Diwali: Rava Mawa Laddoo

October 21, 2014Leave a comment

1 cup sooji/rava
1/3 cup coconut desiccated/ flakes
1/2 cup ghee roasted nuts and raisins
1/2- 3/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup ghee (warm/melted)
2-3 cardamom pod seeds crushed
1/3-1/2 cup warm milk

In a heavy bottom pan, heat up 1-2 Tbsp ghee and roast the rava for 7-8 minutes on low/med heat. Be careful not to let the rawa turn brown. Add the coconut and sugar. Mix well and roast for an additional 2-3 minutes.

In a shallow big bowl, add the rawa mixture, the dry fruits and the cardamom seeds. Mix well. Add 2-3 Tbsp of warm milk and mix well again till moist. Let cool gently but not completely.

Using greased palms, make small balls of the mixture. Add more warm milk if needed (if mixture is too crumbly)..

Store the laddoos in an airtight container or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Diwali: Gulab Kalakand

October 21, 2014October 21, 2014Leave a comment

1 cup paneer/chana (soft fresh paneer)
1/2-3/4 cup condensed milk
2-3 Tbsp Milk powder
2 Tbsp butter melted

2 cardamom pods seeds crushed
1-2 Tbsp roasted pistachios crushed
1-2 Tsp Rose essence
1-2 Rose petals chiffonade

Mix the first 4 ingredients well in a heavy bottom pan. Adjust the condensed milk as per sweetness desired.
Cook on low/medium heat for up to 25-30 minutes.

Keep stirring making sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom. The mixture will turn a cool shade of beige/brown and leave the sides of the pan. (It may take you over 30 minutes depending on your stove range)

Add the rose essence. In a greased plate, layer the mixture. Using the back of a spatula, press down the mixture. Add the cardamoms and the nuts. Grease the spatula a bit if the mixture sticks.

Add the rose petals. Let set for an hour before cutting into pieces with a greased knife. Let set for an additional 4-5 hrs. Consume immediately or Keep in fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Since it is a milk product, don’t keep it for too long. Eat it!

Dessert Coffee

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014Leave a comment

Coffee, steamed milk, a big spoon of hazelnut spread…in a cup..

Avocado Cheese

October 14, 2014Leave a comment

Recipe for avocado cheese:

for 1 avocado; de-seed, mash with 1 Tbsp of ricotta cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Pre-Fall essentials! and a super Fun Collab AND a Virtual Party!! Post overload!

August 20, 2014August 20, 2014Leave a comment

It’s August folks! Can you believe it ?! Kids are getting ready to go back to school, Hoodies are going on sale, and shoe stores all over have boxes and boxes of new boots just begging to be opened and displayed!

If you have been a friend of Freaky Curry, you know my love for food and fashion! If you are new to this love fest, please check us out on different social media outlets every Wednesday for a fun and informative “Humpday” Mantra where I post about my take on current fashion.

Now, when I say Fashion, I primarily mean clothes, accessories, shoes etc.. Quite recently folks started asking me about my beauty regimen.. and I thought this would be a good addition to my ever growing repertoire of things I want to blog about. So please welcome my first “Beauty” related Humpday “Mantra”.

AND to make it sweeter, I am collaborating with a very sweet lady! A Family member and a fellow mom, and a beauty junkie!

So here you go !! Here are my pre-Fall essentials..

1. A functional neutral bag: Find something similar here

2. A statement fragrance: Find something similar here

3. Soft red lipstick: Find something similar here

4. Gold and Neutral matte eyeshadow: Find something similar here

5. A midnight blue eye liner: Find something similar here

6. THE BEST MASCARA in the world! : Find this here

and

7. A lightweight cashmere scarf in a bold color: (You know I had to add something accessory related!) Find something similar here

So NOW Let me introduce you to the fabulous Christina “Tina” Verma. She is a Younique beauty consultant and she is the one who introduced me to the fabulous mascara I have listed an absolute essential this season!

Look at the before and after pics of my lashes here!

Look at the sexy case!

Here is an excerpt of my interview with her;

1. How did you discover and What made you choose to sell Younique ?

A fellow yoga teacher invited me to an Online Lash Bash to share the news about this magical mascara; I tried it and was immediately obsessed! I knew right then that I wanted to host my own Lash Bash, aka online party, and tell all my friends about it. On day 3 of my party, these lashes were selling like crazy, so I decided I’d rather earn the commissions for myself (along with my hostess rewards!) so I invested $99 to get my Presenter’s Kit, which comes with $400 worth of makeup in a fantastic case AND a 3D Fiber Lashes mascara set!! This kit also includes my business website, back office, and PayQuicker (with debit/credit card) account which allows me to get paid every 3 hours!

2. What was your beauty regimen before using the products

My beauty regimen before Younique was mascara, blush, and lip gloss on a daily basis, but I had no real product loyalty. I have been searching for something that works and that I feel good about using, meaning non-toxic, cruelty-free, natural ingredients, and ethical business practices, but nothing really stood out for me.

3. What is your beauty regimen after you discovered Younique?

After Younique, my beauty regimen is mostly the same- mascara, blush and lip gloss, but with WAY better results! I’ve gotta be honest though- I’m having so much fun playing with all the new stuff in my kit that I’m getting more into makeup!! I’m experimenting with all the eye color pigments, and even dabbling in highlighting and contouring with the BB creams and concealers! It’s so cool how my face transforms with these techniques and products!!

4. What is the best part about this business? Personal growth, professional etc?

The best part about the business for me is this: I found my WHY. I’ve been ruminating on it ever since the Younique Convention earlier this month, and it took me a while to nail it down, but that’s because it really has little to do with me. As a yoga teacher, I got to see people getting healthy and happy by truly doing something wonderful for themselves; I was a catalyst for the powerful engine within them. I miss teaching for that reason, but I’m thrilled to discover that Younique has brought that back to me. I cannot express how deeply I care for my team members and the wins they want for themselves. Sure, it’s nice to get paid, but I would be honored to help my team reach their goals regardless of personal monetary compensation. The feel-good high I get from helping bring out the best (literally, the excellence that’s already within) in others is invaluable.

5. How can I become a Younique consultant?

If you want to join a fabulous company, with amazing products, and inspiring people, Younique is the way to go! “Our mission is to uplift, empower, validate, and ultimately build self-esteem in women around the world through high-quality products that encourage both inner and outer beauty and spiritual enlightenment while also providing opportunities for personal growth and financial reward.” It’s so much more than makeup, truly it is. Please contact me if you would like to be a part of our fun and inspirational journey at mad43dlashes@gmail.com, or go to my website and click “Join My Team” at www.mad43dlashes.com for more information.

You can browse and buy all the fabulous Younique products online here at Freaky Curry’s online virtual party! No need to leave your home !!

Freaky Curry’s Younique Virtual Party

Thank you so much Tina for getting me hooked to this fabulous product!! I cannot wait to try more!!

So folks there you go ! My Pre Fall essentials! Hope you get inspired by this and have a fabulous “beauty” season!!

Lentils and Spicy sausage soup

July 14, 2014Leave a comment

Perfect treat for a summer storm! Try my lentils and spicy sausage soup flavored with fennel, scallions and fresh cilantro.
I added onions, carrots, bell peppers and okra to add to the flavors of the soup. The flavor was enhanced with bay leaves.

Photo: Perfect treat for a summer storm! Try my lentils and spicy sausage soup flavored with fennel, scallions and fresh cilantro. I added onions, carrots, bell peppers and okra to add to the flavors of the soup. The flavor was enhanced with bay leaves. Recipe up in the comments soon!

1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 medium carrot chopped
1/2 a cup of chopped okra
1 small green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeño deseeded and minced (optional)
2-3 big tomatoes chopped
1 cup of uncooked lentils or 2 cups cooked lentils
8 oz. of ground sausage (I used spicy italian)
1 tsp of fennel seeds crushed
1-2 bayleaves (dried)
1/2-1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup each of chopped cilantro and scallions divided
Salt and black pepper to taste
Sauté onions, garlic, carrots and bell peppers till onions turn pink. About 5-6 minutes. Add the crumbled up sausage and brown thoroughly. Add the okra and the tomatoes and mix well. Add the lentils and the spices and mix well. Add 1-1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes (if using cooked lentils) or about 35-40 minutes (uncooked lentils) on medium heat to cook the lentils
and sausage all the way through. Adjust seasonings. Add the cilantro and scallions and mix well. Remove the bayleaves. Serve with extra cilantro and scallions.

Dessert breakfast!!

July 14, 2014July 14, 2014Leave a comment

Had to share my breakfast from this morning. Whole oats, coconut milk, fresh berries and brown sugar.. Dessert breakfast!!

NEWS!!! Lucky Contributor! And “Humpday” Mantra!

July 10, 2014July 10, 2014Leave a comment

Hard work and determination always fuels your heart’s desires.

Freaky Curry is now a contributor on Lucky magazine community for all things fashion, food and life!

Also, the blog has been rated as one of the top food blogs by mytaste.com Thank you for your support!

“Humpday” Mantra!! Flowers and Pearls…that’s today’s motivation. Feminine, delicate, fragile… All things Woman..and in a good way . I am NOT a floral person but when I saw this dress recently at a boutique, I knew I had to have it. It fit like a glove.. Cherry on the cake! Don’t you love it when that happens..I love the sash tie detail. It helps create a waist and gives the classic shift like dress some more structure. I styled it with neutrals because of the busy print on the dress. Blush shoes, nude eyelet purse and a simple matte gold cuff. I added the pearls and matte gold necklace to play into the femininity of the dress. A bold lip and nail color added the much needed “pop” for summer. Hope you like it. Stay cute in 2014! Also submitting this for the luckymag online community!

Mango Basundi

May 14, 2014May 14, 2014Leave a comment

To serve 4-6 generously;

1/2 Gallon of full milk
1/2 Gallon of half and half
1/2- 1 cup of sugar depending on your taste
3-4 cardamom pods seeds crushed
1 tsp of Saffron blossomed in a Tbsp of warm milk
1 cup of chopped ripe mangoes (or 1 cup of mango pulp)
Your choice of dry fruits roasted in ghee for garnishing

In a steel heavy bottom pan, Add the milk and the half and half and bring to a boil on high heat. (Keep stirring)
Lower the heat and simmer till the milk reduces to a half quantity and slightly changes color. (Keep stirring)
This will take about an hour or more so please be patient and keep stirring to avoid the milk solids from sticking to the pan.
Add the cardamoms and the saffron. Mix well. (Keep stirring)
Add the sugar to taste and cook further till the milk reduces to a quarter quantity. Check for sugar. Remove from the stove. (Stir)
Bring to room temperature before adding the mango.
Garnish with the dry fruits. Serve warm or chilled (at least 4-5 hrs).

Hara Bhara Kale Upma

April 8, 2014Leave a comment

To serve 2:

1 cup semolina lightly roasted on low heat for 4-5 minutes. (Semolina should not change color)

1/4 cup green peas
1/2 cup Kale leaves chopped fine
1/2″ ginger root peeled and minced
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions
1 Tbsp of curry leaves
1 Tsp of mustards seeds
1/2 Tbsp Urad dal
1-2 green chillies chopped fine
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Heat the oil for a couple of minutes. Add the mustard seeds and the urad dal to the oil. Let sputter till the dal is a nice golden brown. Add the onions, ginger, curry leaves and the Kale. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the onions turn translucent.