Patanjali Cow's Ghee Review

I am getting quite addicted to Patanjali products these days and one peek into my cupboard is enough to reveal my fascination with the brand. Their Cow's ghee is the latest one that I tried out and quite liked it. Compared to quite a few other brands which do not mention if the ghee has originated from a cow or buffalo or is of mixed origin, Patanjali clearly label's it is as 100 percent Cow' ghee.

I have been using it for a week now for tempering dals, making halwa, greasing my rotis and also on my chapped heels/lips. But i have not used it for deep frying yet.

While it is available in their outlets, one can also buy it online on Bigbasket.com or Zopnow.com.

Read on for the reviews -

Advantages -

1. Nice smell/flavor and grainy consistency.
2. Lovely yellow color that reminds one of home made cow's ghee.

3. Higher smoking point as compared to other vegetable oils hence better suited for deep frying.
4. Soothes my chapped lips and heels.
5. Cow's ghee is quite beneficial for controlling vata dosa as per ayurvedic texts. With the origin being clearly mentioned on the label, people suffering from vata dosa can benefit from its consumption.
6. Untouched by hand hence no chances of contamination.

Disadvantages -

1. It is slightly pricier as compared to other brands.
2. Contains trans-fats and cholesterol hence one has to regulate the amount being consumed. (Check nutritional info provided in below pic )

Overall, I would rate it at a 4.75 out of 5.( -0.25 for the price factor). No minus points for the trans-fat and cholesterol though as it is an integral part of any ghee.

Spaghetti Al Pesto

Simple and frugal is sometimes the best. And i feel that in case of all the pasta recipes that I have worked on/tasted, this is the thumb rule. I would never have thought of combining basil with ingredients olive oil, garlic and cheddar cheese I had I not stumbled on this recipe. And was quite skeptical to begin with. Another reason why this post got delayed. The primary was that I could not find a good Parmesan and pine nuts to begin with. But a recent recipe that I caught on the cookery show convinced me that I could use a Cheddar-walnut combination to make this recipe. And that the basil can be partly substituted with baby spinach. But I stuck to the basil bit. And haven't regretted it a bit.

Read on for the delightfully easy recipe (while I ponder what to do with the leftover pesto....BTW it is sitting pretty in my fridge covered with a generous layer of EVOO). But for those with a nut allergy, do try out Nigella's Pasta Alla Genovese -

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( Not a min extra...mind it )

Ingredients -

• 150 gm durum wheat spaghetti
• 1 cup lightly packed Italian basil leaves
• 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 garlic flakes
• 7-8 peppercorns (freshly crushed/ground)
• salt to taste

Preparation - Chop the garlic flakes and basil leaves.

Take all the ingredients (except for lemon juice and EVOO) in a blender and buzz till you break it all into small bits. Add the lemon juice and EVOO in a trickle till it is well incorporated. The pesto is now ready.

(Actually the quatity will be good enough for two times with a little bit leftover for a chicken and pesto sandwich. Make sure you add a layer of EVOO over the pesto when storing it in a airtight container in the fridge. )

Cooking - Boil 9-10 cups water in a saucepan. When bubbles begin to appear, add sufficient amount of salt to the water. Once it gets to a rolling boil, add the spaghetti.

Cook for 12 mins or till al-dente. Remove 2-3 tbsp of the water and add it to the pesto.

Drain the water in a colander, give it a good shake and toss back the spaghetti into the same vessel in which it was cooked. Add the diluted pesto and toss to uniformly cover the spaghetti strands.

Serve immediately or even after sometime. Tastes good even when served cold.

Note - It takes about 2 litres of water and 1 tbsp of salt to cook 200 gm of spaghetti in the right way.

Paneer Cutlets

Made some cutlets with the leftover paneer which i had bought for the special weekend biryani. These cute and easy to make cutlets turned out to be quite tasty and are low on calories too. Use a cookie cutter to make them into interesting shapes and even the kids will ask for more.

One can coat them with flour paste and breadcrumbs before frying for a crispier version but these ones are quite yummy by themselves. The fried ones would work well for parties and picnics.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup paneer cubes
• 1 cup boiled potato cubes
• 1 large sized onion ( finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated/crushed garlic
• 1/2 - 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 2 pinches of curry powder (optional)
• a pinch of turmeric
• 4-5 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• finely chopped coriander leaves

Preparation -  Lightly crumble the paneer with your fingers.

Mash the potatoes. Break any lumps but do not make it too smooth.


Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 mins or till raw smell goes away.

Sprinkle all the powders except garam masala. Fry for 30 seconds.

Add the crumbled paneer and mashed potatoes. Mix and fry for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves.. Mix and switch off flame.

Allow to cool down to a tolerable temperature. Then pinch small balls out of the mix and fashion into heart shaped cutlets.

Heat a flat tawa/frying pan. Drizzle lightly with some oil. Put the cutlets on tawa and cook on both sides for few minutes each ( till you see a light browning ).

Remove and serve hot as snacks/starters or sides.

Note - One can also use chenna instead of paneer to make these cutlets. I usually make some chenna quickly when i want to make these for my fussy son.

Kala Chana Sundal

A very easy and tasty snack, it hardly calls for any effort. Commonly sold on the beaches and roadsides, sundals have now become the staple 4'o clock snack in my home.

For those unaware of the benefits of eating chana, a single cup of boiled chana provides you with 1/3rd of the day's protein requirements. Plus it is loaded with dietary fiber which helps lower cholesterol,  regulates blood-sugar levels and also prevents constipation. It is a good source of potassium, sodium, iron, calcium and folate. But for those who have been advised for limit their sodium intake, go easy on the salt please.

Read on for the easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( includes a lot of standby time )

Ingredients -

• 1 cup kala chana
• 2 tsp urad dal (skin removed)
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chillis (slit or chopped)
• 1/5 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 pinches of asafoetida
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• a pinch of turmeric (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• freshly grated coconut (optional)

Preparation - Wash and soak the channa overnight.

Cooking - Take the drained channa in a cooker with 1 1/2 cup water. Add salt to taste and turmeric. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistle (till it is soft but not mushy).

Allow the steam to escape before opening lid.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds and green chillis. Fry for 10 sec before adding the urad dal.

Once it urad dal turns light brown, add the curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add the boiled channa and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from flame and serve with a dash of lemon juice and grated coconut.

Prawn Biryani

My blog crossed 500 posts last week. This post was suppose to celebrate the special milestone and the 300+ Likes that my page has received on Fb. But it had to be postponed as I was quite busy in the first half and then feeling a bit low in the latter part of week. Now it seems like it was destined to mark an even bigger occasion.

Its the day of the election results and my TV has been switched 'On' since 7 a.m.. Have been following things closely ever since the counting started. And finally, it is time to pop the bubbly and burst the crackers. Yes, this one is to new beginnings. 'Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar. Baar Baar Modi Sarkar'.

Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 200 gm small prawns
• 1 large + 1 medium sized onion
• 2 tsp GG paste
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 2 large tomatoes (freshly pureed)
• 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
• a few strands of mace
• a pinch of nutmeg powder
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 4 green cardamon
• 1 tsp ghee
• 4 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• Lemon juice (optional) (As I used country tomatoes which were quite tangy, I skipped the lemon juice)

Preparation - Chop the onion into thin long slices.

Wash and soak the rice for 1-2 hours.

Wash and clean the prawns. Add salt and about 2-3 pinch of turmeric. Mix together and keep aside for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a frying pan. Add the marinated prawns and fry till they turn pink. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 2 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till light brown.

Add the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate out.

Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the fried prawns. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the soaked rice along with the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt up a bit. Add 2 1/2 cups warm water. Add salt to taste. Finally drop in the whole spices, nutmeg powder and ghee.

Cook on a medium low flame for 1 whistle (approx 12-14 mins). Remove and keep aside for 15-20 mins. Open the lid and fluff the rice grains with a fork. Sprinkle some lemon juice if you need more tang to it.

Serve hot with some cooling onion raita. (Do top it up with some desserts if you are feeling extra celebratory)

Note - While using tiger prawns or any large sized prawns for that matter in this biryani makes for a great presentation, these tiny freshwater prawns are much more flavorful. However, you can use the former if you wish.

Fruit Halwa

Apples and Bananas. Most kids love them. So why not use the flavors (and the goodness) of these fruits to transform a regular halwa into something rather special. Quite easy to make, it adds the right amount of zing to your child's meal. Garnish it in a fun manner and even the most picky of children will come back asking for more.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup semolina/suji,
• 3-4 tbsp apple puree
• 1 ripe banana (mashed but with a few chunks left)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3 tsp ghee

Cooking - Heat a frying pan. Add 1 tsp ghee. Roast the semolina on the pan till it darkens in color. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a wok. Add the mashed banana and apple puree and cook for a 3-4 minutes.

Boil the water and apple juice in a separate pan/wok. Add sugar and roasted semolina to it. After 1 minute add the apple-banana mixture and mix in.

Stir the contents for 3-4 minutes on a low to medium flame till a viscous mixture is formed (this will harden further on cooling). Stir in the remaining ghee.

Allow to cool down slightly and then fill into molds. Remove from mold when ready to serve.

Serve warm or chilled. (Garnish with sliced fruits if desired.)

Note - One can try this with other fruits like pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, mango, etc. But some fruits lose a bit of their flavor while coking so do add a little essence/juice to make up for it.

Fuel Efficient Method of Cooking Rice In Open Pan

Most of us are used to cooking rice in the pressure cooker in order to save both time and fuel. While this does away with the constant need to monitor the rice and draining away the excess water, it is not the healthiest way to cook rice. Recent studies have established that draining away the excess water which also contains a lot of starch makes the rice healthier to eat as it reduces the amount of carbohydrate being consumed.

However with the rising LPG cylinder costs and electricity bills, most of us are averse to cook rice in a open pan/pot. But one no longer has to worry about the amount of fuel being spent on cooking rice if one follows the method detailed below. This was shared by one of my aunts recently and I have been following it ever since. Also, it does not require one to stand near the stove for a long time to monitor the cooking.

Read on for the easy to follow steps -


1. Take a pan/vessel with sufficient amount of water in it. Wash the rice and add to it.

2. Switch on the flame and turn it up to HIGH.

3. Bring the rice to a rolling boil while stirring in between. (If you forget to stir, rice will catch at the bottom)

4. Cover with a lid and switch off the flame.

5. Allow to sit for a while till the rice grains cook in the hot water and swell up. This is the critical part and while some rice varieties may take 8 minutes some may take upto 12-14 mins. It takes 1-2 trails to get it right.

6. Open the lid and switch on the flame. Turn it up.

7. Allow the rice to come to a boil. Then switch off the flame.

8. Drain off the excess water.

9. Gently shake the rice and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Note - For par-boiled rice varieties(used especially in Odisha and West Bengal), keep aside the rice for about 50-60 minutes after step 4.  If it is still uncooked, allow it to boil for a few minutes during step 7.

Mango Lassi ( 2nd Version )

This yummy mango lassi does more than just beat the summer heat. The medley of flavors unleash a state of utopia that remains throughout the day. I find it the best way to end a rather frugal lunch consisting of rotis, dry subzi and some salad. The rose syrup and rose essence used in this recipe are the underdogs who steal the limelight without one even realizing it.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 5-6 mins

Ingredients -

1 cup diced ripe mango
1 cup fresh yogurt
3/4 cup chilled water ( or as per desired consistency )
a pinch of cardamom
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp condensed milk
1/2 tsp rose water

For the garnish -

1 tsp subza(basil) seeds
2 tbsp rose syrup
1 tbsp water


Preparation - Soak the subza seeds with rose syrup and water in a small bowl. Leave aside for 2 hours.

Take the mango cubes, sugar, condensed milk and 1/4 cup water in a blender jar. Buzz for a few seconds till the ingredients come together. Add the yogurt, remaining water, rose water and cardamom powder. Buzz for a few seconds more. The mango lassi is now ready.


Put some soaked basil seeds at the bottom of the glass. Gently pour the lassi into the glass and finally add some more soaked basil seeds on the top.

Serve immediately.

Sunsilk Natural Recharge Strong and Abundant Shampoo Review

Sunsilk shampoos have been a part of my life ever since I can remember. I clearly remember using a green one during my school days. Then came the black and then the pink. I took a break from them for a while and tried out a few brands like Garnier, Dove, etc but none cam up to that level.

Then I discovered the Matrix one and used if for quite a long time . But when Sunsilk launched the 'Perfectly Straight' range sometime back, I could not resist trying it out. Was good and my hair felt a lot more straight than usual. Ok...my hair is almost straight but with a few waves that crop up at times. With the 'Perfect Straight' shampoo, I felt that one has to lightly comb out the still damp hair to see tangible results. Was quite happy with it except for the little dry spell that my hair has been going through. Being a hands-on mommy hardly leaves me with much time to do regular oiling and a subsequent hot towel treatment.

That is when I got the Sunsilk Natural recharge Shampoo and Conditioner (provided by the brand itself) for a review. Have tried it out for 2 1/2 weeks before writing this review. So, read on -

The shampoo comes in a opaque light green bottle that is quite sleek and attractive. At a price of Rs 132/- for 180 ml, it is quite affordable. On pouring out some shampoo into the palm, one can catch some fine shimmer in it but the best part is the fruity smell. I loved the smell of this shampoo that lingers on for a whole day in my hair. Sunsilk always makes great smelling shampoos I feel. I usually oil my hair the night before, so it took me two washes to get all that oil out of my hair. It lathered fine and my hair felt quite soft and healthy right after the wash. ( Note - I always dilute the shampoo before using it )

I followed it with the Sunsilk Natural recharge Conditioner which is a thick light green product without any great smell.  It is priced at Rs 64/- for a 80 ml inverted tube. It worked nicely on my hair ends and I was able to de-tangle them with my hands. Left it on for 2 minutes before washing it off with cold water. I followed it with a towel dry but skipped the hair serum the first time I tried this range. But I repented it by the time my hair had dried. So I used some serum and my hair looked fine. And it stayed quite nice for the entire day. However, the next day was a different story. My hair looked limp and dry and felt a bit rough. As I was already having dry hair, this product seemed to have made it worse. But I still used it for another two weeks albeit in a diluted form and regularly used the serum as well. However, I could not find that it made any difference to my hair. No 5 times stronger/thicker hair.

So, putting everything in a nutshell -

Plus -

1.  Affordable price.
2. Sturdy packaging. The lid does not become loose or come off after a few washes ( Patanjali Shampos are worst in this department ). Can be carried while travelling.
3. Lovely smell . (Best part I think)
4. Leaves hair clean in two washes.
5. Paraben Free formula.
6. Hair is quite soft and manageable on first day.

Minus -

1. Does nothing for my dry hair.
2. Hair feels quite dry and rough on the second day. (Maybe this is because I already have dry hair)
3. It is not a SLS free formula
4. The Ginseng root extract and oil comes towards the end in the list of ingredients. So, not sure how much of it is present in the product to give some perceptible benefits.
5. The 5X thicker hair is just a claim. ( I guess it is easier to use models with great DNA and experts stylists to create a catchy advert than to actually make a good shampoo or any product for that matter )


Overall rating - It would rate it a 3/5 . And I would definitely not repurchase it.

Tomato Chutney (Andhra Recipe)

The South Indian version of tomato chutney is a far cry from the sweet and syrupy one favored by the folks of Odisha and West Bengal. While the former is a tart scorcher ( thanks to the overload of green chillis ), the latter is doused with jaggery/raisins and copious amounts of sugar. Both are as different from each other as chalk and cheese.  The south Indian one is usually served as a accompaniment with breakfast/snack items while the eastern version goes well with rice and dal/dalma.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 8-10 mins

Ingredients -

• 4 small ripe tomatoes
• 6-7 shallots (peeled)
• 3-4 garlic flakes
• 2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 pinches mustard seeds
• 1 dry byadgi chili (optional)
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the shallots and green chillis. Follow with the tomatoes after 1 minute. Fry everything on a medium high flame for 2 minutes.

Add garlic and coriander leaves. Give a stir and switch off the flame.

Transfer everything into a blender along with some salt and buzz a little to get a somewhat coarse paste. Transfer back to a mixing/serving bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add mustard seeds with broken red chili followed by the asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry for 10 seconds. Pour over the tomato paste and mix in.

Serve with dosa/idli/uttapam or even plain rice.

Note - I usually prefer to have it with white rice and some papad.

Beetroot Parantha

A simple and colorful parantha recipe...this is a sure-shot method of introducing some beetroot into your kiddo's meals. Read on -

Preparation Time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients -

• Whole wheat flour ( 1 1/2 cups)
• onion ( 1 small, chopped )
• grated beetroot ( 1/2 cup )
• roasted jeera powder ( 1/5 tsp )
• chilli powder  ( 1/5 tsp )
• crushed green chili (optional)
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• oil/ghee for frying paratha ( 2 tsp )
• buttermilk/yogurt for kneading the dough

Preparation -

Take the flour in a plate. Add the chopped onion, beetroot, coriander leaves, green chilli, chili powder, jeera powder and salt. Mix well. Add buttermilk/yogurt little by little to get a stiff dough. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 15 mins.

Make 4-5 balls out of the dough. Roll out the balls into parathas/circles.

Cooking- Heat a non-stick tawa. Put one paratha, add little ghee/oil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and add some more oil/ghee. Cook till done.

Repeat for the other parathas as well.

One can also add some mashed potatoes to the paratha along with the grated beetroot. This makes for tastier paranthas.