My New Paintings

Ahhhaaaa. after a late saturday morning... ended up with some light brush strokes... result is amazing... Feel very happy after a long time... my storkes are slowly becoming stronger and confident...Aaah also that helps me complete a round of 60 paintings so far...

My Recipes – MentuBaddalu - Methi-Mango Mix Pickle

2 Raw Mangoes

1 cup red chilli powder

1 cup salt

1 cup aava podi  (rai/musturd powder)

½ cup mentu podi (methi powder)

2 cups nuvvula no one (gingely oil)

Cut two raw mangoes to pieces.

Mix all powders together

Add the cut pieces of mango to the powder

Add oil as required

Keep aside for 15 minutes

Pickle ready serve as and when required with idly / dosa or any thing else..

Also good to eat mixed with rice and ghee

My Recipes – Saggubiyyam Vodiyalu (Sabudana papad)

1 cup – Saggubiyyam (Sabudana) soaked in 3 cups of water overnight.

1 pinch of salt

3~4 green chillies finely chopped

Ginger

½ spoon jeera

1 corriander

Cook the soaked saggubiyyam (sabuna) with the 3 measure of water in pressure cooker along with pinch of salt

OR you can also cook it out side.   Just cook till the time it gets dissolved very lightly.

Grind chillies, ginger together.  Now add chilli-ginger paste and jeera to the cooked sabudana.

Spread an old cloth / plastic sheet in sun.  spread /pour the cooked sabuna mixture with spoon over the dry cloth / plastic sheet and dry in sun for 2 days…..

 Papad are ready…

Whenever you want just deep fry papad and eat

Pamper your tired feet

Feet are the most neglected part of your body.

We pamper our face in several ways but fail to forget it is the foot that requires more attention. What's the point in having a glowing face but a shabby looking dirty feet? Unimaginable right?

Remember in today's age, overall grooming matters and not just your face. This is why there are foot massage parlours that give your feet the much-needed relaxation. If you are pressed for time and money, then think no further, for taking care of your feet is no rocket science. You can do it right at home!

Here are a few ways to pamper your feet

Most importantly keep your feet clean, this will avoid maximum damage. Whenever you come back home, make sure you scrub your feet and wash them. This will remove any bacteria that would have accumulated as a result of the shoes/slipper that you wear every day.

Keep your nails clean: It's also advisable to keep them short to avoid any kind of injuries in case of a fall or an accident. Irrespective of the length of your nails, make sure you remove the dirt regularly and keep them clean and trimmed.

Dip your feet in hot water: This helps when your feet are tired and they hurt. Hot water dip has a soothing effect on your feet.

If you have cracked heels, then do a home pedicure regularly.

Here's how: Take a tub of hot water, add crystal salt (for cleansing purpose), a few drops of shampoo and dip your feet in the tub for at least 15 minutes or till the water gets cold. Then take a foot scraper or a pumice stone and scrape the dead skin off your heels. Apply a scrub on the feet and scrub it well to remove dirt. Wash your feet with cold water, pat dry and apply moisturizer or a body lotion to your feet. This will give your feet a soft feel.

Remember your feet is one of the most strained organs in your body as there's constant movement. Hence, it's important to relax them. Besides sleep, just stretch your legs once you are back home, this will also relax all the muscles and make you feel much better. If possible, give your foot a massage with olive oil or vitamin E oil, this is not just good for skin health but also relaxes your aching muscles.

Tomato for clear skin

Tomatoes are a staple in every kitchen but hardly will you hear anyone extolling its cosmetic benefits. Whether you want to cure large pores or reduce acne and rashes or sooth a nasty sunburn or simply to revive the glow on dull skin, tomatoes are beneficial in many homemade beauty treatments.

Not only do tomatoes taste great but they also keep the skin healthy. It is necessary to consume tomatoes as they have lycopene, which is an antioxidant and hence works as a sunscreen from within. These antioxidants make tomato an anti-aging product as they help in fighting cellular damage and reddening of skin. It is recommended to have at least 16 milligrams of lycopene per day as they reduce the number of free radicals in the body and also help to retain the moisture in people who are used to sitting in air-conditioned environs. You don't need to spend your hard-earned money on expensive cosmetic treatments if you follow these simple steps to get healthy-looking skin:

Big pores? Shrink Them

Big pores provide easy access to dirt and grime thus increasing the chances of infecting the pore. Take a tablespoon of fresh tomato juice. Add two to four drops of fresh lime juice to this. Use a cotton ball to apply this mixture on your face. Massage it in circular motions. Leave it on for about 15 minutes and then wash off with cool water. Regular application will shrink pores greatly.

Acne healing

The acidity in tomatoes helps in reducing and clearing up your acne. Vitamin A and vitamin C are commonly found in a lot of acne medicines and tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. If you have mild acne, cut a tomato in half and apply the inside on your face. For severe acne mash a fresh tomato and use the pulp as a pack on the face. Leave it on for an hour. Rinse it off and moisturize. Do this on a regular basis or as many times as you can. Your acne is bound to dry off soon.

Astringent

If you have oily skin and struggle to keep your face from shining like a fried papad, tomato is the solution to your agony. Crush a fresh tomato and strain it. Make a little cucumber juice and add it to the tomato juice. Apply this juice with a cotton ball daily to control excessive oiliness and acne.

Good to eat, great to clean

A tomato and avocado mask works wonders on combination skin. This is because tomato works as an astringent as well as a blackhead and oil-reducing agent while avocados have an antiseptic and moisturizing effect. A pack of mashed tomatoes and avocados help in soothing and cleansing combination skin (oily and dry), as they are rich in vitamin A, C and E. Apply this pack and wash off after 20 to 30 minutes with lukewarm water.

Burns no more

Summer is fast approaching and with harsh summer comes burnt, inflamed skin. A lot of people's skin gets sun burnt, raw and itchy due to exposure to the sun. Crush half a tomato and mix it with two tablespoons of plain yogurt. Apply this concoction on face, neck, hands and feet. Wash it off after 20 minutes. Tomato cools the skin and neutralizes the surface while yogurt gives it a much needed protein boost while leaving it soft and supple.

Glowing skin

Mix honey with tomato juice until you get a thick paste. Apply this mixture and wash off after 15 minutes for smooth and glowing skin.

From

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/Tomato-for-clear-skin/articleshow/7686230.cms

My Recipeee - Ravva ponganalu

2 cups - MTR Rava idle mix…

4 cups - curd

2 onion – Chopped

3~4 green chillies finely chopped

1 corriander

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and keep aside for 15 min.

Keep the masalapoddu/ponganalu tawa on a low  flame for 10 min.

Pour the mix to the tawa and allow them for a golden brown color… and then turn the other side..

Serve ponganalu with either sauce or pickel.

Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s teacher

When I visited to a doctor’s place with my cousin I had seen ”Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s teacher” posted on the wall…..Wow what an insight into life… was thinking what on earth this person had experienced to get such an insight into life and also be able to consolidate them in such a simple language….I had read and read the letter so many times now….The more I read the more I feel like re-reading it…After reading it for so many times could not hold myself from sharing it……..also the more questions raised in my mind too….Had we ever thought or implemented any one of these in our life atleast once? What comes to you mind when you read this letter……go ahead and try…

“He will have to learn, I know,

That all men are not just,

All men are not true.

But teach him also that

for every scoundrel there is a hero;

that for every selfish politician,

there is a dedicated leader…

teach him for every enemy there is a friend.

Steer him away from envy,

if you can,

teach him the secret of

quiet laughter,

Let him learn early

that the bullies are the easiest lo lick,

Teach him, if you can,

the wonder of books…

But also give him quiet time

to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,

bees in the sun,

and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him

it is far honourable to fail

than to cheat…

Teach him to have faith

in his own ideas,

even if everyone tells him

they are wrong…

Teach him to be gentle

with gentle people,

and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son

the strength not to follow the crowd

when everyone is getting on the bandwagon…

Teach him to listen to all men…

but teach him also to filter

all he hears on a screen of truth,

and take only the good

that comes through.

Teach him if you can,

how to laugh when he is sad…

Teach him there is no shame in tears,

Teach him to scoff at cynics

and to beware of too much sweetness…

Teach him to sell his brawn

and brain to the highest bidders

but never to put a price-tag

on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears

to a howling mob

and to stand and fight

if he thinks he’s right.

Treat him gently,

but do not cuddle him,

because only the test

of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage

to be impatient…

let him have the patience to be brave.

Teach him always

to have sublime faith in himself,

because then he will have

sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,

but see what you can do

He is such a fine fellow,

my son!”

Amazing!! Isn’t?