Home made. Me and/or husband.
Sweet garland like muruku.
Rice flour, urad flour mix, shaped into wedding garlands, deep fried.
Coated with sugar.
Heralding a life of sweetness.
Dear sakhis,
Today is my born day.
Theoretically, as I write this, being in my current time zone, it is the day after that.
But I have to post this before I sleep.
What a celebration it has been.
I am overwhelmed, so full of love and gratitude that I may burst,
having said that,
I have been overfed and am bloated, so that may also cause me to burst.
I shall say a silent prayer that I don’t doze off with my finger on the backspace key.
Took the day off since last Friday with the intention of getting my home and garden back to looking somewhat like a home and garden.
Had told my family I wanted to spend time with them together and individually, great tactic to stretch out one’s birthday celebrations.
Sunday evening was spent with the girls, on a little retail therapy, then wolfing down canneloni, rigatoni in panna sauce, penne with arrabiata sauce and delicious Italian cuisine with tongue twisting names.
Last night, the family wished me at midnight with beautiful thoughtful love offerings. Was deeply touched by a WhatsApp group video call from my sister, brother in law, nieces and nephew, in Malaysia, Australia and the UK.
This morning, roamed nurseries for plants, compost, potting mixes, pots,
Got home, husband made a delicious light lunch.
Rested awhile,
Spoke on the phone,
Got overwhelmed by the beautiful messages of love on social media and my phone, many local and overseas calls.
Had some chai masala and tried to type a simple thank you message, promising to thank each and every one individually.
Got ready to go to the temple,
Then for dinner.
At a Thai restaurant.
With friends and family.
Great food, company.
Dessert was Delicious eggless coffee pecan cake, courtesy husband and girls, photo in comments.
As per tradition, husband and girls ensured I was given a cream facial.
Thank God for wet wipes.
Draped a light silk, an ultramarine blue with gold checks and bright pink raw silk borders and pallu with gold jimikis embroidered.
Gifted by my sister in law last year when she visited with my mother. Blessed to be draped in her love and blessings.
Had a lovely chat with Mum too.
Am now at home, ensuring I write this before I doze off.
My heart is truly full la,
I feel,
no,
I know,
I am extremely blessed to have this much of love showered on me by
my beautiful family,
my awesome friends,
here and overseas,
my dear saree sakhis who have become saree kindred souls,
my students..
I am signing off now with immense love and gratitude.
God bless each and everyone of you, and keep you and your families safe and enveloped in love and warmth.
I shall read each message and reply, tomorrow.
Love, blessings, hugs, always.
Home made.
Rava laddu.
Hand rolled balls of semolina, cashews, raisins, raw sugar, grated coconut.
Wrapped in glamorous glittery paper.
To be popped into mouth.
Oozing Deliciousness.
Saw a beautiful young sakhi,
draped in a gorgeous sunny saree which looked exactly like a saree I’d worn a few days ago.
How amazingly coincidental is that.
She has draped it beautifully and looks absolutely stunning.
I purchased mine locally, a few months ago, from a friend’s boutique.
Loved it the moment I spied it.
I refer to it as the Happy saree.
The colours of Summer.
Light Blue and Sunny Yellow and Light Green.
Life has been a whirlwind of activity since September end,
Work frenzy as we inch towards Christmas,
Daughter’s nichyathartham,
Navarathri,
Programmes,
And now Deepavali Diwali is just around the corner.
Took a couple of days off work, yet sat at my laptop for half the morning,
Chores,
Made mysore pak, mixture, coconut candy just now,
Tomorrow hopefully ribbon muruku, muruku,
Shopping for groceries and prepping for our customary pre-Deepavali dinner,
Making long unachievable To Do lists..
Draped in a Bengal handloom Madhyamani saree,
My Happy Saree,
The Summer Saree (heralding summer in December),
Blues, Yellows, Greens.
Happy Deepavali Diwali dear Sakhis.
Stay blessed all.
Disclaimer – A what-I-did-today post.
A beautiful Sunday.
Classes up to 2pm.
Collected Daughter#2’s clothes from seamstress friend.
Had a very late lunch.
Then,
Called dear Saree Sakhi, Ameeta Welling.
Spoke for quite some, hit it off really well, effortlessly chatting, found that we are similar in so many ways, with sisters and daughters.
And that we have a mutual friend in Auckland, Kishori Telang.
A cup of tea, Off again to do some shopping with the girls.
A light dinner out, got a takeaway for husband.
Highlight of the day was connecting with dear saree sakhi, Ameetha, 12k++ kms away.
Draped a soft light organza in red, two days ago, with mango, leaf motifs in green and gold. For a class.
Looking like a Christmas tree with Christmas fast approaching.
Disclaimer – A confusing post, even for me. Written yesterday, fell asleep before I could post it. Hence the use of the word Today. And the saree was draped a day or so before. Read on please..
Today has been a good day, long, tiring yet fulfilling. As it had been yesterday.
Took the day off yesterday, did some gardening yesterday and today.
Massive housework on a house that had been neglected for two weeks.
A quick lunch prep after gardening,
Lunch was lentils, rasam, pumpkin patcchadi and a coriander thogaiyal.
And a quick dinner prep after vaccumming.
Dinner was late, just pol/coconut rotti and a chilli dried mushrooms sambal.
Made my daughter a simple lasagna with instant lasagna sheets, tomato basil parmesan pasta sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
Quite, quite tired today, hence the nonsensical post.
Today, no saree was draped, but batik housecoats were changed three times.
Draped a day or so ago, for my class with Mami, a simple purplish deep magenta handloom cotton, with black and gold borders, mis-matched with a silk crazy purple, red, white, orange checked blouse. Mami seemed to like the saree, and I told her it was bought in Chennai, when I had gone for intensive classes with her, some years ago.
Navarathri Day 9. Final Day.
Prasadam – Rice, lentils, not sweets.
Puli satham/tamarind rice. Sabudana kicchadi. Black eyes peas sundal
Puli satham.
Roasted
coriander seeds separately,
Then a little bit of fenugreek seeds,
Some whole black peppercorns and dried red chillies,
And finally sesame seeds.
Cooled and powdered.
Added gingerly oil,
Waited for Mustard seeds to splutter, added urad dhall/white lentils, bengal gram/channa dhall, groundnuts, dried chillies, turmeric powder, asafoetida/hing powder, curry leaves.
Poured tamarind pulp juice.
Added salt, and allowed it to reduce to a thick consistency.
Added powdered spices to pulikachal mix.
After oil appeared on top of mix,
Turned off stove and
Poured some gingerly oil onto freshly cooked rice.
Added paste to rice and mixed well.
Garnished with coriander leaves.
And allowed the flavours to soak into rice without letting anyone touch it until prayers were over. Which was easy as it was Prasadam.
Sabudana/sago kichdi.
Absolutely thrilled that this turned out well. Husband helped.
Soaked sago overnight, 1 cup sago to 1 cup water.
Tempered in ghee standard spices including steamed potato cubes.
Added sago, covered and cooked for 3 mins.
Finally added peanut powder and coriander leaves.
Black eyed peas sundal.
Boiled lentils tempered with mustard seeds, chopped ginger, cummin seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies, fresh green chillies, hing/asaefotida, broken coconut pieces, raw mango bites, fresh grated coconut.
Home made. Husband and me.
Ribbon muruku. Chilli besan mix straight onto hot oil.
Tendrils of melt in the mouth heaven.
Lovingly made by Friends.
Vegetarian fruit cake, eggless.
Wrapped and placed in a woven basket.
Hands of person who baked the beauties with so much of love, can be seen.
Chippies and Athirasams. Also generously made by friends.
Sweet bits of goodness and greatness
Goodness of Food and
Greatness of Friends.
Am grateful and blessed.
Navarathri Day 4.
Rice, lentils, sweets.
Ellu/Sesame seed rice, black eyed peas – not the musicians – sundal, soosiyam.
Ellu/Sesame seed rice.
Roasted and powdered sesame seeds and white urad dhall with dried chillies.
Tempered mustard seeds, broken cashews in coconut oil and ghee/pure clarified butter.
Added chopped ginger, dried red chillies, fresh green chillies, hing/asaefotida and beautiful green fragrant curry leaves.
Added the just-cooked rice, salt. Sprinkled lavishly the powdered sesame mix.
Black eyes peas, not of the music band variety, sundal.
Boiled lentils tempered with mustard seeds, chopped ginger, cummin seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies, fresh green chillies, hing/asaefotida, broken coconut pieces, raw mango bites, fresh grated coconut.
Soosiyam.
Sweet bonda.
A filling of coconut, lentils, sugar, coated with batter and deep fried. Made by husband.
After work, prasad prep, prayers and rehearsals. Classes with Mami.
Packed prasad for the children to have at home.
Bavani’s Happy Place 