8 medium tomatoes, pureed
4 tsps gm flour (besan)
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch asafoetida
4-5 whole dry red chillies, broken
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Take gm flour in a bowl.  Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix. Add fresh tomato puree and whisk well.  Add two cups of water and mix.

Heat a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and roast till the mustard seeds crackle. Add a pinch of asafoetida, dry red chillies and curry leaves and roast till a nice aroma is given out.

Add the tomato mixture and mix.  Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 10 minutes till the mixture is thickened and well cooked. Add sugar if the kadhi is too sour.  Add coriander leaves and mix. Serve hot with boiled brown rice.

Fight oily skin: Mix tomato pulp and a little mashed papaya in a bowl. Apply this mixture on your T-zone. Scrub in an upward motion for five minutes, and rinse.

Natural glow: Mix one tsp yogurt, a pinch of salt and half tsp honey.

Gently massage your face with this paste, and rinse after 20 minutes. Follow this routine three times a week.

My favourite Aloo, I can eat aloo 24/7. My special love is Bhuna hua aloo and Dum aloo. Tried this Aloo Gol Matol on weekend and it turn out to be delicious. So here we go…

16-20 baby potatoes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
4-5 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2-3 green cardamoms
2-3 whole dry red chillies, broken
2 tbsps oil
Salt to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice

Wash and wipe the potatoes and cut into two to four pieces each without peeling. Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, fennel seeds, green cardamoms and red chillies. Cool and grind coarsely.

Heat oil in a pan and the potato pieces and salt. Stir, cover and cook on medium heat. Once the potatoes are cooked, add the freshly ground roasted mixed spices (generously). Mix well, cover and cook on medium heat for another five minutes.

Open the lid, add lemon juice and remove from heat. Mix, cover and set aside for at least five minutes.
Serve while it is still hot.

It is true that after couple of years into marriage, love flies away from the window. Hats-off to the couples who maintain that spark in their lovely married relationship through-out their lives (I am one of them). From last one week I am busy trying to save my friends marriage. It’s been seven years she is married and happy (that’s what she was thinking till now). It was love marriage everything was happy-go-merry, till she realised it’s always her who makeup after every fight and argument. But this time she wants her husband to make it and guess what, they are not talking from last one week. I was at her home and trying to convince both of them to end this war. I must admit this, that her husband is really one thick head, he really don’t know how to treat his lady. I mean what is she asking for just some cuddles, flowers, hugs, kisses, love and attention. Is it too much she asking for? Everything on her list is free of cost except flowers. I tried my best to put them on easy, but I think this time my friend is determined to test her husbands love for her. I wish he understands and save his marriage. Nahi to who kahte hai na,

Rahiman dhaga prem ka
Mat todo chhitkay
Toote se fir naa jurre
Jurre gaaht padi jaaye….

Well, people can call me old fashion, but I believe that chasing should be done by the man. No matter how modern we get, a lady will always want her man to propose her, chase her, tolerate her tantrums and treat her like a princesses (not exactly like a princess but still). There’s a very thin line between love and hatred. Sometimes people don’t even realize when hate creep over their lovely relations. As a woman this is my free advice to all the man out there, it’s very easy and simple to tackle a woman, just give her love and act like a majnu for her sometimes, especially when she is mad or angry on you.

I wish my friend and her husband a very best of luck for their marriage, and hope they will understand the importance of being in a relation which is called “Janmo janmo ka bandhan”.

5-6 medium green capsicums, 1 inch cubes
2 medium potatoes, 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 tbsps oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
1/2 cup peanuts
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsps grated jaggery
For masala paste
1/2 cup scraped coconut
3 tbsps sesame seeds (til)
2 tbsps Bengal gram split (chana dal)
2 tbsps coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
4-5 Bedgi whole red chillies
2 tbsps tamarind pulp

In a pan dry roast scraped coconut and sesame seeds separately.  Set aside.
Heat half a tbsp of oil in the pan and add split Bengal grams, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies and sauté till a nice aroma is given out. Grind this along with roasted coconut, sesame seeds and tamarind pulp to a fine paste with three-fourth cup of water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add asafoetida. Add peanuts and sauté for three to four minutes.

Add the potato pieces, turmeric powder, salt and jaggery. Stir, cover and cook on low heat for five minutes. Add capsicum pieces, stir and cook till the vegetables are half done.

Add the ground paste, one and a half cups of water and simmer for three to four minutes. Serve hot.

8-10 baby brinjals
1 1/2 cups rice, soaked
5 tbsps oil
1 1/2 tbsps tamarind pulp
1 tbsp Bengal gram split (chana dal)
1 tsp mustard seeds
6 whole dry red chillies, broken
10-12 curry leaves
2 medium onions, sliced
4 green chillies, slit
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Masala powder
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 whole dry red chillies
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus)
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms

Boil rice in plenty of water till three-fourths done. Drain well, mix two tbsps of oil and set aside to cool. Cut brinjals into four keeping the stem intact. Soak chana dal for about ten minutes, drain and set aside. Heat two tsps of oil and lightly fry the masala powder ingredients. Cool and grind to a coarse powder.

Heat the remaining oil and temper with mustard seeds, broken dry red chillies, curry leaves and  soaked chana dal. Fry till well-roasted and light brown in colour. Add onions and sauté till it turns pink.

Add green chillies and stir. Add brinjals and stir-fry on high heat till it is half done. Sprinkle turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Mix and add tamarind pulp. Add the masala powder and cook till brinjals are almost done.

Mix the rice into this thoroughly and toss over high heat. Reduce heat, sprinkle two tbsps of water, cover and cook till the rice is soft and completely cooked.
Note: You can substitute tamarind with lemon juice. But add the lemon juice after the rice is fully cooked.