Home made Paneer - Simple Recipe

Home made Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
Ingredients: All you need to make paneer at home is 1 liter of Milk, 1/2 lemon. Preparation Time - 30 mins.

Method: Bring the milk to boil, lower the flame and squeeze lime into the milk. Once the milk starts to curdle (that is the water/ whey separates), put off the flame and strain the curdled milk with a cotton cloth. While doing this squeeze it so that the whey (i.e the water) separates from the cheese. The whey can be added to chappathis or any vegetable curry or can be used for kitchen gardening after it has been cooled. Place a grinding stone over the cloth covered paneer so as to remove the remaining water. 1 ltr of milk will make about 50 - 70 gms of cottage cheese. 

To increase the quantity, use greater quantity of milk.

"The Calling"

I was inspired to write a note on this topic this morning when I sat down for my personal time of prayer. I was reminded of my first job transition from one human rights organisation (working for bonded labor rescue & rehabilitation) to the other (working for the rescue & rehabilitation of minors in sex work). In the process of discernment, I happened to receive the following advice from a friend who quoted the following scripture Isaiah 61:1 to explain the fact that to discern or to be sure or clear about the calling depended on the "Gifts" that one has received from the Lord and the "Passion to do" which would result in "Effectively doing the will of God". 

"The spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim Freedom to the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Is 61:1

My reflection on the true meaning of "calling" based on the quoted scripture verse meant "No looking back", "making a firm choice to believe that I am in the Right Place", "Move forward and know in your heart that God is working and will do amazing things in and through you". At different times I was reminded that to Trust was the only way. As William Cowper says, "God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform". Simple but powerful thoughts from the daily devotional readings like "What defines us is our deepest desire for God and our capability to reach God", "To include the Lord in our daily routine often results in seeing His divine activity at work",  strengthened me. 

Well I had to also remind myself that there is another side or the suffering side to "Doing the will of God" and that is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. Jesus himself was not deprived of it. But in my understanding, it only meant "Doing the Will of God" under "any circumstances" or in other words "COME WHAT MAY!!!".

"Scripture does not tell us that God wipes away our sadness in this Life, but it does tell us that God is faithful and will comfort us."

In the End, I must say, as it always has been, WE HAVE THE FREE WILL. To say "Yes" or "No".
"There is an antidote to our Fears - TRUST".

A prayer of Abandonment to God's Providence - St. Jose Maria Escriva

"My Lord and my God: into your hands I will abandon the past and the present and the future, what is small and what is great, what amounts to little and what amounts to a lot, things temporal and things eternal. Amen"

Masala Vadai with Mint chutney

Ingredients : Toor Dal & Gram Dal (1/2 cup each), Saunf (sombu/ Aniseeds), Dry red chillies (3 nos), 2 small onions (finely chopped), curry leaves (1 strand), coriander leaves (finely chopped), Salt to taste, Oil.

 For Mint Chutney: a bunch of mint leaves, salt, green chillies, Garlic pods (5 - 10 nos), Cumin seeds (1 tsp). Grind all the ingredients together adding little water.

Method of Preparation : Grind the dal together with saunf & Red chillies till it becomes coarse adding little water.

Remove the mix and to it add the chopped onions & coriander leaves & Curry leaves. Pat the mix with both hands to make it flat and deep fry it in the oil. Serve the vadais with Mint chutney

Recipes

Meenu Varuval (Fish fry)

Ingredients: 1 Kg cleaned Fish, 1 fresh lime juice, salt as required, turmeric powder (1/4 tsp), coriander powder (1/2 tsp), chilli powder (1/4 tsp), crushed black pepper (1/4 tsp).

Method of preparation: Mix the dry masalas together with lime juice to make a paste. (Do not add water). Apply the paste (marinate) on the fish and keep it aside for 30 minutes. Deep fry in oil.