mayurisjikoni

Its time for garbas and dandiyas      Navratri is back and will be over before we know it. Its time for fasting, prayers and dancing (garbas and dandiyas). Many   Hindu families abstain from meat and alcohol during this period. Some fast by having only one meal without garlic or onions. Some fast omitting pulses and grains from their diet. Some have only milk and fruit. I don't fast all 9 days but do fast on the 8th day of Navratri. Nav means nine and ratri means night. During these 9 nights and 10 days the Hindus worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga. The nine forms are Durga, Bhadrakali, Amba, Annapurna, Sarvamangala,Bhairavi, Chandika, Lalita and Bhavani. Different states of India celebrate Navratri in different ways. In the northern part of India navratras are usually celebrated by holding pooja and singing bhajans(devotional songs). In Gujarat and Mumbai, its usually celebrated with garbas and dandiyas. Durga Ma is worshipped for all 9 days in the eastern part...

where are the rains?     It's quite hot in Mombasa and it seems the cold weather had disappeared early. The rains have disappeared.  It rained a lot two weeks back and the Loreto Convent School ground, just next to our building got filled with huge puddles of water. A light drizzle didn't affect the children. It was fun watching them play in the rain. Little kids love to jump in the puddle oblivious of the consequences... wet shoes, socks, clothes. Its the gleeful laughter that is music to the ears. The trees all around appear lush green, the sea is all grey with a curtain of mist over it. I remember how we use to play in the rain during the monsoon. Our school, Sophia, Mt Abu was at the top of a steep slope. During the monsoon, rivulets would run down towards the main gate. We would stand in these rivulets, till a nun would appear and reprimand us for not being in the classrooms. A few years ago, I experienced the Mumbai monsoons for the first time and I hated the whole ...

Another Ekadashi delight    It always baffles me how for an Ekadashi fasting we tend to make so much variety of food. Well, I really am not complaining as I love Ekadashi or farali food. No wonder, I find it difficult to fast on just fruits. But perhaps one day I will be able to. Perhaps I should make the farali food the previous day and have it so on the actual day temptation is not playing havoc in my mind.     I recently made some pattis that Nunu use to make for Ekadashi. The filling is made from grated cucumber and fresh grated coconut. Unlikely combination but the patties is a delight to have with any chutney of your choice. Filling the potato outer covring with the crumbly filling is a bit fiddly but patience is all you require and a kitchen towel nearby to wipe your fingers frequently. CUCUMBER COCONUT PATTIS Makes about 8 medium size ones For the covering: 3 medium boiled and peeled potatoes (you will get about 2½ cups of mashed potato) 2 tbsp small sab...

On Ekadashi Day         It has been a while since I have blogged any exciting recipes specially for Ekadashi day. The usual fare is samo (moriyo) and a potato shaak (curry). I saw that raw bananas are in abundance at the market and decided to try out this recipe which I had noted down from can't remember where but left untried for eons. As they say there is a right place and right time for everything so perhaps I was meant to try out the recipe yesterday. I am glad I did and we had a filling, yummy dinner. I don't use raw bananas in my cooking so I was really surprised at how easily they get boiled and don't taste bad at all.                These pattis recipe is going to be one of my favourites and the paneer adds an exotic taste to it. With Janamashtami just round the corner, I am surely going to make these pattis again. Obviously you may add spices according to your taste, but mine turned out into a typical gujju one......