Soup Recipe: Cream of soup

Ingredients:

1 pkt mushroom (sliced)
1 onion (chopped)
3 glasses of water
2 cloves (crushed)
1 stick cinnamon (crushed)
4 tsp corn flour
1 cup milk
4 tsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste.

For garnishing:

Fresh cream

Method of preparation:

1. Melt butter in a pan, fry onions. Add sliced mushrooms, water and spices tied in a bag.

2. Cook till mushrooms are tender. Remove spices and put the liquid in blender
(Keep a few mushroom slices for garnishing).

3. Mix milk with the soup and put it on the flame. When it starts boiling, add corn flour (mixed in ¾ cup water).

4. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with cream and sliced mushrooms.

Yoghurt salad

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes (chopped)
¼ cucumber (chopped)
1 spring onion (chopped)
½ radish (chopped)
1 cup yoghurt a dry red chilly (chopped).

Method of preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Serve chilled.

Indian Recipe: Samosa

Samosa is the favorite recipe for Indians during evenings. It is a simple time pass recipe and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Maida flour (refines) – 200 gm
Wheat flour – 100 gm
Potatoes (boiled and chopped) – 500 gm
Peas (shelled and boiled) – 1 cup
Green chillies (chopped) - 2
1 tsp coriander seeds (crushed)
¼ cup cashew nuts (cut into halves)
1 tbsp raisins
Salt to taste
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala ghee or oil

Method of preparation:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan.
2. Fry green chillies, coriander seeds, cashew nuts and raisins for 1 minute.
3. Add potatoes, peas, salt red chilli power and garm masala. Mix well.

Cook for 5 minutes. Enjoy evenings with Samosa.

Cake Recipes: Carrot Cake

Carrot cake recipes are the most popular during functions especially in western countries.

Ingredients:

Carrots: 2 (medium size)
Maida Flour: 1/4 cup
Eggs: 5
Sugar: 1 cup
Almonds: 20
Butter: 1/4 cup.

Method of preparation:

1. Break the eggs and separate the white and yolk into two bowls and add ½ cup sugar to each bowl.

2. Now add almond powder, butter, Maida flour and grated carrot to the bowl containing egg yolk, mix these things well.

3. Beat the egg white along with the sugar till it becomes puffy.

4. Mix both these mixtures (2, 3) and place this mixture in baking dish, with oil paper at the base.

5. Add the sliced almonds and cashew nuts to the mixture (4).

6. Bake this mixture (5) for about 40 minutes in the oven.

Soya Recipes: Soya flakes curry

Soya bean is also known as “the Wonder or Golden bean’’, and is a treasure trove of many nutrients. It provides all the 8 essential amino acids, necessary for the body and also increases the good cholesterol (HDL), which is good for the heart. Soya beans are the most nutritious vegetables with rich protein content.

Soya flakes macula (spicy) curry:

Ingredients:

Soya flakes: 1 cup
Cooked peas: 1 cup
Oil: 4 table spoons
Khuskhus: 2 tablespoons
Jeer: 2 table spoons
Cashew nuts: 2 table spoons
Coriander leaves (Chopped): 2table spoons
Onions: 3,
Tomatoes: 2,
Slit green chilies: 2,
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tea spoon,
Chilli powder: 1 tea spoon,
Salt: 1-1/2teaspoon to 1-3/4tea spoon,
Kasogi meth: 1 tea spoon,
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tea spoon,
Sugar: 1/2tea spoon.

Method of preparation:

1. Wash soya flakes and cook in one cup of water till tender and all water dries up.

2. Chop and grind two onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, khuskhus, and jeera into a smooth paste, along with turmeric powder, chilli powder and ginger garlic paste.

3. Heat oil in a kadai, add the remaining one onion chopped and fry till the onion turns light gold in color.

4. Add the ground paste (2) and fry on a low flame till the masala (spice) is well fried and the oil starts seeping out.

5. Add kasogi meth and fry a minute.

4 Add cooked peas, soya flakes, green chilies, salt, sugar and one cup of water.

5. Simmer on a low flame till thick gravy is attained.

6. Serve with hot rotis or bread, garnished with coriander leaves.

Note: Add two tablespoons of tomato sauce and ½ cup water if required).

It serves for 6 persons.

Soya flakes are available in all leading food stores and this dish can be used in various ways—thickened—as a filling for chapattis, bread and bread rolls, etc.

Salad Recipes: Beans Salad

Beans are the richest protein diet and highly nutritious vegetarian food.

Ingredients:

1 cup red beans (boiled)
½ cup cherries
1 tomato (chopped)
½ lettuces (chopped)
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pineapple slices (chopped).

Method of preparation:

1. Mix beans, tomato, lettuce, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
2. Add cherries and pineapple.
3. Serve chilled.

Soup Recipe: Tomato Soup

Soups are easily digestible nutritious foods.

Ingredients:

½ kg tomatoes (chopped)
1 tsp garlic (paste)
1 tsp ginger (paste)
4 tsp butter
2 glasses of water
2 tsp corn flour
½ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste.

For garnishing:

Fresh cream and croutons.

Method of preparation:

1. Add water to tomatoes in pressure cooker and cook for about 6-7 minutes.

2. When they are done, sieve the soup.

3. Melt butter in a pan, fry garlic and ginger paste. Add tomato soup.

4. When it starts boiling, add corn flour (mixed in ½ cup milk), salt and pepper.

5. Garnish with cream and croutons.

To make croutons: Cube bread slices and brown on meal rack in oven-toaster-grill (OTG). Alter-natively, you may fry them in oil till they are brown in colour.

Salad Recipe: Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 potatoes (boiled)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
½ cup peas (boiled)
½ cup cream (sour)
1 green chilly (chopped)
½ tsp mustard powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp sours curd (if not available, then lime juice)

Method of preparation:

1. Cut potatoes into cubes and mix all the other ingredients wish it in a boil.
2. Mix well. Serve cold.

Kerala Rice Recipe: Spinach Appam

Kerala is famous for Appam. This recipe makes a difficult dish easy to cook.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Soaking time: 2 to 3 hours.

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice
1 cup cooked rice
1 coconut
2 teaspoons sugar
1 reason dry yeast
2 tablespoons spinach puree
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking.

Method of preparation:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours. Drain.

2. Grate the coconut, add 2 cups of water and extract the coconut milk. Strain.

3. Grind the raw rice and cooked rice in a little coconut milk. Remove from the grinder and add the sugar, the remaining coconut milk and salt.

4. Mix the yeast with a little warm water, add to the rice paste and mix well. The batter should be of dropping consistency.

5. Cover and keep for 2 to 3 hours. Then add the spinach puree.

6. Heat an appam kadai or a deep non-stick tava and grease it lightly with oil.

7. Pour 1 big spoon of the batter into it. Slowly rotate the batter on the tava so that a thin layer forms on the side while the middle remains thick.

8. Cover and cook for 1 minute. The middle part will be fluffy.

9. Repeat for the remaining batter.

10. Serve hot with vegetable stew.

Makes 10 to 15 Appam.

Sandwich Recipes: Sprout Sandwich

Ingredients:

Bread slices: 18
Moong sprouts: 1-1/2 cups
Salted butter: 3 table spoons
Green coriander chutney: 3table spoons
Grated cheese: 3 table spoons
Pepper powder: ½ tea spoon.

Method of preparation:

1. Butter the bread slices on one side only.

2. On one buttered slice, apply green chutney, and then spread sprouts on it.

3. Sprinkle cheese and pepper powder over it (2), cover with another slice, keeping the buttered side down.

4. Press down firmly (3).

5. Cut into triangles (4) and serve with a dollop of tomato sauce on top of the slice (Chopped green chilies can also be added if anybody wants it spicy).

Note: Do in the same manner, as above, with the other bread slice also.
It serves for six persons.

We are what eat. Eating nutritious food is the best way to fight diseases. Moong sprouts and soya beans are filled with power- packed nutrients like, vitamins C, E and B/complex and also proteins, minerals and fiber, etc.

Rice Recipes: Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice: 2cups (400g),
English spinach, chopped: 1Bunch (5oog)
Medium sized (260g) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped: 2
Chicken stock: 1litre (4cups)
Buttered: 30 grams,
Olive oil: 1 table spoon
Onions - Medium (300g weight) sized, finely chopped: 2,
Garlic cloves, crushed: 2,
Grated parmesan cheese: 20 g.

Method of preparation:

1. Heat butter and oil in medium pan add onions and garlic, cook, stirring until onions become soft.
2. Add rice, cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

3. Add chicken stock, simmer, covered about 15 minutes or until is almost absorbed.

4. Remove the pan from heat, stir in spinach, tomatoes and cheese.

5. Stir until spinach is wilted.

It can serve for 4 to 6 persons.

Recipe best made just before serving.
Freeze: Not suitable.
Microwave : Suitable.

Mushroom and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto

Ingredients:

Sliced-button mushrooms: 200g
Chicken stock: 1 Liter (4 cups)
Water: 500 ml (2 cups)
Dry white wine: 1 cup (250 ml)
Olive oil: 2 tablespoonfuls
Butter: 30 g,
Sliced-medium leek: 1(350g)
Crushed-garlic cloves: 2
Basmati rice: 400g
Grated parmesan cheese: 40g
Drained sun-dried tomatoes, sliced: 35g
Chopped fresh oregano: 1 tablespoon.

Method of preparation:

1. Combine chicken stock, water and wine in a pan, bring to boil; and keep hot.

2. Heat oil and butter in another medium pan, and add mushrooms, leek and garlic, cook, do stirring, until leek is soft.

3. Add rice, stir until combined (2).

4. Stir 2/3 cup (160ml) hot stock mixture (1) into rice mixture (3), cook, and do stirring over low heat until liquid is absorbed.

5. Continue adding remaining stock mixture (1) gradually to (4), do stirring until absorbed before each addition.

6. Total cooking time should be about 35 minutes or until rice is tender.

7. Stir in cheese, tomatoes and oregano (adding to 6).

Points to be observed:

1. Recipe best made, just before serving. (Freeze: not suitable). Microwave: Suitable.

Chilli Mushroom curry - Singapore style

Ingredients:

400 gm mushrooms (Ached and wiped)
½ cup oil
2 tsp fresh ginger (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (Chopped finely)
4 red chillies (Deseeded and chopped)
½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup chilli sauce (Hot and sweet)
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soya sauce
Salt to taste

For Garnishing:

Spring Onions.

Method of preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Then add ginger, garlic, chillies and fry for a few seconds.

2. Add mushrooms and sauté over high flame for 2 minutes.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over high flame for another minute. Garnish with spring onions.

Serve hot over a bed of steamed rice.

Source: Woman’s era silver jubilee special.

Potato Recipes: Aloo—Shimla mirchi

Ingredients:

Potatoes large in size: 2,
Capsicums large in size: 2,
Oil: 2 table spoons,
Black pepper powder: ½ tea spoon,
Salt: 3/4 tea spoon,
Mango powder (amchur):1 tea spoon.

Method of preparation:

1. Wash potatoes and cook under pressure for five minutes. Peel them after they become cool.
Cut them into eight pieces each and set them aside.

2. Capsicums be de-seeded and cut them into two- inch size pieces.

3. Place oil in a kadhai over medium heat, till it becomes to smoke.

4. Add capsicums pieces, black pepper powder, salt and mango powder.

5. As capsicums become soften, after 4-5 minutes of time, put in potatoes (in 4).

6. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes (3, 4&5).

7. Sprinkle a few drops of water, if it tends to stick (to the contents in 6).

Breakfast Recipes- Bread Bonda

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 200 grams,
Besan flour: 2cups,
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon,
Urad dal: 1 spoon,
Onions: 2,
Green chillies (chopped): 6,
Chilli powder: 1tea spoon,
Turmeric powder: 1/4tea spoon,
Lemon: 1/2piece,
Oil: 4 cups,
Bread: 1,
Salt to taste,
Curry leaves, Coriander leaves, Ginger, Hing and Soda.

Method of preparation:

1. Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and smash them into fine pieces.

2. Heat oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds.

3. As the seeds start sputtering, add urad dal, chopped green chillies, onion, ginger, turmeric powder, hing, and curry leaves and cook them till the onion turns to golden brown.

4. Add mashed potatoes, coriander leaves, salt (to 3) and cook all of them on low flames for two minutes and put off the gas.

5. Pour the lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

6. Make the batter by mixing the besan, red chilli powder, salt and a pint of soda with water.

7. Cut the bread through corners to make four triangles into each piece.

8. Make small balls of potato mixture (6) and put one ball pressing in between two triangles of bread pieces(7).

9. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, dip the bread triangle in batter (6, 7, 8.) And slowly release into oil.

10. Deep- fry till the bondas become golden brown.

11. Serve the hot bondas with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Rice Recipes: Rice Payasam

Ingredients:

Whole cream milk -1 liter
Sugar 6 tbsps.
Basmati rice -3 tbsps.
Saffron -6-8 strands
For garnishing
Cashew nuts -1 small
Cardamom -8-10.

Method of preparation:

1. Clean, wash and soak the rice. Bring milk to boil, add the rice and reduce heat.

2. Keep stirring till it reduces to 1/3 of the original quantity.

3. Add sugar and mix well by partially crushing rice.

4. Add ground cardamom, saffron, pistachios and raisins. Serve hot or cold.

Andhra Sweets: Boorelu

Boorelu is the traditionally served sweet dish in the Telugu festivals.

Ingredients:

For the rice dough
3 cups rice flour
6 cups water
3 tsp oil
For the stuffing
4 cups coconut, grated
2 cup sugar
½ cup dry fruits
½ cup milk

Method of preparation:

1. For the dough boil the water and oil and remove from heat.

2. To it add the rice flour, cover and allow it to cool. Later, knead well and keep aside.

3. For the stuffing mix all the ingredients mentioned under stuffing except milk.

4. Put this mixture on a medium heat and cook stirring all the time. Than add milk, mixing well and remove from the heat once it is totally dry.

5. Make balls of the rice dough. Make a small hollow the center and place the stuffing in the middle, now join the open edges together and give it a shape like a whole garlic.

6. Steam these boorelus for 10 minutes, take off, cool and keep in air-tight containers.

Please share your opinions and advice.

Curry Recipes: Sauted Bitter gourd

Ingredients:

250 Gms bitter gourd
Oil: 1Table spoon
Whole dried red chillies, tops broken: 2
Mustard seeds: ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves: 10-15.

Method of preparation:

1. Wash bitter gourds and cook under pressure for two minutes. Drain, trim the ends and slice into ½ inch thick rounds.

2. Place oil for tempering in a kadhai over medium heat, till just beginning to smoke. Then add red chillies and fry till they darken slightly.

3. Sprinkle in mustard seeds on (2) and when they start to sputter add curry leaves.

4. Immediately add bitter gourds (1) and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Curry Recipes: Drumstick curry

Drumstick curry is one of the famous curries in southern India.

Ingredients: 16 items.

Peeled drumstick pieces of 2’’ size = 2 cups
Big sized potatoes =2
Coriander = 1 tea spoon
Mustard seeds = ½ tsp
Garam masala = ½ tsp
Green mutter (or dry mutter soaked overnight) = 1 cup
Medium sized onion == 1
Tomato = 1cup
Green masala (ginger, garlic, and coriander leaves) paste ==1 table spoon
Cumin seeds powder ==1 tea spoon
Grated coconut==1cup
Curry leave==10-12 in number
Coriander leaves==1 table spoon
Turmeric= 1tea spoon
Red chilli powder==2 teaspoons
Oil==3 Table spoons.

Method of Preparation:

1. First of all peel the drum sticks and then cut them into 2’’ sized pieces. Chop onion and potatoes also.

2. Grate the coconut. Prepare the –hara masala paste-by grinding coconut, onion, cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ground hara masala (aspreparedabovein2),Mix well and sauté for 5 minutes.

4. Then add drum sticks and potato pieces, mix well and sauté for 5 minute.

5. Add water till the above ingredients immerse and place lid on the pan.

6. Heat on high flame for 3 minutes and then on simmer for 5 minutes till potatoes and drumsticks are done.

7. While on sim flame, add tomato pure, green mutter, salt, coriander powder.

8. Heat for 5 minutes, and take it out from the stove.

Drumstick curry is ready for serving.

Carrot Recipes: Carrot Milk Halwa

Ingredients:

Carrot core—250 gram
Coconut core—250 gram
Gaggery—250 gram
Putnala dal—100 gram
Ghee—1 cup,
Cardamom- few pieces
Milk—1 cup.

Method of Preparation:

1. First of all take carrot, coconut and putnala dal powder and slightly fry them in ghee.

2. Mix the gaggery in the milk.

3. Now mix them (1and 2) and keep all the contents on a stove and the flame should be in low intensity.

4. Now heat the contents until vapors come from the dish and at the same time the mixture begins to separate into small parts, and this time add cardamom powder to the mixture pieces.

Now the carrot Halwa is ready.

Sweet Recipe: Boondi Laddu

Boondi Laddu is a sweet delicious recipe most commonly served during festivals in Andhra Pradesh.

Ingredients:

Gram flour 2 cups
Sugar 2 cups
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp.
Cashew nut- 50 grams
Raisins 50 gms.
Cardamom- 15 nos.
Saffron a few drops
Ghee - ½ kg.

Method of preparation:

1. Shell and powder cardamom.
2. Add ¼ cup water to sugar, heat until sugar melts. To check if the sugar solution is ready, take a drop of the solution and drop it in water-if it remains intact and does not dissolve right away in water, the sugar solution is ready. Add saffron and cardamom powder to it.
3. Add soda and water to gram flour, and make a paste, without lumps.
4. Heat ½ kg of ghee. Put gram flour in Boondi maker and fry Boondi. Remove when light yellow.
5. Fry cashew and raisins. Add Boondi, cashew and raisins to sugar solution and mix. Cool.
6. Rub some ghee on your palms. Make laddus by squeezing the Boondi in your hands.

Rice Recipe: Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 400 grams (2 cups)
English spinach, chopped-500 grams
Butter-30 gram
Olive oil-1 table spoon
Onions medium (300g) sized- 2 (finely chopped)
Garlic -2 cloves
Chicken stock- 1litre (4 cups)
Tomatoes medium sized-2 (260 grams)-(peeled, seeded, chopped)
Parmesan cheese grated - 1/4 cup (20g).

How to prepare?

1. Heat butter and oil in medium pan; add onions and garlic, cook, stirring, until onions are soft.
2. Add Basmati rice, cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Add stock, simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed.
4. Remove from heat, stir in spinach, tomatoes and cheese, and stir until spinach is wilted.

Serve this spinach rice to 4-6 persons.

Basmati Rice Recipe: Curry Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 ½ Cup (300g)
1 table spoon vegetable oil
Butter – 20 gram
1medium sized (150g) onion (sliced)
Water – 500 ml (2 cups)
Coconut milk - ¾ cup (180ml)
2 table spoons of chopped fresh coriander

Ingredients for Curry paste:

2 small fresh red chillies (chopped)
1 table spoon chopped fresh lemon grass
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
1tea spoon cumin seeds,
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

How to prepare curry paste:

Blend or process all ingredients until well combined.

Method of preparation of curry rice:

1. Heat oil and butter in medium pan, add onion and curry paste, cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
2. Stir in rice, and then add water and coconut milk, simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in coriander.
Serve this curry rice to 4-6 persons.

Wheat Recipe: Mango puris with ice cream

Ingredients:

1. Self-rising flour: 1cup (Self-rising is wheat flour that is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents)
2. Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
3. Cardamom powder: 1/2 tea spoon,
4. A pinch of salt
5. Castor sugar if needed
6. Soda bicarb: 1/2 tea spoon.
7. Mango pulp: 11/2 table spoon cup.
8. Cheese for deep frying
9. Vanilla ice cream
10. Mango pulp.

Method of preparation:

1. Make dough with both flours, at the same time, adding mango juice, soda – bicarb, and cardamom powder. Add the salt, sugar if needed. Knead to stiff dough.
2. Heat ghee in a pan.
3. Roll out 8 cm puris of balls made of the dough.
4. Fry in batches till they turn golden brown.
5. Drain on tissue paper.

Serve three puris to a portion with a dollop of ice cream, chopped with chilled mango pulp.

Salad Recipes: Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

Cauliflower salad is one of the commonly served dish in dinner.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1 big, cut into small flowerets.
Broccoli: 1 bunch into flowerets
Black pepper: 1 table spoon.
Red onion: 1 chopped.

Dressing:

Mayonnaise: 1cup
Vinegar: 1/3 cup

Method of Preparation:

1. Mix the first four ingredients together; pour dressing over it and mix to blend.
2. Make this preparation at least two hours in advance, before serving.

Salad Recipe: Sweet corn and Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

200 gm mushrooms (sliced)
1 tbsp butter
2 spring onions (Chopped)
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1 capsicum (diced)
6 tomatoes (skinned, deseeded and diced)
A small tin of corn kernels (drained)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp thick cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of paprika powder

Method of preparation:

1. Heat the butter in a pan and add the onions.
2. Sauté for 30 seconds and add the mushrooms.
3. Cook on high flame for one minute and remove from fire. Cool them.
4. Add the garlic, capsicum, tomatoes and corn. Mix together mayonnaise, cream and season with salt and black pepper.
5. Add the corn and vegetables to this and serve in a serving bowel. Chill well. Sprinkle a little paprika before serving.

Benefits of Tea and Coffee

Coffee and Tea became part and parcel of our daily life. Here are the some of the benefits of Tea and Coffee in daily life.

Coffee uses:

1. Rubbing coffee paste over the skin makes it soft and glowing. Most of the skin lotions contain coffee as ingredient.

Method of preparing paste:

Take a tea spoon, each of sugar and coffee powder. Add to them lime juice, to make a paste. Mix well all the contents and add a few drops of glycerin. Apply this paste over your head and massage them the way you wash your hands for 5-10 minutes. Then wash your hands with cold water and apply olive oil or fresh Malai (upper layer of the curd).Continue this for 15 days, the roughest hands become smooth.

2. as a hair dye: The caffeine in it is a natural coloring substance which makes the hair darker.

Method of preparation:

Boil 2 tea spoons of tea leaves in a glass of water and allow it to cool. Strain it and use for soaking henna in it. Add a tea spoon of coffee powder to the henna. Mix well all the contents and let it rest for a few hours. This henna will condition your hair and provides a beautiful shining and bounce.

3. as a shampoo: To a mug of water, add3-4 tea spoons of beer and a tea spoon of coffee powder. Mix well and shampoo it. This lotion acts as a good hair vitalizer and conditioner.

Benefits of Tea:

1. Cold tea water is helpful for curing sun burns. Wash the affected area with it to get immediate relief.

2.Tea leaves ( sprinkled on a coal furnace),can be effectively used as a mosquito repellant.( the insect repellant s available in the market may produce allergic side effects such as rashes).T he smoke created by the smouldering of these leaves will not allow the mosquitoes to enter your room.

3. as a skin- care lotion:

Take used strained tea leaves in a bowl. Add a tea spoon of honey. Mix well and apply on your face. Honey will make the leaves glue to your face. Wash your face with warm water after 25 minutes. This combination of tea leaves and honey will remove dirt from the face.

4. Used tea bags should be stored in the refrigerator. They can be used as eye pads, for tired, dull and puffy eyes.

5. Face cleaning:

Take steaming water in a big bowl. Add into it 2-3 tea spoons of ea leaves and a hand full of mint and Tulsi leaves. Place your face close to the bowl and take this herbal steam for 5-10 minutes. It will remove the dirt hidden in the clogged pores of the skin of the face and leave you refreshed. After steaming, dab your face with a towel and rub all your face to close open pores.

Fried Rice Recipe - Emerald Fried Rice

Ingredients:

150 gm cabbage (shredded)
2 capsicums (cored, deseeded and sliced)
1 cup peas (blanched)
1 cup spinach (shredded)
5 tbsp oil
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 spring onions (finely chopped)
450 gm rice (cooked)
A pinch of ajinomoto
75 gm ham (finely shredded) (optional)
Salt to taste

For garnishing:
Coriander leaves (fresh)

Method of preparation:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying- pan and pour in the beaten egg, seasoned with a little salt allow spreading thinly over the bottom of the pan.

2. When it becomes golden brown on the under –side, turn over and cook the other side gently. Remove the omelette and into fine shreds.

3. Heat another tbsp of oil in frying pan and add the capsicum and cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Add peas and spinach and remove from the pan. Heat the remaining oil until it is smoking.

5. Add the spring onions, then the rice and toss well till the rice is hot.

6. Add the ajinomoto cabbage mixture, omelette shreds, ham and salt. Toss all together. Serve hot on a serving dish.

Courtesy: Gladrags magazine and local cook.

Corn and bean Salad

Requirements:
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Vinegar: 3/4 cup.
Vegetable oil: 1/2 cup.
Water: 1 table spoon.
Pepper: 1table spoon.
Add salt to taste.
Kernel corn: 250 gm
French green beans: 250 gm
Sweet peas: 250gm
Sweet onion: 1cup (chopped).
Black pepper (grounded): 1table spoon.

Method of preparation:

1. Combined the first six ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to boil
2. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; pour dressing mixture over it and toss gently.
4. Cover and chill for four hours or more.

Serve it for 6 members.

Orissa food: Garam moody

Garam moody is a famous recipe in Orissa state, India.

Ingredients:

2 Glasses of Maramaralu (boiled and dried swollen rice),
50 grams of fried ground nut (peanut)
1 cup of chopped boiled potato pieces
1 Onion which is chopped into very fine pieces
3-4 green chilies (finely chopped)
2 Table spoons of finely chopped coriander leaves
1 Table spoon of oil,
Add salt to taste.

Method of Preparation:

1. Warm the oil and then add onion pieces, chilli pieces and again warm them lightly.

2. Add maramaralu, fried ground nuts and also salt to the above items (1) and stir all the contents until they become red.

3. Then remove the contents from the stove and sprinkle coriander on them.

Now Garam Moody is ready, to be taken along with tea.

Please share your experience afte preparing this recipe.

Indian Recipes- Palak paneer tikka

Ingredients:

¼ kg paneer
1 cup palak

3 green chillies

3 tablespoon curd
½ tea spoon cumin seeds roasted and powdered

¼ teaspoon black salt
¼ tea spoon garam masala

2 table spoon oil
¼ tea spoon salt

A few slices of onion and lemon for the garnish.

Method:

1. Make a paste of palak and green chillies. Put the palak paste, curd, cumin seed powder, black salt, garam masala, oil and salt into a large bowl and mix well.

2. Add the paneer pieces and mix lightly. Allow it to marinate for an hour. Pick out the paneer pieces and arrange them on a plate. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.

3. If water is released, drain it off. Turn the pieces upside down and cook for another 2 minutes until the pieces are dry. Decorate with onion slices and lemon.

4. Serve hot with chutney.

Total time taken: 12 minutes.

Sweet Recipe - Instant Jalebi

How to make Jalebi sweet?

1. For the jalebi batter:

Ingredients:

Plain flour (Maida): 1cup
Bengal gram flour (besan): `1 tea spoon.
Fresh yeast (crumbled): ½ tea spoon.
Melted ghee: 1tabble spoon.
Sugar: 1tea spoon
3 drops of lemon yellow food coloring.

2. For the sugar syrup:

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar
A few strands of saffron
Lemon juice: ¼ tea spoon

Other ingredients:

Ghee for deep frying.

Method of preparation:

To make jalebi batter:

1. Sieve the flour (maida) and gram flour together.
2. Dissolve the yeast in 1 table spoon of water.
3. Mix the flour mixture, yeast solution, ghee, sugar and lemon yellow food coloring with 2/3 cup of water to make a thick batter, making sure no lumps remains.
4. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Preparation of sugar syrup:

1. Dissolve the sugar with ½ cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of2 string consistency.
2. Add the saffron and lemon juice and mix them.
3. Remove from the fire and keep aside.

How to proceed:

1. Heat the ghee in a broad saucepan (the ghee should be approximately 25mm (1’’) deep).

2. Fill the jalebi batter into a piping bag with a single hole nozzle or a thick cloth with a small hole in the centre which is finished with a button – hole stitch.

3. Press out round whirls into the hot ghee working closely from the out side to the centre of the whirl (approximately 50 mm diameter).

4. Deep fry the jalebis till golden brown and transfer into warm sugar syrup.

5. Drain immediately and serve hot.

Cooking Tip: Do not allow the jalebi batter to over ferment. Fry the jalebis immediately once the batter has rested for 10 minutes.

This is to make 15 jalebis.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Cooking Time: 15 minutes.

Breakfast Recipes: Potato Dosa

Ingredients:

2 big potatoes;
1 cup rice flour;
1/2 cup ordinary curd;
2 - Finely chopped green chillies.
Finely chopped coriander leaves: 2 small packs;
Salt to taste;
sufficient water;
Sufficient oil.

Method of preparation:

1. Boil the potato in hot water. Peel the upper skin and press the potato into a soft paste.

2. Take a hollow dish and put in it- the already pressed potato(1), sieved rice flour, curd, green chilli, finely chopped coriander leaves and salt and stir all the contents thoroughly.

3. Add sufficient water to make Dosas neatly and again stir the contents (3) with this water.
Preparing the HEAT- PAN (penam):

4. Keep the pan on the stove and allow it to get heated. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan to know whether it gets heated or not. If the water on the pan gives ‘’ chuy’’ like sound, it indicates that pan is ready for dosas. Rub the penam with a little amount of oil on its surface (don’t pour large amount of oil, otherwise the flour does not spread uniformly).

5. If the oil gives vapours, lower the amount of heat very little, coming from the burning stove.

Preparing for dosas:

1. Put one big spoon of flour on the heated pan and immediately spread it in a round manner with a big spoon, so that dosa appears in round shaped and at the same time pour one tea spoon of oil around the outer edges of dosa.

2. Raise the heat of the stove and allow the dosa to get it burned on the pan for 2-3 minutes so that the lower part of the dosa becomes gold color and then raise the dosa holding at the edges and turn it upside down and keep it until it becomes gold color on the second side also.

Now dosas are ready for serving to your members. Serve the dosas along with coconut chutney for good taste.

Andhra Recipes - Dal Vada

Ingredients:

Bengal gram (chana) dal (pappu’): 1cup.
Onion: 1 single piece
Curry leaves: 5-6 in number
Coriander leaves: ½ CUP.
Cashew pieces: ½ table spoon.
Green chillies pieces: 2-3 in number,
Red chillies powder: 1/4 tea spoon
Salt to taste,
Baking soda:1/2 tea spoon,
And sufficient oil for frying.

Method of preparation:

1. First of all keep the chana dal in the water and allow it to soak through out the night or at least for 4 hours and grind them roughly (barakaga).

2. Add to this, masala rounded paste (mudda), which contains-onion, curry leaf, coriander leaves and green chillies.

3. Add salt, red chilli powder and soda to the above item(2).

4.Take this mixture(3) and make it into small round balls and each round ball is pressed into small round cake (vada) and each vada, is dropped slowly, one by one into the oil, kept in a hollow dish (banali), which is kept on a stove.

5. Boil the cake (vada) in the oil until the cake turns to gold color.

Then serve these hot gold colored dal vadas to the guests.

Salad Recipes: Potato-Egg Salad

Ingredients:

Waxy potatoes: 900gm
Eggs (hard cooked): 3
Onions: 1 ½ Cups
Blender Mayonnaise: ½ cup.
Mustard paste: 1 table spoon
Sweet Curd: 1/2 cup
Black Pepper (freshly grounded): 1 Table spoon
Coriander: Finely chopped.

Scrub the potatoes and cut it in 1 1/2inch wedges. Boil and let it cool. Then mix all the ingredients. Garnish it with coriander. Serve this preparation to 6-8 persons.

Cooking Tips:

When making potato salad, marinate still-warm potatoes in a little vinegar and oil; this will add flavor to the finished salad or dress the potatoes while still quite warm, then refrigerate to cool quickly.

Festival Food: Ugadi Chutney

Ugadi is the Telugu New year festival which is annually celebrated by telugu people. Ugadi means beginning of the universe. Different tastes in Ugadi chutney reflect the many flavors of life. Ugadi chutney is the rare recipe in the world with so many different tastes.

Ugadi pachadi is a Prasad (religious food offered to GOD), which is eaten as the first thing in the morning on the Ugadi day (Telugu New Year).

Ingredients:

1. Neem flowers: 2 table spoons
2. Grated jiggery: 4 table spoons
3. Tamarind: 3 table spoons
4. Pinch of red chilli powder,
5. Mustard seeds: 1/4th table spoon
6. Salt as per taste
7. Oil: 1 table spoon
8. Raw Mango (Finely chopped): 1 table spoon
9. Water: 1-1/4 cup.

Method of preparation:

1. Soak tamarind in water for ½ an hour. Boil this Tamarind water for 5 minutes. Cool this and blend it in mixer till it becomes smooth.

2. Pass this tamarind water through a sieve, removing any fibers etc.

3. Add mango pieces to the juice. Boil the juice till the mango pieces in it are tender.

4. Add jiggery to the juice. Let it cook till it melts.

5. Remove them from fire and keep the contents aside.

6. Heat oil and add mustard seeds o the oil. When it splutters, add Neem flower and fry till light brown color appears.

7. Add chilli powder and salt to the (6). Mix all the contents.

Vegetable Salad- Hot Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Oil – 2 Table spoon
Onion – ¼ cup thinly sliced onion
Potatoes – 1 cup boiled and diced
Red chilli sauce – 1 table spoon
Curd – 2 Table spoon
Chopped Coriander – 2 Table spoon
Add salt to taste.

Method of Preparation:

1. Put the oil into a bowl and heat in a microwave oven on high for a minute. Add the onions and green chillies, cover and cook on high for 2 minutes.

2. Mix in the potatoes and rest of the ingredients.

3. Time taken: 3 minutes.

Sweets- Rasagulla

Ingredients:

Bengal gram (Chana): 200 gram.
Bombay ravva: 1 table spoon
Baking soda: 1/2 tea spoon
Misri sugar tablets: 2 table spoon
Sugar: 1kg
Water: 3 glasses (600ml)

Method of Preparation:

1. First of all take Bengal gram (Chana) in a plate and with the help of your palm rub them until they become soft and still if they are in dry powder form, just sprinkle little water and rub it again to make them still more soft.

2. Next add Bombay ravva (Upma) and baking soda to the above Bengal gram soft powder (in1) and mix them together to make them still soft (like paste).

3. And to that entire mixture (1+2), add the misri sugar tablets and make this soft-like mixture into round balls (not of big size).

4. Now take a metal dish of hollow type (Banali), pour that 1 kg sugar into the dish and go on adding water while stirring all the contents with a big spoon, so that to make it into a paste(pakam).

5. Now into this paste, drop those round balls of Bengal gram (made as in 3) and boil them. As soon as the round balls dropped into this pakam, at once the rasagullas drowned into the pakam and after boiling, they increase in size (swell) and come again to the top of the pakam.

6. Keep it go on boiling like this and add one big spoonful of water for every 2-3 minutes. Otherwise the liquid paste (pakam) becomes hardened.

7. Within 15 – 20 minutes, rasagullas get boiled and not more than that time required for boiling.

8.After this remove he dish (banali) from the stove and keep the dish on the table to make it cool and while it is cooling pour one glass of water in to the pakam, and wait for two hours and by that time the rasagullas are neatly formed with a well looking round shaped form.
Now offer them to the guests.

Coffee Drinks: Cold Coffee

Ingredients:

Instant coffee powder: 3 tea spoons
Milk: ½ liter
Sugar: 30grams
Milk Cream: 1table spoon
Ice: 8 cubes.

Method of Preparation:

1. First of all keep the milk in the refrigerator and get it cooled.

2. After that pour that cooled milk in a mixer and then add sugar, ice cubes and coffee powder to that milk and grind them all until a mixture with air bubbles is formed

3. Then pour that bubbling mixture into long coffee glasses, and then add milk ice cream to that coffee mixture.

4. Then sip that cold coffee with the help of the straw and enjoy yourself.

Festival Food: Vinayaka Chavithi Payasam

Ingredients:

Milk: 1 liter
Rice flour: 150 gram
Sugar: 200 gram
Coconut: 1/2 portion of the full sized coconut
Elaichi: 5 gram
Cashew nut: 25 gram
Kismis (dried grapes):25 gram
Add almonds for additional taste.

Method of preparation:

1. First of all keep the rice flour in a hollow dish (banali) and heat it very lightly and take it out from the stove and allow the flour to cool. Then add one cup of hot water and mix them to form a round paste.

2. Now take a tube(janticala gottam)and keep in it a round measure(achu) having number of tiny holes and press the round paste through the holes of the measure on to the idly plates and now long thread –like ‘’semyas’’ are formed and which are steamed for 10 minutes.

3.Now boil the milk for a certain time and now put those steam boiled semyas in to the boiled milk, and heat the milk until it becomes concentrated.

4. Then sugar, mashed coconut, elaichi powder, cashew nuts and also kismis (dry grapes), and take out the vessel containing the milk with semyas from the stove.

4. Now serve the Payasam to your family members on the day of Vinayaka Chavithi festival.