Chicken tomato masala

Serves: 2 Persons

Ingredients:

500gms Boneless Chicken

Fresh tomato puree* of 5 medium tomatoes

2  Paste of two Medium raw  onions

oil

2 Tsp (Heaping) Red chili powder

1 Tsp (Not Heaping) Dhania Powder

1/4 Tsp Haldi Powder

1 Tsp Salt

3 heaping Table spoons Curd

2 Table Spoons Garlic Paste

2 Table spoon Ginger paste

3 Table spoon Cashew Nuts

Method:

* To make fresh tomato puree boil water in a pan and put 5 tomatoes in it after scooping their eyes out and making a plus sign with a knife on the bottom of the tomatoes. after 5 minutes throw out the hot water and rinse  the tomatoes in cold water. Now peel off the skins and blend the tomatoes in a mixer.

Heat some oil in a cooker and add the fresh tomato puree. Cook till oil separates. Add the onion paste cook till oil separates. Add all the dry masalas with some water and cook till oil separates. Add curd and mix it well in hi-flame till oil separates.

Add the chicken pieces and cook on low flame for about 30 minutes.

(Take the specified amount of ginger, garlic and cashew nuts and make a paste in a mixer. Add a little water so that there are no lumps.)

Add this paste to the masala in the cooker and fry well till oil separates and the white color of the cashew paste is gone.

By now the chicken should be done. Serve hot with fresh chapaties.

 

A home for the butterflies in Jaipur

Butterfly Valley

In an ambitious project, JDA has developed a 3800 Sq. Mts.( buffer area is 5 acres)  valley in Simriti Ban on JLN Marg, Jaipur as a habitat for 46 species of commonly found butterflies. The area, some 100 mts below JLN Marg,  has been planted with 80 varieties of big and small host plants. The area has some 900 trees and treated waste  water is regularly sprayed on them to keep the moisture in the area high.They have developed waterfalls and ponds decorated with stones brought in from Nathdwara and Haridwar. So come February you need to visit the Butterfly Valley with your camera for a date with the fast vanishing delicate creatures.

 

Butterfly valley in Simriti Ban,JLN Marg,Jaipur

Chicken Masala In An Oven

Chicken Masala In an Oven
Serves 2 persons
Ingredients
Desi Ghee 100 gms
Oil 100 gms
Saabut Garam Masala ( 4 Doda, 1 ½ inch Dal chini, 5 Big Tej Patta, 20 Kali Mirch,
10 Cloves, 4 Small Ilaichi)
Oninons 4 large minced
Red chilie powder 2 tea spoons heaping ( or to taste)
Corriender Powder 1 tea spoons heaping( or same proportion as the red chilies)
Turmeric ½ Tea Spoon
Salt -One Tea Spoon (Not heaping) or to taste.
Sour Curd 200 gms
Garlic Paste 2 Tea Spoons
Ginger Paste 2 Tea Spoons
2 green chillies minced
2 Tea Spoons(heaping) Kachari Powder
300 grams Chicken

Heat the oil & Desi Ghee in a cooker. Add all the Saabut Gram Masala. Add the onions & fry the onions till they are brown.
Add red chilies, dhania, turmeric & salt with some water & fry till oil septrates.
Add curd.While adding the curd ensure to stir the mixture on high flame till the masala comes to a boil. Keep the flame on low heat and keep frying the curry till it takes the color of deep oily red chilies.
Add the Garlic paste and the ginger paste & green chilies to the curry and cook some more.
Pre-heat the oven at 300 Degrees
Add Chicken to the Masala and put in a baking tray and put in the oven to cook.
Once the oil starts bubbling set the temperature to 150 degrees and cook till done.

Serve with hot chapaties.

How To Cook ‘Kaleji’

A simple Rajasthani recipe to cook spicy, red hot, Goat or Lamb Liver Curry.

Serves: Two persons
Time taken to prepare: 150 minutes
Ingredients:
Goat/Lamb Liver: 300 grams
Minced Onions: Four Medium Sized
Minced Green Chili: Four
Fresh Curd: 200 grams
Oil of your choice: 200 grams
Red Chili Powder: Two Tea Spoons heaping
Green Coriander Powder: One Tea Spoon heaping
Turmeric Powder: Half a Tea Spoon
Salt: One Tea Spoon not heaping
Ginger/ Garlic Paste: 30 grams
Vinegar: Two Tea Spoons (optional)
Method:
Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan like a pressure cooker and add the minced onions once the oil is hot. Fry the onions on low flame till their colour turns light brown. Add the Ginger/Garlic paste with a little water so that the ingredients do not burn. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt with some water. Fry the masala on low flame till it is cooked. Turn up the flame and add the curd while stirring the mixture till it comes to boil. Add the minced green chili. Cook the mixture on low flame till the masala takes on a deep red colour. Wash the raw liver and add it to the masala with some more water and cook on low flame till the liver turns hard. Unlike other meats liver will turn hard when fully cooked. Just before taking the pan off the flame add the vinegar. Serve with hot chapaties as a full meal or it can also be served as a delicious snack with cocktails before the main meal.

Some Images From The Pushkar Fair 2013

Prachin Pushkar Sarovar or Budha Pushkar

Jansailab  Devotees

Devotees

 

Shopping

 

Shopping at the mela

A By lane

Busstand

Bandanwar display at the pushkar fair 2013

 

 A display of Colorful Worry beads at a shop in pushkar

A man dressed as goddess parvati at the pushkar mela 2013

 

Recipes

These are the 10  links to the recipes found on this Blog. If you missed them some how here they are for your consideration.
DAL

Khichari

Fish Curry

ALOE VERA- Gawar Patha

KER SANGRI PICKLE

RED MEAT

SOYA CHUNKS IN MANCHURIAN SAUCE

RANGEELA OMELETTE

SPICY EGG CURRY

TEA

I am partial to each one of them.I would be happy to hear your opinion about them.

Jaipur on Slideshare.net

Jaipur – Presentation Transcript

1. JAIPUR
2. • Part of the Golden Triangle Travel Circuit in India, Jaipur is one of the top travel destinations of the world. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, the land of Princes and valour, Sand-dunes, Palaces, Gardens, Museums, Textiles, Blue pottery Mojaris and Paintings. It is known for its hospitality and cuisine. Just about 225 km from New Delhi it is very well connected with rest of the world.
3. The Idol of Sawai Jai Singh Ji-II At The Statue Circle
4. Sawai Jai Singh Ji-II Founder Of Jaipur
   • 1727 saw Sawai Jai Singh Ji-II(1688-1744) lay the foundation of what is now The Walled city of Jaipur or the famous Pink City of India.
   • He was crowned in 1699 A.D. He reigned for 45 years.
   • A learned man he built observatories in Jaipur, Ujjain, Matura and Benaras.
5. Places To Visit
   • If you are looking for new places to visit with a lot of history thrown in Jaipur is the place to be in.
6. City Palace
   • Except for, Chandra Mahal, the residence of the present Maharaja of Jaipur most of the City Palace is open to Public and houses museums.
7. Hawa Mahal
8. Hawa Mahal
   • Built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh Ji in the City Palace Complex this palace was built so that the ladies of the royal family could watch the royal and religious processions in the bazars and still be in purdha. It has 953 windows.
9. Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
10. Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh
    • About 6km from the city centre on the way to galta ji off Jaipur Agra Highway is a garden built by Sawai Jai Singh for his second wife, a Sisodia princess from Udaipur. It is a terraced garden with a palace on the top terrace.  This garden is a popular venue for weddings and parties.
11. Vidhyadhar Ji Ka Bagh
12. Vidhyadhar Ji Ka Bagh
    • Named after the genius who planned the Pink City for Sawai Jai Singh II this garden is under renovation right now( Budget 5 Crores).They have discovered a 250 years old bawadi which was used to harvest water. This water was used for Vidhyadhar Garden and The Roop Niwas Garden.It was also used as  a vineyard for the Jaipur royal family in the times gone by.
13. Kanak Vrindawan Garden
14. Kanak Vrindawan Garden
    • This garden is on the way to Amber, near Jal Mahal. Govind Dev Ji temple and the Natwar ji’s Temple and the garden have been recently restored to their former glory by The B.M. Birla foundation. It is a popular picnic spot.
15. Albert Hall
16. Albert Hall
    • Built in 1886 and designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, Albert Hall, has been recently renovated with a budget of 4.5 Crore Rupees-this museum is known for Persian Carpets, Egyptian Mummy, antique crockery and metal objects collections. There is an organic restaurant also in the complex.
17. Jantar Mantar
18. Jantar Mantar
    • Built in 1827 by Maharaja  Sawai Jai Singh Ji and  situated in the present day City Palace Complex  this Astronomical  Observatory’s instruments are  made with stone, marble and masonry and  consequently were so accurate that Sawai Jai Singh Ji was able to find errors in the astronomical tables then in use. Sawai Jai Singh Ji published his own tables in 1723. There are 18 instruments in the Observatory. The largest instrument is the Samrat Yantra.It is a Sun  Dial. It is 89 feet high and 148 feet wide and can find the local time with an  error of only a couple of seconds. It is in use till date. Samrat Yantra is used on the full moon night of guru poornima to find out when the monsoon is going to set in and how plentiful it will  be.
    • Due to the efforts of UNESCO and Archaeological Survey of India, Jaipur Jantar Mantar has become the second World Heritage Site from Rajassthan. In 1985 Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, had joined the World Heritage Sites list.
19. Amber Fort
20. Amber Fort
    • Amber fort was built over two centuries from the 16 th century onwards by Raja Man Singh Ji and Mirza Raja Jai Singh Ji and Sawai Jai Singh Ji.
    • The temple of Shila Mata is also here.
    • A light and sound show takes place in the Kesar Kyrai every evening.
21. Jai Garh
22. Jaigarh
    • The most impregnable fort in the world was built by Mirza Raja Jai Singh & Sawai Jai Singh.The museum here showcases Rajput artifacts and weaponry.
    • Remains of 16th century canon foundry where Jaivana was cast can still be found. Jaivana was world’s largest wheeled canon-9 feet high, over 20 feet long and weighed 50 tons. It was engraved with scroll-work. It took 4 elephants to change its direction.
23. Nahargarh
24. Nahargarh
    • Built in 1737 and named after the Prince Nahar Singh Rathore it over looks the city. Presently it is under renovation.
25. Jal Mahal
26. Jal Mahal
    • Built by Sawai Pratap Singh Ji in 1799 A.D. It is located in the Man Sagar Lake which was built by Sawai Man Singh Ji-I. Presently under extensive renovation every year it stands witness to the annual birding fair held on the banks of Man Sagar Lake.
27. Isar Lat
28. Isar Lat
    • The Victory Tower known as Isar Lat or Sargasooli or Vijay Stambh was built by Sawai Ishwari Singh Ji in 1749 to celebrate  his many victories in wars. It over looks the Tripolia Bazar and the Atish Market. Tourists are welcome to climb this tower  by paying a small  entrance fee. It is an easy  climb up to the  top of this seven story tower.It has been recently renovated.
29. Birla Planetarium Auditorium & Convention Centre
30. Birla Planetarium Auditorium & Convention Centre
    • It is built over 9.5 acres and is the major conference venue of Jaipur. It’s auditorium can seat 1300 persons. It also has a museum, a library and a planetarium.
31. Thikana Govind Dev Ji
    • Legend has it that Lord Krishna came in  Sawi Jai Singh Ji’s dream and asked to have His idol installed in a part of the City Palace Complex. The Kachawa rulers of Jaipur have always maintained that the real ruler of Jaipur is Govind Dev ji and they  just Diwans. So Lord Krishna got his wish.
    • The idol of Govind Dev Ji was originally installed in Vrindaban by Maharaja Man Singh Ji but was taken in hiding due to a threat from Aurangzeb’s armies. 45 years later in 1714, Sawai Jai Singh Ji installed the idol in Kanak Vridaban and later on in the present day City Palace.
    • The Govind Dev ji Trust commissioned the State Road Development Corporation with the responsibility of building the new satsang bhawan. The corporation in turn commissioned Jaipur’s noted structural engineer Deepak Sogani to do the needful. Mr Sogani used the latest technology of post tensioning (PT) to cast a single span roof  of 118 feet length and 124 feet width. This architectural feat may be included in the Guinness Book of Records soon.
32. Laxmi Narayan Temple Ganesh Mandir
    • On the foot hills of the Moti doongri hillock are situated the Laxmi Narayan Temple or the Birla Mandir and the Ganesh Temple.
    • The Ganesh Temple is sure to be visited by the populace of Jaipur one time or another in their lives. Every new vehicle is taken there for blessing and He is the first deity to be invited to any wedding.
33. Mojari
    • Mojari is traditional Indian style footwear of leather with embroidery done on the upper part of the footwear. They come in numerous shapes and styles. They are a must in weddings where both bride and groom wear them.
34. Blue Pottery
    • The art of making these glazed pots of multani mitti with intricate designs of blue green and white had almost died until Rajmata Gaytri Devi took an interest in reviving the art and started promoting it.
    • Today it is a flourishing art form.Much in demand in India and abroad.
35. Bagru and Sanganer Print Textiles
    • These textile prints get their names from the villages where they are produced. These prints used to be produced by hand by wooden blocks. Now a days some times screens are used to keep the costs down. Now a days vegetable dyes are used and the colors are pastel colors. The cloth used is fine quality cotton. The clothes and furnishings etc. made from these textiles are in great demand in India and abroad.
36. Jaipuri Razai
    • Jaipuri Razais are around 700 to 800 gram in weight with  outer covering  made of very soft cotton cloth which is hand block printed in vegetable dyes in pastel colors and the filling is of finely carded cotton evenly spread in the covering and stitched by hand. The borders are sewn by machine to make them last longer. These quilts come in all sizes. They are filled with the best cotton money can buy brought  from Punjab, Haryana and Ganganagar. They are mostly manufactured in Chardarwaza, Idgah and Shastrinagar and sold mostly in the bazars of the walled city. In keeping with the demands and tastes of the customers the outer coverings are also made of silk and velvet.
    • Instead of hand block printing  screens are also used to print the outer covering to keep the cost of the finished product down. That is why a single quilt can cost from couple of hundred rupees to more than a couple of thousand rupees.
37. Lac Work Items
    • From 18 th century onwards the  artisans of Jaipur in the maniharon ka raasta  have been producing lac bangles- Chura. Now a days  they make whole jewellery sets of Lac.  They also make gift items of Lac like replicas of guitars, jewellery boxes, mirror frames  bottles  and pen stands. To add beauty to these items they are inlaid  with little pieces of mirror etc. These items are in huge demand by the locals and tourists alike. Lac items are exported also.
38. Puppets
    • Your children will no doubt enjoy the puppet shows. But you can buy a puppet or two for decorating your sitting room.
39. Paintings
    • Copies of ancient classical miniature paintings and folk paintings are freely available in art shops besides the contemporary work of local artists.
40. Carpets
    • Besides daries and carpets Jaipur craftsmen also make silk carpets.
41. Laheriya
    • Laheriya is a sari design which is especially worn during the monsoon months.
42. Jewellery
    • Jaipur is known for enamel or meenakari jewellery, thewa and kundankari. It is also known for polished precious and semi precious stones. It also produces silver ornaments.
    • However if you do not have any personal knowledge of jewels or stones do not buy any or buy only from reputed firms.
43. Hand Made Paper Products Of Sanganer
    • Sanganer is famous not only for sanganer print textile products but also for recycled paper products. These paper products are much in demand in India and abroad.
44. Marble Statues
    • Jaipur’s Khazanewalon Ka Rasta is famous for articles made from marble. You can even watch the craftsmen at work here.
45. Raj Mandir
46. Raj Mandir
    • Raj Mandir Cinema hall is a single screen theatre. They do not build them like this any more. An evening of entertainment by a Bollywood potboiler is a must here.
47. Cuisine
    • In the old times Rajasthani households subsisted on food made from grains as vegetables were not easily available because of lack of transport.
    • On your visit try to have one Rajasthani meal of choorma-dal-bati. For a non vegetarian a meal with lal maans cooked rajasthani style is a must.
48. Mehendi
    • When in Jaipur if the women of the family have the time one fun thing to do would be to have mehendi applied to their hands and feet. They can find some body to apply mehendi out side one of the big malls. It not only will make the women’s hearts sing but it is also auspicious.
49. Links
    • A Guesthouse In Jaipur
    • http://www.karans.info
    • A Blog About Jaipur
    • https://karansguesthouse.wordpress.com
    • M.9828284433

Laal Maans-Prepared My Way

Serves Four

Time Taken to Prepare – about 3 hours

Ingredients

Onions  4 large minced

Oil 1 cup

Red chilli powder 4 tea spoons heaping ( or to taste)

Coriander Powder 4 tea spoons heaping( or same proportion as the red chillies)

Turmeric Powder 1/2 tea Spoon

Salt -One and a half  Tea Spoon (Not heaping) or to taste.

Sour Curd 400 gms ( or lesser in proportion to the red chillies as this much curd is needed to take the bite out of the red chillies)

Garlic Paste  2 Table Spoons

Ginger Paste 1 Table Spoons

Green Chillies 2 Minced ( optional as per taste)

Red Meat 800 gms ( Lamb or Goat)

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker( thick bottom of the cooker prevents the masala from burning  easily) and add the minced onions to the oil when the oil starts to smoke and fry the onions on low heat till brown.

Add the red chilli powder, salt, coriander powder & turmeric powder to the oil and the fried onions and add a little water so that the mixture does not burn.

Cook the mixture on low heat till the oil starts bubbling and the masala is cooked.Add some more water and cook some more till the oil starts bubbling again.

While adding the curd ensure to stir the mixture on high flame till the masala comes to a boil.Keep the flame on low heat  and keep frying the curry till it takes the color of deep oily red chillies.

Add the Garlic paste and the ginger paste to the curry and cook some more.

Wash the red meat and add to the curry and  add enough  water  to cover the  meat  and cook on low heat till the meat turn tender.

Add the green chillies to the prepared Laal Maans and serve with chapaties or tandoorie rotis.

Note:-You have to keep stirring the mixture all along otherwise the mixture will burn.

Some more recipes from Rajasthan
A Rajasthani Delicacy Ker Sangri Pickle

A Rajasthani Curry Made With Aloe Vera

A Spicy Fish Curry From Jaipur,Rajasthan,India

Karan’s Guesthouse,Jaipur

Jaipuri Razai-A Quilt Like None Other

There are quilts and there are Jaipuri Razais.All sorts of quilts are made in Jaipur but the quilts which have earned the jaipuri razai sobriquet are around 700 to 800 gram in weight with  outer covering  made of very soft cotton cloth which is hand block printed in vegetable dyes in pastel colours and the filling is of finely carded cotton evenly spread in the covering and stitched by hand. The borders are sewen by machine to make them last longer.These quilts come in all sizes.They are filled with the best cotton money can buy brought  from Punjab,Haryana and Ganganagar. They are mostly manufactured in Chardarwaza,Idgah and Shastrinagar and sold mostly in the bazars of the walled city.In keeping with the demands and tastes of the customers the outer coverings are also made of silk and velvet.

Like every thing else in our lives making of the Jaipuri Razais has not remained untouched by the advent of technology.Instead of hand block printing  screens are also used to print the outer covering to keep the cost of the finished product down.That is why a single quilt can cost from couple of hundred rupees to more than a couple of thousand rupees.

These quilts are in demand all around the year by the local populace and domestic and foreign tourists alike.But in the winter months you can not miss these quilts as they are prominently displayed in most  of the walled city shops selling textile goods.These quilts are also exported to the developed world to the tune of  approximately 100 crore rupees.

A journalist from Sweden,Ms.Christina and Dr.Chandramani Dixit from  Jawahar Kala kendra are writing a scholarly work on Jaipuri Quilts.

Lac-Worth Its Weight In Gold

Lac was known and being used in India during  the Mahabharat times. The Kauravs had a Lac Palace made for  the Pandavs  to stay in during their Banbas period.They wanted to torch the palace while the Pandavs slept.Lac flows when heated and burns easily if naked flame is applied to it. Fore warned Pandavs had to make a tunnel to come out of the burning Palace alive.

Lac is commonly cultivated from the insect species   kerria lacca in India.The secretion is scarlet in color and is deposited by the insect in the branches of host trees like Ber, Dhak and Kusum. It is harvested from the trees for various uses.

In ancient times in India it was  used as a dye for woolen and silken materials and for torturing people.I It is also used  as a filling in fat gold and silver bangles as it gives weight to the ornaments. Transparent lac is also used in Ayurvedic   medicine and in airplanes to fill cracks.

From 18 th century onwards the  artisans of Jaipur in the maniharon ka raasta  have been producing lac bangles- Chura. Now a days  they make whole jewellery sets of Lac.  They also make gift items of Lac like replicas of guitars,jewellery boxes, mirror frames  bottles  and pen stands.To add beauty to these items they are inlaid  with little pieces of mirror etc.These items are in huge demand by the locals and tourists alike.Lac items are exported also.

Karan’s Guesthouse