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Enjoy this monsoon with hot and crispy Pakoras
Monsoon is here to make the whole environment vivacious with its drizzling effect and make it lively. Monsoon comes with different flavors and have lots of fun embodied in it. For example for children it is the time to sail their handmade boats, for farmers it is like a blessing and some people enjoy the tiny droplets falling over the ground. So different people enjoy this season in their own different ways but common part amongst all of them is that their fun is always accompanied by eating crispy pakoras. Monsoon is said to be complete when you have enjoyed the rain with hot and crispy pakoras along with the tea or coffee. The best thing about pakoras is that they are easily prepared and taste delicious when served with chutney or sauce. It is known fact that pakoras are the main reason behind the rise of cholesterol in the body but eating it once during the whole season did not affect anyone’s health. They are quite easy to be prepared so avoid eating pakoras at road side stalls and start the intake of home-made healthy pakoras.

In southern parts of India, pakoras are known with the name Bajji. This hot, crispy dish is famous in Pakistan too. But it is not treated as a separate snack rather it is served with curry and this dish is known as Pakora curry. It is also an important part of Afghani Cuisine. In China people used to refer it by the name Pakoda.

Pakoras come with its different flavors. There are various ways of making pakoras like onion pakora, paneer pakora, cabbage pakora, egg pakora etc. But here tastes and its nutritional value is the most concerning factors. So here are the few recipes that you can enjoy while sitting along the windows served with hot tea.

Onion pakora:

During monsoon season your tongue definitely demands something crunchy, something spicy and something hot and then suddenly onion pakoras rings a bell and the aroma of these onion pakoras are felt. It is very popular and common snack preferred during this season. It has a quite simple recipe and ingredients required are easily available in everyone’s kitchen. Ingredients required are:
- 1/2 cup Besan
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 large Onion
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
Initially take sliced onion and put turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt to it. After mixing all the ingredients add besan to it and at the same time pour water to it so that sliced onion is properly coated with the besan. Take oil in a frying pan and allow it to be heated for some time. After this slowly add the prepared batter into it and allow the pakoras to be fried. The excess oil must be absorbed with the help of paper. Now onion pakoras are ready to be served with hot chutney or sauce.

Paneer Pakora:

Paneer pakora is another famous recipe for paneer loving people. Ingredients required are same as onion pakoras but instead of onion you need to have cubes of paneer and chat masala. Its recipe is again quite simple. Add cubes of paneer to the prepared batter of besan, red chilly powder, ginger paste and salt. Now let the paneer cubes marinate for half an hour. Now slowly fry this batter in the hot frying pan containing oil. After taking out absorb the excess oil and sprinkle the chat masala over it. Now the paneer pakoras are ready to be served.

Bread Pakora:

Evening snacks during the monsoon season with the hot cup of tea is one the best thing your tongue demands..! It is a popular street food in the northern parts of India. Ingredients required are:
- 2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp chat masala
- Salt
- Slices of whole grain bread
- 1 cup besan
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2-1 tsp chili powder
Boil the potatoes and mash them properly. In a bowl, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds and after they popped, add ginger, chillies, urad dal and onions to it. Now add salt and all the spices according to your taste and then add mashed potatoes to it. If it is the season of peas, then you can add peas also. Now take the slice of bread and spread the mixture prepared over it. Now cover this with another slice of bread and cut it into two pieces. Now prepare the batter with the besan, turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder. Dip the slice of bread into it and make sure it must be coated properly. Fry this coated slice in a pan containing oil till it turned reddish brown. Remove the excess oil from it and now it is ready to be served with chilly sauce or chutney.

Experiment with all the above discussed recipes and enjoy this monsoon with the different flavors of hot and crispy pakoras..!
July 30, 2014
Go on and try some Bread based meal
Bread is one of the oldest foods which people use in their daily life. It is available all around the world anywhere and anytime. It is the simplest and the easiest option available to the people whenever they are hungry and are not in a mood to do any type of effort. It is a type of staple food which is prepared by mixing water and flour together. The dough we obtained is then baked and given its ordinary shape. Since from the emergence of agriculture, it has found its existence and till now it has come up wide varieties which are differentiated on the basis of shape, size and color. Bread is sometimes taken as the most popular snack item and sometimes it is used as ingredients in our dishes. It is hard to believe the fact that bread has found its existence in religious rituals too in Europe and East Asia.

Bread is a rich source of carbohydrate and at the same time it consists of various other nutrients such as iron, magnesium, Vitamin B and fiber. Regular intake of bread will tends to increase the overall intake of grains in our body. So to maintain the regular amount of grain and carbohydrate in our body we must take the bread or dishes involving bread into our meal. To defeat the hunger, bread dishes are the best way as they are very easy in their preparation and at the same time it fulfills all the demands of our stomach. . Bread can also be used as an ingredient in various other preparations like bread crumbs are used to provide crunchy and crispy crusts. Some common bread recipes which are popular all over the world are:

Bread Patties:

It is a very famous snack which was originated and firstly prepared in Maharashtra. It is perfect when eaten in rainy season along with the cup of tea.

Ingredients:
- Chickpea and rice flour
- Red chili powder
- Baking Soda
- Carom Seeds
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Potato and green chillies
- Ginger paste and chat masala
Preparation:
- Heat oil along with mustard seeds, pinch of hing, ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Add green chilies which are chopped, turmeric powder and salt together.
- Add chat masala to the boiled potatoes.
- Take a bowl and add besan, rice flour, red chili powder, carom seeds, salt and any other spices if needed.
- Mix and add some amount of water and prepare a batter.
- Cut bread into a shape required. Spread the prepared potato filling on the slices evenly.
- Dip potato filled slices into batter and fry till it gets golden color.
The patties are ready to be served with tamarind chutney or mint chutney.

Bread Roll:

A Bread roll is hot and crispy in nature and is very popular in the northern parts of India.
- Large Potatoes and Green Chillies
- Pinch of hing and garlic paste
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Lemon juice and oil
- Coriander Leaves
- Bread slices
Method:
- Initially blend green chilies and garlic together and make a paste.
- Grind to make that into a coarse paste.
- Heat oil and add hing along with the paste prepared above.
- Also add turmeric powder to it.
- After this heat is turned off and the mixture is mixed with the mashed potatoes.
- Add potatoes with salt and lemon juice and mix it well.
- Then take the slices of bread and trim its edges.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Now take that potato mixture and roll it out into a desired shape.
- Stuff that roll in bread slices.
- Fry till it gets golden color and then absorb all the excess oil from it.
- Bread roll is ready to be served..!
Bread Cutlet:

Bread cutlet is a very appetizing and tasty dish liked by all the children. It is usually prepared on several occasions like parties, picnics and sometime eaten as an evening snack too. They are crispy and crunchy in nature.

Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Green chili
- Ginger piece
- Red chili powder
- Garam masala
- Mustard seed
- Oil and Salt
- Slices of bread
Method:
- Heat oil and add mustard seed and curry leaves. After 10 minutes, add mashed potatoes along with green chilies, ginger, red chili powder, garam masala and salt.
- Now make small round balls from that mixture.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Cover the balls with the slices of bread and evenly spread the mixture.
- Now heat the oil and let the cutlet to be fried in it till it gets golden in color.
- Take them out and sprinkle out the chat masala over it.
- Serve the cutlet with green chutney.
So if your mouth is craving for something chatpata.. And you are only left with bread, then go on and try these simple recipes to prepare a bread based meal.
July 30, 2014
Paparazzi Paneer

Paneer or Indian cheese is one of those such things which is unanimously a favorite milk derivative for all, despite the fact how much they hate the milk itself!!

Paneer is known to be widely favorite and commonly used in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, which is called by different names in the different parts of the country. it is called as sana in Assamese, chhena in Oriya and bihari and chhana in Bengali. Since the ancient times, paneer still remains the highly popular cheese used in the Asian cuisines.

Paneer is usually prepared by using vinegar, citric acid or yogurt which is added to the hot milk, in order to separate the curd, which is then drained using muslin cloth and the excess water present is drained out. The paneer which is then obtained is put in chilled water for a few hours in order to give it the desired shape and texture. In some cultures, the curd is wrapped in a cloth and placed under some heavy weight for 2-3 hours, which leads to a soft cheese.

Home made paneer consists of a total of 80 calories, 9 mg cholesterol, 84 mg sodium, 2 gm of total fats, 10 gm of total carbohydrates, 10 gm sugar and 7 gm proteins. It also contains 23% calcium and a good amount of vitamin A also. These all nutrients are known to reduce the risk of certain diseases like osteoporosis , malnutrition , supports bone growth, blood formation, strengthens the liver and facilitates the absorption of nutrients.

Some of the most common and popular paneer dishes include-

1. Shahi paneer

2. Paneer tikka

3. Rasgulla

4. Palak paneer

5. Rasmalai

The use of paneer is highly common in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh which have paneer prominently present in most of their dishes. Paneer or cottage cheese, has a delicate milky flavor and is used in a variety of dishes from curries to snacks to desserts. It is a rich source of calcium and vitamin D, and has less amount of calories.

However, here are some quick recipes for the yummy and mouth-watering panner:

1. Tomato Paneer-

This recipe is simple and speedy, which is low in fat content. It consists of paneer chunks tossed in olive oil, with mild spices, puree, milk and capsicum.

A. 1 tsp olive oil

B. 1 tsp zeera

C. 1/4 cup milk

D. 1 tsp garam masala

E. salt to taste

F. 1 tsp sugar

G. 1 1/2 cups tomato puree

H. 1/2 capsicum, diced

I. 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

J. chopped coriander leaves

In a pan, add olive oil, zeera and ginger-garlic paste. Add the diced capsicum and saute them for a minute. Now add the tomato puree, garam masala and sugar. Cook them til they leave oil at sides.

Add milk and mix well. Now add the paneer cubes, let it cook on a low flame for a few minutes. Do not over cook, as the milk added to it can curdle. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve.

2. Multani Paneer Tikka-

Thin slices of paneer with a mushroom mixture, folded and coated in besan mixture, and shallow fried till golden

A. 500 gm cottage cheese

B. 1 cup chopped spring onion

C. 2 cups white mushrooms, chopped

D. 4 tbsp grated cheddar cheese

E. 2 green chilies, chopped

F. 1 tsp ginger, chopped

G. 1/2 tsp garam masala

H. 1 tsp cumin

I. 1 tsp black pepper

J. salt

K. coriander leaves, chopped

L. 1/2 cup besan

M. 1 tsp refined oil

Slice paneer to thin long sheets, and drain off the excess water. In a pan, take 1 tsp oil, spring onions and mushroom and saute. Now, add cumin, salt, black pepper and garam masala. Let the mixture to cool down and dry down.

Add chopped ginger, coriander leaves, green chilies and grated cheese. Mix all of the ingredients well. Put the mushroom mixture on the sliced paneer, spread it evenly with knife till half its length and fold it. Prepare a batter with besan and water, which should not be too thick. Now dip the stuffed paneer in the besan mixture, and shallow fry in a non-stick pan till th epaneer slice sturn golden brown.

Serve the mouth-watering paneer tikka with mint chutney.

3. Til-E-Paneer –

A. 500 gm paneer

B. 2 tsp garlic paste’

C. 2 tsp ginger paste

D. 1 tsp black pepper

E. salt to taste

F. coriander leaves, chopped

G. 1/4 cup yogurt

H. green chilies, chopped

I. 1/4 cup white sesame seeds, roasted

J. onion rings, to garnish

K. lemon wedges, to garnish

L. oil to brush the paneer

Mix the paneer slices, garlic paste, ginger paste, black pepper, salt, yogurt, green chilies and white roasted sesame seeds in a bowl, add keep them for 20-30 minutes.

Place the paneer in a drip pan, and bake it in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, dab it with oil and bake in oven again for 10 minutes. This could also be grilled using griller.

Serve it hot, garnished with coriander leaves, onion rings and lemon wedges.

July 27, 2014
Sweet Dishes For Eid-ul-Fitr-
Eid-ul-Fitr is the religious festival of Muslims that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan during which they fast for 29 or 30 days from dawn to sunset. It is celebrated with great zest around the world and the greeting of “Eid Mubarak” (“Blessed Eid”) is exchanged between the merry-makers. According to some traditions, it is believed to have been initiated in Madinah after the migration of Muhammad from Mecca.

Eid-ul-Fitr is known for the variety of delicacies prepared especially sweets earning it the name of “sweet Eid”. Depending on the region, the types and forms of the cuisine vary but always include sweet dishes. While local sweets such as Gulaab Jamun, Ras Malai etc have been promptly absorbed in the Eid cuisine in South Asia, Baklava and other types of pastry type sweets are eaten in Turkey. After a month of continuous fast, we believe people have earned this. So let us have a look at some of the wonderful desserts that are prepared in this amazing festival.

1. SHEER KORMA

Sheer Korma is a popular vermicelli (saviyaan) dish which is almost synonymous with Eid-ul-Fitr in India and Pakistan. It is served during the Eid morning after the prayer and then to the guests who arrive throughout the day. Sheer is Persian for milk and Khurma is Persian for dates. It is simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients
1. 1 Packet vermicelli
2. 500 ml Milk
3. 1 cup sugar
4. 1 tbsp butter
5. ½ tsp flavoring agent like vanilla or rose water
6. ½ cup raisins
7. 20 whole cardamom pods
8. ½ tsp cardamom powder
9. 1 cup dry fruits like almond, cashews and pistachios
10. ½ cup fresh cream
11. ½ tsp saffron strands
12. Dates cut in small pieces
Method of preparation

1. Melt butter in a pan and fry vermicelli in it till it turns beautiful brown. Make sure that you keep the heat low so that the vermicelli is not burnt. Once ready, the vermicelli will absorb all the butter. Alternatively, fried vermicelli is also available in the market.

2. Mix ¼ cup sugar in it and then slowly add milk to it while constantly stirring the assembly. Increase the heat to bring the milk to boil.

3. Now add the raisins, dry fruits, dates, cardamom pods and the remaining sugar and mix everything properly.

4. Let the milk boil until it is reduced to half its original volume. Reduce the heat and thicken the korma to three-strand consistency.

5. Quickly add your favorite flavoring agent and fresh cream. Cover it and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Garnish with saffron strands, and cardamom powder and serve it to the delight of friends, family and guests.

2. BADAM PHIRNI

Phirni is a very popular Indian dessert that is prepared on a variety of occasions including Eid, Diwali etc. There are more than a few versions of Phirni varieties available, for example, Gur aur Badam ki phirni (Jaggery and Almond Phirni), Sugar Badam Phirni etc. Here we will discuss the phirni that uses Sugar.

Ingredients

3 cups Milk
¼ cup Rice
2 tbsp Sugar
1/4th Cup Blanched Almonds (sliced)
½ tsp Green Cardamom (crushed)
1/2 tsp rose water

Method of preparation

1. Soak the rice in water few hours before the commencement of preparation. Grind the drained rice into a smooth paste and add a little boiled milk to it.

2. Boil milk in a non-stick saucepan and bring it to boil. After boiling for a few minutes, reduce the heat to simmer.

3. Increase the heat to moderate and add cardamom, sugar and rice paste to it while stirring constantly. Allow it to thicken.

4. Remove heat and add almonds.

5. Put it in serving bowls and let it cool. Refrigerate it for some time and then serve.

3. SUFI MALPUA

The delectable Sufi Malpua is somewhat irresistible and that explains it popularity among the Muslim community around the world. It is not only served on the occasion of Eid but also throughout the holy month for iftar (meal to break the fast). It is easy to prepare and requires but few ingredients.

Ingredients

1 liter Milk
1/4 cup Maida
1/4 cup Suji
Ghee
Water

Method of preparation

1. Boil the milk till it reduces to half its original volume.

2. Roast the suji on a pan on low heat till it turns brown. Take special care so that it does not burn and turn black.

3. Add the roasted suji and maida to the milk while constantly stirring the mixture. Make sure that no lumps are formed and assembly is of smooth pouring consistency. Pour this batter in a big round bowl.

4. Boil water in a separate saucepan and bring it to boil. Add sugar to the boiling water and let it brew till it transforms into syrup of 1 thread consistency.

5. Heat ghee in a pan and pour the batter in it in the form of small pan cakes. Let it cook for a few seconds and then turn it over. Make sure that the Malpuas retain their fluffiness and softness and not turn too hard or crisp.

6. Dip the Malpuas in the sugar syrup and leave them in it for few minutes so that they absorb the syrup completely. Finally take them out of the syrup and serve!!
July 25, 2014
Delicious cake recipes

A party without an amazing and delicious appearing cake will feel incomplete irrespective of whether you are celebrating for a child or an adult. Kids specially await the arrival of the cake and when you have a unique and amazing idea, it adds more and more fun to the entire party. Birthday cakes can be prepared in any shape, flavor or size according to your wish at your home. As it is said “best birthday gift is the cake which is made by your mom, wife or sister”. So here are some recipes for making cakes on your own.

SIMPLE WHITE CAKE-

Ingredients-

2 eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 cup milk.

Recipe- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Flour and grease a 9×9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium sized bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir them in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder and then add them to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter becomes smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. In order to make cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

CHOCOLATE CAKE-

Ingredients-

2 eggs, 2 tablespoon softened butter, 50gm cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 175gm plain chocolate chips, 200gm caster sugar, 250gm vegetable oil, 125ml buttermilk, 275gm plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 250ml boiling water.

For Chocolate Icing- 125gm softened butter, 50gm cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons milk, 125gm icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee.

Recipe- Add the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl one at a time and beat them well after each addition, caster sugar, eggs, 2 tablespoons butter, oil, 50g cocoa, buttermilk and vanilla. Sift the baking powder, flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, add them to the sugar and egg mixture. Blend well and fold in the boiling water. Place batter in two greased and floured 20cm round cake tins. Divide the chocolate chips in half and sprinkle them over each pan. Bake at 180 degrees C for 25 minutes and then let it cool. To make the icing, begin by beating together 125g butte, 50g cocoa and icing sugar. Now add 1 teaspoon vanilla, milk and coffee. Beat until the mixture becomes very smooth. Add more icing sugar until you obtain the consistency you want. Spread on the cooled cake.

RAINBOW CITRUS CAKE-

Ingredients-

3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups white sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, 2 teaspoons grated lime zest, 2 drops orange food coloring, 5 teaspoons baking, 3/4 cup shortening, 4eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, 2 drops yellow food coloring, 2 drops green food coloring.

Recipe- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch pans. Sift together baking powder, flour and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until they become light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and mix them until each egg is incorporated, stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Divide batter into 3 bowls. In the first bowl, stir in lemon zest and yellow food coloring, pour into prepared pan. In the second bowl, stir in orange food coloring and orange zest, pour into second prepared pan. In the last bowl, stir in the lime zest and green food coloring, pour into third prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Assemble the cake and stack the layers together with the Lemon Filling in between the layers. Frost sides and top with Orange Cream Frosting. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE-

Ingredients-

200gm unsalted butter, 100gm caster sugar, 4 large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 100ml milk, 1 teaspoon instant coffee granule, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, 150gm chunky or smooth peanut butter, 125g light brown sugar, 250g plain flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 100g chocolate chips, chopped smaller, 1 heaped tablespoon of Camp coffee essence.

Recipe- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Slightly grease and flour a 25cm /10″ cake tin. Combine peanut butter, butter and both types of sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat them until they become light and creamy, about 3-5 minutes on low. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the baking powder, flour and salt. Gradually fold the sifted flour and milk alternately, into the egg mixture, stir them well after each addition. Divide the mixture into two equal portions. Add chocolate chips to one portion and mix. Blend the essence, coffee granules and cocoa together and mix lightly until the ingredients are well-blended to get a mocha-flavour and add this to the other portion. Put a ladleful of choc-chip batter into the prepared tin, top this with a ladleful of mocha-flavored batter and alternate the two steps until both portions are used up. To get a marble effect, draw a wooden skewer through the batter, and take care not to touch the bottom of the tin. Lightly shake the tin to get rid of any air bubbles.Bake in a preheated oven for 25 mins and then turn the oven temp down to 160 degrees C. Continue cooking for another 25 minutes. To test the cake, touch it lightly with the fingertips. If it is cooked through, the cake should spring back immediately when touched. Cool the cake in the mould for 5 to 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Leave it cool before srving.

July 22, 2014
Few reasons why you should have lemons in your kitchen!!

Lemon is known as one of the super foods with a myriad cosmetic and health benefits. Lemons are acidic in taste, but they form alkaline in the body. In fact they are one of the most alkaline-forming foods and this quality makes them great for maintaining and balancing a highly acidic condition in the body. Also lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, minerals and antioxidants which improves the appearance and condition of our skin, hair and nails. There are so many health benefits of lemons which are known for centuries.

Lemons are acidic to begin with but they are alkaline forming substances for the body fluids which helps to restore balance to the body’s pH. The two biggest are lemons strong antiviral, antibacterial and immune boosting capability. They are also used as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a liver cleanser and digestive aid.

Lemons increase peristalsis in the bowels and helps to create a bowel movement which eliminates the waste and helps with regularity. Squeeze one lemon and add its drop in a container of warm water and drink first thing in the morning.

Boosts your Immune system- Vitamin C plays an important and crucial role for our immune system and lemon juice is a rich source of it. The level of vitamin C in your system is one of the first things to plummet when you’re stressed, this is the reason why experts recommended to consume extra vitamin C during especially stressful days.

Remove blackheads- Lemons antifungal and antibacterial properties make them a natural alternative in order to treat pimple problems such as acne. Simply cut and open a lemon and rub it across your face. Otherwise, you can add a few drops of honey to a lemon half before applying it directly to the area where you have blackheads. You need to wait five to 10 minutes before rinsing off with cold water.

Reduces inflammation- When you drink lemon water on a regular basis, it decreases the acidity in your body, which is where disease states occur. It helps in removing uric acid from your joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation.

Abandon your anxiety- Studies have shown that lemon balm has a calming effect and therefore it helps in removing fatigue, nervousness, anxiety and tension. It is also believed that inhaling lemon oil helps in increasing alertness and concentration. It can therefore be used as a room freshener in offices to increase the efficiency of the employees. Whenever you feel tense, do not forget to sprinkle a few drops of lemon balm essential oil on a handkerchief to inhale.

Freshens your breath- Lemon also helps in relieving gingivitis and toothaches. Because the citric acid has an ability to erode tooth enamel, you may either hold off on brushing your teeth after drinking lemon water or brush your teeth before drinking it.

Leave the Fever- Fever and cold are due to a variety of causes, but the lemon is always helpful as a medicine. Here is a method which can be used to ease symptoms-add the juice of 1 lemon to a cup of hot water with honey and drink at once, then repeat this after every 2 hours until the fever or cold subsides. It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are dilute.

Liver lover- The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other poisons which liquefies the bile. Fresh lemon juice added to a large glass of water in the morning is a great liver detoxifier.

Cure corns- Lemon poultices when applied overnight are a good home remedy for calluses and corns. Place a slice of lemon which must be 5 mm thick on to the corn, then bandage it and fasten. Dab the affected area with lemon essential oil, it helps in accelerating the healing process. Take care to only use the undiluted oil on the callused area by using a cotton ball.

Fight Fatigue- World travelers, long distance walkers and explorers look upon the lemon as a God gift. When fatigue sets in, they must suck lemon juice by piercing the top of the fruit with a straw, as it helps them by acting as quick acting medicine and a lovely refreshment.

Good for hair- Lemons have positive effect also on your hair. Combine lemon juice and hair conditioner, then comb through strands, sit in the sun for a few hours and then wash it out. Repeat these steps at least once a week, and you will notice that your hair is significantly lighter.

Quit Insomnia- Few researchers have found that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs helps in reducing anxiety and promote sleep. The regular intake of dose of lemon balm increases mood and significantly increases alertness and calmness.

Soothe chapped lips- Another beauty tip or treatment which requires slicing open a lemon for your chapped lips. You need to rub the fruit onto your pucker, then wash off the next morning. The lemon juice will remove all the dead skin cells so that your lipstick goes on super smooth.

July 20, 2014
The Super Food Meal – Oat Meal

Oats – so pale, small and often ignored by children. Many people often look at the bowl full of oats- and say “ blahh!!”. While others gaze upon that same bowl full of oats, covered with thick clouds of steam over it. So are you an oat lover?

Oat meal also referred to as white oats, or ground oats from the Avena sativa, a widely cultivated cereal in temperate regions. The common oats are generally grown in cold and temperate region, but some oats are also grown in warmer regions and climate, known as the red oats. Among the top – most oats producing countries are United States, Russia and Canada. Other top ranking countries for its production also include Poland, France, Finland, Germany and Australia.

There are several reasons for which oats are thought to be the only option, for which they are thought to be healthy and nutritious.Here’s why you should take these oats – the wholesome grains :

Oats have impressive nutritional profile – one full cup of oats consists of 6 gm of proteins and 4 gm of fiber, fulfills 70% of manganese needs for the day, magnesium and vitamin B1 and imparts only 147 calories.

Oats make you full– though, the whole grain, the cooked oats contain only 147 calories. But don’t be mistaken. It is not the calories that make you full, but it is the fiber which makes the person consuming it full. The mechanism behind this is that, when one takes in oats, our body digests and absorbs it slowly, making us feel as if we are full, controlling the appetite and delaying the hunger pangs.

Oats are diabetes– friendly- since, oats are rich source of fibers, for the same reason they help in steadying the glucose level in the bloodstream. A fiber filled bowl of oats, not only helps you control your blood glucose level but also provides with much- needed nutrients. The only precaution to be taken is to, not to add too much of sugar as topping.

Oats help reduce cholesterol levels– among all grains, oats are known to have highest fiber that is gel- like. This gel like fiber of oats enters the intestine and traps those substances that are associated with high cholesterol. It is estimated that only 3 gm fiber is needed for a patient with high blood cholesterol, but remember that a bowl full of oats contains 4 gm of fiber.

Oats support healthy digestion– the insoluble fiber of oats enter the intestine and moving the food along, and preventing constipation. People with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and heartburn, who need a diet high in fiber and low in fats, can rely on this super diet of oats.

Exfoliates skin– in earlier times, people used to use oats to treat chicken pox marks, it is also used to hold moisture of the skin and to exfoliate the skin. These oats can also be applied to the itchy, dry and irritated skin.

Oats are not only nutritious food, but easily available and affordable. This nutrient dense food can be cooked in a number of ways.

Not only it can be eaten in breakfast in a bowl, but oats can also be added to cookies, cakes and breads to add – on the fiber content in them. It can also be sprinkled on top of smoothies, or can also be converted into flour.

Though oats should be taken in by everyone, but it should be restricted by those having celiac disease. Sometimes, oats are known to be adulterated with flour, that contains gluten and so should be avoided by those having allergy with gluten.

Some Indian oats recipes-

1. Oats upma-

A. 2 cups quick cooking oats

B. 3 tsp oil

C. 1 tsp turmeric

D. 1 tsp mustard seeds

E. 1 tsp urad dal

F. Curry leaves

G. 1 tsp sugar

H. 1/4 cup Green peas

I. 2 slit green chilies

J. 1/2 cup chopped onion

K. 1/4 cup chopped carrot

L. 1 dry red chilly, broken into pieces

M. Chopped coriander, for garnish

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add oats and turmeric and saute the mixture on the flame for 3-4 minutes. Keep this aside.

Heat the remaining oil in nonstick pan, and add mustard seeds to it. When seeds begin crackling, add urad dal , curry leaves, green chilies and red chilly. Saute the mixture on medium flame for a minute. Add onions to it, and saute it till it becomes translucent. Now, add carrot and peas and saute them for 2 minutes.

Add the oats mixture, sugar, salt and mix well and cook it by stirring continuously. Add 11/2 cup water to it, cover it and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve it garnished with coriander leaves.

2. Oats dosa-

A. 1 cup oats

B. 1/2 cup rawa

C. 1/2 cup rice flour

D. 2 chopped green chilies

E. Cumin seeds

F. Pepper

G. Salt

H. 2 tsp oil

I. Curry leaves

J. 2 tbsp curd

In a pan, add oats and dry roast them till they turn slightly brown. Now, cool them and grind to make in powder form. In a bowl, add powdered oats, rawa, rice flour, salt and curd. Mix them well. Add water to it, make it consistent and add cumin seeds, pepper, salt and green chilies to it and mix well.

Heat the tawa, when it is hot with your hands pour the batter on tawa and spread it. Add a little oil, to make it crispy. Serve it with sambar and coconut chutney.

July 20, 2014
Wants to gain some extra kilos..??

In this Neoteric world, mostly people seem to lose their weight or lose some kilos, but there are people who want to put on some weight and gain some extra kilos. These are the people who are thin as a stick and for gaining extra kilos they tends to move towards unhealthy food or junk food. They believe that extra intake of this unhealthy food would help them to gain some amount of fat, but in reality it is not so. These foods help them to add weight, but at the same time they add bad fat to our body and make it unhealthy. So it is suggested to have such food in our meal which tends to increase the amount of nutrients in our body and increases our energy level.

People may be skinny and underweight due to a variety of reasons other than the hierarchy problem. It may be inadequate habit of feeding, long amount of gap between their meal time, bad selection of dishes, large workouts, etc. Sometimes diseases may also be the cause of underweight like cancer, tuberculosis, eating disorders and hormonal imbalances. So apart from sticking to the fact that you are underweight you must change your eating habits, selection of food and get back to a normal health. Eat butter, cheese, paneer in your meal is the very common advice you can get from everyone. But the question is: Are these three things sufficient for gaining weight?? Actually, extra intake of these items can have a bad effect on the heart

Salmon is the food which is rich in protein, so daily intake of two servings would help you to increase your protein level and helps in gaining weight. It consists of omega-3 fatty acid in it which helps it earn a title of health-supportive food.

You can take peanut butter too. It is a paste made from roasted peanuts. It is being a good source of saturated fats and vitamins helps to increase the energy and make you more fit and fine. It is preferred and generally served with bread so that with just one serving 192 calories is added to our diet. This is the healthiest way and the best choice for the people who are trying to gain weight. While taking this, make sure it contains a less amount of sugar in it. This is the main source of Vitamin B3 and folate.

You can take eggs with your meals and this is the only food which suits to everyone’s pocket. It provides proteins, Vitamin A, D and E and add a good amount of cholesterol to our body and helps in gaining extra kilos.

Start your morning with Granola. It is the most nutritious diet one can have in his/her breakfast. It consists of nuts and oats, which are sufficient for providing a good amount of calories in our body. Natural Granola is a cereal which has no added sugar in it. We can also add some dry fruits to it and enjoy this with thick yogurt to have a delicious experience.

For glowing and shiny skin you know nothing could have been better than the fruit juice, but do you people known it plays a significant role in gaining extra kilos too. With the intake of fruit juices, whether it may be of watermelon, apple, strawberry, etc. increases our energy and nutrient level. And also due to the presence of sugar it helps in gaining weight. According to food experts’ mango, banana and pineapple are the best choice you can make and if it is not possible to eat all of them one by one then you can blend them together. This serving would be full of sugar and can provide you energy.

You can take dry fruits and oats at least one time in a day and if possible morning is the best time. It is very fast and quick method to add calories along with the nutrients to the body rather than fresh ones. Oats contain fibre together with various nutrients so intake of these seems to be good for skinny people.

Bananas are the most easily available and in budget fruit in the market. Intake of two bananas in a day can prove to be fruitful. Generally people used to take these bananas with the milk in the morning so that along with the calorie proteins also add to our diet. People who used to workout, take these bananas on a daily basis as it is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients.

Indulge yourself in a habit of exercising every day. It will regularly tune your body and maintain the level of intake of nutrients. It maintains the flexibility of our body and helps to make our muscles stronger. It indirectly helps in gaining our weight.

These are some of the ways to shut the mouth of those people who usually comment you as skinny and thin. Try these and gain some extra kilos to look more perfect.

July 1, 2014
5 Things you gotta know about Meditation
Whenever “MEDITATION” word crosses any where we tend to imagine Yogis or mental training. That doesn’t mean meditation don’t involve them in the picture, it’s just not the whole scenario. Yes! Meditation is needed. Why? It’ll be discussed further in the post, but let us first free ourselves from the preset definition of Meditation in our minds and start from the basic.

One of the defining features for living beings as we all know is Sensitivity. What’s sensitivity? It involves ability to adapt after we sense our environment. Humans gain sensitivity through Consciousness. Consciousness means forming a perception or being aware, of ourselves and our surroundings. In other words, through our consciousness we sense around the environment and respond respectively.Robots or machines if called simplistically are made by humans; still there is scope for collaborating conscious into their intelligence which is called Artificial Intelligence. Hence, being conscious is a unique feature of us, Humans!

Now, there are three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping. When we are awake, we sense our surroundings and respond to the situations we encounter. But, if we just have a normal stimulus-response relationship with our environment, why do we encounter conditions like stress? Because, every day we wake up and try to do activities that pleases our senses. The fascinating thing about our senses is like any other system in our body its needs increases exponentially with time. So, we can never satisfy them and the exhaustion resulted from this pursuit results in most cases of stresses. In the world where competition weighs everything down, we aren’t in a situation to compromise with the best we can give. So, it all comes down to increasing your potential to be a better person than a second before.

What do we need for that?

Calm and composed mind gives clarity to the thoughts in our mind which facilitates decisiveness, Coherent while communicating and gaining Emotional stability, intuition are just some of the mention able benefits.

So, Why Meditation?
1. It calms the “Freak-ish” side of you.
At situations when you don’t know why you were screaming at that person or flipping out or just runaway from there,

reason behind them are some unsettled thoughts and emotions which had been buried or repressed for some reason. Point to be made is neither you nor others like this side of you. Meditation drifts mind from the chaotic state to more stable disposed one, in this state you are able to focus all your energy to relax your mind. The repressed thoughts and emotions are if not resolved then at least isn’t projected as anger or frustration. So, after you’re done with meditating for a while; the calm mind forgets about the happenings and is ready for a fresh start.
1. You become Smarter!
Yes, it’s true and sure is so much heard from our parents, elders or counselors.

Now, come on it’s not like you meditate once in a month or week and you expect to top your boards. Once you cultivate a regular habit of meditating, it increases an individual’s focusing power which improves attention. More you give attention to something, more you will be grasping that topic.
1. You’ll be upgraded!
Yeah, it has been found out that meditation increases an individual’s level of consciousness. The benefit of evolving your level of consciousness is that the amount of disorder or disturbances in the life seems to be negligible. This means that with regular assimilation of meditation trivial disappointments would last for like a moment for you, not occupying all of you, all day.
1. Apart from mind, it’s good for your body too!
Meditation has been found to stimulate parasympathetic nervous system that is responsible for fight or flight response for the body. It calms down the body from the provoked state. This reduces the anxiety level for the individual which in due course of time can even treat disorders like insomnia.

It slows down the respiration making an individual take only longer and deeper breaths. Why is it important? Every breath we take in gets oxygen and supplies it to the lungs which get transported to rest of the body from and we know oxygen is pretty important for every organ and system in the body. So, shallower and faster breaths cut down the time for this procedure, resulting in hasty transportation of oxygen and carbon di oxide.
1. Get rid of those blues.
Meditation balances the neuro-chemical system of the body which reduces not only anxiety but also depression and moreover increases your critical thinking power! How’s that?It also helps staying in the present moment and it affects all aspects of your life and relationships.

Meditation does or so more than that, it transforms one’s personality for good. Individuals get to know more about themselves and this brings about thirst for discovering more about enigma of life. The questions encountered after that like “What is life? And Why I go in a circle of happiness and sadness round and round?” will take you into a different yet exciting journey altogether. This will only enrich your consciousness more and more resulting in you perceiving the whole universe as part of oneself. However easy and insignificant it may sound, it’s important for a human to get the answers for the same in his or her lifetime.
July 1, 2014
Ooooo Sauce-y !!

Sauces are the splendor and glory of French cooking.

-Julia Child

I remember ordering an egg roll at Bedwin, a well known roll shop here in Kolkata. (To those who love their rolls, kindly don’t take offence) They served the egg roll with potato and onion filling and no ketchup or sauce of any kind. A healthy roll. Well, for me, that’s not a roll – it’s chapatti with potato and egg. I mean, where’s the sauce?

A roll without sauce is not a roll. Period.

A sauce, whoever insignificant it may seem, adds flavor, moisture and visual appeal to a dish. Nowadays, most of the sauces are store bought, like Soy Sauce, Tomato Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce and the like. But by watching Masterchef, the one thing I have learnt is that there’s nothing like a fresh home-made sauce. The taste of a store bought one is nowhere near its zing.

Anyhow, here are a few easy-peasy sauce recipes for you to try out (some even take less than 15 minutes to make) –

Barbeque Sauce

Time- 30 minutes

Makes- 450 ml

Ingredients- 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion (finely chopped), 400g can chopped tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped), 85g brown sugar, 3 tbsp malt vinegar, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp tomato purée

Directions- Heat oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook over a gentle heat 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add remaining ingredients, season and mix. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until thickened. For a smooth sauce, simply whizz the mixture in a food processor or with a hand blender for a few seconds.

White Sauce

Time- 15 minutes

Makes- 500 ml

Ingredients- 500ml whole milk, 1 onion (halved), 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 50g butter, 50g plain flour

Directions- Gently bring the milk to the boil in a small saucepan with the onion, studded with the bay and cloves (step 1, above). Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.Melt the butter in another saucepan, and add the flour. Stir continuously until a paste forms (step 2) – this is called a roux. Continue cooking for 2 minutes.Remove the onion, bay and cloves from the milk with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the infused milk to the roux gradually, stirring as you go, until you get a smooth sauce (step 3). Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened. Season well.

Tomato Sauce

Time- 50 minutes

Serves- 8

Ingredients- 4tbsp olive oil, 2 onion (finely chopped), 2 carrots (finely chopped), 2 celery sticks (finely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp sugar, 4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

Directions- Heat the oil in a pan and add the vegetables and bay leaf. Stir in the sugar with some salt. Gently cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomatoes and 150ml water. Simmer very gently for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced by two-thirds and is very thick. Stir occasionally, particularly towards the end of the cooking time, so that the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom. If you like your sauce a little thinner, then add a splash of water. Serve half with pasta and chill or freeze other half in 1-2 batches for later use.

Pesto Sauce

Time- 10 minutes

Makes- 250 ml

Ingredients- 50g pine nuts, large bunch of basil, 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), 150ml olive oil (plus extra for storing), 2 garlic cloves

Directions- Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally. Put into a food processor with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, then season.Pour the pesto into a jar and cover with a little extra oil, then seal and store in the fridge. It will keep in a fridge for up to two weeks.

Bread Sauce

Time- 25 minutes

Ingredients – 600ml milk, 50g butter, 1 onion (chopped), 6 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 3 thyme sprigs, 100g white breadcrumbs, 4 tbsp single cream or mascarpone, pinch nutmeg (freshly grated)

Directions- Simmer the milk, butter, onion, cloves, peppercorns, garlic and herbs in a pan for 20 minutes. Strain and return the liquid to the pan. Add the breadcrumbs and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cream or mascarpone. Add nutmeg, season and serve. Can be made up to 3 days in advance and heated up on the hob or microwave on Medium for 3 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

Time- 10 minutes

Servess- 10

Ingredients- 250g caster sugar, 142ml pot double cream, 50g butter

Directions- Tip the sugar into a heavy-based frying pan, stir in 4 tbsp water, then place over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bubble for 4-5 minutes until you have caramel. Take off the heat, and then carefully stir in the cream and butter. Leave the sauce to cool, and then tip into a bottle.

Butterscotch Sauce

Time- 10 minutes

Serves- 8

Ingredients- 100g caster sugar, 25g butter, 300ml pot double cream

Directions- Dissolve the caster sugar with 3 tbsp water over a low heat. Bring to the boil but don’t stir at all. When the sugar is a dark golden caramel, whisk in butter. Remove from the heat and stir in double cream.

July 1, 2014