The Reader's Cafe - Train of Thought

This blog is in continuation with my previous blog  List of Top Smartwatches under ₹999 with good customer feedback! Here is the list of smartwatches in ₹1000-₹2000 range with good customer feedback: 1) Fastrack reflex 2.0 Uni-sex activity tracker - Calorie counter, Call and message notifications and up to 10 Day battery Life - SWD90059PP04 / SWD90059PP04 - ₹1,495 - 3.7 out of 5 rating Shop here 2) W34 Bluetooth Smartwatch with Heart Rate Monitor | BP Monitor | Call and Message Reminder | Anti Lost Feature Compatible with All Smartphones (Pink) - ₹1,999 - 4 out of 5 rating Shop here Redmi Smart Band - (Direct USB Charging, Full Touch Colour Display, Upto 14-Day Battery Life, Works with Xiaomi Wear App) - ₹1,399 - 3.3 out of 5 rating Shop here HONOR Band 5 (Olive Green)- Waterproof Full Color AMOLED Touchscreen, SpO2 (Blood Oxygen), Music Control, Watch Faces Store, up to 14 Day Battery Life - ₹1,999 - 4.1 out of 5 rating Shop here ITRUE W34 Fit Pro Series 4 - Smart Watch with Calling F

Smartwatch is one of the popular gadgets that everyone would love to own. It's features makes it more useful and reliable for tracking our everyday activities. There is a smartwatch in the market which has following features:  GPS Optical heart sensor Step tracker Sleep pattern tracker Incoming call notification Accelerometer and gyroscope Swim proof/waterproof Whatsapp message notification ECG  7 sports mode such as - Walking, Running, Cycling, Skipping, Badminton, Basketball & Football. Here is the list of best budget smartwatches under 999 Rupees. These watches may or may not have all the features listed above : 1)  STEEZE Multi-function Square Dial Wrist Smart Watch for Men and Women (Black) - ₹801 - 4.3 out of 5 rating. Shop here 2) JOKIN A1 Android Smart Watch Smartwatch Bluetooth Touchscreen Sweat Proof Phone with Camera TF/SIM Card Slot for Android and iPhone Smartphones - ₹899 - 4.5 out of 5 rating Shop here 3 Ringke Air Sports Case Designed for Galaxy Watch Active 2 4

Ingredients ¾ cup sifted flour ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp baking soda ½ cup softened margarine ½ cup sugar ½ cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup walnuts 1 tbsp orange rind 1 ½ cup quick cooking oatmeal Steps Grease cookie sheet, sift together dry ingredients. Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture until well moistened. Stir in oatmeal, nuts and rind. Drop by tsp fuls 2” apart. Bake at 350 F for 8 min.

Ingredients Preparation time : 30 minutes Serves: 4 Required ingredients: Oil -- 3 tbsp Black Mustard Seeds -- 1/4 tsp Curry Leaves -- 8 Red Chili Powder -- 1/2 tsp Turmeric -- 1/4 tsp Salt to Taste Set 1 Raw Bananas (different than unripe bananas we eat) -- 4 Tamarind Paste -- 1.5 tbsp Set 2 Cumin Seeds -- 1 tsp Garlic -- 4 cloves Ginger -- 1/2 inch piece Cloves -- 2 Uncooked Rice -- 1 tsp Steps 1) Make Set 2 into a paste (adding a few drops of water) and keep aside. 2) Raw bananas should be cut into four pieces each. Remove the skin and keep aside. 3) In a deep skillet heat oil, add mustard seeds and when seeds start popping add curry leaves and the above paste (of Set 2). Fry on moderate heat for one minute. Add 1.5 cups water, tamarind paste, and the banana pieces. Also add red chili powder, turmeric and salt. Let cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the gravy thickens. Note: Some tamarind paste can be very sour, so you may need to adjust according to your taste. You can add a

Stuffed Rice Balls can be prepared in two ways. It can either baked or fried.  Ingredients Rice flour 1 cup Water 1 1/4 cup a pinch of salt 1 tsp oil Method 1. Boil the water adding the salt and the oil. 2. Add the rice flour and stir it until it forms a lump. 3. Cooking the rice flour should take only 2 mts. 4. As soon as it is done, cover it for about 10 mts. 5. Knead it well until its very smooth. 6. Make little cups and stuff it with the stuffing you have prepared and steam it for about 10 mts. Stuffing: 1. There are many varieties of stuffing. The most popular is sweet coconut stuffing. 2 cups fresh coconut grated, 1/2 cup jaggery powder, one pinch of cardamom powder. 2. Put all these ingredients in a heavy bottomed kadai with 2 tablespoon of water and keep on stirring for about 10 mts or until the moisture dries. It should not be too dry either. Make small balls about the size of a cherry. This can be prepared a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. Mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in many cuisines (notably Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese). Mushroom Nutrition values Source: Wikipedia Mushroom Pepper Manchurian Dry Recipe Ingredients for preparing the batter for 200 gms of mushroom:  3-4 tbsp all-purpose flour 3 tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp rice flour (can be added for crispness)  Half tsp black pepper powder 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste (Optional) Soya sauce(Optional - It can added in the final step) Salt Ingredients for manchurian:  Half Capsicum/Bell pepper (Red, Green, Yellow) 2 Medium Sized Onion Spring onions (Optional) 2-3 Green chillies (cut into halves) 10-12 finely chopped Garlic  Coriander leaves for garnishing Soya Sauce Steps 1) Wash, rinse, wipe and cut mushrooms into two halves. 2) Deep Fry mushroom mixed with batter. 3) Heat oil in another pan. Add spring onions,

Masala dosa or masale dose or masala dosa is a variation of the popular South Indian dosa, which has its origins in Tuluva Mangalorean cuisine of Tulunadu. It is made from rice, lentils, potato, methi, and curry leaves, and served with chutneys and sambar. I personally love masala dosa and have tasted it in various places. I am a foodie. Here are the ten best places where we can taste the best masala dosas: 1) Vidyarthi Bhavan Vidyarthi Bhavan is a vegetarian restaurant in Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi, South Bengaluru Bangalore. It is a local landmark of old "Bangalore" architecture and heritage. Founded in 1943, the restaurant has been visited by many personalities such as Bharatratna Dr. C N R Rao, Padma Vibhushan Chief Justice (retd) Sri M N Venkatachaliah, Padma Shri Dr. K S Nissar Ahmed, and Padma Shri Smt Sudha Murthy. The restaurant is noted for its crispy "Masale Dose", especially the "Sagu Masale Dose". Address: 32, Gandhi Bazaar Main Rd, Gandhi

Paneer is an important part of the Indian cuisine, and like any other food, is nourishing and healthy when taken in the right amounts.  Paneer is made by curdling milk using food-derived acid. Paneer is a good choice for proteins, especially in a vegetarian diet. Paneer contains lower amounts of carbohydrates as compared to dals. It can be prepared for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It can be served as healthy snack for kids. Preparation time  : 30-40 minutes Ingredients  For the dough 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour 2 teaspoons Sunflower Oil Salt to taste For the filling 250 grams Button Paneer finely chopped/grated 1 Onion finely chopped 1 small capsicum 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera) 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder 1/2 teaspoon chat masala (Optional) 2 Green Chillies finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) Ghee or oil for cooking Steps to prepare stuffed paneer paratha 1) Prepare soft dough using ingredients mentioned above. 2) Heat oil in a kadai or pan on medium heat. Add cumin s

Ingredients Gram flour - 300 g Rice flour - 200 g red chilli powder - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp Sesame seeds,  cumin seeds - 2 tsps Ghee - 2 tsp Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp Method Mix all the ingredients into a thick paste and make murukku as in curd murukku. Checkout my other recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Popular links which describes this recipe: Hebbar's Kitchen Swathi's Kitchen Veg Recipes of India Recipe Video

Ingredients Onion 1 large Green peppers 2 Tomatoes 2 large Broccoli 1/2 lb. Cauliflower 1/2 lb. Butter 4 tbsp. Red Chili Powder 1 tsp. Turmeric 1/2 tsp. Ginger 1 in. stick Garlic 3 cloves White vinegar 2 tbsp. Tomato puree 2 tbsp. Method 1) Chop onion; cut green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower into 1 in. cubes. 2) Melt butter and saute onion. Add all the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat. 3) Add the spices and vinegar. Stir in the tomato puree, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Bonus Recipe Dal radish Ingredients   1 cup toovar dal (soaked in water for one hour)  2 radishes  1 large tomato  1 large onion  1 tbsps Sambar powder  1 tsp. Jaggery  2 tbsps. finely grated coconut  A little mustard  2 sprigs of curry leaves  6 whole cashew nuts 2 tbsps. oil Salt to taste.  Method  Scrape and cut radish into round pieces. Heat oil in a kadai. Put in the mustard. When it sputters add chopped onion

  Ingredients 150 gm puffed rice (murmura) - washed and soaked in water for 2 hours. 60 gm mawa 1/4 tsp baking powder Oil for frying Stuffing 90 gm Amul Cheese-grated 90 gm mawa 100 gm sugar 1 tbsp cashew nuts-chopped 2 tsp grated coconut 1 tbp raisins-chopped 1 tsp chironji-chopped Syrup 200 gm sugar 3 cups water 1 tbsp milk 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 2 tsp rose essence Silver foil for decoration Method Prepare syrup by boiling together the sugar and water. And milk and remove the scum as it surfaces. Boil till 3 cups of clear syrup are obtained. Remove from fire and flavour with essence and cardamom powder. Keep aside. Cook the mawa for stuffing in frying pan till it is golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. form into small balls and keep separately. Squeeze out the water from the puffed rice and mix it with the rest of the ingredients for Jamuns except oil. Knead well and from into as many balls as the number of stuffing balls you have.  Flatten out the puffed rice

The Thai soup with the intriguing flavour of lemon grass. Preparation time : 15 minutes.Cooking time: 10 minutes.Serves 6. 6 tea cups clear vegetable stock 1 green chilli, cut lengthwise 10 to 15 canned mushrooms, sliced 10 to 12 cauliflower florets (parboiled) 1 tablespoon roughly chopped lemon grass 2 pinches Ajinomoto powder (optional) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 to 3 drops oil salt to taste Method 1. put the stock to boil. 2. Add the green chilli, mushrooms, cauliflower, lemon grass, Ajinomoto and salt and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Add the lemon juice and top with oil. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Popular links which describes this recipe: https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetarian-tom-yum-soup-3217762 https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/tom-yum-soup-recipe/ https://www.archanaskitchen.com/vegetarian-tom-yum-soup-flavoured-with-lemon-grass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx0UL9J628o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p

Ingredients Spinach 1 bunch Crushed fennel seeds (sounf) Ginger Hing (Asafoetida) Dried red chilies Green chilies Method 1) Dry roast the ginger and fennel seeds and remove. In oil sprinkle heeng and add red chilies and then green chilies.  2) Add fennel seeds and ginger and fry. Add spinach and cook covered. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Healthy Spinach Haak Recipe: Haak Recipe Kashmiri Haak Recipe - Video Haak Recipe - Video

Ingredients 1 cup chopped apple (without skin) 1 cup chopped banana 1 cup grated carrot 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup milk powder 1 cup coconut 3/4 cup ghee 2 cups sugar/Jaggery Method Grind carrot & milk. Mix all the ingredients together except ghee. Keep on stirring till the apple & banana pieces are cooked & the halwa becomes one mass. Then add ghee, cardamom powder. Remove from the stove top & decorate with nuts of your choice. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa (ABC Halwa) Recipe: ABC Halwa - Video ABC Halwa Recipe Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa Recipe

  Ingredients 2 cups tur dal 6-7 green chilies, chopped 3tb.spoon cumin seeds 1 pinch asafoetida Salt to taste 3 tb.spoon finely chopped coriander leaves 3-4 tb spoon grated coconut Method 1. Soak toor dal overnight. Then wash it thoroughly. 2. Grind it coarsely. 3. Then add chopped chillies, coriander leaves, grated coconut, cumin seeds, asafoetida & salt mix it thoroughly. 4. Then make small koftas (balls) with the mixture pressure cook for 15  min. 5. Serve hot with rice dishes or chapati. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Toor Daal Kofta Recipe: Dal Kofta Toor daal kofta recipe video

Ingredients Milk - 1 cup gram flour - 1 cup Sugar - 3 cups Grated coconut - 1 cup Ghee - 1 cup Dry fruits Methods 1) Mix well and heat in a fry pan until it becomes soft. 2) Add semi-powdered dry fruits for garnishing. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of 7-Cup Sweet Burfi Recipe: 7 cup burfi Seven cup burfi recipe - video Festival sweet - Video 7 Cup burfi recipe

Making time : 40 minutes Ingredients 3 large potatoes 1 capsicum 1/2 cup grated cheese 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 cup milk 1 Red chilli crushed 2 tsp butter 1 tbsp. plain flour Method 1. The potatoes will turn out best if boiled and refrigerated overnight before using. 2. Do not peel potatoes. Slice into thin rounds or grate coarsely. 3. Deseed capsicum and slice into thin rounds 4. Heat a thick nonstick pan about 5" diameter. 5. Meanwhile mix cheese, milk, crumbs, flour and chilli. 6. If mixture feels thin, add some more bread crumbs. 7. Add salt to taste. Apply 1 tsp. on bottom of pan. 8. Arrange potatoes to cover the pan. Top with capsicum. 9. Pour the mixture all over evenly. Level to cover all the potatoes. 10. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, salt and simmer on low till bottom is golden brown. 11. Flip over very carefully with a wide sharp spatula, and roast the other side. 12. Let in the remaining butter around the edges to seep down. 13. Let other side become golden brown too.

Making time : 10 minutes (excluding chilling and baking time) Makes : 6 rolls Ingredients 6 slices soft bread fresh 1 tbsp. butter softened 2 flakes garlic crushed 1/2 tsp. crushed red chilli salt to taste 1 tbsp. grated cheese Method 1. Roll the bread flat with the help of a rolling pin. 2. Mix the salt, chilli, garlic in the butter. 3. Apply on all slices generously. 4. Roll one slice tightly from end to end. 5. Brush all over with a bit of butter. 6. Coat the roll with grated cheese by rolling in it. 7. Repeat for all slices. Cover rolls with a moist cloth. 8. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 9. Bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes or till golden brown and crisp. 10. Serve hot with ketchup. Note: If you have trouble keep the rolls in place when raw, secure them with toothpicks before placing in the fridge.  Remove toothpicks  before baking. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and vi

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups wheat flour 1/2 cups gram flour 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp oil salt to taste 1/2 turmeric powder 2-3 pinches asafoetida 1/2 tsp each cumin / oregano seeds finely chopped coriander 1 tbsp water Method Knead a slightly stiff dough, adding all above ingredients, cover with wet cloth. Break off bits and make small potato sized balls. Roll to 3-4 mm thickness.  Roast on griddle (tawa) as for phulka. Or after brown spots appear place direct on gas flame and puff, with help of tongs. Phulka also may be done similarly if puffing with cloth, feels difficult. Apply ghee or butter and serve hot with sweetened mango preserve (chunda) or curds or jam. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Tasty Spicy Roti Recipe: 6 Amazing roti collection - Video Masala Roti Masala Paratha Spicy Roti

  Ingredients 2 cups plain flour (maida) 100 gms. chilled butter 1/2 tsp. salt chilled water For Filling 2 cups Chopped vegetables of choice (eg. potatoes, peas, beans, carrot, spinach, cauliflower etc, All or any) 2 onions 1 tomato 2 green chillies 1/2" piece ginger 1 tbsp. oil 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder 1/2 tsp. curry masala (or garam masala) 1 tbsp. cream 1 tsp. corn flour salt to taste Method Sieve together flour and salt. Add chilled butter. Mix with fork till mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle chilled water over it. Quickly, with light hand mix the dough into a lump. Do not over knead. Chill dough for 15 mins. in a plastic bag. Roll dough into 4" thick round. Place over a greased pie plate. Prick with a fork all over. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 mins., or till light brown. Keep aside. Filling Grate tomato, onion, ginger. Finely chop green chillies. Chope and boil other vegetables. Heat oil in a skillet, add the grated vegetables and chillies. Cook for 4-5 mins. Stirring o

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups of grated white radish 5-6 tbsp scraped fresh coconut 3 green chillies 1 tsp Roasted Gram (Hurugadle) 5-6 garlic flakes, crushed 3-4 peppercorns 1 small piece ginger 1 tsp tamarind juice Salt to taste 1 tbsp cooking oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaves Method Blend together the coconut, tamarind, peppercorns , roasted gram, green chillies and the ginger. When it's almost smooth in texture, add the garlic. Salt to taste and the grated radish. Run the blender for about 3-4 secs. The radish and garlic should be about a quarter  mashed up. Remove from the blender and season with  mustard seeds and curry leaves. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of White Radish/Moolangi Chutney: Radish Chutney Recipe Mullangi Pachadi Recipe - Video Spicy Mullangi Recipe