FOOD : Break.. fast : Kande Pohe

Quintessentially Maharashtrian. I was introduced to Maharashtrian food fare, when I moved to Pune. Pune is another place I think is good for food, apart from my high thoughts about Bangalore and its gastronomical food channels.

Some of the ‘In Essence’ Maharashtrian breakfast options are Sabudana Khichdi, Kande Pohe and Missal Pav; Kande pohe however is ranked as the most favourite amongst the locals, as far as what I have seen. A usual Sunday breakfast is Kande Pohe amongst most of the Maharshtrian households.

Interestingly, the word Kande pohe is also associated with marriage talks. A traditional symbol attached to it, in any arranged marriage when a boy goes to the girl’s family, essentially KandePohe is served. So in a lighter frame of mind, if you have to ask a boy about how many girls he has met so far, then you voice it out as ‘How many times have u had Kande Pohe’. Such is the significance to this dish that takes less than 10 minutes to be prepared J, an all time snack with some Ginger Tea.

What you need is (for 2 people)

4 fistfuls of Beaten Rice (medium thickness, Pohe)

2 medium sized onions-finely chopped

4 green chillies-cut

2 spoons of Groundnuts

Mustard seeds-1 spoon

Jeera/Cumin-1/2 spoon

Turmeric-1/4 spoon

1 Potato-chopped thin or 1/2 cup Frozen Peas

½ cup Grated coconut

Coriander leaves-finely chopped

Salt- as per taste

Sugar-little

Oil-6-7 spoons

Procedure:

Before you start, Wash the Poha in cold water, clean and drain. Allow to rest.

In a wide Bottom pan, take about 6-7 spoons of Oil - add the groundnuts and allow them to get dark in color/pop up/Get crisp. (Basically-FRY them ;) ) Remove from oil and keep aside.

In the same oil, add Mustard seeds. Once they sputter add jeera (Reduce heat) and chillies. Add the Onions and when they are half done, add the potatoes/Peas into it, and cover for a while, till Potato/peas are cooked. Add turmeric and mix well. Add the Poha (if you find they have formed lumps after you drained out the water, separate them before adding into the pan). Add the Groundnuts, Salt and sugar and mix well. Cover the Poha and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes on Low heat. Remove lid, add the Grated Coconut and Coriander leaves. Give it a good final mix. (If you like and not mind being lenient, then you can add 1 spoon of Ghee in the end-I do it, so it’s completely your call).

So, next Sunday when you wake up late, ... or you have sudden guests You know what you can cook up. After all, Cooking ain’t so difficult also!!! Team it up with a Garam Chai ki Pyali, preferably with some Ginger/Lemon Grass!!! Awesomeness !!! 

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks-3

Everyone troubles me... Just because I'm cute!!!! 

Curiosity Quenching its Thirst

If you ask me why I am smiling, its only because I am happy through and Through

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks-2

01.
The sun painting the sky, 
With a hue of carroty smear
Secretes itself behind the basilica
Allowing the night to take over


@Constance, 9:15p. 

02. Bottled poetry into my wine glass 

FOOD : Rice Spice : Egg Biriyani

Biriyani-the very thought of it has my tastebuds dancing away like there is no tomorrow. Rice is anyways one of my Favourite Comfort Foods, and Biriyani straight tops the charts. The very thought of Biriyani while writing this, has the smells and flavours of the ghee and the spices hitting my nose. The enchanting and the mystic smells of those spices and flavours that go into it, oh my god, I really have started dreaming about when I would make it again.
And this time, it was even more special for a reason that after years, the want, the dream and the wish to make the Biriyani in a Clay Pot was finally fulfilled!! I have hunted for a wide mouth and a wide bottom Pot for years now in India, but I just coundn't find one. I finally found the perfect pot in Turkey... :O in Cappadocia, where they make the traditional Turkish Ceramic Pots. I had to grab it!!
And even after that, for 1.5 months it sat in my Crockery unit as a display piece... One day I finally pulled it out and got down to making the biriyani... I don't eat chicken, and Raghu doesn't eat fish... So the egg biriyani is what we generally settle down for.

I soaked about 3 cups of rice in water first and started the rest of the preparations. Also soaked some Saffron strands in Warm milk.

When you are making an Egg Biriyani, there is no question about whether is it a Kacchi Biriyani or a Pakki Biriyani. The eggs have to be boiled. :) I boiled 5 eggs and cut them into half once they cooled down.

For the Gravy/Masala
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
7-8 Garlic cloves
4" piece of Ginger
4-5 cloves
1" cinnamon
2 Cardamom Pods
1 spoon Jeera/Cumin
1/2 spoon Coriander
Half Fist of Mint Leaves
8-9 Cashewnuts

Fry all the above in Ghee and Grind into a smooth paste. Give it a final whip in the blender along with
1/2 cup Yoghurt, Little Lemon Juice and Coriander Leaves.

Take a pan, add ghee, and pour this paste into it, add chilli powder to keep it medium spiced. Let it not be too spicy. Add salt. Add water to make it into a consistency that is not tooo thin. (when you pour it into the pot, the clay pot will soak up the water content in the gravy a little and the heat will anyways have the liquid to evaporate)

The masala is ready.

Now for the Rice :
Drain the water
In a pan, take around 3-4 spoons of Ghee, add 6-7 cloves, 2 Green Chillies slit lengthwise (adjust the spice to suit you),Cinnamon and Fry the 3 Cups of rice for 3-4 minutes. Add milk(4.5 cups) or water and little rose essence if and only if u wish to. Add little salt(i add around 1 spoon of salt). Let it be on high flame for around 10 minutes. Reduce the flame and cover it. after around 15 minutes, when the rice is done to almost 70-80%, add some Saffron soaked in warm milk randomly (make sure you dont pour it all over the rice). Its nice to have dual Colored Rice. Let it cook for another 5 minutes till the rice is coated well with the saffron colour.

Final Assembly into the Clay Pot to cook the rice completely along with the Masala and Eggs

Heat the Clay Pot. Add ghee into it. When it is getting Hot, Throw in 2 Green Chillies slit lengthwise, add 1/2 of the Masala and 2 eggs cut into half. Layer it with Half of the Rice. Add/Pour 1/4th of the Masala. Layer this again with remaining Rice and Pour randomly the remaining Masala. Stuff the Halved eggs inb.w Cover the Pot with a lid and place a weight over it and let it cook within. Take off the lid after around 15 minutes of cooking over low flame and check for rice. If done, Throw in finely chopped Coriander Leaves and its Ready!! :) Allow it to cool for 5 minutes,   so that the rice(if any) sticking below to the pot will loosen out.

Enjoy with either Raita or simply Jesht like that !!!

CLICK : Click Click, few of my favourite clicks

 Location : Kota, taken on my digicam, i used to surprisingly get some really good shots back then

 Location : South Goa, A pic I love, for the bokeh achieved, with my digicam again

 Location : Hogenakal, River Kaveri, the boat rides are the common activity around.

Location : Konstanz, had the tastiest and sweetest strawberries 

PENNED DOWN : A day in the woods!

Another bright day,
Came by my way, 
Walking along the melodious woods
Strolling by the quiescent waters
Nature draped me with her grace
Cheeks painted a smile on my face. 

My mellow spirit, wanted to spend many an hour
My frantic mind wanted to unwind here
The autumn lady had arrived finally
She gave everything a good red and a carroty smear. 

A gentle cuckoo had perched above
Sang a song, with my every cooing Wow
The flowers danced with grace 
The serene wind blew, gave her a chase. 
The butterly fluttered, flaunting her painted body
She was all dyed, greens and blue, glitzy and gaudy. 

My walk ended in the wood
Departed with those memories etched in gold
The warm sunshine outside greeted me 
turning a blind eye and Craving for sanity
I walked away from the glorious life
Trying to ignore the appalling certainty 

Divya Hegde

FOOD : EuroGrub : Ravioli / Stuffed Pasta

Ravioli... or the Stuffed Pasta... Bliss. As such Pasta means a lot of bliss for me, and to top it you have pasta that is stuffed!! ... aah.. perfetto... Amo la pasta!! ;)
So for the ravioli, you have 2 options, a. you buy ready packets of ravioli from a supermarket, b. you make it yourself. 
If you making it Yourself, then here it is:
You need
1/2 cup Maida/all purpose Flour
1 egg white(you could avoid it)
salt
water to mix. 


Make a tough dough adding all the ingredients mentioned above. Roll it into a thin disc with a rolling pin. Dust the Flour to help you roll the dough out smooth and thin. Now cut the discs into any shape that you wish (You could use the SHANKARPALI ROLLING PIN). Once cut, you can put little quantities of cooked Spinach(for Spinach ravioli) or Cheese (for the Cheese Ravioli) and fold each of cut pieces into half. (you can use a little water with your fingers and apply along the edge to help them stick better) 
Put them in boiling water and boil them. Add oil to the water when boiling so that you can avoid the ravioli from sticking onto each other. Boiling it should not take more than 5 minutes, cause its fresh ravioli that you just made. Boil it for a little longer if you have the ready made ones. 

For the White Sauce:

U need: Maida/Flour-1 spoon, 4 spoons of butter, milk, salt, pepper.

• In a non stick pan, take some generous dollops of butter, 1 spoonful of Flour and mix fast and make sure there are no lumps. Add milk, salt, Nutmegpowder-if you like it, and mix well. You can tip in Pepper if you like. Now if you have a very thick sauce, add milk to lighten it out. and if you have a very thin sauce.... Pour some flour through a sieve and mix at the same time to avoid lumps. And even after this if you have lumps in your sauce, just run your hand-blender through it for a minute. 

Assembly:

Into a wide bottom pan, add butter, finely chopped garlic, veggies if you like (and let them cook on a medium flame, you can use beans, broccoli, mushrooms, fenchel,  etc). Add the ravioli and the sauce and give it a good mix. Check for salt and spice. Add if required. 

In a baking dish add the ravioli, top it with cheese and bake for a while - This step is purely an addition. You can do it if you choose to!!

You could just dust some Oregano flakes over it in the end. 

FOOD : Sweet Bites : Mando

Mando's - each is a quarter of a disc-4 layers and crunchy!! 

'If its no sugar, then throw it out!!'

I have developed a very strong sweet tooth offlate (Those horrible days and nights with my molar's and regular visit to the orthodontist in the recent past was proof enough)... and this is one of my favourites-Mando as we call it and Mandige as how Kannadiga's call it.
This is one of the very traditional Konkani Sweets. Its mildly sweet, i like it that way... its basically made out of Maida/Flour coated with sugar powder. Delectably crunchy and sweet!! :)
2 Steps into this :
a. making rolls of the flour
b. coating the same with sugar powder

For a. You will need
2 cups of Maida/Flour-you will end up with around 17-18 mando's
Milk to mix if you prefer/Water
little salt.
Ghee(my addition)

Take the Flour in a mixing bowl, add salt and mix well. Add 1 spoon of ghee and add warm milk/water and mix to make a dough. Let the dough be slightly tight. Make around 1-1.5" dia balls and roll them out real thin, with a rolling pin. You can use flour when you are rolling them out.

For b. You will need
2 cups of sugar
1/2-3/4th cup of Poha/Beaten rice (I used the thin poha)
Cardamom Powder

Fry the poha well till crisp(not brown though). Add this to the sugar in a blender and make a fine powder and keep it ready on a plate. Add cardamom powder and mix.

Procedure:
Once your Flour rolls/discs ready, let the oil get heated up (I add a spoon of ghee in the oil in which I'm frying anything sweet). You need to fry these on a good flame, but not very high either. So you take each one of the discs, drop it in oil, fry them on both sides not for long, till you think its just going to get crisp. Remove it immediately. Immediately put it on the sugar plate, coat one side of the disc with sugar, again immediately, fold into half, again coat the top layer with sugar powder, fold again into a quarter-immediately and coat with sugar powder.
Notice how many times I said 'immediately'... i really insist that it has to be done immediately, cause the discs could get crisp and you wont be able to fold it and they wont stay as 4 layers held together. You will have 4 separate quarters when you are trying to fold them otherwise! :) Its better you have someone to help you if you are doing this for the first time.

4 Layers with sugar coating

That's it.. It's ready!! :) quite simple and easy, the trick is to fold those discs when hot and just out of the oil and coat them with sugar. They are simply delicious and please count on how many you are bolting down... All chances you can go and on!! I do! ;) 

FOOD : A Snack : Ragada Patties

Though the rainy day brings along with it, all the sluggishness there is something about the rainy day that i Love. The rain is soo refreshing, and the breeze that comes along just braces me up with all the romance in life. I find more delight to dance in the dampness than the bright sun!! :) and My love for all the tangy Indian food shoots up.
Konstanz has been soaked up with rains off late and the skies have been grey for long now. Saturday as usual started with my breakfast, and what followed was the usual lunch plan... Thinking about what I could cook up. I had to also step out to do all my shopping and be back. So i knew It had to be something quick and nothing elaborate. I had some soaked Dry peas luckily and that's when images of 'Chat shops' serving all the flavorful tangy chats back in India flounced my mind. So all i did before stepping out was Boiled 4 potatoes along with the soaked peas in my pressure cooker and left. Yes... I also soaked some tamarind.

Did I continue peacefully with my shopping later? No, how could i... when i knew I would go home and feast on 'Ragada Patties'-the perfect mix of sweetness, tanginess and spice. I only came home, put all the grocery in place and got to a super start.
Here's what i had before I started
Patties:
4 Boiled Potatoes
Chilly Powder
Coriander leaves
Salt

Ragada:
Boiled Peas-had almost 2 cups of soaked Dry Peas
1-2 Garlic
Chilly Powder
Turmeric powder

Chutney: 
Tamarind-Half fistful soaked
Jaggery-depends on how sweet you want it to be-Pls don't substitute with sugar
Coriander Leaves/Coriander Powder
Salt

Other Ingredients to be kept ready: 
Chilly Powder
Chat Powder
Some Sev/Bhujiya (noodle like snack made of Besan/GramFlour)
Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 Onion Finely, Finely chopped

                                                                     PROCEDURE
Patties:
Mash potatoes, add little chilly powder, salt and finely chopped coriander leaves and make a mix. Make round shaped balls, press them slightly to form Patties and shallow fry them on Low-Medium Heat till golden brown on both sides. You could have the 1st round of Patties in the center and push them to the rim of the pan, and put the 2nd round of patties at the center. You will have crispier patties when you fry them longer.

Ragada:
Heat butter in pan, add chopped Garlic(this is my addition- i like the flavor), little chilly powder and then the boiled Peas and Turmeric powder for the color. Add salt and give it a good boil. Let it not be too thick-add water accordingly.

Chutney:
Grind all the Ingredients together in a blender and you could add up any of the ingredients to suit your taste accordingly. Dilute it a little for a watery consistency, but let the flavors not weaken.

Assembly:
01. Place 2 patties on the plate.
02. Pour 2-3 ladles of Ragada over it.
03. Throw in some finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, and sprinkle some Chat Powder, Chilly Powder.
04. Pour on some chutney(as per your taste quotient).
05. Add sev in the end over and above everything.

Shut down all windows, have your room all dark and cozy, get onto your favourite Movie and Settle down with your plate of Ragada Patties... 

FOOD : ooSSome Gravies : Kofta's and Rice

Ok, this was heavily inspired by my friend here, who with a lot of love passed on some Kofta Curry day before yday. She is a good cook herself, Reema Shah, and her curry was simply delicious! And luckily for me, that day, I had made some fried rice, for which this served as a perfect accompaniment. And it was soo difficult to resist, that with great effort, i saved some.. literally, some.. for my better half.
So today morning, when I was making plans for lunch, there was nothing else that swept across my mind other than a Kofta Curry and rice. I had saved some Paneer which i had bought for the Palak yesterday, and i knew that I would give in to the temptation of making those Kofta's, and I did.
Here is the recipe :

                                                                          Kofta : 
You will need :
Paneer, Boiled Potatoes, Raisins, Chilly Powder, Salt

01. Grate Paneer and keep aside
02. Mash Potatoes, add chilly powder and little salt
03. Take little paneer, Make round balls of it, and push 1-2 raisins into it. Cover the Paneer balls with Potato and roll it between your palm to give it a round shape.
04. Deep Fry till golden Brown.

Kofta's

Kofta Curry :

You will need :

1/2 Onion

1-2 medium sized Tomatoes

4 garlic pods

ginger 2" piece

Coriander Leaves

7-8 Cashew nuts

01. Fry the above in oil and grind it to a fine paste.

Remaining Ingredients for the Curry
Turmeric, Chilly Powder-as per taste, Almond Powder-2 spoons, Cream, GaramMasala, Milk-1 cup, Cloves(4-5) , Cinnamon

Procedure for the Curry :
In a pan with oil, throw in the cloves and cinnamon, and let them fry. Once they give out the fragrance and are fried, remove them from oil. By this time, the oil should have slightly cooled down, add turmeric powder, Chilly Powder, Garam Masala into the oil and fry for a short time, and immediately add the Paste. Add Almond Powder, Cream and Milk. Add salt as per taste. Let it be slightly of a loose consistency (if you plan to have your curry once its cooled down, cause it becomes thick). If you are planning to settle down for an immediate Lunch, then keep it a little thick. Add the Koftas and finely chopped Coriander leaves.

                                                                              Rice : 
2 cups of Basmati rice, Cloves 4-5, Cinnamon, Ghee, Salt, Saffron in Warm Milk

Procedure for the Rice : 
In a Pan with Ghee, add in Cloves and Cinnamon-fry them for a while. Add rice and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 times the volume of Water and little salt and let it boil. Allow it to boil for 4-5 minutes, reduce flame and Cover with lid, and let it cook. When done to 80-90% add the Saffron in milk, and give it a very gentle stir. Once done completely, open the lid and allow the rice to be on low flame for around 3-4 minutes.

Your saffron rice and the rich stuffed Kofta's are ready!! 

ARTE : Kalamkari

Kalamkari (Kalam-pen) is a very ancient art, that originates from the state of Andhra Pradesh. Most of it is either hand-printed or block printed. Block prints are generally used when they want to repeat a motif. The speciality?! only Natural Dyes.

Do visit this shop in Sadashivnagar,Bangalore-that patronizes artists who still practice Kalamkari work. The name of the place is 'Dwaraka' and is right opposite to Food World in Sadashivnagar.

Their array of products is quite amazing, right from purses, wall hangings, mirrors, lipstick cases, pouches, files, folders, lampshades, clothes, sarees, to even Telephone Diaries- its all Kalamkari.

Help Revive this art!!

My attempts at Kalamkari- Medium- Pen on paper (handmade)

after Some Painting 

Basic Handwork

Basic Handwork

FUN : Zhayka... India Ka...

-Divya hegde

The 2nd war of Independence Eh?!!!

PENNED DOWN : Thoughts each time I revisit my native

'Nature' is something very difficult to define. In simple words it is just what exists around us, but for me, it is anything that I relate to, Even if it is my spirit or my soul. It is that strong connection that I establish with anything that i relate to, and the minute I lose the connect, I lose myself. The possibility of thinking of losing the opposite entity might be just a mirage for a while, but in the long term, It is that 'Me' that is going to wither.

I came down to this earth, being gifted with the possibility of living in the most serene setting, which I could have preserved and let live along with me. But each day there is a massacre of a part of Mother earth, who had provided me the comfort of sitting under the calm shade of the trees, breathing the clean air, staring at the countless no of stars in the clear blue sky, marveling at the different colors in species, etc. Today we are trying to soothe ourselves in a man built environment which we think will sustain forever. Our appetite to consume the natural and create an artificial is not only going to devour the earth, but soon will find a termination to all those over-ambitious needs of man and man himself.

It is heart rending to see that man is doing little to stop himself from unknowingly digging his own grave. We continue to teach our next generation the art of out-doing the limited, through our pseudo aspirations and find pleasure in those momentary triumphs and accomplishments. Man was allowed to live and enjoy nature, but he has taken his undue advantage of the 'right tofreedom' by transforming the nature to such an extent convenient to his lavishness, that little does he realize that the end is not too far.

Man and Nature were to be woven into an integrated existence. Unpredictable ironies of saturation and greed have given rise to withering of nature's crown. The rivers are running dry, the earth is getting barren, and the human in each of us doesn't seem to care. Why are we forgetting, that we dint make the nature... it was the nature that patterned the human race...

We dont seem to want the eternal laws that will protect us for sure, if we cared little for the ecosystem.

A few thoughts :

The earth was filled with greens

The basins were filled with streams,

Man was then modest and fair with mother earth

Till his mind got filled with all the smut and dirt...

Little did he need then to meet his want

Little there is left today, that he doesn’t want,

He sliced the timber, he raked up the land

Little did he know, his approach would not stand...

Wish he sees his path ahead,

The long life which he and his brood shall tread...

Stop, look back at the footprints and walk back the rope

Mother Nature says ‘Child-there is still some hope’...

Wish man changes his ill-made destiny

And let mother Earth run the tyranny,

Lead that happy serene life again,

Awaken at once, before all goes in vain...

Divya Hegde

CLICK : My pics : Love and Lust In Nature

Photography is another interest I picked up a few years back, when my husband gifted me my first Digital Camera, Canon. It was a small camera, but surprisingly gave me some amazing shots. Today I have upgraded myself to another Digicam Canon Powershot SX1IS, but somehow, i always feel that old simple camera of mine did better than this.

This was a pic that I took when i went cycling for around 20km near basel, and there was a Roman festival that was going on. So we had stopped by.

The few words that follow the picture are some of my thoughts that I penned down on it, after almost a year.

She was flying high up in the sky

Looking down towards the green meadow,

It was the only romance to her eye

All beaming, there was a crease above her brow.

The sun was bright
In all its might,
The sky was blue
In its brightest hue.
Singing the song of love...
The love for beauty and majesty,
She was riding high on the wave
Wearing the robe of dignity.

The sweet smell was wafting
The fragrance was rising,
The colours were inviting
she danced, Zing Zing..Zing Zing..

Thumping the air below her wings
Piercing the air ahead,
Flying towards the nature’s bouquet
Having had enough of all the sun dancing

Resting on the colourful carpet
Relaxing on the silky petal
Ogling at the golden liquid
Embracing her priced bounty...
She craved for a kiss
Which she did with ease,
Mowing on the golden dust
She soaked it up, with all her lust.

She flies away to another bloom
The flower turns away with envy
Shedding a tear, consumed with fear
The honeybee calms down the bloom, whispers
‘You make me joyful every time I feel blue
I shall forever and forever Love only you’

Divya Hegde

FOOD : Break.. fast : Chow-Chow Baath

If you are a Bangalorean by heart, you know its always 'tindi time' through the day. Come'on.. you know you can have idli-vada, masala dosa, chowchowbath, set dosa, rava idli, etc at any point of time. And if you have a huge gastronomical appetite, then you can easily slip in a couple of those items on the menu cards.

A walk on any street and you will find atleast one Darshini/breakfast place/Hotel that is serving the famous SouthIndian Breakfast. And heavenly aromas of the delicate Sambar, Hot steamed Idli's, seem to waft around through that entire street, yes yes.. coffee too.. err Kaapi.

So, today's morning.. err the freezing morning, had me cuddled up in my duvet, thinking about what breakfast I could make. Realizing it was November 1st and it was Kannada Rajyotsava, I decided it was going to be something supremely SouthIndian and obviously Dosa's and Idli's weren't possible, cause I hadn't made any overnight preparations. So I decided it was going to be the Famous ChowChow Baath, honestly for the last 30 years, I have never had the craving or even the slightest want to have Chow Chow Baath in any restaurant, but today I had this strong urge to gorge on some.

So it was... I got off to kickstart my day with the Chow Chow Bath: essentially a combination of a) Cooked Semolina with the essential spices, onion, and tomato ; otherwise known as Upit

b) Cooked Sweet Semolina ; otherwise known as Sheera

a) Upit: You will need

1 cup Rava-Coarse

1 small onion, tomato chopped

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 spoon Urad dal, Chana Dal

2 spoons of chopped cashewnuts

1 spoon of Ghee

5-6 Curry Leaves

1/2 spoon of Mustard seeds

Oil

In a pan, add 4-5 spoons of Oil. once its hot, add Mustard seeds and allow it to sputter, add the urad and chana dal and also the cashewnuts and allow them to slightly brown. Add onions and fry till transparent, tip in the chilies and curry leaves. Tomatoes go in next. Add the semolina at this stage and fry well, till you have the aroma of the rava/Semolina come through. Add salt and sugar as per taste. In a separate vessel, boil Water- 2.5 times the quantity of Semolina added. Once its boiled, add the water to this Semolina and cover it with a heavy lid. Keep on low heat now. Allow to cook completely and garnish with Coriander leaves.

You can add finely chopped veggies to this :Carrots, beans, capsicum etc. Grated coconut is again an option.

b) Sheera : You will need

1 Cup of Fine semolina

1.2 cups of sugar

3-4 cloves

5-6 cashewnuts chopped

few raisins

Saffron (optional)

Ghee-2 spoons

Cardamom powder-little

In a pan, add the ghee. Once hot, add the cloves, cashew nuts and raisins. Once the cashew nuts turn golden brown, add the Semolina and fry well, till you have the smell of the rava punching your nose. Add saffron and fry a little more. In a separate vessel, boil Water (2.5 times the semolina quantity). You could add a little milk too, if you wish. Add the boiling water to this semolina mix and Cover with lid and turn the heat to low. Once cooked, remove the lid and add the sugar and give it a good mix. You will find the Sheera would turn to a little looser consistency, since the sugar would melt within. Add the cardamom Powder in the end and give it a good final mix.

Add the twist with Pineapple : You could make Pineapple sheera: All you need to do is, fry around 1/2 cup of finely chopped pineapple along with the Semolina and another 1/2 cup of finely chopped Pineapple can go into the boiling water, Boil it for a little longer though. The rest of the procedure remains the same.

A cup of Upit and 1 cup of Sheera adorned on your plate is called the 'Chow Chow Bath'.

Enri, aita tindi????