Lankaa Achar(Green Chilli Pickle)

Ingredients:

Green chillies: 1 kg cut in 1/4 inch rounds
Ginger paste: 50gms
Shredded Ginger: 50gms
Chilli powder: 50gms
Garlic paste: 100gms
Turmeric powder: 30gms,
Mustard seeds: 60gms a tsp set aside and the rest ground to paste
Vinegar: 2 cups
Mustard oil: 3 cups
Non-Iodised salt to taste
Ordinary sea salt is a good preservative
Sugar: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Add about a level tbsp of salt to the chillies, mix and set aside for a few hours or overnight.
2. Grind the masala paste with vinegar instead of water. Heat half the oil to smoking in a pan and fry the chillies in this for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove chillies to another dish. Add three- quaters of the remaining oil to the pan.
4. Allow this to become smoking hot. Add the teaspoon of mustard seed and when it stops spluttering, add the shredded ginger.
5. Fry for a minute and then add the other masala pastes, ginger and garlic. Fry for a good 10 minutes or more until the masalas change colour, then add the remaining vinegar and 2 tbsp of sugar.
6. Add the fried chillies to the masalas in the pan, fry for another ten minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Just before removing from fire, add the remaining oil and mix well. Cool and store in jars

Mirch ka Achaar (Instant Green Chilli Pickle)

Ingredients:

1 Cup chopped green chillies (medium hot variety)
3 tsp coarsely ground oriental mustard seeds
1 tsp coarsely ground methi (fenugreek) seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
1/8-1/4 Cup refined peanut oil
Juice of 2 limes

Method:

In a bowl first place the ground mustard seeds. Top with ground
methi seeds. Place the turmeric powder to a side. Heat the oil in a pan
till very hot. Pour over the methi seeds; it will gradually soak the
mustard as it spreads (and cools).

Wash, pat dry, and chop the green chillies. Once the spices have
cooled, add the chopped chillies, salt and the lime juice. Mix. Store
in a clean dry jar. Let sit 24 hours before consuming.

The hot oil treatment of the spices is a very important step –
something I wasn’t aware of the first time I attempted this pickle. And
the mustard in the pickle was a heady experience after a couple of
days, if you know what I mean. The tempering partially cooks the spices
allowing for just a mellow sharpness, and stops the mustard from
developing into a full sensory onslaught.

Use the lower amount of oil specified if planning to refrigerate the
pickle and consume within a few weeks. Use the larger amount of oil if
you need longer shelf life. It does not need refrigeration.

This pickle is best made in small quantities to enjoy the chillies
in their crispier state. Serve with any Indian meal, burgers, hot dogs;
it perks up breakfast paranthas too!

Instant Chilli Pickle

Ingredients:

1 cup (65 grams) Bhavnagri chillies (big green chillies), cut into 12 mm. (?") roundels
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and chillies and saut? for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Allow to cool completely.
3. Serve immediately or store for upto 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

GREEN CHILI PICKLE - INSTANT ACHAR

Ingredient:

250 gm Green Chillies - hotter the best ( was and clean them - wipe them completely dry )
1 tea spoon cumin powder
3/4 spoon mustard seed powder
1 tea spoon turmeric powder ( haldi powder )
1  tea spoon coriander powder
1 Tea spoon maithi  seeds
1 Tea spoon Red chili powder
1 Tea spoon Dry Mango Powder
1/2 Tea spoon Black Salt
1 Tea spoon Fennel seeds coarse grounded
Lime Juice of two lime
1 spoon vinegar .
Oil

Method :

1. Mix all the Masala in a bowl
2. Heat oil in a pan till it smoke
3. Pour it over Masala
4. Mix the masala well
5. Fill this masala in the chillies or mix in the chillies cut in round shape or length wise.
6. Put vinegar and lime juice on top of it
7. Let it cool down and than keep in jar or refrigerate it .

Sooji Halwa (Kanjak Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sooji (semolina)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2.5 cup water
• 2 teaspoon Ghee
• 1 tablespoon lowfat butter (heart foundation recommended) or canola oil
• Almonds (grated)/Raisins
• 2-3 Cardamom, coarsely powdered

Preparation

1. Add sugar to water and mix well. Keep aside.
2. In a skillet (kadahi) take ghee and sooji and cook for 5
   minutes. Add oil/butter and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat, till
   the sooji turns light brown. With the skillet on the stove, add
   cardamom powder and raisins, grated almonds, then add water-sugar
   solution slowly, stirring with a spoon and allow the water to evaporate
   (it would take about 5-7 minute).
   Garnish with a few grated almond pieces.

The History of Mother's Day

The earliest
Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations
of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.

During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering
Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent. "Mothering Sunday"
honored the mothers of England.

During this time many of England's poor worked as servants for the
wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants
would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the
servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and
spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering
cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to
honor the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and
protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with
the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers
as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by
Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the
Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized
Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.

In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish
a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in
Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second
anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next
year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers,
businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national
Mother's Day. It was successful, by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in
almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the
official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday
that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day
at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such
as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also
celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

A Little Mother's Day Trivia:

· In the United States, there are about 82.5 million mothers. (source: US Census Bureau)

· about 96% of American consumers take part in some way in Mother's Day (source: Hallmark)

· Mother's Day is widely reported as the peak day of the year for long distance telephone calls

· Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for many restaurants

· Retailers report that Mother's Day is the second highest gift-giving holiday in the United States (Christmas is the highest).

· Most popular month for having babies in the US is August, and most popular weekday is Tuesday.

-- An article by mothersclick.com

Til Ke Aloo (Sesame Potatoes)

Ingredients

6 white potatoes
4 T canola oil
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds (preferably black mustard seeds, but yellow are okay)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. lemon juice

Directions

Makes 3- 6 servings, depending on if you have it as a vegetarian main dish, or as a side dish.
(recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffre's Indian Cooking)
Boil the potatoes in their jackets until they offer no resistance when pierced with a knife. Let cool, peel and dice 1".
In a cast iron skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-hot flame. Add the seeds all at once and stir. Just as they begin to pop, add the diced potatoes, stirring gently to cover and coat with seeds.
Lower heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, then add the salt. You may also add a dash of cayenne pepper if you like a bit of heat.
Cook until the potatoes are beginning to brown and turn crispy. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon and stir gently. Serve with coriander chutney.
Very tasty with any Indian food, but also good at a picnic with traditional picnic fare.