I love to cook and bake, but prefer baking, and baking sweet things is my favorite. Not overly sweet things, though - preferably somehow fruit-related, and preferably using vegetable oil (not butter) and self-rising flour. I have adapted several recipes to meet these requirements, and have also simplified the steps involved - fusing steps to make it less finicky and time-consuming - with good effect. Two days ago I made, in succession, apple cake, date loaf and banana loaf, and oatmeal squares, all of them in my mini-oven, using the same kitchen equipment (including the same mixing bowl) and utensils. I used to be frustrated by burnt baked goods (because the oven is so small and the heat so direct, it was VERY difficult to get baked goods not to burn, especially sugar-containing ones). Then I happened upon a "trick" in a YouTube cooking video: double-panning, and - voila - problem solved. It truly was one of my biggest discoveries so far this year. I've been ...
Photo Credit: Dr. Ajmal
Around 71% of Earth’s surface is covered in water. That doesn’t
mean you will never go thirsty regardless of where you go. Forget about the 97%
which is saline; the remaining 3% fresh water is mostly not in potable form as 68% of it is stored in
icecaps and glaciers. I wonder how Samuel Coleridge Taylor knew all these
statistics as early as the Romantic period when he lamented in The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner:
Photo Credit: Dr. Ajmal
Kerala is blessed with 44 rivers but presently on the verge of a draught.when we get anything in abundance we forget the value of it.
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DeleteTrue..and truth is generally beauty.This one is not though.As you pointed out, despite 44 rivers and six months rain, Kerala is in a state of drought even before the midsummer.As I look into it, it accounts for three reasons.1. Soil sealing, as the soil science calls it. Being densely populated, most of the land surface is sealed either by building, tarring or even paving with impenetrable cement blocks.Subsequently, water table is not amply replenished by the end of each monsoon as it used to be.2)Poor percolation of remaining open area in which rain water runs off the terrain taking only one and a half hours to reach the Arabian sea adding yet another problem called eutrofication.And finally poor rain water harvesting practices coupled with no or little awareness among the people about the necessity of doing so.Our relatively new mono-cropping agriculture,destruction of forest land, and landscaping of hilly landmass either for cultivation or for housing or growing population worsen the former two reasons.However, we all can contribute our share in the third one at least. Educate our neighborhood about rain water harvesting, effective water-use practices, permaculture,minimizing run off water by zero tillage, soil embankment, cover crops, and by saying an assertive no to paved courtyards.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTrue..and truth is generally beauty.This one is not though.As you pointed out, despite 44 rivers and six months rain, Kerala is in a state of drought even before the midsummer.As I look into it, it accounts for three reasons.1. Soil sealing, as the soil science calls it. Being densely populated, most of the land surface is sealed either by building, tarring or even paving with impenetrable cement blocks.Subsequently, water table is not amply replenished by the end of each monsoon as it used to be.2)Poor percolation of remaining open area in which rain water runs off the terrain taking only one and a half hours to reach the Arabian sea adding yet another problem called eutrofication.And finally poor rain water harvesting practices coupled with no or little awareness among the people about the necessity of doing so.Our relatively new mono-cropping agriculture,destruction of forest land, and landscaping of hilly landmass either for cultivation or for housing or growing population worsen the former two reasons.However, we all can contribute our share in the third one at least. Educate our neighborhood about rain water harvesting, effective water-use practices, permaculture,minimizing run off water by zero tillage, soil embankment, cover crops, and by saying an assertive no to paved courtyards.
ReplyDeletewell written!
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