Day: January 8, 2015

A Reason to Eat Guilt Free !!!

I am running 2 km a day , going to gym and exercising for two hours daily, literally eating bland food and still find my self fat in the mirror . Am I self obsessed ? Am I suffering from depression ? Am I loosing out faith in God ?, Am I a obese ?

Do you get worried too with such questions in your mind? Its useless worrying about this situation it will worsen the matter. So gear up , take a deep breath , stop sulking (A mental note to myself ), and hurry towards your kitchen. Hunger is a basic necessity and you cant afford to starve for a long time so eat full heartedly and wear your smile back on your face. There are few magic recipes which can reduce your weight and you don’t even feel like dieting ….practically you are dieting though .

A Guilt-free-Hakka Noodle :

Ingredients : 2 cup boiled egg noodles, 1 cup sliced onions, 1 tablespoon celery chopped. 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped, 1 cup boiled and chopped soya nuggets, 1/2 cup spring onions, 1/2 cup cabbage finely sliced, 1 teaspoon green chilly chopped, 1 cup red and green bell peppers sliced, 1/2 cup boiled and sliced baby corns , 1 cup diagonally sliced carrots and French beans ., 1 teaspoon pepper freshly crushed, pinch of turmeric, 3 tablespoon hot and sweet tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 2 boiled eggs without egg yolk and roughly diced, salt to taste and oil for cooking.

Servings : 4

Method : Heat a pan add a bit of oil to it on a high flame and add garlic, celery, ginger , green chilly chopped and onion slices. Sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes until its light brown then add beans , carrots, bell peppers, soya nuggets, spring onions cabbage, baby corns, salt , pepper and pinch of turmeric powder. Sauté it for another 3 to 4 minutes and them add soy sauce ,vinegar, hot and sweet tomato ketchup and stir it evenly through all the sautéed veggies. Finally add boiled noodles a bit of salt and stir fry on high flame for 5 minutes . While serving garnish it with spring onion greens and roughly diced boiled egg .

Sautéed Veggies :

Ingredients : 1 large yellow bell pepper cut into cubes, 1 large red bell pepper cut into cubes, 1 small broccoli cut into separate kernels, 12 baby corns sliced from middle , 2 cups of mushrooms , 2 large onions cut into cubes, 250 g of fat free paneer, 2 tablespoon ready made salsa dip easily available in market , 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly crushed, 1 tablespoon butter, Salt to taste.

Servings : 4

Method : Firstly we need to strain the mushrooms in hot water so that all its impurities are drained out and we get exact freshness of the veggie, Now rinse all the cut and cubed veggies in Luke warm water so that impurities are drained out. Heat butter , Sauté the Mushrooms, baby corn and broccoli with salt seasoning for about 4 to 5 minutes, add bell peppers and onions with pinch of salt and sauté it for another 4 to 5 minutes, Add low fat paneer,pepper powder, salsa sauce and oregano stir it for another 2 to 3 minutes Serve it Hot. You can also team it with steamed rice or simply eat it solo.

Sev Puri Look-Alike :

Ingredients : 20 thick slices of cucumber slices, 1 cup boiled green moong sprouts, 1/2 cup , finely chopped Onions, 1/2 cup de-seeded and finely chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of fresh yoghurt made of toned milk, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1 teaspoon black salt, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder,1 teaspoon green chilly (optional ), 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander,1 tablespoon tamarind Chutney available ready made in market .

Serving : 4

Method : Mix all the ingredients except cucumber and tamarind chutney in a bowl and set aside. Now top this mixture on each of cucumber slices ( Papri substituted for cucumber slices), sprinkle coriander powder, a bit of chaat masala and tamarind chutney . Serve it and feel the street food in your mouth guilt free.

Paav Bhaji – A Healthier Version :

Ingredients : 1 1/2 cup green moong sprouts , 2 medium Potatoes, 1 cup green peas, 1 cup cauliflower chopped roughly, 1 cup French beans chopped very finely, 1/2 cup carrots chopped finely, 4 medium finely chopped tomatoes, 2 Medium Capsicum finely chopped, dozen of large garlic cloves, 2 to 3 kashmiri dried red chillies, 1 teaspoon sugar, 4 teaspoon paav bhaji masala, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Salt to taste.

Servings : 5 to 6

Method : Soak the kashmiri red chillies in hot water for three to four hours and later drain the water off. Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and roughly mash it, Pressure moong sprouts and peas till they are hard but cooked and then coarsely mash them, pressure cook french beans, carrots and cauliflowers and mash them coarsely. Take a blender and grind Garlic , a bit of onion chopped, salt , drained off Kashmiri red chillies and 1/2 cup of water .Make a fine paste out of it.Heat the oil , sauté remaining onions for 3 to 4 minutes , add capsicum and sauté for another 5 minutes.Stir in the freshly grounded chilly garlic and onion paste sauté till the mixture separates oil in the pan.Add tomatoes , paav bhaji masala, salt, Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the boiled and mashed potatoes, french beans , carrots, cauliflower, peas in the pan along with 2 cups of water and cook for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and a teaspoon of red chilly powder. The paav bhaji’s healthy bhaji is ready now instead of regular paav eat it with dry toasted whole wheat brown bread and enjoy the goodness of health and taste together.

Its so simple to sulk and weep on petty issues like weight gain , pimples, double chin. But to come out of all this undesired self beings you just need to think wisely adapt a healthy lifestyle and keep eating non-stop but in limited portions. You will never loose hope in life and you can be a Shilpa shetty or Madonna or Hrithik Roshan too. To look like them you have to behave like them and eat like them.

January 8, 2015
Hostel Bites !!!

Do you remember the old Bollywood number “Ande ka Funda“ ? the song shows us the true value of a egg. Those who have stayed in hostels or PG’s you will definitely agree with me. Without Egg and Maggie we cannot survive hostel days. They are the only source of maternal love we get outside our homes. To cook Egg Bhurji on a slow flame electric heater without hostel wardens permission is super duper fun.Gone are those days of anticipation, friendship, fun, notorious activities, late night addas, smoking for the first time with roomies, having a pajama party organised to tease the boys , going on dates and getting decked up for fresher party in college. We all miss those fun reckless carefree days where we could achieve world in a snap. Today there is Old boring meetings, Hitting deadlines, Getting KRA’s listed, appraisals, promotions, pink slips, recession …..every evil on this planet. Are we done with life ? Are we done with all those carefree fun reckless days spend in hostels ? Are we done with the bunking? Are we too old to fool around with friends ? For me answer is NO!

Yes we can dress up like teens , full around , date, go out on midnight binge on , Can plan a late night bike ride with friends .We can do that its just the way we plan stuff. If you feel like 40 you will behave like 50. So stop cribbing about today and missing old days ….we can create memories today as well. Go and make those tasty recipes which you guys use to make with your hostel mates and invite them and grab a bite in memory of those days to re create that magic again and make fresh super fun memories again.

Anda Bhurji With Paav :

Ingredients : 10 eggs , 2 large onions finely chopped, 2 to 3 green chillies finely chopped, 2 to 3 tomatoes finely chopped, 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon paav bhaji masala, 1 /2 cup chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, Oil for cooking, 10 Paav’s cut into two halves, 1 Tablespoon butter for grilling the paav.

Serving : 5

Method : Its the easiest recipe in the world ….the only reason of being popular in hostels.Heat a pan after adding oil and once the oil heats up add Cumin seeds,green chillies, onions, Sauté it for 2 minutes and then add tomatoes and all the dry spices along with salt. Cook it for good odd 5 minutes .Once the tomatoes separate oil add ketchup and chopped coriander and Bhurji is ready. Now take a neat shallow pan, heat it and grease all the Paav’s and grill it on the heated pan. Eat generously and carefree.

Sabji Wali Masala maggie:

Ingredients : 5 packs of Maggie instant noodle, 2 Large onions roughly chopped, 3 to 4 green chillies , `two large tomatoes chopped finely, 1 cup boiled green peas, 1 cup French beans roughly chopped, 1/2 cup capsicum finely chopped, Oil to cook, Salt to taste, a pinch of turmeric powder,1 teaspoon of red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns freshly crushed.

Servings : 5

Method : Heat a deep pan and add oil in it. Once the oil gets hot stir in green chillies, onions and French beans, sauté it for 2 minutes, Now tomatoes, salt dry spices green peas, capsicum, and Maggie masala (all the five pouches). Cook it till tomatoes separate oil and add all the Maggie noodles simply by breaking into two halves. Add 5 cups of water and cook it till maggie soaks up all the water and becomes dry. Sprinkle crushed black peppercorns and tomato ketchup and eat it before someone else comes ….:).

Kheera Sandwich :

I survived bad hostel lunch days all because of kheera sandwich made by my roomie. I hope many relate to me as they must have compromised some day without a good food day in hostel and someone came as a saviour and brought you out of the suffering.

Ingredients : 2 large cucumbers cut into thin slices, ten pieces of brown /white breads (Whichever you prefer but host-elites use to get plain white bread only), two tablespoon butter, 5 Cheese slices, 1 teaspoon black salt, two tablespoon tomato ketchup.

Servings : 5

Method : Spread butter on five slices and spread ketchup in rest of the five. Now place cucumber/ kheera slices on the breads having butter, sprinkle a pinch of black salt on each slice of butter and kheera and then top it up with cheese slice. Sandwich it with the ketchup slice ,cut the edges of the bread from all the four corners and diagonally make two pieces out of each sandwich. You are ready to eat heavenly food.

Teekhe Murmure / Jhal Muri :

Ingredients : One large bowl full of puffed Rice/ Murmure/ Muri, 1 large onion finely chopped, 2 to 3 green chillies, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1 teaspoon black salt, 1 tespoon red chilly powder, 1 cup bhujia , 1 cup Green moong Sprouts, a bit of mustard oil, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 1 large cucumber very finely chopped, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander.

Servings : 4

Method : Mix all the ingredients very evenly and check the amount of chaat masala and salt and adjust the taste accordingly. Make a paper cone can serve it immediately.

Masala Papad:

Ingredients : 5 papads, 1 cup finely chopped cucumber, 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, 1 cup coriander chopped, 1/2 cup tomatoes de-seeded and chopped finely, 1 teaspoon green chilly powder, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 1 taespoon black salt, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 Fresh lemon .

Servings : 5

Method : Deep fry the papad(optional) or you can simply roast the papad. Spread evenly onions , green chillies, coriander, cucumber and tomatoes. Then sprinkle chaat masala, black salt and squeeze in few drops of lemon juice on it. Dont keep it for long as it might soggy the roasted papad.

A sheer dedication to my four Roomies whom I have lived happy two years outside home. They were my friends , my sisters my only source of entertainment. We were the famous five in our Hostel.

January 8, 2015
Chickpea Bonanza !!!

Vegetarian dishes are always under rated . People believe we do not have variety in vegetarian cuisine. Which is so not true as a single kind of pulse or lentil can be prepared in 100 different ways and all taste different. Are you surprised ? Don’t be its a the fact by changing few combination of ingredients and spices we can create variety in vegetarian dished. The Plain Jane Potato can be eaten in different forms and all very different from each other in taste. India is a country for vegetarian cuisine. The variety of veg food we get here is in no comparison with other parts of world . Each state ion India has its variety of vegetarian food and all are so different in look, taste , texture , colour and surprisingly the key ingredients remain the same. We truly are land of diversity not only in language , costumes but also in food. Today I will discuss a very popular key ingredient pulse which can be recreated in different varieties and all taste just yum . That key ingredient is none other than our very dear Chole / Chickpea. Chole sounds like a north Indian dish and it is a very popular dish in North India but widely eaten in all parts on India . You will get Chole in all forms , curry, salad, fried balls, falafel, in sandwiches, etc etc.

To raise your craving a bit more lets have some awesome popular Chickpeas recipe.

Kadai Chole :

Ingredients : 2 cups of chickpeas soaked overnight, 2 tea bags , 1 cup of onion paste freshly blended, 1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste, few ginger juliennes,1 cup of tomato puree, 1 tablespoon Chole masala, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon green cardamom, 1 stick of cinnamon, 2 teaspoon red chilly powder, 2 to 3 red dried chillies, 1 tablespoon Ghee, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, few sprigs of coriander leaves finely chopped.

Servings : 4

Method : Firstly we need to pressure cook chickpeas by adding two teabags (You may make a muslin pouch of 2 teaspoon tea), cinnamon stick and few green cardamom, salt to taste. Once the the chickpea is boiled you will get blackish tinge in chickpeas not throw away the cardamom, tea bags , and cinnamon stick as they have done their job . Do not throw the boiled water in the pressure cooker. We will need that to make a bit of gravy as it has all the protein of the chickpeas intact. Now its time to heat a pan with a lid add ghee , cumin seeds wait fr few seconds till it splutter then add dry red chillies , onion paste, ginger and garlic paste with a bit of salt. Sauté it till the onion looses out its poacity and becomes transparent . Now add ginger juliennes, Tomato purée, and chole masala . Cook this mixture until tomato separates oil. Now add boiled chickpeas , boiled water that we kept aside, red chilly powder. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Now higher the flame make dry up a bit of gravy. Serve it hot with coriander garnish on top. Its teamed with Indian flat breads, or simply eat it with steamed rice or Pulao.

Chickpeas Falafel Patties :

Ingredients: 2 cups of chickpeas soaked overnight , 1 cup of finely chopped onions, 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder, 1 teaspoon of green chilly chopped, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1 teaspoon of red chilly powder, 1 tablespoon of refined flour, 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder, 1/2 cup of water of required, Salt to taste, Oil for deep frying.

Servings : 4

Method : Firstly blend soaked and dried chickpeas along with onion, green chillies. Now add into the blended mixture , chopped coriander leaves,dry mango powder, cumin powder, coriander powder,red chilly powder,black pepper,Salt,refined flour and make into a smooth dry dough . Now oil your palms and make equal size balls out of the dough and flatten it in the center to give it a patty shape. Dab these patties on refined flour and deep fry them until golden brown, Now take burger buns spread a bit of ketchup and stuff in the falafel patties on each bun and eat it as a burger or simply eat them with your favourite dip.

Chickpeas in spinach Gravy :

Ingredients : 500 g of spinach leaves cleaned thoroughly and dried, 1 cup uncooked chickpeas (soaked overnight and then dried, 2 large tomatoes, cut roughly into quarters, Two large onions chopped finely, Garlic cloves chopped finely approx 5 to 6 , green chillies approx 3 to 4, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 2 teaspoon cumin powder, Salt to taste, Oil for cooking.

Servings : 5

Method : Pressure cook chickpeas by adding salt to it. Discard the spinach stems and chop the spinach coarsely. Now comes the real trick , place the spinach , tomatoes a bit of salt in a pan cover the lid and cook for 10 minutes without adding water.Once cooked separate spinach and tomatoes after cooling and grind tomatoes and green chillies in a blender.Making a smooth paste. Grind spinach leaves too but coarsely. Heat oil in a pan , sauté chopped garlic cloves, add onions and cook until light browned. Add the tomato paste and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in cumin powder and red chilly powder. Cook until tomato paste separates oil in the pan , add spinach purée and cook for few more minutes .Do not cook more than 2 to 3 minutes as it will discolour the spinach and spoil its texture. Add the boiled chickpeas stir well and slow the flame cook for 1 minutes and switch of the flame immediately. Serve it hot with steamed Rice or plain parathas. They are a delight to have in winter season and very nutritious too.

So, here is a bag full of vegetarian recipes breaking the myth that variety is not found in veg cuisine. Why don’t you surprise the meat lovers with these recipes and click tee expressions once they enjoy eating these yummy dishes and want a second serving.

January 8, 2015
Stunning Eco Friendly Hotels in India!

Heard of eco friendly hotels? No? Okay, here’s what you should know and enjoy about these spectacular and breath taking places, other than their eco-friendliness of course. These hotels are very much in India and worthwhile for you to make beautiful family memories. They hardly lack anything that a normal hotel can provide you with. In fact, their luxury will stun you. Besides, you get the feel of being in Mother Nature’s embrace without doing much harm to the surroundings. Here are some of the beautiful destinations that will make your vacation a huge success to be remembered!

1.The Park –Hyderabad

One of the most majestic hotels in Hyderabad, The Park is a collection of luxury hotels that symbolize Hyderabad’s traditions and history. As we know, Hyderabad is the capital of textiles and gems, the Park reminds us of the royal Nizam’s era. The ambiance of this place takes you centuries back. Kismet and the Carbon are well known from the Park and it’s hard to miss its marvelous lighting, intricate craftsmanship and naturally illuminated perforated Jalis which give a feel of ancient palaces. In spite of being in the heart of such a busy city, this eco friendly hotel offers you a wide variety of restaurants, suites, recreation facilities and lounges.

2. Mountain trail –Mukteshwar

Built with charming Victorian Architecture, this beautiful place was visited by British and developed 125 years back. Variety of wildlife that is found amidst the Oak and Pine forests include Leopards, Bears, Deer and avian life. If that was not enough to thrill you, orchards of Apple, plum, peach etc. also rest in Mother Nature’s lap in Mukteshwar. The awesome views of Nanda devi, Nanda Kot, Trishul and other Himalayan peaks are sure to make your holiday album stand out when you don’t forget the sunrises and sunsets! The trails through the forests are enchanting and mesmerizing for all nature lovers who aspire to spend time visiting hillstations, watching birds and playing adventure sports.

3. The Dune – Pondicherry

The Dune is very near to the Auroville Beach and famous for its chain of modern amenities such as restaurants, spas and swimming pools. The 55 bungalows are classified into various categories and contain a safe, TV, DVD and mini bar each. Pondicherry is a place worth visiting and a stay at Dunes makes it even more worth. Paradise spa is famous at the Dunes and other special recreational activites include animal farms, organic farms outdoor games, children play area etc. The travel desk is truly helpful if you plan sight- seeing.

4. Wildernest nature resort – Goa

Are you looking for the definition of perfect holiday destination? Well, here it is. Wildernest nature resort is situated in the most happening place in India, Goa! You can relax at this 800 metre above sea level resort for a twist away from the stressful work life of the city. Specially built for recreation, the fish ponds are a pleasing site. The resort offers 16 cottages that are eco friendly and give great views of the resort. This place is well connected and hygienic. Staple food is something that you shouldn’t miss here.

5. Coconut Lagoons – Kerala

Location at the backwaters itself explains the luxury and comfort of this serene place. The waterside romantic resort being built inside a coconut plantation, offers a experience of being on a private island with all the necessary comforts and services for its guests. This resort will surely remind you of the olden days Kerala with its architecture and charm the backwaters around are accessible only by boat which is a plus point towards tourism.

6. The Machan – Lonavala

Resting in divinity, the Machan sleeps and wakes a midst the forest which is why has been named Jungle Machan. You will find luxurious and interesting tree houses here which are sectioned into loft, wooden decks, master bedroom and two bathrooms – enough for a rejuvenating and out of the box experience. The most wonderful things about these tree houses is the glass roof which will give you a feel of staring in the star studded night when you sleep, a bath tub under the sky and an outdoor shower! The Machan has unique and amazing features in store for you. The wooden decks give you a chance to spend a peaceful coffee session with your family among the nature and its children and if destiny has it’s plan, you may spot a Malabar squirrel or two.

7. Jims Jungle Retreat – Uttarakhand

Corbett national park is a famous wildlife reserve, especially for the birds and tigers found in plenty here. This incredible resort is located in the south of national park and is nestled between the Himalayan ranges, 400-1200 meter above sea level. The fauna includes the Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic elephant, sloth bears, reptiles and varied birds. Jims Retreat features 18 lodges and cottages along with forest trails, safaris, pool-side fun and if you are lucky, some jackals, leopards, elephants, deer or tigers on the jungle safari. There are also seasonal rivers that run here in the jungle and go a long way to make your treks and trails fun.

8. Brunton Boatyard- Kochi

Restored from the remains of shipyards of the 19^th century, this place is located on Cochin’s harbor. The interiors had been influenced by the Colonial powers that resided here, some of them being England, Portugal and Netherlands. Art pieces depicting steam engine ships, high ceilings are part of the architecture. The cuisine too, is hybrid but mouth-watering and delicious. The trade of spices has given Red chilli to India and is used all over our country in every possible dish. Lavish décor, harbor side location, cuisine and outdoor pools are all in all the special characteristics of this beautiful Fort.

January 8, 2015