AnuSriram

Since, Bee and Jai of Jugalbandi announced this month's theme for Click, the photography event, my mind was constantly thinking of what to click. Pots!.. Pans!... Bake ware!... Spoons?? Mmmm.... Aluminium foil, right! Will that foil work out? Can i click it just like that? Does that make sense? Was thinking for almost a week of what to do with these foils. Today, got this idea of making a rose out of it. Hope its not a bad idea and you all like it! Dedicating this rose to those who love cooking. It signifies Love, Patience, Care and Creativity of all those who make Every meal, a Happy Meal.


All the things captured in my Click are Metals. The stem of the rose is also an aluminium string.




Three things i focused in my click:
  • Pen - For making a grocery shopping list
  • Watch - For cooking and serving on time
  • Foil rose - A creativity out of my choice of metal

This photo below is my entry for the Click: Metal event. Bee and Jai, i am sending it right away to you. Hope you accept this!

AnuSriram
Mysore Pak

Ingredients:
  • Besan flour - 1 cup
  • sugar - 1 3/4 cups
  • Ghee - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
  • Water - 1 cup
How to make it:

Mix besan flour, sugar and water together and make a batter. Pour into a pan and at medium flame keep stirring continuously. Add ghee little by little when it starts sticking to the pan. Stir until it becomes thick and non-sticky. Pour into a greased bowl or plate and let it cool. When it is half cooled, draw lines on it with a knife and cut into pieces and let it cool completely.




RCI: BENGAL


Some Facts about Bengal:

  • Rice and Fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying that in Bengali, machhe bhate bangali, that translates as "Fish and Rice make a Bengali".
  • Sweets are part of their daily feast. Can never forget those famous Bengali sweets- Rasgolla and chum-chum, made out of milk.
  • Durga Puja is a popular festival celebrated by majority of the people in west Bengal.
  • Bengal cotton and Bengal silk sarees are so famous for their fabulous weaving techniques.
  • Bengal is well-known for its superb arts and crafts made of silk, ivory, shola, conchshell, dhokra and beautiful clay models.
  • The Kantha embroidery of West Bengal is famous all around the globe. The old Kantha designs are rare possessions and are now flaunted on sleek shawls, saris, bags, letter holders and other fashionable items.
  • Bengal has been home to many famous persons. Religious leaders like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Chaitanya and Sri Ramakrishna are from Bengal.
  • Cricket is the famous sports in West Bengal and its well known that the Eden Garden stadium is one of the only two 100,000 seat cricket stadium in the world. Famous sports persons like Cricketer Saurav Ganguly and Tennis Star Leander Paes are from West Bengal.
More about Bengal, its tradition, culture, economy and more - Click here.


Coming to the recipe, I would like to send my Bengali Royal rice (Pushpanna) recipe to Sandeepa of Bong mom's Cookbook for her event Regional Cuisine of India : Bengal. Thanks Sandeepa for hosting this wonderful event!


AnuSriram
Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:
  • Basmati rice - 2 cups
  • Chopped vegetables - 2 1/2 cups (carrots, beans, peas, Cauliflower, potato, turnip, green peppers)
  • Onion - 1
  • Curd - 2/3 cup
  • Milk - 2 ounces
  • Mint leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
  • Corriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Green chillies - 3
  • Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Bay leaves - 2
  • Cloves - 4
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
  • Cardamom - 2
  • Black pepper powder - 1 tsp (Coarsely crushed)
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  • Saffron - a pinch
  • Bread - 2 slices
  • Ginger- garlic paste - 1 tsp
  • Butter - 2 tbsp
  • Cashews - few
  • Salt - as required
How to make it:

Soak the chopped corriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves and green chillies in curd for sometime. Soak saffron in warm milk and set aside. Cook basmati rice with 2 cups water and let it cool uncovered on a plate. Pour the saffron milk over the rice and mix it well. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add bay leaves, cinnamon, crushed cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds and ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds. Now add chopped onions and black pepper powder and saute until onion turns golden brown. Now add the vegetables, Chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder and cook covered until vegetables are half done. Add water if required for cooking vegetables. Now add the cup of curd with soaked leaves and cook until vegetables are done. Now on a low flame, add rice little by little and mix it well. Garnish with cashews fried in ghee and few corriander leaves. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread butter on the bread slices and cut them into small square pieces. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bread turns brown and crisp. Add it to the prepared biriyani and mix it well. Bread pieces in biriyani tastes so good that everyone gonna ask for more... Serve hot with your favourite chips and curd raita. Enjoy!



I was tagged for the first time by Kalai of samaithupaarkalaam for a MeMe..
Here are the rules for the Meme..

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them)
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Five facts about me? I was thinking for almost a week of what to put up...and do i really need to? Since, it was asked by a friend of mine I would really love to tell more about me... Here it goes..
1. I love paintings and Handicrafts. If i get a chance to visit some new places, the first thing i do is look for some art gallery or exhibitions. I admire all artists who put their utmost creativity and effort in bringing up such wonderful, adorable paintings. I was in Chicago in February for almost a week and did not miss those "Paintings below zero". It was in the Millennium park, this 95 feet long and 12 feet tall ice wall, created by Canadian artist Gordon Halloran. So creative, attractive and brightly coloured ice art was well maintained and some artists were working on it all the time to make new shapes. Visited that place twice to see the art both in sunlight and during night lights.


2. Being Thousands of miles away from my country, I miss my parents, Brother, Relatives and Friends so much... Poor Kid! My child doesn't get to meet them frequently and is missing all these relationships.

3. Like to spend my day tuned to Music. I can hear any type of music that is pleasing to my ears. I also like sports such as Cricket, Tennis, Athletics, Baseball, Football etc., Name any game.... i would like to watch it... My TV might break someday getting bored of telecasting just sports all the time.

4. I am always friendly and jovial. I have a wonderful group of friends to enjoy. I go good with everybody unless they try to irritate me and raise my temper. At the same time, i forgive and forget them easily. I always wanted my surrounding to be clean and neat. My kid very well knows he has to clean up things soon after playing. Less items at home needs less care, i believe.

5. I am not a spend thrift... I always think thrice before buying each item. First thing i consider is, Can i be without that for some more time? If i feel i could, then i come without buying it. I regularly look on weekly circulars and make a list of items i am going to purchase. When i go shopping i try to buy only those listed. My husband is always happy about that!

Enough i guess!. Will stop my story here....Now its time to tag some of my other blogger friends too... I am tagging
Happycook of mykitchentreasures
Archy of archysrecipes
Easycrafts of simpleindianfood
vanamala of nalapaka
Meera of enjoyindianfood
Come on... write a wonderful MeMe ... waiting to know more about you all.


Vegetable of the week - Brinjal



I am sending my Ennai kathirikkai Kuzhambhu or Floating Brinjals to Pooja of "My Creative ideas" for her "Vegetable of the week - Brinjal". Click here for the recipe. Thanks pooja for hosting such a wonderful event.

AnuSriram
Ingredients:
  • Aval (Rice Flakes) - 1 cup
  • Milk - 4 to 5 cups
  • Cashews - few
  • Raisins - few
  • Saffron - few threads
  • cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
  • MTR Badam powder - 2 tbsp (if preferred)
  • Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
  • Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to make it:

Heat ghee in a pan and fry aval for few minutes until it becomes light brown. Bring milk to a boil and add aval and cook until aval becomes soft. Add sugar, badam powder and cardamom powder and cook until it thickens. Fry cashews and raisins in ghee until golden brown and add it to the cooked payasam. Add few saffron threads and serve hot or cold.

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