Beverage: Watermelon Chiller

I needed a cool drink to beat the summer heat and found this cool watermelon drink in Shobha Indani’s book ‘Swad Sugandh’.  This Watermelon Chiller recipe serves 6.

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Rajasthani Teej Dalia Sattu | Teej Pinda

There are various types of Sattu made from rice flour, chickpea flour, wheat flour, and split roasted gram dal for the festival of Teej.

This is a simple and quick recipe of making Saatu for Teej using Split Dalia (aka Phutaani Daal).  The same recipe can be used to make Dalia Ke Laddoo as well.

(Click here if you're looking for some Marwari Teej Saatu Decoration Ideas.
Click here if you want to learn about some customs for Badi Teej festival.)

Saatu for Rajasthani festival Teej

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Humor: World May Change; Friends Will Never!

Result agar accha ho:	When you pass your exam:
Maa – Bhagwan ki kripa hai.	Mom:  Grateful to God.
Papa – Beta kiska hai.	Dad:  My son after all.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Result agar bura ho:	When you fail your exam:
Maa – Aag lage is college main.	Mom:  Your college sucks.
Papa – Laad pyar ne bigaad diya.	Dad:  Our love spoilt you.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Naukri lagne par:	When you get a job:
Maa – Apni sehat ka khyal rakhna.	Mom:  Take care of yourself.
Papa – Khoob mehnat se kaam karma.	Dad:  Work hard.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Naukri chootne par:	When you lose your job:
Maa – Naukri hi kharab thee.	Mom:  Workplace was bad.
Papa – Koi baat nahin, doosri mil jayegi.	Dad:  Don’t worry, you’ll find another.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Birthday par:	On your birthday:
Maa – Jug jug jiye mera beta.	Mom:  Wish you a long life.
Papa – Hamesha aage badhe.	Dad:  Wish you success always.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Love main fail hone per:	When you’re heartbroken in love:
Maa – Beta Bhool ja usko.	Mom:  Forget her.
Papa – Mard ban.	Dad:  Be a man.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Shaadi par:	On your wedding:
Maa – Sadaa sukhi raho.	Mom:  Wish you happy life.
Papa – Khush raho.	Dad:  Wish you happy life.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Bachha hone par:	On birth of your first baby:
Maa – Bilkul mere bete par gaya/gayi hai.	Mom:  Looks just like my son.
Papa – Khush raho.	Dad:  Blessings.
Dost – Chal daaru peete hain.	Friends:  Let’s go drink.
Moral of the story:	Moral of the story:
Duniya badal jati hai, dost kabhi nahin badalte!	World changes, but friends don’t!

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Note:  Received original in Hindi in an e-mail; just translated it!  No idea where it originated from!

Recipe: Aloo Paratha/Potato-Stuffed Flatbread

After trying several different recipes of Aloo Paratha, I had to settle with this one from Shobha Indani’s book ‘Swad Sugandh’, and here’s why.


Most of the Aloo Paratha recipes I came across and made earlier had mashed potato mixed with herbs & spices and stuffed inside the dough, very easy & simple.  But when I tasted the below recipe of Aloo Paratha which required cooking the potato mixture prior to stuffing in paratha, it reminded me of the yummy & addictive Aloo Parathas found in Indian Dhaba!


Give it a try.

Very popular Aloo ka Paratha - Potato stuffed Indian flatbread

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Sangeet Dance (Bollywood / Hindi) Song Ideas

After I searched over months for some good sangeet songs for dance performances for my wedding, I decided it was high time to compile them in a single file for future reference (and to save a large amount of time!).  Below are various kinds of Bollywood and Hindi songs suggested for Sangeet Sandhya.

Some are emotional ones, some are romantic.  Some of the songs are item numbers; some are happy-to-get-married songs.  Some songs are for the bride to perform on, some apt for the groom.  Some are solo, some are duets.  Some of the songs are for friends to perform on, some are for family members.  Some are for couples, some are for bride/groom's relatives.

Some of the songs can be combined to make a story, some can be put together as a theme.  Some can be used as a background for slideshow presentation, some for a group dance.  Some fast numbers for youngsters to perform on, some make for a good comedy or parody.  Some old gold songs for the elder couples, some ....  the choice is yours :-)

Update (1 Feb 2013):  I appreciate your comments and questions, but if you ask me to go through the 180 songs to help select some for you, it is not possible.  The list of songs below is for you to choose a suitable song on your own.  Please make good use of the list; a lot of my time and effort has gone into compiling it.  Thanks for understanding!

Update (10 June 2013): Looking for some song ideas to tease the bride or groom at sangeet? 

Update (17 July 2013): Dear Readers, while I am regularly updating this table of sangeet songs that I have been compiling since 3 years (ever since my wedding) - I have noticed several blogs copying this list of songs and using it on their blog.  Pasting only the link to this post is better than copying the entire post.  When information shared by someone's effort is sufficient on one blog - the SAME content NEED NOT be copied on other blogs.  And to those who bring such copied blogs/posts to my notice - thank you.

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Creative Ideas to Reuse, Recycle & Repurpose

I have always strongly believed in the 3R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  And now the fourth R: 'Repurpose'.  Here are interesting and multiple uses of old things, substitutes for unavailable materials, 2-in-1 usage of an item, and creative ideas of using stuff - all from your home and kitchen - that's what this page is all about.  Let me see how many of you go, "Oh yeah, I never thought about that!"


Note:  These photos and ideas are NOT mine!
Source:  www.realsimple.com

                    

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Baingan Bharta Recipe (Mashed Eggplant)

Eggplants are not a favorite of manyyyyy people, I know.  But when eggplant is grilled, mashed, mixed and cooked well with other veggies, herbs and spices, it is easier to accept and adapt this dark shade vegetable.

This recipe for Mashed Eggplant Curry or Baingan ka Bharta [Baingan aka eggplant/brinjal] serves 4-6 people.

Mashed Brinjal | Baingan ka Bhurta

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