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

ELF Beauty-On-The-Go eye shadow palette

Hello Beauties,
Hope you are enjoying the day. Today I am going to review an eye shadow palette that I got from my ELF haul some time ago. It is called Day on the beach and is a compact & travel-friendly palette I own. As seen on EFL website:

 What ELF says about Studio Beauty-On-The-Go Single Palette:

The convenient Beauty-On-The-Go Single Palettes for your eyes, lips and face allows you to be your own makeup artist whenever, wherever. The single makeup palette offers portable beauty when you store it in the Beauty-On-The-Go Storage Case or Compact when you're out and about! Perfect for creating multiple looks for any occasion so you always looks beautiful whether you're heading to class, work or out on the town. Each gorgeous, pigmented Single Palette features:  
10 eyeshadows     
2 lip colors
1 blush or bronzer                   

Price : 3.00 $, I bought this online from ELF website 

Ingredients List : 
Eyeshadow Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Zinc Stearate, Kaolin, Paraffinium Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Petrolatum, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacylapidate-2, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. May Contain: Iron Oxides (C1 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Maganese Violet (CI 77742), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow No. 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red No. 40 Lake (CI 16035), Ultramarine Violet (CI 77077), Blue No. 1 Lake (CI 42090)
Lip Gloss Ingredients: Polyisobutene, Isooctyl Palmitate, Ceresine Wax, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Mica, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Manganese Violet(CI 77742), Mica(CI77019), Red No.6 Lake(CI 15850), Red No.7 Lake (CI 15850), Red No.28 Lake (CI 45410), Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090), Yellow No.5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow No.6 Lake (CI 15985)
Blush or Bronzer Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinamate, Paraffinium Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Dehydroacetate. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red No. 40 Lake (CI 16035), Ultramarine Blue (CI 77007)

                                        
 
My take on the palette:I think it is 50-50. It has all wearable colors that go well with all Indian as well as western dresses. Apart from pretty colors what I like best is it has assortment of some truly unique colors which we all always hunt for but are difficult to find. Also it has perfect combination of matte and shimmers. Alright may not be perfect for those who do not like shimmers as much as mattes but for someone like me a little bit of shimmer never hurts ;) Blame it to the name effect! But without a primer the color pay-off might not be that good and lasting. And last but not the least it offers 2 glosses and a blush too J 

Swatches:

                                    
 

Sorry my cam was not picking the colors properly…Let me know if unclear. Would try to do an EOTD soon J 

Pros of ELF Day on the Beach Eyeshadow Palette
·        Great value for money
·        No fall outs or creasing
·        Good pigmentation
·        Perfect 3-in-1 kit for travel with e/s, gloss and blush.
·        Light weight 

Cons of ELF Day on the Beach Eyeshadow Palette
·        Not very long lasting without a primer.
·        Availability in India
·        Comes with no case (unless u have bought the case separately which holds 3 such palettes), mirror & applicator so you would have to be mindful to carry them separately.·        Contains Parabens. 

Rating: 3.5/5 
Will I Repurchase?Yes would like to try other color combos J Have you tried any of the elf palettes yet? 

Take care
Tara 

Lipstick Review : Maybelline Watershine Icing Chocolate

Hello Beauties,

Today I’m going to review a lipstick from Maybelline called Chocolate Icing. I had got it few months ago and it happen to get my attention while I was browsing my stash.

Product Claims
Maybelline Watershine Lipstick – Chocolate Icing gives you brilliant color and splashy wet shine look. It has conditioners to keep your lips moisturized all day long. It glides smoothly and gives a glossy finish your lips.

Price 
I think I got it for 225 INR but heard prices are now up by 25 INR.

My Experience
I generally like Maybelline lipsticks. So, I bought Maybelline Watershine Lipstick – Chocolate Icing 96 to give it a try. This happened when I was on a hunt for a suitable brown shade. But it did not turned out what I expected it to be color wise. It is a shade from brown family but gives sheer coverage. It glides easily on the lips and gives a lustrous finish. Texture wise it is similar to a lip balm. I guess it acts like a colored lip balm with hint of shimmer. I like it for days when I can’t decide which color to go for. It feels very light on lips and keeps them soft. It imparts a brownish sheen to my lips and does not settle in fine lines. It gives nice color in just one swipe but doesn’t last too long. It stays for 2-3 hours without drinking or eating. You would have to apply lip color again for the color and sheen.

Since it is sheer and light in color it is suitable for office wear especially during festive occasion because of shimmers. I do not like the fragrance of this lipstick. For my nose it is a bit weird but some might like it :P

Swatches:

Pros
• Creamy texture
• Moisturizes well
• Not a bad fragrance
• Enriched with conditioners
• Not at all drying
Cons
• Might feel like too much on lip balm on lips.
• Low staying power

This is how it looks on me :)

Rating:
3/5

Final Verdict
Might not repurchase, though do not regret the buy. It is a good neutral shade for those days, with some bling ;)

Cheers,
Tara

Zumba Fitness Party

Hey Guyz,

Been such a long time but here I'm back with a little bang. I got to attend this Zumba Fitness party, thanks to Nidhi and IMBB team for arranging the fun competition and my stars to help me win it ;)
The instructor was Sucheta pal who is International Zumba Education Specialist. 
Check more about her here.

So I thought why not share it with you guys :) I also did a post on the part here. Check out for more details along with some nice fitness posts by her. They are really cool.

Untill then take care, have fun ;)

Cheers,
Tara

For Your Nails - Revlon Icy Violet Review

Hey-lo Beauties,

I am reviewing a nail enamel from Revlon called - Icy Violet.

Product Description:

For Classic Nail Enamels, the Silk-Silicone formula delivers a layer of silk protein which instantly evens out nail surface. Silicone shield rises to the surface to automatically smooth away bubbles, streaks and brush marks to deliver a Salon Perfect Finish.  Chip Resistant smooth finish and rich glorious colour.

Price:

5$, could be little less or more in INR.

Quantity:

14.7 ml / 5 FL OZ

Ingredients List:

Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Tribenzoin, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propyl Acetate, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Serica Silk Powder, Dimethicone, PPG-2 Dimethicone, Triacetin, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Tetrabutyl Phenyl Hydroxybenzoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Silica, Alumina, Polyacrylate-4, Mica May Contain, Titanium Dioxide May Contain - CI 77891, Iron Oxides May Contain - CI 77491 - CI 77492 - CI 77499, Red 6 Lake May Contain - CI 15850, Red 7 Lake May Contain - CI 15850, Red 34 Lake May Contain - CI 15880, Yellow 5 Lake May Contain - CI 19140, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide May Contain - CI 77510, Ferric Ferrocyanide May Contain - CI 77510, Aluminum Powder May Contain - CI 77000, Bismuth Oxychloride May Contain - CI 77163, Carmine May Contain - CI 75470.

My Take on Revlon Icy Violet:

Icy Violet is a nice shade from purple family. It has micro glitters in blue color. I think they are really very fine and camera would not be able to capture their effect. Still I have tried to take pictures in different lights and location. Like day light, evening time, lamp light and tube light :D Let’s see how they all look. Enjoy NOTD’s pictures.

 This is a cool deep purple with blue iridescent shimmer that flashes in the light. :) After 5 days of application. It is still intact without any signs of chipping.

 Look from a distance :)

You would love it if you are looking a purple shade. The consistency is also pretty decent and it glides really smooth. 2 coats of it and you are good to go!

Pros:

§  Very smooth to glide and apply.

§  Highly pigmented.

§  No chipping before a week.

§  Not very shiny.

§  Very good coverage with two coats

§  Good lasting power 

§  Easy to remove with acetone/remover.

Cons:

§  Might require a top coat for very high shine.

Will I Repurchase Revlon Icy Violet:

May be, I will try the shades that I don’t have.

A Mini Ethnic Haul

Hey Guys,

This ethnic haul was done some time ago and forgot to share with you all. It was an event that happened in CP New Delhi called Puraani Delhi ka khaana…..yum!! I must say the event was very nicely organized even after being a no-fee-for-entry one. The cleanliness was properly considered which I liked the most. There were live performances too. So let me jump now directly to the stuff I got from there.

Here’s the first one:  Black Golden Potli Clutch

I was eyeing a potli sort of clutch that can go with my heavy sarees esp in golden tone. And when I saw this I knew I got to buy it!

  

  

The most awesome stuff we had was jalebis….all with a sweet tooth would understand the power of those sweet-juice-filled-round-pipes. They were out of the world, damn crispy and sweet.

Next is bangles in pretty blue.

 

Last thing I picked up was a casual bangle bracelet. Something in it attracted me so much so that after leaving it once I came back to grab it. May be the smoothness, or the shine, or the design….or maybe everything.  ;)

All in all a fundoo Saturday evening with whole family at the good old CP. It happens to be one of my favorites places in the capital. Hope u guys liked what I pick.

Which is your favorite place in the city?

Cheers,

Tara

All about Birthday & Cakes

Hello Friends,

Sorry for the long gap. But got on to a spree of so many things. But i'm back now. And guess what; with a birthday bang!! Yes, its my birthday month and all I can see everywhere is smiles, laughter, cakes, parties and happiness all around :) What else one wants...isn't it?

So how do you like to celebrate your birthday? I had blast at Hilton with a awesome dinner buffet, out-of-the-world strawberry ice-cream and an absolutely mind-blowing cake.....slurppppp :D

Check out some tips for about / for all the leos in your life :) here 

Enjoy the piccys...and take care <3

The Cake

...with goodness of almonds

& dollop of fruit freshness!!!

Out of the world strawberry ice-cream!!!

Cheers,
Tara