The Idly Story

Today’s breakfast was Idly with chutney and Chinna vengaya sambhar (sambar with those tiny onions called shellogs).

Ma, the Idly you make is so soft and yummy !!!!

(Proudly smiling) Thank you, my dear.

But, why the Idly which we ate during the travel, was hard and totally tasteless ???

Everything lies in the technicality of preparing the batter. I’ll teach you all about it, when u grow older, OK ???

I’ve fantasized a lot about the soft soft Idlies which my Mom makes and I am glad that I learnt the art of perfect preparation of the batter.

So many friends ask me how the Idlies are softer at my place and I always give them a smile, before answering “Its all in the batter” !!! 😉

But I also make the batter the same way, as you do, will be their retort.

It’s a blend of – the proportion of rice and urid dhal and the appliance used for grinding.  Don’t expect great results while you use a Mixie.

In our South Indian families, the most important thing in any kitchen, is the Grinder. Every new bride gets one from her mother along with the secret recipe to a great preparation of Idly and Dosa. Trust me, this Grinder makes all the difference.

Yes, that’s what I’ve and its been a great journey with my grinder. 🙂 😉 😉

To explain it a bit more further, the urid dhal needs to be made into a fluffy batter, for soft soft idlies. And that perfect fluffiness can be achieved only and only by grinding it in a Grinder. The Mixie gets heated up, owing to closed less space and the urid dhal batter becomes stiff and thick, not fluffy and soft. This is an important point to remember and invest wisely in a Grinder, for getting best Idlies at home. 🙂  Of course, the proportions too are very important.

And also, we never use Idly rava, which is available readily in shops – which can be soaked and mixed with the urid dhal batter.  We always soak and grind the rice, in a Grinder, which adds to the softness. Idly rava makes the idly quite brittle when cold and might need lots of water to swallow them. 😉

Not only Idly, Vada also comes out fantastically soft and fluffy and crisp on the outside, when the batter is made with the Grinder.

I made them on last Tuesday, when the men in the family change their sacred thread rightly named as Avani Avittam (Avani – tamil month, Avittam – the star). And also some yummy Vella payasam (Kheer made with dhal and jaggery). It was really delicious. 🙂

And tomorrow calls for another round of goodies, with a Bday Party for Lord Krishna – the Janmashtami. 🙂 This is my favourite month, with loads of festivals and more opportunities to make yummy foods. 🙂

So, are the idlies you make pass the Softness QC ??? 😉 😉  Come on, share your experience on making idlies. 🙂

Idlies are my fav food and its the best food while travelling.  But I always come back home hungry, for the softness of the Idlies I make. 🙂

My name is Saroja Kumari + Other friends tooo….

Hello !!! Is it Uma ???

Yes, who is this ????

My name is Saroja Kumari.

Whaat ????

Saroja Kumari.

OK…..

I am a great fan of your blog….even though I don’t leave comments, I read every one of them.

Really, that’s nice.  From where are you calling ????

I stay in the Northern India.

With an international number being displayed in my mobile, I feel that this is someone trying to play a prank on me. But I am unable to place the voice.

Ok…then how did you get my number ????

Oh, I got it from Vimal…you know him right ???

My God…I was totally confused. How did Vimal give my number ???? If he has given, then I should be knowing her….so who is this woman on the phone ????

Then suddenly…..ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha….

The Devil laughed before giving away her identity – It was Sakshi !!!! 😆

OMG !!! Is it really you ??? I can’t believe this, Sakshi….this is such a nice surprise.

Uma, I just called to wish you on your birthday. Happy Birthday to you.

Oh..so lovely….I was totally shocked, surprised, happy and feeling so good !!!! Thank you Sakshi….that was one of the best moments in my life. 🙂  Hugs to you, Saksh…I am still going blah blah about your call. 🙂

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And Thank you, Pixie dear, for the wonderful birthday wish early in the morning….really made me feel good on a Monday morning. Wish I could send you some Pongal and chutney, which I made. 🙂 Hugs to you, Pix. 🙂

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My dear Swaram, Thank you so much for calling me, its always feels good to hear your voice. You have that special love for life in your voice, which is very infectious. Love you and special hugs to you. 🙂

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And Sags, my dear, this is the most wonderful thing for me – the post you’ve written for me – am totally flattered and all smiles. And thanks for calling too. It sure is one of the best days in my life. 🙂  Hugs and Muahs to you !!! 🙂

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Thank you Sari, Vimal, Kanagu for calling to wish me….its damn sweet of you all. Am so happy to be here, as your friend. 🙂

Sari, will land soon at your home for a delicious Hyd Briyani from you. 😉 😉  Hugs to you. 🙂

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Thank you Ash (PNA) for that lovely bday card. 🙂 Its so wonderful to know you. 🙂

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Now, what do you say, when people make you dumb stuck for words, with their lovely actions ????  Swaram, Bins, Sags, Nu, Nancy, DI sent me this over mail :

To a very very special person, who makes all of us feel on top of the world. 
Who has so much love to spread it all around and make every single person feel proud 
To a special friend who gives us rock-solid support every single time we need it 
To a lovely friend, whose warm and affectionate comments we all wait for 

WISHING YOU A VERY VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY UMS. HAVE A GREAT DAY, A WONDERFUL YEAR AND A SUPER-DUPER LIFE AHEAD

May your life always be filled with love and laughter 

Happy happy birthday once again and here’s a small gift for you. Go get whatever you want 😉

– Bins, DI, Nancy, Nu, Sags and Swaram 🙂 🙂

And a Flipkart gift voucher too….My God, thats a great surprise !!!! Girls, you all made my day….this is the best bday ever. Am on top of the world. 🙂  🙂

Extra special hugs and muahs to the lovely girls. 🙂 🙂 🙂

OK, to all the fun-loving …. ahem cake-loving friends of mine, here’s the cake from me and by me…..

The Bday Cake !!!

Thank you for making my bday so special and wonderful. 🙂

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The Sunset at Velachery Lake, clicked from the car.

The HAIR of all problems…OOPS !!!

Believe it or not….in the past 10 days, people have been pouring their problems over to me. And guess what…everything is related in some way to the Hair.  And the most common grumble was “I don’t like my hair”.

If its curly, they want it straight.

If its wavy, they don’t like it at all.

If it’s too straight, they always complain.

Most of the people want some different kind of hair than what they have.  I suppose its human tendency to want, whats not there for them.

And so people go to salons or to hair-stylists to create the style they want, with whatever kind of hair they have.

And I can assure you that not everyone is satisfied with the results of hair styling.

I do remember a friend of mine who hurriedly went to Jawed Habib salon, when they opened near our home. He was a great stylist, but he cannot be there in all the branches of his salon. And one of the stylists there totally spoiled  her hair.

And then, there were the kinds like me, who were never allowed to even trim the hair.  Me and my sister will trim it on the third day after New Moon Day – we considered it auspicious for such a dare-devil act. And what big trim – it’ll be hardly 2 cm or max 1 inch – nobody can even tell a difference in the length – but we used to do it behind closed doors. It was thrilling for me then.  But the habit has just stayed with me – I don’t trim more than an inch, at any given time. It’s hard to see the tress falling down at my feet.

I need to tell about my other friend’s utter dare-devil act here. This happened about 30 years ago, when hair cuts or hair trimming were totally banned for girls and it was the time, when the girls listened to their parents on these things – at least in strict orthodox families, such rules existed. This friend’s youngest sister had such long, thick, black beautiful hair, something I would die for. But alas, she was not happy with it – the law of Human Tendency. 😉

So, my friend took her to some salon, near her house, warned her of the consequences, like the verbal bout from parents and helped her to change from long length hair to short bob-cut hair. The dare-devil girls were totally prepared for anything.

Having got back home, this little sister happily took all the scoldings and quietly went to her room. But she was happy. She has cut her hair and she knew very well that no amount of scoldings can make the hair grow in an instant.

I smiled at the contradiction – 30 years back, my friend’s sister did the bold act of getting a bob-hair cut done.  Now, Parachute claims that “Khoobsurat hai badna” !!!! 😉 😉 Now, those mind-boggling hair oils in the markets are all aiming to make people grow their hair. 🙂

So, have you styled your hair, at least once ???? Did you like the result ????

Do you love long hair or short length hair ????

A Cold Lemonade for a Sunny Day

A Cold Lemonade for a Sunny Day

Lemonade – my favorite drink of all. So, what better way to handle the topic of Beverage for Thursday Challenge – Photography for fun and learning. 🙂

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I’ve been wanting to read Kite Runner by the same author, but when this book landed on my hands, by luck, I was only too glad. I think the Kite Runner will follow soon, seeing my mind’s appreciative responses to this book. 🙂

Read the story’s brief here… [link]

For one thing, this book is damn good – fantastically interlaced history and fiction and My God, brilliantly written. My kudos to the author for bringing out such a wonderful book. 🙂

What fantastically strong woman characters, the author has created.  With all the difficulties and troubles they faced in the war-filled Kabul, how much they endure.  What is it that keeps them going, even when they have an abusing husband and absolutely no freedom to do anything ???

Mariam and Laila, take me by storm with the power to make me laugh, smile, cry, all at the same time perhaps !!!

I am saddened at the injustice to Mariam and her childhood years, but those lovely moments with her father, make me smile.

It upset me terribly to see her getting married to Rasheed, a man who is way older than her. And Mariam is only 15 yrs old.

When he forces himself on her, I cried….OMG, what kind of creature is he !!!!

Mariam lost her baby, not once, so many times, that I cried more than her !!!

How marriage changes a person, especially a woman ??? The words Mariam’s mother speaks to her, hurts her when she was young. But when she is married, she understands and goes through all that her mother told was the truth, like these :

“Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman.”

“There is only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life and they don’t teach it in school – And its this – Endure”

Laila is a happy go girl, totally in love with Tariq, till the fateful day, when the war swallows her parents, her brothers and Tariq too, she fears.

How the war transforms this girl and her dreams – its saddening.

The fight of the Mujaihideen against the Soviets, the entry of Taliban into Kabul are all so much interlinked into this story and the effects of this invasion on the lives of these characters.

The place which shattered me was when Laila undergoes C-Section, without any anesthesia !!!! OMG !!! Just can’t imagine such a thing to happen to any woman. It shows how war affects the livelihood of the people, not only in Afghanistan, anywhere in the world.  The sad state of medical supplies, the no importance to women’s hospital requirements by Taliban, is all so gruesome.

When I read the rules issued by the Taliban to the men and women separately, I was angered at the injustice of all.

Women can’t go out without being accompanied by a male relative.

Women cannot show their face.

Cosmetics, jewelry, charming clothes, laughing, painting nails, attending school, going for work are all forbidden.

Women cannot make eye contact with men.

If found guilty, will be severely beaten. If found to have done adultery, the women will be stoned to death.

I was horrified after reading this.

But I liked the ending  – it was fab !!!  People left Kabul during difficult times, but after the war was over, I appreciate their decision to go back to Kabul.  It’s so courageous of them to work and better the conditions of their country, in whatever way they can.

Amazing storyline…not a moment of boring dialogues…fantastic narration…a must read recommendation from me. 🙂

The title of the book refers to a phrase from the poem “Kabul”, by the 17th-century Persian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi.

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

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The Shiva playing a Veena at Srisailam

I love to bargain

I remember so well – those vegetable shopping trips to the South Mada Street in Mylapore and in the Thani thurai market near Sanskrit college, Mylapore. Two markets near my home and we get absolutely anything to do with cooking and of course flowers, too.  Also, there was a small shop which sells the salted peanuts fried to perfection in hot sand – OMG, that smell will just hook me and drag me to the shop.

I used to tag along with my amma or my patti, especially to carry the load of veggies, we buy for a week. And so we get to munch a carrot or radish or a lady’s finger, while trying to balance the bags – one on the shoulder (the long strap one) and the other in the hand. I also used to get an additional bonus of 25 paise for buying peanuts, which I used to munch while walking back home with 2 heavy bags.

With my mom, it’s a more technical shopping – she’ll buy the root vegetables first and put it in. Then the tomatoes and other soft stuff on top, to avoid the crushing of soft ones.  So, one bag will surely be more heavier, with all the root veggies in it.

I learnt a lot – to choose the tender ones, to look for skin color in some veggies, check for worms…so many other things and of course, with it, the art of  Bargaining.

Isn’t bargaining an art by itself ??? While I watched my amma and patti bargaining so well, I’ve also seen my appa, pay the amount they ask. We had all sorts of people at home.

Elumichai pazham eppadi ????  How much are the lemons ???

Pathu roobaikku naalu.  4 for 10/-

Anju kudaen. Give 5 na.

Athalleam kattu padi aagadhu ma. All those won’t work out fine.

Amma will pester and talk some more and convince some more, till she gets 5 for 10/-

I was enthralled at this conversation. I thought that this is the way I should shop.  Those people always raised the prices and its our job to bargain and reduce the price, before buying, was my idea.

Then slowly, I was sent on my own to buy things. I was first hesitant to bargain. And the vendors too thought that what this little girl will know about bargaining. How wrong were they ??? I did bargain and got the veggies at a lesser rate than he told. And that was only the beginning.

I loved those talks – the bargains – me and the vendor used to have great conversations, while bargaining – starting from the economic policy of the country due to which the prices are sky-rocketing to the farm from which he gets his greens. I used to love them all.

The bargaining went for anything – even when I used to buy those accessories for my dresses, in those countless platform shops in and around Luz Corner – those lovely handbags – the stylish chappals – those dolls, which we used to keep in the Bommai Kolu during Dussherra.

Then slowly came in the culture of supermarkets in Chennai and Food World caught everyone by surprise. I started loving those trips to the supermarkets, where you get everything under one roof, in a much cleaner environment than the South Mada Street vegetable shop. But there was one thing that disturbed me – I couldn’t bargain here – I had to buy it at the cost displayed – even the vegetables were neatly packed and sealed and priced. The most horrendous thing was I had to pay for my curry leaves and coriander. That was too much for me – all along, when we bought vegetables in those Mylapore markets, we always get the curry leaves and coriander for free. That was a happy moment, when the shopkeeper acknowledges the fact that you’ve chosen his shop among many and made some business for him. And we are happy with the free coriander – can make some good chutney at home.

Then slowly and slowly the super-market culture grew over me and I stopped visiting those markets, but still they have a special place in my heart.  Even today, I go to South Mada Street, to buy some delicacy like mavadu (those small raw mangoes). It’s the best only in those markets.

Now a days, I go to the super market, in my apartment, to choose the veggies or better still, the lazy one in me, calls the super market to home deliver the veggies. I’ve actually forgotten the art of bargaining…wherever we go it’s a fixed price shop right.

But, we do love the SALES, where the prices drop and we get to buy more for the same money.  🙂 😉 I think its human tendency.

Today morning, when I bought the veggies, the lady gave me coriander and curry leaves for free…WOW, I was reminded of my veggie shopping days and endless bargaining.

So, do u love those open markets, where you can buy and bargain and converse too ???  Or has the super-market bug, bit you too ???? 😉

My friend has come.

I know that my friend P has arrived. Call it intuition or mere telepathy, whatever.

Being in the same apartment complex, is an added advantage, when a dear friend arrives.

I can just drop in her house any time – the stress of travel is greatly avoided.

But my husband says that its past midnight and probably not a good time to visit, even its my dear friend.

So, I pull my face to a frown, draw the sheet up to my head in anger and try to get some sleep.

When suddenly, I hear a rattling noise, outside the flat.

Being awake, I try to peep out of my window to see what’s happening.

Seeing a huge crowd down, in the parking area, I try to wake up the sleeping man in my home.

He opens his eyes slowly, but when he hears lots of noise outside, he is totally awake.

He tries to call the Secretary of the Apartment, who is also a family friend, to know what’s going on.

It was shocking news for us – there has been a robbery in one of the flats.

And the residents think that the robber is still hiding in someone’s house.

So, they are discussing some method to catch him, before he attempts to rob another house.

The maintenance office is opened and everyone in the apartment is being called individually, to be warned of such a thing.

And till such time, every resident has been advised to stay indoors and not venture out.

The sleep gone now, me and husband sit surfing channels and sending SMSes to friends, since all of them were awake now.

It’s dawned now and I make some tea.

Husband plonk on the bed to catch some sleep.

I silently make a vow to go and meet my friend. She’s just a few flats away.

But the moment I come down, I see a big commotion and hungama everywhere. My neighbor told me to go home immediately.

Everyone looked so scared.

I came back home.

I just couldn’t understand what was going on down.

Oh my dear God, my friend is just a few flats away ??? Why are you making it difficult for me to visit her ????

Then suddenly I heard a THUMP in my balcony.  I ran to see whats that sound.

I screamed my lungs out.   AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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Thank you friends, for following my dream. 😉 😉

Its Pal, whom I am waiting to meet. 🙂  We are not in the same apartment as the dream, but in the same city now, and I am dying to meet her. 🙂

Sex Education is not a Crime

Now, if you all don’t know about it, our CBSE system of education recommends the sex education to the children under the CBSE board, in 8th standard – around 13 years of age – at the entry into teenage.

I am all for this, actually support it – but is it enough, if they start at 13 years ???  Majority of the children, under 13 yrs of age, who are abused sexually, don’t even know what’s happening to them.

So, here I am thinking, that they should start at a much early age, when came the shocking news from many children, that these specific chapters are not been taught in school. I was like WWWHHHAAATTTT ????

Immediately I got hold of one 8th standard Science Text Book and looked for that chapter.

Yes, there is a small 2 page write-up, which is very simple enough to read and understand. But the sad part is, year after year, it’s an omitted chapter, either by the teachers or school authorities. Why ???

Now, are they trying to help the child by avoiding the teaching of that chapter ???

Or are they saving themselves from embarrassment in teaching such a topic ???

Either way, it’s not doing any good for the children.

There’s this topic called the “Determination of the Sex of the child” and it tells all about the XX and XY chromosomes.  And finally there’s an interesting question like “So, who do you think is responsible for the sex of the child – the mother or father ?”

I find this is a good thing to teach the children.  But why do they avoid teaching all this ???

Isn’t this the right way to stop those boys from growing up into senseless, ruthless men, asking their wife to give them a son, when they themselves are at fault ???

Isn’t this an important topic to teach and discuss ???

Yes, the children are shy to talk about it – every where they go, they are faced with a conservative crowd, which says its wrong for girls to talk to boys.  So, how to remove this inhibition from the child’s mind ???

Everywhere, the child goes, there is a mental block –

1. Talking to the other gender is a big NO NO.

2. The school doesn’t want to teach the Sex Education chapter.

3. The parents are not helping either.

So, where does the child go to understand stuff ???  Finally, they might end up learning things totally wrong.

I feel that the parents too play an important role in educating their child about this.

Start at an early age and start talking to them about the bees and the birds and how they reproduce. Allow them to watch those Discovery / Animal Planet shows,  in which they talk about animal mating behavior. There’s nothing wrong in knowing, it’s the way, the world survives.

Give them books to read. Answer honestly on the questions raised by them. Dont ever hide anything. That is the only way, the children will start trusting the parents.

There were some boys, who underlined the word “SEX” in that Science text-book, and kept laughing among themselves.  If not taught properly, they’ll start laughing even when they see forms with “SEX – Male / Female” !!!   Isn’t it embarrassing ????

Teenage is a crucial age for both boys and girls.  When bodily and mental changes take place, the support of the parents and the teachers is very much required.  Till the time they get comfortable with their own body and feelings, we need to give them good support. We need to educate on the right things. And doing things right.

Actually, educating the children at a much earlier age, will help prevent a lot of problems.

– A child who knows about the good and bad touch, will know it when they see it happening. And the child will be comfortable in telling the parent / teacher, who has taught the child about it. So, there is more awareness on this.

– The child will not feel embarrassed to ask their parents, when there is honesty in teaching them about it.

– Mutual communication between the parents and the children will improve and teenage won’t be a difficult phase to manage.

– The boy-girl friendship will be on healthier terms and silly teasing will stop.

Hence, I sincerely put forth my request to the CBSE Board in India, to make sure that all schools under this Board teach this chapter on Sex Education. It’s not enough if the chapter is present in the book, it needs to be taught properly and in the right way.

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This post is being cross posted, as part of the CSA Month initiative !!! You too can be a part of it…..Just visit the blog to know more…