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Showing posts from April, 2014

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kancheepuram.

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple is situated at kancheepuram, Tamilnadu. It is one of the prominent Vishnu Temples of South India. The shrine in this temple is Lord Vamana and the Godesses is Amudhavalli. Vamana is one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. There are 22 incarnations of Lord Vishnu as per Bhagavatha Purana. Out of them prominent 10 avataras are called Dasavathara ( Das means 10) as said in the poem.            Mastya,Koorma Varaahasya Naarasimhasya Vaamana             Raamoo Raamasya Raamasya Budha Kalki Mevacha.  Vamana avatar is the fifth, Lord Vishnu incarnated on the earth as Vamana  a Brahmin Kid to restore the authority of Indra, the king Of Heaven, from Bali the  King of Demons. Bali was a great ruler, given alms to people and done penance to Brahma and want to conquer Indra. Lord Vamana as a Brahmin kid came to Bali to ask 3 steps of land and Bali agrees to it. Then the small kid Vamana grown into a gigantic human being with the head touching the sky, and pla

Cabbage Tomato Curry

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Cabbage is a nutritious and healthy vegetable and rich in Vitamin C. Cabbage recipes can be prepared with different combinations. Previously I had a post cabbage moongdal curry . Now here goes another recipe, Cabbage with tomato. It is very tasty. Preparation Time: 20 minutes Serves: 3 people Ingredients: Cabbage : 2 cups ( finely chopped) Tomato : 2 no.s (finely chopped) Green chillies: 3 no.s (finely chopped) Red chillies: 1 Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Split Bengal gram: 1/2 tsp Urad dal: 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp Cumin powder: 1tsp Oil: 4 tsp Turmeric powder: a small pinch Asafoetida: a small pinch Salt to taste. Coriander for garnishing. Procedure: Take a Kadai with 3 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it splutters, add split bengal gram, urad dal, cumin seeds, red chillies and asafoetida. When it turns golden brown add green chillies, chopped cabbage and turmeric powder. Cover with a lid and simmer it stirring occassionally. When ca

Carrot Coconut Curry

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Carrot curry can be prepared in different ways and with different combinations. Previously I have posted Carrot tomato curry. Here is another combination Carrot Coconut curry. It tastes delicious. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 2 persons Ingredients: Grated Carrot : 1 cup Grated Coconut: 1/4 cup Green chillies: 3 (finely chopped) Red chillies: 1 Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder: small pinch Oil: 2 tsp Salt to taste Coriander  to Garnish Procedure: Take a kadai with 2 tsp oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add cumin seeds, red chillies , asafoetida and green chillies. When it turns golden brown add grated carrot. Cover with a lid and simmer it stirring occasionally  till carrot is cooked.(sprinkle some water if needed)  Add grated coconut and salt cover with a lid and simmer it for 5 minutes. Garnish with  coriander Serve hot with steamed rice along with ghee.

Potato Mashed Curry or Aloo Upma Koora

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Potato Upma curry is prepared by boiling the potatoes. Boiled potatoes with added salt as it is gives  nice taste and serves as a good carbohydrate diet for kids. This curry is very easy to prepare with less time and minimum ingredients. Gives nice aroma and tastes just Yummy. Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 persons. Ingredients:  Potatoes: 3 (big) Green chillies: 3 (finely shopped) Red chillies: 2  Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Split Bengal gram: 1/2 tsp Urad dal: 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric: a pinch Oil: 3tsp Salt to taste Coriander to garnish. Procedure: Cut each potato into 4 pieces. Take a heavy bottom vessel with half filled water, add potatoes and boil till they are cooked. ( to check whether it is boiled insert a fork or knife into the potato, which goes easily if it is boiled).  Let it cool down. Take off the skin and cut them into small pieces. Take a kadai add 3tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when

Ivy gourd chutney or dondakaya pachadi

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Ivy gourd (dondakaya in telugu) also called Coccinia grandis, baby water melon, little gourd is a vegetable commonly available across Asia  and Africa. Ivy gourd extracts are helpful to treat joint pain and control blood sugar levels because of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase. There are so many recipes in Indian cuisine with Ivy gourd as a main ingredient. Here is one of them, Ivy gourd chutney  prepared with raw and half ripen ivy gourd and some spices. It tastes very good . Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 2 people Ingredients: Ivy gourd: 6 nos.( sliced) Onion : 1 small ( sliced) Coriander: 4 stems Green chillies: 3 nos Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Split Bengal gram: 1/2 tsp Urad dal: 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds: 1/2 tsp Red chillies: 2 nos. Tamrind : small piece Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric powder: small pinch Oil : 2 tsp Salt to taste Procedure: Take a kadai with 1 tsp oil add sliced onions, saute till onions are half cooked. Add sli

Sri Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram.

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Sri Ekambaranadar Temple is a famous shiva temple in Kancheepuram.  It is one of the 5 major Shiva temples of Pancha Bootha Linga . (Pancha Bootha means 5 natural elements Land, Water, Sky, Fire, Wind). Jala Lingam (Water)----Jambukeshwar.(Tamil Nadu) Aakasha Lingam (Sky)----Chidambaram.(Tamil Nadu) Agni Lingam (Fire)-----Arunachalam (Tamil Nadu) Vayu Lingam (Wind)---Kalahasthi (Andhra Pradesh) Pruthvi Lingam( Earth )---- Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu). This temple is called Pruthvi Lingam (  Lingam improvised out of sand). This is one of the most ancient temples of South India. The temple Inner walls were decorated with 1008 shiva lingams. This a vast big temple with a great architecture on the walls. There is a mango tree which is of 3500 years old in this temple. The temple got it's name because of this mango tree.  Ek means one and aam means mango and naathar is God, so it is called Ekaambaranathar temple. The description about this is written in Telug

How to crochet a pouch for mobile.

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Crochet Pouch for mobile____ Having a separate pouch to carry mobile is always a good option and that too if the mobile is in big size, like mine, 5 inch mobile. I have attached a long loop to the pouch so that I can carry it like a sling bag. Here goes the process: What you need : Wool: 3 colours Crochet needle 5.5mm Sewing needle and thread Scissors. Procedure: ( I have prepared this for 5 inch mobile you can increase or decrease the chains as per your mobile size) Crochet 40 chains and do single crochet for 20 lines. You will get like the below image. Now fold it to half as show below. Close both sides with single crochet.  For closure of the pouch: At the top on one side do 10 single crochet for 7 lines and in the 8th line do 4 single crochet , 4 chains do slip stitch leaving 3 loops in the middle, again 4 single crochet to the end this will form a loop as a button closure. It will be as shown below. For long loop to wrap the po

How to prepare door mats from old sofa cushion covers.

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Door mat is a necessity in every household. We can buy door mats from the stores. But sewing a  door mat with the old bankets, pillow covers, sofa covers  will be great way of  recycling  and it will take just 10 minutes to prepare one mat. I took some old sofa cushion cover where the zippers are spoiled and stitched a set of door mats. I got a good collection of same colour mats for the house. Here is the process of  how I stitched them.  Take one cushion cover turn it inside out and on the side where it is open cut it straight and remove the zip. Now draw a straight line as shown in the image below. Stitch along the line and leave a small gap at the end. From that gap pull the cloth out so that it will be in the right side as shown below. Close that gap with a hand stitch or invisible stitch. Now lay it straight and draw lines as shown below or as you like. Stitch along the line. (you can use a contrast colour to stitch on the lines so that it will be like a design. I

Kichdi

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Kichdi is prepared with Rice , Moong dal and some vegetables. It is healthy and easy to cook. This is a best menu for lunch or dinner when you don't have much time to prepare or you are tired out having a hectic day. Preparation time: 25 minutes. Serves: 2 people. Ingredients: Rice: 2 cup Moong dal:1 cup Onions: 2 ( sliced) Potato: 2 (cubed) Carrots: 3 (diced) Tomatos: 2 (sliced) Green Chillies: 5 ( cut length wise) Red chillies: 2 Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds: 1tsp Asafoetida: small pinch Turmeric powder: small pinch Oil: 5 tsp. Salt to taste. Coriander For garnishing Procedure: Take rice and moong dal in a vessel, wash it and keep aside. Take a heavy bottom vessel with 5 tsp oil. Add mustard seeds when it  splutters add cumin seeds, red chillies, green chillies and asafoetida. Stir for a minute and add potatoes and carrots. Stir for 2 minutes and add onions. Cover with a lid and simmer till veggies are cooked, now add tom

Carrot tomato curry

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Carrot is a widely available vegetable. It is rich in antioxidants and minerals and  improves eye sight. Carrot tomato curry is prepared with Carrot, Tomato, onions and some spices. It is delicious and healthy. Ingredients: Carrot: 6 (finely chopped) Onion: 1 (finely chopped) Tomato: 1(finely chopped) Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Split bengal gram dal: 1/2 tsp Urad dal: 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp Green chillies: 2 (finely chopped) Red chillies: 1 Cumin powder: 1tsp Oil; 4tsp Turmeric powder: small pinch Asafoetida: small pinch Salt to taste Procedure: Take a kadai add 4tsp oil and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add split bengal gram dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, red chilly. When it turns golden brown add green chillies, asafoetida, chopped onion and turmeric powder. Saute till onion turns golden brown. Add chopped carrot, cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occassionally till carrots are cooked  Add tomatoes, salt, cumin powder. cover with a lid, simmer til