Pongalooooooooo.....

Like Kavi says "Two minutes on the lips and a lifetime on the hips !"

My waist size probably increased an inch today.

Happy Pongal everyone!

Previous Pongalogues here, here, here, and here..

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Understanding the Besan Sugar Ghee Ternary Phase Diagram -aka Mysore Pak

Any South Indian Materials Engineer worth his salt (or sugar) will know that Mysore Pak is derived by going through many a tie line on the Besan-Sugar-Ghee ternary phase diagram, with many solid phases, liquid phases in equilibrium, non-equilibrium, etc. etc..

But you eventually get to that sweet spot after an hour or so of stirring the mix in various proportions!

For those who are not materials engineers, it might be a daunting task to get to this sweet over that one hour period.

To specially help those, the two videos below show you how to make the south Indian delicacy.

Take heart. If I can do this you can.

Couple of Notes:

1. Make sure you put some Ghee on the pan where you pour the mix finally. (My camcorder did not record that part)

2. If you are not used to touching hot objects, do not touch the pan or tong and try to lick off hot mysore pak. You will get burnt.

3. Indian stores sell pre made Ghee. Expensive, but can save you time.

Hope you have fun making and eating Mysore Pak.

Do post your experience, notes, suggestions in the comments.

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Mysore Pak - Do it Yourself Videoblog

From 9:45 to 10:54PM tonight, the Mysore Pak was made..and video'ed.

The footage is long and initial editing makes the video a good 17 odd minutes.

Have applied for a special Youtube account, but don't know if they will give me one.. you see they want to give it only if you intend to make money out of videos!

Will break it into two videos and post it tomorrow.

Whole house smells Mysore Pak and it does taste divine.

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Cooking Made Easy for Male Graduate Students

Have decided to Photo/ Videoblog 12 recipes between now and end of this year to help initiate young males (read FOB grad students and others who are not used to cooking) to some recipes that can be used to

a. get out of the boredom of sandwiches, pizza and ramen noodles
b. cure kitchenophobia
c. impress the ladies (trust me on this one)

Will show you how to make Mysore Pak by this weekend. Yes, if I could do it, you can do it.

For added effect (in the impression department) decide to make Mysore Pak on a whim at 3 AM after a group of you have stayed up late playing card games. When someone suggests "who is going to make the next round of tea?" ask "Why don't we have some hot Mysore Pak instead?" and the girls might look at you the same way they look at the Mysore Pak...as usual I digress...

Just wait for a videoblog...

ps. most of these recipes are the "desi engineering grad student's" versions and are not necessarily created by me.

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Aalo Rose

The recipe for the previous post, in pictures.

The final result:

First the Rose Aalo:

Microwave for 2 minutes, then drain the hot turmeric/Salt water out.

Bake at 350C for 20 minutes.

Make sure you use a paper towel and soak up the extra oil before serving.

Now something to do with the carved out pieces of potato. Make them into a quick Bhajji that can go along with the roti's.

Unfortunately, the bhajji was all gone before it could be served with the roti's.

Now, this would not be possible except for a commitment to San that the kitchen will be handed over to her in the same condition as before the cooking started!

Gents, please wash all dishes and wipe off stove, countertop etc. if you plan to do this experiment!

A Warning: While the Roses looked pretty inviting and were tasty, the core of the rose was way too hot, while the outside surface had cooled. So do NOT bite into the rose or you will burn your tongue! You may have to wait a little for it to cool down.

Julie and Julia was a good movie. It has inspired me to go back and do something in the kitchen.

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