Ivy Gourd/Tondli/Kovakkai Soup

Ivy Gourd, aka Tendli (Marathi), Tindora (hindi),  Kovaikkai (tamizh), is rich in betacarotene. sharing with you the link (http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2005/05/01/4276/ivy-gourd/)  which tells about health benefits and its use in traditional medicine that I came across while surfing net. 

I have seen the leaves used in blackening the blackboard in schools along with charcoal in olden days. It is a creeper which grows fast and yields a bulk quantity of the vegetable.

It is cooked in different methods to make different dishes and also makes a healthy soup when parboiled retaining its essential nutrients.

How to choose and pick ivy gourd? :- Ivy gourd if over ripen will turn red inside and the seeds will be hard & difficult to chew. This will spoil the recipe.  Hence always pick the tender & slender ones which are nice green in colour avoiding the bigger & pale ones.

Ingridients :-

1. Ivy Gourd - 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Water

 Procedure :-

• Wash and cut the ivy gourd into two. 
• Add water and par boil it
• Strain, cool and grind to nice paste.
• Reheat it adding salt
• Using pepper is optional. I prefer it without pepper.
• A simple but healthy gourd soup is ready!

Acqua Wall Decoration

Summer is at its peak. So decided to add some aqua life to the plain wall for a change. Got the idea of using inexpensive items for wall decor from my pal Suriya . Saw her works and found it beautiful & cheap too. So tried some aquatic living things in cartoon form.

Persenting it to you for your eyes. Sharing the work with you at its present stage.

Drew the figures in a chat, coloured them, cut and highlighted the border with dark colours.

Pasted them using fevistick (which can be peeled smoothly from the walls).

Carrot Soup

Carrot is a common & popular vegetable which is available in all seasons. Those who are trying to lose weight can start their meal with a bowl of healthy soup made using par boiled vegetables (to retain the nutrients)

• Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, K, C and potassium. 
• It can be eaten raw as well as in cooked form. 
• The beta carotene (an antioxidant) helps prevent cell damage thus slowing down the aging process.
• When chewed raw, it helps the mouth to produce more salaiva and in the process cleans the teeth
• Helps detoxification
• Studies say the soluble fiber in it helps in lowering blood cholestrol levels

Invite you to have a cup of hot carrot soup

Ingrideints :-

1. Carrot - 2 Nos.
2. Tomato - 1 No. (Small) (optional)
3. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp or as preferred
4. Sugar - 2 tsp
5. Salt to taste

Procedure :

• Wash, clean and Dice the carrots and tomato (tomato gives you light tangy taste which will make your soup more interesting)
• Boil water and put the veggies into it
• Parboil it, allow to cool
• Grind to a smooth paste in a mixer by adding the water in which it is boiled.
• Transfer to a vessel, add pepper powder, salt, sugar, mix well
• Bring to boil
• Hot cup of delicious healthy carrot soup is ready

Variation :

To bring in a slight flavour, you can add chopped coriander leaves before the final boiling process.

Baby mobile - acquatic

Crocheting for babies are always fascinating. They bring life into a room like how a child does for its home.  Though just a toy sort, their smile or the bright cuddly eyes brings smile in our face too when we use a flower pattern or a pattern of a living thing. So does these cute fishes..............presenting you a simple mobile using fishes. Isn't that lovely? I simply love seeing them dance in the air.