Quinoa Paniyaram

Quinoa (pronounced /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited.

I read about this grain some years ago and have been hooked on to it ever since as it is very nutritious and is a good substitute for rice, being quite bland with a very mild, nutty taste. Our friends M&M even make Quinoa Biryani. I usually stir fry some broccoli and mix it with cooked quinoa with little salt and curry powder. I also mix it with idlis, Parathas and Paniyarams.
For 1 cup of cooked Quinoa, here is the nutrition profile
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

Paniyaram ( in Tamil) is made by steaming rice & urad dal batter with seasonings, onions added in moulds meant for this particular dish. I bought my mould in India , but you will get it in the US too, called the “Ebleskiver pan”, available in Iron and Non-stick. Making Paniyarams is very simple. Get the batter ready and pour it in the moulds. But, it takes time to cook due to which it is very rarely served in restaurants.Using this mould , one can even make low fat Vadas, pakodas instead of deep frying them.

I had some idli batter , to which added some onions , green chili and quinoa. Lo and Behold !! Quinoa paniyarams ready.

Ingredients

2 cups Idli batter/Paniyaram batter/Rice flour
( Different people have diff proportions for Idli batter/Paniyaram batter. If you don’t want any of those , just mix it with some rice flour. I use Brown Rice flour)
2 cups cooked Quinoa
3 Green Chilies
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp jeera( cumin)
5 curry leaves
Oil as needed
Salt as per taste

Preparation
1. Mix the batter/flour, quinoa,onion and chilies.
2. Season the mustard, jeera and curry leaves in oil and add it to the batter.
3. Take the mould, pour 1 tsp oil in all the pockets and pour the batter in to those.
4. After 5 minutes, turn the paniyarams over to cook the other side, using the stick provided.
5. After 5 minutes or once the inserted stick shows the paniyarams to be cooked, just take them out using the stick.

Kefir & Thank You

The first I heard of Kefir was a couple of years ago and have loved it ever since.

Kefir (alternately kefīrs, keefir, kephir, kewra, talai, mudu kekiya, milkkefir, búlgaros) is a fermented milk drink that originated in the Caucasus region. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep’s milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed

I was overjoyed when I got picked by Bee for the Kefir Grains. On Monday, this package arrived at our doorstep

thanks to Jai & Bee at Jugalbandi
I dunked it in milk the moment we opened the package..OK,after taking the photo. Both Suresh and I were checking it every few hours to see the various stages and mix it every now and then. Since I used Fat Free milk, I ended up with a runny liquid . Added ginger, salt and curry powder( I mean just plain curry powder which my mom prepared by drying curry leaves). Viola !! Neer More ( Watery buttermilk in Tamil) ready.
To know more about the preparation of Kefir , visit Jugalbandi .I just followed the steps mentioned by Bee.

Birthday Wishes

It was 2000 July and we were visiting Universal Studios at LA. While the three of us went for the “Back to the Future” ride, he waited outside and to my surprise, gifted me with this bracelet when we came back.He might have forgotten but I remember and preserve it till this date.I am a sentimental goof when it comes to gifts and this is special because I love him so much.

When I was 10, he surprised me with a movie after a doc’s visit, “Digby, the biggest dog in the world”. We rode on the bicycle all the way from home to the doctor and on to the theater.

Till I was 9, he used to give me piggy-back rides after a tiring day at work. Anything for the brat.

I was physically eve-teased for the first time in my 8th grade, when I ran home and waited for my best friend to come back from work to pour it all out. He took leave the next day and followed me to school and back without my knowledge just to make sure I was safe.

I fell ill with Measles in 10th grade and he took leave of absence, just to carry me around the house and look after me.

In my 2nd year of college, when there was a major bus strike with me traveling and was supposedly missing , he panicked , started his search and gave me the biggest hug and kiss on finding me after an interval of 7 hours. According to the driver, ” Sir. azhudhu naan innikidhan parthen.”( I am seeing him cry for the first time. )

He spent all his time planning for his three daughters’ education,sacrificing luxury,making sure we get the best and be independent in this wide world. A man very content with life and who finds happiness in small things and goes out of his way to help others. He was recognized as one of the best senior citizens in our vicinity.On the first Sunday of every month, he wakes up at 6:00 , ready to go to the free clinic , which is organized by their Welfare Association and gets busy in volunteering doing registration, blood tests for people younger than him.:-)

Yes, That’s my dad. A man full of energy, enthusiasm and epitome of service.

Happy 76th Birthday , Dad !
-From all of us.

Formation of a Desi

The journey starts when our hero, “Indianpublix” lands at the airport on his first job assignment in the land of the free and home of the brave.(U.S.A)

AVATAR1
Awesomekix:
He lands. He is in awe at the vastness of this country. Greeted by friends, who seem to be well-built( hear that as fat). He walks on cloud nine and is indoctrinated into subway,tacobell, mcdonalds,dennys,burger king and pizza hut. His friends and colleagues are eager to show him the ultimate mega store , COSTCO, where bachelors flock just to ogle at the electronic goods with the mind guaranteed that one can return them back anytime.Something you never get to see back home. He loves this land.

AVATAR2
ReallyBrix:
Life is not rosy and sunshine after all , especially when one is dependent on friends to chauffeur around. He has to lug his laptop, catch two buses and a rail to reach work, and do the same on the way back. The sooner he gets a license, the better it is. Constant struggle with room mates on who does the groceries, while following a cooking schedule every day. Situation becomes pathetic once the room mate gets laid off and reality hits him like a pile of bricks. Yes, he is an alien in an alien land.

AVATAR3
Packsix:
He buys a car and is finally able to listen to the songs he likes. Apart from the regular Hindi CDS, he starts listening to the radio to get in touch with the western songs.Things become monotonic till one day, on his trip to the mountains,with all the huffing and puffing, he realizes that he is not just well built but is fat and looks very much like his other friends. Joins the gym, hires a personal trainer, starts lifting weights, checks his weight, muscle mass, fat content, in the mirror, on the scale after every workout, with clothes, without clothes , in all different angles.Yes , the six pack is not far off .

AVATAR4
Desifix:
He could not make the six pack, but at least the weight is reduced.Here comes the holy grail of desi transformation. Time to get a new look. Yes, oh! yes, the mustache has to come out. He removes it and remembers the college days( “Nyabagam Varudhe, Mudhal mudhalaaghe arumbiye meesai Nyabagam Varudhe” -> in Tamil) when this small line of bush was his pride. In desiland, you got to do what you got to do. Sacrifices are a must to increase the eligible bachelor quotient.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how “Indianpublix” transforms into “Desifix”.This is just one of the roads to “Desifix”. The other frequent route taken starts as a Master Grad Student. But , all roads lead to this desiland.

P.S:
>> Just fished out my Asterix collection last night for a re-read.
>> Have been watching one of the guys at the gym going from “Packsix” to “Desifix”.

A beautiful day

I was humming “Its a beautiful morning” on our walk this morning. It indeed was a beautiful sunny morning and the song fitted to a T

It’s a beautiful mornin’ ahhh
I think I’ll go outside a while
An jus’ smile
Just take in some clean fresh air boy
Ain’t no sense in stayin’ inside
If the weather’s fine an’ you got the time
It’s your chance to wake up and plan another brand new day
Either way
It’s a beautiful mornin’ ahhh

A post, to show the photos, taken during our walk this morning, a walk taken just for checking out the new camera bought yesterday ,on a trail, taken by a very few.A beautiful morning indeed.

Can you see the reflections of the birds.

Here are a couple more

Suresh calls this the Torpedo

an Amtrak Train that passed by..

Suresh biked, I walked but posed..