Simple Amla/ Gooseberry Raita

Ingredients:

* 3 Amlas
* 2 Green chillies
* 1 small cup of grated coconut 
* 1 Cup curd, beaten.
* Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

* 1 tsp cooking oil
* 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 red chilli
* A pinch of asafoetida
* A few curry leaves & coriander chopped finely.

Method:

1. Boil amlas till they are soft. Allow them to cool and de-seed them.

2. Grind the de-seeded amla with green chillies and grated coconut.

3. Add beaten curd and salt. Mix it well. 

4. Prepare seasoning by heating oil in a pan and adding all the other ingredients. 

5. Add the seasoning to the curd mix. Serve cold

Goodness of Amla: 

1. It is packed with vitamin C, amla increases immunity and guards against common cold and nausea.

2. Several studies on cancer have indicated that amla slows down tumor growth.

3. Weight-watchers should love amla, as it helps burn fat, and, when mixed with turmeric can even help lower blood sugar. 

Herbs for Dry skin

DRY SKIN IS A SIGN THAT YOUR SKIN IS THIRSTY AND NEEDS GOOD NOURISHMENT.

1.Almond oil hydrates and soothes the skin.It helps restore moisture and relieves irritation, inflammation, and itching caused by dryness.

2.Cocoa butter is used in various body lotions and lip balms. cocoa butter's velvety texture and moisturizing properties have made it a popular ingredient. Rich in antioxidants, it soothes cracked and dry skin. 

3.Sunflower oil is rich in vitamins A,C,D and E and helps repair damaged skin and retain moisture.

4.Wheat Germ oil softens and rejuvenates the skin. Rich in antioxidants, it helps soothe irritation, relieves itching and promotes new cell growth.

5.Neem oil relieves dry skin and soothes itching, redness and irritation. It also helps prevent wrinkles and moisturizes dry skin.

6.Aloe vera is a natural UV inhibitor. It hydrates, softens and helps retain the skin's natural moisture.

7.Cucumber cools, refreshes and help maintain skin's moisture. It has healing and soothing properties which will help heal damaged skin.

8.Pumpkin seed oil is great for your skin as it contains fatty acids, Zinc, Vitamin E and Beta-carotene. The oil helps retain moisture and effectively hydrates dry skin.

9.Shea Butter improves skin elasticity and maintains the skin;s moisture balance and effectively moisturizes sensitive skin.

10. Grape seed oil possesses astringent properties, helping tighten and tone skin. Its ability to lock in moisture makes Grape seed oil extremely useful and effective as a skin moisturizer.

SUKHIYAN (Diwali Special sweet)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: Four

Ingredients:

* 200 g whole green gram (moong dal), Don't over cook the gram

* Salt to taste

* 2 cups of water 

* 2 tsp ghee

* 200 g jaggery

* 200 g coconut, grated

* 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

* 200 g flour

* Water as required

* Oil to deep fry

Methods:

1. Pressure cook the green gram with a pinch of salt and water. When done, drain water and set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottom pan, heat ghee and add jaggery. When jaggery has almost melted, add coconut, cardamom powder and cooked green gram. Saute until mixture comes together and then remove from heat.

3. Once cool, make lemon sized roundels of the mixture and set aside

.

4. Mix flour with a pinch of salt and enough water to make a medium thick batter. Dip each roundels in the batter and deep-fry in hot oil until golden crisp. Serve hot.

ALOO TIKKI (Spiced potato cutlets)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: Four

Ingredients:

- 30 ml oil + extra for frying
- 4 tsp cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 100 g green peas, chopped fine
- 2 tsp chopped ginger
- 4 green chillies, chopped fine
- 3/4 cumin powder 
- 4 tsp chaat masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 400 g potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
- 20 g coriander leaves, chopped finely
- 100 g corn flour
  
Method:

1. FOR STUFFING- Heat 30 ml oil in a pan and ADD 2 tbs cumin seeds.When they splutter, add asafoetida, green peas, ginger and green chillies, and saute until peas are crispy. Add cumin and chaat masala powders and salt. set aside.

2. TO MAKE TIKKI- Mix grated potato with remaining cumin seeds, salt, coriander leaves and corn flour. Take a portion of Tikki mixture and make a medium size ball out of it.Stuff some stuffing inside the ball and gently flatten the Tikkis into a round shape.

3. Deep-fry tikkis in hot oil  till golden brown. Serve hot.

Okra/ Ladyfingers/ Bhindi Chaat

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: Four

Ingredients:

- oil, for frying 

- 500 g ladyfingers(cut into long thin strips)

- 100 g onions sliced

- 100 g green bell pepper/ capsicum(cut into long thin strips)

- 100 g tomatoes(cut into long thin strips)

- 2 tsp chilli powder

- 3/4 cumin powder and garam masala powder

- 4 tsp chaat masala

- 2 tsp chopped ginger

- 20 g coriander leaves, finely chopped

- 4 tsp lemon juice

- Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry ladyfingers until golden and crispy. Drain well on tissue paper.

2. Put the fried ladyfingers in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss well.

3. Serve with your favorite chutney.

Popular Maharashtra snack.

Sabudana vada

Preperation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: Four

Ingredients:

* 1 cup sago pearls (sabudana), soaked overnight and drained
* 2 potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
* 1/2 cup peanuts, dry roasted and blended to a course powder
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 3 green chillies, chopped fine
* salt to taste
* 1 tsp lemon juice 
* Few coriander leaves chopped 
* 2 tsp rice flour
* Oil, to deep fry.

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients except the rice flour and the oil together until everything is combined.
2. Shape the mixture into small patties, using the rice flour to dust your hands if necessary.
3. Heat the oil in a deep pan and deep fry about 3-4 vadas at a time on medium heat so that the vadas are cooked inside and both sides are golden brown. 
4. Serve hot with mint-coriander chutney and hot tea.

sabudana image

10 Golden Rules of Anti-Ageing.

YOU CAN NEVER TURN BACK TIME.

1. Apply sunscreen all the time when you go outside in day time. Sunscreen comes with both UVA and UVB protection and prevent sun damage and sun cancer. Pick the one that works best for your skin.

2. Look for the ingredients such as RETINOL (one of the most active anti-ageing ingredients), CLA4 and AHA in your anti-ageing cream . Retinoids minimize the appearance of existing age spots and fine lines, and prevent new ones from forming.

3. Work out increases your blood flow and promotes a glowing, healthy-looking complexion.Spend 30 mins for exercise at-least 4 to 5 days a week, it can make a big difference not just to your body but also to your skin.

4. The Anti-oxidants protects the body from free radicals.so to get adequate anti-oxidant nutritions you should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables.The free radicals and cigarettes are extremely dangerous. smoking destroys collagen and elastin. It also decreases o estrogen levels in the body, which keep the skin firm.It also causes lung cancer ans bad breath.

5. Apart from creams and treatments, your skin should get enough nutrients from food. The balanced diet helps your skin look younger. If you're not taking any multivitamin, start now to keep your skin happy.

Avoid refined sugar and booze as much as you can.

6. Sleeping Beauty- Your skin needs time to repair itself. This happens while you sleep. If you sleep less than 6 hours a day, you will have sagging skin and puffy eyes. Make sure you get 6 to 8 hours of sleep daily .

7.Watch your weight.Crash dieting and weight loss is a bad news for skin.With sudden weight loss or gain skin loses its elasticity over time.

8. Ditch coffee and soda.When it comes to skin, nothing works like plain H2O(water). Water cleanses  out toxins and prevents breakouts and ageing. So drink lots of water, coconut water or lime and mint water(WITHOUT SUGAR). Cut the intake of caffeine and aerated(soda) drinks. Moisturise your skin so that it remains hydrated in and out!

9. Treat Zits- pimples affect the skin of the majority of  teenagers.Consult your dermatologist and use cream that contains benzyl Peroxide to kill acne causing bacteria.

- Make sure you wash your face twice a day with a mild soap.

- Do not pop the pimple.

- Always wash your hands before touching your face.

- Keep your hands and nails clean and keep you nails short.

- Keep your hair clean and keep it away from your face.

- Use only nonceomedogenic or nonacnegenic make up products. You can find this on the product label.

- Protect your skin from sun exposure.

10. Stress is one of the major ageing triggers. It causes your cells to age faster and leads to collagen degradation. Meditate for at least 10-15 mins daily in the morning and do two to three yoga sessions a week .This will help you to relieve from stress. 

Punjabi Chaas( Buttermilk )

Ingredients:

- Butter milk 2 cups
- Coriander finely chopped 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
- Ginger small piece ( skin peeled)
- Salt to taste
- Ice cubes

Method:

- whisk the butter milk and take out all the butter / fat that is formed on the top after whisking.
- Add cumin seeds, ginger and salt to the butter milk and blend for 10-15 seconds.
- Finally garnish with  coriander and serve chilled.

Facts about BUTTERMILK:(For 200 ML - 98 Calories)

1. It helps digestion and excellent coolant.

2. Buttermilk is rich in calcium and vitamin B complex, especially riboflavin, which is needed by the body for conversion of food into energy and for secretion of harmones.

3. PERFECT drink for those who are LACTOSE-INTOLERANT
.
4. Due to cooling property, consuming too much might cause sore throat or a common cold.

5. It can also cause acidity, if consumed in empty stomach.

6. Packed buttermilk contains too many preservatives.OPT for HOME-MADE chaas/buttermilk.

Simple Punjabi lassi (sweet yogurt drink).

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cup fresh thick creamy yogurt / curd chilled
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup chilled water
- 2-3 tbsp sugar
- 1 cardamom (only seeds)
- ice cubes optional
- Blend all the ingredients in a blender for 10 -15 sec .
- Add more sugar if required.
- Serve chilled

Using the same ingredients you can make lassi with fresh fruits

Facts about LASSI:(For 200 ML - 158 calories)

1. Yogurt based drink is probiotic, and good bacteria that helps absorb vitamins, break down sugar and support immune system.

2. It helps boost immunity, and fight infection and fatigue.

3. It has cooling properties and thereby makes it easy to digest spicy food.

4. If you are LACTOSE-INTOLERANT( inability to digest lactose, it is a sugar found in milk), AVOID LASSI.