Eid Greetings to all…!

Month long fasts and prayers have come to an end. During this holy month “The Quran” was revealed and therefore, muslims offer prayers, read Quran and give alms to poor people. They celebrate Eid-ul-fitr to mark its end with festivity in full swing.

 

 

 

Men offer special prayers in the mosque during the holy month.

 

 

 

 

 

Markets brighten up with colorful stuff for people to shop around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Men, women, children all buy new clothes and jewellery for  the festive occasion.

 

 

 

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Variety of sweets and savories, especially the fine vermicelli are sold out during the Eid festival. These vermicelli are used to make the special “Seviyan” on the special day.

 

 

 

 

 

“Haleem”, the most sought after delicacy of this season. Made only  during “Ramadan” is a complete meal in itself with broken-wheat, meat,  spices, dry fruits and clarified butter. It tastes heavenly when served hot  with fried onions and lemon juice. Streets, shops, restaturants are  flooded with people from all sects to savour this dish.

Bid adieu…

…to this season’s last few sweet & juicy mangoes!!

 

 

 

Rightly called the king of fruits was enjoyed through-out this summer season. Recently, I managed to get a few as it’s hardly seen in the market. I have made mango pudding, mango custard and milk-shakes very often while it was available in plenty and truly never got tired of it.

 

 

Instant dessert made out of the last stock – Chilled Mango shake with ice-cream and chopped  mangoes.

 

Ingredients 

1. Ripe mangoes chopped, 1 bowl

2. Preferably mango ice-cream or plain vanilla ice-cream

3. 1 Cup chilled milk

4. 2 Tbspn sugar

5. Mango syrup

6. Strawberry and chopped mangoes for garnishing

 

Process (Can serve upto 4 if glass sizes are medium)

In a mixie jar, take the ice-cream, milk, sugar, mangoes and run it through until smooth. Now while serving in glasses, pour some Rooh-Afza and a little mango syrup around the glass-edges with the help of a spoon to make it look colorful and tempting. Pour the milk-shake into the glasses. Now scoop out a little ice-cream and put into the glass as a third step. Garnish the top layer with lots of chopped mangoes and a strawberry with a dash of cream and serve it fresh & chilled to your guests.

Bangles and Bracelets

 When I was a small girl, my grandmother once asked me to  wear bangles to a marriage party. The small glass bangles jingled sweetly and I proudly showed it off. She told me that the one who wears glass bangles that make the sweetest sound are blessed with sweet dreams at night!! I am not sure whether this is true or not, but it certainly did make me love myself a little more!

I believe that Indian dresses are accessories-centric. You can wear the most busy and richly covered saree and yet it would be incomplete if you don’t wear appropriate jewelry with it. Those who prefer minimalistic look often decide to tone down the accessories instead of doing away with them.  Of all, bangles for me remains the most sticky component of my jewelry box. It is difficult to coordinate them without risking being labeled as ‘overdressed’! And yet, when worn properly, they make the entire look ‘complete’.

Available in various materials and textures, bangles should be chosen carefully. Don’t go for match-match game of bangles with your outfit. Rather, use them to draw the prominent part of your dress. One can also wear them with jeans, skirts and other outfits. Play around with color and textures and you can have that perfect look!

Cumin

Cumin ( /ˈkjuːmɨn/ or UK /ˈkʌmɨn/, US /ˈkuːmɨn/; sometimes spelled cummin; Cuminum cyminum) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to East India. Its seeds, in ground form, are used in the cuisines of many different cultures.

(Description From Wiki)

Cumin is one of the most essential ingredients used in Indian cooking. It has strong digestive properties and thus makes even the most richly flavored food light on stomach. It is also a very good source of iron and magnesium and helps in detoxification of human body. It is also known to aid in cancer cure. Lactating mothers are often asked to add more cumin seeds to their diet. And pregnant women are advised to take water boiled with cumin seeds in case of any gastric problem or pain.

As a spice, cumin is mildly hot with a distinct strong and flavored aroma. You can either roast them and then use in the dish or crackle them in hot oil, thus treating them as the base for curries. In many parts of India, the roasted to black and then powdered cumin seeds are used as salad and ‘raita’ seasoning. The pungent and slightly bitter and burnt flavor gives an entirely new texture to the dish.

One can also use cumin powder instead of cumin seeds but the later are preferred for their more powerful aromatic properties since the powder loses most of its flavor and smell when stored for a long time. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to use cumin powder in uniform and dense curries / sauces where the requirement is to have its flavor merge with the rest instead of acting as a base, and sometimes even the prominent feature of a dish.

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* Pictures from Google

A small tip … but makes a big difference

Remember not to copy others while you are styling. Each individual is different with different body types, personality, features etc; and it’s only wise to understand that first…before you style. I have noticed many imitate models, actors, celebrities etc. They try to embrace their dressing style, get a similar attire, get similar hair styles too…but that’s the biggest blunder they make I feel. Of course, unless they are clones to those role models. You can be a good observant and draw certain traits and re-define that to suit your personality. But, do not… Cut-Copy-Paste 🙂

Fashion and style is also about comfort levels. Choose what you think suits you and makes you feel comfortable. You never know, you can create your own style statement? And yes, do not forget to carry that confidence and attitude with you 🙂

Plants In Home Décor

Every girl dreams of a cottage in the hills, surrounded with wildness, with stillness around, disturbed occasionally by chirping of birds, or playful cries of kids playing in the garden attached. Now, this is difficult, if not impossible in today’s world of high real estate prices. With people struggling hard for each square feet they buy, it comes as no surprise that the childhood dream gets replaced by harsh practical decisions. And so, the space which comes at such high premium gets utilized till every inch is ‘livable’, giving very less, and often no space for that green cover everyone longed for.

There are still ways out and you can realize your dream with a little creativity and common sense applied. Here are a few tips to get plants collaborated with other elements of your home décor:

1. Hanging pots with small flowering plants and creepers.

You can put them on the porch, balcony, parking lot, etc. They don’t take much space and are really soothing to the eyes.

2.  Table top plants

Especially bonsais and other small flowering plants that don’t require much sunlight are the best choice.

3. If you are blessed with large spaces, go for big leafy plants like palm, firangipaani, neem  etc. Get some fruit/vegetable plants as well. They are not only good to look at but also add on to the ‘kitchen garden’

What matters most is how much you love plants and how far can you use creativity to make them gel with your home. It is important to take good care of plants so that they stay and look fresh forever.

Plants brighten up the living spaces. And they don’t cost much either. Try experimenting with different plants in your house and you would be amazed at how much face value they add to your decor!

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Pics courtesy – Google

Soft and fluffy pancakes

This is such an easy-weasy breakfast that is sure to fill your tummy and help you kick start your day packed with nutrition and energy. The mildly powdered cinnamon fills your senses while pancakes are cooked in the pan and you would want to have more and more… munching every bite with sheer delight.

Ingredients for the flour mix

• Refined Flour – 1 Cup
• Baking Powder – 1 tspn and a little more
• Soda bi-carb – 1/2 tspn
• A pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar – 1/2 cup
• Powdered cinnamon – A pinch

Sieve all the above ingredients together and keep aside.

For the batter

• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup milk
• 1 tbsp melted butter

Take the flour mix and add the egg, milk and the melted butter and keep it inside the fridge for half ‘n hour. Now take a non-stick pan and heat it properly. Pour the batter into the pan with the help of a ladle. When you see bubbles appearing on the pancakes, flip them until nice and golden brown.

Serving Tip – You can easily get maple syrup in the super markets. You may either serve them plain or pour the syrup onto the pancakes and serve with chopped fresh fruits(Banana, apples, blueberry, strawberries etc), and a dollop of cream. Nice, fragrant fruity syrups can be made at home too. Shall share the recipe soon.

Enjoy….!

Neckpiece with animal print day dress

Neckpieces (Tribal)

Neckpieces do wonder to styling. You can be dressed up in the most plain looking dress and yet look a stunner if compensated by an apt neckpiece.

A basic chic LBD can be spiced up using something tribal like the one here :

(pic from here)

It adds just the right amount of color to the otherwise plain black look. Try and keep other accessories to the minimum so as to highlight this exquisite piece and also avoid presenting a busy look.

The tribal neck pieces can also fit beautifully with Indian dresses, especially saree. The one on the left is from Rajasthan and would look lovely with any monotone silk saree. I would personally prefer it with a white silk with green border.

(pic from here)

And some more…..

(pics taken from google)

By now you would have known that I am a BIG fan of tribal jewellery. So I would take one last opportunity to present the kind of piece I would recommend for a basic jeans-shirt look. The shirt should preferably be white in order to enhance this beautiful neck piece.

(pic from here)

(Though the above neck pieces are not all from India, yet it would do good to explore Indian market for authentic tribal jewelry. India has diverse and rich cultural heritage. The tribal art reflecting in jewelry is not just an art collector’s dream. Materials like wood, stone, glass, gems, precious metals, threads etc are used which results in a beautiful creation. The pattern may differ. Some are beaded, while others are layered. Some may have precious gems laid in gold while others may just be intricate embroidery on a jute cloth. Together they form our rich culture , too vast to explore in one life time!)

Spice…spice…baby!!

(Pic courtesy – Google)

Indian cooking can never be complete without the variety of spices it offers. The amalgamation of all the spices in the preparation is something really fascinating… it always blends to perfection. The aroma, consistency, appearance, depends a lot on the composition of right kind & quantity of spices. Do check for good quality and brand of spices as the shop may be trading adulterated stuff that may be injurious to health. These are the must-have spices for my kitchen and rather any basic preparation. Of course, there are plenty worldwide.

Powdered spices

•  Turmeric powder
• Red chilly powder
• Coriander powder
• Cumin powder
• Pepper powder
• Garam masala powder(The combination of spices used in garam masala may vary region wise)

Curry paste

• Ginger paste
• Garlic paste

Note – I store it in different containers and do not mix it together because, the recipe requirement may differ.

Whole Spices

• Nigella seeds or onion seeds
• Fennel seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Carom seeds
• Caraway seeds
• Fenugreek seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Celery seeds
• Bay leaves
• Asafoetida
• Mustard
• Green cardamom
• Black cardamom
• Cloves
• Dry red chilly
• Cinnamon
• Black pepper corn
• Nutmeg and mace
• Star anise
• Panch Phoron ( A must have for most of the bengali recipes that includes equal mix of Fenugreek, cumin, nigella, mustard, carom seeds / celery seeds)

Note – Buy nice glass jars to store them for longevity and odor-free. Your kitchen cabinets look neat too.

Herbs

• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Basil leaves

Refer this Spice Catalogue for more info on spices. It offers translation in different languages too. Hope you find this useful.

Happy Cooking!

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Life and Style

Style is not reflection of what and for how much you can buy…
It represents the freedom of your heart in choosing what you stand for!

As we grow up and develop our individualistic view of the world around, there is a need to express it. This expression is nothing but our ‘lifestyle’. This blog is an insight to our own interpretation and implementation of lifestyle!

Sweet beginnings with rice pudding

   Anyday…anytime this dessert will find a little place in your tummy. Isn’t?

Ingredients you shall need to prepare

Milk – 1 Lt.

Basmati rice / Gobindobhog rice (Bengali special rice for kheer/rice pudding) – 2 tbspn washed and soaked

Dry fruits (Cashwenuts & Raisins) – A handful

Bayleaf – 2

Powdered Cardamom – 2 pods

Sugar – 4 tbspn

Process

1. Boil the milk and reduce it to 1/3rd

2. Add the bayleaf and continue to boil

3. After 5 mins add the saoked rice and continue to stir

4. When the rice is cooked well and you find a slightly thick consistency, add the sugar, cardamom powder and dry fruits and stir it well for another 10 minutes on slow fire. It would turn ivory in color.

5. Chill it in referigerator before you serve and garnish it with shredded almonds and saffron strands

Lifestyle – Food – Fashion

Here’s our attempt to introduce you all to a new era of Lifestyle, Food and Fashion. Changing trends, home decors, travelogues, reviews, kitchen tips, yummylicious recipes, fashion statements and lots more. Do visit us soon, as we know you don’t want to miss out on the columns.

Love & Peace!!