Thursday, November 19, 2009

Non-Veg Pickles ( Prawn, Chicken, Mutton )

The process for chicken, mutton and Prawn pickles is the same. Ingredients and quantity are also the same. So if you know how to make one, you can make them all.
Prawn Pickle

Take good-sized prawns of one and half kilo. After de-shelling, prawns will weigh about one Kilo. Devine the prawns and rinse in water at least three times. Keep them aside for some time till water drains off. Add a tsp of turmeric powder, 2 tsp of crystal salt, 2 tsp of ginger garlic paste and mix well. Place the contents in a large dry pan and simmer till water is completely evaporated.
Take 100 gms of coriander seeds ( Dhania ) and fry them in a dry pan with a low flame for 2 to 3 minutes till the aroma reaches you. Put the fried seeds away to cool. Add a finger length cinnamon stick ( Dalchini) and a dozen cloves ( lavangalu) and grind them to fine powder . Add a cup( about 100 gms ) of powdered crystal salt and a cup of chilly powder ( 100 gms ) and mix well. Heat 500 gms of groundnut oil in a deep pan. After oil is heated well, deep fry the prawns for about 2 to 3 minutes till they become slightly brown. It is better to take small portions of the prawns and deep fry them so as not to have the oil overflow from the pan. Add the fried prawns to the container which has the mixed powders. Take 4 spoonfuls ( about your handful) of ginger garlic paste and drop it gently into the simmering oil. Put out the flame of the stove. Let the ginger and garlic paste remain in the hot oil for a few minutes. Add the oil along with the paste to the prawns. Mix thoroughly. Take about 12 average sized lemons and squeeze the juice ( 50 to 60 ml). Strain the juice to separate seeds. Add the juice to the prawns while the oil soaked paste is still hot. Mix well. Let it cool. Do not put a lid on the container as it will condense the vapour to water drops and the pickle will get spoilt. Transfer the pickle to glass jars. Shelf life is 4 to 6 months.
Chicken & Mutton pickle
Chicken or mutton should be boneless. They should be cut into one to one and a half inch pieces. Process is same as prawn pickle. Only more time is needed for deep frying. About 5 minutes.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Obama Disappoints

What a disappointment Obama is !! Just a year ago the World watched every move of this man and prayed for his victory in the belief that he had the capacity to judge things from a global perspective and provide leadership to the World leaders. CHANGE and WE CAN were his slogans and like any other political slogans , they proved to be just that—a mere political catchy words that have no meaning once in power.
Nothing has changed, domestically or internationally. May be I should say no effort has been made to change anything even though circumstances provided the opportunity on a platter to Obama. The US banking and financial sector continues to rot in spite of gobbling up a trillion dollars of tax payers money, the greed of the CXOs continues to be obnoxious, yet nothing has changed. Except for sound bytes to the media on the salaries and bonuses of CXOs, nothing has changed. Even the much talked about health reforms seem to have taken a back seat. The Obama administration is clearly buckling under the pressure of these big corporations.
And now the last blow to all the believers in Obama. Obama has become the first US President in two decades not to welcome the Nobel peace prize winner to the White House since the Dalai Lama began visiting Washington. And this coming from the person who claims that Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent approach has influenced him to a large extent. Yet he refuses to meet the Buddhist monk and the spiritual leader of Tibet whose only demand is greater autonomy ( not separation ) and preservation of Tibetan culture, which China is systematically destroying. And why this refusal. Because of the pressure from China. So economic considerations outweigh all other factors.
The US President will meet with corrupt, murderous dictators, military junta heads, even embrace them, laugh with them, accept gifts from them, but NOT meet the Dalai Lama? The ultimate failure in honoring human rights and international relationships. And the ultimate disappointment for people like me world over.
Just a year ago during the primaries, Obama urged George W Bush to boycott the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony in protest against the bloody repression of a popular uprising in Tibet. “If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the President should boycott the opening ceremonies,” Obama said.
What a CHANGE !!
What a fall !!
What a disappointment Obama has turned out to be !!