AnuSriram
I wish all my friends, family members, fellow bloggers and the visitors of CHANDRABHAGA, A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2008. May God bless you with Happiness, Peace, Prosperity and Success. May the year ahead bring you promises of new dreams to fulfill, new goals to reach and new joys to discover!

The above photo is a Fabric painting decorated with colourful gems and stones.
AnuSriram
Vaikunta Ekadasi is an important festival for Hindus that occurs in the month of Marghazhi (Mid December to Mid January). This festival is dedicated to lord Vishnu. Its believed that devotees are relieved from their sins if they fast on this day and the gates to the heaven (vaikuntam) are open on this ekadasi day. Its a south indian tradition in lord Vishnu temples to have a "Vaikunta Dwaram" or " The gate to the heaven" open on this day. Through this passage one can reach the innermost sanctum of the lord.
More about it here.
Above is the picture of Lord Panduranga (Lord Krishna) and Rakumayee at Sri Panduranga Bhajanashram, Govindapuram.

Aval ( Poha or Rice flakes) is the favourite food for lord Krishna and has a beautiful story behind it. So, on this day thought of making some neivedyam with aval to lord Krishna and hence came this aval kesari.


Ingredients:
  • Aval (Poha, Rice flakes) - 1 cup
  • Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
  • Ghee - 1/3 cup
  • Water - 2 cups
  • Cardamom - 4
  • Orange food colour - a pinch
  • Cashews
  • Raisins

How to make it:

Fry Aval in little ghee until it turns light brown. Add 2 cups water to it and cook until the aval becomes soft and well cooked. Now add sugar, cardamom powder and food colour and mix it thoroughly. Add ghee little by little and cook until it thickens. Heat 2 tsp ghee in a small pan, fry the cashews and raisins and add it to the kesari. Mix well. Decorate with a pinch of saffron on top for a great flavour.

AnuSriram

This is my entry for the CLICK event introduced by Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi. CLICK is a theme-based monthly photography event. Have gone nutty since they introduced this month's theme as NUTS. This is my first participation in this event. So, was thinking what to do?, how to do?, do i need a recipe for this theme? or just a photo of some nuts. Nutty! Nutty! Nutty! Finally came up with some photos and a simple recipe too...



The first picture goes for the event. It was a little tough to fit that oval shape in the shot. The flower petals are made of Almonds, Cashew nuts and Peanuts. Used some raisins for the center of the flower and Pistachios as leaves.




The second photo has a recipe too... Those Nut Drops are really simple to make.

Ingredients:

  • Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup
  • Almonds - 1/4 cup
  • Coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Flour - 2 tbsp
  • Milk - 2 tbsp
  • Sugar - 1/4 cup

How to make it:

Soak cashew nuts and almonds in water separately. Remove the skin of almonds. Grind the almonds and cashew nuts into a fine paste with little water. Add flour, milk, coconut and sugar and mix well to a batter consistency. Drop them onto a baking sheet with a spoon and bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit until done.

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AnuSriram
I remembered my mom's recipe when i saw these green tomatoes in the grocery stores recently. An easy and delicious recipe to try. Hmmm... the taste was perfect!

Ingredients:
  • Green Tomatoes - 3 chopped
  • Onion - 1 medium size finely chopped
  • Moong Dhal - 1/4 cup
  • Masoor Dhal - 1/4 cup
  • Green Chillies - 4 or 5
  • Curry Leaves - few
  • Coconut - 1/4 cup
  • Turmeric powder - a pinch
  • Salt - as required


For seasoning: Mustard seeds, urad dhal and oil.


How to make it:

Pressure cook moong dhal and masoor dhal with little turmeric powder. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry until golden brown. Now add the green tomatoes and green chillies and cook until tomatoes become soft. Add the cooked dhal, coconut, salt and curry leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do the seasoning with mustard seeds and urad dhal. Serve hot. Goes well with rotis and parathas.