House Hold Tips

Hi,

This is not an exact question about household; but, really need everyone or (mother)'s suggestion.

Have two kids ranging in the age of 3 & 6; but, different sex. I am planning to buy an outdoor play thing for them. Other than trampoline, is there any better equipment ?

Thanks and pls reply soon.

Hi R,

My friend has replied stating that she washes the silver like this on average only once a month, mainly depending on usage. If lot of festivals, vradhams then she does even once a week, before they gather too much blackness. For the cooker base becoming black, she says not to take out the washed vessels one by one, wash in tap water etc. Once the vessels are cleaned & water has slightly cooled, stir them again in the cooker itself [to dislodge the black particles in the base], then lift the cooker itself & empty the entire dirty water directly into the sink. Take care to hold the vessels though! Then fill fresh water into the cooker which has the cleaned vessels, and rinse them side-by-side placing them inverted on a clean kitchen cloth. Then wipe dry.

Regarding the outdoor play stuff, I think all kids like water, maybe an inflatable pool would be enjoyed by the kids. Or even a tent/camping set [esp. boys like it] , and a small swing/slide set for your little girl . Kids love getting dirty and building a sand-pit is also a nice idea, not very costly too ; they will be occupied for hours with their tiny plastic buckets , making castles etc.
Hope these ideas are useful,
Indu.

R,

Do you have any ideas of how to keep the thiri burning properly in the ashtalakshmi vilakku ? It burns well only if ghee is upto the brim --- once the ghee reduces, even a bit, the flame get small and centre of flame is black . Even in smaller size of this kind of lamp , I have this problem . And I think you must be knowing the 'Nandha' vilakku -- small brass one, in an hour-glass shape ? Can we use both sides of that vilakku for putting the thiri ? The grooves of the side I always use, have become smooth and the centre thandu is not standing straight.
One more doubt R, how to make the manjal/sandal/kumkum paste we put on God's photos, stay for long ? By 2 days, they dry & fall off ! A friend says to wipe the photos with 'Johnson's Baby Wipes' { weirdest & crazy suggestion I've heard} which will remove dust, she says ---- I'm wondering if she was joking !! Do you have any correct method 'cos I'm also worried whether wiping with wet cloth is spoiling the photos ?
Sorry for pestering with so many questions .... Bye.

Thanks a lot, Indu.

And, for all vilakkus, my mother and paati use to say that cotton thiri is much better and auspicious than the other ones. With the other nool thiris, I also faced this kind of problem becoz they are equally thin from the top down to the bottom. So, try using cotton thiri and if you face the same problem still, try making the front portion as a thinner one which you use to lit (vilakku nuni), so that it will not burn fully. Try and let me know...

And for nanda vilakku, did not know the name; but, according to yr description, my mother was using one and she used to lit at the center portion. As you said, the sides will not be comfortable for the thiri to stand for a long time. Unfortunately, dont remember the bottom portion, so cant answer yr query. Maybe, will check with my folks and get back to you.

For the paste, if you use manjal, it will not come for a longer time though you make it as a paste. Sandhanam will come for a long period, atleast for a week.

First, make a thick paste(not too thick) of sandhanam like we get in temples so that if you use yr hand and keep on the vilakku or photos, will stay. With the same hand, take kumkum and apply on the photos/vilakku. Definitely, this will stay for some days. Unless, otherwise, you clean the photo, will not fall down.

I have more idols than the photos. Still, cleaning with plain tissue or with just a wet cloth(minimum wetness) should definitely will do. If we do every week, then there is no need to do heavy cleaning. Being in US, hardly see the dusts on the photos and also, myself is a closed cabinet .

Bye.

p.s.: Are you from chennai? And, one tiny question-is there any way to clean agal vilakku(karthigai vilakku)'s oil stains?

Hey everybody,
I need ur advice fast.I made chapathi in Iron tawa in high flame and from the day after it has become impossible to make dosas..The whole dosa gets glued to the bottom and i don't know what to do.I tried rubbin the dosa kal with onion but doesn't seem to work.Do u guys have any suggestions?

Thanx,
GVB

GVB,

Try adding little oil and saute 1/2 spoon urad dhal in the tawa and then try making uthappams instead of dosa. it will take time for dosa to come out properly so try to make uthappams, then keep rubbing onions after each dosa and try it.
even i did that mistake once and it too a while to get my dosas properly, but now i have a different tawa for chapathi.
Kz

Hi KZ,
I will try it out tomm..Am now using nonstick pan and the taste just isn't the same...Thanx for helping out..

GVB

Oh yes!! my hubby used to always tell that his mom's dosas are great and i found out the secret was kal tawa. so i got one from india and he has stopped talking abt his mom's dosa :D i keep the non stick for chapathi now. once started tasting kal dosa then we wont go back to non stick.
kz

Hi gvb,

I have both kal and non-stick. When it comes to paper, crispy dosa, you shd go with non-stick and if you want thick dosa like uttapam, then, go with kal. That is how I do and you will not feel any difference.

R, tried only with uthappams..I felt like my arm wud come off trying to remove itl.thats how stuck my dosa kal is.. :oops: