Kolam by Sudha Balaji

Deepavali sweets recipe dishes at home - old recipes  In the photo below a sweet called Ganga Jamuna ( Don't ask me how it got the name ) Prepare a dough with chiroti rava .   Add a pinch of salt and mix with water , make the dough and wait for two hours.   If chiroti rava is not available we can use ordinary rava after dry grinding it in a mixer. Mix rice flour in ghee so that it forms a semi-solid glue This is used to stick the rolled dough After rolling the dough into circular shapes as we do for chappati or poori.   Place three pieces one above the other applying the rice flour ghee glue in between.   Roll the dough as shown in the fourth image applying the rice flour ghee combination on the folds too.   Now cut the rolled dough into three pieces and roll one piece again.   If we have used three pieces we get a three layered chappati.   I have rolled into a small triangular shape, fry in oil on medium flame.   Give sufficient t

Super easy small and quick border rangoli design for Diwali, Sankranti  A simple idea to form a beautiful lotus rangoli border I made use of tea coasters that can be used as a stencil  Close up shows how the table coasters can be used as a stencil Fill the gaps with rangoli colours  pink and green - for petals and leaves Remove the coaster gently Another view - this part has to be done carefully to avoid smudging Using a cotton bud remove excess rangoli that may spill during filling Using a different and related shade of pink ,  shade the inside of the flower A close up view of the rangoli border This is one of the simplest methods of making a border for a rangoli design.  I keep trying various methods of creating simple and quick designs so that they may be of help  to beginners to decorate their homes with beautiful patterns using ready made tools  available at home.

Small n quick innovative rangoli  design for beginners I  belong to the traditional school of kolam .  Many youngsters inspired by my videos write to me that they also  want  to create kolam designs for festivals like Diwali and Sankranti and request for simple methods so that they can decorate for the festivals while learning to draw these traditional techniques. So I started trying various options using tools available at home.  This is one of them. Use a procircle - a geometric instrument Fill the circles of various diameters with rangoli colours After filling the colours Remove the procircle gently so that the filled colours do not get smudged Using a match stick or tooth pick create floral designs Place dots inside the flowers,  white may be a common colour At the centre also use bullets and tooth pick  or match stick to create multi colored flower Rangoli is ready for display for Dhanteras , Bhai Dhooj rangoli designs. The traditional rango

Sabudana khichdi or Sago upma A simple and easy evening tiffin recipe that is popular in Maharastra is sabudana khichdi or sago khichdi. Soak sabudana or javvarisi in water such that the water level is just above the sago.  This will ensure that the sago particles are discrete other wise they will stick together.  Let it soak for three to four hours. The other ingredients are , chopped green chillies , finely chopped coriander leaves and finely ground peanut or ground nut powder.   To saute we use only jeera ( cumin seeds ) Take two table spoons of oil in a vessel and when the oil becomes hot add cumin seeds Then add green chillies and saute We can also add finely chopped potato and fry in oil. Add the sabudana and heat till it is completely cooked ( colour changes ) Now add the ground powder and mix well  Finally add the chopped coriander leaves. Adding little sugar is optional however add salt to taste A quick  and easy evening tiffin recipe is ready.  

Agal vilakku kolam  A 6 x 6 rangoli with 2 extra dots on eight sides as shown in the picture below Draw the " x " designs as shown in the next picture to progress easily The next image shows how the kolam evolves on the four sides One more view showing the steps Now connect the central pattern to the 4 designs as shown in the picture The two extra dots are used to extend the kolam on eight sides Connecting lines inside Connecting lines inside one more image For the lamp or agal vilakku pattern on 4 sides Form 4 more vilakku patterns in the gaps Decorate further with white or colour rangoli .  The result we  get what is almost a square rangoli design.

Soft mysore pak / mysore pauk recipe for Diwali sweets Take one measure gram dhal flour ( kadalai maavu ) , two measures sugar and two measures ghee In a vessel take sugar and add the gram dhal flour and heat  Add a little water to help the sugar  to dissolve Sugar also gives out water which helps this process Stir continuously so that pieces of gram dhal flour are not left  While stirring continuously add the two measures of ghee, little by little The mixture of kadalai maavu , sugar and ghee will form a semi solid mass Keep stirring till this semi solid dough does not stick to the vessel Mean while apply ghee on a flat plate and when the dough is ready pour on the plate Shake well so that the mysore pauk dough spreads evenly through out the plate. Allow it to cool for some time , and cut horizontally and vertically to get pieces Break one mysore pauk to check , it should break softly to get perfect recipe Try for Diwali or Navratri