Wheat rava idly from Vcuisine

I was familiar with rava idly but not out of wheat rava. When I saw Viji akka's post on Wheat rava idly, I decided the menu for Sunday breakfast. Usually, Sunday breakfast is puttu/kadala. If for some reasons, I am not making it, then the other option is gothumba rava upuma. So, the same ingredients ( i also add veggies to the upma ), but cooked differently. The addition of crushed pepper corns gives a nice flavor to the idlis. Needless to say, all liked this idli version. I followed Viji akka's recipe to the T except one substituion.I am giving the recipe for the benefit of non-readers of Vcuisine (since it is private) and also for my future referance.

For the batter

Slightly roasted wheat rava (Godumbai Rava) - 2 cups

Urad dal powder - 2 tblspn

Salt

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Baking soda - 1/2 tspn

If you don't have urad dal powder handy, soak 2 tblspn of dal for 30 minutes or so and grind to a smooth paste. Mix urad dal powder in 1/2 cup water without forming any lumps. Add the remaining water and stir in the wheat rava and salt. Mix well and ferment it for 6 hrs or leave it overnight.

Seasoning

oil+ghee - 2 tbspn

grated ginger - 1 tspn

hing powder - 1/2 tspn

coarsely crusheed pepper corns and jeera - 1 tspn

curry leaves

Veggies that can be used - Peas (fresh ones tastes good), diced carrot, capsicum, fresh maize. I used only fresh peas and carrot.

Before preparing the idlis, do the seasoning.

Take a skillet and add oil+ghee. Add the seasoning as given. Finally add the chopped veggies and cook for a minute.

Stir the seasoned veggies to the idli batter. Add 1/2 tspn of baking soda to the batter. (The original recipe says Eno fruit salt)

Spoon the batter into greased idli moulds. Steam cook for 10-15 mts. Serve with any chutney of your choice.

Tomato Ginger Thokku

I adapted tomato ginger thokku also from Viji akka's recipe. Since I was lazy to extract the juice from ginger, I grinded blanched tomatoes along with chopped ginger and proceeded with her recipe

Take a skillet and do the seasoning. Add sesame oil. Add mustard , curry leaves, hing powder. Add the tomato-ginger puree and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the spices - 1/2 tspn of red chilly powder, fenugreek and mustard powder each. Continue cooking till oil starts floating. Yes its really an easy spicy thokku.

Curd Rice or Bagala Bath

Nothing is as comforting and filling as curd rice. When I was in chennai, I used to go to "Grands Sweets"(famous sweets stall in chennai) just to have curd rice(they used to give everyone for free as a sample). It was so delicious that I wanted to make it just like they did. I have heard that their secret ingredient is - butter. Yes they add butter and mix it with rice, yogurt and other flavour enhancing ingredients like grated ginger, greenchllies, hing, curry leaves, grated cucumber and coriander leaves. Once in a while you can enjoy this meal without any feeling of guilt!

Measurement:

Cook one cup of rice and add a table spoon of butter while mixing yogurt and other ingredients.

The Five Stages of Kitchen Product Purchasing

Back in the Fall of 2007 I read an article about the Five Stages of Kitchen Remodeling, part of a larger report, called Homesight 2007, by Oregon-based CNW Research, in NKBA's Profiles Magazine. This study is not public, but commissioned by Meredith Publishing (BH&G).

CNW conducts exhaustive market research into consumer spending and Homesight 2007 is all about consumer spending in the area of residential remodeling. Their study is based on over 3 million remodeling projects and over one million respondents.

The article, from "THE CONSUMER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE" was written by Tom Troland, Meredith Research Solutions; and Art Spinella, CNW Research.

I scanned it at the time with interest as blogfodder and am finally getting back to commenting on the study results.

Unfortunately Profiles Magazine does not have an online version; so this is going to involve LOTS of typing (sigh). I will condense and paraphrase as best I can.

A. There is a PROCESS to decisionmaking about all home improvement projects. The process is the same regardless of the size of the project.

B. Women regard kitchen remodels as the PREMIER project they can undertake in their homes (Men go for entertainment spaces and finished basements).

C. Women take responsibility for most decisionmaking for a kitchen remodel.

D. The process of product selection is a learning curve. Decisionmaking is more VOLATILE in a kitchen remodel than in any other room in the house, with consumers changing their minds many times as they get educated in the process.

E. The average duration of a kitchen remodel, from first inkling to completion is two years...many take longer. (I just got an email from Edie in San Francisco, who has been planning for eight years).

F. Kitchen remodeling consumers are most influenced in their decisions by retailers.

G. "Empty Nesters" and "Mature Families" are most likely to undertake a kitchen remodel.

H. Shoppers should be aware of the "status quotient" that different brands project and how they affect their decisions.

I. The difference between estimated budget and what is spent is +13-14%, regardless of project size.

THE SHOPPING PROCESS

STAGE 1. NEEDS ASSESSMENT (five weeks)

Projects often start small and escalate. A need for a new major appliance,
for instance, can precipitate a kitchen remodel if other conditions are right.

Wish List created.

Magazines are the major resource for ideas.

More than 50% create a project folder at this stage.

19 project categories and 52 brands considered.

STAGE 2. PRODUCT COMPARISONS (four weeks)

More product categories, but brands are narrowed.

STAGE 3. FEATURES COMPARISONS (six weeks)

In this stage products expand to 28 and brands to 75!

Frenetic shopping!

Learning - seeking advice.

THE DECISION IS MADE ON WHETHER THE PROJECT WILL CONTINUE OR NOT...
The tipping point.

Brands still on the wish list have a good chance of being purchased.
Brands already dropped have little chance.

STAGE 4. DESIGN AND STYLE COMPARISONS (five weeks)

25 products, 35 brands (almost 1 for 1)

choices and focus narrowing.

Criteria are set.

"Style" for overall project is set.
No longer open to change.
Salespeople who "won't listen" risk losing the sale.

STAGE 5. PRICE COMPARISONS (five weeks)

19 products, 21 brands.

Store visits.

Can wish list meet budget goals?

Does delivery time impact the choices?

Should project be postponed or delayed?

Even at this late stage in the game,
fully 1/3 of all home remodeling
projects will be delayed up to five years.
Of those delayed,
17% will never be completed in full.

So. This is what is known about the "process" and selling to the kitchen remodeling products consumer. If you are reading this on my blog, this probably means YOU.

Now you know why magazines focusing on kitchen remodeling are all women-centric;>D

It's interesting to me that the only mention of DESIGN is Stage 4: Design & Style Comparisons. I don't think Design in that sense means spaceplanning and design, so I'm really not quite sure where such an all-important part of the "process" gets done???

My advice: Do the spaceplanning and design first and save yourself a lot of headaches. Most of the above frenetic running around and getting educated is really moot when you are working with an experienced designer who can guide you, partner with you and help you achieve your budget.

Peggy