“It's the cook's nook’

This is a nook in my kitchen,which I have converted as a sanctified space!.Thanx to the lack of space in my "in transit" kitchen.When the key bunch people announced their party I thought it would be a no show from my side.Finally I persuaded myself to feature this nook.The lamps are facing the east.The Ganesh lamp is a panchaloham lamp(an alloy of five metals).The wooden stand is actually a  thai wooden game piece!The red and yellow terracota lamps are magic lamps.If  you turn this lamp upside down,there is a hole in the centre.You can pour the oil in there and use it as a regular lamp.The oil will not spill out!

The magic lamp

Submitting this to the key bunch party.Hope you liked my nook in the kitchen.Here's wishing my readers a Happy Diwali and my grand mother a quick recovery.

Of Peacocks and Paisleys

Well,last weekend was Diwali shopping.I told my parents not to get me a silk saree.I do not use it regularly and nor do I know how to tie one!!.They just did not listen to me and this is what they got me a pure kanchipuram silk saree.It has a blue green tinge with paisleys all over.So thanx to my mom and dad for this lovely gift.This happened on a Saturday.

On Friday since it happened to be a full moon I set off to go and see a temple with my folks.I visited this ancient temple called Pancheshti,(I have already made a post of this temple here).The lingam here was completed covered with white cooked rice.This decoration is known as Anna(rice) Abhishegam.It was a sight to see.Do check out some of the picture of the temple here.

Cute sculpture of a five headed Ganesh

Another form of Lord Shiva Dakshinamoorthy-The Lord of all knowledge

 I also made some friends in the temple.These girls were so curious about my digital camera.It was so refreshing to talk to them.Their innocence and spontaneity was a delight to watch.

The rice used to adorn the deity was made into sambar sadam.Check out the pic.

Temple Sambar Saadam

 On sunday it was food again.Went to Shri Rajashtani Dabha.Their rotis are amazing,plus wallet friendly.They are located at Anna nagar

Thali at Rajasthani Dabha

It was great weekend with a mix of Temples,food and Diwali shopping.Of course this post is going to Patty's Weekend Wrap up-3.

Navratri Weekend

Twin Hayagreevars and Badam Peda

Golu hopping,making sweets and visiting relatives,these were the sights reserved for me this weekend.I visited a home of two sisters on Friday.They live in the same building and even their icons of worship are identical.Check out the twin Hayagreevars in their house! I simply enjoyed looking at the Golu arrangements made in their house.I was reading an article in hindu comparing Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Golu .What an interesting comparison.The first three steps represent survival.The middle three represent comfort.And the last three to the spiritual plane or self -actualization. 

I also tried out a sweet recipe called Badam Peda from Priya's blog(with a helping hand from my husband!).This I made for my husband's cousin Jaykumar. He  is an IIT gold medalist and PHD from MIT.He is such a simple person.He lost his dad while he was very young.And yet he blazed a trail of excellence.He is such a brilliant boy,and all his accomplishments rests very lightly on his shoulders. He is going to be married very shortly and he had come down for a visit from the US.He has made his mother very proud who is also responsible for his success.All the very best to him.

My mom also made some fantastic lunch.Seen above is a picture of the sesame rice she made.It tasted great.

Vilakku poojai and Saraswathi pooja

This is a collage of the Saraswathi pooja celebration at my mom's and MIL's.My mom does a vilakku pooja during Navratri ,I have put that pic in the center of the collage.Lunch was lavish at my MIL's.For dinner we had adai at my moms.I took a bite of the adai before photographing it on Saturday.So this is the way I celebrated my Navratri weekend.Sending this to the Weekend wrap up party 2. 


Also linking this to Tried and Tasted Event, hosted by PJ of Seduce your Tastebuds.Event Originally by Zlamushka,now taken over by Ms.Lakshmi Venkatesh of Kitchen Chronicles

Wood Fired Friday

Aastha-An authentic desi pizza with curd!

Focaccia

Minestrone Soup

We went to our favourite restaurant Tuscana last Friday.This is one of the best places for Italian food in Chennai.It has even won the times food award for being the same.We started off with Minestrone col Pesto soup,a traditional vegetable soup with pistachio pesto and olive oil.This soup tasted simply divine.Yummy and slurpy and the same time.For starters we ordered Focaccia all 'Aglio e cipolla, a flat bread with roasted garlic and onions.This was a great side kick for the soup.For the main course we ordered an Indian flavoured Pizza called Aastha.It had paneer tikka,masala tomato sauce,sweet pepper and onions with curd &cilantro.This was like eating roti with paneer as side side.It was an authentic desi pizza with curd!This place is for keeps so will go back there again.This post is going to Weekend wrap up hosted by patty.   

Ridge Gourd Chutney

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This is one of the usual chutneys I make at home.And this veggie tastes great in this form.These are the list of ingredients I used to make this recipe.

Ridge Gourd-2

mustard-1 tsp

urad dal-3 tbsp

a small piece of asafoetida.

chillies-2(u can modify to suit your taste)

1 or 2 tbsp -oil

Salt-to taste

Method-Splutter mustard seeds in oil.Add urad dal,asafoetida and red chillies.Fry it well. Urad dal is added for binding.Peel the skin off the gourd.Add chopped ridge gourd and salt to taste.I did not add water cause the vegetable's water oozes out.Fry it well for ten minutes till done. Allow the mixture to cool.Grind it coarsely in a blender.This chutney can be used as a side dish for idlis and dosas.You can also use it a as a dip for Khakhras.At home we mix it with white rice and have kootu as side dish.You can add a spoon of sesame oil to the white rice for enhanced taste. This is my submission for "Complete My Thali( CMT ) - Chutney" event.