Recipe: Pazhutha Manga Curry

Have you yet had a taste of the delectable , luscious , finger-licking good mangoes this season?

Once you have had these mangoes to your heart-content, here is a "Curry" made of ripe mangoes that tops my list of favorites (My mouth literally waters as I write this :-D)This recipe is courtesy dearest Bhavs who has been delighting us this season of A2Z with her amazing stories..

Ingredients    
Ripe mangoes (small sized variety) - 8
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder  - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Grated coconut - 1/2 coconut
Cumin  - 1 tsp
Thick sour curd (beaten) – 1 1/2 cups
Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies (cut to 2) - 2
Curry leaves -10-12

Preparation

Cook the ripe mangoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt in one cup of water. Grind the coconut and cumin to afine paste adding a little bit of water and add to the mangoes when they begin to cook.
When the coconut and mangoes have cooked evenly add the beaten curd, cook for a very short while (do not allow the curd to boil) and remove from flame. Allow to cool lightly and then sprinkle the fenugreek powder. Mix again.
Heat oil in a pan and let the mustard, dry red chillies and curry leaves splutter. Add this to the curry and mix well.Adding a bit of sugar/jaggery to make the curry sweet makes it all the more yummy.

Linking this to AtoZ challenge - R is for Recipe

Vellinezhi - A Journey For Life

Here are glimpses from a journey - no, make it pilgrimage - I undertook earlier this year. A journey that will always continue to hold a special place in my life, a journey that has given me memories for life....

 It was after all a journey to the tiny village of Vellinezhi - the village my daddy called home as a little boy!

Velinezhi is considered the center for "Kathakali" and many other cultural arts of Kerala. Recently it was declared as the "Kalagraamam" of Kerala. The govt. School of Vellinezhi has the honor of being the only school in state o teach 'Kathakali'.....

But somebody had a reputation of spending more time on football ground adjoining the school...

Today, daddy's house is been grazed to ground. Here's a glimpse of another house in neighborhood that was his childhood haunt

But his favorite should be this puzha - where he frolicked as a child and then as a teenager. He had the image of 'Casanova' to live upto after all ;)

Linking this to AtoZ challenge  J is for Journeys to take before you die :)


Puzha - Small river

Book Review: Monsoon Diary

This is one review that was long overdue. "Monsoon Diary" was in my to-read list from the time Sabs mentioned it revolved around Kerala and its food. So it was an absolute  delight when I received it from Leo as a part of secret Santa.

The book is autobiographical -  author's story  from the time she is a toddler to well  into her 20s intertwined with food associated at each age.  Starting with choru-unnal(A Malyalee hindu custom of initiating an infant into solid food) to injipulli(A sweet and sour ginger pickle) to fusion food, end of each chapter has the recipe for the delicacy.

The first few chapters can as well be the story of any other child growing up in parts of Kerala and that's where I began losing the interest - I could have as well penned those chapters! But the latter part of the book when she flies off to USA for higher education is where the book gets interesting - the coming of age of an young Indian girl !

What though makes this book extra special for me is the unexpected meeting with the author herself as I was reading the book. She bowled me over with her simplicity and is somebody who has  absolutely no-airs about her .... Was a pleasure meeting you Shobha Narayan!

I would recommend this book especially for non Kerala readers -it  gives a simplistic glimpse into our food and lives.....


This review is a part of WT fest - Day 4. 

A Jewish Synagogue in Kerala and her stories.....

Clicked @ the Jewish Synagogue in Fort Kochi. This synagogue was built in 5th or 6th century and is supposedly one of the oldest ones across the world! Isnt it interesting that in the heart of Kerala, there still resides a thriving Jewish community settled there for centures together! You could read more about the Synagogue here.

Now thriving is a exaggeration cause most of them have moved over to Israel and other greener patches ~~ So all thats left there today  is a handful of people(The count doesnt exceed 10). While googling up about this place ~~Here is a interesting snippet I came across about the ticket seller of the synagogue! She is the youngest of the lot there(and is almost hitting 40) and  her refusal to marry the only eligible Jewish bachelors in Kochi (who happen to be her cousins) will bring this community to extinction in few decades.

Makes me wonder, if I were in her place ~~ Would I agree to marry a Man-not-of-my-choice jus cause thts the only way to keep a 2000+ old tradition alive?

Linking this to ABC Wednesday ( J is for Jewish Synagogue)

Face Painting!

Now am not one of those who aint a gr8 fan of "Face Painting" .... But but recently I sat engrossed thru a "Face Painting" session of nee not kids but of "Men"! Yea  u heard it rt... Face Painting for men by men! Look at below pics to see what am talking of....

Work In Progress!

Work (still) in Progress - Ably assisted by a 2nd person!

A closer look of the almost-finished Face!

Haa wondering whats happening here?? As few of you must have guessed the man here is having his face painted for he is the lead actor in "Kathakali" ~~ A folk dance from Kerala, India. You can read more about it here. 



A Kathakali Dance Mask ~~ The actor is supposed to resemble something close this once the make-up session is done!

              I hope u enjoyed this infotainment walk thru of the Face-Painitng session... Lol!

                     Linking this to ABC Wednesday(F is for "Face Painting")

@ Beach...

.... in Fort Kochi, this is common sight taht will greet you ~~ Chinese fishnets!



Click courtesy Hubbs!


You can read about what n whys of Chinese fishnets here...... Take my words for it, its indeed a sight to watch them in action!

Linking this to ABC Wednesday(B is for Beach)

The KodiMaram has a Story to Tell tooo......

If u from certain parts of India(esp south), you will realize tht the pic in here is tht of a Kodimaram - you can read about it and it s significance in a temple here.

But whats interesting abt the pic here is tht it wasnt clicked at a temple but instead at a church. Here's  is a closeup of the pole-mast!.

 This I guess must be the influence of the local culture and people on the church! Clicked in a small nondescript town in kerala!

Linked to SWF

The Stories a Tomb says...

Clicked at a church in Kerala. Jus look at the date of Death in the first few entries to know why this tomb deserves a click....

Linked to MyWorld

Pitter Patter Rain drops.......

Ho yeap I love the rains!! Ha but in neat sub-clauses is added 'Provided I am at home with a cup of hot tea,, a novel n something yum yum to bite on'!!!!

Ha the memories rain brings... of the summer vacations spent in my ancestral home in Kerala surrounded by greenery…… The images etched of the rain washing away the green leaves leaving them sparkling green, of the beautiful smell of earth as the first drops of rain hit it.... yummmmmmm!! Just a recollection of this leaves me with a feeling of warmth n happiness! The helter-skelter running around armed with vessels of all kinds n shapes which are duly places under all leaky corners of the roofs to ensure u don’t hv a flooded house(considering the house is 100+ years old) Must hv been a tiresome job 4 the elders but 4 us as kids...It was FUN… esp for a city bred girl like me this was a treat!!!! Poverty does have its share of joys! N of course the delightful Rain-time games…….anybody remembers those good old days of letting paper boats afloat in the rain water n the silly competitions of whose paper boat goes faster all in company of indulgent cousins older to u!!!!!!!! Ha my dear home u r missed... What I wouldnt give just to spend another vacation with you!!!

Possibly why I love my new flat a wee bit xtra(frankly there is nothing great about it.... its just ur practical, fancy-free flat built by a no-nonsense builder....phew!)... bang opposite it is a convent n open plot filled with my fav coconut trees(u c its synonymous with kerala 4 me which is in turn synonymous with happy memories) and on those rare occasions like yest eve when am home n its raining cats n dogs.... simply sitting in the balcony gawking at the coconut leaves swaying in rain, allowing the breeze to caress your face as you inhale the fresh smell of earth.... Bliss I say :). Ha n not to forget to add the hot tea n aloo baji(courtesy my hubbs dearest). N Well well as u grow the delightful rain-time games continue to be a delight but well  games this time around are let us just say different :-p. U say the pic isnt so v appetizing... well beggars cant be choosers :-D