Simple Vanilla Ice Cream recipe

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Making a simple eggless vanilla ice cream is easier than you think. Here is how to do it without an ice cream machine -

Ingredients
1. Heavy Cream - 100 ml
2. Milk - 150-200 ml (2 cups)
3. Milk Powder - 1 cup (100 grams) (optional. substitute with more heavy cream or milk)
4. Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup (50 grams) or as per taste
5. Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon
6. Corn Flour - 0.5 teaspoon
*** P.S: You can use more heavy cream than milk if you are not diet-conscious

Method
1. Mix sugar & cornflour in the milk & heat it for 1 minute.
2. After the sugar dissolves & the cornflour makes the milk thick, add the vanilla extract, milk powder & heavy cream.
3. Beat the mixture very well for about 10 minutes with a manual whipper or 3-4 minutes with an electric whisk.
4. Pour into a shallow container, cover with a plate & freeze for about 1-1.5 hours. (or until it is semi-set)
5. Take it out of the freezer. Separate the mixture into two bowls & whip/beat separately. You can also put the entire semi-set ice cream into a blender & blend it for about 1 minute until the ice particles break.
6. Again, put it in the freezer for about 4 hours. Then get it out, whip/beat for about 2 minutes, and freeze again.
7. You can do this process for about 3-4 times. This gives the ice cream a smooth texture.
8. Finally, pour it in an air tight container & freeze.
9. Scoop & serve!

How to grow Eggplant at home

Eggplant, which are known to the British as aubergines, typically have deep purple skins.
However there are also some very beautiful white, pink, and striped varieties of eggplants to add extra color to your garden!

Growing Eggplants at Home

Eggplant is a warm-weather crop and should not be set out in the vegetable garden until the evening temperatures can be expected to stay above 55 degrees.

Start the seeds indoors in the spring to gain a good six weeks on the growing season.

Sow 2 seeds to a pot, ½ inch deep.

The seedlings will be up in about a week and a half.

When it is apparent which seedling is the stronger, clip off the weaker of the two so that there will be only one eggplant growing in each pot.

Eggplants like to be bedded in rich, warm, and moist soil.

Depending on your climate, most gardeners wait until early June to set out seedlings sown in April.

A good rule of thumb is to set out eggplant seedlings when there is no danger the night temperatures will drop below 55 degrees.

Even though your vegetable gardening site's soil has already been fertilized for other crops, it never hurts to add a bit more.

Dig 5-10-5 fertilizer into the plot at a rate of 4 pounds to 100 square feet before setting the plants in at 2 foot spacing.

Water the plants after transplanting.

Eggplants in Container Gardens

Eggplants are good candidates for container grown vegetables because of their shallow root systems.
Plant one eggplant per medium-sized container, or several plants in a large container.
Fertilize every week or two with liquid garden fertilizer according to the directions on the container.
Be sure to place the containers in a sunny location.

I found some interesting tips on how to grow Oregano herb at home. Oregano is a spice commonly found in Italian dishes. In addition, fresh oregano tastes much better than store bought oregano.

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1.  Choose if you would like to use seeds or oregano plants from your local nursery. Oregano plants are easier to grow, so you should consider this if you are a first time gardener. However, oregano seeds are much cheaper (not to mention the extra pride you feel once you have a sprout), so more experienced gardeners may choose this method.
2. Loosen the soil. If you are going to be planting the oregano in an area of soil that is hard or rocky, you are probably going to have to loosen it so that the oregano's roots can grow more easily. Do this by taking a trowel and shoveling up the dirt over and over, until it is fairly fine. Also, remove any rocks.
3. Plant the oregano in the spring. They should be planted in soil that is between dry and moist and where they can get lots of sunlight. It should also drain well. If you are using seeds, they should be planted six inches apart from each other, and only be about half an inch below the surface. Later, thin the plants so they are twelve inches apart.
4. Maintain your oregano. Water the oregano only when the soil is dry because since they are native to arid regions, they do not like particularly moist soil. Also, keep your garden free of weeds and bugs.
5. Pinch off flower buds when they start to grow. These will reduce the flavor of the oregano.
6. Harvest the oregano when it is about 6 inches tall. You can cut the plant at about half an inch above the ground.
7. Cut back your oregano once the weather gets to cold and cover it with mulch until it is spring again. 
8. Replace your oregano. This should be done two to four years after you plant, when the oregano has begun to become woody.
   

En Palli Kondir Ayya

This is a popular Tamil classical song.

(In the popular versions only one Charanam is there. But I found reference to three charanams also. I have used the popular version.)

Pallavi
Yen palli kondeer aya,
Sri Ranganatha!

Anupallavi
Aambal pootha shaya parvatha maduvile,
Yaavadaritha irandu nadi naduvile

Charanam
Kousigan chol kurittadarko? Arakki kulayil ambu terithadarko?
Ishan villai murithadarko? Parasuramn uram parithadarko?
Mashillada mithilesan pennudane vazhi nadanda ilaippo?
Dhooshilada guhan odathile gangai thurai kadanda ilaipo?
Meesharamaam Chitrakoota Sikarathin Misai Kadantha Ilaipo
Kasini mel Marichan odiya gati thodarnda ilaippo?
Odi kalaitho Deviyai thedi ilaipo Marangla ezhai thulaitho?
Kadalai katti valitho? Lankai ennum kaval ma nagarai iditha varuthamo?
Ravanadigalai muditha varuthamo?

English Translation

Pallavi
Oh Ranganatha, why are you lying down?

Anupallavi
Between two rivers originating,
From a lily pond of the great mountain.

Charanam
Is it for following the words of Viswamithra?
Is it for killing the rakshasi by hitting her with arrow?
Is it for breaking the bow of Lord Shiva? Is it for conquering pride of Parasurama?
Is it foe walking along with the daughter of the spotless king of Mithila?
Is it for crossing river Ganges in the boat of the spotless Guha?
Is it due to the crossing of the peak in Chithra koota?
Is it due to following and Chasing Maricha in the earth?
Is it tiresomeness due to running? Is it tiredness due to searching of Sita?
Is it due to effort in putting a hole in the seven trees?
Is it due to taming the sea and building a bridge?
Is it due to the sorrow in destroying the city of Lanka?
Is it due to the sorrow of killing Ravana and others?

Hello World

Hi!

Welcome to my blog.

My name is Radha.

I'm a housewife and this blog is for me to just... talk! :-) I'll share gardening tips, cooking recipes, Shlokas, meanings to songs and everything I learn on my life journey!

Enjoy! :-)