Bengal clockvine.(Bengal trumpet)

 

Bengal clockvine. A purple flowering tropical vine.

And an evergreen vine.

Native to China,India,Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar & Indo China.

Other names :

Bengal trumpet, blue sky flower, blue thunbergia,blue trumpet vine, clockvine,sky flower,sky vine.

A house plant in temperate regions.

Bengal clockvine (Thunbergia grandiflora) is a vigorous, evergreen climbing plant native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is also commonly called blue trumpet vine because of its beautiful, trumpet-shaped flowers.

Plant type: Perennial climbing vine.

Flowers: Usually lavender-blue or bluish-purple, with a pale or yellowish throat.

Leaves: Large, green and slightly heart-shaped.

Light: Prefers full sun to partial shade.

Water: Regular watering, especially during dry periods.

Propagation: Commonly grown from stem cuttings.

Uses: Excellent for covering fences, trellises, arches and walls.

It grows rapidly in warm, humid climates and can create a lush curtain of foliage and flowers. Because of its vigorous growth, it is best given strong support and regular pruning.

Banana Halva.

 

Ingredients:

Ripe banana.                       3-5

Ghee/Vanaspati                   50ml

Sugar.                                   50 gm 

Cornflour.                            3 tablespoons 

Cherry.                                 5

Cardamom powder.          1/2 teaspoon.

Heat a pan.Add ghee, sliced Banana,stir to cook and mash.Add sugar and stir.Mix cornflour in half cup of water and add.Stir all ingredients well to make thick.Add cardamom powder.Remove from heat.Apply a little ghee in a tray, spread the mixture and level.

Allow to cool.Cut into pieces.Garnish with cherry.

Beetroot Thoran

 

Ingredients:

Beetroot.                                   200gm 

Grated coconut.                        50 gm 

Chilli powder.                             1 teaspoon 

Pepper powder.                         1/2 teaspoon 

Turmeric powder.                      1/4 teaspoon 

Onion.                                           1/2

Garlic.                                            2 petals. 

Coconut oil.                                  1 teaspoon 

Malabar tamarind 

(Indian garcina).                          A pinch.

Salt.                                                 A pinch.

Curry leaves.                                  5-6

Grate beetroot.Slice onions and garlic.

Heat a pan.Add oil. Fry onions and garlic.Add curry leaves, chilli, pepper, turmeric Powder, stir well.Add grated coconut.Add grated beetroot and salt and Indian garcina. Stir well, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.Serve hot.

Carrot Rice.

 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice                       2 cups

Carrot                                 50 gm.

Sliced onion                       50 gm.

Raisin                                 1 spoon

Nuts                                    1 spoon

Cardamom                          3

Salt                                       accordingly

Ghee                                     ½ cup

Coriander leaves                  accordingly

Sliced tomato                       ½ cup

Water                                    4 cups

Wash and drain basmati rice. Heat a pan. Pour one spoon ghee and fry rice. Keep it aside. Boil water. Add basmati rice, salt and mashed cardamom. Cook for ten minutes.  In a pan, heat one spoon ghee, fry onion,carrot,raisins and nuts.Serve cooked rice in a plate garnishing with coriander leaves, sliced tomato, roasted onions, carrot, raisins and nuts.

Fish cutlets.

 

Ingredients:

Fish                                ½ kg

Vinegar                          1 teaspoon

Salt                                 1 teaspoon

Oil                                    ¼ cup

Sliced onion                  ½ cup

Sliced green chilly        1 desert spoon

Sliced ginger                 1 teaspoon

Sliced curry leaves        ½ teaspoon

Pepper powder             1 teaspoon

Boiled and mashed

Potato                             1 cup

Salt                                   accordingly

Egg yolk                            1

Egg white                         1

Bread powder                  ½ cup

Marinate fish with vinegar and salt. Steam it and mash. Heat oil, add onion, chilly, ginger and roast. Add pepper powder and fish mixture. Add potato, egg yolk, salt and mix well. Shape to cutlets, dip in egg white and again in bread powder and fry. Serve with sauce and salad.

Rambutans.

 

Carrot cake.

 

Ingredients.

Carrot (grated).                       150gm

Maida.                                        150gm

Sugar.                                         300gm     

Egg.                                             3

Vanilla essence.                        1 teaspoon

Cocoa powder.                           3 teaspoon

Baking powder.                           1 teaspoon

Baking soda.                                1/2 teaspoon

Sunflower oil.                                50 ml 

Cloves, cinnamon,nutmeg 

(Powdered together).                   1/2 teaspoon

Vinegar.                                           1 teaspoon

Baking soda.( to mix with vinegar). 1/2 teaspoon 

Beat egg.Add powdered sugar.Beat again.

Add vanilla essence.Beat well.

Mix sunflower oil.

Sieve together maida, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder,garam masala powder and add to the batter.Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to 1 teaspoon vinegar,then add to the batter.

Mix all ingredients well.Add grated carrots.Stir well to mix.

Bake in a 180°pre-heated oven for 42 minutes.

 

Flower basket cake.

 

Egg                                   - 4

Powdered Sugar            - 1 cup (200 gm)

Maida                              -1 cup (200 gm)

Baking Powder               - 1 Teaspoon

Baking Soda                    -1/4 Teaspoon

Vanilla essence               - 1 Teaspoon

Sugar Syrup                     - ½ cup

Whipping cream             - 500 ml.

Food colour.                      - Green,Pink

 Cake: Beat egg. Add powdered sugar and beat well. Mix maida, baking powder and baking soda, sieve well. Add this with egg-sugar mix. Beat and mix well. Add vanilla essence, mix well. Bake this batter in an oven pre-heated in 180°  about 40 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool. Slice it into two or three layers.

Icing mixture: Beat whipping cream to make it thick. Add 5-6 table spoons powdered sugar& colour to this and beat again. Refrigerate it for two hours.

Take one layer of cake, fix it on a stand with some icing mixture.  Apply some sugar syrup on the first layer, apply icing mixture. Repeat the process. Cover the whole layers with icing.Using suitable nozzle design a basket and flowers. Allow to cool in refrigerator for two hours.

Cauliflower curry.

 

Cauliflower Curry

Cauliflower                                        : 1

 Tomato                                              : 1

 shallots                                               : 6

Chilly powder                         : 1 teeaspoon
Coriander powder                  : ½ teaspoon

Pepper powder                                 : ½ teaspoon

Salt                                                      : accordingly

Oil                                                        : 2 desert spoons

Mustard                                              : ¼ teaspoon

Garam masala powder                     : 1/4 teaspoon

Curry leaves                                        : accordingly

       Separate cauliflower petals. Soak in hot salt water for half an hour and steam. Mix chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and salt. Marinate steamed cauliflower with this mixture. Keep aside for twenty minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Fry mustard and curry leaves. Add tomato and onion. Add marinated cauliflower. Stir well and cook. Add garam masala powder. Serve hot.

Jackfruit Halva.

 

Jackfruit Halva

Cooked & ground

Jackfruit                                   ½ kg

Jaggery                                     ¼ kg

Maida                                       1 cup

Ghee/Vanaspati                      1 cup

Cardamom

Powder                                     1 teaspoon

Nuts                                           ½ cup

Melt jaggery and sieve. Add ground jackfruit. Add some water to maida to make a thick paste. Mix it with jackfruit-Jaggery paste. Heat a pan. Pour the mixture. Stir well. Add ghee part by part. When it becomes thick add nuts and cardamom powder. Apply one spoon ghee to a plate and spread the mixture. Allow to cool. Cut into pieces.

Kovalam Beach, Kerala - A Beautiful Coastal Paradise.

 

Kovalam Beach: Kerala's Coastal Paradise.

Kovalam is one of Kerala's most iconic beach destinations.

It is located on the Malabar Coast.

 It is approximately 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.

Kerala means "a grove of coconut trees," reflecting the swaying palms that line its beautiful shores along the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. 

History.

Kovalam is a traditional fishing village.

 Fish, fruits, and toddy (coconut beer), were available there.

Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, the king of Travancore, helped  to bring it into the spotlight. 

 It gained real importance in the late 1920s when Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore built her beach resort, Halcyon Castle, here.

European visitors to the Travancore kingdom noticed its tourism potential in the 1930s. 

  The beach's transformation into a major destination accelerated in the early 1970s.

The travelers on the Hippie Trail to Ceylon began flocking there in 1970s.

Beaches and Scenery.

Kovalam actually comprises three adjacent crescent-shaped beaches:

Lighthouse Beach – 

It is a powdery stretch of gold-and-black sand, notable for the candy-striped Vizhinjam Lighthouse at its southern end, 

Visitors can climb for sweeping coastal views.

Hawa Beach

Samudra Beach – a sandy expanse overlooked by a gold-and-green mosque and the five-star  resort.

Kovalam beach 

Blue waves 

Blue waves

Fruit Salad.

 

Fruit Salad - 

Slice apple,,banana,and pineapple.Add grapes and cherry.Mix one teaspoon sugar and keep in refrigerator.

Mix two teaspoons custard powder in half glass of milk.

Boil 500 ml milk with 4 teaspoons sugar.When it boils add custard cream and stir for two- three minutes to make a creamy consistency.Allow to cool in refrigerator.Add sliced fruits and serve.

Spinach Omlet.(without egg)

 

Spinach Omlet

Ingredients

Sliced spinach    ¼ cup

Green chilly         3

Sliced ginger         a pinch

Peanut flour          ¼ cup

Salt                          accordingly

Oil                           1 teaspoon

Water                     ½ cup

Mix peanut flour and salt with water to make a thick liquid. Add sliced spinach, chilly and ginger. Heat oil, pour the mixture, turn upside down and roast two sides

Papaya Juice.

 Poison less papaya juice with honey and sugar from courtyard.

Jungle geranium.

 

"Flame of the woods" - A flowering shrub native to Southern India, Bangladesh & Srilanka.

Jungle geranium (Ixora coccinea) is a beautiful tropical flowering plant known for its clusters of small, vibrant flowers. 

The blossoms appear in shades of red, orange, pink, yellow, and white, adding a cheerful touch to gardens and landscapes. 

Its glossy green leaves provide an attractive background for the colorful blooms. Jungle geranium thrives in warm, humid climates and is often grown as an ornamental shrub, making it a lovely choice for tropical gardens.