The Viewfinder.

2008-11-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

When it all seems to be right,

And there are things your way,

Then you know its time to say

Come on YOU there ! Be Bright! – Vidya

Well that kinda sums up my mood now! Sundays are Fundays, except that I tend to

Over work myself on Sundays, doing all kinda cleaning jobs at home and on Monday iam

too exhausted to move out of bed onto a bus. Well below you can see some pictures I took a long time back, something had gone wrong with my hard disk and had to repair it, After that all files stored in ‘My documents’ disappeared, which meant all my pictures were gone, so I loaded all the pictures that my camera still had, and then found these, it tells a story, but the story is for you to figure, the titles will guide you.

Man stops By this pole, decides its a cool one, touches it to feel the metal.

Man bends the pole which is stuck on the ground; he is trying to pull it out.

Man tilts the pole to make the cycle hold it.

Man rides away!

Images- Took these pics on a Hot afternoon at Besent Nagar beach, had gone there for some reporting, (Some story about the heat in Chennai- it was REAL hot! these pics were taken from inside a car, which explains their poor quality) so with no one in sight, this member of the public decided to flick a pole which was standing lone on the road. Makes me wonder, What is the world coming to ?

2008-10-19T02:51:00.000-07:00

When a Nineteen year old journo turns a Chef oops Food blogger

This is a Looong post and i suggest only people with both time and patience read it, else you could end up hating me or worse hating my photo blog.
Ive been cooking as I had holidays (and exams in between, like u already know) and decided to post some of it here, ive also included recipes that are easy to make and some Onam memories as well.
Let me begin with this exotic dish I made for lunch today, late to learn it but yes totally latest in taste, it’s a Muslim rice dish and I fell in love with it after tasting it at some of my Muslim friends places however, it never occurred to me that I could make it at home till I saw it on Mishmash’s Blog complete with an awesome looking picture and recipe so I made it today with help from Amma of course

Neichoru

We await any kind of celebrations and Onam being number two, Number one being Diwali, this year too we had onam celebrations at our Nair association, and other malaylee associations here, the picture of the Pookalam you see below this is of the Pookalam at the Thiruvanmyur Kerala Samajam’s Onam celebration, I dint go for it, but my mom did and put this pooklam,(with other people)

My balcony Decked up for Onam

I had College on Onam day and couldnt come home till Five in the evening, (Do you believe it, my H.o.d sent me to deliver press invites)

This is the small Pookalam my mom put at the entrance of our flat, i couldnt help her as i had to rush to college, but managed to look at it through my View finder.
Puliinjim, Authentic Kerala style, made by my Ammuma a day before Onam itself.
--

I made this really easy to make Chicken Biriyani and because it is easy I thought I should put up the recipe here

Things you need

Eight big pieces of chicken
2 tbsp curd
I onion – made into a paste
Ginger paste- 2 tsps
½ tsp Red chilli powder
2 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 mins
4 cardamoms
2 pieces of cinnamon- crushed
¼ tsp mace (Jathika)
Salt
½ tsp sugar
2 tbsp Cooking oil
2 tsp ghee
Water to boil rice
Some cashew nuts
And eggs for garnishing

Method

Marinate the chicken in the curd along with Ginger paste, red chilli powder and half of crushed cardamom and cinnamon for ½ hour.

Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the onion paste for 5 minutes. Add the marinated chicken into it and fry in medium heat till oil starts coming out.

Add a little water and boil till tender and dry.

Heat ghee in a cooker and add mace powder, nutmeg powder, salt, sugar and the remaining cardamom and cinnamon. Fry for a minute.

Then add rice and stir for 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and cook till rice is 75% done

Mi the cooked chicken in layers and add saffron (we dint have any so we dint) keep in under pressure till its cooked, garnish with fried cashews and boiled Eggs,

I found this recipe online a long time back and it was there on my computer for an even longer time before I made it, however we made a few changes to the original recipe. I do not remember from which website I found this so iam not giving any credits but I hope this is not a copyright infringement, I am ready to give credit to the website, and moreover we have made quite a few changes.
You should try this; make this when you don’t want to stress yourself out by making a difficult Biriyani but a simpler one. The result looks like this,

Chicken Biriyani
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My grandmother makes the best Mutton cutlets ever, ive tried mutton cutlets at various places and yet nothing could match ammumas version.

It may not be the best looking cutlet but it defnitely is the best tasting cutlet.

--
Cookies
These chocolate cookies are something i make whenever iam bored and need a snack, i usually bake at night and many a time ive enjoyed these cookies hot, at two in the night, they are easy to make and melt in your mouth. This is a Vidya lakshmi original.

look at the picture above carefully, has three 'Parts'

1. Thats how the cookies look like before they are baked
2. One silly thing i made with Avil that my mom was going to throw away
3. The cookies cooling after they are baked.

You can make smaller cookies,but i like my cookies big, just like the ones at subway and my friends love it this way too.
To make these cookies you need-

Butter 3/4 cup (you can also use vanaspati, or use half-half)
Powdered Sugar 3/4 cup
Vannila essence 3/4 tsp
Maida 1 1/2 cups
Baking Powder 3/4 tsp
Milk 1/2 cup (you might not need the whole of it)
Cocoa powder 2 tbsp, or more depending on how 'dark' you want your cookie

How you make it -

First Grease the cooking tray

Then beat together butter, sugar and essence till light and fluffy

Add flour, baking powder, cocoa and mix with milk to make soft dough, mix thoroughly

Divide the dough into equal pieces, shape into balls, and press lightly

Place this onto your baking tray and bake at 160 degree C for 12 minutes

Cookies are ready! With this recipe you will have more than one batch.

--
I love pizza, who doesnt

There is no recpie for this one, just a story of an angry girl who came home from college upset, hungry and angry at myself, I had done an exam really badly (yea it was Indian constitution) I wanted to punch someone, throw someone down from the Eiffel tower, break someone’s head or phone, act like they do in the movies when they angry or upset, (break TVs and the like) but instead I picked up my phone and called up this person who would calm me, he was home in half an hour and with him he had a pizza, of yea I was talking about Pizza corner. A slice of pizza and a bite of garlic bread later I was serine, happy and ohhh la la ing.! And I looked at the pizza through my viewfinder as well.

--
Water melon juice

Of all fruits my favourite is water melon, i made this water melon juice even though they werent in season and priced like gold. Cut a watermelon into pieces, remove all seeds, (remove means remove them, dont leave the seeds in there to remove later), put it into the juicer jar of your mixie with sugar and ice cubes and beat till its a thick juice, use the whip button (if it has one) for one minute, the frothy thick watermelon juice is ready.

ps- dont forget to put the ice cubes in, while making this)

--

My Mom's Chicken curry, goes well with Mishmash's Neichoru.

I know this post is long, lol, let me end it on a sweet note.

Corn flour halwa.

Its really easy to make

You need

Corn flour 5 Tbsps

Milk 1/4 litre

Sugar 4 Tbsps

Colur a pinch

Two drops vanilla essence

Ghee 3 Tbps

First take corn flour in a bowl and add water to it, stir so that there are no lumps.

Boil milk for a while and add the corn flour paste to it and stir well so that there are no lumps, add sugar, colour and ghee and let it cook for 8 minutes. remove place on a greased plate and cut into pieces after 10 minutes.

You can add any colour, i wanted to add green colour but then i was scared that my parents would tease me sayign it was poison so i dint. lol

You ve come to the end of my Marathon post, hope you enjoyed your stay here, lol, if you ever try out anything from this post, please do let me know.

Toodles......

2008-09-07T03:49:00.000-07:00

Lindt- Prat's Pug. A journo's dog will want to be a journo?

2008-06-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Trip to kerala- May 2008.

Gods own
~~

A Random shot from the Car

Of Oil and Stone.
~~

Cherai.
~~

Beauty in a boat.

Athirapilly Waterfall

Top View of the same.

Beats your fancy liquor.
~~

Through the trees i see you.

~~~~~

2008-06-01T01:32:00.000-07:00

Light travels in straight lines ?

2008-04-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Magic of 'Flash'

Fill in flash can change the look of your picture completely, The first picture was taken without flash, and the 2nd one with it, same camera.

I like the first one better, maybe its the effect of the sunlight on the bottle that gives it that warm shade.

My mom is holding up the bottle, against the maroon curtains of my room, the light in the first picture is the sheer sunlight through the maroon curtains that makes it look enchanted. .

2008-04-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

Food!

If you know me then you know how big a foodie iam, some recent foodie clicks...

Egg Curry...

This a easy Mutta curry and is really yummmy! Especially when eaten with Aapaam.

Eat healthy Live happy

Salad makes me feel happy, Maybe coz i keep thinking of all the vitamins that have gone inside me.
~~~

Pink agar agar pudding.

The Easiest Desert EVER! This is my Special reciepie. *Grin*
~~

Macrooooons

Macroons on my balcony floor, Me, Redbull and a Sidney sheldon. ahhh Bliss!
~~~

Smart Kid

Parle G kane wale bache SMART hot hein! hehe Think HADKE
~~

Choco~!

Choco is accepted in all shapes and sizes. (and colours)

2008-03-04T05:14:00.000-08:00

Moi behind the Lens.

Sunset- From my Terrace.

Trees are better than humans.

Panaroma.

2008-03-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

Thengakola!

2008-03-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Jasmine of the terrace.

Amma plucking the flowers.

2008-02-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

Amma's Creeper on the Terrace.

2008-02-21T07:16:00.000-08:00

Milk and Tea

2008-02-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

Untitled!

2008-02-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

Where you go i follow!

2008-02-07T05:57:00.000-08:00

BitterSweet!

So Reminds me of ..... errr ME!

2008-02-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

The chick Connection.

The First and second ones were taken at home, the third one caught my eye on the way home from Besi.

2008-02-07T04:56:00.000-08:00

Self Potraits! My first ever self timed pics!

2008-01-29T02:40:00.000-08:00

Outdoors!

Under the Bridge.

The Dirty waters of the Cooum below the Light house MRTS Railway station. The train runs above the ground on bridges, and many a time during the journey you have to be content with looking inside the train as the stench can put you off completely.

~~~

Four legged among four wheelers!

This picture was taken on one of the busiest roads in chennai, namely East coast road (ECR), The cars, buses and bikes waited as this cow took its leisure evening stroll.

~~~

Where is the bin?

No bin not a sin?

2008-01-29T02:21:00.000-08:00

Village Life.

A Tea shop near Vellore.

2008-01-16T02:01:00.000-08:00

Shooting Star

' Iam Busy with shooting, will catch you later'.

~~~

This Kid dropped out of school and is now singlehandedly managing this game place, where kids of her age come just to indulge, and have a good time.

2008-01-16T01:58:00.000-08:00

A Cylindricall Approach to Quality Seating. ' No thanks, i dont need the cushions'

2008-01-16T01:52:00.000-08:00

The Deal.' Maybe i should buy this one, The civic wasnt as cool'

~~~~

'She cant see me now'

2008-01-16T01:28:00.000-08:00

Unity in Diversity- Snapshots of The 13th National youth festival held at Chennai.
The Team i worked with in bringing out 'Nehru Yuva sandesh pathrika' .. A Tabloid newsleter during the 13th National Youth festival in Chennai. The Person with the cap is Mir Ranjan Negi, Former captain of the Indian hockey team. The movie Chak De India, was based on him.

~~~

Folk Dancers from Punjab performing Bhangra at the National Youth festival

~~~

Manipuri dance at the Folk dance competition of the National youth fest.

~~~

A Mappala pattu dance by Participants from Andaman and Nicobar islands.

2008-01-16T01:22:00.000-08:00

Chennai Sangamam - An initiative to promote the Arts and Culture of Tamilnadu.Folk artists performing the Thapattam.

2008-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

Tchnay for you.

Chennai's answer to the White house.
Rippon building- Chennai.
~~~~

Back to the Mughal era?

Southern Railway office- Chennai.

~~~

Bend it like.... who me??? Yes you... couldnt be .... then who?

Nehru Stadium -Chennai

~~~

Time and Trains wait for no man

The Central Railway station - Chennai
~~~

Palm tree in the Foreground, Fountain for you to Feel

2008-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

A Gypsy Tale.

A Closer look.

Location - Besent Nagar, Chennai.

---

My favourite part of the first picture is the 'half' of the human element in it.

Besent nagar beach. Jan 1st 2008

2008-01-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

Fireworks? No its just Corn

A vendor selling Roasted corn on the beach, Making this type of roasted corn at home is next to impossible and people throng these beach shops not just for the tasty corn but for lovely sights like this one.
~~~

A Signpost that people preferred to ignore.

Risky Waters.
~~~

The Wild west?
Long before there were Cowboys,there was krishna!

This small boy was playing the flute with the attitude of a professional, and the song i heard him play was airtel's signature ringtone, composed by A.R. Rahman.
~~~

The baloon that wasnt shot.!

This is a very popular game at besent nagar beach, these baloons are shot at with a gun, (a big one) for pleasure. Now just like you, i had a doubt too, what happens of a person gets shot by mistake? this question was asked by me when i was 11 years old, to a fat woman who owned it, and also asked her if i would be arrested if i shot a person by mistake,well the answer- the bullets are actually green gram dipped in silver paint.
~~~
Beach or kumbh mela?

A sea of people, newyear day evening. Holiday time i guess, but the beach resembled a kumbh mela, with people dressed in designer sarees and salwars around, it seemed like a beach from a 'k' serial.

The 'light'

2008-01-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

When the Street lamp looked down at the sun. ~~~
and all the sun had to say was,
hey bro!, chill, i will be up above the world so high 2morow morning.

Home pics.

2008-01-01T03:22:00.000-08:00

Conch Tale. Can you see the Reflection ?
~~~~
Table for three.

The place adjacent to the wall is mine, people often wonder how i fit in there, lol.

~~~~

Pop it!!!

Popcorn khao mast ho Jao! Tv time.

Surya.

2008-01-01T03:15:00.000-08:00

At Anandavikadan's 'Surya' party.

I must add, this guy is one cool person, and a really down to earth celebrity.

2007-12-30T05:01:00.000-08:00

Blog post number one.

~ Moi Balcony.