Red - whiskered Bulbul@ Eravikulam National Park.

 

Munnar, Kerala, India.

Two Red-whiskered Bulbuls sat close together on a low branch, their scarlet cheek-patches bright against the muted greens of Eravikulam's canopy.

At Eravikulam National Park, a flash of crimson caught the eye.  Two Red-whiskered Bulbuls perched lightly on a shrub,  their dark crests raised like a small flame against the grey mist. 

The hills lay hushed around them, grasslands rolling toward Anamudi's distant peak, and for a moment the little birds  seemed to hold all the quiet of the Western Ghats in their  small, watchful stillness. 

One preened the other's feathers with quiet patience, the mist drifting past them in soft curls, while the hills stretched silent and endless beyond.

 For a moment, the pair seemed to belong entirely to that high, quiet world - two small red whispers, keeping each other company under the pale Munnar sky.

I walked near to it slowly slowly, with silent footsteps, to watch them close, but soon they flew and disappeared among the lush greenery.

പ്രണാമം മഹാത്മാവേ!

 

"പ്രണാമം മഹാത്മാവേ!"

"ഞാനൊരു ഹിന്ദുവു,മൊപ്പമൊരു

ക്രിസ്റ്റ്യനും, മുസ്ലീമു,മെഹൂദനും,

സർവ്വോദയം ദിവ്യമാനവലക്ഷ്യം,

ജാതി,മത, ലിംഗ,ഭേദമന്യേ, വികസനം,

ഈ പ്രബുദ്ധ മാനവക്ഷേമത്തിന്നായ്

സ്വയം ഭരിക്കുക,സ്വയമടക്കുക."

ഈ പരമമാം, സ്നേഹമേ! അഹിംസയേ!!

നമിക്കുന്നു ഞാൻ,ഭാരത,മഹാത്മാവേ!!

Rava Laddu.

Ingredients:

1.     Rava                           -1 ½ cup

2.     Ghee/Vanaspati            - ½ cup

3.     Sugar                          - 1 cup

4.     Cashew nut               - 3 spoons

5.     Kismis                         - 3 spoons

6.     Cardamom powder – ¼ spoon

Method

Fry rava in 2 spoons of ghee till it becomes golden brown colour. Remove from heat, add sugar and grind. Heat the remaining ghee, fry nuts and kismis and add it to the rava-sugar mixture. Mix well adding cardamom powder. Make round balls and decorate with cherry pieces.

Prawn Pulavu.

Ingredients:

1.Basmati rice              : 1 kg

2. Onion                        : 4

3. Ginger-garlic paste   : 2 spoons

4. Water                        : 10 cups

Milk                              : 1 cup

Salt                               : 1 spoon

Garam masala            : 2 spoons

Knotty leaves              : 4

5. Prawn                       : ½ kg

6. Green piece            : 1 cup

7. Ghee                         : 1 cup

8. Sliced capsicum      : 1

Method

Soak rice for half an hour. Slice onion. Heat ghee and roast onion and keep aside half of it. Roast the remaining onion adding ginger- garlic paste for 5 minutes. Add the fourth ingredients and boil. Add rice, prawn and green piece. Cook for ten minutes in low flame. Serve after garnishing with capsicum and roasted onion.

Fruit Salad.

Ingredients:

Fruits                                - 1 kg

Custard powder              -2 spoons

Milk                                   -   500 ml

Sugar                                 - 6 spoons

Method

Slice fruits into small pieces and mix three spoons sugar and keep for cooling in fridge. Take two spoons custard powder, add two spoons milk and make it a paste.

Boil 500ml milk adding three spoons sugar. Add the custard paste into the boiling milk whisking well for five minutes to become a creamy paste. Remove from heat and allow natural cooling. Keep in the freezer for one hour. Add cut pieces of fruits and serve.

Chocolate Cake.

Ingredients:

Eggs                                     5

Flour                                    250 gm.

Sugar                                   250 gm.

Butter                                  250 gm.

Cocoa                                   2 table spoon

Vanilla essence                   1 teaspoon

Baking powder                    1 teaspoon

Sift flour and baking powder together. Cream butter and sugar till it becomes fluffy. Whisk egg. Add flour to it and whisk again. Add butter, sugar, vanilla essence and cocoa and whisk again. Grease a cake tin. Pour the mixture, bake at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

White Sweet Roses Cake

Ingredients:

Maida.                      120 gm

Sugar.                      100 gm.

Egg.                           3

Vanilla essences    1 teaspoon.

Baking powder.     1 teaspoon

Baking soda.            1/2 teaspoon

Sunflower oil.          100 ml 

Whipping cream.    200ml

Sugar syrup.              100 ml

Dry fruits.                   50 gm

Beat eggs.

Add vanilla,beat well.

Add sugar,beat well.

Add sunflower oil,beat well.

Add dry ingredients,stir well.

Bake in 180° pre heated oven for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.

Layer the cake.

Apply sugar syrup.

Apply whipping cream.

Repeat the process.

Cover the cake with whipping cream.

Decorate with suitable nozzles.

Allow to set in refrigerator for 2 hours before use.

Falooda.

Easy Falooda  

Pistha ice cream                      500 ml.

Vanilla ice cream                     500 ml.

Sliced fruits                               4 cups

Sugar                                           1 spoon

Raisins & cashews          1 cup

Almonds (sliced)                      1 spoon

Basil seeds                                 4 spoons

Jam                                             4 spoons

Cherry                                         5

Tutti frutti                                  2 spoons

Soak basil seeds for fifteen minutes. After swelling, drain water. Keep aside. Mix sliced fruits with sugar and allow to cool. Take a long glass. First add one scoop vanilla ice cream. Then add one spoon jam. Next layer one spoon sliced fruits. Then layer soaked basil seeds. Then layer one scoop pistha ice cream. Then add raisins and cashews. Add tutti frutti. Repeat the layers again. Garnish with cherry and almonds on the top.

          

Rosette Cake.

Ingredients:

Maida.                      120 gm

Sugar.                      100 gm.

Egg.                           3

Vanilla essences    1 teaspoon.

Baking powder.     1 teaspoon

Baking soda.            1/2 teaspoon

Sunflower oil.          100 ml 

Whipping cream.    200ml

Sugar syrup.              100 ml

Food colour.               Pink, green.

Dry fruits.                    50 gms

Beat eggs.

Add vanilla,beat well.

Add sugar,beat well.

Add sunflower oil,beat well.

Add dry ingredients,stir well.

Bake in 180° pre heated oven for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.

Layer the cake.

Apply sugar syrup.

Apply whipping cream.

Repeat the process.

Cover the cake with whipping cream.

Decorate with suitable nozzles.

Allow to set in refrigerator for 2 hours before use.

Bread Pudding.

Ingredients:

1. Bread (sliced into small pieces) - 2 cups

2. Egg                                                 - 2

3. Milk                                               -2 cups

4. Sugar                                             - 6 spoons

5. Butter                                             - 1 teaspoon

6. Vanila Essence                                  -1 teaspoon

7. Grated nutmeg                                 - ¼ teaspoon

8. Nuts                                                     - ¼ cup

9. Kismis                                                  - ¼ cup

Method.

Beat egg. Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla essence and nutmeg. Apply butter in a pudding mould, put bread pieces in it, pour the mixture and add the nuts and kismis and keep for ½ hour to get soaked. Cover the mould with a soft paper and cook in steam. Allow natural cooling. Serve in a plate and garnish.

Rasgulla Sweet.

Making Rasgulla Balls

Ingredients:

1. Milk               - 1 liter

2. Citric acid     - ¼ small spoon

     Water           - ½ cup

3. Sugar              - 2 cups

     Water           - 3 cups

·        Boil the milk.

·        Dissolve citric acid in water and drop it to the boiling milk and stir well. Allow the milk to curdle.

·        Separate the panir using a sieve.

·        Knead panir well to make soft & make round balls.

·        Boil water and sugar in a pressure cooker.Add panir balls and cook till one whistle.

·        Keep this rasgula in fridge for cooling.

Rasgulla Sweet.
Ingredients:

    1.Milk                             - 1 liter.

   2.sugar            -  ½ cup

  3.   Nuts&kismis              - 2 spoons

  4.  Cardamom powder - ¼ spoon

   5.    Saffron                       -few grains mixed in milk.

                                                                                                                                                                           6.   Rasgulla                     - made from 1 liter milk     

Method:

 Boil the milk to a thick liquid and allow to natural cooling. Add ground sugar, nuts, kismis, cardamom powder and saffron and mix well. Add rasgulla balls, refrigerate for two hours and serve.

Orange Velvet Tea Cake.

Ingredients.

Maida.                    100gm.
Sugar.                     100 gm.
Butter.                    100gm.
Baking powder.     1teaspoon.
Baking soda.           1/2 teaspoon.
Orange food
colour.                       1/2 teaspoon.
Egg.                             1.
Vanilla essence.        1 teaspoon.

Make cake batter mixing all the ingredients.Apply some butter in a cake tin & pour the batter.Bake for 30 minutes.   

Red Rose.

 

A single red rose stood in the garden, its petals curled tight at the edges like folded velvet.

 Morning dew clung to its surface, catching the early light in small, trembling beads.

 The stem bent slightly under its own weight, thorns guarding a bloom that seemed almost too vivid for the quiet grey of dawn.

 It was the kind of red that didn't ask to be noticed - it simply was, patient and unhurried, waiting for the sun to climb higher and set it fully alight.

Carrot Cake.

Ingredients

Carrot.                400 gm
Maida.                 300 gm.
Sugar.                  300 gm.
Butter.                  100 gm.
Vanilla essence.   2 teaspoons
Baking powder.    2 teaspoons
Baking soda.           1 teaspoon
Egg.                            5
Nuts, raisins.            50 gm.
Beat egg.Powder sugar.Mix well both.
Mix maida,baking powder & baking soda.
Grate carrot.
Blend all well.
Move the batter to a greaced cake tin,garnish with nuts& raisins.
Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Pineapple Pudding.

Ingredients.

Pineapple.           250 gm.
Milk.                      500 ml.
Sugar.                     100 gm.
Cornflour.               2 table spoons.
Custard powder.    2 table spoons.
Vanilla essence.       2 teaspoons.

Slice pinapple.Heat a pan.Add pineapple,2 spoons sugar,1 teaspoon  vanilla essence, stir well for 10-15 minutes to cook.Allow to natural cooling.
Blend cornflour and custard powder in a glass of milk.Heat the remaining milk and sugar.When it becomes hot,add cornflour-custard - milk mixture and boil.Add 1 teaspoon vanilla essence.Stir  still it becomes  thick,remove from heat, allow to natural cooling.
Take a pudding bowl,apply some butter,put the pineapple mix,over it,layer the custard mix.Refrigerate for 6 hours,put the pudding upside down to a serving dish.

Oreo Cake.

Ingredients.

Oreo biscuits.       20
Sugar.                    2 spoons
Milk.                       1/2 cup
Baking powder.   1 Teaspoon. 

Grind biscuits & sugar.Add milk & baking powder.Beat well to make the batter.Pour the batter to a cake tin & bake for 30 minutes.

Solang Valley - Himachal Pradesh - Snow covered beautiful nature...

Solang Valley sits about 13 km northwest of Manali in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, at roughly 2,500 meters elevation, right where the Solang and Beas rivers meet.

Scenery. A green meadow ringed by snow-capped peaks and glaciers, popular for its dramatic backdrop.

Adventure sports. Known as Manali's adventure hub -  paragliding, zorbing, ATV rides, ropeway/cable car rides, and horse riding in warmer months; skiing and snowboarding in winter (December- February).

Best time to visit -April - June for pleasant weather and greenery; December - February for snow sports.

Nearby - Close to Anu Cave, Atal Tunnel, and further on, Rohtang Pass (permit required, seasonal access).

Access - Easily reached by road from Manali; a common day-trip destination.

Vegetable Biriyani.

Basmati rice                               : 3 cups
Water                                           : 6 cups

Ghee                                              : 2 table spoons

Cardamom                                   : 4

Cloves                                            : 3

Cinnamon                                     : 4

 Onion                                            : 2

Garlic                                             : 1

Ginger                                            : 1 piece

Green chilly                                  : 2

Beans                                             : 50 gm.

Carrot                                             : 3

Tomato                                           : 1

Salt                                                   : accordingly

Nuts                                                 : 50 gm.

Kismis                                              : 50 gm.

  

 Heat ghee in a pan. Fry cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, add garlic, ginger and green chilly.Add onions, add sliced beans and carrot. When it becomes half cooked, add  salt.Add basmati rice, saute well.

Boil 6 cups water in pressure cooker,add the mixture,pressure cook for ten minutes.

  Heat ghee and fry onions, nuts and Kismis. Add it to the rice-vegetable mixture. 

Garnish with tomato.Serve hot.

Chilli Gobi.

Ingredients.
Step 1

Cauliflower                     - 350 gm.
Maida                              - 1 cup
Cornflour                        - 4 table spoons
Kashmiri Chilli
Powder                            - 1 teaspoon
Pepper Powder                -1/4 teaspoon
Salt                                   - required
Water                               - required
Oil                                     - 3-4 tablespoons

Mix all well to prepare the batter.Dip cauliflower florets in the batter and deep fry.

Step 2

Sliced capsicum                     -1
Sliced spring onion               - 1
Chopped ginger                     - 1 table spoon
Chopped garlic                       - 1 table spoon
Slit green chilli                       - 3
Soy sauce                                 - 1 teaspoon
Chilli sauce (red)                    - 1 teaspoon
Vinegar                                     - 1 teaspoon
Salt                                             - required
Oil                                               - 1 table spoon

Heat oil,add ginger,garlic,green chilli,saute for one minute,add spring onion,capsicum,add soy sauce,chilly sauce.Stir well.Add fried cauliflower,add salt,spring onion,vinegar.
Garnish and serve.

Beef Biriyani.

Ingredients.
Step 1

Beef.                            1 kg.
Chilly powder            1 Table spoon
Coriander powder.   2 Table spoons.
Turmeric powder.    1 Teaspoon.
Pepper powder.         1 Teaspoon.
Garam masala.           2 Teaspoons.
Salt.     

Marinate beef with these and keep for 30 minutes.Cook in a pressure cooker until 3-4 whistles.

Step 2

Garlic-ginger paste.            2 Table spoons
Sliced green chillies.           3
Sliced onions.                       1 cup
Sliced tomatoes.                   3
Curd.                                       Half cup
Oil.                                           2 Table spoons

Heat a pan.Pour oil.Add garlic-ginger paste,saute for two minutes,add sliced onions, green chillies,stir till it becomes golden brown,add sliced tomatoes,stir for two minutes,add cooked beef,curd,stir well,adjust salt,cook it for around 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Basmati rice.                    6 cups
Water.                               12 cups
Crushed cinnamon,
clove, cardamom.            2 Teaspoons
Ghee.                                  1 Table spoon
Bay leaves.                        2

Wash and drain the rice.Heat ghee in a pan,add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,bay leaves,saute well,add rice,stir to make crispy.
Boil water in a pressure cooker,add salt,add rice mix, close the cooker,cook for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Onions.                  2
Cashew nuts.        50 gm
Raisins.                  50 gm
Coriander leaves/ 
Mint leaves,
Lemon juice           2 spoons.

Thinly slice onions.Fry in ghee.
Roast cashews and raisins.
Take a pan/ cooker.
Layer with alternative layers of rice,beef,fried onions, raisins, cashews, coriander leaves/mint leaves,lemon juice.
Heat the layered Biriyani for about 20 minutes.
Serve with salad and pickles.