Sweet corn gravy

 My nephew kept asking me to make for him aloo/potato parantha. I kept telling him, when I feel better, as my right hand was aching due to fracture. Then I had bought 2 big corns, I boiled them ( was remembering my hubby who used to ask me for boiled corn). With the knife, I peeled the corn and kept in the fridge, used to add few with curds when I used to take to eat certain dishes, as everything was spicy for me, then I thought why not make corn gravy to go with aloo parantha.

INGREDIENTS

corn boiled and removed or can remove them easily with a knife.

onions 2 big finely chopped

tomatoes  3 big finely chopped

jeera/ cumin1 tsp

oil 2 tbsp or less

salt to taste

turmeric pdr/ 1/2 tsp

chili pdr to taste

kitchen king masala 1 tsp

coriander leaves finely chopped

 

METHOD

heat oil in a kadai, add jeera, once it crackles add onion with wee bit salt and fry till light brown

add tomatoes add turmeric and chili pdr, mix well, cover and fry till tomatoes are well cooked

now add corn little water, if you add added salt while cooking corn, be careful of the salt you need.

mix well, cover, let it simmer for 5-7 minutes till corn is well mixed with the other ingredients,  add kitchen king masala, it you don't have add garam masala, mix well, let it simmer for another 2 minutes, add little water if needed. Add coriander leaves finely chopped, mix, garnish with few on top to serve.

Serve hot with aloo parantha.

 

 

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15 Cleaning Tips Everyone Should Know

 

 

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8 Fruits You Can Grow Indoors

While it may come as a surprise, you actually don't need to have outdoor space to grow your own fruit. With that being said, it does require patience, because it usually takes a year before you can enjoy lemons, avocados or other delicious fruits when they're grown in this way. Growing your own fruit trees has a lot of health benefits too - doing so will help you relax and de-stress:

1.Citrus fruits

Lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and limes can all be grown indoors. They will also give your home a wonderfully rich citrus aroma all year round.

The process: Planting such fruit is actually pretty simple. The seeds for planting do need to be fresh though. Rinse the seeds with water and either plant them in damp soil, peat, river sand or in a special soil suitable for citrus fruits. Each seed should be placed in a separate pot or cup. The seedlings should also get enough natural light, but they should be protected from midday sun and dry air. The winter weather is also suitable for your citrus trees. 

 

 

2. Dates

Were you aware that the pit within each date can be used to pot and grow your own date tree? 

 

The process: Place the pits in a small dish and let them soak for a few days before planting. Bury them in a peat and sand soil mix. Be sure to keep the soil damp, spraying with some water every two days. The dates also require a lot of light, as well as a cool, winter temperature.

3. Feijoa (Pineapple Guava)

It is even possible to grow your very own exotic plant. 

 

The process: The seeds of this exotic plant should be taken from a very ripe fruit. If the feijoa isn't ripe yet, place it in a warm spot for a couple of days. Once it has ripened, rinse the seeds from the surrounding pulp with water and leave them to dry on a paper towel. Then bury the seeds in sandy soil. The plant may grow a lot faster than expected. Ensuring this, when planting the sprouts, pinch the main root and transplant it together with old soil into a bigger pot.

4. Figs

This fruit may be found in abundance outdoors, but you may grow it inside your home too. 

 

The process: Rinse and dry the seeds, then plant them into damp soil. Sprinkle the soil with a little sand and cover it with plastic wrap. Find a warm spot - fig trees need plenty of sunlight. Expect the first sprouts to appear in three weeks if you regularly moisten the soil and keep the room well-ventilated. Ideally, in summer, the temperature should be less than 68°F in the summer and should not exceed 57°F in the winter. 

 

 

5. Passion fruit

 

 

The next time you eat passion fruit, be sure to keep those seeds. 

 

The process: When planting passion fruit seeds, you'll most likely get a vigorous, fast-climbing vine as opposed to a fruitful tree. Like any other tropical plant, passion fruit needs a tremendous amount of sunlight, fresh air, warmth and high humidity. 

 

 

6. Avocado

Avocado can easily be grown from its pit. You'll likely start to see its effects in one or two days. 

 

The process: Remove the pit carefully and wash it gently, removing the flesh around it. Then plant it in the soil. Alternatively, you can stick three toothpicks, 120 degrees apart into the middle of the seed to balance the pit on the inside of a cup without inserting it into the water completely. Once the plant has developed a good root system in the water, carefully take it out and bury it in the soil. Keep the temperature at 64°F before the leaves come into bloom. Avocados love sunlight and heat, so place your tree next to a sunny windowsill. The more light it gets, the better.  

 

 

 

7. Pineapple

Growing a pineapple is a lot easier than you would expect

The process: You don't need seeds to grow a pineapple. Just twist the leaves off the top, strip off some of the lower leaves to expose the stem and plant it in a pot filled with river sand. Pineapple trees like a lot of sun and need to be kept fairly moist. The plant will only stop growing during the winter months - but keeping it indoors may help the fruit blossom then too. 

 

 

 

 8. Pomegranate

This tree doesn't need much water and can grow well almost everywhere. 

 

The process: Growing pomegranate indoors will yield you dwarf pomegranates that will delight you with their pretty scarlet flowers and mouth-watering fruit. The average yield of pomegranates tends to vary between 7 to 10 edible fruits that are about 2 inches in diameter. Just scoop out some seeds and rinse them in cool water, rubbing them with a paper towel to remove the pulp. Allow the seeds to dry for a few days and to keep them from rotting. Plant the seeds no more than 1/4 inch deep in lightweight, seed-starting potting soil. Put the pot on a sunny, warm windowsill and keep the soil moist as your seeds germinate and grow. During the winter, it may help to cover the pot loosely with a clear plastic bag until the seeds have sprouted.

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Little Millet/ samai / thoda bajra Coconut Kheer

 INGREDIENTS

 1 Cup Little Millet   

2 Cup Milk 

1 Cup Fresh Coconut 

1 Cup Jaggery / gur  

2 tbsp poppy seeds soaked 

 0.25 Cup Cashews

1 tsp Raisin 

0.5 Cup Ghee 

1 Cup Water

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and cook a Little Millet in kadai with water, when it's cooked 3/4th add milk and cook completely.

Now in a mixer grind coconut, poppy seeds, few cashews into a smooth paste.

Now add this to the millet and cook for 5 minutes, add jaggery, and ghee and cook completely for almost 15 mins.

Now fry cashews and raisins in ghee and add to the kheer.

Enjoy hot or cold.

 

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Learn to Identify the Bar Code on Your Produce Easily

You've likely seen stickers stuck on most fruits and vegetables. These stickers usually have a bar code on them for scanning and a PLU code, which helps the cashier identify the type of product you are buying. But there's more to these stickers than you think. While the PLU is the 'price lookup' number that identifies the fruit or vegetable, it also helps to identify another thing - how the produce was grown.

In reading this code correctly, you will be able to tell if the fruit was genetically modified, organically grown or produced with chemical fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides. All you need to do is learn to identify and analyze the labels and the PLU numbers. It's a lot easier than you'd imagine. 

Here's what you need to know about the PLU codes: 

 

1. If the PLU contains only four numbers, this indicates that the produce was grown conventionally, or traditionally, with the use of pesticides. For instance, all bananas are generally marked 4011. 

 

2. If the PLU code contains five numbers and starts with '8', this will indicate that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable, meaning that they have been tampered with in an unnatural way. So in the case of a genetically modified banana, it would be marked, 84011. 

 

3. If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with '9', this indicates that the product was grown organically and was not genetically modified. So, an organic banana would be marked: 94011

What's more? While the adhesive used to attach the stickers is considered to be food-grade, the stickers themselves are not safe to consume. 

 

So, if you are looking to consume fruits and vegetables which are free from pesticides or GMO, buying organic produce is your safest and best bet. Nevertheless, as these items can at times be expensive, a great way to keep costs down is by knowing which fruits and vegetables are generally fine to eat (even if pesticides were used) and which aren't. These are referred to as the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen. So, which fruits and vegetables fall under these categories? Check out the chart below:

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I Never Knew That Cassia Cinnamon Is Poisonous!

Though you might be well aware of the delicious taste and health benefits that cinnamon brings, you may not realize that there are many different varieties of the spice. Some of these are really healthy, benefiting your blood sugar, heart health and dental health, yet the majority of the cheap cinnamon on the market in the US today contains a high proportion of coumarin, which is known to be toxic for your liver. 

 

So, if you've been increasing your cinnamon intake after hearing of its wonderful health benefits, you will want to know more about how you can avoid eating the wrong kind of cinnamon, and why you should do so. 

 

 

Types of Cinnamon

Though there are some 13 varieties of cinnamon available to purchase, we can group these into two clear categories: cassia and verum. Verum is the Latin word for ‘true’ because this cinnamon group is the real deal and comes from Sri Lanka. Thus it is usually referred to as Ceylon Cinnamon. Everything good you have heard about the spice can be attributed to Ceylon or verum cinnamon. 

 

Cassia Cinnamon, on the other hand, derives from three different regions: Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. Most commonly used for flavoring, cassia now dominates the cinnamon market in the US because of its cheap cost, though its use has been severely restricted and partially banned in the EU due to real concerns about its poisonous health effects. Thus far, there is no sign that cassia’s sale will be restricted in the US.

The health dangers of cassia

Cheap and hard cassia contains between 2 to 8% of a phytochemical called coumarin, a dangerous ingredient of rat poison, which has been shown to cause cancer in rodents. According to the BFR in Germany, coumarin taken in even low doses can lead to liver damage, as listed below: 

 

• Mild symptoms could see an increase in the number of liver enzymes in the blood. 

 

• Extreme cases can see liver inflammation manifested as jaundice. 

 

• Cassia has strong anticoagulant properties that prevent the blood from coagulating after an injury.

 

So far, it is thought that these detrimental liver effects are reversible. 

 

Cut down on Cassia and seek out Ceylon cinnamon

The BFR advise that those who use cassia moderately in cooking are not at great risk of liver damage. They estimate that a person weighing 60kg can consume 6mg of coumarin every day without concern. However, it is quite tricky to ascertain how much coumarin is contained with the cassia you use in your kitchen. 

 

The BFR suggest that those who are used to consuming cinnamon frequently, for example in rice puddings, cinnamon rolls or coffee, should immediately switch to Ceylon (Verum) cinnamon which contains very low levels of coumarin. It may, however, be more expensive. 

 

When shopping for cinnamon, bear the following differences in mind: Ceylon (verum) looks more like a cigar. It's quite slender and brittle. Cassia looks like two scrolls pushed together. It is thick and hard to break.

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Black Cumin Oil - 5 Remarkable Health Benefits and Uses

The tiny seeds of the Nigella sativa plant have been used as a natural healing ingredient for thousands of years. The black seeds of the plant are ground up and processed into black seed oil, a traditional ingredient used to treat a wide range of diseases. While not all of these traditional medicinal uses were confirmed by medical studies, black seed oil has several health benefits that are backed by science - from relieving asthma to promoting weight loss. 

 

This guide explores 5 of these health benefits and explains how to use black seed oil at home.

What is black seed oil?

Black seed oil is produced from black seeds, which are also known as black cumin, nigella, kalonji, Roman coriander, and black caraway. The seeds come from the Nigella sativa plant - a small shrub with white or pale blue flowers that grows all across Western Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Black seed oil can be used in cooking, applied directly on the skin, or taken in the form of capsules. The active ingredient in black seed oil is called thymoquinone, and it’s a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. We review five science-backed health benefits of black seed oil below

1. Aids weight loss

When it comes to weight loss, there’s no magic pill capable of making a person lose weight while they are sitting on the couch and overeating on a daily basis. Black seed oil will not make you magically lose weight, but it can improve the effectiveness of the things you’re already doing to shed those extra pounds.

Medical studies show that taking black seed oil with every meal along with a low-calorie diet can lower the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference more than a low-calorie diet alone can. A review study from the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders confirmed that black cumin seed oil helps weight loss efforts in individuals who suffer from type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

One 8-week study in 90 obese women aged 25-50 found that taking 1 gram of the oil with a meal 3 times a day made them lose more than their counterparts who took a placebo. A 2018 review study pointed out that the average weight loss with black seed oil was around 4.4 pounds (2.1 kilograms).

2.Benefits Cardiovascular health and reduces Blood Pressure

Another noteworthy benefit of black cumin seed oil is its ability to promote cardiovascular health. More specifically, it’s capable of reducing blood pressure and reducing the levels of bad LDL-cholesterol levels. Research from 2013 observed improvements in blood pressure in adults who took ½ teaspoon of black seed oil two times a day after 8 weeks.

The study in obese women discussed earlier also found that the levels of LDL cholesterol in the participants who took black seed oil were lower compared to the placebo group. The same findings were observed in patients with type 2 diabetes in a 2015 study. Remember that both high levels of LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure lead to the development of heart disease and increase one’s risk of stroke and heart attack.

3. Fights acne and improves skin and hair health

Applying black seed oil directly on the skin and hair is beneficial for people suffering from several skin and hair issues - from dry hair and skin to psoriasis, eczema, and acne. The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects of the oil treat inflammation, calm, and nourish the skin and hair. A 2010 study found that a lotion with 20% black seed oil was superior to benzoyl peroxide at treating acne and had fewer side effects. 

 

A 2013 study suggests that applying black seed oil on hand eczema 2 times a day over the course of 4 weeks was just as effective as the topical steroid Betamethasone and hand moisturizers. Speaking of which, black seed oil is an excellent moisturizing agent for skin, nails, and hair. You can either apply pure black seed oil on your skin and hair or mix the oil into your skincare and hair-care products.

4. May help lower blood sugar 

Several human and animal model studies of type 2 diabetes suggest that taking 2 grams of crushed black seeds reduces fasting blood sugar levels and other blood markers of diabetes after 2-3 months of supplementation. Note that most of these studies included black seed powder in capsules, but more recent research suggests that black seed oil has identical effects. 

 

One research paper suggests that taking as little ⅓ teaspoon of black cumin seed oil for 20 days reduced HbA1c levels (a blood test that measures average blood sugar over 3 months) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Keeping blood sugar within a normal range helps diabetics reduce their risk of serious health complications. 

 

 

 

5. Improves asthma and breathing difficulties

Asthma is a chronic lung condition characterized by difficultly breathing, wheezing, coughing, and reduced lung function. Studies suggest that combining black seed oil with asthma medication can help the symptoms of the disease. Thymoquinone reduces inflammation and relaxes the muscles in the airways, which makes it easier for the patient to breathe. 

 

A study that included 80 adult asthma patients found that taking 500 mg of black seed oil capsules twice daily over one month improved the patients’ ability to control their condition. Black seed oil may also be beneficial for improving lung function in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a different chronic lung condition that makes it hard for patients to breathe.

How to Use Black Cumin Seed Oil 

 

 There are many ways you could use black seed oil. If you intend to take it internally, you can purchase it in capsule form. Black seed oil is also available in liquid form at health food stores and drugstores, which allows you to use it as a supplement, a cooking ingredient, or a skincare and haircare product.

It’s important to buy the highest quality black seed oil you can get - ideally, it should be cold-pressed 100% Nigella sativa oil. Black cumin seed oil has a spicy and bitter taste reminiscent of oregano or cumin. So, if you will be taking it as a liquid, it may be useful to mix it with honey or lemon juice to balance out the flavor and make it easier to consume. Begin by taking no more than ½ teaspoon of the oil and slowly build up to 1-2 teaspoons daily.

 

Note that black seed oil will not be able to replace any medication. Moreover, people who take any medication should discuss using black seed oil with their doctor or dietitian because it can interact with medications like beta-blockers. People suffering from kidney issues should also consult their doctors prior to taking black seed oil. 

 

Most people experience little to no side effects while taking black seed oil, but there are some reports of constipation, nausea, vomiting, and bloating. When you’re applying black seed oil directly on the skin, patch-test the oil first on a small area to make sure you’re not allergic to it. All in all, black seed oil is easy to use and try. We hope that you found this information helpful.

 

 

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