India Snapshot

Pictures taken in India -AP

Diwali lights

decorated bull - helping owner to gain livelihood

Fruit on-board

slight rain made street almost deserted

late afternoon traffic

corner shoe repair shop

street-side vendor - selling jackfruit

jackfruit segments - yum!

Sapota - sweet & juicy

Sapota flesh

Samosa - perfect snack with afternoon Chai

Weekend in Houston

Hidden in the middle of Houston's concrete jungle is this beautiful (green) jewel, maintained by Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens. The Gardens are breathtaking. Simply beautiful, elegant and calming. We initially planned for an hour visit. Soon, we forgot hunger and wandered in the gardens for good 4 hours, yet thirsty for its beauty.

Here are some pictures I've taken.





 

Few pictures from my not-so-recent India trip

Here the very few pictures I have taken during my India trip late last year. Finally after 3 long months...

First and foremost, Andhra 'Junnu'. Junnu is cooked colostrum (a.k.a thick milk) from Water Buffalo. It tastes like custard. For many Andhrites, Junnu is the original custard and the one made with eggs and milk is the imitation custard, which is popular with mainly city-dwellers, for whom it is almost impossible to get the colostrum.

The colostrum is cooked with plenty of cracked black pepper, grated jaggery and powdered cardamom. It is really a treat and privilege to taste this.

Humanity Note: In villages, where the farm animals are treated like family members, colostrum is obtained ONLY when there is excess or the calf for some reason not feeding on. The farmers take the colostrum out of the animal to encourage milk production.


Next comes Gaare (a.k.a Vada) and Aavada or Perugu Gaare (Curd Vada):
Gaare frying:

Gaare soaking in spiced yogurt:

Gaare and Aavada:

The non-veg eaters in the house are served with this chicken curry to go with the Gaare.



A kind of straw mushrooms make a quick and brief appearance with the onset of monsoon season.
Washed the mud off and snipped the ends to get these edible pearls (with stems)...

Then Amma made mushroom curry and mushroom pulao that were out of this world



This is a delicious preparation by Amma: Lotus seeds and green pepper curry in coconut gravy served with coconut rice.

My childhood favorite and still is, a bread stuffed with candied coconut, dry fruits, aptly called dil-khush (translation: Happy heart). It really mellows one's heart.
A superb Chai by Amma complimented dil-khush.


One of favorite fruits, seethaphal (custard apple): The flavor and texture are to die for.



Some flora and greenery around our home:








And finally, queen of flowers, of course, sharing this title with Jasmine, Sampenga (a type of Ylang-Ylang). Like the sweet smell of sampenga, the memories still linger in my heart...