My Fav Golden Champa!

yesterday i was very surprised,know why??..actually the reason is that a sweet fragrance in the air made me to find out my ever favourite golden champas(3 no:s)which bloomed in my garden after a long wait for almost 10 years..though the healthy tree grew up too high, it didnt have flowered for many years.. now i hope it will be giving more flowers in future..

if iam not wrong,there are 2 similar varities yellow and golden..being fallen in love with golden champa, hopefully it had been planted in my courtyard..

now some more buds are there to bloom..but i dont think i can pluck it easily as it is high up in the sky:((..yesterday i got just one of  the 3 in my hand after taking an hours effort and  i like to share the photo with you....:))hmmmh what a fresh sweet pleasant fragrance!!!! 

TAST 2012 week 34 Linked Double Chain

i have just finished my sampler for TAST 2012 week 34 Linked Double Chain introduced by SharonB....just did a simple octopus..:)..

TAST 2012 WEEK 33 Pekinese Stitch

i was too late for TAST week 33 pekinese stitch and seeing other's samples, today i did it in a way that whatever idea crossed my mind then..i had to do it in a hurry to catch up on the next one also:( ..though the sampler is too small, hope the output is not so bad, is it?:))

close up

SAL Chikan Embroidery

hi dear friends
i was busy with one or other reason for more than a week..besides, i was also very busy for learning and doing Chikan Embroidery SAL in between my busy schedules..
you cant imagine how much happy iam that i was able to learn chikan embroidery through wonderful lucid style of tutorial in Anita's Blog'Artistic Fingers'..thank you Anita for accepting my request and for sending the lists of supplies and charts along with design..while my blogmates were following her tute,i had not created my blog and so not aware of its registration..after seeing the participant's comments and pics i felt that i was so unlucky..i badly wanted to learn it somehow and emailed dear anita requesting if she can send me the lists and charts..she agreed to send me  and i started to do it last week following her 8classes in her blog HERE..i have mailed her my each and every updated embr images asking her suggestions and opinions..i really appreciate her generous attitude and cooperation..allover i enjoyed this embr to the core while stitching through the whole paisley..
wah an interesting mind blowing experience that i couldn't put down my needle and thread!!!..if i were there  with my friends in chikan SAL,it would be more interesting to me then..even though i lost that chance,iam so happy now that at least i could learn the beautiful traditional embroidery technique ☺..
my request is that if you are an embroidery lover,dont miss this wonderful technique,go through Anita's Blog and must learn the art..she has explained very well that anybody can follow the lessons..once again many thanks to dear Anita..

iam posting some pictures for your view..

Enjoy stitching this wonderful traditional embroidery!

TAST 2012 WEEK 32 Cast-on Stitch

For Sharon's TAST 2012 week 32,my sampler has been done by using cast-on stitch..you can see it here in the form of Olympics logo..

Ami pen and U-pin Bookmark

i did a crochet pencil and a hairpin loom bookmark using u-pin mehod....hope you like both..

for the basic loops for hairpin lace tutorial,you can follow the link HERE..the pattern for this 'bookmark' is HERE..

Enjoy Hairpin loom lace crocheting!

Pancha Gadai & Banana Halwa

Pancha Gadai is a special dessert preparing for Gokulashtami by all konkanis..it is our traditional delicacy..iam sharing the recipe with you..

ingredients                        

wheat rawa-1/2cup

chana dal-1/2cup

moongdal-1/2 cup

coconut grated– 1 1/2 cup

jaggery-1 1/2 cups

salt- 1/4 tsp

raisins

cashewnuts

ghee-1tab sp

elachi powder-1/2 tsp

method

1.extract the 1st and 2nd milk from grated coconut and keep aside seperately..

2.in a pan add jaggery with a little water and boil..when all jaggery is melted,strain it and keep aside..

3.roast chana dal and moong dal seperately in 1tsp ghee till it becomes light brown..then roast wheat rava also in a sp of ghee for 5mts..

4.pressure cook wheat rava and dals together in 2nd extract of coconut milk for 3 whistles and reduce the flame and cook again for 5 to 10 mts..transfer this to another vessel..

5.add strained liquid jaggery and let it boil for 5mts..add salt and stir well..

6.add 1st extract of coconut milk and just bring to boil..switch off the flame..

7.fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and pour on top of it ..add elachi powder too..

8.pancha gadai is ready to serve..

Banana Halwa

another special sweet for Gokulashtami

                                                                    

ingredients                                                   

                                     

ripe banana-4 or 5

sugar-1/3 cup

elachi powder-1/4 tsp

ghee-1tsp(optional)

oil for frying                                                                                                                                     

method

1.wash,peel and cut the bananas lengthwise and again into pieces as in pic..

2.heat oil in a kadai,add the banana pieces and fry till it reaches brown color..

3.put in a large bowl and add sugar on top of it and stir well..it should be hot..

4.add elachi and ghee and close the bowl when it is too hot..

5.after 2 or 3 hours halwa is ready to serve in a bowl..

Enjoy having these Gokulashtami sweets!!

Happy Gokulashtami!

    " HAPPY SHREEKRISHNA JANMASHTAMI "  TO ALL MY FRIENDS

Snake Gourd Seed Fritters

ingredients                                  

snake gourd seeds-1cup

plain rice flour-1/3 or more

green chillies-2 cut into rounds

asafoetida-1/2 tsp

salt to taste

oil to fry


method

1.wash the snakegourd and scoop out all the seeds inside it..

2.chop them using a veg.chopper and take into a bowl..

3.to this add cut green chillies,asafoetida and salt..

4.then add rice flour and make a batter by mixing gently..do not add water..

5.heat some oil in a wok and drop a spoonful of batter into the hot oil and fry until it becomes golden brown..you can fry 8 to 10 fritters at a time..

6.drain it on tissue paper..crispy yummy fritters are ready to serve either along with meals or with evening tea as snack..

TAST 2012 WEEK 31 Algerian Eye Stitch

here is my sampler for this week challenge of Tast 2012 week 31 Algerian Eye Stitch introduced by Sharon..this time i have done it on plastic canvas but taken a lot of effort to finish it..after completing the sampler,i thought if i had done it on plain fabric,it would have been easier ..do you people feel like that?you can see here butterfly,heart,flower and lotus designs..

closeup

Chickpea and Yam Ghashi (roasted masala version)

ingredients

1.chickpea-1cup

2.yam(cut into cubes)-1 cup

3.drumstick-2(cut into 2'pieces)

4.kudampuli/hog-plum -small piece OR (raw mango cubes)

5.curry leaves-1 sprig

6.salt to taste

for masala

1.grated coconut-2cup

2.dried red chillies-10

3.coriander seeds-2tsp

4.curry leaves-3 sprigs

Roast the above 4 masala ingredients together in a pan on a low flame until golden brown and crisp.. grind them in a mixie absolutely dry(without water) till oil oozes out..keep it aside...

tip
this masala can be kept in an airtight container and its shelf life goes for more than 6 months..you can use this masala for preparing various gashis' by changing the vegetables and pulses..

method

1.soak the chickpeas in water overnight and drain it next morning..

2.pressure cook chickpea with enough water till done..

3.open the cooker,transfer it to another vessel,add yam cubes along with kudampuli and drumstick respectively and allow to cook till soft..adjust salt..

4.add the ground roasted masala to this and let it boil for 5 mnts..no seasoning..

5.finally add some pinched curryleaves and stir well..

6.switch off the flame and serve either with rice or 'Hittu'..