Cooking Tips

• To make your dosa crisper, add a little sugar to the dosa batter
• To make softer chapatis, take flour in a bowl, add salt and little oil. Then add boiled water and mix slowly until soft dough is formed. Keep it aside for 15 min before making the chapatis.
• To get good smell and yummy taste of biryani add more onions and fry it more in oil along with little tomatoes.
• You can soak beans of different kinds in advance and refrigerate them once done. This way when you want to have rajma or chole, you can just take out from the freezer and cook without having to wait for another day or two.
• You need not cut vegetables everyday. Cut them on a holiday and keep those diced and chopped vegetables in air tight containers and refrigerate.
• In case you forget to soak chana/rajma overnight, soak the chana/Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking.
• To separate each noodle, after boiling the noodles put them in normal cold water immediately.
• To make homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chili last longer and taste fresher, add a tsp of hot oil along with salt to it 
•  Always add hot water to the gravy to enhance its taste.
• While using ginger-garlic paste in curries, always use garlic at 60% ratio and ginger at 40% as ginger being very strong makes your dish sharp and pungent.
• While making potato patties/tikkis, always make sure that the potatoes are boiled well in advance and cooled before you use them. It would be better if they can be refrigerated for a short time. This helps the starch in the potatoes to settle down and the patties/tikkis will not be gooey.

How to make coconut milk

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 2 & ½ cups grated fresh coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut 
• 3 to 4 cups water at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

1. take all the grated coconut in a blender jar.
2. add the 1 cup water and blend on high till the coconut is ground well.
3. strain in a cheesecloth/muslin or a fine sieve and collect the first extract in a bowl or pan.
4. this is the thick coconut milk or the first extract.
5. then collect and put back the coconut residue into the blender.
6. add 1 to 1.5 cups water and blend again.
7. strain and collect this coconut milk in another bowl.
8. this is the thin coconut milk or the second extract.
9. put back the coconut gratings again in the blender.
10. add 1 to 1.5 cups water and blend again.
11. this is thinnest coconut milk or the third extract.
12. strain for the third time and collect the third coconut milk in the bowl in which the second thin coconut milk is extracted.
13. you can also keep the third extract separate.
14. so the fresh coconut milk is ready. use it fresh in your cooking.
15. you can also refrigerate and use the coconut milk later.

NOTES

if using unsweetened shredded coconut, then preferable to soak the coconut in warm water for a few hours and then blend

Punjabi garam masala powder recipe

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

punjabi garam masala powder – an important indian spice blend added to dals and curries.

• whole coriander seeds/sabut dhania - ½ cup
• whole cumin seeds/sabut jeera - ¼ cup
• cinnamon sticks/dalchini - 3 inch 9-10 pieces
• cloves/laung - 2 tbsp
• indian bay leaves/tejpatta - 10
• big cardamoms/badi elaichi - 10/12
• small cardamoms/choti elaichi - 2 tbsp
• whole black pepper/sabut kalimirch - 1.5 tbsp
• whole dry ginger/sonth - 1 inch peice
• nutmeg/jaiphal - 1

INSTRUCTIONS

1. pick the coriander and cumin seeds of stones.
2. spread the whole spices on a plate or thali.
3. keep in the sun for 2-3 days.
4. grind the dry ginger first.
5. then add the broken cinnamon sticks and nutmeg.
6. grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
7. now add the rest of the spices and grind to fine powder.
8. mix both the spice powder batches well.
9. store garam masala powder in an air-tight container or jar.
10. you can also refrigerate garam masala powder.

Sirke wale pyaaz or pickled onions

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 15-20 small red onions or shallots
• 1 tsp white vinegar 
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ tsp salt or as required

INSTRUCTIONS

1. peel and rinse the onions.
2. place all the onions in a glass jar or ceramic jar or any non reactive jar.
3. add the vinegar, water and salt to the onions.
4. shake the bottle.
5. let the onion sit in the vinegar-salt solution for 2-3 days.
6. shake the bottle 2-3 times in a day.
7. serve the sirke wala pyaaz with any indian main course.
8. refrigerate after the onions are pickled.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Home Décor

While you plan to update your home décor, your heart goes all out with the ideas. You want to change the wall paints, overhaul the interiors and replace the furniture.  Most of you give in to the temptation of trying so many things at a time and as the end result, often find yourselves short of money, dedicated resources and time.

To help you out, here are a few pointers that will let you revamp your home in the best possible manner, that too within your budget.

Do:

Take a look around:

Before you hire somebody to do the construction work, glance through your home and estimate what exactly it needs? Does it really need the brickwork or just the plumbing needs to be fixed? Do you really want to change the wall paint you had last year? Look around and answer these questions first, if you still answer in affirmative, go ahead!

Set a flow

Create a flow in your home and chances are you don’t have to go all out for the makeover of your home. The flow implies the way your house looks. The tiny planter in the corner, the dining table in the middle or the shelves in the kitchen. Something that looks odd in the setting or doesn’t fit in, get rid of it.

For instance, a recliner in the traditional décor theme looks absurd but a rocking chair and colourful sofa with ottoman look amazing. While creating a flow for your house, you don’t have to abide the lines. Innovate and experiment to create a new energy for your home.  Change the bed linen, sofa covers or use wall stickers to get a revamped look as well as a fresh feel.

Give every room a distinctive personality

Be it dining room or living room, every corner of home should be well-defined and separated while interspersed in one flow. Use curtains, dividers, swings and benches to create a unique space.

Embrace the nature

When was the last time you had invited the subtle fragrance of roses and lilies in your home? That empty vase is calling out your name loud only to fall flat on the table.  Pick some flowers on your way home and yes, open some windows too and let the sunshine help you see your home with new and fresh perspective.

Don’t:

Indulge because you have to

Even if your account is brimming with cash due to a fat appraisal or simply because you need a change, don’t go on a shopping spree to buy furniture or hire somebody to change the paint or look entirely. If you go ahead with the decision when you really feel the need of it, the decision will be more fulfilling and you will be more satisfied with the results.

Let small spaces limit you

It doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or mansion; what matters the most is that you happen to love the place and it also exuberates the same positive feeling through the décor.  You should be able to call it a home and look forward to go back there after a hectic day’s work.

Clutter

Eliminating clutter will let you breathe a new life into your abode. Be it the newspaper junk, plastic bottles or the tin dabbas, strengthen your heart and bid them farewell forever. 

Hoping that these points for do’s and don’ts of home décor will let you have a fresh take on your home without splurging your hard-earned money when you really don’t need to.

5 Summer Care tips for your child

With the temperature rising up steadily, in most parts of the country, parents need to prepare themselves to deal with summer issues such as heat, skin rashes, mosquitoes etc. We rounded up 5 of the most common summer complaints and bring to you easy, doable ways of dealing with them:

1. Skin and body care: While we may not like to stop our child from getting his full share of outdoor activities, playing outdoors, post dawn, may expose him to a host of skin and health issues, the most common being heat-induced rash and sunburn. Talk to your doctor for an effective sunscreen and a cooling talcum powder (children as young as 3 can start using zinc-based sunscreens to protect their skin from sunburns). On a routine basis, a simple home remedy to maintain skin health includes, squeezing half a lemon in a bucket of bathing water. Also, you can explore planting and using aloe-vera gel as a relief from sunburn for your child.
2. Clothing: This one is a no-brainer! In summer, choose pure cotton, linen and mal-mal fabric for clothing—the concept being that the fabric should breathe and let the sweat evaporate from the skin. While in the day, a child can be clad in shorts and sleeveless clothes, in evenings, ideally cover legs and arms to protect your child from mosquito and bug bites.
3. Dehydration: The common belief says drink 8 glasses of water per day but experts say that this should not be made into a hard-and-a-fast rule. A child should drink lots of water, but do not force the child for 8 glasses. Instead focus on giving the child enough liquids which include fresh coconut water, nimbu paani, freshly-squeezed juice, a thin soup, thin lassi and daal etc. Aerated drinks and caffeine drinks could be avoided as they act like diuretics and cause the kidneys to lose water through frequent urination. You could also look at this blog while going for those fruit juices. 
4. Food: Eat fresh and eat light. Given the heat, food tends to go faster than you notice, so avoid feeding the little tummies food that has been kept cooked for more than 4-5 hours. Consume fruits as soon as you cut rather than storing them (including big-sized fruits such as watermelons). Children can become really fussy about food when they feel hot, so listen to their food choices and work around them to make food palatable and yet healthy such as a home-made pizza using wholewheat base, fresh vegetables and a home-cooked tomato puree.
5. Health issues: Summer months also mean frequent episodes of indigestion and mosquito bite-induced illnesses. Give your child, at least one helping of a gut-friendly food such as dahi in a day. Keep a watch out for any disturbances in motions—in the frequency, colour, smell etc. A home-remedy for purifying water stored in vessels is adding a few tulsi leaves to the water every day—a common medicinal herb, tulsi is known to inhibit bacteria growth in water. For the mosquito nuisance, use a natural, citronella-based mosquito repellent cream/spray. With an infant/toddler, with whom you are uncomfortable about using a repellent directly, apply ample quantities of it on the clothing of the child focusing on the collar, sleeves cuff, hair, pajamas (especially close to the ankles), and on the pram, stroller, cot railings and headboard and the bedding material.

Train Your Brain to Keep It Young & Happy

We spend much of our time to pamper our body so that we can stay happy and young but we rarely focus on building our mind. Our mind contains lots of garbage and stressful thoughts which can only be removed by feeding it with corrective and counter-balancing thoughts. The human mind is like a powerful machine, storing our memories and controlling how we as humans think and react.

And just like any machine it requires proper maintenance and care to ensure optimal performance over time. There is a natural connection between our mind and body so keeping your mind healthy & happy will also keep your body active. The idea is to get to the source which can help you keep your mind energised and happy.

Start reading books as this habit encourages positive thinking and helps you reduce stress from your mind. Reading is an active pursuit that forces you to think and keep your mind sharp. There are innumerable categories of books which can retrain your mind to scan for the good things in life. You just need to pick the right one and start reading it daily.

Solving puzzles & playing brainstorming games is another way which can help you in making your mind sharper and creative. People who regularly do these exercises get several mind benefits and have increased their brain strength. However, you don’t have to look for a good reason to do this activity. When you try doing this in your free time, it’s a lot of fun. You get immense and long lasting benefits out of doing puzzles on daily basis. It not only sharpens your memory, improves your brain function, but the clarity of mind and thought helps you clear out the clutter in your mind. You only need to take out some time from your daily lifestyle and this habit will surely do magic for your mind.

Listening to music is another way to keep your mind entertained and rejuvenate. Every fan of music knows the tremendous power it can have over both thoughts and emotions. The great music can transform an ordinary day into something magical, even spiritual. Search through the list of classical compositions by the legends of the music world like A.R. Rehman, Rahul Dev Burman, Shankar Mahadevan, Edward Maya, Bon Jovi, Bob Marley & the Wailers etc. Simply put on your headphones, turn on your favourite music and relax. This will give you mental peace and feed your mind with happy thoughts. When you enjoy to the music your mind and body are relaxing with each passing minute and gradually your mind will fall in line as well.

As a final word, if you think your mind doesn’t have the power to influence your happiness, think again. You just have to think positive and you will see the world of change within you!!

Ragi Biscuits: Healthy for kids

Ingredients
Ragi Flour - 2 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup (powdered)
Dalda/Butter/Ghee - 1 cup (soft and at room temperature)
Cardomon - 2 pods (crushed/powdered)
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch

 

Method
1. Dry roast the ragi flour for about 10 minutes until a nice aroma comes out. Do this on a very low flame to prevent the ragi from getting burnt.
2. Add sugar, butter/ghee, baking soda and crushed cardomon to this and mix well.
3. The moisture from the butter/ghee would be sufficient to make the dough. Add more butter if needed.
4. Make small lemon sized balls out of the dough and line it in a cookie sheet/ baking tray. You could also flatten the dough and cut out different cookie shapes using a cookie cutter.
   Note :  - Grease the cookie sheet with oil or line it with parchment papare to prevent cookies from sticking to it.
              - The balls should be of uniform size to enable uniform cooking.
              - Leave enough space between the balls to give them sufficient space for expansion. They will double in size while baking.
              - You could press in some sliced nuts on top (like cashews, almonds or pistacios) to make it more rich.
5. Bake it in a 300 degree F (150 C) oven for about 12-15 minutes.
6. This can be stored for many weeks and served as a snack to kids

Fresh fruit Ice pops for kids

Feel the freeze! There's nothing better than a cold snack on a hot Summer day. Fight the smoldering Summer heat by cooling down with these pretty fresh-fruit ice pops. They're so easy to make that you'll enjoy making them just as much as tots will enjoy eating them!

INGREDIENTS

1 peach, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1/2 cup)
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
3/4 cup strawberries, finely chopped

1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit punch

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine fruit in a mixing bowl, and arrange the mixture into 6 popsicle molds.

2. Pour enough juice into each mold to just cover fruit.

3. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until solid (about 6 hours).

A Tribute to Motherhood: God's Best Creation

God's Best Creation

Mothers  are one of the best creations of God. She has amazing powers. She can multitask without complaining. She cares for everyone without any demands. Read here and marvel at the wonder called - Mother.

By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into his Sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered and said, "Have you seen the special sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts, all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart, and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No Way!" said the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"

"And that's just on the standard model?" The Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement. "Yes, one pair of eyes is to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head is to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair is here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish. "

But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of rice and can get a two year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord".

"She is soft", Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?" asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." The Lord objected. "That's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything, for MOTHERS are truly amazing."

They have strengths that amaze men. They carry children, they carry hardships, and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up for injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without new shoes so their children can have them. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their loved ones get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage. They are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Mothers come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a mother is what makes the world spin! Mothers do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They give compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Mothers have a lot to say and a lot to give. 

Evening Snacks- Potato Lollipops for kids

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes,boiled and peeled
• 1 large carrot,boiled and peeled
• 3 bread slices
• 1 small piece ginger
• 2 teaspoons cornflour/maida
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder
• Salt
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Boil and peel the potatoes and carrots. Mash well. Crush peeled ginger in mortar and pestle.
2. Add crushed ginger paste,salt,chaat masala and cumin powder.
3. Soak the bread slices in water for 2-3 minutes,squeeze the water well and add to the potato mixture. Add corn flour/maida and mix well.Mix well to form a dough.
4. Shape into small lollipops from the dough and deep fry from till golden.
5. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Now insert lollipop sticks or snack pickers into each lollipop.
6. Serve potato lollipop hot with ketchup.

Notes

1. You can add boiled peas along with other veggies.
2.You can add amchur instead of chaat masala

How to Clean Gold Jewelry

Unlike silver, gold doesn't develop a dull tarnished finish over time. However, gold can still easily accumulate dirt and grime with normal use. To restore the shine to your precious rings, bracelets, necklaces and other gold jewelry, you'll only need a few household tools and ingredients. Just follow the steps below!

Put a few drops of liquid dish detergent in a bowl of warm (not hot) water.Mix gently. Though ordinary tap water will work fine, for even better results, you can use sodium-free seltzer water or club soda. The carbonation in these liquids can help loosen accumulated dirt and debris.

• Don't use hot or boiling water, especially if your jewelry contains fragile precious stones. Some precious stones, like opals, can crack if subjected to rapid and drastic temperature changes.
• Soak the gold jewelry in the solution. Allow the jewelry to sit in the water for about 15 minutes. As it soaks, warm soapy water will work its way into the cracks and crevices, loosening hard-to-reach buildups of dirt
• Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Scrub each piece of jewelry individually, paying special attention to nooks and crannies where dirt may be hidden. Use a very soft brush - the softer the better. Stiff bristles can scratch the surface of your jewelry. If your jewelry is gold-plated (as opposed to solid gold), especially stiff bristles can even remove the gold layer entirely!
• Special brushes designed for this purpose are best, but most small, soft brushes (like, for instance, eyebrow brushes) will also work.
• Rinse each piece in warm running water. A good rinsing will help remove lingering dirt that's been loosened by the action of your brush. Again, make sure the water isn't hot , especially if your jewelry contains fragile stones.
  • If you're rinsing your jewelry in a sink, plug or cover the drain so that you don't accidentally lose your jewelry if it slips out of your hands. Alternatively, rinse your jewelry in a pasta strainer or metal coffee filter.
  • Blot dry with a soft cloth. Then, let the jewelry sit out on a towel to air dry completely before wearing it again. If your jewelry is still wet, wearing it can trap moisture against your skin, leading to minor skin irritation.

Cleaning Jewelry with Glued-In Gemstones

• Know which types of jewelry should be kept dry. Pieces of jewelry with gemstones that are glued into their setting (like many earrings) should not be submerged in water. Warm water can loosen the glue, which can cause your gemstones to fall out, especially when subjected to a thorough brushing. For these types of jewelry, use a special cleaning method that avoids total submersion in water.
• Wipe the jewelry with a wet, soapy cloth. Make a small quantity of dish soap solution as in Method One. Dip a soft, delicate towel in the solution and gently scrub your jewelry.
• Rinse the jewelry with a cloth dampened with plain water. Gently dab a wet cloth onto the jewelry, taking care to soak up any leftover soap suds.
• Lay or hang the pieces upside down after cleaning. Allow your jewelry to dry in this way. By letting your jewelry dry upside down, you allow any remaining moisture to drip out, ensuring it won't soak into the setting.

Leftover Rajma Tikki

Ingredients

Leftover rajma masala 1 cup

Brown bread slices 2-3

Fresh mint leaves 10-12

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder  1/4 teaspoon

Potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed 3 medium

Onion finely chopped 1 medium

Oil to shallow

For garnish 

Onion cut into rings 1 medium

Method

Step 1

---

Strain the gravy from the rajma masala and put the rajma into a processor jar.

Step 2

---

Add broken brown bread slices, fresh mint leaves, salt and red chilli powder and process.

Step 3

---

Place mashed potatoes in a bowl and add the rajma mixture to it and mix well. Add onion and mix well.

Step 4

---

Heat sufficient oil in a non-stick pan. Shape the mixture into equal sized tikkis and shallow fry, turning sides, till evenly done and crisp on both sides.

Step 5

---

Garnish with onion rings, iceberg lettuce, thin strips of red capsicum and serve hot with pickles.