Crochet Garland © - Malai - Mala

Hi Everyone,

Welcome you to the next episode of " © -Alluring Crochet"

After a pretty Long break, here i am back with my crochet post....

I was away from crochet and blogging for an year and finally i took my hook back from my treasure box and did a doily CAL, which i will post in the coming days... now i am happy that i could finally manage to make a post in 2016.

Made a crocheted Garland... a Malai / Mala. . Used my weekend free time and finished it in two days spending few hours everyday..... i was not out of touch!!! except the speed ;-)

© This is my own pattern. You can use this pattern and make things and sell it. But You cannot sell this pattern. 

Sharing the Pattern:-

total length : 37" approx

stitches - US

Material  :-

1. Acrylic Yarn 4 Ply - White , Pink, Green (double shade - light and dark mix)
2. Hook size - 2.75 mm

DC cluster :. 2ch, Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook, (yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook, ch 1.

With White Yarn,  Leaving a yarn trail of  8", Start with magic circle

R-1 : Start making cluster stiches. 2ch, Yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook, (yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 3 times, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook, ch 1.,  Yo, insert hook into magic cicrle, yo pull loop through,... continue making cluster stitch with 1ch space in between....slst to top of the first 2 chains. . Pull the long tail from the magic circle tightly. [6 dc clusters]

R-2 : slst into 1ch space of R-1, 2ch,  start making DC cluster...... from here on every row, you will be making the clusters in the 1ch space of the previous row.....

Repeat R-2 each row till R-10.......

Change color.....

repeat the rows till the desired length changing color in the following manner :-

10 rows in white
3 rows in green
4 rows in pink

To fhinish, slst all the five 1 ch spaces together, after the last row...... make 10 chain, slstp to make a loop to hang it, fastern off... now with the 8" trial at the start, make 10ch loop. fasten off.

I didn't fill anything in. But if you want, you can use polyfill and keep filling after completing a color....

You can make your own centre flower pattern. I made a Rose flower with some leaves following this pattern :-

http://www.fabartdiy.com/diy-3d-crochet-rose-in-3-ways/

Attach this to the center of your crochet garland.

Now your crochet garland is ready !!

If you need any clarification, do let me know.

Chakka Varatti Jackfruit Preserve Jackfruit Jam Phanas Halwa

Hope you are enjoying the sesaon of Mangoes and Jackfruit like me!  Jackfruit is one of the fruit in the fruity trio. 

The sesaonal items make me go to the weekly market...... the sight of various country grown veg and fruits are a feast to eyes!  While I was pushing myself through the crowd, an aroma floating in the air drew me torwards a cart selling Jackfruit :p They were fresh and a beautiful yellow in color. I couldn't resist buying so  1/2 kg ripe jackfruit pods made their way into my shopping bag, this friday.  I planned to make some traditional recipes using it.... There are traditional recipes using the raw jackfruit, ripe jackfruit and also its seeds.....

My FIL is an ardent fan of the chakka varatti (Jackfruit Preserve). Hence, I decided to make that for him this week. I realised I haven't shared the recipe here, so here it is .......

Our ancestors had a unique way of storing seasonal items to make them availale in some form to the taste buds through out the year. Sharing with you one such traditional preserve recipe using Jackfruit which is called "Chakka Varatti" / Chakka Varatiyadhu / Chakka Jam.........  Chakka Pazham means Jackfruit in  Malayalam, 'Pala Pazham' in Tamil Nadu and in  hindi it is known as 'Phanas'.

Ingredients :-

1. Jackfruit paste - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 1 cup
3. Clarified Butter (ghee) - 1/4 cup
4. Water - 1/4 cup

Method :

• Deseed the jackfruit pods, wash and drain them. 

• Pressure cook Jackfruit pods adding little water, for two whistles. Let them cool and then blend them well to make a thick paste. 

 

• Boil jaggery adding water and let it dissolve completely. Filter the impurties and transfer the jaggery syrup into a thick bottomed deep pan / Kadai / wok.

• Bring it to boil till it comes to one thread consistency.  Lower the flame.

• Now add the Jackfruit paste, mix till they blend well with each other, on slow flame.

• Now on medium flame cook till it thickens (stirring in between).

• Once the gravy becomes thick (dropping consitency), add the ghee little by little and keep stirring till the ghee is absorbed and the mixture becomes thick and start leaving the sides.

• Let it cool. Transfer to a clean container. This you can store outside or in fridge and use a clean spoon for every use. For long life, you can even freeze them.

• I have taken it a stage earlier as it was small in quantity, which will be finished quickly. For long storage, keep stirring it till becomes dry and thick.

• This preserve can be used like a jam spread, can be dissolved in milk for making a flavoured milk, can use in making Payasam (Pradhaman) along with coconut milk. or it can be used as a stuffing in the traditional Elai Adai (a steamed sweet).

Raw Mango Rice / Manga Sadam / Kachi Kairi Chaval

'Raw mango' - even a thought of mango makes one's mouth water...... Summer is the season for mangoes; raw and ripe. I already made instant pickle with the sour mangoes. Got this less sour variety called thothapuri / kilimooku mango.... which are more tasty for instant pickles and for making this variety rice dish called "Mango Rice" / Manga Chadham (sadam) / Kachi Kairi Chaval.


This is a quick and easy dish to make when you have some ready cooked rice!

You may need :-

1. Raw Mango - 1/2 No. (thothapuri variety/kilimooku manga)
2. Cooked rice -2 cups
3.  Green chillies - 2 Nos. (or as per your preference)
4. Curry Leaves - 8 Nos.
5. Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
7. Urad dal - 1 tsp
8. Asafoetida - a pinch
9. Salt to taste
10. Turmeric powder - a very little pinch

 
Procedure:-

• Grate the raw mango with skin on. 

 

• Finely chop the green chilli.

• Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add Urad Dal and fry till it turns into golden brown.

• Add asafoetida powder, and then the Curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies and  grated Raw Mango.

 

• Add little pinch of turmeric. [Only a little so that it doesn't turn the color of the dish but higlhlight the beauitful color of mango].

• Saute for two minutes till mango turns little soft.  Turn off the flame.

• Add salt and cooked rice, Mix gently.

• 

  
  

• Mouthwatering Mango Rice is ready! 

 

Enjoy it plain or with some fried papad / chips or some mango pickle ;-

Other Mango Recipes :-

1. Manga Kootan (Raw Mango Curry)
2. Quick Raw Mango Pickle
3. Mampazha Pulissery (A curry using Buttermilk and Ripe Mangoes)

Peanut Coconut Chutney Kadalai Chutney Moongphali Chutney

There are variety of chutney that is made and served for Idli and Dosa. Sharing with you today another version of chutney such Chutney using "Rosated" peanuts / Groundnuts / Moongphali / Shengdana / Verkadalai/Kappalandi.

Roasted groundnut is used to replace coconut in traditional recipes. In this recipe, I am  using combo of groundnut and coconut.  Roasted peanuts is very healthy for heart. If you are looking for low glycemic index food this chutney is very good (Just replace coconut completely and use roasted peanuts). If you don't like garlic, just exclude that form your ingredient list.

A QUICK AND EASY Yummilicious CHUTNEY recipe!!

 Ingredients :-

1. Roasted Groundnut - 1/2 cup
2. Grated coconut   - 1/4 cup
3. Green Chillies - 2 Nos. (or as per your preference)
4. Garlic Pod - 1 No. (optional)
5. Curry Leaves - 5 Nos.
6. Salt to taste
7. Water as requried

• For tempering :-

1. Oil for tempering - 3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds  - 1 tsp

Procedure  :-

• Put ingredients 1 to 6 in a blender and adding water grind to a smooth paste. 

• You can add the water as per your required consistency to make it thick or thin or medium.

• In a tempering pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. After they splutter add it to the chutney and mix well.

• Yummy Nutty Chutney is ready!