Blog shifted to www.cooknclicks.com

Hey dears,

I know i'm late but better late then never. I have started my blog on review and recipes here. Will also try including all things nice that I click.

http://cooknclicks.com/

Hope you guys like it and find it useful in times of need. See you all there! Take care.

Love,
Tara

ROTD : Red beans with Rice aka Rajma Chawal

Hello Guys,

Here is the much loved and awaited recipe of the day for all we dilliwala's. Rajam-chawal is the favorite lunch for many of us. And in my home everyone seems to love it, especially my husband. So much so that the need for another vegetable or side dish is totally eliminated :) Here's is the recipe which is so easy to make and never fails to tingle our taste buds.

Ingredients:
2 bowl rajma (soaked overnight)
4 medium size tomatoes
2 medium size onions
2 green chillies
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tsp rajma masala (I use Catch or MDH)
1/3 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp red chilly powder (optional)
1.5 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing
6-7 sprig coriander leaves

Method:
1. Pressure cook rajma beans with 5 bowl water. After 3 whistles lower the flame and cook for 20 more mins on normal size burner. The beans should become very soft but not too mushy.
2. In a pan heat oil. Throw in hing, cumin seeds and coarsely sliced onions. Saute for 5 mins.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 more mins.
4. Grind chilly and tomatoes together. Add it along with salt, rajma masala, tumeric and red chilly powder.
5. Saute this mixture till oil separates. Should be around 7-10 mins.
6. Once done add the boiled beans with garam masala and cook for 2 whistles.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves, onion slices and serve with love :)

Tips:
1. You can add amchur powder (dry mango) if tomatoes are not too sour.
2. Taste may vary as per the brand of Rajma masala used. 
3. If boiling on bigger flame, beans would be done in total of 4-5 whistles. You may need to keep the water level little more as it consumes more water.

Would be glad to answer any questions and know how do you liked it in comments below.

Cheers,
Tara

ROTD : Mommy's Magical Cake

Hello People!

Presenting Recipe Of The Day (ROTD) - Mommy's Magical Cake (the humble vanilla cake)

Today i'm going share my mommy's cake recipe which is simple to make and is without oil/eggs. I don't recall getting a cake from store ever on any of my childhood birthdays. It's the cake I grew up, celebrating every birthday with and so, is really close to my heart. And as special as our dear parents are. Dedicating my first recipe post to them. Come lets bake some joy for ourselves :)

Ingredients:
2 cups maida
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk cream (malai - one of the best way to use that piling lot in our refrigerators)
2 spoon baking powder (flatten the heap with finger)
2 pinch baking soda
1/2 cup milk
Few chopped walnuts
Few drops of vanilla essence (optional)

Method : 
1. Sieve all the dry ingredients (maida, baking powder and baking soda) thrice to ensure even mixing. 
2. Beat sugar with milk cream in a blender till satin smooth. 
3. Fold in the dry ingredients in a bowl to this mixture with milk and beat with spatula in clockwise direction. Make sure you do this for a while (about 10 mins) without changing the direction.
4. Mix in vanilla essence, walnuts and pour in a greased baking tray.
5. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg C and bake untill a knife inserted comes clean (about 40-50 mins) and enjoy the goodness of some self baked joy.

Tips that may help from my experience:
1. To make it chocolate cake I simple add cocoa powder (4-5 tbsp) as I like it rich and 1 cup milk.
2. If baking in microwave you can choose convection mode and add in more milk for added moisture.
3. After the cake is half baked, you ,may cover it with foil to save the top from getting too crusty. 
4. It helps taking out the milk cream out of the refrigerator a couple of hours in advance.
5. I have tried adding other variants without any issue - Almond, coconut shreds / orange zest in chocolate one etc.
6. I love walnuts in every bite of my cake but it can optional.
7. I have also heard of wrapping wet towel around the baking tray for even baking, though I haven't yet tried it myself.

So go ahead, give it try and make use of that milk cream lying in your fridge ;) Do let me know how it turned out in comments.

Happy Baking :) 

Cheers!
Tara

OOTD - Ethnic with Mango Yellow and Fuchsia

Hey Guys,

Its been ages since I scribbled something. Have been busy and lost with all my todo's and thoughts :)
Going forward i'm thinking to share this series of ITOD - "Interesting thing of day". Interesting right :P

An inspiring supervisor. Yes. Very few of us are lucky to have a boss whom we can look upto instead avoid and abuse. Isn't it? I maybe wrong in my perception but it really makes me feel vibrant with positive energy after having a conversation with such a supervisor. A boss whom I look up to and go to for advice and guidance. Its really a boon for one's growth and I hope to become one.

Here's what I wore today and couldn't help admiring the beauty of this intricate embroidery and the vibrant color pop. Enjoy the pictures and let me know how do you like it. Take care.

Cheers!

OOTD - Studded

Hello Beauties,

I love studs and almost every piece they are resting upon. So this time I was able to lay my hands on this awesome semi-translucent white shirt with gold studs on collar and pocket flaps. I paired them with green pants and studded flats. I absolutely love the way they both fit like dream :) 

I finished off the look with a green neck piece and earrings along with my favorite watch.
How do you like to adorn your studs? Share your view and comments below.

Enjoy the piccies!

Shirt, Pants : Vero Moda

Flats : Zara

Take Care,

Tara

OOTD - Blue & Teal

Hey Guys,

How are doing?  Fiddling with resolutions or done with them all already :P Well I'm really not into resolutions it seems...yeah not at all. I like doing things from heart whenever I want. I really rejoice the freedom flexibility provides. And love those moments when things come together perfectly that too by chance. I mean planning and executing is undoubtedly worth striving for but unplanned things can be enjoyed too. Going no, sailing with the flow like in a boat :)

Anyhow today winters showed some mercy in Delhi and this is what I threw on. This shrug is little light in in texture for heavy foggy low temperatures. I recall I pulled this shrug on the onset of winters and then it only got the opportunity today. I liked the way the teal shrug as come on the satin blue top both color and fit wise B-) What do you think? 

Happieie Tuesday everyone! 
Take care. 

Cheers, 
Tara

The more you are, the more you get to...

Hey Guys,

I really found this to be true in life. The more you are thankful, the more you get to thank from life. The gratitude we feel when we are thankful for anything is immense. And it draws and attract the good things in life. For each we can be thankful! So you see it is a vicious circle and defines another saying - what goes around, comes around.

As for me i'm feeling this in many areas of life and i'm really thankful. It really makes feel that life's good :)

Have you ever felt this? What do you think on it?
Do write in comments and take care.

Some pictures for you, njoy!

Hanging together :)

Blooming beauty

Innocence O:)

In the field of life there are all kinds of people..

Happy window

Corner beauty

Cheers,
Tara