Namma Chennai!!

I cant remember where i got this poster from.. its the best i hv come across! enjoy folks!

How to make Vegetable Lasagne

Thanks to me being in UK, I could learn this Italian Dish. An extremely heavy, yummy, and cheesy main dish! Try it out!

Serves: 3

Ingredients:
Lasagne strips - 4 (depending on the size of your baking dish)
Mozarella cheese - 300 gms (shredded)
(TIP: you can use a mix of cheddar, parmesan and mozarella instead of using Mozarella alone)


Veggies:
Carrots - 1 cup
Cauliflower - 1 cup
Peas - 1 cup
Cabbage - 1/2 cup
Oregano seasoning - 1-2 teaspoons
Salt - just a pinch

White Sauce:
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Maida - 1 tablespoon
Milk - 1 cup
Pepper powder - a pinch


Method:

To make the white sauce:
1. In a dry pan, add butter, maida and pepper powder and fry the maida till it turns light brown.
2. Add Milk and keep stirring in low flame till it becomes a thick paste.
3. Add about 1/4 cup cheese and stir till it melts.

For the veggies:
1. Cut the veggies into small cubes.
2. Boil them (with salt) in the microwave for about 10 mins till they are half-cooked.
3. Drain the water and add oregano seasoning. Mix well.

* Once the veggies and the white sauce are ready, grease a baking dish with butter.
* Pre-heat the Oven.
* Add a layer of vegetables, cover the layer with a layer of thick white sauce.
* Place lasagne strips on the white sauce layer.
* Repeat the vegetable and white sauce layers.
* After the final layer of white sauce, add grated cheese. Make sure it covers the whole top surface.
* Bake in the oven at about 200 degrees for 45 mins.
(Tip: to find out if the lasagne has baked, insert a knife or a fork and make sure the lasagne strip is soft. Also, note if the cheese has turned color)

Lasagne is ready to eat! Enjoy

New Year - A New Beginning

2011 has dawned... and for me, its a very New Year and hopefully a great start to help me launch myself into the "Bio-field", as all you non-biologists would call it. Ever since school, I've had this special interest in making the world a better place to live in and I think right now, I can see myself puttin my thoughts into action as I'm now a Research Analyst working for a company that deals with sustainable resources.
just like every other fresher, I had this impression that workplace is where you sit in a 'wheeled-chair' gazing into the computer, stuck to ur work - partly wondering what to do and waiting to get bck home n sleep. But for me, its a totally different scenario. My office is highly eco-frndly and I'm in total love with it! Personally, I feel that ppl here hv made the working environment stress-free. Though I haven't properly started working, I have the feel that i can handle the pressure that is to come in the near future. I am a little excited and am hoping to learn more from this place.

NESAM.. let's help!

There is always joy when you do something that helps people who are in need. I am fortunate enough to be spreading joy in this manner with the help of an NGO called NESAM. NESAM in Tamil means affection. NESAM was first formed by my mother’s friend, Mrs. Prema. My mother was working with a nationalized bank. She and her colleagues used to contribute a part of their salary for people who were in need of money. They then planned to do the same in a large scale, and thus NESAM was formed in 2001. I happen to be a part of NESAM too, and we help children homes that are in need of financial support. Annually, we buy notebooks, and all stationary for children in all the orphanages we know. We also conduct summer workshops, celebrate Diwali, Christmas and New Year parties with about 1000 children every year.

Every year, we celebrate Christmas, with children from 15 homes and we have planned to do the same this year too. This time around 1000 children are coming. We are in need of volunteers and sponsors to help us in organizing and entertaining the children. I would be grateful and happy if you can come over. I am also planning to buy some essentials for these children and for this I would like your help. Please let me know if you are willing to donate some money for this cause I will give you more details or if you’d like to volunteer, please let me know.

I hope you can donate a small amount for this noble cause.

To see what we do at NESAM, please check http://nesam.shutterfly.com

Roti Noodles

I got to learn this new recipe from a TV show. Tried it tonight and trust me, it was brilliant! i tot its worth sharing! Pl try it out n lemme knw hw it tastes!

Ingredients:

Left over rotis - abt 6 or 7

1 big onion - sliced

1 tomato sliced

1/2 capsicum - sliced

garam masala - 1 teaspoon (can use pav bhaji masala for a different flavor as well)

garlic (optional)

dhaniya powder – ½ teaspoon

turmeric powder - a pinch

red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

tomato ketchup - 1 1/2 tablespoon

soya sauce - 1/2 teaspoon

salt - to taste

chopped coriander

lemon juice - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Method:

For the noodles:

1. Heat the left over chapathis to make it soft.

2. Roll them length wise tightly and cut them with scissors to form spiral pieces, as in the picture.

3. Unwind the spiral pieces to get long noodle-like strips.

To make the masala (tastemaker):

1. Heat oil and add onions garlic and salt (Tip: If you add salt along with the onions, the onions tend to cook faster).

2. Add capsicum once the onions are cooked.

3. Add garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and dhaniya powder.

4. Once these are cooked well, add tomatoes, roti strips, tomato ketchup, soya sauce and stir for a few minutes.

5. Add coriander leaves and mix well.

Hot Roti Noodles is ready to eat. Enjoy a healthy, delicious meal!

ganesh chathurthi

I was wondering why ganesh chathurthi is celebrated with ganesha having an elephant face??? he wasnt born with one!!! is it just that ppl dunno hw he looked without one??? LOL

HI HI HI HI

i know its been long... and I'm back..

well, this is just a formal 'hi to everyone' again! u guys should hopefully be reading my blog more often from now on.. again, HOPEFULLY!!!

lol

ciao