AFTER A PRETTY LONG TIME I AM WRITING A BLOGPOST THIS LATE!
I was preferring to write maximum of the blogpost in the daytime & then go for a swim or walk; come back, take shower, eat & then sit to finish off the remaining part of the blogpost! Today morning, I went to the Potong Pasir Shiva-Durga temple! Southern Indian temples have a variety of Gods & Goddesses; in this one the names are written, I would sincerely read! Today is too special a day, ever since the son left home & mumma lost the purpose to cook a lot on this day, she visits this temple near the Potong Pasir Mrt.
Before the pandemic, they had a food counter in the adjunct hall, it closed down post pandemic! Only on Tuesday & Friday mornings, they would sell prasadam! I cross that area regular, do not make it to the temple! To me, visiting a holy place means taking shower, wear clean, pressed clothes & visit with a calmer mind! Wearing a walking dress I wouldn't! I am happy with today's visit, gradually learning how to offer in a non-Bengali style temple! I took good amount of fruits & flowers; the priest too gave me a fruit & flowers, bhasma [the holy ash]! Whilst I was taking this picture, a family of three; a mother, father & daughter were clicking too! They requested me to click them, I gladly obliged! They are a Keralite family from Mumbai, was enquiring about this island! We had a brief chat, I was saying Dubai has more of Keralites and our island has more of Tamils! Most of the desi / Indians would have that hidden attraction for a foreign land! Although India has progressed a lot; the clean roads, good transport, the strength of dollars has it's own charm! I had the same feeling as what I saw in the family's when I stepped here as a tourist back in 2006! I made up my mind then our child should get the taste of such a life! If you do not teach your child to dream, go & get, they would stay in the cocoon! I want mine to reach heights, without stressing himself, without harming others! They wished the best for the son, I wished happiness for them & their daughter!
HELLO MUMMA, WHY ARE YOU EATING THIS SIMPLE TODAY?
Well, mumma prefers eating at Popeye's on this day! Now, we have one at the Woodleigh Mall! Today, whilst returning, I passed that area, it was 12:35-40 pm at that time, I would have my first meal post 4 pm! Hence, I had a bowl of "dudh chitoi" at first!
I liked that tea! There are a lot of food in the refrigerator, yet this mumma got two ripe avocados for 2$ today, she fell for guacamole after having it in the United States! But what is her plan today? That is to prepare avocado bharta! If I like it, I would share the experience with my readers! These days, I prefer my choice of vegetarian dishes, bhartas with my rice & roti!
WHAT IS THIS VEGAN & GLUTEN-FREE BAKED TIKIA?
I ate wrong today but last night's meal was decent & healthy!
Simultaneously, I made this mixed veg achar with the available ingredients in my kitchen! There is not enough sunlight in this season here, all my Boris / the Black Gram Lentils paste balls got spoilt! Try this snack that uses only a tbsp of oil in the making, you will only be happy!
Few other snacks, fries & fritters recipes from my Blog are these : PAN COOKED ALOO BEET GAJOR ER FRITTER, BENGALI BEGUNI, PAKORA / TELEBHAJA / FRIES & FRITTERS, PYAZ NOODLES PAKORA
INGREDIENTS :
MINCED CARROT : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
MINCED ONION : 2 TBSP
MINCED GREEN CHILLI : 2
CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER : 2 TBSP
BOILED POTATO : 1
DESICCATED COCONUT : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
CASHEW NUT : 7-8
WALNUT : 7-8
RAISIN : 10-12
SALT : AS REQUIRED
DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP
OIL : 1 TBSP
PROCEDURE :
Peel, wash the carrot & onion; wash the green chillies too! Mince them together in a hand mincer! Be careful, I have got a deep cut on my right thumb in the blade!
Chop the coriander discarding the root ends, wash! Use the mincer to chop the walnuts, cashew nuts, raisins!
Take together everything in a big bowl! Add the boiled potato, salt, oil & dry mango powder! Mix everything well!
Add the desiccated coconut and mix well again! Shape into tikia of your choice!
Grease an oven proof plate with a little of oil and place the tikias on it!
Mine is a convection mode microwave oven! I had placed the low height wired stool inside, preheated at 180*C!
I had placed the plate with uncooked tikias & baked at 180*C for 10-12 minutes! Remember, the cooking time may vary in different machines!
You can brush with some oil in between, I did not! You can pan sear them, in that case, use some gram flour or corn flour in the mixture before shaping!
Our vegan & gluten-free, extremely tasty snacks are ready to be served with a choice of sauce or chutney!
