Carom Seeds (Ajwain)

Carom Seeds (Ajwain)

Also know as Ajwain, bishops weed, Thymol seeds, Ajma, Ajmodika, Onum

Benefits

 It acts as an Appetizer, if taken twice or thrice in a day, either in raw or roasted form.

Effective remedy for Asthma. relieve shortness of breath.

Useful for migraine headache, sore and congested throat and hoarseness of the voice due to colds or shouting.

Ajwain is  a very good digestive and very useful in alleviating spasmodic pains of the stomach and intestines, flatulence (gas), indigestion, in adults as well as children.. 
Promotes lactation

Uses
 Ajwain is often part of the Tadka in a dish, used in vegetable dishes (for its distinctive taste) and pickles (for its preservative qualities).

Added to buttermilk after a meal or eaten in dry roasted form.

Can be added to Rotis, Parathas, Indian Breads Rice, Pakodas, Tempering in dal, Salad Dressings.

Add thyme to your favorite pasta sauce recipe. Season soups and stocks by adding fresh thyme.

Missi Roti

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups besan (Bengal gram flour)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
2 tbsp chopped corriander (dhania) or fenugreek (methi) leaves
4 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

Method

1.     Mix together all the ingredients with enough water and make a semi-stiff dough.

2.    Knead the dough well and keep for 1/2 hour. Knead again.

3.    Roll out into thin rounds and cook them on a tava with a little ghee.

4.   Serve hot with butter or ghee.

CARDAMOM(Elaichi)

Cardamom pods were chewed as a mouth refresher from ancient times in India.

Benefits

Digestive disorders 

Stimulates digestive system and reduces gas. Can counteract excess acidity in the stomach.  A tea made from cardamom is valuable in headache caused by indigestion.

Bad breath

Cardamom is commonly used as a breath freshener.

Depression

Powdered seeds of cardamom are boiled in water to make tea. It gives a very pleasing aroma to the tea. This is used as a remedy in the treatment of depression.

Expectorant action

Improves circulation to the lungs and thus considered good for asthma and bronchitis

Impotency

The spice is useful in sexual dysfunctions like impotency and premature ejaculation.

Other benefits

Has a cooling effect,   stimulates appetite, eases stomach cramps

Uses

In garam masala, tea, coffee, paan

Indian desserts like Kheer, phirni etc as well as sweets like gulab jamun, gajar ka halwa etc use cardamom to lend a distinctive flavor. Western desserts like flans, rice pudding and porridge also use this spice.

Whole green cardamom pods are used in many pulaos, curries and hot dishes like biryanis, pulaos and kebabs.

Cardamom Lassi

Ingredients

2 cups curds (dahi)
1 cup  milk
8 tsp powdered sugar
2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
4 to 5 ice-cubes to serve

Method

1.     Combine all the ingredients except the ice-cubes and blend in a mixer for 2-3 minutes.

2.    Pour into 4 individual glasses and serve immediately.

Cumin (Jeera)

Cumin (Jeera)

Cumin is one of the most typical spices for India and is fried or roasted or powdered before usage.

Anaemia - Cumin seeds contain a good amount of iron [100g of cumin contain approximately 11.7 mg of iron].

Common cold - Antiseptic properties of cumin can help fight flu, by boosting your immune system. A cup of warm tea [2-3 times a day] boiled with cumin seeds, ginger and honey, can give great relief.

Digestion - You will commonly find people popping in Jeera Goli after meals, but did you know it works well for digestive disorders? Cumin helps control flatulence, stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea and morning sickness. Thymol — a compound in cumin — further activates gastric secretion which improves digestion.

Helps fight cancer and in the treatment of piles due to its fibre content, anti-fungal, laxative and carminative properties.

Jeera helps to strengthen nails and hair, making hair shiny and glossy.

Kidney functioning is improved with the consumption of cumin seeds [increased secretion and discharge of urine].

Lactation - Cumin is a galactogogue i.e. a substance which increases milk flow in nursing mothers [due to the presence of Thymol].

Metabolism - Cumin increases the body heat making metabolism more efficient.

Nutrient assimilation is usually triggered in the presence of cumin, due to its effect on enzyme secretions.

Uses

Cumin is widely used to flavor stews, soups, dal, rasam, meats, fish dishes and vegetables

Cumin seeds are part of Bengali spice mixture panch phoron,

Roasted cumin seeds powder is added to buttermilk to aid digestion and enhance flavour.
Freshly roasted and ground jeera powder can be added  to the flour used for making chapatis

JEERA RICE

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice                       
2 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)
3 Whole peppercorns
2 Bay leafs
3 Cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 Onions, sliced
1 tbsp Ghee
Salt To Taste

Method

• Wash the rice and soak in water for half an hour.
• Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan add onions , bayleafs, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, peppercorns to the same ghee and fry for a while.
• Add the rice , salt, water and stir. Cover with a lid and simmer the flame. Cook until the rice is done.
• Serve jeera rice hot with any spicy curry or raita. 

Dill seeds (Suva Dana)

Dill seeds (Suva Dana)

Dill is a unique plant in that both its leaves and seeds are used as a seasoning. Dill's green leaves are wispy and fernlike and have a soft, sweet taste. Dried dill seeds are light brown in color and oval in shape, featuring one flat side and one convex ridged side.

The seeds contain so much calcium that 1 tablespoon contains 100 milligrams -- more than in 1/3 cup of milk.
Dill seed is a very good source of calcium, dietary fiber, as well as the minerals manganese, iron, and magnesium

Digestion: · Dill weed contains the carminative agent and aids with digestion by relieving intestinal gas, diarrhea and dysentery.  Gripe water is made with dill seed specifically as a remedy for colic in infants Dill Weed and Health Teas made with dill seed relieve indigestion and nausea, and produce a lulling effect.

Insomnia: Drinking dill tea is recommended for those suffering from insomnia.

Also helps in Hiccups, Menstrual Disorders, Oral Care Cancer

Respiratory Disorders help clear congestion in the respiratory system due to histamine, allergies or cough.

Dill is said to promote lactation in nursing mothers

Uses

Dill Seed is good sprinkled over casseroles before baking and used in salad dressings, mukhwas

These can be used in breads, stews, rices, root vegetable dishes and most notably, the making of pickles.
These seed heads, when combined with vinegars, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper produce the dilled pickles that have that wonderfully puckery quality

Nutritious Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

2 cups roughly chopped red pumpkin (bhopla / kaddu)
1 cup roughly chopped carrots
1/2 cup roughly chopped onions
1 tsp dill seeds (suva dana)
1/4 cup low fat milk
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure-cooker; add the dill seeds and sauté for about 30 seconds.

Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes till they turn translucent.

Add the pumpkin and carrot and sauté for a few more minutes.

Add 4 cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Purée the mixture in a blender till smooth.

Pour into a saucepan, add the milk and salt and bring to a boil. Keep aside.

Just before serving, reheat, add a little pepper and serve hot.

Fennel Seed

NATIONAL NUTRITION WEEK (1^ST SEPT TO 7^TH SEPT)

People feel nutritious (diet) food is boring…..bland…..tasteless….so here I am to tell u all about spices n how u can use them in day to day cooking.

So come on guys SPICE UP YOUR LIFE……get going..

Today it is FENNEL SEED (SAUNF)

Fennel Seed

Also know as ANISEED / SAUNF. In India, the seeds are often chewed after a meal, both as a digestive and to sweeten the breath
Not only loaded with powerful antioxidants fennel also contains fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin C. It is believed to boost the immune system, reduce blood pressure, and aid in detoxification of the body. It contains compounds that help relieve smooth muscle spasms, which in effect, helps ease abdominal cramping, menstrual cramps and spasms. Fennel is also a mild appetite suppressant. it is also helpful for problems like flatulence, colic and bloating that comes from gas.

Uses in daily cooking

Can be added to dal, paratha, soup,  pickles,  laddu along with methi

Can be used in fish and chicken preparation, roasting the seed until it gives off an aroma, then grind it and uses it as the main spice. It’s all quite wonderful.

Sherbath made with aniseed.

Saunf powder is widely used in kashmiri cusine.

SAUNF PANEER

Ingredients

1 large cup of paneer, cubed
1 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds)
1 onion, sliced
7 methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 tsp kalonji (black onion seeds)
½ tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
¼ tsp hing (asafetida)
¼ tsp mustard seeds

 Method

Mix all the ingredients, except paneer and onions, and throw into a tablespoon of moderately hot olive oil in a small wok.
When seeds crackle and release aromas, add onion and sauté till translucent.
Add the paneer and ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp red chilli powder. Toss.
Add black salt to taste.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley or coriander

Raw papaya benefits

Papaya is regarded as a wholesome fruit. It is the plant form of vit A and is enriched with Beta-carotene, contains large amounts of vit C.

The vitamin C content in papaya increases as the maturity progresses. Its carbohydrate content is mainly of invert sugar which is a form of predigested food.

Intestinal Disorders

Papaya is an ideal choice of fruit for those who are suffering from digestive ailments and dyspeptic patients since it is easily digestible, it is high in fibre,low calories and enriched with water content. Papain in the raw papaya is highly beneficial in the deficiency of gastric juice, excess of unhealthy mucus in the stomach and intestinal irritation. The ripe fruit, if eaten regularly, corrects habitual constipation, bleeding piles and chronic diarrhea.

Tenderise meat

Raw papaya is used in food industry to tenderise meat because it is a rich source of papain, a plant pepsin. Pepsin is an enzyme produced in animals to digest protein.

Skin Disorders

Juice of green, raw papaya is also used externally to improve complexion and treat skin blemishes. Ripen papaya paste is used as face pack to improve the colour and moisture.

The juice of the raw papaya, being an irritant, is useful in several skin disorders. It is applied with beneficial results to swellings to prevent pus formation or suppuration and to corns, warts, pimples, horn, an excrescence or an abnormal outgrowth of the skin and other skin diseases.

Menstrual Irregularities

The unripe papaya helps the contraction of the muscle fibres of the womb and is thus beneficial in securing proper menstrual flow

Throat Disorders

Fresh juice of raw papaya mixed with honey can be applied with beneficial results over inflamed tonsils for diphtheria and other throat disorders. It dissolves the membrane and prevents infection from spreading.

Go ahead n enjoy this fruit

Raw papaya salad

Ingredients

• 1 Cup raw papaya (grated)
• 1 med sized tomato chopped
• 1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice / vinger
• 2 Green chilies (slit length wise)
• Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the above ingredients , slightly pound green chillies with the pounder to get the tangy flavour.

ALL ABOUT METABOLISM

Want to build muscle and burn fat? Read below to learn how metabolism affects fitness level, and how to give it a boost.

"Metabolism" refers to your body's systems for using energy. This includes breathing, digestion, the building of muscle, and the storage of fat, circulation of blood -- anything that's part of your body's systems for converting energy into... an activity you need to live

Your metabolic rate is the rate at which you burn calories

People with more muscle and less fat generally have a faster metabolic rate.

As you age, you tend to lose muscle. This results in a metabolic rate that begins declining as early as your twenties -- about 2% per decade.

Genetics & lifestyle affect your metabolism. You cant do much about your genes and age, but you can make lifestyle changes to increase your metabolism.

Strength training can indeed help you lose weight by changing your metabolic rate.

Studies have shown that people who do extreme dieting or eat less than 1,200 calories per day are likely to wind up with a slower metabolic rate.

  Even going too long between meals can slow metabolic rate. Its recommended to eat a small healthy meal or snack every 2 to 3 hours. Also, never skip breakfast.

Studies have shown that the body requires more energy to digest high-protein foods, hence your metabolic rate increases.

Caffeine is a stimulant -- and so by definition, it increases your metabolic rate. This is why it is often an ingredient in weight loss diet supplements and acts as a thermogenic. Studies have shown that one cup of American coffee can increase metabolism by about 3% to 4% for a short period of time.

65% to 75% of the calories you burn in a day are burned by your metabolism in the process of maintaining your body's basic vital processes. Physical activity contributes up to 30% of your total daily calorie burn and is still one of the best ways to boost your metabolic rate.

Happy Pumping!