Aug 24, 2011

Gao ka life !

How would life be in the old days? Now Im not gonna go back millions of years
ago.We have enough movies to prove that us and dinosaurs just dont go well.Im
talking about 100 of years ago.I wouldnt even say when the british ruled us,coz my
grandma was born during that phase and she never once in her life,told me about
seeing any gora.It was just her,the deep thick jungle she lived within all her life,her
husband and 5 kids,her fields and animals she tended to ,till the very last day of her
life.(May God bless her soul)


Unlike my parents ,for that matter,just about all of us,I never heard my granny
say,she had it tough.The only life she knew was hers and that around her and I think
,she always thought life couldnt get better than what she was living.I always
imagined what it was to have lived in the past.We live a damn good life now and Im
very thankful for it always.Its a pretty easy life both on the eyes and body.

We found it very hard to live at our granny's place,there was the eternal toilet
problem.Even though my granny never understood,what our problem was,there were
acres of land to do our business unlike sit in an enclosed room with a hole in the
center.I still remember,when my folks bought the flat in the city and I moved out
from the hostel into it,my granny was asked to move in with us.Mission was to be
able to care for her than taking 2 hours of journey in her village to visit her.The day
she came in to stay,she looked at our squeaky white hall and bathrooms and
bedrooms and she was like,it feels so small and closed.She stayed for 2 days and
asked my dad to drop her back in her village.Even though we explained to her,she
didnt have to do anything but sit back and enjoy and everything would be done for
her,she just didnt like it.She refused to use the bathroom.





I didnt get it but what if we were to stay at her place.Waking up to the damn cock
going mad on the rooftop,being able to hear all those birds chirping away in the
morning.Then its off the the well,where water had to be pulled out for brushing and
washing our face.Then its off to the forest to find the one spot,where in,you had to
make sure,someone else wasnt parking to do their business or where one couldnt be
spotted in the midst of one's ahem ahem difficult chores.Then to come home to
breakfast which means everything made of rice.It took a while to make it and eating
something so heavy....we eat 2 toasts for breakfast and maybe an egg.They look at
this and wonder,if we are facing financial troubles for not putting well made meals
on the table.

Eventhough its all organic,but baba,we arent used to this.We maybe twice the size
of a south indian person but we eat way less.I always felt like a giant walking amidst
my cousins and relatives back when I was in India.Maha thanks to them,not a single
day went by,when I wasnt asked,what kind of food do you actually eat out there
which makes you puff up this way.Have you considered not eating? And I would think
in my mind,why not be tied to a tree and left to starve instead and I was 68kgs at
5.3.Living in the village meant being constantly on your feet,doing work the whole
damn day,you never have time for anything and by the time,its all over,you have
deflated every muscle in your body.

The whole time I was around,I sat under trees or besides fields and imagined being
Sridevi in Justice Chaudhry.It was weird - no TV,no radio,nothing.I thought ,wow,my
granny did all for almost 75 years of life and never ever complained.

At my place,Im like,damn the telly,doesnt have a good programme,or I need this and
that every second of the day.Im wishing I had tons of cash to spend on selfish
self,wagera wagera....I mean I aint all content sometimes.It took a woman to do so
much back then.Imagine living a life like that,working the whole day,helping your
husband out,your inlaws out,living in a joint family,cooking,cleaning and raising kids
on your own.I always tell,many women say this,that the generation before them had
it hard and bent forward and back to make life going.

When I watch these nat geo channels where they show making fire or cooking a meal
over it and then gathering wood and on on,it goes on for hours and one cannot afford
to take a break,fearing it will put other things on the list on waiting.I dont know if it
were fair to say that we have it very easy.Everyone in he family is working now,things
are getting way to expensive,life sometimes seems unaffordable coz now we know if
we struggle that bit more,we can earn more and have the fantasy life we always
wanted...bangla ,gaddi,sona,angrezi school for our kids,foriegn de chaddi waddi,that
4 star hotel and what not,isnt it ! People back did whta they thought was best ,as
are we,who are doing the best of our capable selves to buy the best life can offer us
in this lifetime.

When i visited family in villages back then,I thought everything looked like a museum
item.The chakkis and stone mortar pestels and blah blah blah.....Very soon,it will be
displayed in museums as things of the past.I dont find that even a bit starnge to
imagine this happening to our aane wale peedi.Arey,really yaar,my great grandma
lived in kuwait ,in a teeny apartment and used a hand mixie to juice and grind
stuff.See those cars,eeyuck ! how must have my amma managed in that dabba car of
theirs ! See people back then had no mandey(brains)|,they destroyed every forest and
animals.No ,I think with extinct animals,like polar bears and many other species,they
will be like,"AAhh ! really your great Ajji saw them,when was this,millions of years
ago !" Thank gosh ,I wont be alive to hear that im a gazillion years old from
someone.












I looked at my mom as a kid and I thought,whats so difficult about their life,but now
as a wife and all,I know,life isnt very easy.Im grateful to that,thank gosh it isnt very
easy,otherwise none of us would have any kader(respect) for this lifetime we have been
given.My granny had it even more hard than her and the list goes on.

Im glad not to be born in the time when swords and beheading and chopping off parts for this and that were used.This is a good life,and before God begins to think,Im a nashukri ( Unthankful),better stop at this and say,Thank you God,Im glad to be around now.

Aug 17, 2011

Freedom from fuel hikes

I just get on the main street and its like im in an ocean of cars,buses,bikes and what not.What would generally take minutes ,takes ours.Everyone owns a a mode of transport,some for pleasure ,some for daily use .Its a more of a social status symbol now.But with this,comes the problem of setting money aside for fuel as well be it diesel or petrol or CNG or electricity.Every one of these things cost a little of the fortune we work so hard for every month.ANd now the sheer excess of vehicles has led to fuel price hikes which has become difficult to wonder if this "social status" is a boon or a bane.



What are we to do about these prices? We actually cannot do anything as there are a few countries with access to these precious oils that we so badly need.The more demand one thing becomes,the more expensive its bound to be in times to come,just like how gold has become now.

We can think of alternatives but they too in time will become expensive.We can think of using solar energy panels,they are in use but still in the experimental phase.We can use biofuels in some forms,even the wasted grease from all the cooking in hotels has been known to be used to cars to run them.All these above mentioned things are still in the beginning stage and are still to be accepted and mass produced to lessen the burden of going broke slowly by slowly.


Governments should be more stress on their scientists to build of inventive form of fuel for our cars.We can think of using electricity on a larger platform to run our vehicles but for this,electricity will have to be made cheap.Since we have nuclear plants in India,why not think of making electricity more efficient for many of our uses.





The humble cycle can come back into fashion again.If the work place is within reasonable city limits,one can start cycling and thus acheiving 2 goals,one being lessening pollution and second being,making it a bit easier on the pockets.


We can be more conservative over our fuel use by using our cars for long distance travels or for that matter,using these expensive fuels only in needful times.We can teach ourself to be more economical .But these alternative fuels,Im guessing, have their own disadvantages or else they would have been in common use today.Scientists are doing their best in inventing the best affordable biofuel but it will take time and till then one will have to live these increasing prices.

Since the fuel industry is a very profitable industry,with the increase in demand,the prices will not go down in the near future and so,as a nation ,one must think of more green solutions which will ease our life and help in protecting the environment for our future generations.

http://fiat-india.com/upgrade_to_multijet.aspx?partner=id8&cat=upgrade&city=null&event=null&src=yahoo&det=112,fiat,300x250,fl,max

This website explains to you how you can be green friendly with your cars.

Smelly Tongue

If you're reading this,then you are wondering how on earth can a tongue be smelly,was someone sucking on it or taking a whiff.


Nah! Im not going all kinky on this blog coz it aint my style,but before I go to actually stating why I chose this topic,let me continue to fill this blog to make it appear lengthier,like its been really thought on.Im just writing as I blab in my mind.

Many of us have bad breath and the cosmetic and gum industry has worked pretty hard on solving this issue.Some smoke too much,some dont brush enough,some eat crap before meeting someone,some stomach give burps enough to send chills down your spine.


Spoken to anyone who has halitosis? If you havent,please dont try.You will hurt someone's feeling or just plainly throw up.I once had this unwanted pleasure at a wedding.I dont think the poor woman even knew she had breath enough to make someone faint.I put on the bravest face without clenching it,spoke to her for 10 minutes and only after she left,went out and took a deep breath.I had practically held my breath.

Now the reasons for this are not brushing enough and properly,not flossing,not rinsing mouth after any meal,smoking too much,not cleaning tongue or gargling crap out your mouth.

If you're doing all this and it still stinks ,perhaps you have some dental problem.Dont know anything about that,maybe some rotten tooth or decay or really dont know.

Out of the many rememdies for this,the best they said was - munching on fennel seeds served after a meal at indian restaurants and then mint chewing gum.Go for sugar free gum coz incase you have a problem with sweets,sugar free are a great option.The scientists said that chewing on coriander or mint leaves didnt do the trick or even green tea for that matter.

Now the fun part of learning how bad your own breath is ,without putting anyone else through that torture of smelling your mouth,is...



Stick your tongue out completely.

Now the back of your arm,wrist,press it against the tongue as hard as you can.

Let it air dry a bit for a few seconds.

Now enjoy smelling it.

Thats your breath,thats what others smell when you talk to them.



Have a good dental clean up !

Aug 14, 2011

Vegetable soup

Things one should do firstly ,before cooking,in order to save time and not lose one's cool.


This serves around 3 people or 2 or more ,depends on the appetite and hunger.

3 Carrots shredded finely

quarter of a cabbage shredded finely

green beans,around 25 or 20 should suffice

2 medium sized onions chopped fine(cut lengthwise and then the lengths cut again)

Garlic paste 3 pods

1 inch ginger grated fine

2 springonions roughly chopped for garnish

2tbspn coriander chopped for garnish

2 tbspn soya sauce

2tbspn vinegar

2inches of capsicum thinly sliced

At least a liter of chicken /vegetable stock,if not plain water.

2tbspn cornflour mixed with water to make watery paste.



In a wok or any deep vessel,add oil about 3 tbspn.Non stick works great actually with little oil coz other vessels,the stuff sticks at the bottom.If its non stick,one has to make sure to keep stirring to avoid its sticking to the base.

Add the onions,saute them,followed by garlic ,ginger.When they are slightly light golden brown,add carrot,beans .

The carrots are shredded,so cook faster.You want a little crunch and not entirely softened.Add cabbage.Check your veggies.

Add soya sauce,stir fry and add stock /water.Stock is much better though.With water the taste is just a notch down,I mean lighter.

Bring a boil,add capsicum.You can add sliced mushrooms too when you add cabbage.Thats if you like.

Add 2 tbspn of cornflour paste.

Add salt to taste and vinegar.

Before adding the stock,you can add boiled chicken breasts shredded.Or chicken meat,boiled and shredded into it.

It will be slightly thick now.Bring another boil and thats it.

GArnish in a bowl with spring onions and coriander leaves.



Its healthy and nice.Chao !



Aug 13, 2011

100 things about me !

1) I dont like drinking plain milk and I rarely do on instuctions of a
    doctor,by pinching on my nose and in one gulp.

2) Im claustrophobic,any closed small place sends me into a full blown
    panic attack.

3) If I eat too many (2 eggs/day)eggs,mangoes and jackfruits,I get a
   nosebleed after 3 days.

4) Im addicted to tea/coffee (caffiene fix from them),in the past 4
   hours, I had 3 mugs of it.Normally I have upto 8 mugs.

5) I hate making chapathis at all cost,I have made them only twice in 33
    years.They never come out right but I just dread making them.

6) I walked 2.5 kms,in the midst of chest pains,not being able to
    breathe,pain in jaw and left arm, thinking I had severe gas only to
    discover I was on the verge of a major heart attack in the emergency
    room 3 days later.

7) It takes me years to trust someone.

8) I dont easily forgive and never ever forget.

9) I have a bad case of sweet tooth.

10) I love to wear flowers on my head and have only worn them 4 times
      in my life.

11) I dont have kids but I have bathed many of my friend's new borns
     ,fed them,put them to sleep,clean their poop and pee,put a crying baby
     to sleep,inserted tablets in their tiny bums,put up with a gassy
     baby,changed their circumcised bandages,held their puke in my
     hands,been vomitted, peed and pooped on by them.

12) I have pulled water from wells,I have carried matkas on my waist to
     bring water from neighbours to my grannys.

13) I have brought cows home from grazing pastures,,I have gathered
     grass and hay from people's home for my cow and my neighbours,I have
     made cow dung cakes and gathered cow dung from meadows.

14) I have lit fire for home cooking,gathered wood and sticks for it.

15) I have washed clothes by the river on a stone and dried them by the
     beach.

16) I caught some kind of snake once and brought it home only to have
     my mom and granny scream their skulls off to throw it away.

17) I kicked my cousin bro hard in the nuts once coz he jokingly asked
      so .

18) I passed out along with a friend at a bachelorette party after 4
      shots of tequilla.

19) I hate being alone but have been alone a lot ...sometimes for
      days...I mean a hell of a lot.

20) I cannot have stay overs at anyone's place.I can stay at a hotel
      but not in someone's house.I stay awake the whole night,if I happen to
      be at someone's home.

21) I dont like fruit salads,chaats,burgers,pizza,potatoes (except
     french fries),etc.

22) I dont like being complimented to my face.I rather hear it in a
      conversation without any stress put on it.

23) I hate being pampered by anyone and only a very chosen few are
     allowed which includes mom,2 of my aunts and my husband.Even when    Im  at a hospital,I dont like people doing things for me and I discourage them
     by saying so.

24) I once ate this medication recommended by my doctor and with 3
     tablets in 3 days,I lost 40% of my hair over a month,lost a tiny bit of
     my eye sight and went gaga and chopped off 4 inches of my own hair
     myself.

25) I once didnt go to the doctor in time coz I was too busy and a
      month later,when I had full blown tonsillitis,chest infection,ear
      infection,couldnt hear,lost my voice,had fever and was taken to the
     hospital by my brother at 2am coz because of my full blown sinusitis,I
     was having severe head aches.I was on intravenous drip for 4 days in
     the hospital.

26) I have never watched a horror flick in my life alone.

27) I cried a lot, a lot......lotttttttttt after watching Artificial
     Intelligence.

28) The day I learnt one couldnt contract leprosy from a touch,I made
     it a point to give money to this leper,May God guide his soul,in his
     hand and touched him.Before that,like all,I just put money in his bowl.

29) As a kid,I ate chocolates every time ( I still do but less) and
      once ate 24 bars(4 inch long) in one shot.

30) I have taken a tanga ride twice in my life.

31) My sister and I took a train ride ,for me the first and last
      time,all the way to Goa and local train in mumbai.

32) I tied a rakhi on a friend only once in my life.

33) I brush twice a day without fail.

34) AT home,I always tie my hair up like Lara Croft.

35) I have never done a facial treatment,manicure or pedicure.

36) I started writing my diary in 11th std and still do but rarely.

37) I cut my first onion when I was 19.

38) I learnt cycling when I was 16 yrs old.

39) I learnt swimming when I was 20 yrs old.

40) I think Urmila matondkar,Shilpa shetty,Sri devi,JAya prada, Karisma
      Kapoor,Parveen Bhabi(had),Zeenat Aman have an amazing figure.

41) I wore my first pair of lens when I was 21 yrs old.

42) I started coloring my hair when I was 20 yrs old.

43) As a kid,I believed (for 2 yrs) I was a reincarnation of an
      egyptian queen and that some day,an alien ship would take me to my  home planet where they awaited their queen's arrival.

44) I have watched only 4 black and white hindi movies.

45) I have always found Govinda's movies to be hilarious.

46) I enjoy cooking most of the time and especially for my husband.

47) I love masala dosa very very much.

48) I dont know how to eat a small thorny fish and havent eaten one in
     my entire life.

49) I love the beach and can sit for hours in a good weather.

50) I have eaten pork,mutton,goat meat,beef,camel meat,rabbit
      meat,turkey,hen,cock meat,quail meat, crab, prawns/shrimps, lobsters, most  kinds of big n medium fish( I know names in arabic) and tortoise meat.

51) Im extremely organised.

52) Im not fashion or brand conscious,I wear what I like.

53) I have always been good with kids.

54) I have never worn sleeveless(outside) or a bikini,or a
       strapless,short shorts or a micro mini.

55) I compliment only when its deserving.

56) There were 2 points in life,I lost all faith in God.One during high
      school for 2 years and for another 2 years when I was told I couldnt
      conceive ever.

57) I quit drinking milk tea 6 years ago and drink only black coffee or
      tea without sugar.

58) I love the smell of petrol.

59) I wont even make an effort to talk to someone who seems or is
      boring or is a loner by nature.

60) When I like something I eat or drink,I usually eat/drink it so
     often that one day,Im bugged and I just quit eating it for years.

61) I became the one thing I never wanted or thought I would be, till
      it happened,a housewife.

62) I broke my nose in a car accident.

63) I had to wear braces to get my teeth straight and In line.

64) I once as a teen had this weird skin condition which led to
      hairfall like crop circles on my head,lost all eye lashes and parts of
     my eye brows.It was stress induced skin condition.

65) I have never worn a bindi in my life.

66) We both eloped and I married my husband of 9 1/2 years.

67) I dont like small or tiny hand bags or clutches or purses.

68) I hate carrying and yakking on my mobile phone anywhere.

69) I find colored tatoos sexy but never found a tatoo shop ever to get
     one.

70) At one point I owned 15 pairs of expensive shoes and wore only 6
      pairs.

71) I have seen a red moon once 4 years ago when My husband and I were
      smoking shisha(arabic smoke pipes) by the beach.

72) I have handled a shotgun once only .

73) As a kid ,I have fished out pearls from a few oysters.

74) I once stole an eraser from a bookshop when I was 9( coz my
     classmates asked me to) and got the crap beat out of me by my dad,on
      being confronted.

75) I never and dont like dolls coz they scare me to death.

76) I dont like apples.

77) I have worn a sari only 5 times in my life.

78) I have worn a ghagra choli only once in my life as a kid.

79) In the past 9 1/2 years ,I have attended only 2 weddings.

80) I never became a dulhan coz I got married in court.

81) I refrain from talking to anyone who doesnt look at me while
      speaking.

82) I have no respect for soft guys,men who cant stand up for their
     women or men who dont have a strong identity.

83) I saw a transvestite (chakka) when I was 20 yrs old and I feared
     them in general,Until I saw the movie "Tamanna" and another   documentary and it changed my outlook on them forever and Now I dont fear them anymore.

84) I have a fascination for soaps and shower gels,the fruitier/flowery
      they are,the more I buy them.

85) When it comes to juice,I drink Orange for 95% of the time and maybe
       a pineapple or a watermelon.

86) I love bittergourd juice very much.

87) I had a boycut for nearly 15 years of my life.

88) I used to bite my nails up to the age of 23.

89) I once gave my blood for a total stranger in a hospital.

90) I have witnessed 2 burials in my life,one of some relative and
     one,my first,of a woman being buried and I was curious,so I went ahead
     and watched her sons bury her.

91) I love walking bare feet,makes me feel closer to mother Earth.

93) I love tamil songs and movies though I dont understand a single
      word,except kadal.I feel they are most earthy than hindi movies,dont
     ask me why ! I even love african languages and songs coz I feel they
     are natural and from the heart.

94) On a sad note, I havent heard my parent's voice in 10 years or
      havent seen them either.I caught a glimpse of them 5 years ago.

95) Other than my in laws, I was floored and almost in tears when an
      aunty told me,Im just like a "beti" to them.

96) I once saw Dharmendra in the Mumbai Airport as a kid.

97) My husband and I make a point to hug each other everyday ( have
      done so upto now),especially when he comes from work .

98) I still eat the very ice cream I ate as a 3 yr old,chocolate cup
      and lulu choco bar.

99) In cakes,I like only vanilla and chocolate,maybe with nuts on
      them,other than that, nothing fruit flavoured or with fruits in them.

100) Even though I complain and throw a fit every now and then,I feel
        blessed.

Aug 9, 2011

Bully

I have been thinking about bullying for some time,I think it was Sujatha mentioning about crying a lot as a kid and all.I think most of us have been bullied at some point or the other.Some of us got through it with ease,some of us just took it all in and damaged ourself in time while some took it to extreme levels and ruined it for many or just ourselves.


I have watched a great deal of documentaries and programs and come to the conclusion,that most of the bullys are actually people who had it hard at home or are complete brats to others existence.They had deprived moments,witnesses painful existence themselves and therefore,not knowing to create a healthy outlet,just dumped it all on others who seemed weak or simplistic.

I come from a very over protective family,where my folks made it a point that unlike thier young lives,we wouldnt have to go through any pain or take any bad decisions on our own and endure any pain.Since all my decisions right upto the age of 12 were made by my folks,I lived a pretty stressfree life and unaware of the big bad world I was doomed to face with no choice.Then the war happened and due to financial strains,my folks decided the best thing for me was to live in a hostel.Education couldnt be uninterrupted no matter what,it was on top of everything...Like my mom would always say," All you have to do is study well,eat well and get good grades,you dont have any other stuff to worry about."

Since my mom lived ina hostel too for a coule of years as a kid,I thought she couldnt be wrong.Maybe there is nothing indeed to worry about.My folks are the kind of people who didnt talk much about their lives as kids or adults and thought ,thus,it shouldnt affect us in any way.

But it did.It changed me a lot.It made me the strong hearted,perhaps,stone hearted.

When i joined the hostel,besides living my treadful nightmare,of living away from my folks without being prepared for anything,I landed in a room of actual capacity 4 but was stuffed with 12.One had to wash their own undergarments and home clothes,ne had to visit the loo that had a 60 watt bulb which lit 6 toilets.I had to make new friends who seem to come from all parts of India,who looked at me as if I were an alien.I may have seemed to be "that kid from the gulf" but I was lonely,heart broken,super confused and alienated.

I never touched a detergent in my life,I had never been in a dark place.And within a couple of months things started going wrong.This girl,a classmate,started bullying me.I wont mention names here but she would go like," Dont act all innocent ok", "dont overact ok", "dont be over smart ok","Just because you came from abroad,doesnt mean you are superior".....If I did well in class or was praised by a teacher..I was being oversmart??? If someone took a shine to me,she would go all nuts and ask people not to talk to me.I cried all the time,I wanted to run away from the hostel,I wanted to kill myself.Every time my folks came to visit me on weekends,I beged them to remove me from this school.I would rather stay illiterate then go through all this pain of which i had no idea what to do.My folks would be like,"Just ignore her and study well.Do it for us...pray to God." Yeah right ! Me kneeling on my knees and crying 24/7 was gonna do any goo for me.

One day it happened.That girl created a huge roar and I had had it for months now.She called me a bitch.And warned if anyone ever spoke to me,she would let go of her wrath on them.That was it, she finished her sentence and I whipped a "Bitch" to her face.I was shaking,shivering and wanted to cry coz for the first time I stood for myself in life.I gave her the stare,the stare that I have been and am still famous for.

She didnt say a word nor did I and we left it at that.I felt good,reborn and i made a promise to myself that I would allow anyone to nag or bully me like this ever again and no matter what,I would give hell for hell if I had to but not bend for someone.Weeks went by and slowly she came around and so did I.

That was one of the first lessons I ever learnt after entering teenhood.And a lesson I will never forget.My folks noticed a change in me and after that I wouldnt be anyone's bitch no more.

This story may inspire someone or to some it maybe a joke.I know of people who have been bullied in far more cruel ways and also of those who in the end committed suicide.A very crucial lesson to be learnt in life is," zulm sehne wala zulma karne wale se bada gunaahgaar hota hai".Dont let go of your self respect to be in the good books of someone and never ever back off in the presence of a bully.

Aug 8, 2011

Shashlik

Recently we made chicken and prawn shashlik for a couple of friends.Eventhough it sounds complicated,one of the reasons,I never bothered to go through the recipe online,its actually a very simple and easy to cook recipe.


Ingredients :

2 chicken breasts (Boneless chicken prefered or 12 prawns deviened and cleaned).

3 tbspn Soya sauce ( I prefer the normal one,not the sweet one)

1nhalf tbspn Vinegar ( can go for the colourless kind or the apple cider one)

2 capsicum/bell peppers ( both are the same,they come in green,yellow,red,orange...)

1 big Onion

1 tomato

bamboo skewers/sticks ( readily available )



Method :

Now cut the chicken breasts into small 1 inch cubes or if its prawn,then leave it whole.Add the soya sauce,vinegar,red chilli powder( as per spiciness required),salt to taste,black pepper.Powders you will add maybe a tspn or less,depends on the amount of chicken or prawns you have.

Remember,soya sauce is salty on its own,so will add a little less salt.Or in a vessel add the sauces and powders first and taste it,if you're not sure how much of what to add and in the end add the chicken or prawns.

Keep this aside to marinate for at least 3 hours.


With the veggies,same thing.Cut them into square pieces i.e. capsicum,onion,tomatoes.Remember when you cut the tomato in half,throw away the pulp of it i.e. the seeds and central part.Add a little salt,a little soya sauce,and vinegar like half a tspn of each and marinate them as well for 10 minutes.If you want to keep it simple,just cut them into square pcs and keep aside.


In the end,remember to soak your bamboo skewers for at least 15 minutes or so in water before using them ,so that they dont catch fire while either barbeque them or frying them.



Arrange the chicken /prawns and veggies on the skewers like onion,capsicum,chicken,tomato or anyway you want.FRy them on a flat frying pan or tawa with either cooking oil/butter/margarine.Turn them on either side every 5 minutes or until they are cooked.

You can squeeze lemon juice over it and eat ,accompanied by simple salad.


Hopefully it was as delicious as mine turned out to be.

Aug 3, 2011

Simple Beauty Remedies

Even though most of us say,and I mean only women and very few men,that

we dont do anything special for our looks,its just great the way it
is,we actually do many things to improve our complexion,have good skin
and what not.Some can afford expensive branded creams while some
cant.I cannot even amount the will power to go to a cosmetic shop and invest in a cream or lotion or oils which cost as much as 3 cans of cooking oil for a month.

I try homemade remedies from things available in our home.Taking a
few tablespoons now and then, wont empty the kitchen.Some work,Some Im
allergic to,some simply dont work.I abide by a few things i.e.
milk,turmeric,lemon,rose water,cucumber and a few others.Im allergic
to honey on my face,also am allergic to pineapple,cinnamon and a few
other things.

When you apply something on your skin or face and you feel a burning
sensation or a tingling feeling or not very cooling,immediately wash
your face off.That means you are defnitely allergic to that product or
ingredient.Remember,walking in the sun can be just as harmful.All my
life,I wore no sun screen,not even a hat,when outside.Walking in a
45+ degree celsius heat is no joke,but back then I didnt care.My skin
burns easily and like many sensitive skinned people,I tan easy or get
rashes easily and my marks or scars takes years to clear off
naturally.Its for the very reason,I have never done facial or facial
hair waxing or threading,black head removal and what not.Thats why I
follow these home remedies always,to keep my skin clean and clear coz
nothing can pamper skin like natural things ...milk,haldi and all.

One has to know their skin type.So if its oily,you can use lemon
freely,if its dry,you should use milk or rose water.Stuff like that
has to be kept in mind.I have used many of these tips myself and some
Im gonna try soon.Most of us dont do this cause our excuse is we dont
have the time and energy.Well,if you dont have the time,then you
shouldnt complain about your bad skin or what not.

Write this stuff down,stuff you think you want to try, on paper and stick it on your fridge or kitchen cabinet.It takes merely seconds to whisk these up
and almost all these ingredients are available in your kitchen.

When Im using milk in anything,I just take some in the palm of my hand
and slap it on my face.When my chore is done,I wash my face off.When
Im using eggs,the egg whites dripping from the shell,I rub it on my
face.Same with coconut oil,gram flour,rose water,black tea,etc.

After a long day outside,I clean my makeup off with coconut oil,clean
my face and moisturise.Once a week,I use fuller's earth(multani mitti)
with milk and rose water and apply the face pack.This I follow
religiously.SO its not all that difficult,you need to remember and do
it.

HAPPY PAMPERING !


FAIRER COMPLEXION

Take 1 tbsp of gram flour and 2 tsp of raw milk and 2-3 drops of lime
juice. Mix well and apply. Wash after 15 minutes. Repeat for 4 weeks
and follow up with once a week.

Grind a cup of mint leaves to a fine paste. Apply and leave for 20
minutes. Wash. Continue for 15 days.

....................................

How to grow mint indoors?

Mint needs a sunny window. It may get a lanky as it stretches for the
light because it really prefers full sun. You can try using grow
lights as well. But try a sunny window.

Try curly and flat leaf parsley, which both tolerate less light and
may do better indoors.

As far as growing mint, we suggest using a large, deep pot in order to
allow it to grow wild. Mint will really sprawl!

You can purchase mint seeds at a garden store and start them yourself.
You can also look at organic grocers for small plants; transplant
these to a larger container and give them plenty of sun. They should
take off fairly quickly. We have always had good luck with mint; it
just loves to take over whatever container it's in!

.......................................

Remedies for eyes:

To remove puffiness from the eyelids, massage a drop of very fresh
castor oil on to them.

To cool your eyes, make eye pads using thick slices of cucumber.

Another option is to use cotton pads soaked in cold milk. Lie down and
place them on your closed eyes and relax for a while.

Putting a drop of rose water into each eye just before you sleep can
also refresh you eyes.

............................................

Home remedies to remove Tan:


1. Mix cucumber paste with lemon juice and fuller's earth and apply it
for 15 minutes and then wash it off. It is an excellent anti-tan pack.

2. Mix chick pea powder in a little water and apply to the face. Leave
on for 15 minutes and wash it off with cold water. This improves
complexion or lightens your skin tone.

3. Mix tomato juice with a little curd and apply. Wash it off after 20
minutes.

4. Use of natural scrub like oatmeal ( add warm water to oatmeal, mix
it well to form a paste) helps to remove dead skin cells and stimulate
blood circulation.

5. Mix a little fresh lemon juice, gram flour ( besan) and curd and
apply it on the skin for 15 minutes regularly to get rid of sun tan.

6. Mix 3 drops of fresh lemon juice to a little milk, apply it on the
skin, leave it for 10-15 minutes and wash it with warm water. Do it
regularly.

7. I read this a couple of years ago in some magazine or maybe
online,that after a good day out in the sun,apply pure coconut oil on
your face or tanned parts and leave on for an hour and then wash off
with soap.It helps get rid of the tan.

..........................................
Natural cleanser:

Milk is a natural cleanser. Cleanse your face with cotton soaked in
raw milk. Use cold skimmed milk to remove your make-up.

...........................................

Body odor:

1. Mix juice of one lemon in a bucket of water and bathe in that
water.

2. Add rose water to your bath water to keep you fresh.

...........................................

Natural remedy for Chapped lips:

Apply butter (pure & unsalted) or almond oil or ghee and massage
gently.

Massage with chilled milk cream and wash it off after 1 hour. This
home remedy cures chapped lips.

Massage your lips with pure olive oil or coconut oil regularly to get
soft lips.

Massage your lips with a little glycerin mixed with a little rose
water for soft lips.

Drink plenty of water to keep your lips moisturized.

Application of petroleum jelly or lip balm helps cure chapped lips.

Apply honey and wash it off after 15 minutes to cure chapped lips.

..............................................

Home Remedies to cure dark lips


Honey mixed with a little lemon juice helps to lighten dark lips.

Apply Vaseline or lip balm when going out.

Mix 1/2 tsp Pomegranate juice with 1/2 tsp beetroot juice and apply
regularly to cure dark lips.

I tried plain beetroot juice on the lips as well and after a week ,the
dark color had faded off considerably.

..........................................

Beauty tips and care for the eyes

Have a good night sleep and give enough rest to your eyes.

Refresh your eyes by splashing cold water on it .

Apply pure castor oil for the eyebrows before going to bed for good
growth.

Soak cotton wool in chilled water to which a few drops of rose water
has been added and keep it on your eyes for 5 minutes. This will
refresh your eyes.

Rub your palms together and cover your eyes with palms to relax then .

...................................................

Beauty tips for dark circles around the eyes

1.Soak cotton in cucumber or potato juice and keep it on the eyes for
5 minutes and relax.
or you can even apply the juice with cotton around the eyes. If done
regularly, this home remedy for dark circles is very effective.

2.Apply almond oil around the eyes before going to bed or in the
morning. Almond is a natural bleach.

...........................................

Tips for hair care:


Home remedy for frizzy hair: Massage warm castor oil + almond oil into
your scalp gently. Wrap a hot towel (dip towel in hot water (bearable)
and squeeze the excess water) around your scalp so that the oil gets
absorbed into the hair. Do this once a week for healthy, silky,
lustrous hair. It also controls frizz.

Mayonnaise is an excellent conditioner for dry hair. Massage your
scalp with mayonnaise and leave it for half an hour. Then shampoo as
usual. Always rinse your hair well so that no traces of shampoo is
left behind.

Massage your scalp with olive oil using your finger tips. Remain for
half an hour and wash hair well. This natural remedy is an excellent
conditioning treatment. Do this once in a week for healthy hair. It
also controls frizz.

Vinegar is a great conditioner and can give shine to your hair. Mix 1
tbsp of vinegar to a mug of water and use it to your last rinse. It
also controls frizz in dry hair.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon in a mug of water and use it for the final
rinse for oily hair.



General recommendations and tips to maintain the results are some of
the following:


- A high protein and an iron rich diet is recommended for hair loss.
An adequate intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green
leafy vegetables should be included in the diet on a regular basis.

- Use a natural shampoo to clean the hair. Amla (embilica
officinalis), Shikakai (Acacia concinna) are very good for washing the
hair.

- Oiling and massaging of scalp is very beneficial for stopping the
hair loss. Use coconut oil at least three times in a week. Certain
medicated oils like Neelibhringadi oil, Kunthala kanthi oil,
Kanjunnyadi oil are very useful. Put oil on the scalp, and massage
gently in the roots of the hair.

- The person should maintain a regular bowel movement everyday. In
case of constipation, a mild natural laxative can be taken. Triphala
is very useful.

- Regular physical exercise is very beneficial as it helps in
balancing the aggravated doshas.

- Rub your scalp after washing the hair. It increases the blood
circulation, and activates the sebaceous glands.

- A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is good to drink to induce
hair growth. The juice of carrot, and lettuce juice is also good to
take.

- Applying juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also good.

- Washing the hair with a paste of cooked green gram and fenugreek
(methi) two to three times a week, is also good.

- A paste of licorice made by grinding it in milk can be applied in
the bald patches.

- The seeds of fenugreek is soaked in coconut oil and kept under
direct sunrays for seven days and applied to the scalp, which prevents
hair loss.

.........................................

Natural Tips to Clear Scars


Apply olive oil regularly on the face and massage lightly. The scars
will fade off in course of time.

Application of buttermilk daily helps to lighten scars.

Tomato pulp can be applied everyday on the face and washed off after
half an hour to get rid of scars from pimples.

Raw potato juice applied daily cures skin blemishes. Raw Potato juice
can also be mixed with fuller's earth (multani mitti ) and applied to
get rid of scars and blemishes naturally.Grind potatoes and squeeze
the juice out.

...............................................

Remedy for wrinkles:

For wrinkles or fine lines around the eyes, apply egg white, leave it
till it dries and wash it off with cold water. Do this regularly or on
alternate days. This natural remedy for wrinkles around the eyes is
very effective.

Massage the skin with olive oil or pure coconut oil regularly to
prevent wrinkles. Do not use soap that day, instead use gram pulse
flour.

Massaging pure sesame seed oil mixed with equal quantities of almond
oil also prevents wrinkles .

Apply egg white to the wrinkled skin and wash it off after it dries
with warm water. For fine lines under the eye, this home remedy is
very effective. Within a few days you will find the lines reducing.

Dry skin are more prone to wrinkles, so keep your skin moisturized and
hydrated.

Protect your skin from excessive exposure to the sun as it causes
wrinkles. Avoid going out from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m. Protect yourself by
wearing sunglasses and wide brimmed hat if you have to go.

Mash banana until creamy. Apply this mask and wash it off after 15
minutes to prevent wrinkles.

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A make up, skin or hair trick this actress learnt from an expert:

For instantly glowing skin, just splash rose water. My make up dada
told me that make up is incomplete without kajal. It highlights and
defines our eyes and suits every face. I use a Mac kajal pencil, which
is waterproof and doesn't smudge. He also advised me to apply Mac
Studio Fix+ spray after make up for a glow and to make it last longer.

I make sure I sleep well at night before a red carpet event because
puffy eyes screw up the make up. Avoid sun for a day so that the face
doesn't look tanned in the evening. Before applying make up, I rub an
ice cube on my face so that my skin is fresh and glowing and my make
up stands out.

My dead dishtv

My dish Tv expired a few days ago and it was like the end of world .We get a few local channels but just the thought of missing out on what I watch regularly made me bored to death and made me stir crazy just not being able to watch my regular programs.I dont watch this saas bahu crap at all,Its usually hindi movies and english series and national goegraphic ,discovery and animal planet.


Without it I felt ,now I wouldnt know how the lions survived in the desert.I wouldnt know how they hunted,how they jumped on their prey,I wondered how many frogs I would see miss jumping across leaves and trees.How many monkeys and chimps I would miss watching eating fruits and flowers and other little monkeys.How many insects would hunt and how many elepahnts and bisons I would miss giving birth.

I wondered what if I missed that episode of friends which i have seen a zillion times,Iam totally lost wothout my Tv.We have gotten to used to our television that if apocalypse hit us in a few days and Tv didnt exist anymore,we would be like those chopped headless chickens who still struggle but dont know what to do.For that matter even the internet,we do so many things,some useful and mostly useless stuff online.We dont know basics of surviving on our own isnt it.

I just got a titanium package recharged which will come on by tomorrow.My husband always says all you do is watch these discovery stuff as if you will very soon be surviving on your own.True ! Touchwood,that day doesnt seem to come near at least in this life time.But I personally think,gaining knowledge of any kind cannot be all that useless,isnt it ! Watching an animal give birth,like us,they too struggle for hours and without any medication and help bring life into this world.The struggles of turtle hatchlings into the sea,the very function of trees on this earth which seems to be on a decline,so is the melting of glaciers and what not.The greenhouse effect,change in weather....we all are witnessing to this phenomenon in our very lifetime.

When i was a kid ,back in the 80s,cold season in kuwait was severe.There was fog,extreme cold to the extent we had to wear gloves,mufflers and what not to keep ourselves warm,but now ,post gulf war,there is no cold out here.As the years go by,one can roam around wearing short sleeves ,its like a cool summer and nothing cold about it.

Look at me,talking about global warming......

We are a lazy people of this world.Dependent on technology for each and everything.We look for shortcuts in everything,be it cooking,working at our homes or anything.I always thought as a kid,when I grow up,I will be a working woman,perfect housewife and a great mother.Like my mom ,who struggled to get everything right and almost did,I too wished to be like that.I remember my mom cooking banquets for 30 people all by herself,not just one dish but 5 or 6 dishes.I can cook for 10 with ease and come up with 2 -3 dishes at the most,at the end of which,I feel dizzy and have evaporated about 80% of my body water.

People back then had social gatherings and thought about how to make themselves and each other better by solving certain issues.When they got bored,they had family games,family picnics,where the whole family got together,spoke about their pasts and other forthcomings.Everyone learnt something from their experiences.I remember my grandmas,both ofthem,talking about their lives and it was like looking at life,the simple way,a way we dont know of anymore.

Now we dont have such gatherings coz it means spending a lot of money.Time we think is better spent sleeping at home then spending with friends.I know such events are an expensive affair but pooling in for once a month,is it that difficult?

My dishtv died on me and I was worried for myself.And for the past 4 -5 days,I kept thinking about why cant we do this and that instead of rotting in our homes by ourselves.The thing,one person trying to organise everything,while others just shoot the idea down because of this and that.For most of us,just living our life everyday is a big chore..we dont have time for this or that..there are kids,busy lives,no time to rest reasons.We are teaching our kids,we all live for ourselves and they rather sit in front of the telly or computer or mobiles and play by themselves,than interact and have a social life.

We are becoming slaves to our lifestyle....that why I weep over my dishtv.Plus 2 of my social friends are on vacation..I miss them totally.