The Writer's Blog

Punjabi Cuisine always twists my tongue and the notorious secretions shamelessly roll down my mouth and into the floor below! Since today's Lohri, I thought of sharing a very important punjabi dish- PUNJABI KADHI... Few days ago, I had posted about gujarati kadhi and the one's analogously existing in Southern India. But this one's a winner all the way! Happy Lohri and I thank http://funnfud.blogspot.com/ for sharing this wonderful recipe Ingredients For Pakora : 1 cup Besan (gram flour) Pinch of cumin seeds 2 tspn onions - chopped finely 1 green chillies - chopped 1/2th tspn grated ginger pinch of turmeric powder 1/4th tspn garam masala red chillie powder (to taste) 1/2 tspn ajwain (optional) water (to make a smooth batter) Salt to taste Oil for frying For Kadhi: 2 spoons Vegetable Oil 1 cup besan 1 huge onion - sliced in long pieces 1 tomato - chopped 1 tspn ginger paste 2-3 tspn minced garlic 4-5 Dry Red chillies 7-8 Curry leaves 2 tspn

Lohri coincidentally falls on the same day as that of Pongal in Tamil Nadu and a day before Makara Villakku in Kerala. What is more surprising is that all these festivals have a common path of social enticement. Today's Lohri and this is what the fiirst result on google had to show - Reflections from http://www.lohrifestival.org Lohri, is celebrated every year on 13th of January. It is a festival to worship fire. Lohri Festival is celebrated with great pomp in North India. At this time Earth starts moving towards the sun marking the auspicious period of Uttarayan. First Lohri is very important for the newly wed and the new born babies as it marks fertility. At night, people gather around the bonfire and throw til, puffed rice & popcorns into the flames of the bonfire. Prayers are offered to the bonfire seeking abundance & prosperity. People make merry by dancing & singing traditional folk songs. Though Lohri f

So, finally I am done with my examinations for this semester. I reach back home and that's when My dear old daddy dear tells me that he has registered for a naukri.com and that he was going to pay around 2100 rupees for a membership that runs for 6 months long and straight. Now what has that got to do with my post??? Well...There is a wee bit of a relation... ;) otherwise why would I put you through this??? :P Since Dad had committed a electronic remittance of 2100 bucks, a vague idea that had creeped into my mind 2 weeks ago while going through the custom blog feature provided by BLOGGER, cramped back. The idea of acquiring a custom domain for my blog - REFLECTIONS. And hitherto, I didn't make an about turn..kept on moving..and after storming my head for about 4 hours, I came up with a simple name REFLECTONS OF INDIA, since it's the Indian Culture (both authentic as well as Westernized Modern Indian Culture) that I will be sharing on this little place that now belongs to

Papaya Khar Assamese Recipe MY RATING - 9/10 Source - http://assamfoodie.wordpress.com/khar/ Reflections from Assamfoodie.wordpress.com "A traditional meal in Assam begins with a bowl of khar , a class of dishes named after the main ingredient, also called khar which is made by filtering water through the ashes of dried banana peels. Khar dishes can be made of pulpy vegetables such as gourds,papaya and cucumber, pulses ,greens etc There are many versions of Khar and these are just a few." Ingredients 2 cups peeled,cubed green papaya 1 tsp of plantain khar(kolakhar ) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp grated ginger 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp mustard oil 1/2 cup water salt to taste 1/2 cup gram lentils,washed Method Heat the oil and add mustard seeds and ginger Stir-fry for a minute. Add the papaya cubes (and lentils)and stir well. Add the khar or the baking soda and salt. Add a little water and simmer it till the gravy is thick. Garnish with some extra

Mumbai Chiwda Marathi Cuisine MY RATING - 9/10 Source - http://www.indianfoodforever.com/maharashtrian/bombay-chiwda.html Ingredients: 1/3rd cup halves Peanuts (Moong Phali) 1/3rd cup halves Cashew (Kaju) 1/4th cup whole Almond (Badam) 1/4 cup blanched Pistachio (Pista) 1/4th cup Pumpkin seeds 1/4th cup Pine Nuts 2-3 sliced crosswise into thin rounds hot Green chilli (Hari Mirch) 1 tblsp Fennel seeds (Saunf) 15 Curry Leaves (Kari Patta) 3 tblsp fresh Coriander Leaves (Dhania Patta) 2/3 rd cup thick pounded Flat Rice (Poha) 1/4th cup Raisins (Kishmish) 1/4th cup Currants (Kishmish) 1/4th cup chopped Dates (Khajoor) 1/2 tsp Salt (Namak) 2 tblsp Maple or Date Sugar 1/3 cup Moong Dal 1cup deep fried Sev Noodles Vegetable Oil or Ghee for deep-frying Method Heat oil or ghee in a kadhai or deep-frying pan over a moderate heat. Place the peanuts in a wire-mesh sieve and lower it into the oil. Fry until golden brown, lift out the sieve, and transfer the nuts to p

GUJARATI KADHI Gujarati Recipe (West Indian Cuisine) MY RATING - 9.1/10 Source - http://www.indianfoodforever.com/gujarati/gujarati-kadhi.html Reflections - One of the most delightful of Indian cuisines is Kadhi, which is prepared in a different form in every part of India, ranging from the Spicy version from Punjab to Gujarat's soulful one and the coconutty version from Kerala called Kaallan. This is perhaps the healthiest among all curries since it is prepared from boiled Curd. Ingredients: 2 Cups Sour Curd 4 tsp Besan 1/2 inch Ginger, chopped 2 Green chillies, chopped Salt To Taste Handful Corainder leaves 2 tsp Oil 1 Pinch Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder Seasonings: 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds Few Curry leaves 1 Pinch Asafoetida Preparation: * Beat the curd and add two cups of water. Add the besan, salt, turmeric powder and mix well. * Make a paste of ginger, chillies, cinnamon and corainder leaves. * Boil the curd mixtur

Goan Drumstick Cutlet Goan Recipe (South Western Indian/Coastal Cuisine) My RATING - 8.9/10  Source - http://www.indianfoodforever.com/goan/drumsticks-flower-cutlets.html   Ingredients 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 2 tblsp bengal gram flour (besan) 1/2 tsp coriander seed roasted and powdered oil for frying 1 cup coconut scraped 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 2 tblsp rice flour 2 medium onions salt to taste 3 cup drumstick flowers 1/2 tsp tamarind pulp Method How to make drumsticks flower cutlets : Wash the flowers. Cut the onions fine and mix all the ingredients well except oil and rice flour. Mix, applying slight pressure and separate into 10 portions. Make round balls and flatten them. They should be approximately 1 cm thickness. Roll in rice flour on both sides. Heat up frying pot and put 2 teaspoons of oil on it. Then assemble cutlets on the frying pot and pour out 4 to 5 teaspoons of oil all round. Fry over low heat up till brown. Then turn on the

Masala Karela is a Punjabi (North Indian) delicacy in which Karela or Bitter Gourd is stuffed with onion/mashed Potato stuffings. Makes up for spicy dinner meal with you and your loved ones. Careful...it's healthy and great on taste too! Ingredients: Coriander powder :- 2 tsp Red chilli powder :- 1 tsp Turmeric powder :-1tsp Oil to fry Bitter gourd :- 5-6 Salt to taste Onions :- 2 (medium) Dry mango powder :- 1 tsp Mashed Potato Method of Preparation: 1. The scrapings of the karelas should be taken off and reserved. 2. Making a slit on one side of the karelas, the seeds should be removed. 3. The karelas should be cut into thin slices. 4. Two spoons of salt should be rubbed over the karelas and its scrapings. 5. It should be kept aside for about 3-4 hours. 6. They should be washed again and dried totally. 7. Oil should be heated in a pan and the karelas should be deep fried till they become crisp and brown. 8. Onions sh

Huggi (हुग्गी / ഹുഗ്ഗി)  Time Taken : 15-30 mins   MY RATING : 9/10 REFLECTIONS Huggi is a sweet flavored Mung rice (Moong dal and Chaawal). It is a very important recipe hailing from the South western Indian state of Karnataka. Huggi is one of the healthiest and wholesome dishes of the world. Though different in taste and flow from it's north Indian counterpart, Khichdi and Tamilian cousin, PONGAL...Huggi definitely deserves to be on the top. Easy to prepare..try it today! DELICIOUS HUGGI - http://www.itslife.in/wp-content/gallery/receipe-rice/recipe-rice-huggi.jpg INGREDIENTS 1 cup - yellow moong dal 1 cup - white rice 1-2 tbsp - dry/desiccated coconut, grated/powdered (Kobbari/copra) 1.5- 2 cups - sugar OR jaggery (OR as per taste) 1/2 tsp - cardamom powder 1/2 tsp - black peppercorns, coarsely crushed (optional) 2 cups - milk (optional) 1 tbsp - cashews and raisins 1-2 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter A pinch of turmeric RECIPE 1. Dry roast yellow moong dal for a cou

भज गोविन्दम / பச கோவிந்தம் / ഭജ ഗോവിന്ദം / BHAJA GOVINDAM Composed by - Shri Adi Shankaracharya Sung by - MS Subbalakshmi MY RATING - 10/10 Reflections I am just a nobody to comment on this masterpiece.....let's know what wikipedia has to say Bhaja Govindam(Praise/Seek Govinda) also known as Moha Mudgara (Hammer [to shatter] illusion) is a popular 8th century Hindu devotional composition in Sanskrit attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. This work of Adi Shankara underscores the view that devotion (Bhakti) to God, Govinda, is a vastly important part of general spirituality, as emphasised by Bhakti Yoga and the Bhakti movement. This work is generally considered a summary of Adi Shankara's Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Significance This timeless composition is a reminder that the author, Adi Shankaracharya, who is often regarded as a stalwart advocate of the Jnana Marga (Jnana Yoga) or the "Path of Knowledge" to attain Mukti, yielded to none in appreciating, in

Unveiling the Depths of "Krishna Nee Begane Baaro" Krishna Nee Begane Baaro  (Oh Krishna, Please Come) transcends the realm of a simple  Kannada devotional song . Composed by the revered saint-poet  Vyasatirtha , it offers a powerful expression of devotion and yearning for the divine presence of Lord Krishna. A Melody Steeped in Tradition: The essence of  Krishna Nee Begane Baaro  lies in its music. The melody flows serenely in  Raga Yamunakalyani , its notes reminiscent of the gentle murmur of the Yamuna River. The rhythmic pattern,  Chapu , adds a structured elegance, providing the perfect foundation for the heartfelt lyrics. Vyasatirtha, a prominent figure in the  Dvaita school of Madhvacharya philosophy , infused the song with his profound understanding of the divine. A Source of Solace: Krishna Nee Begane Baaro  resonates far beyond its cultural significance. The song's calming melody offers a sense of peace and comfort during challenging times. Many listeners, mysel

SrinivAsa Kalyanam Directed and Edited by - K Hari Kumar Music - old Telugu film song & G.Ramesh Location - Shri Krishna Temple, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi Date - 17 Octiber 2010 Camera - Sony DSC W270   The Legend of Tirumala or popularly known as the story of Srinivasa Kalyanam (the marriage ceremony of Lord Srinivasa) in Southern parts of India, is the most fascinating story behind reincarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu on the Sacred Hills of Tirumala in the form of Lord Srinivasa ( also known as Venkateswara) and the marriage of Lord Sri Venkateswara with Goddess Padmavathi. The Story is so fascinating that it is being told and read in every home of South India again and again with great amount of interest and passion. Lord Venkateswara is so popular in Southern parts of India, that every home has a child named after the Lord Srinivasa or Govinda or Venkatesa or any name out of thousand names the Lord is known with.

suresah saranam sarma visva-retAh prajA-bhavah ahah samvatsaro vyaalah pratyayah sarvadarsanah suresah - The One who is the Lord of all SurAs (Gods) saranam - The One The One who is the ultimate destination/penance sarma - The One who is the supreme bliss visva-retAh - The One who is the cause of the Universe prajA-bhavah - The One from whom all forms (PRAJA) arise or happen (Bhavah) ahah - The One who is as luminous as the day samvatsaro - The One who is Time vyaalah - The One who cannot be taken in hand like a serpent (VyAlah) pratyayah - The One who is the consciousness sarvadarsanah - The One who can see everything that everyone sees, because he is everyone. He is omnipotent. വിജയദശമി ആശംസകള്‍ / விஜய தஷமி ஆஷம்சகள் / दश्शेरा की शुभकामनाये / Happy Vijayadashami to all of you!

മഹാഗനപതിം മനസാസ്മരാമി / மகாகனபதிம் மனசாச்மராமி / महागानपथिम मनासास्मरामी / Mahaganapathim ManasAsmarAmi Singer - Bombay Jayashree Music - Mani Sharma / Amit Heri My Rating - 10/10   Reflections An amazing Carnatic song, given a western touch by Mani Sharma / Amit Heri and rendered by the very talented Bombay Jayashree. A song that is both powerful in it's original raga as well as modern musical marvel. It's a song written in Sanskrit praising the great Lord Ganapathi  

ईशानः प्रानाधः प्राणों ज्येष्ठ: प्रजापतिः हिरान्यगार्भो भूगर्भो माधवो मधुसूधन:  Ishanah prAnadah prAno jyeshtah shreshtah prajApatih hiranyagarbho bhUgarbho mAdhavo madhusUdhanah Ishanah - The One who controls all the five elements prAnadah - The One who gives PrAna (Life) to all prAno - The One who lives forever Jyeshtah - The One who is elder/older than all Shrestah - The One who is the greatest among all Prajapatih - The One who is the Lord of all Prajas or people hiranyagarbhO - The One who dwells in the womb of everything created bhUgarbhO - The One who is the womb of the world mAdhawo - The One who witnesses everything while it happens madhusUdhanah - The One who destroys madhuh or vAsanas, that is, sensuous feelings

अग्राह्यः शाश्वत: कृष्णो लोहिताक्ष: प्रतर्धन: |  प्रभुतस्त्रीककुब्धाम पवित्रं मगलं परम ||  agraahyah shAshvatah Krsno lohitAkshah pratardhanah... prabhutastrikakubdhAm pavitram mangalam param.......... agrAhyah - The One who cannot be grasped by the senses sAsvathah - The One who is ever-existing Krsnah - The One who is dark skinned or the existing heaven...Krs is Existence and sna is Bliss/Heaven LohitAkshah - The One who's eyes are red Pratardhanah - The One who causes ultimate Pralaya or Apocalypse Prabhutah - The One who is full of all qualities TrikakubdhAma - The One who resides in all three worlds, The Heaven, Earth and Nether world Pavitram - The One who is pure Mangalam Param - The One who gives Mangalam or benefits just by remembering Him

अप्रमेयो हृषीकेशः पद्मनाभोअमराप्रभुह:| विश्वकर्मा मनुस्थ्वष्टा स्थविष्ट: स्थविरो ध्रुव: || aprameyo Hrishikeshah PadmanAbhoamaraprabhuh. vishwakarma manusthvashtA sthavishtah sthaviro dhruvah.. Aprameyah - The One who cannot be known by analogy, for he has no parts. Hrishikeshah - The One who is the master of all senses PadmanAbhah - The One who's navel is the source of the Lotus where Brahma is born amaraprabhuh - The One who is the Lord of all immortals Vishwakarma - The One who is the architect of the universe Manuh - The One who is the thinker, the mind TvashtA - The One who reduces the size of all beings at the time of Pralaya (Apocalypse) Sthavishtah - The One who is the highest infinity Sthaviro Dhruvah - The One who is ancient and firm 

स्वयंभू: शम्भुरादित्य: पुष्कराक्षो महास्वनः| अनादिनिधनो धाता विधाता धातुरुत्तमः|| svayambhUh sambhur Adityah pushkarAksho mahAsvanah anAdi-nidhano dhAtA vidhAtA dhAturuttamah स्वयंभू: (Swayambhooh) - The One who is manifested in Himself or self-made  शंभू (Shambuh) - The Other name of Lord Shiva, Thus, promoting the idea of Unity of the Vedic Trinity. आदित्य (Adithya) - Like none other पुष्कराक्ष: (PushkarAkshah) - The One who has eyes the shape of Lotus petals महास्वनः(MahAswanah) - The One who has the greatest breath...the breath that gave out the Vedas अनादिनिधन:  (anAdhinidhanah) - The One who neither has a beginning (Birth) or and End (Death), Promoting the physics' theory which states that Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. धाता (DhAtha) - The greatest giver विधाता (VidhAtha) - The Creator of all living forms धातुरुत्तमः (DhAthuruttamah) - The Greatest of all elements... DHAATU means element or atom in this context. Thus, once again, relating Science w

Wishing you all a very happy Sri Krsna Janmashtami (Ashtamirohini)   सर्व : शर्व: शिव: स्थानुर्भूतादिनिधिरव्यय: संभवो भावनो भरता प्रभव: प्रभुरीश्वर:    sarvas-sh arvas-sivah sthaan ur.. bhootaadir nidhir-avyayah sambhavo bhaavano bhartaa.. prabhavah prabhur-Ishvarah   सर्वः (Sarvah) - The One who is everyone...Omnipotent शर्वः  (Sharvah) - The Auspicious One शिव: (Shivah) - The One who is also Shiva..( Stating the unity of the Trinity....that God is one...The Creator...Preserver & the Destroyer ) स्थाणु: (Sthaanuh) - The One who is firm भूतादि: (Bhootadih) - The Creator of the five elements on BHOOMI (Earth) निधिरव्यय: (Nidhir Avyayah) - The Indestructible Treasure संभव: (Sambhavah) - The One who keeps Happening भावन: (Bhavanah) - The One who is all giver भरता  (Bharthaa) - The One who governs the entire world प्रभव: (Prabhavah) - The Womb of all five elements प्रभु: (Prabhuh) - The Almighty One ईश्वर: (Ishwarah) - The One who can perform on his own...The G

पूतात्मा परमात्मा च मुक्तानाम परमा गति:| अव्यय: पुरुष: साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञो अक्षर एव च|| PUtAtma ParamAtma cha muktAnAm paramA gatih... Avyayah Purushah sAkshi kshetrajno akshara eva cha... __________________________________________________________ pUtAtma--  The one who isn't effected by worldly illsions (mAyA)   paramAtma-- The greatest soul...the highest being....(Scientifically- the combination of all atoms) muktanAm-paramAgatih-- He who is the final goal of the soul that attains salvation (Mukti) avyayah-- The indestructable being.. purushah-- The Being Himself... sAkshi-- The One who witnesses everything  kshetrajna-- The One who knows everything about the Area (Area can be universe or the individual's body or soul) akshara --- The One who once created can't be taken back or simply can't erased or destroyed  (Scientifically, it can be analogous to ENERGY...the one which cannot be destroyed once created...it can only be transformed from one for m to another.