Navaratri

Many years we have been celebrating Navratri, as its our family practice and tradition.But this year, there was a feeling of responsibility, to begin the tradition "ALONG WITH VALUES" to my daughter.  That has given a sense to search and learn the meaning and impart those values to the next generation.

 When I think of childhood I was fascinated with the colourful setups , gods idols, meeting with friends without knowing the real meaning behind it.

When the meaning and value goes inside, no matter where we are, without anybody insisting, we will always follow forever.  Bearing this in  mind, from now on , we will try to find the WHY behind every festival and answer the questions from our little super learners.

An effort to build with the things that we had.

inspired inspiration

You get what you wish for  with GODS grace...with your planned untiring efforts put..

Garden Produce - a lesson learnt!

These are the tomatoes grown at home in the pots and near the patio. Its a great joy to see them and for the first time we have paid attention to a tomato to c how it looks and the changes in them while ripening and sure, every bite we would relish the taste of it, afterall its the toil, its the effort that has been paid off.( my hub's). Though I was skeptical, it was his belief these are right here.

 

There is a little history behind this..

 

Couple of years back, to celebrate a lovely relationship, an idea was offered to grow the vegetables at home.  At that time it seemed so impossible, not because of any other conditions, but mindset.

 

When our minds are preset with something, we don't even take the new things or new ideas , isn't it?

we find all kinds of excuses that we can and try to reject in all ways.

 

Though the idea was rejected at that time, it was there inside for the seed has been sown in the form of an idea. Next year, we tried that, without anybody saying it. Tomato seeds were sown, we watered them, but nothing came up. After a few weeks, a small sapling grew , because of the squirrels it was dug out and everything was gone.

 

This year again we tried. But past experience  strongly had gotten in to the minds and I didn't believe it will grow this time. Under the impression of the same problems with squirrels, the unpredictable weather( this year), little I had the belief it may grow. Despites these, we tried and my hub every day went and looked after them and checked.  It took longer than usual told times. But all of a sudden it started to show up and started to grow slowly...( like..)

It was so happy for my hub. ( like only the gardener knows the real joy when he sees the growth ).

They slowly grew bigger, but sadly because of the weather they started to die off, yet they yielded pretty good. Here are a few pics of them.

 

Lesson learnt:

* Dont reject any new ideas. Atleast give it a thought and try genuinely.

 

* When you believe in them give it your best effort.

 

* Let every experience contribute for the better efforts than being a mere perception.

 

 

 

Now having seen them grow, next year , with god's grace, we will try at the right time and give right care and share with u all here , our garden produce..

 

 

 

( when we removed it from the pot)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

garden mint.

 

 

okra 

 

I dedicate these to the gardener who has sown the seed( idea) in me about potential possibility of growing garden vegetables at pots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the true teacher

After a notable hiatus, it feels good to post here on this day, teacher's day. It reminds me of my school and  college days, when there was  whole different image, experience and perception of a teacher. Holy divine  in his own way, has shown another entirely different and a real experience, of who a real true teacher is..

I dedicate these to him..

(not a single day it has left me without shedding tears after watching this)..

Today's dish- Cabbage fry ( simple method)

Cabbage fry is a simple recipe, yet delicious dish, at times we have enjoyed as a snack too apart frm side dish. I never paid any attention to chopping cabbage, until my mother inlaw pointed out. Its from her, I have learnt how to chop the cabbage. Initially it was so random and it was done to bits and pieces, later on with paying attention and with learning intentions ( yet to perfect the chopping), it got better, and it was appealing to look at as a dish.
Thanks to my " mother-in-law", for teaching me the method.

Ingredients : 

Cabbage - 250 gms ( chopped)
Peas - 50 gms
Curry leaves - a few( optional , adds nice flavour)
Ginger  - a small piece( optional)
Salt to taste
Grated coconut - 3 tbs.

Seasoning:

Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 3/4th tsp
Green chillies - 2 ( deseeded/ slit)
Red chilly - 1 ( optional)
Oil - 1 tsp.

Preparation:

Chop the vegetable.
slit the chillies and deseed them.
Grate the coconut and keep it ready.

Making:

1) In a pan, add the chopped cabbage, green peas, ginger piece( if u add) .
2) Add salt as needed. Note that Cabbage has got salts in it, it needs just a little than usual. I have always wondered how it requires just a little, yet it tastes perfect, my friend shared the detail that it has salts in itself.
Thanks to him, now I know why..
3)Close the lid. Cook in a medium flame.
4)In a few mins ( it took harldy 8-10 mins approximately) colour change can be noted, it becomes tender.
5)After its cooked it should not be fully cooked, so that it still has the crunchiness in it, add the grated coconut on the top, stir it and keep the flame on for a minute and then switch off.
6) Now for seasoning, add oil in a pan, add mustard seeds after it crackles, add urad dal and green chillies.
add curry leaves too.
7) Add the seasoning to the dish and stir it. Cabbage fry is ready. The crunchiness of the dish makes it interesting and tasty.
8) It can be a side dish for rice items, or can be enjoyed as a snack too.

 Pictures:

Mother-in-law taught me to cut it in to thin slices, instead of random cutting and making in to pieces.

 In the pan, are cabbage , peas and ginger piece with salt added.

 It just takes a few mins when the lid is closed, she says. cooking is done faster and a few minutes it has to be opened to remove the excess of water to prevent from becoming mushy.

Color is changed. Its tender too.

After adding the seasoning..

But there can be lots of variations with cabbage , my friend shared with me, and it was so interesting, lots of variations will come up soon.. Until then, enjoy the recipes and happy cooking..

Today's dish - Sweet Potato Halwa

Today , being thursday, I was thinking of some sweet dish to make as prasadam for Baba. When my eyes were searching for the ingredient, mind for recipes, eyes found this sweet potatoes lying in the bag, that was hoping to be chosen, and immediately an idea flashed to make sweet potato halwa, that my friend has shared with me earlier.

Usually at home, there was a common dish, whenever we bought sweet potatoes, same old sweet potato cubes boiled and mixed with jaggery syrup, or some fry. This time with his recipe available, we tried at home and it was a hit. Orange in appearance, friends wondered if it was carrot halwa but with different taste. 

For the full recipe for this sweet potato halwa, 

please visit  :Sweet potato halwa 

Its so simple , yummy , its different, a variation from the usual halwas,  and healthy too.

Today's dish

Today's dish is a section where the recipes that have been tried at kichen will be shared.
Today I have tried Dahi ka kabab. This recipe , my friend dedicated to me . Its such a simple and yummy dish, that surprised my neighbor friends.
Its a different flavour and taste and so refreshing from the usual veggie cutlets and kababs. I am glad to share the recipe here. THANKS TO YOU , MY FRIEND, for sharing such a lovely dish. Thanks to nishamadhulika.com  for the wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

Yogurt - 1 cup
Roasted channa dal powder - 2- 3 tbs
Besan flour - 1 tb ( optional) ( I have used it).
Corn flour - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp.
Chopped cilantro- 1 - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Hang the curd or yogurt in a thin cloth or a muslin cloth so that the water is fully drained off the curd. It takes around 4-5 hours.

Cooking Method:

i)  After water is fully drained off the curd, take the curd in the bowl and mix the ingredients ( roasted channa dal powder, besan flour, salt, pepper powder, chilli powder, ginger paste, cilantro and mix it with a spoon.

ii)  Take corn powder in a plate for dusting.

iii) Dust the fingers and the palm with corn flour so that rolling the yogurt mixture becomes easy.

iv) Take a spoonful of the mixture and make a ball, dusting it in corn flour and pat it flat.

v)  Make all the balls and make it flat. dusting it with enough corn flour.

vi) In a pan , put a few drops of oil or ghee or we can make it without oil or ghee. Here I have used  oil and fry it till it becomes brown and then flip it to the other side.

vii)Continue the process until all the kababs are done.

viii) Hot simple yet yummy kababs are ready. Serve hot with chutney of your choice or any ketchup.

 

 

Walk in Love

I have just reproduced the points. Its so simple to understand and very powerful when we reflect on them.When we truly understand and follow it , undoubtedly it would change the life for better. 

Here is a list of points of Joyce Meyer's video.

GOD IS LOVE. IMMITATE GOD AND WALK ON THE PATH OF LOVE.
Love has many different facets. It sparkles in many ways.
Its not just mere saying of the words . Its like are we going to be there when  somebody needs us.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE THERE WHEN ONE NEEDS AN UNDERSTANDING, MERCY, FORGIVENESS.
Are we going to  be there when one rises or will we be there when one falls down.
People sometimes,  forget easily even the most important persons in their lives.

The True Nature of Love :

1) Love endures long, the ability to put up for long time.

2) Love is patient and kind.

3) Love is never envious.

4) Love is not jealous, boastful, doesnt not think of the self ( I ).

5) Love doesnt have opinions and doesnt think it is right and others wrong.

6) Love doesnt display itself. It acts right.

7) Love is not rude, doesnt inflate with pride.

8) Love doesnt insist having its own way.Its not self seeking.

9) LOVE DOESNT KEEP RECORDS OF WRONG.

10)Love doesnt make any faces.

11) Love never gives up. It doesnt give up in rough years.

12) Love will adapt and adjust to other people.

13) Love prefers other people to go first and have the best.

14) LOVE IS A GUIDING STAR.

We make wrong choices and we take things or people for granted
Love is a behavior, its not an act but an attitude. Love is seen in how we treat people.
Its like putting on a behavior, like we put on a dress. Choose for a purpose.
Its the behavior that we choose. Even if it is so difficult we choose LOVE.And we choose because we are children of GOD and our God has said to do so. We do it for god. We live before God.Our reward doesnt come from people. They may not even notice it.But by following God's principles, we are obeying him , glorifying him. When we glorify God, he will glorify us. 

Good manners help in marriages.When we want to impress someone, we can control ourselves irrespective of the situation. We can be willling to change ourselves instead of trying to change our circumstances. We can control ourselves if we want to be strong. We can make a decision that we can be someone who people want to be with, not the person who people dread to be with. Everyday we can start our day with a clean slate without any recordings of wrong or
any ill feeling. Actually compatibility between couple is a rare thing that happens. But whats possible is we can MAKE OURSELVES COMPATIBLE. Accept them as they are , meditate on the good than the bad things.

Where there is anger, there is no space for LOVE.
An angry person cannot walk in love. All impatience is a little tiny spurt of anger.What is right for us may not be right for other person. The real reason that we get angry is "I". If we dont get things done in our way, we tend to get upset and anger follows.
Anger is rooted in pride and selfishness. We leave the root and we deal with the fruit. When we are upset , if we can take a few deep breaths and calm our mind and analyse the root cause, it wud show up the real cause. Environment and circumstances dont create tempers, it only brings tempers thats already within us. A wise man talks to himself and God , when hes angry, not to people.

One powerful thing if we can bear in our minds and remember,  will always guide us.
 " We should  forgive others as GOD FORGIVES US".
Before controlling the actions, we should try to control the thoughts. They have to be straightened up before the actions are.

EVERYDAY IN OUR LIFE IS A TEST AND TRUST. ONE HAS TO REFLECT "DID I PASS MY TEST OR FAIL".BUT ONE THING IS THAT , WE DONT FLUNK GODS SCHOOL. WE HAVE TO TAKE OVER AND OVER UNTIL WE PASS.
A wonderful story is said at the end of the video that makes an immense impact and reach our hearts , change the due course of our lives forever.
True Love

Gods discipline feels like beatings. But they are BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES.

    




 

Success

Blessings

Action

Every single step contributes and matters a lot in a journey of thousand miles

 

 

 

 

Choice

We always have a choice to make. What we are today is, because of the choice we MADE, what we will be /we can be is of the choice we MAKE NOW.