காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்! Kaani Nilam Vendum Parasakthi!

One of my all time favorites from Bharathiyar's writing! I love his imagination and admiration which passes from him to us when we read and imagine the picture he creates visually with his poem.

The lovely poem in Tamil, the transliteration and the translation. In the files of my blog! 

1.காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்; அங்கு 

தூணி லழகியதாய் - நன்மாடங்கள் 

துய்ய நிறத்தினதாய் - அந்தக் 

காணி நிலத்தினிடையே – ஓர் மாளிகை கட்டித் தரவேண்டும்  - அங்கு

கேணி யருகினிலே - தென்னைமரம் கீற்று மிளநீரும் – 

காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்; 

2.பத்துப் பன்னிரண்டு, பத்துப் பன்னிரண்டு - தென்னைமரம்-அதன்  

பக்கத்திலே வேணும்- நல்ல 

முத்துச் சுடர்போலே - நிலாவொளி முன்பு வரவேணும் - அங்கு 

கத்துங் குயிலோசை - சற்றே வந்து காதிற் படவேணும், - என்றன் 

சித்தம் மகிழ்ந்திடவே - நன்றாயிளந் தென்றல் வரவேணும்

காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்;

3.பாட்டுக் கலந்திடவே, பாட்டுக் கலந்திடவே - அங்கே யொரு பத்தினிப் பெண்வேணும்- எங்கள் 

கூட்டுக் களியினிலே - கவிதைகள் கொண்டுதர வேணும் - அந்தக் 

காட்டு வெளியினிலே – அம்மா, நின்றன் காவ லுறவேணும்- என்றன் 

பாட்டுத் திறத்தாலே - இவ்வையத்தைப் பாலித்திட வேணும்- என்றன்

பாட்டுத் திறத்தாலே - இவ்வையத்தைப் பாலித்திட வேணும்

காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்

பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்!  

Transliteration
Kaani nilam vendum paraasakthi
Kaani nilam vendum angu
thoonil azhakiyathaai nanmaadangal
thuyya nirathinathaai anthak
kaani nilathinidaiye ormaaligai
kattith tharavendum angu
keniyarukinile thennaimaram
keetru milaneerum

Pathu pannirendu thenaimaram
pakkathile venum nalla
muthuch sudarpole nilaavoli
munbu varavenum angu
kathung kuyilosai satre vanthu
kaathir padavenum yentran
siththam mahizhnthidave nanraayilanth
thendral varavenum

Paattuk kalanthidave angeyoru
pathinip penvenum yengal
koottuk kaliyinile kavithaigal
konduthara venum antha
kaatu veliyinile amma nintran
kaavalura venum yentran
paatuth thirathaale ivvaiyaththai
paalidathida venum

English translation
1.I need a small piece of land , Oh divine mother ,A small piece of land, and there,
In the midst of that small piece of land you should build me a house with,Four pretty pillars and several floors and in there should be a water well, near which should be placed coconut tree with broad leaves and tender coconuts,

2.Around ten or twelve coconut trees , moon light should shine   there moonlight be like the lustre of a flawless pearl, the harmony song the bird cuckoo sings should reach my ears, amidst all this, as my soul rejoices, the soothing breeze spreading everywhere!

3.With the soulful song along with the breeze ,there should be a chaste woman by my side, And together in our joyous unison, poetic verses should start flowing freely. And Supreme Mother! You should guard and protect us! 
With the prowess of my poems, shall grace this world!

Fish kuzhambu @ Meen Kuzhambu

This recipe has lot of stories on how I learned after lot of trials and how we like this recipe. I never knew the originality of this recipe, we in north Tamilnadu including Chennai are used to this recipe, which is so common in every house. But the south Tamilnadu Fish kuzhambu is completely different in taste.

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law. She is a excellent cook and few of her recipes are my husband’s favorite. Though my mom makes a similar tangy one, she never use onion or fennel seeds. Adding these both improves the taste.

 Here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS
-------------------
Quantity- Should be enough for 3 people
Time- preparation- 5 mins
           Cooking - 35 mins
----------------------------------------
Oil - 2 Tbsp ( any oil) ( don’t reduce the quantity as this affects taste and color)
Vadagam- 1 tsp ( have added a picture of this for reference)
Small onion- 2 (finely chopped)
Green chilly-4
Fennel seeds/ powder- 2 tsp (whichever is available)
Tomato- 3 medium sized( cut into quarters)
Kuzhambu powder- 3 tbsp
Or
Chilly powder and coriander powder- 1.5:3 tbsp( adjust spice as required)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp(as required)
Tamarind pulp- size of a lemon( soaked and extracted)( should roughly be 4 cups when filtered)
Mangoes- 4-5 pieces (2/3 from a small mango) ( optional)
Fish - 1 lb/ 1/2 kg (any available fish, I have used frozen wild caught Pacific salmon)

Steps
1. Heat a pan, pour oil, when heated add vadagam. As it start to splutter add fennel seeds/powder. Immediately followed by onion, next goes chilies.



2. Toss or blend together until onion softens and start to change color. Add quartered tomatoes. Sauté but don’t over mix.

 

3. Next goes the spice powders- turmeric powder and kuzhambu milagai powder or combination of chilly and coriander powder.
    

4. Sauté lightly. Add the tamarind extract with salt as required. Mix together and check for taste as it start to boil.


5. Let it boil for 7-8 mins or until the raw smell of spice powders goes off. Cover with a lid.

6. Next add mangoes if available. When mangoes are half cooked lower the flame to low-moderate and add the fish. Cook covered for 5 mins to get them cooked.
 
7. Open the lid and allow them to cook in moderate flame. This is will the kuzhambu thicken a Little meanwhile the mangoes and fish is cooked completely.
 

8. And the yummy kuzhambu is done. Can pair with rice and fish fry as I made for today. It tastes much better the next day and pairs with idli best.

 


Notes
1. Below is the pic for Vadagam. In North Tamilnadu, this is a popular seasoning used in making Kuzhambu/ tangy spicy dishes.

 

2. Once fish is washed, marinate with turmeric powder and a little of salt to remove the raw smell which is common when using fresh fish. Mine is frozen Salmon, which I have removed the skin and have marinated with turmeric powder.

 

Zebra Cake!

The chocolate and vanilla swirl cake. My kids and myself call it zebra cake 😄😄

This recipe is always a hit because of its spongy and airy texture. Alert!! Its too soft!!

Kids will love this for the zebra texture. Whereas the aged ones will cherish the coffee flavor that lingers in the mouth for sometime. Here goes the recipe.


Choco-vanilla swirl cake
-------------------------------
CAKE
DRY INGREDIENTS
------------------
220 gm plain flour/all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

WET INGREDIENTS
--------------------------
250gm unsalted butter, room temperature
150gm sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
75 ml milk

COCOA MIX
------------------
25gm cocoa powder
50gm sugar
50gm boiling water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 tsp baking soda

STEPS
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease the square pan in sides and base with butter and wrap with the baking sheet.
2. Make the cocoa paste by mixing the cocoa powder and water. Add sugar and mix until smooth.Add vanilla and baking soda to form the paste.

3. Take the dry ingredients in a bowl and sift them twice.

4. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one by one and beat them until all mixed well. Add in vanilla and the batter should be smooth and creamy.

5. Add half the flour to the batter and beat on low speed. Add milk and beat until all blended. Alternate milk and flour all blend together.

6. Take half the batter and blend with the cocoa paste. Mix evenly.

7. Pour the vanilla batter and cocoa batter alternating and once all added gently tap the pan in the counter to remove any air bubbles.

8.Make swirl/desired shapes with a wooden skewer or knife.


9. Bake for 1 hour in the oven until skewer or knife comes clean.

10. Remove from pan and make pieces once cooled.



Taste the delicious zebra cake / swirl cake / vanilla-choco cake. However you cake the taste is absolute delicious.