Monsoon best time to enjoy indoors

Monsoon is a time of reviving family ties and focusing on our health. A healthy family is a happy family if care is taken to eat fresh and wholesome meals and snacks which contain all the essential nutrients required by the body. Furthermore, monsoon is a season when family members can spend valuable time with their near and dear ones.

A safe and secure home houses hale and happy people. A good house though wet outside but remains dry inside. With little to worry about dripping roofs and seeping moisture into the walls the people inside are bound to spend quality time with family members, be it young kids or the elderly.

The family members can spend quality family time together during meals, have never-ending discussions and chats over coffee, play indoor games like carom, chess and Ludo, rejoice over recollect old precious memories via photographs, watch a favourite T.V. show jointly or get indulged in a video game together. Parents can teach their kids to co-operate by working side by side to finish off the household chores, sitting with and talking to their grandparents or get amused by their interesting fairy tales and moral stories.

Another aspect of a healthy and happy family is eating well-balanced nutritious home-made food.

Piping hot dal-chawal or khichdi continue to remain an all-time favourite. Hot vegetable soups are also a good option to have. Vegetable pakodas with mint and coriander chutney are also the most liked savoury in a majority of homes. Nuts and curds are great to have as they are high in protein. Care must be taken to wash all vegetables and fruits thoroughly in clean water before consumption to keep away infection causing germs from entering our bodies. Intake of ginger, honey and black pepper is the best option to keep common cold ailments at bay. Consuming Green tea, ginger-tulsi tea and warm water with honey are natural immunity boosters.

Growing Up Faster

All aspects of development in kids be it physical, emotional, social or psychological development has an important key role to play in the kind of adults they will become in the future. The early years of development in children lay a foundation to turn them into healthy and smart individuals later in life. Becoming a parent is in itself an overwhelming experience. All parents want their kids to eat well and stay healthy.
A balanced diet consists of energy and all essential vitamins, minerals, proteins and good fats in the right quantity. We love to see them grow taller and weigh heavier on the scale every time we take them for a routine health check-up. It is actually an achievement as a good parent to have a smart and healthy kids who achieves all the right milestones for his age on time and has a strong immunity to resist diseases. For optimal growth and health in kids, nutrient-dense foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables provide many essential nutrients.
The nutritional requirement of young children must be given importance to when selecting their daily meals. Apart from looking tempting their meals should have vital nutrients like Calcium for the right development of strong little bones and teeth, proteins for muscle development and helping in correct growth, Minerals and vitamins for adequate functioning of bodily mechanisms, carbohydrates and fats to give energy and other macro and micro nutrients like iodine, zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and Iron. From healthy breakfast to mid-morning snacks, school tiffin to picnic goodies, lunch and dinner all are equally important for a kid’s growth.
Eating properly and balanced food is important for the future of the kid. We do our best to give them the best but sometimes fussy eating habits and lack of time takes a toll on our little one’s health. Furthermore it sometimes becomes impossible to give them everything ideal all the time. Even after trying hard we cannot give them all the nutrients on a daily basis. It is quite impossible to have it all available in the household regularly. Thus the result is not so healthy kids, who are not in the right age related height and weight bracket. Such children are lacking behind others and fail to remain alert and smart at school. This leads to cranky young ones and worried, tensed parents. Such children are unable to do well at home and in school. They tend to look the smallest and the shortest. This not only effects them emotionally but physiologically as well. Thus the need arises for the something extra in our children’s daily diet. Something special that can suffice for all the essential nutrients. The parents should understand that they may be late but still nothing is impossible as yet. It is Horlicks which has a solution. Because every child is special in his own way and it is his right to eat well and grow well. Horlicks is a storehouse of 14 essential nutrients. It is made up of wheat and barley and added up with the goodness of milk many other nutrients like sugar, calcium carbonate, dried skimmed milk, palm oil, salt, vitamin mix (vitamin C, niacin, vitamin E, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid, vitamin A, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin B12), ferric pyrophosphate, zinc oxide.So its time to give them Horlicks and help them grow fast, faster, fastest!

Journey of a lifetime

Our Journey of a lifetime began on 13th may 2016 from Delhi to captivating France. The dream holiday of my family had actually become reality!When I got a great deal on International Flights last month! I boarded the Airport Metro from Sector 21 Dwarka, Delhi to the airport with my husband and two kids aged 5 and 9 years. With butterflies of excitement in our stomach we reached the International T3 Terminal, Delhi in just three minutes. After check-in we had some time to visit the amazing handicrafts of India in the amazing Duty free shops therein. We waited for our International flight Oman Air to Muscat, Sultanate of Oman while the cloud of excitement hung above us all the time. Soon we boarded the aircraft and my little one was welcomed with a gift by the stewardess which made him gleeful. It took us about three hours to reach Muscat and from there we were to take our joining Oman Air flight to Our Dream destination, Paris. It took us about eight hours to reach Paris, France. The moment we stepped out of the airport we got a glimpse of the classy and busy lifestyle of the city. It was late evening by now and we headed straight to our hotel and called it a day. Next day we began our day with top class continental buffet breakfast consisting of a variety of freshly baked breads, Juices, Cereals, cheese, butter and fruits at our hotel, Ibis followed by city tour of Paris and visited the glorious Arc de Triomphe built by Napoleon with perplexing ancient Roman architectural human sculptures adorning its pillars on all four sides , the vast and astounding 12th century fortress now an art Museum, Musee du Louvre whose highlight is the Mona Lisa painting, completely baffled us.

Next we visited the symbolic structure of Paris, Eiffel Tower and what a mind blowing extraordinary huge monument it was. Truly worth of being a symbolic representative of Paris on the world map. We headed to its second level and had marvellous bird’s eye view of the bustling city. On decent we purchased our own “Eiffel Tower Souvenir”, a memory will will cherish all our life.

The visit to Paris would be incomplete without visiting the Notre Dame church, the iconic gothic cathedral which has a spiritual vibe to it. On the Inside, its made with magnificently laid stone structures, very tall and royal. Now was the time to kindle some romance in the cruise on Seine River which was the best transport to see the city of life and light from an incredible viewpoint. Then we took a stroll down the city, across the Alexandre III bridge over the beauteous seine river and took the underground metro back to our hotel. From the Hotel we proceeded to an Indian Restaurant Rasoi where we enjoyed well presented delicious complete Indian vegetarian food with matar-paneer, mix veg sabzi, one chicken curry dish, rice, papad , pickle and kheer for dessert. The service was friendly and the restaurant ambiance was pleasing.

How to make Fish Fry ( Lahori Style )

It is very easy to prepare fried fish lahori or fried fish punjabi.The ingredients are easily available in the market.I will be explaining you the making with the help of photographs;

                                                    Ingredients :
Fish - 1 kg of fresh fish.The fish pieces shown in the below photograph are of rohu (rehu).Rohu is a fresh water fish mostly found in south asia (India,Nepal,Bangladesh,Pakistan etc)

Get the fish, cut in small pieces.Wash the pieces properly.Washing is very important so that it gets rid of that fishy smell. For making 1 kg of fried fish.We would require 3-4 tablespoon of Vinegar,Salt to taste,and 1 and half tablespoon of crushed lehsun or lehsun paste. As shown in the below picture
Mix these 3 ingredients ( Vinegar,Salt and Lehsun Paste) and marinate the fish pieces for an hour. Now for the coating of besan.In a seprate bowl mix 1 and half cup of besan,1 tea spoon of crushed lehsun or lehsun paste,1 teaspoon of zeera powder,2 tablespoon of dhaniya powder,1 and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed ajwain( This depends on your taste,If you want you can omit this) small Pinch of baking soda,1 teaspoon of Haldi powder (turmeric powder).1 and half tablespoon of red chilli powder (Lal Mirch powder) and salt to taste.as shown in the below photograh.
Mix all the ingredients in a plate and blend them properly.
After this blending and mixing you will get a paste as shown in the picture below.
This paste will be used as a coating on the marinated fish pieces.Whenever you want to serve the fried fish.Fish pieces should be coated with this paste and left for an hour before frying,as shown in the picture below.
 
Now your fish is ready for frying.Whenever you want to serve it hot put small quantity of oil in a pan and you can fry the fish pieces.If you want to deep fry the fish pieces.Heat oil in a kadhai and put these pieces until they turn dark red or you can see them getting crispy.

 Take these pieces and serve them hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup

A healthy child makes a happy home.

Healthy kid is one which makes whole family happy and joyous.When a kid falls ill everyone in the family is worried.When my younger son fell ill last week.The doctor told us that his immunity system has become weak and gave a list of medicines for him.It is so difficult to make kids swallow those pills.I was so much worried.

At home my mother told me not to panic and told me to take ayurvedic herbs and gave me a long list of products to buy.It was again difficult for me to make little kid take these herbs.By the time we were discussing these things,my elder brother brought me a miracle product Dabur Chyawanprash.I was amazed to see all the  ayurvedic herbs in mothers list present in this product and much more.

Chyawanprash is one such product,which has contents essential for kids development and well being.Antioxidant  in chyawanprash helps to fight germs,improves immunity,protecting kids from common cold ,cough and other diseases.This gave me info about the important components of highest selling ,dabur chyawanprash with a market share of 60% .This prominent brand has ingredients like Amla,Giloy,Ashwagandha,Satavari,Bala,Vidarikand etc.These products have anti stress,anti oxidant,rejuvenating and other health improving properties.It has more than 40 other natural ingredients.

One pack of chyawanprash gave me the urge to know more about kids healthy being and their eating habits. Adulteration and pollution have caused huge damage to the new world.In our country, new generation is losing immunity.Unhealthy lifestyle and food is causing immense harm to a childs body.Ayurveda has some time-tested and authentic products to make kids strong and fight immunity.Chyawanprash is one of them.

Kids grownup on wholesome diet and chyawanprash will be more strong and healthy.The results can be seen within a short span of time.Chyawanprash has no chemical or artificial additives and has no sideeffects.

Proper food and eating habits are important in a childs growth.Kids eating habits are the foundationstone for his well being and fitness in later life.What we eat as a kid,is what makes us strong and healthy.

One important thing that I learned is kids love the taste of chyawanprash and take it without any fuss.Making kids swallow medicine is a big task.Not the case with dabur chyawanprash.It comes in 2 flavours mixed fruit and mango.Kids love these flavours.

PAYYE KA SAALAN (GOAT TROTTERS)

Ingredients

Payya (Goat Trotters)         4

Onion  chopped                  1 (medium)

Onion paste       of              3  medium onions.

Ginger paste                       1/2 tsp

Garlic paste                        1 tsp

Black pepper                     6-8

Cinnamon stick                  1

Cardamom n clove            1 each

Badi elaichi                        2

Salt                                   to taste

Red chilli powder             1 tsp

Turmeric powder             1/2 tsp

Corriander powder           2-3 tsp

Oil                                   1 cup

Method

1. wash the trottles throughly with tap water 3-4 times and strain.

2. Take 4 cups water in a pressure cooker. Add the trottles, salt, chopped onion ans half of the black pepper.

3. pressure cook it for upto 10-12 whistles.

4. When cools, open and check if the torttles are tender.

5. If not give 4-6 more whistles.

6. In a heavy bottom pan take oil and heat.

7. Add whole ingredients like black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom & clove to it.

8. When they begin to crackle, add onion paste,  ginger garlic paste and salt.

9. Cook on medium flame stiring ocaasionaly for 10-15 mins.

10. Add turmeric pwdr, chilli pwdr and corriander pwdr and cook well on medium flame for 30 mints, keep stirring.keep  Adding little water from the cooker .

11. When it is completely cooked and attained gravy consistency, add all the contents of cooker and mix well.

12. cook for few more minutes and its done.

garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Serves 4

Quick Chicken Gravy

Ingredients

Chicken (Cut and washed)     1/2 kg

Curd                                      250 -300 Grams

Black pepper powder            1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder                   1/2 tsp

Garam masala pwdr               1/2 tsp

Oil                                         2 Tbsp

Lemon juice of                       1 lemon

Ginger paste                          1/2 tsp

Garlic paste                           1 tsp

Red food color                      1/4th tsp

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pressure cooker.

2. Give 1 whistle.

3. Open and cook for 20-25 mins.

4. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve.

Serves 2

How to make Firrni / Kheer

Phirni / Kheer

Ingredients

Milk  -  1 litre

Sugar - 1 and half cup

Rice - 3 Tbsp

Nuts - Chopped (Almond, Cashew )

cardamom pwdr- 1/4th tsp

Method

1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan.

2. when it reaches boiling point, simmer the flame to medium and keep stirring for upto 20 mins. in order to thicken the milk a bit.

3. Meanwhile take the rice grains and coarsly grind in mixer.

4. Add to milk and cook for 20-25 mins, keep stirring to avoid sticking.

5. When the rice is completly cooked in milk, add sugar.

6. Stir and cook for 5 more mins.

7. Turn off flame and allow to stand for half an hour.

8. Stir in the cardamom powder.

9. Garnish with chopped nuts.

10. Cool and serve.

Pineapple Souffle

                                                  PINEAPPLE SOUFFLE 
 INGREDIENTS: 
 Milk 500ml
Custard Powder 3tsp (heaped)
Sugar 3 Tbsp
Gelatin 1 Tbsp (optional)
Pineapple Essence 2-4 drops
Pineapple (Fresh or Canned) 2 whole slices chopped
Egg White 3 (stiff beaten)
Cherry to garnish
METHOD: 
 Add sugar and soaked gelation to milk and boil.
Add custard Powder and boil for 2-4 mins till thick.
Cool.
Add pineapple essence and stiffened egg whites slowly.
Stir well in a slow and circular motion.
In a serving dish (prefrebaly a transparent square glass dish)
spread chopped pineapples and pour the mix over it.
Set in refrigerator (top) for few minutes.
Take out and garnish.
Then set in lower column for an hour or two.

Can they talk ?

My Son Arhaan just turned 7.  I have seen a keen inclination in him towards nature since his nursery class (age=3) . It is than when he learnt three types of living things- Humans, Animals & Plants. Since that time he has a fancy and fondness towards Plants.

Do they eat food?

Do they breathe?

Can they talk?

If I say something will they understand me?

He always stood in our lawn and asked me such kind of numerous questions.

Last year, during his summer break we took him to our ancestral village where the primary source of living is Farming.

I have never seen him Happier!! He used to sit 4-6 hours amongst crops, have meals in the backyard kitchen garden and water the Plants.

He even brought back home a small Papaya seedling….which is now flourishing in our Lawn….growing taller & stronger day by day.

That papaya plant is my son’s life achievement….it is his most Cherished Aspiration Fulfilled. 

Non Veg Food in Jaipur

During my recent visit to Jaipur famously known as 'Pink City', I was searching for good non veg food and searched google.The name which was mentioned many times by food lovers was of Islami Kallu Hotel at Ramganj chaupar (Near to Hawa Mahal).
I decided to visit the place to have a taste of this old & famous hotel.But I feel the food was average not the kind I had expected from such well known place.I only had the chance to eat mutton qorma along with 1 tandoori roti.Mutton Qorma had thick gravy and was an average stuff.
This place is famous for nihari, which is available from 7 in the morning till 10.30 only.Next time I plan to try this dish.
M M Khan Hotel is very nearby Kallu and here I found the food much better than Kallu.I ordered mutton stew and tandoori roti.Mutton stew half plate was Rs 90 and one tandoori roti priced at Rs 5.This is a nice place to eat non veg although very crowded in the evenings.
The quality of Mutton stew was excellent with well cooked meat pieces.The ingredients used made the dish tasty and this is a must try at this hotel..
I also visited Take Away (The KABAB SHOP) shop number 146,MI Road next to Ghani Motors.Here chicken dishes were excellent.The Chicken roll was very tasty and green chutney was also very well made.
For any Non Veg lover this place is a must visit at Jaipur.I also ordered Chicken Tikka and Chicken Hariyali, both were outstanding.The taste was awesome and served with green chutney and onion.It made lethal combination.Barbecue outside the hotel smells so good, that if you are passing near by you will stop and want to eat.This is the best place to eat Non Veg at Jaipur.Also available were biryani and dhaba chicken.Dhaba chicken i tried at the other nearby barnch of the same hotel.It was very tasty and delicious.

Karim Hotel in Delhi

The first thing which comes to mind eating out non veg in Delhi is Karim Hotel.When i visited Karim this time,I ordered chicken stew for a change.The best preparation in kareem is chicken barra and tandori or roomali roti.While checking menu I thought to try seekh kabab also.
I ordered Chicken Stew (half plate) at  Rs 188 ( Rs 160 + 17.45% taxes)
I thought of ordering seekh kabab or shami kabab ultimately decided to go for seekh kabab.Just to give it a try ordered only 1 piece at Rs 53 ( Rs 45 + 17.45% taxes).I would say it was not upto the mark.It tasted not so good,haldi (turmeric) was used too much and it made the taste of the seekh below average.This happened on that day or is normal,god knows but I will not try it next time.
I also ordered  tandoori roti at Rs 11 (  Rs 9 + 17.45% taxes) which was above average.The person sitting near me complained to the waiter that his tandoori roti has some small broken pieces of bone in it.This is not expected of a hotel which is considered to be one of the finest in India in food taste.
I ordered kheer (firni or phirni) also at  Rs 37 ( Rs 31 + 17.45% taxes).kheer was good.served in a kullhad made of clay.
The total food bill was 298/- (with 2 rotis ( 1 tandoori and 1 roomali)
But this time I have come to the conclusion that Chicken barra and other chicken tandoori dishes are prepared best at Karim.Chicken stew was ok not something to describe about.
The preparation at karim is going down a bit but is far superior than any other hotel in delhi or elsewhere.
By SN

Massaging helps a kid grow faster

A kids overall development requires healthy eating and proper caring.We all are very familiar with the nutritional requirement of a child.But caring as we do traditionally in India,like massaging is very important for the mental and physical well being of a kid.

Massaging with time-tested oil such as dabur lal tail has  been found to help immensely in weight gain and increasing height of a kid.Traditional ayurvedic  knowledge shows us the importance of massaging with oil.It is said that massaging with oil will have a lifelong effect on the body .In todays polluted environment,with skin infections and allergies, oil massage, during early life is the only long term solution.

Researches have shown that clinically proven  massage oil like dabur lal tail helps kids grow 2 times faster.This oil consists of sesame oil,ratanjyot,shankha pushpi,camphor and urad.These all have beneficial properties.Sesame oil helps in growth,ratanjyoti against skin infection,others help in blood circulation,nourishing of muscles and bones.

The chances of heart attack and other lifestyle diseases are decreased with the human touch given in the early stages of a persons life.When a child is well massaged and cared,he will surely grow up to be a healthy and positive human being.Traditional knowledge if used with scientific standards can help in improving the quality of life of our youngones.