Rava Laddu

This is one of my Best Sweets and is easy to make. It is a sweet I had tried on many occasions on different gatherings and is simply the best. This goes well for any party as it can be done a couple of days before and stored.

Ingredients:
• 1 Cup Wheat Rava - crackled wheat
• 1/4 Cup or More Grated Coconut
• Ghee
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• Ground cardamom
• Roasted Cashew nuts
• Milk / Ghee for Binding


Procedure:
•Fry the wheat rava in ghee until it starts to turn golden brown and the raw smell is gone. Let it cool.
•Separately fry the Coconut gratings till the coconut aroma starts to come .
•Add the Sugar, Rava, Cardamom Powder and the cashew nuts to it. Fry for some time in low flame. See to that the sugar is not caramelised
•Add Milk or Ghee to it.Shape it into balls while it is hot. Let it cool

Note:
If Milk is added the Shell life is short to about 3-4 days. If Ghee is added it can be stored for about 2 weeks.
Sugar and coconut gratings can be adjusted to suit out taste. I prefer to always increase the coconut in it.

Aztec Lily- French Beaded Flower - The Art of Sculpting with Beads.

I first laid my eyes on this technique when I was browsing for some beading books in Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, PA. One of the beading books I would love to own is Big Book of Beautiful Beads. It has an entire chapter dedicated on French Beaded Flowers. This was the technique created by European and French peasants when they collected discarded beads to create arrangements.

Aztec Lily- I was mesmerised by the Picture of this flower in that book. I thought it will make an impressive choice for a beginner. I made this flower and it adorns my sill in my Living Room. Many people think it is a real flower from a distance.

Materials Needed:

• Red Beads
• Green Beads
• Yellow or contrasting Colour Beads(I have used baby pink beads)
• 26- gauge beading wire
• 30- to 34-gauge wire(for lacing and assembly)
• 16-gauge wire for stem
• 1/2" green tape

Petals: Pointed tops, Rounded bottom

• Make 4- Red- 2 " basic, 11 Rows- leave 3 wires and twist
• Make 2-Red-2.5" basic, 7 Rows-leave 3 wires and twist

Stamens: Make 6- Yellow and Red

1.  Using yellow, make two 10 beaded Continuous loops.
2. Cut 6" of Wire. Cut the Short end of the wire to 1/2".
3. Put 2"of red beads on the longer part of the wire. Hold the short wire tight against the long wire and push the beads through both.
4. The Loops should be shaped to T
5. Add 1" of yellow beads. Make the other 5 the same way.

Pistil- Make 1 Yellow and Red

•  Using red beads, make three 8 bead Continuous loops.

1. Cut 6" of Wire. Cut the Short end of the wire to 1/2".
2. Put 2"of red beads on the longer part of the wire. Hold the short wire tight against the long wire and push the beads through both.
3. Add 1" of yellow beads.
4. Bend the loops down against the stalk to form a knob on the end of the pistil.

Leaves: Pointed Top, Rounded Bottom

•  Make 3 to 12- Green- 5" basic, 3 Rows- leave 3 wires and twist

Assembly:





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1.  Lace all leaves and Petals.( I have not laced- so it is not stiff as it should be).
2. Lightly tape the stem wire.
 
3. Hold the stamens and pistil together. Twist the bare wires so as the beads are tight.
4. Twist the 1" bottom yellow beads/ contrasting beads into a spiral, leaving the red portion loose.
5. Stack 3 of the larger petals facing up and twist the wires. Slide the petals into a fan shape. Make a trough and place the stamen-pistil assembly in the trough and twist the wires.
6. Stack the remaining petals with the large one in the center. Twist the wires and make a fan shape. Attach the 2 petal groups with the stem wire.
7. Position the leaves about 6" from the bottom of the stem wire and wire then in place. Tape the stem wire.
8. The stem wire is bend so that the blossom hangs in a drooping position.

My Very First Hand Emboirdered Kameez(Top)

Hand embroidery had been my favourite past time from my early childhood. I had done it on table cloths, cushion back and so on, but to do it on something I can wear and go took a long time. But once I started there was no turning back.

My First Hand embroidery was when I was 8 or 9 years old. I made a hand kerchief... Voila I was very proud of it. I showed it to everyone who visited us. Slowly I matured enough to do Pillow Covers and Table cloths. I had done one on a blue cloth and one on a beige cloth.

After my Undergraduate. I had 4 months of free time before I joined my Post Graduate course on Construction Management. I thought why don't I make something which I can wear. Once this idea took roots in my mind, I was so enthralled that I spent all living moments thinking about it. I spent many afternoons pouring on many embroidery design book for a perfect design for my first dress. My Mom subscribes for Needle and Thread a periodical by Anchor Threads and also has a lovely collection of designs from her Mom's time. Both my Mom and Granny make lovely embroidery. I chose one which had been embroidered in a duppata(scarf) from the book. I thought that would look good a Kameez(top) too.I looked into many stitches ad settled to use beads and sequence ,Chain Stitch French Knots, Laisy Daisy Stitch and some Stones to give it a Sparkle. I Choose a Baby Pink Crepe Cloth for this design and Voila at the end of 2 months I had a beautiful dress to wear.

For the neck I just took a part of the main desisn. I worked on French Knots along the neck line and Embroidered the Top part of the Design so as i opposes the lower end.

For Videos and Tutorials on Hand embroidery : www.needlenthread.com/videos

Ennai Katharikai - எண்ணெய் கத்தரிக்காய் - Brinjal Curry

This is a dish that goes well with Briyani, idli, chapathi and so on. This is different from the usual one and can be kept for a long time as long as a month. This is my mom's receipe and my husband likes very much.

Ingredients:
• 1 lb Brinjal/ Eggplant
• 1 lb Onion Chopped
• Whole Pepper Corns
• Roasted Groundnut
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tbs Sambar Powder
• Salt to Taste
• Oil
• Thick Tamarind Extract


Procedure:

•Cut/ Slit the brinjals into four and boil in water till half done.Drain the water

•In a seperate pan fry the onions till they are transparent. Add the Sambar powder and fry till till the raw smell is lost. Let it cool. Grind it in a blender.

•In a heavy bottomed pan add enough oil, pepper, roasted groundnuts, ginger garlic paste and fry well till the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste goes.

•Add the ground Onion and Sambar Powder Mix. Fry for 5 min

•Add the Brinjal and Mix Well.Fry it till the oil leaves the side of the pan.

•Now add the tamarind extract and allow it to cook for 5 min.

•Serve Hot.

Note:
This tastes better if done the the previous day so as the brinjal can get soaked in the tamarind extract. This Dish oes well with Briyani. Idli, Dosai, Chapathi.
Aliter:
Istead of Sambar Powder you can add freshly Ground Masala of fried Coconut scraps,Red Chilli, Tumeric Powder, Bengal Gram. ( Chick Pea )

Stuffed Roast Chicken- Indian Style

Stuffed Roast Chicken- Indian Style

Stuffed Chicken- Before Roasting
Ingredients:
•1 whole chicken - roughly 1.5 kg/ 3.3 lbs in weight

For the marinade:
•2 tbsps fresh unsweetened yogurt / curd
•2 tbsps lime/ lemon juice
•2 tsps garlic paste
•1 tsp ginger paste
•1/2 tsp red chilli powder
•1/2 tsp turmeric powder
•1/2 tsp salt

For the filling:
•3 tbsps vegetable/sunflower cooking oil
•3/4 tsp cumin seeds
•2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
•2 tsps garlic paste
•1 tsp ginger paste
•1 tbsps coriander powder
•1 tsp cumin powder
•1 tbsp garam masala
•300 gms minced/ ground meat - you can use beef or lamb
•Salt to taste
•2 medium-sized tomatoes chopped fine
•1 cup fresh/ frozen peas
•1 cup chopped potatoes - 1" cubes - (skin removed)
•1 tsp lime/ lemon juice
•1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
•3 tbsps vegetable/sunflower cooking oil to drizzle on chicken when roasting

Procedure:

•Wash chicken, remove innards. When done, pat dry.

•Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a large, deep bowl. Mix well.

Put the whole chicken into this marinade and coat well with it. Cover the dish with cling wrap and keep aside for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

•For the filling. Heat 3 tbsps of cooking oil deep pan, on medium heat.

•Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onions and fry till they turn a pale golden colour.

•Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 1 minute till the raw smell goes.

•Add the minced meat and all the powdered spices - coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt to taste.

•Continue to brown the minced meat for about 5-7 min, stirring often to prevent burning.

•Add the tomatoes, peas and potatoes, stir and cook till the potatoes are soft.

•Turn the fire off and add the lime juice and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

•Preheat oven to 175 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4.

•Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and fill the stomach cavity with the minced meat stuffing.

•Put in a baking/ roasting dish and drizzle all over with cooking oil.

•Roast the chicken, uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) till it is cooked and golden brown in

colour.

Stuffed Chicken- After Roasting

Moist Apple Cake

Ingredients:

For Apple Puree
•Cooking Apples: 2
•Cinnamon Powder: to taste
•Water

For the Cake
•All Purpose Flour: 1.5 cups (175gm)
•Salt: 0.25 tsp
•Baking Soda/ Soda Bicarbonate : 0.5 tsp
•Baking Powder: 1 tsp
•Butter Softened : 0.5 cups (100gm)
•Caster Sugar/ Superfine Granulated Sugar : 1 cup (150gm)
•Eggs : 2
•Walnuts

Procedure:

•Make the apple puree ahead of time.

Peel, core and chop cooking apples, and cook gently with a little water (but no sugar), prodding them gently from time to time with a wooden spoon until they form a mush - it doesn't have to be totally smooth.Add a little Cinnamon Powder.


•Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line and grease a cake pan or tin that is 18cm/7 in square.Dust it with All Purpose flour.


•Sift together 1.5 cup of plain/all-purpose flour, 0.25 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder.

•In a food processor, cream 0.5 cups softened butter with 1 cup caster sugar/superfine granulated sugar. Beat two eggs, and add to the mixture gradually,processing between each addition. Finally, add 1 cup apple puree/apple sauce and Walnuts and mix well.

•Add the flour mixture to the processor and blend all together. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 160C/325F/gas mark 3, and cook for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.

•Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from tin and finish cooling on a wire rack.