MyMusingsSangSpeak - Pet Puja - Sabudana Kheer, Sago Pearls Porridge

 

MyMusingsSangSpeak - Pet Puja - Sabudana Kheer, Sago Pearls Porridge

Sabudana Kheer, Sago Pearl Porridge

Sabudana Kheer is a humble  Indian dessert of Maharashtrian households made especially on days of fasting (Upvaas). It is very easy to make dish with most minimal ingredients. It is also made when one is recovering from a tummy upset as it is easy to digest and nutritious (resistant starch, gluten free, good source of zinc)at the same time.

Earlier, the milk was never reduced and condensed to make this kheer. I reduce the milk to make this dessert slightly richer in taste.

Ingredients

Sabudana (Sago Pearls) -125 gms

Milk - 2 litres

Sugar - 1 large cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Saffron -25-30 strands

Water- Approx 1 cup

Method

Wash sabudana well and soak for minimum 3-4 hours. Heat milk and allow to boil on simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add soaked sabudana and allow to cook for further 15-20 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally so that sabudana does not stick at the bottom of the pan. Add sugar and saffron strands and cook for further 10 minutes. Take off the heat and add cardamom powder. Allow to cool and serve chilled.

Note - Cooking time is about 45-50 minutes and this quantity suffices about 7-8 persons.

MyMusingsSangSpeak - Pet Puja -Aleeva/Haleev/Halim/Garden Cress Seeds Kheer/ Porridge

MyMusingsSangSpeak - Pet Puja-Aleeva/Haleev/Halim/Garden Cress Seeds Kheer/ Porridge

Haleev (Marathi) /Garden Cress seeds are loaded with nutrition and have been used since ancient times in post delivery diet in India. They are good for lactation. They are a very good source of iron. They can be made into kheer (porridge), laddoos and can be consumed after soaking in water too.

My association with the Haleev seeds take me to my childhood when my younger brother was born. My grandmother used to prepare this yummy kheer for my mother who was admitted in hospital after her delivery and my uncle and me would carry this kheer for her. I always ate up half the quantity at the hospital.

These garden cress seeds are also grown on the small mud forts built during Diwali. They grow very fast and can be used as microgreens in salads too.

This porridge tastes good with jaggery only.

Ingredients

Haleev/Garden Cress seeds -2 tablespoons

Water -For soaking

Milk - 2 large cups

Jaggery - As per taste

Method

Soak haleev/garden cress seeds in water for about 1-2 hours. Boil the milk along with soaked haleev seeds for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from fire and allow to cool a bit. Then add jaggery as per taste and mix well. Yummy haleev kheer is ready to serve.

MyMusingsSangSpeak -Pet Puja- Batatyachi Kaachryanchi Bhaji, Aloo Subji

 

MyMusingsSangSpeak -Pet Puja- Batatyachi Kaachryanchi Bhaji, Aloo Subji

Batatyachi Kaachryanchi Bhaji

This is one classic Maharashtrian bhaji, loved by one and all. An extremely easy to make recipe and a quick one at that. It tastes good with almost anything.

Some call it Batatyache Kaap and some call it Batatyachya chaktya. We call it batatyachya kaachryanchi bhaji.

Ingredients

Potatoes -5-6 medium sized

Oil - 2-3 tablespoons

Mustard Seeds - 3/4 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds - 3/4 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - To taste

Red chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Remove the potato skins and slice the skinned potatoes finely. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. Once these splutter well, add the sliced potatoes along with turmeric and salt and give a good stir. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes on simmer mode. Remove the lid and stir well, add red chilly powder and garam masala and stir well. Allow to cook on simmer for further 3-4 minutes. Yummy batatyachi kaachryanchi bhaji is ready to be served.

MyMusingsSangSpeak -Pet Puja- Gavarichi Bhaji, Guar Subji, Cluster Beans Vegetable

MyMusingsSangSpeak -Pet Puja- Gavarichi Bhaji, Guar Subji,

Cluster Beans Vegetable

Cluster Bean is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is very tasty and can be prepared in many ways. There are two types of Guar/Cluster beans available, one is the native (desi) variety and the other is hybrid. The desi/native variety is more tasty but rarely available. It is a much loved Maharashtrian dish. The seeds of Guar bean give out Guar Gum on extraction and this is a highly priced commodity in food and other commercial industries.

During our childhood, we used the inner green parts of the Guar seed as tattoos to beautify our faces. My mother associated this vegetable to her childhood days of Aamras lunches with mango puree, chapati and this simple Gavar vegetable.

The tender Guar beans can be stir fried in oil and sprinkled with little salt and consumed as a tasty snack. The beans can be made into a simple bhaji by stir frying with onions. One may add potatoes also for variation. Another way to prepare the beans is to make a curry. I am sharing a recipe using roasted groundnut powder and you are sure to like it.

Ingredients

Guar beans -250 gms

Onions - 2-3 medium sized

Oil -2-3 tablespoons

Roasted Groundnut Powder -2 tablespoons

Salt -To taste

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds -1/2 teaspoon

Water- Half cup

Kanda Lasun(Onion Garlic) Masala - 1 teaspoon

Fresh Coriander leaves- 4-5 sprigs

Method

Clean the beans by removing the tough stalks from both ends and break them into cm long pieces. Slice the onions lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, add onions and stir fry till slightly brown. Add the Guar beans along with turmeric and salt. Stir well, add half a cup of water and cover. Allow to cook for about 7-10 minutes.

Add kanda lasun masala and stir. Add roasted groundnut powder and stir well. Finally add coriander leaves and serve. Enjoy the Guar bhaji as accompaniment with roti/chapati or daal rice.

Note - Preparation and cooking time is about half hour and this quantity will suffice 3-4 persons.

MyMusingsSangSpeak - Life -Lakhan ki Kahani-Bandhan ka Rishta

Lakhan ki Kahani-Bandhan ka Rishta

We were on a trip to Jodhpur to celebrate the golden jubilee of our unit and it was December 2019, just when the pandemic began. Attending this event gave us a chance to make a quick touristy trip to Jaisalmer, Jaipur and Ranthambhore. We took a road trip from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer and as we passed the iconic Pokharan city, I remembered how we had missed this posting by a hair's breadth.

This area of Rajasthan has a charm and beauty of its own with the desert expanses spanning across left and right up to the horizon literally. We reached Jaisalmer by afternoon and settled in our guest room comfortably.

My daughter loves to plan out our trips and she had booked a taxi for us for next 3 days in Jaisalmer. The next morning, we got ready in a hurry scurry as the taxi arrived and our driver was a short, dark, thinny minny, inconspicuous fellow named Lakhan.

My idea of travelling is to be in conversation with the driver as he is the best source to let one know about the local traditions, cuisine, areas and locations of interest and all such titbits. I have to be careful at the same time as my daughter hates this idea of getting familiar with driver etc. and am stopped with those stern looks, but, I go on with my "ChambharChaukashi".

On the first day, we saw the city attractions and had light snack for lunch at a restaurant near Jaisal fort. My daughter's friend had suggested a 5 star place called Gordhan Palace for dinner for exclusive Rajasthani cuisine and we were looking forward to it.

We suggested Lakhan to take us there, but, instead he took us to a lane where all vegetarian restaurants were lined up. So, we requested him to take us to a place that served best Laal Maas and he obliged us. On the way, he told us that he felt we were vegetarians. We had our fill of Laal Maas and other Rajasthani goodies and on our way back, Lakhan told us that he was a vegetarian. Then, he opened up by telling us that he was a vegetarian despite being a Muslim. Now, the talk got interesting and I asked him why is his name Lakhan? He told the story of his father and his father's Bramhin friend who had tied each other a Bandhan, a friendship band and hence, they were in a Bandhan ka Rishta. His father had promised the Brahmin friend that he will turn vegetarian and he was named Lakhan by his father's Brahmin friend. Bandhan ka Rishta indeed!

Lakhan seemed worked up as his daughter in law was about to deliver.

Next day was a day trip to Tanot Mata Mandir and Longewala Border. Lakhan had arrived on time to take us and we all were in upbeat mood. As we got out of the city, we witnessed huge locust swarms and Lakhan told us how these travel across the border and devour all the agricultural produce. He showed us how the farmers deal with the locusts by banging metal plates and spoons and also by creating smoke screens.

On the way, Lakhan was telling us many stories associated with Jaisalmer and desert life in particular. He told us about the opium trade during the olden days and how it was legalised back then. He also gave his opinion of how opium is better bet than liqour.

He kept on about the difficulties of life in desert and how one gets lost among the dunes and vast expanses of sand with no water and said that earlier if a person did not return for about 10 days or more, it was assumed that the person had lost his way and life somewhere in the desert.

He also spoke how fast the desert landscape is changing now with afforestation and how green the desert has become now.

During our journey, as were speaking Marathi, Lakhan was listening intently to our conversation and he started saying that his language had many similar words, so I enquired which language he spoke, was it Rajasthani? He said he speaks Sindhi as he is from Sindh province.

I asked him about tourists carrying the special limestone cup for setting curd from Jaisalmer, he said Madam, usme kya badi baat hai, woh bas fad hai, kya aap ghar me dahi nahi jamate aise hi, usme yahan se pathar kyun le jaana hai? Sorted fellow indeed this Lakhan was.

I was quite curious to know about Lakhan's family. He had two sons who were working and married. I was more interested to know if they were vegetarians too. Yes, he confirmed, all his household is vegetarian. His wife and daughters in law were informed about Bandhan ka Rishta before marriage itself. Such truthfulness, innocence and simplicity.... this is the soul of our great nation.

We generally click one picture with our driver, but, just forgot to click one with Lakhan. Even though I do not have a picture of Lakhan, his memory is vivid all owing to his Bandhan ka Rishta story.

When Lakhan came to know that we were from Pune, he was delighted to know it and exclaimed "Woh Shirdi ke paas wala Poona" and expressed his wish to visit Shirdi someday for SaiBaba darshan. I pray that his wish comes to be true someday soon........

MyMusingsSangSpeak -Pet Puja- Tips for Making Soft Chapatis (Indian flatbread)

 

Tips for Making Soft Chapatis/Roti/Indian flatbread

Chapati/Roti is Indian flatbread made of wheat and forms a major part of Indian meal. The chapati/roti is made differently in different parts of India. In some places, it is prepared as Phulka devoid of oil, whereas in some places it is made as a Paratha with oil applied in the folds before rolling out. Different areas of the country produce different varieties of wheat like the native/desi (Khapli), Sharbati, Sehore, Lokwan and many more hybrid ones too. In earlier times, people were very particular about buying good quality wheat to get good chapatis. Some people use Khapli wheat though it is costly as it is more nutritious and has high fiber content. Many people use mixture of different varieties of wheat to make wheat flour for chapatis. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides were not used much in earlier times. For good quality chapatis, people would buy wheat and get it ground fresh in the flour mill. Some joint families buy wheat in large quantities and store for yearly use, so generally the wheat is applied with some insect repellent powder. Before grinding, this wheat will be washed and then dried in sunlight.

In modern times, the women started working and this cumbersome process of buying wheat grain and getting it ground in the flour mill took a back seat. Many wheat flour producing companies started production and the readymade wheat flour made life easy for the working ladies. Some people still follow the traditional methods of making wheat flour. The traditional wheat flour can be used easily by kneading with normal water, little salt and oil and then rolling into flat rolls. The phulkas are first roasted on hot tawa and then directly on the flame and they puff up automatically, hence called phulka. For oiled chapatis, oil is applied on the roll and it is folded twice and then rolled out thinly. It is then cooked on hot tawa and oil is applied on both sides. These rotis will generally turn out to be soft.

Nowadays, as most households are using readymade flour/atta, some find that the rotis do not turn out to be really soft like in the case of traditionally home-made wheat flour. Many of my working friends needed to know tips about making soft chapatis/rotis from readymade flour. I have also been using readymade wheat flour for many years now and did some research for tips to make soft chapatis.

The readymade wheat flour needs to be kneaded with hot water along with little salt and oil. Take flour quantity as per requirement, add salt and pour hot water. Cover and knead into a smooth dough after 15- 20 minutes, add little oil to bring the dough together. Cover and leave for 25-30 minutes and then roll out rotis/chapatis. This tip of kneading with hot water helps a lot to make softer chapatis from ready-made shop bought wheat flour.

For storing chapatis, use a stainless-steel container and soft muslin cloth. Chapatis can be stored even without a cloth. Some people use casserole for storing chapatis. Chapatis will remain soft for longer periods.

 

 

MyMusingsSangSpeak - It’s My Crowning Glory- Tips for Hair Growth

 

It’s My Crowning Glory- Tips for Hair Growth

It’s our school group and all girls are worked up, all of us in our mid-fifties, worrying about our receding hair. Causes for hair loss are many like stress, worry, medical issues, hormonal imbalances, artificial hair colour and so on. There are n number of remedies available- natural, home therapy, medicines, cosmetic etc.

I am enlisting some sure shot home remedies for hair care that I have collected from my friends and family members that have worked well for them to have long, lustrous, silky hair.

Firstly, I will enlist all that one can include in one’s diet for good hair-

Good balanced nutrition is a must for good hair.

Proteins, especially milk and eggs or any other vegetarian proteins should be included in daily diet.

Amla (Indian gooseberry) is the best for hair. Keep it in your diet on daily basis as it a very good source of Vit C. You can eat it fresh or candied or in juice form.

Keep yourself well hydrated too.

Oils, especially coconut and sesame work very well for good hair. Consume 1 teaspoon of black sesame seeds and 1 teaspoon of dry coconut daily as this will ensure consumption of oil in most natural form.

Curry leaves are also beneficial for good hair, so chew on 10-12 leaves and consume them daily for good hair growth.

Cod liver oil, Vit E and Keshranjana(Ayurvedic) tablets are good for hair growth.

Seocndly, I will enlist various oils and mixtures that can be prepared at home.

Mix 100 gm of Hibiscus (Jaswand) gel with oil from 20 Vit E capsules, 1 tablespoon castor oil, 1 tablespoon almond oil, 1 tablespoon cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon coconut oil.  This mixture needs to be refrigerated lest it gets spoiled. Massage this mixture into the scalp and leave it overnight preferably. Wash it off next day with a natural, herbal shampoo. This mixture guarantees new hair growth. More Vit E oil tablets can be added to this mixture.

This mixture does smell very strong, yet, it is very effective. This is my Aunt’s recipe for hair growth.

One can prepare various oils like onion and curry leaves oil by boiling paste of 1 onion and about 5-6 sprigs of curry leaves in 150 ml of coconut oil. This process is to be done on simmer till the residue of onion and curry leaves is charred. Strain the oil and use it for massaging scalp.

Similarly, amla oil can be made and used for massaging scalp. One can use readily available amla oil from market too.

Almond oil also is good for hair massage.

Use more of natural ingredients and less of chemicals to maintain good hair.

Henna is a good conditioner for hair. A paste of henna powder, curd, egg and lemon juice can be used as hair mask once in a month.

For natural colour, make mixture of henna powder with boiled tea and coffee water with some amla powder and allow this mixture to develop a darker colour by storing in iron utensil for two days. This can be used as natural hair colour. Apply for 2-3 hours and then wash with a mild herbal shampoo. One can add natural indigo powder too to this mixture to get a dark shade.

Follow a consistent hair regimen for hair care with good diet, less stress, good oil massage and you are sure to be proud of your crowning glory.