Crochet Elusive Rose Doily

Came across this interesting doily in a group for crocheters and with the help of one of the crocheters could download the pattern from http://www.freepatterns.com. Search for "Elusive Blue Rose Doily".


Happy Crocheting

Deepavali / Diwali - Festival of lights

Diwali / Deepavali  meaning 'Row of Lamps' is also known as Festival of lights - is celebrated during the tamizh month of  'aipasi' (14th day - naraka chathurdasi) and amavasya. 

People get up early in the morning (before sunrise) and take oil bath, wear new dress, lighting as many oil lamps as possible, perform puja. Then sweets & savouries are distributed. This is the only day when one can take oil bath at such an early morning hours.  The sweet and savoury making rituals start well before and completes just in time of the festival.

The history behind this festival is different in the north and south india though both symbolise the victory of good over the evil. In south India, it is considered as the day when the demon Narakasura was killed by Lord Krishna and during his death Lord Krishna granted his boon that the day be celebrated with valour. 

In northern India this festival is celebrated for four to five days starting with Dhanteras (the day people invite lakshmi by purcahsing gold and do puja after bringing home the Gold). The day falls on 18th day after Dusserah. Followed by Diwali, New year and Bhaituj (the day when sisters invite their brother home, pray for their wellbeing conducting pooja and offer them a feast). The navratri is considered to be the war period between Lord Rama and the demon Ravana. The 9th days resembles the victory of Lord Rama. The festival of deepavali is considered to be the day when victorious Rama returned Ayodhya. Hence Ram leela is celebrated widely on this day, in nortern india. An effigy of Ravana is made and a person dressed like Sri Rama will set the effigy of Ravan in fire by firing a burning arrow.

Ramlila - image got thru google search

Dhanteras is also known as Dhanvantri Triodasi.As name suggests it is observed during Trayodashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha (13th day). The day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Dhanvantari, the teacher and the father of Ayurveda. Lord Dhanvantari is the physician of Gods and considered one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

In the olden days festivals gives an earning opportunity to the locals in the form of various items used for pooja etc. For diwali earthern lamps and small earthern pots (for puja) are used. 

The market gets colourful on the arrival of the festival with vendors selling colour powders known as 'rangoli' powders (used to draw designs to decorate doorsteps), earthern pots, lamps and various other festive things.  Now-a-days we can see many wax lamps coming in different decorated diyas (lamps).

Image courtesy : google search

Rangoli :- a colourful design decoration drawn near door steps

But sadly the festival of lights is turning into festival of crackers and sweets. Focus is going off from traditional oil lamps to electrical lights.

 

fireworks

People hang kanthil (chandlier) of different colours with an electrical bulb inside to decorate their windows / balcony to mark the sign of the oncoming festival.  

All the celebrations comes to an end on the day of Bhaituj when sisters invite brothers to their home, do padh puja, offer them sumptuous feast and get their blessings. They pray for the well being of their brothers. This tradtional practice increase the bonding between the sister (s) and brother (s) and also an opportunity for a mini family get -together.

Every festival is celebrated to bring people together in the family as well as in the community. A nice traditiona passed on by our ancestors through generations. It is very important to understand the essence and celebrate the festival. So let us pass that knowledge to our next generation and may this year bring you more prosperity, peace, health and happiness to you and your family.

Ginger n Chilli Thattai

Thattai - an yummy southindian snack....Thought of giving it a hand as I never attempted this dish though my mother and aunts make them. As only sweet lovers are there here, i hardly make savouries except the festival days. So with the oncoming diwali, i thought why not give it a hand instead of the regular ribbon pakoda etc.

The thattais were given a ginger n green chilli flavour and they came out yummy as well as crispy though didn't get the perfect round shape. 

Thattai making becomes easy if you have things in hand and I was fortunate when I checked my stock that I had processed rice flour. In a Jiffy, i am into my kitchen, all eager to make the thattais.

This is what you will need :-

1. Processed Rice Flour - 1 cup
2. Besan (gram flour) - 1 tbsp
3. Soaked chana dal - 1 tbsp (if you are in a hurry, can use roasted groundnut instead)
4. White sesame seeds - 1 tsp
5. Ginger - 1" piece
6. Green chilli - 2 Nos.
7. Curry Leaves - 6 Nos.
8. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Ghee - 2 tsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Water to knead the dough
12. Oil for frying

Procedure :-

• If you are going to use chana dal, soak them for 2 hours. Drain and keep side.

• Grind Green Chillies, Ginger and Curry leaves into a coasrse form (without adding water)

• In a mixing bowl, add the Rice flour, Gram flour, Salt, Sesame seeds, ground paste, soaked chana dal / roasted groundnut, asafoetida powder, ghee. Mix well.

• Sprinkle water little by little and prepare a hard dough.

• Make small equal balls out of the dough

• You can flatten  it on a clean cloth or use a plastic sheet greased with little oil.

• Keep two tsp of water in a small plate and keep touching (just enough water) it to pat  and shape the thattais. But see to that the thattais are not dampened. Touch just enough water to pat the thattais. You can use oil as well for greasing your finger and shaping thattai. .

• Heat oil in a wok and put them one by one in a batch so that they don't curl but remain flat.

• Fry both sides till they turn crispy (This thattai will be pale golden in colour as we use rice flour) hence check the bubbles, if it fades, lift it in the spatula you will feel the crispy sound it makes.  

• Thattais are now perfect to drain. Remove them from oil and put on an absorbent paper.

• In a clean air tight container, put some paper on the base and arrange the thattais over it and store it..

• Yummy crispy flavourful thattai is ready!

Ivy Gourd Buttermilk / கோவை மோர்

Buttermilk is always an excellent body cooler and thirst quencher. Along with its good properties added the goodness of ivry gourd to make it a stomach cooler too.

Ivy Gourd (english), Tondli (Marathi), Kovai Kaai (Tamizh)

  

The plant as a whole is used for medicinal purposes in Indian Medicine. Ivy gourd is good in controlling sugar level, cures mouth ulcer, stomach ulcer when used in raw form. This humble vegetable which grows in abundance in the wild and on fences can also control heavy bleeding in woman during the monthly cycle. It also controls the intestinal worms.  

Let's get  into the Kovai Express! The preparation is very simple and easy. To make one serving you will need :-

1. Buttermilk - 1 Glass
2. Ivry Gourd - 4 Nos
3. Curry Leaves - 3 Nos
4. Black salt to taste 

• Wash and clean ivy gourd. chop into cubes.
• In a blender throw the cut cubes, curry leaves, black salt and little buttermilk and blend into a nice paste.
• Mix in remaining buttermilk and pour into a serving glass
• Black salt is good for medicinal purposes. You may use instead, normal table salt.
•  Yummy summer cooler - Ivy Gourd Buttermilk is ready to be relished!