29 juin 2009
L'air de provence à Achères (Yvelines)
Lavender Harvest at Achères
Every year in June, SIAAP conducts lavender harvest & some outdoor activities for kids. Parisiens came in with their families to collect the lavender stalks. Rows of Lavender were breathtakingly beautiful with bumble bees all around .
Lavender is a mediterranean flower. Provence region of France is the world's largest producer of Lavender .The word "Lavender" derived from the latin word "Lavare" which means to wash. Romans & Greeks used these flowers to scent their bath. Even Louis XIV loved to take lavender scented bath. Legend says that this plant was grown by Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. Mother Mary used to dry the clothes of Baby Jesus on the lavender bust. Cleopatra used the lavender scent to seduce Julius Cesaer & Mark Antony. In the middle ages , lavender was burnt to keep away witches.Christians hung a cross of lavender stalks over their front door for protection. Heard that couples who place lavender flowers between their bedsheets will never quarrel.
Lavender stalks can be trimmed off , hung upside down & sundried. Once dried, the blossoms are separated & stored in cotton bags. These are used to scent the rooms. For dry flower arrangement , the lavender stalks must be dried in dark to preseve it's colour.
Famous English Rhyme Lavender's blue
Lavender's blue,
Diddle diddle,
Lavender's green,
When I am king,
Diddle diddle,
You shall be queen.
Call up your men,
Diddle diddle,
Set them to work,
Some to the plough,
Diddle diddle,
Some to the cart.
Some to make hay,
Diddle diddle,
Some to cut corn,
While you and I,
Diddle diddle,
Keep ourselves warm.
Lavender's green,
Diddle diddle,
Lavender's blue,
If you love me,
Diddle diddle,
I will love you.
23 juin 2009
Fondant aux Chocolat Avec Cerises
Chocolate Fondant with Fresh Cherries
Ingredients
50g flour
150g sugar
150g butter
3 eggs
200g black chocolate
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
200 g Cherries
Method
Remove the stalks & stones of the cherries.
Half them & keep aside.
Break the chocolate bar & add 2 tbsp water.
Melt in microwave oven 2 mn.
Add butter & mix well.
In another bowl beat eggs & sugar.
Sieve the flour& fold into the cake mixture.
Add chocolate butter mixture & mix well.
Add the cherries & just mix them.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan(rectangular).
Bake for 25-30mn - Th 180°C.
Try this Heavenly Cake. Miam :)
21 juin 2009
John Lennon - Woman
Every year on 21st June, France celebrates "Fête de la Musique".
This Music festival was started in 1982 by Mr Jack Lang ( Minister of Culture).
There will be free concerts all over France.
It had great success in France.
Now 96 other Nations celebrates this music fest.
19 juin 2009
Lalbagh Garden - Bangalore, India
Lalbagh Garden
Lalbagh is one of the most famous botanical garden in the Bangalore City. This 240 acres park was created by Hyder Ali & completed by his son Tipu Sultan. After Tipu's regime it was handed over to East India Company. Benjamin Heyne was in charge of this Botanical Garden upto 1812. He collected some rare species from the Western Ghats. At present it's a living conservatory of rare tropical plants & centuary old trees. There is a majestic statue of Chama Raja Wodeyar - Maharaja of Mysore. Under this statue there are two figures- one representing justice & other representing knowledge. A bust of Dr M.H Marigowda ( Father of Indian Horticulture) is in the main entrance. It was he who doubled the area of this park.The Glass House, a small replica of the crystal palace of London was built under the guidance of Prince of Wales & it's a venue of Annual Flower 
show.
KH Road, Bangalore,
This garden is aesthetically designed with lawns,flowerbeds, lotus pool, rose garden , band stand & fountains. HMT has erected a giant Quartz Flower Clock in the garden. Some trees are planted by VIP's. Ashoka tree by Indira Gandhi & a Fir tree by Queen Elizabeth. In April, Jarul trees (Pride of India), Flame of the forest , Cassia javanica & Candle tree are in full bloom.
Karnataka 560004, India
16 juin 2009
Moroccan Fish Bastilla - Flaky Pie stuffed with Fish
Moroccan Fish Bastilla 
Ingredients
4 Tunisien brick pastry (feuilles de brick)
Filling
250 g minced fish (canned tuna/salmon)
2 potatoes (cooked & mashed)
1 cup cooked angel hair pasta (optional)
2 onions(chopped)
2 cloves of garlic + a piece of ginger (make a paste)
1 green chilli
1 tbsp masala powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Curry leaves / coriander leaves
Salt to taste
An egg yolk & melted butter
Method
Boil the quartered potatoes in salted water until tender (20 mn).
Drain & let it cool.
Peel , mash it & keep aside.
Heat oil in a sauce pan.
Fry onions till light golden brown.
Add ginger- garlic paste & fry again.
Then add masala,salt & minced fish.
Add some water & cook for 10 min.
When the sauce is completly dried add mashed potatoes & mix well.
Remove from fire & the add cooked pasta.
Garnish with coriander leaves & keep aside.
Folding
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Butter the cake tin & arrange 3 brick pastries as shown in the photo.
Spread the stuffing uniformly.
Carefully fold the pastry from all sides & brush with melted butter.
Cover with another brick pastry & tuck the edges inside the pan.
Brush with a beaten egg yolk.
Bake until crisp & golden brown 20-25mn.
Serve this as a starter with a dipping sauce.
15 juin 2009
Ae Ri Pawan
10 juin 2009
Chakka Appam/Jack fruit Appam - Kerala Special
Chakka Appam 
Ingredients
1 cup pureed jack fruit
2 cups flour
1/2 cup rice powder
A pinch of salt
1 egg (optional)
1 cup sugar/5 cubes of jaggery
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Oil for frying
Method
Mix all the five ingredients & set aside for a 15 min.
If you are using jaggery, gently heat it with a little water to make a thick syrup.
Strain it & add to the mixture.
I'm adding an egg so that the appam doesn't absorb oil.
Add cardomom powder & mix well.
Heat plenty of oil & pour 1 tbsp of the batter.
Splash hot oil on the top.
when golden brown,turn over & fry the other side.
Remove using a slotted spoon & drain on a kitchen paper.
Serve your appam with tea.
07 juin 2009
"Wish Granting Tree" in my Mom's Garden.
Parijatha Tree / Nycatanthes arbortristis
Parijat are highly fragrant white flowers with six/eight petals arranged above a deep orange tube. These flowers open at dusk spreading their fragrance & fell down when the dawn breaks. Botanical name is Nycatanthes Arbortristis - Nycatanthes means "night flowering" & arbortristis means "sad". It's called Night Jasmine/ Coral Jasmine in English, Parijat in Sanskrit , Parijatham in Malayalam , Pavizhamalli in Tamil , Harsinghar in Hindi & Shefali in Bengali.
Yves Rocher's perfume "Shafali" is made out of this flower.
This sacred tree is very important in Hindu mythology. In ancient scriptures it's written that Lord Vishnu churned the cosmic ocean to obtain this tree and was planted in Nandavanam (Garden of Gods).This garden is in "Swarkaloka" - the celestial dwelling of Lord Indra (King of Gods). In Bhagavat Purana it's said that it's one among the five sacred trees (Panchavriksha) . Others are Mandara, Santana, Kalpa-Vriksha and Hari -Chandana.
There are so many tales based on this divine flower.
Once Narad Muni (Sage) visited this garden & collected these flowers for Rukmini (favourite wife of Lord Krishna). Sathyabhama (another wife of Lord Krishna) was extremely jealous & wanted this divine tree. To satisfy her , he entered into deep meditation. In the state to pluck the sapling Lord Indra spotted him. So Krishna fought a battle with Indra and brought this divine plant to earth . To please both his wives he planted the sapling in Sathyabhama's garden in such a way that when flowered , the flowers fell in Rukmini's courtyard.
Once a Princess fell in love wih Sun God (Surya Dev). When he deserted her she committed suicide & this tree arosed from her cremated ashes. These highly fragrant flowers bloom at night & when the dawn breaks it sheds one by one like tear drops forming a white carpet. In the morning the tree appears sad. Based on this story the tree was given the species name arbor tristis, which means Tree of Sorrow / Sad Tree.
Hindus worship Lord Krishna with these flowers. Early in the morning they collect these delicate flowers with divine fragrance and place in the pooja room. This tree is also said to yield all objects of desire & hence called "Wish Granting Tree" .
Mother's Day Rhyme
(To the tune of " Frère Jacques")
I Love Mommy, I Love Mommy,
Yes, I do, yes, I do.
Mommies are for hugging (Hug self)
Mommies are for kissing (Blow a kiss)
I love you, yes I do.(point to mother)
Courtesy to "The Hindu" , "Wiki" & "Bolo kids"
03 juin 2009
Aloo Bonda / Potato Bonda
Potato Bonda
Ingredients for the batter
1 cup gram flour
1 tbsp rice powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
An egg (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Chopped coriander leaves/ Curry leaves
Luke warm water
Oil for frying
Method
Prepare potato baajii & keep aside.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Add sufficient amount of water to get a thick batter.
Cover the bowl & keep aside for 20mn.
Make lemon sized balls using potato baajji.
Dip each ball in the preapred batter & deep fry them in a pan or in deep fryer.
Serve hot with a dipping sauce & tea.
02 juin 2009
Bollywood - Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Movie: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Song: Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam
Vocal: Lata Mangeshkar and Kumar Sanu
Artist: Shahrukh Khan & Kajol
Music: Jatin-Lalit Lyricis: Anand Bakshi
