🔆🔆Jalebis🔆🔆

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cheatmeals, Food, India, Indian cuisine, indianfood, Just thoughts, lostinself, rainlover, Sundayoutings, Sweeteats

Hey everyone🙋🏻‍♀️

What goes around…goes more round round round and becomes a Jalebi!!!

Jalebis being deep fried!!

As I am currently visiting kolkata…a foodies haven, I had to visit this place called GD market…

( All precautions taken 😊)

Most places in kolkata have these kind of markets in their own respective localities…

It is one of those markets which is like a closed enclosure containing every household item you need..from jewellery to bath fittings… groceries to beddings…and the list goes on..

A stroll through Kolkata’s GD market and one can never miss the sight of Jalebi wale bhaiya( person making Jalebis) at this shop called Raj Bhallavi sweets, dishing out round round jalebis like a pro..

He must have mastered the art to perfection as every curve is round, perfect in thickness and size..

People throng here to taste the hot freshly made Jalebis and samosas!!!
All for just Rupees 5 each!!!

The process begins sharply at 6 p.m and goes on for about an hour or so..

Sometimes the demand is soo much that he finishes his daily lot in a matter of minutes..

Throwback to my days in kolkata, we used to visit this place atleast once a week..

After a hectic day at work this was a perfect way to unwind , sipping kulhad wali chai..( Tea served in small clay pots/ cups) giving it an earthy flavour and of course  jalebi and samosas…pure bliss!!

As I visit kolkata again, memories are refreshed and I keep my diet aside for a bite of this delectable mouth watering sweetmeat!!!
What’s your jalebi story??!!!

Hot Jalebis and rain!!

Tea and me…Nee!!!

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booksandmore, India, Just thoughts, lostinself, Motivating, Musings, rainlover, rainyday, Thoughts

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

What do you do when you have unexepected rains that too mid morning ones on a dreamy Saturday!!!!

Well, brew a cup of hot tea..grab a book and we are good!!!

Loving it!!!

As I am currently stationed at my in laws and due to lockdowns the daily chores seem never ending..

My “Me Time” includes my tea time, when I am lost deep in thoughts, when I get to sip that warm liquid and just drift away…So I always look forward to having that one cup of tea as I am on a weight loss mode too.. even better when you have surprise rains as you brew some..

What is your dreamy Saturday like…??

Nolen Gurer payesh

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Food, Homemade goodness, India, Indian cuisine, Sweeteats

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

Here’s a sweet dish called Nolen Gurer Payesh…Date Palm Jaggery Rice Pudding…

Made by my mil..

It isba typical bengali sweet dish made especially during the winters…

Made from a special flavoured rice called Gobindobhog rice.. simmered for a long time in thick milk and jaggery, to be eaten warm or chilled!!!

Nolen Gurer Payesh!!!

I read somewhere that for Bengalis Payesh( Rice pudding) is Love but Nolen Gurer Payesh is an emotion!!! Holds true for Bengalis..whereas for a non bengali like me tasting the super rich ..creamy… flavour filled kheer tasted like our sweet pongal with a twist!!

💫True Beauty💫

Tags

India, Just thoughts, Motivatin, Musings, Thoughts

Absolute truth!!!

✴️Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!!!✴️

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Food, India, Indian cuisine, Thoughts

Hey everyone..🙋🏻‍♀️

In these trying times, the only thing keeping us happy and sane are our festivities which are being celebrated in the confines of our homes with family..( hopefully)

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi in India…the festivities continue starting with Krishna janmashtmi and going on till Diwali…

Ganesha Idol at our premises!!!

Here a few reposts talking about this wonderful festival celebrated in honour of our elephant headed adorable god..Ganesha…

Gallivanting with Ganesha

This festival always takes me down memory lane..

Along with the festivities come different varieties of sweets made especially for this festival as our beloved Ganesha loves food..

A festive recipe, simple and easy made by me…Chef Nee..

Rava Laddus!!!

My lil one wishing all a very happy ganesh chaturthi…

Rhea doing the puja…

Stay safe everyone…😊 And remember, don’t look at the moon!!!😊

Don’t look at the moon!!! It’s Ganesh Chaturthi!!!

Being Nee #12

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

How do I start the post?? Still pondering about what I am going to write, describe or share??!!🤔
Sometimes I  wonder what is happening around us and within us..
As I stated in my previous post no idea what will happen tomorrow or the next minute…
Most of the readers would have been familiar with the sudden passing away of the Indian actor Sushant Singh Rajput…

Sushant Singh Rajput

A still of his from one of my favourite movies and song Kedarnath!!!

A very fine, young, fresh, talented actor, very different and a  relief from the usual dramatic super stars…he apparently comitted suicide by hanging due to depression…that is what the media, news papapers and news state, our only means of information and portal to the outside world…

People spoke about him and  about issues celebrities have, depression and about mental health..how many of us normal non celebrity folks in different fields and walks of life go through it?? Many!! But what’s the difference ?? We being normal folks, maybe cope with it in our own ways..celebrities are highlighted and are unable to even share that they have mental health issues…
This post is not about supporting one or bashing another..It is about what I think of people’s attitude..
The news and  media was full of information about him..everyone were having debates and discussion and panelists were giving their so called valuable expert opinions…the very next day, the news channels were all giving us info about his funeral, which big shot attended and who did not, bashing the others biggies of bollywood..everyone was busy  posting about depression and the need for mental  well being..cut back  to today it is back to normal corona debates and bashing the government…🙄

The people who were self proclaimed covid experts one day became mental health issues experts the very next day and today they are defence experts as India is battling out issues with China..🤦🏽‍♀️
All this makes me think..social media..the news…a boon or a curse??!!! All I can say is, I wish that the young actor wasn’t impulsive and had seeked out help…may his soul rest in peace…🙏
You can’t asses or blame anyone!!
No one knows who’s going through what…

My own  career which was all stable till March and for which I had a vision and a plan for the whole year has turned upside down..I don’t even know if I will  be continuing with my current job next month!!! I have to think and care for self and family  before I think and give my opinions of the world…

All of you,my dear reader friends ..stay safe..stay happy and calm..we can only hope and pray  things will be normal soon…until next time..🤗🤗🤗

Feeling soo Juneyyy!!! #3

Hey everyone…🙋🏻‍♀️
It’s been a while  since I have posted..
There was a time when June made me happy happy..
I just scrolled back to my old posts to see how excited I had always been about the month of June..even today I am..with all that is going around us..I still feel happy thinking of the month June!!!

So when I realised I haven’t posted for a while and the month of June is already here..felt the  urge to go back,  read the previous posts and feel the happy vibes…aahh what a contrast to all the previous juney posts..😒
The whole year has been soo eventful and disastrous…😒
I am sure all my reader friends would agree..the future also seems soo bleak..no idea what’s going to happen either on the personal or professional front..everything seems blurred!!!
I used to always  make plans for the next few months and now I don’t even  dare to dream of  making  one  for the next week cause what’s going to happen the next day no one knows…🙄
Apart from the corona pandemic ,we have seen earthquakes..forest fires…cyclones…gas leaks..locust attacks..death of loved ones and what more??!!ughhh no idea…you never know what news or tragedy we are going to wake up to the  next day….just hope all settles and subsides with time..all we can do is wait and watch…everyday is like a ticking time bomb…being in the health care profession,I am  exposed to patients day in and out…trying to take the maximum care as much as possible in order to avoid getting infected and passing it on to family members…soo much for the happy month of June.. all that one can do is hope and stay put and go with the flow …
Let’s be cheerful..( it’s more of a note to self) on a happy note..Happy June everyone!!!
This shall pass too…

June1

June 2

🥠🥠🥠Butter cookies🥠🥠🥠

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

It’s Lockdown time, so instead of buying stuff from the market, I decided to bake a few treats at home..

Made a simple 3 ingredient recipe of Butter cookies..

My kiddo and the better half love these…very easy to make with minimal ingredients and less time consuming..these go by the name of short bread cookies too I suppose…

I like to call them the simple homemade Butter cookies

You will need ..

🥠All purpose flour…
I use maida..( refined white flour) – 1 cup approx 250 grams

🥠Caster sugar or you can powder the normal white sugar too – half a cup approx 100 grams.. ( according to the sweetness you desire..)

🥠Butter  approx 100 grams

METHOD

🥠So first whisk the butter either with a hand whisk or a hand blender..

🥠Then add in the powdered/ caster sugar and whisk till it gets a lovely light yellow/ cream colour..

🥠Now add in the all purpose flour/ maida and mix mix to a crumble..gradually forming  a dough…

🥠I make small balls and cut them out with a cookie cutter..

🥠A fork can also be used to give shapes..
Or the dough can be rolled out plain and cut into desired shapes ..

Rheu doll helping me shape them

🥠Now line them onto a baking tray with parchment paper

🥠Pre heat the oven to 180* for 10-15 mins..

🥠Place the tray in the middle rack for uniform cooking ( I prefer baking them a  lesser temperature of 160* for 15-20 minutes or till the bottom of the cookies get a golden brown colour)

🥠Place the cookies onto a cooling rack foe some time..

They still cook as they cool…

🥠Store in air tight containers and enjoy freshly baked home made butter cookies🥠

🥠🥠🥠Tips:

🍪Using more butter and less flour helps to keep the cookies soft and moist …more of flour makes the cookies rock hard..

🍪In case the dough isn’t formed and is dry and flaky a little milk can be added to give it a soft consistency…thats the reason more butter for less flour works well..

🍪I frequently check for the colour without opening the oven door and once I see the bottom of the cookies turning brown,it  indicates they are done..

🍪Cookies cook as they cool …so better to remove early than wait cause if they are brownish  and as they cool they get harder…

🍪A bit ( 1 teaspoon ) of unsweetened coco powder can be added to the dough mix and we bake brown choco cookies 😍

🍪I try to mix and give some shapes..we can thus make plain white cookies…choco cookies…marbles cookies…shape them on flower and ring forms too…

Do try them out and let me  know how you liked them..until next time..stay safe..🤗🤗🤗

Kul kuls!!!!

Tags

Food, India, Indian cuisine

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

Been a long long time…

Since it’s lockdown in India and am attending hospital for emergency and taking telecalls I get a little free time to cook and bake…made this for the family..

Kul kuls / gala gala or kala kala!!! These crispy crunchy snacks are called by various names in various parts of India…

Me being a South Indian prefer to call them gala galas…
I first came across these as a kid during Christmas season when this particular delicacy along with rose cookies would make an appearance through out Christmas and new year..
I never knew of it’s origin then..Later got to
know it was a Goan/ Manglorean speciality..
My granny taught me how to make these..

I was fascinated as to how the snack derived its shape…

Serrated kul kuls

Like all curled with serrations on the top..kind of crest and troughs…learnt that it’s made with the dough being pressed at the back of a fork..

Getting the shape right!!

The last time I made these was during  2015 Christmas..with my grandmother instructing me on the measurements and the consistency of the dough…

Today as I made them after 4 years I miss my grandma who passed away 3 weeks ago…

I couldn’t even say a proper goodbye to her due to the lockdown…made this in her memory today!!!
Will always miss her!!

Hope to keep posting more regularly…until next time…stay safe!!!🤗🤗🤗

Puffed rice upma!!!

Hey everyone🙋

These days I am on a cooking spree…

I love to cook and dish out a few varieties when I do find time in between managing work and raising my 3 year old!!!

In the south of India we have many breakfast options…sharing this particular one made out of puffed rice..
Called as SUSLA in North Karnataka..

Borugulu Upma/ Muri upma/ Churmura Upma…this snack has many names in different parts of South India…

It can be made from normal rice/ puffed and beaten rice too..just little changes here and there and we are ready to go…

Today as I was prepping it, brought back memories of my post grad days in Gulbarga…a small sleepy city in North Karnataka!!!

My Colleague and bestie used to have this everyday…literally everyday as her breakfast!!

Fresh and hot parcelled from the canteen as we sat sipping our morning tea on round table she used to open this yummy packet and we all would take spoonfulls of this goody tiffin…

Susla anyone??!!!😋

Have a yummlicious week ahead…🤗🤗🤗