Mar 30, 2009
Mar 27, 2009
Idiyappam
Idiyappam ( String hoppers )
Serves : 3
Makes : 12
Time required : 20 minutes plus steaming time
Ingredients
1 cup fried raw rice flour
1 ¾ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon oil for greasing the idiyappam mould
Method
1, Lightly grease the idiyappam mould and keep aside.
2, Heat water in a medium bowl. Add salt and ghee. Cover with a lid . When water is almost boiled , switch off the gas and add fried raw rice powder and mix it well with a steel ladle.
3, Put in one portion of the rice dough in idiyappam mould.
4, Press out the dough to form small circular rounds ( resembling thin noodles ) onto each of the idiyappam stands (or an idli stand is a good substitute for the idiyappam stand ).
5, Pressure cooker, without weight , can be used for steaming (or you can use National rice cooker ). Steam for about 10 minutes till the idiyappam is cooked. Serve with stew / chicken curry…
Idiyappam moulds
Mar 15, 2009
Health Tips for Tonsillitis, Back Pain and Anaemia
Recovery Diet for Tonsillitis
After the acute symptoms of tonsillitis are over, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for
further three or four days. In this regimen, three meals of fresh, juicy fruits such as apples,
grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pears, pineapple, peaches and melon may be taken. The juice of
fresh pineapple is most valuable in all throat afflictions of this kind. After the all-fruit diet the
patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet on the following lines:
Breakfast: Fresh fruits, or grated raw carrot or any other raw salad, and milk. Prunes or other dried fruits may be added, if desired.
Lunch: Steamed vegetables, as obtainable, and whole wheat chapattis. Vegetables likes bitter gourd and fenugreek are especially beneficial.
Dinner: A good-sized raw salad of vegetables as obtainable, sprouts seeds as mung beans and alfalfa seeds, whole meal bread and butter or cottage cheese.
Raw vegetable juices are also valuable in the treatment of tonsillitis. Juice of carrot, beet and
cucumber taken individually or in combination are especially beneficial. Remember to use three parts carrot juice to one part beet and one part cucumber.
Safety measures for preventing back pain.
Certain safety measures, especially, for people in sedentary occupation, are necessary to
relieve and prevent backache. The most important of these is exercise which improves the
supply of nutrients to spinal discs, thereby delaying the process of deterioration that comes with age and eventually affects everybody. Safe exercises include walking, swimming and bicycling.
The latter should be done keeping the back upright. Controlling one's weight is another
important step towards relieving backache as excess weight greatly increases the stress on soft back tissues.
Those with sedentary occupations should take a break to stand up every hour. Soft cushioned
seats should be avoided and position should be changed as often as possible. Persons with
back problems should sleep on a firm mattress on their sides with knees bent at right angles to
the torso. They should take care never to bend from the waist down to lift any object but instead should swat close to the object, bending the knees but keeping the back straight, and then stand up slowly.
Prevention is better than cure in anaemia.
Anaemia is much more easily prevented than corrected. A liberal intake of iron in the formative
years can go a long way in preventing iron-deficiency anaemia.
Iron should always be taken in its natural organic form as the use of inorganic can
prove hazardous, destroying the protective vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, causing serious liver damage and even miscarriage and delayed or premature births. The common foods rich in natural organic iron are wheat and wheat grain cereals, brown rice and rice polishings, green leafy vegetables, cabbage, carrot, celery, beets, tomatoes, spinach; fruits like apples, berries, cherries, grapes, raisins, figs, dates, peaches and eggs. It has been proved that a generous intake of iron alone will not help in the regeneration of haemoglobin. The supplies of protein, too, should be adequate. The diet should, therefore, be adequate in proteins of high biological value such as those found in milk, cheese and egg. Copper is also essential for the utilisation of iron in the building of haemoglobin.
Ten Commandments for Problem Drinkers
Here are the Ten Commandments for Problem Drinkers, as given by psychiatrist Dr. William B. Terhune. These are:
(i) Never drink when you "need one."
(ii) Sip slowly.
(iii) Space your drinks, waiting 30 minutes for a second drink after the first and then an hour before the third.
(iv) Dilute your alcohol.
(v) Keep an accurate and truthful records of the number of drinks you take.
(vi) Never conceal the amount you drink.
(vii) Never drink on an empty stomach.
(viii) Never drink on cue (for lunch, for dinner, just because you are tired, because you are bored or frustrated, or at bedtime).
(ix) Never take a drink in the morning to break a hangover.
(x) And never drink to escape discomfort, either physical or mental
After the acute symptoms of tonsillitis are over, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for
further three or four days. In this regimen, three meals of fresh, juicy fruits such as apples,
grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pears, pineapple, peaches and melon may be taken. The juice of
fresh pineapple is most valuable in all throat afflictions of this kind. After the all-fruit diet the
patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet on the following lines:
Breakfast: Fresh fruits, or grated raw carrot or any other raw salad, and milk. Prunes or other dried fruits may be added, if desired.
Lunch: Steamed vegetables, as obtainable, and whole wheat chapattis. Vegetables likes bitter gourd and fenugreek are especially beneficial.
Dinner: A good-sized raw salad of vegetables as obtainable, sprouts seeds as mung beans and alfalfa seeds, whole meal bread and butter or cottage cheese.
Raw vegetable juices are also valuable in the treatment of tonsillitis. Juice of carrot, beet and
cucumber taken individually or in combination are especially beneficial. Remember to use three parts carrot juice to one part beet and one part cucumber.
Safety measures for preventing back pain.
Certain safety measures, especially, for people in sedentary occupation, are necessary to
relieve and prevent backache. The most important of these is exercise which improves the
supply of nutrients to spinal discs, thereby delaying the process of deterioration that comes with age and eventually affects everybody. Safe exercises include walking, swimming and bicycling.
The latter should be done keeping the back upright. Controlling one's weight is another
important step towards relieving backache as excess weight greatly increases the stress on soft back tissues.
Those with sedentary occupations should take a break to stand up every hour. Soft cushioned
seats should be avoided and position should be changed as often as possible. Persons with
back problems should sleep on a firm mattress on their sides with knees bent at right angles to
the torso. They should take care never to bend from the waist down to lift any object but instead should swat close to the object, bending the knees but keeping the back straight, and then stand up slowly.
Prevention is better than cure in anaemia.
Anaemia is much more easily prevented than corrected. A liberal intake of iron in the formative
years can go a long way in preventing iron-deficiency anaemia.
Diet is of the utmost importance in the treatment of anaemia. Almost every nutrient is needed for the production of red blood cells, haemoglobin and the enzymes, required for their synthesis. Refined food like white bread, polished rice, sugar, and desserts rope the body of the much-needed iron.
Iron should always be taken in its natural organic form as the use of inorganic can
prove hazardous, destroying the protective vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, causing serious liver damage and even miscarriage and delayed or premature births. The common foods rich in natural organic iron are wheat and wheat grain cereals, brown rice and rice polishings, green leafy vegetables, cabbage, carrot, celery, beets, tomatoes, spinach; fruits like apples, berries, cherries, grapes, raisins, figs, dates, peaches and eggs. It has been proved that a generous intake of iron alone will not help in the regeneration of haemoglobin. The supplies of protein, too, should be adequate. The diet should, therefore, be adequate in proteins of high biological value such as those found in milk, cheese and egg. Copper is also essential for the utilisation of iron in the building of haemoglobin.
Ten Commandments for Problem Drinkers
Here are the Ten Commandments for Problem Drinkers, as given by psychiatrist Dr. William B. Terhune. These are:
(i) Never drink when you "need one."
(ii) Sip slowly.
(iii) Space your drinks, waiting 30 minutes for a second drink after the first and then an hour before the third.
(iv) Dilute your alcohol.
(v) Keep an accurate and truthful records of the number of drinks you take.
(vi) Never conceal the amount you drink.
(vii) Never drink on an empty stomach.
(viii) Never drink on cue (for lunch, for dinner, just because you are tired, because you are bored or frustrated, or at bedtime).
(ix) Never take a drink in the morning to break a hangover.
(x) And never drink to escape discomfort, either physical or mental
Mar 8, 2009
Vellayappam ( Thiruvananthapuram style )
Step - 1 - Vellayappam batter
Step -2
Step- 3
Step - 4
Step - 5
Makes : 10 – 15
This recipe is without coconut. You need only four main ingredients : Raw rice, left over cooked rice , urad dal and yeast.
Ingredients
Silky raw rice – 1 cup
Urad dal – 1 tablespoon
Cooked rice : 2 tablespoon
Water for grinding
Non stick appachatty for making vellayappam
Ingredients for yeast solution
Active dry yeast – 1 teaspoon
Warm water – 2 tablespoon
Sugar – 2 teaspoon ( mix well warm water and sugar )
Method
Wash and clean rice and urad dal . Soak in water for 6- 8 hours. Grind rice with urad dal and cooked rice in batches ( half of the quantity at a time ). Add 2 – 3 tablespoon water while grinding. Batter should not be too watery….just like ‘’ Idli ‘’ batter. Transfer vellayappam batter to another big bowl / container .
To prepare yeast solution :
Mix 1 teaspoon active dry yeast with 2 tablespoon warm water and sugar. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Add this yeast solution to vellayappam batter , mix well and keep aside for fermentation for 8-10 hours or overnight. ( Quanity of the vellayappam batter will be double after fermentation).
Final procedure
1, Heat non stick appachatty.
2, Grease the appachatty with little oil.
3, Pour one ladleful of appam batter to the appachatty.
4, Lift the pan ( from the stove ) and slightly twist around to spread the batter in the pan to make circular shape ( see the photos above ).
5, Cover the appachatty with a lid and cook on low heat till the edges are golden brown. When vellyappam is ready , the edges resembles crisp lace and centre soft. It's a delicious breakfast in Kerala . Traditionally serve with mutta roast ( egg roast )/ chicken curry / stew…..
1, Heat non stick appachatty.
2, Grease the appachatty with little oil.
3, Pour one ladleful of appam batter to the appachatty.
4, Lift the pan ( from the stove ) and slightly twist around to spread the batter in the pan to make circular shape ( see the photos above ).
5, Cover the appachatty with a lid and cook on low heat till the edges are golden brown. When vellyappam is ready , the edges resembles crisp lace and centre soft. It's a delicious breakfast in Kerala . Traditionally serve with mutta roast ( egg roast )/ chicken curry / stew…..
Here's the recipe of Egg curry ( Mutta curry )
Kerala food festival at ‘’ Seasons “ , The Accord Metropolitan hotel – Chennai
A food festival focusing on Syrian Christian , Travancore , coastal Malabar and Palakkad cuisine. Choose from chemmeen theeyal, kozhi piralan , vattayappam , appam and more
Food festival till March 15 th
Seasons- The Accord Metropolitan Hotel
G N Chetty Road
T Nagar
Chennai
Tel # 28161000
A food festival focusing on Syrian Christian , Travancore , coastal Malabar and Palakkad cuisine. Choose from chemmeen theeyal, kozhi piralan , vattayappam , appam and more
Food festival till March 15 th
Seasons- The Accord Metropolitan Hotel
G N Chetty Road
T Nagar
Chennai
Tel # 28161000
Mar 7, 2009
Kada chakka bajji ( Bread fruit Bajji )
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, that is native to the Malay Peninsula and western Pacific islands. It has also been widely planted in tropical regions elsewhere.
The breadfruit is closely related to the breadnut and the jackfruit. It is called "Kada Chakka" in the Malayalam language , lanthe ponosu / gudgo in Konkani and "Jeegujje"/"Geegujje"/"Jigujje" in Tulu.
Recipe of Kada Chakka Bajji
Ingredients
Kada chakka slices – 1 cup or 18 slices ( wash , drain out water and wipe well with a kitchen towel )
For marination
Ingredients
Kada chakka slices – 1 cup or 18 slices ( wash , drain out water and wipe well with a kitchen towel )
For marination
Mix 1 teaspoon chilli powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Apply it over kada chakka slices and keep aside for 15 minutes. Steam in the pressure cooker for 5 – 8 minutes or MICROWAVE HIGH for 2 minute 30 seconds. Allow to cool.
For the batter
1,Gram flour ( besan ) – 1 cup (200 g )
2, Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
3, Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
4, Salt to taste ( approximately ¾ teaspoon )
5, Hing ( asafoetida ) – ¼ teaspoon
Water for mixing (100 ml + 1 tablespoon)
Cooking oil for frying
Method
Make a smooth batter of the ingredients from 1-5 ( batter should not be too watery ) with water. Dip each kada chakka slices in this batter and shallow fry on a medium heat till golden colour. Serve hot. It’s a tasty evening snack in Konkani Cuisine.
Mar 3, 2009
Neel Metal Fanalca begins operation at Anna Nagar & Ambattur - Chennai
Neel Metal Fanalca, the private firm that bagged the contract for garbage clearance in 19 wards of Ambattur municipality, formally launched its operations on Monday.
During the trial run, Neel Metal Fanalca carried out the garbage clearance work in the wards covering many areas, including Padi, Anna Nagar Western Extension, Mogappair West and Mogappair East. The firm, which is in charge of garbage clearance in four zones of the Chennai Corporation, replaced Swachatha Corporation in Ambattur Municipality.
Galvanised metal bins
About 300 galvanised metal bins have also been installed in various areas to collect nearly 80-100 tonnes of garbage generated daily in these wards.
A round-the-clock helpline — 26242122 — to register complaints pertaining to garbage clearance in all 52 wards of the municipality was also launched on the occasion. Residents also have an option of e-mailing their grievances regarding garbage disposal to cleanambattur@gmail.com.
Green city ... Clean city....