Onion Chutney

Hi,
    Hope u all doin great. We over slept and woke up to a cloudy morning at 8. May be its not our fault, coz climate still looks like 6.30. :) Well late or not running outta time to prepare chutney for Dosa. Tomato Till chutney, hmmmm he loves it a lot but short on time. Peanut chutney, hmmm just had yesterday. I know, Coconut chutney!! Hmmm no coconut at home!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhh...... I am doomed. Wait.... I can still prepare Onion Chutney, with very few things in pantry, less time consumption, and real yum... We don't really prepare Onion chutney often at home, in Bangalore, but I took a liking to it when in Hyderabad. Was a perfect compliment with hot Dosas, in those chilled evenings, on our walk to the near by Bandi. Gosh, the one thing U.S. needs most is road side Bandis, with Indian chats and fast foods... Miss em a lot...:)

Ingredients:

> Onion - 1 big                                
> Urad Dal - 1 tsp
> Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
> Red Chillies - 5-6
> Salt - 1 tsp
> Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
> Tamarind pulp - 1 tsp
> Oil - 2 tsp

Tempering:
> Oil - 1 tsp
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 5-6 chopped

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in pan, add Cumin Seeds. After they splutter, add Urad Dal and Dry Red Chillies. Fry till the dal turns brown and transfer to a grinder and grind coarsely.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add sliced onions and cook till they start turning translucent. Transfer to grinder.
• Add Jaggery, Tamarind pulp, and Salt to Grinder and grind the mixture well.
• Temper the chutney with Mustard Seeds, and Curry leaves and relish. 

Note: Don't add any water while grinding preferably. Otherwise, add about a spoon of water to the grinder.

Raw Mango Stew / Maavina Kayi Huli

Hi All,
    Hope u all doin fine. The following recipe uses raw mango, for all those who are bored of Mango Dal / Pappu and wanted to try something different, this is it. Pretty simple and delightful on taste buds. Perfect with hot rice and Pappad.

Ingredients:

> 1/2 Mango (Raw), skin peeled and cubed
> Long Yard Beans - 1/4 cup

> medium sized Onion, finely chopped - 1            
> Green Chillies mildly spicy - 3
> Tamarind - 2 Tsp
> Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
> Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
> Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
> Coriander finely chopped - 1 tbsp
> Salt - 2 tsp
> Water - 2 cups
> Oil - 1 tsp

Tempering:                                                       
> Ghee - 2 tsp
> Hing - 1/4 tsp
> Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
> Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp                                        
> Urad Dal - 1tsp
> Channa Dal - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 6-7
> Garlic cut into small pieces - 2
> Red Chilly - 3

• Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add green chilly, Long Yard Beans and Mango to pan and fry for couple of minutes. 
• Add Chilly powder and turmeric to pan. Mix ingredients and add 1 cup water and salt to pan.
•  Add the Tamarind pulp and Jaggery to boiling mixture. Check for salt and cover and cook until Mango is cooked. 
• Once Mango is well cooked, smash Mango using back of the cooking ladle, and add another cup of water and adjust the water consistency to ur taste. Let it boil for couple of minutes more.
• Add coriander and switch off flame.
• Do tempering with the tempering ingredients listed above, and add to the boiled mixture. Cover the pan and let the flavors settle for couple of minutes.
• Your Mango Huli is ready. Eat with rice and papad.

Four Mysore Men

     By Mindryin. The play revolves around 4 men belonging to Mysore, chatting away to glory about their golden yester years and boasting about their speed of communication each trying to out do the other. Filled with many a laugh spells, is a delight to watch and a dedication to the Royal city of Mysore. Njoy :)

My Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

 

 

 

 

 

Student Lifeu Ishtene....!!! Short Film

  
      By RNfilms009. Story revolves around the student life of Suhaas, filled with success and failures alike. Good camera work, but a little lengthy for a short movie. A very good attempt. Njoy :)

My Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

 

 

 

Cabbage Akki Rotti / Glutten free Cabbage Flat Bread

     Aaaaaahhhhh..... The well roasted aroma of the semi golden, gleaming Akki Rotti, tantalizing your senses, taking your taste buds to a whole new level..... That's what I missed the most, mom preparing  hot hot rotti's in the kitchen while my sister, brother and me chat away to glory, devouring one rotti after another....

      I betcha, all you cabbage haters to try this recipe, I cooked from Sia's MonsoonSpice.com and you'll grow to cherish this vegetable. Also cabbage is a good source of pro vitamin A, Vitamin C, fiber and is said to reduce the risk of colon or bowel cancer. But its best eaten in raw form as nutrients deplete on cooking.

     I followed Sia's recipe to a tee and it came out perfect. Its perfect for an unplanned breakfast, but the roasting does take a wee bit of time for that perfect crisp. Sia's pictures / photo tutorial gives a clear idea on preparing the batter. We enjoyed our Cabbage Akki Rotti, I hope u do urs too... :)

Recipe:
http://www.monsoonspice.com/2012/01/cabbage-akki-rotti-recipe-gluten-free.html

  

Lazy Teenage Superheroes - Short Film

    By Michael Ashton. Story is pretty much what the title says -- Teenage Superheroes who are lazy and how they save the world. Although the film looks more like an introduction to the super hero powers and just that, its a visual treat. The entire rating marks, goes out to the amazin visual effects alone.

My Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

 

 

 

Sid's Love Story Short Film

        By Frenzycreations. A comedy short film, about Sid who falls in love at first sight and finally gets to meet her. Simple and funny story track, camera work could have been better; never the less is worth the watch.

 

My Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

 

 

 

Anukokunda Short Film

         

         By Tharunbhascker. The story is of a girl who falls in love, a week before her Pelli Chupulu - an arranged meeting with a prospective groom and his family. Shot in 48 hrs, has good leading actors, and a lighthearted music score.

 

My Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

 

 

  

 

 

Hot Seat Short Film

    By Flaunge Shorts. Watch how an usual day of a collegite goes wrong for his want of the HOT Seat!!!!!

My Rating: 3.0 / 5.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kone Nagu Short Film

 

    By DepthofThoughts. Usually message oriented movies are boring and too serious. This is very creative, watch till the end where the analogy is revealed n njoy.

My Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

 

  

 

 

Palmystery (Bow Bow Bhavishya) Short Film

        By Zeroproductions. Good camerawork and screen play. Actors have done a good job too. Although comical, can't help feelin sad for the protagonist in the end.

My Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

 

 

Bhagavanta Kai Kotta Short Film

 

        By Yugacreations. The story is woven around GOD, who comes down to earth and decides to please man by granting his wishes. Its a comic take on greed of man. Good story line, acting and Music.

My Rating:  5.0 / 5.0

 

 

 

Alien Short Film

        By CPlusPlusProduction. Good story line, can relate to many desis who have made non native countries as their home and experience the grief of being ousted from the life they love. Sound quality could have been better, else good execution. Lovin their production name too!!!! Njoy :)

My Rating:  3.5 / 5.0

 

 

Dill Dal / Dill Saaru

     Dill is known as Sabsige soppu in Kannada, Soya kura in Telugu, Savaa in Hindi, Sada Kuppi in Tamil, Shepu in Marathi. During Middle Ages people used Dill to defend against witchcraft and enchantments. However the Dill which is rich in Vitamin A & C  is no less enchanting to our body in providing relief to digestion problems, loss of appetite, liver and gall bladder complaints.

     Even though my Husband is not such a great fan of Dill, We loved the Dill Dal. I tried this recipe from MonsoonSpice.com. Thank you Sia, ur recipes and ur words are both soothing. Its a delight to visit ur Blog, with such amazing captures. This Dill Dal, with ghee and papad was a perfect lunch to relish. I followed her recipe to a tee without any tweaks and it was a blast. :)

Recipe:
http://www.monsoonspice.com/2007/03/dill-saarurasam-dill-potato-palya-and.html

Manchi Yedhava Short Film

        By Raki Mediaworks. The story is of two frnz who fight over a broken cup and how the third friend resolves it. A simple storyline with comic relief. Njoy!!

My Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

  

 

Vankaya Pulugura (Brinjal & Lentils)

Dear friends,
  
      Since most of our batch got married recently or are about to step into wifehood, these recipes are dedicated to you all, who believe in stress free, taste bud tingling recipes. And yes these have been tried and tested from various blogs and websites in our kitchen aka lab, on my husband with good results!!!!!! Njoy..... :)   

       Most of us in the class raised our hands. The teacher was discussing with the high school kids about the vegetables they hated most. The unpopular vegetable that had created a unity among us, in our hatred towards it was BRINJAL... That's right, we all hated it, indiscriminately!!!! Almost 11 years later, I am blogging a recipe on Brinjal -- 'Code Purple',  apparently my fav now. I will never decipher what brought this change in me, but looking at my addiction to Code Purple, guess its here to stay. :)

         I tried this recipe from TasteofMysore.com. This Brinjal Dal recipe was a delight to make as it was quick and easy and real yum. Dear Lakshmi, of tasteofmysore thanks a bunch for this recipe. We loved it. I am an ardent follower of your blog. The first time I tried this recipe I messed it up with more water and ended up diluting the taste, but the second time I tried, it was nothing short of splendid. Hope you have fun cooking it too. :)

This recipe serves 3 - 4. Compliments Rice and Chapathi (if of less water consistency).

Ingredients:

                                                                           
> Brinjal / Eggplant - 1 big / small  7, cubed
> Onion - 1 big                                                     
> Tomato - 1 big
> Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
> Green Chillies - 5 mildly spicy
> Tuvar Dal - 1/2 cup
> Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
> Tamarind pulp - 2 tsp
> Salt - 1 tsp
> Water - 1 cup

Tempering:

> Oil / Ghee - 2 tsp                                         
> Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
> Jeera - 1/2 tsp
> Red Chillies - 3
> Asafoetida / Hing - 1 pinch
> Urad Dal - 1tsp
> Channa Dal - 1 tsp
> Curry Leaves - 8

• Add washed Tuvar Dal, cubed Brinjal, cubed Tomato, chopped Onion, chopped Coriander and slit Green Chillies to cooker. Add Turmeric and 1 cup of water and pressure cook till the Dal is completely cooked and all ingredients well mashed. Our Pressure Cooker takes about 4 whistles till the Dal is cooked. However this varies with each cooker.
• Once the pressure comes down, run a hand blender or use the back of the ladle to mash the ingredients. 
• Add Tamarind and Salt, cook on low for couple of minutes. Adjust the water consistency to your taste, and add more if required. Turn off the stove.
• Add Ghee to a small pan, and let it heat. Add Hing, Mustard seeds and Jeera and let them splutter. Add Urad Dal, Channa Dal. When half cooked, add Red Chillies and Curry leaves, and cook till the Dal turns brown. Switch off flame and add to the cooked Brinjal mixture.
• Cover the Brinjal mixture and let the flavors settle for couple of minutes.
• Enjoy with Rice or Chapathi.

 Notes: Just remember to add, just about enough water and not more while pressure cooking it, as the tomatoes and brinjal also ooze out water when cooked.

GRE Words

Hi,
    Hope u all doin fine. I started this column to help those preparing for GRE exams, or looking to improve their vocab. Its kinda funny how since graduation days, I've always known someone or the other aiming for GRE. Hope this helps. I am going to assimilate the words I come across in my studies and keep updating them regularly. Any suggestions or corrections are welcome. :)

Augment (ôgˈment) -  

• Make something greater by adding to it. usage: He augmented his income by painting houses.
• Grow or intensify. usage: The pressure augmented. 

 

 

Sinew (ˈsinyo͞o) -  

• Strength; Source of vitality or strength.  usage: Finances provide the sinews of government.
• A piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone or bone to bone; A tendon or ligament. usage: The prancing Tiger looked deadlier than ever with its iron like muscle and sinew.

 

 

Imperative (imˈperətiv) -  

• Of vital importance; Necessary.  usage: Kautilya's Arthashastra is an imperative of the social philosophy at that time.
• Expressing a command or plea. usage: The requests from island for flood aid became more and more imperative.

 

 

 Perspective (pərˈspektiv) -  

• A mental view or outlook.  usage: It is useful occasionally to look at the past to gain a perspective on the present.
• The art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point. usage: Early medieval paintings lacked perspective.
• A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.  usage: After reading one of my publications they say they would benefit from my perspective.

Seminal (ˈsemənl) - 

• Strongly influencing later developments. usage: It was a seminal movie that changed the way, people looked at the use of technology in film making.
• Of relating to or donating semen. usage: The investigators were hoping that the seminal traces found at the crime scene, would solve the murder mystery.