Support This Proposed Legislation

Here's some proposed legislation I just heard about that would make enormous strides toward repairing the broken remodeling sector.

It's called the
Home Improvements Revitalize the Economy (HIRE) Act

About the Legislation

In bipartisan legislation, congressmen Henry Johnson (D-GA) and Nathan Deal (R-GA) are sponsoring the Home Improvements Revitalize the Economy (HIRE) Act to provide tax deductions and credits designed to stimulate the purchase of kitchen cabinets and other remodeling and home furnishing improvements. The products would have to be installed in the taxpayer's primary residence, and the credits would apply to existing homes, not new construction.

Cocooning homeowners saved the nation from the recession we are enduring right now after the Dot-Com Bust and 9/11. You can do the same again by making your homes more energy efficient and providing paychecks for a big industry.

Widespread spending on home improvement is a real economy booster.

This proposed legislation may be just the ticket to break the logjam and get our economy moving again now that we know we're not over the cliff.

I suggest you contact your Congressperson today and voice your support for this bill.

Peggy

Bittergourd/Parikkai Palya

I have grown up eating all kind of veggies. There is no veggie that I completely avoid, i.e to say the veggies that I is cooked in my house. My appa was very particular about that. He did not want to hear us saying "I don't like this". Later on, knowing about the goodness of bitter gourd/parikkai, I see to that its included in our diet often. I am used to pitlai and dry subzis of this veggie. When Sia announced RCI, I was going through the bookmarked recipes from Sia for the on going RCI- Udupi/Mangalore at her blog and decided to try this. It turned out be very tasty and was enjoyed by all. Its very easy to make.





You need

Bittergourd/Parikkai/Pavakka - 2 medium sized
Tamarind - small lime sized
Jaggery - 2 tblspn
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn

Dry Roast and powder
Sesame seeds - 1 1/2 tblspn
Urad dal - 1/2 tblspn
Coriander seeds - 1 tblspn
Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
Red chilly - 4 nos
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

To temper
Oil - 1 tblpsn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Hing - few shakes
Curry leaves -few


Roast the spices together and coconut separately. Cool and grind the spices and coconut together with out water.

Wash and chop the bitter gourd into bite sized pieces. I used a variety which is light green in color and less bitter. So I chopped and used it right away. Else follow Sia's tips to lessen the bitterness. Mix the bitter gourd, salt, tamarind extract, turmeric and 1/2 cup of water and MW for 10 minutes. Check if it is cooked well. Else keep for another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the powdered coconut-spice mix and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes till it is dry. Season with the tempering ingredients and serve with hot rice or rotis. Its spicy and has a slight sweet tinge from the coconut and jaggery. Tamarind and jaggery helps to mellow down the bitterness to some extent.

Mango Cho. Mousse Cake

Rushing back home to get these done for a birthday boy as promised. Things that always done in a rush would never be perfect especially from my hand. I didn't made it nicely and it's definitely not looking good which you could see the edges didn't nicely ummold, so I cover around the edges with a piece of transparent cakes wrapping paper. I was quite disappointed at first, however the taste make me feel better. The mango and chocolate mousse give a special taste which had balance up the sweetness. It's somehow quite refreshing! Anyway, I hope the boy will like it. I make it in a 16cm round mould and two of 5cm chef rings, so the two leave it for me and my other half :P

P/S: If you like the recipe please let me know and give me some time to post it up here ok. Cheers!

Recipe extracted from 不用模型做点心

Recipe for the chocolate sponge (35cm x 35cm): 5 whole large eggs / 125g sugar / 1g salt / 100g plain flour / 2g baking soda / 15ml oil / 50ml milk /20g cocoa powder

1. Mix the oil, milk and cocoa powder until a smooth thick paste.
2. Whip the eggs and gradually add in sugar. Whip until very light pale yellow color.
3. Fold in shifted plain flour and baking soda. Do this gently.
4. Fold in cocoa paste (1) until well combine. Pour into a baking pan lined with baking paper. Bake at 200'C preheated oven for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the cake together with the baking paper onto a wire rack to cool down.

Recipe for the chocolate mousse: 20g egg yolks / 30g sugar / 80ml melted butter / 150g dark chocolate (melted) / 250ml whipped cream

1. Whisk the egg yolk and sugar on a double boiler until pale in color and thicken. Mix in the melted butter.
2. Add the melted dark chocolate to the egg yolk mixture, mix until well combine.
3. Fold in the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Recipe for the mango mousse: 200ml mango puree / 70g sugar / 20ml lemon juice / 3 pieces gelatines / 300ml whipped cream

1. Put the gelatines into a bowl of cold water. Wait until it soften.
2. In another sauce pan, warm the mango puree and sugar until the sugar dissolved.
3. Drain the gelatines and add into the warm mango puree.
4. Wait until the mango puree slightly cool down, fold in the whipped cream.

To assemble the cake:

1. Cut out two pieces of chocolate sponge. Place one at the bottom of a cake mould or chef ring then fill in the chocolate mousse.
2. Add another layer of chocolate sponge on top of the mousse then add the mango mousse.
3. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before unmold the cake.