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Sri Chaitanya Lives On!* SADHU VASWANI
In Sri Chaitanya’s life humility was blended with compassion. Be just, he said; but remember, your justice, too, must be tinged with compassion. Remember, too, he taught, that the worst sinner has a right to the mercy of God. All sinners, Sri Chaitanya taught, are within the radius of love of Sri Krishna. “Everything that lives is holy!” taught Chaitanya, centuries before this teaching was delivered by the English poet, Blake. Chaitanya’s disciples, in obedience to the Master’s wishes, gave up eating meat. His disciples ever showed tenderness and compassion to birds and beasts. His disciples served the cow and served the dog and served every creature, seeing in everyone an image of Sri Chaitanya, an image of Sri Krishna. With compassion and humility and love in his heart, the Master, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, went about doing good in a quiet, gentle way. Sri Chaitanya started a movement
which was a centre of blessing to the poor and the outcast. A Muslim came under his influence: Chaitanya embraced him. Chaitanya did not stand aloof from him because he was a Muslim. Chaitanya greeted him as a bhakta of the Lord. We read, too, how Sri Chaitanya accepted as his disciples five pathans who were Muslims by religion and who, at first, had thought of attacking and plundering him, but who, coming nearer to him and gazing at the beauty of his lotus-face, were converted and became his meek followers. They gave up meat-eating, for Sri Chaitanya asked them to do so. One of them was a Pir whom Chaitanya re-named Ram Das: another was a Prince whom Chaitanya re-named Bijli Khan. To these Pathans, Sri Chaitanya gave his mantra: “Hari bol! Hari bol!” And he embraced them, saying: “I touch you to purify myself!” And to his Hindu disciples he said: “The mercy of God regards neither caste nor family. On
* March 12 is sacred as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Birth Anniversary.
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these Pathans hath descended the mercy of Sri Krishna.” Chaitanya became a holy messenger of peace at Puri. To the great mahant (abbot) of the Jagannath Temple, Sri Chaitanya taught that harijans (untouchables) were one with the Brahmin, that the true man of God was a servant of the lowly and the world-forsaken ones. At Puri, indeed, Chaitanya, Mahaprabhu went, from time to time, to the cottage of the harijan, Hari Das, and with holy hands fed him before he himself would eat of his meal of the day. Yes, Chaitanya touched the feet of Hari Das and said to him: “Blessed are you among the sons of men, for dear to you is the Name, Hari Nama!” Sri Chaitanya, in the beauty and blessedness of his life, has passed on to us all the great
You will not find the joy of life if you stray from the Lotus Feet of Krishna!” message: “If ye will be peacemakers, build your life in contemplation of the Name of God, of Hari Nama. And in the love which proceedeth out of contemplation, go ye forth to serve the outcast, the poor, the broken ones!” Sri Chaitanya walked earthfree. He seemed to transcend the dimensions of space. Has he not transcended today the earth, the earth and the sea, the earth and all men, all the princes and principalities of this world? He abides as an immortal. He has, methinks, grown greater than he appeared to many in the days
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when he walked among men. Chaitanya has not expired. He plunged into the blue waters of the sea and, blended with Sri Krishna, he is become one of the great inspirers, one of the immortals of history. Great captains and great warriors with their guns and drums are gone: great politicians and statesmen, with the “crowds” applauding them “under orders”, are gone: their fame hath passed away. But Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya lives on! “Krishna! Krishna!” was Chaitanya’s one message to the people. His lips moved only in praise of the Lord. He was drunk in the wine of His wisdom. Chaitanya started with “renunciation”: he grew in the power of the Holy Name: he attained to “annihilation of the self”. In his purified heart there was room only for the singing of the Holy Name. In love for Krishna, Chaitanya renounced family, wealth and honours. He became a mendicant, he became a zero. Through Hari Nama he beheld the Face of Krishna. His “I” vanished: only Krishna remained! Chaitanya mastered the alphabet of abandonment. Chaitanya gained the wisdom of premabhakti (love and surrender). Chaitanya became a true dervish and, in the love of Krishna, he loved the poor and broken ones. He served them with tender love in his heart. “Come! Come!” he said to them. “Come to Krishna! Why wander ye thus afar? You will not find the joy of life if you stray from the Lotus Feet of Krishna!”
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The Voice Of Holi* SADHU VASWANI
O God of the Ancient Day! The Day ancient yet ever new, The Day of joy, the Day of new resolves, Of new aspiration, new inward life! O God of this ancient Aryan Race! We travel today the dusty road, Yet we look with joy to the Holy City Of the stars beyond the region of the sky. We look with wistful eyes to Thee, The Judge and Redeemer of the nations. To Thee we pray with tear-touched eyes: Be with us yet, Lest we forget! New spring is in the air, New beauty blooms in tree and grass, In flower and fruits. We cry to Thee With humble, contrite hearts: Be with us yet, Lest we forget, Lest we forget!
* March 12 is sacred Holi Day.
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Tukaram – A Mirror Of The Divine Fire* SADHU VASWANI Tukaram is rightly regarded as the best-beloved among the saint-poets of the people of Maharashtra. He is regarded by students of Indian literature as one of the greatest saints and poets of India. Tukaram himself was a grocer’s son. But he found the fulfilment of his life in dedication to Sri Krishna whom he loved to call “Vithoba.” “Vithoba,” Tukaram said, “is my All.” He loved to call himself “a hired servant” of Vithoba. It is difficult to exaggerate Tukaram’s influence in the Deccan. Over seventy million Deccan peasants of all castes and creeds, sing his abhangas and revere him as their spiritual Leader. He is rightly regarded as a Saint: for he lived in communion with the One eternal who embraces all castes, all communities, all creeds, all countries. “God,” says Tukaram, “never thinks of a man’s caste. To God all His worshippers are equally dear.” * March 14 is sacred as Tukaram Jayanti
In an abhanga, this Godinspired, God-intoxicated poet says: Whithersoever I go I see Thee, Vithoba! I see Thee by my side! Thou still dost take me by the hand: Thou still dost guide me Wherever I go. And as I do walk along, I still do lean on Thee, And Thou dost bear my burden, Lord! In every man I see a friend, indeed! Within me and outside I feel Thy holy Presence, Lord!
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Around me and above me art Thou! Tukaram’s collection, we are told, has over 4,600 of these abhangas. Every abhanga is a cry of the heart. May I not say, it is a cry of the child heart? Tukaram sings as a child of God. His aspiration moves from the Infinite to the Infinite. In all the abhangas, which I have read so far, rings the one clear cry of
As a fountain rises upwards, even so must one’s spirit rise to God. One should entertain no idea whatsoever, except that of God. — Sant Tukaram the soul: “Vithoba! My Master and my Lord! My Father and my Mother! What can I do without Thee? Thou art my All!” So filled was he with the love of God, in the closing, crowning period of his earth-life, that wherever he turned his eyes, he saw only the Beloved. The lyric cry of his soul sings in the following poem: it is touched with mysticism: I call it a “poem of vision.”: Tell me, Lord! How indeed, May I offer worship unto Thee? Dost Thou ask me, Lord! To give oblation of water unto Thee? Art Thou not water Thyself? Dost Thou ask me to offer flowers to Thee? The fragrance of the flowers, too, art Thou!
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And how may I sing to Thee? Art Thou not the song Thyself? Do I in Kirtan use the cymbals which I love? These, too, art Thou not Thyself? Where is the ground on which I may stand And dance to Thee? Art Thou not every inch of space! Whithersoever I turn, I do behold The beauteous Face, Vithoba Beloved! The universe is filled with Thee! Tukaram’s life, as he grows in years, stretches more and more into the realm of Wonder, the realm of the Inexplicable. What can I say of him which may be worthy of the Vision and the Wisdom enshrined in his life and his spiritual lyrics, the abhangas? Sometimes, I think of him as a mirror of the divine fire which filled him, through and through, and made him feel as a stranger in this world of toil and pain. Sometimes, I think of him as a temple bell in which we may hearken to the music of eternity. Sometimes, I think of him as a Call that wanders from strength to strength, as a longing of the Heart for what is infinitely stronger than power and purer than knowledge, the longing for holiness, which, indeed, is the secret of the highest yoga, union with the Divine.
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Heaven and Hell J. P. VASWANI As little children, we are told that heaven and hell are ‘places’ that we will go to after our death. As adults, we continue to believe, that we will be transported to these ‘places’ when we die. But saints and sages tell us that heaven and hell are states of consciousness, conditions of the mind. Even while we live on this earth, we can live in a hell or heaven of our own making. There was a man who often thought about life after death. One night, he dreamt a strange dream in which he had a vision of hell and heaven. First, he dreamt that he visited hell. He was astonished to find thousands of people there, with a delicious banquet spread out before them. Every tasty dish, every gourmet delicacy that you and I could dream of, was laid out in that astonishing spread he beheld in ‘hell’. But to his amazement, he saw that the occupants of hell were thin, emaciated and starving! Not a morsel of the delicious food could they lift and put into their mouths! They stared longingly at the veritable feast spread out before them; they even lifted a morsel or two – but try as they might, they could not take it into their mouths to feed themselves. Looking closely, the man saw something peculiar – every one of the occupants of hell had arms which were straight as rods. Their arms could not be bent. And so it was that though they could pick
the food up in their hands, they could not bend their arms and take it to their mouths. The man saw this, and was shocked! Little had he imagined that hell would be such! Next, he visited the heaven world. A very familiar sight greeted him there, too. All the people had straight arms, which could not be bent; and the same delicious feast was laid out before them. “But what is the difference between heaven and hell?” asked the man in astonishment. “Look closely,” said an angel who happened to pass by. It was then that the man saw that the occupants of heaven were happy, smiling, cheerful and blooming with good health. They picked up the morsels of the delicious food and fed it to their friends around them. True, their arms could not be bent, but they could easily reach across to the others around them. True, no one could feed himself – but the people around them took good care to see that each one was fed. NO ONE was feeding himself; everyone was feeding another. “Nothing for myself, everything for others.” If this were the motto of your life, you would surely live in heaven on earth! It was Albert Einstein who said, “Only a life lived for others is worth living.” We can also add, “Only a life of giving and sharing is worth living.”
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A Simple Sadhana For All: Kirtan Yoga J. P. VASWANI Singing the Name Divine is the surest, easiest way to become completely harmonised in the Lord! It achieves the impossible, by keeping all our senses under control! We are singing or chanting; we are listening to others chanting around us; our hands are folded together in tribute, or we are clapping gently in rhythm with the chanting; we keep our eyes closed in the involvement of the kirtan; or we are gazing at the radiant face of the Guru or focusing on the image of our ishta devata; the tongue is tasting the nectar of the Name Divine; the smell of incense and
agarbattis fills the air; it is a feast divine for all the senses! A western scholar of Hindu beliefs and practices actually describes this as kirtan yoga! It is easy, simple and practical; all of us can practise it effortlessly! Singing the Name Divine in groups is particularly beneficial. It cleanses and heals body, mind and soul. It clears your aura. It paves the way for the Life Beautiful! Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, let us all chant and sing the Name Divine — not mechanically, but with love and devotion! There are two types of ‘kirtan’. One, in which you simply chant the Name Divine;
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the other in describing and singing His glories. The first type of kirtan is what you do for a few minutes in satsang. Kirtan should not be limited to time. It should not be bound by the minutes and hours. Kirtan should be continuous; it should bring joy and ecstasy to the group chanting. Kirtan is spiritually elevating! When continued for a long time, it spreads its beautiful, peaceful vibrations and uplifts the soul! The second type of kirtan is singing the glories of the Lord, such as describing the ‘Leela’ of Krishna in Brindaban! His miraculous birth, His raas leela with the gopis; His games with cowherds; His tantalising ways! Singing those glories of the Lord or even thinking about Him is also a form of kirtan! For kirtan only one thing is absolutely essential: devotion for the Lord and yearning for His Lotus Feet. Devotion comes with faith. Devotion or bhakti is
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an emotional upsurge. It powers us from within. It comes with a certain conviction. The chant by itself or singing by itself does not purify you. It is your bhava — your emotion which will release the subtle forces of cleansing that will purify your inner instrument and elevate your soul to sublime heights of bhakti. Ultimately it is your intense devotion which will kindle the yearning for the Lord. This is the beginning of true transformation. This is when you see the spark of Divine Light which dispels the darkness of the kaliyuga that is enveloping you on the outside. Kirtan is ‘Sahaj Marg’ – it is an easy path. You can do kirtan anywhere, anytime of the day. You can think of the life of great ones, anywhere and anytime of the day. The beautiful thoughts about the Radiant Ones will purify your interior and a day will come when you will behold the golden light within!
Antar Rang
Daily Mahamantra kirtan Colour yourself with the Name Divine Timings: 6 am to 9 am 6 pm to 9 pm Venue: Sadhu Vaswani Mission,
10, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Near G.P.O., Pune
www.sadhuvaswani.org
hare ram hare ram, ram ram hare hare hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare
hare ram hare ram, ram ram hare hare hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare
July 9 to July 20, 2017
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Love blesses the one who offers it and the one who receives it.
A Solution To All Our Problems! J. P. VASWANI All over the world, today, there is a cry for a new world order; a new life. For men and women, young and old are tired of the present order. The cry comes from temples and churches, from factories and farms, from homes and offices, from souls seeking peace, and hearts full of aspirations for a better future. But let me tell you – there is hope for us all! I believe a new age is dawning, a new age in which love and peace will be established upon this earth. I don’t merely believe it, I can almost hear the new
age knocking on the doors of our hearts. All we need are the blessed ones who will open the door to the new age! I am convinced that we are standing on the threshold of a new age of love and peace that will see all nations and all people united by the bonds of brotherhood. Today, we have arrived at a stage where, nations and individuals alike must learn to understand one another – to love one another, to dwell in peace with one another or perish! There is no other choice!
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The very first note on the musical scale of peace is Love. We must love all – not merely our family and friends, our kith and kin – we must love all creation. We must cultivate the fine art of friendship, we must make friends with all – for the permanent peace plan can only be a friendship plan. Therefore, we must go out and make friends with people belonging to different religions, different communities and nationalities. This is what friendship is all about; not just sticking to the people you now, your neighbours, your colleagues, the people you grew up with. Let me ask you a question: When you go out for a walk, do you smile at the people whom you meet on the way? Some people will smile back at you; some people will not return your smile, but you have not lost anything! On the contrary you may win new friends with your smile – and that’s what the world needs: Bridges of friendship between people, communities and nations. Each one of us can become an ambassador of peace, a harbinger of peace, merely by smiling the smile of friendship. We can become smile millionaires if we keep on smiling, smiling, smiling. Sometimes, when I am addressing audiences in different cities, I am struck by the fact
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that everybody appears to be so serious, so earnest, that they forget to smile! Some of them are even busy taking down notes of the points I make – but they seem unaware of their neighbours, the people seated right next to them. I stop then and there, and request everyone: “Please turn to either side and smile at those who are sitting beside you.” You have to see the visible difference it makes in the auditorium! Suddenly, a crowd of solemn strangers turns into a happy group of friends! The relaxation, the release of tension is so palpable! I have heard it said that a meeting was so tense that you could cut the tension with a knife. Well, when people smile at each other, the waves of friendship that arise can almost be felt, lapping gently around you, easing out all the tension! Alas, we seem to have forgotten how to smile! Someone said to me the other day that constant frowning actually causes wrinkles on the face, but even that doesn’t stop some people from frowning! On the bus, in the train, in the elevator, in the supermarket, at the lunch counter – smile at the people standing before you, behind you and next to you. You will have made at least four friends and paved the way to peace! So it is that George Eliot tells us: “What sunshine
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is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. They are but trifles, but when scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable!” A generous dose of humour always goes a long way to make life feel good! Once, a pompous and arrogant professor was walking along a very narrow street when he came face to face with a rival professor. The street was too narrow for two to pass. The professor pulling himself up to his full height, said haughtily: “I never make way for fools!” Smiling, the rival stepped aside and said: “I always do.” I often say to myself that the day on which I have not made a new friend is a lost day indeed! When all the people of the world become friends with each other, there will be no wars! “Friendship with all?” one of you might object. “Isn’t that a bit impractical? A friend is someone who has proved himself to you – tried and tested in the trials of life. How can we cultivate friendship with anyone and everyone?” This is just the trouble with us: all our ideals and values, all our great truths and teachings, we prefer to keep as theories and paper prescriptions. We imagine that they are for intellectual consumption and not to be put into practice. This gap between precept and practice must be closed with immediate effect!
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I repeat: we must learn to love each other; love as in the Commandment: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. It is this spirit of love that is expressed in the universal bond of the global family. If we pick and choose and reject, universal brotherhood does not have a chance! As Mother Teresa puts it, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Make no mistake about this: To an Indian, “Love thy neighbour” means loving the people of Pakistan; to an Israeli, “Love thy neighbour” means loving the Palestinians; to Christians, it means loving Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs! Let me remind you therefore, of the words of the apostles: “Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies. Fast on behalf of those that prosecute you; for what thanks is there if you love them that love you? … Do ye love them that hate you, and ye will not have an enemy!” Can we, as human beings do this? If we could, we are asserting the Divinity in us – and we are helping to spread God’s peace in the world! Love blesses the one who offers it and the one who receives it. Love can keep you healthy and happy, and help you face the problems of daily life in the right spirit!
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In You Our Trust We Lay!* J. P. VASWANI My Beloved Master, My Lord, O Sweet Gurudev, A procession of years has rolled on but we have not forgotten the promise you gave us, the promise that you will keep coming back to us again and again until you take each and everyone of us on the path that leads to the Other Shore. My Beloved Master, My Lord, O Sweet Gurudev, Our wandering leads us astray and our tormented minds are distracted again and again and with our mind we too keep drifting aimlessly. How may this wandering cease. You are our hope, you are our stay. You are our protector, in you our trust we lay. Come and
unchain us. Hold our hands and help us to reach the goal. You are the matchless magician, come and smear on us your peerless magic that we may realise the purpose of this human birth! My Beloved Master, My Lord, O Sweet Gurudev, We have gathered at your Lotus Feet and seek refuge in Thee. Let us follow the path that has been trodden by the Saints of God step by step, release all of us from the maze of maya and grant us true freedom and take us where Sri Krishna with the ravishing music of the flute sings this one song: Come unto me, my child
* A Prayer offered by Rev. Dada J. P. Vaswani at the sacred Samadhi on the 51st Mahayagna (Anniversary) of Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani, January 17, 2017
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O Beloved, you are a miracle worker, Only you can take us to our true destination, Colour us with your magic,
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here today. We look up to you and you alone to emancipate us from this cycle of birth and death. The world keeps pulling us – Awake within us longing, for the
O Divine alchemist, O Marvellous magician, With your mystical magic transform us! O Divine magician, Ferry us across to the radiant Beauty My Beloved Master, My Lord, O Sweet Gurudev, Again and again, we are assailed by grief. From this abyss of despair, lift us up. Even though we may be unwilling, do not let go of us and clasping our hands bind us to the One and only Reality. This be our plea to Thee. Entrenched and entangled are we, redeem us so that we witness the Divine Splendour. Unshackle us, O Seer of God, from the chains of maya! My Beloved Master, My Lord, O Sweet Gurudev, Time is slipping by, we know not when the call will come and we will have to vacate the house of this body. At that moment, be by us, protect us, guard us, carry us in your loving arms and take us to the Realm of Light. Ferry us across the river of death, only you, our redeemer can rescue us. You are the hope of the entire congregation that has assembled
First and only Fair, fill our hearts with true love. Every moment must we turn to Thee, must we shed tears of love and yearning for Thee. Let us soften our hardened hearts with the tears of love. You and only you can melt our toughened hearts and fill them with the Name Divine. Bless us that like the daisy that ever turns to the Sun, May we turn to Thee alone May we not come under The influence of the mind May our thoughts tend to and terminate in Thee and Thee alone May they not be darkened by the capricious mind. This be the prayer I offer on this beautiful, blessed day at your Lotus Feet and this is the prayer I place at this sanctified and divinely charged sacred Samadhi. It is only your magic that can save us, deliver us, we who are entrenched and entangled. O Divine alchemist, O Marvellous magician, With your mystical magic transform us!
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Children’s Corner WORD FIND How the body works? Digestive System: Word Find See how many words you can find from the list below
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Answer Key: Word Find: Bile, Food, Rectum, Digestive, Intestine, Saliva, Enzymes, Liver, Stomach, Esophagus, Poop, Teeth.
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WORD WHEEL FIND Word Wheel Challenge? Your aim is to create as many words of 2 letters or more using the letters in the word wheel only once in each word, and always including the letter in the centre of the wheel. No proper names are allowed. Can you find a 9 letter word? ----------------------------------
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E U T A I L B Answer Key: Word Wheel Challenge: Albeit, Flit, Eat, Bleat, Late, Fat, Built, Fault, Filet, Flute, Table, Bait, Beat, Belt, Bite, Fate, Feat, Felt, Feta, Flat, Left, Lift, Lute, Tail, Tale, Teal, Tile, Tube, Tuba, Aft, Ate, Bat, Bet, Bit, But, Fit, Let, Tea, Tie, Tub, At, It. 9 Letter Word: BEAUTIFUL
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Recipes For The Month PANEER KOFTA IN A CASHEW AND ALMOND SAUCE
Ingredients For the Kofta: Paneer (fresh or grated on the fine side of a cheese grater if you are using a block of paneer)...................................................... 2 cups Mashed potatoes, passed through a sieve........... 1/3 cup Ginger, minced and lightly sautéed............1 tbsp Cloves garlic, minced and lightly sautéed.......... 2 Green chilli, minced and lightly sautéed........... 1 Coriander, chopped finely...........................2 tbsp Baking powder.............................................1 tsp Lemon juice..................................................1 tsp Salt to taste All purpose flour.........................................2 tbsp Cornflour to dust Oil to deep fry For the Sauce: Blanched almonds, skins removed............ ¾ cup Blanched cashew nuts................................ ¾ cup Onion, minced.......................................... ¾ cup Concentrated tomato puree .......................6 tbsp Ghee...................................................... 1 ½ tbsp Cumin seeds................................................ ½ tsp Asafoetida................................................... ¼ tsp
Ginger, minced...........................................2 tbsp Cloves garlic, minced......................................... 3 Red chillies, minced........................................2-3 Cumin powder..............................................1 tsp Coriander powder.........................................1 tsp Fennel powder..............................................2 tsp Clear honey..................................................2 tsp Ground cardamom powder...........................1 tsp Water......................................................2-3 cups Salt to taste Coriander, chopped ................................... ¼ cup Method • Mix together all of the ingredients for the kofta and bind together like dough. Set aside. • Grind together the almonds, cashews, 1 cup of water, and the onion. Set aside. • Heat the ghee in a large non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, garlic and chillies. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato puree and ground almond and cashew paste. Cook this until oil emerges at the surface. Keep stirring all the time. Do not let any of the nut paste burn. • Add the cumin and coriander powder, fennel powder, honey, cardamom powder and salt. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes and adjust the thickness of the sauce boiling with some water. Season with salt and garnish the sauce with a little chopped coriander if you wish. • Roll the kofta into oval shapes making sure there aren’t any cracks in them. Use a little oil to stop the mixture from sticking to your hands. • Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the kofta. • Roll the kofta in a little cornflour and dust any excess away. • Fry the kofta on a medium heat until they
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are a very light golden colour and drain on kitchen paper. • Assemble the dish just before serving by gently mixing the kofta with the sauce. You can make this ahead of time by keeping the kofta and sauce separate until you are ready to serve. • Serve with some steaming hot basmati rice and naan bread. BAKED SAMOSAS WITH SPROUTED MOONG FILLING
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Ghee/oil......................................................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................1 tsp Cold water – as needed............................. ½ cup Method For Filling: • Heat coconut oil in a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Add onions and stir them frequently until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and spice mix. Cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add sprouted moong, mix them well with the spices and cook for 5-6 minutes until halfway cooked, it should still have some crunch. • Transfer mix to another bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes. Now add raisins, sesame seeds, coconut, cilantro leaves and lime juice. Mix it well. Check for seasoning.
Ingredients For Filling Sprouted moong........................................ 2 cups Coconut oil..................................................2 tbsp Small onion chopped......................................... 1 Cloves garlic chopped........................................ 4 Ginger chopped........................................ ½ inch Spice mix – grind all the spices in grinder Cumin seeds................................................1 tbsp Cloves................................................................. 6 Cardamom.................................................4 pods Black peppercorns........................................1 tsp Hot paprika powder.....................................1 tsp Tumeric powder............................................1 tsp Salt.............................................................1 tbsp Raisins....................................................... ½ cup Sesame seeds............................................. ¼ cup Shredded coconut...................................... ¼ cup Juice of lime...................................................... 1 Fresh cilantro leaves – chopped..................1 cup For Dough: All purpose flour or wheat flour..................2 cup
For Samosa Crust: • In a big bowl, combine flour, salt and ghee. Add water gradually while kneading the dough by hand. You might need more flour or water depending on flour. Knead dough until it forms a ball. Let it rest for 20 minutes. You can also use food processor to knead the dough. • Heat oven to 325°F degrees. • Now, knead the dough one more time, and divide dough in two halves. Roll out each half out on lightly floured surface into about 1/8 inch thick circular shape. Using cookie cutter or edge of the bottle or glass cut out 4 inches circles. Place about 1 tbsp of filling in centre of circle, brush edge of circle with water and put other circle disk on top. Press edges using a fork to seal. • Brush the samosas with coconut oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Bake until well browned and crisp, about 25-30 minutes. Serve with tomato ketchup.
MARCH 2017
EAST AND WEST SERIES
41
Mrinalini Sundar
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Say No To Ghee
Don’t say no when your mother adds a tiny spoon of ghee to your favourite food. It is a myth that you will put on weight if you add some ghee to your everyday diet. In fact, the greasy and yummy ingredient has several health benefits. Read on... • According to several nutritionists, ghee helps in digestion. It secretes stomach acids that help in digestion and doesn’t make you lethargic like other fatty oils do. • Do you have a vitamin deficiency? If yes, you should be adding ghee to your meal. It is abundant in vitamin A. • Cholesterol is classified into two kinds — good and bad. Well, ghee is the good cholesterol that acts like a healing agent for your body. • Several doctors recommend adding ghee to the daily diet of women, especially those who are pregnant. It is said to be good for the growing foetus. • Ghee has several ayurvedic ingredients that can bring a glow to your face.
• Consume ghee even if you are trying to lose weight. Just make sure you have it in moderate quantity. • Avoid ghee in sweets. Instead, add it to rasam, sambhar, dal or curry. • It is an antioxidant with antiviral properties. • If you fall sick quite often and you feel the need to improve your immune system, add a pinch of ghee to your food. Ayurvedic physicians and researchers have said that ghee helps build your immune system. According to ayurveda studies, ghee is considered to be ‘positive food’. It is considered to be satvic, when compared to fatty oils. • Apart from the health benefits, another advantage of ghee is that it is easy to store and doesn’t get spoiled easily. • Did you burn your hand while cooking? Do not worry. Apply a little ghee on the spot to heel quickly. • Beyond all this, ghee just adds a lot of flavour to the food and makes it yummier! So, don’t keep ghee away from the varied dishes made at home.
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