Vangibhat

It's been quite sometime, 4 months, that I shared my thoughts and recipes with you all!  I missed blogging, it's very relaxing and it's my own time, which I always love to do, but sometimes life just goes on and on, though you want to sit down and write, you may not had that moment! 

But today, just started to write, as its raining heavily, cleaners have come to clean the house, after 2 months and I am forced to sit in one place, as they are cleaning around the house! So sat down with a  cup of coffee.

Public speaking! Does that comes to you easily, without blinking, without thinking, without any hesitations, inhibitions, nervousness, awkwardness? Then you are a born public speaker! No doubts about it!

Recently I attended some 13-14 sessions of public speaking classes.  Well, I did not plan to or register myself into one. It just so happened, that I attended those sessions.  My kids got enrolled in that, and there was a parent, who volunteered, she could conduct classes, for parents, while they wait for their kids for 2 hours!

So me and my friend, both decided to register to the class, as it was very cold in the morning, nothing else to do in those two hours, neither go back home, as it was bit far and come back nor anything else to do close by.

And soon we both felt, it was worth spending some time there, since we both recognized that there was so much out there, to learn, though it was hard to wake up early on weekend, and bundle up as it was freezing temperatures! Slowly I understood, its a structured program! You start off with table topics, which is on spot, you are given a topic, and you need to talk about it. And then ice breaker speech, which would be about you, you can talk about yourself or any important memory or incident of your life! Its all timed, 3-4 mins, and there will be evaluators, who would evaluate, time, how many pauses or likes,ums,so's etc being used, your body language, where you used the whole stage or just stood folding your hands,were you nervous, voice modulation, eye contact.......! Am just briefing out....!

Each and every week, you would be doing new speeches, improvising based on your previous evaluation! Well, that's what its expected or supposed to be!

Now, I like to sit behind and evaluate the whole public speaking concept!  Will it help!? Before going further on this, I will make one thing clear here is, kids at very young age, exposed to anything for that matter, grasp fast and will make a difference in what they learn, how they learn and they can really improve their skills!

But as we grow old, there are certain basic things, which, no matter how hard you try, you "might improve",  a bit, that's all! One of them is public speaking! If its not in you, sessions, classes, won't help you much, well, that's my argument or my experience or thinking!

The things which won't comes natural, will land up us in misery, awkward, embarrassing situations! I am not commenting on the sessions I participated. It was really awesome experience and met some really nice people and get to know their experiences and values. And neither I am saying, I did not learn anything.....I did! I do know many things know.....but will I be able to put all those theory into practice, time will tell....!?

But somewhere, somehow I felt, public speaking should come naturally to you.  Improving your eye contact, body language, is all fine, you might improve on those, over a period of time.  But still overcoming nervousness, hand trembling, voice shaking, face becoming red......those things, should come from within!  I don't think or call public speaking as a skill, it's just you have to born with it, thats all!

If you are introvert or shy or hesitant to speak up, or you might be humble to express.....so to those kind of people, no matter how much you get trained, it still will be awkward, feels like "fish without water"!

Having said that, I leave this topic here, for you to think.....! Now I will share the most yummiest recipe of my mom, Vangibhat! Vangi means eggplant or brinjal, cooked with spices and vangibhat powder, and mixed with rice, a typical south Indian rice dish, very commonly made in every household! My mom used to make the most authentic, yummy Vangibhat!

But now Vangibhat has now taken various twists and turns and you can add any kind of vegetables and Vangibhat powder mixed with rice, but still call it as Vangibhat! Because of its unique flavor of the powder, the mixed rice tastes very yummy. In my house, anytime, any day, my husband and kids love Vangibhat. It can be eaten with raitha too, but typically you won't, but my husband loves, raitha, pretty much with everything, so I make it and its also a nice way to make kids eat yogurt! Today I will share my mom's most yummy recipe of Vangibhat, made with onions, green bell peppers(capsicum) and averekai(Surati papdi lilva). You can add any combinations of vegetables, or just do with one, capsicum,potato,methi leaves,peas,onions,carrots and beans,cut into thin slices.

I will share my Vangibhat powder recipe separately, under my Powders, label. Until then you can try with store bought Vangibhat powder!

Ingredients:

Onions-2 medium size ( thinly sliced)
Capsicum-2 medium size(thinly sliced)
Averakai-1/2 cup (boil in water until soft)
Curry leaves-few
Coriander leaves-finely chopped
Rice-1 cup
oil-2 Tbsp
Ghee-1 Tsp(optional)
Mustard seeds
Cashews-2 Tbsp(Optional)
Vangibhat powder-according to taste(Store bought or home made)
Dry coconut/Desiccated coconut-5-6 Tbsps(optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook rice and keep aside, rice should not be mushy nor too split, it should be cooked just right. I use Sona masoori variety for making Vangibhat.

In a deep pan, heat oil, and add mustard seeds and once it splatters, add curry leaves and onions, capsicum, and on a low heat keep frying, until aroma comes, now add averekai, mix well and add little salt and little vangibhat powder and mix well, make sure the vegetables get nicely coated with salt and vangibhat powder.

Add rice, more required salt and Vangibhat powder and mix well. Add dry coconut or desiccated coconut and mix well. And turn off the heat. In a small pan, add ghee and cashews and fry golden brown, and add to vangibhat, add finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. I add dry coconut sometimes, since my vangibhat powder has dry coconut powder, so its optional, some people add fresh coconut too, it's according to taste and preferences. Enjoy warm Vangibhat, with some happla-sandige or raitha or just plain vangibhat!