Sunday, July 21, 2013

Moringa oleifera - Shigru patram - Murungai leaves - Yet another weekend

Last friday, it was pouring cats and dogs. So much of rain, that i could not step out on the water logged roads. I was writing an assignment, that i missed the 5 pm cab and boarded the 6 pm cab to board the 7:35 train at carmelaram. Typically, i keep remembering Rama and focus on the present, but this time, i chose to worry about whether or not i would miss the train.

At 7:45, after crawling through Koramangla, HSR, the cab came to a halt due to train signal. I alighted and dragged the trolley in the drizzle to find that the train waiting was Ernakulam express. The 7:35 pm train came around 9 pm. I could have avoided that needless worry on missing the train.

Home Sweet Home

Periyamma came out to receive me and the previous night comedy vanished at her sight. Back home, i remembered my colleague's description of Krishna Cafe meals. He described the kaara kolambu and more milagai. I was arguing, home food was the best, and he was talking about the time spent in cooking. Even my brother said, put some value for human efforts. He said, he would step out for lunch, provided hunger was greater than his joint pain after organizing a function the previous day. He said, if mom had to stay with him, he would arrange a cook at home. Whatever, mom had plucked the leaves, and removed the stigma of plantain flowers. I was feeling delicate to chop plantain flowers from our own backyard. Mom kept on saying, that one should remove the first few flowers for the plantain tree to grow properly. Whatever, didn't get the logic. It is so difficult to eat out on the leaves, that grow in your own backyard under your protection. So i decided to eat on plate. Milk got over, so made bajra scoops instead of kheer.

  1. Bajra (Kambu) Scoops with cardamoms, pistas, cashews and raisins
  2. Paruppu with melting ghee - paruppu podi
  3. Drum stick leaves poriyal
  4. Vaazhai Poo Kootu in coconut and cumin seeds gravy
  5. Spicy beetroot with beans and rajma - flavoured with saunf and ginger
  6. Avarakkai sambar with roast and ground spices
  7. Murungaka kaara kolambu
  8. Rasam
  9. Curd
  10. Roast pepper paapad
Opportunity Cost
The assignment had a question on economic costs and i was thinking, about spending 2.5 hours on cooking food for mom, instead of appointing a cook and another help for washing vessels. I could research some articles and publish some useful papers, instead of matching Krishna Cafe's spread for a one time meal. If it was just me, i would rather survive on maggi noodles and upmas. Certain things are beyond cost benefit analysis.

Back in PG
My roomie saw the snaps and asked me, do you take a photo every time before you eat? Not always, I told her. What is mandatory is we keep a morsel outside for cats or crows before we start eating and pray before we start. When we see the food and wait for a moment in prayer or in appreciation, saliva is secreted, the digestive juices get the signal and what goes in, gets absorbed efficiently. Eating food with a complete focused mind is a type of yoga, prayer to God. In Vethathri Maharishi's class, we were told to drink water or eat food, focusing few inches above the head, as an offering to God. So easy to say, so easy to start, so difficult to sustain the practice.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Navdhanya Scoops - Yet Another Sunday Pulav

Navadhanya Scoops - Sathu mavu urundai

Potato Pepper Fry - Urulai Milagu Roast

Navadhanya Scoops, Potato Wedges, Kathrika Dalca, Rice, Curd, Veg Pulav
Was shocked to see potatoes in kitchen. Mom told me, that potatoes cost Rs 10 a kg. Back in PG, potatoes, kovakais (ivy gourds), brinjals are a class of vegetables, i keep away from. Had planned to make mulangi sambar. Mom said, make biryani, and then quickly added, you get to eat pulavs often right, so make meals. So i ended up making pulav.

For desserts rather starters, i fried sathu mavu powder in ghee with ellaichi, cashew, raisins and jaggery to sweeten with milk and scooped them with a round spoon. Fresh 5 mins desserts, to eat before meals. Things are best, when left to nature. Curd was ultimate finishing.

Rotis and Paranthas

Parantha 1 - Shobanjana Parantha (murangai keerai) with tamatar paneer
Parantha 2 - Shobanjana Parantha with Moong Dal and Turmeric Milk
Roti 3 - Crisp Rotis with Bittergourd laced with jaggery
Roti 4 - Roti with pudhina cilantro paneer
Parantha 5 - Mooli Parantha with pirandai chutney
Parantha 6 - Mooli Parantha with Carrot Beans Sabji
Parantha 7 - Bhumyamlaki Parantha
Parantha 8 - Ajwain Parantha with Pudhina Curry Leaves Paneer
Ajwain Parantha with Okra (with fenugreek, dried ginger and horsegram mix)


Mudakathan Keerai Parantha with Tomato Chutney

Pudhina Multigrain roti (sathu mavu) with Mealmaker and Carrot Halwa
 Till pudhina got over!
Pudhina Poori with Mealmaker Mutter 

Dosas

Dosa 1 -Thakkali Dosai with Podi and Curd
Dosa 2 - Dosa with Kothamalli Chutney
Dosa 3 - Dosa with Pudhina Chutney
Dosa 4 - Modakathaan Keerai Dosa with kambu Kodumai batter; Tomato Chutney
Dosa 5 - Pesarattu with Pirandai and Coconut Chutney
Dosa 6 - Crisp Kelvaragu Kothumai Dosa, Malli Pudhina Karuvepuillai chutney, Pirandai Chutney
(Ragi+Wheat+Curd Dosa; Cilantro-Mint-Curry Leaves Triad Chutney, Veldt Grape Chutney

Dosa 7 - Crunchy kambu (bajra), kothumai (wheat), Ragi (rye) dosa with Murungakeerai (Drumstick leaves) and coconut chutney


Dosa 8: Solam (sorgum) Dosai with malli chutney and panagam

Dosa 9: Modakathan keerai Pesarattu (green moong dal) with coconut chutney




Dosa 10: Vadha narayan Dosa


Dosa 11 Keerai Dosa with tomato chutney and coconut chutney

 Dosa 12 Aduthoda ghee dosa with chutney.
 Dosa 13 Normal ghee dosa with kuppaimeni chutney
 Dosa 14 Dosa with keerai chutney
 Dosa 15: Moong Dal dosa without black gram with malli chutney

Dosa 16: Moong dal dosa with murungai keerai


Dosa 17: Vadha narayana ragi dosa
Dosa 18: Vadha narayan dosa

 Dosa 19: Vadhanarayana Curry Leaves dosa with ridge gourd chutney
Dosa 20:  Vadha narayana Dosa

Pulavs - Veg Rice

Pulav 1 - Paneer Veg Pulav with Ginger Channa Dalcha, Desserts - Carrot and Wheat Jaggery scoops

Pulav 2 - Vellam kadalai parappu Poli, Kothamalli Paneer Pulav, Rice, Dalcha, Rasam, Curd
Pulav 3 - Aval (Poha) Payasam, Laddoo, Ponnakanni keerai, Maanga thokku, Raita, Rice and Veg Pulav with soya nuggets
Pulav 4 - Starters - Navadhanya burfis (sathumavu), Veg Pulav with Potato Pepper Fry, Kathrika Dalcha, Rice, Curd

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Idlis

Tiffin 1 - Idlis with Omavalli Chutney and Tomato Kurma
Tiffin 7 - Manathakkali Keerai Poori fried in ghee, carrot moong dal sabji
 Tiffin 14 - Pudhina Bath
Tiffin 15 - Ven Pongal Akaravadisal sambar chutney
Tiffin 16 - Manathakali Kootu with Ven pongal, pumpkin seeds sauted in ghee, carrots and tomatoes and a bit of raw mango

Lunch Spreads



Desserts: milkless payasam with coconut milk, crushed mishri and tender coconut | puran poli | pumpkin halwa sweetened with jaggery

Brinjal bajji, moong paapad, mooli parantha, chole

Anna with nei paruppu, drumstick sAmbhar, ladys finger puli kolambu, thipli rasam, curd

Sidedish L>R: Amla pickle, mango thokku, drumstick kootu, manathakkali keerai poriyal, carrot payir kootu, ridegourd thugayal, vaazhai poo more kootu, snakegourd poriyal

Desserts: milkless payasam with coconut milk sweetened with mishri, tender coconut malai | rava laddoo with badam, cashew, raisins and dates | puran poli | honey gulkand

Bittergourd pakoda | sabudAna appalam | agathi keerai parantha

Anna with nei paruppu, avarakka sambhar, drumstick puli kolambu, thipli lemon rasam and curd

Sidedish L->R: Mango pickle, potato fry, snakegourd poriyal, plantain flowers buttermilk kootu, payir poriyal, manathakkali keerai kootu


Desserts: Arisi pal payasam with soaked raw rice cooked in milk and sweetened with mishri | pineapple kesari

Appalam, vaazhai poo vadai got over by the time i got to eat

L->R: Cauliflower green peas fry, beans parrupu usili, avial, potato fry, plaintain stem more kootu, manathakali keerai kootu
followed by usual dal, sambhar, sundaika puli kolambu, rasam, thayir

Appi payasa sweetened with jaggery
thinnai arisi,
agathi keerai roti, agathi keerai moong dal vadai
pepper mango pickle, more kolambu with pepper, sundaika kootu and agastya mathoda 
no chilli powder used

Lunch 1 -  Simply delicious dash with Pachai Payiru Vellam flavoured with cardamoms, Moong dal soup with pepper and cumin, Carrot Slices, Parangikai Poriyal, Kothavarnga Paruppu Usili, Murungai Keerai Poriyal, Curd, Ribbon Murukku, Poosanikai Sambar



Lunch 2 - Paccha arisi Pal payasam, Yummy sindhooram mango slices, Nei Paruppu, Podalangai Poriyal, Kathrika ennakkai, Ullundu Milagu Vadai, Avarakkai Sambar, Kathrika Puli Kolambu, Curd


Lunch 3 - Semiya Payasam, Pumpkin Halwa, Carrot Poriyal, Pumpkin Poriyal, Manathakkali Kootu, Karunai Kilangu Roast, Maanga Inji Thokku, Sweet Bonda, Manathakali Keerai Pakoda, Vazhaikai Bajji, Avarakai Sambar

Lunch 4 - Corriander Chutney Rice, Pumpkin, Snake Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Mango Drumstick Sambar, Curd, Arisi (Rice) Kheer

Lunch 5 - Avarakkai sambar, kothuvaranga paruppu usili, chow chow kootu, murukku, motichoor laddoo, mysorepa and nellika oorukai with poovam pazham. Usual rasam, curd followed later

Lunch 6 - Bharwan bindi, murunga keerai poriyal, potato poriyal, radish sambar, badam payasam

Lunch 7 - Wheat Balls, Nelli kanni, Carrot Julienes, Maanga Pachadi, Murungakka Sambar,  Chakka Eriserri, Curd, Murukku, Baby Corn Golden Fry

Lunch 8 - Akaravadisal, Neiparuppu sadham, Murungai Keerai, Carrot Poriyal, Thakkali Chutney, Vathal, Curd
Lunch 9 - Semiya Payasam, Mulangi sambar, Murungai Keerai-Vaazhai Poo More kootu, Curd, Maanga thokku, mixture
Lunch 10 - Moong Dal Payasam, Avarakai Sambar, Beetroot Poriyal, Drumstick Leaves Poriyal, Curd, Poovam Pazham
Lunch 11 - Pavakkai pitlai, Murungai keerai, Pal Arisi payasam

Lunch 12 - Bajra(Kambu) Urundai with ellaichi, pistas, cashews and raisins, Neiparuppu, paruppu podi, murunga keerai poriyal, Vaazhai poo kootu,  Beetroot with spicy rajma and beans, Avarakai sambar, murungaka kaara kozhambu, rasam, curd



Meals 1 - Navadhanya (Sathu mavu) payasam, Kothavaranga Paruppu Usili, Murungai Keerai Poriyal, Pavakai Pitlai, Rasam, Curd, Papad
Meals 2  - Dessert Dates Chikkis, Kothavaranga paruppu Usili, Manathakkali Keerai poriyal, Murungai keerai Sambar, Curd
Meals 3 - Wheat Jaggery Kheer, Pavaka pitlai, Carrot slices, Vaazh Podalanga, Bikaneri Papad

Meals 4 - Sweet mangoes, Moong dal payasam, Murangai Keerai Sambhar, Murangai Keerai rasam, Curd,Murungai Keerai Poriyal, Murungai Keerai Vadai
Meals 5 - Nei parruppu, Kothavaranga paruppu usili, Manathakkali kolambu, Mor Kolambu, Mambazham and dates
Meals 6 - Parangi Poriyal, Podalanga Poriyal, Pavakkai Poriyal, Murungakka Sambar, Curd, Arisi Payasam, Carrot Slices, Kothamalli pulav
Meals 7- Ambrosial green moong dal with crushed jiggery, Agathi keerai coconut chutney, Split moong dal khichadi/mand, Wholesome pumpkin poriyal, Pavakai kolambu (sauted in ghee; coconut paste; and it was no longer bitter), Crunchy carrot beans poriyal, Fresh Curd
 Meals 8 - Mango, Sundal, Murangai Keerai Sambar, Sorakka Kootu, MangaInji Thokku, Curd
 Meals 9 - Moong dal, moong soup, carrot, coconut curry leaf chutney, keerai, sambar, mangoes
Meals 10 - Yummy fresh mango slices, Pomegrenate Seed with Jaggery, Gaajjar ka Halwa, Dhaniya Chutney, Crunchy Beetroot poriyal, Pudhina Chutney, Radish Sambar, Whole Green Moong Dal Sundal, Crispy murukku , Curd

Meals 11 - Delicious Condensed milk kheer, Wholesome Moong dal with jaggery, Karuvepuillai thuvayal, Murangai Keerai Poriyal, Brinjal Sambar, Murukku, Curd
Meals 12 - Sweet Kesari with fried cashews and cardamoms, Vallarai Omavalli mixed green Milagu Chutney, Crunchy Cabbage Thoran, White Gourd Sambar, Mango Slices, Fresh Curd
Meals 13 - Panakam, Paruppu Keerai Kootu, Kathrika Sambar, Rasam, Curd, Arisi Vathal