Hyderabadi Chicken Gravy

The delicious and mouthwatering chicken gravy is here to make your meal yummy and delicious.
The delicious recipe of Hyderabadi Chicken Gravy is given below with step by step photos.


INGREDIENTS:

• Chicken pieces, 1 kg (washed thoroughly)
• Onion, 8-10 big, roughly chopped
• Tomatoes, 3-4 roughly chopped
• Curd, 1/4 kg
• Cloves, 3-4
• Cinnamon, 1 stick
• Shahi jeera, 1/2 tspn
• Green chillies, 2-3 slit
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 2-3 tspn
• Turmeric, 1/4 tspn
• Coriander powder, 1/2 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 1-2 tspn
• Dry Coconut, shredded 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves, 1/2 cup
• Mint leaves, 1/2 cup
• Oil, 3-4 tblspn
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon juice, 1/4 cup

Serves: 3-4

Recipe Type: Main Course

Paste:

• Heat a pan, add 1-2 tblspn of oil.
• Add dry coconut pieces, and fry till golden, take them out on a plate.
• In the same oil, add chopped onions and fry till golden and soft. Let both the things cool down.
• Grind both dry coconut and fried onion to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Make tomato puree seperately. Keep it aside.

Marinating

• In a wide utensil, take washed chicken pieces.
• Add well beaten curd.
• Add in Ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, 1 tspn of salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tspn of garam masala powder.
• Mix them well and keep it in the fridge for 1/2-1 hour.

RECIPE:

• It becomes alot more easier when you are done preparing the paste and have kept the chicken for marinating.
• So in a big wok or vessel, add 1 tblspn of oil. You can use the same vessel you fried coconut and onions.
• Let the oil heat well.
• Now add the marinated chicken directly to the oil and fry on high flame for 7-10 mins.
• Reduce the flame to medium and cook untill all the water is dried. Stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

• Now in a separate pan or wok, add 1 tblspn of oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add cloves, cinnamon and shahi jeera, fry for 30 seconds on low flame.
• Now add the coconut and onion paste and mix it well. Stir continuously.

• Once oil leave the sides, add tomato puree.
• Add in remaining red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, 1-2 finely chopped green chillies.

• Mix all well and cook over low flame till oil comes on top.
• Now check if the water has dried from the chicken, stir.
• Once the onion tomato masala is ready, add it to the chicken. Mix altogether on high flame till well fried.

• Now to make it gravy, add hot water accordingly. Add slit green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves. Check for salt and adjust.
• Let it boil on slow flame for 7-8 mins.

• Add few drops of lemon juice.
• Serve hot with parathas or naan.

Notes:

• You can store the ground paste for 1-2 days in the refrigerator for making other gravies.
• Fry ground paste over low flame and stir continuously to prevent burning.

Instant Pav Bhaji

The famous street food of Mumbai! I haven't heard of anyone who doesn't love pav bhaji. There are so many variations that have arrived in many restaurants, for example paneer pav bhaji, cheese pav bhaji, butter pav bhaji, schezwan pav bhaji and so on, but its the basic version which has to be perfect to make other variations. Instant pav bhaji is easy and time saving way of making pav bhaji and with step wise pictures its easier to understand.
So lets get started!


INGREDIENTS:

• Cauliflower's florets, 1/4 kg
• Capsicum, 1/4 kg
• Green peas, 200 gms
• Potatoes, 2
• Tomatoes, 3 finely chopped
• Onion, 2 finely chopped
• Green chillies, 3-4 finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 1 tspn
• Turmeric powder, 1/2 tspn
• Coriander powder, 1/2 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 3/4 tspn
• Salt, to tatse
• Kasuri methi, 2 tspn (dry fenugreek leaves) (optional)
• Oil, 1 tblspn
• Coriander leaves, to garnish
• Lemon juice, 1 tspn
• Pav bhaji masala, 1 tspn (store bought) (optional)
• Butter or desi ghee, as per choice

Serves: 3-4

RECIPE:

• First of all, wash all the vegetables i.e cauliflower, capsicum, potatoes, and peas together.

• Put it in the big vessel or pressure cooker, add sufficient water. Let it boil till they are tender and soft. Keep it aside.
• Now in a wok, add oil.
• When its hot, add onions.
• When it turns golden brown, add Ginger-garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
• Onions should be soft and golden brown, not caramelized.
• Now add tomatoes.
• Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, kasuri methi, and green chillies.

• Mix well and fry over high flame for 3-4 mins. Stirring continuously.
• Reduce the flame, and let it cook well till all the masala is mixed well, it becomes paste like, and the oil comes over top and leaves the side.

• Now add the boiled veggies.
• Mix them all well over high flame for 2 mins.

• Then reduce the flame.
• Add the water in which you had boiled the veggies according to your choice of consistency, and mash all the veggies well.
• Add salt, garam masala powder.
• Cook for 5-7 mins.
• Its ready to serve.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, top it up with some butter and lemon juice and serve hot with pav.

Notes:

• Pan fry the pavs with some butter and pav bhaji masala and serve.
• You can save the remaining vegetable water in which you boiled them for later use by storing it in the refrigerator and use it for making vegetable soup, dal and veg gravies. 😊

Joy Skin Fruits Gentle Moisturising Apricot Scrub Review

The Joy brand makes affordable and easily available skin care range of products. Some of its products are kind of ok or say not bad but some give stiff competition to the same product of other brand. Lets look if the Joy skin Fruits Gentle Scrub is one of them.

We all know the necessity of scrubbing and exfoliating the skin once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and to remove tanning, black heads etc. There are many brands in the market who make very good scrubs, I prefer trying new and different products so it doesn't get builds up on my skin, more than that I get to know what suits my skin best.
Joy Skin Fruits Gentle Care Face Wash
INR 20 for 20 ml
Shelf life: 24 months

The product claims:
Gently exfoliates dull surface cells to reveal glowing, fresh and healthy looking skin.Helps skin retain its elasticity, clarity and suppleness.

Packaging

The scrub comes in a small orange color tube with a small hole to make sure only a needed amount of scrub comes out. Ingredients used are not mentioned except for the fruit essentials and apricot. The packaging is quite good which makes it easy to carry and travel friendly.


Texture

The consistency is like cream. Only a small amount is needed as there are lots of granules in the scrub.


Directions to use

Massage gently over moist face & neck with wet fingers in a circular motion, rinse well.


My Experience:

The Joy skin fruits gentle moisturising apricot scrub, the srub has mild smell which doesnt bother. Only a small amount is needed to cover face and neck area.
It removes dead skin cells with its lots of granules, removes fresh tanning and didn't break me out. The tube can be used for 5-6 times. My skin feels soft and supple after the use & it gives instant glow though temporarily. I have normal to oily skin, and it is suitable for all skin types. It does not leave any residue on my skin nor my skin feel dry or stretchy.


Pros:

• Affordable and easily available.
• Suits all skin types.
• Makes skin soft and supple and does a good job in removing dead skin cells.
• Travel friendly packaging.

Cons:

• The company does not list its ingredients list.
• Granules can be harsh on sensitive skin.
• There are other better scrubs available in the market.

Will I purchaspurchase it again?

May be! Not sure, there are other same or better scrubs in the same range.

Hyderabadi Khichda-a tasty treat

An aromatic,healthy, delicious, mouthwatering and flavoursome, these words are enough to guess what I am talking about. Khichda a delicious recipe with stepwise pictures is given below to warm up your heart.



INGREDIENTS:

• Broken wheat (daliya), 1/2 kg
• Chana dal, 250 gms
• Masoor dal, 150 gms
• Urad dal, 150 gms
• Moong dal, 150 gms
• Toovar dal, 150 gms
• Rice, 150 gms
• Mutton, 1 kg (with or without bones)
• Red chilli powder, 3 tblspn
• Onion, 3/4 kg finely sliced
• Tomatoes, 4 finely chopped
• Turmeric, 1 1/2 tspn
• Cumin powder, 1 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 2 tspn
• Green chillies, 7-8 slit
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1tblspn
• Cloves, 5-6
• Cardamom, 3
• Cinnamon, 2 sticks
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2 cups
• Mint leaves, 1 cup
• Lemon juice, 1 cup
• Oil, 5-6 tblspn
• Salt, as per taste
• Desi ghee, as per your preference

Serves: 7-8
Category: Non Veg
Cuisine: Hyderabadi

RECIPE:

• Soak broken wheat or daliya in water for 4-5 hours.
• Soak all the dals and rice for 2 hours.
• Now put all of them i.e daliya and all the dals in the big vessel, adding triple the amount of water with 1 tspn of turmeric and 2 tspn of salt.
• Keep on a high flame till it gets a boil then lower it and cook on low flame. Stirring occasionally.

• Now Cook mutton with 2 tspn of Ginger-garlic paste and 2 tspn of salt till its tender. Keep aside.
• Now take a big wok or kadhai, add 4-5 tblspn of oil and fry the onions till it becomes barista. Takeo out in a wide plate. Keep aside.

• Take out the extra oil from the wok in which you fried onions leaving only 1 tblspn of it.
• When its hot, add whole spices i.e cloves, cardamom and cinnamon sticks. Fry for 30 seconds.
• Add remaining Ginger-garlic paste and fry till its golden brown.
• Add tomatoes and keep it on medium flame.
• Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder. Mix well.
• Cook on low flame till it leaves oil i.e 5-7 mins stirring so it doesn't stick to the wok.
• Now add the tenderized mutton and fry on high flame.
•  Now check if daliya and all the dals have become well tender. If its well cooked mash them with a masher or ghotni well that it looks like grainy smooth paste. It is a tiring process.
• You can also grind the dal mixture, but you will have to cool it down first and then grind it in batches which takes too much time so I prefer mashing it. If you have enough time, cool down dals and grind it in a mixie.
• Now see if the mutton is been cooked well. The oil comes on top. Add 1/2 cup coriander leaves and few mint leaves.

• Add 1 cup of barista i.e fried onions and cook on low flame till mutton absorbs its flavour.
• When its well cooked combine it. Pour mutton gravy over the dal mixture.

• Add little garam masala powder. And check for salt.
• Cook for 10 mins more. Add 3-4 tblspn of lemon juice.
• Serve hot garnishing with golden browned onions, coriander and mint leaves and pour little desi ghee.

Note:

• Take fresh mutton to enhance the taste.
• Soak all the dals well so its cooked soon.
• Use fresh Ginger-garlic paste and freshly ground garam masala powder.
• Have it hot with little desi ghee for better taste 😊

Clean & Clear Foaming Face Wash Review

It is the first review post on this blog and I wanted to start with the Clean & Clear Foaming Face Wash which is the one and only face wash that I come back to after trying so many different brands.



Price:
50 INR for 50 ml


Packaging:

It comes in a flip top transparent bottle which is quite easy to use and hygienic. It is travel friendly. You can carry the bottle easily in your handbag.


Texture:

It is gel like cleanser. Even a small pea sized amount is enough to wash your face thoroughly. Lathers very well all over the face. It has a beautiful mild fruity smell which feels fresh as you wash your face.


My Experience:

The clean & clean foaming face wash is the ultimate product for normal to oily skin girls. It is the best face wash in this range. Using regularly prevent oily skin and plus it doesn't clog pores. It considerably reduce pimples though I dont get it usually(touchwood) but whenever I get them, it does help me get rid of it asap. It does not break out and removes all the dirt and grimes of makeup from skin very well. My skin feels clean without a trace of any makeup and dirt! I doubt if it may suit dry skin girls as the product clearly describes "prevents oily shine". I have also tried Clean & Clear Morning Energy Face Wash but did not quite like it as this one. All in all the Clean & Clear Foaming Face Waah is the best product which will suit most girls. I have been using this for more than 5 years now and in the middle I do experiment with other brand's face washes but always come back to this one only!


Pros:

• Affordable and easily available in the market.
• Removes dirt and oil.
• Cleanse face very well.
• Nice mild smell.

Cons:

• May not suit dry skin girls but they can surely give it a try. Wash your face with the face wash and immediately apply a good moisturizer to prevent drying of the skin.

Recommended:

It is highly recommended to oily, normal and combination skin girls.

Rating:

4.5/5

Do share your thoughts and experience with the same product!

Beauty Benefits of Rose Water!

In ancient times, Egyptian queens used to take bath in the bath tub full of rose petals, they used to include rose water in their every beauty and skin care regimen and who can refuse Egyptians women are amongst the most beautiful women in the world. From long back, roses have not only been a symbol of love but for beauty too. Rose water has so many beneficial properties that its a must have in the skin care products. So lets look at the beautiful benefits of rose water 😊




Best Toner:

Rose water, because of its antiseptic properties is ideal for cleansing and toning the skin. It is inexpensive yet free of chemicals. After cleansing your face with a regular face wash, apply rose water with the cotton ball. Leave it to dry for 5-10 mins then apply your regular moisturizer.



Best Cleanser:

It is the best cleanser to remove dirt and clogged pores. Just dab a cotton in rose water and apply all over your face, wash it after 10 mins with cold water. You get clean and fresh looking skin!



Facial Packs:

Just replace water with rose water in the homemade face packs you make, whether its multani mitti or gram flour pack, use rose water to make a paste and you get soft and supple skin after the wash!



Skin Problems:

Sensitive and acne prone skin girls can use it with no worries, it suits all skin types. Using regularly reduces acne, eczema, helps fade scars. Due to its versatility, its quite popular all over the world.



Natural Refresher:

It balances skin's pH level, hydrate, revive new skin cells and moisturize the skin giving a refreshing look. During summers, just sprinkle rose water over your face from time to time to get that fresh and clean skin!


Mood Enhancer:

Due to its beautiful aroma, its said to enhance mood and relaxes a person's anxiety amd stress level. You may have seen or heard, aroma therapies using rose petals! The smell of rose water on your pillow also helps you to sleep better and wake up fresh!



Natural Hair Conditioner:

When massaged over your wet hair after bath, it works as a great conditioner. It also helps to treat mild scalp problems, just massage it over your problematic area 10 mins before taking bath. It helps curing dandruff and regrowth of hair.



Lightens Skin Tone:

Using regularly in your skin care regimen will give you a natural glow and lightens skin tone. Just dab a cotton of rose water and apply it over pimple to reduce it. Moreover it works great to prevent wrinkles and keep skin young and fresh! It can be used to treat dark circles too.



Naturally Pink Lips:

Take out a beetroot juice and add rose water to it. Keep it in the refrigerator and use it daily on your lips before going to bed. And you will notice naturally pink reddish lips in few days!



Note:

Make sure to buy 100% pure rose water. I use this brand, however there are many other brands as well which are great and if you don't get any nearby, you can always make rosw water at home.

Have a Happy You! 😍💟

Gobhi Matar Masala

A healthy vegetable recipe of gobhi matar masala! It is usually served with the phulka or roti... So lets begin the recipe.



INGREDIENTS:

• Phool gobhi (cauliflower), 1/2kg
• Matar (green peas), 1/4 kg
• Onion, 2 finely chopped
• Tomatoes, 2-3 finely chopped
• Cumin seeds, 1/2 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 1 tspn
• Coriander powder, 3/4 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 1/2 tspn
• Caraway seeds (shahi jeera), 1/2 tspn
• Cloves, 2-3
• Turmeric, 1/2 tspn
• Coriander leaves, 3 tspn finely chopped
• Oil, 2 tblspn
• Salt, to taste

Serves: 3-4

RECIPE:

• Take a pan, add 1 tblspn of oil.
• Heat the oil, then add cumin seeds, when it sizzles add little red chilli powder, little turmeric, little coriander powder.
• Add washed cauliflower and matar, sprinkle little salt.
• Fry over high medium flame.
• Mix all well. Stir for 5 mins.
• Take it on a plate.

• Now in a pressure cooker, add remaining oil.
• Once it is heated, add shahi jeera, onions and cloves.
• Fry till golden brown.
• Add tomatoes. Add remaining dried spices i.e red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala powder. Mix them well. Cook till tomatoes are well cooked making sure not to burn the masala.
• Now add the fried gobhi matar, mix them well. Add half coriander leaves. Stir for 3-4 mins on high flame.
• Add 3 cups of water.
• Cook for 2 whistles. Check the consistency. Adjust accordingly.
• Its ready. Switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Bread Omelette-an evening snack

Who doesn't like to have snack with the evening tea gossiping with your family.
This is an easy and simple snack to prepare! You just need two main ingredients and you are ready to start!



INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 slices of bread (can use leftover breads too)
• 2 eggs
• 2 green chillies
• Garlic, 2-3 grated (optional)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• Salt, as per taste (takes little more than usual as bread absorbs extra salt)
• Turmeric, a pinch
• Coriander leaves, 2 tspn

RECIPE:

• Break both the eggs in a bowl.
• Add onions, turmeric, green chillies, salt and garlic.

• Beat it well.
• Heat a pan. Spread little oil.
• Dip the bread slice in the egg mixture from both sides.
• Place it in the pan.
• Now with the spoon add onion garlic from the egg mixture over the slice. Spread.

• When the back side is golden brown turn it, heat on a low flame till the other side is also golden brown.
• Take it out on a paper placed in a plate to remove excess oil.
• Have it hot with ketchup 😊

Dalcha/Dalgosht

My mother cooks the best dalcha, I have tasted at many places but nothing matches the taste with that my mother cooks. I feel mothers have special magic in their hands.

The recipe is of her.

 So let's look at the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

• Masoor Dal (red lentils), 2 cups
• Meat, 1 cup tender
• Tamarind juice, 2-3 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 1 1/2 tspn
• Coriander powder, 1 tspn
• Turmeric, 1/2 tspn
• Cumin seeds, 1/2 tspn
• Curry leaves, 4-5
• Garam masala powder, 1/2 tsp 
• Bay leaf, 2
• Caraway seeds, 1/2 tspn
• Cloves, 2-3
• Black pepper crushed, 1/2 tspn
• Onion, 2-3 finely chopped
• Tomatoes, 2-3 finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tspn
• Oil, 2 tblspn
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander leaves, to garnish

Serves: 4-5
Category: Non veg
Recipe Type: Dal/Curry

RECIPE:

• First of all, cook meat with Ginger-garlic paste and salt in a pressure cooker till its tender. Keep aside.
• Cook dal with enough water in a separate vessel till its soft and mushy.
• Now in the new vessel, add oil.
• When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, curry leaves. Stir.
• Add onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add the meat and fry over high flame, add Ginger-garlic paste. Stir for 5-7 mins.
• Add whole spices, caraway seeds, bay leaf, cloves, black pepper. Stir well.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and mix well keeping the flame on medium.
• Fry till tomatoes are mushy and leaves oil.
• Mash the dal with the help of dal masher. Add this to the masala.
• Mix well. And cook till oil comes on top.
• Add tamarind juice.
• Add 2 cups of hot water and let it come to boil over slow flame. Add salt and boil dalcha for 4-5 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti or steamed rice!

Keema Palak (aromatic and nutritious)

An aromatic and nutricious recipe of keema palak with photo tutorial is here! The main ingredients of this recipe are minced meat (keema) and spinach i.e palak.
So let's start making this...


INGREDIENTS:

• Minced meat, 1/4 kg
• Spinach, 2 bunches washed and finely chopped
• Onions, 2-3 finely chopped
• Tomatoes, 2-3 finely chopped
• Potatoes, 1 cubed
• Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), 1 tblspn 
• Ginger-garlic paste, 2 tspn
• Cloves, 2-3
• Shahi jeera, 1/2 tspn
• Cardamom, 1-2
• Black pepper, 2-3
• Tumeric, 1/2 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 1 tspn
• Green chillies, 2 finely chopped
• Coriander powder, 1/2 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 1/4 tspn
• Coriander leaves, to garnish
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tblspn

RECIPE:

• Marinate minced meat with 1 tspn of Ginger-garlic paste and 1 tspn of salt. Keep aside.
• In a vessel, add oil and as it becomes hot add whole spices i.e. cloves, shahi jeera, black pepper, cardamom and fry for few seconds.

• Add onions, and fry till its translucent, add Ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Fry them till onions turn golden brown.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and fry over high flame till tomatoes are cooked well and oil seperates.

• Add cubed potatoes. Mix well.
• Now add the marinated minced meat, fry over high flame for 5-7 mins.

• Let the meat get cooked in its own water till its tender.
• Add chopped spinach and fry over high flame for 3-4 mins.

• Let it cook. Spinach also leaves its own water.
• Check for salt, check if the potatoes and spinach are tender. Switch off the flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti or as a side dish to dal and rice 😊

NOTES:

• I always prefer marinating meat as it absorbs salt well and takes less time to cook.
• Do not over fry the masala, else you wont get a good taste.
• I did not add salt, as I've already added it in the marination process and spinach is high in iron so check for salt before completing the cooking.