Golder Summer

This one was for trial and turned out to be a good one. I am planning a bigger version of same. Let's see when...

I was inclined to flowers due to summer and golden touch to it due to sunny San Diego!!!

My first painting actually hanging in my house. :) yay!!!

War and Love

Interesting name for an interesting piece. First try on modern art as well as first try on a technique called 'glazing'

Started well and got messy and then again got interesting... My teacher really liked this one and I was confused why she is liking it at all. I guess she is seeing something I am not seeing:) She asked me to price it $150??? I said you are kidding who's that mad? I am sure nobody but I am happy she said that. Makes you happy, inspires you, encourages you and gives you hope...

Tandoori Chicken Recipe

I learned this from a friend and passed on to other friends, its a success always!!! SO here it is...

Tandoori Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:-

To Marinate:
* 2 pounds chicken with skin and fat removed
* 1 teaspoon salt
* lemon
* green coriander leaves (if possible good amount like 1/2 bunch but not necessary )
* 1 cup plain yogurt
* 2-3 clove garlic
* 1 tbs fresh ginger root
* 1 or 2 tbs olive oil
* green chilli
* 1 tbs Tandoori Masala

To Bake:
* Oil or Pam spray
* 2 tbs chicken masala(any) (otherwise use garam masala and cumin powder)
* Salt (if needed)
* lemon

Method:
1. Remove skin from chicken pieces, and cut slits into them lengthwise. Place in a shallow dish. sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and lemon juice. Set aside 20 minutes.
2. Put remaining ingredients of Marinate section into a grinder and grind
3. Spread marinate mixture over chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours (the longer the better)
4. put chicken masala and salt(if needed) over chicken pieces. Try to cover chicken with masala as nicely as possible
5. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate OR preheat oven and oil a baking pan
6. Cook chicken on grill or in oven on 350 F aprox. 45 mins (until no longer pink and juices run clear )
7. Spray oil chicken pieces and turn the pieces upside down to cook other side.
8. spay oil and cook for 10-15 more mins. check that chicken is done (when it is easily breaking with a fork)

Serve with lemons and/or any green chutney!!! Enjoy ....

Cooking Spree...

Last Friday we invited few friends for dinner and my cooking neurons got all fired up... I cooked a lot and everything was tasty too!!! This does not happen often so I am proudly posting the memory of my rangeen friday into this rangeen collection...



Here is the menu:

• Daal Makhani (recipe)


• Shahi Paneer


• Kadhai Paneer & Kadhai Chicken


• Tandoori Chicken

with Rice, Naan, Papad and Raita

Thanks to a good friend of mine who is a 'queen of hosting' for great recipes and tips. It was a success !!! All these dishes are not difficult to make as I used to think. After cutting/chopping/preparation it took me 3-4 hours of watching TV serials and going in the kitchen during advertisements. (Ask me if you need recipe)

Wanted to be better in presentation and photography but cooking took all the time and energy! I know I need a good camera. btw, How do people serve lot of food in a beautiful or aesthetically inspiring manner ???

Go ahead and cook good food at home
You do not need to spend all that money in eating out
Its not difficult, its tastier and healthier!!!
If I can cook you can also cook!


Happy Cooking...
 

Painting a 'Peacock'

Peacock is the most beautiful bird (in my opinion).

I had this urge/wish to paint a huge peacock for one of the walls. As I don't want it to be a disaster I made this feather first. Which I believe is one of the most attractive parts of a good looking peacock. Central part of feather has peculiar shades and colors. I had to look at various photographs(close-up) of peacock. National geographic has a good one: Indian Blue Peacock. I used fine brushes to make the central part. AAhhh.. Here it is and I am happy with the outcome...



I wish I had a good camera and skills too to capture the real painting...

To paint the full peacock I don't have very fine brushes which I realized after starting the painting. Here is a drawing of incomplete work..



So for now everything is on hold and I am just happy with this feather!!!

Gobi65

Which Indian dish became famous after 'Bend it like Beckham'?
- Alu Gobi

I like Alu Gobi but due to various reasons I looked for a new Gobi dish.
Reasons:
- One of your friends or in-laws make very good Alu Gobi. You have tried many times and still its not that good.
- You are bored of same old
- Missing Indian Chinese

Here is an easy, different, tasty dish Gobi65 (Thanks to internet and thanks to all those talented people out there writing interesting blogs). This was my contribution to last Pot luck we went to. Success!

I have a sweet tooth ...

Chocolate Layer Cake recipe
Baking, hands on photography, long walk on a sunny winter weekend and good food. This is how my Valentine's day went.

Happy Valentine's Day

Painting as a meditation !

Based on an article I read in Yoga Journal where bread baking serves a meditation.
 Let dough rise and the mind fall quiet when you bake bread as a meditation.

I personally enjoy painting and cooking and would call it my meditation. A moving meditation. I think for some people its reading or driving or photography. Anyway.. if this could be my meditation I would do it everyday.

Hands on painting after many-many years.

 

Not sure why I chose this particular one. May be because I am obsessed with sunset and sunrise. If you observe, change in colors of almost everything around with changing atmosphere has an impact on you. I looked at the picture as 'Beauty in desert'. Here is the inspiration photograph by National Geographic: