I placed a mask of Durga Devi in the place of deepa and u can simply place this near ur pooja area with flowers and candles arranged around the plate.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Variation of Mothi Thali
I placed a mask of Durga Devi in the place of deepa and u can simply place this near ur pooja area with flowers and candles arranged around the plate.
Harathi Thali with Pearls
Materials Required:
A steel plate
Mothi or white beads
Round mirrors
Red velvet paper
Fevicol (cone is better to apply)
Procedure:
Stick the velvet paper to the base and edges of the plate neatly.
In the centre, leave gap for keeping ur deepa and stick three four lines of mothi in a spiral.
Stick mothi and mirrors as shown in the picture.
Stick the velvet paper outside around the plate and also stick mirrors closely.
Stick a gold lace on the rim to give it a finish.
Thali is now ready for ur pooja!!!
Harathi Thali with Kalash
This is a simple harathi thali with easily available material. U need to have these things to give a start -
Continue Reading...
Materials Required:
A steel plate or any plate in which u give harathi
Red velvet paper (any color of ur choice)
Kundans (big sized, preferably of two colors)
A kalash or small pot
M-seal
Golden wire or binding wire
Fevicol
Gold color paint, Glitter, Gold lace and some decorative sequences.
Procedure:
Cut the velvet paper in a round of ur plate size. Paste the paper onto the plate.
Cut the wire in ten inch pieces and in each kundan, insert half the wire through both holes on the kundan from backside and bend the remaining half of the wire to twist both ends together tightly and close to kundan.
Now prepare eight to ten kundans like this and keep aside.
With M-seal make a small coconut that fits with the pot. Fix it on the kalash and let it dry.
Take a small dough of M-seal fix it to the base of kalash and insert each wired kundan around it like flower petals. After its dried, u can rise the kundans as in picture.
Fix this in the center of the plate. Paint the kalash in gold color.
U can arrange kundans and some sequence as per ur taste and availability. Sprinkle some glitter and finally stick on the lace to the edges of plate.
Ur Harathi plate is ready!!! U can keep deepas around the kalash in empty area.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tips for Good Table Manners
Many basic table manners begin with simple common sense.We all remember the basics our mothers taught us about table manners–no elbows on the dinner table and don’t talk with your mouth full. But ever wonder which fork to use for your salad or how to signal a waiter at a fancy restaurant? Read on and learn the basic table manner tips that will be sure to impress whomever you dine with.
Table Setting Placement
In formal settings, all the silverware, glassware, cups, saucers and the like are placed on the table, so it’s often difficult to know which fork to use when or which water glass is yours. As a general rule to thumb, silverware is lined up in the order in which a person will use them, going from the outside, in. For instance, the fork and knife used for the salad are placed in the outermost of the setting, farthest from your plate (with the exception of the spoon). Dessert silverware, if not brought out with the dessert, are placed at the top of your entrée plate. Glassware, cup and saucer are placed to your right, while the napkin, bread plate and butter spreader to your left.
10 Table Manner Tips
Now that you know how the table setting is laid out and when to use each, here are 10 table manner tips for the duration of the meal:
- When dining with six or more, it’s polite to wait till roughly 50% of the table has their food before starting your meal. In smaller groups, wait until the entire table has their food, unless food temperature is at high risk in decreasing the enjoyment of the meal, and/or others at the table incessantly insist you begin.
- You can and should use your knife to cut large pieces of lettuce or other ingredients in your salad. Nothing is worse than trying to shove a large piece of lettuce in your mouth and having some of it stick out.
- The proper way to butter a piece of bread is to rip off a piece that’s about one or two bites in size, butter it, and eat it. Repeat. Never bite straight into a roll, and refrain from cutting it in half and buttering.
- While cutting meat, the correct way is to cut a piece and then switch your fork to your right hand to pick it up. This method is considered the “American” way. Not switching your fork and using your left is called the “Continental” way, and is done most often in European countries. Also, cut meat a piece at a time. Cutting the entire meat up into pieces or cutting more than one at a time is tacky.
- Wipe your mouth before taking a sip of your drink. It’s unsightly to see food particles or grease on the rim of your glass. Also, it’s considered rude to take a sip of your drink with your mouth full.
- When leaving the table during the course of your meal, put your napkin on your chair, not the table. No one wants to see your stained napkin. And at the completion of the meal, place it on the left of your plate, or if your plate has been cleared, in the center.
- When in a situation where you have to pass food or condiments to others at the table, pass it to your right, or counter clockwise. Never do a “boarding house reach” across the table.
- When you don’t want to swallow a piece of food in your mouth (e.g. a bone or a piece of fat), move the piece to the front of your mouth and use your fork (or spoon if that’s what you were using) to retrieve it from your mouth and into the side of your plate. The only time its okay to use your fingers is when it’s a fish bone.
- To get the waiter’s attention, the most polite way is to make eye contact. However chances are they are busy and/or are ignoring you. It’s acceptable to raise your hand to head level, just don’t go overboard by raising it way above your head and wave it about.
- When you’re done with your meal, the proper placement of the silverware is to lay them parallel to each other and across the plate with the handles facing the right. To clarify, the ends would be facing 10 o’clock and four. Note: Not all waiters will know this and they still may ask you if it’s okay to clear your plate. At least you appear classy.
Laws against Domestic Violence and Abuse
What specific provisions of law deal with domestic violence?
In 1983, domestic violence was recognised as a specific criminal offence by the introduction of section 498-A into the Indian Penal Code. This section deals with cruelty by a husband or his family towards a married woman. Four types of cruelty are dealt with by this law:
What are the forms of "cruelty" recognised by the Courts?
What is a "matrimonial home"? What rights do women have in their matrimonial home?
The matrimonial home is the household a woman shares with her husband; whether it is rented, officially provided, or owned by the husband or his relatives. A woman has the right to remain in the matrimonial home along with her husband as long as she is married, though there is no definite law regarding this right. If a woman is being pressurised to leave the matrimonial home, she can ask the Court for an injunction or "restraining order" protecting her from being thrown out. This can usually be obtained quite easily. It is generally advisable not to leave the matrimonial home; it is easier to get a court order preventing a woman being thrown out than to get an order enforcing her right to return to it once she has left or been thrown out.
What is an 'Injunction' and how does it apply to domestic violence cases?
An injunction is a court order directing a person to do or not to do something. A woman has a lot of flexibility regarding what she can request the Court to order. For instance, if she is being stalked by somebody (including her husband), she can obtain injunctions against the person coming near her home or place of work, or even telephoning her.
What can be done in the case of dowry-related harassment or dowry death?
Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code covers dowry-related harassment. As with other provisions of criminal law, a woman can use the threat of going to court to deter this kind of harassment. The Indian Penal Code also addresses dowry deaths in section 304-B. If a woman dies of "unnatural causes" within seven years of marriage and has been harassed for dowry before her death, the Courts will assume that it is a case of dowry death. The husband or in-laws will then have to prove that their harassment was not the cause of her death. A dowry death is punishable by imprisonment of at least seven years. When filing an FIR ( First Hand Report), in a case where a woman is suspected to have been murdered after a history of torture due to dowry demands, the complaint should be filed under section 304-B rather than under section 306, which deals with abetment to suicide. Section 306 should be invoked when a woman commits suicide because of dowry-related harassment.
Can you refuse to have sex with your husband? Is there a law on marital rape?
Since India does not have a law on marital rape, even if a woman's husband has sexual intercourse with her without her consent, he cannot be prosecuted for rape. However, excessive and unreasonable demands for sex, or demands for unnatural sex have been considered forms of cruelty and may entitle a woman to a divorce.
If a woman is judicially separated, her husband cannot have sexual intercourse with her without her consent. If he does, he can be prosecuted under section 376-A of the IPC. Note that consent under pressure (e.g. because of threats to injure or to stop paying maintenance) is not considered valid.
What can a woman do to prevent domestic violence?
One option is to get the woman's husband to execute a "bond to keep peace", or a "bond of good behaviour" through the Executive, Magistrate who can order the husband to put a stop to domestic violence. The husband can also be asked to deposit securities (i.e. money or property) that will be forfeited if he continues to act violently.
Distinction between Civil and Criminal Law
The distinction between civil and criminal law is a basic part of the Indian legal system. Civil laws deal with the rights and obligations of people and what is needed to protect them, while criminal law deals with offences and their punishment. In a criminal offence, the State takes upon itself the responsibility to investigate and collect evidence (through the police), to fight the case in court (through a public prosecutor) and enforce the punishment. Robbery, murder and kidnapping are examples of criminal offences. Criminal offences are dealt with by the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The procedure by which a criminal trial is conducted is quite different from the processes involved in a civil trial. An important difference is that the "standard of proof" required in criminal cases is much higher than in civil cases. Since criminal law is centrally linked with issues of punishment, allegations and facts must be proved "beyond reasonable doubt", so that innocent people are not punished. In civil cases, the courts scrutinise the "balance of probabilities" before deciding in whose favour to make a judgement.
However, there are some situations in which both civil and criminal law apply. Inflicting physical violence on a wife or daughter-in-law as well as subjecting her to cruelty - physical, mental or emotional - in a marriage is not only a civil offence and provides ground for divorce (a "matrimonial offence"), but is also a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code, for which a person can be imprisoned. The laws dealing with marital abuse have been made very stringent through amendments in the Indian Penal Code and the Evidence Act
Source: http://www.indiatogether.org/manushi/issue137/laws.htm
Continue Reading...
In 1983, domestic violence was recognised as a specific criminal offence by the introduction of section 498-A into the Indian Penal Code. This section deals with cruelty by a husband or his family towards a married woman. Four types of cruelty are dealt with by this law:
- conduct that is likely to drive a woman to suicide,
- conduct which is likely to cause grave injury to the life, limb or health of the woman,
- harassment with the purpose of forcing the woman or her relatives to give some property, or
- harassment because the woman or her relatives is unable to yield to demands for more money or does not give some property.
What are the forms of "cruelty" recognised by the Courts?
- Persistent denial of food,
- Insisting on perverse sexual conduct,
- Constantly locking a woman out of the house,
- Denying the woman access to children, thereby causing mental torture,
- Physical violence,
- Taunting, demoralising and putting down the woman with the intention of causing mental torture,
- Confining the woman at home and not allowing her normal social intercourse,
- Abusing children in their mother's presence with the intention of causing her mental torture,
- Denying the paternity of the children with the intention of inflicing mental pain upon the mother, and
- Threatening divorce unless dowry is given.
What is a "matrimonial home"? What rights do women have in their matrimonial home?
The matrimonial home is the household a woman shares with her husband; whether it is rented, officially provided, or owned by the husband or his relatives. A woman has the right to remain in the matrimonial home along with her husband as long as she is married, though there is no definite law regarding this right. If a woman is being pressurised to leave the matrimonial home, she can ask the Court for an injunction or "restraining order" protecting her from being thrown out. This can usually be obtained quite easily. It is generally advisable not to leave the matrimonial home; it is easier to get a court order preventing a woman being thrown out than to get an order enforcing her right to return to it once she has left or been thrown out.
What is an 'Injunction' and how does it apply to domestic violence cases?
An injunction is a court order directing a person to do or not to do something. A woman has a lot of flexibility regarding what she can request the Court to order. For instance, if she is being stalked by somebody (including her husband), she can obtain injunctions against the person coming near her home or place of work, or even telephoning her.
What can be done in the case of dowry-related harassment or dowry death?
Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code covers dowry-related harassment. As with other provisions of criminal law, a woman can use the threat of going to court to deter this kind of harassment. The Indian Penal Code also addresses dowry deaths in section 304-B. If a woman dies of "unnatural causes" within seven years of marriage and has been harassed for dowry before her death, the Courts will assume that it is a case of dowry death. The husband or in-laws will then have to prove that their harassment was not the cause of her death. A dowry death is punishable by imprisonment of at least seven years. When filing an FIR ( First Hand Report), in a case where a woman is suspected to have been murdered after a history of torture due to dowry demands, the complaint should be filed under section 304-B rather than under section 306, which deals with abetment to suicide. Section 306 should be invoked when a woman commits suicide because of dowry-related harassment.
Can you refuse to have sex with your husband? Is there a law on marital rape?
Since India does not have a law on marital rape, even if a woman's husband has sexual intercourse with her without her consent, he cannot be prosecuted for rape. However, excessive and unreasonable demands for sex, or demands for unnatural sex have been considered forms of cruelty and may entitle a woman to a divorce.
If a woman is judicially separated, her husband cannot have sexual intercourse with her without her consent. If he does, he can be prosecuted under section 376-A of the IPC. Note that consent under pressure (e.g. because of threats to injure or to stop paying maintenance) is not considered valid.
What can a woman do to prevent domestic violence?
One option is to get the woman's husband to execute a "bond to keep peace", or a "bond of good behaviour" through the Executive, Magistrate who can order the husband to put a stop to domestic violence. The husband can also be asked to deposit securities (i.e. money or property) that will be forfeited if he continues to act violently.
Distinction between Civil and Criminal Law
The distinction between civil and criminal law is a basic part of the Indian legal system. Civil laws deal with the rights and obligations of people and what is needed to protect them, while criminal law deals with offences and their punishment. In a criminal offence, the State takes upon itself the responsibility to investigate and collect evidence (through the police), to fight the case in court (through a public prosecutor) and enforce the punishment. Robbery, murder and kidnapping are examples of criminal offences. Criminal offences are dealt with by the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The procedure by which a criminal trial is conducted is quite different from the processes involved in a civil trial. An important difference is that the "standard of proof" required in criminal cases is much higher than in civil cases. Since criminal law is centrally linked with issues of punishment, allegations and facts must be proved "beyond reasonable doubt", so that innocent people are not punished. In civil cases, the courts scrutinise the "balance of probabilities" before deciding in whose favour to make a judgement.
However, there are some situations in which both civil and criminal law apply. Inflicting physical violence on a wife or daughter-in-law as well as subjecting her to cruelty - physical, mental or emotional - in a marriage is not only a civil offence and provides ground for divorce (a "matrimonial offence"), but is also a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code, for which a person can be imprisoned. The laws dealing with marital abuse have been made very stringent through amendments in the Indian Penal Code and the Evidence Act
Source: http://www.indiatogether.org/manushi/issue137/laws.htm
Women Helplines in Hyd
Women protection cell - 040 -23240663
Women police station - 040-27853508
Child rights - 1800 425 2933
Roshini helpline - 040-66202000
Asmitha resource center for Women - 040-27733251
Shaheens women’s organization - 040-24386994
AP women’s network - 040-27014394
Child line - 1098, 040-23133550
State Human Rights Commission - 040-24601571, 24601572, 24601574
Human rights law network - 040-27661883
Crime stopper - 1090
Anti corruption wing - 040-24720196, 24720197
Satyam helpline for health - 1056, 104
Alchoholism rehabilitation center - 040-65969896, 9849940500
Divya disha - 9848186982
Prajwala (human trafficking) - 040-65704048
Sweekar upkar for disabled - 040-27814089
National Commission for Women - 011-13237166
Helpline for senior citizens - 1253
Anveshi - 040-27423690
Ankuram - 040-27017446
Sannihita Ms.Usha - 9346901441
ALEAP (self employment) - 040-23893644
Bread organization (For Educational support) - 040-65887177
BHUMIKA Women’s collective - 040-27660173
BHUMIKA HELPLINE FOR WOMEN IN DISTRESS - Toll free number – 1800 425 2908/ 040-2765316
Continue Reading...
Women police station - 040-27853508
Child rights - 1800 425 2933
Roshini helpline - 040-66202000
Asmitha resource center for Women - 040-27733251
Shaheens women’s organization - 040-24386994
AP women’s network - 040-27014394
Child line - 1098, 040-23133550
State Human Rights Commission - 040-24601571, 24601572, 24601574
Human rights law network - 040-27661883
Crime stopper - 1090
Anti corruption wing - 040-24720196, 24720197
Satyam helpline for health - 1056, 104
Alchoholism rehabilitation center - 040-65969896, 9849940500
Divya disha - 9848186982
Prajwala (human trafficking) - 040-65704048
Sweekar upkar for disabled - 040-27814089
National Commission for Women - 011-13237166
Helpline for senior citizens - 1253
Anveshi - 040-27423690
Ankuram - 040-27017446
Sannihita Ms.Usha - 9346901441
ALEAP (self employment) - 040-23893644
Bread organization (For Educational support) - 040-65887177
BHUMIKA Women’s collective - 040-27660173
BHUMIKA HELPLINE FOR WOMEN IN DISTRESS - Toll free number – 1800 425 2908/ 040-2765316
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Courage
Courage is not only gifted to the few brave ones,
It is something that lies within you,
Where you can draw upon its strength and power,
In times of crisis, fears and decisions.
Courage is not something mysterious or unattainable,
It is something that you can exercise in your daily life choices,
You can let it bring to you untraveled paths,
And make you more conscious and aware of your life.
Courage does not have to roar to be heard,
It does not mean being totally fearless and being invincible,
It could mean taking actions, taking risks, taking a stand,
Standing up for yourself, standing by your choices,
And sticking to your dreams when others jeered.
Courage could be the will to live in spite of the struggles,
In spite of your fears and phobias, in spite of what others said,
In spite of criticisms and disapproval, in spite of mistakes and failures,
In spite of everything that stands between you and your dreams.
Courage could mean trying over and over again when you failed,
Admitting that you are sorry when you are in the wrong,
Saying I love you when your love is angry,
Having a baby when the idea of being a parent scared you,
Listening to your heart when others called you a fool,
Following your dreams even when others discouraged you,
And staying true to yourself when others want you in another way.
Hold steadfast to your dreams, your heart and yourself,
And courage will not abandon you,
But follows you whenever you choose to go.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-- Marianne Williamson
Continue Reading...
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-- Marianne Williamson
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Learning to Dance in the Rain - A Short Movie
A new mini movie called "Learning to Dance in the Rain" has just launched, and I'm so glad to be able to share it with you right here! Watch it first, it's about gratitude and it'll get you all inspired....
Continue Reading...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Rangoli under Water
Sankranthi is on its way... So create a new rangoli this time... Under-water rangoli!!!!
Yes! u heard right.. "under water"...
My mom taught me recently how to make this.. And am gonna teach u people now...
Material raquired:
Marble colours
Glycerine or oil
A steel plate and water!
Procedure:
Trace ur design on to a steel plate with pencil.
Now apply glycerine (oil) in the design area.
Now color ur design with the marble powder colors and allow it to dry for half an hour.
Place the plate where u want to display it. Then slowly add water from borders where there is no design.
Ur under-water rangoli is ready.. Decorate with flowers or candles around it but not inside the plate as it may disturb the colors..
CellPhone Stand
This cool pink teddy bear cell phone stand takes care of ur most cared gadget.... Do u like it? Then contact me for making one of this kind with ur hands... (procedure cant be mentioned here as it needs the cutting details)Saturday, December 19, 2009
Banana Sweet
This sweet is recently shown on a tv channel... I tried it and it came off well...
Easy to do, quick, made with available ingredients and less ghee... Besides its nutritious(both banana and wheat).... So gals just try it out like me...
Ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
3/4th cup powdered sugar (u can use 1 cup if u like more sweet. banana is sweet so u will need less only)
1 banana
2 spoons of ghee
Dry fruits and nuts of ur choice
Procedure:
In a pan, add the wheat flour and ghee and fry it till u get a good smell.
Now mash the banana in a cup and add the powdered sugar to it. Mix well.
In the fried wheat flour mixture, add this pulp and sugar. Blend well. Add some dry fruits of ur choice.
On a plate greased with ghee, transfer this mixture, spread into a layer and cut it in desired shape.
Serve it with garnished nuts after its fully cooled.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Plum Cake
Preparation Time : 1 hr
Cooking Time : 1 hr
Serves / Makes :
Ingredients
Maida - 1/2 kg; Butter (unsalted)/Ghee- 1/2 kg; Sugar -1/2 kg powdered; Rava - 1/4 kg; Eggs - big 15 nos; Salt 1 level tspn; 3 flat tspns Baking powder; Vanilla Essence + Almond Essence - 1/2 bottle each; 1 Bottle Spice Powder; Nutmeg -1 no. scraped; 2 dried Pineapple Flowers (Anasee Poo) - powdered; 1 small bottle of Mixed Fruit Jame or Plum Jam; 1/2 Bottle of Rum or Brandy; 1/4 kg of white Butter to soak Rava; 1/4 kg Cashewnuts; 100 grams each of Candy Peel; Brown Raisons; Black Raisons; Cherries; ginger Chips; Plums; Mixed Tutti Frutti; 1/4 kg Dates - de seeded.
To Soak Fruits
Clean all the fruits deseed them & divide them into two parts; divide the cashewnuts into two parts; mince one part of the fruits & cashewnuts in the mincing machine; and finely cut the other half of the fruits & cashewnuts - now mix both the minced fruits & cashewnut + the cut up fruit & cashewnuts - put this in a ceramic bow add the Rum/Brandy + spice Powder + Scraped Nutmeg + the Powdered Pineapple flower- mix well cover & leave to soak Do this the previous day morning.
Melt the 1/4 kg White Butter (if you don't get white butter use the normal butter - here unsalted Butter is used). Take a bowl put the 1/4 kg Rava pour the melted warm butter over it mix well & leave to soak Do this the previous day morning.
Method
The next day before you start making the cake cut & grease the butter paper for the base & sides of the cake trays with butter sprinkle a little flour over the greased paper & line the cake trays & keep.
Sieve the Maida/Baking Pwd, & salt & keep aside.
Separate the eggs - beat the yolks well & keep - beat the whites till stiff & keep aside.
To the soaked fruit sprinkle a little flour & toss or mix nicely - this helps the fruit not to sink to the bottom of the cake.
Now take a big mixing bowl put the butter & churn till the butter is light & fluffy, add the powdered sugar & continue churning till the grating of the sugar stiops add the soaked Rava & continue to churn till the Rawa has bloated well, add the beaten egg yolks little @ a time & churn till light & fluffy, add the Jam & the caramelized sugar syrup mix well - add the Maida/Baking powder/Salt mixture little at a time - mixing well so that no lumps form it should be a smooth batter add the essence & well beaten egg whites - churn slowly for the Maida to fold in nicely- stop churning - add the soaked fruits - & mix with your hand, beat the batter well - Pour into the cake trays (fill only half way the cake trays because the cake will rise while baking) & bake for 45 mins to 1 hr. in a moderately hot oven -
To Caramelize Sugar for Colouring the Cake.
2 cups Sugar add 2 cups water place on heat & keep on stirring till sugar dissolves & the colour starts changing. When the colour becomes brown go on adding a little water at a time ( do this 2 or 3 times)till you get a good rich dark brown colour- remove from heat & keep warm.
To check if the cake is done insert a metal skewer into the center of the cake - if the skewer comes out clean - yr. cake is done - if there is still batter sticking to it lave to bake till done.
PN: If you plan well - You could soak yr. fruits 6 months in advance & make the cake.BUTTER - 500 GMS - If salted butter is used, pls do not add a pinch of salt.
Cooking Time : 1 hr
Serves / Makes :
Ingredients
Maida - 1/2 kg; Butter (unsalted)/Ghee- 1/2 kg; Sugar -1/2 kg powdered; Rava - 1/4 kg; Eggs - big 15 nos; Salt 1 level tspn; 3 flat tspns Baking powder; Vanilla Essence + Almond Essence - 1/2 bottle each; 1 Bottle Spice Powder; Nutmeg -1 no. scraped; 2 dried Pineapple Flowers (Anasee Poo) - powdered; 1 small bottle of Mixed Fruit Jame or Plum Jam; 1/2 Bottle of Rum or Brandy; 1/4 kg of white Butter to soak Rava; 1/4 kg Cashewnuts; 100 grams each of Candy Peel; Brown Raisons; Black Raisons; Cherries; ginger Chips; Plums; Mixed Tutti Frutti; 1/4 kg Dates - de seeded.
To Soak Fruits
Clean all the fruits deseed them & divide them into two parts; divide the cashewnuts into two parts; mince one part of the fruits & cashewnuts in the mincing machine; and finely cut the other half of the fruits & cashewnuts - now mix both the minced fruits & cashewnut + the cut up fruit & cashewnuts - put this in a ceramic bow add the Rum/Brandy + spice Powder + Scraped Nutmeg + the Powdered Pineapple flower- mix well cover & leave to soak Do this the previous day morning.
Melt the 1/4 kg White Butter (if you don't get white butter use the normal butter - here unsalted Butter is used). Take a bowl put the 1/4 kg Rava pour the melted warm butter over it mix well & leave to soak Do this the previous day morning.
Method
The next day before you start making the cake cut & grease the butter paper for the base & sides of the cake trays with butter sprinkle a little flour over the greased paper & line the cake trays & keep.
Sieve the Maida/Baking Pwd, & salt & keep aside.
Separate the eggs - beat the yolks well & keep - beat the whites till stiff & keep aside.
To the soaked fruit sprinkle a little flour & toss or mix nicely - this helps the fruit not to sink to the bottom of the cake.
Now take a big mixing bowl put the butter & churn till the butter is light & fluffy, add the powdered sugar & continue churning till the grating of the sugar stiops add the soaked Rava & continue to churn till the Rawa has bloated well, add the beaten egg yolks little @ a time & churn till light & fluffy, add the Jam & the caramelized sugar syrup mix well - add the Maida/Baking powder/Salt mixture little at a time - mixing well so that no lumps form it should be a smooth batter add the essence & well beaten egg whites - churn slowly for the Maida to fold in nicely- stop churning - add the soaked fruits - & mix with your hand, beat the batter well - Pour into the cake trays (fill only half way the cake trays because the cake will rise while baking) & bake for 45 mins to 1 hr. in a moderately hot oven -
To Caramelize Sugar for Colouring the Cake.
2 cups Sugar add 2 cups water place on heat & keep on stirring till sugar dissolves & the colour starts changing. When the colour becomes brown go on adding a little water at a time ( do this 2 or 3 times)till you get a good rich dark brown colour- remove from heat & keep warm.
To check if the cake is done insert a metal skewer into the center of the cake - if the skewer comes out clean - yr. cake is done - if there is still batter sticking to it lave to bake till done.
PN: If you plan well - You could soak yr. fruits 6 months in advance & make the cake.BUTTER - 500 GMS - If salted butter is used, pls do not add a pinch of salt.
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