Musk Melon Milk Shake

MUSK MELON MILK SHAKE

Summer is on. Presenting you a smooth cooling milk shake using musk melon to beat the heat.

Muskmelon has got dietary fibres which also lowers cholestrol and also helps in weight loss. It has folic acid, vitamin A and lot more benefits.


Musk melon known as 'karboos' in marathi, Mulam pazham in tamizh, also known as kirni pazham.

Musk melon has a soothing flavour which will calm you and keep you cool on a summer day. The God created the seasonal fruits and vegetables to cater to support & keep us active during that season irrespective of the draw backs it brings in.

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1. Musk melon cubes   - 1 cup
2. Milk                       - 1 1/2 cup
3. Honey                    - 1 1/2 tbsp

In a blender, put all the above ingrdients and blend it well. Can have it as it is. Will taste best when refrigerated. The flavour of musk melon has a calming effect.

• Instead of shake have as a fruit bowl. Add honey to the cut cubes, mix well, refrigerate and serve cool.
• Substitute sugar with honey in healthy recipes. Even honey can be added to plain milk instead of sugar.

Ratio for making savouries (south indian)

I have given below, the Ratio of Flour for making different savouries. This i am posting from my old collection from different experts.

Pacharisi Murukku (Savoury made using raw rice)

Raw Rice flour - 9 cups
Roasted urad dhal powder - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp
Hing powder as per requirement
Butter (ratio is for 1kg rice = 200 g butter)
water to knead the dough

1. Soak raw rice for 1/2 hr. Drain completely. Spread on a clean cloth and let it dry under a fan for 45 minutes. stir it frequently during the period. Then powder it nicely. Pass it through a sieve. This will help you filter any coarse partcile to prevent spluttering while frying.
2. Roast urad dhal and finely powder it.
3. In a wide container, put the butter and salt, rub it well till a nice foam form.
4. Add Rice flour and Urad flour, hing and sesame seeds mix well.
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Adding water little by little (dough should not be too hard or too loose) knead a smooth dough. Divide them into equal portions.
7. To check the oil, put a tiny bit of prepared dough. If it immediately bubble & come on top it means the oil is ready for frying.
8. Put a portion of dough into the mould, press it over the hot oil in round shape. To check the crispiness & for storage tip, please refer Puzhunglarisi murukku recipe. Your yummy savoury is ready.

• This flour can be used for making kai murrukku too but instead of a press, it is shaped using fingers into small spiral coils and then frie. 
• Raw rice / pacharisi murukku consumes less oil compared to puzhungalirisi murukku.

Puzhungal Arisi murukku (savoury)

Puzhungal Arisi Murukku (This is a savoury)

Parboiled rice (idli rice) - 2 cups
Putana / chutney dhal    - 2 tbsp
Urad Dhal flour            - 1 tbsp
Hing powder & Salt as per requirement
Jeera                           - 2 tsp
Oil for frying (coconut oil gives best flavour ; you can also use refined sunflower oil)
Press with 3 holes mould plate

1. Soak rice for 2 hrs, drain and grind to a very nice paste adding little water*
2. Finely Powder Putana dhal
3. Roast urad dhal very lightly and make a fine powder
4. To the rice paste, Add putana flour, urad flour, Hing, Salt, Jeera and mix well. Heat a 1 tbsp oil and add this to the flour mixture.
5. In the meantime, pour oil in a thick bottomed pan / kadai and heat it.
6. Spread some absorbent paper / old news paper on a big plate (this is put the murukku after frying so that excess oil will be absorbed)
7. Now knead it to a smooth dough, divide them into equal portions.
8. take a portion of dough, put it inside the press.
9. To check whether the oil is ready for frying, put a small bit of the prepared dough. If it immediately bubbles & float, then the oil is ready for frying.
10. Press the flour directly over the heat oil.
11. fry till it is crisp and in light golden colour (to check the crispiness, the bubbles should decrease, lift the murukku in the laddle and toss it lightly. when you hear a heavy clear crispy sound, then the murukku is done). Place them on the spread paper.
12. Storing : put a clean paper inside (at the bottom of) an airtight container and store this savoury in it. Will stay crispy for long time.

*If the paste becomes little watery, tie it in a clean cloth and keep it aside for sometime. The cloth will absorb excess water.

• Adding hot oil to the dough will make it absorb less oil while frying and also gives crispiness. 
 

Murukku press with moulds

Ribbon pakkoda / flat long shaped

Manoharam (spikes)

Thenkuzhal / pipe shaped

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I made it the traditional way, moulded spirally using hands.

 

Design-3 - for maa kolam

Crocheted Oven Mitten

 I wanted an oven mitten and was looking for it in stores. Fortunately, I came across this nice pattern in the net and crocheted it. Thanks to the pattern provider.

Design-6

Larry the Baby Snail

I am introducing you to another member of my Ami family, 'Larry' the baby snail. She is so cute and will surely win your heart.

Larry

Ellie & Larry - friends forever

design-9

என் அழகு நீல வானம்

அந்தம் இல்லாதது ஆதியும் தெரியாதது
விரிந்த நீல வானம் முதுமை இல்லாதது
என்று பார்த்தாலும் அன்று பிறந்ததுபோல்
பல அழகை தன்னுள் அடக்கி
பார்பவர்க்கு  அள்ளித் தூவும்
விந்தைக்கு குறைவில்லாதது!

Design-1

Baby Bumble Bee

Baby Bumble Bee

Hi, I am Baby Bumble Bee

Bumble in his favourite place

Did you see Bumble? (Ellie & Bumble having a great time playing 'hide & seek')

Hurrya! Bumble I caught you

Ellie & Bumble having caught on a evening Chat

Bumble on a safari

Bunch of Grapes

These grapes are definitely not sour. ;-)

ச்சே ச்சே! இந்த பழம் கண்டிப்பா புளிக்காது.

Wall Hanging

This wall hanging is made using Black chart, cardboard for base and frame, glitter glue, pista shells, OHP sheet and aluminium foil. Easy to make even for kids.

Vishu - the new year for Keralities.

Vishu Ashamsagal.

Today is 'Vishu' the new year day celebrated in the state of Kerala.On the new year day, 'Kani' is displayed. In the Kani, you can find Lord Krishna's idol/photo, a mirror, country vegetables like cucumber, raw mango, snake gourd, etc. and fruits like jack fruit (i didn;t get good one so its missing in the photo below), banana, ripened mango, etc., a bowl of water, rice, lentil, coconut, coins & rupee notes, chandan & kumkum, Traditional Oil Lamp.  Morning the elders arrange the kani, wake up the children and close their eyes with their palm, guide them to the pooja room, make them seated in front of kani , wipe their eyes with water and tell them to open the eyes. The first sight of the day is viewing the kani which is believed to be the good way to start a prosperous new year so that rest of the year will go on well. Children are asked to narrate what all they saw in the kani.

The entrance of the house is decorated with rangoli using colour powder or petals of different coloured flowers.

Now starts even more interesting part of the celebration. After taking bath, wearing new clothes the entire household will go & seek the blessings of the elders in the family & visit relatives. The elders give some money called 'kai neetam'. Children used to get kai neetam of different denominations, save them in their piggy bank, with each one boasting their collection as higher than the others.

Then the feast starts with lots of dishes spread on the banana  leaf viz.,  the sweet kheer / paayasam (chakka pradhaman), chakara upperi (sweetened banana chips), varathupperi (salted banana chips), pappadam (fried 'gram papad'), Pazha puliseri (buttermil based and flavoured with fruits viz., banana, ripened mango), Olan (a watery gravy using coconut milk and ash gourd sliced thinnly), Kalan (sour curd with masalas reduced & is very thick), Avial (a coconut based gravy using mixed vegetables viz, ashgourd, carrot, elephant yam, beans etc.), Puli inji, Thoran (dry vegetable dish) and few more dishes as per the preference of their family. This sumptous feast is called 'Sadhya'. The entire household sits together, and enjoy this wonderful feast spread on banana leaves. 

Today though there is lack of time due to fast moving life, still some manage to get time to visit their native place to celebrate the festival in grand manner.

May this new year brings you lots of prosperity, health and happiness. Wish you all a great day.

Vishu Kani

The traditional oil lamp

What's the name of this flower?

Do you know the name of this violet flower?

Tamizh New Year 2011 (April 14th)

Today is our new year day. I drew this Butterfly Rangoli.

Cactus Plant

Ellie! Ellie! - Did you see Ellie?

Ah! there you are. (Ellie's favourite hiding place.)

Design-2

Yesterday was Ramnavmi and I drew this kolam.

Paanagam & Nei Paayasam

Ram Navami, is celebrated through out the nation today.  I made these two neivedhyams and sharing the prasad with you all.

Paanagam

Paanagam

Ingredients :-


Water     - 1 tumbler
Jaggery   - 1 1/2 tbsp
Dry Ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 pinch
Cardamom powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp


Procedure :-

• Dissolve Jaggery in water and filter it. 
• To this filtered jaggery water, add rest of the ingredients. 
• Mix well and keep it aside for half-an-hour. Panagam is ready. 
• This drink is very refreshing and good for digestion.

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Nei Paayasam


a special payasam made on special festive occassions

Nei payasam

Ingredients :-

1. Rice - 1 Cup
2. Jaggery - 1 Cup
3. Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Ghee - 4-5 Tbsp
5. Dry Ginger Powder - 2 pinches (Optional)

Procedure :-

• Cook the rice till it is really soft & mash it slightly. 
• Dissolve jaggery by adding little water, filter and pour it on a thick bottomed pan. 
• When it starts boiling, add the cooked rice, keep stirring till its slightly thicker in consistency. 
• Add the Cardamom Powder, Ghee and stir for two to three minutes. 
• Nei Payasam is ready. 

Baby Sweater with Cap

This is a free pattern from the net. Individual squares made and joined.

This is my own design

My design

Padi kolams / Maakolam/Naalu moolai Kolam designs - friday special

Lotus Padikolam.

Design-1

பழையது

அவர்களுக்கு பழையது பிடிக்கும்.....

பழைய சாதத்தின் நீராகாரம் -

உடலுக்கு நல்லதாம்

பழைய வெங்காய சாம்பார் -

நாக்குக்கு ருசியாம்

பழைய இட்லியின் உப்புமா - 

காலை சிற்றுண்டி எளிதாக

 பழைய பாடல்கள் -

அமைதியாய் உறக்கம் தழுவ

பழைய கதைகள் -

குழந்தைகள் கேட்க

பழைய நினைவுகள் -

மனதை வருடி சுகம் தர

பழைய நகைகள் -

மற்றவரின் கண்ணை கவர

பழைய மர பர்னிச்சர்கள் -

வீட்டை அழகுபடுத்த

அழகும் குன்றி நலமும் குன்றியது

கால்கள் தளர்ந்தது

கை கொடுத்த கைக்கு இன்று

நடுக்கம் வந்தது

கண்ணின் ஒளி மங்கியது

ஓய்வூதியமும் இல்லை உற்றதுணையும் பிரிந்திட  

 நானும் பழயதானேன்  - என்னைப் போற்ற ஆளில்லை  

இதோ என்னைபோன்றோர் குவிக்கப்பட்ட

அந்தக்குவியலுக்குள்  நானும்

இறங்கும் இடம்  எதிர்பார்த்து காத்திருக்கேன்  

விடைகொடுத்து அனுப்பிவைக்க

புதிய சொந்தங்களின்  சுற்றத்தோடு

எழுதிய மையின்  ஈரம் விழிகளின் ஓரம்.........

 எழுதுகோல் கை நழுவ, பெருமூச்சில் தலைசாய்ந்து

எழுதிய இறுதிக்  கவிதையை முத்தமிட்டபடி 

இறங்கும் இடத்திலிருந்து தொடர்கிறது அவரின் புதுப்பயணம் -

யாரும் கண்டிராத சொர்கத்தை நோக்கி

துணை இல்லாப்  புதுப்பயணம் - ஒரு புனிதப் பயணம்