Mezhukku Pe(u) ratti(Oil coated vegetables)

Mezhukku Pe(u) ratti(Oil  coated  vegetables)

Compiled  by 

P.R.Ramachander                                                                   

(this  is a typical kerala dish, which has been not modified  by  Palakkad  iyers. Boiling vegetable with salt and turmeric powder and coating it with heated oils  is the simple formula. The vegetable in the dish when cooked   should  merge  completely  .This  is done by adding  Plantains.)

  

This is another very simple side dish, which was extremely popular in Kerala Iyer homes. The method of preparation is: -

1.Cut into small pieces Plantains (cooking type banana) and chenai. (In places where Chenai is not available we have found that carrot can be used) Jack fruit seeds if available or Koorkan Kizhangu during seasons are also added

2.If available at cut pieces of jack fruit seed and/or Koorkan Kizhangu or green  payaru  or  kovaikka(coccinea)

3.Boil with salt and turmeric powder in pressure cooker.

4.Take coconut oil and heat it. When sufficiently hot, put the boiled vegetables and mix well.

Note 1

a.The  dish  tastes good even if other oils are used

b. Mezhukku  peratti can  be prepared  with   carrot   and Chowchow also or carrot   and beans

Recipe 2    Onam Mezhukku puratti  (recipe  Vinayaka  Caterers  Ernakulam)

Materials required

1.Yam (elephant foot yam) 30 gm
2,Green Nendra Banana 2
3.Cow pea 20 gm
4.Turmeric powder 1 tea spoon, salt as per need , Green chilles 6
5,Coconut oil -2 tea spoons

Method

1. Cut Yam in to small sqayre pieces after removing the skin
2. Cut Raw nendran Banana in to small square pieces
3. Cut cow pea oin to one inch long pieces
4. Wash all vegetables and cook them in water along with what is mentioned in S.No.4
5. Try to add less water so that the water is absorbed comnpletly by the vegetables
6. Heat coconut oil , put the cooked vegetables and stir so so that the vegetables get evenly coated by the oil.

(Comment by P.R.Ramacander:Normal Mezhukku peratti is prepared using raw cooking Banana and not using raw nendran Banana. Koorkai adds a lot to the taste of Mezhukku peratti)

All about Pradosham

All  about  Pradosham

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

  Pradosham (Before dosham/that  which removes  dosha-defect)  is the period just before night  every day  It is also called   as Rajani Mukha ie  the face  of night  .It is normally observed between 4.30 Pm to 6.00 Pm  on the  Shukla paksha (bright half)Trayodasi(13th phase of moon)  day   and Krishna Paksha  (dark half) Trayodasi day

1.Story  of Pradosham

One day  Lord Indra   was going round on his elephant airavatha.On the way he  met sage Durvasa, who threw a garland at him.This garland was given by Goddess  Lakshmi  to sage Durvasa and he had actually  presented it to Indra.Without knowing its importance  Indra threw it on the trunk of his elephant, The elephant   trampled and destroyed  the Garland. The furious  Durvasa  cursed Indra, that he would lose  all his prosperity. Indra lost everything and he was   adviced to churn the ocean of milk, take  out the nectar and eat it .They   choseMandhara Mountain as the churner   and  Vasuki  a great serpent   as the rope. The  mountain started  wobbling and Lord Vishnu  became a  tortoise  and made it erect. 

    At that time  The serpent Vasuki    started  throwing out large  quantity of poison called “halahala” ,The entire   area started  burning.Indra   and others   rushed to Lord Shiva   and asked him to help.There  are two versions as to what happened,

1,Lord Shiva asked Sundara(one of his incarnations)  to bring the  poison, which he did.Lord Shiva   swallowed the poison .Since  all beings are  within his belly   Goddess Parvathy   stopped   the poison on his neck itself .When all the  devas were happy  , Lord Shiva  danced  in between   the horns of his steed  Lord Nandi This period  of his dance was done before night fall on a pradosha day, which happened   to be a Saturday

2.Another  version

     When Devas  approached  lord Shiva  ,. The poison to attack them came in   anticlock wise direction. Then they returned and ran for some times in anti clock wise direction.  Lord Shiva  instructed  Lord Nandi to bring the poison ,Lord Nandi did it   with great pride .Lord shiva   asked him to  smell  the poison.Lord Nandi unable   to bear  the power of the poison   fell down.Goddess  Parvathi  caressed him ,. But he was not  completely all right,.Then Lord Shiva  instructed  Goddess Parvathy  to give Nandi rice powder  mixed with Jaggery   (kapparisi)   and he became all right.

(slightly different story is given in Wikipedia. The devas, celestial deities approached Shiva in the most propitious moments of pradosha to get relief from asuras - Danavas and Daityas They ran around Kailasha, Siva's abode hitherto on a triyodashi evening and was aided by Nandi Shiva's sacred bull. Shiva aided them in killing the asuras - the practise of worshipping Shiva on traiyodashi along with Nandi emerged and continues in Shiva temples. "Pradosha vrata" (vow) is performed on pradosham with sacred ritual steps following the tradition.)

2.Types  of Pradosha

  There  are  five  types  of pradosham

a, Nithya  Pradosha  -daily  between 4.30  Pm to 6.00 PM

b.Paksha  Pradosham  The  pradosham  during  Shukla paksha (bright half)

c.Masa  Pradosham  - The pradosham  during  Krishna Paksham (dark half)

d.Maha  pradosha  Pradosham  occurring  on Saturdays

e.Pralaya  Pradosham –The pradosham  which occurs  just before  deluge

3.Pradosha  Vrutham

    a.The  day previous  to Pradosham, you should have tiffin/fruis(Phalaharam)

  b.Go to Shiva temple   in the morning , burn lamp and worship with Vilwa  leaves

c, Observe Upavasa o during day time(you can take temple  Prasada  during lunch time)

5.Before Pradosha  time  , take bath  and Participate  in Pradosha  Pooja   at the temple

Return back home ,Take  only simple food

4.Pradosha  pooja

“Shiv Abhishek should be performed with offering of Panchamrit (a mixture of cows milk, curd, honey/sugar, ganga jal and ghee) over the Shivalingam and then with fresh water while chanting the mantrta OM NAMAH SHIVAI. Then pouring cow's milk over the shivalingam and then again fresh water. After this offer Bel leaves to the Lord (the number of leaves is as per the personal will of the devotee...1 or 11 or 27 or 108 bel leaves). Rose water also can be poured in the form of Itar over the Shivalingam. Then use chandan paste for tripundar over the Shiva lingam and some bhabhooti for tilak. Please use kumkum tilak for Ganesha, Ma Gauri, Skanda n Nandi but NOT for the Shivalingam. After the Tilak, place a garland of flowers, preferably white flowers around the Shiva Lingam and Ma Parvati. But make sure not to use kewra and champa flowers for the puja as their use is prohibited during puja. Take a kalash filled with water covered with Durva grass n a lotus flower on top to be kept in pooja. Light a diya made of cow's ghee with incense sticks followed by the Abhishek and Shingaar of Gauri Shanker.

After  this, take a betel leaf, betel nut, rice(akshat), a coin and some flower petals and offer the Lord, requesting Him to come and accept your prayers. Then offer fruits (esp a wood apple ie bel fruit n bananas) and nevaidyam(Choorma aur Kheer) to the Lord as prasad.

After the formal worship of Mahadev, chapters from the Shiva Purana or Pradosha vrat Katha is read and heard by the devotees followed by offering their personal prayers.

This is followed by the recitation of Maha Mrityunjay Mantra 108 times and the mantra is:

Trayambakam Yajamahe,

 Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam,

Urva Ruk Miva Bandhanaan,

 Mrityur Moorksheeye Maamritaat.

In the end, the sacred kalash water is partaken of, the sacred ash is applied to the forehead. Some people also collect the water used during Abhishek to be taken as prasad.”(from https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/pooja-vidhi-for-pradosha-fast )

Also chant   18 times

Sidha yogi , maharshicha,

Sidarthsa  , sidha  Sayaka

Bikshuscha  , Bikshu   roopascha,

Vipnomruthu   ravyaya

5.Pradosha  Pradakshina

       Doing pradakshina  in Shiva temples on normal  days and on the Pradosha day  is different. The pradakshina on Pradosha   day  is called “Soma Suktha  Pradakshina”

      First do Namaskaram to Lord Nandi,  Do Namaskaram to Lord Shiva  , seeing him through  the horns of Nandi  . Then start the pradakshina  in the anti clock wise way .Go teill Chandikeswarta  temple(never cross the pipe  through which Abhisheka  theertha) , return back , till the place   where Nandi is there .Do this thrice, It is believed  that  if you do Pradakshina   this way  you would get rid of  loan, diseases, untimely death  , poverty  , sin  and sorrow.

6.The manthra to be chanted   during Pradosha

Chant the panchaksha(Om Namashivaya)     as many times   as possible .By doing this   you will get

a,Get rid  of  problems which stop  our progress

b.Health of mind and body

c.Happiness  and peace  in the family

d.Enemies would go out of their way

e.WE  will  get salvation

7.Effect of worshipping Nandi on Pradosha day

a.Wealth will increase

2.Loans   will vanish

3,Diseases   would get cured

4.Enemies would become ineffective

5.Children would become  intelligent

6.You will get all that you want.

7.Pradosha  Mahathmyam  (prayer)

Pradosha Mahatmyam
(From Shiva Purana)

Translated by*
P.R.Ramachander


Kailasa shaila bhuvane thri jaga janithreem,
Gowreedha nivesye kanakanchitha rathna peete,
Nrutham vidhthu mabhi vanchithi Soolapanau,
Deva Pradosha samaye anubhajanthi sarve. 1

During the time of Pradosha,
The Lord who holds the trident,
Makes Goddess Gowri ,
Who is the mother of all the three worlds,
Sit on a golden seat inlaid with precious gems,
And prepares to dance himself,
And all the devas sing his praise at this time.

Vagdevi drutha vallaakee sathamukho
venum dhadhan padmaja-,
Sthallo nidhra karo ramaa bhagawathi,
geya prayogaanvithaa,
Vishnu saandra mrudanga vaadana patur
devas samanthath sthithaa,
Sevanthe thamara pradosha samaye
devam mrudaaneepathim. 2

The goddess of Knowledge plays Veena,
The hundred faced Indra plays the flute,
The Brahma who was born in a lotus keeps time,
The Goddess Lakshmi starts to sing,
The God Vishnu plays the drum with ease,
And all the devas stand all round in service,
And pray Lord Shiva during the time of pradosha.

Gandarwa Yaksha patha goraga siddha saadhya.
Vidhyadaraamaraapsaraso ganaascha,
Yeanyethi loka nilaya saha bhootha varga,
Prapthe pradosha samaye hara parswa samstha. 3

When the time of Pradosha arrives,
Gandarwas, Yakshas, birds, snakes, saints,
Vidhyadaras, devas, the celestial dancers, Bhoothas,
And all the beings in the three worlds,
Come and stand near The Lord Shiva.

Atha pradoshe shiva eka eva,
Poojyodhananye hari padmajadhya,
Thasmin mahese vidhinejyamane,
Sarve praseedanthi suradhi natha.. 4

So at the time of Pradosha,
There is need to worship only Shiva,
Instead of Vishnu , Brahma and others,
For the proper worship of Lord Shiva then,
Would give the effect of worshipping all gods.

Lokanahooya sarvaan vividha damarukair gora samsara magnan,
Dathwaabheetham dayalu pranatha bhava haram kunchitham vaama bhaagam,
Uddruthyedham vimukherayanamithi karadarshayan prathyayartham,
Bibradwanhim sabhaayaam kalaathi natanam ya shivo na sa paayal. 5


Let us be protected by that dancing Shiva,
Who uses the various sounds of the shaking drum,
To call all those people drowned in the fearful life,
Who indicates protection to them using his right hand held down,
Who lifts his left leg capable of killing all sorrows,
To those who fall at his feet,
Who indicates the path of salvation by his left hand held up,
And who shows that all this is true by carrying fire in the other left hand,

Sathyam braveemi , paraloka hitham braveemi,
Saaram braveemi upanishadyadhyam braveemi,
Samsaramuthbanamasar vaapya jantho,
Saroyameeswarapadhamburuhasya seva. 6

I tell the truth,
I tell what is good for the other world,
I tell the views of the Upanishads,
For every insignificant animal that is born,
The only meaningful thing is the service to God.

Yenarchayanthi gireesam samaye pradoshe,
Ye na architham shivamapi pranamanthichanye,
Ethath kadhaam sruthi putair na pibanthi mooda,
Stheya janma subhavanthi naraa daridra. 7

He who does not worship Lord Shiva during Pradosha,
He who does not at least bow before him at that time,
He who does not at least listen to the story of Shiva at that time,
Is a foolish soul who would be always poor ,birth after birth.

Ye vai pradosha samaye parameswarasya,
Kurvanthyananya mansangri saroja poojaam,
Nithya pravrudha thara puthra kalathra mithra,
Soubhagya sambadadhikastha ihaiva loke. 8

He who during the time of Pradosha, worships Lord Shiva,
With full concentration using lotus flowers,
Would forever along with his children , wife and friends,
Get all wealth and all luck in a very large measure.


* Based on the Malayalam translation Of Chennas Krishnan Namboodhiri, Guruvayoor.

8. Sri Shiva Pradosha  Stotram

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

1.Jaya deva Jagan natha , jaya  sankara  saswatha,

Jaya sarava suradhyaksha, Jaya Sarva surachitha

1,Victory to lord of universe , Victory to the  permanantly  peaceful one .

Victory to Lord of all devas, Vicory to him who is  worshipped by all devas

2.Jaya sarva gunatheetha, Jaya  sarva vara pradha,

Jaya  nithya niradhara, jaya viswambara avyayaya

2.Victory to him who is beyong all qualities , victory to him who gives all boons,

Victory to him who does not depend on anyone else  any day  ,Victory to the stable God who wears  the universe.

3.Jaya Vishvaika vandhyesa , jaya Nagendra bhooshana,

Jaya  Gauri pathe Shambhi, Jaya Charndradha  shekara

3.Victory to him who is saluted  all the universe, victory to him who decorates himself with king of snakes.

Victory to Shambhu  the consort of Gauri, victory to to one who collected half the moon.

4.Jaya kotyarka sangasa, Jaya ananda gunasrya,

Jaya Bhadra  Viroopaksha, Jaya achinthya  niranjana

4.Victory to him  who resembles one crore suns, Victory to him  who depends on the quality of joy ,

Victory   to the safe one  with slanted eyes, Victory to the spotless one beyond  thought.

5.Jaya Nadha Krupa sindho , jaya bhaktharthi banjana ,

Jaya dusthara   samsara   sagare  tharana  Prabho.

5.Victory to the  lord who is ocean of mercy , Victory to one who puts an end to sufferings of his devotees,

Victory  to the lord who helps us  cross, the difficult ocean of Samsara.

6.Praseedha may Mahadeva samsarathasya  khidhyatha,

SArva paapam kshayam  kruthva Raksha maam Parameshwara.

6 .Shower your grace on me who   is distressed due to  problems of Samsara ,

Please   remove all the sins  committed by me and protect me, Oh Parameshwara.

7.Maha daridrya magnasya, maha papa hathasyacha ,

Maha soka nivishtasya , Maha rogaturasya cha.

7.I am  drowned in great poverty  and affected by great sin,

I am suffering due to great sorrow and has been caught by great diseases.

8.Runa bhara pareethasya  dahyamanasya karmabhi,

Grahai prapeedya  manasya, praseed mama  Shankara.

8.I am filled   with debt  and am being burnt  in all my actions ,

And I am also being affected  by problems caused by planets, Please be  kind to me , Oh my Lord Sankara.,

9.Daridra prarthayedh Devam, Pradoshe Girijapathim,

Aarthadyo bareetha raja vaa prarthayedh  deivam easwaram.

9.Due to poverty I am praying  the consort of Girija  during Pradosham,

For filled with great suffering  , even the king prays  to Lord Shiva

10.Deergamayu   sadaa arogyam  kosa vrudhi  balonnathi ,

Mama asthu   nithya mananda  prasada  thava  Sankara

10.Long life , permanent health , improvement of residence  , strength , great stature  ,

And happiness  forever  be mine Oh Lord Shiva by your grace

.

11.Shathrava samkshayam  yanthu praseedanthu mama praja,

Nasyanthu  dasyavo rather   jana  santhu nirapadha

11.Let  all my enemies get destroyed, klet my people be pleased with me  ,

Let slavery get destroyed  and let all people be without  any danger.

12,Durbiksha mari santhapa shamam yanthu maha thale ,

SArvasya samrudhischa, bhooyathSukhamaya dhishaa.

12.In this  big world , let  sorrows  due famines  and lack of rain  decrease

Let plenty   be everywhere and let pleasure spread to all directions.

13.Evam ardhaye devam  poojanthe  Girijapathim,

BRahmana   bhojayeth paschad  dakshinabischa poojayeth.

13.Like this  praise   the devas  and offer worship to consort of Girija,

Feed all the Brahmins , give them monetary fee and worship them also.

14.SArva Papa kshayakari, SArva roga nivarini,

Shiva poojaa  mayakhyatha, sarvabheeshta phala pradham.

14.This prayer destroys all sins, cures   all diseases

And is  known as worship of Lord Shiva and fulfills all desires.

What all would happen after age 60+ or 70+ or 80+ depending on yourself

What all  would  happen   after   age   60+ or 70+ or 80+  depending on  yourself

BY

P.R.Ramachander

One  by one   our  parents would  bid us good bye,

Slowly  the friends  of  our own   age would start  disappearing,

Some of  our  remaining friends  would start  to struggle  to look   after themselves,

Our next generation would start  bothering about  themselves  more.

Unfortunately  if your  life partner dies  before you,

You  would be pushed  in to  the torture  of loneliness,

You would be  forced  to  live  alone, and have to learn,

 To live  like that  and even learn   to enjoy that  horrible life.

You would   find that  slowly  your society    starts  ignoring you,

This would be  the case  however rich  and however  famous you are,,

You would find   that  the society   would start  treating you  as a common person,

It  would start ignoring you and show you  that you  are  very insignificant.

At that  time  you  should have  to learn  to live , controlling yourself.

One by one  diseases like hyper  tension , diabetes  , cholesterol ,

Urinary  problems , hearing  problems , inability   to walk  etc etc,

Would start  to be your unwelcome guests and if you start  worrying about them,

You would become more miserable but instead if you   start  living  with them,

Adjusting   as much as possible, by taking  proper treatment, you can possibly,

Live  without misery  and lead   a  near  normal life.

After  some more  time  , you  would  not be   able to move  about,

And you would  be like an infant again without your mother and   the person who would look after you ,

Would be  possibly  a paid servant,  and at that stage  , thank them,

Cooperate   with them , so that  they can complete  their job to your best  comfort.

Finally   you would realize  that  you are  nearing death   and every moment ,

Of your life would mean   extra money  and extra  physical  work to look after you,

If you have  managed  your income well  , give   whatever  you   can to your children,

Tell them how sorry you are   and ask them   how  you  can help them, monetarily .

Give presents   to your   children   as well  as  to your  grand   children,

Without worrying  , who  will look after  ME, if I spend  money on them,

Try  to  help  people   round you as much as possible   so that,

The world    in which you lived   would remember you  and shed a drop of tears   for you.

Principle of living in a community

Principle  of living  in a community

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(I read it in tamil . I have altered the  content in various places,Hope you like it)

1.To those   who do not know us                 we are  ordinary people,e

2.To   the jealous people                               we are  hot headed   and proud

3.To those  who have undersood  us             we   are  wonderful people

4.To those    who love us                               we   are   special  people

5. To the evil  people                                     we  are  bad people

6. To the selfish  people                                 we  are  needless  people

7.To those who want to deceive                    we are  silly people  waiting to be deceived

8.To those   who have  not understood          we are   trouble  some people

9.  To the cowards                                          we  do everything fast

10To the politician                                        we  are  ruled by them , for which we pay

Like this every person   has a method   of judging us

So do not   try hard   to look   desirable

Do not bother   about any of them  but  you be yourself

Trying to please everybody  is an impossible goal

So leave    whatever  cannot be attained  with these people

Do not leave   any thing which you can attain

May honesty   and courage   be always   your Wealth\

We will live  , we willmake others  live.

Mulagootal -a kerala iyer contribution to Vegetarian recipes

Mulagootal -a kerala iyer contribution to Vegetarian recipes

Compiled by
P.R.Ramachander

Most of the Kerala iyers like Mulagootal (Literally means 'addition of pepper").
It is a typical Palakkad Iyer dish , which must have been derived from the Mulagooshyam of the Nambudiris
Mulagooshyam of Nambudiris
(The Nambudiri dish from where Mulagootal originated )
¼ tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of Pepper powder
2 tsp of coconut oil
3 cups of vegetables (Yam, Raw banana and ash gourd)
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste
1.Cook vegetables along with pepper powder and Turmeric powder
2.Add salt and boil
3..Garnish with cury leaves, remove from Stove and add coconut oil
Possibly not being accustomed to pepper for pungency and not liking its the thinner consistency , The palakkad Brahmin who was familiar witn a similar Thirunelveli dish called “Poricha Koottu- a side dish to punjent dishes(https://www.archanaskitchen.com/poricha-kuzhambu-recipe-tam… ) ” must have invented it and it became their greatest trade mark dish
Mulagootal is a preperation without sour or pungent taste but is used as a main dish.
As a side dish they prepare some sour and pungent dish like Pachadi, puli Inji , thukayal , arachu kalakki and so on Strangely a Kerala iyer girl marrying a tamil iyer boy or vive versa , misses this dish most. I am giving below recipes of several variations of this dish:-

1.Normal Mulagootal
100 gm toor dhal
1 tsp of turmeric powder
3 cups of cut vegetables (Yam, ash gourd, cooking Banana, Koorkai (optional), Jack fruit seeds(optional )
For Masala
¼ grated coconut
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of chilly powder/2 red chillies
For seasoning
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp of mustard
1 tsp of Udad dhal
Curry leaves
1,Wash the dhal and vegetable separately.
2.Preassure cook them
3.Grind masala to a paste
.4,Mix Dhal, cooked vegetables and masala paste and boil
5.Season it with mustard ,.udad dhal and curry leaves.(after mustard splutters add udad dhal. Remove it from fire when udad dhal changes colour)
Note :In some homes Green gram dhal is used instead of thur dhal. Again some people dry-fry green gram dhal before boiling. The frying is till a pleasant aroma from the dhal emnates.
2,.Mathan Mulagootal
100 gm toor dhal
1 tsp of turmeric powder
3 cups of cut Pumpkin
For Masala
¼ grated coconut
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of rice
1 tsp of chilly powder/2 red chillies
For seasoning
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp of mustard
1 tsp of Udad dhal
1 table spoon of shredded coconut
Curry leaves
1,Wask the dhal and Pumpkin separately.
2.Preassure cook dhal and Cook pumpkin seperately
3.Grind masala to a paste
.4,Mix Dhal, cooked pumpkin and masala paste and boil
5.Season it with mustard ,.udad dhal, shredded coconut and curry leaves.(after mustard splutters add udad dhal.When the colour of Dhal changes add shredded coconut.,Fry till the pleasant aroma comes)
3.Keerai Mulagootal
Keerai (spinach/greens/palak): 300g
Toor dal: ¾ cup
grated coconut: ½ cup
mustard: 1 tsp
urad dal: 2 tsp
red chilli: 1
jeera: ½ tsp
turmeric powder: 1tsp
salt: to taste
Oil: 1tbsp
1.Wash and drain the greens, and cook. Cool. And grind to a paste.
2.Pressure cook the toor dal with turmeric powder.
3.Heat 1 tsp of the oil, add 1 tsp urad dal and 1 red chilli broken into bits, fry till the dal is pink in color. Remove. Grind coconut with fried dal and chilli and the jeera to a smooth paste.
4.Boil the ground leaves leaves with salt.
5.Add the cooked toor dal and boil for 5 minutes.
6.Add the ground coconut paste and add enough water to get pouring consistency. Boil. Remove from the stove.
7.Heat the remaining oil, add the mustard seeds when they splutter, add the remaining urad dal, when the dal turns pink, pour into the keerai molagootal.
Note: Nowadays
Cabbage/cauliflower Mulagootal is prepared employing the same formula but cut cabbage/cauliflower is used.

You would enjoy them provided you are willing to accept the philosophy of a non pungent main dish supported by a pungent side dish is OK ,

Office Gita

Office  Gita

Translated from Hindi

By

P/.R.Ramachander

Hey  Subordinate

1.You   came to office alone and you will be going   from here alone.

2,For less staff being allotted to you  , do not cry, Fight your   war alone

3.Do  not be sad about punishments for mistakes   due   to your over work.

4,Never think about  next  promotion, be happy with your current  position

5.This office   was going  on when you were  not there  and also   would  on in future without you.

6.The work  that is yours now, would be of some body’s earlier   and some body elses in future

7.You  think that  this   office is yours and get worried and this is the reason   for all your sorerow

8.Remove from your mind   silly words like  promotion , Increment  , leave   and pension

Folow all this   and

This office would be yours and you would  belong to office 

Arachu Kalakki (grind and mix with no heating)

Arachu Kalakki (grind  and mix  with no heating) 

Compiled  by

P.R.Ramachander

   This is a very simple  Main dish of Kerala  to be added   to rice . It is a dish which  is not heated at all (can we called  Salad).

     It should have ingredients   for pungency  , sour taste  and  should be thick in consistency. We can say  it is similar  to Chutney  of South India .Only thing is that  Chutney  does not have sour taste  .

    The pungency for arachu Kalakki  in Kerala  is always  supplied  by  Ground  green chillies ( I am telling this because  just now I read a recipe  of arachu Kalakki, with tamarind and  red chillies.This is not the Kerala  Arachu Kalakki

A simple  recipe for Arachu  Kalakki is

Normally these are prepared using mangoes or Nellikais preserved in salt in Kerala Iyer homes and used to be prepared in off seasons for vegetables. The only exception is Chenai with sour buttermilk.

The method of preparation is given below: -

1.Take sufficient quantity of Kanni Mangai (tender  mango  preserved  in salt-Thoroughly washed tender mango pickles- vadu mangai   can be used instead of Kanni Mangai)

or Nellikkai preserved in salt or

Raw  sour mango  in season

Raw  Nellikai  in season

 Chenai  with Butter milk

( WE have tried  with Amchoor .It is Okay   but taste  is not  up to the mark)

2.Grind it in Mixie  along with coconut and green chillies

3.Pour the ground mixture in sour buttermilk and mix thoroughly.(If the mango is sour, very less  butter milk  only need to be added)

4.Season it with mustard, red chillies and fenugreek (Menthiyam) and garnish with curry leaf.(red chillies is used so that it can be squeezed   and added, if pungency is less)

5.Add  only  small amount of salt in case of salt preserved pickles and sufficient quantity in case of Chenai.

(You can grid it  without adding butter milk  , and preserve  it in fridge  for  a few days.When needed   we add it with  butter milk and season it)

Though any vegetable curry /Poduthuval/Koottu etc can be side dish , Fried papadams are very good side dish  , which I enjoy)

If for that little , I get this, For that much, how much will you get

If for that little , I get this, For  that much, how much will you get

Rewritten by

P.R.Ramachander

Once upon a time   there was a young boy,

Who used  to beg  food   in several  homes,

And give it to his mother   and she   after ,

Both of them ate , gave   away the rest to others.

When the boy asked , why she cannot save the food,

So that  he need not beg   food for  few days,

His mother replied, if they give to others ,

God would definitely give them the next day.

The boy  was convinced  and decided  to find out.

And that night  , he reached  a verythick forest ,

And when he   was hungry  a  hunter  took  him,

To his home  on the  top of   the tree .

His wife who was there  felt bad as   they had only  ,

Two balls of food  , but the hunter  gave  his ball of food,

To the boy  and when type  to sleep  came , since ,

There  was no space  to sleep, he  slept at  the edge

Next  day   the hunter’s wife  informed  the boy  ,

That  her husband fell down and  was eaten by a tiger,

The boy went  further   asking the same question,

And   he met   a met a very great sage   in the forest.

The saint told him that a prince would  be born next day,

In the nearby kingdom   and possibly  he my  be able to answer.

The boy went to the kingdom   and just  then a baby  ,

Was born to the  queenand he  requested  the king  to show  the baby to him\

Seeing the great look  of the boy  , the king agreed  ,

As the  baby was  crying  non stop  and when iit was brought  out,

The boy asked  the baby his problem   and the baby told ,

“If for that little , I get this, For  that much, how much will you get”

The boy understood  that   the child    was the hunter  who died,

 And went back   to his  home   to continue  his life  with his  his mother.

Sweetest and bitterest thing of the world are the same

Sweetest  and bitterest   thing  of the world  are  the same

Rewritten by

P.R.Ramachander

(the  original   can be seen in  https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/good-tongue-bad-tongue/ )

A  great sage  called  all his disciples,

To bring  the sweetest  thing on earth,

Most  of the very sweet   things were brought,

But the guru   said they   are  not up to the mark.

One  poor disciple   who was  behind all of them ,

Brought a picture of a  toungue and said  that in it  resides,

Goddess  Saraswathi, it can tell  the sweetest words,

And the Guru can  say  with his toungue that he has  won.

The great sage then asked  all of them    to bring,

The bitterest thing in the  world   and ,

All the very bitter   things  were brought before him,

But the Guru   said, they  were  not up to  the mark

The same poor disciple    again came  before  the Guru,

And produced  again the same picture  of the toungue  and Guru asked “How come?”

He said , “from this toungue  the bitter  most words come ,

It may  cause  ones death  and your  tounge may fail  all  the  others,”

Guru said  , “You are right, this could   express  sweetest ,

As well as bitter most things, it can cause  greatest joy,

As well  greatest suffering , it can make  others ,

Glad   as well as  sad depending on circumstance”

Olan- Kerala dish with world’s simplest recipe

Olan- Kerala dish  with world’s   simplest   recipe

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

The recipe of olan

1.Cut Pumpkin/Ash gourd   in to thin square  flat pieces

2.Boil   with small  quantity of salt

3.Season it   with  Raw  coconut oil

Though  all keralites   who use  coconut  oil for cooking like  this simple dish , most of the outsiders   do not like that smell.Also  except  the  taste  of   vegetable   and salt, there  is no taste  in the dish, many  people  considered  it flat.

The following trials were made

1.Change   the oil .

    No  raw oil  was found suitable   as they have a raw flavor   which most people do not like  .However   using  any refined  oil  was Okay  . We have tried  raw olive oil  and the taste   was Okay

2.Methods  to change flat taste

a.       The  first trial was  by adding one or two   cut  green chillies. This would   add to its flavor   and also taste.

b.      The second trial was  adding coconut  milk.This gave it a rich taste.

c.       The third  was   to add  boiled  cow pea seeds   along   with ash gourd   while preparing Olan. The taste   definitely  is different and many people  prefer  it this way.

d.      The fourth way was to add  cut green cow pea (payaru)   while cooking ,This also added   to the taste

e.      I have personally  tried, Chow chow  , cucumber  , carrot  etc instead  of  ash gourd /pumpkin and the taste   was good.

f.        Add  both  ash gourd  and pumpkin  so that , there would be a sweet   taste

g.       Add  curry leaf  at the end

The recipe  of a professional  cook  of Cochin(Sri Anantha Raman   of Vinayaka caterers)


Materials required
1. Dried cow pea seeds (Rajma)-10 gm
2. Green sweet pumpkin-15 gm
3. Tender ash gourd-15 gm
4. Cow pea 5 gm
5. Green chilies 4
6. ½ grated coconut
7. Coconut oil -1 table spoon

Method

1.Soak cow peas seds for 8 hours
2.Cut pupkin and ash gourd in to thin square slices
3.Cut cow pea in to two inch pieces
4.Add cow pea seeds and green chiles to cut vegetables and cook till everything is properly cooked
5.Extract milk out of the grated coconut
6.After taking out the vessel from the stove add the Coconut mil and raw coconut oil (7) and stir well.

  Though  all these  modifications   have been suggested, I still prefer   the simple dish  of  ash gourd/pumpkin   seasoned   with raw  coconut oil.