keep humanity safe and secure.Kindly do protection homas/yagya/Havans/poojas for the welfare of humanity and planet Earth.

My BodyGuard - Baal Brahmacharya Hanuman Ji !JaiSiyaRam JaiHanuman

By the way my enemies are still trying their best to punish me as well .Guess what..now witchcraft teams are using binding spells/Mental magic/mirror magic/voodoo/doing astral travel or using some kind of mind controlling techniques to psychic-ally possess and control me something like the Hindi movie "Shaitaan"and Malayalam movie Brahmayugam.They want to prove me and others that I am pagal/lunatic .It's so funny ..I HOPE it is working ! :D #VinashkaaleyVipreethBuddhi

Dear enemies,it will be one of your biggest mistake of your life and a sin beyond repair with all my faith in Divine.Mind your life and manners so that I can mind mine in the best way,which I will by Divine's grace !

Dear God make them stop !

My Divine Father-Beti hu Mahakaal ki aur MaaKaali ki

Love and light

Rest in peace regardless

Rest in next !

Please take care,stay safe and be kind

See you all soon...

My favourite Filipino recipes -Adobo Fried rice,Bola Bola,Yema Candy,Maruya,Halo Halo,Pancit

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 13:36:00 +0000

Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsang nasa ibabaw, minsang nasa ilalim.Batu-bato sa langit, tamaan huwag magagalit.

Anak Ng Kamote !! - Son of a Sweet Potato/Shark/Tofu/Smoked Fish (Oops...Pardon my language but I found this commonly used slang of Filipino quite funny and I felt it.. like sharing.So, (Suit yourself)!! LOL

Does that language sounds gibberish ???? It did to me as well initially but guess what it is a famous Filipino saying meaning "Life is like a wheel: Sometimes you're up and sometimes you're down.You will have good times and bad times. Don't overreact to your current situation.

If someone throws stones at you, throw back bread.Instead of looking for revenge, show love and forgiveness. " .

Amen! In Divine I trust

Mabuhay.Kumusta po kayo? Pagbati!

Hi there ! How are you all doing ?

Makes sense ? Well,as a matter of fact that's Greetings in the Filipino style !

So,this blogpost is all about my take on my favourite Filipino recipes .Somebody in my family is married to a lovely Filipino lady renamed as Meera ,my sister-in-law's(Anju chechi/Bhabhi's) sister-in-law !

I remember,when my my sister-in-law's family visited Philippines ,they said that the food over there are too sweet as their nature are !! So ,out of my curiosity and passion to create something new ,try one-of-a-kind recipes,I wanted to cook Filipino recipes one day for sure!

And here I am !!

Before I jump into my favourite recipes of Philippines I dared to cook and eat .Let me share with you some amazing facts I came across about Philippines .

Did You Know - Philippines Facts !!

(Credit - as per Google articles )

Filipino households usually greet guests asking "Have you eaten yet ?" instead of directly asking Hi,how are you ? ...(I second that ! The foodie in me is jumping with joy with butterflies in my stomach). Being an Indian ,that struck a chord with me as it reminds me of our Indian saying,"Athithi Devo Bhavo !" (meaning Guests are God and should be treated with immense respect ,love and care)
In the Philippines, the term "Bumbay" is often used to call people of Indian origin because of Sikh people who migrated from Punjab/Mumbai as Sikh people refer Bhum BHAI as brothers of the Earth.
There is a commonly used word called "Hindi" meaning No or Do not !!
Filipino foods are influenced by Chinese,Thailand,Malaysian,Japanese,Spanish,Indian and western culinaries.Hence each region have their own twist to every Filipino recipes.
Rice is a staple food in Philippines served with every meal of the day including the breakfast.There are almost 300 varieties of rice in the Philippines. The heirloom rice varieties come in black, green, yellow, purple, red, and green colors.The Philippine Rice Research Institute is even developing drought-resistant, pest-resistant, and high-yield rice varieties.
‘The Eighth Wonder of the World’, the hand-carved rice terraces in Banaue ,a world-renowned symbol of Philipine's heritage are the world's oldest rice terraces long enough to stretch halfway around the globe.
Philippines is the third-highest nation for coconut production after Indonesia and India.
The Philippines ranks as the sixth-largest Banana producer in the world, producing around six million tons of Banana every year.Saba Banana is the most grown and widely used Banana in the filipino cuisine.
Indian soldiers who settled in the Philippines during the British invasion, are said to have introduced kare-kare (traditional oxtail stew).Perhaps, the use of Pepper and Bay leaves became quite popular in Filipino cuisine since then I think.
Filipinos love Cassava and Cassava recipes.The Malayali in me is so happy to know that !!
Filipino also prefer to use green mango,tamarind,tomatoes as souring agents in their recipes just like Indians.
Pork is the most popular go-to source of protein and it appears in almost all sorts of Filipino dishes.No animal part goes to waste.Lechon, a whole roasted pig, is a quite popular and sought-after centerpiece dish in many celebrations and gatherings of Philippines.Poor Pig !! Sigh ! My heart goes out for you dear Pig !!
Bulalo, a famous meaty beef bone marrow soup, is popular for its powerful flavour. (Nope Cow and Buffalos ,likewise are not welcome to Philippines !!) Seriously!!
Tinola is another popular Filipino recipe, a light, ginger-infused chicken or seafood broth whereas batchoy is a savoury noodle soup made with pork parts infused in pork blood and chicken/beef stew and egg noodles. Holy Moly !!
Balut is another unique sought-after Filipino delicacy,considered also an Aphrodisiac.A partly developed duck or chicken embryo,when a duck egg is between two to three weeks old, is hard-boiled in brine which retains some features of its development like the beak, bones, or feathers intact.Vendors insulate the freshly made Balut with a warm rug to serve it warm in the shell itself. HOW CRUEL !!(Wait a minute,I do eat duck meat though ! ...Even so guilty for that , looks less cruelty comparatively!)
Etag is another famous recipe of Philippines .A salt-cured pork stored in earthen jars for weeks before hanging it out to dry, at which point it will be crawling with maggots and is considered edible and another unique delicacy of Philippines.How SALTY !! OMG!!
Soup Number Five is another sought-after Filipino recipe with Aphrodisiac properties which contains the testicles and (sometimes) the penis of a bull.ROFL !!
Other popular Filipino recipes includes Helmet, the name for barbequed chicken heads. Adidas , the name for barbequed chicken feet. Betamax is the name for coagulated chicken blood,nilaga monggo is the name for a Pork infused Mung Beans soup.Wonder full!!
Dinuguan is a Dugo (is a Filipino word for blood) /blood-infused stew , so rich and flavorful made with a pig’s offals, ears, intestines, and snout that was simmered in its own blood. (What the Puck !!haha...This Filipino recipe I won't try to eat or cook even if someone offers me million dollar.Na-aah !!My dear Pig ,may you stay away from Philippines for good !!..Hardcore animal lover -Yours truly !)..Dear Pig,tumse ka bhool hui jo ye saza tumka mili....
I read somewhere that the Filipino farmers just to outsmart the pests attacking their crops ,they came out with many recipes to eat them out instead as a revenge from ant eggs, to crickets, grasshoppers,snakes, bats, field mice, frogs, snails to name a few. (What the F-ood...For the first time I hate those farmers and supporters..No offense,that's too much and heartbreaking!!!..They are an important part of our eco-system afterall!)
Bicol Express is another popular stew,a comfort food of Filipinos , made with pork, especially the fatty parts such as the belly and shoulder, and uses mainly coconut milk,chili peppers and coconut cream to prepare the recipe.(Like that famous dialogue from the movie,Chennai express,"Don't underestimate the power of a common man especially of Philippines " !!) ThangaFili lol
Filipino's Ice cream carts would usually have two to three unique ice cream flavors which includes purple yam (Ube), cheese, and avocado.Ube Ice Cream is the most wanted ice cream of Filipino with a purple tint made with Ube or Purple Yam as the main ingredient. Anyone screaming for that?? (Is the letter "r" missing? 😉😈😎😍)

Napakaganda/Ang Ganda...Don't take me wrong,no it is not Hindi ,it is in fact Filipino way of saying..WOW !!...I lab/Love those wonderful facts of Philippines !!💗

Looks like for me especially it can be a bit challenging to eat Filipino foods in the Philippines carefreely ...but guess what I have got some of my favourite Filipino recipes that are quite safe to eat,look ,cook and gulp with eyes closed,tongue-worthy and satisfied to the core.

So,kain na..I mean Let's eat...I will cook and eat myself while you can look and eat it with your eyes.Deal??

Deal or no deal,here I go...to introduce y'all to my favourite Filipino recipes.

. Halo Halo - is a quite popular Filipino dessert.Halo Halo in Filipino means "mixed" and hence Halo Halo is a cold dessert made up of a mix of unusual edible things which myself for sure would hardly imagine in a dessert.

Halo Halo is made up of crushed/shaved ice,condensed milk/evaporated milk/coconut milk,Jellos,fruits like chopped Mangoes,coconut shavings,jackfruit,palm fruits etc,sweetened kidney beans/Lima beans/Garbanzo beans,taro/yam cubes,tapioca Pearls,flan/pudding topped with scoops of Ube Icecream mainly.Halo Halo is quite flexible and accommodating as anything can be added to this unique drink mix to suit one's taste.

What made me interested in this unique dessert drink of the Filipino is our Indian "Falooda" drink made similarly with more universally appealing edible ingredients I believe.

You can check my Falooda post and find the similarities and differences between these two drinks as if they are non-identical twins jo kumbh ke mele mein bhichad gaye theyy shayad :D.

Indian Falooda in three ways

The addition of beans covered in sugary syrup made me wonder how did they get into such a delicious drink .Did any mother invent this cold dessert like a cheat nutritional (kinda) drink to make sure any kid would enjoy the drink for sure with a good mix of beans,fruits,vegetables like Taro/Yam along with ice cream and sugar .However the addition of beans soaked in sugar syrup was not that appealing to me ,still I was scratching my head ..wondering the taste ,challenging my morons err I mean neurons..

And as I was shopping in an Asian store I came across the ready made Halo Halo mix with most of the ingredients little hard to find like palm fruit chunks,coconut shavings ,beans dunked in sugary syrup.Since Corona mainly, I feel like I have a supporting spirit team by my side and my spirit team was indicating me to make Halo Halo for sure.Also the Ube ice cream peaked my interest as this ice cream is made up of Purple Yam.Coincidently,I also found the readymade Purple yam powder called Ube powder, which is the key ingredient to make the home-made Ube Icecream which is hardly easily available at any stores here.

I used most of the store-bought pre-mix of ingredients needed for making super easy homemade Halo Halo .However,I did make the homemade Ube Ice cream at home .

What is Ube Ice cream?

Ube Ice cream is the most sought-after ice cream of the Filipino made with Purple Yam and hence the Purple tint the ice cream has.Not to mention,I was quite taken aback when I came across this "Ube" icecream of Philippines.(I feel, my divine spiritual support team of my highest good is quite funny .Reminds me of a DIY staircase makeover video I made, which made sense once I was done with making the video and many such instances like I have specifically highlighted in this video)

How to make Ube ice cream at home :

Ube Icecream

Ingredients

Condensed milk (Preferably cold) - 1 can (14 ounces)

Cold Heavy whipping cream - 2 cups

Pure vanilla - 2 teaspoons

A pinch or two of salt.

Ube extract powder ready-made - 1-4 Tablespoons (flavor to your taste)

Purple food color as needed

(Or a mix of Red and Dark Blue = Purple color)

How to prepare Ube Ice cream at home :

In a large bowl,using an electric mixer/hand mixer,beat the heavy whipping cream on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes approx until stiff yet soft peaks forms .Do not mix for longer or it may become butter.
In another bowl ,stir condensed milk ,vanilla ,pinch of salt (balances the sugar) ,purple color as needed and Ube powder/extract and mix well until well-combined.
Finally add the above mixture into the whipped cream with soft peaks and mix well until well combined .
Pour it into a rectangular glass container or a loaf pan (easy to scoop out later) and freeze it for 6 hours approx or more or until firm.
That's it purple-y colored Ube Ice cream is ready to serve!!!
Scoop it in a bowl /cup or an ice cream cone and enjoy !!

Notes:

Always use COLD condensed milk and heavy whipping cream.
You can either use any store-bought Ube liquid extract or Ube extract in powder form for the purple yam taste and flavor.
I also used a purple icing tube thinking that would be enough to get that purple-y tint to my ice cream but it didn't ,however, it did enhance the taste but was not needed.So,I used a combo of red and dark blue food color for a purple-y tint for the ice cream instead.I used a very light purple color as too much food color scares me .So adjust as per your preference !

Not to mention,I found the name itself of this ice cream ,"UBE" ,one-of-a-kind and the color fascinated me as well as I do not remember eating any purple ice cream yet in my life and to add a vegetable like purple yam which is not my favourite vegetable anyways was beyond my imagination.Any Mother's trick again ??

If it was not Ube Ice cream, I would have hardly included purple yam in any dessert to the least.I must say the ice cream didn't disappoint me at all.Ube Icecream rocked to my palette !!

Mmmmm...Masarap (Yummy in Filipino !!) Wink !

So,here is how I made the quick and easy Halo Halo Filipino dessert at home:

Halo Halo

Ingredients

Readymade mix of sweetened red beans/lima beans,coconut shavings,palm fruit chunks,jackfruit chunks,pearls

dunk in sugary syrup.

Cherry/Raspberry Jello cubes as needed

Watermelon/Any green colored Jello cubes as needed

Ready made Flan

Crushed ice/Shaved Ice

Ube Icecream as needed

How to prepare Halo Halo at home :

I used the store-bought ready-to-eat Halo Halo mix which had red beans,Lima beans,coconut shavings,palm fruit chunks,pearls dunk in sugar syrup.

Otherwise to make it fresh,just soak beans overnight and the next day pressure cook it until soft in sugary water as per taste until well cooked.Similarly with tapioca pearls ,soak for a few hours and cook it in water until soft.
Chop any fruits of your choice preferably Mango,Plantain/Banana,Jackfruit ,Cooked Taro/Yam palm fruit chunks , coconut thin strips but I used only the palm fruit and coconut shavings dunked in the pre-made Halo Halo mix.

2.I made red and green colored jellos as per the store-bought Jello's package instructions and chopped them all. It looks like those colors(red and green) dominate any other jellos used for the Halo Halo mix.But suit your taste!

3.I also made the store-bought flan as per the package instructions and used as preferred.

4.Now take a tall glass and add all ingredients as per your wish making sure every ingredients of your choice will fit in beautifully.

5.Finally top it with crushed ice and scoops of Ube ice cream as per your wish.

6.That's it my quick and easy Halo Halo Filipino dessert is ready to be served and enjoy using a long spoon preferably .

To be frank I loved how Halo Halo Filipino dessert looked finally but the taste was too sweet for me even though I am a sweet lover . May be because of the ready-to-make store bought Halo Halo mix .Otherwise I would adjust the sugar easily to my taste .So,you can too or add not too much.And for my taste buds the inclusion of sweetened beans didn't entice me but it was good to know this rare Filipino touch which I respect for sure.Halo Halo is indeed a unique cold dessert/drink of Philippines !

That was my edible style to say "Hello Hello " to Filipino foods I think.

. Adobo chicken Fried rice

Adobo originated from the word ‘adouber’ which means “to coat and marinate meat in vinegar ,sauces and/or spices”. Adobo fried rice is usually cooked rice integrated with garlic-vinegar-flavored soy sauce,spices and the main ingredient pork or chicken meat, or perhaps both.In Philippines ,Adobo fried rice is served for breakfast as a comfort food as this Filipino fried rice can be quickly made with some leftover rice with good source of protein and vegetables to one's choice.

How to make Adobo chicken fried rice at home

Adobo fried rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice/Leftover rice 1-2 Cups

Peas and carrots chopped as needed (optional) 1/4 cup each

Onions chopped 1/4 Cup

Green chili chopped 2-4 Nos.

Garlic chopped (medium-large size) 4-7 Nos.

Spring onions chopped as needed

Bay leaves 1-3 Nos.

Soy sauce 1-3 Tablespoons or 1/4 Cup

Sugar a bit

For Chicken fry :

Ingredients

Chicken Breast,chopped - 1 cup

Pepper powder - 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Vinegar Liquid - 1 Tbsp

(I used readymade store bought dry Vinegar+Sea salt powder)

Oil for frying 1/4 Cup or adjust as needed

Preparation method to make Adobo chicken fried rice :

Marinate the chopped chicken pieces with pepper powder,salt and vinegar or I used dry version of Vinegar-salt combo and keep it aside for a few minutes.This will tenderize the chicken pieces and make it flavorful.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces until tender on low flame preferably.
Keep the cooked chicken pieces aside.
Heat oil in a pan,add bay leaves,chopped garlic.Saute until the garlic is lightly browned not burnt though.
Throw in chopped onions,peas and carrots and saute well.
Add in soy sauce to taste.Saute well.
Cover with a lid and let everything cook.
Remove the lid .
Add in the cooked fried chicken pieces,leftover rice and mix well.Fresh rice can also be added but the leftover rice gives the recipe the perfect crunch,texture and taste.
Add more soy sauce if needed.More soy sauce enhances the color of rice as well.I am not a fan of soy sauce so I added as per my taste only.
Mix everything well.
That's it my easy peasy quick to make Adobo Chicken Fried rice is ready to serve !
Enjoy it hot !

.Bola Bola

Bola Bola means Ball Ball .Bola Bola are Filipino style deeply fried meatballs made with the main ingredient Pork or chicken and served as an appetizer/snack with a dipping sauce or dunked in a warm soup or like a side dish to rice .

How to make Bola Bola with chicken at home

Bola Bola

Makes 10 Nos.

Ingredients

Chicken breast - 1 No./ 1-2 cups of ground chicken

Salt to taste

Pepper 1 Tsp

Egg 1 No.

Onion ,chopped

Garlic cloves,chopped 4-7 No.s

Bell pepper,chopped 3 Tbsps - 1/4 cup

Carrots,chopped 3 Tbsps-1/4 cup

Red chilies chopped 1-2 Nos.

Parsley/Cilantro chopped as needed

Spring onions,chopped as needed

Breadcrumbs 1/2 cup (approx)

Water for boiling

Soy Sauce/Ketchup/Sauce of your choice

Oil for deep frying

Preparation method to make Bola Bola:

Boil water.Then add the chicken breast into it with pepper powder and salt to taste.Reduce the flame and cover it with a lid until the chicken is tender.Or You can also use the ground chicken directly ,then you don't have to boil them just add the below made ground paste to the ground chicken and make meatballs directly which will take little bit more time to fry as the chicken is raw yet soft.
Then turn off the cooking gas and keep it aside.
Break an egg into a mixer jar and add the shredded chicken into it.
Now add in all the chopped veges like garlic,chilies,carrots,bell peppers,cilantro leaves or parsley leaves ,spring onions as well into the jar.
Add breadcrumbs and grind everything into a paste (smooth or coarse doesn't matter) but it should be easy to make ball shapes properly and hold the shape .Adjust breadcrumbs to make the paste easy to shape aptly.
Heat oil for deep frying.
Once the paste/dough is ready ,make golf-sized balls out it and keep them all aside.
Put a bit of dough into the oil and try to fry it and if it springs to the top the oil is ready for deep frying aptly.
Reduce the flame and fry all meatballs batch by batch without over crowding ,flipping to make sure all sides are well-cooked.
Once they turn golden brown,remove them to another plate.Do not burn them to fry them fast.
Once all meatballs as needed are fried ,sprinkle a few chopped spring onions on them and enjoy them with soy sauce.
That's it Bola Bola recipe,Filipino style meatballs are ready to serve !
Enjoy Bola Bola as it is or with pasta/noodles/rice etc.

Chicken Sisig

Sisig in Filipino means sour and Sisig is a dish made popularly with Pig parts and looks like a Non-veg salad where the meat is fried (marinated with a pinch of spice and sauce ) and mixed with chopped onions,chillies,ginger-garlic , liver and topped with bulls eye/fried egg.

I read somewhere that Filipinos make Sisig also with Python parts like an exotic food. Now that's "Savage" !!

I made with my go-to protein ,chicken pieces omitting the liver .

How to make Chicken Sisig at home :

Sisig Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken Breasts - 3 Nos.

Pepper Powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying 4-5 Tbsps

Chopped garlic 4-7 Nos.

Chopped Ginger - 1 Tbsp

Chopped red and green chillies 1-2 Nos.

Sliced bell peppers 1/3 Cup

Chopped onions as needed

Soy sauce 1 Tbsps or as preferred

Mayonnaise 1-2 Tbsps

Lime juice,as preferred

Spring onions as preferred

Egg 1 No.

Preparation method to make Sisig :

Coat the chicken breasts with salt and pepper powder and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the chicken breasts until tender /well-cooked.
Once done, turn off the cooking gas.Allow the chicken pieces to cool down.
Then chop all the chicken breasts and keep them aside.
In the same leftover oil,add in the chopped ginger,garlic,chillies,bell peppers,onions and saute well.
Add in soy sauce as preferred.Mix.
Add in Mayo and mix well.
Add in the fried chicken pieces to it and saute well.
Squeeze lime juice as needed.
Saute for a few minutes and top it with chopped onions and spring onions.Mix well.
Make little space in the center to make an egg bulls eye .So,break an egg and make one.
Now leave it as it is or you can also mix the egg into the Sisig completely .
That's it my homemade sisig recipe is ready to serve !

.Yema Candy/Balls

Yema means "Egg yolk" and Yema candy is a quite famous sweet confectionery of Philippines made with egg yolks,condensed milk,butter and nuts.

How to make Yema candy at home :

Yema Candy/Balls

Ingredients

Egg Yolks 2 Nos.

Butter 2 Tablespoons

Condensed milk 1 can 14 Oz

Crushed Peanuts/walnuts

Salt to taste a bit (optional)

Wax paper strips square shaped /Cellopane strips

How to prepare Yema candy/Yema Ball recipe at home :

Break eggs and separate the egg yolks from them and keep them aside.
Add the condensed milk and the egg yolks into a container and beat well.
Heat butter in a pan on low flame and let it melt down.
Then add the condensed milk mixture into it and stir well on low flame until the mixture thickens up.It is quite time taking ,attention seeking and a great hand exercise procedure.
Keep an eye always as the mixture has got a tendency to get burned.
Once the mixture thickens up ,add the crushed peanuts and mix well.
A pinch of salt or two will help in balancing the sweetness .
Keep on sauteing it until the mixture leaves the edges and starts to accumulate to the center.
Turn off the cooking gas.
Allow the mixture to cool off.
The candy mixture/dough is ready.
I prefer to keep this candy mixture in the fridge for a few hours /overnight so that the mixture becomes more flavorful and pliable.
Then make square strips of paper out of parchment paper/wax paper or Cellopane.
Then as shown in the video ,make a small marble sized balls out of the mixture and place each one of them on a wax strip/cellopane strip and pinch from all side in such a way that the ball turns into a cone shape .
Repeat with all the candy mixture/candy balls .
That's it Yema candy,Filipino style candy is ready !

Masarap - Delish !!!

. Maruya/Banana Fritters

Maruya are a classic Filipino Banana Fritters ,popular street food/snack of Philippines .Traditionally, the batter- coated Saba Bananas (sliced/mashed) are either deeply fried and coated with sugar.Bananas can be cut long or mashed into the batter .The former looks like a Banana Fritter and the latter looks like a Banana pancake.

This recipe reminded me of our Kerala style Pazham Pori/Banana Fritters or American banana pancake.

Kerala Pazham Pori recipe

Pancake recipe

How to make Maruya ,Banana fritters recipe at home

Maruya Recipe

Ingredients

Ripe Bananas (Saba Preferred) 2-3 Nos.

Sugar 1/2 cup

All-purpose flour 1 cup

Baking powder 1 tsp

Vanilla essence 1 Tsp

Egg 1 No.

Milk 3/4th cup

Salt a pinch

Oil 1/2 cup

Powdered sugar

Preparation method to make Filipino Maruya at home :

Break the Bananas and mash it into a smooth/coarse batter with sugar in a mixer jar.
In a wide ball, mix all purpose flour and baking powder,add in the mashed Banana mixture,vanilla essence and break an egg into it.
Mix everything well until it forms a well-combined batter.
Keep it aside for fluffier Maruya.
Heat oil in a pan.
Mix the batter once again and pour ladle full of batter on the pan.
On medium-low flame,once the bottom is cooked/golden brown,flip and fry the other side until golden brown.
Remove the fritter/pancake onto another plate.
Repeat with all batter as preferred.
Then sprinkle powdered sugar on top of all Maruya/Banana Fritters/Filipino Banana Pancakes.
That's it Maruya,Filipino style Banana Pancake/fritters are ready to eat.
Alternatively,you can make a batter of all purpose flour,baking powder,powdered sugar,vanilla essence, egg and water into a smooth but thick batter.
Then slice the Bananas into long strips and dip them into the batter and deep fry each of them into Maruya Banana Fritters.Coat with powdered sugar.

Masarap ...Take a bite!!

.Pancit

Pancit is a staple food of Philippines made with thin/fine rice noodles,pork/Chicken and vegetables and soy sauce.The fine rice noodles when done tasted just like our Kerala style Idiappam.

Kerala style Idiappam/String hoppers

How to make Filipino Pancit at home :

Pancit recipe

Ingredients

Chicken strips 1 cup

Pepper powder 1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Oil 1/3 Cup

Chicken Boullion 1-2 Nos.

Water to boil 2-4 Cups

Oil 4 Tbsps

Garlic ,chopped 4-5 Nos.

Onion,chopped handful

Bell peppers,chopped handful

Carrots,chopped handful

Spring onions chopped

Crushed red chilli flakes as preferred

Cabbage sliced as preferred

Soy sauce 1-4 Tbsps

Snow Peas as preferred

Vermicelli Thai fine rice noodles 1 packet

Preparation method to make Pancit

Marinate the chicken strips with salt and pepper powder and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them until tender and keep them all aside.
Boil water in a pan and add 1-2 Chicken boullion cubes and let it melt down .Reduce the flame.
Heat oil in a flame,add in the chopped garlic,onions,bell peppers,carrots and saute well.Cover it for a minute until tender but not too much or the veges will be too soggy.
Add in the crushed red chilli flakes,cabbage , soy sauce and snow peas and saute well.
Stir in the chicken boullion cube until mixed well in water.
Add the noodles into it and gently stir and let them sit their for a while until tender.These noodles cook very fast.Do not overcook it.
Then strain the noodles and keep them aside.
Add the fried chicken strips into the veges and mix well.
Add in the cooked noodles and mix well gently .
Add more soy sauce/oyster sauce as preferred.
Turn off the cooking gas.
That's it Pancit is ready to eat !

So,those where my favourite Filipino recipes I was excited to store it in my blog and share it with all foodies like me.Hope you will like it and give it a try as they are not that time-consuming and tasty.

Here are my Filipino food ideas demonstrated in this video/vlog showcasing my favourite homemade Filipino recipes .

Since this is my first post of 2025 .I would like to wish you the best and share with you all a few amazing Filipino quotes I came across as a token of inspiration and reminder to me and others if you wish .

Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.

Meaning ,"As long as there is life, there is hope."This quote encourages people to not give up, even in the face of adversity. There is always an opportunity to make a change, learn from mistakes, or start anew. It promotes resilience, optimism, and a positive outlook on life.

Pulutin ang mabuti, ang masama ay iwaksi.

This quote emphasizes the importance of discernment, being able to distinguish between good and bad. Good influences and behaviors should be emulated and bad influences and behaviors ignored or rejected.

Also remembering those who left us to be by Divine's side ....Everyone has to leave this realm one day....some go sooner..some leave later.Sincerely my heart goes out to them who left us in tragedy or organically....All I can do is pray for peace !

Wish all my readers a very happy and blessed new year !

Forget the pain/past,cherish the happy memories, embrace the present like a gift from God and Keep it true !

Yours truly,

A Mexican edible tale of Burritos,Tacos,salsas,flan ,dessert and more..|My Mexican recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:04:00 +0000

El arte más poderoso de la vida es hacer del dolor un talismán que cura, una mariposa que renace florecida en fiesta de colores. ~ Frida Kahlo

Doesn't that sound sexy ,tasty and delish ?

For me Absolutely !

Hola Amigos !!

I am sure you might have already guessed it ...It is Mexican/Spanish !! And that is a quite famous quote in Spanish by the well-known Mexican Painter,Frida Kahlo and it best describes yours truly,ME!!

It means ,"The most powerful art of life is to make pain a talisman that heals, a butterfly that is reborn, blooming in a feast of colors."

I love Spanish/Mexican language ! That flow of words when spoken by anyone sounds so sexy to me which I adore listening to and so does Mexican foods ,when eaten at any restaurant, it tastes simply delicious to me - fresh,natural,little spicy,crunchy,little sour,little creamy,cheesy,little sweet and saucy....Yummmy,my dil goes mmmmm!!....My kind of favorite food !!In fact,a family favorite go-to food!!

The tortilla reminds me of our Indian Roti/Indian Flatbread,different sauces remind me of Indian chutneys,a few desserts remind me of the Indian version of custards,cakes,puddings,few tropical drinks, remind me of Indian juices and mostly the exclusive use of rice,beans,vegetables ,spices,chillies,meat,seafoods,coconuts,jackfruits especially ,makes the Mexican food my most favourite kinda comfort food that I can have anytime,anyday.

I am not a fan of fast foods.When it comes to restaurant foods ,after Indian food, I find Mexican cuisine to be comparatively healthy food.Thanks to husband (BhogRaj G ;D:P) for introducing me to the various cuisines for sure! Being a foodie and a hardcore cooking enthusiast, the edible experiences widened my taste buds and helped me to expand my cooking experimenting horizon, far and wide.

Needless to say,I started making lots of Mexican foods at home trying my best to keep it more healthy innovatively. Not only is Mexican cuisine delicious but also not time-consuming to prepare.

Me encanta la comida mexicana !! (Say that and feel it !)

I don't know about you but for me, it sounds so satisfactory , warm yet alluring and it simply means "I love Mexican foods !"

Like I mentioned in my previous posts about my love for Thali food ,I got a little bored doing the Indian versions and I wanted to try something different yet something that satisfies my hunger pangs in every way.And I always wanted to make a full-on Mexican meal.So here I am with a new version of my hunger games...with all my favourite quick-to-make and quick-to-finish Mexican recipes with my personal twist yet doing my best to honor the Mexican traditions which somehow I adore to the core ...

Good food that tastes/represents especially a traditional Mexican home,traditional utensils used like in India ,the humble claypots, age-old grinding stones ,mortar and pestle called "molcajete", Molinillo used for whipping chocolates etc,Barbacoa used for grilling like Tandoori in Hindi or barbecue in English,using Banana leaves for food/cooking,grilled corn on the cob,street vendors selling varieties of street foods /antojitos,use of dry red chillies,peppy music,warm yet exotic dance,down-to-Earth (urban) yet contemporary culture ,folklores related to Mayan/Aztec civilizations ,breathtaking tourist worthy places in Mexico are what makes me incline towards the Mexicans.Admiro !!

Soy mi propia musa, soy la persona que mejor conozco, soy la persona que quiero mejorar

Meaning "I'm MY own muse, I'm the person I know best, I'm the person I want to improve."

Mexican foods are believed to have originated from the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

I didn't ! So,let me share with you all the "Aha" factor of the Mexicana!

Credit:Google

In 2010 Mexican cuisine was added to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity, an honor that acknowledged not only the exceptional dishes and cooking techniques but also the social importance of the foods in the Mexican culture. ~ Mexicohistorico.com
Tomatoes ,Corn,hot chocolates, and Vanilla originated in the Mexico.
Tacos are usually eaten as a light lunch in Mexico traditionally and they are so much preferred that they have dedicated a whole day as National Taco day celebrated on the March 31st in the Mexico and October 4th in the US.
Mayan Legend says that Tortilla was invented by a peasant as an edible gift to a King about 12ooo years ago which was later adapted and recreated by the Mayan and Spanish civilizations and which gained popularity far and wide.
Mexican Tortillas are made with cornmeal/corn flour as the main ingredient while Spanish Tortilla is made with potatoes and egg omelette.
Tortillas can have different fillings including insects like grasshoppers and other strange parts of animals (Holy Moly ,I'lll keep that in mind! ) and even have a sweeter version of fruits and ice cream (Bring it on!).
Pan-fried grasshoppers called chapulines and cactus called nopales are quite famous in the Mexican cuisine.
Mexico is home to about 300 types of chili peppers and more than 50 varieties of corn.
Like Indians celebrate "Pitru Amavasya" dedicated to praying and paying homage to our ancestors, Mexicans also have a day dedicated to the dead loved ones called,"Day of the dead!".
There is a funny breakfast recipe called Huevos divorciados meaning divorced eggs.LOL
The popular Mexican food,Fajita was invented by a group of cowboys in Texas.
Universally favored Tequila and Margarita alcoholic drinks originated in Mexico.
World's largest pyramid is located in Cholula, Mexico.

Wowieee....Thanks for improving my General Knowledge!

And hence , adoro la comida mexicana ...meaning I LOVE MEXICAN FOODS !!

As I was researching and learning about the Mexican culture I realized that just like Indians,they also use food as a wonderful excuse to bond and celebrate family,friends,people and life in general tastefully.

While Tacos,Tortillas,Salsa,Guacamole,flan are becoming staple foods in most of the hybrid kitchens around the world ,then there are Churros,Burritos,Mojitos,Taquitos,Cabritos,Pepitos,Jarritos,Antojitos which sounds like the name of some edible Missiles ....I mean reminds me of that dialogue from the movie "3 Idiots" ...."Tum Gujarati log itne cute hote ho, par tum log ka khana itna khatarnak kyun hota hai - dhokla, fafda, handva, thepla - aaise lagta hai jaise koi missiles hai.(meaning Gujratis are so cute but their foods like dhokla,fafda,handva,thepla sounds like names of some Missiles) Exactly !!....No wonder ,kyu ye Mexican log bhi itney cute lagthey hain....ha ha ha...

So like a Mexican saying ,"Barriga llena, corazón contento" meaning the secret of a simple life is a full (edible)belly and a happy heart .

Having said that ,“Hay que comer para vivir, no vivir para comer.Quien come con cordura, por su salud procura .De la panza sale la danza”. meaning eating to live, not living to eat. Those who eat with sanity, provide for their good health ,for, from the stomach comes the drooling dance of life or energy to live life to the fullest/worth.

So,"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious",said Ruth Reichl and so do I .

So ,Menú de comida ,my Mexican food menu recipes comprise of :

1.Chicken Burritos - Did you know that ?

Burritos means "little donkey" in Spanish and originated in Northern Mexico .During the Mexican Revolution of the 20th century,foods wrapped in tortillas were famously coined the name "Burrito" which seemed convenient to carry on donkeys far and wide .
The largest burrito ever made weighed over 12,785 lbs and stretched 2.4 km in length.(Credit:Factnight.com) Holy Cow!!
The most expensive burrito ever sold was priced at $5,000 and featured luxurious ingredients such as Kobe beef and black truffles. (WTF-What The Food !! indeed)
In 2006, NASA included a special type of space travel-friendly burrito called the “Thermostabilized Bean Burrito” on the menu for the space shuttle Discovery.
Not Mexico but San Francisco holds the title of the “Burrito capital of the world”.
Matt Stonie achieved a remarkable feat in 2016 by consuming 47 Chipotle burritos in just three minutes.
National Burrito Day is celebrated annually in the USA for burrito enthusiasts.(Courtesy:Fact Bud.com)

Asombrosa ..I mean AMAZING indeed !!

So,WHAT IS A BURRITO ?

Burrito is a food wrapped in a flatbread called Tortilla made up of corn flour and is usually filled with vegetable fillings like corn,tomatoes,soft beans,chopped onions,jalapenos and any meat toppings and varieties of cheeses,sour creams,sauces.Burritos are a versatile type of food as they can have different kinds of fillings inspired by the traditional recipes to the innovative ones that suits one's taste buds aptly.

That's why I love Burritos so much.I remember the first tortilla sets I saw for the first time at the Walmart and I was happy beyond words . Tortillas resembled our humble Indian staple flatbreads called rotis.Being a cooking enthusiast,I couldn't resist my mind and belly splurting out with varieties of Burrito ideas and more ,since they were readily available in a bunch at affordable prices and the convenience of creating fast and tasty food at home.

For me Burritos are like Indian wraps like Frankie or roti rolls etc ,only difference is our Indian flatbread is made either with wheat and other nutritious grains or all-purpose flour,oil/Indian clarified butter whereas the Mexican flatbread,Tortilla is made up of Corn flour and animal fats like lard/shortenings exclusively .Any fillings,toppings,cheese,sauces would give a magical edible twist to the traditional burrito wrap like the Indian ones.So,it is a no-brainer!Simply creativity and to taste !!

So,here is my Chicken Burrito recipe

Chicken Burrito

Ingredients

Chicken,chopped 1 cup

Spices for seasoning:

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Cumin powder - 1 Tsp

Pepper powder - 1 Tsp

Oregano - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Fillings/Toppings

Boiled rice 1 cup

Black beans,boiled - 1 cup

Corn - 1 cup

Bell pepper,sliced - 1 or 2 Nos.

Jalapenos/Serrano peppers,chopped as needed

Pineapple,chopped as needed

Pomegrante seeds as needed

Shredded lettuce as needed

Cucumber,chopped as needed

Salsa

Guacolmole

Salsa Verde

Cheese,Pepper Jack or cheese of your choice to taste

Any sauce,I used Tabasco sauce to taste

Honey Mustard Habanero sauce to taste

Sour Cream

Tortilla,large or X-Large size - 2 Nos.

Oil for shallow frying as needed - 4-5 Tbsps.

Skillet

How to prepare Burritos :

First, prepare boiled rice and any beans like I have used the Black beans (Pressure cooked for fast cooking the beans), and keep them aside as shown in the video.
Then prepare Salsa Verde as shown in the video or below in the post.
Marinate the chopped chicken pieces with the seasoning spices and keep them aside for a few minutes.
Then heat oil in a pan ,shallow fry the chicken pieces, and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a plate.
In the same oil lightly fry the chopped bell peppers,corns,serrano peppers and cooked black beans to make it flavorful.Once cooked or soft transfer them to a plate.Some people prefer them fresh but I love them a little soft/lightly cooked yet crunchy instead.
Since I like melted cheese in Burrito ,I am gonna put a little cheese on top of the cooked chicken pieces on a pan and allow the cheese to melt lightly on low flame .Do not keep them for long or it will stiffen up/turn hard.Then transfer it to a plate.
Heat a skillet or a wide pan, place a Tortilla on it and cook both sides on low flame until a little soft/lukewarm but not for too long or the Burritos will harden up and it will be difficult to fold into a proper Burrito or else the filling will fall down and it won't be that tasty to eat as well.
Then put off the flame and transfer the Burritos to a big plate and let's make the Burrito my way.
Layer - Put some cooked chicken pieces with melted cheese as needed,little bit of the mixture of cooked bell pepper,corn,serrano peppers and black beans,little bit of pineapple chunks,pomegrante seeds,cucumber chunks,shredded lettuce,smear some Salsa Verde,Tomato salsa,Guacomole,top it with all sauces and sour cream as needed.
Make sure not to overfill as it will be difficult to wrap the tortilla into a Burrito properly.Then as shown in my Mexican recipes video,fold the Tortilla with all fillings etc gently into a yummy Burrito tight and secured.
Serve it hot and fresh .If you are gonna eat later,wrap it in an aluminium foil .Burritos always taste best when served FRESH.
Enjoy bite by bite with the extra salsas and Guacamole to your taste.

WHAT IS A TACO?

Taco is a famous traditional Mexican dish, just like a Burrito. It is actually a small version of a Tortilla wrap either in a crispy form or in a soft grilled form ,filled with different kinds of vegetables, proteins like meat or tofu, etc., and topped with sour cream and sauces of one's choice.Just like Burrito,a Taco is a very versatile and flexible dish that can be molded/prepared into various one-of-a-kind recipes.

Wanna know some great facts about Taco???

Courtesy : FactRetriever.com

Mexico City is called the Taco capital of the world.
The Grand Velas Los Cabos resort in Mexico creates the world's most expensive taco, sold at $25,000 made up of a gold-flaked corn tortilla, langoustines, Kobe beef, Almas beluga caviar, and black truffle Brie cheese. (That is a mouthful to digest...I am Speechless!!)
The largest taco in the world weighed around 1,654 pounds (750 kg) and was made in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.(That gave me the inspiration to make those mini tacos for sure without being lazy next time.)
Bizarre tacos include grasshoppers,insects,waffle, alligator, bacon, s'mores, larvae, and cauliflower tacos. (V-omit that !!)
TwistedTacos.com mentions," The first-ever food truck was probably a taco truck".

Interesante ...I mean so interesting !!

So, here is my version of Chicken Tacos and Fish Tacos !!

Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

(Basically the leftovers from the Burrito fillings that I prepared above except the boiled rice)

Leftover chickens from the Burrito 1 cup

(Or I would prepare the chicken just like that and with other spices too )

Leftover vegetables 1 cup

Pineapple chopped and pomegranate seeds as needed

Lettuce as needed

Leftover salsa as needed

Leftover Guacamole as needed

Leftover salsa verde as needed

Sour Cream as needed

Any sauce of your choice (I used Tabasco and honey habanero sauce)

Cheese (I used pepper Jack)

Small Tortilla - 4-5 Nos.

Skillet/Pan/Grill

How to make Tacos

Heat a skillet or a pan ,place a tortilla on it, and cook both sides until "lightly" warm on low flame.Don't keep it for too long or it will harden up.
Once warm ,transfer it onto a plate and layer all ingredients one-by-one ,topping it with cheese,sour cream, and sauce of your choice.
Just fold the tortilla wrap like a D shape .Grill it to make it the crispier version if needed.
That's it my Chicken Taco is ready to serve..Serve it fresh for the best taste and serve it with more sauces, salsa and guacamole on the sides.

Isn't that Burrito and Taco a wholesome meal with good quantities of vegetables,fruits,proteins,homemade salsa etc .The difference between Burrito and Tacos is that Burrito uses a large Tortilla and Taco uses small or medium ones and Burritos can include rice as well.Here the addition of chopped pineapples,pomegranate seeds,cucumber made the burritos and Tacos exclusively crunchy,delicious and healthy.

Click the links for the :

3.Pico de galo recipe/Tomato Salsa recipe

4.Guacamole Recipe

5.Egg Quesadilla recipe

6.Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde is a very important and staple salsa at any Mexican home that tastes better when prepared at home itself as the traditional use of the grinding stone/Molcajete/Molinillo and fresh vegetables gives it that fresh homely taste that can hardly be recreated/prepared at any restaurant with that humble personal touch with influence passed down the generations.Salsa Verde is prepared most popularly with fire/pan roasted Tomatillos,peppers,onions etc.This is one of those salsas that needs to be cooked and tastes spicy and can be used as a dip,spread,sauce and/or as a condiment.And this is how I make Salsa Verde my way Mexican style.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

Tomatillo -1-2 Nos.

Serrano peppers 1-2 Nos.

Mexican red chili,large - 1 No.

Garlic cloves - 1-2 Nos.

Shallots - 1-2 Nos.

A few cilantro leaves

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying - 1/4 the cup

Water if needed

Grinding stone/Blender

How to make Salsa Verde at home:

Heat oil in a pan.
Lightly roast all vegetables one by one.Saute until they look roasted.
Then turn off the gas.Let it cool a bit.
I used my grinding stone to make a thick salsa verde or blend all roasted ingredients into a blender with a little bit of water and blend everything into a not-so-runny yet thick salsa.
Add salt to taste.
That's it my easy Salsa Ver is ready to serve.
Serve it as a side dish/dip/spread/sauce/condiment in/with Burritos,Tacos etc..
This salsa is very spicy and it usually looks green in color but since I used Mexican red chili ,it looks tad red in color.

7.Mexican Caramel Flan Recipe / Receta de Flan Mexicano - A very famous Mexican custard dessert !

Custard Mexican style made with very simple ingredients easily available at home topped with caramelized sugar is the simple yet finger-licking Mexican Caramel flan.I love custards and this easy-to-make and quick-to-finish Mexican Flan is so creamy ,jiggly and yummy and is hence one of my favorite International dessert, decadent beyond words. Delicioso !!

I was literally on a flan diet for a long now to come up with the most silky,jiggly and sweet custard recipe Mexican style.You can see the special effects of my flan experiments on my body ,just check the video ,proudly presenting me oops I mean my Mexican Flan..LOL....😋

Usually, flans are prepared in ovens but I made it on a stovetop.

Stove Top Mexican Flan| Caramelized Custard Mexican style|Receta de Flan

Ingredients

For making a Custard base

Whole Milk,room temperature - 2/3 rd Cup

Egg,small size preferably,room temperature - 1 No.

Cream Cheese,room temperature - 8 Oz.

Vanilla essence 1 Tbsp

Salt a pinch

For Caramelization:

Sugar 1/4-1/2 Cup

Water 1/4-1/2 Cup

Steel Pan

Blender

Deep Pan

Pressure cooker grid

Aluminium Foil

How to make a no-bake/stove top Mexican Flan at home :

Take a wide and deep pan and fill it with half a quantity of water and bring it to a boiling point and then reduce the flame.Put a pressure cooker grid or as I have seen in some Youtube videos a big folded tissue paper as the base for even cooking of the custard .The tissue can be placed later when the custard is ready to cook .
Meanwhile let's make the custard base,take all the ingredients (break the egg) mentioned under the custard base into a blender and blend it into a very smooth LUMP-free liquid base.Transfer it into a wide bowl.Keep it aside.
Now, to make the caramelized sugar syrup,take a steel pan and add sugar and a little water to it and let it sit there on low flame until it starts melting .
Then give it a stir to make sure all the sugar melts gradually and uniformly by itself.Just leave it alone but keep an eye so that the sugar doesn't get stuck to the bottom and uneven.
Even try to swirl the pan for the same purpose in between making sure it doesn't burn or get stuck till the sugar changes its color to light brown.
Let the sugar melt completely and turn light to dark brownish color.
If it thickens up and gets stuck , just add the extra water to it and that will gradually melt the sugar(high-moderate-low flame),creating a not-so-thin yet thick caramelized sugar syrup.The caramelized syrup should be dark and in a flowy yet thick consistency .
Immediately once you prepare the caramel syrup,once again stir the custard ingredients prepared in the blender well to make sure that it is lump free ,smooth and well-combined .
Take a bowl that can stand boiling pressure and transfer the caramel syrup first into it immediately and let it cool down a bit for a minute,so that it will thicken up the caramel base and it won't mix up with the custard base.Even if it does a little bit,it's ok.Then add the custard base mixture little by little.
Cover it with the aluminum foil and place it VERY GENTLY AND CAREFULLY onto the pressure cooker grid or the tissue base.
Keep the flame low and cook it up for an hr or 15-30 minutes longer if needed until evenly cooked.Cover it with a lid.
After an hour or so,turn off the flame.
VERY VERY CAREFULLY using a tong or using towels just try to take out the bowl out of the deep pan.
Let it cool off.Then refrigerate for 3-4 hrs or until set ,jiggly yet shaped.
It is best to refrigerate it overnight so that the flavor and texture sets in aptly.
Next day just remove the foil and using a knife gently loosen the custard from all sides.
Then take a plate and cover the top of the bowl and flip.
Gently tap to release the custard onto the plate.
Aaand there you go,the creamy,jiggly,sweet ,silky Mexican Flan is ready to EAT !!
Que Rico !!😋

NOTE:

I've used a small egg instead of a medium or a large egg as I don't like any egg taste in my custard.
To tone down that eggy taste I've used the cream cheese for that matter which makes the custard more creamy and less jiggly if not used.
My trials with caramelization showed me that sugar caramelizes well and even in a steel pan than other pans comparatively.Once you caramelize the sugar it is best to use it immediately or it may thicken up and it would be difficult to use it then or if that happens then just add a little water to the sugar and bring it to a boil and then lower the flame until the thickened up sugar melts completely golden brown.

8.Arroz Con Leche |Rice Pudding Mexican style

Being a dessert fan,I was surprised to come across a rice pudding Mexican style little bit similar to our Indian version of rice pudding or Kheer in Hindi and I love rice puddings a lot .Ironically,I don't have any Indian version of Rice pudding in my blog yet and the first rice pudding to make it to my blog is the Mexican-style rice pudding.

The addition of cinnamon and lemon or orange rind/peel pieces makes the Mexican pudding different from the Indian version.An orange/lemon peel in a pudding is something I would never imagine cooking with otherwise.So,it was good to know that such peels can take a pudding's taste to another level.

Traditionally,fresh long/short-grain rice is cooked and used for the Mexican-style rice pudding recipe.But I felt any leftover rice would be perfect to be reused and recreated into the Mexican-style rice pudding to make it fast yet with the same flavor.

Arroz con Leche|Rice Pudding Mexican Style

Ingredients

Leftover cooked rice - 1 cup

Whole milk - 2-3 Cups

Condensed Milk - 1 cup

Cinnamon whole sticks 2-3 Nos.

Lemon/orange rind/peel - 1-2 Nos.

Sugar to taste (optional if more sugar is needed)

Cinnamon powder to garnish

How to make leftover rice pudding Mexican-style

First, boil the milk into the saucepan or a wide pan.
Once it reaches the boiling point ,reduce the flame and add the rice and cinnamon stick to it and let it simmer for a few minutes.
After 15 minutes or so,add the condensed milk to it and stir everything until well-mixed.
Let it simmer for a few minutes until the pudding thickens up a little but not too much.
Then add more sugar if you need it.
Just before turning off the cooking gas,add the lemon/orange peel and give a gentle stir.Donot cook for long or it may curdle and lemon or orange rind is used to give it the traditional citrus flavor.
Turn off the gas and allow it to cool off.
Refrigerate it if you wish (Tastes best for me ) .
Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon/orange peels ,transfer it into small bowls and serve it immediately and garnish it with cinnamon powder.
That's it my Mexican-style rice pudding,Arroz Con Leche is ready to serve ...
Appetitoso !!

9.Churros - Churros are Mexican-style fried finger-shaped Fritters rolled in sugar-cinnamon powder.Churros are one of the most popular snacks in Mexico. I saw churros first time at our local state fair and it looked and tasted like my kind of snack and since then I have been craving to make it at home and finally, I did it.It is easy and very very tasty.Gustoso!! (Tasty!)

Churros recipe|Mexican finger Fritters

Ingredients

All-purpose flour 1 cup

Water 1 cup

Sugar 1/2 Cup

Butter , melted - 2 Tbsps

Egg 1 No.

Vanilla essence as needed

Salt a pinch

Blender

Piping bag (Good quality thick and sturdy) 1-2 Nos.

Cake decorating Star tip

Oil for deep frying

Cinnamon-sugar powder as needed - 1-3 Cups

Chocolate syrup or Nutella or Caramel syrup readymade

How to make Churros at home :

Boil water in a deep pan.Then reduce the flame.
Add sugar and butter to it.Let the butter melt completely.
Add the vanilla essence to it and a pinch of salt to it and mix well.
Add the all-purpose flour little by little and stir it with a ladle until it turns into a soft dough and all the water evaporates.Keep the flame low.
Allow it to cool off a bit .But don't leave it afterward for long.
Then transfer the dough into a wide pan and knead it into a soft dough.
Then add the egg into it and then transfer everything into a blender and blend it into a smooth LUMP-FREE dough.
Heat oil in a WIDE pan (it can fry a lot in one batch).
Put the star tip into the piping bag and cut off the tip so that the star tip is partially out.
Then transfer the smooth lump-free dough into the piping bag with tip and push the dough down gently and twist the top and tie it with a baking band ,tight and secured.
Now put little dough into the oil and if it springs back to the top ,then oil is ready for deep frying.If it does then start making churros.
Gently push the piping bag with the dough into the hot oil and once you get a finger-shaped churros just cut it one by one (repeat) and push them all into the oil for frying.
Do not overcrowd and keep the flame low.Donot fry on high flame or they will burn up.
Keep on flipping when needed to make sure all sides are cooked and lightly browned.
Transfer the fried fritters to a bowl/plate.
Repeat until all dough is finished.
Allow them to cool down but not too long.
Then make a mixture of cinnamon powder and sugar equally.I used the readymade one.
Then roll each churros onto the Cinnamon-sugar flour.
Transfer one by one onto a wide bowl.
Enjoy as it is or popularly with chocolate sauce/nutella/readymade caramel sauce for an exotic kick.
That's it Mexican style finger shaped fritters ,Churros are ready to munch.
Mmmmmm Sabroso!!!

10.Aqua Fresca Pina Colada|Non-Alcoholic Pineapple Coconut Drink Mexican style

Pina Colada is one of my most favourite and simple drink made up of pineapple ,coconut water/cream/milk and Ice.I love this name a lot and I love to make the non-alcoholic version one always.Whether it is a drink,ice cream,any dessert etc I love this combo ..it tastes so tropical and fresh and hence refreshing! For me my dil maangey more...And I make the Aqua Fresca meaning fresh water drink using Pineapple and coconut in a very simple and easy way.

Pina Colada Aqua Fresca Recipe|Pineapple Coconut Drink

Ingredients

Pineapple ,chopped 1 Nos.

Fresh coconut water - 1-4 cups

Coconut cream/Coconut milk - 1/4-1/2 cup

Sugar (optional),if needed

Lots of Ice cubes

Blender

Glass and straws

How to make pina colada Aqua Fresca at home:

Blend everything into a blender until smooth .If needed just strain the mixture for more smoother drink.

Top it with ice cubes,cherries etc and Beber...I mean enjoy your healthy DRINK !! I also used readymade coconut milk with jelly drink with fresh pineapple juice to make a quick Pina Colada.

I second that !! And it is a wrap !! My Mexican menu, for now, is done and already happily digested !!Blurrrppp !! It was such an amazing experience to partake in the Mexican culture by indulging and recreating Mexican recipes at home that boast the rich yet humble cultural heritage and traditions of Mexico which is so versatile and open for a more innovative twist/approach to give it a modern makeover with a personal touch that can adapt a bit of one's own nationality/customs to make it more palatable and one-of-a-kind.

Mexican cuisine is certainly not limited to these recipes but these are my favorite Mexican foods I love to recreate at home so far.More to explore !! Till I come up with more delicious Mexican recipes suitable to my taste buds and my blog,do give these universally appealing Mexican recipes a try and "Nos Vemos Luego !" Meaning see you all soon !!

Muchas Gracias Amigo !!

Love and light

MamaCita,

P.S.🌺🌺🌺I dedicate this post on the auspicious occassion of Dev Diwali/Tripurotsav/Gangaotsav/Guru Nanak Jayanthi Nov 15th 2024.#PraiseTheDivine #LoveLightToTheWorld 🌺🌺🌺

DISCLAIMER:Everything is just about sharing my passion for food and for informational/entertainment purpose only .Not for any personal attacks which is otherwise purely coincidental!

Bengali Non-Veg Thali Recipes|I love Bengali food|My Bengali Khana Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 22:18:00 +0000

Tomaar shoor moder shoor, srishti karur aiko shoor....

Does anyone remember this nostalgic song ? Yes...Then khoob bhalo...Hi five !

No...How about ...

Mile sur mera tumharaa, to sur bane hamaraa...Ring a bell ??Yep,Yaayyy...There you go ! 💓:)

People who are not aware of this popular evergreen Indian song ,this song can be summarized into the title of the song "Ek sur" meaning "Unanimously ONE voice" meaning when my voice matches with yours,it creates uniformly unique melody with a subtle message......

Dedicated to India on 78th Independence day -A tribute to our freedom fighters/warriors of India!

A famous song just like the National Anthem of India, created by Lok Seva Sanchaar Parishad, promoted by the Doordarshan (the oldest sole Indian TV broadcaster) and India's Ministry of Information, and initiated or introduced on India's Independence Day, 1988. Basically, a few stanzas were repeated in multiple languages of India, highlighting their unity in diversity to praise and impart patriotism among the Indian citizens.

Hence, the first line "Tomaar shoor...." is the Bengali version of the song !

This song is one of the famous nostalgic song from my childhood days. During those days,we used to have only one Television channel ,the Doordarshan with a mishmash of many varieties of programs which we all from that generation fondly watched "with family" happily and are cherished by all since then.And I remember this song being played out in between my favorite programs for a few minutes and me wondering when will this music end ...how many more languages are they gonna sing on, as we had restrictions at home to watch TV only for a few minutes and then go back to study etc.

Anyways,after a few repetitions like this and with no choice to skip the music to watch my favourite TV program,I by hearted the song in all the languages nicely.I may struggle with the poems or dohas/Stanzas from literature from my school books back then ,but this song is still on my lips and imprinted in my heart and memory forever. Nowadays, whenever I come across this song on Youtube or feel like I should listen to it out of sheer nostalgia, I can't stop smiling and reminiscing about those golden times of my life. Somehow, little snippets like these from my childhood days make me so happy.

Courtesy:Jagjeet Singh Ji's song "Kaagaz ki kashti..."

Since I was raised in North India and my neighborhood and classmates were from different states of India, this song somehow struck a chord with everyone and it felt like home and part of a huge joint family called "India"!

Whenever I miss my childhood days and wanna rekindle those bygone simple nostalgic days.I tune into certain songs,ads,movies etc, especially on YouTube.And no matter how advanced we are becoming in technology etc ,I try my best to stay "old and up" - dated ;D, rekindle and evoke those olden memories by holding onto and celebrating our Indian traditions,cultures, and olden beliefs especially being a NRI /in the USA.The desi girl in me !:D

Cooking is one such art/passion that helps me to make my nostalgic memories delicious, heartwarming and tummy-worth.

Like I mentioned in my previous blogpost,my fondness for creating and eating homemade sweets led to creating a full-on Bengali Thali .

What is Thali ?

Thali means "A wholesome meal comprising of rice,curries,breads(Rotis/Naans/Kulchas),a melange of curries served with pickle,salads and sweets."

To taste any Indian state's food,a Thali justifies that quench at once.

Thali is an edible expression of emotions ...soft,sweet,sour,bitter,pungent,creamy etc !Thali can make all five senses of our body sing and dance together just like the song mentioned above "Ek sur !".

The interesting thing is that every state in India (28 + states) has their own version of Thali.

I am sure every Indian loves Thalis especially just to enjoy bits and pieces of many curries,sweets,rotis, etc at one go .At my home, everyone loves Thali (The food - wink !) ....

But usually, we have to go to the restaurant to eat them,at home to make all the curries ,dessert etc is not a child's play .It is time-consuming and requires planning and consideration to make a wholesome meal that the entire family would relish together. So, in the past I have tried making Thalis of Kerala called pothichoru and chatti choru .

The making of Bengali Thali

Recently,I made a Bengali Thali for the first time.It was as always an amazing experience and edible time travel to my childhood days.

As my next-door neighbors in North India during my childhood days were Bengalis.And our (company )quarters (kinda small apartment provided by the Govt. as my father used to work there) didn't have a common border/separate wall, so, we were like a diverse family living in two different quarters in one compound.

We used to address my neighbors as Bengali aunty and uncle and they had a daughter called Jhili/Samhita who is like my own little sister and we all had a great bond .The entire neighborhood used to call us duo sisters,Choti munni and badi Munni meaning Little girl and big girl in Bihari style :D and guess what we looked quite similar as well .Aunty used to buy both of us the same kind of dresses,even got sewn similar dresses .

We both used to celebrate Bhai dooj and Raksha Bandhan tying Rakhi (An Indian traditional bracelet in different styles used for those festivals) to my big bro,Manoj Bhaiya respectively.Sharing (almost everything) is caring was our family motto !

Durga Puja is the main festival of Kolkatta.Credit:CondeNast Traveller.com
Om Maa Durgaye Namaha!

Similarly,the neighbor on the top floor of our quarter were also Bengalis and we used to call them "Uparwali Bengali aunty",uncle and Amrita didi (She is so beautiful !).We were quite close to them as well.

We kids used to rule our neighborhood .My mother was quite friendly to everyone in the neighborhood and one of the reason I believe everyone loved her was her nature,everyone's simplicity back then and ironically, she was quite fair and lovely like North Indians especially.The Bengali aunty would buy a special black color Bengali saree only because it would suit my mother's skin tone more than her .

So,I was quite adored regardless.During my bachelor days, whenever I used to visit Bokaro(the place where I was raised in North India) during vacation,all my neighbors used to pamper me with foods etc ..I remember the delish mutton curry prepared by my Bengali uncle on the top floor exclusively for me.Yum!

Both Bengali aunties used to be great cooks and they used to cook their famous recipes and share with us once in a while and so did my mother whose recipes were quite famous in the neighbourhood. So,I used to wake up not only to the aroma of my mother's cooking but also to my Bengali aunty's amazing cooking next door.

Even my mother has and cooks Bengali recipes from my most memorable Bengali aunty .Because of my fondness for Bengali cuisine,I also jotted down those recipes somewhere in a pile of papers from my recipe collections that I mentioned earlier in my previous post .

Hence,I have a big inclination towards Bengalis and Bengali food in general.It refreshes so many memories that well up my eyes happily!

Not to higlight,the Bengali sweets that I am soo crazy about.My dil goes mmmm :D

Recently I came across a Bengali song /A Rabindranath sangeet,"Hey Shokha "on Youtube and I got carried away in that song so much that ,somehow it was the motivation to make the Bengali Thali ,an ode to rekindle my family's lovely bond with our Bengali neighbors during my happiest chapter of my life - the golden childhood days.(I even dared to sing that song in my video to irritate all further harmlessly :D)

Rice,fish,sweets (My favorites)...The main reasons I fell for Bengali foods !!

So,allow me to share with you all my experiments/experiences and the outcomes of my Bengali food preparation,call it "the celebration of the Bengali Thali".

I also like to dedicate this Thali to my dearest and unforgettable (sobbing dil se) Bengali uncle ,aunty, and my dearest Jhili Rani ...Because It's been years' , uncle and aunty passed away during her school days. My little Bengali sister is now settled in Kolkatta with her husband and family. So special they all are,I often think and miss them all a lot.

Anyways,here is my Bengali khana/an edible dedication:

Disclaimer: Everyone has their own version of all these recipes ,as always it does and these recipes are slightly modified to suit my taste buds without missing the key ingredients for each recipes respectively.Excuse me for any wrong pronunciations etc.Thanks for your understanding!

The menu for the homemade Bengali Thali :

1.Rice - Rice is the quintessential comfort (staple) food of India loved by almost all Indians except the health conscious people who want to keep an eye on their weight,insulin levels etc as it has more carbs/calories than fibers unless they are whole grains .

Did you know ?

West Bengal is known as the "Rice Bowl of India" as it is the largest rice-producing and consuming state of India.
Gobindobhog is the most popular rice of Bengal .As exactly mentioned in the Wikipedia,"Gobindobhog derives its name from its usage as the principal ingredient in the preparation of the offerings to Lord Krishna/Govindaji, the family deity of the Setts of Kolkata."
Likewise,as exactly mentioned in the Wikipedia,"Gobindobhog is known to have been the favorite rice of Hon' President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad, where the King of Sarguja regularly sent it to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi from Ambikapur."

As I was learning how to make the Bengali Thali,I came across this new variety of rice called Gobindobhog ,which happens to be the go-to rice of Bengalis traditionally.It was such a pleasant surprise to learn about this rice which I never came across in the USA so far.

So,my first recipe is the ultimate rice without which any thali is incomplete or unsatisfying.I used the regular rice I have at home that is the Sona Masuri .This is how I cook rice :

Boiled Rice

Ingredients

Sona Masuri - 1 Cup

Water - 2 Cups

Preparation method to cook rice on stove:

Clean the rice and keep it aside
Boil the water.
When it reaches the boiling point, add the rice to it and stir well.
Lower the flame (medium-low) and cover it with a lid and let it cook.
Check and stir in between.Make sure the rice doesn't stick at the bottom and water overflows.
Pick a rice and try to break it and if it does,the rice is ready to be served or continue till the rice is cooked on medium-low flame.
Then turn off the cooking gas and transfer the rice into a colander.
Allow the water to completely drain out .
That's it cooked rice is ready to eat !

2.Masoor Dal curry /Red lentil curry Bengali style

Masoor dal,the red lentils are nutrient-dense and super healthy dal.However,it has got a mind-blowing catch/surprising fact!

Did you know?

Bengalis consider Masoor dal as non-vegetarian .Just like onion,garlic they act something like aphrodisiac.
As mentioned in this article in Timesnownews.com it dates back to the Dwapar Yuga, during the time of Mahabharat ,when a king named Kartvyavirya Arjuna of the Haihaya dynasty tried to steal the holy cow Kamdhenu from the saint Jamdagni and while dragging her ,the holy cow started to bleed and wherever her blood fell the Masoor plant came out of it and hence Bengalis who are well known to consume the masoor dal the most ,consider eating Masoor dal as similar to eating non-veg.O Ma !
In the same article,it is also mentioned that Masoor dal dated back to 2000 B.C. in Egypt first and then it gained popularity in India.The word masoor is derived from the Egyptian word "Misra".
In one of the threads in this forum ,mentions Masoor dal being offered to Goddess Kali Maa .

Can you believe it ??? Not to mention,I am flabbergasted ! My General Knowledge is improving !:D Duh,perks of being a blogger !

Indians love dal/lentil curries .There are different types of dal/lentils available nowadays and Indians prepare varieties of lentil curries from state to state,home to home in their own unique ways.It can be a simple ,time-less recipe to grand time-taking recipes,this dal/lentil curry can be lipsmacking.

My dal recipes are simple yet homely versions.So far ,these are my go-to dal recipes,lentil curries inspired by my mother's recipes mostly:

Mung Dal fry restaurant style
Kerala Parippu curry /Kerala style dal curry without using pressure cooker
Pumpkin Mung Beans lentil curry Kerala style
Green Gram Lentil curry Kerala style
Plantains Mung Dal curry Kerala style

During my lazy days,I end up making lentil curry and rice with some side dish.So,I am always on the lookout for making varieties of dal curries .I've tried many and still in my pending list to be posted in my blog.

So,needless to say,I was so excited to try masoor dal curry Bengali style.Previously, I've used this dal to make Sambar or fritters only.This dal had been sitting and waiting for its turn to be cooked into delicious something for long.

Finally,I got a recipe for the Masoor dal and I was so surprised that the dal used to make Bengali lentil curry is the Masoor dal itself.So,I very happy when I made this very simple yet nostalgic dal curry because guess what, it came out exactly how my Bengali aunty used to prepare ,her version of dal curry at home.THAT TASTE! This time I missed my Bengali aunty more than my mother .

For the first time, I made a dal curry in mustard oil that gives a unique taste to the lentil curry as Mustard oil is the preferred oil for Bengalis just like coconut oil is for Malayalees.

So,here is the recipe for the Bengali Masoor Dal:

Masoor Dal /Bengali Red Lentil curry

Ingredients

Masoor Dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder -1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Water -1-4 cups

To Temper:

Mustard oil - 2-3 Tbsps

Dry Red chili,broken - 2-3 Nos.

Green chillies,chopped - 1-2 Nos.

Kalonji /Nigella seeds-1 Tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4th Tsp

Cilantro leaves- Handful

Lime juice to taste

Salt to taste

Preparation method to make masoor dal curry:

Rinse and clean the Masoor dal and transfer it into the pressure cooker with turmeric powder ,salt and water covering it or an inch more.
Pressure cook it on high flame for once and then on 2 more whistles on medium flame until the dals are well cooked and mushy.Cooking time in different pressure cookers may vary.
Turn off the gas.Allow it to cool off.
Heat mustard oil in a pan.Add broken dry red chillies,chopped green chillies,kalonji and asafoetida on low-medium flame.(Optional, if you wish you can add a few bay leaves as well)
Saute without burning anything.
Then transfer the pressure cooked Masoor dal into it and saute it.Keep it on medium flame and then on low flame ,stir in between so that the dal doesn't stick to the bottom and simmer for a few minutes.
Adjust water consistency .It shouldn't be too thick or too runny but it is thin in consistency.
Then throw in a few cilantro leaves and give a stir.
Put off the flame and at the end, squeeze a lime ,just a few drops to adjust the blandness of the curry.
Stir well.Add salt to taste.(Optional,if you wish you can add a few drops of ghee/Clarified butter to taste)
That's it Masoor dal curry Bengali style is ready.

3.Chingri Macher Malai Curry/Creamy Shrimps/Prawns curry Bengali style

The love for seafoods is what makes a Non-veg Malayalee like me drawn to Bengali seafood recipes for sure.I and my doter are shrimp fans .So,Shrimps are a staple at my home .

Thankfully,in the US we get shrimps/prawns all year around : fresh or frozen and the best thing for the lazy me,we get deveined and shelled-off cleaned shrimps mainly the frozen ones that are quite helpful for daily cooking.So,all I have to do is try different shrimp recipes.

Did you know?

Shrimps are called the "Roaches of the sea".(I will try to forget that while eating shrimps nowonwards)
The size of the gill differentiates a shrimp from a Prawn and mostly Prawns are larger by size.I often wondered what is the difference between a shrimp and a prawn.Ahaaa!

Though shrimps/prawns being called the roach of the sea makes me cringe ,let's dismiss that fact and get to the Shrimp curry Bengali style recipe.

What is Chingri Macher Malai curry ?

Chingri Macher means shrimp and Malai curry means creamy curry.So,basically,this curry is made with shrimps, a few spices and coconut milk.This Bengali shrimp curry is my favourite so far .It is not that spicy ,the coconut milk subtle-s out the curry with spices to make it flavorful.Being a Malayalee and any curry with coconut in it is needless to say ,my fav. for sure.

My go to shrimp curry is Alleppey style shrimp curry.

Here is the recipe for chingri Macher Malai curry:

Chingri Macher Malai Curry

Ingredients

Shrimps,shell off & Deveined 10-15 Nos.

To marinate:

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Salt to taste

To make curry:

Onion,chopped - 1 Medium

Green Chillies ,chopped - 2-3 Nos.

1 Tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 Tsp red chilli powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4Th Tsp Garam Masala
1+ Cups of (fresh or readymade) coconut milk
A pinch or two of mustard seeds,powdered

Mustard Oil - 5-6 Tbsps

Bay leaves 2-3 Nos.

Salt to taste

Preparation method to make the Chingri Macher Malai Curry:

Shell off ,devein the shrimps with or without tail (your choice) and clean them and keep it aside.
Marinate with all spice powders mentioned above under "to marinate" and keep it aside for a few minutes.
After a few minutes,"shallow" fry them in mustard oil.Flipping the shrimps on both the sides until partially cooked.Don't fry it too much or while making the curry it will harden up and will turn rubbery.To maintain the softness of the shrimps it should be lightly fried only initially.
I don't like the taste of too much of mustard seeds paste,so I only used a pinch or two and freshly ground it into a coarse-fine powder.So,if you are a Bengali you know you need more mustard paste like 1 tsp or as per your taste buds.
Heat mustard oil in a pan ,add chopped onions , green chillies and ginger-garlic paste .Saute it until the onions turn soft.
Add all spices for making the curry as mentioned above one by one .Saute them on low-medium flame until onions are transparent and oil oozes out of it.
Add salt to taste.
Add bay leaves and saute.
Keep the flame low and add thick coconut milk to it.Or,first add a little bit of thin coconut milk ,diluted coconut milk and once it reaches a boiling point,reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk.OR,just use the coconut milk directly .Stir well.
Let it simmer for a while until the curry thickens.Don't boil for long or it will curdle and spoil the curry.
Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala on the top and give it a final stir.
That's it my Chingri Macher Malai Curry,Creamy shrimp curry Bengali style is ready !
The more this curry sits for long like overnight,the best it sets the authentic flavor and the taste .

4.Aloo Posto

Everyone at my home loves potato recipes and I am always looking out for varieties of potato stir fry recipes and so this recipe was such a new take on the classic potato stir fry recipes as the addition of Posto which means Poppy seeds in English gave it an amazing twist which I would have never added to a simple potato stir fry recipe for a newer taste.

So,Aloo Posto (Aloo means Potato and Posto means Khus Khus/Poppy Seeds) is a classic Bengali staple recipe made with Potato,bits of spices and creamy poppy seeds ,cooked in the pungent Mustard oil. Amazingly this Bengali-style Potato stir fry turned out different and yummy.

So,here is the recipe for making Bengali Aloo Posto :

Aloo Posto

Ingredients

Aloo/Potatoes,medium size,chopped -2-3 Nos.

Onions,medium size,chopped - 1 No.(Optional)

Green chillies,chopped - 2-3 Nos.

Water as needed

2 Tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tsp of turmeric powder (optional)
1 Tsp of Kalonji/Nigella seeds
3-4 Tbsps of Mustard seeds oil
2-3 Dry red chillies
Salt to taste

Mustard oil - 5-6 Tbsps

Preparation method to make Aloo Posto:

Boil water and add poppy seeds (the water should be just 2-3 inches more than poppy seeds and not too much .Add more water if needed if it still doesn't soften up and it soaks up all the water but not too much).Cover it and let it simmer until the poppy seeds turn out soft ,then add cumin seeds and green chillies to it.Or,soak the poppy seeds in warm water for atleast 2-3 hrs prior to cooking .Soaking for hours or boiling until they turn soft is what helps grinding the poppy seeds into a smooth paste which is very important ,the key to making this recipe really flavorful.So,if you forget to soak the posto beforehand,just boil it like I did.
Once the poppy seeds are almost soft,add in cumin seeds and green chillies.
And when they turn soft, turn the cooking gas off and allow it to cool down.
Transfer all these into a mixer jar and ground it into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan ,add kalonji seeds and broken dry red chillies.Saute on low flame.
Add chopped onions and green chilies and saute until they turn transparent.
Add the chopped potatoes,turmeric powder ,salt and little water and cover it with a lid ,keep the flame low.
Check-in and saute in between to make sure the potatoes are not sticking at the bottom.
When the potatoes have turned soft/cooked,remove the lid and add the ground poppy seeds mixture into it and saute well for a few minutes on low flame.Some people prefer it semi-dry and some prefer it dry potato stir fry type.So,adjust as per your choice.Add more oil to fry if needed.
Then put off the flame and Aloo Posto ,Potato stir fry Bengali style is ready to serve !

A few potato stir fry recipes I've stored in my blog so far:

Aloo Bhujia Bihari Style

Parval Aloo fry/Pinted Gourd Potato stir fry

Broccoli Potato Stir fry

Spicy Peanut Potato stir fry

5.Murgir Jhol /Chicken curry Bengali Style

I love making different types of chicken curries.Chicken curry recipes varies from state to state,place to place in India itself .And I want to make them all.

So far I've tried these chicken curry recipes :

Chicken Roast Kerala style
Patiala Chicken curry
Mughlai Zafrani Chicken curry
Puransingh Chicken curry
Malvani Chicken curry

Bengali chicken curry recipe was pending.Murgir means Chicken and Jhol means curry/gravy ,so Bengali Chicken curry is called Murgir Jhol. What I love about Bengali Chicken curry is the addition of potatoes which definitely gives it an unique twist to an ordinary chicken curry .At my home whoever is not in a mood to eat chicken will atleast enjoy the curry with potatoes in it and that's what made me wanna try this Murgir Jhol for sure.So,here I am gonna share the recipe for Murgir Jhol .

Murgir Jhol recipe|Bengali Chicken Curry Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken,cleaned and chopped - 1 Kilo

For marination:

Yogurt - 1/4th-1/2 Cup

Red Chili powder 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder 1 Tsp
Cumin Powder 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder 1 Tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 Tsp
Garam Masala 1/4 Th Tsp

For gravy:

Onion,large,sliced 1 No.

Green chilli,chopped 2-3 Nos.

Tomato,chopped 1 No.

Potatoes ,cubed ,Medium size 2-3 Nos.

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Bay leaves 2-3 Nos.

Mustard oil -5-6 Tbsps

Mustard oil or any oil for deep frying

Cilantro leaves - Handful

Water as needed

Salt to taste

Preparation method for making Bengali Chicken curry :How to make Murgir Jhol recipe .

Marinate cleaned chicken pieces with yogurt and all spices under "For marination" .Keep it aside for 30 minutes or more in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile,"shallow" fry the potatoes and keep them aside.Don't over-fry, as we will cook it further in the chicken curry or it may turn mushy.
Heat mustard oil in a pan.Splutter cumin seeds ,green chillies and saute ginger garlic paste on low flame for a minute.
Add in bay leaves and saute.
Add in sliced onions and saute until they turn transparent.
Add in chopped tomatoes and saute until they turn soft and mushy.
Add in marinated chicken pieces and saute well.
Add water covering the chicken pieces and bring it to boil.
Then reduce the flame and cover with a lid until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked.
Remove the lid,sprinkle cilantro leaves , shallow fried potato cubes and mix very gently without breaking the potato pieces and chicken pieces.
Let it simmer until you can see the oil settling at the top .
Add salt to the taste.
Adjust the gravy consistency as per your choice please.Don't overcook or the potatoes and chicken pieces can break apart.
That's it Homemade Murgir Jhol meaning Bengali style Chicken curry is ready to serve.
The more the chicken curry sits and sets,the better it tastes.

6.Kosha Mangsho | Bengali Style Mutton Curry

Mutton...O Ma ! I LOVE IT !! I am crazy about mutton recipes more than any other meat.I am a sucker for any type of Mutton recipes.During my childhood days,it was once in a blue moon ,my parents would buy mutton at home.Mostly Sunday specials or when we had guests for lunch or dinner.How I wished we had such guests every day at home so that I could have the sumptuous mutton,chicken or fish recipes for sure.

I love to suck the bone marrow out of the Mutton bones a lot.Only liver part I hate ! My father after finishing his meal ,would sit there just to watch me enjoying every chunk of mutton as if it was heaven-sent and would look at my mother and they both would be smirking and laughing at each other calling me "Mutton kodichi" meaning crazy little mutton lover.

Having said that whenever I look at a baby goat or a mama goat or lambs whom I adore a lot,I feel a little uneasy making eye contact ,as I feel deep down guilty for being the silent predator/carnivorous at home.

Equally,I feel heartbroken whenever a goat or a lamb /any animal per se is used for sacrifices as part of the religious ritual. Then I console my broken heart while eating any non-veg ,thinking that if I don't eat,someone else will.It won't save the life of that goat/lamb/chicken and if it will(like freshly chopped in front of me) then I may shun it for sure.

Also reminds me of different mutton curries prepared in my neighborhoods during childhood days in different styles and I can still somehow pick up the alluring aroma of those curries ....mmmmm...ye dil maangey more...

That's how much I LOVE Mutton recipes.

I wanna cook as many mutton recipes possible.So far the Mutton recipes I tried are :

Nadan mutton curry Kerala style

Erachi ularthiyathu |Mutton ularthiyathu/olathiyathu recipe

Nizami Hyderabadi Gosht

Gongura Mutton curry

SO,here is my Kosha Mangsho curry meaning Bengali style chicken curry recipe inspired by my mother's mutton curry recipe .I only had to substitute just one ingredient that I remember my mother telling me a long time ago.By the way,my mother doesn't eat any meat but her meat curries are simply finger-licking .

I absolutely love the addition of potatoes in the Kosha Mangsho curry and the mutton curry preparation in mustard oil is what makes it "The Bengali style Mutton curry ".Kosha means Meat/Mutton and Mangsho means the slow-cooked Gravy.

So,here is the Kosha Mangsho recipe:

Kosha Mangsho|Bengali Style Mutton curry

Ingredients

Mutton,chopped and cleaned - 1 Kilo

Yogurt 1/4th-1/2 cup

Red chilli powder 3 Tbsps

Coriander powder 4 Tbsps

Pepper powder 1/2 Tbsp

Turmeric powder 1Tsp

Cumin powder 3/4Th Tbsp

Garam Masala 1/2 Tbsp

(Ginger 1 1/2 inch and Garlic 4-6 Nos. )paste

Onions,large,sliced - 1-2 Nos.

Green chillies ,sliced/chopped - 2-4 Nos.

Tomato,sliced ,medium size - 1 No.

Potatoes,cubed ,medium size - 3-4 Nos.

Mustard oil - 1/4Th cup

Cilantro leaves - handful

Oil for deep frying

Salt to taste

Water as needed

Preparation method of Kosha Mangsho|How to prepare Mutton curry Bengali style:

Marinate the mutton pieces with yogurt and keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.This will tenderize the mutton pieces.
Transfer the mutton pieces into a pressure cooker with water covering it and pressure cooker it for 1 whistle on high flame and rest 3-4 whistles on medium to low flame or until mutton pieces are well cooked but not over cooked or it will become rubbery.Cooking mutton aptly may vary in different types of pressure cooker used.
Heat mustard oil in a pan,add salt ,sliced onions and chopped green chillies and saute until the onions turn transparent .Initially adding the salt helps in speeding the process of browning the onions.
Add ginger garlic paste ,saute for a few minutes until the raw smell is gone.
Then add bay leaves,chopped tomatoes to it .
Then add all spices and keep on sauteing till tomato becomes soft and mushy and everything oozes out oil.
Then transfer all cooked Mutton into the pan and saute until mixed and let it boil.If it doesn't have enough water,add extra to it but not too much.
Reduce the flame and let it simmer.
Add the shallow fried potatoes now and sprinkle cilantro leaves.Mix well.
Let it simmer until oil appears at the top .Make sure not to over cook the potatoes as they are already partially cooked and so are the tender mutton pieces ,which would break apart.
Add salt to taste.Turn off the cooking gas .
And voila....Kosha Mangsho,Bengali style Mutton curry is ready.
The more the curry sits,better it sets in flavor and taste.

7.Macher Paturi|Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves Bengali Style

Macher means Fish in Bengali and Paturi (the meaning of this word is quite funny in Malayalam lol) is derived from the word "Patta/patra" in Hindi meaning An edible leaf .So,basically Macher Paturi is a steamed fish wrapped in most preferably Banana leaf .

This Bengali fish recipe elated the Malayalee in me.Fish in a Banana leaf..What more I could ask for ?

Anything cooked in a Banana leaf is my ultimate favourite .I just love the smell of Banana leaf.It says homely ! In my native place in Kerala,we have a similar fish recipe steamed in a Banana leaf called Karimeen Pollichathu | Pearl spot fish baked/grilled/steamed in Banana leaves

So,definitely ,"Curiosity was killing this homely cat !" ...Meaoww...Fish in a Banana leaves....I couldn't resist trying the fish steamed in Banana leaf Bengali Style.

Myself and my doter,we both love fish.I love to try different fish recipes .Here are a few recipes of fish I've tried so far:

Karimeen Pollichathu | Pearl spot fish baked/grilled in Banana leaves
Karimeen Porichathu|Pearl spot fish fry
Apollo fish fry
Fish Mappas curry
Kerala thirandi curry/Kerala stingray recipe
Alleppey Fish curry
Kottayam style fish curry
Thirandi roast recipe/Skate recipe
Meen Patichathu/Meen Peera/Meen Thoran/Fish and coconut

And this is how I prepared homemade macher Paturi .I tweaked the original Macher Paturi recipe a bit as per my tastebuds.Usually,Bengalis use Bhetki fish called BarraMundi or hilsa/Ilsa Fish/Rohu Fish.But those fishes are not that my favourite .So,I tried using the King Fish instead.I also couldn't stand too much mustard paste ,so I added a little mustard paste only which is the key ingredient for this paturi recipe .

Preparation method to make Macher Paturi|How to make Macher Paturi recipe ,steamed fish in Banana leaf Bengali style.

🕐Grind everything except fish of course into a smooth paste.

🕐Marinate the fish with this paste and keep it aside for an hr in the refrigerator.

🕐🍃Meanwhile sway the Banana leaf over the flame till it changes its color like shown in the video ,that makes the 🍃Banana leaf more stronger,flavorful and pliable for steaming.

🕐I only used a single slice of fish for now.So,I took the marinated fish and lightly fried in the same oil I used to fry shrimps while making the chingri macher Malai curry.Just reusing the oil or just use fresh oil for shallow frying both sides .THIS IS AN OPTIONAL STEP that is preferred by me otherwise marinated fish still tastes kinda raw/not that my type of flavorful to me even though steamed.You can skip it if you wish.This speeds up the cooking/steaming process.

🕐Now,place the shallow fried fish or the marinated fish onto the 🍃above conditioned Banana leaf and fold it and make a small parcel and tie it with a thread as shown in the video.

🕐Now heat oil in a pan,place the fish parcel and cover it with a lid.Keep the flame low.Flip the parcel to make sure the fish gets cooked both sides.Since I shallow fried the fish already,it will steam up and cook up faster when compared to steaming the marinated fish directly .

🕐After a few minutes,you can feel the aroma.Then switch off the cooking gas.Allow it to cool a bit.

🕐Then untie the fish parcel and lo behold,Macher Paturi,a steamed fish Bengali style is ready to eat !

NOTES:

1.Usually,poppy seeds are preferred but then you have to pre-soak them for quite a long time until they soften up to be smoothly ground in a mixer jar .So,for a faster approach,substitute it with cashewnuts instead.Both may taste different but yummy.I am not a huge fan of poppy seeds.So,I used Cashewnuts instead.

2.About a tsp of mustard seeds paste or pounded to powder is used in the original fish paturi recipe but I find too much mustard paste/powder ,kind of pungent .So,I only used a pinch .

3.In the original recipe green chillies are used.So,use 1-2 Green chillies instead of dry red chillies that I used for my macher paturi version.

4.Usually they don't add peppercorns but I do need for my fish ,otherwise I found the recipe to be a little bland for my taste buds.So,to make it spicy I added peppercorns as well.You may omit.

A tribute to all freedom fighters of India on the eve of 78Th Independence day;August 15Th,2024

To wrap it up,my Bengali Thali menu,I also made the most important food item of any Thali that in fact represents the sweetness of the particular state of India it belongs to,"The sweets".So,I made homemade Rosogullas and Sandesh that I already mentioned in my previous post.

Plain Sandesh and Rasgulla recipe here

So ,that was my Bengali Thali I longed to try and store it in my blog for records and references to those mouth watering Bengali recipes which I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting and cooking .This is the reason of blogging because once I make such new recipes I want them to be noted somewhere for sure to make my efforts worth to remember especially if I wanna cook them later.

Credit:Sukhi.com

Ek sur song makes sense now more edibly as food is the ingredient that binds us all together in the same tune and Thali justifies that in every way and for me, food and cooking are love made visible edibly,memories relived,something wonderful shared.

Unn yaadon ko mein apne dil se lagayein rakhthi hu,jo mujhey mere desh aur apno se jodey rakthe hain ...... hamesha hamesha keliye....

Darr lagtha hai kahi mein bhool na jaoon,isliye inn panno mein unn yaadon ko phir ek bar ek nayi sur mein kuredthi rehthi hu..... hamesha hamesha keliye.........

Disclaimer:This Thali blogpost ,pictures,videos etc are for informational(cooking blog related) and entertainemnt purpose ONLY.Any resemblance to any person,place,thing,incident etc are purely conincidental and as per one's perception !Reader's "kind" discretion is requested!Thanks !

Love and light,

1 Recipe and 5 different Bengali sweets-Raj Bhog,Rasmalai,Sandesh,Mini Rasgulla and Chum Chum

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Mon, 27 May 2024 19:56:00 +0000

Saambhala hai maine ,bohut apney dil ko
Zubaan pe tera phir bhi naam aaraha hai

Jahan raaz ko ,chhuppaya na jaye
Mohabbat mein aisa,Muqaam aaraha hai

Banaya hai maine , tujay apna saathi,

rahay kis tarah ab,mere hosh baaqi .....

(One of my favourite song from the movie,"Naaraaz" meaning, I am trying my best to control my heart ,still I've your name on my lips ,it's not a secret anymore,my love is known to all,I have made you my companion and now I am kinda out of senses, like it is impossible to live without you !)

How ROMANTIC na ? Blush blush ! 😍

I can imagine many eyebrows raised ,smirking and humming the song if you like it too BUT give me a break will you ? 😇...I know you are thinking that this song is dedicated to my romantic interest probably...HA HA..GOT YA!!...😄

But hush hush ...

Excuse me for destroying (read converting) that smirk to a sweet smile,eyebrows arched naturally and yes,you can hum the song for sure .Well,ironically,this song is dedicated to my SWEET heart indeed !

I mean literally "The Sweets - The edible Indian sweets !" "Mithai" in Hindi and "Madhuram" in Malayalam.

Kisi ne theek hi kaha hai,"Daanein,daanein mein likha hai khane waalon ka naam !" meaning someone's favourite food speaks for itself !

If you have read my blog or know me personally or if you don't know,"I LOVEEEEE INDIAN SWEETS !!" Issey kehthey hai janab ,pyaar mein paagal hona meaning being madly ,insanely and truly in LOVE that only leaves a delicious memory !!

You know ,whenever I bite any Indian sweets,I am in cloud 10 ! I become extra patriotic ,I feel sooo proud to be an Indian ! Why ? If you are an Indian you might have guessed it right,because India is known for its variety of sweets and savories .There are almost more than 100 sweets and they represent our rich ,sweet,remarkable traditions,celebrations ranging from state to state and one-of-a-kind cultural heritage ! Each and every sweet is so nostalgic ! Every bite brings back so many bygone memories ! One can feel India in every bite ! One of my way to feel or transported instantly back to India edible-y for free !

I am also very thankful to my parents for raising me in North India exclusively known for many popular sweets like my favourite Rosogulla/Rasgulla ,Gulab Jamun,Rasmalai etc etc ...where do I stop!

Thankfully in India we have festivals every now and then and that is incomplete without any sweets .So,needless to say,I used to look forward to festivals/any celebrations just to eat sweets for sure - the undeniable magnetic aroma of sweets made by amma or my next door aunty ,the bustling street highlighting varities of sweets and lovely packets and people in queue grabbing their favourite sweets packets for home or to gift ,the sweets offered to almighty after a puja/prayers at home or in temples and grabbing a share of divine's blessings as prasadams/the edible offering ,sweets distributed as part of a mesmerizing wedding or a cute birthday or any celebration per se ...Sweets ROCKED !!..especially my palate and my life's journey so far !

Being a South Indian was a double blessing/delight and like getting the best of two worlds .Apart from what my amma made some homely sweets and delicacies ,during my Bachelor/college days in Kerala,I realized that the Jalebis and Laddoos made in Kerala especially tasted so different to the authentic ones.

However,there are other Kerala sweet delicacies like Sukhiyan,Achchapam,NeyAppams,payasams etc that could rarely be found in North India other than some exclusive Kerala/South Indian restaurants . During my Masters/College days in Coimbatore ,I remember during weekends while some are dating their favourite boy friend or visiting relatives ,I and my room-mates at hostel would be rushing to go to town for mini shopping/visiting temples and for sure, to buy some lip-smacking Mysore Paks to name the best/authentic I ever had anywhwere else.

I was so fond of sweets that my father used to get me packetS of sweets during his payday ,he used to trade one of his perks to buy 5-6 packets of sweets JUST FOR ME !My parents always tease me saying ,"We would hardly remember when the sweet packets reached home-to-the fridge and would probably disappear directly into my growling stomach within days !" Though I truly believe in sharing everything with others ,when it came to sweets, I would become a little meanie and self-centered and it would take little effort to be kind and remember that others adore sweets too and sharing is indeed caring and being well-mannered ! One of the home rule I didn't feel guilty of breaking !

Like I said before in my blog ,I wanted to get married to a place where I could get easy access to all those sweets as well.Yes,when girls thought of their prince charming,I thought of the availability of tempting North Indian sweets and lo behold ,I found innumerable tasty beyond words sweets in my sasural in BhogRaj's 😋😄Hyderabad ! Wish came true indeed !

Now fast forward ,being in USA,so blessed that we have Indian shops with all kinds of sweets and savories wherever we go.During teenage years,girls usually love dieting the most but I was so blindly in love with sweets and not-so-healthy foods that I DIDN'T CARE a bit and so was always chubby (since I was born) !

Somehow the not-that-modern dresses were very kind enough to hide my fats and made me look healthy ! However,that changed after my wedding,I was not that into modern dresses before but after landing in the US ,I got full freedom with my hubby's permission to wear any dress especially that is not that revealing.(Being from a conservative family background !)

So as I was experimenting with jeans,midis/mini skirts,dresses upto knee etc I realized they were kinda bully to my body higlighting that I was not at all slim-trim to look flawless .It was a gruesome battle between mind,body and soul over my belly ! Having said that it was not like I would be eating sweets daily but if I come across them and I buy them blindly ,I would be like competing with the sweet packet as if sweets yummy, fits the best in my tummy .So hurry up or they may vanish with the packet into thin air.Moreover,I am very thankful that I am the one who loves the sweets so madly in my family and that's why I self-certified my self to be very-very sweet by heart !(Ahem Ahem -conditions do apply!)😍

In India,during festivals, sweets are made at home,bought or some loved ones would gift us but here rarely that happens .Sigh ! So, being a foodie turned blogger upgraded to a vlogger , I rolled my sleeves to console my little aei-dil-hai-mushkil /edible-y broken heart by experimenting foods I love and toiling hard like a crazy cooking scientist researching and creating especially my favourite sweets ,some old,some new,some borrowed and some inspired to rekindle my life's sweet journey so far .

Since I got married quite fast,and I was told that now it was time not only to eat but to cook for others as well ,all my cravings for food disappeared as if my life's pivotal exam is due and around the corner.So though I was not burning candles to study ,like a studious student,I was, likewise ,jotting down many recipes dictated by my amma in a small notebook in a hurry .So,these cooking recipes scribbled in a what looked like a doctor's prescription handwriting(no offense) tagged along with me to the US .Since then I have recipes collected from my friends,relatives,magazines,online etc which looks nothing less than a research file/project work or holy edible book .

One day when I started to make a curry and it finally became a Khichdi ,I realized that one of the paper with the recipe continued was missing and I kinda made half of one recipe and another part of other recipe.Hence a new curry with no name was formed !Similar distasteful incidents happened .

I was following and admiring my senior bloggers online work for long when I was learning to cook tastefully and it was inspiring how these bloggers were managing their passion and family life and I realized may be it's time for me too to start a blog as well mainly to store recipes,to display my passions and one of the way to showcase my mother especially that there is a genuine reason why the guy I married doesn't look pale and weak.

Life is a mix of sweet and salty experiences ! Even my blogging journey was not immune to it and a break just like in life is at times necessary to refresh,regroup,restart and bounce back because like kisi maha purush ne kaha hai/A wise man once said," The show must go on !" So,like it nor not,like Mr.Arnold Schwarzenegger said "I AM BACK !" to pursue my passions of cooking,writing and making tasteful videos .Keeping it strictly to "Do what you love and love what you do !" and Share ,hopefully praying that it will be good to digest for others as well.

Actually my blogging journey was a camouflage to all the trials/health issues etc I was facing in my life.So,I don't know how it looks and feels to others but for me, it is quite special and precious ,unfortunately it also became a medium (the only way with no other choice) to address some dramatic issues (with a touch of divinity) I came across ...Pain , pleasure,lessons all are mine !

Even though I thought of taking a loooong break from my blogging journey like years ...It was not justified/helping my aspirations and the right intentions behind my blog and for me blogging is not just mere time pass ,it means a lot to me,a work in progress ...There are millions of recipes to try ,rekindle many stories/memories to beautify my food blog with (and I've to pay for the website's running/maintenance as well😐) and like before I started my blogging journey ,the number of recipes scrambled here, there everywhere didn't do justice to my passion since my memory is aging too ,my doter loves to tear exactly the paper with my "IT" recipe too.And I don't want to make a biryani of recipes for the meal when my doter is a picky eater as well.Cooking is fun to the one who is passionate about it and it is quite time taking and demands all senses at work unanimously .Life is very challenging indeed!

So,I am praying to divine that no evil comes my way to sway and no problems I am forced to address and stays away,food-stories-lovely things only ,rest at bay ..I PRAY !To heart not to hurt ,to share that I care,to love ,to taste,to colors to light ,to dreams sweet and worth chasing for !

In India especially North Indian way,we start anything nice by eating something sweet .So, here I am too reactivating my blog by divine's grace by eating sweets and sharing as well to impart sweetness around ,not one but 5 different sweet recipes like 5-in-1 sweet recipes out of cottage cheese . Basically it was in my "To-do" list since I started blogging, to make varieties of Thalis (one by one gradually) ,a mix of varieties of curries ,sweets and savories served in a huge platter .Interesting thing about Thalis ,it varies from state to state as well.Imagine the varieties of curries,sweets etc served together that can be enjoyed in different states in different ways .What more a foodie can ask for !

Recently I tried making Kerala Thali served in an Earthen pot/container that I tasted last time when I visited Kerala and ate with my parents/bro on the eve of my birthday !My husband missed it, so,I tried to recreate the "Mannchatti Chor" meaning Thali in an Earthen pot with lots of veg and non-veg curries ,sweets and snacks on the side.That came out really yummy !

Next ,I am trying to make a Bengali Thali .So,these are the famous sweets of Kolkatta and I used to have lots of neighbors and friends who were Bengali.So,I know the feel ,the taste and is quite nostalgic to me...As I was learning to cook up some Bengali dishes ,I realized that ,I am not sure if I will be making these recipes often as I am used to that taste but my hubby is not.I was like in that case it should better be on my blog as a memorabilia atleast than just making a video ,worth my efforts !

One of my principle I religiously follow!

So,finally,I thought of jotting down these recipes .The good thing about these sweets like I mentioned before are that they are 5 in one recipes meaning using the homemade cottage Cheese/soft scrambled Paneer ,5 different varieties of sweets are made Raj Bhog,Rasmalai,Sandesh/Shondesh,Mini Rasgullas and Chum Chum.

Wondering if Raj Bhog would bring a sweet sensible change to Bhog Raj 😐- Abb Shaadi kiya toh nibhana padega ....😆

Toh kuch meetha hojaye (Treat time !)

Rajbhog recipe/Mini Rasgullas Recipe/Chum Chum Recipe

3-in-1 recipes

Ingredients

To Make Cottage Cheese/Soft scrambled Paneer

----------------------------------------------

WHOLE Milk - 2 litres

Vinegar - 1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons

Cheese Cloth

To Make sugar Syrup

----------------------------------------------

Water - 3 Cups

Sugar - 3 Cups

A mix of nuts- Almond,Pista,cashewnut and Raisin

Kesar/Saffron ,a few strands

Wide Pans

Plate to serve

or box to store

Yellow food color or any food color

Preparation methods how to make Rajbhog,Mini Rasgulla and Chum Chum :

Boil "Whole" Milk on high flame .Keep an eye to make sure the milk doesn't get burn.
Add Vinegar little by little and gradually the milk will start curdling.Give it a gentle stir using the ladle till all milk solids separates and whey/liquid separates .Keep the flame medium-low.If required add more vinegar ,a teaspoon more plus till the milk curdles well (Just incase).Some people use lemon juice instead of Vinegar but lemon juice have a tendency to leave a sour taste but Vinegar doesn't.
Put off the gas and let it cool down to touch.
Once it cools off then put the cheese cloth over another clean wide and deep pan.Gently pour the curdled milk into the cheese cloth in such a way that milk solids separates from the whey liquid.
Squeeze out the liquid as much as possible.
Gather the cheese cloth with the milk solids in such a way to tie it into a pouch and hang it on to something like I hang it on my cabinet's handle and keep the wide pan at the bottom to collect any leftover liquid from the milk solid pouch .It may take upto an hour or so depending upon the liquid the pouch still has.
After an hour or so,untie the pouch and transfer it into a mixer jar and give it just one run which will smooth it out.This is my easy trick to avoid kneading the milk solids for long into a smooth dough.
Then transfer the smooth milk solids onto a plate and knead it into a dough.This way using mixer jar ,it takes lesser time to knead it into a "lumpfree" dough.
Since I am going to use this dough to make 5 sweet recipes,I am going to split it into two dough.One dough I will use to make Rajbhog/Rasgulla/Rasmalai/Chum Chum and another dough to make Sandesh/Shondesh recipe.
If you want to color your Rajbhog/Chum Chum yellow in color ,add a bit of food color to the dough .But I omitted it as the color of Kesar/Saffron does give a natural tint to the sweets anyways.
Take nut mix with Raisin and grind it into a coarse or if you wish a fine powder .
Now make the sugar syrup -Add water ,sugar into a wide pan and bring it to a boil .Then reduce the flame till it thickens up a bit not any thread consistency though.If you touch the syrup it shouldn't be very watery but like a syrup consistency.Some people do prefer a water consistency though but syrupy makes it more flavorful .Keep an eye not to overdo it/harden it.
Meanwhile,let's shape the sweets - take a small portion out of the dough and shape it into a "smooth lumpfree crackfree" round Rasgulla shape .Flatten it and make an indentation/dent to stuff it with little bit of ground nut mix.Then gently fold it from sides to cover it and then using palm roll it again into a "smooth-lumpfree-crackfree" Rasgulla Shape = Rajbhog ! Repeat as many required.The filling differentiates a Rasgulla from the Rajbhog sweet.
Then take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a round Rasgulla shape and flatten it gently like a lumpfree smooth disc shaped = Rasmalai! Repeat and keep them all asides.
Finally roll mini portions of dough onto the palm to form a shape of teeny weeny Rasgullas = Mini Rasgullas.Repeat as many needed and keep them all aside.
Similarly,take a small portion of dough and using palm shape it into "smooth lumpfree" round to oblong shapes sweets = Chum Chum !Repeat as many as needed.
Just make sure that all the sweets shouldn't be over crowding the sugar syrup in a wide pan.
By this time the sugar syrup will be kind of ready,just increase the flame ,bring it to the boiling point and then gently put all the shaped sweets one by one into the syrup .Make sure they don't overfill/over-crowd .They need space to double up while cooking.
Cover with a lid and after 8-10 minutes approx. all the sweets might have doubled up in size.Remove the lid and put off the flame.
Allow it to cool off.
Then separate all sweets and store it into respective boxes or serve it on a bowl/plate except Rasmalai sweets.
That's it my Rajbhog ,Mini Rasgullas and Chum Chum are ready to eat !

Rasmalai Sweet Recipe

Ingredients to make an Instant Rasmalai syrup:

Condensed Milk (I used fat free but the whole condensed milk would give the strong authentic flavor) - 1 can -400 gm/14 Oz

Cold Whole Milk - 400 gm

Cardamom powder as needed - 1-2 Teaspoons

Ground nut mix of Almond and Pista as needed

23.Continuing the above steps,I am gonna stir the condensed milk,cold whole milk,cardamom powder and nut using a fork or a spoon until well mixed.This is my instant Rasmalai Syrup .

24.Then gently transfer the Rasmalai cooked patties into it one by one and store them all in a box into the fridge to set (must) .The more it sits more flavorful they become.That's it my instant Rasmalai is ready !

Sandesh Recipe/Shondesh Recipe

Ingredients

The above half portion of the cheese/scrambled paneer dough

Sugar - 1 Cup or to taste

Cardamom powder

How to make Sandesh :

Heat a pan on low flame ,add the leftover dough ,sugar and cardamom powder and keep on stirring it non-stop so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.Gradually the sugar will melt with the dough .
And keep on stirring until the mixture leaves the edges and gathers up to the centre and all the liquid might have dried up.
Put off the cooking gas.
Allow it to cool a bit to touch.
Divide it into two portion.
Into the one portion add yellow or nay color preferred little by little as needed and knead once again into a yellow colored dough.
Take a rectangular box and transfer one portion of dough like white on bottom,press it with a spoon gently and top it up with the yellow portion and press it too to level it up smooth.
Let this rest in a fridge like overnight for best result.
Next day I prefer to cut them into desired shapes.In that way it is easy to cut properly and gives apt shape and is flavorful too.
That's it..Serve it on a plate or like impatient me just grab that sweet-y and make it disappear into the woobly world of the tummy!

Kindly support my "stuck" channel as well,do watch my video demonstrating how to make those Bengali sweets and I would be grateful for any kind of positive support thereby.

Looking at all these sweets ,I can't stop but smile and reminisce my journey from staring/ eyes popping out and invisible-y eating those beautifully arranged sweets in those confectionaries/shops through my all senses except the tongue unless someone would buy it for me TO my trials and experiments to create home made delicacies from a sweet unknown to the ultimate known sweets.Quite a journey !

HUMAN to be precise!

Like life,you can't create something worth until you go through trials to reach triumphs ...I call all these little pleasures of life ! No pain,no gain afterall ! Like they say,"You can't really buy happiness and I say ,"it depends" but then, you can create them !"

That's why perhaps they also say,"STRESSED spelled backwards = "DESSERTS"! How SWEET !!

As I am savoring every bite of my hard work/sweets,I am grateful to my almighty for all the sweet blessings and lessons .May divine bless me to forget the pains,remember the lessons,dismiss all negativities,give me more power to tread the life's ups and downs bravely and may I be surrounded by postive people who are supporting/motivating to acheive peace , happiness ,unity and success .

So,when life gives you curdled milk,do make healthy SWEETS !! Roger that ??

Thanks for keeping up with me !

Rest in next !

Love and light !:))

Janmashtami Sep 6th 2023 - Treat,tales,and a tribute to the Divine !

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:08:00 +0000

Allah karam karana lillah karam karna ,Paravardigar-e-aalam bekas pe reham karna
Ye phool jo ada kiya isako samabhaliye , rehamat ka apani koi bhi jalwa dikhaiye

ise maa ki fiza kaya Rab tu dharam rakhana.......... Song from the Movie : Sanam Bewafa ...(Nothing to do with the movie name particularly and Sanam is a gentleman anyway!😊)

I always believe that until and unless you have a calling from the Divine , you won't be able to visit any holy place per se (planned or unplanned). Well,this summer vacation ,our plan was to visit India and some local temples as always. However, the divine had other amazing plans!

On our way to India, we had a layover in Abudhabi for 10-12 hrs .We took transit visas and stayed in a great hotel and to our surprise, just opposite to our hotel was the grand Mosque of Abudabhi called the "Mega Mosque " .

I remember the last time I visited a Mosque was in Mumbai. The faith with which I offered that green chadar /the Holy cloth at the Dargah,the Holy place of worship and I love the number "786",(A holy number in Islam and other religions as well) ,I believe the divine accepted my prayers or presence at least .

I used to wonder if I would ever get a chance to visit any mosque again.I really felt God's presence as I have been tagging that holy number for a while now.I was so happy that I could visit this wonderful mega Mosque of Abudabhi .Shukriya Allah !😊🙌

Similarly, on my way to Kerala (to visit my parents) from Hyderabad (My hubby's place) ,the way we got tickets booked helped us to visit one of the most important churches in India,"Velankanni" .As exactly mentioned on this website ,"Vailankanni is fondly known as the 'Lourdes of the East' because like Lourdes in France, millions of pilgrims visit the Shrine throughout the year, praying to Our Lady for various needs and thanking her for the favors received through her intercession. Tradition recounts that Mother Mary appeared with the Infant Jesus in this small hamlet at the end of the 16th or in early 17th century. Ever since Vailankanni is the most important destination and almost the synthesis of all Marian Sanctuaries for the pilgrims of the world."

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, also known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Velankanni, is a Christian shrine located in the town of Velankanni in Tamil Nadu, India. The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and infant Jesus.(Source :Wikipedia)

It was so good to see Mother Mary with the infant Jesus rather than the Lord Jesus on the cross ,which kind of, is painful to see for me.

It was on my bucket list to visit this church for sure . Thanking Lord Jesus, Mother Mary for making this wish come true . And yes, like I mentioned in my previous post,the holy cross necklace that I couldn't buy here from the "Love Issa" shop , I got from the Holy place itself.

On a lighter yet serious note, Dear Lord Jesus, was that your way to make me visit the church to meet your Mother, since many people (with bad mental health 😜 and ignorance ) tried their best to label me like "Mary Magdalene "?? Thank you for the love Issa ! 🙏🙌🙇😊😍

Coincidentally,after leaving the Church I realized,I was wearing the earring I purchased from the Love Issa shop and the color of my eyeliner was blue similar to the color of cross of the Velankanni Church.💙

I respect all religions !Divine has many names !

Also,got a calling to visit the famous ancient temple of Lord Muruga,one of the sons Of Lord Shiva and Maa Shakthi/Parvathi . "Palani temple is considered synonymous with Panchamritam, a sweet mixture made of five ingredients. The idol of the deity,Lord Mururgan, is said to be made of an amalgam of nine poisonous substances which forms an eternal medicine when mixed in a certain ratio." (Source :Wikipedia)..

Smiling that Lord Murugan is also known as Sanmukha as he has 6 faces.

While returning I forgot my Swarovski earring/Kammal in Malayalam and Lord Murugan's Prasadam at the hotel where we stayed.Somehow, after lots of effort, we got them back eventually. That was kind of strange, except that it was a beautiful /memorable trip to visit one of my favorite temples on my bucket list . When others were getting flowers,I got a special sindooram from Lord Shiva's shrine! Made me blush somehow! 😊😍

Divine answers my prayers that are for my best!

Also got a golden chance to visit my holy Mother, Bhagwati/Jagadamba,in all forms residing in the famous temple,Chottanikkara Devi Shethram on my birthday with my parents and bro. The main deity here is Lakshmi Narayana! I remember an astrologer/palmist told me that my Holy Mother was waiting for me and was very happy with my arrival to visit her holy abode. My 6th sense KNEW IT ! That confirmation made me extremely happy! 😊🙏🙌🙇..Another favorite temple on my bucket list! The wish came true!💖

So, from Holy Mosque to Church to temples, overall, had an amazing spiritually inclined,God/Goddess-willing summer vacation with my family. Unbelievable yet grateful and happy beyond words to the divine and my hubby especially.Makes me wonder, when will I get an opportunity to visit Gurudwaras, especially the Golden Temple, the holy place of worship of Sikhs. Pending on my to-do bucket list!

So, this post is my heartfelt tribute to the divine, and hope the post can bring others too ,more and more closer to the light, the Divine. After all, actions speak louder than just words and sentiments, and good things should be cherished and shared!

I wanted to post it on September 6 th /yesterday on the auspicious eve of Janmashtami, the birthday of the 8th Avatar of Mahavishnu,the Lord Krishna.

In my video, you can see a standing pose of Lord Krishna in black.I deliberately put that picture in my prayer room asking him to give me company as some evil people tried their level best to stain me. Being Bhakthavatsala, (always at his true devotee's service), he seems to have paid heed to my request as this year his birthday fell on September 6th,2023 while I celebrated mine on August 6th . Like I proudly boast always, after all I have his star/zodiac sign "Rohini".😍💞

So,as a token of gratitude and love beyond measure,I adorned/dressed in black with a bit of gold here and there while celebrating Lord Krishna's birthday in my little way. I know it is too much to say but felt like he gave me an opportunity to say ,he is my divine ka to me/ki ...Needless to say, THE true and original Divine masculine!🙇🙌 As I light-heartedly kinda in a humorous yet my love for Lord Krishna,I have mentioned in my blog posts before that I am like the modern-day MiraBai (though incomparable to MiraBai Ji's bhakthi),the famous devotee cum divine lover of Lord Krishna.

So,this Janmashtami was very special . As a token of gratefulness and heartfelt love to my darling Lord Krishna,I made his favorite, Aval Payasam /A sweet dessert /Porridge made with flattened rice. This reminds me of the story of Sudama, one of his best friends, who was very poor and could only afford to bring a handful of flattened rice which lord Krishna happily accepted as the most precious offering ever and said "Mein toh sirf bhav ka bhooka hu" / True devotion matters me the most even if it is just a small flower offered with genuine love and faith. That's why,to commemorate that message and love,I always make Aval Payasam mostly on all Janmashtami eve - sweet and simple!

Aval Payasam is very easy to make. For me, this Payasam would sum up Lord Krishna's favorite things to eat. Little Poha/Chivda/Flattened Rice,Ghee,Milk,Raisins and jaggery .Not at all time-consuming yet pleasing to God. How to make sugar-free Aval Payasam is demonstrated in this video and my little celebration of Lord Krishna's birthday.

Really felt the divine's assurance of his divine presence in my life in all the above and many unsaid ways. This post is my humble tribute as a token of gratitude beyond words! Spreading the good vibes!

In my last post,I had to put an obvious picture of Chottanikkara Bhagawathy / Mother displaying femininity (partially) in its original/raw form (I felt my Divine Mother covering up/supporting me)..So,a picture clad in a lovely saree...🙏💖

UPDATE October 25th,2023 -I was sad that Number 6 was maligned and I was kinda whimpering about it to my divine Gods/Goddesses in my prayers .So,I was happy beyond words when most of the Hindu festivals like Vishu 2023 on April 15th,Janmashtami on September 6th AND Navratri 2023 fell on October 15th - October 24th .I feel like my divine paid heed to my prayers and pains and for me it is an assurance that my divine is always with me through thick and thin.

Since last 3years,I was looking upto/praying to the Divine Mother especially and I always wanted to paint a picture depicting how I am holding onto the Divine Mother and it's been a while I wondered why I am not able to paint or if I will be able to as I am not that good at drawing/painting.Finally,I did ! and I never thought it would come out good/worth showing to others .I referred to a few pictures online for inspirations.So,credit goes to the Internet !

So,needless to say I made a tribute to the Divine Mother by making this video to make it memorable forever on the auspicious occasion of Navaratri.Though I really don't follow the traditional steps to celebrate Navaratri at home ,my celebration is as always quite simple way of rendering prayers.#JaiMataRani

Saree(*Sorry just incase) colors = 💝Cream,Green &Red💝

* - My intention is always to spread good vibes and dispelling any darkness as much as possible towards light. Please remember me as a harmless distraction ,a medium to spice up your personal life selflessly.Over to you for the best ! :)💝🙏#Harmony #Peace

Last but not the least, brain refreshing myself /brainwashing others with this inspiring lovely song from the movie "Ankush".

Itinii Shakti Hamen De Na Daataa,Mannkaa Vishvaas Kumazor Ho Naa -Dear God give us so much strength so that we never lose faith in you Ham Chalen Nek Raaste Pe Humase,Bhuulkar Bhii Koi Bhuul Ho Naa -May we walk in the path of righteousness ,and not make any mistakes by accident Duur Agyaan Ke Ho Andhere,Tu Hamen Gyaan Kii Raushanii De -Dispel the darkness of ignorance and Give us the light of knowledge Har Buraaii Se Bachate Rahen Ham,Jitanii Bhii De, Bhalii Zindagii De -Save us from all misdeeds and Whatever life we have let it be BLESSED..........

You are welcome for the free unlimited gyan / pearls and other gems of wisdom from yours truly and I appreciate your tolerance level too .😊

Love and light,

With sweetness and spiciness,

1-2-3-4 Cake -MOIST and TASTY CAKE !!

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:59:00 +0000

The best things in life are SWEET !! 😊🙏

Hope everyone is having a very wonderful new year. I wanted to post something so that my bloggy baby looks beautiful in the new year 2023 +. But looking at the calamities around the world,I was not in the mood to post something on time.

And then came my wedding anniversary, so, I finally got a solid reason to bake a cake. I wanted to make a moist, simple yet special cake, full of roses BUT guess what I forgot the recipe to make a fluffy cake. It's been a while. I have different cake recipes with different measurements in my recipe folders.

And then I am not someone who follows a recipe as it is always, I am prone to twist the recipe, experiment and curiously wait for the outcome. Sometimes it is a blunder or a wonder. That's why I call my kitchen my cooking lab - a lot of inventions ,destructions and preventions goes out in my kitchen. How I wished I had a window in my kitchen. Very soon the smoke alarm in my kitchen will blow up.#MyHomeAloneAdventures

Long story short, that's why I end up this time, baking 4 cake recipes with 3 different variations, one with no butter, another with no eggs, another sugar-free, and the last with the proper go-to delish fluffy cake recipe.

When my mother bakes a cake, it takes just one go and she has a basic oven, she doesn't use any hi-fi hand beater, she uses her bare clean hands😏 . She says that's the secret of her soft and spongy cake. It is so time taking. Lazy me, can't even imagine using my hands for that matter 😐. So, thankfully, I have an electric beater for that. But when it comes to a go-to cake recipe, there is a recipe, that is easy to remember and the cake comes out deliciously moist and spongy as well with a nice dense crumb..A Classic American cake recipe, a 1234 + cake handed down from generation to generation exclusively for novice bakers with hazardous cooking tendencies like ME ! 🙌😀🙇

The original name of the recipe is 1234 representing the main/star ingredients but we do need more ingredients to bake this cake.So, I have renamed them 1234 + cake! You see my memory is so good that I may end up using just the 1234 star ingredients next time that would make me dump the cake eventually in just 1-2-3-4 minutes. So, never underestimate the power of the other common ingredients. So, for me, it is a 1234 + cake!

Basic 1234+ cake

Ingredients

1 cup milk, lukewarm/room temperature

2 cups of powdered sugar

3 cups of "sifted" All-purpose flour

4 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 Tsps of Double Acting baking powder

1 cup of melted butter, room temperature

1 Tsp of Vanilla extract or any flavor of your choice

Pinch of salt

VIDEO/DEMO:

(In this video,I forgot to light a lamp to Lord Jesus and forgot to highlight his name in my "Spiritual Team" I mentioned in the video,I was very very sad . But as per Hindu rituals, one can make sure through the lamp we light to divine if our prayer reached him or not.So, likewise,I believe,I got a confirmation that Lord Jesus and family did feel my pain and accepted my prayer. Then one day I went to the shopping mall and I went to this shop called "LoveIsa" and I purchased a few pieces of jewelry on sale but I wanted to purchase a rosary with a cross which was expensive and I didn't want to wear lots of chains.So,I ignored it with a sigh! For the first time, I felt like I should also do an unboxing of the jewelry I bought on sale and it was getting delay.I wondered why? That's when I came across Sanam's video .
I admire him so much.All these years, in between the chaos, his songs were really mood-lifting for me. Even divine agrees with my admiration for him! And I realized why I was getting delayed to do the unboxing and I also got a confirmation from lord Jesus's affection towards me as it says "Love ISA" ! 😊

Secondly,I went to an Asian market for buying groceries, and without noticing and after returning,I started cooking a stir fry of Chinese Bitter Gourd and Baby Broccoli and it was from "The Church Brothers farm".I didn't realize that up until when I was uploading a short video of a food platter with that stir fry and I couldn't upload at all after many try.I wondered why and checked the video that's when I noticed this !That was fun and I love ISA/Lord Jesus ! #WhatAnCoincidence #PraiseTheLord )(Don't know why the caps are on,unable to fix the case !)

Also , Congrats and thanks to Mr. and Mrs.Shrutin for the lovely Lord Ganapathi's idol for puja!😍🙏

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the "SIFTED" all-purpose flour, pinch of salt, and baking powder, and keep it aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. At least for 3 minutes on low speed.
Add sugar and continue to cream well for a total of 6 to 8 minutes.
Scrape the side of the bowl always throughout making the batter as and when needed to avoid any lumps or unmixed ingredients.
Add eggs,1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.
Add flour little by little to avoid any lumps, alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
Then add milk and beat until mixed. Milk shouldn't be cold or hot. Lukewarm will be the best.
Now my cake batter is ready!
Cream a baking pan with little butter or I reuse the butter paper.
Pour the cake batter into the greased cake pan.
Tap the batter in the cake pan to release the air bubbles.
Put the cake into the oven and bake it for 30-75 minutes or until a toothpick/knife/stick inserted comes out clean. Do not be tempted to open the oven in between. After 30 minutes you may and close it fast and carefully. Try poking the top, and the sides to make sure the cake is well-cooked from the inside.
When the knife inserted comes out clean, that means the cake is cooked and ready.Put off the oven.
Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
That's it my basic 1234 cake is ready to be served!

NOTES :

-----------

Make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature.
It will depend from oven to oven to bake the cake until it is done. It took me 75 minutes approx.
The original recipe calls for 3-4 Tsps of baking powder. However, I am using a double-acting baking powder and only 1 1/4 Tsp worked for me. You can substitute it with ordinary baking powder as well. So,if you are using a baking powder and soda combo, you may need to adjust the amount,I have not tried that way yet. Regardless, make sure they are not expired. Make sure to use ordinary all-purpose flour than the self-rising cake flour, in which case baking powder should be probably avoided.I haven't tried that way.It should be sifted.
Over-mixing the cake makes it a dry cake.
You can skip the salt if you are using salted butter.
If you wish you can decorate the cake and play around with frostings and other fillings etc.Just cool completely before frosting.

I then layered all my cakes and decorated them with white vanilla frosting ,green piping designs and finally covered the entire layers with my handmade not-so-perfect fondant flowers a.k.a rose flowers (You see I had to convince my doter that they are rose !) ...😀

So, to all enthusiastic cake bakers especially if you are a novice, this homemade cake made from scratch, 1234 + cake will be your best bet I believe, at least it is for me. It is a sure keeper !! I wanted to post it and keep it for records in my blog! DONE finally !!

My hubby loved it , but my doter, she is turning very picky and moody when it comes to food lately.When she was a baby to toddler phase,she ate everything happily,I made,as we never gave her any outside food for that matter . Now,it has changed !! She is becoming stubborn and choosy !! #ThisChildIsTheParentOfUs 😐🙏

My reminder quote !🙌😂💕

She is a typical Malayali girl fond of rice and seafood/non-veg especially. Stuck there! So,I am sad that she didn't want to taste the cake for now.I am patient with her . My main focus is that she eats something for sure than eating nothing at all. At home, I am able to manage her to eat well. If I force her too much, she throws up.So, I am being tolerant with her. My mother says, we all kids were like that,we were picky and moody.It is just a phase, that shall soon pass !!

Anyways, Baking and cooking make me very happy ( ESPECIALLY in my kitchen) .MAGIC is, after all, something you make!The show must go on by divine's grace for my own edible gratifications and mastery !😊

With food and good vibes,

Love and light !🙏😊

#IAmTheChosenOne #SomeoneDeletedIt

Doter of Madhura Meenakshi Amma and Mridaya Mahadeva, follower of Mother Mary/Our Lady of Fatima and Jesus/Divine with any name😊🙏🌺🌼

(On a funny note,a huge fan of Ryan Reynolds sir,the owner, and the user of Mint Mobile...On a serious note, Ryan sir,Reynolds pen used to be my favorite pen forever during my school/college days,made my handwriting beautiful !!😊😋..Thank You!!..You are so funny ..in those ads especially !!😊😀)

P.S....I like to dedicate this cake to all readers and especially my super divinely-gifted Tarot card readers. Some readings are great guidance for me. I know for sure you all are not simply playing cards.So, I feel like one of these chosen ones' purposes in life was to guide me and others like me in this spiritual journey. Thanks once again for being my spiritual guru !! May almighty bless you and your family in every way !!😊😍🙏🙇

I remember in one tarot reading by an "American" tarot reader, that was collective, she said, "You will embody your grandma's name ".I was quite taken aback as my maternal grandmother's name is the name of Mother Kali and my paternal grandmother's name is baby maa maa 😃...By the way,do check out these tarot readers,they are hot, happening,single,ready to mingle, and most importantly near to spirits and God.#ISpirituallyEndorseToDaters🙌😉😊🙏

Also, thanks to all spiritual gurus out there who give us the right guidance to choose the path of righteousness and to seek the divine thereby alongside our overall protection against evil !!

My divine parents---My mother is bearing the stain in the front and my divine father got my back ...Coincidentally,the 2nd pic is a screenshot of a picture of Lord Shiva I had at my home in my calendar that resonated from Unni sir's picture from one of his movie,Bruce Lee as I captured in the superman cake video I dedicated to Unni Mukundan Sir on his birthday as a token of gratitude for being a part of this rollercoaster twin flame journey (perhaps!)...I will cherish this picture forever !!:))).....#OmNamahaShivaya #JaiMaaJagadAmba

This twin flame journey is all about - Since Lord Krishna himself can't come in real form, also known to disguise himself in many forms to test/help his devotees,the divine sent a "not-so-spiritually-grounded" 😀 human being (with divine's name as a clue) to assist/elevate me in this journey/life in some way or other I believe !!

Someone told me ," You met your dream man after your marriage and some said,your twin flame will never harm you/act like a demon !"...Like I told them and to be clear,my dream man is NOT him !...He did play a role in all chaos in my life as well ,as he was dancing to those tunes that were useful to them or are under control of and also out of sheer ego and arrogance..Some are very low vibrational and so are their lifestyle and moral values !... Since he is not fully spiritually awakened yet ,that's the reason for all his negative contributions in my life ...which my divine is miraculously trying to convert into blessings eventually...🙏#AllPraiseToMyDivine #IWishThemAllBest

Bruce Lee is an inspirational Icon but Unni Mukundan sir and gang showed me that they believe in the bruise lee (meaning bruise taken) to the bruise dee (meaning bruise given ) principle..That's a red flag, to be honest !!And I was healing everyone's bruises you see directly ,indirectly..😐😋

Having said that,I do appreciate and will be grateful to dear Rama-Krishna for the protective efforts !🙏😊#HappyRamaNavami2023

Like I said before, my dream man is someone ordinary with extraordinary capabilities, coincidentally like the "SUPERMAN" who only exists in movies/DC comics..😊😏#RichInMindHeartAndDeeds..everything else is a bonus !

Like I always said,I have the same astrological star as Lord Krishna and our Kuladevi/Ancestral deity - "Ashtami Rohini"..I am grateful beyond words that Lord Krishna and My divine amma did justice to that in a way !:)))))🙏🙏😍

🌺🌹🌸🌷🙏CHOTTANIKKARA DEVI🙏🌺🌹🌸🌷

Neither last nor least, I am quite grateful to the almighty as always. And I feel one of my purpose in my life are to spread my faith in the divine, how much the divine loves his devotees/no matter how the circumstances are, never ever give up on the divine/everything happens as per his will and for good,good vs evil, sharing my spiritual experiences whether someone believes or not !! I can feel my divine parents' presence in my life for sure...To the people who ask if there is divine in stone, rock etc,..

Like we say in Malayalam, "Mannilum Vinnilum Thoonilum Thurumbilum Daivam Irikkunnu ,Avan Karuna Mayanayi Kaval Vilakkayi Karalil Irikkunnu .....Alum Arivum Ullavar Vazhvaam Adaril Jayikkunnu ,Avan Arivillathavar Thann Hrudayathil Arivaay Vilangunnu Arivaay Vilangunnu ...."

Meaning one who has true faith in the divine, can feel divine everywhere regardless, and the divine will always be there for them.(The bottom line! )

The apt quote I came across today...It's not about my faith, it is about my Divine's love and support for an ordinary woman like me against my ill-wishers/evil-doers !! #BELIEVEinDIVINE🙇🙏💓

It's not the huge donation one does in holy places, doing big pujas/worships, knowledge of all holy books, etc matters the most (though it is necessary,each to their own way of showing/sharing/spreading their devotion towards almighty), what truly matters is the purity of heart and intentions, THERE one can feel the presence of the divine for sure. That's my personal belief !!

Believe it or not,I and my loved ones were under dark non-spiritual warfare from these 2 groups of people ...

UPDATE :

The intention!

Many people asked me what dark non-spiritual warfare I really went through :

As per my intuitions,"probably" all these..:-

Well STD in our world usually means “Stalking Tendency Detected” !..In our ordinary world, we rebuke even that!😎

A few fame-us people are heavily spying on me/stalking me by hacking my phone and also through my television etc .I am trying my best to block it using many apps etc but still, I am struggling.So, they keep track of my moves somehow.So,as a reflex to a few circumstances happening in my life, these people are using black magic and other higher forces to play “God”.

So shall it be !

We had a series of flu (which divine changed into “FLEW”) going on which I believe they wanted to inflict a more harmful bad health on us.

My doter would vomit most of the day ..and when it hit a carpet I realized , they meant “V-OMIT Car-pet !”.She would get hurt at school which sometimes left a mark under her eye like a blow !

We would go for any vacation and either we fell sick like jala dosham in Malayalam which in Hindi means “Jealousy” /jalan ...my doter would have “ear infection”/hear infection ,or I would have food poisoning symptoms/upset belly or my car would get a narrow escape from an accident and is full of scratches and also has a tint of green paint as a residue.I recently saw a honeymoon video of a celebrity couple and I realized they had also some food poisoning symptoms.

I had sinus ,we had different kinds of vedna which means pain and in Hindi means “VED-NA” meaning no philosophy.

My brother got covid and accident.Our shed outside our home broke in India..

Since they eavesdrop on our conversation at home,as a reflex to some of our conversation,our toilet would get blocked.

And most importantly they were sending “death spells” !!

And my loved ones!

By Divine’s grace all these evil spells would touch us to warn us of these bullcum cow shits thrown on us.#PraiseThelord

To make you all happy, we /me and my loved ones are just walking zombies with no intention to hurt others, suffering and surviving all your attacks because of our faith in the almighty, and turning all these messes into messages and tests into testimonials and faith in the divine!

To Anus and gang,please don’t forget we also can take help from some Black magician .And even if we do,I am sure the divine will forgive us as we are taking protective measures against evil people.Please remember it ! You all people have kids,how will it feel if something horrible happens to them ! What you are doing can inflict issues in our life,affect it negatively for now but it will come right back to you all like a tsunami, and only the divine knows what will happen!Just a reminder!#BeCareful

Evil will fail!

You all have name,fame,are privileged..use it for the good of others , that’s how you get divinity!I am not financially stable yet .So I am working hard using my “good” passions to achieve it .I am minding my own passionate business juggling family and home alongside! I don’t even waste my time to spy on their social media profiles and I am becoming allergic to such people’s any updates anywhere.

Even though you all have everything and considering the toxic environment you are thriving in ,I have no interest in anyone from there or to be in that environment.I am not here to steal anyone’s man/love interest .ALL YOURS ! Your men probably think that we/virtuous women admire them for the wrong reason.

Cheers to a beauty-full world !

We work hard for good and we attract likewise !! So,keep your men and kindly stop harming me and my loved ones.Like any family, we may have problems and problem makers, that the Divine will for sure take care of it sooner or later.No one else has to interfere in anyone’s personal matter without being asked for because you may be having a bird’s point of view only not the depth/root cause! Don’t act like a goon-da/di and make it worse !If you can make it better,then fine!

I am writing/highlighting all these to tell any authority concerned that it’s not about me, they can be a menace to society if not stopped.I don’t wish bad upon anyone regardless!

Screenshots of a few tarot readings that resonated with my intuitions and experiences -

#MaliciousGroupFromMollywood (A group/cult of men and women who were using dark forces/black magic/evil spells to create havoc in my life )#BaneToSociety #Sho #NoOffense #RequestingPlsDon'tBeMalicious🙏

These people not only hacked my phone etc,they are also deleting my cooking videos, even a "Short" video takes forever to upload, and manipulating my youtube algorithms/subscribers,views,likes, and payment.I work very hard ,I wish to grow my channel as I've just started seriously.I have better things to do.Kindly have some integrity and dignity that benefits others genuinely and not just pretending/showing off outside to be the right and powerful. DIVINE WILL SEE TO IT ANYWAYS !!

People seeking black magic to destroy others will face terminal illness,death,generational curse to name a few..SO,BEWARE !!Don't waste your hard-earned money for the wrong reason and indirectly your precious life and well-being of your loved ones !

#SilentKillers..The same astrological reading I got loong time back is resurfacing from many tarot readers about my mother-in-laaw and sis-in-laaw doing black magic and it almost resonates with all the hardships I went through after my marriage ...Due to all hardships especially related to conceiving,my faith in the almighty dwindled,I started doubting and there were days I stopped praying though I never stopped believing in the divine..It was during those vulnerable time,I became susceptible to those dark vicious attacks...LESSON: NEVER GIVE UP ON THE DIVINE REGARDLESS!

I loved them all so much..even though I had a hunch about their evil plots and schemes against me and others ,after my father-in-law's death,I wholeheartedly requested my mother-in-law to come and stay with us here in US.#EnoughIsEnough

SO,whenever something malicious is going against me , my divine mother I worship at home, whom I consider to be our Chottanikkara Amma (<- CLICK to read more about this supreme Goddess residing in one of the famous temples of Kerala in Kochi) really turns BLACK as shown in the picture above in several days..

#ProtectionForAllMyLovedOnes ..I am in my own lane and here for my own missions

Nothing else but mother's form gets stained and I KNOW (I will be experiencing something off or my intuition also hints to me in advance ) it is an indication to me and an assurance from my divine mother that she is bearing the stain on my behalf and will not spare the culprits for sure.She is watching over and justice will be served in private or public.So, pls leave me alone, kindly don't hurt me and my loved ones !! That's why I have dedicated even my website to my favorite diety's pictures as a humble tribute straight from my heart.🙏

The 1st quote I saw and took a screenshot from an American movie of a Saint I saw recently!:)

I also asked for my divine mother's forgiveness and permission to put her bare picture like that as I want to purify some people's nasty minds and hearts. After all, everyone drank milk from their mother's breast just like this when they were a baby!

🙇Amme Narayana,Devi Narayana,Lakshmi Narayana,Bhadre Narayana...Om🙇

Thank You Amma !! 🙇🙇🙇💕.One day I saw two cloves I offered to Maa Jagad Amba/Universal Divine Mother, in the evening which was floating in oil that too in winter, they were as seen in the picture above standing pointing directly towards Maa Bhagwathi !! I interpreted it as C-LOVES !!:))💓....🙇🙏🌺🌼🌹🌸🌷

I love you too my divine parents/Team !! Thank you !!💓💓🙇

Hara hara Mahadeva...Om jai Maa Parashakthi !!!🙏💓

Chaitra Navaratri greetings !🙏😊

P.P.S. : Until and unless it is purely obvious all RECIPE NAMES appearing in my YouTube Videos are just recipes and any resemblances to your perception are purely coincidental. There is no double meaning hidden!

Achappam /Kerala Style Rosette Cookies (Eggless NO Rice Flour tastes AUTHENTIC)

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 18:04:00 +0000

Appo oru riddle aayalo/Riddle time ? 😎

QUESTION/RIDDLE -Think of a snack that is known as a cookie but it is not exactly one ...Think of a fritter-y snack that looks like a flower and has the name of a flower ..

ANSWER - Achappam A.K.A Rose cookie/Rosette Cookie

Whoever knew already (well,you would have guessed by the blog post title still ) ..You see,I was checking if you are paying attention or not 👀.....So,clap clap to all Intel inside 👏😀..who didn't guess...Don't worry,be happy..Hi10 I do have my attention deficit episode at times as well and my G.K. also needs improvement worse than Alia Ma'am ! 😉😍Even I didn't know that they have an English name ,rosette cookies . After all, I am a certified friend in need no pretense,straight from my heart ...🙌😊

What is Achappam?

Achappam is a quite popular traditional Kerala snack . "Achu" means a special mould and "Appam" means food made with flour. Achappam is a well-liked snack ,popularly called a "naalu mani palaharam" (meaning an evening snack in English) made with flour, eggs, coconut milk and deeply fried into a flower-shaped snack using a special mould . Achappam is also called a rose cookie.

Wikipedia says,"Achappam is a signature Syrian Christian food believed to come from Dutch influence and has spread to South East Asia also known as kuih loyang (brass), acuan (mould), cap (stamp), bunga ros (rose flower), bunga durian (durian flower), goyang (shake), kembang loyang, struvor in Swedish, demir tatlisi in Turkish, flores manchegas in Spain, shirini panjerei in Iran ,chebbak el-janna in Tunisian cuisine,in Afghanistan, they are called kulcha-e-panjerei (window biscuits),in Bangladesh its called Fuljhuri pitha or Fulkuchi pitha,in Norwegian: rosettbakkelse; rosetter; Danish: rosetbakkelse; and Finnish: rosetti.

In South India, they are called "Gulabi"😮, achumurukku in Tamil Nadu. In Spain, they are called flores manchegas ("Manchegan flowers"),in SriLanka, it's called kokis and rose cookies among Anglo Indian,East Indian and Goan people.. ."

To my surprise, I found that Achappam's twin version called rosette cookies are quite popular in the United States which has got a Scavindian origin and is also a popular traditional Christmas snack here as well. Both require special moulds and almost similar recipes for the preparation. I didn't know that and I never got a chance to eat it or I never saw them here in shops till now but this is what the internet says.Playing hide and seek with a big-time foodie !!Fair and lovely yet unfair !😮

Likewise,Achappam is also a special snack for Christians during Christmas or marriage ceremonies and so is for Hindus during Onam, Vishu, etc in Kerala as well.

Interesting how food connects us around the world and makes us feel one , simply split all over the world...

In short , as long as one has teeth to crunch, everyone will probably love Achappam. These Achappams can be seen neatly stacked and packed and sold from small shops to big bakery shops all over Kerala .

These Achappams taste best when they are home-made . However,it is not an easy task when you are preparing all by yourself . Hence,nowadays people prefer to simply buy from bakery shops.

Memories/Flashback

At my home, during my childhood days,my mother used to always make nallu-mani palharams /evening snacks for us for sure. Our little storerooms used to always have jars of snacks or tins filled with snacks like ACHAPPAM etc not only for us but also for guests.I loved whenever my amma would prepare snacks at home ..It used to fill our little kitchen and house (Company quarter) with that gentle yummy aroma that would make anyone excited and looking forward to.No wonder why I was always gol-matol /chubby..😁

Those days I don't remember how painstakingly my amma would prepare all these snacks and neatly store them in a huge tin in my storeroom but I do remember how comfortably I used to walk in and out of the storeroom with two-three Achappams in my hand and munch it happily every day and it was not fun to watch my brother competing with me for the same either...Mr.Salty huh...😖😏

I also remember how my mother would distribute among our neighbours during festivals (who belonged to different states in India)..Now that we are settled in Kerala,she still does the same ...I always tell her to buy and distribute as it is not a child's play to prepare batch after batch all by herself and she doesn't have the same stamina as before...But from whom did I get my stubbornness and temper after all ? 😉😆

During my last long vacation (Thx Corona ! 😄) to India on the eve of Onam ,I finally paid attention to how my amma would prepare those Achappams and I realised this snack is going to be quite challenging for me...Trial and error = A game of thorns !...Anyways,my mother got me an Achu/mould to take with me to the US so that I can make some homemade Achappams for her son-in-law one day for sure as she knows all these snacks are his weakness...I kept it as a treasure for long ...until one day,I decided,it is time..to take that leap of faith..that I can too make Achappams...#IBelieveIcanFry

How to prepare Achappam at home ?

Traditionally,it requires rice flour, eggs, coconut milk, oil and a very special mould with lots of patience and enthu.

Achappams are one of my hubby's favourite snack.So,last year I tried for the first time to prepare Achappams by myself ...I tried different recipes ...And I found my own version of Achappam recipe that is not the traditional way because I made my Achappam without using any eggs or rice flour...So,YES,Achappams can be made eggless and with no rice flour , the quintessential flour of Kerala and you won't find any difference in the taste.That's the highlight !

I bought the mould couple of years back though. Even though I didn't expect it ,though a few of the first Achappams came out just the opposite of the mould I used ,different shapes like the crippled version of Achappams,the next batch looked lovely to look and good to digest .

I can't tell you how excited I was when I made a well-shaped Achappam for the first time,it was like some kind of huge acheivement in my life..mere dil mein sachh muuch laddoo futt rahe theyy meaning manasil laddoo poti yennu ...Eyes popping out,mouth wide open,hands covering it in awe,tears of joy in my eyes as if I've been crowned Mrs.culinary Universe /the tasty queen ..😭👑😍

But whenever I get too excited in my life,something goes wrong ..likewise,my next one and the next one thereafter were hugging to the mould and refusing to detach...That moment when I saw a mould and batter madly in love with each other, inseparable and I realised, damn I am the villain in this edible story now...However, that rumble and growl in my stomach gave me the ultimate push to do the needful , be less excited and more mindful thereafter....I've given up on being too over-excited in all...😒

And then,they kept getting better after every try. And when I made Achappams non-traditionally without using any eggs or rice flour and they came out well-formed and authentically tasty, imagine my happiness..YAYYYY..😊😍💃 Well, the idea to make this Achappam batter came out of using the super-ripe Banana covered with marks all over without wasting it (which are in good condition to use)

And with the leftover Achappam batter,I made some delicious Pancakes as well.Oh,they are delish beyond words !

So, here is my homemade Achappam recipe eggless and without any rice flour yet tasting authentic.

Achappam recipe

Makes 20-30

Ingredients

For making Achappam batter

All-Purpose Flour 3 Cups

Powdered sugar 3/4 the Cup

Baking Powder 1 Tsp

Thick Coconut Milk (I used readymade ) 1/2 Cup

Banana, Ripe 1 No.

Milk 2 1/2 Cups

Black Kalonji /Black Cumin/Karinjeerakam - 1 Tbsp

Oil as needed for deep fry

Wide Pan/Kadai

Achappam Mould

Tall Mixer Jar (to prevent any overflow)

Lots of patience and enthu..

Preparation of Achappam batter

Transfer all dry ingredients into the mixer jar followed by all wet ingredients (all ingredients written in BOLD) and grind into a smooth lump-free batter. The batter should be neither thin nor thick but of pouring consistency.
Taste a sample of the batter to make sure the sugar is enough.
Pour the batter into a long container and add the Kalonji /Black cumin or black sesame seeds.Mix well.
Keep the batter in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes for all the flavor to blend in well.The batter kept in the refrigerator makes sure that the batter will stick to the mould and releases with ease while frying which is the most important step to make a well-shaped Achappam.
After 10 min,let the batter sit for a few minutes outside.Then stir well.
Pour oil into a Wide pan/Kadai for deep fry.
Add a little batter into the oil and if it springs back to the top ,the oil is ready for deep frying which is very very important for frying apt Achappam .
Then put the Achappam mould into the oil and keep it for a minute or until hot.This is must ,this step prepares the mould for making sure the batter sticks to the mould when dipped and releases and gets fried properly.
Then remove the mould from oil and dip it into the batter BUT make sure that the mould is not immersed fully ,immerse only 3/4 th of the mould with batter ,this step makes sure that the achappam slides easily into the oil for frying.Count 10 secs,to make sure the batter sticks to the mould properly..
Now the batter will stick to the mould if it was hot and ready and then transfer the mould into the oil but not place the mould into the oil .Hold the mould stick and mould just covered in oil for frying ,shake the stick after a minute or two gently and the achappam will slide it into the oil OR before the achappam gets fried on the mould itself,using a skewer stick try to GENTLY release the achappam into the oil.If the achappams gets fried in mould itself,it will be very difficult to release it into the oil and to remove the achappam in shape from the mould aptly.
Most of the time, the first few Achappams will not come out good.But continue frying and they will get better.
Once the achappam slides into the oil let it fry until they get light golden colour and then turn it to fry the other side using a slotted spoon until light golden colour on low -medium flame.Put the mould into the oil (med-high) for making the next one.This is very very important to fry the next one aptly.
Once Achappam is golden brown on both sides. Transfer them onto tissue paper to absorb all oil. As they rest,it will become more crisp .
Repeat and fry all Achappams and store them in an airtight container .
Enjoy with a cup of tea or like me whenever you wanna munch something ,which is most of the time.

NOTES:

1.If the batter is too thick,add coconut milk little by little to make it a not too thick batter and if it is too thin add little all-purpose flour little by little until it becomes thick .

2. Thick coconut milk is a must for that authentic taste.

3.When a new mould is used for the first time,the Achappams may not turn out well.But the more the mould is used it will get better and better.After use wash it lightly with water so it remains oiled and seasoned for next use.

4.Since I am not using eggs ,I am using baking powder and Banana instead.

5.I always use the super-ripe Banana with marks all over ,good to use though .

Here is the demo to show you how to make Kerala style Achappams eggless and with No rice flour

So,I am happy that I finally nailed Achappam or Kerala style rosette cookie in a non-traditional way that tastes just like the achappam made traditionally. This was mission impossible at one point in time but just because there are thorns doesn't mean I can never smell the rose ...So,if you don't like cookies but love snacks or if you love cookies with a crunch, that will make you wonder wow, then this is for you, Kerala style rosette cookies, in my mother tongue, Malayalam, Achappam...Fry it,try it and enjoyyy it!

Bye for now ..Till next time..Take care,be well,be happy...

Love,light,food,good vibes,🙏😊

Sweet Pongal/Chakkara Pongal/Sakkarai Pongal and Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:19:00 +0000

Idli,vada,sambar and Pongal - ANYONE???

Exercise? I Thought You Said Extra RICE! ~ Honey P.

Well, can't blame him, being an Indian, and to top that, being a south Indian, rice is a staple and comfort food. Rice and curries keep us grounded and rooted in our Indian traditions, rekindle so many childhood memories, literally a taste of India being away from the homeland, ensuring that feel, being at home, wherever we are...

BUT there is a catch, we find it very difficult to eat less and easy to skip exercise ..You see, for me, "Health is wealth !". It is not about having an amazing body, it is all about having a healthy body. (The entire wealth of Mr.Steve Jobs couldn't save his life (with due respect and honor..RIP!), it did hurt to see his health deteriorating than his Apple Phone doing well in the world market for me...That's why I bite the Apple fruit and Honey P prefers the Apple phone more, hence the emphasis !)

And Rice is a high carb food that when consumed too much daily can lead to weight gain and other diseases. So,I am a tad scared about rice yet it is one of our favorite go-to meals, easy to make, and goes well with all south Indian curries like fish and other seafood especially....

Story of my life !

However, the good thing about my hubby is that he doesn't like desserts that much,he can control the urge but I can't 😔...Sweets are my weakness!😋 But I know how to avoid them as much as possible...But what is a life full of dietary restrictions,I like to break the rules BUT for the right reasons....For instance, during festivals or once in a while for sure...And I love to make something that I can enjoy with my hubby, to eat alone is not fun...

He orders, I make...And I am very thankful that he loves everything I make for sure and so do my friends, my little one loves it too (Touchwood and the entire tree !)....Of course, sometimes it is a sheer disaster but practice and passion to cook make one perfect right ?.... One of the main reasons how I fell in love with food, cooking, and then blogging = My simple NIRVANA!

Smoke detectors

Lord Krishna gave me his zodiac star as a confirmation that I am his Kaliyug ki Meera (uncomparable to the original bhaktha/staunch fav. devotee MeeraBai (with due respect !)🙇🙏) because my hubby is for sure Mr.BhojRaj ,(MeeraBai's original husband's name) (Bhoj means "Feast/Food" and Raj means "King" )...Makes sense ??eeeehaa..😂😁😉😋

Anyways, my hubby who is not a dessert fan, recently told me, try to make that payasam (a south Indian dessert), that brown one made with rice and Jaggery that we usually get in temples in India especially ...We usually call it Ambala Payasam/Temple Payasam. Since this Payasam needs Jaggery for the sweetness and the authentic flavor than sugar, it was quite a turn-on. Jaggery is comparatively healthy.

As I started experimenting with making this /perfecting this Payasam,I came to know that they are in fact called Sweet Pongal or Sakkarai Pongal or Chakkara Pongal (Where Sakkarai,a Tamil term, and Chakkara,a Malayalam term means Jaggery)

For me, this Pongal dish reminds me of my childhood days in North India during the eve of Makara Sankranti and Pongala functions in Kerala temples participated by women especially ....

What is Makara Sankranti /Pongal ?

Makara Sankranti is a popular Indian harvest festival celebrated in different parts of India around mid-January and also around Asia. Kerala calls it Makara Vilaku,Tamil Nadu calls it Thai Pongal, Andhra, and Karnataka - Sankranthi, Gujarat, and Rajasthan - Vasi Uttarayan, West Bengal - Pousha Sankranthi, Punjab/Haryana/Himachal Pradesh - Lohri/Maghi, Assam-Magh Bihu, Nepal-Maghe Sankrant, Thailand-Songkran, etc...Like the names, different ways of rituals/ceremonies and practices are carried out to celebrate the festivals in different places accordingly...It is usually one of the most famous Tamil festivals celebrated by Tamilians all over the world...

Significance of Makara Sankranti

Makara Sankranti or Pongal is usually a harvest festival where farmers thank Mother nature,cattle,(Sun and rain) God for an abundant harvest and for continuous blessings likewise, celebrating with family and friends thereafter,starting a fresh ,reformed/renewed/priority-oriented, prosperous and blessed life.

Generally, people celebrate by cleaning their homes, decorating with kolams/Rangolis/floral designs made with rice powder, making sweet dishes especially with Jaggery, sesame seeds, ghee, rice, lentil ...and praying to the almighty for peace, harmony, and prosperity, exchanging gifts, and celebrating with kiths and kins ...

Save the farmers ! SALUTE and PRAYERS!🙇🙌💖

But for me, it is a festival to thank the FARMERS, MOTHER NATURE, CATTLES/KAMADHENU, THE DIVINE (taken for granted and exploited in this KaliYuga) and spending quality time with the near and dear ones and making memories ...

Pongal is the main dish of Makara Sankranti festival .

What is Pongal?

Pongal means "to boil over" or "overflow" .It is a ceremony to prepare a traditional dish of (a new harvest) rice with milk and jaggery/sugar and offered to the divine. It is called Pongala in Kerala.

What makes Pongala stand out all over in Kerala or the country (India) in particular/spectacular, is the way the Pongala function is celebrated in one of the largest pilgrimages and the annual huge gathering of Hindu women at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India), where women gather in and out of the temple premises, they pray and cook together in a pot the sweet Pongal and offer the Pongala dish to the Hindu temple goddess / Bhagavathy (aka Parvati avatar, Durga-Kannaki 🙏).

The Attukal Pongala has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest gathering of women in the world, featuring an estimated 2.5 million women including celebrities..Hence Attukal temple is considered to be Sabrimala for women 😊🙏#AmmeNarayanaDeviNarayana🙇

PICS CREDIT to the owners :Google Images

Two types of famous Pongal dishes that stand out in South India (especially in Tamil Nadu, the place Pongal originated from) are Chakkara/Sakkarai Pongal,a sweet version, and Ven Pongal/Khara Pongal,a savory version.

Pongal dish is quite flavorful and delish and easy to make and one of the most famous naivedyam meaning a food offered to Hindu deity as part of a worship ritual during festivals, regular pujas in the temple and also in many South Indian homes as an offering to the divine...Divinely finger-licking for devotees as well!

What is Sweet Pongal and how is Sweet Pongal prepared at home?

Sweet Pongal is a sweet dish /dessert like a thick porridge consistency made with rice, jaggery/sugar, lentil (optional), milk(optional), and garnished with cashew nuts, raisins, etc in Ghee. Traditionally they are prepared in an earthen pot or in a pan on the gas stove like how we prepare rice,then adding the rest of the required ingredients to make a Pongal dessert...

Here is my quick and easy sweet Pongal recipe that can be prepared instantly and it tastes so authentic like the traditionally prepared sweet Pongal that you will keep on licking your fingers or the serving bowl or spoon for sure.

SWEET PONGAL/CHAKKARA PAYASAM/SAKKARAI PAYASAM

Ingredients

Rice (I used Sona Masoori) - 1 cup

Water - 4 cups

Jaggery powder - 2 cups

Salt a pinch or two

Ghee - 1/4 th - 1/2 cup

Cloves - 4-5 Nos.

Cardamom, crushed - 5 Nos

Cashewnuts a few

Raisins a few

PRESSURE COOKER

**To prepare sweet pongal/chakkara payasam/Sakarrai Payasam**

Wash and drain the rice.Keep it aside.
Place the pressure cooker onto the flame.
Pour the ghee ,add the cloves and cardamoms and saute for a minute on low flame.
Add the rice and saute on a low flame.
Add the jaggery and saute for a minute or two. (Adjust the Jaggery as per the sweetness you prefer,but the more you add, the more flavorful the payasam will be. You can also use sugar but the taste will be different)
Add the water into it and stir well.
Add the pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. (It can be avoided)
Cover the lid,put on the weight (I mean pressure cooker's :D ).
Pressure cook on high flame for 1 whistle, medium flame 1 whistle, and on a low flame the last whistle.(Keep in mind that the cooking time for rice may vary from the types of rice used to types of pressure cooker used)
Put off the flame and let the pressure get released slowly.
Then carefully remove the weight and open the lid.
If there is any liquid left, let it get absorbed a bit on low flame, stirring in between. (If you prefer the payasam to be little liquid consistency,then leave it as it is (put off the flame) because once it cools down, it will still thicken up )
Then put it off.
Pour leftover ghee in a pan,add the cashewnuts and raisins and saute for a minute. Then put off the flame.
Pour this tempering into the sweet pongal/chakkara Payasam/Sakkarai Payasam/Nei Payasam.Give a gentle stir.
Let it sit for awhile. The more it sits ,the more flavorful it becomes. It also thickens up.
The good and dark quality of Jaggery and more the authentic ghee makes sure that the sweet Pongal is in fact finger-licking and delicious.
That's it my quick to make yet authentic to taste Sweet pongal/chakkara Payasam/Sakkarai Payasam/Nei Payasam is READY !!

What is Ven Pongal and how is Ven Pongal prepared at home?

Venn means white in Tamil and Pongal is the traditional savory dish made with rice, mung dal/lentil, and spices like pepper, cumin, etc, and garnished with cashew nuts, raisins tempered in ghee. Ven Pongal is also called Khara Pongal.

Like sweet Pongal, traditionally it is prepared in an earthen pot or in a pan on the gas stove like how we prepare rice ...But here is my quick and easy way to prepare Ven Pongal that tastes very authentic and simply delicious exactly like how ven Pongal is prepared traditionally.

Ven Pongal/Khara (Spicy) Pongal
Ingredients

Rice (Sona Masoori) 1 cup

Yellow Mung Dal 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds 1 Tbsp

Pepper seeds 1 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Water 4 Cups

For tempering:

Ghee 1/4th cup - 1/2 cup

Cashew nuts as you wish

Raisins as you wish

Curry leaves a few (optional)

Dry red chillies 1 or 2 (optional)

PRESSURE COOKER

To prepare Ven Pongal at home :

Wash and drain the rice and dal separately and keep them aside for 10 - 15 minutes.
Place the pressure cooker onto the gas on a low flame.
Add 1/4 th cup of Ghee.
Add 1/2 Tbsp of cumin seeds and pepper seeds and saute for a minute on low flame.
Then add the rice and dal and keep on sauteing them for a minute or two on low flame, making sure they don't get burnt.
Add salt to taste.
Add the water and stir well.
Cover with the lid and the weight.
Pressure cook everything on high flame for 1 whistle, on a medium flame for 1-2 whistles and on low flame for 1 more whistle or until the rice and dal gets cooked.(It will depend upon the rice and the pressure cooker used)
Put off the flame and let the pressure get released by itself.
Then carefully remove the weight and the lid.
Meanwhile,heat ghee in a pan on low flame.
Add remaining cumin seeds and pepper seeds (adjust as per your preference as some people don't like to bite onto peppers a lot )
Add the red chili and curry leaves.
Add the cashewnuts and raisins and saute everything well for a minute or two.
Put off the flame.
Pour this into the cooked rice-dal mixture and gently stir . The more ghee is added, the more flavorful it will be. So, use as per your preference.
That's it quick and easy to make, authentic to taste Ven Pongal is READY! Serve it hot as it is or with hot sambar ..YUM!!!!

MEMORIES /FLASHBACK/FLASHNOW

During my childhood days in North India, Bokaro, Jharkhand, it used to be quite chilly during winter especially around December, which is not at all my favorite season in any way 😰. However, what made this chilly season pure joy was the eve of Makara Sankranthi and the celebration of Makara Vilakku in one of the famous temples, the Ayyappa temple in Bokaro.

Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa (Pic credit : Google images to respective owners..THX!)

Usually, we would go to the temple once in a while during the evening time to attend the deep Aradhana /the evening puja. But during Makara Sankranthi, almost all Malayalees and other South Indians and everyone who had a devotion towards Lord Ayyappa would spend the entire day in the temple itself ...I used to look forward to that joyful day - wearing my favorite dress and the new sweater and heading to the temple with my parents where almost all my Malayalee friends would also come over ...💃

It was a special feeling to visit the temple in the morning, the temple decorated all over like a beautiful divine bride and groom into one, the strings of garlands of yellow and orange flower especially Marigolds hanging all over the temple, the fragrance of agarbatti/incense stick swaying in and out,far and wide ,the pious sound of temple bell that can diffuse any negativity all around and far, the excited devotees visiting the temple one by one with a long queue of scooters, motorcycles, cars outside the temple premises....It is a dreamy pure day of bliss to witness and experience...

We all, at home ,getting ready and hopping onto our Vijay scooter, Acha driving,amma and bro (till he was a teen) at the back of the scooter and me standing in front, holding strong onto the scooter's steer/handle like the little guard 😄, enjoying every twist and turns heart full of joy...

(Here is the demo /video to make sweet Pongal and Ven Pongal quick and easy my way and making a Pongal Platter as well..on a snowy day...wearing one of my saree from my wedding day....as it is our wedding Anniversary...😊

AND I felt superpower around the world giving a blow to all the culprits indirectly and supporting me ..our Namaste and kisses from my little one to them!.. Thanks to the divine for being there for me !!

The way you came to my rescue, similarly, when you will be in trouble and for the right cause,you will be protected by the divine as well !! MARK MY WORD !🙇

The moment we enter the temple, I would jump with joy to see my friends too, enjoying the delicately decorated temple premises, climbing the stairs (pathinettam padi/18 Nos. of stairs) into the temple, the holy sound of the temple bells ringing, the holy aroma of incense sticks and sambaranis,women gathering in groups, chit-chatting with joy and making malas/garlands for God, devotees offering prayers one by one, Priest performing pujas and preparing for the main ceremony for the evening, volunteers preparing lunch, children running around the temple up and below or playing in a corner, a perfect place for all family friends to have a memorable get together ...

Pic credit : Google Images .Thx!-- To our glorious golden simple childhood days

Next to the temple stood my first school, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, and the newly build Ayyappa school, filled with nostalgia.

I would look forward to playing with my friends avoiding all my Malayalee teachers at any cost and any interaction with my parents😃🙈 #ThatHolyCowMoment....Blushing at all my crushes,(my classmates have no idea but I had a crush (healthy) on every boy 🙊😄😋😉 because they all were innocent, cool, and friendly and I can't imagine my school days without every one of them for making it memorable)...#Hi10ToMyClassmates👫

The first and foremost highlight of the festival celebration would be the lunch - the sadya,the traditional Kerala feast,a mishmash of rice, and numerous finger-licking curries served on fresh Banana leaves....That day I ate all the vegetables for sure, they tasted divinely delicious with family, friends, and strangers around...all happy faces...😊

Pic credit : Google images

Then we (myself and my parents ) would take a short break and visit a nearby family friend across the temple to take some rest and get ready for a special night at the temple thereafter...

In the evening ,we all would get fresh and wear another set of new traditional dresses and head to the temple to participate in the thaalapoli procession,a ritual ,where girls and women would carry a plate with coconut, flowers, and lamp and stand in a queue in the temple premises to celebrate the deity, Lord Ayyappa with prayers,chenda melam/a special kind of drum beats carried out by experts especially during auspicious occasions like this, the priests would carry the deity around the temple and once every devotee have a darshanam (have a peek of divine and his/her default blessings) , the deity is carried like a baby and placed with utter devotion into the main temple , followed by prayers, and the final darshanam once again after the main puja with a pious and sweet ending when the priests would distribute the chakkara pongal /sweet Pongal/Nei Payasam to all devotees..

The treasure is inside...

There is no word to describe how heavenly that payasam/dessert tasted and the leftover payasam would be left in a super-large urulis/heavy brass utensils for the devotees to take back some Prasadam with vadas ,malars etc if they wish (And everyone did!).....

So, for me, the mere mention of chakkara pongal /Nei Payasam reminds me of those memorable days/nights spent at Bokaro Ayyappa temple during Makara Sankranthi .....

In Kerala also ,we get similar prasadams in temples ...

After coming to the US,I got the first taste of Ven Pongal in temples over here and it is also so yummy, healthy, and filling...Finally kinda mastered my version of ven Pongal too....Tastes authentic made instantly...

Honey P is also happy it seems. (Isi khushi mein)So, by all powers vested in me, his new name is Honey Pongala !! ...I am sweet and he is the salt version 😉🙊...(Shhh...secret between me and you )...After all, he gave me the idea to overflow...😎😉😁

Also, I believe rice is a staple in most of the countries around the world ...So, dedicating this post to "Unity in diversity and overall prosperity !" and most importantly to all the unseen and unsung heroes - the hardworking farmers especially from India and around the world for being the ultimate source to bring the rice, etc to our plate.

When we already have rumors about the invention of plastic rice and the scary repercussions, I would pray to the divine that may every farmer's hard work and hardships may never go unnoticed. May every farmer be celebrated like a world citizen and have a decent livelihood, not only feeding the nation but also may be able to feed their family, themselves as well.

May their demands be heard and taken care of by the higher power vested in people we trust around the globe!

Reminds me of my all-time favorite movie "Swades" , where my most fav. actor,SRK sir (Mohan in the movie) said," Main nahi manta hamara desh duniya ka sabse mahaan desh hai. Lekin yeh zaroor manta hoon ki hum mein kabliyat hai, taqat hai, apne desh ko mahaan banane ki .."Jai Hind !🙌🙏

I WISH..I had the capability and money to do something like he did in the movie and make a huge difference in people who are unseen and unsung heroes for real....like farmers/villagers..

After all, like Gandhi ji said,"The soul of India lives in its villages and agriculture is the soul of our Indian economy and farmers are our Annadaata "...With the increasing number of farmers committing suicide frequently ,it hurts to even imagine his state of mind and life that leads to such a heartbreaking decision, hard to hear and digest helplessly...destroying his family indirectly as well....

Make the most of this human birth even if it is a small contribution for a right cause....

They say,"Where there is a will, there is a way!"..Hopefully, one day, maybe divine will show me a way and means to make a huge difference in such unseen and unsung heroes as well....Fingers crossed !! Amen to that!

For now,all I can do to comfort my grieving heart is to pray to the divine and say ,"Aaaal is well" ...The justice will be served eventually....A change takes time...till then, with a deep sigh, I will try to comfort myself by venting here and there and donating now and then when possible...

Love and light,

Take care 💝

Guru Dakshina-An edible tribute to my unforgettable SUPERSTARS - Manchurian noodles,Smoothie,Ice cream and Fish fry ......

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:22:00 +0000

The original Lord Krishna !😊🙇

Yeh kis sadi ke log hain bloggo...Yeh Khuda ke roop mein insaan hai, Ya insaan ke roop mein Khuda.....😊

(Are they human in the guise of God ... or are they God in the guise of a human) ~ A dialogue from my favvvvv. Veer Zaara Bollywood movie

(Me rendering the above dialogue with exactly of those emotions that Rani ma'am did in the Veer Zaara movie)😁 #GodSent

(One of my principle in my life is to be a favorite( sweet) hello and memorable goodbye to the people who matters ! ..So,I am re-writing this post keeping it positive as much as possible ...I am so thankful for their time regardless as I will never forget who was there for me when I needed someone by my side (everyone is busy in their respective ways and still who cared/dared even if it was for fun )!!

A blessing in disguise to encounter superstars on Earth who taught me , "You can too shine like a DIAMOND !" (After all, a diamond is a chunk of coal that did really well under pressure ❤❤😊 )...So,they are my precious awards whatsoever !😊

This post is my heartfelt edible tribute to those celebrities who came into my life as a miracle ,angels in disguise ,who gave me their valuable time,effort, and support = affection and to believe,dream and shine .They forced me to steal their shine a bit .I am not that successful yet but ,if I've any good name and fame ,a few of these celebrities are behind it. Touched by their esteemed grace/virtual presence !🙇😊💝

I will never forget Ranveer Singh sir and Arjun Sir from Bollywood, and Vijay Devarakonda sir from Tollywood. They all cared to share my blog posts etc with their friends/colleagues I believe and made me kinda officially filmi .God knew ,that meri jaise drama queen ko ye professional drama kings and queens hi handle kar sakthey hai .....😂😋kyunki zindagi ek rangmanch hai aur humsab kattputhliyaan...😁

I am not good at promoting my blog post or Youtube videos across different social media platforms still learning. Whenever time allows I do ...Also like my successful bloggers or vloggers I am not that consistent either and I also don't want to be addicted to it or make it my no.1. priority too...So,my social media accounts are not that active...I don't have many followers ...I never liked social media for personal use anyways (up until...)

So,imagine my plight when I realized all these superstars came into my virtual platform one by one and showed their support by being playful according to my blog posts ...They all made me feel seen,heard, and supported ...So lucky and blessed!!!.... Ironically,I can't even say,my dream came true but a miracle came true indeed...Thank You almighty!😊🙇

I was like wiping my eyes, pinching myself, and wondering am I asleep or am I daydreaming or it was some kind of illusion ...All I can say ,looking up into the sky and say , "Thank You almighty !!"...Thank you for giving me a sign that you are with me for sure..Thank You for sending these filmi angels in disguise ....Thank You forever !!🙏🙇🙌😊

Now, this is going to be a super long post, my intention is to highlight the good over evil , gratitude over attitude , valuable people over any accolades... = My achievement / Almighty's gift !!😊💝

This is not for people ..

I may look like a Balloon but I am not one ...and so I can't be inflated or deflated at anyone's will!😊🙏

Tomboy since childhood ...studied with top nice players,catching out since then :D...From them to all culprits.😁..Thanks ThoMas (in Maroon💗) ,iska love kaam aagaya :D,,thx Siju (hi them)George,I am in green cap and all girls in glass :D:D..behind Ratheesh/mani/bell in Mayalam :D...#B.ComFirstClass (Famous Malayalam movie dialogue):D #Friends

Came across some evil also,I got a bit from the universal mother,Jai Mata di !

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa ,Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh !
I've been to temples, churches, and mosques with my hubby, looks like I should go to Gurudwara with my family soon...Bulaawaa :)...

🙇

Also ,THANKS TO MY SUPER TAROT CARD READERS YOUR READINGS GUIDED,SAVED , ENLIGHTENED AND MADE MY LIFE BETTER !

I am glad that I am surrounded by all these super-gifted, spiritual rockstars like Tarot readers who know me kinda somehow, well that's where my research about the spiritual connection I felt towards that actur began which I had no knowledge of before which was indeed a karmic masculine and not divine and so happy for them as always ! But they all hurt in me in many ways though I was kind towards them which I will never forget in my life and the karma for all those hurts,That I will leave to divine! ...

Anyways,YOU ALL/tarot card readers were my spiritual Gurus in this journey ! I can't thank you all enough.If it was not your readings I would have been perhaps misled.You all are my heros!

Faith will destroy all darkness!

Like that veer-zaara movie dialogue to all the celebrities who were kind towards me, " Maine tumhaare zindagi ke do pal apne paas rakh liye hai. Aur apne zindagi ke do pal tumhe de diye. Ab yeh hi do pal hamaari nishaani hai aur yeh hi hamaari kahaani bhi.."😊

Grateful ! 😊🙏

Gratitude is my attitude!

Then I saw Ranveer sir and Arjun Kapoor sir (They need no special intro nor do their talent or charm need any special mentions,they are prestigious beyond words in their own unique ways ), in short (Ranveer sir ka binadaas style and Arjun Kapoor sir ka killer smile ...kya kehna !👌😊) THEM showing support in insta , it was too overwhelming and unbelievable ...I was like that song,ye ho nahi saktha,ye ho nahi saktha....I was like SOS gunday (meaning goons) ,inn Gundo ke karan desi girls sab America aajathi hai 😆😂😋....

Jokes apart,Gunday is the movie name in which they both acted together with the actual desi girl of Bollywood,Priyanka ma'am ...and it was too much for me..so I deactivated my insta account but to my surprise, till today they waste their precious time on ME (Sometimes I do check on them in their social media account )...They are like sirf movie ka naam gunday hai warna hum dono toh mast zabardast bandey hain...and Undoubtedly !!!

So I named them ,mere do anmol ratan (Precious gems/treasure !! I got from God ), mere Karan ,Arjun , and ironically Ranveer sir's energy and talent kinda match with SRK sir's and Arjun Kapoor sir's kinda matched with Salmaan Kh"A"n ...tabhi to samjha rahein hai apne vani mein sabko ki jab pyaar karien koi,toh dekhe keval mann ...Tabhi toh khud single hai...A.K Sir you can make any woman smile for life with your harmless wit ! :)) Best wishes !😊

BTW,when I made this smoothie I had a gut feeling that maybe Sridevi ma'am's soul wanted to say thank you through me "probably" ,ki aapne ek bete ka farz nibhaya unki antik karam/rites karne mein...:) #AppleOfHerEyeToo..The day she passed away was the day we had Griha Pravesh at this home..I was very sad and heartbroken ...

I can't stop thanking them enough and I don't want to praise them more because they will continue to show their unconditional support /being playful, wasting their precious time on me which is not necessary anymore and their women hating on me...I got it imprinted in my heart and spirit forever...

BTW,this is my third post with a thank you lecture :D:D...Thank You for coming into my virtual life, giving me company,for your precious time and effort for me, and sharing about me with your amazing group !🙇🙌🙏😊#ItIsOverWhelmingForMe

(Since I mentioned Karan above,I would also like to say thanks to Karan Johar sir too !!..I love your movies..)

As if it was not enough,to my pleasant surprise I saw the talented hunk ,Vijay Devarakonda sir from Tollywood showing support/being playful like a kid like others, and making me feel so special ..Chaala thanks sir ! 😊It did make me uncomfortable to use your video clip from your movie where you were crying but you look awesome and natural anyways..Hope you won't mind sir ,excuse me otherwise ! 😊..All the best sir for all future endeavors!😊

Thank you for making someone invisible and unknown to kinda known , thank you for tolerating me,listening to my relentless alien rants , thank you for your precious time, efforts, inspirations, and company ...making me feel so special beyond words ..I will always be grateful to you all...Excuse me if I've unknowingly hurt anyone by chance ...GOD BLESS YOU ALL !

Anyways ,this is my heartfelt edible tribute to my precious gems ...They all have personal commitments, professional commitments, and commitments hi commitments ..Still, you cared to spare some time for me ....Appreciate it from the bottom of my heart (Plss don't continue !)

My super special tribe to Ranveer sir,Arjun Kapoor sir, and Vijay sir and everyone from their group who were kind,decent, and friendly towards me...(It is too overwhelming for me to mention their prestigious names in particular ....) ... I dedicate these lines from the movie ," Ek Musafir Ek Hasina "....

बहुत शुक्रिया बड़ी मेहेरबानी , मेरी जिंदगी मे हुजूर आप आए

कदम चूम लूँ या, के आँखे बिछा दु , करूँ क्या ये मेरी, समज मे ना आए

करूँ पेश तुम को, नज़राना दिल का , के बन जाए कोई अफ़साना दिल का

खुदा जाने ऐसी सुहानी घड़ी फिर,मेरी जिंदगी मे पलट के ना आए

😊😊🙇🙌💝

(When I was little,my teachers used to kinda force me to participate in fancy dress competitions,I used to be shy,now they will be proud,I am acing it 😉😉😉😂😆😬)

Dedication-I made Manchurian noodles for Ranveer sir, whenever I go to the grocery shop and I see those Ching's noodles/soup with his picture on them,it makes me giggle like a child non-stop. However,if it is not organic or the healthy version then I am not a huge fan of noodles ,my hubby is though....So,since the day I saw his picture on those noodles cover,I wanted to make a video exclusively dedicated to him ...I am so happy that I finally did it..Hope Sir will accept my edible virtual gift and like it too!😊#ThisChingIsKing blessed with a super gorgeous ,talented queen filled with love and light 💕😍👌He is her ultimate drug !:D..

Shukriya !

Since Arjun Kapoor sir is always in the gym it seems in his insta pics ,he is kinda indirectly reminding me that dear Nautica hit the gym pls 😏😒😔😟😬....So,I made a healthy combo of Apple (Since an Apple a day keeps the doctor away ) and Kiwi smoothie = Arjun Kapoor sir smoothie exclusively for him !! Hope you'll like it sir G!😊#MyHealthyVersionOfDilSe #ChalChaiyaChaiyaBraveBeautifulAndBold😉😋..By the way,Arjun sar is very funny I think ..:D😊😎

I remember Vijay Devarakonda sir's old YouTube video of recycling bottles and making a Mango ice cream I think,so I made a special ice cream exclusively for this lovely Rowdy cum the world-famous lover,a sweet beast combo of Vanilla plus Dulce De Leche ice cream = Vijay Devarakonda ice cream exclusively for him.....Unleashed the sweet beast in me for you / Saali cross-breed indeed !😎😉😆😈👽💙...Hope you'll like it sir! Chaala thanks sir !! For Vijay sir and Anand sir !😊

Once again,only focusing on the positive,thank you film fraternity not only for entertaining us with all movies but also for sparing your precious time and effort exclusively for a hidden me,the shy backbencher since school days to bring me to the front bench a bit 😊#CameraShy.........With such esteem attentions, comes responsibilities after all !...Even though I am not that tall,you all were indirectly teaching me to stand tall and stand out nevertheless !

Thanks for spreading your light towards me... Thank Youu !!🙏🙌😊

Among YouTube stars, my heartfelt thanks to the famous music brand/band of India,"SANAM"...If I mentioned in my blog about Sanam, that he looks like an Indian version of David Beckham ,then he also made me feel Victoria/the name like Victori-ous :) ...The spice girl indeed !😁😋.....BTW,I am a Malayalee and a Bihari not a Tamilian = Indian ! More songs and long songs pls...We fans miss you :)

No wonder why his name starts with S and ends with M 😊😋....I read somewhere that he loves Salmon fish I think ..SO,I made a Salmon fry with a veggie stir fry of Sweet Peppers,Kale, and red wine Vinegar....which represents the band (Sanam Samar Keshav Venky)..Special thx to SANAM !:))

I also wanted to make a video of my birthday since August but somehow other videos were more relevant then and I love that finally,my birthday video with a small tribute to all my anmol ratans/precious gems is also done on an auspicious day of Vijaya Dashami....I love the spiritual flow ...Om Namah Shivaya,Jai Mata di !!

Last but never the least,mein aur meri tanhai aksar ye baatein karthi hain ki ye sab chamatkar hua kaise ...I believe since the day I got this angel #MeraAbhimaan...I had two options to purchase - on one side this angel and on another side an Eiffel Tower ...My intuition said ,either I can get this angel or if I select that Eiffel tower will mean I will be able to do a world tour someday ...I selected the angel and if you look at her properly ,she is holding a STAR and I strongly believe that's how I started having a virtual encounter with superstars

....Unfortunately,my daughter broke her two wings by throwing ball unknowingly...and I was damn sad....Then one day,I bought some buttons in a packet ..when I opened it there was pair of all buttons except one and that was an angel with wings :))..I felt like angels sensed my sadness ..For me, it is a confirmation from almighty that Gods and angels are watching over me..They are with me always...🙏🙌Another sign and synchronicity !

Proud to present my star angel :

Thank you star angel !!:)

Love and light (I copied these words from my God-gifted wonderful Tarot stars..Thx !😊🙏 )

A tribute to cherish the good in the hello and the goodbye!

Goron ki na kalon ki, duniya hai dil walon ki......

"LOVE/AFFECTION and LIGHT" with a kick 😄😬 are my superpower, treasure, and status after all!

Last but not the least,a humble reminder to keep in mind that I was and am simply following my passions of cooking ,writing,DIYs etc, and living my life- I write my heart out as I always did as we all have freedom of expression/speech and being me...I don't get any pleasure putting others down for no reason ,not my style. People perceive what I write or do as they are..I don't keep track of who is following me and who doesn't...I've no intention to compete with any women (ALL are unique that's what I believe and I admire every single one out there) or seduce any men lol😏😐..

I've my man,Mr.Bhojraj and by Lord Krishna's aagya we have our baby girl,Devaagya and then like Lord Krishna protected many of his devotee's honour,he did mine too,by his name in my baby girl and why he is known as Bankey Bihari Ji...Also, he gave me this spiritual connection to save my honor too..So like Mirabai,mere toh Giridhar Gopal (The original Lord Krishna ) doosro na koiii 😊🙏.. Lord Krishna,the divine is there for me!

#SayNoToEnemity #PeaceInPeaceOut

So,it was my honor that all hi-fi people and (the rest followers) were following my blog.If you continue, please be my friend, not an enemy. Otherwise TATA ! Instead of fixing me (I am always working on myself though), discipline yourself first ! The mess or chaos I was in was the outcome of some insecure women with bad egos and men with high egos...low conscience and low standards...

SO,I want to request you all ,pls don't keep any enemity towards me and my family in your heart.

#PricelessScott 👏

I respect all-powerful people out there,pls don't use your power to destroy others,but enrich others for the right reason instead...I'm not taking any Panga with anyone ...People are already mocking , making stories,memes, and shows without any personal reason against all VIPs regardless since ages anyways...

If I write anything here ,it is as a response to any personal attacks only to clear out any misunderstanings so that it doesn't flare up like a ballooon otherwise I am Divine-fearing.I believe in Karma !Pls be careful when you talk sh*t, especially about a woman for your bad egos...Your power may destroy their lives but the divine won't spare you either!

LOVE AND LIGHT,

P.S : To a few critics,"Athithi devo Bhava" in Sanskrit means "Guest is like God !" ...it is a part of our Indian culture where we pamper our guests online/offline ,wherever a guest is expected ,with good foods,drinks,like milk ,coffee/tea/cool drinks etc ....#BeingIndian ..#BeingADesiGirl #OnlyFoodsGiven😊🙏

P.S.S:Pls don't over-analyze the songs or my videos they are merely for entertainment purposes otherwise purely coincidental.

Superman Cake and super man ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 05:49:00 +0000

I always wanted to make a superman cake and this is my way of thanking the first celebrity who came into my life in a marvel-ous way on his birthday .I believe,my divine parents gave him as a catalyst especially for my protection in many ways from different kinds of enemies/toxicities around and my spiritual enlightenment/awakening .Unfortunately he was not really a blessing but definitely like everyone we meet in our life to teach lessons of life.

I made this cake as my final token of thanks to that first celebrity Mr.U sir from Mollywood who is a huge fan of the original superman.Like I updated this post here,it took me 4 years to figure out the truth behind all mockery/humiliation/spirtitual warfare/Ganging up in every possible way against me.Though I made this cake with lots of respect ,I am heartbroken because of their nasty backstabbing attitude towards me and their obsessive stalking/spying tendency which creates more misunderstandings and problems .

That's what the symbol "S" stands for!!

Once again,I request everyone ,that yes we had a divine/Karmic connection that WAS just spiritual way ONLY.He is NOT my ex or my boy friend or any romantic link up per se (which was entirely fabricated).He is neither my type nor I am like his .Our expectations are different,so is our relationship status.Unfortunately ,like everyone knows ,not even a friend..a frenemy would be apt !

This is the picture of Lord Shiva on the left side which strangely I never paid attention to up until the day I was baking this cake as a fond memory of the first actor I came across virtually .And to my surprise it resembled the movie poster of Mr.U’s film “Bruise Lee”(Pun intended!).NOW,I feel like that’s my Divine Father’s way of alerting him to turn his back from me if his intention is to hurt me in anyway or remember that movie tagline. :D. Well, I got it from my Divine Father,Bholi toh bholi warna rudra bhav..Mere Bholey Baba ki jai ho !!

Similarly,during my 8 months long stay in India during Corona (which I prayed for to my Divine parents and was granted),it reminded me of a Divine Mother’s stay in a cave for 8 months who was then followed by a jealous Tantrik Ghorakhnath’s disciple Bhairavnath ,whom Divine Mother later on gave redemption.Recently,I came across a video of Maa Vaishno Devi holding a claypot of food in conversation with Bhairavnath and to my surprise,it resembled my mannchatti chor/Kerala meal in a claypot video with pictures of me holding a claypot of food and that reminded me of the Divine Mother’s name and story kinda also related to me.Mother Vaishno Devi is still waiting for Lord Kalki/Shri Krishna/Shri Ram Avatar in this Kaliyug.The temple is located in Jammu Kashmir.Maa Vaishno Devi ki Jai ho !(BTW,that TV is broken ,hence the crack !)

On a funny note,the famous local temple in my hometown in Kerala is known for a battle of Divine Mother and a demoness/yakshi to protect Divine Mother’s devotees from the unstoppable and ruthless demoness harm.That resonated with the femAle Tantrik . #OnlyReasonWhyIHateHer LOL

Since Corona,I felt a spiritual difference/enhancement-to-enlightenment (work in progress) in me .I observed that most of the local temple processions where deity with the temple priests and devotees would visit every home to give darshan were Lord Shiv and Goddess Durga .I used to feel soothing,comforting and yet curious as if there is more to it ..

The picture I drew above the on the right was simply my dedication to Maa Durga as a token of gratitude as since I was little ,I have been looking up to her and holding on to my Divine Mother for support during bad times and for overall protection.Now,I feel like the picture is also my Divine mother’s way of telling others why,how and for what I kinda became a big deal .#Sword

Since Lord Shiv and Divine Mother Durga represents the Twin flame like Radha Krishna and because of U sir I was introduced to Tarots and Twin flame journey .That’s how I can proudly say that I am one of the favourite doter of Lord Shiv and Divine Mother,Durga/Kali and Divine regardless of the religion and all these are some proofs to attest that, atleast for me, believe it or not,regardless.Coincidences but closely matches my reality somehow ! #MyFaith

That’s why I said,”I am the chosen one !” ,one of the favourite doter of the Divine regardless of any religion as Divine knows whose intentions/actions are pure.Another main reason I wanted to finally say so was since I was little ,if anyone would hurt me,I would always see them facing bad karma sooner or later.So,my intention is not to boast or self-flattery /the know-it-all ,but to make sure people don’t go to any extreme extent to hurt me and hurt themselves more eventually.Though it is applicable to everyone that what goes around,comes around regardless.In my case it happens for sure !And I don’t want to hurt anyone or getting hurt and I don’t want anything bad happening to anyone except the evil one harmful to many (to stop hurting others for selfish needs) !

Since I recently came across these realizations and I,myself is fascinated by my connection to the Divine and I wanted it to be noted in my blog for the records.My journey to spiritual enlightenment probably which I believe started enhancing because I virtually crossed path with U sir especially …

Also my intention of updating my blogpost is to alert everyone (considering my case) to be safe and sound.Follow your discerment and stay away from danger !! Live and let live !!

Due to respect I was being lovely towards him initially.And I am not at all happy to write off like these but I must clear some misunderstandings and misconceptions !! How I wish it was a beautiful memory and this is my way of being sweet and straight !!

He is ex of my cousins and friends etc (please take it as a compliment) not mine which got revealed lately (I wish they were all my friend).They vibe alike. I've got nothing to do with him like that.All celebrities are our crush ! If people insist,then DQ sir is my favourite Mollywood crush and my ex (though its not so !)...Like movie SitaRaman,he is my reel wala Ram or Rahim,mera hero !!

Teasing his gorgeous better half ..No offense ! - Just a Huge fan #SitaRamam

I remember when I was in India during Corona days and I was writing about the post depression,I saw a few images of him perhaps trying to cheer me up and many times he gave me his precious attention , valuable time and positive vibes .I get a huge sense of relief when I look at his serene face.Good to know that sons of superstars are not that spoiled brat like I used to think of.For that I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude and love !

Since I donot know U personally,I am not saying you are a bad man though!

However,U sir was at times indirectly ,kinda protective too.For that I am grateful !

The experiences and circumstances with U and gang gave me sorrowful memories .I wish I would have never crossed the path with them somehow .I regret ! I also donot want him or anyone else to face anything harsh indirectly because of me in any way.

So,this is my final way of requesting ,I have no intention to fight or make big issues that would also affect others in any harmful way .As always,I got tagged along which I took it lightly initially but not anymore as I don't want any bad effect on others indirectly.I was loving and harsh for the right reason with no ulterior motive of mine or others.As always, I was and I am minding my own business and staying in my lane always .PLEASE be kinder ,understanding and considerate and donot disturb me or the people I love !!

To the Superman of the Marvel movies and the huge sUperman Fan!

This is my only way of saying .."THIS IS IT!!" ....Good bye and good luck ! Love watching BRIGHT stars from far only .As you are aware now,I am not your cup of tea and vice versa !! I hate to say this but I must to stop the escalation for worse...Since it took a while to figure out you were not that super manly/nice towards me ,I dedicate this cake to the biggest fan of the original superman/The man of steel where "S" means "Hope" for a better world ,who exists only in Marvel movies as a reminder of inspiration for the upliftment of the human kind and a bright world.

However,I hope to give a little nudge from my side like your fan's feedbacks ,hoping to regenerate/polish all those super qualities hidden or forgotten or ignored in U ,in your best interest and for everyone around as well.

Superman is U sir's favourite Marvel character .That's the inspiration behind the creation of this superman cake and superman ice cream.

(DISCLAIMER : Pls don't over-analyze the video below in any negative way , it is purely for entertainment purpose only .) This is all I can do max to make someone feel special - My style !

I also dedicate this cake to every Supermen and their friendly women out there , men who truly appreciate/respect women/GentleMen, celebrities (Thank You "The Prides of India" !!😊🙇) or youtube stars, or anyone out there who was kind, friendly, and supportive towards me, who gave me their time, attention, positive vibes and encouraged me to believe, dream and shine (Plsss don't change !).... I know I think differently,I can be too much, hard to digest sometimes. So, thanks a lot for tolerating me and understanding me !😉😋😀

Kinda Male Empowerment (Not a hardcore feminist !) 😉😋😆

Just saying,I am not here to preach though,just to make sure that I am attracting the right people into my life for right reason only .

This is my style !

Love and light,

Doter of Holy Mother Mary,Madhura Meenakshi,Mecca Medina

P.S.

A vague painting of the vision..For my records !

One day while praying in my pooja room,I saw these three entities while kinda meditating ,one by one ...Distressed spirits - one was a woman's head who was crying and other was a man's head who was worried and a full-fledged demon in the form of a worm texture with a long tail..I don't know what they are ...wondering if someone send them towards me ...they looked like kinda pleading ...

Or is that possible they represent the spirits of my enemies after their death ,who indulge in blackmagic and witchcraft ..I wonder if it is a premonition then I should alert them beforehand to keep their bad deeds in check .Looks like these entities are looking for salvation...but they vanished within a few seconds ...then I fell ill and if my gut instinct is right ,something happened that reminded me through Lord Hanuman's prayers that I should hear to devotional songs for sure even while sleeping .

Enemies are using blackmagic/witchcraft or some kind of evil practices to attack and attach their evil energy with me to possess me or control me to act out of my character/insane.I know my tarot friends confirmed it !

My spiritual team is taking care of them :D #FaithOverFearToAll

Since I consider myself to be the doter of Lord Shiva/Bholenath/Bhoothnath/Lord of even the demon gang.When I saw this Tarot card,I felt the "original devil" waving good bye to me and assuring me that my enemies doing witchcraft on me are under his control and he will deal with them for harrassing doter of Bhoothnath accordingly.

Arrey kaal bhi uska kya karein jo beti ho mahakaal and Shamshaan Kali ki.......

Tri-color Vatteyappam ~ Steamed rice cake Kerala style

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:08:00 +0000

Vattayappam is a fermented rice cake made with rice flour or ground raw rice, coconut, sugar, and yeast.It is one of the famous sweet snacks, famously known as "Naalu mani palaharam" (evening snack in my mother tongue, Malayalam) from God's own country, Kerala. Vatteappams are quite popular in the Christian community in Kerala. Hence, Vatteappams are an integral part of any Christian festival celebrations exclusively.

Vatteappams are quite easy to make, are gluten-free, vegan, and have a long shelf life when kept refrigerated. They are perfect for breakfast and or as an evening snack.

Memories

My amma would make Vattayappams for breakfast or especially during long travel like whenever we went to Kerala during summer vacation when we were little . However, when I see Vattayappams ,what makes me really nostalgic are Christian festivals celebrated by our family friends during my childhood days...What really pops out are the fond memories of my next-door neighbor, a Malayalee Christian family ...During Christmas and Easter eve, Mary aunty used to prepare these appams, her chicken curry ,fruit cake etc etc and she would distribute it among all her friends including us ...I used to look forward to that pothi/packet full of Christmas edible goodies ...My mother would do the same during Onam..

There used to be something special about the Christian way of making Vatteyappam ....Aunty is an amazing cook and we all loved her recipes especially that finger-licking fish curry ....A boat can sail in my mouth....Her daughter who is a year younger than me, we were like sisters from two different moms, inseparable ...Verrry pretty (Whatta figure ! ;) ), naughty (Read:Mills & Boons) , good girl-friend and quite modern,I will love forever..

She is in the US too but then some people just change a lot after reaching here as if they are on planet Jupiter or cloud ten , (though it is indeed a wish come true for everyone out there to be in an amazing country, like the US) they forget their roots ,they are busy making new friends,old friends are history or geography,less chemistry... it is like a "Humbhi kisise kam nahi hai " mentality ( "We are no less good than anyone else attitude" ) ....

Some people are like that they can't stand seeing others doing well especially better than them...

I vibe where I get a sense of oneness/belonginess, like a feel at home....

Well,in the US,as per my observations and experience,I find Americans and others quite friendly than Indians here...(No offense to anyone,but sad truth be told !) ...Hence ,we have very few close friends (quality over quantity !) , all scattered in different states in the U.S...Rest all are hi,how are you types..or meet and greet types or friends with benefits type...Pride and prejudice types...who ironically have a big friend group as well...and it is funny how some people can't stop to show off the same....😃😋

My hubby/Honey P used to be a big people pleaser (undeserving people!) with his good intentions though but now learned his lessons too and now he is also learning to keep boundaries and I am a God pleaser, always a friend in need but I can't stand such superficialities for long, yes, it bugs me...But we get along and are nice to others because that's how we were raised...

So, when I make Vatteyappam , reminds me of my above-mentioned childhood friend with a huge smile and sigh ! I still remember her email to let me know that she is also in the US now and she used to call me didi/chechi/big sis but she addressed me by my name,which hurt me but still I was dying to meet her but later realized that she wasn't that keen and I had to make an apt appointment to meet her ...:D ...yeah,then,whatever...I am checking my schedule since then as well...

Still, remember her sleeping next to my mother on the left side and me sleeping on the right side like a family....How people change !.... There are many like her....Having said that,I may hate a particular trait in someone but I don't know how to hate people forever. Since I ain't perfect either!

All my childhood friends whether I am in touch or not regularly, they always say one thing in common that I've not changed a bit, like a burst of sunshine...They all love talking to me which can go to an hour or more (my preferred way of being in touch), that is one reason I don't call/text them all often due to time crunch or sheer laziness...That's the reason they all have iPhones and all and I don't as it is of no use to me...And I don't like to be in touch with people through social media too until and unless it is the only way.....#WeirdoFactsAboutMe

Anyways, gossips apart, 😂😋....Let's talk food ..

Since Vatteyappam tastes the best when it has an apt amount of sugar in it, and my hubby likes the one I make the most and he may eat them for sure. So,I don't make them that often ,but, since I try my best to celebrate India's independence day by making some tri-color foods here every year. Patriotism runs in my blood - My father is an ex-Indian Govt. employee, so was my grandfather, my uncle, mother's younger brother is an ex Indian Navy and so is another uncle, I've relatives in the Indian army, Indian Police, are lawyer ...part of/kinda contributed to the Indian Govt. And this is how I celebrate Independence day/Republic day my way...

So , this year my hubby mentioned Vatteyappam out of the blue, and I was like bingo,I should make a tri-color Vatteyyappam.

This Vatteyyappam came out so spongy, soft, tasty, and colorful that I am excited and so happyyyy....Usually, Vatteyappam is a plain white rice cake in the traditional way....but I tri-colored it, the idea is to convey ,we are Indian first and to the core regardless of where we specifically originated from (statewise etc)...Well,that's my style and attitude ! 😊 Each to their own beliefs etc though...

So,let me share with you all how I make soft,spongy Vatteyappam my style

Tricolor Vatteyappam

Ingredients

Rice,basmati,raw - 1 cups

Coconut,grated - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Cardamom pods - 3-4 Nos.

Rapid rise Instant yeast 1 Packet (1/4 oz/ 2 1/4 Tsps)

Salt to taste

Food colors - orange and green

Ghee as needed

Mixer grinder

Steamer

Preparation method to make Vatteyappams:

Clean the rice under water twice or thrice, drain off any water.
Then transfer the first five ingredients from above into the mixer grinder and grind it into a smooth batter.It should never be too thin nor too thick.
Once you ground all these, the batter will be warm ,the perfect stage to add the instant yeast and give it a good stir. Keep this well-mixed batter at a warm temperature be it, room temp, otherwise if it is winter or cold,keep it in the oven with the light on inside and closed.Since I am using instant yeast,it will take only 4-6 hrs to ferment and rise well.The key to make a soft,spongy vatteyyappam.Too hot batter will kill the yeast and spoil the batter and texture of Vatteyappam.Also, check the expiration date of the yeast used. Old yeast may mess up with the proper texture of the vatteyyappam as well.If using regular yeast it may take more hours to ferment .
Sugar helps with yeast fermentation but salt if added together will hinder the proper process.So, add salt just before steaming this rice cake.
Take a small pan that can hold the batter and fit into the steamer being used without over-filling it.
Apply ghee inside which will help in removing the Vatteyappam easily once cooked without being stuck to the pan and spoiling the shape.
Now divide the batter into three bowls. Add a few drops of orange color or red+yellow color and mix well the batter and the other with a few drops of green food color and stir well until well-mixed, So, now we have a bowl with white batter, orange batter, and green batter respectively.
Then put the orange batter into the pan greased with ghee, followed by the white batter and then the green batter GENTLY.Do not mix!
If you wish you can also add cashew nuts, raisins, and cherry pieces as well. They may sink to the bottom, to prevent this, once the batter is being cooked, halfway through carefully remove the lid and sprinkle them but before being all cooked.
I use the idli cooker for steaming the vatteyyapam .A Rice cooker, pressure cooker without the whistle, or any other steamer can also be used for steaming the batter.
So add like 2-3 inches of water in the steamer. First make sure the water is boiling,only then, reduce the flame and put the pan with the batter carefully and let it get cooked/steamed for 10-20 minutes until cooked inside out.
Put off the flame.Let it rest for a while and then carefully open the lid and let the pan with the batter cool off a bit.
Remove the pan carefully and let it cool off well enough. Insert a knife or fork to make sure it is well cooked.
Then use a large spoon to remove the rice cake from the side and under, over to the serving plate.
That's it the most beautiful and delish Vatteyappam is ready to eat.
Cut into slices and enjoy with a hot cuppa of chai or coffee.

Incredible India and refreshing my G.K. about my motherland !!

OR, watch this Independence day vlog,I know Independence day was on Aug 15th but I got time to make this vlog now, better late than never is my unintentional excuse 😑...In this vlog, I made tricolor breakfast, Tricolor lunch, and the tricolor sweet snack....TRI it !!As always making memories ...celebrating life...spending quality time,growing up once again...

Reminiscing and saluting all the freedom fighters who fought hard and selflessly for giving us an Independence day (75th year) to celebrate, value, cherish and flourish our country India. Having said that, I came across this thought-provoking post that made me ponder and wonder how far we are still really from being a truly HAPPY independent India ...

🙌🙌🙌🙏👌👏PIC CREDIT: https://ankushtiwari.wordpress.com/2018/08/15/indias-independence-day/

Phir bhi dil hain Hindustani,

सारे जहाँ से अच्छा हिन्दोस्तां हमारा ,हम बुलबुलें हैं इसकी ये गुलिस्तां हमारा..............

On a lighter note,on Independence day watched SherShaah 😊,Son Of Sardar😊,Toofan😊, Radhe 😊 and looking forward to Ajay Devgan sir's Bhuj movie😊.

Thanks for reading!

Alrighty,Rest ( bheja fry) in next ...

Take good care of yourself inside out ,

Love and light,

P.S

Other tricolor food recipes : Tricolor Popsicle ,Tricolor Puttu ,Tricolor Panna Cota ,Tricolor Custard ,Tricolor Barfi...

My magical flavored Lemonade

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 01:04:00 +0000

Lemonade is an easy-to-make, refreshing simple drink, especially on a hot day. It is made with simple things - lemons/limes, sugar/salt, and water, cold or room temperature. In India, it is famously known as "Nimbu Pani " in North India, "Naranga vellam " in my native place, Kerala. The best thing about this drink is that it can be quickly made at home and is a healthy drink overall.

My love for lemonade is like the love of this new gen for beers , wines,whiskies etc...For me this simple drink, lemonade rekindles so many memories to brighten my day ...before I tell you those heartwarming stories, I am gonna share the history of lemonade which I was always curious to know about....

History of lemonade

As exactly mentioned here , " Lemons are said to have been first found in North India, China, and Burma, and was introduced in Persia, Arab countries, Iraq, and Egypt in around 700 CE. Lemon was the main ingredient of various dishes, and therefore, the beverage would have been introduced in a country where lemons were found. However, the first written evidence of its existence is found in Egyptian writings and so we have a reason to believe that it originated in Egypt. It is said that the peasants there, drank a wine made from lemon, date, and honey. Some also believe that it was first introduced in France during the 16th century."

Memories

During summer times, whenever we had any guests at home, my amma used to make this fresh lemonade and served them cold. In India, we usually get or buy small yellow lemons which can be easily squeezed by hand without any need for juice extractors or lemon juice squeezers. We are expert manual lime juice squeezers like that. 😄

I used to wonder, looking at the tray filled with glasses of freshly squeezed lemon juice for the guests,if I am gonna get a small glass of lime juice or a big glass filled with homemade lemonade and ice cubes or a dialogue with a smirk from my mother ,"Theernu poyallo ,molku pinne tharam keto (we don't have enough it seems, will make it for your later )."😔😒

I never used the term,"lemonade" when I was in India,it was always nimbu pani or naranga vellam.SO, those words make me feel homely and lemonade feels fancy to me ...on days whenever , anyone in the family felt low,this nimbu pani/naranga vellam was instantly made for the ultimate boost of energy and mood and it worked like a charm .Thann mein shakthi,mann mein shakthi,not Bournvita (remember that Bournvita ad.) but nimbu pani for us 😁

It was during my college days in Kerala that I got hooked to this naranga vellam from the local vendors, especially near the bus stands. Those green-colored bottles sealed with a marble which had soda caged in that and with a small yellow lemon on the top, famously called goli soda in North India is so nostalgic and makes me smile big even today whenever I go to India, my eyes wander to catch a glimpse of them on shopping streets or near bus stands, etc ...and it is our family favorite while shopping instead of drinking any Pepsi or Fanta we usually love this natural thirst quencher cum energizer.

Something nadan / epic about it ....

Pic credit:Goli soda business – BUSINESS INSIDER TAMIL

When I was doing my Bachelors in Kerala, "Chetta oru naranga vellam " with a huge grin on my face used to be my favorite dialogue of the day ..Almost every day, I used to drink fresh cold soda naranga vellam with my friend gang on my way to the hostel.

Naranga vellam,jokes and short gossips with friends made my day always ...So,it got embedded in my blood and taste buds ever since. Those green goli-soda bottles are my favorite bottles filled with memories ...They never fail to make me smile and say ye dil maangey more....something personal about it..aaahaaa...😁😋

By the way,they are also quite cheaper than those unhealthy drinks like Pepsi, Cola, etc. During college days ,it was very helpful moneywise as well...#HappyMiser 😋😁

Anyways,it was after coming to US,I realized they are called "Lemonades" 😬 and there are varieties of readymade lemonades like Pepsi and Cola bottles sold here but they never came close to my simple humble nimbu pani or naranga vellam in India...So,I made my own but not often .....This is one of those drinks that even my hubby makes sometimes ....He makes it better than me! Having his favorite soda maker inspires and excites him to go for it for sure. Thank God! He likes the salt version and I like the sweet version just like our nature...ooops 🙊😉😋😀

So,I may not like Kerala sweets especially North Indian one's Kerala style BUT when it comes to lemonade, I do love the Kerala goli soda version the most,all over the world.Hell yeah !!WINK !😎😉😁🙌

And for the first time ever, my hubby insisted that I must make a lemonade video with him for sure, and here it is ..He made the lemonade and I added my magical ingredients to make it extra special...

Health benefits of lemon juice

Another reason why I love them when it is naturally made , is homemade and screams fresh ..

Since it is in my nature to beautify everything around me and it thrills me to make something extraordinary from ordinary, from simple to magical ...I made this magical flavored lemonade by infusing it with ice cubes made of blueberry puree and raspberry puree, ginger, mint, and honey which tasted like a cocktail san alcohol or say a healthy mocktail lemonade, lemonade with a kick and colors..Sooooo reinvigorating and mood-lifting !!

My magical lemonade

Ingredients

Lemon, medium size 2-3 Nos.

Cold water - 3-4 Cups

Sugar and salt as needed

Blueberry - a cup

Raspberry - a cup

Ginger - a cup

Mint as needed

Honey as needed

Strawberry slices

Ice cube molds

Soda as needed (Optional)

Lemon juice squeezer/extractor

Preparation method to make my magical lemonade

I put all the blueberries into the mixer jar and ground them into a puree and put them in star-shaped ice cube molds and similarly I repeated with raspberries which I put into heart-shaped ice cube molds and stored them in the freezer.
Similarly, I put ginger, honey, and mint in a heart-shaped ice cube mold as well and stored it in the freezer.
I also put a few strawberry slices, mint leaves, and water in round ice cube molds and stored them in the freezer.
Since my lemons couldn't fit into the lemon juice squeezer, we squeezed the lemon juice by hand after cutting them into small pieces.
Into the juice, add the sugar and/or salt as needed and stir it with a spoon until well dissolved.
Then add water to it.
If you want more sourness, squeeze more lemon juice into it.
Add salt or sugar more if needed.
Sieve it to remove any lemon seeds. Pour into the glasses the lemonade.
Then I added all my fruit-infused ice cubes one by one.
As the ice cubes infused with fruit purees melt, the taste of lemonade shifts to another level. You will feel the kick.
That's it my flavored magical lemonade is ready to drink...Winnnk..😊

OR, you can watch me, my kids - my first kid, my hubby 😊and the little one hustling to make lemonade ...There was a time when my hubby used to be kinda little grumpy 😋🙊(I love smiling face, I used to indirectly convince him that Honey P, you don't have to pay tax for smiling. I've to remind him to smile before every camera click, take a chill pill like me 😋😉😀), a hardcore busy bee, in his own bubble (Not saying he was or he is not loving though and I love him unconditionally) BUT nowadays, since I returned from India, he is becoming an enlightened soul 😄(Touchwood !!)🙏..Hence,the guest appearance ..:D

Like they say,“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter, don't mind ." People who know you, don't need any explanations ever!!

Blush blush 😁😋😉

I was raised and groomed to be a woman, a man needs and not a woman who needs a man (except the one I married)......And even though I am also not afraid to eat alone, I know what exactly I bring to the table. I am not the best out there, but I am a once-in-a-lifetime woman in this modern world, IRREPLACEABLE (by the man I married ) 😉😉😎😊😋 Ahem ahem (Gale mein khich khich)!!

Living my life on my own terms but selflessly. I am not perfect either, a work in progress but I am proud of myself !! And gratitude is my ultimate attitude !!

I have the magic in me that I can change any life's situation from bitter to better !! Neither black nor white, pink or blue, the rainbow is my all-time color .😊

I never ask life "Why me ?", I ask life," TRY ME" WINK...and I try my best to fight my battles all by myself, without being a cry baby and involving everyone and sometimes I become too over-confident that I will be fine handling stuff all by myself, that's when I get into trouble I believe ...Anyways, being a God's warrior brat,I am not afraid of any storms, for I am always learning how to sail my ship !!

I,I,Iiiii...sounds so narcissistic I know 🙊🙉😁😋,I wasn't like this before, but I learned, it is ok to celebrate/glorify yourself once in a while at least and I call it self-worth/self-love!

Like that famous Malayalam dialogue,"Enikku ennepetti nalley madippanu " #VijayanDasan😂

So, when life gives me a lemon,I make something divine or magical....;)

Masters in Philosophy,eh? Guilty as charged !! It's a manufacturing defect rooted in my DNA, got it from my Pita G /father /Achchan😁

Is it too much ?? I bet !😁🙊 No worries though, that's why I have my homemade fresh lemonade ready..Please feel free to help yourself !!:)💝🙏😉😋😊

Take care,

Till I meet you next to eat any leftover brain,

Stay safe, rocking, and healthy,😊🙇

Phir milenge chalthey chalthey,

Love and light,

Gobi Mughlai - Roti,Gobi sabji and salad

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 10:49:00 +0000

Gobi Mughlai is an easy-to-make and yummy to eat, cauliflower recipe North Indian style made with the richness of cashew nuts and other spices that gives an ordinary cauliflower recipe a royal kick to it. This is my own recipe and it happens to be my family favorite, especially, since my little one could eat 2-3 chapathis/rotis without making any fuss happily.I am thankful to God that my little one loves my homemade food (almost) since she was little (Fingerscrossed!). Needless to mention, any parent's delight !!(Touchwood)

Memories/Flashback to my childhood days

Though my amma is a great cook, I am not a huge fan of any of her cauliflower recipes (Shhh dheere dheere bol koi bol na dey,bol na dey koi ,pol khol na dey 😛). Even while eating out I like only Gobi 65/Gobi Manchurian only.However , I did like a cauliflower recipe, the taste of which still lingers on my palate since decades,a simple aloo-gobi recipe (Potato-Cauliflower fry) I tasted during my schooldays ...

The first school I went to was Chinmaya Vidhyalaya; white shirt ,brown skirt,brown and white striped belt with Chinmaya mission's emblem imprinted on it (our school uniform).Lots of powder sprinkled on my face by my mother and eyes full of kajal/kohl like a Panda,black bindi stamped on my forehead and on my light brown skin (When I was little I was darker in skin tone than I am now) ,huge school bag full of books,tiffin box,pencil box,geometry box, and a water bottle hung on my shoulder,black shoes,white socks ,a small handkerchief in my hand.

RELATED :GOBI 65 RECIPE

I felt nothing less than a small warrior in making, geared up, all set for a journey, every day to learn something new and acquire skills, preparing to face life boldly and smartly, fighting off any ignorance by the lessons/wisdom gained under the guidance of Guru/teachers/the experts/Masters at school...

I remember how achcha would drop me at the bus stop, where all my classmates and their parents would be waiting for the school bus as well...The arrival of the school bus which had Chinmaya Vidhyalaya imprinted on it bold and large with a colorful thick stripe,which we all used to call as Blue bus ,Red bus etc...How we hopped on to it , happy to see all our friends, and if someone would be missing/absent that would make my heart sunk a little ..I wanted to see all my friends - seniors, juniors,my classmates, batchmates..All...It made me happy !!😍...It took a while to reach school ,which felt like a long fun drive to school with all my friends..

Like that song , "यूँ ही कट जाएगा सफ़र, साथ चलने से , कि मंज़िल आएगी नज़र, साथ चलने से."...........👭👫😂😉😋

Once we reached school, we all would split and rush to our respective classes ...I loved my school days!...And how I looked forward to my lunch hours ...Right next to my class was her class,my beloved (sis),cute,short-heighted, lovely girl with curly hairs, twinkling eyes, and the most beautiful dimples I've ever seen in my life,a Mallu/Malayalee like me ,"Vidya" A.K.A Swapna was her sweet name...I had a serious crush on her dimples, lovely smile, and equally to her lunchbox ....We all exchanged our lunch with each other and I always checked her lunch box for her aloo-gobi sabji/her mom's cauliflower stirfry ..

This Potato-cauliflower stir fry looked very simple and tasted delicious...I used to give her a little and finish most of it all by myself as if I was starving for years...She used to watch me eating it bit by bit with a huge smile and laugh on her face which was ,kinda blur for me (teasing and calling me "Bhukkad" kahi ki 😁)....That aloo-Gobi recipe is the only one I loved so far in my life...Till today,I try to make varieties of cauliflower recipes just to replicate her mom's version and fail every time 😏....Anyways, so far ,this Mughlai cauliflower recipe is hit at my home.

Health benefits of Cauliflower

For me, this cruciferous vegetable looks nothing less than an edible readymade white flower bouquet decorated with green leaves around loaded with immense health benefits, and no wonder why it is called a superfood.

PIC CREDIT: As mentioned in the picture..

DID YOU KNOW- Fun facts about Cauliflower

As exactly mentioned in https://dpi.wi.gov/

1.Cauliflower is actually a flower that has not fully developed yet.😧

2.Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable. It is “cruciferous” because the flowers have four petals and resemble a Greek cross.The leaves of cauliflower are edible but have a stronger taste than the florets.

3.Cauliflower remains white due to protective leaves growing around the head. The leaves shield the head from the sun, preventing the formation of chlorophyll, and keeping the head from turning green. Cauliflower can be found in different color varieties including purple.Green cauliflower is produced when you cross cauliflower with broccoli.

4.China is the world’s leading producer of cauliflower.

As exactly mentioned in http://justfunfacts.com/

5.The word “cauliflower” derives from the Italian words, caoli fiori, meaning “cabbage flower”. The ultimate origin of the name is from the Latin words caulis (cabbage) and flōs (flower).

6. It was introduced to India in 1822 by the British.(Credit :Uselessdaily.com )

7. You might think those brown spots on a cauliflower are mold, but they’re actually a sign of a soil deficiency while the plant was growing. Don’t worry – they won’t hurt you or affect the flavor.(Credit:https://easyscienceforkids.com/

8. It’s reactive with certain metals - Be extra careful when choosing cookware for cooking cauliflower. The vegetable contains sulfur compounds, which will react with aluminum and iron resulting in a discolored cauliflower.(Credit:chatelaine.com)

9.Peter Glazebrook shot to fame (well, a kind of fame, at least) in 2014 when he set a new Guinness World Record for growing the largest cauliflower ever. It weighed 60 pounds, 9.3 ounces, and was six feet wide measured across the leaves. (Credit:grunge.com)

You are so interesting Cauliflower !!🙇

After all this interesting info about Cauliflower,here is my interesting recipe for you ...this is how I make cauliflower recipe / gobi Mughlai my ishtyle...

GOBI MUGHLAI/CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY WITH PEAS ,POTATOES AND SPICES

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower,medium size 1 No.

Peas (I used the frozen one) 1 Cup

Potato,medium size ,chopped1 No.

Water 2 Tbsp

FOR GROUND PASTE

Onion,chopped handful

Tomato,chopped handful

Cashewnuts 1 cup

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp

Red chili powder 2 Tsps

Coriander powder 1 Tsp

Garam Masala 1/4 Tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1 Tsp

Mustard oil 4-5 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnishing

Preparation method to make cauliflower recipe :

Clean all vegetables.Cut the cauliflower into florets as shown in the video.
Heat a frying pan and add the cauliflower florets,peas,cubed potatoes, and a tbsp of water and cover it with a lid till they become tender on low-medium heat.DON'T OVERCOOK THOUGH or they will turn completely mashed up while cooking but if you like it that way,then it's fine.So,check in between,it shouldn't be too soft but tender to eat.
Once they are tender to eat,remove the lid and let all water dry up completely.Then put off the flame.
Meanwhile, heat a pan,add a tsp of oil,cumin seeds,saute for a second,add the cashew nuts,chopped onions,tomatoes,ginger-garlic, and all spices mentioned above and saute for a few seconds, then cover with a lid until the tomatoes are cooked.Then put off the flame.Let it cool off a bit.Then ground it into a smooth paste in a mixer and keep it aside.
Heat a wide pan or kadai,add oil and the above-ground paste and saute on low flame until the oil appears on the top clearly and then add the cooked cauliflower,peas, and potatoes and GENTLY saute them until all covered.
If you wanna make it more crispy then add more oil and very gently saute until they turn stir-fried to the desired consistency.Add salt to taste.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and that's it my Mughlai Gobi recipe is ready to eat.
Serve it with roti/chapathi like I did in the video or with plain rice and curry.

You can also watch my vlog ,where you can see me making protein-packed roti/chapathi,super healthy sprouted salad and my Gobi Mughlai -the healthy meal combo of the day and also spending some quality time (growing up once again ) with my little one as well :))

Mark Twain said, "Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." 😮and my recipe says , Cauliflower is nothing but an edible flower with a simple yet royal taste . Try this Cauliflower recipe for a different taste ,you will love it..

Dhal gaya din TUK🎾,ho gayi shyaam TUK🎾,jaane do,Jaana hai (Movie:Humjoli) (This song and dance always made me super jolly) 😆💃 .......Rest in next...👋✋

Take care ,stay blessed and always be happy,

Ciao Amigos,🙏

Lemon rice and more

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:45:00 +0000

They say,"If life gives you lemon,make lemonade." but what I do,when life gives me lemon,I squeeze the heaven out of it and make a simple,homely, yet divinely lemon rice.😉😍

CREDIT:betterhealthpublishing.com

Lemons are also considered quite auspicious and holy and so offered as a lemon garland to Hindu Gods.

What is Lemon Rice?

Lemon rice is rice made with the main ingredient lemon juice and some seasonings. Rice is basically a staple and comfort food for Indians (except the super fitness freaks). So, especially in the Southern part of India, rice is a part and parcel of the daily meals. Rice and curry rules and rocks almost every Indian foodie's palate. There are many varieties of rice in India, starting from Nawabi/royal Biryanis to Indo-Chinese fried rice to varieties of easy to make yet healthy and yummy, rice-like Curd rice, Tamarind rice, Tomato rice, and Lemon rice, and many more adding up by the innovative home-based and professional chefs...

Lemon rice is quite popular in the South Indian state of Karnataka.It is famously known as "Chitranna".(What a pretty name ! ) .Lemon rice is also offered to God as a prasadam/offering .

HISTORY OF LEMON RICE

As exactly mentioned in Wiki, " Chitranna rice dish finds mention in medieval Indian cookbooks Manasollasa (1130 AD) and Pakadarpana (1200 AD) as "Chitrapaka".^[1] "

Memories -Train and Lemon rice - My best travel companions

Yaatriyaan kripiyaan dhyaan de...........................

Like every child, I used to look forward to my school summer vacation except for those holiday homework for every subject we got, it felt,as if teachers were jealous of granting us these long holidays. Nevertheless, we all used to look forward

to the summer holidays. Every summer vacation we used to go to Kerala,my native place in India. Even before my

school would close, there would be a fun-filled/chilled atmosphere around.

We would go for this biig shopping haul,buying gifts for my relatives and also new dresses for us .Achcha/Papa would book train tickets and that would make me thrilled .I would be discussing this with my Malayalee classmates/juniors/seniors to figure out who all are going to

Kerala on the same day as me. And on the last day of school before summer vacation, we all would be like,"Bye for now and see you
in TRAIN"....Yayyy...💃🚂

Tissue pls....dil hoom hoom karein

We were very lucky that we had a direct train from Bokaro (the place I was brought up in North India ) to Alleppey (My native place

also known as the Venice of the East, in South India). But it took THREE days to reach by train. And I LOVED IT !! 😁

I LOVE traveling in Indian trains and that too in the ordinary compartments, a seat by the window side and my loved ones beside..is equal to pure joy , simple pleasures of life.

Unlike flights (though thankful to God for all the opportunities to fly) , where I feel stuck in a

row of passengers,served some fixed bland foods, glued on a seat, tired of watching varieties of clouds , teenie-weenie houses at the bottom, and

feeling up above the world so high,like a superhuman in the sky,train traveling in ordinary compartments is a journey with hidden surprises,

a peek to an unknown world, and a story ready to unfold..

As the train goes through the Indian countryside, one can witness a glimpse of rural India ...

a bunch of small houses to beautiful colorful houses, small temples,churches, and mosques far and wide..surrounded by long paddy fields and lush green trees..

from ladies feeding their kids or sweeping the floor at their tiny home, to kids waving at the train with a twinkle in their innocent eyes,

men carrying the kid on the shoulder, farmers plowing the field with their cow/bull in the early hours, people waiting for the train to pass on the railway crossing ,women vendors selling flowers like Jasmine ,kanakambaram etc or fruits perfect for

a scorching summer ,men vendors carrying huge filter/can/tin/kettle of hot tea yelling,"Chai,chai garam " ready to jump into the moving

train with a flair ,like a local James Bond/heroic style...

Well, if one knows how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, then a train journey like this is for sure...

The fun ends for the moment when the train has to stop for the other train to make a pass ,waiting for long can make people

restless,helpless, and moody...but the moment the other train zooms through,one can get a quick peek into the people on board

on the other train..some peeping into our train,some sitting at the steps of the exit door of their compartment ...Kids waving gleefully...

It is a sigh of great relief and happiness when our train jerks up ,makes it move with its jhatkas and matkas to chalthi ka

naam gaadi ...heheheee

Other fun begins the moment the train speeds down haule haule ,stops at a station,one can witness group of people

getting ready /hurrying to board the train ,vendors at every nook and corner trying to get your attention,station master

waving the red/green flag..and some people from my train all set and excited to reach/get down to their final destination....

I used to look forward to big stops like these as my father would buy us anything we would ask skipping the usual unhygienic lecture ......And every food bought used to be simply finger-licking...Then papa or bhaiya/bro would

rush to fill our big water cooler and in some places, the water would be salty and people complaining and still drinking with a heavy heart

and then one realizes the true importance of fresh cool non-salty water which we sometimes knowingly or unknowingly

used to waste at home and no wonder why amma used to scold us for the same...

During such long stops, we were allowed to get out of the compartment, get some fresh air, and say hi to our family friends

in the other compartment ...Then one could hear a loud horn as if the train is yelling/warning, "Get into the train RIGHT NOW or I am leaving !"

And inside the train was another type of story,kahani boggi-boggie ki,compartment-compartment ki,seat-seat ki,logo-logo ki ...

People rushing into the train to find their seat,a spot to fit in their luggage either underneath the seat or if they don't have much luggage

and have got the middle or upper berth of the train,they would put their carry bag or small luggage to capture their spot ...There used to be a sense of

silence as soon as a TTE (Train Ticket Examiner) would make the round like a Principal of the school, travelers alert with tickets in their hands...

And then one gets a peek into a stranger's life , exchanging stories,foods,making new connections or by being a silent observer and lasting memories..

Vendors passing or stopping by selling hot cuppa tea and snacks or cool drinks,fresh fruit of the season or varieties of mouth-watering snacks hard to resist and buy...

Others selling books,magazines, beggars sweeping the floor,singing, etc for pennies,notes or at least any leftover food in return....One can also see lots of

MLAs (Mouth Looking Agents) ,that's a lingo used by my mothers and friends at school for vaayinokkis / Oglers 😄...staring at beautiful girls,for some,it would be a beginning of a fresh love story ,

exchanging phone numbers etc...

Some newly wedded couples glued to each other and romancing kinda decently as there are kids and elders around, aunties gossiping

about their daughter-in-law, praising their own kids, uncles discussing the political parties and the bad side of the Indian Govt. as if,if they were appointed instead would have made a remarkable

mark in the history of India...to kids playing antakshari or dumb charads,some reading novels ,men playing cards, women sleeping for long ....(I must say I loved watching my mom taking

long day naps as well during the journey, it was good to see her taking the well-deserved rest,which she would avoid at home and papa/achcha making sure no one disturbs her beauty sleep ...haan yehi pyaar hai :) )

The only thing I really felt uncomfortable with was using the toilet, which I always prayed should be clean, otherwise a big-time mood spoiler.

On the third day,when we (train and us) would touch Kerala, those tall coconut trees dancing with the air, lush green paddy fields, the aroma

from a Malayalee's kitchen,vadas, and parampuris on different stations would make us sooo excited, desperately waiting for our final destination /station and my grandpa or other relatives waiting for us to pick up

from the station or sometimes we would request them ,that we will hire a taxi and come by ourselves ...The route to my ancestral home itself used to be quite nostalgic

and no words can explain to see our grandparents and all my aunts, uncles, cousins waiting for our arrival at home...YES,we are finally home !

For me, these 3 days of travel would be a one of a kind journey to cherish forever - profound, colorful, comfortable yet uncomfortable,

sweaty,smelly yet blending ,noisy and nosy ,enlightening yet humble ,sharing ,caring, and adjusting, a wonderful mini time travel, moving forward

to a temporary destination.

Whenever we go to India,if we have enough holidays, I insist my hubby, to travel in a train than a flight when required and possible, and that too

in an ordinary compartment, though he prefers the AC one which is quite convenient, safe, and comfortable but the fun killer for me...

and if I get a chance to travel by train I am the happiest:))))

When it came to food ...

My mother used to prepare food for the first day of traveling. Lemon rice was the main thing on the menu.

Because of the lemon and seasoning, this rice had a good shelf life for a day for sure without getting spoiled.Paaavam amma,she used to wake

up early and make lemon rice for all of us ,some side dishes like chamanthi podi,mezhukupurrati/vegetable stir fries,

pickles ,fried fish or egg roast, and moru curry, a yogurt-based curry . This used to be our typical homemade menu while traveling.

Achcha/Papa used to put them into clean plastic covers and seal them using a candle (our DIY ziplock bags 😆 ) .And the main

food was neatly wrapped in fresh Banana leaves from our quarter's backyard where my parents used to have a good

size vegetable garden with Moringa trees,Cassava/Yucca trees,curry leaf plants,Guava tree, and many varities of plants...

Foods served or wrapped in Banana leaves have their own health benefits. The best part is that any food that is wrapped in Banana leaves

keeps the food not only fresh but also tastier. The aroma itself is simply homely yet heavenly, especially for Malayalees or South Indians.

While I would be busy hiding all my books into the cup-boards like "Yeah, that's where you belong-get lost !" and day-dreaming about my Kerala holidays

and excited to wear the new dress amma bought for me,my parents were busy preparing meals, packing suitcases, filling water into the huge water-cooler we took for the three days journey and my brother probably still

watching cricket on the TV as he or papa were supposed to unplug all the electronic items at home (to save electricity ).

The day would be hurry-burry for all ...friends visiting to bid goodbye...reaching the station on time ...happy to

board the train on time and then starts the amazing funfilled memorable train journey....

And when it's lunchtime,amma would gently pick up all food parcels neatly arranged in a carry bag and unwrap it..

the aroma swaying from the food that kinda got mish-mashed in the Banana leaves itself will fill half the hungry belly..

and the taste ...Oh My God....is simply indescribable ....

Though my amma's lemon rice is a very simple recipe .I have added kaju-kishmish/cashew nut - Raisins ...

Raisin adjusts/complements the tanginess of lemon.

The good thing about lemon rice is that one can eat it by itself,it really doesn't demand any curry or other dish by side...

But I made a mini feast with potato stir fry , homemade pickle, egg roast, and moru curry,a yogurt-based curry Kerala style on the side...

They all together, complement each other making it an ideal lunch!

SO,let me share with you how we make homemade lemon rice :

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

Lemon rice

Ingredients

FOR MAKING RICE :

Sona Masoori rice - 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Salt to taste

Ghee - 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 - 2 Tsps

FOR MAKING SEASONINGS:

Lemon Juice - 2-3 Tbsps

Green chilies - 1-4 Nos.

Peanuts - Handfuls

Cashew nuts & Raisins - Handful

Urad Dal/Black Lentil - 1-3 Tsps

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/8th Tsp

Oil - 1-4 Tbsps

Curry leaves, a few

Broken red chilies - 2 Nos.

Preparation Method to make lemon rice

Clean the rice under water twice to remove the starch and any dirt and drain the water away.
Transfer it into a wide or long pan, add 4 cups of water, and the cleaned rice.
Add salt to taste, turmeric powder, and ghee, and give a stir.
Let it come to a full boiling point, then reduce the flame, cover with a lid and let it cook until the rice turns soft to break into two.Make sure no water is left or drain the rice in a colander.
Then put off the flame and very gently give it a stir.
The rice is ready.
Heat a pan on medium flame, add oil, splutter mustard seeds.
Reduce the flame, add the broken red chilies, whole or cut green chilies, fenugreek seeds, urad dal, peanuts, and cashew nuts, keep on sauteing until the peanuts are cooked on medium flame,do not burn it.
Add raisins, curry leaves, and lemon juice to it and let it simmer for a minute on low flame.
Put off the flame.
Transfer the seasoning into the prepared rice and give a gentle mix.
Add salt if needed.
That's it lemon rice is ready.

Notes:

Basmati rice can also be used but if not careful it may break. Don't overcook the rice.
Add more or less lemon juice according to the sourness desired.
Instead of adding the turmeric while cooking the rice (which evenly gives the rice that yellowish tint),

it can be added later into the seasoning and mixed with the plain rice.

Mix the rice and seasoning very gently without breaking the rice.
For the seasoning, very simple lemon rice can be made with just oil/ghee, mustard, and red chilies as well.

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

This is my simple yet filling lemon rice . Here, in the US Hindu temples, lemon rice is usually offered as prasadams to God which tastes so refreshing/blessing in every way.I am not a huge fan of lemon rice but every bit of it reignites lots of memory of bygone days

..and the present..

Lemon rice is also very healthy because of the health benefits of lemon juice and seasoning. Perfect food for lunch box,during sick days or

lazy days or for long travel by train..

Talking about the lemon reminds me of that song ,ek gana ho jaye,

निम्बुड़ा, निम्बुड़ा, निम्बुड़ा अरे काचा काचा, छोटा छोटा, निम्बुड़ा लाई दो

इत्ता सा है, पर है तो रसीला, निम्बुड़ा चखा रा था बड़ा है छबीला, निम्बूड़ा इसकी खुशबू से भी ललचा जाता है ये मन, रखदे जुबां पर दो बस, अई अई अई अई,........निम्बुड़ा लाई दो............(हम दिल दे चुके सनम movie)

And make lemon rice /Neembu chaawal/Naranga Choru😉😋😊

On that tasty note , phir milengey chalthey chalthey ,

Always take care , stay safe and healthy,

For now,Adios Amigos....

Love and light ,stay away from Corona Bite 😉😁

Homemade falooda recipe in three way -Royal,healthy and jiggly wiggly

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:54:00 +0000

"Eat sweet, be sweet !" used to be the motto of my life. But now, people, circumstances, and life all together have taught me,"Don't be !".Too much sweetness can be injurious to one's overall well-being!

My college classmates used to say,"Jo isko dekh karr naa girega ,wo iske baaton pe toh zaroor girega ." meaning one who will not fall for her looks, will fall for her words for sure . Not that I was/am super gorgeous or something, a very average-looking girl next door , but ironically, even though I was always surrounded by beautiful girls inside-out from school to college days even I couldn't stop staring, I was the one who had a few secret admirers ...

The one who used to call me every day during hostel days and my hostel warden used to be damn strict. No men's call except that of my father or brother or uncle were allowed but he surpassed that, the one who always wrote ILU on my bench drawers during school -college days...I used to get b'day cards and SRK sir's pic from my juniors, likewise many incidents..still don't know who those mysterious guys were...Maybe some kind of prank that appeared like Deewanapan....#Nostalgia

My friends used to tease me that after all her nakshatra/zodiac star is of Lord Shri Krishna...😆😋What they don't know is that my kula devi,the Goddess worshipped by our ancestors and family has the same nakshatra too...

Likewise, when my hubby came to my house for pennukannal/ladki dekhne/ selecting the girl for an arranged marriage, his folks were least interested in this proposal and they were heading to see the other high profile party for the marriage. But when we met, I knew he was gonna marry me lol...And he went against his folks and he wanted to marry me ..My father insisted, "Get engaged now and marry during your next India visit."( as he didn't have enough leave left). But he was adamant and we got married in a week (the latest shubh muhurath / holy time as per astrology available then)...#PaavamNRIPayyan

Being super-romantic by nature, I found all this very very impressive :D ...I always wanted to marry a gutsy like this who would listen to his intuition not others which is something I always appreciate and admire forever....

But then he flew back to the US after just four days ...Sighhh...It took months for me to get the visa to join him in the US...

So,I don't know what he saw in me,I was also looking for a new job then,just 23 year old..maybe like they say," Eyes are the mirror to the soul !"😊😋😉 But sadly for this decision, he is still facing the brunt, there are people who don't want to see us together /happy for us ...Perhaps that's why he kinda walks on eggshells and there is a distance between us (emotional)...

Endayallum ellavardem aagraham almost saadikandey aayirrunnu....

My father told me the night before my marriage that always treat your Husband like God and I was lol'ing as it sounded like a famous dialogue from some old Indian movies. However, that's exactly what I did and I do ...I never believed in falling in love blah blah (all these looked good on others or in movies but in my life's dictionary, all these never existed and I believe love marriages are as vulnerable as any arranged marriages ...I have seen broken love marriages and blessed arranged marriages ...

Also , with the lola hridyam/the sweet heart I am, and the way people love and ditch nowadays, I would have been left heartbroken and afraid of commitment eventually. So, neither I came across someone who would give me that special spark nor I wanted any guy to come close enough to me for that matter.My parent's conservative upbringing somehow saved my heart from being misused like that.Not having a boyfriend was/is actually a feather in my cap. All I knew was ,the one I will marry, I will give my all,give not 100 but 200 % and I am......

My parents were like, we will take care of the money aspect (part of our Hindu wedding ceremony) but then it is up to you,to win everyone's heart.With love you should, you can and you will !! Since I think I am good at loving others for sure, I had no doubts about it ....But ..

OMG..Is it ok to share all this in public or is this what is called treating someone, own, as if they are an outsider ???

No this is not my style ..though...

Well,I used to have health issues ,I had a problem conceiving and I was in and out of the hospital...Even my friends (not all ) were getting fed up with my health dilemmas when I shared but when I didn't,they wondered ,reacted , reminded me how can I still be so happy... ...It made me feel vulnerable ,confused, moody, and insane (about human behavior)......I started losing people and kinda isolating myself...Not complaining ,people have their own priorities and issues but having a sweet heart , hurts a lot... Problem is ME /my heart !#Dil-ae-nadan...Badi mushkilon se fir sambhaltha hai dil,kya kya jatan karthey hai inhe kya pata....

But whatsoever, by God's grace ,I never get fed up with me 😁, and God's precious gift called LIFE...I've always been my best friend ,cheerleader , sunshine, and rainbows!! #AaallIsWell

Mein zindagi ka saath nibhati chalii gayi,harr fikr ko dhuyein mein udati chali gayi............

However, being an inexperienced first-time mommy, taking care of my baby all by myself, my hubby's job required traveling then, sometimes I accompanied,so it was quite challenging for me and she was very handful till I was in India...That phase is kinda over for good...

So, I learned the hard way that being too sweet,kind,humble,just makes people think that it is a sign of weakness and that you are just innocently stupid, an emotional FOOL....I read and realized somewhere,"True love (not just romantic ones) regardless is "mostly" a facade and benefit-oriented nowadays !"...

So, my parents are kinda wrong that with love one can win everyone's heart, some will just destroy you if you don't have thick skin. They taught us always to be nice to others whatsoever. Guess what, I and my brother both had to go through tough situations and people in life and ended up becoming rebels, the black sheep in the family, rest all are nice but smartypants in their own way and that's how we should be too in this modern era ,where even TVs,cars and phones have become smart .We realized, yes one should be nice to others but don't have to prove to others always how nice we are !! My maturity level now totally depends upon who I am with.Period.There is a limit!

Besides,like the Malayalam saying ,"Pottaney chetti kalipichal,chettiye daivam kalipikkum."....meaning "People can fool people,But eventually God will fool them."

I know :)..Only in God I trust !

I will always be grateful to God and people for all blessings in my life and NOTHING is gonna make me arrogant or proud-y or cold-y BUT not a very sweet person anymore !!

AND ,like Bob Marley said, "The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just have to find the ones worth suffering for."

Isi baat pe ek aur gana hojaye...(with 0 emotions , drum roll pls :D )

Jag ne chheenaa mujse,mujhe jo bhi lagaa pyaaraa
Sab jeetaa kiye mujse,main har dum hi haaraa

(Then I look into the mirror)Tum haar ke dil apnaa , meri jeet amar kar do 😂😝 (Hothon Se Chhu lo Tum [From Premgeet] Ft.🎵)

#IAmALoveDonor #MyWeirdJokesAreMySavingGrace

So,character-wise, I am on the borderline of sweet and bitter but look wise, thanks to my hubby for bringing me to the US, after coming here I was transforming like a butterfly every way ,especially after quitting my 9-5 job, when I started to look after myself seriously,I also started looking a little better and feeling better.

Financial wise,thanks to my mother for all those cooking lessons and my hubby's love for the food I cook for him dil se ,cooking has become my passion,my peace,my happiness,my part-time gig ...It was my dream to work at Google someday, that couldn't happen but when Google accepted my blog for the Google Adsense program even though I didn't have many followers, and I've read that it takes sometimes twice or thrice attempts to get accepted but by God's and Google's grace my blog was accepted in the first attempt itself....

So,it was indirectly like a dream come true for me (They say,if you are good at something, don't do it for free and it's loads of work to maintain my blog and YouTube all by myself !)...That's why only Google is my boyfriend.Also thanks to Honey P for all my technical knowledge and help! It keeps me financially (not that stable) but sweet! I always wanted to carve my own creative path....

So, now I dread to say eat sweet and be sweet ,I even used to impose on some people who were not sweets fans...Now I am like ,just eat sweet and retain little sweetness ...athukum mele venda moley venda mole vendaaa...

BUT I have such a bad cavity-prone sweet tooth, that any kind of Indian sweet is simply irresistible to me ..

Guess what today's recipe is loaded with sweetness ...It was my biggggg wish to make a falooda with as many sweet ingredients as possible ....😍😊

SO,what is FALOODA ?

Falooda is a cold drink cum dessert layered with special vermicelli (made up of wheat,arrowroot,corn starch,sago etc) , rose syrup, chilled milk, sweet basil seeds, and ice cream mainly and served in a tall glass and scooped with a long spoon in a bottom to up motion. It is chilled,sweet,smooth,velvety,creamy,crunchy,vibrant,the best thirst quencher, and a great hunger killer.

Falooda is refreshing and the best antidote to a scorching summer. That's why Falooda is a popular food item from high-end restaurants to street vendors and every sweet lover's favorite and most sought-after cold dessert.If you eat it for the first time ,you may wonder if it is a drink as you can't simply sip it up. Finally ,you will end up realizing it is a drink that you can eat too .😍

Many versions of Falooda can be found all around in Asia .Like Halo Halo ,a Philippine dessert, Singaporean Cendol, Mauritian bubble tea etc etc...(Wish I could taste them all too in this birth ! #Fingerscrossed)

With a few ingredients, it can be easily made at home as well, like I did in three ways.

History of Falooda

As exactly mentioned in Wiki,"The origin of Falooda goes back to Iran (Persia), where a similar dessert, faloodeh, was popular.The dessert came to Medieval India with the many Central Asian merchants and dynasties that settled in the Indian subcontinent in the 16th to 18th century.^[7] The present form of falooda was developed in the Mughal Empire and spread with its conquests. "

It is mentioned in this article that, "Falooda began life as a decadent concoction in the royal courts of Mughal Emperor, Jehangir. Akbar's son Jahangir had a great curiosity about anything novel," writes the eminent food historian ,KT Achaya, in The Story of Our Food. "A favourite of Jahangir's was faluda, a rich jelly-like drink made from the strainings of boiled wheat mixed with fruit juices and cream." Others say that king Nader Shah brought it with him when he came to India."

When Manju met Falooda

I never ever had Falooda in my childhood days .I've seen it in some shops and I used to think it is some kind of royal and price-y drink and my parents thought it was damn unhealthy seeing those color syrups added layer by layer.I tasted Falooda for the first time in an Indian shop in the US with my hubby and I was thinking how am I gonna finish this tall glass all by myself.It was a messy affair yet so delicious ......mmmmmm....It was like an ultimate pett pooja /taming a hungry belly layer by layer.....

The best thing about Falooda is that we can easily prepare them at home with a few ingredients with our own innovative twist to it and the best-est thing about Falooda is that, unlike other recipes, there is no particular order to make or arrange this recipe ...Just layer as you wish!

I wanted to make this sinfully delicious falooda that had almost every sweet thing but I forgot to make a cake, so, it is excluded...other than that I tried my best to include everything possible and I am gonna share my three favorite ways to prepare Falooda -one that is all-in-one falooda,second is a healthy version of falooda and third is a mix of colorful jellos Falooda.

Here is a Falooda special VLOG , I had as much fun in making this video ,as I had in eating these faloodas...

So,here is my favorite version of falooda,the royal Falooda ...I didn't use any special falooda sev/vermicelli ,I simply used the ordinary vermicelli ,instead of sabja seeds I used the twin ,chia seeds and I just added the plant-based colour to make rose milk instead of using any rose syrup particularly,then I used some tapioca pearls/sabudana,choco chips,M&Ms, homemade bread gulab jamuns,tutti-fruity mix, mixed dry fruits, homemade colorful icecream,topped with cherry ,garnished with wafer biscuits ....

Royal falooda

Ingredients

Vermicelli - 1 cup

Tapioca pearls - 1 cup

Chia seeds - 1 cup

Milk (I used the pasteurized milk) - 1-4 Cups

Sugar to taste (optional)

Red edible color

Choco chips - 1 cup

M&Ms / Gems - As needed

Tutti fruity - As needed

Gulab Jamuns -2-3 Nos.

Homemade jams -1-2 Tbsp

Mixed dry nuts- As needed

Water as needed

Homemade ice cream

To garnish:

Cherries

Wafer biscuits

Tall Glass , spoons and tissues

How to make Royal Falooda /Preparation method :

Soak the chia seeds and tapioca pearls until they swell up properly.The chia seeds will become a little sticky, that's ok but it shouldn't be raw.
Clean the tapioca pearls under water to remove the starch and then boil water in a pan.Reduce the flame and add the tapioca Pearls/Sabudana to it and let it puff up and become translucent,just make sure not to overcook or it will become sticky .Put off the flame.Allow it to cool off .Then drain the water away.Keep the sabudana aside in a bowl.
Similarly,boil water in a pan.Reduce the flame.Add the vermicelli/sev and let it cook or soften up. Don't overcook or it will become sticky and mushy.Put off the flame.Let it cool off.Then drain the water away.Transfer the vermicelli into a clean,dry bowl.Keep it aside.
Add a few drops of red color to milk ,stir till it turns pink, and keep it refrigerated.Mix sugar if needed.
Now take the tall glass and arrange all ingredient to your wish layer by layer ,pour the chilled pink milk,top it with ice cream,cherries,crushed mixed dry nuts and wafers.
That's it,Royal Falooda is ready !!
Scoop it and ENJOY !!
Oh by the way...don't forget the tissues !You will need it...You are welcome !;)

NOTE:The ingredients need to be layered/adjusted as per your preference little by little.

Now the second version of Falooda is a healthy version of Falooda .This falooda I made exclusively for my hubby as it is sugar-free and healthy comparatively.He is diabetic.He got it at a very young age as it is genetic,it runs in their family.I've always seen my father-in-law taking insulin shots daily and it was very hurting to see that .

So,I gave my unnecessary expert advice like I always do to others lol😁😜...that he should please exercise ,lose weight,be healthy and just like the son,he frowned upon it and one day the unthinkable happened (of course not because he didn't listen to me though ), he got brain stroke, half-paralyzed and is bed-ridden for so many years. It is painful to see that and also that it is a heavy toll on my mother-in-law too ...This is one of the reasons that I am a little strict about my hubby's health as well.

RELATED :HOMEMADE BREAD GULAB JAMUN RECIPE

Well, nowadays, even kids have diabetics,young people have Cholestrol,B.P.,heart attacks etc due to our hectic , unhealthy lifestyle .Even diabetes is one of the diseases that run in my family too.My mother has it too! Since no one eats sweets like ME in the entire family, I am worried when I will succumb to it (GOD forbid!) .So far so good !(Touchingwood and the entire tree !)

Hence I made a healthy, guilt-free version of falooda as well ,like this :

Healthy Falooda recipe

Ingredients

Vermicelli 1 cup

Chia seeds 1 cup

Tapioca Pearls 1 cup

Chilled milk 1 cup

Plant-based red edible food color a few drops

Mixed fruits chopped

Mixed dry nuts, crushed 1 cup

Honey as needed

Yogurt 1 cup

Cherries (optional)

Homemade Banana icecream

Tall glass,spoons, and tissues

Preparation method to make healthy Falooda :

First of all, I made this easiest ice cream by blending ripe Bananas with vanilla until smooth and creamy in a food blender/mixer and freezing it .
I used the pasteurized milk mixed with a few drops of plant-based red food color and chilled it.If you have fresh milk from the farm or doodhwala/milkman,you must boil it and let it cool down and proceed.
Place the ice cream out of the freezer so that it is easy to scoop out.
Now into the tall glass arrange all ingredients one by one as per your preference as there is no particular order like mentioned above in the Royal Falooda.
Just finally top it with scoops of ice cream and garnish with cherries and crushed dry nuts.
That's it healthy and yummy falooda recipe is ready !

Finally, I made a Falooda as colorful as possible with different readymade jello I had. Actually, I forgot to add the jellos in the first royal falooda recipe.So,I made an exclusive Falooda filled with different colors of readymade jello for the love of colors and the jiggly-wiggly texture of jello ....Not a fan of jello especially non-Indian ones but I love how jiggly-wiggly they are hehehhee...It makes the kid in me alive...

Jello colorful Falooda

Ingredients

Vermicelli 1 cup

Chia seeds 1 cup

Tapioca Pearls 1 cup

Chilled milk 1 cup

Plant-based red edible food color a few drops

Mixed dry nuts,crushed 1 cup

Readymade Jello (Red,Yello,Green,Blue)

Choco chips and M & Ms/Gems chocolates

Cherries

Homemade icecream

Wafer biscuits

Tall glass,spoons, and tissues

Preparation method to make Jello colorful Falooda:

Since my readymade jellos came in small cup cases.I had to break down the jello into small parts using a spoon. Then simply arrange all ingredients one by one into the tall glass. There is no particular order to follow. Finally, top it with homemade ice cream ,cherries ,M&Ms and wafers.

Insert the spoon into the falooda ,bottom-up gently and scoop it up ,eating a little bit of all layers, then only you will enjoy the falooda to the fullest and not just by eating from the top. That's my jello colorful Falooda recipe!

It looked so beautiful, all those colors popping out that I didn't want to eat it.

Falooda is such a flexible recipe. We can make so many innovative falooda versions .It's all about the layers and one's tastes and preferences ...I can't wait to make more varieties ....It is also so filling and time taking to eat .Falooda is one of those recipes, that needs to be savored bit by bit and not in a hurry...Summer,Falooda shots,friends/family,chit-chats = Perfect ! ...For me ,Falooda = Self-love celebration too !! Like they say, stressed spelled backward is DESSERTS!😊🙌

Take Care ! Stay safe and sound!

HOPE and LOVE !

Praying hard and ALWAYS for all our real superheros (All sincere Doctors,nurses,medical staffs, scientists etc ) who are doing their best for SO LONG non-stop to save us from the bio-weapon C !🙏 ...I wonder how they are holding onto it,after all at the end of the day, they are just a human...May angels and God be always with each one of them and their family ..AMEN! I wish and pray, may every country acknowledge their contributions during this challenging ceaseless pandemic not only in a non-monetary way like just extending thanks but also in a solid monetary way too always..They should be rewarded/motivated ,deserve the best in every way !!.....Hope they are ! #Salute #ThankYou #ChingiKaHatyarHaiDeshKhatreMeinHain #InGodWeTrust

Love and light ,

Masala Dosa recipe with coconut chutney and sambar

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Tue, 25 May 2021 13:58:00 +0000

Masala dosa is one of the most popular and traditional South Indian food all over the world .Masala Dosa is a kind of Indian savory crepe made up of rice, lentils , and a special potato stuffing that can make even a non-Indian go ga ga over it. Hence Masala dosa is sought after globally!

I am sure every Indian may have a nostalgic connection/story when they think of or eat a Masala dosa ....For some it is simply a maa ke haathon se bana,pyaar se bhara,poshtik ghar ka khana (a comfort healthy food made by mother stuffed with love, care, and memory forever ) and for some, something the entire family or friends group /colleagues from the workplace would enjoy at a small dhaaba across the street or any high-end restaurant and some like me proudly prepare at home ....all have one thing in common,knowingly-unknowingly making memories in the journey called LIFE .

Some like me also try to capture those edible memories somewhere in the virtual world forever especially for the coming generations to ponder ,cherish ,treasure, and share our great Indian edible traditions forever ...(Hopefully ,you see very soon everyone will have a robot maid at home at the beck of your call and some may get used to it and can't thank enough but then there will be some old-souls who will wonder ye ghar ka khana kya hota hai / how does a mom-made food tastes actually ??? What makes it so special ?? ...We are heading there....)

History of Masala Dosa

Exactly as mentioned in Mr.Wiki , "According to food historian K. T. Achaya, dosa (as dosai) was already in use in the ancient Tamil country around the 1st century AD, as per references in the Sangam literature.^[2] According to historian P. Thankappan Nair, dosa originated in the Udupi town of present-day Karnataka.^[3]^[4]

RELATED:HOW I MAKE CRISPY DOSA AT HOME ?

In popular tradition, the origin of the dosa is linked to Udupi, probably because of the dish's association with the Udupi restaurants.^[1] Also, the original Tamil dosai was softer and thicker. The thinner and crispier version of dosai was first made in present-day Karnataka.^[5] A recipe for dosa (as dosaka) can be found in Manasollasa, a 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopedia compiled by the Chalukya king Someshvara III, who ruled from present-day Karnataka.^[6]

RELATED:SAMBAR RECIPE

After the Independence of India, South Indian cuisine became gradually popular in the North. In Delhi the Madras Hotel^[7] in Connaught Place became a landmark that was one of the first restaurants to serve South Indian cuisine.^[8] It arrived in Mumbai with the Udupi restaurants in the 1930s.^[9] "

Basically, a simple dosa is made with rice and lentils ground batter. Gradually, many versions of Dosa were created and the most popular one is the Masala Dosa.

Also came across this funny version of Dosa and as exactly mentioned in thesocions.com , "It was invented in the process of a Brahmin Adiga (cook) trying to get on the wild side – since Brahmins weren’t allowed access to alcohol, he tried to ferment his own with rice. It did not work, and so he just poured it out on a pan to make a crêpe out of it. Dosha in Kannada means “sin” hence the name given to his attempt at sinning by drinking alcohol was Dosha, later turned to dosa. The reason why it is eaten with chutney today is because the word Chata in Kannada refers to a bad habit. Essentially, dosa mattu chatni (dosa with chutney) was the main dish that people ate; Dosha mattu chata, a sin accompanied by a bad habit." ...

I don't mind being swayed by this dosha/sin then ...Some sins are pure in nature 😉😁😋 #TheEdiblePaapinInMe

Origin of Masala Dosa

As exactly mentioned in thesocions.com , " The story goes to say that dosas were available as breakfast foods in all the South Indian hotels (messes and canteens in South India are most often referred to as hotels) and the Brahmins of Hindu society were the ones in charge of cooking.

Now Brahmins were against the use of onions for their strange customs and beliefs, however, if they ever fell short of potatoes while cooking, they would simply chop up onions and use them in the potato curry. Of course, if there are onions in food, they can clearly be seen by simply looking at the food. To avoid getting into trouble because of this, the cooks would simply take a helping of the potato curry and lift the dosa as if it’s got a flap, insert the masala, that is, the potato curry with onions, and put the flap back down. In this way, the cooks had created a new kind of dosa – the Masala Dosa.

Another story related to the origin of Masala dosa is associated with the King of Mysore. The Maharaja of Mysore had one day thrown an elaborate and extravagant party. However, as it turns out, a lot of food had been left behind and wasted. The king was a good man and he did not want any of this food to go to waste. And so, the king urged his team of cooks and the other staff members of the kitchen to think creatively, so as to come up with a solution to the problem of food wastage at hand. The kitchen staff of the Maharaja responded to this by doing the same thing that the Brahmin cooks did at the hotel – stuffed the plain dosas with potatoes to create the magnificent masala dosa. "

So,interesting !! It always excites me to know the history ,origin and stories related to foods ...👀👏
I also look at all these vegetables and wonder who would have discovered it first and how did they make sure that they were indeed edible etc....#ThatCaveMan/Woman?
Anyways ,

Flashback - memory of my childhood days and Masala Dosa

"तुम अगर साथ देने का वादा करो , मैं यूँ ही मस्त नग़में लुटाता रहूँ ......"( my papa's fav. Bollywood song , mine too ) being played in the TV in Rangoli , a famous program that aired Hindi movie songs in the old ,famous,nostalgic TV channel , DD1 (DoorDarshan )................................👀
The intoxicating fragrance of incense stick swaying into my nose from our small store room in our company quarter which was also our puja mandir,place of worship...Papa lighting diya ,offering prayers to God .....which I felt was not only torturing the God but also to my tender active ear ...

Big bro probably brushing his yellow teeth hard and singing along the Bollywood song being played in the Rangoli as if his version was the best or his other favourite way to torture my tender ears that automatically turned inactive thereafter...#KrurSingh😁
The edible-y magnetic aroma flowing strongly from our little kitchen where amma would be preparing Masala Dosa fast and sometimes furious....

And ME ????💤💬
The busiest - cuddling the pillow as if it was my mom after she woke up and left the bed ,hidden in my safe haven,kambli podappu/Rajai/soft shiny woolen fluffy yet old blanket probably gifted by my uncle from Muskat, sleeping ,snoring and non-stop day dreaming all the good impossible things and wishing if I wake up it should be SUNDAY....my funday !!
And BAMmmmm !!...I could hear the loudest alarm at home - my mother shreiking at the top of her voice as if I was deaf ...Inikaddi/chal utt/wake up kid in a monstrous tone as if she was possessed ...and then the same dialogue which even though I was sleeping I could still deliver like a famous movie dialogue goes ," Look at this and that kid of the neighborhood ,they woke up at 4 in the morning and studying hard "...
When that dialogues doesn't seem to work ,comes the next famous one - ketti karinju velloduthum ke poyi nikendaaa ,ammaiamma nalla cheeta parayumbolley avalkku manasilaavathol ? (after marriage ,when her mother -in-law will scold her ,then only she will realize, my amma was right,I would have listened to her )...

And when that doesn't seem to work ,I could feel someone fast and furiously removing my safe haven ,my kambali poduppu/soft mushy blanket from my face ,all my dreams diffused and me wondering if it is a nightmare - eyes wide open ,staring like a lamb ,at an, I know this face, though it looks so freaky ..oh Yes...that's none other than my mother (SOS !) !! Speechless and dumbstruck,I would wish if I could simply either vanish (but I was neither a Spider-Woman nor He man's niece or not even a Super Man's GF) OR GET THE HELL UP dammit !! 😶
Can't blame her , it used to be a big deal for me to wake up early ,I was always an owl that way (I would stay up late at night to study without any problem and ending up James Bonding, weaving all ghost stories ,the bhtakthi aatmas / spirits doing rounds probably in my neighborhood)...

After many salty and bitter-y dialogues by my mother so that I don't repeat it later ever (which never seemed to work ) , I would somehow drag my body out of the bed and then everything used to be super fast...wonder why ??
So that I don't miss all those amazing programs: full of movie songs,cartoons,serials,movie aired in DD1 those days on weekend...starting from Rangoli,He Man - The master of the Universe,Mahabharata/Ramayana,Star Trek,any regional movie in the afternoon even if they were literally speechless /dialogue-less and black and white (chalega nahi daudega ),Spider man or Vikram Betal in the evening followed by a Bollywood movie ....less was more and so precious ...

And then my parents would put powder,kajal on my face ,with two ponytails swinging on left and right,lovely colorful dress,we all would get ready and hop onto my papa's "Apna Bajaj " (Chetak) scooter or our Fiat car and visit our family friends ...That's how my Sunday used to be when I was a kid and that's why I call it my FunDay unlimited....
On Sundays, amma used to make special dishes like chola bhatura , Potato masala with poori ,special non-veg dishes and the one we all used to look forward to was "Masala Dosa " . Even our neighbors kinda looked forward to it....In North India,we had an amazing neighborhood (credit goes to my parents' friendliness and simple people..everyone loved my amma ,she also looked very gori gori / fair like a North Indian ,now she has lost that luster due to old age though ), everyone used to share dishes with each other.
My amma's Masala dosa was something everyone just craved and raved for ...My neighborhood Bihari aunty used to say her son would always tell his wife to prepare dosa sambar like my mom whenever they had a fight and that's the only way he would patch up with his lugai/beloved he would insist...Well,that's why they say I believe, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"💑

When it comes to me ,I LOVE North Indian foods than south Indian .This may sound weird but when my friends would always say I want to marry someone who is rich,handsome,well-educated,gora chickna etc etc ,my main criteria was to marry someone who was just like me, raised outside Kerala ,knows Hindi, and probably settled as well in such a place where I could be able to eat all my favorite North Indian foods for sure ....especially sweets ,chats,pani puris for sure..Because I never believed or believe in any prince charming or Mr.Perfect or a perfect life.... the Rest all can be adjusted ...
I don't like North Indian sweets made in Kerala like Laddu,jalebi etc...they taste two poles apart...My north Indian aunties from my gali /neighborhood used to insist to my mother that she should marry me to a North Indian only ..Don't know why ...How I wish my mother would have got brainwashed like that 😉😎😍...At least my daughter looks exactly like a typical Bihari girl....Thank God!!!🙇

On top of that ,I also had a secret wish to marry a halwaii/confectioner (for the love of North Indian sweets!)😋😆...Like a Mungeri Lal ke haseen sapne I would daydream 😜😂. Jokes apart , that was one of the main reason why I married my hubby,he was raised and settled in Hyderabad and whenever we visit Hyderabad (if he is at home or if he is not working at home (Most of the time,he would work even during vacation ...Mark Zuckerberg,Elon Musk watch out !😐) (nazar na lagey mere patidev ko kitna kaam karthey hain 😏😐😬) ) I force him to buy me sweets and snacks for sure....In Hyderabad, we get varieties of sweets and snacks and I love Andhra food a lot...My type of place..reminds me my Bokaro...:)
So,when it comes to south Indian foods,one of my favorite food is Masala Dosa for sure.

Though I have no major complaints with my parents,I had an amazing childhood in North India .All credit goes to my parents! Being from the middle class, money was less but life was still colorful.Well, always proud of my father, the way he took care of us ,his family back in Kerala, never saw him smoking or drinking, likewise, my mother never splurging on new sarees, jewelry, or a regular maid --(#MadeForEachOther) .
So grateful to all those sacrifices they made, even gave me ,bro good education (Masters) , married me off with pretty much (cash and kind) that I can somehow even survive by myself on that if I wish to (which is not encouraged and I also don't believe in)...and till today they haven't changed, still living content with less ...My biggest regret is that I am not able to take care of them well.....I know it will never be enough ...All I can do is try my best...

BUT money is certainly very important !!

Still, I do have disagreements with them ...Well,if what they do or say is not fair in some way lol...Sometimes,even my mother thinks that,I am not from this planet😂😈 ....Well,no relationships are perfect ,all have their own terms and conditions , rules and regulations , ups and downs !!....The only person I do listen to as much as possible is my hubby ...That's why I call him my BigBoss!😎😋

सारी उम्र हम मर-मर के जी लिए , एक पल तो अब हमें जीने दो, जीने दो

बचपन तो गया, जवानी भी गई , एक पल तो अब हमें जीने दो, जीने दो

Give me some sunshine ,Give me some rain
Give me another chance , I wanna grow up once again.................( Hindi movie 3 Idiots Ft. )

The Mulan in me!

Anyways,coming to the complain box,there is one complaint though. My parents never celebrated our (mine and my bro's ) birthdays with any pomp and show .It used to be the same boring way of going to temple ,amma would make some special dishes, distribute kheer/payasam/dessert to all neighbors and family friends , papa would buy me chocolates that I would take to school and distribute them among my friends after a happy birthday anthem by the teacher and classmates...on our birthday we were allowed to wear color /non-uniform dress ..that I liked !! ....

You see, whenever,it was my friend's birthday,I used to be in a big dilemma, my left brain would be thinking like,I want to give my friend the best gift ever and my right part of my brain would be thinking, damn, since I won't be celebrating my birthday ,I won't be getting back any gift in return as well. Bohuth duvidha thi bhaiya....Ram Ram...Bechari mein/Paavam njaan😌😬

During school days ,I delegated my chore of finishing up my tiffin box full of south Indian foods especially with my juniors ...I used to stare at them with my mouth wide open (which could not close even if flies would enter and party ) the way they would gobble up each and every vegetable from my amma made sambar and my joy knew no bounds because once I reached home after school, my mother used to always check if I finished up my tiffin box or not ..or else pittaii pakka 💥

My friends also loved my amma's Masala Dosa a lot.So,they all asked for a Masala dosa party at my home ...My mother happily agreed to do so and celebrated my birthday that way ...That's how I finally celebrated my one and only birthday party ~ A Masala Dosa party to remember forever ....Masala Dosa Jai ho !!
During school/college vacation my mother would always train me how to cook ,teach us to write and read Malayalam etc and even though I HATED to do all these ,I always enjoyed to make dosa and a round roti ..It was like a fun game for me to master....Having said that ,my family and myself are surprised that cooking has become my ultimate passion now... 😀
Nothing makes me happy than cooking fresh homely food for my family !😊
So,it's been always fun to prepare dosa and the varieties.So,let me share with you ,how we make my mother's special Masala dosa ,a dosa stuffed with potatoes, vegetables, and peanuts:
MASALA DOSA WITH VEGETABLE POTATO STUFFING

Ingredients

FOR MAKING DOSA BATTER
Basmati rice , rinsed 4 cupsUrad dal/Black lentils , rinsed 1 cupFenugreek seeds 1 TbspCooked rice 1 cupWater as neededSalt as needed
FOR MAKING VEGETABLE POTATO STUFFING
Potatoes 3 Large Nos.Onion,sliced handfulGreen chillies,chopped 2-4 Nos.Ginger,chopped 1 inchGreen peas,boiled,drained 1/2 cupCarrot,grated 1 No.Groundnut/Peanut,fried 1/2 cupTurmeric powder 1/2 TspWater as neededSalt as needed
Oil /Ghee/Butter for making dosaDosa pan /Round griddle/Pan
Preparation method to make Masala Dosa :

Soak rice in water covering it in a container and similarly ,soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in enough water covering it for 8 - 12 hrs until they soften up and you could easily break a rice into two...
Then I remove the water and pour it over my plants ,they act like a fertilizer .Then I rinse rice and urad dal plus fenugreek separately once or twice under clean water and keep them separate in different pans.
Then I ground the urad dal and fenugreek with water covering them by an inch into a smooth paste ,pour it into a wide and big pan and keep them aside.
Then I ground the rice mixture little by little without over-filling the mixer jar with just water covering it into a semi-coarse liquid .I keep it repeating and with the final rice and water , I add the cooked rice and ground them into a smooth batter and pour it into the above pan with urad dal batter and mix them well with a ladle.
Then I place them at a warm place ,during summer at room temperature and during winter inside oven with light on overnight ,atleast for 12 hrs or more or until the batter doubles up and bubbles up (gets fermented).
Then I add salt to the batter and give a good stir to the batter .
Side by side,I will be making the potato vegetable masala for the filling .For that,I boil the potatoes in water on high-medium flame till a knife pierced into confirms it is well-cooked from inside.Then put the flame off and let it rest for a while until they cool off .
I used the cooled boiled potato water to pour over the plants .Then I peel the skin off the potatoes and mash them with a masher and keep them aside.
Then I boil green peas separately as it takes time to cook properly here when compared to other vegetables and I also lightly fry the peas without adding any oil.
Then into a kadai/wide pan goes all vegetables like sliced onion,grated carrots,chopped chillies and ginger,boiled potatoes,turmeric powder,mashed potatoes ,salt to taste and water just covering it and bring them to boil and then cover it with a lid and cook on low flame until all vegetables are cooked and then removet the lid and let it remain on low flame until all water evaporates and it becomes a thick mixture with hardly any liquid ...
Then heat the dosa pan or griddle and smear/spray little oil not too much and keep them on low flame and sprinkle water on top of the pan and when it sizzles,the pan is ready to make dosas and it will also cool down any excess hotness on the pan which may otherwise screw up with making a good round crispy dosa .
Then pour batter 1 laddle or two and with the ladle's back portion ,starting from the center keep on spreading the batter in a circular motion (watch video !) .Let it stay like that for a minute or two until the bottom portion is semi cooked.
Spray oil onto the top and edges ,which will help in making it crispy,brown and easy to remove once cooked.
Then add a tablespoon or more of potato stuffing onto the center.
Then lift the edges of the dosa and roll it gently like a wrap or lift one edge and bring it into the center covering the stuffing ,likewise bring anothe edge from another side and bring it to the center of the stuffing (Watch video !)
Now remove the masala dosa from the pan ,onto a plate .
Repeat and make as many Masala dosa you wish .
Serve them hot and fresh with sambar,chutney of your choice..
Enjoyyyy....

My mother loved making Masala dosa for sure as it was one of her fav. way of adding different vegetables along with the potato stuffing ,which could be neatly hidden inside the crispy flaps of Masala Dosa and that made sure that myself and my bro eats all vegetables for sure.Very isshmart amma / ende amma puli aanu keta ...chumadanno njan inganney aayi poyathu ..Like mother,like daughter...😉😂😋

Here is the Masala Dosa video on a beautiful snowy day :

So,that's how I make my mother's-style special Masala dosa with potato stuffing ,vegetables,peanuts and I serve them with chutney and sambar .For me making a crispy dosa is an art and with the stuffing in it,the masala dosa becomes a healthy balanced meal by itself .Just one Masala dosa is enough ! One of those dishes that is filling in every way, health-wise and taste-wise as well..Is there anything to hate about it? Oh I LOVE it !..How about you ???

Till we meet again in my next post ,PLS take good care of yourself ,don't underestimate Corona in anyway .Corona se thoda darona ...I mean be careful, not fearful !! Stay blessed !

Love and light ,

A fish thali Kerala style - Another dedication post to men in black

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Mon, 03 May 2021 19:02:00 +0000

"Sometimes what you expect from a friend, you get it from a stranger ." ~ Unknown

This post is dedicated to all those strangers especially a few YouTube stars ,specifically , the men clad in the black costume, whom, by all powers vested in me,I have named them, my Black commandos / Black cats 😉😎😁💪👊. Well, a few of these men in black or in dress matching to my outfit were cooking seafood for me.😬😮😊

RELATED : FISH FRY KERALA STYLE RECIPE

How do you all know that I love CFood ??😎😻 Thank you so much !!🙏👌👏 ..I almost licked my laptop !...It never looked so clean before. I just wanted to thank you for your effort and time.Some were bursting crackers too . Fun and light huh? Loved it, appreciate it, and wanna cherish it forever. .To the guy who offered me Horlicks and prepared meen recipe...Thanks,nanni,namskaaram..#KalipuStyle !!:)

Ellavarrum sheenichu kaannum ,othiri kashtapettulley...😀

Blippi,Kunal sir and Ranveer sir - Like one of the most priceless awards I got in my blogging journey,I am storing your pics as a souvenir to cherish forever..:)

Once again my heartfelt thanks to the Indian celebrity ,the hunky , talented chefs -Kunal Kapur sir in pink shirt (DIY Holi colors ! Waah Sir ji,kya baath :D) ,Ranveer Vrar sir,tussi bhi chalu hogaye ...dear chefs I felt like you made some Mexican recipes..for me ??😎..Do I look Mexicana ?? 😋😋😁..Muchas Gracias then !!

By the way, please don't judge my cooking skills based on my YouTube videos , of course I am not an expert like you all but one of my Mexican recipe was selected by the International chef ,Bobby Flay's cooking competition but because of some personal issues I couldn't attend the finale where I was supposed to show/cook my recipe infront of the large audience and live camera ...I also act weird in front of camera.. #VeryCameraShy :D:P...Anyways,thanks a lot for all your efforts and time .#GuruJiS'🙇

RELATED :SPICY FISH CURRY KERALA STYLE RECIPE

By the way, dearest Kunal sir ,wo cheesecake recipe and Ranveer sir's no fail kheer recipe (which I think you deleted it ,lekin maine dekh liya ) I wonder kiskeliye tha 😎😐😬😁😂...SOS these chefs mere ko gumrah kar rahe hain 😆😅😂😋

Dearest Kunal sir aapki kadak entry mere virtual life mein kabhi nahi bhooloongi,God-send ....😁 but I hate cheese forever now ..😑

RELATED : KAPPA VEVICHATHU/YUCCA STIR FRY KERALA STYLE RECIPE

Another best surprise - My daughter recently introduced me to Blippi's videos ,an International YouTube STAR, who makes educational videos in a very creative way for kids and I had a hunch and I was totally taken aback when I finally saw his baking video in rainbow background etc...

Just like my daughter , even I love your videos so much...I've a suggestion ,if possible, do make a video for kids ,since they love you and listen to you for sure..Pls teach them to save money,that money don't grow on trees and it may take a minute to go from rich to rag and rag to rich ..So,value money always right from cents / paise and spend it mindfully , live wisely regardless of being simple or fancy !!

By the way , I love your name ..so cute and are you like this in real life too I wonder :D..Love your colors too !!

Do you know Blippi,whenever I ask my daughter to spell her name ,she will say ,"B-L-I-P-P-I"!😂 Thnx for noticing me and for your time and effort !:)

So, as a token of thanks from my side, I've made this video as a dedication to all of you people who gave me their precious time and effort , who celebrated colors with me,dark and light with me 😁.I made a fish thali in Kerala style exclusively for you all lovely people, and for everyone interested.Hope you will like it !!

This video is for my big bro too who mockingly asked my mother if I knew even to cut fish properly...😈😏

And if I am not wrong, I've been noticing lately /hunch that the new hunky,talented star on the block in Tollywood,Mr.Panja VaishnavTej sir ,bagunnara ?:D .I think I saw your drama as well sir and if I understood correctly,I kinda felt like you wanted to say that I look teeny-weenie like your super-gorgeous actress ,your Bebamma without makeup .Eeeshwara parameshwara choodara idhu choodaraa 💫...I am sure your actress hates me if that's true because she is so pretty beyond words and talented .I can't even imagine :D

If I understood correctly,thank you sir,kind of you but I am super ordinary and a #LimitedEdition sir lol ! I also felt like in one of your video ,you wanted to say that samjho maine ukkhaadd liya ,here,we (actors / actresses ) perform to our tune or director's tune only and our actresses dance to their tune or to their choreographer's. AIYO / OMG 😁🙌

Needless to say, that sounds manly and like a true hero :D..any lady would be flattered/impressed !...:D

That's how it should be sir :P:D...Sometimes there are exceptions it seems ..Bade bade jagah mein,aisi choti choti harkathein toh hoti hi rehthi hai! .. :D:D

All I will say that ANUShka shetty has got nothing to do with it ..:😋😉😎💃...Oooopsssssiie...

But on a serious note, no one has to ukkhad or worry :D, I was just giving a shock treatment 😝 .He is already taken with a long Q of GFs' like you all have usually I guess.And good for him and I wish him the best.However , he is very very special to me !! Had it not been an opposite gender, I would have dedicated an exclusive post why this hero/heerU is special to me long time back itself...But now that it seems like it has become a community project ,so,I will dare to spill it anyways ..

He was the first celebrity who stepped into my virtual life . And I didn't know much about him back then though, as we watch old Malayalam movies mostly .I love the simplicity and the naturality of old movies ,I would rather watch Mammooty sir's dance than the new movies made nowadays 😉😋...(No offense!)

Oh by the way the useless,dragging serials made nowadays, only people who have nothing to do at home will watch them..that's why I've no Indian channels at home...😖

So,I did research on him and realized that he is not someone who would entertain any of his ladies fans per se and all his lady colleagues have the best impression about him as a person regardless of his good looks ,body,talent but since I was married and with a kid ,he was lenient towards me perhaps ..He came into my virtual life (Blog) during my lowest point (not depression though) when I believe the supreme God above thought I needed a friend in need (though I was surrounded by my family and friends but..)...

I read somewhere ,a term in spiritual realm ,something like "dark night of the soul " and he came as the "dark knight of the soul." 😎😆😂😇

His presence initially was a tad disturbing for me as I am not that comfortable with big attention ...but somehow when I started paying attention, it was like an epiphany, there was a sense of familiarity as if I knew him before and I knew he was going to play a huge role in my life and as a matter of facts , he did,he became the turning point in my life ...

Somehow his presence, me reciprocating his time ...his simple,silly,child like ways to cheer me up like a good friend would do, was not required but was soothing at that point in my life ...I felt comfortable because he never flirted ...however , I could see the tension around, the secret woman in his life and other GFs and few of his colleagues couldn't digest and were trying to malign/destroy it ..😄😏😑

Women wished I was dead or something 😆 ...The main woman in his life itself indirectly showed me that this guy's intentions are not good (oops :D) and so did some of his rivals I believe ..Either he was vilified or I was for no apparent reason...Due to peer pressure (brain wash), I felt even he started behaving differently later on but that was ok ...Afterall we were just a celebrity and a fan ! It was normal from their point of view ...

To all those who said his intentions were/are not good, the way I believe, it doesn't matter who you are with, what matters is who they are with :)))))...When I say ,"Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder", I mean the in and out, in especially because I believe the beauty in you, sees the beauty in others, the dirt in you, sees the dirt in others..it's that simple !!

And shiny things from your big flashy world is an eyesore to ordinary me but like I said before, I am highly intuitive and I already get the vibe of how a person is if I interact with them for a few minutes itself and even though I hardly know him in person, never talked to or had a one-to-one chat or met in person, I already felt/saw, he has a big innocent heart, that's the vibe I got and that's how I will treasure forever...

I also had an extra soft corner for him when I came to know about his traumatic Black paSt /break up he still didn't heal from properly and he is stuck and hopping I feel...I wondered all his colleagues are married how come he is not...Maybe he lost the trust in any woman I wondered ..

Bottomline , our mutual theme is like those lines from the movie "Tum bin " ,

Janta hun aapko sahare ki zarurat nahi	(I know you don't need support
Main sirf saath dene aaya hoon)	I have come only to give you company)

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He kinda matched my level of childishness or craziness somehow...I trust my gut and can't be influenced by others opinions or agendas ...The filth in others can't malign me but the good in others may inspire me !!. Neither glorifying him or sugarcoating (not ma thing until one truly deserves it !),but with him, I will be the safest I believe...#ITrustU

Maybe he is a little racist though , thoda badmaash bhi hai,expert in pulling my leg...😈..lambi bhi nahi hui mein ,well,that's why God made me short😐

Also, if it was merely a physical attraction,I've friends who are equally good looking guys and for me every actors/actresses are equally beautiful/hunks and talented in their own unique ways..So,no chance of any particular crush or infatuation per se (except SRK sir though :P )...A man has to be very special ,someone who can spark my soul to come a little closer to me ..Otherwise Tom,Dick and Harry can be good friends for sure BUT keep a distance regardless.... 😋👊

Even my parents are aware of all these and they trust me blindly since my teen days ...

RECIPE : KOVAKKA STIR FRYRECIPE

And his parents have given him the apt name in every way 😂 👶👭. Hats off !! 😄🙌🙏.Anyways,I am thankful to him for allowing me ,entertaining me and tolerating me in his virtual life / social media where we communicated sometimes like any other fan...felt like I met an old friend of mine from my childhood days .Will always cherish those memories.Thanks to you all (the notorious gang behind) for bringing him more closer indirectly and for giving me a good celebrity friend for life! 😉😆😎😊😊

In fact,I was as always minding my own business ,chasing my passions (blog/vlog) but if it was not of all those people creating constant drama behind my back, like tit for tat to my every blogposts and video for fun, revenge, jealousy etc, I would not have mentioned about their black deeds and maligned my blog unnecessarily...

There is a limit after all ! I have a space / voice /supporters too and rest I will leave to almighty ! ...Whoever messes with me, believe me, or not , messes with almighty..MARK MY WORD ,you will remember my name for sure and God will show me !!#AMEN #InshaAllah #OM🙇..That's my rapport with the supreme above ...:)

Since you neither know me personally nor have any right on me ,don't try to fix ,control,interfere or project your own reflection on me (unless it is good ),mind your own business, and fix yourself first !! #GetAnAuthenticLife

Anyways,flashback...(After a few weeks of his and other celebrities following by blog ,when it was becoming overwhelming for me for all these big attentions already)a few friends here, who usually go to India and stay for a couple of months ,suggested me to do the same for a change and before my kid joins school here and then it will be difficult they emphasized.

It made sense ,so I went to India ......and thanks to Corona , I got a chance to stay for more months to refresh and recuperate and then during that time , I was able to complete a couple of things (except one ) which I always wished to do but regretted that I will never be able to do in my life ,I lost hope and it affected my self-esteem .

RELATED : Pachadi recipe

But I did it ! I made the most of my holidays aptly ...My daughter learned Malayalam, had an amazing long vacation with her grandparents and relatives around...After my marriage, I never got time to spend some quality time with my parents,which I finally did too....

During those days in India also, I've seen concern in his pictures on social media as myself and my daughter were alone and apart from my hubby like a family would do ...Felt like parental care from him and also other celebrities ...

After him, other celebrities also started following/tolerating me in my virtual space, they all were also doing silly,child like things that made me smile and wonder 😮😊😁 ...Top Youtubers are also following me now...From someone unknown for years to kinda little known ...

I am just extending my heartfelt thanks that is long overdue..

For all these positive changes in my life ,I kinda give the entire credit to this hero /HeerU, the hero of my life (my good luck charm I believe (Touchwood !) ) and that's why I emphasize that he is one of the best happened in my life .His colleague gave me the name Meera (for no reason) but I would rather say it was like Lord Krishna's role in Arjuna's life especially on the battlefield of Mahabharata ..

The way Krishna uplifted and empowered Arjuna to battle for the right ..this hero, his name is also the same ,did in my life, kinda helped me with soul growth ,personal empowerment directly indirectly ...I was kinda stuck , stagnant , feeble (as I was taking care of my (first )baby all by myself,it was at times overwhelming )..He came into my life as a catalyst ,to shake things up and wake me up for good ...to change the pattern in life ,to bloom,to blossom against all odds...My perception about life , people , spirituality also changed...and that's why he is and will be one of the best unexpected thing happened in my life. The bond I feel with him is unbreakable (whether in touch or not ) and divinely guided.....because it is purely a soul connection !! #God-made

Tera mujhsey hai pehle ka naata koi,yu hi nahi dil lubhata koi....:)

Being a celebrity and a fan...

The other day I read this online ,"Jo sukh mein saath dete hain wo risthey hote hain ,lekin jo dukh mein saath dete hain wo farishthey hote hain " meaning people may be there for your happiness but the people who deliberately are there during your hard times, aren't they very special regardless..like God send ! That's why I say some relationships are so special and endearing that it can't be labelled...😊and may sound a little suspicious especially when it is related to an opposite gender ,as they are beyond societal standards/norms, especially for narrow-minded people...

That's why what may look chaotic from the outside in my life is actually transformative for me .....A blessing in disguise !!:))

It's high time and life has become a community project ,akka movie bann gaya hai shaala :P.So,I wanted to thank U for coming into my life and for all the good changes it brought...So thankful to God that our paths crossed ! ..Wish you the best not only in your professional life but also in your personal life !!:) Want some fish..meen Kerala style :D

Anthey undi Vaishnaav sir ! Anyways, you acted like a fisherman (what an awesome,natural acting !!) in the movie ,so I hope you will virtually accept and love my fish recipes too...:)...Hope I decoded correctly ! Thanx for noticing me and for your precious time as well...All the best sir ! ...Teenandi..😎😀

Though it was overwhelming for me to get all this celebrity attention,I must say they are kinda indirectly helping me to bloom, to do better .:)

By the way, I am surprised to see that I am being followed by not only Indian tarot /psychic experts but also international ones ...You will understand when I will say ,there are lots of signs and synchronicities,I am seeing angel numbers like 1111 etc...😁

To JG ,HI :)...I felt like you were saying ,"An American girl here " :D:D...Hi there..your daughter is such a doll and you asked indirectly if any assistance is needed for an ascension to be out of chaos ..right ? ..Well,good to know all experts are around and I will contact you if needed .Right now I am trying to simply ascend myself lol...

To the gorgeous lady who I felt was saying ,"Be proud of your skin tone,you are hot and sexy/stylish something .."Thx but after you :)💗

The lovely tarot girl, Ms.P Ghosh who was being playful calling me Meera ,Meera-Krishna , holding the cute idol😂 .....(teasing you back )DID YOU KNOW ? In your language of spiritual interest ,aren't these called synchronicities - his home name is Vrindavan and mine too in India is Lord Krishna's home's name and my nakshatra is also of Lord Krishna...Even kinda got reconciled on Vishu which marks new beginning in Kerala and Lord Krishna is worshipped this day ...Abb bolo ?? ..coincidence or spiritually inclined synchronicities I wonder??..See Krishna bhagwaan ke leela aprampaar hai 😉😍

By the way,tumi kii shundor mein 😍and you have loads of subscribers...woohooo...All the best for more ~ dil se

I found this funny yet meaningful,

And I am God's brat !!

Thanx lovely JO in beautiful black dress..inner work right..since you suggest ,I am working on it ! 😍

Thanx Miss Singh ,Banaras wali sundariii,you are soooo pretty ...ishhh..😍😉

Veena ma'am ( so funny in black dress and black glass you looked 😂,I think it was for me ),Rakhi ma'am (aapki harr batein mujhey pasand hai ..huge fan !) ,Madan ma'am ( kya khoob lagthi ho badi sundar dikhthi ho 😉😍)

Some gave me tips for protection from evil eyes ..aww..XOXO :)💗...some were like fulfill your wish within 24hrs something ,my only wish is to see everyone including you happy ...Some were like how to get more money fast...that I can easily go out and find a job and get it but that's of my least interest as of now....

And many more beauty-full ladies,I don't know your name ..

Since I am interested in spirituality,whenever I get time and come across any of your Youtube videos,I do sometimes watch them ...Very interesting and informative they are , even though I don't follow any of you ..oops...I may get addicted :D

You all are so gifted, gorgeous, talented, and friendly too ...:))💟

Now that I am surrounded by spiritually inclined experts, correct me or guide me if I mention here something wrong.Abb soch samjh karr lecture jhaadna padega😊

Thanks to everyone who are noticing me and kinda supporting me by showing your presence ...Appreciate it !!:)

There was no reason/motivation for me to continue my blogging or You Tube journey , if at all it was not for my little passions I am chasing and I am so glad that I didn't give up :)...I would have otherwise never been able to meet all these amazing people at least in my virtual life... Thank God !!💝💟🙏

Just incase if I make you scratch your head and wonder ..who the hell she thinks she is -ET??..A little bit like this quote from the internet (plus love from everyone,their way)😉😀😁😂😅😈

I am also a hopelessly romantic person madly in love with God's gift - life and the lovely people I encounter in my life...

I know I am not perfect either but I am sensible ,constantly working on myself and proud of my parent's upbringing always.I am neither afraid of speaking my truth (how others perceive depends upon them) nor I am afraid to walk alone because God is always by my side and I know, the supreme power I believe in will always send the right people regardless . ~ God's fav. brat !

I was not expecting any such support ...Looks like God made me an army :)....SEE,told you I am being watched and guided by my angels ...Jai ho !! 🙏🙇

I wish every one of you I have mentioned here /readers ,especially singles,may you all have an awesome life with amazing life partners #ChooseWiselyYouGetLifeOnce ..Wish you all the best !!👍💝

By the way, I am writing this/doing anything with a heavy heart and prayers because of the harsh comeback /the wrath of the second wave of Corona in India is painful beyond words to witness in news.Thinking and praying for everyone out there. Whether got vaccinated yet or not ,please be very very careful and don't take it lightly . PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE !! Don't dare to risk this time at any cost , by any means ...Take all precautions religiously and SERIOUSLY !! Please take good care of yourself and others.....AND PLS pray hard !!

Stay safe and be well,

P.S.Get well soon Tovino sir !...Special thx to gorgeous and talented -Navya ma'am ,Samyuktha ma'am :)) ,Pepe A.V. sir (if I understood correctly ,huge fan !)..:)

Kareena ma'am (first of all congrats ! ) and Karishma ma'am,if I understood correctly and just to make you happy :D:D..."Bekhudi mein ma'am utt gaye jo kadam,aagayen,ho aagayein,aaagayein paas hum...." 😋😂

Unniyappam "Bonda" - A twist to the traditional snack recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 16:32:00 +0000

What you see is PEACE ! ~ Kisi mahapurush ne kaha hai ,down on one knee! (With reference to a picture posted) ...That was kind of you ! Thanks! And in my language, what you see above/post is also, a piece of TREAT-y meaning my way of accepting, appreciating, and acknowledging the peace ! To peace, understanding, and harmony !!

The truth be told, we only had cordial interactions like any fan(though was not really a fan accidentally instagram suggested and I followed) follower sometimes but right from the start, it was being blown out of proportion including that dramatic show, out of pure jealousy/superiority complex/cheap thrill/mind games, by your girlfriends' gang and boys' friends' gangs.😎😏😐😈

AMEN!

I was also playing/got tagged along (from the start ) to see where or how far it goes /how much you all will stoop, simply!:) (Even the name "Meera" was given by one of his friends and it is such a pious name that I gladly accepted it .)

But I never had any intentions to hurt someone..that's not my style !!:)

However, my intention was good (with child-like innocence) and pure but got maligned by the external factors/people playing behind the back. Sometimes I was provoked to over-react .It's that simple !! And God will see to it !! AMEN!!

All blame game aside, it was how everything was pre-destined to happen as per God's direction ...It's as simple as that !!

Acho ko bura sabit karna , duniya ki purani aadat hai.....😊

To one of your post,you all are always welcome to my virtual place,we treat our guests like family as God (Koi shakk?) :) and bheed ki kami kabhi nahi thi shayad,wo hum dhyan hi nahi de rahe theyy or na hi bheed ki koi shok hai humey,you know, maybe it is God's way of saying to me, don't you ever forget your worth, there is always something/someone better out there for you if you would just pay attention and wish for !:))) ~ God's child!

I was taught by my parents, life is not a bed of roses but it is a present from God and so,I know how to count my blessings, be grateful and be content/happy by myself! :)

Also, nobody is a saint here in Kalyuga, like Mark Twain said, "“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”

Anyways, this post or recipe is exclusively dedicated to U, a peace deal gladly accepted!!

This recipe is for your queen/girlfriends, hope they won't mind making it for you!😊

What is Unniyappam Bonda?

Unniyappam / Unni Appam is a very popular traditional Kerala snack. Usually, small round-shaped snacks made up of rice, Banana, Jaggery, roasted coconut pieces. These round brown fritters are usually served as evening snacks with a hot cup of tea / naadan naal mani palharam in Malayalam. A special type of cookware called Unni appam maker/chatti is used for the preparation.

Bonda is a medium-size round-shaped fluffy deep-fried snack or fritter made up of potato or another sweet or savory version. Usually, it doesn't need any special cookware to prepare them.

So,I wanted to make the Unni appam without the Unni appam maker. But the original Unniyappam batter is a little thin and flowy so it may not come out like how typically Unni appam looks like. So,I thought of using the Unni appam batter and keeping the batter thick like Bonda's and deep fry it without any special cookware and well,that's how I came out with my tweak or twist to the traditional Unni appam or Bonda and created a two in one snack called "Unniyappam Bonda "! (to make it sound sacred! )Smart na ? 😎😃😋

UPDATE-WHY UNNIAPPAM BONDA??

FLASHBACK/SUMMARY

Like Netflix series,my story also has seasons/parts/conclusions.

I,who was hardly a social media expert or active every day, used to post on a few of my not-so-consistent social media handles once in a blue moon .One day the Instagram introduced me to a life changer for better or worse – A Mollywood celebrity Unni M sir’s Instagram handle .I simply followed though I had no knowledge about this actor that much as I don’t watch lots of new Malayalam movies. I was surprised to see an hunky actor with a Bollywood look but his face was not clear.Remember leaving him comments like you should be doing an Arjun Reddy movie in Malayalam.He kinda reciprocated and thus used to leave comments on his pics sometimes if it showed up in my feed. Obviously, such reciprocations would make any fan (to be) happy.

Some evil practices are harmful beyond words and understandings.Tread carefully !!!

The Spiritual Twist

Then I saw a comment by the actor (may be he took it lightly or someone forced him to do or a group idea to bully a prey for fun) asking about a Vashikaran mantra (a mantra /religious spell used to attract/lure a prey/person for the wrong reason or to regain a lost love or mend a worthy relationship for good) .I thought there are many famous women out there who would be more apt for that mantra than me .So,even though drawn to that suspicious comment/mantra like a gut instinct ,I brushed it off ,I felt a change in me when I started looking at his face properly.Somehow I was not able to ignore him .I felt some kind of pull (Naah not the physical attraction etc) .I deactivated my Instagram instantly .I did have another old Instagram active.That’s when I saw a picture of Ranveer sir and Arjun Kapoor sir,Vijay Devarakonda sir mainly….Like I have mentioned before several times (lol) ,I have no words to explain this MIRACLE ,from myself/someone who was neither active on Instagram nor a social media fan .Since then, they all/celebrities followed my blog and gave me company, especially during Corona holidays when I and my doter were in India for quite some time.#GratefulBeyondWords

I could not share the sacred bond I felt with this person I hardly knew, with anyone.I tried my best to ignore this pull even in US by meditating,excercising/running (it clears my mind), and of course sharing with my ultimate confidant, my DIVINE who is an antaryami meaning he already knows everything as he is the director,producer,story writer and the film maker and we all are just characters) and like I always believe ,everything is a part of the divine plan !

I started watching tarot cards and somehow all angel numbers that were introduced to me by my hubby during my doter’s birth started reappearing in every online interview of this actor as I was trying to know more about him .I have seen one or two of his movies like where he starred/acted as Mallu Singh and also a movie where he acted and looked like an Apsara/a pretty woman.

Now,he looked so different and unrecognizable.I was happy about his upbringing in North India just like me.Other than that I didn't feel anything special in him to feel that bond otherwise.

I felt his girlfriend A was super irritated and wrote a long essay indirectly aiming at me even though I had no regular interactions with him . There was jealousy,envy,hatredness all around,also indirectly alerting me to keep a distance from him for safety reasons because of their unconventional lifestyle.During those days he was normal /kinda friendly ,I didn't feel any negative vibes at all.

My heartfelt thanks to my tarot card readers -

My rock stars!

I believe these Tarot card readers I came across were chosen to guide my spiritual journey/awakening without their knowledge.

Coincidently,through tarot card readings I felt we did have a holy connection called twin flames but it took me 4+ years to conclude that he was the Karmic Masculine and not the Divine Masculine and I believe I’ve my divine parent’s shadow on me,hence I am the CHOSEN one by divine’s grace .The signs and synchronicities and many miracles in my life since then kinda confirms that.My divine parent showed me my hating team’s request for a vashikaran mantra and it was during Diwali eve,I felt a jolt/kind of longing/interest unknown (NOPE,not physical though !) towards this actor and I knew kinda what was it but I felt unshakeable.I told my spiritual support team to have my back safe ,secure and blessed!I trust in Lord !!

I was planning to go to India though my hubby was not interested .Coincidently,my friend from New Jersey was traveling and she booked the ticket a couple of months ago and there was no way I would get an instant ticket to travel together and I told my divine,if it’s your will,I will go to India then with her and my handful naughty toddler.And I did !

I believe the spiritual mischief these people did on me was converted to a wonderful holy connection by my Divine's grace because even though it was not personal readings by tarot card readers (I had no prior knowledge about such things) I could kinda not fully but still I was able to resonate with the readings and I could know everything about this actor,his girl friend/A (the main Karmic ) ,their plans,plots,modus operandi.

Because of the pull (which may sound gibberish to normal people and make sense to the tarot card readers mainly), for the first time in my life, I wished I could meet (but still I don’t wanna,because that's out of my character) this person. I even felt I had a previous life connection which I already mentioned in one of my previous blogpost.

Even in India,I was totally clueless and was in a hermit mode then as I was figuring out the unknown mysterious pull towards this person particularly ,as if I feel drawn to a person more than a friend ,I could easily retract but this was unique.

I requested Divine to give me at least a few months to come out of this mysterious haze .What the world hates and I agree with turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me -CORONA happened !#DeathAndIllnessAreInevitable. That was a sign to me that my divine parents were watching over me.Even when I left US,I knew something would change ..I didn’t know it would be this big.There was no other way I would have stayed in India that long ,in fact I wanted to come back to US after a year as my little one would get vaccinated by then to travel safe .

They say when something injustice happens to a chosen one ,the entire universe will feel it.I kinda believe that !I needed that long break for more than one reason.

Due to all the celebrity attention I was getting,there was lots of envy,jealousy,insecurities etc I felt, which I was being grateful towards.Many known/unknown people started making stories/rumors defaming me and my character .That’s the reason I had to spill some personal information regarding why I came to India in my blogposts written in India .I believe every family has their own problems so what.

The other reason was getting sudden attention from all celebrities all at once even though I was not at all popular just a beginner YouTuber/Blogger made me overwhelmed and kinda happy yet anxious. I thought this visit to India would help me to kinda sober it (my anxiety/attention) down and help me forget this pull towards this actor.(I admire celebrities from far but to have any kind of relations more than a friend was beyond my forte).

So,even though I felt this connection unknown and special,I had no intention of anything else other than to meet him even if it was in a crowd(like a film promotion) out of curiosity as I felt no one other than him could advise /guide me better.Eventually, during Corona,I did send him a letter explaining all this with a “So glad and goodbye” gift to remember me with good memories which was somehow returned back .My first gift to a celebrity!

Coincidently I wrote a love letter during my college days to a Mollywood celebrity,Jishnu,I had a serious crush on, who unfortunately passed away due to cancer,which my hubby read it gladly.Strangely,even though this U actor is hunky and a talented actor,I didn’t even feel any crush on him.So,I felt I was in a maze, spiritually made !

Both - so I love you - Big Fan Sir ! Well-Said!

My only crush ,though I love them all(male/female celebrities) is Shahrukh Khan sir .

Because of Corona and because of the tarot readings I was warned to avoid meeting this actor because of their peculiar lifestyle or any preconceived notion about meeting a woman alone .I used to follow his Instagram and leave friendly comments sometimes.Then after a few days, kinda got disconnected totally.

Twin Falme connection- A boon or a bane !

Once I reached USA,I got missed calls from this actor kinda sometimes and I was so grateful for his time.However,it was hard to resist love from a few celebrities on one side and on the other side people known/unknown hating me , spreading rumors ,trying to destroy me,staining my image (I was sad yet laughing out loud because some had sneaky lifestyles ,look who are judging I wondered and ignored).

So,being from a land of Maa Siya Ram and Maa Meera and being human ,it stung but it just made me more stronger and better.One of the pictures of this actor indicated and I did get an idea that his girlfriend hacked into personal docs/my medical records and manipulated it and hence some movies defaming me were also made .To be loud and clear,I by Divine’s grace never had any sort of Cancer per se but I was diagnosed (and successfully treated )with a pre-cancerous condition ONLY. Imagine how heartless and horrible they all are to go to that extent !!

That was the reason I had to use some harsh words like “Ukkad lo jo ukkadna hai “ once in a blogpost as I already knew what was going in my back.Still I was KIND and going with the flow so that they eventually reveal their true self/ suspense/actual intentions to all!

And I did everything in my hand/power to protect my doter(biological) in every way!

We all are different like five fingers of our hand !Be yourself but sensible enough!

Thanks to the Divine for giving me this holy connection to this actor .If it was not through all these tarot readings I would have been naive and extra nice to people who didn't deserve it ,some are near and dear ones and some are far/new because it took me 4+ years to understand it was my Divine parent's way of protecting me from something big ,fast and furious !

I went through a roller coaster of rumors/bullying/mocking/hatredness/humiliation/forced heartbreak/black Magic/Psychic attacks/Blockages to my Youtube/blog/work/Money/overall hacking/non-stop stalking/spying/plotting including with my family members.

Tarot card readings spilled it all mostly !

Surprise Surprise ..Thanks to Lord Narayana

and Shri Lakshmi!!

They made a Youtube short film ,EN (Short Form) where they portrayed as if I and this actor were chatting (Read:Flirting/communicating regularly kinda ) with each other etc to defame my character and that the male character of this film dies of Corona .So,kinda a message to me especially not to look forward to do anything with him whatsoever ! I took it lightly.On a funny note, I was in fact drawing his GF's ex?-husband's(VP) pic whom I have a crush on !

To be frank I never understood what they wanted from me because I didn’t ask or expect anything from them other than being human and considerate .I never even chased him or others.What's wrong if I commented to his pics ,we all fan do. I did not know how to and where to stop .So the saga continued leaving me in full wonder everyday .Sometimes I was being harsh knowingly to diffuse any negative attention or was provoked to clear any misunderstandings.In the back of my mind,I thought is it something like the movie VeerZara like once I left India,did this person develop any feelings towards me ? So,I kinda was being gentle with his heart just incase.Most importantly being thankful for his and other celebrities' time and attention.

The TRUTH/REVELATION:

Like an onion,it took me 4 plus years to peel layers by layers to finally conclude that it was not me,infact this actor was in contact with my cousin-s (especially the one (opportunist) with a handsome, well-to-do fiancee) who was, on the other hand, chatting with my hubby as well.This woman was my confidant .So,I was deeply hurt beyond words .Someone else (potential suitor perhaps) known by my in–laws was also chatting with my hubby.They all dated each other !

I wrote a post that I would love to meet this actor only to wash off the stain they put on me that I ran to meet him in India.I flew actually to India ! I would rather meet someone nearby than a celebrity hard to get in touch with ,which is not my thing .But due to that trance/pull which turned into a spiritual connection, I did felt only seeing him once somehow can help me get me out of it holy.

As a matter of fact , he dated all my friends,cousins,neighbors and others to belittle me and make me feel insignificant.That's totally fine,it's a personal choice after all..You go where you vibe with !

I may not be perfect but I do consider myself a treasure ! Not everyone can afford that...lol...

I am not here to advise but do meet them if you wish ,CAREFULLY.

I was the one who earned all the stains (by devil's advocates ) which hurt me (still healing ,drinking the poison darts like my Divine Father,Lord Shiva who drank Halahala gracefully ) as I wondered where did I go wrong ,what would I've done different .I had my reasons.Long story short, by Divine’s grace and support gave me worldwide exposure to people I admire and never ever thought I would be known to or come across giving me their humble attention and time gladly- starting from film celebrities internationally,to all spiritual leaders like His highness-Dalai Lama/Popes and many , to all super famous sports teams like John Cena Sir,Messy Sir,Ronaldo Sir,Neymar sir to name a few.Praise the Lord!Just to credit Divine against the evil/obstacles/toxic people I faced ,I say I am self-made by God's grace !

On a funny note,I felt I saw a commercial or a short video of Ronaldo sir in YouTube that I wondered if I was being asked, if I was the waitress/waiting to meet the U actor .Sarcastically/jokingly,no offense to anyone,I would rather call myself the mother of his first son.(Blush Blush!)..Hope Unni sir's girlfriends are super happy now !

Now I know,when I made a video of kicking balls, my spiritual support team meant it even though I was just playing with my doter.All praise to my spiritual support team ,just to ease my pain ,no offense!

Having said all these,twin flame journey is not an easy peasy connection.One has to be spiritually inclined and awakened .Some do and some do not ,no one's fault.Just because it is a connection doesn't mean it should be romantic. Hence, it was my spiritual awakening journey and he was the catalyst .So,being thankful to that I dedicate this Uniappam and Bonda with entire Mollywood !

I would request you all to be please be kind ,understanding and leave me alone .Live and let live !Let's grow together respectively ! Revenge is a waste of time !

In one of the interview ,I came to know sir likes this snack a lot and so does my hubby and coincidentally his name chimes with it .So,I thought what else would make him feel special.Makes sense huh ? lol (sacred foody bonda part represents me)......Well,Unni appams and gothamb puttu shown in the video are my hubby's favorite food items. He liked the tweaked version as well.

Usually, whether it's a puttu or unni appams , they are traditionally made with rice flour but here I used the wheat flour for both recipes. So,these Unni appam bondas are not that soft and fluffy but very very tasty .

How to make Unniyappam Bonda?

Unniyappam Bonda

Ingredients

Wheat flour -3 cups

Jaggery- 2 - 2 &1/2 cups

Water - 3 cups

Cardamom powder 1 Tsp

Baking powder 1 Tsp

Banana,red-colored preferably - 2 Nos.

Coconut pieces as needed

Black sesame seeds / Kalonji as needed

Oil for deep frying

Water for dipping fingers

Ghee - 1/4th cup (optional to make it taste richer, I skipped)

Mixer grinder

Preparation method to make Unniyappam Bonda :

Mix baking powder with the wheat flour in a bowl and keep it aside.
Boil water in a pan, add jaggery and cardamom powder to it, once jaggery melts. Put off the flame and let everything cool off.
Then place a sieve onto the mixer jar and strain the jaggery liquid for any impurities. Into it add the wheat flour mixture little by little without over-filling the jar and the broken bananas.
Now ground everything into a THICK batter.
Add broken dry coconut pieces and black sesame seeds and mix well with CLEAN HANDS to ensure it is lump-free.
Let it rest overnight or for 6- 8 hours for fluffier Unni appam bondas.
Then heat a pan on medium-low heat. Add a little bit of batter into it, if it springs back then the oil is ready to fry.
Then on the low-medium flame without over-crowding, the pan, dip the fingers into the water and take little batter, like a round shape (approx) and fry them one by one ...Make sure not to fry them on high flame, so that the fritter is well fried inside -out.
Then using a slotted spoon, transfer the bondas onto some tissue paper so that all excess oil is well-observed.
Then allow them to cool a bit and EAT THEM fresh and warm...Store the rest in an airtight container for sure or it will become hard to eat especially if you don't have any molar teeth like my amma (I always tease her so eeehhaa 😂) ...(Don't tell me I didn't warn you ! )
That's it my Unniyappam Bonda is ready. Serve them with hot cuppa tea or coffee.

You can watch my youtube video ,a stormy day in my life ,making puttu kadala and fresh Unniyappam bondas....

Thanks to this actor and the spiritual saga with him, because of them, I found my divinity since then ,got my real divine Masculine - "Udupi Krishna" and "Ujjain Mahakal " ! Unni sir's girl friends happy ? ,he is your Masculine and mine is the Divine one !

Anyways,I try my best to give people I come across with positive memories.That's my style!

Rest, like Sadhguru ji said," I'm stoned in such a way that I haven't lost my judgment at all. And at the same time, whichever way you judge me, has absolutely no impact on me because I'm completely stoned. I've not given anyone this privilege to make me happy or unhappy. What others say doesn't determine how I am ! " 🙌🙏#GotItFromMyDivineMother

I believe, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Doter of Madhura Meenakshi,Mecca Medina,Mother Mary

The Sunshine smoothie - A dedication !!

noreply@blogger.com (Manjusha) — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:39:00 +0000

Continuing my edible love for a smoothie, here is my other favorite smoothie, "The Sunshine smoothie",a healthy blend of Mango,Banana,Yogurt,Ice cubes, and milk , topped with raisins.Sweet na ?😊

This smoothie is actually a dedication, a "Thank You ! " smoothie to all those people who made me smile, seen, heard, supported, and special. The ones who gave me good vibes !! Thx for the love!💝

Every day I silently do and once again, thanks to all the celebrities who gave me company for the past ONE year, and excuse me if I sounded a little harsh in my previous posts. Well, that was my sure-fire way to stop you from wasting your precious time on me anymore...Can't thank you all enough for tolerating me !!

Kuch rishton ke naam nahi hote !!💞💙💚💛💜💟

One of the best things that happened in my life !! Every day, you all are one of the reasons I smile :).I will always cherish every one of you, jab tak hain jaan...Excuse me for not mentioning your name particularly as well...It is overwhelming for me to even mention your prestigious name in my little blog, some people may think I am bluffing.😀Please accept my heartfelt gratitude by default !!

However,I would like to thank three young, ravishing, promising ladies from Bollywood :

Janhvi (especially) ,Khushi Kapoor , Suhana Khan, and Navya Naveli ...Thank lovely ladies for your time and for noticing me! <3😊

For your inner beauty,a song -

"Tumsa koi pyara koi masum nahi hai , Kya cheez ho tum khud tumhe malum nahi hai ."

For your outer beauty :

Chandan sa badan, chanchal chitvan , Dhire se tera ye muskana
Mujhe dosh na dena jag walo , Ho jaau agar main deewanii.....😊😍😉💗

May your kaatil ada and jawaani rub on me somehow !! 😎😉😉😍

In my "Pantry tour" video,😎😁when I asked I would like to hear from you, the only fun response I got was from India's top music band, "SANAM'S" !! I was speechless and dumbstruck !!I felt like the "Mere samne wali khidki " song kinda resonated with one of my blog posts and initially it irritated me 😁😋and I didn't thank them ...My bad !!!.. THANK YOU SO MUCH !! 😊

I saw your pictures SANAM,saw your girl,chand se bhi sundar 👌👍, and is indeed a beauty queen/Miss Nepal and in spite of that, you dedicated a song for me ...even before seeing your pics, this thank you post was in the draft .....Very sweet of you all to make me feel special !! My daughter qualifies for that song.😊

👌👍☝🎶🙌🙇

They are professionals and they were kind enough to make a song for me (I guess ) ,thank you mujhey itna layak samjha :) ...It was so fun !:D ..By all powers vested in me,I declare you four talented hunks, my kiddo chaand ka tukdas....Rock on, rock stars !!:) God bless!

I still remember the day I found your channel,I told my hubby that Sanam looks like the Indian version of David Beckham and since then, your songs are my gym songs :))...I love your name as much as I love your songs especially since it ends with M .😋😁 A huge fan I am is an understatement !!

I also felt like the celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur's "Thai rainbow salad" kinda resonated ...but the recipe after that,got me thinking, is that what you think sir?😎 😄😋🙈🙉🙊 If you are also chef like "seen,heard and supported "..Thank You Sir g!!:)..Rab Rakha !! Yummmm..🙇

Last but not the least,I was successful in wooing women out there on YouTube I feel.Well, I was always good at wooing girls at school and made them blush ,in Shammi Kapoor style singing,"Ye chand sa roshan chehra... " (Just for fun,I am straight by nature !! Zamana kharaab hai,ek mein hi achchi baaki hu 😁😂😉😋 )

I was always a great friend material than girlfriend material. 😍😊😊 .Thanks to all you tubers not only Indian but also International You tubers who were kinda cheering me up and especially all my foodie Youtubers with famous channels, cooking colorful foods,healthy recipes, and thanks for offering me cold drinks :D:D etc etc...Stay cool huh ? :)...Okkie dokkie g...I am always super cool by heart #Dilwale!! I've got an invisible divine protection shield all over me too!

To cook something and show support, is loads of effort. I can only imagine what else they will be juggling in their life.So, "Thanks a bunch !" is an understatement !! Wish you all loads of success and happiness !! God bless !!

Also, I felt like some people were kinda, just kick***, some were excited for me, and some raising eyebrows for some silly reason.HELLO, this is life, not a movie !!:) A simple (if you know me personally ), complicated (If you don't know me personally ), super old school here who appreciates and fights for everything worth, relations including soul connections and refuses to be misunderstood, taken for granted, or played with! It's that simple !!

I live in reality, not in some illusion or influenced by moh-maya !!

I also believe that whatever happens in MY life, happens as per almighty's will only. With faith in God, I just go with the flow. I just pray and hope for the best of ALL !! Amen !!

Kuchh reet jagat ki aisi hai har ek subah ki shaam hui..

tu kaun hai tera naam hai kya Sita/Mira bhi yahaan badnaam huyi

phir kyon sansaar ki baaton se, bheeg gaye tere naina

(This world's tradition is such, that every morning has an evening..

You're a nobody here, even (the goddess) Sita/Mira were slandered here.

So why did your eyes grow moist, hearing the world's talks..)

Kuchh to log kahenge, logon kaa kaam hai kehna

chhodo bekaar ki baaton mein kaheen beet na jaaye rainaa...........

(People will say something or the other, it's their business to talk,

Ignore it, lest the life would pass in these useless things..)

And life is short and a precious gift from God and one is only answerable to almighty !! 🙏🙇

Also,I am neither a beauty queen ( but phir bhi mein apni favourite hu !!😎😉💟) nor looking for someone (I am getting that vibe perhaps ), I've my man !..I may look for a bodyguard with a lakshman rekha though ,just in case 😉😋😎😎😈💪and FYI :😎💪😉

Khoob ladi mardaani....This is my manifesto !!😈👹👽👺and that's my Hollywood father,Liam !:D

All dhamki/threatening apart,I admire people who go out of their way to make others smile and special !! Keep going/doing more !...God's visible angels, God bless !! :)) Thanks for bringing a ray of sunshine into my life !:) Thanks for all your love, respect, and support !! Wish you all, best of everything in life !! Pls, mind your own business now !! (No pun intended!) 😉😎😁🙏

Last but not the least, looking up and winking at God, thank you for making someone unknown to kinda known, thank you for bringing all these amazing people into my life! 🙇🙇

Waittt ,don't forget to drink my smoothie..Help yourself Sunshines !! ( I may be the first one to offer smoothie in small wine glasses I believe, well what else can you expect from me 😂...They are so cute, little ,fancy and I am too lazy to make more ....ek chutki bharr smoothie dil se...Sunshines samjha karo !! 😋😉😎 la la la..Suraj hua madham.....mmmm 🎶)

Take care! 💗