Interview with a Gynaecologist.....

Q: Should I have a baby after 35? A: No, 35 children are enough. Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move? A: With any luck, right after he finishes college. Q: How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu? A: If it's the flu, you'll get better. Q: What is the most common pregnancy craving? A: For men to be the ones who get pregnant. Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex? A: Childbirth. Q: The more pregnant I get, the more often strangers smile at me. Why? A: 'Cause you're fatter than they are. Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational. A: So what's your question? Q: What's the difference between a nine-month pregnant woman and a model? A: Nothing (if the pregnant woman's husband knows what's good for him). Q: How long is the average woman in labor? A: Whatever she says divided by two. Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right? A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current. Q: When is the best time to get an epidural? A: Right after you find out you're pregnant. Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor? A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you. Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth? A: Yes, pregnancy. Q: Does pregnancy cause hemorrhoids? A: Pregnancy causes anything you want to blame it for. Q: What does it mean when a baby is born with teeth? A: It means that the baby's mother may want to rethink her plans to breast feed. Q: What is the best time to wean the baby from nursing? A: When you see teeth marks. Q: Do I have to have a baby shower? A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly. Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again? A: When the kids are in college.

Cooking Tips 3

·       A small piece of butter added to water prevents vegetables, macaroni or rice from boiling over.

 

·       If the hard boiled eggs are put in cold water before slicing them, then the egg yolk doesn’t crumble into pieces.

 

·       To keep cauliflower white, add a dash of lemon juice or vinegar to the cooking water.

 

·       Add a teaspoon of butter to every two cups of old peas while cooking. It makes them tender and give s them a better flavor.

 

·       Mint stalks have the same effect as the leaves for flavoring spinach, peas or new potatoes. So use them for this purpose and save the leaves for the sauce.

 

BESAN CHILLA

(Gram flour pancakes)

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

Gramflour   - 1 cup

Onions(chopped)    -  2 , medium

Tomato(chopped)   -  2, medium

Green chillies(chopped)   -  2

Fresh coriander(chopped)   -  2 tsp

Turmeric   - ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Water as required

Oil for frying

 

METHOD :

 

·        Make a thick paste of gram flour, salt, turmeric and water. Keep mixing for a minute, till the batter becomes smooth and fluffy.

 

·        The batter should be of pouring consistency that is a little more fluid than a cake batter.

 

 

·        Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

 

·        Take a non stick tawa/frying pan and heat 2 tsp of oil. Take one big ladle of the batter and pour it on the frying pan

 

·        Fry the pancake from both the sides (refer the picture).

 

·        Serve hot with tomato sauce/chutney.

PAPAD PARATHA

(Griddle Fried flat bread)

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

Wheat Floor                 1 cup

Salt                                1 tsp

Water                           as required

Oil                                

 

For Filling

 

Papad                           Any flavor ( as per taste)

Salt to taste

Fresh Corriander        fine chopped

Red Chilli Powder       1 tsp

Cummin powder         1 tsp

 

 

METHOD :

 

·        Mix wheat flower, salt and water . Knead in a soft dough.

 

·        Fry / roast the papad as preferred. Once cool and crisp. Crush the papad in small pieces. (Refer picture).

 

·        Mix fresh coriander, salt,  chilli pdr and cumin pdr in the crushed papad. 

 

·        Divide the dough in even size balls. Roll out the ball in 4-5 inch flat puri shape.

 

·        Fill in the prepared papad mixture and roll in the sides to form a ball (refer picture)

 

·        Flatten out the balls using a rolling pin.

 

·        Heat a flat tawa. Prepare the paratha on the tawa using oil. Cook till golden brown.

 

·        Serve hot with chutney / pickle/ curd.

Cooking Tips

   #   A cup of milk added to vegetable gravy thickens it, tastes good and is easy to digest.
 

   #   Add a teaspoon of corn flour to a small quantity of yoghurt and mix in hot milk. Milk will set in a shorter time, especially during winters.
 
#   A few drops of lemon juice to the water when boiling, softens rice and improves the flavor.
 
#    If you have forgotten to soak lentils the previous night, don’t panic. Soak them in a vacuum flask filled with steaming hot water for an hour or so.
 
#    To make quick mashed potatoes .peel the required amount and cut into small cubes. Boil for ten minutes, drain and mash. They are ready to eat in under a quarter of an hour.
 

Sambar Powder

INGREDIENTS :

 Dry red chillies  - 2 cups

Asafoetida  - 1 tsp

Bengal gram(chana dal)   - ¼ cup

Black peppercorns  - 10

Oil   - 1 tbsp

Coriander  - ¾ cup

Yellow lentil(arhar/tuvar dal)   - ¼ cup

Salt to taste

 

METHOD :

 

·       Roast the dry red chillies in oil with a little salt.

 

·       Roast all the other ingredients and mix with the roasted chillies.

 

 

·       Powder all the ingredients and store in an air-tight jar.

GUJHIYA

INGREDIENTS

Maida                                                    1 cup                                        

Oil                                                          2 tbsp

Oil for Frying                                            

 

(For Filling)

Khoya                                                  200 gm

Sugar powder                                     150 gm

Cardamom Powder                            1 tsp

Chironji                                                  2 tsp

Kishmish                                               2 tbsp

Coconut Powder                                 1 ½ tbsp

Clarified butter/ghee                           2 tsp

 

METHOD

 Mix maida and oil together and kneed into a soft dough. Keep aside and cover with a damp muslin cloth.
 
Prepare the filling. Heat a table spoon of desi ghee (clarified butter) in  a kadhai and add khoya. Saute till it turns light brown. Swith off gas and allow to cool completely.
 
Add sugar powder, elaichi powder, chironji, kishmish and mix well.
 
Make a paste of  one table spoon maida and two tsp water. ( this is used to bind the gujhiya) Keep aside.
 
Divide the dough in small balls. Roll out the balls using a rolling pin in thin flat round shape. Put a spoon full of filling on the round puris and fold from sides into half to form a semi circular shape.
 
Apply the binding mixture on the edges and press both the edges together. Roll the edges upward so that they don’t open up (refer picture).
 
Heat oil in kadhai (deep frying pan). Deep fry the gujhiyas till golden brown.
 
Cool the guzhiyas and serve. 

Tandoori Masala

INGREDIENTS

 Cumin  - 5 tsp

Black salt  - 5 tsp

Cardamoms   - 15

Cinnamon     - 4 sticks

Dry mango pdr   - 10 tsp

Black peppercorns  - 5 tsp

Cloves  - 10

Mace   - ½ tsp

Ginger pdr  - 2 tsp

 

METHOD :

 

Finely powder all the ingredients and store in an air tight jar.

Potatoes And Peas in Gravy

INGREDIENTS :

Potatoes (cut in cubes) - 4, medium sized
Green peas - 1 cup
Onions (finely chopped) - 2 , medium
Tomatoes (grind to a paste) - 2
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin - 1 tsp
Red chilli pdr - 1 tsp
Garam masala pdr - 1 tsp
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander (chopped) for garnish

METHOD :

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin. When it starts to splutter add bay leaf and chopped onions. Sauté till onions turn golden brown in color.

• Add tomato paste. Sauté for a minute and add ginger-garlic paste .Fry till the masala leaves oil.

• Add potato cubes red chilli pdr garam masala pdr and salt to taste. Sauté for a minute.

• Add green peas. Sauté for a minute. Add sufficient water to pressure cook the veggies.

• Garnish with coriander and serve.

A Simple Salad

INGREDIENTS :

 

Carrot  -  1 , large

Radish    - 1, medium

Onion   -  1 .medium

Tomatoes   - 2 , medium

Lemon juice   - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander (chopped) for garnish

 

METHOD :

 

·        Grate carrot and radish.

 

·        Cut onion and tomatoes into small cubes.

 

·        Now mix together all the ingredients and garnish with coriander.

 

Aloo Same

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

Potatoes (cut in cubes)   -  3 , medium

Same (refer the picture)   -  200 gms

Garlic   - 6 cloves

Green chillies (chopped)   - 2

Turmeric   - ½ tsp

Fenugreek   - ½ tsp

Mustard oil  -  1 tbsp

Salt to taste

 

METHOD :

 

·        Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek. When it turns light brown in color, add chopped green chillies and potato cubes.

·        Sauté till the potatoes turn golden in color .add chopped same turmeric and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and cook till all the veggies are done. Sauté in between.

·        Add a little water if required. Aloo same is ready to eat.

 

PENNE PASTA

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

Penne pasta   -  100 gms

Tomatoes (cut in cubes)   -  2, large

Onions (cut in cubes)   - 2 ,large

Green chillies (chopped)   - 2

White vinegar   - 1 ½ tsp

Green/red chilli sauce   -  2 tsp

Tomato sauce   -  2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil   - 1 tbsp

 

METHOD :

 

·        Prepare penne pasta as per the instructions given on the packet.

 

·        Heat oil in a wok. Add onions and green chillies. Sauté till onions become translucent.

 

·        Add tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.

 

·        Now add the prepared pasta. Mix thoroughly.

 

·        Add white vinegar, green/red chilli sauce tomato sauce and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly.

 

·        Sauté for about half a minute and penne pasta is ready to serve.