traditional

Jingle-Jangle o’ the Green-Bangles

~ Madame Zenista ~ 30 Comments

For the two themes in WordPress’ ‘The Daily Post Photo Challenges‘ 

Security, Green. 

In the (Asian) Indian culture, green bangles are adorned by the bride at the sacred marriage ceremony- a blessing symbolizing prosperity and fertility. And she continues to wear green her entire married life. The gentle striking of glass produces a sound that is delightful, soft and feminine.

My maiden home would be filled with the cheerful sound from my mother’s or grandmother’s bangles. It seems to always be there in the background, the predictability gave us kids a strange sense of security, and you could tell those toiling hands were working somewhere in or around the house.

This jingle-jangle of the green bangles were sounds of love and care and motherly  warmth.

Green glass bangles with pearl - gold side bangles. Photography.
Green glass bangles with a pair of pearl-gold ones, set on traditional green Indian fabric.
OF SANDALWOOD ‘n fresh  mehendi hands
Mixed scents, like feelings; lonesome she stands
Dressed in silk, her gold jewelry dangles
Amidst the jingle-jangle o’ the green-bangles

SHE MAKES the house into a home
Cooking n’ cleaning n’ loving she roams
Making peace after any wrangles
Along the jingle-jangle o’ her green-bangles

HOLDING the little chin, combing hair
On fevered forehead, her hands of care
In a soft mulmul* embrace, their tears she lulls
All in the jingle-jangle o’ her green-bangles!

*Mulmul (pronounced muh-l muh-l as in mulberry) is a fine, soft cotton muslin from India. There are beautiful mulmul sarees for women in India.

For The Daily Post Photo Challenges theme for the week “It IS Easy Being Green!” and (Michelle said if the post is related to Ireland, the better it is. So, while taking this picture, I thought of Ireland. So related it in such an unrelated way 😬 )

Works for another theme for this week “Security” as well!

Narayan Sheera: the simple & delicious halwa recipe

~ Madame Zenista ~ 2 Comments
Narayan Sheera based on Dr. Balaji Tambe's 'Ayurvedic Garbha Sanskar'
Narayan Sheera: recipe from Dr. Balaji Tambe’s ‘Ayurvedic Garbha Sanskar’

On the occasion of my sons second birthday, I made Narayan Sheera, a halwa that is rich, nutritious and gives a feeling of satiety to the tummy and soul. It is made for Satyanarayan Puja or any religious ceremony as prasad (food offering to God).

Post Partum diet: I have the book Ayurvedic Garbha Sanskar by pioneering Ayurvedic physician and spiritual master Dr. Shri Balaji Tambe that my mother and I used as a guide during my pregnancies. It is an excellent book for those who are pro natural living and inclined to Ayurveda. Along with all the great information, the DOs and DON’Ts, the book has some recipes, including this Narayan shira / sheera that makes a rich but healthy dessert for one and all, especially beneficial during postpartum care. It is quite potent and so also recommended for women just before going into labor, as it provides the energy to sustain the mother through (and the only food before) the arduous hours of labor, childbirth and immediate recovery period.

This recipe is adapted from the book. Note how the characteristic proportion of suji to ghee to sugar is 1:1:1.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rava / suji / semolina

1/2 cup ghee /  Indian clarified butter

1/2 cup sugar*

2 cups milk

2 tbsp almonds (or more/less, per you wish), chopped

2 tbsp cashews (or more/less, per your wish), halved

1 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)

1/4 tsp kesar  powder (saffron)

1 ripe banana

1. In a thick bottomed pan, heat ghee and fry almonds and cashews. Set aside.

2. Add the suji in the ghee and fry it on low flame until it changes color to a dull pinkish and fragrant. Heat milk in the mean time.

3. Add the hot milk slowly while stirring so as to not let it form into lumps. After adding all the milk, stir well and cover to let it cook for about 5 minutes on very low heat. Make sure it doesn’t get burnt at the bottom (Put another griddle between your stove and the pan, if you need to).

4. Add sugar, almonds, cashews, saffron, cardamom powder, stir well, and cover for a minute or two. In the end, stir in the ripe banana pieces and cover for another minute or two before turing off the stove.

*The Indian sugar somehow seems sweeter than the one in the US. That said, you could add a couple more teaspoons of sugar if you wish. But again, most people like it not “too sweet” too. So adjust sweetness to your taste.