God and His (our) Prayers

What is a prayer?
Why people pray?
Is there just one reason or hundreds of reasons to pray?
Is there anyone in this world who has not started or ended the prayer by asking something from God?
I never thought about this till last year 2011. Somethings happen in life which forces you to ponder on. I started to reason God and what good does prayer or worshiping does to you or to God. We pray to Him for ourselves or for God? We expect something in return whenever we bend our heads in front of Him. Isn't?Just by asking and praying and sometimes even begging, we think that He is going to take our side.What I have realized is that we pray for ourselves. Its not for God. Does he listens and fulfill our prayers every time? No it doesn't happen that way.We get what is in our destiny and what ever is not destined for us, we loose it or don't get it.This doesn't mean that without our efforts and hard work, we are going to get paid off. Because its in our destiny. I am just not discussing that part. I believe in hard work and only efforts pay at the end.
My point is if our destiny decides what we get, then why pray.I think I have been able to answer that question, atleast for myself and my life.
I realized that prayer doesn't impress God and we shouldn't pray just because we need something from him. I have come to believe that prayer gives you strength and peace of mind. It doesn't fulfill what you always ask and it wouldn't, not always. This is life. Life is not a bed of roses.
While praying, ask Him to give us strength to bear what is happening in our lives. We don't even have to ask for peace of mind because it would automatically come when we pray.
Strength and peace of mind is the most important thing which we should ask from God while praying. Once you get that, everything will fall in place. Whether things are set in motion or not, whether the circumstances are for or against you, it doesn't matter.
There will always be ups and downs in life and can't curse God for everything but we can ask something very special from God which will help us during those times: STRENGTH.

Remembering

When God will do what HE has planned to do, then why Pray? Some incidents makes you ponder on so many things, which you might not have done in normal circumstances.

Whatever happened today is tragic and never thought one life would come to an abrupt end just like that.

Its not easy to forget you. You were a great person and a wonderful singer. Your voice will be remembered forever. I would never forget your singing during every occasion especially my marriage.

Lots of complaints with YOU - God, but as always, helpless and no questions answered. I just know that he deserved some more time with his family, with us. But YOU are the ultimate power.

Please give us the strength to cope up with this tragedy and hope your soul rest in peace (fufaji).

Black Pepper Chicken (Kali Mirch Chicken)

I have heard from chicken eaters about this dish especially when eaten in the restaurants. Cream is used by many, in this recipe but i want to make it heart healthy, so no cream. Enjoy ! Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast Tenders - 250 gms


• Onion - 1 medium chopped


• Garlic cloves - 5 finely chopped


• Tomato paste - 1 tbsp


• Cloves -2


• Coriander Powder - 2 tsp


• Black pepper corns crushed - 2 tsp


• Curry Leaves - 4 to 5


• Salt - to taste


• Oil - 2 tbsp


• Mint Leaves - for garnish

Procedure:

1. Chop the chicken into medium pieces. Prick the pieces with the fork.


2. Marinade the chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, turmeric for an hour.


3. Heat the oil in the kadai. Add onions and cloves.


4. Once the onions are pink, add garlic and curry leaves. Saute the garlic for a minute.


5. Add tomato paste and saute for another 2 mins.


6. Now add the coriander and saute till the oil gets separated from the paste.


7. Add the chicken pieces and water. Let the water boil and then cover the kadai till chicken is cooked.


8. Garnish with mint leaves and serve hot.

iPhone - An Addiction?

iPhone has been capturing the phone world since its arrival but is it the same phone which is conquering our lives as well? I think so.

More than a phone, with which you can call and get calls, it is a mailbox - a GPS -game station - an iPod - a Camera and the list goes on.

But are we really making a good use of the iPhone or it has just become another addiction like alcohol and smoke.

People are and still going crazier with every version. People who have iPhone have a different day routine now. Their day starts with the 'Good Morning' to the iPhone, mails checking and that continues every 10 to 20 min on an avg till it is the time to say 'Good Night'. And if you happen to get up in between the sleep, again one check on the iPhone to verify its working ;)

It is with you when you are at the dining table eating, or you are in the bathroom brushing.

Thankfully one place you cannot take it with you in the shower but that will be soon: another version of iPhone...something new has to come every time, otherwise no fun.

When phone becomes your wife: with whom you get up in the morning, sleep in the night, eat together, then this becomes the reality: "iPhone se nazar nahin hat ti, nazarein hum kya dekhen"

Like alcohol and smoke, iPhone is also an addiction and i am sure that sometime in near future, rehab centers for iPhone will start coming up.

At least I would need it very soon for Tarun.

Cheese Tomato

Cheese Tomato in a creamy tomato gravy always make my mouth watery. I have eaten many versions of Cheese Tomato but today I cooked my version and it came out to be pretty well. It has more of a tangy taste which we loved.

Ingredients:

• Indian Cottage Cheese ( Paneer) - 250 gms cut into rectangular size cubes


• Tomato puree - 1/2 cup


• Onions - 1 small


• Yoghurt - 1 cup whipped


• Garlic - 1 clove chopped


• Ginger - 1 inch piece grated


• Coriander powder - 2 tsp


• Red Chilli powder -1 tsp


• Garam Masala powder - 1/4 tsp


• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp


• Salt - to taste


• Oil/Butter - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in the pan and add the cumin seeds.


2. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and saute them for 5 mins.


3. Add the tomato puree and saute for another 5 mins.


4. Add all the spices except garam masala and saute till the oil separates from the mixture.


5. Remove from the heat and when it is a bit cool, blend the mixture in the blender.


6. Add the yoghurt in the mixture. Mix well and then place it on the stove again on a low heat.


7. Add the cubed paneer, garam masala and mix well.


8. Let the gravy simmer for another 10 mins.

Garnish with the coriander leaves/cilantro.
Cheese Tomato is ready and we enjoyed it throughly in dinner.
You can always change the amount of spices in a dish as per your taste.

Lemony Chicken

I decided to make Schezwan Noodles for a Sunday lunch but what to make along with it as a side was a question. Tarun wanted to have some chicken dish and thus tried my hands at Lemony Chicken.



Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast tenders - 4 pcs
  
• Thyme - 1 tbsp


• Garlic - 4 cloves chopped finely


• Ginger - 1 tbsp chopped finely


• Tomato Puree - 1 tbsp


• Green Bell Peppers - 1 medium size


• Black Pepper - 1 tsp


• Salt - to taste


• Oil - 1 tbsp
  
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Spring Onion - to garnish
  

Procedure:

1. Cut the chicken breast tenders into medium size pieces and pierce them with the fork


2. Marinate the chicken with the salt and the thyme and place it in the refrigerator for 30 mins.


3. Heat the pan and put the oil.


4. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic and ginger and saute for 3 mins.


5. Add the chicken in the pan and cook till it is almost cooked.


6. Add the tomato puree and the green bell peppers and mix well.


7. Cook till the chicken is fully cooked.


8. Add the Lemon juice and the Lemony Chicken is ready to serve.

Granish it with some lemon pieces and spring onion.

Writing after a long time - to coolfolks - A Tribute

This is the mail i sent to coolfolks ( my college friends and we communicate through this group in yahoo).
Hello All,

Writing in coolfolks after a long long time i guess, as in all bday wishes, guggu wishes on my behalf as well and thus i am saved :P to write the mails but my wishes are also in the mail sent by Guggu.

Well me and guggu remembered our college days a lot on Jul 4th. nothing specific of the day, just that USA independance day falls on that day.
We went to see fireworks to SFO downtown and they were really fun.
While coming back through BART (Metro as in delhi), saw few ABCD teenagers... .wondering what does ABCD means (American born Confused desi's)..... they were just talking, talking chatting, gossiping... ...as we used to do in our college days....still feel we our young and still collegeites. ..but when sa w them, felt we are a bit old.
Every teenager in that group almost resembled, one of our folks in our group....
One was that def Guggu, with a kada in one hand and height arnd same as guggu, marring style and flirting with gals.....talking talking talking..... and after a while, that guy's mom called....and he was like , yeah mom started already, will reach home soon....as that happens with Guggs now also....Mama' s boy for sure :)
Other was Monika for sure who was the most talkative in the gals group and standing with guys and gossiping... ...
One guy was very very quite and mirrored Gupta ji.....
The other guy resembled Cheems, not tall as cheems but standing with mirror guggu and just making Noise at the top of the BART and every other person in BART was watching him.....
One gal was Deepti quite tall, first half talking and the other half sat quitely.....
I couldnt find myself in that group but Tarun pointed to one gal who was sitting between two gals, sandwhiched, as jagah nahin thi as 3 gals were sitting on one seat, that was me....chhoti si kahin bhi fit hone wali....
so 3 guys and 3 gals, college going....both of us just lived another day of the college with them....it was soooooooooooooooooo fun listening to their gossips and talks......remindin g us of our pasts and the wonderful time all of us spent together.... .
College is associated with good as well as bad memories...personal ly i thought, i would never remember my college life as i didnt want to remember.... .but after college and so many yrs have gone by, sometimes, things come in such a beautiful way in front of u that u tend to remember the most wonderful time of our lives - College Days......

I might have forgotten (intenionally) the college life if Guggs and you beautiful people were not a part of my life during that time....

Thanks to all of you making my college days so wonderful and rememberable. ...

Love you all guys and gals. Happy Friendship day. (Friendship day is no where near but still want to wish you alllll)
Chhavs