Leaf Craft

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

It is very necessary to help our neighbour kids or else they do a lot of halla and disturb us. I was quiet busy with my work but they came in with theirs. I had no other option but to help them. They had this school project and for this I asked them to go and collect the leaves. They went all around the society collecting them and competing with each other who got more. However when they returned with the stuff, I sat to make this. My mind was completely blank and I just didn't knew what to do, simply went on as and as things came to me. I didn't had much time so my sis helped with the next one. The first one I made and the next was made by my sis. She really gets frustrated to do anything for our neighbour kids. And my neighbour kids too are scared of her. They only come to play when I am in the house otherwise nobody dares to come. Thats the reason I get lots of scolding from everyone whenever I am surrounded with children around me.... Life is so beautiful and kids make it more playful.....

After A Long Time

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

Its really been a very long time that I am back posting here on my blog. The reason for it is very mumbaiite, and that is work load, deadlines, pressure, stress etc etc etc. I just couldn't help but stay away from my blog. Many times on certain occassions I thought of posting all that was in my drafts (though I was away from my blog I've collected a lot of things to post here) but that wish simply didn't materialized. Thats why I think sometimes we must not plan things, let them happen as they wish. Today too I have to complete certain assignments and by hook or crook i've to complete them today itself but see I am here writing up my post. Wow!!! It really is very destressing.

Well now not taking much time, I would like to post some pics which have given me a lot of realief and pure happiness. As you might know every year we have Sahara Arts, Handlooms and Handicrafts exhibition in our city and thats the one thing I loveeeeeeeeee the most. Simply doing window shopping just lifts up my spirits. I dunno y but I love to see artisans from various parts of of country all under one roof. Its like taking a quick round through the whole country. Believe me there were people from Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kolkatta, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Lucknow, Madhya pradesh, Maharashtra, and so on...... The best thing is to see their displays and understanding what place is good for what thing. Going around the exhibition, the feeling is just superb...

But like always this time too I ended up going on the last days of the exhibition and it was a quick round around it. But however instead of buying jewelleries, dress materials, kurtis, or any other stuffs which usually attracts me, I bought something very different which I never thought I would.

The above stuff was love at first sight for me. I had seen these kinds on the food food channel on turban tadka show, yup the namak shamak wala chef. I just wanted one of those kinds and got it here in the exhibition. The first thought that came up in my mind for its usage was to prepare chaanch (buttermilk) and store it in this till lunch. It would be great to serve the chaanch from this pots to everyone...

I am crazily in love with these mitti ki matkis. The best thing about these pots is that they are microwave and oven safe. That's a yay for me. I use it for making curd and love eating directly from it too. The mitti ki smell and the fun to eat from a mitti ka bartan is simply amazing. I am trying out various flavours with the curd now. When I kept the curd for fermenting I added rose syrup in it. I just wanted to see the outcome and its taste. I was so impatient and restless that every ten minutes I would run back in the kitchen and check it out. However only next day I got to taste it and it was very superb. I didn't had to add any sugar in it. I love sweet curds and always add lots of sugar in it. But with this, I really enjoyed eating. Now I am kicked up to try different variations. Probably i'll pulp some fruits and add that too in it and leave it to ferment. The ideas are just numerous but I lack time. Anyways Insha Allah, this phase too shall pass and I will get into a very good phase of my life very soon....

Thats all for now.... Insha Allah will post many more stuff soon....

What A Lovely Life It Is!!!!

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

Its being a routine now that I need to always start my post with an apology. Again this post is coming after a long time. This post consists of my Raksha Bandhan celebrations, Eid celebrations and my fun times with Prem. Yes therez again lots more pics of him.. Though I am posting after a long time but this time I don't mind much as it was a happy time all the way till now and Insha Allah it will continue as it is in the future too. Yup, was surrounded by work too but this time Rab has showered on me his choicest of blessings and I take this chance to thank Him from my heart. And thanx to all my blogger friends too for praying and caring for me all the while. All the comments really perk me up. Thanks a lot.

This cake was bought by one of my sis's rakhi brother. This raksha bandhan was the most fun, enjoyable and special in my life. I had so much of fun on that day that its difficult for me to find words to describe it here.

These are all my neighbour rakhi brothers. Brothers are real shaitans I should say, see the pic one of them is trying to pinch another.... Brothers and shaitanis go hand in hand.....

This is my cousin brother. He already had this thing on his hand. When I asked him why had he worn such a thing when in Islam it is not allowed for boys to adorn any jewelleries. He said it is 'Suraksha Kawach' - protection for brothers from their sisters. And the 3 eye beads that it had over it was for we 3 sis. Very funny :-p

And when we tied rakhi to him instead of giving us gifts he asked money from us itself. When we questioned him about it he answered that when a sister ties a rakhi on her brother's hands then the bro had to protect his sister all his life. So he was asking for the protection money. Whoa... these brothers....... they are always troubling but life without them wont be fun, isn't it?

Here comes my Prem. He was not at all in good mood on the raksha bandhan day. Thats y was not given good poses and was not even giving me to tie rakhi on his hand properly. Below are his various moods that day....

Hurray!!! I ultimately succeded in tying the rakhi and clicking the pic too.... 

The above three pics were clicked a few days later. He was in his junglee self on that day and I loved him even more for it. 

Then came the Eid. I am really feeling very guilty as I had thought of posting the recipe of sheerkhurma this time, but the whole day was spent so busy and running around that I just couldn't get any time to post anything. This cake was bought by Anup, my sis's rakhi brother.

Below are some more pics of Prem as I had promised. He is just so cute that my work has taken a back seat as I am constantly playing with him.. Once my mom comes back I know all this masti has to stop, boo hoo hoo :-(  But never mind still I'll find ways to play with that sweet angelic devil.. Yes hez become one of them and has now started doing lots of nakhras... :-(    I love it.....

Prem Babu

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

This is the new addition in my neighbour's family. They've named him Prem - big fan of Salman Khan that they are.... He is one of the cutest baby and too tempting to kiss him lots and lots of it everytime. The thing I like about him is that he is not a cranky fellow. Always cheerful and smiling. I just adore him... Got one more toy to play with now ;-D   More pics of him will surely come up this Raksha Bandhan when I'll tie a rakhi to him and in return take more lots of kisses from him - my rakhi gift..

Maazaa Kheer

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

This was actually sugarcane kheer from my newspaper cuttings recipes. And my bestest friend had given me a stern warning not to have sugarcane juice ever. That is because sugarcanes have a property to soak in the water. The people who sell sugarcane juice on the road side stall usually stock up sugarcanes just at the side of their stalls wherein dirty water also flows from beneath it. This dirty water is absorbed by the sugarcanes and thats what goes into our tummy when we drink its juice.

I always get tempataions whenever I pass on a sugarcane juice stall. Many times I also argue with my friend ki ek baar pine se kya bigad jayega but she is adamant. However when I got this recipe I instantly got a bahana to use sugarcane juice. Well but me being a good friend or atleast my friend thinks it that way :-D, I dropped the idea of using the sugarcane juice. However my experiMENTAL mind was running high searching an alternative. Thats when I saw a bottle of maazaa fruit juice in my refrigerator, my bro had bought it. The devil in me said yippie and immediately took it out for my further experimentations....... I used maazaa instead of sugarcane juice.

This recipe is just as crazy as me so try it on ur own risk. ;-)

RECIPE:

Ingredients:
Basmati tukra rice = 1/2 cup

Maazaa juice = 2 cups

Method:
1. Soak rice in water for 1/2 hr. Half cook it in pressure cooker for a few minutes.

2. Add the half cooked rice to the maaza juice and cook on slow flame for 25-30 mins..

3. When it comes to the required thickness switch off the flame.

4. Let it cool for sometime and grind it in mixer.

5. Serve it in a bowl garnished with dry fruits of choice...

Sending this Anyone Can Cook Event at Taste Of Pearl City.