Woman

Deepavali:

Light the lamp of happiness

Suharshi Perera

The entire surrounding was breathing in the scent of camphor and incense which has created a sense of supernatural presence in the house. The tingling bell and the murmur of sthothram of the grandma awakens

 the soul and mind of the listener to the call of the divine.

Women of the household were ready to perform the rituals of the Deepavali festival, symbolising the defeat of evil and the triumph of the good and noble. According to Hinduism, Lord Krishna defeated Asuram - the evil and Hindus around the globe celebrate this memorable occasion wishing happiness and the doom of evil.

Deepam which indicates light is the focal point of the festival. In every Hindu household, women illuminate their surroundings to celebrate Deepawali which actually means a row of lights.

Houses are arranged projecting a bright new look and people too wear new clothes to welcome light and happiness to their houses. At the very entrance of the house, bright and colourful Kolam patterns are drawn by women blending the colours with devotion and creativity.

Mostly for Deepavali in Sri Lanka, kolams are made depicting lamps as the art of floor painting is the symbolic one denoting the deity or theme.

Going to kovil and visiting relatives are also important practices in Deepawali. The exchange of gifts takes place during the festival. The motive behind the tradition is to accentuate the feeling of love and brotherhood and through gifts people convey their respect.

Earlier people exchanged house made sweets, farm produce or decorative prepared at home. Such gifts were considered a token of love and good wishes and the item that was gifted bore little importance in terms of money. Today people exchange gifts such as electronic items, chocolates, artifacts and jewellery which carry more monetary value.

Lighting crackers and oil lamps made of clay are also very common practices in Deepavali to indicate that it is the day of rows of lights. Elderly women remember the deceased members of the family and relatives on this festive day.

Deepavali also sets tables to proof culinary skills of Hindu women. A host of sweets and special Deepawali food is spread on the table reminding that it is a time to celebrate happiness and well-being.

Adhirasam, murukku, omappodi and sego payasam are some South Indian food popular in Sri Lanka too. Carrot halwa, jilebi and gulab jamoon are some North Indian Deepavali sweets.

Adhirasam

Ingredients:

* 1/2 kg Rice

* 300 gm Jaggery

* Oil for frying Cooking Instructions:

* Soak rice in water for half an hour.

* Spread it on a large cloth or newspaper for half an hour.

* When it is three fourth dried, put it in a mixie and powder it.

* Dissolve jaggery in minimum water and mix well.

* Put this on heat.

* Cook it until the jaggery syrup becomes thick like a paste.

* Combine this syrup with the powdered rice and mix well to make dough.

* Cover it and leave it for about 8 hours.

* Take two cups of oil and heat it.

* Make a ball out of the dough on a plastic sheet and flatten it by hand.

* Fry in oil until it becomes golden brown on both sides.

****************

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

* 1-1/2 kg Carrots

* 200 gms Condensed milk

* 2 tbsp Ghee

* Handful grated cashew nuts and almonds

Cooking Instructions:

* Wash and grate the carrots finely.

* Transfer the grated carrots to a pressure cooker and cook for about two minutes.

* Remove the lid from the cooker and allow excess water to evaporate.

* Keep churning the carrots occasionally to avoid them from getting burnt.

* Pour sweetened condensed milk and ghee over the cooked carrots.

* Simmer till the milk, carrots, and ghee are well blended.

* Remove from the flame.

* Sprinkle with grated cashew nuts and almonds.

* Carrot Halwa is ready to serve.

****************

Therattipal

Ingredients:

* 1 Litre milk

* 6 tsp Powdered jaggery Cooking Instructions:

* Take a heavy vessel and boil milk in it.

* Now put it over medium flame until milk reduces considerably and begins to thicken, keep

stirring.

* When it becomes into the form of a paste, add jaggery to it, mix well.

* Now remove it from the fire.

****************

Rava (semolina) laddu

Ingredients:

White semolina- 1 kg

Sugar - 1 1/2 kg

Cardomom - 10 (powdered)

Ghee - 200 g

Cashewnut - 50 g

Method:

Roast semolina in a dry pan and powder it. Add finely powdered sugar, cardomom powder to semolina. Roast the cashews in ghee and add to the mixture. Heat the ghee slightly until it melts and add it to the mix well. Make into even sized balls.

Spicy facts

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a mild baking spice and is used in sausages, meats, soups, and preserves. Nutmeg is commonly added to eggnog, puddings, and fruit pies. It is popular in The Netherlands and Italy, where it is used in vegetables, puddings, and stews.

Nutmeg is more pungent and sweeter than mace. The sweet but slightly bitter flavour of Nutmeg adds character to vegetables. A little goes a long way so try 1/8 teaspoon per 4 servings to start.

Just sprinkle it lightly over veal, fish, or chicken for a surprising snap. Use as a topping for whipped cream and custard. Ground Nutmeg is an ideal baking spice and is especially complimentary in sweet breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, and fruit pies.

**************

Onion

Onions are popular everywhere and are used as both a condiment and a vegetable in almost any savory food.

Fresh onions are pungent and have a sharp bite. Cooked onions lose this heat and develop a rich sweetness.

Use Onions in almost anything except sweets! Dried Onion can be added straight to liquids, but should be rehydrated before being added to drier dishes such as casseroles and stir-fries.

Rehydrating them also increases potency. Onions make the perfect foundation for meats, poultry, soups, salads, and stews. Dried Onions release flavour more rapidly than freshly chopped Onions when added to a recipe.

**************

Turmeric

Turmeric is a necessary ingredient of curry powder. It is used extensively in Indian dishes, including lentil and meat dishes, and in Southeast Asian cooking. Turmeric is routinely added to mustard blends and relishes.

It also is used in place of saffron to provide colour and flavour. Turmeric is mildly aromatic and has scents of orange or ginger. It has a pungent, bitter flavour.

Because of its bitter taste, Turmeric should not be used as a flavour substitute for saffron. A Turmeric stain can be washed out with soap and water if treated quickly.

Use Turmeric to add Eastern mystery to new favourites as well as in traditional curries, rice and chicken dishes, and condiments. Turmeric is a classic addition to chutney, pickles, and relishes. Add a pinch of Turmeric to fish soups. Blend with melted butter and drizzle over cooked vegetables, pasta, or potatoes.

**************

Pepper

Pepper is a universal table condiment used to flavour all types of dishes in cuisines worldwide. It’s commonly used in stocks, pickling, and sausages. Black Pepper has a sharp, pungent aroma and flavour. White Pepper is hotter, less subtle and mildly fermented. Green Peppercorn is milder in flavour and has a fresh taste.

Create a unique flavour depth in spice cakes, gingerbread, and ginger cookies with a pinch of finely ground Black Pepper.

Use Black Pepper to spark barbecue sauces, meat marinades, and vegetable stir-fries. Sprinkle over chowders, cream soups, and tomato and egg dishes. Mix with sour cream or yogurt for a lively baked potato or vegetable topper.

**************

Mustard seed

Mustard Seed’s hot and spicy flavour enhances meats, fish, fowl, sauces, and salad dressings. Whole Mustard Seed may be used in pickling or in boiling vegetables such as cabbage.

Brown Mustard Seeds are an important flavouring in Indian dishes. Powdered Mustard has no aroma when dry, but a hot flavour is released when it is mixed with water.

Before using, mix Mustard Powder with water to form a paste. It takes about 10 minutes for the mustard flavour to develop.

Use in foods needing flavour highlights. Unlike other pungent spices, Mustard flavour does not build or persist. Mustard helps emulsify liquids use in salad dressing recipes to help blend oil and vinegar and add a spicy zip.

Courtesy: www.culinarycafe.com

Beauty Boosts

* To remove puffiness from the eyelids, massage a drop of very fresh castor oil on to them.

* To cool your eyes, make eye pads using thick slices of cucumber. Another option is to use cotton pads soaked in cold milk. Lie down and place them on your closed eyes and relax for a while.

* Putting a drop of rose water into each eye just before you sleep can also refresh you eyes.

* To prevent your lips from chapping, use hot water fermentation on your lips and then apply a mixture of vaseline and honey. Apply this mixture about three times a week.

* To prevent your lips from drying you can use a ground mixture or rose petals and milk butter.

* To delay age spots on your hand, use a piece of lemon and rub all over your hand, before washing. This will delay onset of age-spots.