I never imagined I could ever prepare Dhoklas at home..As we've always had it from snack shops. They would have a huge tray on the counter, cut into with big square shaped pieces. Often served with green chutney and fried green chillies, it tastes delicious. I still believe, street food is the best food!!! Ofcourse discount the hygiene factor..:-)

Ingredients:
2 cups gram flour,
1 cup sour curds,
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste,
1 tbsp oil,
1 tsp fruit salt or sweet soda(cooking soda) (ENO),
1 tsp lemon juice,
1/2 cup warm water,
Salt as per taste

For tempering:
2 tbsp oil,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp sesame seeds,
grated coconut

Method:

1.)Combine the gram flour, sour curd, and 1/2 cup of warm water in a bowl and mix till smooth. Set aside for 45 mins.
2.) Add the ginger-green chilli past, oil and salt and mix well.
3.) Grease a 7 inch diameter thali and set aside.
4.) Just before steaming add the fruit salt and lemon juice. Fold the batter once bubbles form, very gently.
5.) Pour the batter immediately into the greased thali and spread the batter evenly.
6.) Steam for 15 to 20 mins or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7.) For the tempering, heat the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Once the seeds crackle add asafoetida and 2 tbsp of water. Pour the tempering over the prepared dhoklas.
8.) Cool slightly and cut into equal pieces. Garnish with coriander and green chilli and serve hot.

Tips:
Add the fruit salt to the batter just before you are ready to steam the dhoklas, or they will not rise.
The water in the steamer/cooker should be boiling before you put in the uncooked batter, so that the dhoklas will cook faster and rise well.

The more u garnish the more delecious it turns good. U can have it with a combination of green and sweet chutney.

Ingredients

Powdered sugar : 1 cup
Butter : ½ cup
Milk powder : 1 cup
Cocoa powder : ½ cup
Water : ¼ cup

Method

Set microwave to high power.
In a bowl, mix sugar and water and keep it in the oven for 4 - 5 minutes.
Check to see if it has attained a two string consistency.
That is, if we take the syrup between the tip of our fingers and stretch our fingers two strings of syrup should appear.
Add butter and keep the bowl in the oven for1 minute.
Remove from the oven, add milk powder, cocoa powder and mix well.
Pour this on greased plate or chocolate moulds to set.
If needed we can garnish it with cashew, badam, pista etc.

P.S.: Add roasted almonds and raisens and more nuts to the mixture. If u follow the procedure corredtly u'll end up making delicious chocolate as good as Gadbury Temptations.

ALL The best

beetroot curry

Beet root curry.

Ingredients : Beet root 2 numbers
Zeera: 1 T spoon
Coconut: 2cm-2cm cube
Red dry chilly: 8-10 numbers
Kari patta(kari bevu): 10-15 leaves
Green Coriander : 5 twigs
1 onion finelt chopped
Tamarind: 4 numbers
Oil for tadka

Procedure:
Shallow fry all ingredients except beetroot on medium flame and grind to paste.
Cut beetroot into small cubes and boil in 1 leter of water. Collect the drained water and keep aside.

Now take little oil and add mustard seeds and kari patta, onion for tadka and add the paste of the ingredients made. Now add beetroot drained oink colour water collected. Add salt and tamarind paste according to the taste. Leave it to boil for some time. Beet root curry is ready and u can also sip it as a soup.

This is usually made for Dal Curry. We usaully replace beetroot with Dal, rest all procedure. use dal stock inplace of beetroot stock. I tried it with beetroot stock as it is more colourful, temptating to eat. U can use the left over beetroot to make side dish. Use the usual tadka of curry leaves, mustard seeds, onion and add left over beetroot. Add salt to taste. Garnish with some grated coconut. Yummie dish. Taste good with white rice.

My birthday come back and surprize

As I say my birthday’s are always special. So far enjoyed with my bunch of frenz for almost 12 years suddenly last year everything changed. A fren got married I relocated to b’lore and was worried don’t know there’s no excitement and wat’ll I do on my b’day no plans nothing. Thanks to my Dr. frenz in PG who made my day with a surprise party. But this year again a different situation. All my Dr. frenz are settled in all different places and I ‘ve landed here at home. As December approached I was worried and upset as to what to do. How will I celebrate my day. I almost thought ok I’m grown up so may be I shud stop being childish and be serious. No party nothing  just pray and wish myself. And here I get a secret talk by some1 that my little cousins (who are in school 1st std to 7th std) are not willing to go for their Christmas vacation trip. They want to stay back and give me a surprise. They actually were practicing for some dance and singing just for me. I was completely glad and happy happy. Then I asked one of those bribing with some tofies that are u guys doing this I heard somewhere. That idiot said no we aren’t. trust me. What do u think? Mom ‘ll leave us do that a? Then I thought may be that was a rumour but still has a hope. Then here started my shopping for my birthday with the start of December. I this time have end up buying 4 pair of dresses for my birthday. Yet not satisfied coz I felt may be I didn’t get the one I needed. Then thought anyways its not gonna be a special day and ‘ll be as a normal day so did no much purchase. Yeah but on my b’day I wear everything new and use all new. (includes tooth brush to paste to moisturizer, shoes, everything). Don’t have a budget to ‘ve new jewelery  Insha Allah I’ll one day.

24th December I made it sure that I reminded all possible people abt my b’day. My granny, my pappa, my mom and brothers every1 and many of my frenz. Ok it’s the night I was all set to wish myself first for my b’day. There a knock at my door. Who’s it? Some khalbali inside me….. opened the door OMG I see my 2 brothers and bhabhi with a cake and candle on it. I was sooo happy I cudn’t say a word. But wrong timing it was still 10 mins for 12. Then I called my younger bro who was fast asleep (he was in pune so). Started screaming don’t u ‘ve shame its my b’day.get up and wish me all are here and wait still 5 mins there. Then ok here the clock ticks and the b’day song started happy b’day to u (ahhhh I love this song). My y’bro asked hogaya? Me so jaon? Ok bye kal mamma ke paar tumhare gift pada hai le le na ok. Baad me b’day cake ka imp kaam hua. Sab mujpe paint ho gaya. Well later my elder bro heard a beep from my cell. I tried to hide but I cudn’t see. It was actually my b’day reminder on my own cell lolz. All started laughing like hell. Then I explained in case I forget to wish myself. Ok that was the begening. Later mom and dad Wished me and shouted on bro ki humko kyun nahi bola abt the cake and all. We wud have joind (mom aur dad jawaan ho rahe hain ROFL).followed by many phone call wishes by frenz. Lated at 3 I started jotting down who all wished me. Did any1 important forgot. I remembered 2 ppl. Called up and started shouting how cud u do this. How can u sleep nicely on this very big day of mine. How dare u n all.. After some pause I got a voice from other end, “Y wat happen? Whats today?” it got on my nerves and I again started its 25th Dec for ur kind info. “Of ‘m sooo very sorry, I didnt forget ur b’day, I just didn’t notice the date. “m so sorry I owe u for this. And blab la bla.” Here me saying gain are u gonna wish me or not now? Oh ‘m sooo sorry. ?Happy b’day baby.  Now 2nd call but not reachable . Forget it ‘ll see to it tomorrow. Its ur day darling enjoy. With some good melodious music I slept again.

At exact 4:30 again a knock at my door. OMG I don’t believe this, my sooo little cousins standing right in front of my door and singing me b’day song just like ppl sing carol in front of ur door. I called them in and started serving them the left over cake. What do I see. One of them went out and bought the cake which they were hiding near the door. They said 4:30 hogaye kya? Ok chalo cake kaato. AAp 4:30 ko he aayi thi na is world me. SO nice of them. I almost started crying, hugging and crying. It was a home made cake. Glad that aunt also helped for that. Felt like the princess. Ok chalo its very cold u all go back ‘ll meet in the morning. I came back with lots of joy in my heart. Slept and ya cud not coz I had calls and calls. Special special. I woke up early had to get blessings from dad and mom. It was ten and I was out of bed. New day new year everything new. Got ready and took blessings and all. It was Friday so Prayer and prayer service all over and so eat up my half day with this stuff. A visit to church was must and met frenz. When I came back home surprise, my wudbe bhabi had sent a gift and a bigggggggg cake again. And my cuttie cousins reay with their arrangements. Poor cutties so eagerly waiting for me coz they had to leave for their vacation trip, they managed to stay till 25th bugging their parents. All my fav. Songs and dance. I was the guest of honour. Wow it feels so good. After that the same old b’day party went on. Oh ‘m tired. Now time to unpack the gifts Which a got from 2 days thanks to fast courier service. Finished all tasks and tired completely, off to bed jotting down names of all who missed to wish me. Koi baat nahi dekhlenge kameeno ko. Slept with lots of joy and happiness.


See I told u I didn’t expect and still I birthday turned out to be special. No wonder ‘m excited abt my birthdays.

P.S.: Thanks to all who made it special. Sorry to many whose call I cudn’t attended. But ur wishes are counted, U remember to wish that really worth it.

Thought for this year:
What if you were an alien that just beamed onto Earth and you didn’t know the rules? What if you didn’t know the way things were done and you were free to create a solution to any problem or expand any opportunity? Chances are, you’d tap into your reservoir of creativity and create brand new solutions and possibilities.

Biscuit cake. [parle G]

Its just so awesome. Every1 will love it. No baking required. Very easy to make. I bet u shud give a try.

Ingredients:

Biscuits – 5-7 small packets (Preferably Parle G)
Unsalted Butter – 2 tsp
Thick cream - 2 cups
Chocolate Powder (drinking chocolate) – 2 tbsp
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – 1 tsp
Instant Coffee Powder – 1.5 tsp (optional)
Sugar powder – 2 tbsp
Milk – 1 cups
Chopped Walnuts – 1/4 cup
Gems (toffy) - 10 in number
Milky bar - 1

Method:

1. Add the Chocolate Powder, Cocoa Powder, Sugar, cream and Butter and mix well.(sauce)
2. Add in Instant Coffee Powder and allow it to mix in well.
3. Stir constantly, once the mixture starts thickening.
4. Keep stirring to make sure it is a smooth with no major lumps. Use a whisk or a hand blender if needed.
5.Now for the assembly of the cake, open the packets of biscuits and take out the broken ones.
6.Take the biscuit and give it a quick dip in the Milk (1 cup) and start layering on the platter.
7.Lay out the 1st layer of biscuit and then spread some syrup/sauce over it.
8.Alternate with a layer of Biscuits and Sauce…till you reach a desired height.
9.Cover the top most layer with the balance of the Syrup and some on the sides.
10. Sprinkle with chopped Walnuts, decorate with gems and chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
11. Slice like you would for a cake and serve.


Tips:

1. Buy a few extra biscuit packets…they taste yummy and you will end up eating a lot more than you think.
2. We have tried a lot of different kinds of biscuits…Parle G workout best.
3. The layering needs some careful handiwork…do it slowly and don’t be in a rush.
4.You can sprinkle the top with coconut powder, sprinkles, assorted dry fruits and/or chocolate syrup.

A key to independent living.

Life keeps on teaching us lessons though we dont want to learn. But this time life taught me something which i think everyone should learn. In the phase of life what i'm going through i came accross many things like recession, job firing, ill health, and stuff. Its always well said "SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST". So who is the fittest? I had a wrong assumption that the person with power and money is the fittest. But now i realised its not so. The fittest is the one who knows the art of independent living.
What is independent living?
Here is what i define. Its like you dont've to depend on any1 or anything for your surival. In case if u r lost in a island where u dont find modern technology and readymade food as we get now, 1 shud be in a condition to grow his own food. Every1 shud know the art of farminf. Cultivation, farming, irrigation have only been in books for us. At the end of the day food is something we earn for. Ita so unfair that we dont now to grow our own food. Its something which evry1 needs. its should be of primary importance. It shud be the first thing we shud belearning. We dont've to deoent on others for that. I have a desire i shud be able to grow my own food and build my own shelter in my lifetime. I know its not something which is impossible. Difficult but not impossible. According to me a perfect man is the one who knows these arts. I realised it lately but not too late to know all this. I wish i will be able to fulfill my desire :)

Why always mama's boy!!!! why not girl.......

We always have found people saying Mama's boy. Have you ever wondered why? Me neither. I happen to get this thought recently where i found that mama always loves daughter more than son and daughter always loves mom more than dad. Mama becomes a friend when the girls reaches her teen. They share many things common in them. But still its mama's boy. And what about girl? yeah its papa's angel. Papa's Angel? Mujhe aaj tak yeh funda samaj nahi aaya. Paapa hamesha apney khaandaan ke chirag ki chah karte hain. Paapa ka naam toh beta roshan karta hai, agey leke jata. Toh papa ki ladki kaise hui? Yeh soch mujme jaagi hai, iska jawab doond rahey hai hum. Dekhte hain kab aur kaise milta hai answer. Koi kuch bhi kahe me Mama's angel hon.