Ramadan Kareem!

Assalamualaikum :)

Ramadan...the most blessed month of the islamic year has arrived. Days of fasting and feasting has begun.

In this part of the world, the phrase used to greet during Ramadan, is 'Ramadan Kareem' meaning 'Ramadan is generous'. So here is wishing yall Ramadan Kareem ....enjoy the month !!!!

The most prominent event of this month is the fasting practiced by observant Muslims. In addition to this, they are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Simi, you would be the rite person to share the significance of this month.....pls do! I still remember how you used to go and stay outside the classroom while we gobbled down our lunch during those ramadan days.

I had been to Iftar(fast-breaking) manya times.Iftar is done right after Maghrib (sunset) time. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during Iftar when the fast is broken. A wide variety of food is also served. It is a belief that feeding someone Iftar as a form of charity is very rewarding.

So friends 've a blessed month :)

Stressed out ?

R u all 'ving a busy day ????


Do you wish to stay fresh and lively all day long ? who doesn't ! hers is a simple tip to achieve the same. Take a moment to relax, by closing ur eyes. Now we are cutting our senses which connect us with the world around us. Remain calm and take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale. Focusing on this process (air in and out) can help calm our mental activity. It soothes your body and mind and you feel rejuvenated. It can b done any time of the day whether you are @ ur workplace or in the midst of doing household chores or while studying. Repeat the same when u r stressed out, thus regenerating freshness in life.

So friends, try this relaxation technique - its as simple as it sounds.


've a great day :)

Twin cats ...r they ?

How cute !!! see how well r they posing for my camera. seems to b enjoying long naps in this humid weather. i clicked this one myself while we went on a walk around the corniche...

Happy Monday, everyone !

plugged in!

Whats new in iPhone ? it sure has once again refueled the raging mobile battle. Its for us to wait 'n see how these hottest competitors manage to score over iPhone.

Well thats not the issue here. me and my hubby almost suffered nomophobia ("no mobile" phobia) the last coupla days.

My 3 yr old nokia mobile is suddenly dead. it juz wouldn't detect signal. we had given it @ the Nokia care and was really disappointed to find out that it is damaged beyond repair.

Now see the kinda unity, my sweetheart lost his mobile phone while we were on our weekend outing. Though we went bak and pinned the whole place it was of no use. we did register a complaint with the security in-charge of the mall. and first thing that came to mind was to call the operator's service centre and block the simcard. we were more upset about the invaluable collection of contacts and photos that we took & never bothered to upload.

we all 've become so dependent on our mobiles that discovering it is out of charge or simply misplacing it sends stress levels soaring.

Left with no other option, we bought for ourselves Sony Ericsson Walkman Mobiles. Here it is ....take a look @ them....and my hubby announces that its a b'day gift for me well in advance.....so that means i shall not b recvn any surprise gifts for my b'day on the 17th of sept. poor me :(

Holding my new pink phone am all dressed in black still mourning the death of my sweetie-nokia flip open phone .....i miss u ...i really do!!!

MeatPuttu

-For chicken Mixture-


minced chicken 1 cup [ any meat can be used ]
Onion chopped 2 nos
Tomato chopped 1 no
Ginger chopped finely ¼ tsp
Garlic chopped finely ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Fenugreek pwd 1 pinch
Garam masala pwd ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil

Saute all of the above items except chicken.Keep stirring until the raw smell disappears. And now add minced chicken and let it cook well. It should b in a dry form once it is done. Add chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves in the end.

-For Puttu -

Rice flour 2 cups; Grated coconut 4 table spoons; Water -required qty (around 1/2 cup)

Salt to taste

Add salt & water to the rice flour & mix in required consistency. It should neither be too wet nor too dry. In a puttu maker, layer 2 tsp grated coconut, rice mixture, then the meat stuff, again rice mix then grated coconut & steam till done!!

It sure is a simple recipe ...delicious too :).

Tranquility

Am enjoying the stillness of this moment

Free from fears and worries

Complete absence of noise and interruption

An exemption from quarrels and war

A state of being contented

I wish it's an unceasing state !!!!

Bachna Ae Haseeno - Ranbir Rocks :)

Rating- ****

Try hard as you can.......lekin bachna mushkil hain. A thoroughly enjoyable movie after a long time and a fresh one too. Just no way you can miss it.

The guy is too cool, sweet, sexy 'n smart. You just fall in love with this 'killer'(thts wat he calls himself) again and again. Really didn't expect so much from him after seeing his performance in saawariya.

The three ladies look great and sure has given their best shot, be it Minisha Lamba, Bipasha Basu or Deepika Padukone.

You can see Kunnal Kapoor in a cameo. And no doubt Hiten Paintal has done a good job.

With Exotic locations, melodious songs and rite amount of fun and sentimental stuff its sure to hit the chart.

"Khuda Jaane" magnificently picturised with Ranbir and Deepika is the best romantic track. Also loved "Jogi Mahi" which is a foot-tapping and peppi number. The title track "bachna ae haseeno" creates history with raps added in b/w giving the song the much needed zing for the generation next!

So guys.....wat r u waiting for.....go 'n 've some fun.

Anyone can cook .....(watch 'Ratatouille' to learn more ;)

I'm not a chef. I'm not a professional cook. But I love what happens when you serve up delicious food from your own kitchen. Cooking is really about love and connection.

I never knew how to cook a decent meal until i got married. My husband is my biggest admirer. He has always appreciated my innovations and thats what motivates me to experiment more delicious and interesting recipes.

The secret of Indian cooking lies in the blending of spices and your instinct. That is why one would notice that the same dish prepared by different people, tastes different. A well-cooked meal is simply a vehicle to deeper friendships, fascinating conversation, family together time 'n so on....

Here is something special(sambar 'n Avial) from my own kitchen prepared today exclusively for my preggy neighbour......

I love food and feeding others too :).

Getting bak on track...

A Big 'Hi' to all those who checked in b/w for an update .......am bak friends :)

I luv vacationing. But looks like i need a vacation to recover from the vacation ;). This time it was too short and hectic too. I'm really exhausted. The one big tip that i wanted to share was this - give ur health first priority when u have those hectic vacation schedules.

Sure had fun meeting up with friends-long time friends indeed.Moments .......wonderful! hope u gals(LAKSHMI,MANJU, DEEPA 'N SIMI) feel the same. do add in ur comments pls... I know that I'm not the only one who looks back on my college days as a wonderful time in my life. My college years are yellow with time and age, but I remember them as being the best of my teens .Without a doubt I had a blast. This day we 5 met was truly a wonderful gift. Believe it or not, though we look different now, we still sound the same. Hey gals, how fun it was juz to discuss philosophical issues into the evening.

I will write soon about what I saw and took away from my trip besides just having fun in rain.

I'm really looking forward to my next VACATION......

Lemme get some rest ..bi for now.....b bak soon ......