Sunday, May 18, 2014

Crepe

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp butter melted

Directions 
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
  3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

At-home Facial recipe

Step 1. Wash the face, neck and ears with a good facial cleanser to remove any grime or dirt. 

Step 2. Exfoliate. Using your fingers, rub a gentle exfoliating scrub. Concentrate on the areas around your nose and forehead.
Scrub Recipe: 1 part oil to 2 parts sugar or salt.
Step 3: Steam. Fill sink with warm water, dip a washcloth in and press to your face repeating 2-3 times.

Step 4: Apply a Mask. Apply the mask, avoiding the areas around the eyes. Keep it on for 10-20 minutes. Rinse completely. Mask Recipe 1: 
  • 2 egg whites, separated from the yolk and placed in a bowl
  • 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt 
  • Separate the egg whites from a couple eggs and place them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt (do not use flavored yogurt!). Mix them up and apply to face. Leave on face for a few minutes then rinse face in warm water, followed by a warm washcloth.
Mask Recipe 2:
    • 1 tbsp oatmeal, finely ground
    • 1 tbsp live, organic yogurt (skip the flavored stuff)
    • A few drops of honey
    • Add the yogurt to the oatmeal in a small bowl and mix together. Warm a few drop of honey. To do this, warm a spoon under hot water for a minute, then add a few drops of honey to the spoon.

  • Stir the honey into the yogurt and oatmeal mixture. Apply the mask to the face. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with several splashes of warm water. Follow with a warm washcloth.
    Step 5: Moisturizer. Smooth on a soothing, basic moisturizer over your face and neck.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Dahi bhindi

Ingredients 
  • 200 to 250 gms bhindi/okra
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium ripe red tomatoes + 6-7 whole cashews, chopped – blended to a smooth paste
  • ½ cup yogurt/curd, whisked till smooth
  • 3-4 garlic + ½ inch ginger – crushed 
  • 1.5 tbsp besan
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ or ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp cream
  • 2 tbsp oil for sauting the okra
  • 1 tbsp ghee or oil for the sauce
  • salt as required
Instructions
  1. chop the okra or bhindi in 1 inch pieces.
  2. heat the 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
  3. add the chopped okra and saute for atleast 8-10 minutes on a low flame till they change color and are cooked.
  4. remove the sauted okra and keep aside.
  5. puree the tomatoes and cashews to a smooth paste in a blender or chutney grinder.
  6. with a wired whisk, whip the yogurt till smooth.
  7. heat up the same pan in which we sauted the okra.
  8. add 1 tbsp oil or ghee.
  9. crackle the cumin seeds first.
  10. add the chopped onion and saute till the onions caramelize or turn golden.
  11. add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for about 15-20 seconds or till the raw aroma goes away.
  12. add the tomato-cashew paste and saute till oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
  13. the onion-tomato-cashew masala paste has to be sauted very well.
  14. keep on stirring often for uniform sauting.
  15. the whole masala should come together and you should be able to see the oil or fat leaving the sides of the masala.
  16. add gram flour and saute for 1-2 minutes or more on a low flame till the raw aroma of the gram flour goes away.
  17. add all the spice powders and saute again for a minute.
  18. switch off the fire and place the pan down.
  19. add the whisked yogurt and water to the pan.
  20. stir well with a wired whisk and add the sauted okra and salt.
  21. keep the pan on the fire and simmer the sauce till the mixture starts to thicken and you see the oil or ghee floating on top.
  22. add the crushed kasuri methi along with the cream and simmer for half a minute

Kadai paneer

Ingredients
  • 250 gms paneer/cottage cheese, cubed
  • 5-6 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 or 2 green chilies/hari mirch, chopped
  • 6-7 garlic, crushed
  • 1.5 inch ginger, half crushed and half julienned
  • 2 green bell peppers/capsicum, julienned
  • 5-6 kashmiri red chilies
  • 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds/dhania seeds, roasted
  • 2 tsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
  • ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • ½ cup chopped coriander/cilantro leaves/dhania
  • salt or black salt
Instructions
  1. in a kadai heat oil. add the crushed ginger and garlic. saute these till the raw smell disappears.
  2. now add the chopped tomatoes. saute the tomatoes till they become soft.
  3. pound the coriander seeds and red chilies to a roughly fine powder.
  4. after 8-10 minutes add the spice powder to the tomatoes.
  5. saute the tomatoes till the whole mixture become like a paste and starts to leave oil.
  6. now add the juliened capsicum and chopped green chilies. and saute the capsicum for some 8-10 minutes.
  7. add salt and garam masala powder. mix these with the rest of the masala.
  8. its time to add the paneer. cook the paneer for 5 minutes in the masala.
  9. lastly add kasuri methi, julienned ginger and coriander leaves. mix and saute for 2-3 minutes

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Aloo Matar

Ingredients
  • 3 potatoes 
  • 1.5 cup fresh or frozen matar
  • 1 tsp jeera
  • ½ or 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder/dhania
  • 1 tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
  • 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur
  • 1 tsp chaat masala powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped
  • 2 to 3 tbsp oil
  • salt as required
Instructions
  1. heat oil in a pan. fry the cumin seeds first. then add chopped potatoes and peas and stir. saute for 7-8 minutes.
  2. add chopped green chili & ginger and stir for a minute.
  3. now add red chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder
  4. cover and simmer the veggies for 10-12 minutes or till done.
  5. Add dry mango powder, chat masala and garam masala powder.
  6. garnish aloo matar with chopped coriander leaves

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Aalo Gobi

Ingredients
  • 1 cauliflower 
  • 3 medium size potatoes
  • 1.5 inch ginger, chopped or julienned
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ or ½ tsp red chili powder
  • ¼ tsp garam masala powder
  • a pinch of asafoetida (optional)
  • a few coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
  • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
  • salt
Instructions
  1. heat oil or ghee. Add the aloos and saute for 8-9 minutes on a low flame.
  2. Add the gobi and saute for 8-9 minutes on a low flame.
  3. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
  4. Saute for a minute. Then add the ginger. Mix everything well.
  5. Saute the entire sabzi for 10 min. 
  6. Now, cover the pan with a lid and let the aloo gobi cook in steam for some 14-15 minutes on a low flame. Do not add any water. 
  7. sprinkle garam masala and mix it with the entire sabzi
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Baby cereal cookies

Ingredients:
1 mashed banana
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups infant cereal
7 tbsp milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375
Mix it all
Grease cookie sheet
Drop the mix about 2 in apart
Bake for 12 mins