Mango Mango..

Well.. What is life without food. As far as food goes, the human species can be divided into two categories.. Those that live to eat and those that eat to live.. And each one of us would fall into one category or the other based on the specific food that we eat at any point of time.. And when it comes to the king of fruits I belong to the live to eat category.. Oh yes.. The mango season in India was the time I lived to eat it.. without any guilt.. Is it human to possess any guilt when you love..The one thing that I miss the most after coming to the United States after my parents and friends are the king of all fruits - my dear mango.. Oh.. If I were a poet, I would write one too many odes to my dear mango..

So here goes my first food post on my favourite vegetable/fruit. Here I will be using the vegetable variety of mango - the raw mango. It is a simple rice dish that I learnt from a colleague while I was working in India. Ok.. No more waiting..

Simple Mango Rice

Ingredients:

Grated Raw Mango - 1/2 cup

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Onion - 1 small
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Small piece of ginger finely chopped
Seasoning - Oil, Mustard and Urad Dal
Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro for garnishing

Way to Go..

Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard and urad dal. You may add roasted peanuts also at this stage if you like the extra bite.

Add in chopped onions and green chillies and saute till tender. Then, add chopped ginger, grated raw mango and turmeric and saute for a couple of minutes.

Once the raw smell of turmeric goes, add cooked rice and salt and mix well for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Your steaming cup of rice with the tangy taste of mango is ready to fill your heart and stomach.. Enjoy!

The Pressed Flower Workshop

So.. I am back after a long hiatus.. not that it was anything intended. just that I suddenly found myself with no time at my disposal.. Anyhow I am sure I am not going to be stuck like that anymore..

Ok.. now coming to my latest fascination in the arts and crafts area - Pressed Flowers. I had the good fortune to attend a pressed frower workshop conducted by the Denver Public Library. I sure enjoyed the experience of learning something new in the world of crafts. Ever since I have been to this workshop, it has taught me to see the regular plants and trees in new light. Anyhow I have already been fascinated by the seasonal changes of these plants and trees in this beautiful country which is more like them speaking a language to the environment around them. It makes me feel their presence more often than I did in the past. The workshop has made me more keen in finding out the wild flowers and leaves that will be made immortal in my craft even if they didnt like me plucking them out of their place.. :)

So.. I hope there will be more of my craft work on display in the future on my space here. The one that I have posted is the first step I took in just putting everything at my disposal on the paper to make my first bookmarks. I hope the next time around there will be more clarity in my work and less of messing up. Well.. Hope is eternal.. ;)