Chuda Crumble with Frozen Yogurt

Dahi Chuda. A mass of beaten rice dunked in yogurt and sweetened with some sugar or jaggery. Like most Odia dishes it is nectar for the tongue, knosh for the stomach and nirvana for the soul. And it comes with the promise of an afterglow. Yep, just like good sex, good food is supposed to give one an afterglow. Nah, I am not referring to that halo kind of thing around your head but the deliciously luminous feeling that lights up within oneself. Medically it has got something to do with release of endorphins. Go google it up if you want to find out more on this stuff!!!

While technically the dish is just supposed to be beaten rice mixed with some curd and sugar, it gets magically metamorphosed in my MIL's hands. Freshly grated coconut, some crumbled ricotta, mashed banana and even some sweetened boondi adds enough character to this dish to give the Bollywood actors a run for their money. But sadly, it lacks the kind of visual appeal that would send one's salivary glands into an overdrive. A common malady when it comes to Odia cuisine.

Hence, I picked on this yummy breakfast favorite for my next makeover. Taking inspiration from a no-bake crumble, I deconstructed the original recipe and served it as a layered treat. The bottom layer is sliced bananas and honey with a hint of cinnamon. The middle layer is beaten rice, ricotta, freshly grated coconut and sugar blended together to give it the appearance of a crumble. And the final icing on the cake or the top layer is frozen yogurt with cardamom.

While I had intended to make it like one of those 'dessert in a jar' kind of presentation, I realized at the last moment that I has already used the jar to store some pickle that I had prepared. Had to settle for a tall glass instead.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins ( plus 10 mins standby assuming that the frozen yogurt is readily available )

Ingredients -

• 1/2 of a ripe banana
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup beaten rice/chuda/chivda
• 2 tbsp oats
• 2 tbsp ricotta/chenna
• 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen yogurt ( cardamom flavour )

Preparation - Slice the banana and layer it at the bottom of the glass/jar. Drizzle with honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

Take the beaten rice, ricotta, grated coconut and sugar in a blender. Buzz to get a mixture that has the appearance of breadcrumbs. Pour into the glass/jar over the banana slices. Pop into the fridge for about 10 -15 mins.

Finally top it up with the frozen yogurt. Serve immediately.

Note - Frozen yogurt is quite easy to prepare at home if you have access to good quality yogurt or Greek yogurt and some amount of patience. And best part is that you get it at almost 1/8th the price that you would have to pay outside. Will the sharing my gelatin free frozen yogurt recipe in a day or two.

Green Papaya Laddoos (SugarFree recipe)

Mom is undoubtedly the dessert specialist at home. God forbid, if she takes to blogging, she could give a lot of folks a run for their money and have me running out of ideas which I generously borrow from her. At times it seems to me that she manages to concoct sweets out of thin air. And since she is hale and hearty (touch wood), she is least bothered with controlling her sugar intake and other such low priority things like counting calories and weight management that are always on top of my list. "For the current generation, everything is just about numbers ", she exclaims while dismissing my worries.

Anyways when she told me about these green papaya laddoos, I could not resist pulling her leg. "Mummy, why can't you go for cheaper options like besan and suji ? Veggies have become so costly these days !! If I start using them in desserts, what will I cook for the main course ?", I told her in jest. And pat comes the reply "But they taste so good. Why cook sabzi ? Have them with parathas or puris". Another oil/calorie guzzler is the last thing on earth that I would want to rendezvous with. So, I decided to keep my mouth shut and think of ways in which I could replicate the same but without copious amount of sugar. Will the laddoos bind correctly if I skip the sugar? I decided to increase the milk content and replace the sugar with Sugarfree Nature pellets which I always keep at hand as my MIL is a diabetic.

The recipe turned out to be just fine and the laddoos tasted delicious. Read on for this yummy recipe that will have you eating your laddoos without actually turning into one ( excuse the bad PJ ) -

Preparation Time - 45 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 kg green papaya
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 15-16 sugarfree pellets
• 2 pinch saffron
• 2 pinch powdered cardamom
• 10 cashews

Preparation - Peel and grate the green papaya.

Soak the saffron in 2-3 tsp warm milk.

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed wok. Add the cashews and fry till they turn golden. remove from the wok and keep aside.

Add the grated papaya and fry for 8-9 mins on medium flame or till the moisture is almost gone.

Add the milk along with the sugarfree pellets. Rub the soaked saffron strands with your fingers and add it to the same wok. Cook on medium to low flame till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture starts to leaves the sides of the wok.

Add the cardamom powder and mix in.

Allow it to cool down till it is bearable to touch.

Divide into 10-12 portions. Rub ghee on palms and shape each one portion into a laddoo. Press one cashew into each one.

Allow to cool down completely before serving.

Godrej Interior Bloggers Meet @ Bengaluru (Cuisine Regale )

PRESS NOTE 

            Chef Ranveer Brar showcases food art at the launch of Cuisine Regale

A lifestyle modular kitchen gallery brand by Godrej

Melange

Bangalore, Tuesday, November 24th: Leading celebrity Chef, Ranveer Brar, was in Bangalore for
the launch of Cuisine Regale, a lifestyle modular kitchen gallery brand introduced by Godrej.
The celebrated evening, hosted by Mr. Anil Mathur, COO, Godrej Interio, witnessed architects,
interiors, food bloggers in the city come together for a confluence of food, art and interiors.

In line with the brand’s promise to create experiences that go beyond the boundaries of the
traditional kitchen space, Chef Ranveer Brar created spectacular food art that blended with the
interior themes of each kitchen configuration in this brand new gallery. A unique proposition
that stands apart from all other international and local brands in this space, Cuisine Regale is
built on anthropometric, ergonomics and our consumers cooking styles. From creating
interesting consumer touchpoints in the galleries, to expert guidance by designers to building
solutions for kitchens including appliances & accessories, as well as complete turnkey kitchen
solutions, Cuisine Regale is the destination for all who aspire to create spaces that treat family
and friends, have finer tastes, seeks products which serve multiple needs and loves to build
memories.

Spread over 2,000 sq.ft, the newly launched store in Indira Nagar will currently showcase three
range of kitchen furnishing namely, Christened Glacier, Neue and Melange — all of which will
cater to the distinct requirements of consumers making cooking more enjoyable

Celebrating this confluence of food, art and interiors, Chef Ranveer Brar said, “Feeling good is
very important in creating good food and kitchen spaces that make us feel good add to the
process of creativity and engages everyone in the home. Cuisine Regale provides the kind of
kitchen spaces that are ergonomically designed and help bring out interactivity and allows us to
de-stress in the kitchen”

NOTE - The press note and images are provided by the brand PR.

Moudardara ( The Lebanese version of Khichdi )

I love rice varieties and when I chanced upon this amazing recipe on the show Vickypedia hosted on Living Foodz channel, I knew that I just had to give it a try ! And while it took time and patience to ready this khichdi, it turned out to be one sparkler of a dish. The richness of the caramelized onions, the aroma of Basmati rice, the luxurious fragrance of saffron coupled with the nutrition from a medley of pulses make it a wholesome choice for one pot meals !

One word about the texture though. As Moudardara essentially means scattered, it is more like a biryani rather than being mushy like a khichidi. So, do not go overboard with the water and the stirring. Remember that we an always add a little bit of moisture whenever needed.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1 1/2 cup mixed lentils ( I used kidney beans, red lentils and horsegram )
• 2 medium sized onions (sliced finely)
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp peppercorn
• 1/2 tsp all spice powder
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp EVOO
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 pinch saffron

Preparation - Wash and soak the lentils overnight.

Crush the cumin and peppercorn into a coarse mix. Soak the saffron in the warm milk.

Cooking - Cook the lentils in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. They should be just cooked and firm to touch. Drain the excess water but do not throw it away.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry on low heat till they turn brown. Remove half of these onions from wok and keep aside.

Add the washed rice, cooked lentils, crushed spices, all spice and salt to the same wok. Mix together and cook for 2-3 mins till the rice grains are well coated with oil.

Add the drained water from the lentils and some more such that it just stands a few millimeters above the rice.

Bring to a boil and then let it simmer while covered till rice is almost done. Stir gently once or twice during the cooking.

Add the saffron along with the milk. Cook till the excess moisture disappears.

Mix in the remaining caramelized onions.

Serve with plain yogurt or a raita.

Amaranth Anjeer aur Khajoor ke Laddoo

After all that fasting and feasting (aka Navratri and Diwali), I was left with still unused Amaranth flour and lads of dry fruits. I was wondering what to do with all that stuff, when I chanced upon a recipe that used amaranth grains to make laddoos. I though I could replicate the same with amaranth flour. Instead of sugar or jaggery, I opted dates and dried figs as the sweetening agent. The result was a delicious and very nutritional recipe.

Read on -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups amaranth flour (Rajgire ka atta)
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup chopped figs
• 3-4 tsp ghee
• a handful of raisins
• chopped dry fruits (optional)

Preparation - Heat a heavy bottomed wok. Add the ghee to it followed by the amaranth flour. Roast till it turns a few shades darker and the smell changes. 

Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the dates and figs to the same wok along with a few teaspoons of water. Once it turns into a thick liquid, add the roasted amaranth flour and raisins.

Mix for 2-3 mins.

Remove and keep aside till it is tolerable to touch. 

Grease your palms. Take small portions and roll into laddoos. 

Allow to cool down completely before storing in a airtight container. Stays good for 2-3 weeks.

Note - These laddoos taste better when consumed after a day.

A Mommy's guide to Baby Skincare !

"Smooth as a baby's bottom". Most of us have heard this repeated many a times. But not all are aware of what it takes to keep it as such. Baby skin is very sensitive and delicate. It demands frequent hydration and yet too much of moisture can cause it to get irritated. Hence one needs to strike a comfortable balance to keep it at its softest best. Cleanliness is another important factor that needs to be taken care of but remember 'less is more' when using skincare products.

Image : naturalchildworld.com

Here are a few tips from a mommy's diary -

1. Bathing time - Babies are not pets and hence one does not need to spend hours to get them all squeaky clean. Too much water can actually dry out the baby's skin and so can a soap/shampoo meant for adults. Use a very gentle pH balanced cleanser for baby and never ever rub the delicate skin.

Apply baby lotion on still wet skin right after the bath and pat it dry. Dust all over with a gentle baby powder or even corn flour ( use only organic and 100 % pure ) to absorb excess moisture.

2. Clothe them right - Smooth and breathable cotton fabrics are best for the baby. But make sure that you wash and disinfect them before use. Baby clothes need to be washed separately from that of other family members and preferably using a fragrance free liquid detergent.

3. Diapers - It is the wetness from a soiled diaper that is the most frequent cause of distress to a baby. Diapers need to be of a good quality, have great absorbency and elasticity while retaining a feather soft feel that does not irritate baby skin. Gel based diapers with added features like a inner lining of baby lotion with aloe vera are the best choice.

When changing a diaper, it is best to clean the area with water and a gentle soap. Sometimes, the perfume or other additives in wipes can irritate the skin, so going natural is best. Allow for natural drying instead of rubbing the tender skin with a towel. Finally apply a layer of Vaseline or any petroleum jelly and put on a fresh diaper.

Image : makeitbliss.com

4. Say 'No' to strong scents - Babies smell great even by themselves. And scented products can actually irritate skin or aggravate dryness. Some of these products could also cause respiratory distress to the baby hence it is best to stay away from such products until the baby is about two years old.

This is especially important to follow if the parents have a history of skin diseases, allergy or asthma.

5. Sun protection - Babies love going out and exploring the world. The social stimulus actually helps to develop their brains. Once your baby takes to his knees it is good to expose him to the outer world but without exposing his skin to the harmful UV rays.

Baby sunscreens should come recommended by the pediatrician. But even when using a broad spectrum sunscreen, it is best to keep the baby out of the sun from 11 am to 3 pm.


This post is written for Pampers. 
Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy.

Empowering a Smarter India !!

If I had to explain the way smartphone technology has changed India, I would put it as 'it has done away with the digital divide', a fact endorsed by a majority of the rapidly growing e-commerce companies. While more than 50 percent of their business comes from the tier II and tier III cities, e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon reportedly state that this segment is their the fastest growing customer base. As a blogger, I have noticed a huge change in the geographical distribution of my audience over the last seven years. While most of the blog traffic was from laptops and mobiles formed only a minuscule segment around 2010, now the lion's share of my blog traffic comes from handheld devices like smartphones.  Does want any more proof ?

Image : ecampusnews.com

With more and more people in the smaller cities/towns getting access to cheaper smartphones powered by Android, the league of people who prefer to shop from the comfort of their homes is swelling dramatically. But it is not just the online shopping which has revolutionized the lives of these people. Many an enterprising youngsters are honing their skills by enrolling in the online education programs. And as I found out recently, a particularly talented young lady along with a handful of good tailors has set up her own boutique and does a fantastic job of replicating Bollywood styles even as the first images are uploaded to cyberspace or the trailers are released on YouTube. Apart from ensuring a good income for herself an her motley team, she helps the young girls around her stay fashionable without spending a bomb. Thanks to entrepreneurs like her, many a Kavyas do not have to rush to Delhi to buy that exclusive wedding lehenga. If case you are confused, I am referring to this Bollywood movie with Alia Bhatt as the female lead who goes to Delhi to make some moolah for buying a Kareena Kapoor lehenga.

With octacore processors making for longer battery life, people living in the smaller towns and villages will find it convenient to surf uninterrupted for longer duration. It is also a blessing for people who commute to work or study. This time can be well utilized in catching up on work related stuff or learning some new topics. And with the availability of 4G, downloads are quick and, video chats and conferences can be carried out over real time. The boom in the number of startups, most of which are app-driven is proof enough that the younger generation is hooked on to smartphones and is out to make the most out of it.

Knowledge is empowering. And smartphones are the way to go as the youth of the nation has aptly demonstrated.