vegie soup for the soul

INGREDIENTS:
3 c assorted vegetables: celery, cauliflower, potato, carrots...chopped into bite size pieces
water
3-6 T melted butter or ghee
1/8 t hing
1/4 t black pepper
1 t basil flakes
1 t oregano flakes
salt
1 t lemon juice (opt)

PREPARATION:
1. Add enough water to cover the vegetable in a medium sized pot. Add basil and oregano and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Mash a little bit to thicken, but keep it soupy.
2. Chaunce in the butter the hing. After the smell comes out, also chaunce a few seconds the black pepper, then pour into the soup
3. Add salt and lemon juice as desired

For some real "soul food", be sure to offer to Krishna before taking. Serve piping hot with wedges of freshly baked bread.

VARIATION: potato soup with fresh basil

Homemakers In Training

“Many girls enter marriage and motherhood without a clue as to what’s required, and they quickly fall into despair. We must tell our daughters of the sacrifices that homemaking demands—but also of the unsurpassed rewards it offers… 'Think of your daughter as your homemaking intern.'"
 
Many women who grew up during the 1960's hippie era, were caught between a generation  that did not pass on to them the things they really needed to know, thus making it very difficult for them to pass on those things to their own children. In fact, many women must spend a good deal of time just trying to figure things out while their children were growing up at a rapid pace. It's difficult to lead when still in training.

But it doesn't have to be that way with your daughters, nor your grandchildren and daughters-in-law. Here is a list of links from this blog that may help to prepare them for married life:

SUGGESTED GOALS:
By the time they are grown, daughters should be able to:

• show appreciation for a life of devotion within her domestic prescribed duties for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
• demonstrate practical skills needed for this aim
• demonstrate a servant attitude

SUGGESTED DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIVITIES MAY INCLUDE:
(the links give general ideas or ideas to start with)

1. LOVING THE LORD;
This involves development of the heart via:
Nine Ways
Sravanam
Kirtanam
Vishnoh Smaranam
Pada Sevanam
Arcanam
Vandanam
Dasyam
Sakhyam
Atma Nivedanam

2. MAKING YOURSELF INVALUABLE
This involves making a house a home, the foundations of a sane society:

Cooking Lessons
Godly Housekeeping
 
Arts and Crafts (Also 64 arts)
Simple Living Skills

3. RELATIONSHIP IS LIFE
This is what makes us persons, and its possible to make our relationships smoothe and happy. As girls mature the following topics of domestic devotion may be covered, as appropriate:
Know Your Duty
Happy Marriage Secrets
Dharma Patni Challenges
Mother Nurture (best learned assisting mother and or extended family and with younger siblings)
The Lives of Extraordinary Women

4. HEALTH IS WEALTH
Without it, all the above becomes difficult:
Health and Beauty Tips

Home Nursing
Spiritual Health

"Women should be very expert in cooking. That is their natural tendency. They should be educated how to cook nicely, how to please the husband, how to take care of children. This is Vedic civilization.' (Srila Prabhupada, Room conv. Baltimore July 7, 1976)

Cooking Lessons

Suggestions for our homemaking interns (one of these days, I may add links):

COOKING FOR KRISHNA
Three essentials

KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS
Healthy foods
Using what's available
Sattvic Foods
Ayurveda: Rasa, Vipaka, Virya, Prabhava

SHOPPING
Shopping and food selection, seasonal and local foods
A Bhoga Shopping List
 Reading Labels, "Natural Flavors"
 Food transport and storage

PLANNING
Menu Planning
Perishable items first
Variety, color, texture, tastes...
Food Combinations
Recipe Substitutes
Menu Suggestions

COOKING BASICS:
Reading a recipe- How to chaunce, braise, roast, mince, toast, stir fry, etc
Handy Cooking Tools
Collected Cooking Tips

HOMEMADE INGREDIENTS:
Butter (Makhan) and Buttermilk
Glorious Ghee
Making Yogurt
Fresh Cheese Making (Paneer)
Wheat Meat
Homemade Noodles,
Jam Making
Toasting Nuts
Fresh Peanut Butter
Garam Masala
Mango Powder (Amchoor)
Ginger Powder
Chili Powder
Powdered Sugar
Brown Sugar
Vanilla Sugar

BEVERAGES
Lassi
Strawberry Lassi
Strawberry Banana Nectar
When Life Hands You Lemons
Carob Banana Smoothie
What's Cool About Hot Milk
Avocado Milk Shake
Banana Lime Beverage
Buttermilk

BREADS AND PANCAKES
Chapati
Paratha
Stuffed Paratha
Quick Radish Paratha
Puris
Banana Puri
Atta Dosa
Corn Wheat Dosas
Pudla
Urd Dahl Dosa
Grilled Cheese Chapati
Bread Making
Sweet Pancakes
Muffins
Fluffy Biscuits
Corn Bread; Fried Corn Bread

CEREALS AND RICE
Vegie rice
Vegie rice variations
Spinach rice
Upma
Kichari Step by Step
Vegetarian Nutloaf
Granola

DAHLS AND SOUPS
Split Pea Dahl
Toor Dahl with Eggplant and Tomato
Mung Soup
Toasted Mung Bean Soup
Besan Yogurt Soup
Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Bean Soup
Chili Non Carne
Chickpea of the Sea
Vegie Soup for the Soul
Urd Dahl with Tomatoes
Potato Soup

SUBJIS
Spinach with Paneer
Spinach with Potato
Broccoli Subji
Okra Tomato Subji
Eggplant, Chickpea and Tomato
Tomatoes with Paneer and Yogurt
Pumpkin and Potato Subji
Broccoli and Peas in Tomato
Cauliflower Tomato Subji with Fresh Basil

APPETIZERS
Ginger Candy
Bitter Melon Recipes - stuffed, stir fried, and deep fried

CHUTNEY
Plum  (or Cranberry) Chutney
Tamarind Chutney
Coriander Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Mango Chutney
Coconut Chutney
Apple Chutney
Pineapple Chutney
Banana Chutney

PASTA
Homemade Noodles in Tomato Sauce
Past with Stir Fried Vegies

RAITAS AND SALADS
Spinach Raita
Banana Raita
Tomato Raita
Potato Coconut Raita
Long Bean and Coconut Salad
Cucumber Raita
Chickpea Raita
Salad Dressings
Salad Combinations

DESSERT
bananas 'n cream
carob peanut butter halava
carob brownies
fruit fritters
apple samosa
mango dream
cranberry cake with golden sauce
sandesh
kheer
burfi
malpoura
halava
simple shrikhand
apple crisp
apple sauce
cheese cake
carob chip cookies
stuffed dates

EKADASI FAVORITES
curd patties
Potato Pizza
Hash Browns
carrot halava
Potato Tikkis
Stir Fried Vegies

SNACKS AND SAVORIES
Vegetable Samosa
Chidwa
Popcorn making step by step
Iddlis
Cauliflower Pakoras
Pumpkin Pakoras
Dokla
Quick pizza
Vaadas

MORE ABOUT COOKING
Creating Garnishes 
Cooking Quantity
Tasty Take-outs
Outdoor Cooking

cranberry chutney

For the perfect vegetarian Thankgiving feast:

INGREDIENTS:
(serves 100)
32 cups fresh cranberries
water for blending
5 T ghee
3 T grated ginger
4-8 crushed dried chilis (or 4 t chili seeds)
8 t coriander powder
10 c sugar

PREPARATION:
Blend the cranberries
Chaunce in ghee the ginger. When just beginning to brown add the chilis and cook until ginger is fully browned. Add the coriander powder. Stir and immediately add the blended cranberries. Add the sugar. Cook until thick.

pumpkin and potato subji

Got pumpkin? Try this recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

4 c fresh pumpkin, cubed
4 c potato, cubes
3 T ghee
1/2 t mustard seeds,
1 t kalonji seeds (available at asian grocery)
1 cinnamon stick, 

1/4 t hing
2 cardamom pod seeds
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves (opt)
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t fenugreek seeds
1 c yogurt
1 t ground roasted cumin
1/4 t chili powder
1/2 t turmeric

1/2 t sugar
2/3 c water
1 t lemon juice


PREPARATION:
1. Chaunce in ghee the mustard seeds, kalonji seeds, and cinnamon stick. When mustard starts popping add hing, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, coriander, fenugreek seeds and yogurt and pumpkin and potatoes in quick succession.
2. Add the cumin, chili powder, turmeric, sugar and water. Stir and bring to a boil.
3. Then lower the heat, cover and cook until the vegies are tender.
4. Stir in lemon juice.

VARIATION: pumpkin and potato w/ peas and cauliflower
1 t mustard, 2 cloves, 1/2 t fenugreek, 1/4 t hing, 1 t coriander, 1 t gr. roasted cumin, 1/2 t bl. pepper, 1/2 t turmeric, 1 t brown sugar

Don't feel like cutting up and peeling a pumpkin? Bake it semi tender first, peel and chop and add to the potatoes when near done.

potato and spinach (aloo shak)

INGREDIENTS:

2 bunches of spinach, washed and chopped

1-2 potatoes, peeled and chopped small (smaller than pictured makes crispier taters)

2 T ghee
1/4 t yellow hing

1/4 t black pepper

1 t coriander powder

pat of butter (opt)
squeeze of lemon juice (opt)

salt

PREPARATION:

Chaunce the ghee with hing, black pepper and coriander powder. Add the potatoes and stir fry a few minuts on medium high heat until they begin to shrink and slightly brown. Add the spinach and turn down the heat to cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add salt, as desired

VARIATION: deep fry the potatoes in ghee first and then toss them in at the end of cooking.

potato patties

(Also called "tikkis")
INGREDIENTS:
4 potatoes
1 t ground roasted cumin
1/2 t black pepper
1 T grated ginger
1 T chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/2 t turmeric
pinch of cayenne
1 T lemon juice
salt, as desired
1/4 c fine pearl tapioca, soaked for 1/2 hr. and drained
1 T arrowroot powder (optional)
ghee for pan frying

PREPARATION:
1. Boil the potatoes until done. Cool a bit and peel and mash.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
3. Form into patties and pan fry until brown on each side.

These may also be deep fried like tater tots. Make sure the ghee is almost smoking. If the mixture is not holding together, use the arrowroot. Do not stir until beginning to brown.

A SIMPLER VARIATION Use as desired:
fresh jalapeno chillies, finely chopped
chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley
ground black pepper
salt
lemon juice (opt)

Both varieties can also be pan fried in ghee rather than deep fried.

olive oil lamp

This little lamp came in handy this evening after a major power outage. Gave a bright, steady light.

DIY Olive Oil Lamp

I used an old candle holder and filled it part way with olive oil (I've tried soybean oil before this, but it gave off a strong odor). I made my wick from a strip of an old 100% cotton dhoti and twisted it, soaked it in salt water and dried it. For wire, I used an extra long piece of wire from the grocery store that was used to hold a bunch of broccoli together. I burned the paper off of it first and let it cool before handling.

It burns slowly and well. For more light, I just pull up more wick. Only problem may be getting whats labeled 100% pure olive oil but is mixed with low grade oils by the manufacturer anyway. In any case, use oil lamps in a well ventilated area.

See The Olive Oil Scam

Yikes! Blueberry Stains!

After a grand feast, I discovered a blueberry stain on a favorite sari. What to do? The stain has already dried on. An Internet search suggested:

"Flush the stain with cool water as soon as possible. Mix 1 tbsp. of white vinegar with ½ tsp. liquid laundry detergent and 1 qt. of cool water. Soak the stain in the solution for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water. Inspect clothing to see if any trace of the stain remains. If the stain isn't gone, dip a sponge in rubbing alcohol, blot and gently rub the stain until it lightens. Rinse the item thoroughly, then launder using chlorine bleach if it's safe for the fabric."

This helped after soaking a long time, but the best and simplest advice was this:

"To remove blueberry stains from clothes drench the stain with vinegar then pour boiling water over the stain. The stain will disappear before your eyes!"

OR

It is recommended to simply stretch the stained clothing over a heat proof bowl and secure it with a rubber band. Then pour the boiling water (carefully -- you don't want to burn yourself!) over the stained area, at a height of 2-3 feet. Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone.

Launder as usual.

Well, I'm glad to say the above worked, and best of all, I have a new stain removal tip to add to my collection!

Krishna's Blessings

Don't feel like cleaning? Here's some inspiration:
(Author Unknown)

Thank you Lord for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to
eat. Thank you for this pile of dirty laundry; we have plenty of nice
clothes to wear.

And I would like to thank you Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so
warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no bed.

My thanks to you Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered
mess, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory; they are so convenient.

Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so
badly; it has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold
drinks and enough food for two or three meals. Thank you Lord, for
this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today; it has baked so many
things over the years.

The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing and the
lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard. Thank you Lord, even for
that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play.

Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says; You have richly
blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings; Thank you
Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as
possible, Thank you Lord, that I can see. There are many who are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, Thank you Lord, that I
have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast
is burned, tempers are short and my children so loud, Thank you Lord, for
my family. There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines
and the menu is at times not balanced, Thank you Lord, for the food we
have. There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous, Thank you Lord, for
the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.

Even though I may grumble and bemoan my fate sometimes and wish my
circumstances were different, thank you Lord for life. Lord, Thank You!

burlap bag pillow (and more)

We get a lot of large burlap bags from the temple that the basmati rice comes packaged in. The two pictured here were extra large and each had a zipper closing, so I took them home and let them sit around awhile, waiting to see if any ideas how to use them came up. Then, right before I was going to let them go, I hit upon an idea to stuff them and turn them into pillow casings.

All that was needed was some filling, which I already had on hand (well, I had enough to at least fill one pillow fully) and some pillow cases for covering the filled bags:

Voila! A burlap pillow:

LATER NOTE: A really great way to have on the cheap pillow fillers: Got an old blanket with cover torn up? Remove the cover and fold the filling to fit the pillow. A great way to store it, too, in case you want to sew a whole new, beautiful patchwork cover to recover it later.

TWO MORE USES FOR BURLAP BAGS: Makes a nice drain pad for pots and dishes to air dry. Also the zipper kind make a great way to store potatoes! 

barats in yogurt

Also called "peef" (when made with split peas) as a beef substitute or found in other dishes such as with tomatoe sauce, barats are easy to make. My favorite variation is to use whole mung beans:

INGREDIENTS:
1 c whole mung beans or split peas
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t hing (asafoetida)
1/2 t turmeric
1 t salt

PREPARATION:
1. Soak the beans overnight. Drain.
2. Grind the soaked beans in a food grinder or blender with a little water.
3. Add all the spices and mix well.
4. Scoop up with fingers or a tablespoon small batches of ground beans

and deep fry until brown and firm.

5. Soak in yogurt until softened. Offer to Krishna.

VARIATIONS: try split peas instead of mung

vegetable samosa

INGREDIENTS:
For the dough:
4 c atta or fine wheat flour
1 t salt
8 T melted butter or ghee
cold water

For the filling:
3 potatoes, chopped
1/2 small cauliflower, chopped
1 c fresh peas
5 T ghee
1 T grated fresh ginger
2 t cumin seeds
1/4 t asafoetida
1 t fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 t turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon salt, as desired
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Also:
ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying

PREPARATION:
1. Rub the butter or ghee into the flour until like fine crumbs. Add enough cold water to make a nice dough similar to puris. Not sticky nor too dry but nicely pliable. Set aside covered while preparing the filling.
2. Chaunce in ghee the fresh ginger and cumin seeds until brown, quickly add remaining spices and then the vegetables. Stir a few minutes to coat with spices and cook the vegetables. Then cover and cook with a little water until done. Set aside to cool
3. There are different ways to make samosas. My favorite is to fill up a round of dough (rolled out like puris) and twist it closed manually. I think there's less chance of breakage from an improperly closed seal. Also less gadgets to mess with.
Another method is to use a mold or a machine for a neater finish:


4. Deep fry samosas in a wok with ghee until golden brown. Drain excess ghee and then offer to Krishna  hot with a favorite chutney.