Sunset is here :)

A beautiful sunset on my way back home.

I scorch you all day,

Leave you sweating your way

Here I leave to keep you cool,

And will be done by the moon.

Curry Leaves (Karuveppillai) Kozhambu

I have always wanted to add curry leaves in my diet but sometimes it gets dried so easily and gets wasted. So I am going to use this recipe to use the large amount of curry leaves whenever I buy them. I came across this recipe from a supplemental book of a Tamil magazine. Here is the recipe....

Ingredients:
Curry Leaves - A bunch
Black Pepper- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Red chilli - 2-3 (as per spice level)
Asefoetida - a pinch
Tamrind Paste - 1/2 tsp
Oil- 1tsp

Method:
- Fry pepper, cumin seeds, red chilli, asefoetida in oil till a pepper splutters.
- Remove it and grind it with tamarind paste and curry leaves till it is a smooth paste.
- Add a little water and boil the paste till it becomes a kozhambu.

As we all know, Curry leaf helps to keep our hair black and helps in hair fall control.

Is it me or you?

Sometimes I wait for love,
But you never turned back.

Sometimes I give you love,
But you dint speak my language.

Sometimes I tried to be myself,
But you felt I was not right.

Sometimes I wait for you to approve,
But you just accept it.

Sometimes you have taken away what I deserved,
But you never cared for its significance.

Who is it?
Is it me or you?

Img source: educhoice.org

Change is here...

There have been times when you are popping up like a jack in the box on the arrival of your birthday. Going around telling people about your special day, showing off the new dress, talking about the gifts from parents, sharing chocolates. Those are the ages of ignorance with exuberance. Then you come across a few years where you feel weird before the celebration, a doubt of whether to boast about your birthday or to go unnoticed. This continues for a few years. Then you realize why do you get birthdays, why should we celebrate it. When you conceive this idea, it is the result of the effects of aging, but does it really means that we are aging or realizing about aging. Some people feel this even when they are in their twenty's and some don't feel even at fifty's. The notion has no effect on us but what we can do if we feel this at early age? Just wake up and be a kid again :)

Starbucks!! A Getaway friend :)

Am here to share my experience at a Starbucks near my home.

I have never been an ardent fan of Starbucks all these days. But it was a real comforting friend when I needed a change. It was a lazy Saturday and I was bored of being at home, so I walked with my curriculum book for a walk and a goal to finish my reading assignment. As you must have seen a glimpse of my neighborhood, it is an example of nature's serene beauty . I love to walk along the canal anytime of the day. I was tempted to enter Starbucks as I passed by though I don't drink a lot of coffee. Retro music playing at the backdrop and people forming a line every ten minutes, kept the service people busy. I found a spot for myself at the near corner of the room, cozy, comfortable, far away from hindrances. It was refreshing to watch strangers, placing their order, finding their new flavors. An elderly couple spending beautiful time together was a delight to watch. The best thing you can ask for is peace, which i could find amid-st the crowded atmosphere. And nobody will ask you to leave just as you finish your coffee. Reading a paragraph, sipping on my coffee, watching new people gave me a refreshment.

This is my suggestion for those who feel cluttered by everyday monotony, take a break, spend time alone with nature and novelty. You will be able to clear up your mind, start up fresh with a jump start.

Tomato dosa II

This is a varation of tomato dosa. I was inspired from a restaurant's recipe. When i ordered for tomato dosa, it was not the red colored one, instead it was with a tomato paste or masala spread on the dosa. It was delicious. This is easy and gets ready in no time and does not need any exclusive side dish.

Ingredients:
Dosa batter
Tomatoes - 4
Garam Masala - 1/2 tablespoon
Corriander powder - 1/2 tablespoon
Salt- as per taste
Chilli powder - 1/2 tablespoon.

Method:
- Slice the tomatoes into small pieces and saute it in a tava.
- Add salt, chilli powder, garam masala, corriander powder to it and cook it in medium flame till it oils into a paste.
- Make dosa and when it turns golden color in the bottom and cooked on the top, apply the masala on to dosa, leave it for a minute, fold it into two and serve.
- There is no need to turn over the dosa here. We will have the golden color on one side and the tomato masala inside.
- Serve it hot. It is spicy, tasty an easy!!

Palak Paneer

Hi all,
This has been on a long wait, I had been planning to do this but, yesterday was its day. My first experience of making palak paneer. I found it from sailusfood.com. It looked so laborious, but the final taste was too good and worth the effort. I have made a few alterations from the source. Shall we roll...?

Ingredients: (for 2)
Palak(Spinach): one pack or a whole bunch
Paneer - 1
Ghee - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium sized
Tomato - 2 medium sized
Ginger - a small bit
Garlic - 4 cloves
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Green Chilli - 2 or as per taste
Garam masala - 1/2 table spoon
Corriander powder - 1/2 table spoon
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tablespoon
Salt - as per taste
Milk - 1/4 cup


Method:
- Remove the stem parts of spinach and boil it in water till it becomes soft. Mash the soft spinach to paste.
- Make puree of tomatoes by boiling them in water, peel it and crush it.
- Fry the paneer in ghee in medium flame till golden brown.
- Add cumin in the remaining ghee and splutter. Add green chilli, minced garlic and ginger.
- Chop the onion finely and fry them till soft.
- Add the tomato puree and saute till raw smell goes.
- Add chilli powder, garam masala and corriander powder and salt and leave it for 4-5 min.
- Add the smashed spinach and let it boil for 2-3 min.
- Add the fried paneer and close it with a lid as it will spill out while boiling.
- Add the milk and turn the flame in 2 minutes.
- Can be served with chapathi, naan.

Enjoy you Palak paneer!!