Best Turmeric Milk Recipe that gives 100% Result

You may have heard lots of benefits about turmeric milk and also tried to get in need. Actually getting all the benefits of any herb depends on how you consume it. Here, I have placed an ultimate turmeric milk recipe to get best result out of it.

Taking herb is not always tasty. This recipe will make turmeric milk more tasty and enhance properties of added ingredients to give you maximum benefits.

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Special Traditional Recipes for Navratri Festival In India

Enjoy playing garba in navratri and tempt your tongue with special Indian traditional recipes to make your celebration a cheerful and delicious as each recipe.

A variety of cuisines accompanied with each special celebration is a heart of every Indian festival. An energetic celebration of nine nights – Navaratri is celebrated all over India in various forms. In Gujarat, people do fasting and play garba by taking decorative pot on head to worship Goddess Jagdamba. In Kolkatta, people worship Goddess Durga for nine days. Besides traditional rituals, people also do fasting to get blessings of goddess. While doing fasts, devotees do not eat all the usual food. So, they have to stick for special navaratri food. If you are wondering that what you will eat during your Navaratri fasting then, check out the full recipes of special traditional dishes to eat during nine nights of navaratri.

Milkmade Kheer:

Ingredients: 1 litre Milk, 1 can Milkmade condensed milk, 1 cup rice, 100 gms sugar, handful of raisins, cashew, almonds, pistachios, 4-5 cardamom and cherries for garnishing

Preparation method:

• Boil milk in one deep pan and add sugar in it
• Add rice into the milk and continue stirring occasionally
• After 5-7 minutes, add full can of Milkmade condensed milk into the pan
• Do not forget to stir occasionally
• Add cardamom for flavor and stir on medium for long time till it becomes half of the volume
• Add all dry fruits and let it cool down
• Serve it garnished with cherry

Sabudana kheer:

Ingredients: 1 cup sabudana, 2 cup milk, cup of jaggery or sugar, 1 tsp cardamom powder, 10-15 raisins, 10-15 almonds and cashew, 1 tbsp Margarine, pinch of saffron

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Special Recipes for Navratri Fast

This Navratri, try these mouth-watering and delicious farali recipes to satisfy your taste buds for your Navratri vrat or upavas.

The auspicious festival of Navratri is celebrated nationwide by worshipping Maa Jagdamba, a form of Goddess Durga. Navratri marks the beginning of spring or autumn, which means change of season. During the change of seasons, our immune system becomes weak so we are advised to consume light and nutritious meals. This is the reason why people should practice fast on all the nine days of the festival. People who practice fast avoid eating foods like meat, grains, alcohol, onion, common salt, garlic, etc. which are harder to digest. Fasting in navratri is an effective way to cleanse and purify the body and mind. Enjoy each and every bite of fasting food without compromising with your health and taste with these special recipes for Navratri vrat or upavas. These recipes are irresistible and more mouth-watering compared to regular food.

Special Recipes for Navratri Fast

Idli and Sambar
For Idli:

• 1 cup Sama (Moraiya)
• ½ cup Sabudana
• 1 cup Fresh Curd
• 4 tsp. Ginger-Green Chilli Paste
• 1 tsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 cup Boiled Potato Cubes
• 2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• ½ cup Roasted Peanut Powder (optional)
• Rock salt to taste

For Sambhar

• 5 tsp. Coriander seeds
• 4 Round Red Chillies
• 2 Tbsp. Roasted Peanuts
• 1 Tbsp. Grated Dry Coconut
• 25 mm Cinnamon Stick
• 1½ Cups Bottle Gourd Cubes
• 1½ cups Peeled and Chopped Yam
• 1 cup Peeled and Chopped Potatoes
• 2 tsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• Rock Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Idli:

Clean and wash sama in seeds. After that, add the remaining ginger-chilli paste, potatoes, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Once the mixture cool down, divide it into 16 equal portions. Now, put 1 tbsp. of the idli batter into greased idli moulds and spread the stuffing over it. Sprinkle peanut powder and top it up with idli batter. Steam them in an idli steamer until done.

Sambhar:

Make a fine powder of coriander seeds, 2 red-chillies, peanuts, dry coconut & cinnamon and keep aside. Boil a vessel full of water and add bottle gourd, yam and potatoes. Cook them till the vegetables are cooked. Drain and make a smooth purée. Transfer the mixture to a deep non-stick pan and add 4 cups of water. Then add ground powder & rock salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

For tempering, heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. After that, add 2 red chillies and sauté for a few seconds. Pour the tempering over sambhar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Lastly, add the lemon juice and mix well.

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5 Recipes of Indian Kheer

Make several types of Indian kheers like anjeer kheer, carrot kheer or mixed fruit kheer to celebrate every occasion as well as to satisfy your taste buds.

India is a delightful merging of various kinds of people with interesting traditions, life style and special cuisine. Indian recipes are best by means of hygiene, health, taste, and its special time to eat on special occasion to induce more sweetness in the air. Sweet dishes in India have special connection to every Indian's heart. Sweet dishes like gajar ka halwa is best dish to celebrate your every victory and puran poli is very much popular is Maharashtra state to celebrate every traditional occasion sweetly. Kheer is all time favorite sweet dish of every Indian from north to south and from east to west. So, each region of India has its own method to welcome you with the special kheer recipe that makes your taste buds to want more and more. Check out different recipes to satisfy your hunger for the mouthwatering Indian kheer.

Regular kheer:

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked rice, 2 cups milk, 1/3 cup condensed milk, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cardamom powder, 1 tsp ghee

Method:

• Mix cooked rice and milk together in one pan
• Now stir continuously on low flame of stove for 10-15 minutes
• After stirring for long time, add sugar, cardamom powder, ghee and mix all the ingredients perfectly
• Let the sugar get dissolved completely
• Serve hot in a bowl
• You can also use artificial sweetener instead of sugar

With traditional kheer, you can also make below given five special types of kheer to enjoy on every occasion.

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DIY Homemade Toothpaste Recipes

Put your grocery shop's ready-made toothpaste on a side and switch to easy to made and cheap all naturals homemade toothpaste for overall health of your family.

With evolution of human beings, various new technologies and routine useful things has been also improved. But with the process of evolution and improvement, purity of natural ingredients that we use in daily routine has become poorer. One example is our toothpaste that gives us fresh and clean teeth plus oral cavity. Toothpaste that we purchase from grocery shop has tons of harmful ingredients though companies sell them as completely harmful to our health. Few of armful ingredients are Triclosan, Aspartame, Sachharin, Sorbitol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), FD&C Blue Dye No. 2, Fluoride etc. To stay away from harmful ingredients of toothpaste, you can switch to homemade toothpaste.

Homemade toothpaste recipes include all natural ingredients like baking soda, water, essential oils, coconut oil, sea salt etc. which are considered as teeth friendly ingredients. Mixture of these ingredients not only cleans your teeth but remineralize your teeth to get rid of the problems like problem of eating cold food items, tooth decay. As well as with homemade toothpaste you will get white brightening teeth that you have dreamed about. Check out various homemade toothpaste recipes that can be made in few minutes a useful for measurable long time.

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Delicious Low calorie curd dishes

Whether you are watching your weight or just living a healthy lifestyle, enjoy these healthy and delicious low calorie yogurt dishes without compromising on taste.

Yogurt, the nutritious and wonderful snack is among the America's favorite breakfast foods. It is powerhouse of protein, calcium & probiotics, and chocked-full of impressive health benefits. It is so versatile that you can use it in desserts, sauces, dips, appetizers, smoothies, salad dressings, main courses and marinades. Now-a-days people are more calorie conscious, so they prefer low-fat varieties of yogurt. This low-fat tasty treat not only makes your food interesting, but also gives you the required nutrients by adding only few calories. Here are given some simple and delicious low calorie curd dishes that you can enjoy without worrying about calorie count.

Yummy and healthy low calorie Yogurt dishes:

1. Yogurt and Strawberry Phyllo Cups
Calories: 70 per serving
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 cup low-fat yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup honey

Method of preparation:

First of all, preheat oven to 350°F. Then, grease 12 well muffin tin tray and keep it aside. Take a sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter. Put another sheet on top and brush with melted butter. Cut the sheet into 12 equal squares and put them in prepared muffin tin tray. Now, repeat the process with remaining sheets, but put the squares in muffin tin in alternate corner points. Bake phyllo for about 6 minutes or until golden.

Once phyllo cups are ready, allow them to cool to room temperature. Fill each phyllo cup with 1 1/2 Tbsp. yogurt and top with 1 Tbsp. strawberries. Drizzle honey on each cup.

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Make Hair Silky and Shiny with baking soda and vinegar Naturally Recipe

Make use of baking soda and apple cider vinegar recipe as shampoo and conditioner to get silky and shiny hair without any side effects of any harsh chemicals.

A natural curly locks or shiny hair is a dream of every girl. Long shiny and silky hair gives extra gorgeous look to any girl. Various shampoo and other hair care products gives you shiny hair but it last for few days only. Plus harsh chemicals used in shampoo makes your hair frizzy and dry. It washes out essential oil from your scalp and makes your scalp itchy. Some harsh shampoo who claim to rinse out dandruff are so much harsh in nature that it make your hair looks like dead without any volume, gross and dryer than hardest winter. There is natural baking soda and vinegar recipe to make your hair silky without using harsh shampoo!

Baking soda is used for many purposes from cleansing to make different baked products. It also cleanses your hair scalp and gives you rid of dandruff by leaving your hair smooth and soft. Baking soda does not contain any harmful chemicals like shampoo. Apple Cider Vinegar’s use after washing your hair with baking soda will do work of natural conditioner. It will lock the shine of your hair without removing natural oil in hair root. So, this combination of natural ingredients not only make your healthier than before but you can also stay away from harsh damage of shampoo chemicals.
Once anyone starts using this natural remedy of baking soda with vinegar for silky and shiny hair, they will definitely not going to use harsh shampoo again. Combination of baking soda and vinegar gives you a chance to embrace natural texture of your hair. One thing you must understand while using the baking soda and vinegar for your hair is you will not get any foam or leather effect by using these natural ingredients. But these ingredients have quality to do remove all dirt and oil from your hair without causing damage. Natural baking soda and vinegar are free from drying sulphate chemicals.

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Easy Indian Bitter Gourd Recipes

Here are some easy to prepare Indian bitter gourd recipes for you to try. The recipes are from bitter to spicy & sweet also easy and very healthy, especially for diabetics.
All vegetables serve one or more health benefits. The taste of all vegetables differ from one another. Vegetables taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter or savory. Bitter gourd, the name itself refers to the bitter taste. Bitter gourd recipes are easy to prepare and beneficial for our health, especially for diabetics. These recipes are easy to make at home within no time. Mostly, bitter gourd recipes can be served as side dish with a combination of different rice like dal rice, rasam rice or sambar rice and chapattis.

To get benefits of bitter gourd, here are some easy Indian recipes made from Bitter Gourd:

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How to make wild yam cream at home? Recipes and Tips

You can prepare your own wild yam cream with just few ingredients. Check out some simple recipes here to make wild yam cream at home.

Yams aren’t just delicious, they are healthy too. Not many people know that this delicious root vegetable is being used for ages for treatment of various ailments. Yam cream, often referred to as wild yam cream, is considered as the best natural remedy for premenstrual, menstrual, and menopausal symptoms in women. Not just women, this cream is equally beneficial for men; it is being marketed today as an alternative medicine cream to treat erectile dysfunction and to increase male libido.

Nowadays, wild yam creams are readily available in most health food and drug stores. But the problem is that some of these creams contain synthetic progesterone in them. Absorbing such man-made progesterone in high concentrations could result in some side effects, like constipation, fatigue and irritability and in rare cases, fainting, blurred vision, difficulty in breathing, and swelling of the throat. That’s why, it is highly recommended to go for home-made wild yam cream. Yes, you can prepare your own wild yam cream at home that too with just few ingredients. Two simple recipes of home-made wild yam cream are given below. Follow one of them and make a rich & beneficial wild yam cream naturally at home.

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Halloween Cupcake Recipes and Ideas for 2013

Celebrate Halloween with the latest, creepy and spooky Halloween ideas of cupcakes and decorations to make your Halloween party full of excitement.

Halloween celebration countdown has begun and you might have started your preparation for it. Halloween is an abbreviation of All Hallows Even or it is a day before all Hallows day that is also known as All Saints Day begins. It is a catholic holiday and we buy or prepare scariest costume for Halloween theme party and many unique and delicious dishes for our loved ones on this day. We also decorate our home with scary decorating items such as scary lightening with carved pumpkin. Check out Halloween cupcake recipes and different ideas to make your Halloween party scariest and enjoyable.

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Make healthy banana bread muffins - Easy Recipes

Muffins are one of the usual breakfasts in America and it is loved by all age people. Muffins are also called as semi sweet cakes that are served without any garnishing. Muffins are made with different fruits and cereals to make it more healthy and nutritive breakfast. Banana is a very nutritive fruit that helps to restore calcium in our body to make bones strong. Thus, it is good to add fresh banana in muffins to make your breakfast more nutritive and healthy. Here we present some of the delicious recipes to make delicious muffins for your family and friends with the main ingredient of banana.

Strawberry Banana Muffins:
Ingredients:
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 medium lightly mashed banana, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp. 2% milk, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup frozen or fresh chopped strawberries

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Healthy Indian recipes for Lazy housewives

In this fast forward life, women also like to help their family to become financially stable. That is why, women of today’s date, don’t want to spend their all worthy time only in the kitchen, so it might happen that women avoid to make dishes that takes more time. If you are one of those women who have to handle both professional life and family at the same time, then you should be aware of some of the fast and easy Indian dishes that you can serve to your family in the breakfast for the right start of day. Instant Indian recipes do not take more than half an hour and some of them are ready to eat in just 15 minutes. You can serve hot and delicious breakfast to your family everyday. Here are provided some of the delicious and instant Indian recipes.

1, Vegetable Upma

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7 Indian Samosa Recipes

No doubt today’s youth turn towards pizza, burger, hotdog and many other fast foods, but still samosas have a unique place in their life. Your mouth starts watering when you see the hot samosas. Now you can serve your homemade samosas with your love to your family whether you want to have vegetarian-samosas or non-veg. These will definitely help you to earn praise from your family. Samosas are really a good evening time snack in North India. As India is a diverse country, so the process and taste are also diversified. There are different methods of preparing samosas.

Following are some of the vegetarian recipes for samosas:

1, Punjabi samosas

Ingredients:
For Dough:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 11/2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
• 1/4 cup minus 2 tablespoon lukewarm water

Filling:

• 3 large boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped into very small cubes
• 2 chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cup green peas (frozen)
• 1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Method:

Dough

• Add sooji, oil, salt into flour and add water as per the need
• Knead the dough properly so that it becomes pliable and soft
• After this cover it with a clean cloth. Let it there for 20 minutes

Filling

• Take oil in a frying pan and heat it in the medium flame
• Now add cumin seeds, green chilies, coriander powder and stir it for few seconds
• After this add green peas and stir it until tender
• Add potatoes into the mixture and let it fry for at least 4 minutes. Add amchur, garam masala and more salt if needed
• Now turn off the flame and let the filling cool

Now process of making samosas

• Now divide the dough into equal parts and make balls out of it.
• Roll each ball into circle and cut each circle in half.
• Give the shape of that semi circle into a cone shape and pinch the side of the semi circle properly so that it is properly sealed.
• Now fill the mixture into cone and press the filling properly with the help of your fingers.
• After completing the above steps, close the cone into a triangle shape properly and once again pinch the top edge properly. Do fill the rest of samosas as in the same way.
• Now take oil in a frying pan and heat it on the medium flame.
• Put the samosas into the oil and fry it until it turns into light golden-brown color on all sides.
• Serve the hot samosas with chutney.

2, Moong Dal mini samosas

Ingredients:
Dough:

• Maida - 250 gram (1 1/4 cup)
• Ghee - 60 gram (1/4 cup)
• Salt - according to your taste (1/2 tea spoon)

Filling:

• Moong Dal - 100 grams (1/2 cup)
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
• Hing - 1 pinch
• Garam masala - less than 1/4 tea spoon
• Salt - according to your taste (1/2 tea spoon)
• Green Chilly - 2
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Anise powder - 1 spoon
• Red Chilly powder - less than 1/4 tea spoon (if you want)
• Oil - 2 table spoon
• Amchur powder - less than 1/4 tea spoon
• Oil - to fry samosa

Method:

Dough:

• Add ghee, salt in maida and knead it with luke warm water. After properly kneading it, leave it for 30 minutes.

Filling:

• Before soaking the moong dal into water for 2 hours, rub it properly with both hands in order to remove its skin.
• After that, wash the dal properly and make paste of it and add green chilies and ginger without adding water to it.
• Take a pan and heat the oil into it.
• Add hing, cumin seeds and then add anise, coriander powder and dal paste, stir it properly.
• Insert amchur powder, garam masala, chilli and salt, according to taste.
• Stir the mixture properly and put on flame until it turn brown and dry.

Making samosas

• Using a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough.
• Cut into two halves and give the shape of one half into a cone.
• Fill the filling into cone shape and fold it properly, stick both the corners with water. Press the corners with hands gently and close the corners.
• Prepare all the samosas in the same manner.
• Now take oil into pan and heat it on the medium flame.
• Put the samosas into the oil and fry it until it turns into light golden-brown color on all sides.

3, Corn samosas

Ingredients:

• 1cup Fresh Corn Seeds
• 1 ½ cup Maida (all purpose flour)
• 1 tsp Ginger (chopped)
• 1 Green Chili (chopped)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 Potato (optional)
• 1 tsp Gram flour (Besan)
• ½ tsp Cumin Seed's Powder
• 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
• 2 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
• ½ tsp Aniseeds (snauf/variyali)
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Take Maida flour and add salt, 1 tsp oil to it and knead it properly with the required quantity of water.
• Cover the dough with a clean cloth and keep it for 20 minutes.
• Take corn seeds and boil it.
• After boiling it, partly crush it.
• In a pan, put ½ tbsp oil and roast Gram flour till it turn golden brown.
• Now in a pan, put ½ tbsp oil and heat it - add chili, corn seeds, roast ginger, roasted gram flour, garam masala, salt, aniseeds, coriander, cumin powder & pepper.
• Roast it for few minutes and then cool it.
• Now take a piece of dough and roll it.
• After that divide the chapatti into two halves and give it a shape of cone and put filling into it.
• After that deep fry the samosas till it turn into golden brown.
• Now you can have tasty samosas.

4, Baked samosas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp oil for kneading
• 1/2 tbsp melted ghee
• 1/2 cup boiled green peas
• 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp dried mango powder
• 2 cups boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder

Image source: ifood.tv

Method:

For stuffing

• Put oil into a pan and set it on low flame.
• Add cumin, green chilies and potatoes into it and stir it properly.
• After that add green chilies and potatoes, ginger and stir. Sprinkle over a little water and cook, covered for 10-12 minutes. Add the blanched green peas and cook for 5 minutes on a low heat.
• Let the mixture cool.

For dough

• Add ghee to the wheat flour and mix it properly and put the required amount of water to it and knead it properly.
• Keep the dough aside for 20 minutes.
• Now knead it again using oil till it gets smooth.
• Take a piece of dough and roll it into a chapatti.
• Cut the chapatti into halves and shape each half into a cone shape.
• Put the stuffing into the hollow cone and seal the edge properly.
• Now put the samosa on a baking tray and bake it in oven at 180°C for 20-25 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes.
• Now your samosas are ready to serve.

5, Sesame samosas

Ingredients:

• Two cup wheat flour
• Half cup white sesame powder
• Half cup coconut powder
• Two tbsp gram flour
• Two tbsp of white sesame
• Three chopped chilies
• ½ coriander powder
• A pinch of amchur
• Chaat masala
• Baking powder
• Salt according to taste
• Oil

For filling:

• Take oil into pan, roast the gram flour. Mix sesame powder, chopped chilli, coriander, coconut powder, chat masala, amchur powder and salt to the roasted gram flour.

Dough:

• Add white sesame, baking powder and oil into the wheat flour and knead it properly.

Method:

• Now take a piece of dough and roll it into a chapatti.
• Cut the chapatti into two half and give shape of cone to both the chapattis.
• Put the stuffing into hollow cone and gently seal the edge.
• Take oil in a frying pan and deep fry the samosas till it turn into golden color.
• Now yummy samosas are ready to serve.

6, Sweet samosas

Ingredients:
For dough:

• 1 ½ cup of Refined flour
• Two tbsp ghee
• Two tbsp powdered sugar

For stuffing:

• Two cup gajar halwa
• Pure ghee for deep fry

Method:

Add two tbsp powdered sugar, two tbsp ghee, into refined flour. Knead it properly with sufficient water. Take a piece of dough, add little ghee to it and roll it. Cut the chapatti into two halves. Shape the halves as a cone with your fingers. Fill the cone with gajar halwa and seal it properly. Now take ghee into frying pan and deep fry the samosas till it turn into golden color. Now your sweet samosas are ready to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

7, Kheema samosas

Ingredients:

• Two cup refined flour
• Two tbsp margarine
• 250 grams mutton mince (keema)
• Oil
• Two medium finely chopped onion
• One inch finely chopped ginger
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• Two green chilies finely chopped
• One tbsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
• Garam masala
• Salt according to taste

Method:

Add salt into flour and cut margarine into the sieved flour and mix it with fingers. By adding water to it, knead the dough properly and keep it covered for half an hour. Wash mutton mince and drain; squeeze it dry with your fingers. Now take oil in a frying pan, add chopped onions and sauté; heat it till it gets pink in color. Add chopped garlic ginger and green chilies and continue to sauté for half a minute. Now add salt and mutton mince and stir it properly. After this add turmeric powder, chilli powder and a little water to it. Cook the mixture on low flame till mutton is cooked properly and becomes dry. After that, add garam masala to it and remove it from flame. Now take piece of dough and roll out into oval shapes. Cut in two halves and give it the shape of cone. Now it's time to fill up the stuffing and seal the edges properly. Refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. Now take oil in a pan and fry samosas till it turn golden in color. Serve the hot samosas with chutney.

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Indian recipes to make Tasty Chutney

Indian cookery is not complete without delicious chutneys. When you go to any big Indian restaurant or any “Dabha” on Highway, you will definitely get at least one delicious and mouth watering chutney to enjoy with your meal. Meaning of “Chutney” in English is sauce and it is derived from the Sanskrit word “caṭnī,” which means “to lick”. The name perfectly suits as all different kinds of Indian chutneys are so tasty that you will lick your fingers for sure. Mainly chutneys are made with usual ingredients of Indian kitchen, and some of the seasonal fruits, herbs and spices. Check out here the recipes of some of the mouthwatering Indian chutneys.

1, Mint and Mango Chutney

Ingredients for Mint and Mango Chutney:
Bunch of fresh mint leaves, raw mangoes, onion, green chillies, cumin seeds and salt.

Steps to prepare Mint and Mango Chutney:

• First and foremost, peel the skin of 1 to 2 medium size raw mangoes and take out all pulp of it in one bowl.
• Take around one bunch of fresh mint leaves and chopped them finely and put them into the water.
• Now take chopped mint leaves, raw mangoes pulp, 1 small sliced onion, 3 to 4 green chillies and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and grind them all to make paste.
• Add some water into the paste to correct its consistency.
• Add salt as per your taste and blend whole mixture again to mix it well.
• Take out it into the air tight bottle.
• Serve it with different instant Indian snacks.

Preservation: You can store Mint and Mango Chutney for 4 to 5 days into the refrigerator.

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6 Diwali Special recipes: Sweet Indian Recipes for Diwali

The biggest festival of India, Diwali is just around the corner and it’s time to start preparing the finger-licking sweets for adding fun to your celebrations. Sweet dishes add a flavor to every Indian festival. Diwali celebrations are not complete without tempting and mouth watering Indian sweets. During this grand festival, we make various sweet dishes from halwa to barfi and from ladoos to kheer at home in order to serve the guests. Here, you can find some very easy yet delicious Diwali special sweets recipes, which you can easily make at your home and win everyone's heart. These sweets recipes surely make your Diwali celebrations more memorable and zestful.

Sweets Recipes for Diwali

1. Kaju Pista Roll

Ingredients:

For Pista Barfi

• 100 grams pistachios
• 50 grams sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Few drops of green food colour (optional)

For Cashew (Kaju) Barfi

• 100 grams broken cashewnuts
• 50 grams sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• Ghee for greasing

For garnishing

• 4 edible silver leaf (vark)

Method of Preparation:

To prepare pista barfi, make a fine paste of soaked and peeled pistachios in a food processor. After that, make one string sugar syrup by boiling the sugar in 1/2 cup of water. Add pista paste, cardamom powder & green colour in the sugar syrup and stir continuously. When the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel, remove from heat and transfer to a plate. To prepare kaju barfi, make a fine paste of soaked cashewnuts and one string sugar syrup. Mix the kaju paste in the sugar syrup, stirring continuously. When the mixture leaves the sides, transfer the mixture to a plate.
Make two 100 mm cylindrical rolls of pista mixture and keep aside. Now, divide kaju mixture in two equal parts and roll out them with a greased rolling pin on a plastic sheet. Put cylindrical rolls of pista mixture on rolled out cashewnut mixture (one on each). Make a roll starting from the end and seal the ends totally. Press the roll gently and then rotate it in silver leaves. Cut pieces, and the Kaju Pista roll is ready to serve.

2 . Gujiya

Ingredients:

• Ghee or oil to fry
• For the Cover
• 6 tbsp oil / ghee
• 500 grams maida

For the Filling:

• 500-600 grams khoya
• 25 grams chopped almonds
• 25 grams dried coconut (grated)
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
• 25 grams raisins
• 350 grams powdered sugar to taste

Method of Preparation:

Take a bowl, add oil/ghee in maida and knead tight dough. Cover the dough with damp cloth. Now, roast khoya in a frying pan until it turns to light brown colour. Add sugar, dry fruits, coconut and cardamom powder in khoya and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it to cool. Make small balls of the dough and roll the balls into flat rounds. Put one Tbsp stuffing at the centre and fold the rolled dough in half. Seal the edges tightly and press them with a fork or pinch & fold them with your fingers. Deep fry the gujiyas on a medium flame till they become golden brown.

3. Bombay Halwa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ghee
• 4 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup cornflour
• 1/3 cup plain flour (Maida)
• 4 cups water
• 1 medium sized lemon
• 2 tsp cardamom (Elaichi) powder
• 1/3 cup sago (Sabudana)
• Green, yellow or red colour

Method of Preparation:

First of all, soak sago as well as maida & cornflour separately in 2 cups of water (each) for 8 hours. Now, take a pan and add sugar in 1½ cups of water. Bring them to boil and when the sugar melts, add both the above mixtures. Stir continuously while adding the mixtures. While the mixture starts to thicken, add ½ cup of ghee by putting 1 tsp ghee at a time. Then, add the mixture made with colour, lime juice & cardamom powder and add the remaining ghee as before (putting 1 tsp ghee at a time). Remove the pan from the flame when the mixture begins to leave the sides of the vessel. Pour the mixture on a greased plate and let it to cool down. Cut the pieces when still soft and wrap every piece in butter paper or cling film.

4. Five Star Barfi

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Maida
• 2 cups Milk
• 2 cups Besan
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 cups Grated Coconut
• 1 cup Ghee

Method of Preparation:

Take a pan, add ghee and other ingredients. Cook it on a medium flame for about 30 minutes on a medium flame, stirring continuously. When the mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides, turn off the flame and pour the mixture on a greased plate. Cut the pieces in desired shape and garnish with sliced almonds and nuts.

5. Kalakand

Ingredients:

• 2 litres Milk
• 4 Tbsp Sugar
• ½ Tbsp Ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed Alum (Phitkari)

For Decoration:

• Thinly sliced Pistachios
• Edible silver leaf (vark)

Method of Preparation:

Take a large pan and boil the milk till it becomes slightly thick. Add the alum and mix constantly until the milk becomes grainy. When the moisture evaporates, add sugar and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or till the mixture becomes thick. Pour the mixture in a greased aluminium tray and level it. Sprinkle the sliced pistachios and after few hours garnish it with silver varq & cut into pieces (squares or diamonds).

6. Coconut Laddu

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp Ghee
• Raisins (10 nos.)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 1 cup Milkmaid or Condensed Milk
• ½ tsp Cardamom Powder

Method of Preparation:

In a pan, add ghee and sauté raisins for two to four minutes. Keep aside. Take a separate pan, add 2 cups of shredded coconut and the condensed milk / milkmaid. Mix constantly till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Now, add sautéed raisins, cardamom powder & vanilla essence and mix well. Remove the pan from heat and make balls of the mixture. Then, roll the made balls in the remaining shredded coconut.

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Easy watercress soup recipes

In many countries like Singapore, the climate is continually hot and humid so the good way to cool down in such a tropical weather is consumption of nourishing and cooling watercress soup. A smooth, creamy and delightful watercress soup is simple to prepare, and it is also packed with full of flavor. Watercress not only contains vitamins and anti-oxidants, but it also has detoxifying and cancer-preventing properties. Cooking any food at home has many benefits, like get healthy food, save time from going outside, no extra charges of packing and delivery, etc. Enjoy real and delicious taste of watercress soup by making it at home. It takes very less time to prepare, as well cooks in one pot which means less clean up time. Simply take a look here on different kinds of easy watercress soup recipes, and try the one whichever seems best to you.

Photo courtesy: informededinburgh.co.uk

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20 Healthy lunch ideas for kids at home

Kids always want a delicious meal that can be eaten fast while parents want a meal that can be prepared rapidly, but should not be full of vacant calories. Provide your children with the energy they require to create through out the day by taking healthy lunch, also studies have revealed that if you supply your kids with healthy food to eat at home or school, they will be better prepared to learn and study. When kids are hungry, their brains notify them to consume junk foods loaded with sugar and fat, as that’s what provide them instant energy. You have to come up with a cunning plan of action in order to reinstate these urges with the flavor buds of a slight gourmet. Now, forget the same-old lunch that you keep on serving to your kids and try out something new. Every day give your kids something new to look forward at lunch with a range of options which they won’t trade away! Do you give money to kids for buying their lunch at school and cross your fingers as they choose a healthy lunch? Do you purchase a few pre-packaged, grab and go meals that price more, and are these also healthy? Check out here the collection of 20 kid-friendly lunch ideas that takes less time to prepare at home as well it help to keep lunches healthy and enjoyable. Kids can learn how to plan, prepare and eat a different diet rich in nutrients with these healthy lunch ideas.

Best healthy and tasty lunch ideas for children:

1, Pita bread pizza

As an appetizer or light lunch, these mini Pita bread pizzas are simple to make and need readily accessible ingredients. All you have to do is just set up pita loaves, sauce and topping buffet style, then bake it - now it’s ready. Several variations are possible with this pita pizza recipe, you definitely can add any cheeses that you favor, and of course any toppings. Blue cheese adds an exclusive flavor, and pita bread is an ideal crust.

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Recipes of Indian Masala Dhosa: Indian Dish you should try before die

Dosa is one of the well-known dishes in India. It is a common street food & breakfast that is rich in carbohydrates and contains no sugar or saturated fats. Dosa is the staple food of South Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Likewise, Masala Dosa is a type of Dosa that is made by stuffing potatoes, fried onions and spices into a plain Dosa. It was ranked 49 in the World's 50 most delicious foods. Visitors from other countries also appreciate this dish. There are different types of Masala Dosas prepared using varieties of ingredients. So, take a look at some of the Indian Masala Dosa recipes here.

Image Source: ownchef.wordpress.com

1, Simple Masala Dosa

Ingredeints


For Dosa:

• 1/2 cup of urad dal
• 1 1/2 cups of rice
• Salt to taste
• Oil

For Stuffing:

• 3 large Potatoes
• 1 medium sized Onion
• 3-4 Green chilies
• 1 strand of Curry Leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon of Mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of Chana dal
• 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup of Green Peas
• Handful of coriander leaves

Method for making the Masala stuffing

First, boil the potatoes and mash them. Heat the oil in a pan and put some mustard seeds. Then, add curry leaves, sliced onion and green chillies. Add some turmeric into it and fry until the onion turns transparent. Add 1/2 cup of water and salt to taste. Allow it to boil. Add the mashed potatoes and green peas into it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top of it.

Method to prepare

Pour a spoonful of batter on the hot dosa griddle and spread it in circular motion. Add drops of oil on top of it. Cook the dosa from both the sides. Once the dosa is cooked, add the masala in the center and the dish is ready to serve.

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Grilled vegetable quinoa salad Recipes

People always start their new health goals with great intentions, but they often get overwhelmed in short time and fall back in their old habits. Not a huge fan of veggies? Grill them. Yes, grilling veggies in little oil elicits the sweetness and turns them into something that you’ll really crave. Grilling turns the veggies into little bit of goodness, providing chock-full of flavor and nutrients. It’s a great idea to include the health benefiting veggies in your menu to achieve your health goals. Here is one simple way to add vegetables in your menu to achieve lasting health benefits for your family - Grilled vegetable quinoa salad. Quinoa, a delicately flavored whole grain, is loaded highly with protein and fiber. Grilled vegetable quinoa salad is a great way to use up all the goodness of quinoa and the veggies. This simple to prepare salad is perfect for any season.

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Making Ugadi Pachadi at home: Recipes with Video

Telugu New Year Day, also known as Ugadi, is celebrated in a grand style on the first day of the Hindu month Chaitra by Telugu people as it is the first festival of Telugu calendar. Although this festival is celebrated as Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, it is also celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra. No matter what name this festival gets in different regions, it indicates the inception of Vasant Rutu (Spring Season), which is regarded as the first season of the year. Telugu people venerate Ugadi with full faith and devotion. Homes are dusted and cleaned, colorful Rangolis are drawn in front of the homes, and mango leaves are knotted to the doorway of the homes to welcome the New Year. People wake up early in the morning on the festive day; prepare many delicious traditional dishes of this occasion and worship God to desire happiness in the upcoming New Year.

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