DIY manicure & pedicure at home like a pro !!!!

Doing a pedicure by yourself is no rocket science. All you need is the right method & the right products for pampering and the time… and for those days when we don’t have the time for fancy soaks and scrubs we want to get the job done FAST.

Place all your implements, files and supplies on a terry towel within easy reach. You will be following the same type of procedures as with a manicure, although the files you will use will be a different grit as the toenails are generally thicker than the fingernails . You will also need to use your toenail nippers. Doing your own pediceure or manicure with these simple steps will definetly give you spa like feeling. The procedure is the same for manicure or pedicure.

OK let’s get started

Soak your feet: fill the tub with hot water,Sprinkle body salt or add squirt of bubble bath or shampoo to soak your feet.Drops of oil(optional) soak your feet for 15-20 min .This  will soften the dry & dead skin.

Scrub your feet : This is also the time when you need to pick up the pumice stone and scrub your feet. Just be a little gentle. Remove your feet from the soaking tub. To remove the dead cells you could use any mild body scrub or make a DIY Scrub. Massage using medium pressure with the scrub for 5-10 min or more. You can also use a scrub brush for a deeper scrub. Make sure  to concentrate on places like heels and other places where skin looks dry and tough. Wash off your feet and pat dry.repeat the same for the other foot.

Cleaning up cuticles: Now using a nail cleaner scrape of the cuticle from your toenail. Using a standard nail clipper, cut your nails and then a nail filer to shape them as per your desire.do not put your foot back in to the water.

Moisturize: Apply a moisturiser of your choice, body butter or feet cream. By now your feet should be soft & smooth.

Last but not the least, let your toes air dry well before you apply your choice of nail paint colour..

Tada your feet are ready to rock the party …

Happy Pedicure Day!!!!

Homemade Rasam Powder and Rasam

Rasam is a traditional South Indian soup, mostly served with rice. A south Indian meal is incomplete without having rasam. It is usually served after sambar (another south Indian broth) but it can also be had after all the heavy food mainly because it is good for digestion. It is the most comforting, simple yet delicious dish. After a long trip abroad where we hardly get Indian food, rasam, rice and chips or pickle as a side is heaven for most south Indians. This recipe has different names in different places. The one we are going to share is a traditional Tamilnadu style rasam, made in every household  almost on a daily basis.

These days we get rasam powder in store, but nothing can beat the freshly ground spice powder made at home. It is a very versatile dish and takes the flavour of the ingredient added to it. Today we are sharing a homemade rasam powder and a traditional rasam recipe with you.

Rasam powder
Ingredients:

Coriander seeds - 3/4 cup

Red chilli  - 10

Toor dal - 1/4 cup

Channa dal - 1/4 cup

Black pepper - 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 3 tbsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Dry roast channa dal and toor dal first in medium flame until the dals turn golden in colour.

2. Similarly dry roast coriander seeds, pepper and cumin seeds until a nice aroma comes from the spices.

3. Lastly add dry chilli and dry roast till it is crisp.

4. Transfer everything to a plate and let them cool down completely.

5. Grind to a fine powder in a mixer

6. Store it in an airtight container.

Rasam

Rasam Recipe

Ingredients:

Tamarind - gooseberry size

Tomato - 1 small

Garlic- 1 clove (optional)

Green chilli- 1 slit

Toor Dal -¼  cup cooked

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Rasam powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Salt - to taste

sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

To temper:

Oil  or ghee - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - a small sprig

hing-a pinch

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 10 mins, set aside.

2. In a kadai/deep pot heat a tsp of oil add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder saute till raw smell of tomatoes leaves.

3. Add the tamarind juice to the kadai and let it boil for 2 min. Add a pinch of hing and salt while it boils. The raw smell of tamarind should go away.

4. Add rasam powder and allow it to simmer for a min. Then add the toor dal water to it.

5. Meanwhile in a small pan add a tsp of oil and after it heats up add the things under temper.

6. Add a tsp of sugar to the boiling rasam .

7. Immediately add the temper to the rasam and mix it well and switch of the rasam.

8. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

9. Serve hot with rice.

This recipe will come in handy on days when you come back from a big shopping and have to get food on the table fast or as a quick fix on lazy days when you really don’t want to be in the kitchen. Don’t forget yummy potato chips for the side.

Tips:

*When you start seeing brown foam on the surface of the rasam that means it's done

*You can garnish with mint leaves instead of coriander and Voila it gives you Mint rasam.

Happy Relishing Rasam!

Grocery Shopping list for an Indian Household abroad!!

One of the  biggest challenges we commonly face when we move abroad to start our own household is organizing our grocery shopping list. There are few things which we need on a weekly basis and few on a monthly basis. In most countries we don't find requirements needed for an Indian household, especially for an Indian kitchen in  local supermarkets. Therefore, a pretty organised shopping list is a must as when going to the Indian store as in most cases the Indian stores are not located at every nook and corner. Another common hindrance living abroad, especially in cold countries, is a routine visit even to the local grocery store can be a big ask in winters. Believe us, running back and forth in the biting cold can sometimes make you go crazy. So it is essential to jot down things on a list so that you don't forget something and keep running to the store every now and then.

It takes a while to make a proper grocery list for a family, because we have to note what we eat, use and need frequently. But once you get a hang of it, then it's time to look for offers and price cuts etc., to save money on your grocery bills. So below we have made a master list with requirements we feel are needed for an Indian household. You can download this list and edit them to suit your needs. Grocery List When you start living abroad, there are few things which you start buying which you wouldn't have bought in India, like toilet tissues, pita bread, different varieties of pasta etc.,. See this list for shopping in your local grocery store.

Indian stores abroad make sure you don't miss your favourite Indian stuff away from home. To make a clear list before going to the Indian store look into this list and you might find it helpful.

Although household items are not a regular buy, it is still important you have them stocked them up so that you don't end up one day without your toothpaste or searching for batteries for your TV remote. Look further in this list.

Tips:

1.You can usually see in the milk section bottles with different expiry date. Try to buy milk with farthest expiry dates.

2. When in offer, if you use the product regularly,buy in bulk as it is a big save. Don’t  buy things just because it’s in offer and if you hardly use it.

3. Apps such as “mysupermarket” helps in finding offers and compares prices of items in your local supermarkets.
    Finally, we would like to conclude that the different things which you get in Indian and local grocery stores might vary from country to country. So do a round of the stores and get acquainted with what you get where and which is reasonably priced and then start buying things for your pantry. 
Happy Grocery Shopping!!!

Vegetable Kurma/Korma

Kurma (as said in South India) or korma (as said in North India ) is a thick gravy made with vegetables or meat, usually served as a side dish for rice or roti. The main difference between a normal curry and korma is the addition of whole spices. There are different types of korma and the flavor of the korma completely depends on the ingredients used. Each state in India has its own take on korma. In the south, the richness is enhanced by using coconut milk whereas in the north, nuts like almond, cashew and even yoghurt is also used to make the gravy mouthwatering. Today we are sharing a basic South Indian  korma recipe and from this starts our korma journey as we will post different styles in future.

Prep time : 15 min  Cooking time : 20 min
Ingredients:
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom-  1
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed - 2 tsp
Aniseed - 1 tsp
Mint - 1 tbsp chopped
Onion - 2 sliced
Tomatoes - 2 diced
Potato - 1 diced
Carrots - 1 diced
Beans - half cup chopped
Cauliflower - 1 cup chopped
Capsicum - half cup chopped
Green chilli -1 slit
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Heat a wide pan and add oil . Add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cumin and aniseed, let it splutter.
2. Then add sliced onions and saute till it softens.
3. When onion turns golden brown add ginger garlic paste and green chilly.
4. Saute till oil separates and then add tomatoes.
5. After the tomatoes turn mushy add salt, chili powder and coriander powder.
6. Mix everything well and cook till oil separates and then add vegetables and chopped mint leaves and cook till they are half done.
7. Add water until vegetables are immersed in water and mix everything well.
8. Close with a lid and cook till the vegetables are cooked.
9. Open the lid and cook till oil floats and switch off. Serve with hot rice or roti

Notes: 
1. You can use any vegetables of your choice or use frozen vegetables.
2. You can  add coconut milk instead of water to make the gravy rich and creamy.
3. Adjust spice levels according to your taste
4. You can also cook this curry in pressure cooker.
5. Meat lovers can add meat with the vegetables. 

 This south Indian version of korma makes an excellent ‘masaledar’ side dish for rice, puris, appam, etc., When we first came abroad all the Indian takeaways main order was korma, which surprised us knowing how many people enjoy this delicious gravy. So dear friends before you grab your phones to order take away, grab your aprons and try this recipe, we promise you and your family will enjoy it.

Happy Korma journey!

Top things to Czech out in Czech Republic

Our urge to visit Prague (or Praha as it is called in Czech) started after seeing this exquisite Bohemian city in the popular bollywood movie ‘Rockstar’. Prague forms an important backdrop in this movie, which you can see in AR Rahman’s songs like the foot tapping ‘Hawa Hawa’ and soothing ‘Aur ho’.

Here are top five things you can plan on your next visit to Czech republic

  1) Wander through the Prague castle

If you haven't’ seen the Prague castle then you haven’t been to Prague.This is the world’s biggest ancient castle complex and is so vast that if you wandered through these castle grounds you would need almost one whole day just to glance through the castle. 

The most prominent building you see inside the Castle complex is the St. Vitus Cathedral (in pic). This towering Gothic masterpiece which took almost six centuries to complete was completed in phases by different architects. Once inside the cathedral you cannot miss the beautiful stained glass windows on all sides. This castle complex is an architecture student’s paradise with Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic architecture all at one place. You got to catch the view of the entire city from the castle which is a sight to watch.

2) Cross the Charles bridge

This stone bridge which connects Old Town and lesser Town is on every tourist's’ wish list. You can see Baroque statues along the bridge on either sides. One of the statues is that of the Czech martyr saint, St. John’s, who was executed by being thrown into the river. Today a plaque beneath his statue is touched by numerous tourists. Locals believe shining this plaque brings you good luck and ensures another trip to Praha! The view of the Prague Castle across the bridge is simply spectacular. If you have the time see the view both during day and night.

Charles bridge is also famous in this modern age for having survived one of the worst floods which hit Europe in 2002. Locals will show you the marks of water levels which submerged most of this historic city.

Video courtesy: T-series

So if you wanna run towards your love like Ranbir kapoor did in Rockstar on the Charles bridge, then stop dreaming. Unlike what you see in this song, this stunning bridge across the Vltava (pronounced as Voltava) river always has swarms of tourists, that crossing the bridge without elbowing one another is in itself an unimaginable task. But a trip to Prague isn't complete without walking across this bridge. If you have the time you can take a boat cruise on the Vltava river and then head to Old town!

3) Tour the Old town square and see the Astronomical Clock

The main buildings you see in Old town square are The Old Town hall, Church of Our Lady before Týn, The Church of St Nichols. But of these the Prague astronomical clock is the most popular tourist attraction. Join the hundreds of visitors and see this legendary astronomical clock which works until today after almost six centuries. This famous clock is not only known for its impeccable time and date but also the sun’s position and the the phase of the moon.  

4) Get charmed by Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov (pronounced as Chesky krumlov), considered as one of the most charming places to see on this earth before you die is a day’s trip from Prague (around 170 kms from Prague). The city’s main attraction remains the castle complex which is the second biggest in Czech Republic. Be sure to check out the fluffy brown bears inside the castle complex. They remind you of your childhood stuffed teddy bears!!

The rest of this UNESCO heritage town is situated as you walk down from this castle. Walk along lazily in the narrow cobblestone streets and get enchanted in this beautiful town which makes you feel as if you have walked into a fairy tale. Take a tour inside the castle if you have time.

If you happen to see vendors selling the traditional Slovak- Czech pastry, Trdelník then be sure to try it. It is a dough rolled onto a cylindrical pin, cooked on flame and finally dusted with sugar or a variety of toppings to choose from.

5) Relax in Kutná Hora

Kutná Hora, yet another town which is a part of the UNESCO’s world heritage sites makes a soothing trip to go, away from the hustle bustle of Prague. Although this town has lost its past glory, with the church of St.Barbara (in pic) and the Bone Chapel (in Ourlilgallery), this town is still a must visit. You can see the entire town by walking through its lanes and bylanes.

If you have the liking for beer don't forget to taste the local Beer in Czech republic If you are collector then buy Bohemian glass wares. They are pretty famous and can be found close to Old town.

Tips:

• Have Czech korunas in hand if you travelling from abroad.
• There are package tours to Český Krumlov and Kutna hora which might include the bus ride, lunch and entry tickets depending on what package you choose.
• Beware of scams  with Taxi drivers

One visit to Prague and some of the equally beautiful towns around Prague you'll be sure that the Czech Republic surely is truly a country rich in well preserved UNESCO heritage towns.

Happy Czeching!!