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Best Recipes of Kerala

Kerala cuisine

Kerala’s food culture is mostly dominated by coconut.Kerala’s cuisine is one of the salient features of its culture.The cuisine of Kerala is hot and spicy and the people of Kerala love to experiment with variety of foods.In most of the dishes, people use coconut which adds additional flavor to those dishes.People also use chilies, curry leaves, tamarind in most of their dishes.Generally rice , curry leaves, vegetables for vegetarians and fish for non-vegetarians are the staple food items for the people of Kerala.A variety of desserts also form an internal part of their cuisine.Appam and Puttu are the tasty cakes that are prepared in Kerala.The Nendranga Chips of Kerala, that are made from Banana are famous across the world.The important spices that are used in Kerala cuisine are chili, cumin, dill seed, fennel, fenugreek and garlic.

Traditional Kerala cuisine

From ancient times, people from different cultures and traditions arrive landed in Kerala and due to their distinct cultures and cuisines,their influence also was greatly seen in the cuisine of Kerala.The state cuisine is broadly divided into that of the Syrian Christians, Malbari Muslims, Moplah Muslims and various Hindu communities.Depending on the type of these communities, the cooking style and taste changes.Many varieties of dishes are prepared using rice , vegetables, meat, sea food and few items are prepared using rice flour.Spices are generally used to add flavor to the food items.Meals with multiple items are served on banana leaves that add memorable dining experience.

Food items of Kerala

Kerala food items is not only about recipes, but it also reflects the cultures of different people in Kerala.Hindus in Kerala have a large vegetarian menu and use coconuts in most of their food items.Syrian Christians eat more fish and meat while Muslims prepare delicious bread and biryani.Keralites use coconut oil for cooking which keeps the cuisine distinct from other states.Kerala is famously known as the ‘Land of Spices’ which has attracted many traders and travelers from centuries. Because of the abundant availability of coconuts in Kerala, it is widely used in almost everything- from hot curries to delicious desserts.Unripe mango is also used in some fish and vegetable recipes.Here are some of the top recipes that you must taste when you visit Kerala.

Chemmeem Pollichathu:

Chemmeem Pollichathu

Chemmeem Polichathu is a prawn recipe made from mostly all types of required spices that adds its taste.The prawns are first marinated and washed with turmeric, chilly powder and salt.The pollicha masala is made and once the vegetables are cooked, turmeric, coriander are added and mixed with coconut milk.The marinated prawns are wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled on a hot plate by sauted masala to it and are served.

Fish Mappas:

Fish Mappas

Fish Mappas is the favorite food recipe of Kerala.This is a fish curry cooked with coconut milk and is a perfect combination with appams.As Kerala is full of lakes,fishes are abundant in marine life.Coconut milk adds additional flavor to these Mappas.Fish is marinated for 15 minutes and the fish pieces are heated on a pan until they are half cooked.Then,prepare gravy with the required ingredients and add fish pieces to the gravy.Thick coconut milk is added to the curry by rotating the pan.Put off the flame when the curry starts to boil and the recipe is ready to serve.

Meen Murringakka Curry:

Meen Murringakka curry

Meen Murringakka is a fish curry that comes from the House of Taj in Kerala.This delicious fish curry is made out of tamarind, coconut and drumsticks( famously known as murringakka in Kerala ).The recipe is heated along with onions and red chilies.This recipe is absolutely delicious and is usually served with steamed rice.

Cheera Thoran:

Cheera Thoran

Cheera Thoran with coconut is an everyday side dish with rice for Keralites.In Kerala, cheera is a variety of Spinach that grows in the backyards of their houses.Most popular among them are the red cheera and green cheera.Cheera Thoran tastes very good with hot white rice.Cheera is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.This is also a perfect combination with chapathi.Most of the people use this as a side dish along with meat curries, rice, appams, dosa and malabar paratha.

Kozikode Biryani:

Kozikode Biryani

This is a famous Kerala chicken biryani.Usually,the name biryani itself makes one’s mouth to water.The name biryani is derived from the Iranian word “birian”, which mean fried before cooking.There are many varieties of chicken biryani and is named differently depending on various places.Traditionally Kozikode biryani is made with rice and leg pieces of goat, but now-a-days people are making it with chicken, beef, egg, fish etc.In most of the special occasions, biryani is made in many houses as a special dish.This Kozikode biryani is made around Malabar Area in Kerala.This recipe is made out of rice, huge amount of spices, small amount of chili and one perfectly boiled egg.

Kerala fish curry:

Kerala fish curry

As Kerala is having many lakes, fishes are mostly seen in the Kerala cuisine.Fish curries in Kerala gets extra flavor because of the use of cocoum and coconut milk in their preparation.For preparing this recipe, we need a fleshy white fish and fry it by using onion, tomatoes, garlic, green chilis and coconut paste.This fish tastes great with appam, kappa, puttu, chapathi and rice.

Chicken Stew with Appams:

Chicken Stew with Appams

Chicken Stew is a traditional Kerala recipe usually prepared on sundays.Lightly spiced chicken stew is cooked in coconut milk with vegetables like potatoes and carrots.This chicken stew is mostly served as a breakfast with bread and appams.Appams are thick at the center and like soft paper at the edges.These appams form a tasty combination with any type of recipe.Appams with chicken stew will be a great combination for even breakfast.

Karimeen Pollichattu:

Karimeen Pollichattu

Karimeen is a type of pearl spot fish found in Kerala.This Karimeen Pollichattu is a typical and unique fish curry prepared in Allepey.The fish is marinated with rich spices and then baked in a banana leaf.This is one of the delicious fish recipe of Kerala.Once you eat it, you will always wish to eat it.

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
Food Delights!

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

– George Bernard Shaw

My sister-in-law loves food and everything to do with food. Recently, she took up the massive challenge of maintaining a food blog. Soon, she was deeply engrossed in it and then, gradually all her experiments with food started to bloom– “How about I mash this up and then add a bit of that? I have a gut feeling that it will work”. Well, most of them did. Being The Taster, my job was easy-peasy and I genuinely loved all her food.

From healthy snacks such as South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing to the not-so healthy ones (but super tasty!), like the Gujrati Kadhi; from the nice and sweet Melon Refresher to the spicy Cream of Chilli Soup– all were simply lip smacking. My favourite is her desi Mixed Vegetable Curry. It is an absolute hit among my friends as well. Hence, I thought I would be a little generous and share her super easy, super simple and super awesome recipes with my readers. So, here goes –

Cream of Chilli Soup

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients : 2 large corn tortillas (cut into 1/4inch wide strips, 3 tbsp butter, 1 cup chopped onions, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups of White Vegetable Stock, 1 medium potato (peeled and cubed), pepper (to taste), salt (to taste), 3-4 jalapeno chillies (chopped), ¼ cup fresh cream, 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)

Method: Crispthe tortillas in the oven. In a pan, melt butter; add onions, garlic, oregano and bay leaf. Cook until onions are soft. Stir in the stock, potato, salt and paper. Bring to a boil. Simmer till potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf and process the soup in a blender till smooth. Pass through a sieve and return to heat. Add the chillies and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and stir in the cream. Set aside until ready to serve. Reheat gently just before serving. Add the cheese and spoon thesoup into individual bowls. Sprinkle tortilla chips and serve immediately.

South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For salad- 2 cups of shredded lettuce or salad greens, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, ½ cup chopped white onions, ¼ cup sliced jalapeno chillis, ½ cup chopped red, yellow or green capsicum, ¼ cup grated cheese

For dressing- 1 cup medium ripe avocado (peeled, seeded and chopped), 3-4 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tbsp mustard paste, 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno chillies, ½ cup olive oil, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), cumin powder (to taste)

To garnish- 2-3 slices of avocado and a sprig of coriander

Method:

For salad- Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl, cover with cling film and chill thoroughly.

For dressing- Mash the avocado and drizzle lemon juice over it. Add garlic, mustard, coriander, vinegar and jalapeno chillies and mix well. Add oil in a thin stream beating continuously. Add ½ – ¾ cup ice cold water to get the right consistency. Ensure that the dressing does not get too runny. Cover and chill until ready to use. Pour the dressing in a serving bowl and pile the salad on top. With a salad fork and spoon, toss the salad gently to mix. Season with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Garnish with avocado and coriander. Serve immediately.

Melon Refresher

Time taken: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 250 ml natural yogurt,100g galia melon (cut into chunks), 100g cantaloupe melon (cut into chunks), 100g watermelon (cut into chunks), 6 ice cubes, wedges of melons( to decorate)

Method : Pour the yogurt into a food processor or blender. Add the galia melon chunks and process until smooth. Add the cantaloupe melons and watermelon chunks along with the ice cubes and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses and decorate with wedges of melon. Serve at once.

Modified Gujrati Kadhi

Time taken: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 tbsp yellow moong dal flour, 1 and a ½ cup sour low-fat curd, 2 and a ½ cup water, 1 inch ginger (finely chopped), 2 to 3 curry leaf stalks, ¼ cup coriander leaves, 2 green chillies (slit), salt (to taste)

For tempering- 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp asafoetida powder

Method: Combine the curds and moong dal powder, and then whip to a creamy consistency. Add the water gradually, making sure that there are no lumps. Then add the finely chopped ginger and salt to taste. Put this mixture to boil over a low flame. Stir to avoid lumps. Slit the green chillies and chop the coriander, and keep them aside. Dry roast the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add slit green chillies and asafoetida. If it burns, you can add a few drops of water. Once the dry tadka is well roasted, drop it into the boiling kadhi. Top the kadhi with freshly chopped green coriander, and serve hot with your recommended rice serving.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: ½ cup carrots (cut lengthwise), ½ cup beans (cut lengthwise), ½ cup eggplant (cut into 1 inch pieces), ½ cup onions (sliced lengthwise), ½ cup tomatoes (sliced lengthwise), 1 tsp ajwain seeds, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat oil to high heat in a frying pan (or non- stick pan). Add ajwain seeds and onions. Sauté until onions are transparent. Add the carrots and beans. Sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the eggplant and sauté until all the vegetables are cooked tender. Add turmeric powder, tomatoes, Garam Masala, chilli powder and salt. Sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes are tender, but not completely pulpy. Leaving the tomatoes half- cooked adds to the fresh flavor. Serve hot.

December 13, 2014
Healthy Bites!!

Fat makes you fat. It is as simple as that. So if you want to be fit, exercise regularly and maintain a balanced healthy diet.

It’s true that maintaining a diet is tough and requires a lot of determination, but if you put your heart to it, you will manage. You will succeed. Fight your unhealthy cravings. Even if you slip, don’t give up the diet all together. A slip here and there is Okay (but this does not mean you will make a habit of it). Exercising regularly is a must!

Do not stress about being fat. Stressing about anything is never a good thing. In order to help yourself to stick to the diet, try and make your meals attractive and appetizing. Make smart food choices. If you can put down the ‘ghee ka ladoo’ and munch on a juicy fruit instead, congratulate yourself. It is the baby steps that count.

Jump-start your day with a healthy breakfast. Never skip your breakfast. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do not starve yourself. Fill in the gaps with bite-size healthy snacks. Eat at frequent intervals but keep your portion in mind. Hydrate yourself throughout the day- drink 8 glasses of water. Have a light lunch. End your day with a low calorie yet filling dinner – so that your tummy doesn’t start rumbling in the dead of night.

*Healthy Breakfast*

Dalia Upma with Vegetables

Time taken: 16 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 3 cups broken wheat dalia, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 carrots (diced), 1 small capsicum (diced), ½ cup corn kernels, ½ inch piece grated ginger, 3 slit green chillis, a pinch of asafoetida,a pinch of turmeric powder, ½ tsp mustard seeds, a handful of curry leaves, 2 tsp oil, 2 cups water, chopped coriander (for garnish), 2 tbsp lime juice, salt (to taste)

Method: Roast dalia in a pan on low flame until light brown in colour. Remove from pan and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds splutter, add grated ginger and slit green chillis. Add chopped onion. Stir. Then add other diced vegetables. Stir for about 5 minutes and add dalia. Season with salt and turmeric. Add 2 cups water and put in pressure cooker till dalia is soft and crumbly. Blend in the lime juice and top with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

*Healthy Lunch*

Tomato Fish

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the main prep- 4 medium-sized pieces fish fillet (any firm fish fillet), 2 onions (finely chopped), 1 green capsicum (cut into julienne strips), 2 green chillis (slit vertically), 2 inch piece of ginger (cut into julienne strips), handful of mint leaves (chopped), salt (to taste)

For the sauce- 1 onion (chopped fine), 4 tomatoes (chopped fine), 4 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, ½ cup water, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method:

For the sauce- To make the sauce, simmer the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and chilli powder together for 20 minutes. Sieve the sauce and discard the tomato skins, then return the sauce to a clean pan. Heat the pan again, stir the sauce. Mix the arrowroot powder and water to a smooth paste. Add it to the tomato sauce, along with the wine vinegar and sugar, stirring continuously till the sauce thickens.

For the fish- Heat the oil and fry the chopped onions until soft. Remove onions from the pan and set aside. Add the fish and salt to the same oil and brown the fish gently on both sides. Add the previously fried onions to the pan along with the slit green chillies, ginger and capsicum. Pour the tomato sauce over the fish pieces. Cook the fish for about 5 minutes then take the pan off the fire. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice.

*Healthy Snack*

Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake

Time taken: 1 hour 10 minutes (including preparation time)

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 medium sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp prepared mustard, 2 tsp teriyaki sauce, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt (to taste)

Method: Cut the two chicken breasts into four pieces and pound each one to an even flatness. Place the chicken pieces into a large zip lock pouch. Add all the sauces into the pouch and seal it up properly. Shake the bag, allowing all the sauces to blend together. Keep the pouch in the fridge for half an hour. Heat your oven to 350 degree Celsius. Get the bag out of the fridge and once again, shake it vigorously. Then place the chicken pieces in a foil tray and bake for about ½ an hour, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. You can flip the pieces over once, for even browning. Your Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake is ready.

*Healthy Dinner*

Grilled Sandwich

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 large slices whole wheat bread, 1 medium onion (chopped fine), 2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine), 1 capsicum (chopped fine), ½ tsp jeera-dhania Masala, ¼ tsp ground pepper, 16 pieces low-fat paneer cubes (1 inch x 1 inch, crumbled), 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp butter, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat 1 tsp oil in a non- stick pan. Add onion and tomato. Cook them to a pulpy consistency. Add the powder masala and salt. Blend well. Then add the crumbled paneer. Stir. Adjust seasoning to taste. Lightly butter the bread slices and place them buttered side down on a plate. Then, heap the paneer mixture evenly on 2 of the open slices (buttered side remains down). Use the remaining 2 slices to cover the lower slices, like a sandwich, making sure the buttered side is on the outer side facing up. This sandwich can be toasted in a sandwich toaster, or simply put onto a hot pan to brown. On a pan, toast the slices to a crisp golden brown on one side, then flip over, to brown on other side. If you are using a pan, you may need to seal the inner edges by lining the inner side with a few drops of water before it goes onto the pan. In a sandwich toaster, remove from toaster when golden brown. Cut each sandwich into two triangles.

Stay Fit. Stay Healthy.

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
Easy Ragi Recipes

HISTORY

Ragi, also known as Elusine corcana, has been cultivated in India as far back as 4000 years ago. Today many Indian states produce Ragi and Karnataka is the top producer with 58% of India’s export share. It is also known as Finger Millet in the southern part of India and Nachni in the northern side.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Ragi along with oats is one of the most nutritious food and also an easy one to digest. It is rich in calcium, protein and also iron and other minerals. It is rich in unsaturated fat which is good for the body and helps in weight loss. The presence of Tryptophan in Ragi reduces appetite. As compared to white rice, it contains high fiber which helps in digestion and also helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body. Patients suffering from anemia and low hemoglobin should include more ragi in their diet because it is a rich source of natural iron. Also, it is a natural relaxant and helps patients suffering from insomnia. It is used as an excellent baby food in the southern parts of India. Ragi porridge is given to the baby for bone growth and overall development.

But after seeing all these health benefits, ragi should not be consumed in large quantities. High consumption of ragi leads to increase in the quantity of oxalic acid. Hence, it is not advisable for patients suffering from kidney stones.

So here are some of the easy ragi recipes that can be tried at home.

A)     RAGI BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour-1 cup

Powdered sugar- ½ cup

Butter- ½ cup

Cardamom powder- ¼ cup

Baking powder- ¼ tsp

METHOD

1)      Roast ragi flour in a pan for 5 min.

2)      After roasting it add sugar, butter, cardamom powder and baking powder to it and mix it well.

3)      Make it as a ball and place it in a greased tray. Leave enough spaces between the biscuits.

4)      Bake it in an oven at 300f for 20 min.

5)      Cool it and store it in a tight container.

B)      RAGI COCONUT MILK HALWA

INGREDIENTS

Ragi- 1 cup

Coconut milk-1 cup

Sugar -1 cup

Cashew (fried) – 5

Cardamom powder- a pinch

Ghee- needed

METHOD

1)      Soak ragi overnight.

2)      Grind ragi and extract milk.

3)      Mix ragi milk, coconut milk and sugar in a pan and cook.

4)      Add ghee and stir continuously.

5)      When content thickens and ghee starts leaving the contents, remove the pan from the stove.

6)      Add cashew and cardamom powder to it.

7)      Transfer the contents to a greased tray.

8)      Cut into desired shape when it is cool.

C)      RAGI WHEAT DOSA

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour-1 cup

Wheat flour- 1 cup

Butter milk- for mixing

Salt- to taste

METHOD

1)      Mix the ingredients well.

2)      The mixture should be of the thickness of regular dosa batter.

3)      Keep it overnight and make dosa the next day.

4)      Serve it hot with any kind of chutney.

D)     RAGI COCONUT LADOO

INGREDIENTS

Ragi- 1 cup

Powdered jaggery- ¼ cup

Roasted peanuts- ¼ cup

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

Salt- a pinch

METHOD

1)      Take flour and salt in a bowl and water to it little by little while mixing it.

2)      Add grated coconut to it and steam the mixture for about 10-15 min.

3)      Lay the mixture into a tray and let it cool.

4)      Add jiggery and peanuts to it and blend it well.

5)      Roll them into lemon sized balls.

6)      Store it in a tight container to use it longer.

E)      RAGI COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour- 1 cup

Brown cane sugar- ½ cup

Green cardamom powder- ½ tbsp

Ginger powder- 2 pinches

Baking powder- ½ tbsp

Oil (rice bran) – ½ cup

Egg (whisked) – 1

Salt- ½ tbsp

METHOD

1)      Mix ragi flour and cardamom powder in a bowl.

2)      Roast this mixture for a minute or two in a pan till the color changes a bit.

3)      In a bowl break an egg and whisk it.

4)      Now add roasted ragi and sugar into it and mix it well.

5)      Add dry ginger and salt to it.

6)      Now add oil and mix it well. Now the mixture looks like a dark dough.

7)      Make round balls and then flatten them in your palms.

8)      Pre-heat the oven for about 5-7 minutes.

9)      Keep the cookies in a pan with butter paper on it.

10)   Place the biscuits with about an inch away from each other.

11)   Bake it for 8 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.

F)      RAGI OATS LADOO

INGREDIENTS

Ragi flour- 1 ½ cup

Oats flour- 1 cup

Dates (ripe) – 20

Milk- ¼ cup

Honey- ½ cup

Ghee- 3 tbsp

Green cardamom powder- 1 tsp

White sesame seeds- ¼ cup

Coconut powder- ¼ cup

Cashew nuts- 12

METHOD

PREPARATION

1)      Roast the oats lightly and grind them in a mixture.

2)      Take about 15 dates in a bowl and remove the seeds from it.

3)      Add milk to it and make it into a paste with the help of a blender.

4)      Cut the remaining oats into small pieces.

5)      Dry roast white sesame seeds.

6)      Dry roast cashew nuts.

COOKING

1)      Take 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan and roast the oats flour on low flame for few minutes.

2)      Now take another pan and add the remaining ghee to it. Add roast ragi flour to it and heat it in low flame till the rawness is removed.

3)      Add oats flour to the ragi flour and mix it well in low flame.

4)      Add dates paste to it and mix it well.

5)      Now add half of honey and mix it.

6)      Add cardamom powder to it and keep the pan in a low flame.

7)      Take the pan out of the stove and let it cool.

8)      Now add the pieces of dates.

9)      Now add the remaining honey and mix well into a dough.

10)   Now take some dough and add a cashew to it and make it in the form of a ladoo.

11)   Mix sesame seeds into coconut powder.

12)   Roll the ladoo in this mixture.

13)   Do the same with the remaining dough and serve it.

December 8, 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
10 Scenic Driver’s drives…

Do you love long road trips? Yes, The long drives with awesome scenic views and spectacular roads. In this busy, impatient world, in this technology driven era, Reaching from Point A to Point B is often can be covered in few hours by airtravels, fly from jets and the metros. But that relaxing, meditating kind of long trip is something worthtaking.

There are million of miles of roads paved by milions of people across the earth, but driving through some of them is actually breathtaking with all the scenic beauty and beautiful views it has. There is a famous saying that,” the journey is more important than the destination.” But the picturesque road travels I have mentioned here are sure to be paved by any wanderlust. Instead of simply being a part of the journey, these roads are so awe-inspiring, stupendous that they have become a destination in itself. If you wanna have such experience, just fasten your seat belts, take your beloved ones and hit the road.

Great Alpine Road, France: The Great Alpine road a.k.a Route des Grandes Alps, is a 425 mile road through French Alps, connecting Lake Geneva and the French Riviera. The scenery outside is Stunning. Consider driving through the South, you will be enchanted by snow capped mountains, valleys and glimmering lakes. You will find number of cols or mountain passes, which have dangerous curves and steep offs. Just drive slowly from the curves , Yes, the most exciting and highest paved pass in the alps such as Col de I’Iseran. You will just love your journey and all the views as you fasten through the alps.

Pacific Coast Highway, California: This route runs along the Pacific coastline of U.S. state of California. It is one of the crown jewels of America’s national scenic beauty. This is 656 miles long route which runs along the State coast from Orange County to Mendocino County and you will encounter some very fine scenery from start to finish. The best spots along the drive include Monterey, the Bixby bridge In Big Sur, being one of the most photographed places of all California. The whole route is super awesme in itself.

The Amalfi Coast, Italy: Possessing some of the most beautiful views of Italy, this drive is along the southern coastline of Sorrentine Peninsula. In UNESCO’s words , The Amalfi Coast drive is “ An outstanding example of Mediterranean landscape.’ This legendary drive is having exotic views of teal Mediterranean Sea. The road passes through terraced coastal villages , cliffs an towns. But drivers should go little slow as much of it is narrow, so driving through it can be tricky.

Manali-Leh Highway: Situated in North India, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, he spectacular route is completely beautiful, covered with snow-clad Himalayas, glaciers, streams and high-altitiude plains. This 40 km highway is a epitome of adventure at every step with magnificent views. The route is opened only during summer months, between June to October and it connects Manali valley to Lahaul and Spiti valleys and Zankar valleys in ladakh. The two-day drive of Manali-Leh highway will take you through five mountain passes, including Rohtang la, Taglang La, being the highest point in the whole journey. Just keep your Camera ready for the awesome moments.

Yamuna Expressway: Newly built Yamuna Expressway is perfect for those who love speed as the whole route is straight stretch with very less twists and turns. The 6-lane, 165 km long, controlled-access Yamuna expressway, connects Greater Noida with Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in just over 2 hours. You will be encountered with green fields, sundry villages, open spaces. You will just go on and on on the runway, the only interruption you may face is the five-toll plazas. So, gear up your car or bike and enjoy the ride.

Mumbai-Goa Highway: This exciting road connects the one city being Bollywood-oriented and other being Beach-oriented and the hghway is busiest of all. It is scenic because it is both smooth and picturesque. The NH-17 , 600 km stretch runs from Mumbai to Thiruvanathpuram, winding its way through Western Ghats and covering up Konkan Coastline. There are many attractions on the way like Trekking at the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, birdwatching and many panaromic views, ready to be captured. The surrounding clouds kissing the greenest hills having steep turns just makes it a thrill and must go.

Guoliang Tunnel Road, China: This is carved along the side of and through a mountain in China. Simply, photos of road are scary to imagine drive off this whole way out. But its is very exciting and adventurous, Just be little cautious and you will have the most heroic experience of your life. Its been called the road which doesn’t tolerate any mistakes, high up in the Taihang mountains of eastern China and is just 12 feet wide by 15 feet high. The road was actually built by local villagers to connect the Guoliang with the outside world, since then it has become a major tourist spot. Throughout the road, there are stunning views from the cliffs into the valleys. Just dare to go and enjoy it.

Atlantic Road, Norway: The ride of Atlantic Road, part of Norway country gives you breathtaking views of Westfjords and surprising glimpses of whales, seals and exotic birds along the way as an added attraction. The road is famed for its 8km long Zigzagging along the Norwegian coastline. The road is built in such a way that there are many thrilling rises and falls with the contours of the land in many places giving an optical illusion of the road ending in mid-air. But don’t worry as bridges continues smoothly. It perfectly a roller coaster ride with spectacular views from your four wheelers.

The Overseas Highway, Florida Keys: It is a 127.5 mile highway through the Florida Keys, carrying U.S. route no.1. This was built in 1938 on top of what was once Overseas Railroad and that was destroyed by the Labor Day hurricane that swept through Florida Keys in 1935. The overseas Highway stretches mostly over water across 42 bridges between Key Largo and Key West. You can encounter some of the most awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets here on The overseas highway. It’s a wonderful sensory experience. The road is something, not worth to be missed.

Interoceanic Highway, Peru-Brazil: The interoceanic a.k.a transcontinental highway in Peru and Brazil, connecting the two South-american countries. The newly constructed highway, completed in 2011 and is stretched across 2600 kms. The route passes through very dramatic contrasting landscapes. Running along Peruvian coast, through remote stretches of the Andes and dense Amazonian rainforests. Inbetween, you can take a diversion to the famous ruins of Machu-Picchu.

Well, these were some of the most loveliest, adventurous, with spectacular views and dangerous twists and turns and these roads are really worth to be paved. The bucket-list of scenic drives is all yours. Just be ready with all the food, snacks, Kodak and go on to have the most memorable experience of your lives, either alone or with your loved ones. Pack your bags and plan the trip to the nearest of your places and eventually you wont resist experiencing the other roads too, which are farther but not irresistible for any driving lover. Just keep driving on and on don’t forget to take a break at some of the most prominent pointsin between the journey through these roads. If you are daring, you will simple love your ways out and destinations are also exciting where you will reach ultimately, but there is no replacement for journeys through these road. So, What are you waiting for? Break this monotony and enjoy the roads, and the mountains and the scenery and the water and much more.

Happy Driving. Happy Life.

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