Left overs

I have constant arguments with my hubby about eating out .This is so, as I, usually cook the day's food in the mornings itself.In the evenings,if he says, that we can all eat dinner out ,I fume.I feel cheated after slogging in the kitchen.I know, that sometimes,my cooking is bad but then,why does anybody have to be so blunt about it by suggesting dining out ? Moreover, what should I do with the leftover food ?

No,I don't take hints howsoever openly given.I will try to find some recipe & give the leftover a new twist ! Leftover idlis can be crumbled into powdered form.Then, one can add a seasoning or vagaar of mustard seeds,urad dal,hing & haldi.One can also add fried onions & green chillies to get a little crunch & viola ,one can savour idli upma ! I swear, that this tastes better than fresh idlis due to the added veggies & oil !

Leftover idlis can be diced &  fried- just like potato wedges & served with chutni and or sambhar.This is sinful as the idli pieces are deep fried but then, we need to sin, otherwise, how will we ever atone  ? Moreover,since ,we rarely remember the Almighty,we need  to sin & then plead  for forgiveness.Sinning in terms of eating fried  food wins hands down in this  health conscious ( though practice has yet to catch up with the awareness )  age .

Idli batter can also be used to make dhoklas .One of my friends is an expert in making dhoklas & she vouches for the taste of idli batter dhoklas.It is also light as this is a steamed dish similar to  the  idli.

I make an upma of leftover chapatis as well.This is  typical Maharastrian fare & I love it ! Left over chapatis can also be made into laddoos by adding little ghee & gur  or sugar.I have tried to make this but have been unsuccessful so far.I tasted such laddoos once & believe me, they were heavenly ! It is said that leftover food at home is umpteen times better than fresh restaurant food ! Just goes to show why we all fall for restaurant food ! It is only leftovers ( how old is any body's wildest guess ) ) packaged to look presentable.On second thoughts,eating leftovers from home will prepare us better for withstanding restaurant food -as fresh as it was !

I once added kheera-tomatar-pyaaz raita to dosa batter .Then, I made uttapas with the batter thus prepared ! So ,one can get creative with kal ka khana.Mind you, the uttapas, were full of nutrition & yummy !

Many housewives add leftover dal to atta & make protein rich parathas for kids ! Sour buttermilk or curds can be converted into  delicious kadhi ! Sour buttermilk can also be used as a growth enhancer for the kari patta plant.My neighbour had enlightened me that sour buttermilk is beneficial for the curry leaves plant.I would pour extremely sour curds ( diluted with generous amounts of water ) in  my padosan's kitchen garden which had a kari patta plant.In turn,my neighbour, used to allow me to collect fresh sprigs of kari patta for my cooking ! So ,bassi khana has multiple uses !

I recall an ex -colleague recycling old pedhas .She would add chikkos &  cream & make sumptuous  chikoo ice cream !

Many rural folk feed bacha hua  khana to cows but since in cities,this may not work out,it is better to have a complete makeover of the leftovers. Moreover,with food prices shooting up alarmingly,this is necessary for  a financial makeover as well ! 

My dad jokes that in his home,bisi bele bhaath was a dish made from leftover rice & sambar ! Never does he remember to have eaten that dish freshly made .Haldi,hing,green chillies,urad dal ,peanuts & salt can be added to rice along with seasoning of mustard seeds to make delicious Phodni cha bhaath .Phodni in Marathi means vagaar.One can also add little lemom juice & grated ginger to make it more tangy.Gujratis make bhajiyas by dipping rice( leftover ) balls into besan & deep frying the rice balls to which hara dhania,lal mirchi,ajwain ,haldi & hing has been added. These are very crispy & a sure hit at breakfast time !

Leftover bread can be transformed into bread upma or bread patties.The possibilities of utilising bacha hua khana are too immense.I feel, the make overs are more tasty than the original fresh food item ! It is, as if, a zing has been added to the boring food ! I wish some net cook could start a blog only about utilising leftovers.I am sure, it will be rage on the various social networks ! The Government ought to lend a hand by  givings loans & other support to such noble ideas ! Noble as these recycling fundas utilse food which is getting scarce .Worldwide food prices are rising & millions go hungry.Recycling food ensures that food is seldom thrown away. This will ensure, that, complaints about food inflation will reduce to a whimper.Not that   our loud protests,  so far, have  made our Government lend any ear but then, we ought to  be positive ,forever . 

That is why, I have started cooking, more than needed by my family.This way,I am sure ,something, will remain uneaten .I then use my culinary skills to get creative ! My family members are also getting increasingly creative in refusing or rather opting  out of eating my made over dishes ! But then,they are still to learn , what  they are missing !

Raangoli

Nidra

Nidra is Sanskrit for sleep .I love sleeping.I wish I could be in deep sleep for hours without the tension of getting up from bed.But, alas, life is not as simple as that & I am forced to get up & get life going.

Sleep is defined as a state of rest wherein one is unconscious.So,in all probablity when we sleep ,we are relaxed without a care in the world .But this is not always so.We undergo REM ( Rapid eye movement ) which is dreaming .We also have fits of sleep & do get up .Some even sleepwalk.But one must admit that sleep relaxes our body & mind.It has been said that deprivation of sleep will lead to death faster than starvation or thirst.Hence ,sleep is very important for our well being-perhaps more than food.

I feel sleep helps in losing weight as well.If someone is awake most of the time,at least once( actually more than once ), that person will reach for some food.This will in all probability, be some unhealthy snack but if the person sleeps then there is no chance of indulging in this unhealthy eating.So ,those of you who want to shed flab,please try to sleep even in the afternoons.This is what the various health clubs  mean when they advertise "No diets,no excercise for losing weight."So why empty your pockets by joining them ? You can sleep your way to a slim & trim figure .

For a good sleep,many conditions are stated.One can drink  warm milk & try to sleep at the same hour .Some even take a light shower .Still others read books.Some may need a quiet atmosphere before their eyes close.It is better to switch off the lights & the idiot box before one tries to sleep as all this helps in creating the right ambience to relax.People who are on medicines are advised not to take  certain medications at night as they might interfere with sleep.

I am someone who has got addicted to sleeping in the afternoon as well.This was not possible when I was in employment for obvious reasons.But now that I am at home,I have got addicted to the afternoon nap.My maidservants also cannot disturb me in this .I hate those who come knocking during afternoons when I am enjoying  blissful slumber.I do have some sleepless nights & afternoons but they are few & far between.

My eyes are almost closed by the time I serve lunch to my kid .I generally cajole my kid to sleep as well.This is because,she will otherwise watch the idiot box which will disturb my slumber .She is no mood to do her schoolwork after her lunch.So I prefer that she sleep instead .Moreover,she gets tired & by late evening,she is ready to hit the bed without having even looking at her school work.The nap thus serves another purpose-it energizes us for the remainder of the day.

My niece is someone who takes offence if I ask her to sleep in the afternoon.She gets up early & is tense till she reaches school.My daughter on the other hand has to cajoled into waking up both in the mornings as also after her afternoon slumber.She keeps on postponing her waking up by telling me that after one or two minutes,she will wake up.These minutes can add up to half an hour.During mornings,my kid is ready to skip her breakfast as also her combing in order to wake up late.Such is her indulgence in sleeping.

My kid can sleep even in a moving vehicle.The movement of the vehicle lulls her to sleep.This is better as otherwise,she irritates by constantly asking us to update the distance we have covered & are yet to cover & so on & so forth.

Till date,I never had to take sleeping pills .Almighty has been kind to me as he has given me the ability to sleep so much.I wish I could sleep for ever but since I have to post my blogs,I have to wake up.Actually,if you are suffering from insomnia ,please try to read my blog posts.Guaranteed, that you will feel sleepy & doze off.I am actually doing social service by posting my blogs as many will prefer sleep to reading my writing.So,you see ,there will less of social strife as a result of all this.

What are you staring at ? Kindly forward the link to my blog to all so that all can sleep blissfully !

Deepavli raangoli