Ideas . . . Ideas!

[Raji Ram]

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My friend assures that if we add a handful of cooked rice (chAdham)

while making dosai maavu, the dosais turn golden brown and crispy!

I have heard of 'aval' being added. But, I am yet to try this recipe.

 

[sarang]

Even my grandfather lived like that; banana and coffee in the morning and lunch by noon and palaharam in early night.

There are things other than coffee which disrupt sleep. For me, coffee never interferes with sleep but other worries - work related or family related definitely do.

Dear P J Sir,

Ram's father used to eat two malai pazhams in the morning along with a real strong coffee made

with 'kaRandha paal'. His lunch time was around noon, since he was doing daily abhishEkam and

pooja for saligramams. He never felt hungry since the coffee was so strong!

Once I tried it and could not sleep even during that night!

 

[Raji Ram]

My son told me that if he feels sleepy while going for a long drive, he will have a cup of coffee and

start sleeping! Exactly after half an hour he will wake up fresh to continue driving! right?

So....... I follow him by taking a cup of coffee ( my light coffee! ) before my afternoon nap and wake up

after about 20 minutes, fresh!!

 

[renuka]

My son told me that if he feels sleepy while going for a long drive, he will have a cup of coffee and

start sleeping! Exactly after half an hour he will wake up fresh to continue driving! right?

So....... I follow him by taking a cup of coffee ( my light coffee! ) before my afternoon nap and wake up

after about 20 minutes, fresh!!

Dear RR ji,

I do not like to drink coffee or tea..never drank it as a kid or teen.

In fact I only tasted coffee when I was in some late 20's and that increased my heart rate right away.

Coffee gives me palpitations.

I do not like tea also...in fact taking green tea also increases my heart rate.

But my husband can even drink coffee at 12 midnight and fall asleep right away!

 

[renuka]

Dear RR ji,

Try this for a healthy breakfast.

Mix 2 tablespoons of Plain Soya Powder(without sugar) with half a cup of warm water..mix it well..needs to be mixed well cos Soya does not dilute as easily.

Then cut a medium sized banana into small pieces, add also some cut rock melon or any other fruits and add 2 tablespoons of oats.

Put all this into the soya milk and blend in a blender adding some cinnamon powder for taste.
The consistency will be a bit thick like some batter..tastes wonderful.

It makes a good healthy breakfast.

It is my own recipe cos oats is good for lowering cholesterol levels.
Fruits add for fibre.
Cinnamon aids in regulating blood sugar levels.

Soya is a good source of vegan protein with no cholesterol in it.

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Renu,

Thanks for the recipe, though it is difficult for me to make Ram eat it.

Invariably, all cousins of Ram offered black coffee after dinner, in the U S of A!!

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear P J Sir,

My sisters told me that they add about two and half cups of water for one cup of oats and cook in

the microwave oven and later add some boiled milk. So, I think it gives more quantity if cooked in

the pressure cooker. I have the three liter stainless steel cooker and cooking time is about 5 mts

and cooling time about 10 mts. I find it very easy!

 

[P.J.]

Dear P J Sir,

My sisters told me that they add about two and half cups of water for one cup of oats and cook in

the microwave oven and later add some boiled milk. So, I think it gives more quantity if cooked in

the pressure cooker. I have the three liter stainless steel cooker and cooking time is about 5 mts

and cooling time about 10 mts. I find it very easy!

Raji Madam

I am the only person takes Oates in the morning, my wife takes nothing.

I usually take 2 Pidi Oates in a bowl add milk and Splenda and keep it Micro over for 1.30 min only

I will try your method adding water first then Milk later

 

[Raji Ram]

'Waste not want not' was taught right from my childhood by my parents!

However efficient we are, some toothpaste stays inside the flexible tube when it finishes.

Fill up water and mix it well and it turns out like a mouth wash. After using this, we need

to rinse once more with fresh water. Once the liquid is over, the tube will be CLEAN!

 

[Raji Ram]

The mosquito repellents are quite expensive and they too are packed in flexible tubes.

When a squeeze does not bring out the content outside, cut it across! The remaining

stuff will be enough for about two days use!

 

[Raji Ram]

Yesterday, the 'adai mAvu' was a bit sour because of summer heat but I did not want to waste it.

A ground mixture of a cup of left over cooked rice, salt and green chilly added to the maavu made

it tasty and the adais came out crispy, in golden brown color! :thumb:

 

[Raji Ram]

More ideas from next week! Let me enjoy my vacation! :couch2:

 

[Raji Ram]

The latest damage by my 'damager' maid! One inch crack near the handle of a plastic bucket.

'm-seal irukka bhayam edhaRku'? A thin band of m-seal covered the crack and the bucket is

back in action! :thumb:

P.S: I am looking for a matching Rs. 5 nail polish to color the black portion!

 

[Raji Ram]

Kozhukkattai soap!

'Waste not; want not' is a good principle. The beauty soaps are expensive and each one in the house uses

his / her own brand. When they become tiny, they could be collected. When a few pieces accumulate, just

wet them for a few minutes and make as kozhukkattai soap. This could be used to wash the blouses, which
may fade in color, if detergent is used to wash them. :washing:

 

[P.J.]

New Home for small birds



Just fix your used shoe on a Tree in your compound!! it becomes a perfect home for Chittu Kuruvi!

 

[Raji Ram]

This is a super idea P J Sir! But where do I go for chittu kuruvi in Sing. Chennai?

The high towers set up by mobile phone companies have made them extinct here! out:

 

[prasad1]

Gone are days when house sparrows were the most common birds amongst bird species in India. The chirpy sounds made by these small birds are rarely heard today; and their absence, even though tiny, is increasingly becoming noticeable. Due to decrease in numbers, a bird as common as the sparrow was included by the IUCN in its Red Data List of threatened species in 2002 alongside the glamorous snow leopard, tiger and red panda.

The destruction of wetland bird areas, loss of shrub vegetation coupled with reduction in potential breeding sites, has accelerated the rate of decline in the sparrow population in India. But the major reason for this decline in their number is the scarcity of insects and grains which serve as protein supplements for the young ones of sparrows. The presence of anti knocking agents like lead in petrol is known to cause deadly poisoning in birds.

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Prasad Sir,

Thanks for your informative post!

 

[Raji Ram]

This article and picture are form Deccan Herald:

For a long, long time, the chubby, chirpy house sparrow lived in our midst aplenty. Now, you can't find them in the urban

environment any more. All this has happened in a span of just a few years.

India is not the only place where the sparrows have disappeared from the cities. In the Netherlands, they are already an

endangered species. In Britain, their population is dropping at such an alarming rate that they are now in the red list as

a species of 'high conservation concern'. In France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Finland, the story

is not very different. This is an environmental alarm bell at its loudest.

Read more here

 

[P.J.]

Raji Madam

You are right; due to house construction and Cell Phone Towers, these Small birds hardly find any place to built their nest;

More over keeping a Shoe fixed on a Tree like this is also a problem as many houses are not surrounded by trees, and these small birds hatched from the egg might become a tasty food for Crows.

In our Porur home, we have a Veranda, covered by a Grill which protects Crows entering there. The door leading to one of the room is locked when we are not there. The Vedanda is just like a Sit out.

There we have fixed a Small wooden box with one side open ( near the ceiling) with small holes all over the box for ventilation.
Whether we are there are not, Chittu Kuruvi family lives there.



It is always a Joy to watch them.

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear P J Sir,

We see crows, parrots and koels all over our mango tree but no sprarrows! The koel lays its eggs in the

crow's nest and after some time, when the crow comes to know the fact, the koel will be driven out by a

battalion of crows. This is a scene that we witness every year!

 

[prasad1]

Dear Prasad Sir,

Thanks for your informative post!

Thanks.

 

[Raji Ram]

This is not my idea. But I found it very useful!

Here it is:

How to fold a t-shirt in 5 seconds

 

[Raji Ram]

This idea is ONLY for ladies who are not very tall (more than 5' 4") who find the pleats of the saree which are

tucked in trouble a lot, especially in the summer. But courage is needed to cut off the unnecessary portion!

I have modified most of my double bordered sarees which are NOT expensive, as shown in this photo, by

removing the zari portion which goes inside! Now I find it very comfortable for daily use!

 

[Raji Ram]

Exterior wall paint on wood!

My sewing machine bought in 1976 is still going strong. The table holding the machine lost its beauty by

frequent use. So, when some rubber based exterior wall paint (!) was left over, I applied it with a brush

and it gave a new look to the machine! :thumb: