Rava Idly and Coriander Coconut Chutney

I was having this craving to make Rava Idly for the past one week, so today I tried this out after reading an online recipe. My first batch was really good so I was forced to make a second batch which was a damp squib. :(
So here's what to do and not to do for this delicacy.

Rava Idly :

Rava or Sooji-1 cup
Beaten Curd- 1 cup (I din't use a beater ,there's a utensil to grind
greens, I used that)
Green Chilies- 2 or 3
Chopped Curry leaves
Bengal Gram- adequate amount (It's for the Idly so not too much nor too little)
(Kadalai Paruppu)
Mustard seeds
Salt
Ghee
Oil

Method:

• First grease the Idly plates with adequate oil so that the Idly does not stick.
• Beat the curd while adding very little water. More of curd, less of water. just use water to clean the beater.
• In a pan heat the ghee with little oil and add the Bengal Gram. Use a medium flame. A high flame will burn the bengal gram.
• Add the mustard seeds. When the splatter, add the chilies and curry leaves and saute.
• Now add the Rava or sooji to this. Gradually saute this mixture. The only way to figure out if the Rava is cooked is with the smell and look of it. Rava should not turn brown.
• Now, add this hot mixture to the curd, wile gradually mixing the batter. Add little water to get normal batter consistency. Adding too much of water will cause the Idly to be very watery. 
• Add salt to this batter and mix well.
• Pour this batter immediately into the Idly plates and steam. Check with spoon once in a while to see whether the Idly is cooked.

Coriander Coconut Chutney :

Grated Coconut
Odacha Kadalai ( I dont want to confuse this with the other Bengal gram used above)
Chopped Coriander
Green Chilies
Oil
Urad Dal (little)
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Salt

• Grind the coconut,coriander,kadalai and chilies in a mixer. Add water for desired consistency.
• In a pan, heat the oil and splatter the Urad dal. When it turns little brown, add the Mustard seeds. Switch off the stove and add the curry leaves.
• Add this to the ground chutney.
• Add salt as per taste.

As I mentioned before, important things to note.

• Add little water. Too much water will collapse the Idly.
• From the online recipes I've read, it's vital to pour the batter into the Idly plates and steam as soon as possible once the Rava mixture is added to the curd.
• Use a spoon to check whether the Idly has cooked. The Idly should be stiff.

I got it right the first time, the second time, the Idly batter had more water and it made my cry. So, I'm gonna do this later to perfect the art of making Rava Idly :)

When people around you get on your nerves..

This happens to me most of the time, not withstanding that I manage to encompass myself alone. I have always wondered if it was my fault or theirs, then I realize it's a cumulative effort by all parties concerned except me. [It's a matter of perception. You think you're right and the offending folks may think you're wrong.]
Unfortunately you cannot stay away from the said parties when they happen to be your parents, siblings or friends.

So what can a person do short of banging doors, pulling your hair apart and screaming that is accompanied angry tears?

1. Smile inwardly and think of various forms of torture they'd be subjected to for trying to make your life miserable.

2. Be silent and know that this too shall pass.
( I do have a doubt though, does being silent and not retorting mean you're spineless and are taken advantage of or does that mean you're a bigger person????? ). I believe when you resort to the same tactics as people who make it their life's mission to  make you feel terrible, there's never much of a difference between the two.

3. I strongly support the motto "Every dog has its day."

4. I leave the vicinity as quietly as possible and indulge in something which makes me happy like listening to music, reading a book, eating a chocolate bar and anything which calms my synapses. (In this case, I'm blogging about the aforementioned predicament.)

5. And for those who do not follow the "Silent method", put them in place with a harsh wording. Then jump into the battle with guns blazing.

Lots of hurt, anger and tears follow this method. Hence, I prefer the deaf and dumb technique. I hear and don't reply all the while struggling valiantly not to care. This technique has not yet been mastered by me.

So how do you react when people get on your nerves??

The way I make my Sambar

Sambar is a staple dish in many south Indian households.However, the method to make Sambar differs from home to home. This is how I make my Sambar for a sumptuous lunch of Pumpkin-Sambar Rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup Toor Dal

Chopped Pumpkin
Chopped Onions
Chopped Tomatoes
Dried red Chilies (2 or 3)
Tamarind (Soak a little tamarind in a half a cup of water)
Mustard
Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Oil
Chilli powder
Coriander(Dhania) Powder
Turmeric Powder
Salt

1. Boil the Toor Dal with 2 cups water in a cooker. (Water is twice the amount of Dal)
2. Once boiled, mash the Dal further, add another 2 or 3 cups of water and boil. (The amount of water varies with how thick you want the Sambar.)
3. In a pan, add oil and wait till the oil becomes a bit hot. Next, add Mustard and Cumin seeds. Curry leaves should be added last as they tend to get burnt quickly.
4. Add the chopped onions and saute till they turn brown. Add the dried red chilies.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and allow them to cook.
6. Once the tomatoes are cooked, I add a little of chilli powder, dhania powder and salt.
7. I add this mixture to the boiling dal and water.
8. Next, I add the raw pumpkin to the above. (Pumpkin, beans, drumstick, eggplant  can be added raw. Ladies finger is added after they are sauteed with onions and tomatoes).
9. Add sufficient quantities of chilli powder, dhaniya powder and salt. (I usually add 1 and a half teaspoons and then keep tasting the Sambar to get the right taste and add more if necessary.)
10. Add the tamarind water after straining the tamarind to the sambar. Let the Sambar boil for a few minutes. Check the taste and add chilli powder or salt as needed and let the Sambar boil.

Raw Banana (Vaazhakai) fry

1. Peel the skin of the Raw banana and cut it horizontally into small pieces. While cutting, gradually add the pieces in water.
2. Strain the water and marinate the raw banana pieces with sufficient amount of chilli powder and salt fora few minutes.
3. In a pan, add oil, mustard and curry leaves. To this, add the marinated raw banana pieces. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to cook for 5-10 minutes sauteing them at intervals.

Inside the mind of an Indian Male

Alright, not all men are degenerate but even seemingly normal men sometimes get on the nerves of the fairer sex. I have always been a crusader of decent men, but I believe that the 'decent' Homosapien is a threatened species. In all my female life, my interactions with this species has been painfully sparse. This is my feeble attempt at studying the mind of the Indian Male and its perceptions.

* Food --- Lots of it. (I'm yet to come across an Indian male who eats less)

* Sex --- A study suggests that 54% men think about sex everyday or several times a day! The male species never ceases to amaze me.

* A woman walking on the road, irrespective of what she's wearing --- Stare at her bosom and or derriere.

* A girl wearing trousers and a T-shirt (unless it resembles a sack) ---- Look at the way she's dressed / She's inviting trouble / She's easy / I can misbehave and she won't mind.

* A woman --- Fit only for household chores / Sex ( Predominantly because the Indian Society is a hypocrite, we are connoisseurs who gave the world the Kamasutra, but sex remains a taboo and women are still objects.)

* Looking for a wife --- Beautiful,tall,slim,fair with a high dowry and good salary ( The guy in question looks like and has a temperament of a baboon).

* Wife --- (Read Woman), brood mare with preference for male offspring(female offspring reflects on the woman and not the man), may provide financial support but must slog for the house too. In the case of not providing financial support, she better not raise her voice.

* Sister --- Better get her married off as soon as possible/ She has absolutely no rights over our Father's property.

* Daughter --- Provide her education, ensure she gets a job and get her married off. Daughter is duty, nothing else.

* Money --- Required for smooth-sailing with all of the above/ booze / any other decadent expenditure only the male mind will incur.

Then there's a section of the male population which has a completely different selection criteria for a woman to love or a girlfriend and a woman to marry. The male population however can sow its wild oats and can gloat about being 'experienced'. Married or not, monogamy is severely under-rated in today's world.

So I believe, majority of the Indian male mindset revolves around the above, if not all of them. 

Bring in the New year without spending much!!

So, it's that time of the year again and you find that a little fun could burn a big hole in your pocket ? Here's what you can do to bring in the new year with aplomb:

                                    Throwing a house party 

This is one of the most cost effective ways of celebrating the new year's eve. Invite a few close friends and make this party a memorable one. Is it not better to have a few close pals instead of a horde of strangers around you?

Now for the itsy-bitsy details :

Decor - Decorate your hall or terrace with confetti,balloons and throw in a soft mattress/blanket with cushions in a corner. Lighting could be those small colorful lights used to adorn Christmas trees. These are pretty cheap and available in most electrical shops. All you have to do is plug them into a socket.



Food - The food could be home made rotis, chinese or pizza take out or any food that makes up a hearty dinner. Cooled water and Fizzy drinks are the best choices for teetotalers. Booze lovers of course, would definitely love house parties more as they are cheaper. A few light snacks like chips, plum-cakes and biscuits could complete the night.

Music - The advantages of having a house party is that you or anyone of your pals could be the DJ. As a host, be sure to get hold of some party-trance music, hit film songs and maybe throw in some jazz for the couples.

How much would it cost?

Decoration : The confetti and electric lights would cost up to a minimum of 150-250 Rs. The blankets, cushions should be available at any household.

Food : The take out cost could be shared equally among the friends, which would definitely be cheaper than a single entry pass into any hotel party. Boozers and non-boozers could split the soda and drinks tab among themselves. The total food cost would not exceed 200-500 Rs depending on the number of friends.

Music : Nowadays, most people have music speakers or you could borrow them from one of your pals. This is entirely a negligible cost if you were to take the electricity bill into account.

Fun and Frolic :

Dancing - You could be a bad dancer and still have fun as you are surrounded by your    friends alone.
Movies - Watch a movie none of you have seen before.
Games - Card games, Uno or just catching up with friends would be fun.

The count down : Bring in the New year by a live countdown from across the world on youtube and then scream with your pals!

Have a stay over for the night with your pals and catch a few hrs sleep before they head back home in the morning.