Little Miss or Master P

This fellow or felle is born in our balcony. He/she is actually small and can't fly still. Here is one more with the parent P.

A pigeon pair used to visit us all the time. When my son T was not going to school he used to give them roasted gram, water,etc and watch them eat. About 2 months ego they started to spend more time in our balcony and we made a small nest for them with an old carpet on our rowing machine.
Immediately Mrs P laid one egg and one more after 3 days. Both Mr. and Mrs.P sat over the eggs all the time. Eggs hatched after 3 weeks, again one after the other in a matter of 2-3 days. Both the parents got super busy feeding the chicks very frequently.

 

 

 

This is about 1 week after hatching.

 

We went to a trip to Orissa, that is, Puri and Bhubneshwar for 10 days. By the time we came back,  the smaller one had died due to unknown reasons and the elder one was unrecognisable. We thought both the chicks have gone and Mrs.P is sitting alone. It is difficult to say he/she is still young unless you compare with the parent Pigeon.

 

 



 

 

This fellow may fly away within no time. He/she grooms himself all the time. Mrs or Mr.P have reduced feeding and grooming him, probably wants him to feed himself.

One lesson learnt. I have to try it on my son T.

 

Daisy Hairband

I made a quick headband a few days ago.

That day I packed a puffy for a friend’s B’day to post on the next day and went to sleep. But I started feeling that something is missing. She has two cute little daughters and it is hard to ignore them. It is also possible that they hijack the parcel and get disappointed when they find nothing for them.

Also, if you have a kid at home and somehow they justify that they are entitled to all the nice things you have (including opening gifts). So I got up and made these super quick head bands.

Gauge: 24 sts / 4 inch

Yarn: 4 ply in two contrast color

Needles: Size 9/ 3.75mm long circular.
Crochet hook: same size as the needle.
Yarn Needle.
Options: buttons crochet/ knitted flowers etc

Length: 20 inches

Width: 1 inch (it can be easily increased)

Cast On 100 stitches (for 16 inches) using Long tail cast on (it takes just a couple of minutes).

Knit Stockinette stitch for 6-8 rows (you can increase and make it wider) and Bind of.                                

With the crochet hook make a border with Single  Crochet with the contrast yarn.

When you are done, Go to the narrow side, pick up stitches according to the rows knitted and do crochet. This will give you a small triangle (There could be better methods but I know very little crochet). From the middle make a Chain of 20- 25 stitches (for 2-3 inches) and slip stich back to make it a little wide. This is for tying. Repeat this on the other side.

With the yarn needle embroider lazy Daisies with contrast yarn. They look good with beads or buttons in the middle also.

arts

Contributions from an important crew of our ship.

Ridge gourd Dosa (Pan cakes)

This can be prepared with Ridge gourd (Erekai), Cabbage, round Brinjals or Amaranths’ leaves

Ingredients

            2 cups of rice (soaked for 4-6 hrs)

1 cup fresh coconut

1tbsp of chana dal / split chik pea

1tbsp of Urad dal / split black gram

1tbsp of Coriander seeds

1tsp each of mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds

30 curry leaves

4-5 red chilli (you can add more)

Jaggery

Salt

Oil

Method of preparation

Roast all the ingredients (except rice, coconut, jaggery) in a tbsp of oil.

Grind them with coconut, jaggery and salt. Rice should be added later and ground finely. It should be of Dosa batter consistency.

Keep the batter for 4 hrs (and not more) for fermentation.

Scrape the ridge gourd till the ridges are removed and cut it into very thin circular discs.

Heat the non-stick Dosa Tawa on a medium heat for 2 minutes, turn down the heat, and grease it well.

Dip the gourd pieces in the batter and arrange them on the tawa quickly, one next to the other and make a round shape with a little extra batter.

Add half a tsp of oil on the Dosa, cover it and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on a low heat.

If the dosa is done then it doesn’t stick to the tawa and gets the roast look on the tawa side. Turn the dosa so that the other side gets cooked too (for about 2 min). Now the heat can be increased. Take out the Dosa on a plate.

Cabbage Dosa (Pan Cake)

This is prepared with the Ridge Gourd Dosa batter. Fresh Cabbage should be finely chopped and mixed with the same Dosa batter and Dosas can be made.

Tomato Dosa (Pan cakes)

 

This tastes a bit like omelettes. I make this when I am in no mood for carbohydrates.

Ingredients

            3/4 bowl of besan (Chick pea flour)

1bowl of finely chopped tomatoes

1/2 bowl of finely chopped onions

½ bowl of Coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 small chopped green chilli

Salt

Oil

Water

Method of Preparation

Mix everything in a bowl. Add enough water to bring it to dosa batter consistency. Actually 1 tbsp of rice flour can be added to make crisp Dosas. But there is no much difference in the taste if you don’t add.

Heat the Non-stick Dosa Tawa on a medium heat for 2 minutes and grease it well (otherwise dosa sticks to the tawa).

Take the batter in a big spoon and spread it on the Tawa circularly and as thinly as possible.

Add half a tsp of oil on the sides of the Dosa, cover it and let it cook for 3-4 minutes on a low heat.

If the dosa is done then it doesn’t stick to the tawa and gets the roast look. Turn the Dosa so that the other side gets cooked too (for about 1 min). Now the heat can be increased. Take out the Dosa on a plate.

Masala Akki Rotti (Rice Roti)

This is what I make something tasty with the leftover rice. But the rice must be softly done for this as it is mashed and rolled into rotis.

Ingredients

1 bowl of soft boiled rice

1/3 bowl of Rice flour

1/3 bowl of finely chopped Onions

1/3 bowl of grated Carrots

½ bowl of Dill leaves     OR

Coriander leaves (cilantro) OR both

1 small chopped green Chilli

Salt

Oil

Method of preparation

Fry the onions in a half tsp of oil till they are pink.

Mash the rice with wet hands (it will be sticky and messy).

Add all the ingredients and mix.

Go on adding the rice flour little by little till the mixture becomes less sticky.

Make it into tennis ball sized balls and press a little to make a disc.

Rolling:

Grease two plastic sheets. Place the disc on the middle of one plastic sheet and cover it with the greased surface of the second plastic sheet.

Press the disc and roll into a thin sheet just like rolling a parota.

Heat the Tawa to medium flame and put half tsp of oil in the middle.

Rice roti needs more heat than parota and oil stops the tawa from overheating.

After rolling the Akki rotti, remove the covering plastic sheet and place it on the tawa along with the basal plastic sheet so that rotti sticks to the tawa. Quickly remove the plastic sheet and let it get cooked like parota. It takes a little longer time than the regular parota(depending on the thickness). Turn and roast the other side also. Putting the oil is optional.