Trip to Enchanted Gardens

                                                         

I would like to give you a peek into 'my kind of day' today.It is green, colorful, full of sunshine with walk in the neighborhood exploring the unknown kind.

We have learnt to explore new life after Covid has hit the world and it's about going within and respecting every bit of the living cell.

I love going to nurseries in my city whenever I can and learn about  new plants and tricks to keep them alive in my home.

I have found so much inspiration in these pots and plants as it's like designing your own ecosystem. How you can bring a beauty with your old travelcollectibles and arrange living and non living together to say a story!

A fairy garden idea is displayed with ornamental cabbage, ceramics, succulents and seasonal flowers.Beauty of jute, pebbles and stones comes together here so coherently.I guess the pot designers can be another career one can choose to be.I become a kid when i go there and run all around to absorb the energy.

Stone,wood,metal props going together with natural elements ....Mushrooms in different size and colors are one of my favorite props.Imagine a flower bed with mushrooms in soil will fetch a yummy pic!! 

Succulents, aero plants and cacti also steal a main stage as they are easy to keep indoor  and need low maintenance in terms of water and light.There is a way to hang glass pots and terrarium to enjoy chlorophyll in small enviornment.

We also get to see multiple colored flora in a big pot which is like a living bouquet.Its a great gift as one can cherish flowers for ever.I have gone around city looking for beautiful leafy tropical plants and surprise to find every little plant family down there.I have started believing that its better to invest in plants for decor than anything else.

The cows, turtles,elephants and multiple animal shaped pots spread beauty and amazing coexisting scene around.Its a way to say we all live on this planet and each one of us makes it special.I have tried to impart my love and respect for life through plants to my kids, so they have their plants which they look after in my sweet home.

Hello 2022!!

 After so many years I feel like writing back on my blog.Its been two years of Corona virus making way in human life and now that's a 'newnormal' for all of us on Earth.There will be pre corona and post corona world and we have witnessed this history.I am blessed with two kids now and the journey is more fun and frolic now.

To begin with I experimented a lot in these two years with food and decor.I have enjoyed gardening and developed patches of beautiful greens in my backyard.

Thats a glimpse of my work in garden.I have started gaining more knowledge of plants and their care around the year.My goal is to bring back India and give that experience to my little ones.Life is interesting and I am pickling veggies and red chilli.

I also want to give a quick account of my trip to "Magnolia" in Waco Texas.It had been on my mind for long but this Christmas I made it.Its a place of fulfilling your desires.It proves that great creative minds can uplift a whole community.

My love for interiors and home decor made me discover this brand which has a huge place in hearts of people.I hereby wish to begin a new journey this year with explorations and adventures.

Cranberry Spice Chutney....

Well a recipe to share,Finger licking chutney is something I always enjoy with my meals.Some food tastes are always haunting when we grow old and that is, the food on which we grow right from our childhood.The smells from our grandmothers kitchen is always associated with the memories of childhood and togetherness.In Indian food there is a lot that is peripheral but those accompaniments are integral to each course.Chutney is a word of Indian origin derived from sanskrit catni meaning 'to lick'.I would love to share a recipe of one which I tried and licked till the end.

4 cups of Fresh Cranberries
1 cup of Water
2 cups of Sugar
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Tart apples,peeled,cored and diced
2 Red Bosc pears,peeled,cored and diced
1 small yellow onion diced
1 cup golden Raisins
1/2 cup hazelnuts toasted,skins removed and finely chopped
1/2 cup crystallized ginger,diced(1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger)

In a deep 6 quart saucepan,bring cranberries,water,sugar,cinnamon sticks, cloves and salt to a boil over medium heat.Stir frequently for about ten minutes until cranberries start to make a popping sound.this means their hard exterior is breaking down and softening.

Once cranberries begin to pop,reduce heat to simmer.Add diced apples,pears,onions and raisins and continue stirring frequently until mixture thickens(another 10-15 minutes).

Remove from heat.Stir in chopped hazelnuts and crystallized ginger.Cool to room temperature.Remove Cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving at room temperature and cool.

Cover tightly and store in refrigerator for two weeks.
Makes 12-14 servings.

Cute kids decor!!!

My daughters Kindergarten started and I am one mother looking for stuff around.Throwing in colors and organizing spaces is something I enjoy and it is a good way of keeping positivity around.There are some fun ideas which are easily available and workable to go with.

1)The idea is to hang our kids stuff in organized and fun way.Using a wall Organizer and hook imparts a character to the room.

2)We can use wall hooks for hanging their bags and caps.I use them to hang their purse and helmets.

3)A string of butterflies and flowers with clothespin is wonderful to use with pictures,cards and crafts.

4)I like to pin schedules and calendars on cork board.Newsletters and weekly notes go there.

5)We can try using colorful photo frames to frame their art forms from school.

Preserve kids creativity and motivate them by displaying their art forms to cherish the times in years to come.Play with colors and let the house speak of you!

Trip to New Orleans....Music capital of America

The Mississippi river

Live music in the air and cool breeze of Mississippi river takes you into old world charm.This city of Louisiana state boasts of Cajun food,Jazz music and arts on street.Our weekend trip planned on a short notice turned great with little one having her own time and picking the best from the city of NewOrleans.
A drive of five and half hours from Houston takes you to French quarters,Gumbo,Jambalaya and blackened catfish.
We being mix of vegetarians and non vegetarians got our own choices and trip turned to be exploring a new territory.
I tend to do brief home work before touching new soil and that took me to a breakfast place 'Cafe du monde'.Taking a street car and a day pass saves your day and hitting the 'arch' of Mississipi' is on our books.On the cafe a serving of coffee with famous 'beignets'(fried pastry coated with powdered sugar) starts your day.

Pedal car(ricksha of India)

Beautiful art by french artist

On to the Canal street and then to the French market is more an evening thing which makes you see anything creative all along,an artist posing long hours as a statue and artist singing their own creations all long the street takes you to the time when the city was a colony and still maintains its charms.The beautiful arts of local and international people is on display all through your walk.You can enjoy the sight of pedal cars,bicycles,scooters and all modes of transport which are not available elsewhere.

The 'gumbo'

Be open to try the 'Gumbo' which is available in chicken,shrimp and veggie broth.The 'Po boy' sandwich is another local recipe.Tasting Gumbo made me realize that soup must be the first food discovered all over the world with lentils,veggies and rice going in one pot and different staples in various proportions available must have landed different recipes.My toddler loved sipping it and I was one happy mother.

Tabasco shopping

We tried our hands on great 'Tabasco sauce' tasting outlets where you can try your hands on different chili sauces and come out with burning mouths and a

Audobon insectarium

memory of your choice of bottle to take home.'Peccan pralines' are another foodie goodie to come back home.
Going to a river side and not touching the waters is something I couldn't avoid so a ferry from Canal point touching Algiers point is a must.The ferry costs nothing and takes you around to give you a skyline of the city.
I would suggest to do go to the 'Audobon Insectarium' right in the downtown next to Shop on The Canals.It great fun to go and enjoy the world of butterflies and insects with your little ones.

Mutton Biryani!

The dish I always wanted to put my hands on but never felt confident of getting my fingers soaked.The idea of bringing out the original flavors and laying the right aroma on the table stopped me,then trying out my beginners luck on Fathers day gave me the recipe for lifetime.I have locked the process and I am ready for sharing it to all.This recipe gives you nice aromatic mouthful taste with right amount of spices,one can add Chili or more masala according to ones taste.
We start with Good quality of Basmati rice,I chose 'Indiagate' brand and soaked it for few hours.The essentials for pantry are all good quality whole spices(Cardamom black and green,Cinnamon sticks,Cloves,Whole black pepper,Bay leaves,Shahi cumin).Lets start with the recipe and the ingredients:
1)2 cups of Basmati rice

2)Red onion thinly sliced for deep frying
3)Ginger and Garlic paste for marinading mutton- four tablespoon
4)Star ingredient Mutton 1 kg
5)1cup Curd for marinading the mutton
6)Tomato pulp of two medium red Tomatoes
7)Fresh green coriander
8)Cooking oil for frying and and
9)Shan biryani masala(pakistani brand to look for)
10)Leaves of Mint for fragrance
11)Kesar/Saffron sprigs for soaking in milk
12)Diced almonds and raisins for garnish
13)Salt to taste

We start with lots of patience and time with deep frying our sliced onions in high flame oil.It should turn golden and little crisp as thats the perfect texture for it.Keep the fried onions aside.Next we start with frying our ginger garlic paste in oil with all whole spices mentioned,try keeping the amount balanced as no overpowering of one thing in there.Like four of each works for me(cloves,pepper cardamom etc)I would remind of marinading the mutton before hand with curd and rest of ginger garlic paste,salt so that its ready for sautéing.
We start with frying onions and tomatoes in the ginger garlic paste being already frying and then adding biryani masala to it.Two tablespoon of masala is good for the flavor.We expect the oil to separate and give us nice red masala consistency with bhuna(roasted)mutton.
We would boil the rice side by side and then keep it 3/4 done and strain it.Next comes the layering of rice and masala,with adding alternatively each and one after other in a baking dish where our recipe would go next level.Add lots of coriander and mint leaves.We add our deep fried onion too at this time on the top layer.Pour our Kesar(saffron) soaked milk all over the dish.Finally dress our dish with dry fruits and cover the baking dish with foil.
We will keep it in oven for half an hour at 275F Let the rice gets permeated with flavors and cooked to the desired quality and remain warm before serving.

The discovery of shan masala was a added bonus as it imparts all professional goodness to the recipe!
I would suggest eat the Biryani with raita and poppadums and keep writing back for reviews....

Pickle by chance!!

We shopped for groceries and ended up buying lots of vegetables.The idea of nutrition keeps ticking and we think of inducing all fresh food in our meals each time.This time cauliflower florets were too many to manage and I thought of pickling it with carrots and turnip,a pickle which I had at a punjabi house hold.This recipe is quick,tasteful and brings lots of fun on table.I would suggest having it with parantha(indian bread) and rice too.The whole prep takes few minutes and two days to mature for putting your fingers in.

yumm!

I would suggest to have the list of items before starting and then we are on:
1)Vinegar
2)Jaggery
3)Mustard seeds crushed
4)Red chili powder
5)Turmeric powder
6)Salt to taste
7)Ginger and Garlic paste
8)Florets of cauliflower
9)Diced carrots
10)Diced turnips
11)Green chillies if you like
12)Mustard oil to temper.(2 table spoon)


First step is to soak the jaggery(100g) in a bowl of vinegar for long so that it is dissolved in it completely.This is about one kg of pickle so all your veggies are cleaned,diced and blanched or else microwaved for seasoning.
For seasoning mix the turmeric(one teaspoon),red chili(acc to taste)and crushed mustard seeds(two table spoon) and salt in one bowl.Sprinkle all this mix of spices on blanched veggies.
We heat the oil and cool it add ginger garlic paste to let it brown and pour over the veggies and give a gentle mix.
Last we add the vinegar flavored with jaggery and stir for few minutes for uniform flavors.

The pickle is ready in two days for putting are hands in and enjoying with anything and everything.

Dipping sauce a must try!

Fond of Asian cuisine made me discover rasa Malaysia.com and then there was no turning back,loved the blog and I landed with a book from the library written by her.I love trying out Vietnamese cold spring rolls with rice sheets,so recipe for the dipping sauce for accompaniment is right here.I just love mix of peanut butter and soy sauce.I assure you that this mix will leave you licking your finger for last drop.

The recipe says,

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1 can( 15 ounces) or 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk

31/2 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

11/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

   

Place all the ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth.Dress it beside the rolls.I would be writing the spring rolls recipe next.

Thanks and keep licking!

A little green corner!

I have been very fond of greens from my childhood,it was a habit inculcated in me by my father..unknowingly his gardening routine somewhere left an impact and later on  realised that I would steal a space to make it green.Small twigs of aquaplants or succulents would reach my desk in a pot recycled by me.Strange enough it got me lot of peace looking at those mini creations.Little use of stones,coloured pebbles I would create a 'vivarium',this latest term means creating a little enclosed ecosphere of your own (aquarium is one example).

How about bringing a little imagination and creating one on your own. I found that we get great floating glass pots which are air blown into shapes and are conducive for  growing little ecosystems.'Etsy' is a great place to find them and one can order them from various combinations grown for you.Do try 'West elm' for the glass pots to cultivate one of your own.
I would say with the clinching spaces why not develop this art form of gardening.If you love Bonsai this idea would excite you too!

Fruity talk

I have been away for long and missed getting connected to all,new ideas keep pouring in and I am back to share my experiences.
Fruits are a big part of my diet and I feel they are natural elements which are complete in themselves(Nature candy).My daughter loves eating them and I love using them in unusual way,so I bring out my little inventions before you.

1)Pomegranate:I used it in chutney recently mixing it with coriander,green chilli,lemon juice and salt.
The grittiness of seeds adds a new dimension and try mixing it with chats and boiled potato.






2)Apple: I used square chunks in batter of muffins and adding little cinnamon powder brings out  more flavour. Grate apples to use like as in coleslaw.Even boiling apple and making puree is used well with pancakes.




3)Pineapple:Kids love eating it and they are fond of the juiciness of this fruit so why not to crush and mix with cake batter.Also try adding it as pizza topping with all veggies, the Hawaiian touch does magic. Try barbecuing it with mint marinade it tastes great.




4)Banana: I am sure banana bread is a try with all  the ripe ones,also try cutting it in pieces and pour caramel sauce to it.Making curry with raw bananas and yogurt indian styles is one version of mine.I would surprise you by saying that I even cook raw banana peel vegetable which tastes exotic.








5)Papaya:raw papaya salad is one of my favourites but going further I make a grated papaya chutney which is composed of all pickling dry herbs like fennel,onion seed and fenugreek seeds,add little ginger too.





6)Guava: I have tried a sweet vegetable of this fruit and it tastes great for kids,try making chaat of it with green chutney and chillies it tastes wonderful.Old people tell that directly burning it on gas stove makes it healthier.






I have shared mine do share yours I would love to have your thoughts on this.....

My favourite kitchen gadgets!!!!!

I have been an avid kitchen collector from my teen years,A strange acumen for kitchen's useful yet contemporay stuff.I would suggest my mother for picking up stuff and would love to try my hand on it.When I started my own kitchen with support of my hubby I collected certain things which made me proud to own them and flaunt them!!!

1)Chopping board-Would suggest bamboo one which is single cut and large...It has a coating which protects it from wearing down early.
Rectangular ones are more stroke friendly.

2)A bamboo salad bowl-Organic fruit and salad server and its earthiness is what attracts me most.They come with mixing spatulas and designed widely.

3)Olive oil press and dispense-This little bottle of suction I bought from 'Crate and barrel'.Its very handy and pours oil as wished according to measured oil in pout.I love it for vinagrettes and salad dressings.

4)Magnetic spice keepers-Got  these from 'Ikea' and proudly decorate my spice collection in it.I have sticked them on refrigerator and use them daily

5)Mini dip servers-Got these little ones from 'Bed bath and beyond' and are indispensible in my guest service.I love white porcelain for serving dishes, dips and salsas.They bring out bright radiant colours of the food
served.

6)Baking brush-A bristled brush of silicone in red is very handy for me in baking and barbeque,basting the meat is easy and so is for breads.It can with stand high temperatures of 425 degree farenheit

7)The wok-I got this mini wok from 'Marshalls' and it has a wooden handle thats just what i wanted.I have mastered my art of stir fry after owning this one.

8)Morter and pestle-Using this device is very ancient in india from ayurveda times but I own a small one with different design with large surface area which is unique of its kind,My hubby uses it for fresh cardamom grinding.The picture depicts the unique design which i mentioned so it has special place in my laboratory.



I tried to bring my kitchen stuff and shared my proud belongings with you,these members invite me everyday and i look forward to another day with more excitement in my favourite corner of house.

Raksha bandhan with Indian pannacotta..

Its been long time and I was looking forward to write this recipe of mine and what better day than festivity of 'Rakhi'.I had tried this Italian recipe with vanilla essence and my mind wanted Indian flavours to burst with first bite.I have redesigned the molecular structure of flavours by adding Kesar and dried rose leaves(adding gulukand is also great!!!)

For making this recipe we need to have-
1)One and half cup milk
2)Quarter ounce gelatin
3)One and half cup of Cream
4)Quarter cup sugar
5)10 sprigs of kesar soaked in little milk
6)Dried rose leaves(desi indian red rose) and pistachios for garnish

-We start with dissolving the gelatin in milk and keeping it for five minutes.
-Add cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to boil for few minutes.
-Then add milkgelatin mix in the boiling cream and give it another three minutes heating.
-Add the kesar which is already dissolved in milk.
-Cover the dish and chill for atleast 4 hours.
-Serve in small plates inverted from setting dish.
-Garnish with dry fruits and rose leaves.

Thai Temple-little Thailand in Tampa

My exploration in Tampa bay area took me to a temple named 'Wat mongkolratanaram' on a beautiful sunday afternoon with family.Its not a regular day of the week ,as here on sunday you find crowd of city rushing to taste the best food cooked by devotees to collect donation for the temple.Its a buddhist temple on the plam river side where the authentic thai food is served for a definite time (10:30-1:30 pm)

The food is home cooked,delicious and economical.We can find stalls serving from colourful desserts,Raw papaya salad,dumplings, banana fritters,wholesome pork and beef noodle soups(donot forget trying),coconut custard(must try),traditional curries with padthai and rice,eggrolls and even satay or barbeque dishes.The people like us need to carry cash as the place earns it as donation,so dont forget that!!!.Everything is good there and is really is....I found people coming from 10 -12 years for a great sunday brunch there .Its a success story of devotees for their sincere attempt to bring up their religion in foreign land.

The serene surroundings and sitting area makes it a must place for family outing.The temple also places a stall for selling Thai kitchen essential veggies,spices and produce for us to try our hand in kitchen with those wonderful recipes.Thats another way to bring traditions close to all those people who are unknown to rich traditions of eastern world....Right place where east meets west harmoniously.

Food is one thing which brings together people and all our sense organs are loving it!!!!

Wat Mongkolratanaram 5306 Palm River Rd. Tampa, Florida 33619
Phone : 813-621-1669 Fax : 813-626-8850

Tex mex in a bus....

 Living in texas for three years made me fond of mexican food and that made me search a local joint in Tampa ,this one is known to be the best serving Tacos,burritos,quesadilla and tostada place in Florida state.Well the place reminds us of a bus which is the kitchen and hence named 'Taco bus' .They have a tagline "Broken english perfectly spoken"

Try their tacos with veggie fillings and meats..they are fresh and juicy,the place offers lots of choices for vegetarians and their vegan 'steak strips' are recommended for first time goers.Veggie crowd can also try 'rajas con queso' which is roasted poblano peppers with queso fresco.

Non vegetarians can try their fish tacos(specially recommended) and chicken,beef,pork all other meats are available too.
Talking of drinks try pineapple water,tamarind water,cantaloupe and watermelon ones are seasonal.they are fresh and go well with the food.'hibiscus flower lemonade' is specially recommended.
The place is casual ,economical and open all 24*7 all days...try satisfying midnight hunger there.( can do that online too)
Location
913 E Hillsborough avenue
Tampa 33604
813-232-5889

New found love!!!!!

I had known him briefly before but this time I am hooked to his passion for food and advancement of culinary world.He is no other than Gordan ramsay,he is different and he is one person who sounds arrogant but is seriously sincere for his job.A footballer who turned out to be a great chef and restauranter and my new favourite watch.A scottish in origin,who is as easy with italian as with steaks and samosa too!!! Is it not amazing that he respects food with no bars and boundaries.His british accent and mannerisms are one unique thing to look out for.The idea of food for him is fresh,local produce,simple and single flavour served with fervour.I think we think alike....Well thats just to keep me happy.

He is one person who is 13 michelin star chef and is full of infinite energies.I love the way he loves his work and makes the audience feel passionate for.He tries to catch fresh produce and in that search he has travelled world to try out any and every thing,in one episode he was trying to bake bread in volcanic residue in south arctic circle,and was catching a 'puffin' bird  in Iceland to cook and he faced life threatening slip in cliff and was saved.

In series of 'Kitchen nightmares' he has helped the series of restaurants to revive and stand the tough times,that is one series which is interesting to watch out for...I love him when he is preparing Indian food with so much confidence and usually wins from other chefs...His fingers close the samosa ends with same finesse as any Indian chef would do.....so I am loving it!!!!

Cool gurukul....... Are parents listening ?

After long I am writing on a start up which any parent would rush for as it is a platform for all the modern day questions of a new parent who is entering the arena of the world 'school'.I remember when I was a kid it was a search but not the way now parents are going all over to put their child in best of the school and doing lot of brain storming to get into one of the schools where they think their bundle would open wings to fly in colours.
A husband wife team has come up with a fresh idea of putting an end to all your hassles and given you a detailed and clear ,school related internet answer 'Cool Gurukul'. Right now they are Bangalore based and guide you to areawise schools and their related information.Your answers to new age words and theories are right there.They would give the best of information and later on would be expanding to different levels to help you with admissions and forms too.

Every parent can log on and can even start forum thread for their discussion with other parent on what their thoughts and requirements are.Its opening an easy way out for all to get right first hand information at their door step...

Go and find lots of answers to your everyday topics like ....what is Montessori way of teaching? or what are International schools? or which board would be good CBSE or ICSE?

So be happy as you would be answered and would be helped with what you were looking for....
Visit at http://www.coolgurukul.com/

Microwave and its use in Indian Rasoi.....

I am born in times when the kitchen is no less than a laboratry and occupies a important place and different gadgets are there to help modern living.If your child watches 'Doremon' then the cat in that series gives gadget to help the male character and things are solved scientifically.I think Microwave is something which is new for indian cooking and we need to take a step forward and make it really work for us,not just heating or reheating food.
How about listing procedures which can make our life easy and quick.
1)Cooking rice without mashing (20 minutes are good)
2)Boiling tomato with water for puree
3)Taking out clarified butter(ghee) from malai,heating it for good 15 minutes and the seperation is non fussy
4)We can set curd with the help of microwave
5)How about getting onion fried for gravy,take oil heat and then add onions and let it get golden
6)For palak paneer,green spinach puree is quick after microwaving spinach with water and blending
7)Try extracting paneer when heating milk in microwave with lemon.
8)Try gajar halwa with easy doing grated gajar(carrot)with milk in microwave.
9)Blanching almonds to remove skin.
10)Roasting papad is my favourite.1minute and it is hasslefree
11)Roasting nuts like cashew without oil,so healthy way of life.
12)How about boiling potatoes it takes  5 minutes for washed and pricked potatoes.
13)We can even freshen our chips and biscuits in a minute
14)Try making bread crumbs with convection mode
15)Drying mint, fenugreek in 4 minutes and then cooling for 2minutes
16)For new moms or moms to be try warming baby milk and even try microwave bags for sterlisation.
17)Dissolving gelatin in 15-20seconds

I am sure all this would help in making things quick and one pot cooking could be possible with less utensils involved.Try inventing new things in your kitchen and share your original idea with all.
I have tried cooking veggies and I tell you with less oil  tastier dishes come out!!!!