Happy Diwali!

Wishing you all a happy Diwali!

Mango Lassi

This month we are saying thank you to our customers by offering a free mango lassi with any lunch item (see facebook deals for more information (https://www.facebook.com/RuchiSanFrancisco). 

Lassi is a yogurt based drink made by blending yogurt, water and Indian spices.  Lassi can be savory but we like ours sweet.  Stop by this week for a refreshing pick me up.  

Pragathi Charities

In April we shared that we have begun donating to charities in need.  This month we would like to feature Pragathi Charities, another charity in India that we support and love.  Pragathi Charities supports those who are segregated from society in some way because they are living with disabilities or are disadvantaged.  Many times these individuals are overlooked in society and therefore we would like to shed light on charities that make an effort to improve their lives.  Pragathi Charities provides education, job training and social activities for these individuals. 

Pragathi Charities includes a hearing impaired rehabilitation center which provides regular speech, language and auditory training from a specialist.  It also includes an institute for rehabilitating children with mental disabilities.  This includes education, vocational training, and advice to parents through counseling and training. 

To learn more about Pragathi Charities, please visit:  http://pragathicharities.org

Tandoor

Indian cuisine is an art form that embodies several cooking techniques, ingredients and culinary tools.  One important method for achieving delicious meals in India is the use of a tandoor clay oven. Heat from the tandoor is generated by a charcoal or wood fire.  Meats are lowered into the oven on long metal skewers and cooked by the smoke, and extreme hot environment. 

Some of our favorite dishes made by using the tandoor are:

Naan

Many regional varieties of flatbread, such as tandoor naan, afghan bread, lavash, are baked in the tandoor.

 

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken (whole or leg or breast) is a roasted chicken delicacy that originated in northwestern India. The chicken is marinated in a yogurt seasoned with. garam masala, garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other.  In hot versions of the dish, cayenne, red chili powder, or other spices give the typical red color.  Turmeric produces a yellow-orange color

 

Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka is made by grilling small pieces of chicken which have been marinated in spices and yogurt. It is traditionally cooked on skewers in a tandoor and is usually boneless. It is normally served and eaten with a green coriander chutney, or used in preparing the curry chicken tikka masala.

Sumangli Seva Ashrama: Non Government Women’s Shelter

Like a small pebble dropped in a pond creates an ever-increasing circle of ripples, so it is with the life-impacting work done by the Sumangali Seva Ashrama. When the Ashrama clothes, feeds and educates a girl child the effects are far-reaching and increasingly beneficial. The girl grows up to become an empowered, self-reliant and healthy woman, who can make a significant contribution to her family, her community and her country. Now imagine hundreds of such girls and the thousands of lives they can change – for the better. This is what the Sumangali Seva Ashrama is striving to do, quietly and conscientiously.

The Sumangli Seva Ashrama in Bangalore, India is a non-profit organization that we love and support.  As a woman owned and operated business, Ruchi places a great deal of importance and value in the empowerment of women and children.  We know that giving a girl the skills, education and self empowerment to succeed not only change her life, but also improves the lives of her children and community.

http://www.ssaindia.org/

Happy Ugadi!

Ugadi or Yugadi  is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region in Southern India. The name Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the name "Yuga Adi", which means 'the beginning of a new age.'

The festivities begin with a ritual oil bath followed by prayers.  Extended families gather over feasts making sure to eat specific mixtures of six tastes symbolizing sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise. 

The special mixtures include:

-Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness

-Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness

-Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger

-Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear

-Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust

-Unripened Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise

In Andhra Pradesh, a special dish called  Puran Poli is prepared. It consists of a filling (gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made in to a paste) stuffed in a flat roti and is usually eaten with hot/cold with a topping of milk or ghee.

Happy Holi!

Holi, one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India, is known as the festival of colors.  People celebrate with bonfires and by throwing scented powder or perfume at each other creating an atmosphere of excitement and joy. 

Holi celebrates the beginning of spring, and commemorates many events that are present in Hindu mythology.  Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying goodbye to winter.

In addition to the festivities, Holi is celebrated with a plethora of holiday foods and drinks.  One of our favorite ways to celebrate is with Thandai.  To make Thandai at home, please follow the recipe provided below.

Thandai

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups of Water
2 tblsp Fennel Seed
1/2 tsp Cardamom Seed
4 whole Cloves
2/3rd cup Raisins
1/2 cup blanched and chopped Almond
1/4th cup chopped Pistachio
1/4th cup Melon seeds, Sunflower seeds or Pine Nuts 
1 ltr Milk
1/4th tsp dry-roasted and powdered Saffron threads 

Directions:

·                 Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan.

·                 Add the fennel seeds, cardamom and cloves, cover, and remove from the heat.

·                 Set aside for ten minutes.

·                 Place the raisins, almonds, pistachios and melon seeds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts in a bowl and add fennel tea.

·                 Cover and set aside for at least 1 hour.

·                 Transfer it to a blender, cover, and blend until the nuts & spices are reduced to a smooth texture.

·                 Pour into a strainer and set over a bowl.

·                 When some of liquid had drained through the sieve, gather the corners and squeeze tightly to extract the maximum liquid.

·                 Heat 2 tblsp of milk and add saffron.

·                 Combine the nut milk, saffron milk and remaining milk in a large jug and chill well.

·                 Serve over a crushed ice.