If tomatoes become soft, can we make them firm again????

Yes, we can make soft tomatoes firm again. Take a large bowl, fill it with cold water and add little salt. Soak the tomatoes in this water and leave them overnightin the bowl. The tomatoes will be quitefirm in the morning.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Message in the Massage

"A literally sensational way to pre-empt problems of health and overcome fatigue is a good massage"

One of the most important regimens for anti-ageing is massage. While a vigorous workout is the new mantra for fitness, a gentle message can smoothen away stress, fatigue and even cure some ailments. Massage has been part of our lives. Whether it is backache or post-natal care, in India, we resort to massage. Just the idea of having your muscules kneaded, prodded and beaten into total relaxation is half way to achieving nirvana. Massages are a universal practice with every culture boasting of their own home-bred techniques.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Stuffed Aloo Tikki

Ingredients

For the patties

250 gm potato boiled and peeled

2 slices of bread

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp aamchur powder

Salt and Pepper

For the filling

1/2 cup soaked whole masoor dal

1 onion finely chopped

1 green chilli finely chopped

Salt to taste

Method

For the patties, mash the potatoes well with chilli, garam masala and aamchur powder and salt. Soak the bread slices in water and squeeze out the water by pressing against your palms. Add the squeezed bread to the potato mixture and mix well so that there are no lumps. Cook the masoor dal till cooked but not mushy. Add onions, chillies and salt to taste. This is the stuffing for the tikkies. Shape the potato mixture into roundels, stuff the potato with the masoor dal mixture and flatten with palm to form tikkies and shallow fry in a tava. Serve hot.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Stuffed Mirchi Pakoda

Ingredients

12-15 bhavnagri chillies (large, fat chillies)

1 cup boiled and mashed potato

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp chaat masala powder

1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp tandoori powder

A pinch of red food colour (optional)

Oil to deep fry

Method

Add red chilli powder, cumin powder and chaat masala to the boiled and mashed potato and mix well. Clean and cut the stems of the chillies. Core out the seeds. Stuff the potato mixture into the cavity of the chillies. Mix ginger-garlic paste, tandoori paste and red colour to the besan. Add water to form a smooth batter. Dip the stuffed chillies in the besan mixture and deep fry in hot oil.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Jalebis

Ingredients

1 cup maida (flour)

1/2 cup yoghurt

A pinch of salt

A pinch of yellow food colouring (optional)

1 cup sugar

A pinch of saffron

1 cup of water

1/4 tsp cardamon powder

Oil or ghee to deep fry

Method

Mix flour, yoghurt and salt well to avoid lumps. Add some water to obtain pouring consistency. Heat oil. Put the flour-yoghurt mixture or paste in a cloth bag with a hole or a funnel. This is to be used for squeezing the paste out and form the jalebi shape. Form spirals while pouring the paste directly on the hot oil. Deep fry the spirals till golden. Make thick sugar syrup with one cup of sugar and one cup of water. Add saffron and cardamon powder. Dip the jalebis in the sugar syrup.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Malpua

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp aniseeds (saunf)

1 tbsp sugar

A pinch of salt

1/4 tsp cardamon powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Ghee for frying

Method

Mix flour, milk, aniseed, 1 tbsp sugar to form a smooth batter of thick consistency. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan and pour out 2 tbsp of batter on the ghee. Deep fry the malpuas in batches till all the batter is used up. Make thick sugar syrup by boiling one cup of sugar in cup of water. Add cardamon powder. Immerse the fried malpuas in the sugar syrup and serve hot. Served best with rabri or ice cream.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Mushroom Balls

Ingredients

2 cups mushroom cleaned and sliced

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 onion finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves minced

1 inch piece ginger minced

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

4 tbsp oil

2 cups of boiled and mashed potato

1 cup milk maid

1 cup of bread crumbs

Pepper

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Method

Heat the oil, add the minced garlic and ginger for two minutes. Add the onions and fry till light golden. Then add the sliced mushrooms and mix well. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder, salt and stir for four to five minutes. This is the stuffing for the mushroom balls. Take the boiled mashed potato, mix salt and pepper and form into six to eight balls. Stuff each ball with the prepared mushroom mixture. Form round- shaped cutlets, dip them in milk maid, then coat them in bread crumbs and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•