January 17, 2013

Ajwain Biscuit

What happens when there are too many great cooks at home? You might be catered with more than what you want, and you might not brood much over the preprocessing. Isn't it? :p At least, that is what happened in my case.They say, too many cooks spoil the broth!! To add on, I would say-Too many great cooks at home may spoil the child too!  

Though I might not be too keen on cooking, I do cook when:
  • There is no one at home, and I have no option other than to cook! :D
  • The recipe is so interesting/unique. The recipe should motivate me to cook! ;) 
Contrary this time, irrespective of the above reasons, I did cook [rather baked??] because I wanted to explore the oven's baking settings!

On this weekend, after watching this recipe in a cookery show, I somehow felt that I could start off with baking Ajwain biscuits!

All you need is:
  • Maida - 1 cup
  • Butter - 2 table spoon
  • Ajwain- 1 tea spoon
  • Jeera- 1 tea spoon
  • Chilli powder, Cumin powder, Salt- To taste
  • Milk/yogurt- As needed
 Procedure:
  1. Mix all the ingredients and knead the dough till you get the right consistency. NOTE: All you fitness freaks, replace maida with multigrain flour; butter with olive oil! You can also add flax seeds.
  2. Roll the dough and cut to desired shape. You can use the cookie cutter.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
  4. Grease the baking tray with butter and bake these biscuits for 15 minutes.
  5. Allow it to cool.
 Relish the Ajwain Biscuits with a cup of hot coffee! ;)

Lesson Learned:
  1. The crispiness of these biscuits depends on the thickness. Lesser the thickness, crispier the biscuit.
  2. Before baking the biscuits, prick them with a fork to avoid puffing.
  3. Last but not the least, I can cook! :D
 Some Clicks:


November 30, 2012

Want and Need


I questioned and queried
the mind and the heart
what to opt? the want or the need?

While the heart articulated...
cede the need and vaunt the want

The mind manipulated...
heed the need and avaunt the want

I dilly-dally, I shilly-shally
The need taunts...the want haunts

I fumed and frowned
I mumbled and grumbled

I mend the mind, and thwart the heart
and said aloud...
I want the need and need the want!!! 

September 30, 2012

To AMMA...

Dear Amma,
        
      You turn an year older! Or rather should I say that you have one more year of life experience to share with me???

I wonder how you managed to switch the role from being a working woman to being the wife of Mr.Perfectionist; from being a responsible daughter-in-law to being a mother of two opposite-natured daughters!!! Hats off to your multitasking skills and versatility!!!


On your birthday week, I ennoble you the following titles for making my life simpler and easier! ;) You really deserve these titles AMMA!!!


Amma- The Alarm

Thanks for being my secondary, yet effective alarm. I think you should share the tips and tricks you follow to wake me up with the primary alarm:D

Amma- The Peacemaker

You definitely deserve this title for effectively maintaining peace at home. Thanks for equally sharing the house-work among the siblings; thanks for recommending the fervent father to sign my marks cards and dairy; thanks for coming up with a guideline on who should own the TV remote and most importantly when! :D

Amma- The Teacher

You taught me how to borrow from tens but at the same time taught me how to be contented in life! ;)

Amma- The Search Engine

Which search algorithm do you use? Linear? Binary? :D Right from searching the Tie during the school days to searching the Tag now, you are efficiently handling the role of a search engine!

Amma- The Rear View Mirror

In your presence, the rear-view mirror is redundant!:D Thanks for the live commentary on the apparent traffic threats! [Though it alters my adrenalin levels :D] I know, you also keep an eye on the odometer and sometimes perform the role of a speed-breaker too!;) 


Well, that was a funny take...


On a serious note, Amma, you are an adorable daughter, an endearing wife, a perfect mother, and above all a wonderful human being with excellent managerial qualities.

I truly confess that I can never ever match up to your level!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMMA....
 
Your's truly,
...
PS: Thatz my pretty amma!!!  

August 29, 2012

Tittle-Tattle...

"Its nice we're going for a team-lunch after a long time!", exclaimed a colleague of mine! We all acknowledged it... I along with my friend (a colleague-turned-good-friend), and two other colleagues were on our way to a restaurant to join other folks.

The terrific traffic, the warm air, the corporate etiquette... suffocated me and my friend.:D From the above statement, we sensed that a conversation is about to begin...

Colleague 1: Btw, howz the release going? [with a smirky smile]
Colleague 2: Well, you know the ongoing issues...trying to resolve one after the other. Hey, heard you had been to an exotic location during your vacation...

I and my friend exchanged a dignified smile at each other :) [You need not  converse with your close friend to know what'z going on in their mind. A brief look is just enough :D] We did sense how colleague 2 changed the topic desperately. :p

Colleague 1: Yeah!! It was great [with an excited tone] But we had to return back soon... :( 
Colleague 2: What happened? You didn't want to come back to work is it?

We knew how Colleague 2 is good at extracting information. We eagerly looked at Colleague 1, awaiting the answer...

Colleague 1: Oh, the little one was not feeling well, we had to come back soon
Colleague 2: aah, the little one I had seen on FB... how is the cutie-pie now...

Little one??? We exchanged a blank look....we had heard Colleague 1 talking about in-laws, but little did we know about this little one. We were quite impressed about Colleague 1's multitasking skills with a little one being at home... ;)

Colleague 1: She is quite OK and independent now...
Colleague 2: I love her brown hairs and shiny skin...

We messaged to each other, shiny skin ok, but Indian kid having brown hairs... something unusual alwa?

Colleague 1: Yeah, thatz her trait! now she sleeps in her own room
Colleague 2: Thatz great! who looks after her?
Colleague 1: We actually lock her in a room. Me or my husband go to home for lunch, so its kind of manageable...

Lock??!! Something is not right!!!! We knew we are missing out something... We were keen on listening to further conversation...

Colleague 2: What have you named her?
Colleague 1: Her name is Andy and she doesn't howl like our neighbor's dog....

Gosh!  This time its a dumb look! They are talking about a DOG, in fact a puppy!!!!!

While they continued to share their experience about the upbringing, we tried to suppress our laugh and our doltishness as well!!!! :D ;) :p :(

Through out the team-lunch we had no guts to look at each other face...The moment we looked at each other we knew we would burst to laugh, recalling the incident!!! :D

July 31, 2012

Black Beauty Turns ONE!

I was in a deep slumber...Someone tickled me and I was awakened! Voila!!! Thatz my passionate possessor...  She turns the ignition key and here I whizz along!

Today seems to be some special day.. She has a mirthful smile! Ohh here I recall - I turn one!!! I wonder how time flies  by and it has been an year since I know her...

If you are still wondering who I am, click here!!! :) 

 LIKES n DISLIKES while driving:
  • She likes to drive in NICE road [Don't be surprised if the toll keeper recognizes her :P]
  • She likes when her parents go flashback; when her niece talk about her school and friends; when she fights with her talkative sister ;)
  • She likes swapping radio stations[BTW, her cousins hates her song collections :D]
  • She likes the fact that she can survive a dog-chase, unlike riding :D
  • She dislikes when her mother keeps an eye on the speedometer, but she would love to watch her mother's expression in the rear view mirror :D
  • She dislikes when her cousins binges, or clicks 'N' number of photos [you see, she cant be a part of it while driving!! :D]


    PS: Can anyone tell-what does the below image symbolize? ;)

      May 31, 2012

      Haadu HaaLeyadaadarenu?

      They say "Music is the cup which holds the wine of silence"; and for people like me, who love silence, MUSIC makes silence more melodious! :)

      Here are my all-time favorite Kannada songs:

      Baanigondu elle ellide | Film: Premada Kaanike

      An awesome song! Whenever I am too happy or too sad, I listen to this song! It keeps you grounded!!! Watch-out Rajkumar's driving skill and Aarathi's expressions!!! :D :P
      Nooru janmaku | Film: America America
      Ahhh!!!This song reminds me of my high-school days :D Me and my cousin have listened to this song umpteen times! Yet we aren't bored of this song....
      Onde samane nittusiru | Film: GaaLipata
      A typical patho song! It took quite some time to comprehend the lyrics. Great lyrics by Yograj bhat!
      ee hrudaya haadide... | Film: Suprabhatha
      Another lovely song!  The movie too is superb.
      Hallaladaru haaku, neeralladaru haaku | Film: Devatha Manushya
      bisilalli oNagisu... neraLalli malagisu... raaghavendra... 
      bisilalli kempaagi, neralalli tampaagi nagunaguta iruve raaghavendra...
      What an attitude! :)
      Paravashanadenu ariyuva munnave | Film: Paramaathma
      Great music and lyrics! My present ringtone...
      Tuvvi Tuvvi endu haaduva | Film: Anand
      My childhood song! :D My parents say that I liked this song very much!!! Though I don't remember much :D
      What I admire now is the OLD BANGALORE  in this song... Look at the calm roads!
      Baanallu neene... | Film: Bayalu Daari
      I love the starting music! Look-out for Kalpana's weird costumes :D
      If you come today | Film: Operation Diamond Rocket
      This song is hilarious! :D  I love the way Rajkumar pronounces 'If '.
      This was the first English song in Kannada movies, so I really applaud the effort!
      million dreams haunt my heart million desires spring in my heart million memories squeeze my heart you pick the time....
      This song is written by a Kannada lyricist Chi. Udayashankar!!!
      Nagu endide manjina bindu | Film: Pallavi Anupallavi
      S. Janaki's voice modulation is simply superb! I like the picturization too.. And the list goes on...

      April 30, 2012

      Being Obsessed...


      It's kind of strange how something can preoccupy your thoughts completely and how it impacts your actions!!!

      I was strolling in a park. A few elderly ladies were walking in a slow tempo... I thought, I need to overtake them. As this thought was ignited, I felt like looking at the right mirror before over taking them!! Ahh!!! Am I obsessed with driving??? I laughed at myself! :D

      I walked a few steps further, a bird chirped... I checked my mobile to see if I had received any message! [Too much, I know!!!" :D]

      And, I accept the fact that I am terribly obsessed with GOOGLE. I always wish there is a search engine to search the misplaced article/item at home. [In-fact, all mothers are THE BEST at handling the search engine role ;)]

      Though I laughed at these instances, it made me think- why people fall into obsession? Is being obsessed good or bad??

      Well, everyone will have obsessions...but what we need to question ourselves is that "Is our obsession healthy/unhealthy?? "

      A healthy obsession helps you to remain focused, identify your own potential, and it brings in some positive change in you!

      An obsession can turn unhealthy when they start ruling your life!

      So, as long as your obsession is healthy, and you are open to accept the changes as well, enjoy your obsessions without thinking too much! ;)

      PS:
      I wanted to post this blog, but I wasn't able to login to blogger.com. I later realized that, I was logging in with my office credential!!! :P
      Does that mean I am obsessed with office work???  ;) :D