Art Gallery/Store

Today is Akshaya Tritiyai. It is one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar which brings us luck and success. On this special day, I would like to introduce a deity maker and decorator to you all. He is none other than my Grandpa, Mr. Seshadrinath. He is a retired school principal and teacher. After his retirement, his passion for making idols turned into a full time job. Over the years he has made innumerable pieces that have been a sell out. Apart from adorning idols, he also writes wonderful poems. He is really gifted with so many talents!

He began with the figure of Lord Srinivasa. Initially he was carving out the figure from thermacole and used cloth, zari and beads to beautify the pieces. Now he has started using ceramic, papier mache, plaster of Paris and plastic which are long lasting. The process then involves pasting of beads of various colors, sparkling stones, jewellery, silk cloth(my grandpa shops for these materials himself) over the mould. The devotees are awed by Mr. Seshadrinath's intricate works and authentic representations of idols. A huge image(4 feet tall) of Sri Srinivasa and Goddess Ranganayaki that Mr.Seshadrinath made recently is a masterpiece! Many hotels and famous shops(like GRT, Vasantha Bavan) in Chennai have displayed idols made by my grandpa.

Sri Srinivasa and Goddess Ranganayaki(4 feet tall)

Not to forget scented and sandalwood soaps he uses for carving miniatures of elephants and the like.

Lord Rama

Lord Muruga

Goddess Saraswathi

Vajrakavacham

Each medium-sized deity takes a month to be completed and the time he gets between one order and another, Mr. Seshadrinath utilizes to get earrings, neckpieces and zari for the deities. The price starts from $250 and varies from one idol to another. If you are genuinely interested in buying any idol, please contact seshadrimay1[at]rediffmail[.]com

A few months back, an article about my grandpa was published on Hindu.
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/11/14/stories/2008111451330500.htm

All pictures are copyrighted. Please ask me first!

Badam Ragi Malt(almond-fingermillet porridge)

Ragi malt makes a perfect breakfast item. It can keep you full until lunch time. I added some MTR's badam mix to give a twist to this drink.

Serves 1

Ingredients:
Ragi flour(fingermillet flour)-3-4 tsp
MTR's badam mix(or powdered almond)-1 tsp
Sugar-2 tsp
Milk- 1 glass
Cardamom-1/4 tsp

Method:
Heat milk in a pan.
Mix ragi with 1/2 cup of water and whisk well with a fork so that there are no lumps.
When milk starts to boil, add the ragi paste, badam mix, sugar and cardamom. Simmer for 2 minutes and serve hot.

And this goes to my event: 15minute Cooking - May 20th

Spinach Thoran

I hosted some friends for lunch on Easter. Being a dessert lover, I prepared the menu in reverse order, beginning with egg-shaped mini chocolate cakes soaked with framboise eau-de-vie and drizzled with ganache.



For the main course, I made basmathi rice, spinach thoran (sauted spinach), and fish mappas (mild fish curry). I was a little worried about serving the thoran after one of my guests said that she tries to avoid spicy food! Turns out, I had no reason to fret. It was the star of the meal.

If you're looking for a flavorful way to make spinach (a superfood with lots of potassim), try my mom's recipe included below. A few tips:

• Twelve cups of spinach may sound like a lot, but it shrinks considerably when cooked.
• Dry out the spinach leaves before cooking them or you'll end up with a soggy dish.
• Increase the heat to medium high when you add the spinach or, again, you'll end up with soggy spinach.
  
• You'll develop the best flavor profile using fresh spinach. However, to save time, you can substitute the fresh spinach with three cups of frozen spinach (that has been thawed). Start with step 2 if you use frozen spinach. Substitute step 5 with: "Add the thawed spinach and cook until it begins to loosen. Stir to blend the spinach and onion mixture."

SPINACH THORAN

2009 Cardamom Kitchen LLC All Rights Reserved

Serves 5 t0 6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon urad dhal

1 cup finely sliced onion

2 dried red chilies

12 packed cups fresh spinach

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds

Dash of turmeric powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Wash and drain the spinach. Set it aside to dry or pat the leaves with a paper towel to absorb excess water. Chop.

2) Heat the oil in a large saute pan on low heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover.

3) When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the urad dhal. Cook until the dhal turns light brown.

4) Add the onion and red peppers. Increase heat to medium and cook until the onions are translucent.

5) Add the spinach. Increase the heat to medium high. Cover and cook until the leaves begin to wilt. Stir to blend the spinach and onion mixture.

6) Add the garlic powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, and stir. Continue to cook until the spinach is completely wilted.