Safety tips for your baby

1, Never leave her when she’s eating or drinking.

2, Keep small objects out of your baby’s reach.

3, Always put your baby to sleep on her back.

4, Maintain a moderate room temperature.

5, Do not fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair , or leave her alone in an adult bed.

6, Use a light blanket, or a baby sleeping bag.

7, Make sure her car seat or bouncer is always placed on the floor, so she can’t topple off high surface. Make sure she’s strapped into her car seat or buggy so she can’t fall out.


8, Make sure heavy objects can’t be pulled over.

9, Move any furniture that your baby could climb on away from windows, so she can’t fall out.

10, Put stair gates on all staircases, at the top to bottom for extra security.

11, Don’t ever leave your baby alone in the bath - not even for a minute.

12, Don’t think that using a bath seat or support means you can leave your baby unattended.

13, Always check the water whether it is hot / cold when bathing a baby.

14, Do ignore the phone calls if it rings when bathing a baby , or take your baby with you to answer it.

15, Keep medicines away from your baby.

Kerala Chicken Biryani ( Chicken Biryani with pineapple )

Here is a biryani inspired from the combined experiences of 3 biryanis.

I read the article tiltled “Able biryani” from Vanitha ( April 15-30, 2009 - Cover featuring Menaka and Keerthi).

During our numerous trips to Kerala, I developed fondness for biryani from 2 restaurants in Cherthala on Cochin to Alleppey ( Kerala ) Highway. They are Apsara Hotel at Bye-pass junction (NH 47 and opposit to Aswathi Petrol station ), Cherthala - famous for its quality. The other restaurant being an old one known as “Gandhi’s restaurant” ( near Ratna Bakery ) in Cherthala- Alleppey route. I requested the recipes of biriyani’s from these eateries and they were kind enough to give me some good tips.

The great success of this biryani was evident from the content looks / smiles on my husband’s and kid’s face after having the biryani. Husband is my best critic and never misses an opportunity to point out a short coming ( as he always pursue perfection). But this time he offered no suggestion - which means this biryani was really nice.

This biryani is without food color and MSG ( ajinomoto )

Here's the recipe of Chicken Biryani ( without Pineapple )

Here’s the recipe

You need

750 g chicken ( wash and drained )
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder

Marinate salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder with chicken pieces and keep aside for one hour.

Other ingredients for biryani masala :

1/2 cup cooking oil for frying chicken pieces
5 onions, finely sliced
10 cloves garlic, crushed
2 - inch piece ginger , crushed
5 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 /2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder

2 tomatoes, chopped finely
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Salt to taste

For rice :

3 cups basmati rice ( soak rice in water for half an hour )
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ghee
Water for cooking rice

Spices :

3 cardamom, crushed
5 cloves ( whole )
3 cinnamon sticks ( whole )
3 star anise ( whole )

For garnishing :

1 tablespoon ghee
1 tablespoon cashew nuts ( split )
1 tablespoon raisins

250 gm pineapple diced to cubes
1/2 cup maida
1/4 cup water for mixing ( mix water and maida together and make a soft dough for sealing biryani pot )

Raita ( May use other options like Dates chutney etc)

1 cup fresh curd
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tomato , finely chopped
Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.


Method

1, Heat oil in a kadai and fry marinated chicken pieces till golden color and keep aside ( fry chicken pieces in batches ) .

2, Add cardamom and whole spices. Fry for 2-3 minutes and add finely sliced onions , crushed ginger, garlic and green chilli. Fry till fragrant. Add chopped coriander- mint leaves , turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala , salt to taste and tomatoes. Stir continuously . Fry for 5 - 8 minutes or till the gravy thickens and oil leaves from the sides.

3, Cook rice in water along with salt and ghee . Drained well and keep aside. ( Rice should not be overcooked ).

4, Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a frying pan. Shallow fry cashew nuts and raisins till golden color.

Final dum preparation

In a heavy - bottomed vessel or biryani pot , spread a layer of biryani masala , half portion of cooked rice, half portion of fried chicken pieces, half portion of pineapple. Make 2 layers with cooked rice, pineapple, fried chicken pieces, biryani masala and fried cashew nuts and raisins.Cover with tight lid. Seal with maida dough on the edges of the lid. Heat a heavy - bottomed iron kadai. Keep biryani pot over it. Cook on a low heat for 30 - 40 minutes. You can find a color change in the maida seal. Open the seal carefully. Serve with raita / pappadam/ pickle.

Semiya Payasam ( Vermicelli Kheer )

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes
Serves : 8 - 12 dessert bowls

Ingredients

1/2 cup /4 oz / 100 ml vermicelli
3/4 cup sugar ( or to taste )
4 cup / 32 oz / 800 ml milk ( do not dilute with water )
1/2 tea spoon ghee for frying vermicelli
1 tablespoon ghee for frying frying cashew nuts and raisins
1 tablespoon cashew nuts ( split )
1 tablespoon raisins
A pinch of cardamom powder

Method

1, Heat ghee in a frying pan. Fry vermicelli on a low heat for 7- 10 minutes or till golden color. Stir continuously. Keep aside.

2, Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and separately fry cashew nuts and raisins on a low heat till golden color. Store in an airtight container.

3, Bring milk to boil in a heavy - bottomed vessel or non - stick saucepan. Add fried vermicelli, cover with a lid and cook / simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4, Add sugar and cook / simmer again for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can find a reduction in the quantity and a slight change in the color.... Remove from the heat . Keep aside for 15 minutes. Add fried cashew nuts and raisins. Sprinkle cardamom powder.Serve hot or cold.

My husband's new Apple - iPod touch

See what my husband an avid music lover got for himself. I can see him shaking his head in rhythm listening to Carnatic music ( my son and me have several option other than Carnatic music though... Jai Ho ).

An apple a day keep him busy.....