Muggu

Surprise !

When my kid was born,I was wonderstruck ! So small & innocent .So fragile, that I wanted to protect her from all & sundry.I would buy the prettiest clothes I saw& shower her with kisses.I would play with her & hug her endlessly.She also started showering kisses on me when she grew up a little.She would hug me tightly when I returned home from office to pick her up from the child care.Slowly & surely ,she has grown up .


And now ,I have to protect myself from her tantrums.I have to nag her for cleaning up ,for waking her up ,for her studies - in fact for everything.Nothing works unless & until I scream ! I am growing tired & still manage to nag her endlessly.Sometimes,I get the feeling that she has grown immune to my nagging & screaming.I have told her umpteen times that I will henceforth omit to nag her about everything & she can have her way.And the next moment ,I am back at the same old self.My insecurity about her future gets me & I begin afresh.

I know she has some talents.She is very creative & good at some subjects.She is extremely lazy.She would rather sleep than eat.She  wants life to be one smooth ride, on a luxurious yacht She loves all kind of trash food & is figure conscious at a tender age.I just keep wondering as to how she has grown up to be like this when I or my hubby were never like this at her age.Perhaps ,they grow faster now, in these times.She opts  for branded (steeply priced ) products.She is a geek - always  seeking out latest smart phones on the net,etc.

Of course ,I am sure, all bad habits have been inherited from her dad like laziness,postponing tasks till the deadline looms like a sword, being untidy ,etc.Moreover, since bad habits ,get formed & copied early ,there is hardly any room for  good  habits to be inherited from her mother, that is me.One may ponder about my good habits.Well, if I were to list out my virtues ,I would run out of cyberspace ! Hence ,out of concern for others so that there is space  for others to list out their virtue /s ,I am content with  stating, that I am a fountainhead of virtues !

Still, all kids surprise their parents & even themselves, by their actions once, in awhile.That is what makes parenting & hence, life worthwhile.

Her class teacher had given project work to all students in her class.One weak student was assigned to each group of students for the project work.My daughter was the team leader.She coordinated with all her team mates in the project.She also made sure, that ,the weak student spoke about the project in the class in front of her classmates.For this ,my daughter constantly tutored her, to speak, telling her about the main points to be talked about.She also explained her about the project-all this was done during school hours ! The teacher was flabbergasted that the weak student spoke about the project in front of the whole class.She was all priase for my daughter.When I went to the school for the parent -teacher's meeting,she said,"I could only give her ten marks for having made that weak girl confident enough to speak about the project in the class.If ten was not the maximum marks ,I would have surely given more !"Needless to add ,I was overwhelmed ! The teacher remarked,"All think about themselves,very few think about others."This even as the teacher commented on how many kids including my daughter did not pay attention in class about important topics for examinations,was talking as the teacher taught & so on.

Another episode took place quite recently.One boy in my daughter's class is notorious for being absent.He stays with his grandparents who manage a small shop.There is nobody to take care of the boy.He attends school when it suits him & at other times ,he is roaming  in the company of his elder brother.That boy attended school after the Deepavali holidays in December.The class teacher asked the boy to tell the class about himself.He was honest .He stated that he irritates teachers as he enjoys it.He also admitted that he hardly attends school as it is quite un inspiring.The teacher asked  the class to clap for him as he was truthful.Then the teacher said that his name had to be included as the participant in the project done by any one student of the class.She looked around in the class.Nobody raised hands.The teacher kept looking around.My daughter raised her hand.The teacher was pleased.I asked my daughter ,"Why did you raise your hands ? What were you thinking ? " Her reply," Because mama,no one else raised their hands.So ,I raised my hand." It was so simple.I had not even thought about it ! I was thrilled & the mom in me commented ," You will surely get ten on ten for the project."My kid replied,"I have got a nine already ."

I would like to believe that my kid was inspired - by me.I share all my blogposts,photos,culinary adventures,etc  on facebook.She sees me doing this sharing on a daily basis.Hence,she has learnt to share -howsoever little -as she is quite young.As she grows older, she will learn to share more, like all,  on social networking sites !So,I am quite pleased -I am sure ,your kids have also surprised you.Please share them.This is the age of   sharing - on the net !

Kolam

Frozen flavoured yoghurt !

I have become a convert to dahi, since quite some time.When I was a kid ,I did not like it.Partly, as it used to have cream or malai & I am allergic to it. Basically ,it is all, in the mind.

Slowly & surely ,as I started working at home & in office,I realised, that dahi, was a miracle food.It is good for digestion & provides calcium.I can set it, at home, without any fuss.I read,  that home made dahi has maximum health benefits compared to that  available in the market.So this makes me & other housewives, masterchefs ! Since most of us ordinary mortals can set dahi ,we are all superhuman ! After all ,dahi is a wonder food !

Dahi can be diluted & made into chaas & lassi.It can be concentrated by removing all the water & converted into yummy shrikhand ! Moreover ,sev batata puri,vadas ,etc taste so tangy with dahi ! In Maharashtra,the leftover water remaining after making shrikhand is offered as a cool drink named ,Piyush.Even candies are made from shrikhand ! Shrikhand is said to be from Gujarat .I tasted pineapple shrikhand in Vadodara & the delicious state still lingers ! Dry fruit shrikhand is all the rage.One can also enjoy amrakhand - mango flavoured shrikhand throughout the year, if not mangoes.

Dahi ,chaaas,lassi ,shrikhand are all cooling in nature & very apt for a tropical country like ours.Moreover ,in these stressful times,they provide succour to overheated minds & bodies.Moreover frozen,falvoured yoghurt hardly requires any cooking.So it saves energy-hence, it is green as well  ! Even shrikhand needs no cooking.I feel ,flavoured dahi  is the best dessert to be consumed  .Guests will, welcome this, as it is for their well being ! Conclusion : frozen ,flavoured yoghurt is a unique dish - one of a  kind ! It can be made in a jiffy, from dahi available at home.Even a kid can add honey or sugar on dahi as a topping or even gulkand or rooh afza & a tempting, dessert coolant is ready to be savoured ! Making this, is practically effortless !

I first read about frozen  yoghurt in the press.It had become a rage in Europe & America.There were yoghurt parlours which catered to this yearning for this  healthy food - yoghurt was topped with fruits & consumed.I started pining for such dahi.I got my chance, when I visited Gulf.I brought some trays of flavoured yoghurt - peach,apricot,strawberry etc.I would eat one or two cups daily .I had got addicted ! I never felt guilty that I was devouring this alone, as my hubby & kid seemed averse to eating frozen yoghurt.

When I returned to India,I was on the lookout for a similar product.I learnt about Amul has introduced Yogi ,its flavoured yoghurt in flavours like Strawberry, banana,mango etc.I fell for it -hook,line & sinker ! I would go to grocery stores like Apna Bazaar,& buy the Amul Yogi dahi cups in dozens.I would then consume one cup daily.My love for ice creams had given way to flavoured dahi ! So ,it is healthy & a dessert as well !Other companies have copied Amul & intoduced their flavoured yoghurt variants.Amul recently introduced  probiotic yoghurts in cups.Well,health has never had it so good ! Amul Probiotic yoghurt goes by the name of  Flaavyo! It is available in flavours like misti doi,vanilla,mango,pineapple  & strawberry .As it is probiotic ,it aids in digestion & boosts immunity.It is a health food, as prevention is better than cure ! The best part is, it is so reasonably priced, for a price conscious Indian like me !

Very recently ,I learnt, that some parlours of frozen  yoghurt have opened in a place nearby.I went there & had a blast - tasting the  flavours ! I opted for fresh fruit as a topping on plain dahi .Another flavour ,I tried was blueberry -it had just a hint of sugar.This means, it can be consumed by diabetics as well, without any guilt ! It was simply superb ! I wish ,I could try out these  things at home.I do not have any dahi vending machines -just like ice cream ones.I am surely going to make flavoured dahi at home one of these days  .I  will  surf   the net & find out home based procedures ! Alternatively ,I can freeze the dahi ,scoop it out into a bowl   & top it with fresh seasonal fruits like mango ,strawberry ,banana,apple,pineapples etc.By adding fresh seasonal fruits ,I am adding fibre content of the fruit as well instead of the fruit juices ! I can also sprinkle powdered cinnamon .I can add a drop or two of honey  as well ! The possibilities are endless & so simple ! Now, I can have frozen  flavoured   dahi any time - nah, everytime !

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