Ganesha The Affable Elephant Headed God

Ganesha is a hindu deity or God with human form but the head of a friendly  elephant.

   Ganesh is the power of the Supreme being He removes obstacles and brings success.

This hymn or shrotra is from the Puranas and is recited to remove all troubles and attain freedom. Ganah in Sanskrit means "multitude" Isa means "Lord" so Ganesha means "The Lord of All Beings" Ganesha is the first son of Lord Shiva, Shiva is the Supreme reality so The son of shiva symbolises one who has realised The Reality or is said to be The Lord of all Beings Pranamya shirasaa devam gaurii putram vinaayakam Bhaktaa vaasam smarenha nityam aayuh kaama artha siddhaye So, the story is that Ganesha was born as a divine twist of fate. Parvati the wife of Lord Shiva was disappointed that the guards she appointed out of Lord Shiva's army failed to stop Shiva from barging into her private chambers. Parvati decided to have someone who would be entirely her own and place no one above her. Once, when Shiva was away, Parvati wanted someone to guard the door while she bathed. From her body and water from the Ganges she created a boy who is Lord Ganesha. This makes Parvati and Ganga his mothers. Having created the figure, Parvati infused life into him and told him to ensure that nobody entered her room while she bathed. Lord Shiva soon came in and was stopped by Lord Ganesha. This enraged Shiva and He beheaded the boy. Parvati was peeved to such an extent that she asked Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali to destroy everything and everyone. She demanded that Ganesha be brought back to life and Shiva sought to assuage her, by promising to bring the boy to life but his head could not be found in the battlefield. Lord Shiva sent his army to collect the head of first living being, who was sleeping with head facing north.  That turned out to be an elephant. Shiva put the elephant head on to the boy's shoulders. Shiva then breathed life into the boy. As both had given life to the boy he really became their son. Parvati was still distressed to see their poor ugly son. Shiva could not bear to see his wife unhappy so he made her a promise that Ganesh would have the power to answer prayer. Parvati knew that nothing could be a success unless her son was present, and because of this he is one of the most popular Gods. (To be continued)

Tea

   perfect cup of tea

The kettle should be filled with fresh cold water and heated to the running boil.

No, hot water from the Zip heater does not count as boiling.
Loose leaf tea is best if possible they make fresher better quality tea

It is getting harder to buy but a fabulous range of loose leaf teas are available at the The Tea Centre in the Glasshouse Arcade

One teaspoonful of tea per cup, plus "one for the pot".Although this depends on how strong you want the tea. .
As soon as the water boils, pour it over the tea then leave to brew for 3-6 minutes.

Depending on strength desired.Do not be tempted to pour before it has sat for at least a few minutes.

Brewing time can vary depending on leaf size and water temperature as well as the type of pot used. 

Pour into fine china cups It is supposedly "correct " to add the milk after pouring but i prefer with teapot tea to add it first.

Always serve a pot of piping hot water with tea .

Time to put the kettle on Ciao

Get Well Soup

This is a fabulous winter soup and great when coughs and colds are around I call it my 

GET WELL SOUP

chicken and barley soup

size 16 chicken

turnips 2

parsnips 2

carrots 2

celery 3 sticks

onions 2

parsley a bunch

1 green chilli

bay leaf

chicken ultra stock cubes or fresh stock

½ packet pearl barley

Steam the chicken and stock cubes in water  with the bay leaves  for 30 minutes

Chop vegetables into bite size pieces and leave aside.

The scraps of the vegetables can be added to the steaming chicken for stock flavour if you want like the ends of the carrots and celery and the onion pieces these will be discarded later

Remove chicken from the stock.

Strain the liquid and put back in the stock pot 

Add the barley and cook for 15 minutes 

Then the vegetables and cook 10 minutes whilst they are cooking 

Strip the chicken from the bones, cut into similar size pieces and add to the piping hot soup 

Add chopped parsley and green chilli that is chopped finely 

Season well with salt and pepper

Check taste and adjust if needed

Serve with crusty bread 

Wednesday Night Dinner

Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Roast Pumpkin
Creamy Chive Mash , Red Wine Jus and Fresh Beans

This sounds so gourmet but it actually is incredibly quick and easy to make.

Insert slivers of fresh garlic into the lamb to taste
Cut up pumpkin and place around the lamb on a sheet of silicon baking paper in a oven proof dish or roasting pan.
Cook in a preheated moderate oven for 30 -35 minutes
Remove and leave to rest 10 minutes

Jus
I used Bowles Veal Glace an amazing product
Firstly  reduce about 1 1/2 cups of good red wine in a small saucepan until reduced by 75% then add 2 tablespoons of Veal Glace bring to simmer and leave aside
This is basic but as its a mid week dinner no chance to add eschallots or green peppercorns or other ingredients.

Mash
Cut up deseree potatoes and cook in salted water at the last minute whilst the lamb is resting
Mash well with butter and add fresh cut chives - use scissors to cut the chives
At the same time cook beans in boiling water for a minute or two -drain

Plate the mash first with cut lamb placed on top,green beans and pumpkin on either side
drizzle red wine jus over.....For colour sprinkle finely cut tomato on top as desired.
Delectable...

Colour words.....from the Australian Museum

RED red-rimmed paint the town red catch the red-eye special in the red red rag to a bull red-faced red-blooded youth red-raw red-hot redneck seeing red red light district

YELLOW a jaundiced view yellow bellied a yellow coward mellow yellow yellow peril

GREEN Green-eyed monster greenhorn green with envy green thumb feeling a bit green around the gills grass is always greener

BLUE feeling blue blue in the face blue-blooded blue with cold blue movies blue sky research blue stocking once in a blue moon

COLOUR

http://colour.australianmuseum.net.au/

Check this out Australian Museum has gone colourful
Heaps of interesting info and Colour colour colour