40.RECIPES WITH TAPIOCA

Tapioca Cutlet

Ingredients:

1. Cooked and

   mashed tapioca                : 2 cups

2. Sliced onion                      : ½ cup

3. Sliced ginger                      : 1 spoon

4. Sliced green chilly              : 1 spoon

5. Lemon juice                        : 1/2 spoon

6. Salt                                        : 1 small spoon

7. Filling:

  Sliced onion                  : 1/4 cup

Tamarind                           : 1 small ball

Fried red chilly                   : 4

Salt                                        : little

8. Oil                                      : 1 spoon

9. Bread powder                  : ½ cup

10. Egg                                    : 1

Mix one to six Ingredients well. Make chutney with the seventh ingredients. Add oil and stir well.

Make balls with the tapioca mixture .Make a hole and fill the filling. Shape to cutlets. Beat up egg, dip cutlets in it, cover with bread powder and fry.

Garnish with cucumber, carrot and green chilly.

TAPIOCA ERISSERY

Ingredients

Sliced tapioca                        : 2 cups

Turmeric powder                  : ¼ teaspoon

Chilly powder                         : ½ teaspoon

Coriander powder                 : ½ teaspoon

Cumin seed                             : ¼ teaspoon

Garlic                                        : 2 pieces

Grated coconut                       : ½ cup

Oil                                               :2 desert spoons

Mustard                                     : 1 teaspoon

Onion                                          : 1 teaspoon

Red chilly                                     : 2 (cut each into 3 pieces)

Grated coconut                          : 2 desert spoon

Curry leaves                                 : accordingly

Salt                                                 : accordingly

Cook sliced tapioca with salt & water. Grind turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder,cumin seed, garlic & ½ cup grated coconut. Add this mixture to cooked tapioca and boil. Add some boiled water to make enough gravy. Heat oil. Add mustard. Add red chilly, onion, grated coconut, curry leaves. Roast till it becomes golden brown. Add this to tapioca mixture. Serve hot.

39.PALAPPAM & FISH MOLLY

PALAPPAM

Ingredients.

Rice flour                       1/4kg

Yeast                               1/2teaspoon

Light hot water              3/4cup

Sugar                                1teaspoon

Flour grain                       1/2cup

Water                                1 1/2cup

Coconut milk                   1/2cup

Sugar                                 2 desert spoon

Salt                                     accordingly

Method

Mix yeast, light hot water and sugar and keep aside for half an hour. Mix water and flour grain. Boil it to make a thick liquid. Allow it to cool. Add yeast mixture to the rice flour. Add thickened flour grain liquid and knead well. Add sugar and coconut milk and make it a soft liquid. Keep for four or five hours. Heat a pan. Pour the liquid with a ladle to make soft palappams one by one.

FISH MOLLY

Ingredients

Fish                              1/2 kg

Onion                           2

Ginger and garlic         1 table spoon each

Green chilly                    3  

Small onion                    4

Cardamom                      4

Cloves                             4

Cinnamon                        1 stick

Tomato                             2

Coconut milk                    2 ½ cup

  Salt, oil, and curry leaves accordingly

Pepper powder                 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder              ½ teaspoon

Lemon juice                      ½ teaspoon

Method

Marinate  fish pieces with pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice. Keep it for half an hour and fry for just two minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Put onions, garlic-ginger paste, green chilies, curry leaves. Add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves (crushed). Stir well to become golden colour.Add coconut milk (third).Add the fried fish pieces and salt. Allow it to boil. When the gravy becomes little thick add the second coconut milk and tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are cooked add the first coconut milk and just heat. Serve hot with palappam.

38.RECIPES WITH RAVA

Rava Laddu

Ingredients:

1.     Rava                           -1 ½ cup

2.     Ghee Vanaspati        - ½ cup

3.     Sugar                          - 1 cup

4.     Cashew nut               - 3 spoons

5.     Kismis                         - 3 spoons

6.     Cardamom powder – ¼ spoon

Method

Fry rava in 2 spoons of ghee till it becomes golden brown colour. Remove from heat, add sugar and grind. Heat the remaining ghee, fry nuts and kismis and add it to the rava-sugar mixture. Mix well adding cardamom powder. Make round balls and decorate with cherry pieces.

 Rava – Apple Sweet.

Ingredients:

1. Rava                               - 500 gm

2. Ghee /Vanaspati           -2 big spoons.

3. Ground & sieved apple - ½ cup

  Hot water                           -2 cups

4.  Sugar                                 100 gm

Milk /coconut milk             - 1 cup

5. Cardamom powder            - 1 pinch

Method.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry rava. Add sieved apple and hot water .Stir well. When it becomes dry add milk and sugar. Stir well again. Keep in a low flame, add cardamom powder, stir well and roast. Remove from heat. Apply ghee in a tray and spread the mixture and level. Allow natural cooling, cut into pieces, garnish and serve.

Rava Vada

Rava                1 cup

Onion              1/2 cup

Green chilli      2

Ginger              1 teaspoon

Salt                    Accordingly

Water                 Accordingly

Oil                     1 cup

        Slice onion,chilly and ginger into small pieces.Mix them with rava,water,and salt.Knead to make small balls.Just spread  in the shape of vada and fry.

37.PETALS' WHISPER

Towards the burned earth just fallen the drops,        

The rain, the branches shaken in whirls,

A fire tongue, lightening, swallowed the nature,

Over all dales and hills, the sweetened shower,

Hailstones fell like icy plums,

While thunders vibrated grey sky walls,

Opening windows to listen raindrops,

With mesmerizing, patting, breeze embrace,

Stood up the petals beside the garden plants,

The heart hugged the heart in rosy gowns,

The smile loved the smile in pillared quills,

The eyes conquered the eyes of daffodils.

‘‘Be Gracious! Oh! Butterfly! Where had you been?

Over all moments, all those years, nowhere seen,

While winter and autumn, summer and spring,

Made their way in season’s swing….

Over all dawns while all waves curled,

Over all dusks while all stars glowed,

While termites spoiled, worms made it dry,

Wind withered it away, birds stole the honey…

Fostered to be charm, rejoiced although,

Pleasing to the blinks drifting through,

Nourished to be an offering ever gratified,

Good Heavens! Glimmers still the garland…

From petal to petal, nectar to nectar,

Riches to riches, pomp to pomp,

Mind a vagrant, in vain, in vain,

Till the flesh dissolves in soil again…’’

In drizzles, the heart hugs the heart still,

The eyes conquer the eyes to love the smile,

In brocaded petals the morning showers,

Leave hidden plops of water drops….

36.THE TRAVELLER’S LAMP

Through thorns and stones, the passer-by;

Feet stung, face crumpled, in soil dry,

Pours burning heat, the sun, melting;

All winds of ember embracing.

Fascinate shadow trees aside,

Tempt fruits with wines red,

Entices coolness of oasis beside,

To plunge in pleasures far and wide.

Never a flower pulled the hands,

Never a wine sipped the lips,

Never a plum tasted the tongues,

Never a tear shed the eyes.

Neither any status- the hands empty-

Nor any splendour, nor luxury,

Nor embellishment, nor pomp,

In its journey from the womb.

The head naked, neither any crown,

Nor dwelled in golden throne,

Nor any ruby, nor emerald,

Never had it any coral bead.

While time passed uncertain end

As the deaf, as the blind,

Those who wore precious pearl,

Mocked: “a destitute”, “a fool”.

In the bundle only cost-less things,

Tear drops, scars of wounds,

Torn, scattered, rags of dreams,

Also the refugee’s silly coins.

Still a treasure, in mind's screen,

The traveller’s lamp in journey alone,

Few ever heard, few never saw,

Few ever felt, few never knew.

Neither impure, nor shattered,

Nor hidden, never falsehood,

Can’t be replaced with any jewel,

“The love forever, unconditional”.

35.MAGIC LANTERNS

Hides setting sun in charming sea;

Tumbles saffron box in lurid sky;

Flowing strands of clouds sweetly hug

Afar mountain slope’s misty fog;

Touching shores, slowly recede waves;

Yonder, a sea-gull in alluring dreams;

Gentle shade, a serene cedar spreads;

In horizon, a gallant golden vessel rises…

Twinkle all tire-less planet gods;

Stars as necklace of coloured beads;

While in still-ness the pea-hens wait,

The fragrance of their soul-mate…

Who waves then all the magic wands

To ripen mangoes in dream-lands ?

Who blazes there all magic lanterns

Of love, over feathery green ferns ?

34.FIRE

The fire in veins, ignited;

That can’t be extinguished;

Never becomes an ash heap;

That blazes again with hope...

The most gentle, the delicate;

The strength of the weak, the light;

Mightier than rocks; the petal,

Live, soft, the glowing crystal !

Sleeps as seeds, germinates as plants;

Blossoms as lavender, keeps and spreads

Its nectar in buds as flames;

Where it melts to kindle, as dews..

In hearts, like hurricane lamps;

Leads in incessant rains and storms...

It snows in marrows, blooms in bones;

Makes the dead alive, away from burdens;

Arises the mind – inconstant,

Unsteady, fickle and transient-

Towards immovable permanence,

With amiable loving glance…..

33. VOID AND VACUUM

            

My little nest, empty and void,

Never bear any bud, the flora aside,

Silent, gloomy, the clock stands still

The canopy, why forgets to smile?

None remains to care as she did.

Echoes, ‘how are you my dear child?

Be careful, don’t do it, say sorry’

And the soothing words ‘don’t worry’.

No one to look through the window frames

To check whether any coconut falls,

Whether gate grills rust or not, then to talk

To passers-by, the village women-folk.

The great hands vanished which softly cut

And pealed ripe mangoes, sweet jack-fruit,

Sliced pineapples and plucked, more

Yellow guavas for me, forever.

The courtyard, vacuum, no footstep,

The plantains search for some new hope,

Seeks the gardener, the pomegranate

With fruits in orchard, its inmate!

From the depth of well, the water, why

Listens for a weak pulley  cry?

The ash covered dormant fire-place

Why waits for a fragment spark?

In the boundary walls, slowly,

Mosses or weeds may seen roughly,

Fallen yellow leaves may cover

The sand grains in yard as shower…

The eyes straightened all vague visions,

The ears heard all aching missions,

The immortal soul to console and soften

Disappear in eternity behind the curtain.

The noble platform never again opens

No splendid saga anymore there plays

Nothing can re-fill the emptiness ever

Except the breath of my precious mother.

32.SLEEP

Life, a miracle but messing puzzle!

Love, marvellous but painful drizzle!!

Memory, blessing but despair, a curse…

Candle, a light but dripping tears.

Wind, a symphony but doom tomorrow,

River, a melody but flooding sorrow,

Dreams, raindrops but pangs shining,

Seasons, lovely but fast vanishing…

So, memories, in silence, rest in nap,

Mind, calmly let to sleep,
Dozing in drugs, Oh! Forgetfulness!!

Freeing all bondage, the scape-grace!!!

Eyes never see though widely open!

Ears never hear though keenly listen!!

Tongues never speak though frequently sob!!!

Nose never smells though sweetly breathe!!!!

While the ages fleeing very soon,

Can we have a journey return??

Can any fallen bamboo sprout

Come back as a sandalwood hut???

While the hearts wound, terribly bleed,

Let the minds swoon with musical reed,

Till they reach the cleansing shores

Of forgetfulness from turbulent pangs….

31.THE CUCKOO HIDES

The cuckoo hides!

Where? I amaze!

In late night, in midnight fall,

In solitude, in darkness all,

In early morning, in evening,

I hear the wings flapping!!

The cuckoo hides!

Smiles, sings and rides,

In the nest of memories

Among emerald leaves,

While silently passing moments

I hear the heart beats!!

The fallen shadow I see,

In the glass pane reminds me,

Chatter to giggle, the anklets,

The lustrous peacock whistles,

In my heart, it is in my heart….

Patiently hides, the green parrot!!!