Earth Hour 2010

Hi Everyone,

This Saturday (27-March), the symbols of our civilization, sky raising buildings, iconic monuments and landmarks from India to Australia to USA to Europe, will stand in darkness, to help bring to light one of the biggest challenges of our generation-- Climate Change.

The 'Earth Hour' that began as a show of solidarity against climate change has today become a global movement. It brings together a whole generation of humankind, from across the world and across all walks of life, in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common - our planet. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future.

This year over a billions people from over 90 countries and 900 cities will come together to mark the Earth Hour.

Some of you may be thinking “who cares, what difference is one hour going to make?” Well, in words, tons, literally tons of coal won't be burned, tons of water won't be used for cooling, and tons of emissions won't be released.

We request you to please participate in it. All you need to do is switch of lights/TV/AC/FAN in your houses for one hour on 27-March-2010 at 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Please set reminders in you mobile and participate in this noble cause.

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Ugadi

Hi All,

Wishing you all happy and prosperous Ugadi.

Ugadi is a new year and first day of the Hindu calender and also first day of chitra masa (spring season). This year is called Vikrutinama samvathsara.

We prepare today Bevu-Bella and as a prasada and distribute to all. Bevu is neem leaves which is bitter and bella is Jaggery which is sweet, represents joy and sorrow of life.

Let us pray that we gain enough strength to accept a low and high, joy and sorrow of life with a equability.

At north-karnataka we prepare Bevu-Bella in 2 methods one is in dry form and another one liquid form. Dry one will have a bevu (neem's tender fresh flowers) and bella, and dry fruits.

Liquid form will have a fresh fruits(mainly grapes and musk melon), bevu, bella, dry fruits, extracted water from tamarind, and grated raw mango and finally fine powder of fried gram. It will be a great and tasty drink.

May god bless all with peace and success this ugadi and all through out the year.

Thanks for visiting!

ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan 2010

Hi Friends,

The ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA) is back this year in city with 2 days weekend program, 13th and 14th at Chowdiah Memorial Hall at 5 pm. Free passes are available at venue.

Day 1 performance by vocalists Samarth Nagarakar, Ulhas kashalkar and sitharist Shahid Parvez.

Day 2 of the festival by vocalists Arun Bhaduri, Bombay Jayshree and flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.

ITC SRA established with the objective preserving and promoting Hindustani classical music. Me and my husband often visit ITC SRA website as it gives a lots of information about raagas.

I have collected passes for 2 days festival. Hope to see few of you their over the weekend.

Happy weekend ahead!

Thanks for visiting!

Sun-dried Crispies

Hot summer days started, when summer comes I remember my summer vacations of childhood. We use to visit grand parents house, its family gathering of aunts, uncles, cousins...it was time of reunion of family.

We use to have a lots of fun, grandma and aunts use to cook variety of foods and also they use to prepare lots of varieties of sun-dried items and pickles (specially mango pickle). I remember we all cousins and kids use to help them and use to enjoy a tasting them first.

In sweet memories of those days last week i prepared a some sun-dried foods and sharing here with you all hope you all will enjoy reading this post.

Akki sandagi (in kannada) akki means rice and sandagi I don't know what it calls in english and we can call it chips.

Ingredients for this are : Hing (asafoetida), salt, rice flour, (Rice should be soaked in water for one day, drain the water completely and dry it inside a house(not to sun) for 2 days, make fine powder out of it). As to get a rice flour it needs 4 days..so here i tried with a idly rava (my aunty's idea) it came out very well and its easy anybody can make this.

Akki Sandagi

Sun drying

Pop rice we call in kannada battada aralu bathha means paddy. Following picture is a pop rice downloaded from internet. Now a days its widely used in breakfast cereal and snacks.
Pop rice sandagi : Unfortunately i don't have snaps of making it (no pictures...totally forgot!).

Ingredients for this are :White pumpkin ( in kannada Booda kumbalkayi ) chopped in a small pieces, grinded paste of salt hing and green chillies (without water), lemon juice, and pop rice.

Sun-dried Pop rice sandagi

Sun-dried green chillies : Following are the fresh green chillies stuffed with a salt and hing, inside photo is a chillies after sun dried for 3 to 5 days it will turn in to whitish colour.

Ingredients : Fresh green chillies, salt, hing, jeera, and sabudana or sago(optional).

Method : Make a slit on chilly carefully so that you can stuff in it.

For stuffing make powder of salt, fenugreek seeds(8-9 pieces) jeera, and I used crushed sago as after frying in oil it gives pearl look and also I personally love sago (in kannada sabudana ) a whole grain we Indians use in many dishes like kichadi and payasam.

Keep it for drying for 4 to 5 days. This tasty crispy stuffed chillies we can use for curd rice, and also i use this for seasoning buttermilk and sometimes to salads.

Note: Cover a drying tray with a muslin white cloth while drying to avoid dust, insects and birds.

To avoid a moisture store it in air-tight container.

Sun dried crispies are ready to use, fry it in oil. These will be more tasty when you eat in rainy days... after 2 months :D

Hope you liked this. Comments please :)

Thanks for Visiting !