Useful Kitchen Tips

This post is different compared to my other posts . But thought it would be useful to a vast majority of people who have stepped into the kitchen - to cook  ..
Many times we are faced with tricky situations in the kitchen and at our wits end on how to solve them , so I have collected some tips gathered over different places and from different people , hope it would be useful to all you people at some point of time . Here we go ..

- Add a peeled potato or a ball of dough to over salted soups or gravies to reduce the saltiness.

- Empty airtight containers will not be smelly if a pinch of salt is added.

- Warm pods of garlic in a microwave and you can easily peel it.

- Apply mayo on sides instead of butter while making sandwiches for crispier and tastier sandwiches.

- Saute mint or vegetables in some butter and add to pulao and see how it enhances the flavour.

- To remove the skin of almonds easily, soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

- To chop dry fruits, place them in fridge for half an hour before cutting. Taking the fruits out and cut them with a hot knife (dip it in hot water before cutting).

- To make tasty filter coffee - add a little sugar to the coffee filter before adding coffee powder, then add boiling water to it.

- a mixture of turmeric in lemon juice can help you get a natural red tandoori colour.

- Remove coffee stains from china cups by scrubbing them with equal parts vinegar and salt.

-Add milk powder in cake to make it soft and fluffy.

-Boil potatoes in salty water for two minutes before frying to get crisp chips.

-If you burnt rice ,place a loaf of bread on top ,which will absorb burnt rice smell.

-place rolled puris in the fridge for about ten minutes before frying .. it'll consume less oil and be crispy

-Add a handful of salt +half cup vinegar and boil for 10 mintes and wash off for cleaning burnt pots.

-If your dough is sticky , refrigerate for sometime and then use.

-To prevent an egg from cracking (while boiling) or to boil a slightly cracked egg without the liquid coming out.. add salt/vinegar to the water.

Some tips for Cleaning microwaves
---------------------------------------------.
- The quickest way to clean a microwave oven is to place a handful of wet paper towels inside and run it on High for 3-5 minutes. You don't need a science lesson to know that the steam from the towels will soften the grime. Once the paper towels cool down, use them to wipe the oven's interior.

-Cut a lemon in two and place on a saucer . Place it in your oven after sprinkling a tablespoon of water on the lemons .Run the microwave on high for one minute .Once the microwave gets steamy , all grime will loosen , wipe away with a wet cloth and add the lemon to garbage disposal to wipe away kitchen odours.

- Place a wet sponge with detergent in the microwave and run on high for a minute.Remove all the loosened grime and you will have a sparkling clean microwave.

Incompetent service but with a happy ending :)

Last week was my parents' anniversary and I had planned to gift them something nice. I settled on a gift worth several thousands as I wanted it to be a memorable one. Now came the dilemma , how was I to shift it safely from Hyderabad to Coimbatore without it getting lost and damaged . So I settled for the best(?!) known courier here - Blue Dart . Although they charged me five times more than the smaller couriers I went for it going by the brand name.

They collected the parcel from me on a Saturday and promised me a Tuesday delivery or at the most Wednesday .I waited and waited till Wednesday and when it was not delivered by 7 pm started a spate of calls. By 9 pm my hubby and I had to give up exhausted as there was no proper response from the offices at Hyderabad and Coimbatore or from their call centre . And I was left fuming as the usual helpless Indian customer who pays a high price for everything but gets pathetic service.

I was so irritated as I had paid a high price and didn't want to take it lying down . At around 9:45 at night fortunately I had a brain wave which urged me to do a google search for the Blue Dart MD . And surprisingly it threw up a result with the MD's details and his email ID. Within minutes I drafted off an angry email explaining about the pathetic service and how disgruntled I was . I didn't expect any response but at least was happy at venting out my anger on someone. And what a surprise ! Within 10 minutes I got a reply from his regional head apologizing profusely and telling me that the matter would be resolved at the highest priority. Another 10 minutes and I got a call from the Coimbatore office saying my parcel was on its way . My parents received the courier at 10:40 that night and I learnt a major lesson . In India to get any customer complaint resolved ,we always need to approach people at the highest level , no use raising a hue and cry at the lower rung . And it pays to actually contact people at the top of the hierarchy and they DO respond . Not sure it would work out always but guess I was lucky .I did thank him and ask him to train his employees at providing  better customer service and he promised to do so :) 

It’s almost routine that you can expect poor customer service in India, whether it’s a restaurant or store. Let's hope indian companies are challenged into being more customer friendly by increased competition. 

Exam woes - food for thought

The other day I was just going through my son's exam papers and he was feeling bad on receiving an A grade inspite of preparing well for his Computer Science exam (Yes he's only in the third grade and they have Cse from grade 1)I went through his papers and felt it was a little unfair on him considering the actual knowledge he had. 

Question: What is system software?
Expected Answer by teacher: A software which controls and manages all the activities of the computer system.

My son's answer: A software which sees to all the activities of a computer.

Question:Features of MS Windows?
(One of the expected features present in the text but not given in teachers notes):
It contains icons which help to do work easily.

My son's answer: There are icons in MS Windows.

While technically the teacher's expected answer might be perfect, expecting a third grade student to remember these terms seemed a little too much. And she had underlined all the above answers written by him and reduced his grade.
Somehow this seems to show the basic problem in our education system - learning by rote and answering in exact words.

Wouldn't it have been better if they had been given objective type questions and asked to pick out the right system software ? This would have shown if they have actually understood the concept rather than grading them based on their choice of words in theoretical answers. And isn't computer science all about practical knowledge? It isn't even given weightage here.

My son was feeling bad as he was not upto the standards of his fellow classmates with an A+ grade and I actually had to console him saying he was good enough. And to top it all the teacher who handed out his paper said this to him "I'm sorry Adarsh, you're getting only an A. "
Isn't appreciation of the child's effort more important than the grade.

My words provided him little comfort , wish the teacher had been a little more sensitive towards him. Can't blame them fully either as they seem to be under a lot of pressure from the school to produce 'results'. Hope teachers are trained to be more sensitive towards children and hope education is designed 'to learn' something new and not ' to study'

The Lush Backwaters of Kerala

It had been a really long time since I had been on a holiday and I had been begging my hubby for one . Surprisingly he didnt need much convincing (as is the wont usually) and we together surfed the net for a suitable holiday spot . After a lot of searching - scanning we booked a houseboat in the lush green backwaters of Kumarakom with overnight stay in the houseboat  . It was a 24 hour package and I must say totally worth it . It was a lovely brush with nature after a long time of being in the concrete jungles of Hyderabad.

We boarded the houseboat at Kumarakom at around 11AM and were immediately given a welcome drink which we thoroughly enjoyed . I was surprised at the interiors of the houseboat which were much more posh than I expected .My son had a great time running around the entire houseboat which even boasted of a first floor .The entire houseboat was well furnished and beautifully maintained and we fell in love with its interiors.

First floor

Lazing away and taking in the beautiful scenery as the boat set sail, we spotted all kinds of birds which we had never seen before . The entire stretch was dotted with coconut trees and sparkling waters .After a relaxed time came the best part - the freshly cooked lunch on board the boat . Being strict vegetarians we were treated to more kuzambu, sambar , cabbage thoran , raw banana fry , olan , curds and an array of cut fruits .I wanted to click a picture of the food but being too hungry we promptly tucked in. The scrumptious meal  made us want to doze off but we didnt want to miss any of the scenery . We spotted a lot of fishing boats and chinese fishing nets and I envied the fishermen who could bask in the backwaters daily .

Evening bought with it piping hot masala tea and freshly  prepared onion pakodas We finally halted near a tiny village at dusk. It was pure serenity untouched by humans and the view where we halted was breath taking .

The night was event free except for a few insects found on our boat .After a blissful sleep , we awoke to the most breathtaking morning view which was almost like a divine experience. My son absolutely enjoyed himself jumping off the boat and wandering into the village where we halted . .We took off after a light breakfast and savoured as much as we could before arriving at 10 AM back to the spot where we took off .
A student going to college by boat , breath taking houses and a a host of other things were a feast to the eyes as we sailed along.

Lucky Student !

Village

                                     

 It was truly one of the best travel experiences I ever had . Rejuvenating , refreshing and totally one with nature , I was awestruck by the beauty of the backwaters of Kerala. It is pure bliss and definitely ought to be experienced . Though a bit on the expensive side, it is totally worth it , if you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life . Hubby , myself and son felt totally refreshed and we would recommend this once in a lifetime trip to everyone . Only word of advice and caution is to look for a genuine houseboat which is well maintained and always go in a group since the village where the boat halts is a totally isolated one .It leaves us in no doubt as to why Kerala is called 'God's Own Country 'Bon voyage !!

Exam Stress

I am filled with excitement anticipating a family function I've been invited to attend. I eagerly await the day when I would meet all my relatives and chat away to glory . Upon arriving, I notice all the teenagers are missing especially the ones in high school. Model exams,coaching classes,tuitions are the responses I get from their parents on enquiring about their absence .
This leaves me pondering ..Are our youth so hard pressed for time that they cannot spare a day to relax and attend a family function. And this was not even the exam month...
One of the most disturbing factors noted among the young in India is the enormous pressure on them to perform well academically . Majority of the students in their teens are eternally confused and have conceded to the fact that their worthiness in school and society is to a large extent determined by their academic performance . Coaching classes for competitive exams like JEE , AIEEE have mushroomed now as early as class 6  and parents make a beeline towards such centres . Academics to a large extent is equated with science and maths in such a scenario. A disturbing trend in India is where students commit suicide unable to keep up with academic pressure.

This kind of stress isn't limited to any particular course or college. Right from premier institutes like IIT to a student who fails his regular school examination, the problem is widely prevelant.Majority of schools in India lay exclusive emphasis on academics and advertise for admissions with poster pictures of exam toppers . How many times do we see schools advertising a student achieving in sports or the arts for their admissions .
Comparison of a student with the over achieving siblings or neighboring kids could also spell doom to their confidence . If a student conveys to his parents about being interested in arts like music or fashion designing he or she is met with scorn and is told to do something useful like computer science .
Right from kinder garten where children are 'interviewed' upto college the student is guided in a fixed path of excelling in academics ,choosing a course with science and graduating preferably with a campus job.
Activities like sports , music take a back seat and are viewed as distractions from class 9 and stopped.
.Boards like CBSE have been making an effort to ease the burden of students by doing away with ranks , reducing excessive study portions and so on . More emphasis could be made right from school to make education less text book dependant. Subjects like science could be taught on a practical basis and the way to test the students learning could be through interesting projects rather than homework . Instead of viewing arts , sports as extracurricular activities students could be given the freedom to choose their area of interest like a sport or music and monitored for progress in their area of interest alongsideacademics.
How is it that in a country where such importance is given to academics , we hardly have any Noble Prize winners or cutting edge inventions and discoveries . Top US universities give a lot of weightage to CCA and extracurricular activities where they want people who can add value to their universities through their activities. This definitely boosts the confidence of youth and is also a great stress buster . It is time our education system eases the burden of exams on students and helps them in attaining all round growth and build a confident personality rather than a stressed out individual who refuses to take any risks.
Parents should also realise that placing undue pressure on their children would only unnecessarily stress them out. They should encourage their children to pursue activities they are interested in. Encouraging them to put in their daily hour of physical play at the playground would go a long way in inculcating physical fitness in them as well as act as a stress buster. This should be continued late into their teens and even in college. These steps would go a long way in making our country a world leader in all disciplines.

Those memorable Summer vacations

As my son's summer vacation approaches, I am at my wits end as to how I would keep him engaged for a period of two months. Options are aplenty with everblooming summer camps or a fancy vacation to some exotic place. After spending a small fortune for experience coupled with fun I am sure he would be delighted .I indulgently asked him if he was happy.
"Amma leave me alone.I hate all this." he said.
This leaves me pondering ..How did the parents of yore engage their children during their summer vacations .It also brought back refreshing memories of my own childhood where devoid of summer camps or luxurious visits abroad ,we had the time of our lives enjoying the little pleasures life had to offer us .As I sit back and recollect , a wave of nostalgia sweeps through me and takes me through a scintillating journey of my childhood .

Greenery galore

Every year as children we eagerly awaited our summer vacations as it was the only time we could play with our friends without any time restrictions .Our activities involved indulging in board games in the morning .We relished the cool lemonade served by my friends' mom to quench our parched throats.The evening were spent playing games in the sand of construction sites nearby .
Each day would pass eagerly anticipating the announcement of our trip to our native lace,Palakkad where all our cousins lived. And lo and behold, once it was announced, we packed our bags not leaving behind even petty stuff like marbles!We always took the slow chugging passenger train from Coimbatore to palakkad which took an hour and a half to cover . Till date after having travelled in closeted flights I could say it was the most enjoyable journey we've experienced. Munching on peanuts,vadas or anything edible that was sold we took in the sights and sounds of the lush greenery that began once we entered Kerala .Halting at Palakkad junction, I was always fascinated by the aroma of the banana chips sold there. The buzz in the air was palpable and in sync with our excitement.We slowly made our way to my Grandmother's house and the fun began .
The following month was spent with compulsory visits to the nearby temple every morning and evening . The feel of the cold sandalwood paste as I applied it one my forehead was enchanting. We spend the days playing in the small coconut grove adjacent our house sipping on endless supplies of tender coconuts .I was totally in awe of my local cousins whose idea of a bath was wallowing in the ice cool water from the well ,something which a city child like me could never dream of . Evenings were spent visiting each relative residing nearby and I would eagerly anticipate the goodies they'd offer . Sometimes the local temple had small festivities and if we were lucky we got to perch atop decorated elephants.All our meals were traditional Kerala fare and there were yummy delicacies like jackfruit jam which we tucked into. By any means if we fell ill, the treatment pertained to only grandma's remedies.Our outings included visits to the nearby single Theatre or the tiny Summer Fair . Before we knew it, time had sped by and we reluctantly bade goodbye taking the passenger train back home . Every year it was the same visit but it left us so refreshed and longing for more. We returned to school highly energized and with lingering memories to last a lifetime .

Temple

Today I wish I could take my son there and recall each wonderful experience . Unfortunately most relatives have migrated to greener pastures . I wish he could experience all the joys I did back then forgetting about TV,cartoons and summer coaching .Of course times have changed and we need to embrace the change . The remaining academic year can be dreams . Right now is the time to indulge , to laze away and experience the simple pleasures of life which would persist in his imagination for a lifetime .There will be no fancy vacations...I will take him to a village this summer.

Developing reading habits in children

As I struggle to get my seven year old to read and remove his prying eyes off television,  I wonder how I took to reading at a very young age. As far as my memory goes,  I was never advised or forced into reading by anybody but discovered the joy of reading entirely by myself. However among the current generation reading books has a  huge competition in the form of television ,mobile and video games . Our curiosity is aroused and imagination is kindled making us visualise each scene only while reading a book. Children are attracted to the visual media like video games which kills their creativity and imagination.

Studies show that reading has great benefits for children and it is good to inculcate the reading habit from a young age.Regular reading habit gives a huge advantage for children over their peers. Reading is also a stress buster and could well help children in their later years giving them strong mental and emotional stimulation.

Besides improving their concentration levels and imagination,  it improves their linguistic skills, confidence and general knowledge. A child who reads with interest can interact with others with high self confidence.

Inspite of knowing this parents find it increasingly difficult to get their children into reading with so many distractions around. A well read child is definitely a smart child .So how do you get a child to read in such a challenging environment?Here are some ways you can employ. 

Get them to read in a calm environment like your own garden or at a park.  This kind of a surrounding away from gadgets kindles their interest. The quieter the surroundings the more interested they would be.

Get their friends to join them too. Encourage them to discuss what they have read.This creates a mutual interest and challenges them into reading new books.

Spend some family reading time together. Alternately, reading out to them from a very young age will kindle their interest. Also surround them with some interesting books at home which interests them.Attractive books around them will make them want to choose and read them.

Tell them interesting stories or tidbits which you've read in a book and let them be tempted into reading. This would also prove as an inspiration to them. Parents should set an example if they want their children to read .

Take them to a library . They can find all genres of books and it encourages reading habits. They can always select their favourite authors and the wide variety available is sure to interest them 

Never force a child to read. If he is rebellious and refuses to stop watching his favorite program arrive at a compromise allowing him a time frame to finish his favorite program and then read.Setting aside a regular time for reading in a busy schedule would be a more sure shot way to make sure your child reads. Reading should be a pleasure and not become a chore.

Appreciate him when he completes his book and praise his effort. He would try more to please you.Gift him books as a surprise. Books as gifts are the best gifting options and can be cherished and treasured by all.

Do not force him into reading a particular book.  Let him select his genre. However do try to introduce him to different genres and let him choose.Slowly your child's tastes would develop and he will be confident to choose his own books.

Lastly do not expect him to be an avid reader like the kid next door. Each kid has their own speed and do not be disappointed if he is a mild reader.Early reading habits help in identifying if reading problems exist and patiently help your child overcome them

From a very young age start reading out to your child and slowly as he grows older introduce  and indulge him into this useful habit which could be one of your biggest gifts . Watch your child grow in knowledge and self confidence by introducing him to the wonderful world of books.

My experiences with children

My experiences with children
------------------------------

Being a mom of a young boy and an infant, I first had the time to venture into the beautiful and innocent world of children through them.Interacting with their little friends gave me a whole new perspective towards life . For adults,  spending time with children in a relaxed atmosphere can be the best way to destress and learn a lot of lessons which we have forgotten on our way towards adulthood.

All through my student life and as a single working woman, I neither had the time nor the inclination to move closely with them as I was focussed more on myself . When my son was a toddler I used to take him to a nearby park everyday for a breath of fresh air . The experience opened up a whole new world hitherto unknown to me .Older children would come rushing to play with him all in the age group of 4 to 10 . And thats where I started spending more time with them.
Their simplicity , honesty and innocence blew me away and I felt some of life's lessons can truly be learnt from them . Every evening my son would await this visit to the park , to have the older children fuss over him  . These lovely little girls and boys at the park would ask me about my sons routine and me , theirs . In the course of time we developed a bond which was special and I looked forward to this daily routine.
They also loved it when I she'd my inhibitions and played with them . I used to observe closely their games , the way they fought , how they later made up ,truly useful for us adults in a challenging environment . I used to conduct quizzes
for them and they soon began enjoying this routine .The time I spent at the park boosted my sagging energy levels and I felt refreshed by the time I left.
I did observe some interesting facts about children and wanted to share it.
Children are great mind readers and don't hesitate to speak what's on their mind.  They are truthful and if any child lies it is mostly due to the example set by the elders in their life. One look at a parent and they mostly know what's running through their mind.
Contrary to belief that todays children ,especially the single ones are very adamant , I saw that even at a young age they are more confident and know what they want .At my sons School Day programme one of the teachers walked upto his classmate aged 6 and admonished her for sitting in the wrong classroom while getting ready . She coolly replied "The other rooms are so crowded . I wouldn't want my costume to get dirty . So I will sit here ."
And she sat there defiantly despite the teachers repeated efforts to move her out . I loved the confidence with which she took on the teacher , explained her reason and stood by her decision . Big lessons from a small kid .
Sometimes their words of wisdom and advice does help us a lot . Many times the simple solutions offered by my children to problems I dreaded solving were the most ideal. I was fretting and fuming over a schoolmate always snatching my sons snacks at school .The next day I was deciding on how I would get the concerned child to realise his mistake when my son returned from school all smiling.  When I asked him about this boy he told me that they had made up by deciding to share his snack box everyday. Was I glad that I didn't interfere in a hurry!

As children we all have this divine purity and uncorrupted character . Transversing our way through life as we grow up , somewhere these
traits are lost without us even realising it . It find its way back to us like a breath of fresh air only on the rare occassions where we are willing to let go the adult in us .This is best experienced when we are around children.
So it is important to sit back,  relax and spend some happy time at least with our own children each day. This would go a long way in helping us build our character.

My first published article, excited

I am quite excited about my first blog post . Here I go ... This Sunday began on an exciting note for me when with my morning cuppa of coffee , I opened The Hindu and lo and behold , what did I find? My article had been published . Sums up the feeling of most Indian moms.

This is the link :
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-openpage/working-vs-stayathome-moms/article5741793.ece

Pasting the writing below for those who cannot access it...

 Working vs Stay at Home Moms
-----------------------------------

As I write, my younger kid is bringing the house down because he’s hungry while the elder one can’t find his favourite toy. My husband’s calling out to me and the maid wants a new bar of soap. It feels like the house is revolving around me. How would a day at home be in my absence, I shudder to think…

Welcome to the world of a stay-at-home mom. Administrator, cook, waiter, self-appointed doctor, teacher and more rolled into one. As one who has seen both sides of the spectrum (I had been a working mom till my elder one was a toddler), I find it amusing to think of all the comments, or rather ‘good advice’, that I received in both roles.

Ending a maternity break of six months after my elder son was born, I nervously continued my journey into the corporate world. I was immediately met with comments like, “How can you resume working so soon?”

As every working mother would understand, resuming work after a maternity break does leave every young mother with a sense of guilt. I must say I was filled with self-doubt too. Anyway my answer to any uncomfortable question was just a smile. Later personal circumstances forced me to quit my lucrative job and I was a stay-at-home mom when my second son was born. During the course of this transformation, I faced questions like, “Why did you give up such a good job?” and, “How can you waste away your education?” And in extreme cases: “I cannot imagine myself sitting at home like you.” I was at my wit’s end listening to both types of arguments.

In a country like India, a woman is constantly judged for the choices she makes after marriage, right from when she should have kids to how she should bring up her child. Women who refuse to toe the line are deemed arrogant. The choice of whether she should continue her profession is not entirely her own even in educated households. Respect the choices a woman makes about whether she wants to work after child birth.

Regardless of her decision, she is going to be working — the only difference is the pay. Many moms who choose to be at home feel a sense of emptiness. Its feels like they are stuck to household chores alone and their sense of self- worth takes a beating. The same holds true for working women who feel the grass is greener on the other side and that they are not spending as much time as they should with their families.

If a woman chooses to stay at home, do not conclude she is any less ambitious. Remember, she is leaving a very important part of her life to take up another role that requires round the clock dedication. Bringing up kids and running the home full-time is no mean task. Such a woman hardly has time to herself for a relaxed cup of coffee. There is laundry to be done, lunches to be packed, shopping to be done... the list goes on. She does all this like a well-oiled machine, out of love for her family.

On the other hand, when a woman chooses to work she is doing it fully realising the enormity of responsibilities in front of her apart from housework. Both types of women have their hands full and it is time people stop being judgmental and instead appreciate the reason behind her decision. If you can’t support her at least leave her in peace to fulfil her duties.

Men, pause and appreciate the woman in your life for the contribution she makes towards running the home, financially or otherwise.

vidya.subbu2005@gmail.com

Both homemakers and working women have their hands full. It is time people stopped being judgmental about them