A couple of days ago Radha Ramana and I had some mouth watering craving for lasagna, so we searched into one of Kurma Prabhu’s recipe book, and we found this excellent lasagna recipe. It is very simple to follow that even for somebody like me who haven’t cooked a lasagna in my entire life has no problem at all. Of course, with the help of my partner in crime, cooking lasagna for the first time is not just fun, but also a memorable gastric enticement experienced to relished!

The lasagna was “plump” because I didn’t wait and let it set for an hour, but it’s still oishi together with a simple salad!

Vegetarian Lasagna

By: Kurma Prabhu

Preparation and Cooking: 1 1/2 hours

Baking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 1 tray of lasagna, 30 cm x 20 cm x 8 cm (12 in x 8 in x 3 in )

This lasagna has five distinct ingredients: pasta, tomato sauce, bechamel sauce, spinach, and cheese.

Pasta

about fifteen 17 cm x 17 cm (7 in x 7 in) sheets of instant lasagna (400 g, or about 14 ounces)

Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp yellow asafoetida powder

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried marjoram

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 medium eggplant, diced 3 medium diced peppers

24 medium tomato blanched, peeled, and chopped, or six 250 g tins Italian tomatoes cut into cubes (keep the juice)

1/2 cup black olives, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Bechamel Sauce

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sifted plain flour

4 cups warm milk

Spinach

1 large bunch of spinach leaves, separated, stalks removed, washed, blanched in boiling water and drained.

Cheese

375 g grated cheddar cheese

250 g grated mozzarella cheese

60 g grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, reserved for garnish

To cook the tomato sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil under a moderate heat in a large, heavy-based saucepan. When hot, add th asafoetida. Saute momentarily; then add the fresh basil,oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, and black pepper and saute for another few seconds.

2. Add the eggplant cubes and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the peppers, and stirring occasionally, cook them with th eggplant pieces until both are softened (about 3 or 4 mins).

3. Add the tomatoes and olives and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and cook uncovered, stirring often, for about 1/2 hour or until it reduces and thickens. Add tomato paste, sugar,salt, and parsley, mix well, and remove from the heat.

To cook the Bechamel Sauce:

1. Place the melted butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat and stir in the nutmeg, black pepper, and flour and saute until the mixture darkens slightly (about 1/2 min). Remove from the heat.

2. Gradually pour in the warm milk, stirring with a whisk until the sauce is smooth. Return to moderate heat and stir until it boils. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to a thick-custard consistency (about 5 mins.)

To assemble the lasagna:

1. Combine all 3 cheese (except the reserved parmesan) in a bowl. Divide the tomato sauce and bechamel sauce into 3. Divide the cheese and spinach into 2. Divide the pasta into 5.

2. Spread one-third of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the tomato tray. Place one-fifth of the pasta sheets on top. Spread on one-third of the bechamel sauce then another one-fifth of the pasta. Spread one-half of the spinach leaves; then sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top.

3. Repeat this process twice more and you should end up with the bechamel sauce on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place the lasagna in the top of a pre-heated 200 degree C/ 300 degree F oven and cook for 30 -45 minutes or until the top is slightly golden and the pasta “gives” when you stick a knife in it.It’s best to let the lasagna set for at least another hour before serving, as this”plumps” the pasta. Cut into squares and serve.

Hare Krishna! Here are some wonderful pictures of the Gaura Purnima celebration here in New Ramana Reti courtesy of my wonderful friend Tulasi Priya. Enjoy!

For more photos, visit Tulasi Priya’s flickr account.

Hare Krishna Everybody!

Last week, I and Radha Ramana decided to try on baking a new twist of cheesecake flavor, so we decided to bake a Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake and it turned out good. As a result of our confectionary adventure, here’s our finished product. Maha cheesecake, ki jaya :o)

Hare Krishna Prabhus!

Once again I welcome myself back to the blog world. I’m sorry for not updating and sharing any Krishna Conscious activities for a while. Things got so hectic with work (3 jobs before, now just 2), school (starting my Masteral program), and the very classic side trip for “maya”, which of course a lame excuse. Ok, so as a peaceful offering to everybody, I would like to share these pictures of “my” Jagannatha home deity during our New Year’s celebration, so prabhus, please accept my humble offering

Hare Krishna everyone! Planning for the holiday’s already? If you’re looking for adventure and at the same time still Krishna Conscious, then why not check this out!!!

Mexico - Guatemala Bus Tour Info

For the past twelve years, Krishna Culture Festival Tour volunteers
have brought youth and young adults on spiritual adventures throughout
North and Central America. If you’re into yoga, spirituality,
vegetarianism, eastern traditions, looking for peace of mind, read on.

Our tours are organized entirely by volunteers. We divide our costs
among the participants, kind of like a communal road-trip among friends.
All drivers, organizers, team leaders, cooks are volunteers. For the
duration of the tour we follow the lifestyle of a yogi, abstaining from
meat, intoxication, sex, and gambling. We will live simply, on bunk beds
in our bus, and cook healthy vegetarian meals. (Our bus has a bathroom
with flush toilet and shower.)

We’re interested in a genuine spiritual experience and exchange of love
between tour participants, between everyone we meet on the tour, as
well as on a divine level, with the Supreme Reservoir of Pleasure, who is
known as Krishna in our tradition.

Amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery in North and Central
America, our main activities will include mantra meditation and Kirtan,
chanting and singing the pure sound vibrations of ancient spiritual mantras
that purify our heart, calm our mind, and instill joy and contentment.

Our upcoming Mexico & Guatemala winter tour is scheduled December 14
through January 5. Be there (where else?) Meet us at our starting
location in Gainesville, Florida, or anywhere along the way. Take a look at
lots of photos of the places we’ll be visiting in Mexico and Guatemala -
plus hundreds of photos from previous tours in the “Pics” section on
the MySpace.com/krishnatours website.

Highlights:

* Kirtan Retreat on the bus to Mexico.
* Mexico City Krishna Culture Festival.
* Kirtana & sight-seeing in Oaxaca.
* Japa Retreat on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
* Shopping at the indigenous Mayan arts
and crafts market in Chichicastenango, Guatemala.
* Hot-spring waterfalls at Lake Izabal, Guatemala.
* Mayan ruins at Tikal, Guatemala.
* Carribbean ocean beach swimming at Tulum, Mexico.
* Snorkeling the coral reef at Cozumel Island, Mexico.
* Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and Palenque, Mexico.
* Swimming at Agua Azul cascades, deep in the Mexican jungle.
* New Year’s Eve Harinama in downtown Mexico City.
* Aztec pyramid city at Teotihuacan, Mexico.
* Kirtan and authentic Mexican vegetarian prasadam feast with
devotees at Tulancingo and Monterrey, Mexico.
* Sharing of realizations on the bus ride home.
* More (see tentative detailed schedule attached below.)

23 days (three weeks), $750 minimum donation.
($699 if you skip the snorkeling.)
Only 15 spots available.

Let Jaya Radhe and Manu know if you’re thinking about it.

Email: tour@krishna.com

Tentative detailed schedule:
(subject to change)

December:
14, Fri - Leave Alachua after mangala arati. Day of driving.
15, Sat - cross border into Mexico at Laredo. Day of driving.
16, Sun - Mexico City temple. Full morning program. Dham seva during
the day. Late afternoon Sunday festival.
17, Mon - Oaxaca, Harinama, assisting the devotees with book
distribution on their Christmas marathon. Sight seeing.
18, Tue - Pacific Ocean beach, swimming.
19, Wed - Drive to Guatemala. Cross border. Lake Atitlan campground by
evening.
20, Thu - Morning market at Chichicastenango. Afternoon relax at Lake
Atitlan.
21, Fri - Japa retreat seminars on Lake Atitlan. (Laundry)
22, Sat - 64-rounds mauna vrata day. Evening kirtan program with local
guests.
23, Sun - Drive to Lake Izabal (eastern Guatemala).
24, Mon - Lake Izabal, hot springs in the morning. Afternoon drive to
Tikal.
25, Tue - Tikal - Mayan ruins in the jungles of northern Guatemala.
26, Wed - Drive through Belize to the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico.
27, Thu - Tulum. Caribbean Ocean swimming. (Laundry)
28, Fri - Cozumel Island, snorkeling the barrier (coral) reef.
29, Sat - Chichen Itza - Mayan ruins and pyramids.
30, Sun - Palenque Mayan ruins, early morning, late afternoon: Agua
Azul cascades, swimming. Overnight drive to Mexico City.
31, Mon - Arrive Mexico City by mid afternoon. Relax at temple. Evening
program at the temple. Help make cookies for prasadam distribution.
Midnight Harinama and prasadam distribution in downtown Mexico City,
ringing in the New Year.

January 2008
1, Tue - Aztec pyramids at Teotihuacan. Gift shopping at the markets.
Evening program with devotees at Tulancingo.
2, Wed - Tula. Toltec pyramids, ruins and famous Atlantes warrior
statues. Evening kirtan
program with devotees in Leon.
3, Thu - Monterrey. Grutas de Gacia caves. Evening kirtan program with
devotees.
4, Fri - Cross border to USA.

5, Sat - Drive to Florida. Arrive back in Alachua by 10:00 p.m.

Ok, I know this is not very Krishna Conscious, I just love music and this is how I feel right now. The other thing is that somehow it’s kind of about “reincarnation”, the video speak for itself and if your curious what’s the meaning of the song, I also posted the lyrics. So ladies and gentlemen feel free to sing along and enjoy!

如雪 | Fa Ru Xue| Hair Like Snow

Music: Jay Chou

狼牙月 伊人憔悴
lang ya yue / yi ren qiao cui
A crescent moon, my loved one is waned and sallow

我举杯 饮尽了风雪
wo ju bei / yin jin le feng xue
I raise a cup and drank in the frost

是谁打翻前世柜
shi shui da fan qian shi gui
Who overturned the box of incarnations

惹尘埃是非
re chen ai shi fei
Evoking arguments

缘字诀 几番轮回
yuan zi jue / ji fan lun hui
A predestined formula of fate undergoes countless reincarnations

你锁眉 哭红颜唤不回
ni suo mei / ku hong yan huan bu hui
You frowned, crying for love lost

纵然青史已经成灰
zong ran qing shi yi jing cheng hui
Even if the annals of history had already become dust

我爱不灭
wo ai bu mie
My love will not disappear
繁华如三千东流水
fan hua ru san qian dong liu shui
Grandeur is like three thousand waters flowing south

我只取一瓢爱了解
wo zhi qu yi piao ai liao jie
Yet I only choose a ladle of love to comprehend

只恋你化身的蝶
zhi lian ni hua shen de die
Only long for your butterfly incarnation

你发如雪 凄美了离别
ni fa ru xue / qi mei le li bie
Your hair is like snow, making our parting chillingly beautiful

我焚香感动了谁
wo fen xiang gan dong le shui
Who’s moved by my (offerings of) incense?

邀明月让回忆皎洁
yao ming yue rang hui yi jiao jie
Inviting the full moon to highlight my memories

爱在月光下完美
ai zai yue guang xia wan mei
Love becomes pure beneath the moonlight

你发如雪 纷飞了眼泪
ni fa ru xue / fen fei le yan lei
Your hair is like snow, your tears are flying

我等待苍老了谁
wo deng dai cang lao le shui
Who had waned while I waited?

红尘醉 微醺的岁月
hong chen zui / wei xun de sui yue
In the era of mortal intoxication

我用无悔 刻永世爱你的碑
wo yong wu hui / ke yong shi ai ni de bei
I’ll use my devotion to carve a tablet of love for you

(Rap)
你发如雪 凄美了离别
ni fa ru xue / qi mei le li bie
Your hair is like snow, making our parting chillingly beautiful

我焚香感动了谁
wo fen xiang gan dong le shui
Who is moved by my (offerings of) incense?

邀明月让回忆皎洁
yao ming yue rang hui yi jiao jie
Inviting the full moon to highlight my memories

爱在月光下完美
ai zai yue guang xia wan mei
Love becomes pure beneath the moonlight

你发如雪 纷飞了眼泪
ni fa ru xue / fen fei le yan lei
Your hair is like snow, your tears are flying

我等待苍老了谁
wo deng dai cang lao le shui
Who had waned while I waited?

红尘醉 微醺的岁月
hong chen zui / wei xun de sui yue
In the era of mortal intoxication

我用无悔 刻永世爱你的碑
wo yong wu hui / ke yong shi ai ni de bei
I’ll use my devotion to carve a tablet of love for you

啦儿啦 ~
la er la ~
La er la~

铜镜映无邪 扎马尾
tong jing ying wu xie / zha mai wei
The bronzed mirror reflects a picture of innocence and pigtails

你若撒野 今生我把酒奉陪
ni ruo sa ye / jin sheng wo ba jiu feng pei
Since you (coyly) requested, I’ll keep you company and drink with you in this life

When you don’t know what to say, just post pictures and everything will be taking good care of hehehe!

This year’s Janmastami was really amazing, the entire surroundings of the temple has magically turn into Vrindavan dham, with all the different mandirs and various devotees   enchanting personal deities. To understand more what I’m saying, here are some pictures:

A short video about Srila Prabupada’s early days at Matchless Gifts. My apologies in advance for the video is not that long and kind of leave you hangin

“In May of 1966, Srila Prabhupada, with the help of just two followers, rented a storefront in New York’s Lower East Side - here at 26 Second Avenue. The storefront was previously a curio shop with the name, “Matchless Gifts.” Early visitors to Srila Prabhupada’s new center were struck by the prophetic name.”

For more about Matchless Gift visit: http://www.krishnanyc.com

Wheeewww!!! It’s been like ages since I updated my blog! My oh my I’d been really lazy and violating the golden rule of blogging which happens to be “Keep on Blogging!” I’d been traveling the whole summer with the youth bus tour, so I guess this is a valid reason to spare me from the usual “yeah yeah excuses excuses you lazy a**!” Hehehe, okok I guess not.

Yeah it was really fun traveling and at same time an amazing learning experience:) I’m 27 years old and it’s my first time to travel and explore the world. Visiting different temples, meeting different people and doings things thinkin that I couldn’t do it, I am really surprised!Thanks to Manu Prabhu, to his wonderful wife Jaya Radhe and to HH Rtadvaja Maharaja for giving this opportunity and to have one of the best summer of my life.

Obviously in front of the historical Matchless Gift

Manu Prabu giving us some significant facts on how important Matchless Gift to ISKCON’s evolution.

“harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha”

“In this age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress other than the chanting of the holy name, the chanting of the holy name, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.”

Manu Prabhu rockin the harmonium! Thank you for taking good care of us and always making us somehow useful in Srila Prabhupada’s movement during the entire tour.

At Tompskins Square Park with Jaya Advaita Swami and Radhanatha Swami, another signifacant place on ISKCON’s history.

Bhajan at Tompkins Square Park, in front of Prabhupada’s Tree

Narayani, Lalita Krishna and me, taking the chance to hug Prabhupada’s Tree.

HH Radhanatha Swami, such an inspiration:)

Jaya Advaita Swami’s blissful smile!

After a long time of not updating my blog now I’m finally rejuvenated I didn’t write anything for a long time coz somehow, once again I got lost in translation in Maya’s uncanny ways….ahem!….

Krishna Lunch will be over soon for the summer. We will stop serving after summer A and that will be on June 22 and after that bus tour 2007 here I come! But before I get to that I would like to share first a wonderful experience, so to commemorate my rejuvenated blogging enthusiasm let’s start with the Panihati Festival ‘07 in Atlanta.

Their Lordship Sri Sri Chota Gaura Nitai is getting ready for installation.

Sri Sri Gaura Nitai after the installation ceremony (I feel so lucky coz my friend Laksmi and I was given the mercy to do Their Lordships berrylicious garlands )

Actually the installation ceremony was kind of too long, it was really something new like it was more elaborate in the sense that a lot of different kinds of offerings was made, anyway all in all it was excellent. For more pictures click here , I’ll upload some more pics soon and promise to post the part 2 tomorrow. Thanks again Krishna and to all the wonderful devotees who continues to inspires me in engaging more in Srila Prabhupada’s mission, Hare Krishna.