Category: Culture

Healthy Drinks for Party-Lovers !!!

I am talking sense when I put party and health together. Yes we can have healthy menu for a party without compromising the taste. Its no robot science to achieve that . Simply having healthy food prepared in a tasty way can make you feel detoxified even when you are partying full on. Grabbing a few healthy ingredients blending it with complimenting substitutes can easily make your party fun and healthy . It would be great for a change to not hit the gym immediately you had attended a party instead you can just chill out more an stop worrying about weight gain. Isn’t it a idea of generation next to have a blast with a sigh of relief. I have few secret recipes for the much hot topic of the parties” DRINKS“. Yes! No matter how hard you try to not eat food in a party you often binge on drinks (hich by the way carry a lot of calories) thinking that fluid will be no harm . Not eating fat through solid dishes is not the way out . You often avoid eating tikkas , fried balls, naans, butter chicken in a party but you never forget to grab a glass of drink with 300 kcal per glass. So back to square one your tummy feels empty but you still gain weight wondering where did I go wrong ?Specially chicks conscious about eating often attend to much more calorie stuff than those who controlled over for few dishes but at least had tummy full evening. You must be thinking what a waste ! Yes its a waste , really you need to organise a party now with few delicious party drink recipes and create a aura of comfort for diet conscious people and prove them that party can be so fun without gaining weight (New concept be prepared for critics ).

Healthy drink is not an alien concept .Its simply blending few healthy ingredients with a twisting flavour and get a tasty healthy drink ready for hitting the floor. With much applause I now present the wonder party drinks which can bring to you a great punch of flavours and obvious smile on your face.

Mint and Cucumber refresher :

Ingredients : Few sprig of mint leaves, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, Juice of Lime, Thinly slices Cucumber for dressing up the drink (You may not be very professional in slicing the cucumber ), Your favourite sparkling water (Lime , Cranberry , Strawberry but avoid a too much of it ).

Servings : 1

Method : Chop a few mint leaves and mix it with the caster sugar. Rub a little Lime around the rim of a pretty glass and dip it in the minted sugar. Leave it to dry and settle on the rim. Mix rest of the Lime juice ,cucumber, and mint- some chopped ans some whole – in a jug and chill. To serve , pour the Lime and cucumber into the prepared glass and top up to taste with chilled sparkling water and Ice cubes. A perfect blend of taste and health will sparkle up your party .

Apple and Celery Revitaliser:

Ingredients : 1 Edible apple (not very Sour) peeled, cored and diced. 100g of celery chopped , 600 ml Milk, Pinch of Sugar (Its Optional), Salt (Optional), Strips of celery to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Put the apple , celery , milk into a blender or food processor and mix until it combines with each other smoothly and thoroughly. Stir in a pinch of sugar and some salt, if using. Pour into chilled glasses , decorate with strips of celery and serve.

Red Pepper Reactor :

Turn your party hot with this specific drink . It will sizzle up the X factor quotient in your party.

Ingredients : 250 ml carrot juice freshly strained from a blender, 250 ml Tomato juice freshly strained from a blender, 2 large red peppers (Very commonly available in markets ) de seeded and roughly chopped, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, strips of shredded carrot , to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Pour the carrot juice and tomato juice into a food processor or blender and process gently until combined. Add the red peppers and lemon juice. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and process until it smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses, decorate with the strips of shredded carrot and serve.

On the beat :

Ingredients :200 g cooked beetroot, chopped. 125 ml of Orange Juice freshly strained or (you may use canned juice too ) chilled, 5 tablespoon natural yoghurt, chilled. Salt , Slices of Orange to decorate.

Serving : 2

Method : Put the beetroot, orange Juice ,yoghurt and water into the food processor or blender and season to taste with salt. Process until smooth , then pour into the chilled glasses and serve , decorate with slices of orange .

Watermelon Whiz:

A watermelon is perfect ingredient for classic mock tails and cocktails . A variety of drinks and be prepared out of it . But the fun would be not to try anything fancy and simply serve a juice with loads of ice . The icy cool effect will create a aura of wonders and you will chill without doing much.

Ingredients : Wedges of watermelon, weighing about 400 g, Ice cubes, Slices of watermelon to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Put the Watermelon and ice cubes in a blender or food processor and blend well until smooth and then pour in the drink to a glass and decorate it with watermelon pieces.

Passionate Juice Fizz :

The name suggest it would be tough to prepare but if you actually view the recipe its the simplest of the drinks served to you ever and that might click the idea to you of throwing a surprise party at home.

Ingredients : 1 Pomegranate, 1/2 orange, 4 passion fruit (Easily available in markets ), 100 ml of sparkling water/ Plain Soda water.

Servings : 2

Method : Peel the rind from the pomegranate and peel the orange, leaving on the with pith. Scoop the flesh from the passion fruits. Process or blend the pomegranate with the orange and pulp of three passion fruits. Pour into the glasses and stir in the remaining passion fruit pulp . Top up with the sparkling soda water and serve .

December 20, 2014
Heart-filled Bengali Recipes!!!

You keep whole India on one side and Bengalis on other side when it comes to eating and love for food. I have mentioned in my very first article that Bengalis just crave for food at every second of the day. Being a Bengali boumaa I know the responsibility on my shoulders and that’s why I would cut the drama out and straight away take you to the soulful cooking heaven ….ABengaliskitchen. You can never go out of aroma if you enter a Bengali house and all thanks to the heartfilled mums and granny’s who never let

you step out without a wholesome meal. They will feed you till brim and still think you are so skinny. ( No wonder I enrolled for a gym).You can excuse out of anything but meals no chance. My mother- in -law will frown badly if any day I don’t eat my rui macher jhol Or if I skip through rice and only have a bowl of chicken stew. They keep you on high maintenance (Even if you don’t want to be ).The speciality of Bengali food lies in the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavours. For Bengalis, food is one of the most essential aspects of their day to day lives. Ladies spend lot of time in the kitchen cooking delicious feast for the family.

Max mueller once said : “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully Developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions , I should point to India .”

And according to me Bengal shines in every aspect of that most talked about India. We Bengalis love to celebrate life even if we are part of a bizarre and slow pace city. For every moment in life we celebrate it with food (Little salty, Little sweet, Little sour).

So enough of self praises lets take you to real kitchen of Bengalis with mouth watering daily recipes which are made with loved adoration .

Ghee Bhat (Bengali Rice Preparation):

Ingredients : I kg Fine long grained rice (Preferably basmati ) washed and dried, 250 g of ghee (I told you we don’t care about calories), 30 g raisins picked ,washed, and soaked in water to soften, Salt to taste, 3 Large bay leaves, 1 Long Cinnamon stick, 3 Cardamom, 6 Cloves, 250 g onions , peeled, halved, and sliced thinly.Fry the onions till crisp and golden brown . Drain excess oil and leave aside., 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder.

Servings : 8 to 10 (We believe in feeding people wholeheartedly )

Method : Measure the rice in cups. Using the same measure, pour double the measure of water to rice in a large pan and set to boil. When water comes to a boil , add the rice , stir and half cover , and let cook on medium flame till rice is done. (Approximately it will take 15 to 20 minutes).Next wash out rice with cold water to remove starch . Drain thoroughly.Heat ghee in separate deep pan and fry all the whole spices till they start to splutter.Stir in rice using a skewer. Fry till the rice starts to brown . Add in salt and raisins and cook for few more minutes.Sprinkle with previously browned onions and Garam masala powder and serve hot.

Shukto (Mixed Bitter-sweet Vegetables):

Ingredients : 2 Medium Sized Potato, I medium sized Eggplant, 1 Horse Radish, 1 green Banana, 4 Parwals( Pointed Gourds), 3 Drumsticks, 2 small bitter gourd, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ground ginger paste, 1 tablespoon ground cumin paste, 1 teaspoon ground mustard paste, salt to taste, 6 medium sized Boris ( Optional ), 2 tablespoon oil, 2 to 3 cups of water, 1 tablespoon ghee, A pinch of panch phoran, 1-2 tablespoon milk, 1-2 teaspoons sugar.

Servings : 6 to 8

Method :Peel and but potatoes in half lengthwise, and then crosswise. Slit the eggplant in four lengthwise and then crosswise into half inch thick slices,Slit the horse radish in four and then cut on the bias into one inch length.

Trim and scrape the parwals, cut in half lengthwise and cut in four pieces on the bias. trim drumsticks and cut into small sizes. Slice the bitter gourd (It gives the bitter taste to the recipe).

Fry the boris in hot oil and keep it aside, fry the bitter gourd slices and add all the other vegetables and fry for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add all the spices and pastes ands mix thoroughly with vegetables. Add salt and finally two cups of water .ontinue simmering until veggies are all cooked. Heat teaspoon of ghee in another pan , add panch phoran, Fry till it stops spluttering and pour this over the simmering veggies. Mix thoroughly. Add a tablespoon of milk and sugar to taste . Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from fire .

This hot Shukto is generally served during summers . But you may enjoy this on any occasion , any season.

Kumro Chenchki (Red Pumpkin Fried with spices):

Ingredients : 500 g of pumpkin , diced medium thick, 2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon whole onion seeds, 2 whole red chillies, 1 onion halved and sliced fine, 1 &1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder, salt to taste.

Servings : 6

Method : Heat oil in a pan. When a blue haze appears , add onion seeds and whole red chillies.Stir -fry for couple of minutes and then add the pumpkin and some salt, Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cover .To the water given out by the pumpkin , add the sliced onion and spice powders. Cook over high heat , stirring all the while . When the pumpkin is cooked and the boil rises to the surface , remove it from fire. This particular preparation of the pumpkin is quiet dry.

Try these recipes and you would feel the real hard work goes through a Bengali kitchen. These mouth watering dishes are just splendid and easy to prepare. If you ain’t a Bengali just prepare and invite your bong friends over and they will worship you . If you don’t believe me just try.

December 16, 2014
Goodness of a Salad

Salads the natural way of having nutrients with raw flavours. Salads can be simple easily from easily available veggies , nuts , pulses , cereals , fruits etc.Packed full of goodness, salads bring flavour to your diet plan each day. Eating salads is an easy way to eat your daily serving of vegetables and it is not so difficult. You can prepare a salad and take it to work with you or to an outing with family and friends. Why is it so important to have salads with each of your meal ? You can only answer this question once you have had addicted yourself to have salads each meal or each day . Its simple to prepare , easy to consume , jam-packed with nutrients , Highly fibrous which is another valid reason to addict yourself to salad. We often emphasis on fibre content in food and the reason being simple, eating a high-fibre diet can help lower cholesterol levels
and prevent constipation, eating more fibre can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight. Salads are full of fruits and vegetables , which increases your intake of nutrients and lowers your risk of getting ill fatally. Diabetes ,High Blood pressure, Low Blood pressure, Nausea , Weakness, Malnourishment these are fatal diseases you can avoid and prevent yourself from by consuming salads with your meals.If losing weight is your goal, you may want to start your meals with a green salad. That’s the best trick for a girl to move happily from XL to XS ( Why should I spare the boys from this joy ). Even if you team up your salad with a slice of fat its still okay rather than having a full fat mealand suffer the rest of your day as fat makes you lazy and dull ( Ugly too If I am being honest ). Raw vegetables and fruits are good source of water specially tropical fruits which help you get feel fuller and also charged up . If we talk more about goodness of fruits and vegetables so they are delicious, so mixing them in different combinations to create a salad ensures exciting meals.First, you eat food with your eyes. Salads have varied textures, shapes, sizes and colours which make them visually appealing and satisfying. We enjoy foods that are entice our eyes and also eat more of them.Eating a variety of textures keeps mealtime interesting. Salad ingredients can add a nice crunch which is much better for you than munching on cookies or potato chips.So by far I have given you enough of reasons to check out your diet plan and indulge yourself to healthy meals. It will not only give you reason to eat more also you can commit sin guilt-free by having junk sometimes. And moreover our gyms are running quiet well so admit yourself to a healthy regime.

Black Bean , Corn , Potato and Pepper Salad :

Ingredients :

For Salad: 1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight , 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme , 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano , 1/2 teaspoon salt , 1/2 cup boiled corn kernels , 1 onion finely chopped , 1 tomato finely chopped , 1/2 cup red pepper (red capsicum ) cubes , 1/2 cup green pepper(green capsicum )cubes , 100 g baby potatoes boiled and peeled , 100 g baby onions boiled and peeled .

For dressing :1 tablespoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic , 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind ( the outer surface of lemon ), 1 teaspoon salt , 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilly flakes , 1/2 teaspoon pepper , 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint , 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies ,5 to 6 tablespoon olive oil .To garnish you may use mint and coriander sprigs.

Servings : 2

Method : Boil the kidney beans with thyme , oregano and salt until soft but firm . drain the beans and set aside .Mix the remaining ingredients in the bowl.To prepare the dressing you need to blend all the ingredients listed above for it in a small bender jar .Toss the prepared veggies mixture in the dressing and lastly add the beans .Adjust the salt if you feel it doesn’t suits your taste.Garnish it with mint or coriander sprigs and serve it at room temperature.

Tip : Prepare this dish just before serving it else the nutrient value gets reduced and flavours do get mingled giving it a very liquid texture due to addition of salt before hand.

Carrot and almond Salad :

Carrot being my favourite I always try and make different recipes which eventually turns out to be very tasty and nutrients. There is natural sweetness in carrots and we do get best of it during winter season . To sum up I would implement the richness of carrot in this recipe which is tasty , different and worth a try .

Ingredients :

For Salad :1/2 kg carrots peeled and coarsely grated, 2 small cucumber thinly sliced , 1/4 cup raisins soaked in water for 10 minutes , 1/2 cup sliced almonds without the skin ( to remove the skin just soak it overnight skin is peeled of easily ).

For Dressing :
I tablespoon lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey,1 teaspoon dried ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/3 cup olive oil , salt to taste , Pepper to taste .To garnish finely chopped parsley. ( You may use dry parsley too)

Servings : 4

Method : Place carrots and cucumber in a glass bowl. Add raisins and toss to mix .

For dressing :
Add lemon juice , honey , ginger , cinnamon , olive oil , salt and pepper in a screw top jar . shake well to combine.Toast the almonds on a flat pan until they are golden brown in colour.Pour the dressing over the salad , and toss well .Sprinkle with almonds and garnish with parsley. Serve at room temperature.

Yes ! I am slowly turning you all to health freaks which is why I am posting this article so that we all realise that health is a factor to be taken seriously . Today we all undergo a lot of stress and distress . Which gives us mental and physical fatigue. To avoid the same we all need to maintain a balanced diet , eat on time , and maintain a healthy lifestyle . It takes 15 minutes of our time to prepare such good recipes which are healthy and much better to eat than just plain oatmeal bowl. So do try them and Live Love Louder !!!

December 15, 2014
The Great Indian Breads !

Indians are known for their eating habits and their love for food . In India there is a wide range of cuisines and varieties with every 100 km you stretch . We live to eat that’s proven and we are the most natural host when comes to throw a party . If you sit and think Why I am claiming that Indians are such big foodies and party lovers , you just need to visit an Indian family for lunch or dinner (Even breakfast is not spared ) and see how they treat you as God ( We truly believe in Atithi Devobhavah….its not just for a commercial ). If I have mentioned about lunch and dinners I am talking about full rich 5 course meals (Yes! we eat that daily …at least I do) .Not only do we cook great curries and starters we have wide variety in flat breads too.We do have in offer variety in flat breads with every changing season.

All have great value addition to their taste , be it fluffy, rich in taste, soft, their fillings , sweet , salty , spicy , rich in proteins and minerals . You name it and we have it. India is diversified in its customs , culture , tradition and each part of India has their specific preferred breads be it chapati , Fulkas, Naan, Kulchas, rumali rotis , parathas, various flavoured pancakes, tandoori roti etc that too with different kind of cereals. Our flat bread preparation largely depends on what kind of crop is grown in that region .For example : Western part of India eats a lot of Bajra , Ragi, Northen India eats Maize or Wheat , Eastern eats a lot of Rice flour or refined flour and if we consider Southern India they eat mostly rice flour in fermented form .Breads are staple food for any country, city or tradition.

We actually consider breads to be very important for a wholesome 5 course meal. Its practically not possible to avoid a meal without adding bread to it . we don’t feel yummy tummy until we eat bread. Today its very simple and convenient to barge into a supermarket and get frozen breads ,which my generation people gladly do , But if asked to me I would prefer preparing it at home as any dish has to be fresh to consume and for that packed food is totally a “No No” for me.When I started cooking after my marriage making rotis or chapatis was my biggest challenge (many do agree with me- its a common syndrome )but tummy wants food , so slowly I learned how to get the perfect shaped chapatis to not impress anyone …but to satisfy my own hunger. With every occasion we have specific choices in food and we do set our happy menu accordingly, so today my attempt is to bring a variety in your life .If you are done with frozen parathas or frozen chapatis try out few of my simple recipes of very commonly eaten Indian breads .Today I have tried to assemble few regional breads for you variety and taste change. Some of it is widely eaten but Do you really want to eat frizen or try these simple recipes with much nutrition and taste.

Garlic Naan :

Ingredients :2 cup Plain refined flour, 1 cup yoghurt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate, 1 teaspoon onion seeds, 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon butter to glaze the naans.

Servings : 3 to 4

Method : mix plain refined flour, baking powder, sodium bicarbonate and sieve it well to add up air . (this process makes fluffy & soft naans). Kneed the flour mixture with yoghurt into a fine soft dough , if you feel yoghurt is little less then u may add some Luke warm milk to make a softer dough. wrap the dough with a damp cloth and keep it for minimum two hours ( You may keep it overnight if you have preparation time ). This gives the dough time to ferment well , more the fermentation more fluffy and softer naan you would get. Once the dough is fermented you can make naans of your desired size with the help of a rolling pin . Once you get the desired shape top it with garlic and few onions seeds and with the help of your hands elongate it from two ends to get a longitudinal naans. Now the way you cook chapatis you just have to repeat it for these naans (No tandoor required , just simply toss it both sides on a hot tava ) the naans themselves will blow u beautifully. Once done glaze it with butter on top and serve hot .

Makke di roti :

Ingredients : 2 cup Maize( Makka /makai ) flour , Luke warm water to kneed , 1/2 cup wheat flour , ghee or unsalted butter to cook and for glazing .

Servings : 3 to 4

Method : Its simple recipe but you need to be very careful while making it as it has a tendency to crack up from sides and eventually break. To avoid that its important to kneed the dough just before serving it. Its easy to make a dough so its not a very difficult thing to maintain

Mix maize flour , wheat flour with the help of a siever and kneed it with Luke warm water. Make a soft dough as hard dough may crumble up easily. slowly with the help of your palms flatten it and increase its size. Try to maintain the shape the sides will crack its something which is obvious , so do not worry. Once you have flattened the bread , bake it in a hot tava from both sides and glaze it with ghee . Serve it with Spinach curry, or simply with jaggery it will taste awesome . Its very commonly eaten in Punjab (North India) on a day to day basis during winters. It has natural warming ability so it keeps warm from within.

Paneer Paratha :

Ingredients:

For Dough :
2 cups whole wheat flour , 1/2 cup refined flour , 1 tablespoon cooking oil( Oil helps the bread to get moistened crusty look ), Luke warm water to kneed , pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon Ajwain ( carom seeds ).

For stuffing :

1 cup grated cottage cheese or Paneer , 1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped , 1 tablespoon finely crushed pomegranate seeds , salt to taste ,1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon Aamchur ( dry mango powder), 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies.

Oil for glazing the parathas.

Servings : 4 to 5 parathas

Method : Sieve whole wheat flour and and refined flour and add cooking oil , salt ,ajwain & Luke warm water to make a soft dough out of it . Keep it for 30 minutes and prepare the stuffing .For the stuffing mix all the ingredients mentioned above for stuffing purpose.

Once you are done preparing both take equal portions from the dough and stuff the paneer mixture into each portions and flatten it with the help of a rolling pin . Bake it on a hot tava from both sides once its crusty glaze it with oil ( you may use butter ) . Serve hot with your choice of curry or you can simply serve it with yoghurt . Enjoy the flavours of these great Indian breads and see your family smiling.

December 13, 2014
My Birthday Party Recipes !!!

I will soon turn a year older an something clicked in my mind. Am I going to throw a party ??? The answer is still uncertain but one thing is for sure I will cook for me and will treat my tummy with dishes Like. It’s a nice nice idea, isn’t it ? If I play rewind record of my earlier childhood or teen-hood birthdays food was never my priority , it was always what birthday gift I got (I am confessing I was materialistic back then). Me and my friends use to party a lot and my mum use to cook best possible recipes for us and we use to just finish it in about 30 minutes. Long gone are those days and those friends are so far from my reach . Though they wish me through social media or a message or a call , few even gift me stuff through couriers but still my birthdays are not so happier the way they use to be earlier. They are now much milder in , much calm , much busy in work types these days . My

Mum still cooks for me on my birthday( Her famous kheer/Sweet rice pudding…a very popular dish among my friends ) but I am too far from her to taste that .If I look now the gifts are more sophisticated , much more expensive , much more “I like Stuff” but somewhere the birthdays with a pencil box gift wrapped or a plastic doll , or a chocolate bar with hideous decorations were more meaningful , lifelike , much more valuable for me. To have that feeling back I have decided to cook the way my Mum use to cook for me , dance on Bollywood cheap songs the way my friends use to entertain my make my parties fun , shout the way they use to scream “happy birthday” for me and Burst a balloon for myself filled with goodies inside. I again asked my self Am I eccentric ….Big deal even If I am. I will have fun the way I use to have a decade ago and cherish these memories a decade later rather than repenting on my arm chair with a ART OF LIVING BOOK on my side desk .I know my friends my parents , my best pal my sister wont be there in my little celebration this time but I am going to celebrate for me. I am going to make this birthday Rock . Will Click selfies of my own , will dress up , Will do make up. I will not repent this birthday to be on a weekday and so I am not celebrating it , No I will make it happier& funny for me. You feel terrible when you don’t try , But I wont give up I will just have a blast ….To celebrate with me try these recipes which I will cook for my birthday .

Mojito:

Yes I am talking alcohol now. BUt its a crime say that I am being drunk here its a celebration drink for my birthday and I have full right to break the rules. Drinks are party showstoppers for me and if its for my celebration I will commit this sin gladly.

Ingredients : Mint sprigs roughly cut , 1 tablespoon sugar syrup , 30 ml Vodka ,15ml Soda water, Ice cubes, Peppermint tablets finely crushed, Lemon wedges , lemon ring for decoration. For serving your choice matters .

Servings : Its crime to count the servings when you are celebrating so please repeat till you find yourself sane.

Method : Its easy and very quick to make. Firstly crush the peppermint tablets powder, mint leaves and lemon wedges together. Now Take a glass (Your choice matters not mine ) add ice cubes, sugar syrup , and freshly crushed mint peppermint and lemon wedges . Now add Vodka and soda water into the glass stir it gently with a stirrer. And Yes do decorate it with lemon ring and serve yourself .Cheers!!!

Cheese Corn Balls :

With a perfect drink we have to have the perfect starter. And to get that we have a very simple and quick recipe too. (Remember Its me who is cooking and I don’t want to get tired on my birthday so planned a quick dish celebration…being smart is justified ).

Ingredients : 2 cups corn kernels , 1/2 cup refined flour, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander, 1 cup grated processed cheese, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon dry mango powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilled, oil for deep frying.

Servings : 2 to 3

Method : Crush corn kernels roughly in a blender. Mix blender corn , refined flour, corriander, dry spices, cheese , salt, and lemon juice and bind the mixture well into a fine dough. Adding water is not required as corn kernels hold a lot of moisture into them which will be enough for binding the mixture.

Make small equal round balls out of the dough and give them smooth round shape. Deep fry the cheese corn balls and serve them as appetisers or have loads of them to fill your tummy. Remember this party is to relax and have fun , extra work not required.

Monte Carlo:

Its easy to make dessert . Indulge yourself with this at the end and have a good nite sleep later.

Ingredients : 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream (You may use butterscotch flavour also ), few butterscotch drops, Dark chocolate syrup ,1 teaspoon
honey,1 tablespoon whipped cream, choco-chips if you are a chocolate person.

Servings : 1

Method : Take a ice-cream bowl or a fancy glassware , add two scoops of vanilla ice-cream to it , top it up with ,whipped cream , butterscotch, honey, choco-chips and at last chocolate syrup. Serve it .

So, isn’t it a great idea to celebrate your birthday and throw yourself a small party. The only way to keep yourself tempted for life is to appreciate each day and keep yourself engrossed in you to get out of all cribbing’s which we generally do all day. Make a difference and spread happiness.

December 13, 2014
Various New Year Day Celebrations in Different Regions of India

New Year Celebrations

Christians celebrate January 1st as New Year.India celebrates New Year by both solar and lunar calendar system.Most of these New Year festivals are celebrated based on Hindu calendar that follow by the movement of the moon.In India, different places celebrate New Year in different times of the year.As India is having multiple cultures, celebration of New Year may also vary distinctly.Most of the states in India celebrate this festival at the time of harvesting of crops.These days are celebrated with different names as Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi, Puthandu, Bohag Bihu, Pohela Boishakh, Bestu Varas, Vishu, Losoong, Navreh, Hijri and Cheti Chand.

Ugadi:

UGADI-Festival-celebrations

In Andhra Pradesh, this day is dedicated to Lord Brahma,the creator of this world, as he has started creating the world on this day itself gaining significance for this day.It is also a belief in Hindus that Lord Vishnu has appeared in Matsya avatar on this day.This celebration includes cleaning of the houses and surroundings, decorating entrances with green mango leaves and wearing new clothes.On this day, people wake up early in the morning and have some oil massage to the body followed by head bath and visit temples to offer prayers.

Ugadi festival celebration in Karnataka

In Karnataka, this festival is considered as New Year to the people and believe that this day bring new hopes and happiness in life.On this day, people wake up early in the morning, have bath and visit temple to offer prayers to god with sincerity while the priests chant mantras.On this occasion, people wash their houses, paint them and decorate the entrances with mango leaves. Ugadi pachadi, lemon rice and many varieties of dishes are prepared on this special day.

Gudi Padwa:

Gudi Padwa celebrations

Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar.This is celebrated as New Year by Maharashtrians and Hindu Konkanis’.According to Brahma purana, Gudi Padwa is the time when Lord Brahma has started creating the world.On this day, people hang Gudi on the right side of the main entrance of the houses.Gudi is a cloth tied to the end of the bamboo and a copper pot is placed inverted on the stick along with a garland.Festive cards and wallpapers are shared among friends and dear ones on this occasion.People offer prayers to god and prepare delicious mouth watering dishes on this occasion.

Baisakhi:

Baisakhi-celebration

Baisakhi is a New Year day celebrated in Punjab and Haryana. This festival is generally celebrated on 13 April.Baisakhi is the major festival of Sikhs and is celebrated to denote the arrival of the harvest season.On this occasion, people wear new clothes, prepare halwa and other delicious dishes at home.

Puthandu:

Puthandu-Tamil Nadu

Puthandu is the New Year day of Tamil Nadu celebrated on the first day of Chithirai, the first month in Tamil calendar.Puthnadu is also known as Varusha Pirappu and usually falls on 13th or 14th of April.On this occasion, women decorate the house with colorful kolam patterns and the center of the kolam is decorated with lamp.On this occasion, people wear new clothes and eat maanga pachadi which is a symbol of this festival.

Bohag Bihu:

BIHU_Assam

Bohag Bihu is a major agricultural festival celebrated in Assam.Songs and dances play a vital role in Bihu celebrations.The festival revolves around agriculture and the changes in the seasons.Bihu is celebrated three times in an year namely, Bohag Bihu( also called as Rongali Bihu ),Kati Bihu ( also called as Kangali Bihu ) and the Magh Bihu ( also called as Bhogali Bihu ).The first one Bohag Bihu is the most important one among the three.This is a spring festival that usually falls in the mid of April.

Pohela Boishakh:

Pohela Boishakh festival

Pohela Boisharkh is the festival celebrated on the first day of Bengali calendar.This festival is celebrated in both West Bengal and Bangladesh.On this occasion, people clean their houses,wear new clothes and offer prayers to god with sincerity.People spend with friends and relatives on this day and prepare various kinds of food items.This festival generally falls on the mid of April.

Bestu Varas:

Bestu Varas festival

Bestu Varas is the festival celebrated on the first day of Gujarati calendar.This festival usually falls after Diwali.People greet each other on this day saying “Nutan Varsha Abhinandan” or “Saal Mubarak”.This festive day starts early in the morning by firing plenty of crackers.On this day, people decorate their houses with marigold torans and draw colorful rangolis at their doorstep.People wear new clothes,visit temples and greet their friends and relatives a happy and a prosperous new year.

Vishu:

Vishu Festival

Vishu is a festival celebrated on the first day of Malayalam month of Medam.This festival is usually celebrated on 14 April of Gregorian calendar.The festival is defined by the offerings to the god called Vishukanni. This consists of the auspicious articles like rice, linen,cucumber, betel leaves, matal mirror and uruli.All these arrangements are completed by the women the night before Vishu celebrations.On the day of Vishu, people must wake up with eyes closed and go to the pooja room, so that the first thing a person can see is the Vishukanni.

Losoong:

Losoong festival

Loosong is one of the most famous and old festival of Sikkim celebrated in the month of December.This festival is usually celebrated at the end of harvesting season.This is also considered as the farmers’ New Year festival.On this occasion, Chham dance is one of the major attraction.

Navreh:

Navreh festivals

Navreh festival is celebrated in Kashmir as New Year.This festival usually falls on the first day of Chaitra Navratri and is generally referred as Shivratri.

Hijri and Cheti Chand:

Hijri festival

Hijri is the Islamic New Year celebrated on the first day of Muharram.The Islamic calendar does not depend on the Gregorian calendar so it may vary depending on the Lunar calender.This festival is celebrated with unique customs and traditions.

Cheti Chand festival

Cheti Chand is the festival celebrated on the second day of Chaitra masa by Sindhi community.The people of Sindhi community celebrate this festival as a honor to the birth of Jhulelal.

December 13, 2014
Culture of Shimla- writing

Shimla Culture

Shimla,located on the lofty ranges of the Himalayas with about 7,500 ft above the sea level,is one of the most popular tourist destination throughout the world.It is a place free of commercialization and globalization and is famous for its lifestyle,arts,crafts,food,fairs,dance and music. Shimla is quite different from other states with its own charm and portrays a harmony between traditional values and modern thoughts.

Shimla is considered as one of the best tourist and holiday spot in India.In the year of 1864,it was declared as the Summer Capital of India during the reign of British and after the independence,it became the capital of Punjab.Now,it is a proud capital of Himachal Pradesh.

History:

Pic showing the history of Shimla

The history of Shimla begun with the discovery of British with a little village in 1819 and was made as the Summer Capital of India.Shimla was truly earned by the government of India at the time of Lord William Bentinck.After the Gurkha war,British soldiers founded a dense forest near Golden Shyamala temple and gave the name as Shimla after the name of the goddess.Also,many fine fabrics,French sauces,English sweets and fine horses were available in Shimla making it popular.

In 1819,Lt.Ross,the Assistant Political Agent of hill states set up the first residence of British here and his successor built the first concrete house in 1822.In the mid 18th century,the Hindustan Tibet road was constructed from Kalka to Shimla.Shimla was connected by the railways in 1903.It eventually became the capital of Himachal Pradesh,after the independence,in 1966.

Geography:

Pic-Showing-Shimla-Tourism-Geography

Shimla’s geographical location is dependent on its pleasant climatic conditions that suits a perfect vacation.It has an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level,lying between 31.060 North to 77.130 East.The altitude is having a vegetation of pine trees.The city is spread over an area of 25 square kilometers with a look of majestic hill station.The Himalayas fall to the north east of Shimla. Shimla consists of sub-tropical forests,maize fields,cedar and orchards.

Climate:

The view of climate in Shimla

Shimla’s climatic conditions are pleasant in any season favoring the tourists’ visit.It may have sudden changes due to the high altitude and may result in sudden drop and rise in temperature.Summers are warm with packed tourists and the temperature never goes beyond 270 Celsius.Even though there are occasional rainfalls,they are just bearable.Monsoons last from July to September that may be not suitable to visit as they are pretty heavy.Landslides are too frequent with a range of 150 -250 Celsius.Winters last from November to February with cold and chilly winds from the Himalayas.The temperature may drop down to zero levels.Snowfall is the main attraction in this season.Even though transport and residence is a slight problem,people love to visit Shimla in this season.

Economy:

Tourism a major economy of Shimla

Most of the city’s economy is driven from the tourism.Shimla is a famous healthcare centre having one medical college and four major hospitals named as the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital,Kamla Nehru Hospital and Indus Hospital.Hotels in the city are one of the major sources of income.Shimla is one of the lead cities in India for having large number of hotels.Shimla is also famous for its quality of education and for the leading schools it is having.The higher education institutes are also present in Shimla namely Himachal Pradesh University and Indian Institute of Advance Studies.People from different parts of the country prefer to study in Shimla because of its climatic conditions and hill station status.These has been adding to the economy of the district as well as the state.At present, government is trying to promote technology and IT sector in Shimla for its growth and promotion.

Culture:

Festival celebrations in Shimla

People of Shimla are informally called as Shimlaites.A variety of festivals are celebrated in Shimla.During the peak tourist season, Shimla summer festival is celebrated and it lasts for 3 to 4 days.The highlights of this festival include events performed by popular singers from all over the country.Shimla has many places to visit and the local hangouts are the Mall, the Ridge that are in the heart of the city.Some of the oldest and famous buildings are the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and Wildflower Hall which is now a luxury hotel.The State Museum is one of the oldest Museums in India and it holds a huge collection of paintings, jewelry and textiles of that region.Naldehra nine-hole golf court is one of the oldest of its kind in India that is located farther out from the city.Kufri is a ski resort and is one of the best tourist attractions of Shimla located 19 kilometers away from the main city.Lakkar Bazaar in Shimla is famous for its hand crafts and wood items.Shimla has a natural ice skating rink and state and national level competitions are more often held at this venue.Shimla Ice Skating Club manages many events every year in the month of January.Due to the Global warming and increasing population in and around Shimla, the amount of ice has been decreasing in the past few years.

Temples:

Bhimakali-Temple-Shimla

Shimla has many temples and is frequently visited by many devotes from nearby towns and cities.Jakhoo temple, one of the famous Hanuman temple is located at the highest point in Shimla.Kali Bari temple of goddess Kali is situated near the Mall.Another Hanuman temple, Sankat Mochan is famous for the numerous monkeys located on the Shimla-Kalka road about 10 kilometers away from the city.We can also find other places of worship like Gurudwara near the bus edge and a famous Church on the Ridge.We can find excellent stone works and architecture on the walls of temples in Shimla.The sculptors that are carved on the temple walls show the art of Shimla.

Jakko temple in Shimla located at the highest point

The snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures surrounding Shimla gives a wonderful view of the nature and just a simple walk through Shimla’s Victorian-era architecture, labyrinthine bazaars and lengthy pedestrian shopping mall brings excitement and enjoyment.It is a simple yet elegant place created by mother nature’s wonderful creation.

December 13, 2014
Every Day Smoothies !!!

Weight Gain is a fear every girl goes through . Yes I am part of that herd who is checking out her inches and freaks out when she doesn’t fit in her two months old jeans. Yes ! I am that normal silly , messed up screwed up , average looking , part of the crowd girl who wants to make a mark of herself which makes her stand out from the rest. Are you relating with me ? I am sure you do . More than half of the population does. Why do I spare boys they too feel the same . Its true that i have cried several hours for my pimple marks , hair fall, eyebrow issues, Bad hairstyle day ( And I am talking about serious problems here …Don’t Laugh!!!) .We all go through this bizarre life and we all feel why are we the chosen one ? To have a positive thought process or to have a happy smile (not fake) its a simple theory to get it right to eat healthy , to boost your brain cells to positivity, to assure yes! I am the chosen one for the right things in life.

Now you would be thinking how come I am thinking this way when I myself agreed to have cried for several hours on pitty issues. I have a true answer to this . I was tired of crying , pretending everything is okay , pretending I will clear the deep dark sky to my desired sunshine. It doesnt happen this way . For healthy mind you need nutrients and healthy lifestyle to think and behave wealthy. I am true to you guys because nobody can make you happy if you yourself don’t try or behave the way you should. We all have blessed lives and we all are chosen ones for miseries and happiness . believe me cribbing is the nascent stage of depression . Don’t crib , pull up your sock and get a grip of your own life. Wake up early with a beautiful smile and straight away head to the kitchen. Its a paradise of surprises and innovation. Take out the green veggies , nutritious fruits and vegetables and start cooking healthy food for yourself. To start a fresh day have a smoothie. As a health freak I had to write this article. I don’t want to be boring and strict for you guys to give you tasteless drink recipes which i myself wont drink , so I have few interesting smoothie recipes which I would love to share with you guys for so that you can start your day with a healthy and fresh . Smoothies or juices are very easy to make and you don’t need any rocket science theory or a tag of five star chef to enjoy the richness and benefits of healthy drinks . When you will read the recipes you will feel the same way. So cutting short the “Gyaan or Funda” and moving to the actual data of happiness . Do try it and have a blessed and happy smile .

24 Carrot:

Yes I am talking about Carrots and not Carat’s. Definitely is a health gold recipe for you . Do try it and have a sparkling day ahead.

Ingredients : Handful of cracked ice ( To get the crackling effect just make a poly ice bag and beat it hard to get cracking ice), 2 carrots coarsely chopped, 100 g pineapple pieces , 2 cups pineapple juice , Chilled strip of cucumber to garnish . Garnishing can be of your choice.

Servings : 2

Method :

Put the ice into the food processor or blender, add the carrots , pineapple pieces , Pineapple juice , and process it until it gets to thickness of a slush. Take a glass pour the slushy smoothie into it and serve it chilled.

This drink is healthy , with balanced nutrients , and moreover tasty. We often think healthy stuff is tasteless , this recipe will prove you wrong . Live love louder.

Tropical Smoothie :

Being healthy is worth living your life. We all are having hectic schedule and we often miss out our breakfast ( The most important meal of the day …Yes I am right …and I know you miss it !!!) If we think our body is a machine ,then breakfast is its battery charger. To have a charged up day you have to start a heavy diet ( healthy too ….I am not talking about parathas ). This smoothie will solve all your troubles as its fast and easy to make. Try out !

Ingredients : 1 ripe papaya peeled , stoned and chopped .1/2 fresh pineapple , peeled and chopped . ( You can prepare this overnight to avoid early morning hassle .1 cup soya milk ( A healthy source of protein ) , 2 cups low fat yoghurt. Chopped pineapple for garnishing . If you feel lazy don’t garnish but yes please do make the smoothie.

Servings :2

Method : Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Meanwhile switch on your radio and do listen your favourite frequency. Cooking will be better and effective when you have music in your company.

Pour into glasses, Decorate or don’t decorate it . Wear your office clothes Have a sip and have a kick-start day .

So at the end of this do you feel it is blame the day , or your boss , your kaamwali bai or your spouse ( The most common one ) for not giving you a carefree life . I think you have started believing it that I was right when I said its simple to have a healthy smile by having a healthy food. So Instead of sulking and making anybodies else’s life miserable , lets take a pledge to wake up early , grabbing the beautiful smile, slowly opening the room curtains , see the morning sunshine and heading right to our kitchen and cooking the awesome recipes suggested above and if you do like it post your comments for the new ones till happy eating !

December 8, 2014
Old is Gold!

Antiquities or antiques are ancient collectable items that are valued for their historical importance. The age, beauty, utility, cultural importance, sentimental connection or any other unique feature attached to an item makes it desirable. Any antique is a reflection of the socio-cultural standing of a previous era or a time period in the human civilization. Most collectables of this class possess a certain degree of design or craftsmanship. Some of these antiques were in use till a little time ago and then with the decrease in their popularity and usage over the years, they were deemed to be called the tokens from the past.

This article focuses on a few such articles that our generation has seen but never realized how important they once had been.

The Postcard

Not so long ago, when my Dad had gone to Germany, he called me up to ask what I want from there. Not so sure of what I really did want, I asked him to get anything he feels like. He returned with a bunch of these colourful paper rectangles with a blank other side to be written on. The world knows them better as the postcards.

These small souvenirs brimming with culture, colour and a characteristic story behind them are a staple form of communication from the past and a visual treat to both the sender and the receiver. Besides the message written inside it, the gesture of choosing an appropriate postcard and having it sent to that particular person is enough to bring about a smile to his/her face. A tourists’ souvenir-collection would not be complete without some gorgeous postcards from the place he has struck off his bucket-list. This memento might be a little lacking as per modern aesthetic standards, but these single image cards were once every hobbyists’ treasures.

The first postcard ever was a printed image which was sent via mail and was received in Hungary in 1869. United States’ first postcard appeared in the year 1873. It depicted the main building of the Inter-State Industrial Exposition in Chicago. Paris also saw the postcard-culture when cards with images of the Eiffel Tower were printed in the year 1889. In the Great Britain the very first advertising cards were printed in 1872.

There were a variety of postcards that were once widely used. From a variety of ‘view’ cards with images of famous architectural sites and landmarks, to other ‘art’, ‘fashion’ and ‘historical’ cards; one can find them all.

Societies all over the world had taken to this mode of communication where there is no need of an envelope or stamps. From army personnel to young pen-pals, everyone has used these beautiful cards for communicating with their loved ones.

The Hourglass

Call it the hourglass, sand timer, sand clock or the sand glass; this tool is the oldest device known to mankind for measuring time. These days, hourglasses are used mostly for ornamental purposes or for domestic and kitchen applications like board games or boiling an egg.

An hourglass can measure time varying from a few minutes to even a number of hours depending on a number of factors. The mechanism behind its operation is the flow of sand or any similar granulated substance through an orifice connection two bulbs. The two vertical glass bulbs are connected to allow a regulated trickle of the granulated material from the top to bottom. Once the top bulb is completely empty, the hourglass can be inverted for the next cycle. The factors that determine the time that can be measured are the amount of sand or the granulated substance, the size of the bulbs, the width of the neck/passage or the orifice and the quality of the material that has been put inside the bulbs.

The place of origin of the sand-glass is not very clear; though it is said it might have been invented by the ancient Egyptian civilization. The American Institute of New York claims that it was invited in about 150BC, at Alexandria. There was a phase when the hourglass disappeared till it became a popular culture again in the medieval European civilization. It was in the 14^th century when the sand-glass became a common house-hold item. It was used on land as well as in the sea. Churches and other institutions used them widely to keep track of the time. It was also used by sailors to record time as mechanical clocks were not easily available back then.

Soon after 1500AD the hourglass lost its utility and charm due to the development of cheap mechanical clock technology. The oldest sand-glass that is known to survive is at the British Museum in London.

The Gramophone

Invented in the year 1887 by Emile Berliner, a German by nativity who was then working in Washington D.C., the gramophone is one of the choicest possessions for many, be it curators or music enthusiasts. Earlier attempts like the one by Thomas Alva Edison, which was called the ‘phonograph’ could record sounds from cylinders but could not reproduce human voice and each recording played only once. There were certain other attempts that were made after Edison, for instance the ‘graphophone’ by Graham Bell. Here wax cylinders were used and although these could be played repeatedly, they had to be recorded separately, making mass production of records difficult.

Berliner was successful in inventing a convenient system for sound recording. Another advantage was that she employed flat disks instead of cylinders thus bringing in the portability factor.

The concept of recording sound by fixing a needle to a membrane resonating in symphony dates back to early 19^th century. Gramophones formed an important part of human culture. They were a part of huge operas and were even housed in many institutions like offices. The avant-garde reigned the industry till more efficient digital storage technologies came up. It is sad that now the only place we can easily spot one of these is either the antiques-shop or the museums.

Though the article ends here, there is a huge list of such forgotten objects of beauty that were once a common commodity. We sure have better and more efficient alternatives for all of them; but there is a charm about these that shall never be lost. And as they say: “Old is Gold”, these vintage tokens are definitely more precious than we think they are.

December 6, 2014
Chicken with Seasoning !!!

A non-veg platter is incomplete without a chicken. If I am asked I prefer white meat more than the red one. The best part of cooking a chicken dish is that its tasteless(Not literally) so its a boon for someone who wants to experiment with different flavours and try various combinations . If you are a true foodie you will agree with me because you have tasted chicken in many flavours so far …sometimes the combinations are weird but we still love it. If we look at world cuisine we get different forms of chicken recipes with innumerable permutation and combinations. If you love to eat chicken you can have it boiled ,roasted, fried and in many more forms. That’s the beauty of this protein it tastes good in any
form.Will share few chicken recipes of different varieties which is widely eaten all across the world and most importantly all these recipes are simple, little traditional but yet unique. I am very sure one you make these recipes you will be declared chef in your house instantly. I basic idea is to give a restaurant style dishes in your home platter , which will break the monotony of your own boring meals and the whole family will volunteer themselves to come up to dining table and share meal with lovely conversation with each other. We need this small talks between family members badly these days and
what’s best than a hot delicious home-cooked chicken. So grab your apron and do try these yummy chicken treats and as I always say surprise your loved ones.

Citrus Chicken :

Ingredients : 1 kg Boneless chicken pieces (Medium ), 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste, 3 to 4 lime leaves shredded, 1 tablespoon chopped lemon grass, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon green chilly finely chopped, 1/2 cup finely chopped celery, 1& 1/2 cup orange juice,1 tablespoon cornflour,1 cup chicken stock, Salt to taste, Oil for cooking, freshly cut lime wedges for garnishing.

Servings : 4

Method :
Chicken Marination :
Mix Chicken , Lemon juice , salt, black pepper powder, chopped lemon grass, shredded lime leaves, Ginger and garlic paste nicely. Keep the marinated chicken for about 1 hour so that chicken pieces absorb the flavours nicely .

Method : Heat a shallow pan in high flame, add cooking oil, green chillies and sauté for 20 seconds. Add Finely chopped celery and sauté for another 30 seconds. You will experience delicate aroma of sautéed celery which will strike your hunger harder. Now directly add marinated chicken and slower the flame. Let the chicken get cooked properly with a little brownish texture so that it adds a roasted flavour into it.The chicken gets cooked in 8 to 10 minutes( 1 Hour marination makes easier to cook as
the chicken is more tender ). Now add orange juice and chicken stock into the cooked chicken along with cornflour to thicken the gravy. It takes around 3 to 4 minutes to ready the dish. Once the dish is done serve it hot with lime wedges as side garnish and enjoy this steamy recipe with your loved ones.

Butter Chicken :

Ingredients :

Marination : 1 kg boneless chicken pieces (Medium), 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon ginger & garlic paste, 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilly powder ( Enhances the colour of the chicken ) ,1 teaspoon black pepper powder, 1/2 cup Hung curd, 1 teaspoon cumin powder,1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon
coriander powder, salt to taste 1 tablespoon mustard oil .
For Gravy : 100 gm butter,2 Cup Tomato purée, 3 to 4 green cardamom, few strands of mace, 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi powder, 1 teaspoon honey , 1 tablespoon Fresh cream salt to taste, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilly powder. 1 tablespoon Coriander chopped for garnishing.

Servings : 4

Method :

The marination is a two step process
Step 1 : Mix chicken pieces with Lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste, kashmiri red chilly powder, black pepper powder, salt and keep it in refrigerator for 30 minutes .

Step 2 : After 30 minutes add hung curd, cumin powder ,turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder to the marinated chicken mix well and add mustard oil into the mixture ( Mustard oil enhances the chicken marinate colour and texture , keeps the chicken greasy for grilling ).Again keep this marinated chicken for about 2 hours in the fridge .Heat a deep pan , Add butter , green cardamoms , and mace strands and sauté for 1 minute. Now add tomato purée in the pan and stir it frequently. Meanwhile grill the marinated chicken in a preheated oven in about 200 degrees centigrade for about 14 to 15 minutes. Once the chicken is tender and cooked take it out from the oven and keep it aside. Once the tomato starts separating oil on a regular interval of 5 minutes add 1/2 cup of water each time s that it avoids thickening or burning of tomato purée. Now add cumin powder , coriander powder red chilly powder, and kasuri methi into the gravy mixture along with some salt . Once the gravy starts separating oil again add honey into the gravy along with grilled chicken pieces . stir the chicken along with gravy for 4 to 5 minutes and then pour fresh milk into the gravy , The richness and creaminess of the butter is enhanced with addition of fresh cream . heat the gravy for another 2 to 3 minutes and plate the dish with chopped coriander as garnish. Team it up with naan or kulcha and enjoy this recipe with your loved once.

Chicken Kali Mirch :

Ingredients : 1 kg medium boneless chicken pieces, 1 tablespoon black pepper freshly crushed, 1 teaspoon lemon juice , 1 cup yoghurt, 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste, salt to taste,few green cardamom,1 large cinnamon , 1 cup sliced onions, 3 to 4 green chillies, 5 to 6 garlic pods , 1 teaspoon ginger juliennes, 1 cup fresh cream , 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder , 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi powder,Oil for cooking, 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped mint and coriander leaves

Servings : 4

Method :

Marination of chicken :
Mix 1 kg chicken with lemon juice , half of black pepper crush, 1 teaspoon oil, yoghurt, ginger & garlic paste, Salt and keep the marinated chicken in refrigerator for about an hour.Once the chicken gets marinated and gets enriched with all the flavours of the marination Heat a deep pan and add cooking oil in it with cardamom , cinnamon stick. Heat the whole spices for 30 seconds and add onion slices ginger julienne and garlic pods and green chillies .Sauté the ingredients for about 3 to 4 minutes. Take out the mixture from the pan and cool it to make a fine paste out of it. Once the paste is made again add a little bit of oil into the same pan and add the onion paste. Sauté the paste again for 3 to 4 minutes and add all the dry spices , turmeric ,cumin ,coriander and kasuri methi powder.Sauté the ingredients for another 5 minutes on slow flame add marinated chicken , 1/2 cup water, and coriander and mint leaves .Cook the chicken for another 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is tender and soft.Not add fresh cream and rest of the black pepper powder left . Bring to boil and switch of the flame. Garnish it with mint leaves and serve it hot. This recipe goes well with steamed rice or Fried Rice. Enjoy and share your comments.

December 6, 2014