Sankranti
Come new year and it is time for new beginnings, fresh resolutions and start of all things auspicious. In sync with this spirit of celebration comes the first festival of the year, Sankranti. This is a highly significant harvest festival and is celebrated with pomp and gaiety in major parts of India. It is one of the prominent festivals of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka too.
Festival food and your Kitchen
Indian festivals are synonymous with sumptuous food, and it is no surprise to find inmates of the house ‘working overtime’ in the kitchen to meet ‘festive demands’! With excess cooking comes the overhead of cleaning and when it comes to the latter I am very particular that the kitchen is always neat and tidy. Many a time I find that in spite of best efforts, pests like cockroaches do make their way into the nooks and corners of the kitchen. Given the fact they are the carriers of the worst germs, the risk of food poison and contamination is very high.
One of the most effective ways to tackle this problem is to apply LAL HIT each time you clean the kitchen. One of the regular cleaning aids in my kitchen, I find it really useful due to the fact that it comes with a Deep Reach Nozzle that can penetrate narrow cracks, crevices and corners. A simple habit and ritual I follow regularly to keep my kitchen safe and clean. It is my monthly kitchen cleaning regime. Also, available in a fresh fragrance, it is a simple way to avoid food poisoning at home. #SayNoToFoodPoisoning
Recipe: Avarekai Rasam
Since Sankranti is a harvest festival, preparations using Avarekai (called Hyacinth Bean or Broad beans in English) is considered auspicious as it is harvested during this season. There are several delectable recipes with this bean that has some amazing health benefits. Here is a simple yet delicious rasam that is prepared using Avarekai.
Ingredients:
- Boiled avarekai – 1 ½ cup
- Tamarind juice – 2-3 tbsp
To grind:
- Jeera/cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
- Dhania/coriander: 1 tbsp
- Ripened (almost red) fresh chillies: 2
- Asafoetida – pinch
- Fresh coconut – 1 small cup
- Boiled beans – ½ cup
For seasoning:
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 5-10 curry leaves
Method:
- Boil the avarekai and keep aside
- Grind the ingredients under the “to grind” section and add to the boiled beans.
- Add water, salt, turmeric powder and tamarind juice.
- Bring to a boil.
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter, after that add curry leaves
- Serve with hot rice.
Note: You can alter the quantity of chillies and tamarind per your taste.
With cleaning aids like LAL HIT, festivals are definitely enjoyed better, safer and happier. After all, the sometimes ‘unpleasant’ job of cleaning is a breeze with this wonder product!