Cat Fish Puli Munchi Curry (Mangalorean Style)

Cat Fish (Med) 8 - Clean and cut the fish

Coconut 1/2 Cup

Dry Roast:
21 Long Red Chillies
4 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1Tbsp Cumin Seeds
1tsp Methi
24 Pepper Corns

Grind:
Grind coconut along with 1 Big onion , 1: Ginger, 10 flakes garlic, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and small ball of tamarind. Now add the rosated masala and grind to fine paste.

In  a cooking vessel add masala and enough water and keep for boiling, add salt and taste for the sour. If you need sourness then add 1/2tbsp vinegar. When it starts boiling add the fish and take one more boil now add 2 green chillies cut into slit, and 1/2" ginger and switch off the gas. Ready to serve with rice and dosa chapaties.



 

Vaccines – myths and truths

Vaccines protect a person from a specific illness or disease when taken in the right dosage and at the recommended age. While vaccination brings a big fear in some people, for others it’s just one of those things that needs to be done. We’ve put together some common myths and truths about vaccines and hope to shed some light on this topic.

Myth 1: All vaccines cause fever

Truth 1: Most vaccines nowadays do not cause fever. Only a few vaccines like DPT (whole sell type), MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and chicken pox (varicella) cause fever. Sometimes, there may be mild rashes associated with the fever and the fever may appear after a week, not immediately.

Myth 2: Being vaccinated means you will never get that disease

Truth 2: If you are vaccinated against a particular disease, chances are you will not get it. However, if you come into close contact with someone having the disease, you may get a mild version of the disease. For e.g. children vaccinated against chicken pox may get chicken pox, but the blisters will be fewer, days of fever will be fewer and recovery will be faster when compared to those who have not been vaccinated. Also serious complications like skin infection or meningitis will not arise. Thirdly, if the person’s immunity is low for e.g. elderly people and infants or sick children may contract the disease if exposed to it.

Myth 3: Flu vaccine ensures complete protection from the flu

Truth 3: Influenza has many strains of the bacteria causing it and the flu vaccine is area specific. So if you are residing in a place and get a flu vaccine, it will protect you against the strains found in that particular area. However, if you are traveling, your flu vaccine will be ineffective as you may be exposed to different strains of the flu which you are not protected against. Also, the flu vaccine protects from complications like meningitis that may be fatal.

Myth 4: Vaccines are 100 % effective

Truth 4: If the vaccine is not stored at the recommended temperature (for e.g. polio vaccine requires storage in the refrigerator to maintain the cold chain) or if it is handled inappropriately by the health workers administering it or the dosage given is incorrect, the vaccine will not be effective. Another reason is that depending on your genetic make-up your body may not be receptive to the vaccine, hence it may not work for you like it does for the rest of the population.

Myth 5: All available vaccines should be given

Truth 5: All the vaccines listed in the National Immunisation Schedule should be given. They include BCG, OPV, DPT, measles, hepatitis B and TT. Some vaccines like pneumococcal vaccine and that for rotavirus are optional. Depending on cost factor and risk of acquiring it in that region, an informed decision must be taken by the parents or the family doctor or paediatrician should be consulted.

Myth 6: Expensive vaccines are better

Truth 6: In most cases, both the cheaper vaccine and its costly counterpart are equally effective.  Indigenously manufactured vaccines are as good as the imported vaccines. Depending on availability and affordability, parents can take a decision.

Myth 7: Giving vaccines are risky

Truth 7: It is much more risky to withhold giving a vaccine than to give it. Vaccines themselves are not usually risky but some children may be allergic to the preservatives mixed in the vaccine. However, this figure is very small and almost negligible. Children with a history of anaphylactic reactions or severe allergy during past vaccinations should not receive the vaccine.

Myth 8: Vaccination benefits only the individual

Truth 8: Vaccination benefits the entire community. The more people that are vaccinated in a community, the more benefit even to the unvaccinated individuals in that community. Hence the protective effect of vaccines encompasses the community as a whole.

Myth 9: Vaccines are linked to medical problems like autism

Truth 9: Studies have not found an association with vaccines like MMR or thiomersol (a preservative used in vaccines especially in developing countries) and autism or any related disorders. So this allegation is baseless and should not be taken into consideration.

Myth 10: Vaccines can be given at any time

Truth 10: Vaccination should be postponed if the child is ill or unwell till he is better. Also, vaccines should be given in the recommended time period, if delayed the child may acquire the illness before the vaccine is given.

(By Mdhil , yahoo.com)

Beauty Tips

Coconut Milk Skin Brightening Face Pack
Add required coconut milk to a teaspoon of sandalwood powder. Put in few saffron strands and few drops of honey to this mixture and use this as your skin brightening face pack. This would do wonders on your skin by brightening it in a natural way!

Wrinkle Cure Cream with Coconut Milk
Soak 6-8 almonds in water overnight. Peel off their skins in morning and grind them too smooth paste. Extract oil from 2-3 vitamin E capsules. Add few drops of thick coconut milk and the extracted vitamin E oil to the almond paste and blend well. Your wrinkle cure cream is all ready to use now! This will not bring you dramatic results on your skin but with regular usage, it will definitely help tightening skin, thus reducing wrinkles and fine lines. After cleansing face every night, apply this cream evenly over your skin and go to sleep. Wash off face in the morning to see the soft skin magic.

Note: 
Do NOT use packed or store bought coconut milk for any of these recipes above. They would be containing preservatives and such those can be allergic to your skin. Grate fresh coconuts, grind and squeeze them to extract that thick, natural coconut milk. 

Uses of Vinegar:

Voluminous and shiny hair

If you want to add more shine and volume to your hair, then replace your conditioner with apple cider vinegar. After you shampoo your hair, simply mix 1/2 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup of water and rinse. It will not only make your hair shiny, but will also clean it. This recipe will also help to tame your wavy and unruly hair.

Controls dandruff

Vinegar has natural antifungal properties which help in getting rid of flaky scalp caused by dandruff. Just massage vinegar into your scalp before you shampoo them. You will see your dandruff is not only in control but you hair has also become healthier than before.

Cleans scalp and promotes hair growth

This amazing ingredient will maintain your scalp’s pH balance, will help to remove dead skin cells as well as take care of itchy scalp troubles. Mix vinegar and water (half-and-half ratio) into a spray bottle and apply. This will exfoliate your scalp, thus strengthening your hair shafts, and taking care of hair problems like thinning and falling.

(sources)

Pudina Murg Pulav

Some years back I read this recipe in the internet & I tried this recipe several times..

Ingredients: 750 gms chicken, cut into 8 pieces 2 cups basmati rice 3 tbsp ghee 5 cups water 3 bay leaves 4 cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 4 green chillies 2” piece ginger 1 tsp. jeera powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1½ tsp. coriander powder 4 black cardamoms 1 tsp. garam masala 3 onions, finely sliced 1 tomato, finely chopped ¼ bunch coriander leaves, chopped ½ cup mint leaves, chopped Salt as per taste. Method: Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain water and set aside. Boil chicken pieces with cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, ginger and a little salt in 5-cups of water. Cook until just tender. Remove from fire, strain and reserve the chicken pieces and stock separately. Discard whole spices along with ginger piece. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom vessel. Fry sliced onions until golden brown. Add green chillies, chopped tomato, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Saute until light brown, add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, jeera powder and salt. Add 4 cups of stock and add strained rice along with chicken and bring to a boil.. Cover and cook over medium flame until the liquid gets absorbed. Add little stock if the rice is not cooked. Serve along with raita.

Goans Declare War On Saddam!!!

Saddam Hussein was sitting in his office wondering whom to invade next when his telephone rang.

"Haallo, Mr Hussein!" a heavily accented voice said, "This is Pedroo from Bardez, State of Goa. I am ringing to inform you that we are officially declaring the war on you!"

"Well, Pedro," Saddam replied, "This is indeed important news! How big is your army?"

"Right now," said Pedro, after a moment's calculation, "there is myself, my cousin Diego, my next door neighbour Savio, and the entire football team from our parish. That makes eight"

Saddam paused. "I must tell you, Pedroo, that I have one million men in my army waiting to move at my command".

"Maincho Go," said Pedroo, "I'll have to ring you back!"

Sure enough, the next day, Pedroo called again.

"Mr. Hussein, it is Pedroo; I'm calling from Bardez STD, the war is still on! We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!"

"And what equipment would that be, Pedroo?" Saddam asked.

"Well, we have two combines, a donkey and my brother Agnelo's Matador van."

Saddam sighed. "I must tell you, Pedroo, that I have 16,000 tanks and 14,000 armored personnel carriers. Also, I've increased my army to 1.5 million, since we last spoke."

"Ye Deva...bhogos saiba" said Pedroo, "I'll have to get back to you."

Sure enough, Pedroo rang again the next day.

"Mr. Hussein, the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves airborne...... We've modified Agnelo's Matador van by adding a couple of shotguns, sticking on some wings and the village generator. Four school-pass boys from Dabholim have joined us as well!"

Saddam was silent for a minute and then cleared his throat.

"I must Tell you, Pedroo, that I have 10,000 bombers and 20,000 fighter planes. My military complex is surrounded by laser-guided, surface-to-air missile sites. And, since we last spoke, I've increased my army to TWO MILLION!"

"Mojhe Jesu...." said Pedroo, "I'll have to ring you back."

Sure enough, Pedroo called again the next day.

"Hello, Mr.Hussein! I am sorry to tell you that we have had to call off the war."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Saddam, chuckling quietly.

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well," said Pedroo, "we've all had a long chat over a couple of bottles of feni, and we decided there's no way we can feed two million prisoners of war!!!"

Happy New Year 2013

Mutton Pepper Fry

Ingredients:

½Kg Mutton,
1 tbsp chilly powder,
½ inch piece ginger,
8 flakes garlic,
3 cloves,
½ inch piece cinnamon,
10 peppercorns (as per taste),
1 onion
2 tbsps oil.

Method:
Grind the ginger, garlic. Powder together cinnamon, pepper, cloves. Slice onion. Heat oil, add onion. When onions are golden brown add ginger - garlic paste and fry a little. Add the washed and diced meat, chilly powder and salt. Add enough water for meat to cook cover. When meat is cooked, add spices and fry until water evaporates. Serve hot

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Vegetables:
1 med. potato (cut into small cubes)
1 med. carrot (cut into small cubes)
1/2cup cooked green peas
10 pcs. frencg beans (cut into small pc)
(you can add paneer cubes, cauliflower)
Ingredients:
1 onion coarsely ground
2 tomatoes (chopped very fine)
2 chillies slit
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp ginger paste
20-25 Cashewnuts (soak in warm water for 10mts.) & grind to fine paste
50 grams butter/ghee
2 tablespoon coconut powder
½ tsp chilly powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1½ - 2cups water
Salt to taste

Directions:
Heat butter in a kadai saute ginger and garlic paste and ground onion for a couple of minutes. Add green chillies, tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder and saute till the tomatoes are cooked. Add cashew nut & coconut powder and water, stir well. Add salt to taste. When it begins to boil, add the vegetables Cook on slow fire for 3 - 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Home Remedies

- Prof. venkata ramanamurty mallajosyula http://www.telugupeople.com/

1.Running Nose: Make a decoction of dried ginger. Have 1 tbsp of this decoction and keep yourself warm. Take this thrice a day. Significant improvement is seen in two days.

2.Cough and Cold: Fry a few peppercorns in pure ghee. Mix it with an equal proportion of sugar and powder it. Have this ‘Churan’ ½ tsp three times a day.

3.Cold and body ache: Jeera, black pepper, dhaniya - seeds and dried ginger should be taken in equal quantities, Roast the above spices and powder them.4 cups of water, and a tsp of the above powder and 2-3 cloves. Boil till the water reduces to half its initial quantiy. Add 1tbs jaggery. Sip the concoction and rest.

4.Dry cough: Roast turmeric well and grind it to a powder. Have 1tbs of this powder twice a day for 3-4 days. You will be surprised.

5.Voice train: Boil 1 cup of water. Add 1tbs of ajwain and boil well. Add a pinch of salt. Sip and enjoy.

6.Headache: Grind fresh ginger into a paste and apply over temples and fore head.
Grind cinnamon in lemon juice, apply over temples and forehead and rest.
If headache is after spending some time in hot sun, grind skin of a lemon to a fine paste and apply over temples and forehead.
Take 1tsp of fresh neem leaves, have it and rest.
For headaches, which recur every day, apply clove oil at sunrise and sunset.

7: Indigestion: Grind black pepper and a few cloves of garlic to a paste to a chutney like consistency.1tsp of this chutney to be had after every meal. Pudina leave should be dried and powdered. Have pudina tea instead of tea.

8.Bloated abdomen: Boil a cup of water and add 10-12 cloves, Boil for 5 min. Have this clove tea.

9.Gas in the abdomen: Mix ½ tsp of garlic juice and ½ tsp onion juice and have it.
Add 2 tsp of roasted jeera to 1 cup of water , boil and make a decoction. When the quantity water reduces to half. Have it with a marble size of butter.

10.Pain in abdomen: Powder cinnamon, add to waer, boil and make a decoction, add milk and have it.
Have 1 tsp ajwain with a pinch of salt.
Have a raw onion with a pinch of salt.

11.Vomiting:Mix lemon juice and sugar. Sip this frequently.
Powder cinnamon, mix it with equal qty of honey. Have a small qty every 15mins.

12.Loose motion: Have 1tsp ajwain with water.
Have 1tsp powdered methi with 1 cup butter milk.

13.Lack of appetite: Chew a small piece of fresh ginger after each meal.
Roast and powder black pepper. Have a pinch of black pepper powder with 1 tsp honey three times a day.

14.For fresh breath: Rinse your mouth with salt water twice a day.
Chew 1tsp coriander seeds well and spit it out.

15.For Hiccups: Chew a clove. Hiccups subside immediately.

16.Sleeplessness:Have a ripe mango followed by a glass of milk.
Soak 1tsp poppy seeds for 1-2 hrs, grind id with 5 tbsp freash coconut,mix it with a glass of milk and add 1 tbsp honey. Have this before going to sleep.

17:Itchy patches over a skin: Grind raw potato with lemon juice and apply. Apply pineapple juice locally.

18:Corn foot: Tie small piece of nimbu over the corn and leave it overnight.
Repeat for 2-3 nights.

19.Insects bites (Ants and Mosquitoes): Rub table salt over the bite. Itching and burning sensation subsides immediately.

20.Scorpion sting: Place 1-2 crystals of potassium permanganate over the sting and swueeze 1-2 drops of lemon juice. Burning sensation and pain subside within 10 min.

21. Bee sting: Rub ½ an onion over the sting.

22. Heat: When you find the heat unbearable, try having lack tea, steaming hot with a dash of lemon.

23.Burning eyes: Eat a raw onion every day.

24: Dark spots on face: Grate a radish and squeeze the juice out. Mix it with equal quantity of buttermilk, apply, and wash off after an hour.

25: Instant facial: Mix 2 tsp cream, a pinch of turmeric powder, and 1 tbsp besan. Apply over face. Wash off after ½ hour. Do not use soap or any cleaners. Pat dry.

26: Cracked heels, feet: Crush an onion, apply and tie a cloth. Leave over night.
Take 2mugs of hot water, add 1 tbsp cooking soda. Immerse feet for 10-15 minutes every day for 3 days. Crack vanish.

27. Acne, pimples: Apply juice of crushed Durva grass on the lesion, pimples and narks vanish.
Make a paste of asafetida with water and apply.
Mix honey and lemon juice in equal proportions and apply. Wash of after an hour.

28: Deodorants: Grind pomegranate leaves over body while having a bath.

29. Gen weakness: Try having 4-5 tsp Durva grass juice with luke-warm milk every day.

30: Dysmenhorrea: Have chiwda soaked on curds.

Mangalorean Valleri & Green Gram Curry(Mogem ani Moog Kadi )

1 Cup Moong (Green Gram)(Soak for 12hrs)
1 Mogem (Valleri)cut into medium pcs.
Salt to taste

To Grind to fine paste:
1 cup coconut, grated
1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chilli pdr.
5-6 pepper corns
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 onions (med)
2 tomatoes (med)
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 flakes garlic

Method:
In a cooking vessel add ground masala & masala water & boil, put Green Gram & Valleri and cook till done. Serve hot with Boiled Rice

Never ever skip breakfast

"Importance of having Breakfast"
Breakfast can help prevent strokes, heart attack and sudden death. Advice on not to skip breakfast!

Healthy living
For those who always skip breakfast, you should stop that habit now! You've heard many times that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Now, recent research confirms that one of the worst practices you can develop may be avoiding breakfast.

Why?

Because the frequency of heart attack, sudden death, and stroke peaks between 6:00a.m. and noon, with the highest incidence being between 8: 00a.m. and 10:00a.m.What mechanism within the body could account for this significant jump in sudden death in the early morning hours? We may have an Answer. Platelet, tiny elements in the blood that keep us from bleeding to Death if we get a cut, can clump together inside our arteries due to cholesterol or laque buildup in the artery lining. It is in the morning hours that platelets become the most activated and tend to form these internal blood clots at the greatest frequency. However, eating even a very light breakfast prevents the morning platelet activation that is associated with heart attacks and strokes. Studies performed at Memorial University in St.Johns, Newfoundland found that eating a light, very low-fat breakfast was critical in modifying the morning platelet activation. Subjects in the study consumed either low-fat or fat-free yogurt, orange juice, fruit, and a source of protein coming from yogurt or fat-free milk. So if you skip breakfast, it's important that you change this practice immediately in light of this research. Develop a simple plan to eat cereal, such as oatmeal or Bran Flakes, along with six ounces of grape juice or orange juice, and perhaps a piece of fruit. This simple plan will keep your platelets from sticking together, keep blood clots from forming, and perhaps head off a potential Heart Attack or stroke. So never ever skip breakfast

Patholi (Rice Cake) in Roce(Coconut Milk) Chicken Curry (Mangalorean Dish)

Patholi (Rice Cake)
White Rice Flour 1 cup
Red Rice Flour/Puttu Powder 1/2 cup
Cooked Rice 1cup (Grind to fine paste)
Salt
Palak Leaves (as needed)

Mix all the above ingredients with water. Make a Thick paste (except palak leaves). Now spread the mixture on the leaves and fold it. after finishing keep this on the steamer for 15 mintutes. When serving take a plate and cut patholi in to medium sizes and pour the chicken curry with chicken pieces on this and serve.

Chicken Curry:
1 kg chicken, cleaned and cut
To Grind to fine paste in thin coconut milk:
Half a medium sized coconut, grated
9 to 10 Kashmiri long red chillies
4 to 5 short red chillies
10 pepper corns
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 small lemon sized ball of tamarind
3 onions (med)
3 tomatoes (med)
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 flakes garlic
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 cup coconut thick milk or 6tbsp. coconut milk powder
2 cup coconut thin milk
¼ cup ghee
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil/Ghee in a cooking vessel, add small chopped onion & fry, add gound masala for 5 minutes, add chicken and fry for 3minutes add salt, masala water & remaining thin coconut milk. When chicken is alomost done add thick coconut milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Instead of PAtholi you can put Rice Dumplings OR you can serve this chicken curry with panpole (neeru dosa), idli, rice etc..

Ajman Beach

sunset in Ajman Beach UAE 11/02/2007

Tips and Advice - Warm Water and Heart Attack

This is a very good article. Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about heart attacks. This makes sense.. the Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals...not cold water...maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!!

Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will
slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks: You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life !

Be a great Friend and spread this information to all your dear Ones

Happy Valentine's Day

St. Valentine's Story

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!



The History of Saint Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

From www.pictureframes.co.uk

Gobi Mattar Curry (Cauliflower and Green Peas Curry)

When I was going thru Seema's recipejunction.blogspot.com blog I saw this recipe and the colour of the dish was very lovely. I thought to try it out. In this recipe I made some changes. The curry is very tasty
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Green Peas/Matar (i used fresh)
Cauliflower (medium)
Grind to fine paste:
2 medium Onion
2 medium Tomato
6 strands of Coriander leaves
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 Green Chili
1 Long Red Chili
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 Tbsp of thick yogurt.
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder

Salt as per taste
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/4 cup water

METHOD:
Cook green peas and cauliflower separately and keep it aside.
Heat Ghee in a cooking vessel add ginger garlic paste fry for some time add ground masala and fry for 5 minutes. Add 1/4cup to 1/2 cup water and the cooked veggies and cook on low flame covered for around 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Prawn & Mangao Curry (Mangalorean Style)

Ingredients:
1/4kg Prawns
1 Green Mango

To Grind:
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
¼ tsp. mustard seeds
2pinch omum
5 pepper corns
5-6 methi seeds
5 small red chillies
6-7 Kashmiri chillies
1/4tsp. turmeric powder
2tsp. Instant Coconut Milk powder
A small ball of tamarind or 1tbsp Vinegar
Two medium size onions (only one onion need to be used for grinding)
Two flakes of garlic.
Salt to taste

Method:
All the above ingredients have to be ground finely together with onion and garlic in little water. Once the ground masala is ready, in a vessel heat two spoons of cooking oil and fry a sliced onion until golden brown. Add the ground masala and fry for about 5 minutes. Add masala water (1 cup)to the masala and keep it to the required thickness. Bring the curry to a good boil, add the Mango & cleaned prawns and bring to a reasonable boil. Add the thick coconut milk (5tbsp. Instant Milk Powder Mix with 11/2 cup of water) and bring it to a good boil once again and serve with rice.

Southe kai Pachadi( Cucumber Chutney)

This is Mangalorean Cucumber(thovshen) Chutney. In Konkani we call KARAM. My mother was making this for the Nativity Feast(Mother Mary's feast) on 8th of September. I love this chutney very much. For this recipe I took Valleri (Mogem) coz we are not getting Mangalorean cucumber here and I made some changes like adding curd and boiling the valleri.
In my mom's recipe there is no curd, mustard seeds, coconut oil and curry leaves. Just grind all the ingredients except cucumber to fine paste. Peel the cucumber and cut into small pcs. and add it to the grind masala(chutney)
Ingredients:-
Southe Kai (cucumber) peeled,deseeded and cut into small dices - 1Kg
Green chillies slit - 3
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Beaten curd - 1 & 1/2 cups
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1 small
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Curry leaves - a sprig
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:-
This is my recipe Add salt,green chillies and very little water(about 1- 2tsp) to the cucumber pieces.Cover it and cook in medium heat till the mixture is dry .Grind together grated coconut and cumin seeds, & onion. Add this ground mixture to the cucumber.Add beaten curd and mix well. Heat coconut oil in a pan,allow mustard seeds to splutter.Add red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a while.Pour the seasoning over the kichadi.Mix well and serve with rice.

Republic Day 26th January

Republic Day is the name of a public holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they first became republics. Some of these are former Commonwealth realms, in which the British monarch was head of state until the change of status.
Countries:
January 26th in India
May 31st in South Africa (1961-1994)
September 24th in Trinidad and Tobago
October 5th in Portugal
October 10th in Republic of China
October 24th in Rhodesia (1970-1979)
October 25th in Kazakhstan
October 29th in Turkey
November 29th in former Yugoslavia (1945-1990)
December 13th in Malta
December 30th in Romania (1948-1989)
Guyana: February 23 (1970, also known as Mashramani)
Estonia: February 24 (1918)
Iran: April 1 Islamic Republic Day
The Gambia: April 24 (1970)
Lithuania: May 15 (1920, known as the Constituent Assembly Day)
Sierra Leone: April 27, (1961)
Armenia: May 28 (1918, see Democratic Republic of Armenia)
Azerbaijan: May 28 (1918, see Azerbaijan Democratic Republic)
Italy: June 2 (1946, see Birth of the Italian Republic.)
Ghana: July 1 (1960)
North Korea: September 9 (1948)
Brazil: November 15 (1889)
Pakistan: 23 March (1956)
Kenya: around December 12 (1963, see Jamhuri Day.)
Burkina Faso: December 11 (1958, Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community.)
Niger: December 18 (1958)

About Republic Day in India:
26th January 1950 is one of the most important days in Indian history as it was on this day the constitution of India came into force and India became a truly sovereign state. In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. So, the 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since.

Today, the Republic Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm all over the country and especially in the capital, New Delhi where the celebrations start with the Presidential to the nation. The beginning of the occasion is always a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defense of sovereignty of their country. Then, the President comes forward to award the medals of bravery to the people from the armed forces for their exceptional courage in the field and also the civilians, who have distinguished themselves by their different acts of valour in different situations.

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, from the Rajghat, along the Vijaypath. The different regiments of the army, the Navy and the Air force march past in all their finery and official decorations even the horses of the cavalry are attractively caparisoned to suit the occasion. The crème of N.C.C cadets, selected from all over the country consider it an honour to participate in this event, as do the school children from various schools in the capital. They spend many days preparing for the event and no expense is spared to see that every detail is taken care of, from their practice for the drills, the essential props and their uniforms.

The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. The parade and the ensuing pageantry is telecast by the National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in every corner of the country.

The patriotic fervor of the people on this day brings the whole country together even in her essential diversity. Every part of the country is represented in occasion, which makes the Republic Day the most popular of all the national holidays of India.

Wish you A Happy Republic Day 26-01-2007
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia & festivals.tajonline.com

Crab Masala

Crabs Curry is all time favorite, this is a mouth watering, finger licking, delicious and simple to make. My Mother In Law was making this everytime when we godown to Mulky,Mangalore (Karnataka). In mulky we get fresh fish and alive crabs. My MIL is to clean the alive crabs in Mulky and cook and serve her children.
I knew to cook Crabs. But I couldn't got the same taste. After so many attempts I got this taste.


Ingredients
Crabs 2 kg
Coconut gratings 1 cup
Onion 1 medium
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp for seasoning

Make powder of :
Kashmiri Red chilli 10
Short Red Chilli 5
Pepper 1tsp.
Cumin Seeds 2tsp.
Turmeric Powder 1tsp.

Grind :
Tamarind marble size with above Masala Powder. Grind(coarsly) Seperately Coconut.

Heat Oil in a Cooking Vessel, add chopped onion and fry for sometime, add crabs and fry. after sometime add masala. when half done add coconut. Add extra water if needed. make it dry. serve hot with boiled rice.

Heart Attack

from Mag4u.com
As many as one in three people will be dead within 24 hours of having a heart attack. But most people who survive the first month will still be alive five years later. So prompt treatment is essential, as is prevention.
What causes a heart attack?
The heart is a large muscular pump. It beats 70 times a minute to push blood around the body. Like any busy muscle, the heart tissues need a good supply of blood from their blood vessels, which are called the coronary arteries.

Diseases that narrow the coronary arteries can cause a shortage of oxygen and essential nutrients in the heart muscle.

This triggers chest pain known as angina, especially when the heart is made to work extra hard, for example during exercise. If someone has angina, the more severe the narrowing of the arteries, the less they can do before they experience pain.
If the shortage is severe and prolonged, some of the heart muscle will die, resulting in permanent damage. This is a heart attack, more technically known as a myocardial infarction or MI.

Blocked coronary arteries:
The most common underlying disease for heart attacks is atherosclerosis, where fatty plaques build up on the lining of the coronary arteries. This is known as coronary artery disease, and is a gradual process that slowly limits the blood supply to the heart muscle.

How do heart attacks happen?
What usually happens in a heart attack is that one of the fatty plaques cracks and a blood clot forms on top of it. It is this clot that finally blocks the artery completely.

There are other, rarer causes of a heart attack, such as a dissection or splitting of the wall of the coronary artery.

How many people are affected?
The UK has one of the worst heart attack rates in the world. It's estimated that someone has a heart attack every two minutes in the UK. More than 1.4 million people have angina and each year about 275,000 people have a heart attack. Of these, more than 120,000 are fatal.

Heart attacks are responsible for one in four deaths in men and one in six deaths in women. They are more common among older people.

Risk factors:
The biggest single risk factor for heart attack is smoking. Other causes include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history of heart disease.

There are many steps you can take to change your lifestyle and reduce your risk.

Different types of heart attack:
When someone goes into hospital with pain or other symptoms suggesting coronary heart disease, a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is made.

The next step is to work out which part of the heart is affected, and how badly. This is done by studying an electrocardiogram (ECG) and other tests, in particular a blood test that measures levels of a chemical called troponin, which is released from damaged heart muscle cells.

There are several different types of heart attack. The area of the heart that's affected has important implications for what sort of complications there may be, how well the patient will recover and the treatment they should be given.

For example, if a heart attack affects the inferior (underneath) surface of the heart, which sits against the diaphragm, there is a greater risk of abnormal heart rhythms, because the electrical conducting system of the heart is disrupted.

If the heart attack affects the anterior (front wall) of the heart, there is more likely to be damage to the left ventricle, which is responsible for pumping blood around the body, leading to low blood pressure and heart failure.

Sometimes a heart attack doesn't affect the full thickness of the heart muscle and may not produce typical changes on an ECG. This sort of heart attack may require different treatment.

Rapid treatment saves lives:
About half of those who have a heart attack die within 28 days. Most people who survive the first month will still be alive five years later, but many are left with long-term heart problems.
One in three people dies within 24 hours. Most of these deaths are sudden, occurring within one hour of onset of symptoms and before reaching hospital, and are often due to dangerous heart rhythms.

Heart attacks must be recognised and treated as quickly as possible because once a coronary artery is blocked, the heart muscle will die within four to six hours. Rapid treatment reduces the risk of sudden death and prevents long-term complications. Don't wait to call for help - this could make treatment less effective.

If you suspect a heart attack, get medical help immediately

Everyone's experience is different but common symptoms include
chest pain, usually a central, crushing pain, which may travel into the left arm or up into the neck or jaw, and persists for more than a few minutes
sometimes the pain doesn't fit this pattern, or is confused with indigestion
some people having a heart attack don't have any pain
shortness of breath
nausea or vomiting
sweating
feeling light-headed or dizzy
palpitations or an abnormal heart rate

Treatment:
When a heart attack is suspected, drugs such as aspirin may be given immediately to improve blood flow through the coronary arteries. Pain relief, oxygen and other treatments may also be given.When a heart attack has been diagnosed, one of two methods may be used to try to reopen the blocked artery.

Drugs that dissolve the blood clots blocking the artery have greatly improved the treatment of heart attacks. These drugs, known as thrombolytics or 'clot busters', can restore blood flow in about 60 per cent of cases, although sometimes the artery blocks again later on.

These drugs aren't suitable for everyone and there is a risk of bleeding. As many as two per cent of those treated will have a dangerous brain haemorrhage as a result. Thrombolytics must be given as soon as possible after symptoms start and certainly within 12 hours.

The other method is an operation called percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or PCI. It involves inserting a tube into the coronary arteries. The tube carries a deflated balloon that can be inflated in the blocked area to push against the artery walls and open the vessel. In general, PCI produces slightly better long-term results than thrombolytic drugs but it must be carried out in a specialised centre.

Recovering from a heart attack:
Not so long ago, a heart attack meant weeks of bed rest. Nowadays, people may spend just a few days in hospital, but a much longer process of rehabilitation is important to help the person recover fully, deal with common problems such as depression and reduce the risk of a second attack.

Rice Dumplings (mutli, Pundi)

Ingredients:
1 cup white Rice Powder
1 cup Red Rice Powder (Puttu Powder)
1 cup cooked Boiled Rice
Salt to taste

Filling:
2 Cups Coconut(as needed)
1 Cup Jaggery (as needed)

Method:
Make a paste of Cooked Rice. Mix Ground paste, salt to the Rice Flours and make a dough. Dough should be dry and soft. Make small balls. Inside the balls fill the coconut jaggery filling & cover it & steam it for about 15minutes.

Mangalorean Sardines Curry

Ingredients:
8-10 Big fatty sardines

Masala for Grinding:
12 Long Red chillies(dry roast)
8 short red chillies (dry roast)
½ cup grated fresh coconut
1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds (dry roast)
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp fenugreek seeds(dry roast)
1 tsp cumin seeds(dry roast)
½ tsp mustard seeds(dry roast)
1 Small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small lime size tamarind
Water for grinding

To Be Added For The Gravy:
1 medium size onion chopped
4 green chillies slit
¼ inch ginger chopped
Few curry leaves(optional)
Salt to taste

Method:
Clean the fish and marinate in salt and haldi for sometime. Grind fine all the above ingredients coconut, red chillies, turmeric,coriander seeds with a little water. When it is ¾ ground then you add the tamarind, fenugreek, cumin and mustard seeds, onion, garlic and grind till fine paste. Add very small piece of ginger just before the masala is removed from the mixie. (it will give nice taste)

In a vessel add the chopped onions, slit green chillis, chopped ginger, curry leaves and the ground masala which has be diluted with water, (keep the gravy little thick) add salt to taste and boil it for about 5 minutes on high. When boiling add the cleaned fish and cook the fish for another 5-8 minutes. Check the salt and sourness. Add more if needed. serve hot with boiled rice.

Here is my contribution to VKN’s you can cook for FAHC’s campign

Pomfret Fish Curry

Ingredients
Fish: 4 med. size
Dry Red Chillies 20-25
Pepper Corns 10
Methi seeds 1/2 tsp
Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball
Full Coriander 2 tsp
Garlic 5 pods
Jeera 1 tsp
Grated Coconut 3-4 tbsp
Ginger 1 1/2 in. piece (fine chopped)
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Onion 1 large fine chopped
Green chillies 2-3 cut along the length into quarters
Lime 1 small

Method:
Cut and clean the 4 medium sized fish. Mix it with salt (2 tblsp) and Turmerci powder keep aside until it's ready to go into the curry. Dry roast red chillies and keep aside. In the same pan roast the coriander, pepper corns, methi and keep aside.
Grind all roasted ingredients with garlic, coconut, tamarind and the turmeric powder till a fine paste. Take a vessel put fine ground masala also clean the mixie in some water and pour all that into the vessel. Use around 2-3 cups of water to clean the mixie. Turn on the gas, then add the chopped onions, green chillies, grated ginger. Rinse the fish in water. and add it to the curry. Add some salt (according to taste) and let the curry cook. Keep it covered and stir occasionally. Cook on a low-medium flame, once it comes to a boil. Finally you can squeeze the juice of a lime all over the curry. Serve with boiled rice.

GoliBaje (Mangalorean Snack)

Ingredients:
Allpurpose flour(Maida) - 2 cups
Gram flour (besan) - 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies - 4 nos(thin round slices)
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Ginger - A small piece(chopped fine)
Sugar - 2 tsp or as per taste
Buttermilk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Ripe banana - 1 no
Cumin seeds(Jeera) - 3 pinch
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Make a paste of banana. Combine it together with maida, besan, baking soda, sugar and salt, using the buttermilk and water. The consistency of the batter should be in between thin and too thick.(dropping consistency). Set aside the batter for about 3to 4hrs. Add green chillies, ginger and cumin seeds and mix well. Bring the cooking oil to smoking point. Drop 1/2 tsp of the batter into the hot oil and deep fry till crispy and golden brown. Repeat for the rest of the batter. Serve hot with green coconut chutney.