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Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu!
WELCOME :-)
warm WELCOME to my Hobby Lounge.
Just Recline, Relax and Enjoy a "Good Time" @ My Hobby Lounge
Getting up early in the morning and going out on a trip gets interesting when the first rays of the sun hit the horizon... This time, I could even catch the glimpse of "False Dawn" however I was so mesmerised that I missed to capture those moments. In case if you happen to travel, keep this in mind and watch for False Dawn. I will try if I happened to, again.
God given Multidimensional Camera - our eyes, can grasp the beauty with HD effect. What is seen here is much less compared to it.
When the First Rays of Sun hit the sky..... It looked like a topsy turvy ploughed land to me... then hues of colors the rays of the sun bought is beyond the capacity of this camera...
While crossing the road in the morning, saw a pigeon which came under the wheels of a vehicle n breathed it's last. As usual I said Om Shanthi and moved ahead in thoughts.....
The provision shop keepers throw grains on the platform n few grains do end up in the road. The pigeons ignore the humans, vehicles n the predators passing by. They are fully engrossed in eating to their tummy full. They don't move n least bothered about what will happen to them. They just live the present.
Morning being less traffic hours, the vehicles speed through the empty roads... The person driving the vehicle may ignore the pigoens feeding on the road or he might have got fed up of this daily sight and show the anger by running over them or it must be too late to apply a break for him or just an anticipation that they will fly as the vehicle approach them. Whatever it is, the loss is to the pigeons.
The pigeons are so greedy that their greed prevent their mind from alerting them to fly away.
The crow which was feeding on the dead pigeon was clever as it was flying away as and when a vehicle approached and it also was careful about the humans passing by and it's Predators as well.
The greed clouds up the mind ; thus a person becomes blind to look at good things and thus leading to self destruction.
Living the present is good. But one shouldn't so engrossed in the present to fail to see what's coming in future.
The pigeon couldn't take even the single grain that it had gobbled. It left them along with it's body.
Greed only leads to destruction.
There are people who has the character of a pigeon as well as the crow.
Life moves on in this planet irrespective of these facts....few learns n few ignores ... we can make a difference by being a good learner n practice it ; thanking god for this wonderful lesson!
May this Sunday be a peaceful and happy one to you all.
It was a foggy and a very good morning. Yes, winter has arrived!
At 5.00 am, the scene outside made me feel that I was ported to heaven during sleep.... With that fog surrounding densely with very poor visibility.
Because of peak hour busy schedule I could only peep at the beauty. (Sorry, no pics of that beautiful sight).
The fog completely blocked the visibility. You will see the difference in the other pictures, that I have shared below...
I was enjoying my coffee, standing by the window, looking at the beauty outside..... Then this thought came in that there is always danger behind the beauty!
Those who drive that early foggy morning may be facing the same visibility issue....so prayed for positivity... That drive should be safe for everyone... ( I am not that much an angel... My hubby drives carefully but not everyone else on the road 😉)
Pictures taken subsequently at various times while sun was still rising....
I felt as if I was ported to heaven for sometime because of dense fog and poor visibility that even my neighbouring buildings became invisible.
In the picture below, it looked to me as if the skyscraper rose up from earth all of a sudden piercing the clouds beneath (As I was already on cloud 9 with the arrival of the winter ;-P) and made me remember the Jack's Magic Beans story.
Even the otherwise fighting Pigeons finds Unity at that hour as their morning feeding area was nearby!
The different sounds of the bird n this fog scene made me feel that I was on the floating clouds.... The honking of the vehicles from the nearby road, brought me back to the reality! 😁
I was trying to take another sip of the hot Filter Coffee,then realised that the cup is empty! 😁
[# coffee gyan???] 😉]
When too many things accumulated from past and present with a worried future, our mind tends to have this foggy condition. We may not be able to see the solution or the task / goal that we need to do... We just get carried away by illusion thus making our mind numb.
If we organise our mind by editing unwanted stuffs, we can get clear thoughts.
As sun rise, it's ray clears away the fog. Same way an experienced elder's advice and wisdom or a Guru's bhodana clears the obstacles in the path of life and lead us in the righteous path.
Music has no language barrier.... The lyrics are in Tamizh but you will definitely enjoy the song and the soft music in the video below :-
Today I am posting an "Idea" to all those who stay in high rise and doesn't have a Balcony and Terrace Access to sun dry certain items.
If you get sunshine near your window, then you can try this.nnYou can make vathal and vadams (papads) in small quantity near your window. But you may have to watch over them now and then to ensure safety of the passers by below.
If you have strong clothesline near the window, you can try this.
Here is how I do... I spread an old bed spread and clip them well to secure and place the plates. I sometimes use a light cardboard piece and place them over the bedspread and then place my papads over it.
Yesterday I was remembering my good old days... then I was going through my old diary and I came across this recipe which was shared by my friend during my college days. She used to bring this along with a yummy onion based chutney in her snack box and I always savoured it a lot! I had made it few times and it stole the limelight when guests visited us as it made a wonderful starter dish or tea time snack or for snack box.
I realised that I am yet to share it with you all. Hence today I am sharing the recipe for this crispy snack with you.
It is easy to make and delicious too. You can serve it with Tomato ketchup or sauce or the tamarind -dates (tangy sweet) chutney or with green spicy chutney.
Green Chillies - 2 nos finely chopped (or as preferred) - Optional
Water - For 1 cup rava add 1.5 cups of water
Oil for frying
First measure and take the ingredients given for Rava and dry grind it together in a mixer to fine Rava (semolina) consistency. This will add to the cirspness of the snack.
Measure the Rava in a cup.
We will use 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup Rava
In a pan pour the measured water and bring it to boil.
Add salt to taste, green chillies and curry leaves.
Add the rava and mix it well till it becomes thick dough.
Turn off the gas and let the mix cool down.
Make small pedas out of it and keep it ready.
Heat oil and reduce the flame to medium heat and fry the rava pedas in batches slowly till they turn golden in color and crispy (you can feel it thru the sound it makes while you try to take them in the perforated laddle).
Yummy Crispy Patty is ready!
Store in an air tight container and they stay crispy for long time. That is why this dish make a nice snack or starter as you need not wait and fry them especially when you have guests visiting.
Two show you the crispiness, I have made a small video... at the end of the video you will hear them crushing with the same crispiness under my teeth ;-D :-D
Suggestion :- You can make a bigger patty. Just add Boiled carrots and green peas and green chillies. and use this as a crispy burger patty in burgers.
Today I am Sharing with you a traditional recipe for Thayir Molagai / Mor Molagai / Kondatam Molagu / Dry Chilli.
The Chilli that is soaked in buttermilk and sundried adds a nice flavour and make it yummylicious and the best of the best accompaniment to the humble curd rice.
The store bought ones are just soaked in salt and dried. Hence they miss the flavour and taste of this home made version.
This recipe requires direct sunlight, Patience and Care. Patience is required as we need to slit or pierce each chilli and then the process of 14 days to complete making this. Direct sunlight is must to dry the chillies everyday till it is ready to fry. Care is to mix them well for first four days after soaking and to dry them in sun and again at the end of the day, put them back into the remaining buttermilk. The outcome rewards you with excellent taste and worth all the appreciations you will receive.
I used the spicy variety of dark green chilli to make this. There is no need for any exact measurement except the consistency of the buttermilk.
I used the following for making one batch. It takes upto 14 days to make one batch of this yummy chilli preparation.
Green Chillies - 1/4 kg
Lightly sour buttermilk - upto 1 litre
Salt to taste
I tried making a self shot video to explain the 1st stage preparation process. Hope it helps.
Wash the Green Chillies and pat them dry.
Pierce each chilly and or lightly slit them. This process is very essential to avoid exploding of the chillies when they are fried in oil in later stage during use and also to help it soak in the buttermilk and absorb the salt.
Put them in a vessel. I use a Kal Chatti (stone vessel).
Put salt and pour the buttermilk till the chillies are soaked well.
Soaking period - minimum 4 days (every day, remember to mix them atleast twice in a day)
If you notice, the green color is fading as it gets soaked in buttermilk each day.
On the 5th day, take them out of the buttermilk and spread on a sheet or a plate and sun dry them. Reserve the buttermilk. We will use it again and again for soaking till all the buttermilk is absorbed and becomes dry.
After sun drying them, at the end of the day, put them back in the remaining buttermilk.
Repeat this process of sundrying during day time and putting them back in the remaining buttermilk to soak overnight , till all the buttermilk is absorbed.
Finally sun dry them for 2-3 days more till they are nice and crispy and store them in an air tight container.
Whenever you need them, shallow fry or deep fry them in Oil and serve with Curd Rice.
This chilli after fried, can also be crushed in curd / buttermilk and had as a side dish for Dosai.
Frying :- For frying, once is oil is hot (in medium flame), put the chillies and lower the heat immediately. once they are crisp and bubbles slows down. Drain them.
Storage of chillies :- Store in an air tight container. For the fried ones, put a tissue paper at the bottom of the storage container and then store them.
Suggestion : In the similar manner you can make other Vathals (soaked in curd and sun dried using Sundaikai [Thai brinjal / Turkey berry] and Manithakkali [Makoi / garden night shade]
Sukha Bhel is one of the snack that you enjoy as a street food in the city of Mumbai. Sukha means dry... unlike the bhel puri where the tamarind and green chutneys are added to it, this has a humble green chilly chutney mixed with herbs to make the bhel more interesting.
In the Gas Station here, there is always a big queue for filling and waiting is definitely not an interesting thing until the arrival of Bhel Wala. Few hesitate and few like me just get out and explore the taste of the street food. This tasty bhel help time pass till our turn arrives. I tasted it again and again and I tried to find the different flavours that comes in the bhel and experimented in my kitchen lab and finally presenting the nearest one to the authentic bhel recipe.
What you need for the Bhel :-
Bhel (Murmura / Pori / Puffed Rice)
Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Onion - finely chopped
Tomato (optional) - finely chopped
Fine sev
Roasted channa dal
Lemon
Green Chutney for sukha bhel
For the sukha bhel Green chutney :-
Finely chopped Onion - 1 tbsp
Garlic pod - 1 no. (big)
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6 nos
Green Chillies - 10 nos. (or as per your preference)
Chat masala - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1/4 tsp
Salt - use only a little as the puffed rice, roasted gram and the sev has some salt
Roasted gram (chutney dal / pottu kadalai) - 2tbsp
Grind together the ingredients mentioned except lemon juice... add little bit of lemon juice and give a final grinding.
For making the Bhel :-
Keep the ingredients ready and Mix them just before serving.
In a mixing bowl, add the ingredients given for the Bhel and mix well.
You can serve in a bowl or roll a cone out of paper or the pamphlets and make it more intereting.
Garnish by squeezing few drops of lemon juice and sprinkle little coriander leaves and the roasted gram and little sev on top.
Tasty and flavourful Sukha Bhel /Dry Bhel is ready!!!
Vathal Kuzhambu or Vathakuzhambu is a simple dish that has mixed taste to satisfy the taste buds. Tangy, Spicy, lightly sweet and salty accompaniment that goes well with Rice, Dosai or Chapati.
Vathal Kuzhambu could be prepared using any Vathal (dried berries / veggies) or with onion / shallots.
What is Vathal? A vathal is made by soaking the berry or veggies like cluster beans in buttermilk and sun dry them. First they are soaked in salted buttermilk for two days, then they are sun dried the 3rd day, at the end of the day, again put inside the same buttermilk and next day same process is repeated... like this soaked till all the buttermilk is completley abosrbed and then finally fully sundried for two more days. It is a lengthy process for a week but the end result is awesomely droolicious. The one we get in store is just salted sans buttermilk. Hence, they may not taste as good as the home made ones.
Now getting into the vathalkuzhambu making.... The one i show here is using shallots and Manathakkali Vathal (black night shade / Makoi [hindi]). You can see them in the above photo.
Ingredients :-
Tamarind - one chikoo (suppota / sapodilla fruit) size
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp (only sesame oil. no other oil will give a flavour to this dish)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing (Asafoetida) powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Vathal (dried berry / veggie) - 1 tbsp
Shallots - 6 nos (Finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 heaped tsp or as per taste
Jaggery - 1 big lemon size
Sambar powder - 1 heaped tsp
Procedure :-
Extract Tamarind water.
Heat oil in a wok and add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add the vathal (dried berry), shallots and fry well.
Add curry leaves, hing (Asafoetida powder) and fry for few seconds.
Add tamarind water, turmeric powder, sambar powder, red chilli powder, jaggery and bring to boil. Then lower the flame. Occasionally stir it. Let it boil till it thickens and the oil floats on top.
Delicious and humble vathakuzhambu is ready!
This can be stored in fridge for more than a week. A handy dish that can be served with Cooked Rice / Dosai or Chapati.
Hope you had a good start today. As promised, here I am with the pattern for the post i made couple of days back. I am very glad to share a developed pattern by me with you. A mini Crochet Swirl Flower Mat.
This is was developed following a design on the web. I have shared the video for you to understand the stitches to make the swirl pattern in the centre of the mini mat.
Giving the pattern below.
Happy Crocheting!
CROCHET MINI SWIRL FLOWER MAT
Yarn used : Anchor Mercerised Knitting Cotton [Pink, Green and Cream colors]
Hook size : 3.25 mm
Finished size : 5.5" in diameter
Stitches used : American dc, tr, dtr and reverse sc
Abbreiviations used : tr (Treble), dc (Double crochet), rev sc (Reverse Single Crochet), st (stitch), yo (Yarn over)
tr : yo 2 times on hook (3 loops on hook), insert hook and yo, pull through first loop on hook, yo and pull thru the second loop and then again yo and pull through the 3rd loop.
picot : 3ch and slst into the starting chain.
reverse sc : (normally we crochet towards left but here we will be crocheting towards right) - insert hook into a stitch on the right side, yo, pull loop through, yo, pull loop through both the loops.. continue crocheting towards your right.
sc in back loop only :- please google for the same in case if you don't know how to crochet in back loop.
I am sharing the one I followed for the finished product.
Start : WithPink Yarn, 5 ch, slst to form a circle.
R-1 : 4 ch (considered as 1 tr), 20 tr inside the circle [21 tr]
R-2 : Sc around..... [21 SC]
R-3 : *4ch, tr in same st, 3ch (considered as first tr), 7 tr in the 2nd tr stitch...sc in next st [i.e. in the tr of previous row]** , repeat * to ** till the end of the row [This forms the swirl pattern in the centre].
R- 4: 2 ch, sc on top of the first tr of the previous row, continue this till end..... Fasten off.
R-5 : With Green color, we will make the leaf.. for which turn the pattern to wrong side and you will see a round chain formation on the back of the swirl flower. Now turn the piece to the right side and Join the yarn in any one of that starting point of that chain you see on the back of the flower. Leaf Pattern, into each 2ch space... we will be taking two 2ch spaces to make one leaf... that is, on the first 2ch space, we make first half of the leaf and continue into the next 2ch space to make the 2nd part of the leaf] ---------------- *[sc, hdc, dc, dc, tr, tr, dtr, 3ch picot] in the first 2ch space, then into the next 2 ch space continue the second part of the leaf with [dtr, tr, tr, dc, dc, hdc, sc]** Continue from * to ** till the end. [10 leaves]. Fasten off.
R-6 : WithCream color, join the yarn on any one of the picot, *3 ch, tr, 2ch, tr, 3ch, sc into the picot on the next leaf** .... continue from * to ** till the end. [10 tr]
R-7: slst into each chain of the previous round... around... join
R-8 : sc in back loop only , all around till end of the round.
R-9 : rev sc into each st of the previous round... till end. Fasten off.
Your Crochet Mini Swirl Flower Mat is ready!!!
In the above pattern, in case if you don't understand anything in particular, do let me know in your comments.
Thanks for your time :-)
Happy Crocheting!!
Disclaimer :- The above video was a free video available in youtube and owned by Tejidos Milagros Ena, the rest of the pattern is made by me. No one can sell the pattern. you may follow the pattern, crochet the product and sell the finished product only.
I went for an evening walk today, after a long time. Thankfully the world outside has not changed much ha.ha.ha....
I had a feast for my eyes!! Not just that the trees were looking green and fresh after the recent showers but also because our area was geared up with festive look.
Illumination lights of different designs are hung ready across the road on both sides to get lighten up from diwali eve and they stay for few more days till the celebrations come to an end.
Every year I eagerly look forward to the evening times just to see the various colors of lampshades (kandhil) and illumination lights that decorates the window of every home. I stand by my window and look at the warmth they throw at me from distance. Some vanish and reappears ; Some dance to the tune of breeze and some stay still, entertains and gives me company as a silent friend.
I was engrossed in my thoughts as I approached the pavement on the other side, the sudden call of the shop keeper to the passers by inviting them to his shop, distracted me from my thoughts.
The vendors display the festoons, different variety of diyas, the colorful and vibrant lamp shades called "Khandil" and a variety of lights for illumination outside their commercial premises to get the attention of the onlookers and passers by.
Sharing with you some charming things that captured my eyes.... The pictures may not be very clear (I miss my goold old digital pal) but i tried my level best to share it with you....
What a variety of Diyas!!!
Earthern Lamps have their own charm!
With these distractions I felt that my pace has slowed down but the soul & spirit is lifted high! With the festive feast for eyes filling my heart I walked back towards home increasing my pace..... hearing a slight thundering and occasional lightening... It is going to rain! (you can guess what my next post is going to be!) ;-)
Signing off for today!
Wishing you a very Happy Diwali. 🎉🎊🎆🔅🔯🔅
May this festival of lights brings you prosperity , happiness n good health.
Glad to meet you all so soon. Since my resting days are over, now I am trying to get myself engaged completely like before and that made me make and share this wonderful soup of today the 'Ash gourd Soup'
This vegetable is low in calorie and fats. More of watery type. Hence when cooked adding salt, they tend to leave water. They have Carbs, Protein, Fiber, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorous, Thiamin, Vitamin C etc. The vegetable also help in weightloss.
They are used in cooking as a vegetable and also used in making a sweet called Petha (Agra Petha).
The soup can be spiced up using green chilli or Black Pepper corn as per your preference.
To make the soup, you need:- [Serves : 2 ]
Ash Gourd - 1/4 kg
Green Chilli - 1 No. (or few black peppercorn as per your preference)
Curry Leaves - 3 Nos.
Sugar - less than 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Water
For Garnishing :-
Coconut oil - less than 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1 tbsp
In a pressure cooker put the diced the Ash gourd along with other ingredients and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Once the pressure settles down, let it cool and then blend in a mixer
Heat it
Mix in the garnishing ingredients and then serve hot.
A simple and Humble soup to satisfy the soul!
Important to note :-
Those who have lactose intolerance, can avoid milk and can supplement it with coconut milk (which is also good for stomach).
Coconut oil adds a nice flavour to the soup. (do not add any other cooking oil. If you don't like flavour of coconut oil, just omit it from the ingredients list while you make).
If you are adding black peppercorn, add it while serving.
Diabetics can avoid adding sugar and Milk and enjoy the soup with rest of the ingredients.
It has been a pretty LONG time since I blogged....
Was facing some health issues due to which i was away from my hobbies, including blogging and I am trying to get myself back into action. So you can expect some frequent posts here may be not with such a long break ;-)
A Good Start with a small project to welcome the festival of Lights!
For the upcoming festival of Diwali, i joined a CAL (Crochet Along) and crocheted this Diya / Vilaku. It is not my own pattern. Followed a pattern by a fellow Crocheter.
Made the Jyoti (Flame) using cotton and acrylic color and attached to the diya.
