CHILLI PANEER RECIPE

Chilli paneer is my absolute favourite and very easy to make. Paneer or cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein for the vegetarians. Paneer or cottage cheese is high in calcium and helps to increase bone density , helps in weight loss, building muscles. It can be considered as an alternative to non-vegetarian protein sources. I am sharing this very easy recipe of chilli paneer which I make at home all the time.

This is an Indo-Chinese style of cooking which is quite popular in India. Weight watchers can also try this recipe because it a healthy dish.

Ingredients of Chilli Paneer:

• Paneer- 500 gms, diced into cubes
• Green Capsicum-2, chopped into cubes
• Onion- 2 large, chopped into cubes
• Green Chilli- 3 pieces, sliced
• Garlic- 1 whole
• Spring onion- For garnishing

For Sauce-

• Tomato ketchup- 2 teaspoons
• Dark Soya Sauce- 2 teaspoons
• Vinegar- One and half teaspoons
• Green Chilli Sauce- 3 teaspoons

Spices Required:

• Salt- To taste
• Sugar- 1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper- 5 whole
• Mono-sodium glutamate – 1 teaspoon (optional)
• Oil- Any vegetable oil or rice bran oil – 4 teaspoons.

For thickening the gravy-

Corn Flour- 2 teaspoons.

COOKING PROCESS OF CHILLI PANEER:

Cooking this dish is fairly easy. Just you have to follow the steps enlisted below and you will have an amazing paneer dish ready. The steps are as follows:

Chopping:

• Chop Green capsicum and onion into cube shaped pieces. Do not fine chop them as the gravy will turn mushy.
• Chop the green chillies.
• Cut the paneer into cubes.
• Thaw the garlic and black pepper together and make it into a fine paste.
• Chop the spring onion as you will need it for garnishing

Sauce Preparation:

• Take a bowl.
• Add the tomato ketchup, dark soya sauce, green chilli sauce and vinegar to it.
• Mix it well and keep that sauce mixture aside.

Cornflour Slurry:

• Make the corn flour slurry beforehand.
• In a bowl, add the cornflour and add 2 teasppons of water .
• If you feel to add a little more water, then you can.
• But do not go overboard with water.
• The cornflour paste should be semi- thick .

Cooking:

Frying paneer:

• Take a frying pan.
• Add 2 teaspoons of oil and let the oil heat up.
• In that oil, add the sliced paneer slices and let it shallow fry for about 2 minutes maximum.
• Take out the fried paneer.
• In a bowl of water, add the fried paneer slices.
• This might seem a little odd to you, but trust me this process ensures that the paneer slices do not break while cooking.
• This also ensures that the paneer remains super soft.
• Do not skip this process.
• let the paneer soak for about 5 minutes.
• Strain the paneer and keep it aside.

Gravy preparation:

• In the same pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.
• het the oil.
• First add the garlic and black pepper paste and fry the paste in medium flame until the rawness of the garlic disappears.
• Then add the sliced green chillies and fry it for about 10 seconds. You will smell the green chilli flavour.
• Then add the onions.
• Just very lightly sautee the onions until they become a little translucent.
• Add the sauce mixture.
• You need to cook the onion and sauce mixture on a high flame for about 2 minutes maximum. Do not overcook.
• Now, add the salt, sugar and the monosodium glutamate .
• Switch the flame to medium and then add the green capsicum to the gravy.
• Add one and half a cup of water and let it boil for about 2 minutes.
• add the cornflour slurry gradually and make sure that no lumps form in the gravy.
• Constantly stir the gravy slowly while adding the corn flour slurry.
• You will see that the gravy has thickened up.
• Close the flame and transfer to the serving dish or bowl.
• Add the chopped spring onions for garnishing
• Your chilli paneer is ready to serve.

HOW TO SERVE:

This is an Indo- Chinese dish and can be served with either noodles, rice or paratha. Whichever you prefer.

I personally favour chilli paneer with white steamed rice.

This is a nutritious dish ad easy to cook and takes a lot less effort. Please make this dish at home.

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Shukto is a quintessential Bengali recipe cooked with lots of vegetables. It is slightly bitter sweet in taste as the primary ingredient is bitter gourd. Shukto can be cooked in several ways and here I am sharing a simple recipe with lots of vegetables. Hope you like the recipe and try it at your own kitchen.

INGREDIENTS OF SHUKTO:

This is a vegetarian dish cooked with mustard paste and milk and it is slightly bitter to sweet in taste.

Vegetables used are:

• Bitter Gourd- 5 pieces
• Potato-2 pieces
• Raw Papaya- 1 Small
• Raw Banana- 2 pieces
• Drumsticks- 4 pieces
• Sweet Potato- 1 piece
• Brinjal-1 whole
• Ginger- Grated, 2 teaspoon

Spices used:

• Methi or fenugreek seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Panchforan seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Dry red chilli- 1 whole
• Mustard Paste- 3 teaspoon
• Bori or dried lentil fritters: Optional
• Salt- to taste
• Sugar- 3 teaspoon

Oil:

• Mustard Oil -3 teaspoon
• Ghee- 2 teaspoon

PROCESS OF COOKING :

• The first process of cooking shukto is the most tedious one, at least for me and that is chopping.
• Chop the bitter gourd, potato , raw papaya, raw banana, brinjal , drumsticks and sweet potato in 1 inch sized pieces. The pieces should be more or less even in size so that all the vegetables get cooked evenly.
• Take a wok or kadhai.
• Add mustard oil and wait for the oil to heat up. You can also add a little bit of ghee along with oil if you want.
• You need to add the methi or fenugreek seeds and one dry red chilli in the hot oil and wait for the seeds to release its aroma in the oil.

FRYING PROCESS:

• You will add the bitter gourd first.  Fry the bitter gourd until its brown and crisp.
• In the second step, you need to add the potatoes and fry them along with the bitter gourd.
• In a separate pan, dry roast the panchforan and make sure not to burn it or else your shukto will not have that nice aroma. Panchforan is a Bengali spice which consists of five spices like cumin seeds or jeera, fennel seeds or saunf or mouri, nigella seeds or kalo jeera, wild celery seeds or radhuni seeds and methi seeds. It is highly aromatic and lends a distinct flavour to Bengali dishes.
• Now , grind the roasted panchforan in a mortar and pestle and keep it aside for future use.
• Check whether the potatoes have slightly fried or not or else you will not get the taste of fried potatoes..
• Add the remaining vegetables and fry in on a high flame for about 3 minutes.
• Add the grated ginger along with the vegetables.
• After frying on a high flame , reduce the flame and cover the wok or kadhai and let the vegetables cook in steam.
• Please do not forget to check in between as this will take about 10 to 15 minutes time.
• After 15 minutes, open the lid and check whether the vegetables are cooked or not.

GRAVY MAKING:

• At this stage,  you need to add 2 cups of water and mustard paste and cook for further 5 minutes.
• When the gravy turns a bit thick, add a cup of warm milk and boil the shukto for about 2 minutes and then close the flame.
• Lastly, add the grinded panchforan and ghee.
• If you want, then fry the bori or dried lentil fritters and add in the gravy. I have not done it.

PROCESS OF SERVING:

Serve the shukto in lunch with a steaming hot bowl of rice. It tastes the best with rice only and Bengalis prefer to have it at the beginning of the meal . It is very tasty and healthy dish. Please cook it at your home and let me know whether you like my recipe or not.

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BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL

Benefits of olive oil are countless. It is being used in the Mediterranean countries since ages. People in India have also started using this oil in their cooking process and beauty regimen also.

I would like to share some of the benefits that this oil has got. But first let us discuss the different types of olive oils available. Olive oil as we all know is extracted from olives and there are basically 5 different types of olive oil found today. They are as follows:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Virgin olive oil
• Pure olive oil
• Refined olive oil
• Olive and pomace oil mixed

Each type of olive oil has different uses and benefits.

• Extra virgin Olive oil- Used as dressings in salads. This is extracted by cold pressed method and it retains the aroma and taste the best amongst all other olive oil variants.
• Virgin Olive oil- Mainly used  for cooking, baking and it is slightly acidic in nature. This oil is also extracted by cold pressed method of extraction.
• Pure Olive oil-For hair and skin massage this oil is used as it contains more vitamin E.
• Refined Olive oi-For cooking, mainly Indian style of food and is extracted from black olives.
• Olive Pomace Oil- For polishing and cleaning household items. It is generally not suitable for cooking as it is very low in quality. It is basically extracted from the residue and contains very low amounts of olive oil in it.

BEAUTY BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL:

Mainly pure olive oil is used in case of beauty regimen for skin and hair. Please do not use any adulterated version of olive oil as you might get some adverse effect. I have tries to list some of them in this excerpt.

SKIN:

Advantage:

• Olive oil is loaded with vitamins like E, A and D.
• This oil acts as a beautiful moisturiser and a skin hydrant.
• People with acne prone skin can also use this oil.
• You have to ensure that since olive oil is a very heavy oil and its absorption in skin is very slow, just swipe of the excess oil after a good massage with a clean tissue.
• Regular massage with olive oil on your skin ensures a healthy glowing skin, specially if you are affected by sunrays and have sun -burn on yourself.

Disadvantage:

If you are suffering from any kind of dermatological conditions like dermatitis or eczema, kindly refrain yourself from using this oil as it may aggravate. Kindly consult your dermatologist before doing so. I would always recommend you to do a patch test before your apply anything on your skin.

HAIR:

Advantage:

• Due to olive oil’s moisturising properties, it renders moisture to each strand of your hair.
• This helps in reducing breakage.
• Regular usage of olive oil ensures that your hair becomes soft, smooth and silky and frizz free.
• Hair roots become stronger and thicker.

Disadvantage:

• Since this oil is a bit greasy in nature, it makes your hair limp and oily.
• If you are suffering from dandruff, then please consult before using this oil as this might increase the infection further.
• Apply a small amount. Do not go overboard while applying this oil  and try to apply on lengths of your hair.

COOKING BENEFITS OF OLIVE OIL:

We in our daily dose of cooking, use extra virgin olive oil as dressings for our salads and use virgin olive oil for cooking purposes.  in Mediterranean diet, olive oil is used as the primary fat component.

Advantages:

• According to studies conducted by the World Health organisation, life expectancy of people in the Mediterranean is longer than in Western countries because of consumption of olive oil in their regular diet.
• Olive oil is rich in tocopherol, polyphenol and fatty alcohol which contribute towards the anti-inflammatory properties.
• Causes of  myocardial infarction like Atherosclerosis, hypertension and other heart related diseases can be prevented to a certain extent because of presence of micro-nutrients in olive oil.
• Your daily consumption of olive oil can fulfil the requirements of a plant based MUFA as olive oil is one of the richest source of it.
• Adults suffering from constipation may get relief from consuming olive oil in specific doses.
• Olive oil helps in increase of bone density and thus increases your bone health.

Disadvantages:

• It is highly rich in calories.
• If you consume in excess, it might lead to weight gain. So moderation advised.

CONCLUSION:

benefits of olive oil are undoubtable. It is extremely rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and is one of the healthier options when it comes to fat intake in diet. But we should be careful about the quantity and if you are allergic, please do not consume or apply this oil.

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BENEFITS OF MUSTARD OIL

In Indian Kitchen, we use mustard oil as a cooking medium and mainly as a massage oil since ages as we are aware of the benefits of mustard oil. In this post, I will share some of the benefits of mustard oil which you can incorporate into your lifestyle and see the changes.

BEAUTY BENEFITS OF MUSTARD OIL:

SKIN:

• The texture of mustard oil is thick in nature.
• This oil is loaded with with vitamin E. As a result, it gives a nice glow to our skin and makes it soft and supple.
• You can user this oil for massage as it is a great moisturiser and helps curing dry and itchy skin.
• Mustard oil has anti-bacterial and anti -inflammatory properties which helps to deal with infection.
• Mustard oil , just 2 or 3 drops of it can be applied to the belly button. It gives a nice glow and radiance to your skin.
• If you are a fan of natural sunscreen, then mustard oil is a great option for you as it is thick in nature and is loaded with vitamin E.
• Sometimes it has been observed that mustard oil helps to heal in allergic infection and initial burn blisters also.

Disadvantages:

• If you have extremely oily skin or you are allergic to mustard oil, then do not use it. It may cause breakouts or skin infections.

HAIR:

• Mustard oil helps in improvement of the hair quality and provides nourishment to the hair roots and scalp.
• You can avoid scalp infections by applying mustard oil in your hair.
• This oil acts as a great hair moisturiser since it is a natural hair conditioner.
• Please mix mustard oil with coconut oil or any other carrier oil  for a better result. This combination helps in hair growth.
• Do not apply too much of this oil on your scalp. Apply a little bit, massage it well and leave it for 30 minutes before shampooing.

COOKING WITH MUSTARD OIL:

• Saturated fat content is low in mustard oil.
• Mustard oil has erucic acid which is a fatty acid. Although it is USFDA has forbidden to use it as a cooking medium in some of the countries, but In Asia, Mustard oil is a very popular cooking medium.
• It is extremely popular cooking medium in India.
• Mustard oil has a high smoking point. and it does not change the flavour of the dish cooked in it.
• Lipid Association Of India (LAI) has advised that mustard oil is a heart healthy oil. It contains monounsaturated fatty acids.
• In some studies, it has been observed that mustard oil helps in reducing certain types of cancer cells.

OTHER BENEFITS:

• In India, it has been a long practise to massage with pure mustard oil or kacchi ghani oil as we call it.
• Mustard oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in reducing joint pain when massaged . Nut the oil should be warm so that it gets absorbed quickly.
• Mustard oil acts a cold reliever. You can take steam with 2 to 3 drops of mustard oil or can massage warm mustard oil on your chest and back to get relief from cold.

CONCLUSION:

Mustard oil is a very good option for a massage oil  for hair and skin and this acts as a good cooking medium also. While applying to skin and hair, kindly do a patch test. Mustard oil is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial in nature. It helps in reducing joint pain and thus helpful in patients suffering from arthritis or other joint pain. It acts a s a natural sunscreen , as a natural cold reliever also. In India, especially in Northern part, it is extensively used. Even In Ayurveda also, we find usage of mustard oil.

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BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

We use coconut oil in our Indian kitchen since ancient times and we Indians know that there are multifaceted benefits of coconut oil. Coconut oil is used for cooking purpose, for maintaining a healthy hair as well as a beautiful skin.

In this blog I am listing a few benefits of coconut oil . You can use them and let me know whether it was useful for you or not.

BEAUTY BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL:

SKIN:

Advantages:

• Coconut oil is highly nourishing and moisturising. It gives a plumpness to your skin.
• You can use coconut oil for your entire body.
• Studies have shown that coconut oil helps reducing inflammation and redness caused by the ultra violet rays of the sun.
• This oil acts a treatment for fine line and wrinkles. If applied gently under the eye area, this oil can reduce crow’s feet also.
• Coconut oil acts as a humectant.
• This oil gives a baby soft skin and is safe to use for infants as well. But please consult your paediatrician before using this on your infant’s skin.
• In India, since ancient times, coconut oil is used for body massage. This gives an instant radiance and softness to the skin.
• Coconut oil is loaded with anti oxidants and phyto-nutrients.
• Your one stop destination for post shave moisturise is coconut oil.
• Regular application of coconut oil in your armpit area significantly lightens the area and keeps the area soft and smooth and bump-free.

Disadvantages:

• Coconut oil can cause comedones and acne as it can cause comedogenic.
• If you have oily skin or acne prone skin, then be cautious while using coconut oil.
• Coconut oil has a tendency to clog your pores.

HAIR:

Advantages:

• Coconut oil is composed of Lauric acid and this acts as one of the chief ingredients. . This is a fatty acid which the hair can absorb very easily.
• Applying coconut oil at least 30 minutes before washing your hair makes your hair soft and shiny.
• It acts as a wonderful moisturiser for your hair. It moisturises hair shafts thus making it soft and manageable.
• Coconut oil helps to control hair damage due to breakage.
• It also helps in lengthening your hair.
• Coconut oil helps in controlling hair damage caused by environmental stress.

Disadvantages:

• Coconut oil is otherwise a safe option to use on your hair but too much application of oil can cause product build up in scalp.
• If you are suffering from product build up, then you can wash your hair with apple cider vinegar.

COOKING BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL:

• Coconut oil when ingested or even applied, causes  the release of lauric acid and monolaurin. They are anti-microbial agents. These in turn helps in boosting the immunity in our body.
• It is one of the healthier options to cook food.
• It is believed that coconut oil consumption helps in burning calories.
• Skin health improves when coconut oil is consumed.
• Early morning rinsing of your mouth with coconut oil helps in your oral heath. Your teeth and gums become stronger also.
• Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants like tocopherols, polyphenols , flavonoids etc.
• Coconut oil has a high smoking point. So it makes a good cooking medium at high heat.
• It is also helpful for epileptic patients as it helps in inducing ketosis.
• Regular usage also ensures that you have a good amount of HDL(High Density Lipid).
• It also reduces risk of heart ailments.

CONCLUSION:

Coconut oil is immensely beneficial , both for external usage for beauty and internal usage. It has been shown in studies that  section of people who consumes and applies coconut oil regularly have healthy heart and good skin and hair. But this also depends on a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

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CHANAR DALNA OR INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE CURRY

Chanar Dalna is cooked in my kitchen quite often. Chana means Indian cottage cheese and dalna in Bengali means curry. So Chanar Dalna essentially means Indian cottage cheese curry. This curry is made without onion and garlic and is mildly spicy and sweet in nature. It’s very tasty and easy to make and is a very good source of protein if you are a vegetarian. I am sharing this recipe with you so that you can cook and enjoy this dish at home.

I have divided the cooking process into a few steps.

Making the Chana or the cottage cheese for the CHANAR DALNA:

• Boil 1.5 litres of milk. The milk should be boiled properly.
• Add juices of 2 lemons or 3 teaspoons of vinegar to the boiled milk.
• Simmer for about 2 minutes.
• You will see that the milk has started to curdle and the water will separate.
• I strain the water with help of a stainer.
• I keep the cheese wrapped in a muslin cloth so that excess water drains out.

SPICES REQUIRED FOR CHANAR DALNA:

• Cumin seeds or Jeera
• Asafoetida or Hing
• Turmeric Powder
• Kashmiri red chilli powder
• A special fried masala
• Salt
• Sugar
• Bay leaves
• Garam Masala Powder
• Ginger
• Tomato
• 

Recipe of the Fried masala of the Bhaja Moshla(In Bengali):

This masala recipe is very useful as it is very versatile and you can use this for vegetarian cooking like making cheese balls or raita or aloo dum.  This is my recipe as I love this smell very much. Please store the masala in an airtight jar and make it in very small batches as the smell has a tendency to disappear.

Spices required:

• 2 teaspoons of Methi or Fenugreek seeds
• Whole red chilli -2 pieces
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons of whole coriander seeds or dhania seeds
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons of jeera seeds or Cumin seeds

Process:

• Heat a pan on high flame for about 2 minutes.
• Add the spices mentioned above.
• Dry roast them for about 2 minutes on a very low flame.
• Ensure that the spices do not burn.
• I cool them before grinding.
• I grind them in a spice grinder into a fine powder.
• I store this fragrant masala in an air-tight jar.
• This masala is used for many dishes in a Bengali kitchen.

PROCESS OF MAKING THE CHANA BALL:

I take the chana in a bowl and add the spices. For the Chana fritters or pakora, I add

• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder.
•  Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• A pinch of Hing or asafoetida powder.
• 1 teaspoon of the fried masala.
• Salt to taste.
• 1 teaspoon of Sugar.
• 2 teaspoons of besan.
• 2 teaspoons of maida.
• 1 pinch of baking soda.
• Grated ginger( 1 teaspoon)

Besan and maida are added so that the pakoras do not split when added to oil for frying.

• I knead all the ingredients with the chana and make it a tight dough.
• I allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes so that all the flavours are incorporated together.
• The dough is then taken out and then separated into small bite-sized round balls.
• These round balls are then fried in oil or ghee.
• I use oil for frying the chana balls and keep them aside on tissue paper for absorption of excess oil.

Process of making the Dalna or the curry:

This process is very simple as it involves a few simple ingredients and the time to cook is very less.

Spices required for the Curry are:

• Cumin powder- Half teaspoon
• Whole cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Coriander or Dhania powder- half teaspoon
• Ginger paste- 2 teaspoon
• Tomato Paste- 2 tomatoes
• Green Chilli
• Asafoetida Powder-Hal;f teaspoon
• Bay Leaves
• Turmeric Powder-Half Teaspoon
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder- 1 Teaspoon
• Salt- To taste
• Sugar- 2teaspoons
• Garam Masala powder
• Ghee

Process:

• I heat  3 teaspoons of mustard oil and a teaspoon of ghee in a pan.
• I add bay leaves and cumin seeds and wait for the oil to get flavoured.
• After that, I add the hing and the grated ginger and saute them for about a minute or two until the rawness of the ginger disappears and this ensures that the oil is nicely flavoured.
• Then I add the dry spices like the cumin powder, coriander powder, and Kashmiri red chilli powder and cook on a low flame.
• I add a splash of water to that spice mixture so that all the flavours come together.
• After that, I add salt and sugar.
• After a minute, I add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes so that the rawness goes away and wait for the oil to separate from the sides.
• After the oil separates, It indicates that the curry is almost done.
• I add half a cup of water as the pakoras tend to absorb all the gravy but I make sure that the gravy is not runny. It will be semi-thick gravy.
• After that I allow the curry to boil so that all the flavours get mixed well in the gravy.
• At last, I add the garam masala powder and the fried masala or bhaja moshla powder to the gravy and keep the flame low and I make sure to add them at last because it smells divine.
• I add the fried chana balls to the gravy and boil them for about one minute.
• And your chanar dalna is ready to serve. Add a spoon of ghee to the finished gravy and serve it with steaming hot rice for lunch.
• 

How to serve:

This sumptuous curry can be served with a bowl of hot steaming rice. We, in our home, prefer to have this dish with rice as we think it tastes the best with rice. You can also give it a try with flatbread, roti as well as paratha.

Benefits of chana or Cottage Cheese:

• Cottage cheese or paneer or Chana(in Bengali) is a healthy source of protein for vegetarians.
• It is highly rich in calcium and as a result, it is very good for our bones and teeth.
• Cottage cheese is good for our nerves as it contains a huge amount of Vitamin B12.
• Regular consumption can help in managing osteoporosis but along with other food and proper medical guidance.
• Cottage cheese is a very good protein option for weight watchers as it is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.

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BAKING SODA USES

Baking Soda(NAHCO3) is a magical ingredient found in your kitchen. This magical ingredient can be used in multifarious ways for your daily beauty regimen as well as cooking. Over here, I am listing a few uses of baking soda which you can try at your home and let me know the feedback.

Baking Soda Uses for Beauty:

Uses for skin:

Advantages:

Skin, being the largest organ of our body need special care. It is very important to take care of and maintain our skin. There are many substances with which we take care of our skin and baking soda is one of them. It is easily available in our kitchen and it’s pretty cheap.

Uses For Face:

Acne:

• We can use baking soda for treating acne. Excess oil secretion blocks our pores and thus causes acne. Applying baking soda paste can reduce acne inflammation. However, a tiny amount is required in this and it can be used as a spot treatment.

Exfoliant:

• I sometimes use baking soda as a mild exfoliant for my skin. It helps to cleanse the skin and remove dead cells. For this, I prefer to mix half a teaspoon of the baking soda along with yoghurt.
• I make a paste and then apply it to the face and neck area and leave it for about 10 minutes. I do not apply this paste to the eye area as it is very sensitive. After the stipulated time, I wash it off with lukewarm water. I use this scrub once every 10 or 12 days.

Pigmentation:

• I have found it to be helpful in reducing pigmentation on the skin.   I mix half a teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and two teaspoons of yoghurt and apply it to the skin for reducing blemishes. This face pack should not be used daily.

 Infections:

• I use this paste of one teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of water to cure inflammation from bug bites like mosquitoes. This paste helps in reducing inflammation as well as irritation on the skin. I use this paste as a spot treatment.
• Sometimes it can be used to cure fungal infections of the skin also. But I recommend consulting a dermatologist before using this.

 Underarms:

• In order to lighten your dark underarms, you can use this pack twice a week.
• Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with half a teaspoon of lime juice and two teaspoons of turmeric powder. Make a paste of that powder and apply it to your underarms and keep it for about 15 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water and apply coconut oil as a moisturiser. You will notice a noticeable change in the pigmentation and it will reduce. But you have to be consistent in using this.

Teeth:

• Mix it with salt and sometimes brush your teeth, This will help in cleaning the brightening your teeth. You can do this once a week and this method is effective in treating gum problems also.

 Hair:

You can use baking soda mixed with water to clean your scalp once or twice a month. This helps to clean the residue on your scalp. Never overdo this. If you use it every day as a cleaner to clean your scalp or as a substitute for shampoo, then you might have a very dry and flaky scalp. This will cause severe problems and will eventually lead to dandruff. You should be careful and use it once, maximum twice to clean the scalp.

Disadvantages:

• Baking soda has got alkaline properties.
• Regular usage can cause excessive dryness of the skin.
• I have seen that if I use it daily, it strips the skin of its natural oils, making it irritated, dry and flaky.
• Baking soda should not be used on sensitive skin or the skin of babies and infants. It can cause skin infection and other reactions. And moreover, baby skin is very soft and delicate. Do not use it.
• I always recommend doing a patch test before using any products on the skin. This avoids unnecessary issues.
• Please be careful if it enters the eye. It can cause serious effects like redness and swelling.

Who should Avoid:

• Baking soda has a tendency to get absorbed in the skin and so please avoid using it if you are having majorly infected skin if you are lactating, pregnant or if you are suffering from any major disease.

Baking Soda uses for Kitchen:

Uses as a Cleaning agent:

• The first and foremost thing that comes to my mind regarding this topic is how effective baking soda is to clean the kitchen. Be it utensils, oven, drainage holes, tiles etc. It acts as an excellent cleaning agent. Because of its alkaline nature, it acts as a cleaner and helps in removing difficult stains like coffee, tea, oils and dirt.
• I wash the chopping board with it because it cleans it beautifully and it removes the smell also.

Which Surfaces To Avoid:

• However please refrain from using this in the case of marble countertops or any other things made of marble and aluminium utensils as this might cause chemical reactions.
• I avoid cleaning glass surfaces and ceramic cookware also as it might cause abrasion.

Uses in Cooking:

• It gives a very soft and nice texture to fritters or pakoras, cakes, and dhokla.
• I recommend using it in very small amounts in foods. Do not use it in a very high amount as it can cause health problems like hyperkalemia. Please be cautious regarding the amount.

Conclusion:

Bicarbonate of soda is very easily available and pocket friendly. It is used in various ways in our homes for treating skin-related problems, baking and cleaning. It is a great cleaning agent as well as it can be used for various health remedies regarding acid influx (because it is alkaline), treating mild infections and swelling of the skin.

Regarding the amount of intake in food, you should be careful and limit the amount. Or else it will create health issues like kidney-related problems and heart-related issues.

But overall, I would say baking soda is a great option as it is cheap and readily available and is very effective in doing its job.

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Bengali-styled steamed prawn or bhapa chingri is cooked in multiple ways and in this blog post, I am sharing the way I prefer to cook it at my home. Bhapa means steamed and chingri means prawn. I  prepare this recipe with the help of mustard paste, yoghurt and coconut and this is a traditional Bengali recipe. Prawns are a  rich source of selenium and zinc and these are essential nutrients for the human body. The best way to consume prawns is to eat in a moderate amount because it can increase cholesterol levels and do not consume this dish if you are allergic to prawns.

INGREDIENTS OF STEAMED PRAWN:

• Medium-sized Prawns- 400 grams
• Yoghurt- 1 cup
• Green Chilli-8 to 10, slightly slit
• Mustard  seed paste-2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder-Half teaspoon
• Cumin powder-Half teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder- Half teaspoon
• Red chilli powder- One teaspoon
• Mustard Oil-4 to 5 teaspoon
• Coconut pulp-3 teaspoon
• Salt-To taste
• Sugar- 1 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves -For garnishing

COOKING PROCESS:

• Wash and de-vein the prawns as it is very important to clean the prawns.
• in a mixing bowl, you will add yoghurt ( preferably hung curd.) as hung curd adds thickness and smoothness to the gravy.
• Please add the dry spices, salt and sugar and mix them well.
• You will add raw mustard oil, chilli, and mustard paste and mix well.
• Add the coconut pulp as it gives a nice flavour.
• Do not add fried prawns and fried prawns will get harder during the process of steaming and will have a rubbery texture. You will add raw prawns for the best outcome.
• Keep this prawn, mustard, coconut and oil mixture in a tightly sealed box for the purpose of steaming.
• You will heat a wok and add water to it.
• Place a stand on the water and you should heat the water enough to produce steam.
• Do ensure that the water level does not reach the sealed box or else the curry will get mixed with water and so please avoid this.
• Place a stand inside the wok and keep the sealed box on top of it so that the bottom of the box does not touch the base of the wok.
• You will ensure that the lid of the wok is placed tightly so that no steam escapes from the wok and this in turn will ensure even cooking.
• Steam cook on low flame for about 15 minutes because the low flame will not burn the mixture.
• Close the flame after 15 minutes as overcooking will destroy the texture of the prawns.
• Keep the sealed box inside the wok for some time more and take it out only at the time of serving.
• Garnish with cilantro or coriander leaves and add a teaspoonful of raw mustard oil on top of the steamed prawn so that it makes a huge difference.
• Mustard oil is mandatory for this Bengali-styled recipe as mustard oil renders gives a distinct aroma to this dish.

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes.

HOW TO SERVE THE STEAMED PRAWN:

• Do note that steamed white rice is a winning combination with Bengali-styled fish recipes because the flavour gets enhanced when consumed with white rice.
• Do serve this dish mainly for lunch with rice.
• This dish is mouth-watering so serve this dish hot.

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Chicken Manchurian was made famous by Nelson Wang and is regularly prepared in my kitchen. Over here, I am sharing the recipe which I follow for this sweet-n- sour chicken delicacy. Chicken falls under the lean meat category and so it is very healthy and full of protein and fibre and so it is good for health.

INGREDIENTS OF CHICKEN MANCHURIAN:

• Boneless chicken -500 grams
• Egg white-1
• Cornflour- For marinating(2 teaspoons) and thickening(2 teaspoons) the gravy
• Carrot-1 sliced
• Capsicum- 1 diced
• Onion-3 sliced(medium-sized)
• Garlic-finely chopped, 1 teaspoon
• Ginger-finely chopped, half teaspoon
• Light Soy sauce-1 teaspoon
• Dark soy sauce-1 teaspoon
• Vinegar-2 teaspoon
• Oyster Sauce-3 teaspoon
• Salt -to taste
• Sugar- 2 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder-2 teaspoon
• Oil- for frying and cooking (I use rice bran or any vegetable oil).

COOKING TIME-

• 20 minutes for marination.
• 10  minutes for the gravy.

COOKING PROCESS:

•  I prefer to marinate the chicken with egg white, black pepper powder(one teaspoon) and cornflour (2 to 3 teaspoons) for about 20 minutes. Do not add water to the marination so that when you fry the chicken, it stays crisp.
• I deep fry the chicken until they turn crispy after taking them out from the marination.
• On a separate wok or pan, take about 2 teaspoons of oil.
• You should add finely chopped garlic and ginger and saute on high flame for about 1 minute.
• At this stage, I add the sliced onion and saute for about 1 minute.
• I add the sliced carrots and green capsicum. You can add red and yellow bell peppers also as it gives a very colourful look.
• You should whisk lightly the light soy, dark soy, vinegar and oyster sauce and black pepper powder so that no lump is formed.
• I add the sauce mixture to the sit-fried vegetables so that they get coated in the sauce.
• Mix on a high flame.
• Seasoning is very important and so I add salt and sugar to taste.
• Do prepare the cornflour slurry with normal water and add the slurry slowly to the gravy mixture and stir constantly so that no lumps are formed.
• Do add the chicken immediately to the prepared mixture and boil for about 5 minutes so that the gravy makes the chicken juicier.
• Serve immediately.

HOW TO SERVE:

Chicken Manchurian should be served immediately. This dish can be s served with rice or noodles as per your preference and you should consume it hot.

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I make the Garlic paratha with a liquid dough and hence this paratha is super easy to make as well as tasty and the fun part is you do not need to knead the dough. Garlic and onion belong to the same family and are grown in many parts of the world for their distinct taste and aroma. Because garlic gives a delicious taste and aroma when added to any dish and is extremely healthy, garlic is very popular.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC:

• Garlic is an excellent medicinal herb. Manganese, vitamin c, selenium and fibre are present in large amounts in garlic and hence it is healthy.
•  It is beneficial to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol and as a result, garlic is good for heart.
• Good cholesterol (HDL) level gets boosted with regular intake of raw garlic and this in turn helps the heart also.
• Some researchers also believe that if you consume garlic for a considerable amount of time, then your fasting blood sugar might get controlled also.

INGREDIENT LIST OF GARLIC PARATHA:

• Maida (all-purpose flour)-1 cup
• Garlic-6 cloves, shredded or finely chopped.
• Green Chilli- Finely chopped (2 pcs)
• Coriander- finely chopped
• Coriander powder-1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder-1 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder-1 teaspoon
• Semolina(Suji)- Half teaspoon
• Gram flour(Besan)-Half teaspoon
• Salt- To taste
• Water- For the dough
• Ghee/oil for frying

Cooking time:

Resting time- 20 minutes

Frying Time: 5 minutes

PROCESS:

PREPARATION OF THE BATTER:

• In a mixing bowl, add the flour.
•  I add the shredded garlic, chopped chilli, coriander leaves and dry spices as well as the salt.
• I add besan and semolina to the batter for making crispy parathas.
• I add very little semolina and besan to the batter or else the batter will become lumpy.
• Add salt to taste.
• To the mixture, add water slowly. The batter will be very runny if you add too much water at once.
• The batter should be of proper consistency meaning neither thick nor runny.
• The water should be at room temperature.
• If I have added too much water, then I add a bit more flour and salt and dry spices to balance it.
• Please mix all the ingredients thoroughly and ensure no lumps are there in the mixture.
• Add one teaspoon of oil to the batter.
• I allow the batter to settle for about 20 minutes so that all the flavours get can come together.

FRYING THE GARLIC PARATHA:

•  I heat a Tawa or a frying pan on high heat.
• I heat the pan very hot so that when I pour the dough it does not stick to the pan.
• I apply clarified butter or ghee or oil (you do according to your choice) to the pan.
• With the help of a ladle, I slowly spread the liquid dough on the pan and spread it evenly.
• I do not add too much batter or else my paratha will not become crispy and will not cook properly and the centre will remain raw.
• My ladle is medium and so one and a half spoonfuls are enough to make a decent-sized garlic paratha.
• Keep the flame on medium to low and please ensure that one side of the paratha is cooked properly.
• After one side is fried and cooked properly, then only you should flip the paratha. While cooking, I press the sides gently so that it gets cooked all over.
• Press the paratha gently on the centre also to cook evenly all over.
• Please be cautious while flipping the other side of the paratha as it might break.
• Serve immediately with a pickle or raita(whichever you prefer).

HOW TO SERVE:

• You should serve garlic paratha hot.
• Pickles and raita go well with garlic paratha.

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