STRAIGHT FROM MAMA’S KITCHEN

The magic of Indian cooking is the proper use of spices. It is possible to create the most exotic dishes with the slight variations of these ingredients.  Most of the spices and herbs used are -chilies, ginger and garlic, to name a few. There are few fresh spices ground into paste, with water or vinegar.  Each of the special spice helps to create its unique flavor.

MUTTON KADA MASALA (Fathima of Lucknow, a friend) 

   

 Ingredients:

·        1 kg. Mutton

·        2 coconut  (Extract Milk 2 cup thick and 1 cup thin)

·        8-10 red chilies

·        2’’ piece of ginger

·        10-12 garlic flakes

·        2 large onions

·        4 tbs. ghee

·        10 pieces cloves

·        5 pieces cinnamon

·        8 green cardamoms

·        Few Saffron strands

·        Salt to taste

Method

Put 2 tbsp. of ghee in a pan, add the meat with the crushed ginger and garlic. Cook till the meat is tender.  Put remaining ghee in a pan and add 4 cloves, 4 pieces of cinnamon and 4 green cardamoms. Add cooked meat, combined with sliced onions, chilies and remaining garam masala.  Let it cook with thin coconut milk for sometime. Finally add thick coconut milk and saffron and then cook for sometime till aroma is slowly rises.

STUFFED CRABS (Pavitra of Toronto, a friend)

 Ingredients:

·        6 large crabs

·        5-6 garlic flakes

·        1’’piece ginger

·        2 green chili

·        2 onions 

·        1 lemon

·        1 tsp.  garam masala powder

·        1 tsp. chili powder

·        Coriander leaves 1 small bunch

·        Bread crumbs to fry

·        1 egg

Method:

Boil the crab and scoop the meat and keep aside the empty shells for

stuffing. Finely chopped onions, heat a pan with little oil to sauté  onions,  add  red chili powder, garam masala powder, garlic and ginger, finely chopped coriander leaves, then finally add  lemon juice and salt to taste.

Barbeque this stuff brushing little olive oil or deep fry.

Mutton chilly fry  (Shirley D’Souza, friend from London)

Ingredients:

1k.g Mutton

50gms curds

Cut into medium size and marinate in curds

For dry masala powder

·        1o red long  chilies

·        2tbs. coriander seed

·        6 flakes of garlic

·        4 pepper corns

·        1tsp turmeric powder

·        1tsp cumin seed

·        2’’of cinnamon sticks

·        6 cloves

·        2green cardamom

Make a powder of these ingredients.

·        150gms ghee

·        2 onions (chopped into lengthwise)

·        2tbs vinegar

·        Coriander leaves a small bunch

·        6-7 whole long green chilly

Method

·        In a thick bottom pan pour ghee when it is heated add onions

·        Fry it slightly brown color remove half of the fried onions from the pan and keep aside.

·        Squeeze the mutton from the marinated curd and fry it in a low flame until it changes its color

·        Add half the quantity of masala powder adds vinegar an enough water to cook the mutton

·        close the lid until it is nearly done

·        Now add the remaining masala powder, whole green chili  and  fried onion.

·        Simmer and fry it for sometime

Decorate with finely chopped coriander leaves.

NARGISI KABAB     (Late Ruma of Mumbai, a friend)

Ingredients:

·        3 hard boiled eggs.

·        1 big potato.

·        ½ kg. minced meat.

·        2 green chilies.

·        1’’ piece of ginger.

·        1 tsp. each of garam masala powder, cumin seeds, coriander seeds.

·        3 flakes of garlic.

·        1 bunch each of coriander and mint leaves.

·        Bread crumbs.

·        1 egg stiffly beaten.

·        Salt and chili powder.

Method

Boil minced meat adding little salt, until it is tender and grind.

Grind chilly, garlic and ginger together into a paste.

Boil potato, mash it and add salt in it.

Mince coriander and mint leaves.

Mix all these spices with boiled potato and meat & add salt to taste.

Cover the boiled egg with the meat mix.

Roll into bread crumbs dip in the egg and deep fry.

Decorate with fresh green lettuce and cherry tomatoes.

(You can prepare this only with boiled potato also)

 LIVER (lamb) MASALA FRY (from my late Mother-in-Law)

Ingredients:

·        ½ kg. mutton liver.

·        Green chilies 7-8.

·        Coriander seeds 1 tbsp.

·        Coriander and mint leaves, a bunch each.

·        Pepper corns -5.

·        Onion medium -1.

·        5 flakes of garlic.

·        Ginger ½’’ piece.

·        Cinnamon, cloves & dalchini, freshly ground to make 1 tsp.

·        Ghee 150 gms.

·        ½ tsp. turmeric powder.

Add salt to taste.

For grinding

·        green chilly

·        coriander seeds

·        pepper

·        ginger and garlic

·        coriander  and  mint leaves

·        cumin seeds

·        little tamarind

Method

Slice onion, cut and clean and wash lever and keep aside. In a pan, pour ghee and fry onions into light brown color add ground masala add salt & turmeric powder, fry for few minutes until it changes its color. Add fresh garam masala.

Finally add liver, cook in a very slow flame and let it cook till it is done.

GHEE RICE   (from my late Grandmother)

Ingredients:

·        ½ kg. long grain basmati rice

·        ½ kg.  ghee

·        ½ kg. onions

·        100 gms. kishmish

·        1 ½ cups of water (steaming hot)

Method:

                                                                               (my grand Ma used to cook in idli tandoor),

Slice onions keep aside.

Wash and drain the rice.

In a thick bottomed vessel 

pour ghee (nearly ¼ kg.).

When it is heated, add onions and fry the onions till it becomes transparent.

In the same vessel put rice and fry for some time.

Add water and salt to taste.

Sprinkle kishmish and pour the rest of ghee on the top.

Cover the lid & cook in a very slow flame for nearly for 7-8 minutes.

Remove from the fire and don’t open the lid for the next 5-6 minutes.

HOT AND SOUR PRAWN (from my Mom)


Ingredients:

·        Prawn 1/2k.g

·        Red Kashmiri  long chili  10

·        Red short chili 5

·        Coriander seed 1 heaped tbsp.

·        Tamarind a lemon Garlic a big pod size

·        Turmeric powder  1/2tsp

·        Coconut  oil  5 tbs.

·          Salt to taste

Method

·         Shell out clean and wash the prawns and rub it in little salt and turmeric powder.

FOR GRINDING

·        chilly , coriander and tamarind

·        1 cup of water ( masala water keep separately)

·        Take a earthen pot (traditionally cooking) put oil  when it is heated add crushed garlic without removing the skin. Let the garlic turn into dark  reddish brown(not burnt)

·        Put  prawns, add grounded paste in it fry for a minute

·        Add a cup of water

·        Close the lid  cook  for till it is done

·        Semi dry goes well with dal and rice.

FRIED CHICKEN MASALA CURRY   ( from my sister Sandhya Rao)
Ingredients:

·        15 dry long chilies

·        5 short chilies

·        1dsp. cumin seed

·        Few sticks of cinnamon

·        5 cloves

·        12 pepper corns

·        Little tamarind

·        Saffron

       ½ kg. Onion (round shape cutting)

For frying

Ghee and refined oil

2kg. chicken

Method

Cut the chicken into medium size wash and keep aside.

·        Grind masala into a very fine paste, add 1 cup of water and keep separately.

·        Take a pan put chicken pieces with masala water, keep it for boiling with onions, add salt to taste with 1 spoon of vinegar .

·        When chicken is nearly done, remove the chicken pieces from the frying pan.

·        Pour ghee or oil for frying the chicken pieces. 

   

·        When the oil oozes out, pour the left over gravy and thicken it. Add salt and vinegar, if required.

·       Remove the fried chicken in a dish and decorate it with hard boiled eggs cut lengthwise.

Mama

All cooking is matter of time,in general,the more time you 

spend the better  will be cooking.

EXPLORE YOUR BABY FOOD

confused mom looking for Baby food

As babies grow, every mommy wants to make sure that her child gets all the essential nutrients to the baby for healthy and chubby look. Though most of the nutrients a baby gets from breast milk, but as a thumb rule babies may be ready for solids in 4 to 6 months.

 Things to Remember

·       Consult your pediatrician before beginning any solid food to your infant, as each child is different.

·       Remember you will have to have plenty of patience while feeding your baby.

·       It is easy, economical and healthy to prepare fresh baby food at home.

·       And most importantly, preparing your own baby food is tremendously satisfying for you.

·       When you introduce solids, try single ingredient food; one at a time, so you can closely watch your baby and check whether it is allergic to any particular kind of food.

·       Meal time is not only for eating, it is also a chance to interact with your baby.  So relax and enjoy every moment when you feed it. 

·       This is also a time to explore your baby’s favorite’s likes and dislikes.

·       It is always a trial and error to introduce new food to your baby. Offer your baby different food, use different ways of preparations with some variations while mixing the ingredients.

·       All you can do is present a new food to your baby and let it  to decide how much and what it will eat. After all, cooking for baby should not be a core but a PLEASURE.

·       In the beginning feeding a baby with the spoon, often it may not be a success, but gradually child will actually get the spoon in its mouth. You can also help child to learn by letting it hold on to the spoon while you feed.

·       Plan menu for the week and place it at your kitchen.  Keep changing the menu once in a fortnight. Don’t take your baby for granted, as it can smell, taste and observe all colored things including its food.

·       Always use clean hands and freshly cleaned utensils (keep it separately) when you prepare home made food, taste the food yourself before feeding a child.

BREAKFAST IDEAS

PUREE

Pureeing  homemade  food  is  very simple, as  almost all babies loves this, for  PUREE  cook or steam fruits and then put  in a blender, to make it smooth & creamy. Learn to discover more healthy and tasty puree.

 Start a day with a fruit, is a great idea

PLANTAIN    (after 6months)

A  piece of banana  should be steamed and blend  ( make a fine paste you can add little water, breast milk or Formula milk.

AVACADO

It makes a great food for your baby. Avocado often called one of the nature’s perfect food.

Scoop the ripe avocado, place it in a blender and puree until desired consistency, add little milk if required.

APPLE

Peel the skin and then steam it. While steaming, keep ½ piece of cinnamon or 1 green cardamom inside the apple (for flavor).  Put it in a blender.

PLUM

Place the plum in a small sauce pan , add little water and bring it to boil. Close the lid and simmer it until the plum becomes soft; then put it in a blender, to make it creamy and smooth (don’t peel the plum, retain its skin to preserve its nutrients).

Musk Melon

A treat for your baby.  Skin the melon and churn it to make a thick paste.

LUNCH TIME

Green beans or Green Peas

If you are using fresh peas place peas in the steamer, steam it reserve the leftover water mix with baby food before feeding her.

(Peas can be mixed with carrot, fresh beans, potato, sweet potato and lentil)

PUMPKIN

Pumpkin is a good baby food supplement. 

SWEET POTATO

As a nutritional food, the  sweet potato is amazing and makes it very delicious.

 Cook a small piece in a pressure cooker and mix with milk, you can add little fresh butter to make it very tasty and delicious.

Home Made Solid (traditional)

·       1 tbs. wheat either full or coarse

·       1 tbs.  ragi

·       A piece of sugar candy

·       Soak wheat and ragi in a normal temperature water overnight.

·       In the morning, grind this mixture with adding two cups of water and then strain it in a clean muslin cloth.

·       Place it in a freshly cleaned utensil for 30 min. and drain the water on the top, so that semi-solid liquid is retained.

·       Add a piece of jaggery or a piece of sugar candy and keep it on a stove with very low flame and keep stirring.

·       After it is properly cooked, remove from the heat.

·       You can add water or milk to bring its consistence as you prefer.

(the finest  baby food which could be your first baby meal, this can start from the age of 4 months up to 1 year.)

MOONG DAAL KICHIDI

·       2 tbs. yellow gram dal (soaked in water for an hour).

·       Any fresh vegetables (carrot, green beans, potato, beetroot, green peas).

·       Wash and put it in a cooker. While cooking, add any one fresh vegetable or mixed vegetables.

·       Boil the gram dal with little turmeric powder, when it is  well cooked, put in a blender make a paste of it. Sprinkle little fresh butter before feeding.

OVER COOKED BROWN RICE

After it is well cooked, put it in a blender you can toss it with small pieces of cooked vegetables and feed him with fresh butter or  a little ghee.

 Steamed Idli

Any steamed food with urad dal, is a food for the brain.

Mash it  and feed him with fresh curd or milk of his choice.

(You can prepare mini  idlis  and toss fresh vegetables while steaming it.)

Introduce some sweet dish  

When your baby is a year old, you can start with custard & pudding.  While preparing  yummy deserts for your baby add a piece of jaggery or brown sugar instead of sugar.

FINGER FOOD

When your little one is probably sitting well without support, it is good idea to offer finger food. But be careful, as it should be soft enough so he can manage to swallow by chewing it or something that can easily melt in his mouth.

·       As I have said all babies are different:  some like lumpy food, some like to grab from your plate,  some  others appear totally disinterested.

·       Always try to trust your instinct and watch your baby’s for signs for readiness to eat.

·       It is not a good idea to offer your baby finger food,  but  there is a higher risk of chocking  see the food which you can avoid.

·       If  a baby is a  pretty good grasper, then you can think of offering  her finger food.

·       Try to prepare small mini size steam or baked food.

Few ideas for finger food you can prepare it at home:

·       Baked sweet potato

·       Small piece of cooked carrot

·       Baked veggies

·       Baked cookies (preferably longer in shape)

·       Big piece of cheese

·       Bread  (not softer )

·       Milk biscuits

MAMA

BabyMazz

I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs, then I tasted the baby food :)

Dron

For Your Beautiful Hands and Feet

Hands are  noticed  more or nearly as much as your face, so they deserve to be beautifully cared for. It is easier to hide any imperfection of face through make-up, but hands need constant grooming of certain quality to look lovely and beautiful.

If nature has gifted you with beautiful hands, be thankful and look after them with tender care to preserve it.  Hands are the first to show the signs of ageing, but sometimes due to negligence young women have wrinkled hands.

Hand care

·       First step towards the grooming of your hands is to keep them scrupulously clean.

·       Nail biting is out if you want beautiful nails, too long and pointed nails looks repulsive.

·       To repair the damage done by rough house work, keep on rubbing  your  hands with a mixture of equal amount of glycerin and rose water.

·       Keep  a slice of lemon in kitchen it acts as a whitener, softener and nail cleaner.

·       Equal amount of lemon juice and white vinegar acts as hand whitening lotion.

·       Our nails,  hair, eyes or skin, these indicate the state of our health. If nail is lacking in color or with white spots, then it is the signs of ill health.

·       Vitamin A, D and B Complex are good for nail growth and calcium can cure the split nails.

Nail-care 

·       Try to avoid too much contact with strong detergent.

·       Keep your nails in warm olive oil before a manicure and rub it into cuticles every night.

·       Massage of Vaseline into cuticles is excellent for rough cuticles.

·       Keep your nails free of any nail paint occasionally.

• Daily hand care

·       Every day  after washing your hands, push back  the cuticles and clean under the nail tips.

·       Before going to bed lavish the hands with Vaseline and use a pair of cotton gloves. This helps your hands to become incredibly soft in the early morning.

Manicure

Manicure began 5000 years ago in Arab countries and henna was used for manicure. French manicured design to resemble natural nails and are characterized by natural pink base and nails with white  tips. French manicure may have originated from Paris in 18^th century.

A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the hand nails and  it  is  performed  at either home or in a saloon. A manicure treatment is not a only treatment for the natural nails and also for the hand.

Common manicure & pedicure tools

A bowl of   warm water, Nail clippers, Cuticle knife, Cuticle pusher, a pair of Scissors,  nail buffer, Cuticle remover and cream, massage lotion and  nail paint.

Base coat polish and top coat, Cotton balls and hand towels

Do it yourself

·       Take off old color on the nails with acetone remover on a cotton ball.

·       Soak hands in a bowl of warm water with a 1tsp. of vinegar and liquid soap. Water should not be too hot (it will dry your hands and nails) soak your hands not more than 5 minutes

·       Buffing  the  nails  and the nail edges for a smooth and shaped finish.

·       Filing will control the length and shape of your nails.

·       There are  two  main  option  square and round. Square cut is   more in fashion

·       Make your manicure look more professionally.  Filing should be done in only one direction.

·       Use a cuticle pusher just to push  them  back but some people  like to cut their cuticles but best is not to do this at home.

·       Scrub your hands or legs  for  few  minutes   wash and dry them thoroughly.

·       Apply the base coat  and  apply two thin coats of nail paint.

·       apply   moisturizing  cream

·       After the nail paint is dry, massage your hands with hand cream or any cream.

·       Use a right color for your personality

·       While applying nail paint use a toe separator to keep nails from hitting each other and  smudging  your polish.

Feet

 should be as pretty and well groomed as your hands and face. Hard skin, uneven toe nails and hairy legs shows that you are neglecting your legs and feet.

Aching  feet are the result of lack of proper exercise.,  Give them much attention and same beauty care as your hands.

 Cold or hot water foot bath also help feet.

Your foot wear must be comfortable  avoid  very pointed shoe  and excessively high shoes.

For the beautifying your  feet, rub the calluses with pumice stone every time when you take  bath.


 After bath, massage your legs and feet with a mixture of glycerin and rose water During winters rub your legs and feet with warm olive oil .

Pedicure

A pedicure is a way to improve the appearance of your feet and the nails. A pedicure can prevent nail disease and nail disorders.

Egyptians were known for paying special attention to their feet and legs. They also colored their nails. Royal finger nails are usually colored either black or red.

Today  the highest nail saloons located throughout  in US, it is said pedicure has highest growth rate compared to the other beauty treatments.

MAMA

Some women are born beautiful, others achieve beauty:)