Herbal Chai (Tea)

This herbal Chai contains more then one herb. This is my contribution to the weekend herb blogging hosted by Anh of Food lovers Journey . She has a lovely blog and I couldnt stop myself from contributing.

The first herb is Tulsi. The Tulsi (also known as Tulasi) plant or Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is an important symbol in many Hindu religious traditions. The name "tulsi" means "the incomparable one". Tulsi is a venerated plant and devotees worship it in the morning and evening in India. The aroma of tulasi is divine.

Tulsi as an Ayurvedic medicine

Tulsi’s extracts are used in ayurvedic remedies for common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria. Traditionally, tulsi is taken in many forms: as an herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf, or mixed with ghee(clarified butter). Essential oil extracted from Karpoora Tulsi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal toiletry. For centuries, the dried leaves of Tulsi have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.

Its aroma is distinctively different to its close cousin, the Thai Basil which is sometimes wrongly called Holy Basil, in shops and on the internet, but they can be distinguished by their aroma and flavour. Holy Basil is slightly hairy, whereas Thai Basil is smooth and hairless, also Holy Basil does not have the strong aniseed or licorice smell of Thai Basil; and Holy Basil has a hot, spicy flavor sometimes compared to cloves
(For more info ask wiki)

The second herb is fennel seeds. It is a aromatic seed usually used as mouth freshner. But it is also used in Indian food for its unique aroma and strong taste. Fennel seeds also have a lot of medicinal properties.

Third herb is Ginger, I need not say much about this herb as many of you know about it. Ginger and its extracts aid digestion, help relieve stomachaches, flatulence, and promote circulation.Powdered ginger is very effective in treating motion sickness. It’s especially given to kids for proper digestion. Fresh mashed ginger root, when applied to burns, eases the pain.The combination of Pepper, ginger along with honey or cane sugar relieves sore throat, cough and cold.

The fourth is cardamom. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance. It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking, and is often used in baking. In India, green cardamom (A. subulatum), or "elaichi," is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It is also reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom.
(Source Wiki)

Ingredients

1cup of water
1cup of milk
2tsp tea powder
3-4 leaves of tulasi
1pod crushed cardamom
1tsp roasted and crushed fennel seed
1tsp grated ginger
sugar.


Preparation

Boil all the ingredients in water for 5 minutes or more and then add milk to this mixture and bring it to a boil. Strain the tea and enjoy. This tea is good for weight reduction, muscle and joint pain. It is very refreshing and aromatic with all the blend of herb and spices. I am serving the tea with some Kaju Pakodis (Cashew savory snack).
I got some dried leaves of tulasi packed from India. Nothing can substitute Tulasi but those who find it difficult to get tulasi can use cloves instead.

Sunny-side Up and crispy French Fries!!!

Did you all like my Sunny-side up and Crispy French fries? I am sure you all need the recipe.

If you all are thinking, “This girl is out of her mind…., what a recipe to post!! Sunny-side up????!! What on the earth is wrong with her??…. And French fries???…. now she expects us to post a comment on it???? What do I comment?? Nice sunny-side up!!!!. (Sarcastic) Will try to make it for sure!!!! Thanks……

If these were your thoughts then I am very much successful in making you a fool on April 1st.
Now you guys might want to know the recipe right??
It’s very simple. The fake Sunny-side up is whipped crèam topped with canned peach halves and the faux French fries are bread sticks cut in thin strips and brushed with butter.


I was very successful in making a fool of my hubby and Adi. My hubby hates the look of sunny-side up and was getting annoyed that “knowingly why she is giving me this” ?
Little Adi is too small to know what is April fool and ate up all the bread sticks thinking that they were French fries, with out knowing that he is being cheated. Cute isn’t it?

Hope you all will enjoy doing this for your hubby and kids and will fake them with these great tricky recipes!!!

Tangy Cilantro spirals!!

The idea of making these spirals just popped up in my mind when I was walking through the aisles and came across these frozen spirals. Suddenly I thought I could make them with breadstick dough. I also wanted to make something for weekend herb blogging, so why not a tangy cilantro chutney inside the small spiral buns. In India we get buns stuffed with savory, even puff pastry is a delicious savory there. I couldn’t find anything like that in US bakeries. I saw all the buns or crescent rolls dipped and coated in icing sugar, cinnamon and topped with powdered sugar. Any version of bread, buns or pastry is sweet here. So I thought why not create a new combination. Thus was born the “Cilantro spirals”.
This is my contribution to the weekend herb blogging hosted by Kalyn .

Food Facts!!

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also commonly called cilantro in North America.

The fresh leaves are an essential ingredient in many Vietnamese foods, Asian chutneys, Mexican salsas and guacamole, and very tasty when used in sushi rolls. Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving. (Though in some Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used in huge amounts and cooked till they dissolve into sauce and their flavour mellows.

The fresh coriander herb is best stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers, after chopping off the roots. The leaves do not keep well and should be eaten quickly, as they lose their aroma when dried or frozen.

(Source Wiki)

Ingredients

Pillsbury breadstick dough
Butter for coating
½ cup chopped onions
Shredded cheese for topping

For the chutney

3 cups fresh cilantro
2 green chillies
½ cup thick tamarind puree
3tbsp-grated jaggery
Salt

Preparation

Prepare the chutney by grinding all the ingredients together without pouring water. The chutney becomes watery automatically from the jaggery, salt and tamarind puree.
You can increase or decrease the amount of chillies and jaggery depending on your taste buds.
Now cut the bread sticks lengthwise and top it with chutney and chopped onions.
Roll them gently as shown in the picture and brush it up with some melted butter and top it with cheese. Bake it for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until they get a beautiful golden brown color. Enjoy them along with a hot cup of tea. Ummm…. Heavenly!!