COCONUT CHUTNEY

Ingredients:
Coconut - 3 to 4 pieces
Roasted Split Gram - 2 tsp
Green Chillies - 2nos
Small Onions - 3 to 4 nos
Garlic Cloves - 2 nos
Salt for taste

For Tempering:
Oil - 1 spoon
Mustard Seeds - 1 spoon
Few Curry Leaves
Red Chilles (Broken) - 1
Small Onions - 1 or 2 no

Method:

• Put coconut, green chillies, roasted split gram, small oninon, garlic cloves and salt in a blender with little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.


• Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds, onion, red chilli, curry leaves and stir till the mustard seeds crackle.


• Pour this over the chutney and mix well.

Serve with Dosa, Idli or Vadai

MANATHAKKALI & APPALAM VATRAL KUZHAMBU

Vatral Kuzhambu .. hmm ... Myself and my hubby likes this kuzhambu very much. He always used to say that I am good in making this. This is best when we have it in next day. I used Manathakkali seeds (which is good for mouth & stomach ulcer) and appalam.You try this and give me your comments.

Ingredients:
Manathakkali Seeds – 1 tsp
Urad Appalam – 2 Nos
Mustard Seeds – ½ spoon
Venthayam Seeds – ½ spoon
Small Onions – 1 small cup
Garlic Cloves – 4 or 5
Tomato – 1
Tamarind – a small lemon size
Gingerly Oil – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Power – 2 tsp

Method :

• Heat oil and add mustard, venthayam, manathakkali seeds,garlic and fry for few minutes.
• Then add onion, tomato, splitted appalam and curry leaves and stir for few minutes.
• Add chilly and coriander powder and stir well.
• Now add tamarind water, salt and make to boil for few minutes.
• When the content gets thickened remove and little ghee [Optional]

Serve this with appalam, coconut thuvayal, carrort / cabbage/ beans/ egg poriyal.

KOTSU

Ingredients:
Brinjals - 1/2 kg
Green Gram Dhal - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 5
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Curry Leaves
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 spoon
Salt for taste

Method:

• Cut brinjals into small pieces and keep it a side.
• Cook dhal for few minutes.
• When it is half cooked add chilies,onion, tomato and leave for few seconds.
• Now add the cut brinjals into it.
• Add salt for taste.
• Leave the gravy upto the brinjals gets mashed.
• Switch off and remove from flame.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and pour it into the dhal and brinjal gravy.
• Kotsu is ready to eat.

This will go well with Pongal.

VEN PONGAL

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Paasi Parupu - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 spoon
Black Pepper - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Curry Leaves - Few
Cashewnuts - 10 no.
Ghee - 2 tsp
Water
Salt for taste

Method :

• Wash rice and paruppu with ginger and 5 cups of water and cook for 10 mints.
• Simmer for few minutes and remove from fire.
• Heat a kadai and fry cashewnuts, pepper and cumin seeds along with curry leaves.
• Pour this over rice-dal mixture.
• Mix well.

Enjoy with coconut chutney and sambar or kothsu.

Optional : Cashewnuts can be added / removed according to taste. Also we can add pepper powder instead of pepper seeds.

AKSHAYA TRITIYA

Akshaya Trithiya is a highly auspicious day which falls on the third day after the New Moon (Amavasi) in the Hindu Month. Akshayam means “ growth”. In the tamil month of Chithirai, the thruthiyai which falls in the Shukla Paksham (valar pirai) is called Akshaya Thruthiyai. Thrythiyai occurs ever month, but the one in Chithirai is celebrated specially. On every thruthiyai, Chandra darisanam is considered auspicious. This year 2009, Akshaya Tritiya falls on 27th April, Monday.

There are numerous legends associated with Akshaya Tritiya; most popular is that :

Kuchela, the poor friend Of Krishna went to see Krishna with some aval (poha) tied in his upper cloth. Kannan welcomed Kuchela happily and putting a handful of poha in his mouth uttered the word “Akshayam”. At once, the humble abode of Kuchela became a palace & he became a very prosperous man.
Another legend is that Parasurama, the sixth avatara of Vishnu was born on this day.
Another legend suggests that the Pandavas received the Akshaya Pathram (bowl) from Lord Krishna (in the Mahabharata) on this day.
Lakshmi is supposed to have chosen this day to worship Lord Kubera on this day, to be blessed with Kubera Sampath.
Any new venture started on this day will last long and well.
It does not end there, it is the most ideal day to do charity, help the physically challenged, do financial helps for higher studies for needy, deserving people as well.
It is said that giving curd rice to others improves longevity of life.
Distribution of sweets, helps to get over the obstacles in getting married. Distribution of grains and cereals, prevents accidents and untimely death. By giving cattle feed, prosperity will increase.
So, let us do good deeds on this auspicious day and pray for good things in life.

HAIR CARE

For Dandruff

• Massage the Scalp with pure coconut oil. This will also help growth of hair.
• Apply coconut oil, which has been boiled with small onions for about 20 minutes. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.
• Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.
• Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and wash the hair with a mild shampoo.
• Apply a paste of fenugreek and mustard to the scalp.
• Mix Shikakai powder with the water drained from the cooked rice and wash the hair with it.
• Crush the leaves of five-petal hibiscus flower and take the juice. Wash the hair with this juice.
• Heat oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. After 30 minutes wash the hair with a herbal shampoo. Do the steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes.

For Healthy and Shiny hair

• It is better to apply castor oil for a healthy growth of hair.
• Apply besan in the hair and wash it with water drained from the cooked rice.
• Soak a handful of gooseberries in a cup of milk for two hours. Make a paste and apply on the hair.
• Apply the mixture of an egg white, 2 spoons of castor oil, 1 spoon glycerin, in the scalp and hair. Wash it after some time.
• Massage hair with warm coconut oil an hour before washing. Let it soak. Cover your head with a hot towel and wash your hair after an hour or so.
• Boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss and thinning.
• Do a 'steam-towel-wrap' once in a while, if your cuticles are damaged, as this steaming opens out the pores and absorbs the oil.
• Soak 1 teaspoon fenugreek in curd and keep it for a night. Apply it in the next morning.
• Boil coconut oil with the juices of curry leaves, basil, hibiscus flower and gooseberry. Apply on hair, keep it for sometime and rinse.
• Add a lemon peel to a 'shikakai' and 'amla' mixture while washing your hair.
• Take a cup each coconut and mustard oil. Soak half a cup of curry leaves in the oil mixture and keep it for a night. Next morning, heat on a slow fire till the curry leaves turn crisp. Remove from heat and add two to three camphor balls. Allow oil to cool and then strain. Apply oil to hair roots using cotton wool along the parting and massage in circular movements. Leave the oil overnight and shampoo the next morning. Repeat twice a week.

For Graying

• Take a little Mehandi , an egg, juice of half a lemon, one table spoon of instant coffee powder. Mix it together and apply on the hair. Wash it after 45 minutes.
• Take a little Mehandi, tea water, one table spoon of amla powder. Mix together and keep it for whole night and apply on your hair in next morning. Wash it after 45 minutes.

Natural Conditioners

• Henna is a herbal treatment with good conditioning abilities.
• Egg white is a good conditioner for hair.
• Deep condition with curd, beer and egg.
• Mix a little vinegar in warm water and rinse your hair with this solution. This will add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.

SKIN CARE

For Glowing Skin

• A facemask of egg white and honey gently removes the tan from your face.
• Mix oats with honey, yogurt and ground almonds. Apply this in your face, leave it for five minutes and wash with lukewarm water.
• Cucumber is a natural cleanser. Mix cucumber juice with milk and use it instead of a cleanser.
• For oily skin, apply a mixture of grapes, lemon and egg white. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water. While lemon acts as a natural cleanser, grapes will soften your skin and egg whites will tighten it. Don’t be alarmed if your skin tingles.
• Cut the lemon and rub the wedge all over your face. Leave it for about 20 minutes, then rinse off with cold water. This will refresh your face. Avoid doing this if you have dry skin.
• Mix honey, lemon and vegetable oil .This mixture is a good moisturiser for dry skin. Apply this mask for 10 minutes.
• Apply the mixture of honey and milk on the face . This will make your skin glow.
• Prepare a mask by mixing a slice of pumpkin with egg yolk and milk. Let this mask set on your face for 30 minutes for a glowing skin.
• Mix half-a-cup honey to your bath water for soft and smooth skin.
• For a soothing body pack, prepare a paste of mint leaves and almonds. Mix it with warm water and apply all over your body. Leave it till it dries and rinse with warm water.
• Buttermilk dabbed on skin for 15 minutes will soak up oil from your skin without drying it.
• Carrot juice applied daily fades blemishes.
• For dark underarms and neck apply lemon juice mixed with cucumber juice and a pinch of turmeric daily. Leave this on for 20 minutes.
• For removing facial hair.. Apply a sticky paste of egg white blended with sugar and corn flour. When it dries, gently peel it off. Repeat this three to four times a week.
• Thin apple slices rubbed onto oily skin will help in controlling oily shine.
• For supple skin, apply a ripe smashed banana on your face for 20 minutes daily.
• For a fair skin, try this natural bleach. Mix orange peels (sun dried and powdered) with milk. Apply this paste for 25 minutes and wash off.
• Mix half teaspoon dried curry leaf powder with multani mitti (fullers earth) and apply on the face. Wash it after it gets dry.
• Apply the mixture of tomato juice and honey on the face and neck , wash it after 15 minutes.
• Apply the mixture of carrot juice and basin. Leave it till it dries and wash the face.
• Add two teaspoon of tomato juice with 4 teaspoon of curd and apply on the face.
• Add a pinch of yeast with 2 teaspoon of cabbage juice and apply.
• Mix 1 table spoon of barley powder with half teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply it on the face and wash after 20 minutes.
• Mix pineapple juice and carrot juice together and apply it on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.
• Mix vinegar and rose water in equal quantities and apply.
• Mix curd and cucumber juice and apply it on the face.
• Apply the mixture of coconut water and thick pineapple juice.
• Make a paste with 1/2 teaspoon of milk powder, 1/4 teaspoon of egg white and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and apply on the face.
• For dry skin, Make a paste with egg yolk, olive oil and lemon juice. Apply it on the neck and face, wash it out after 10 minutes.
• For oily skin, take a mixture of oatmeal and egg white and apply it on the neck and face
• For glowing skin, use basin or green gram powder mixed with milk instead of soap.
• Apply the mixture of raw turmeric and cream of milk on the face and wash it after 20 minutes. It will make your skin fair.
• Apply the mixture of honey, basin, cream of milk and olive oil as a face pack.
• Apply the paste of fenugreek with milk on the face and let it dry. Wash off with luke warm water.
• Make a paste of red sandal wood and apply it on the face every day for glowing skin.
• Make a paste with red sandal powder and coconut milk and apply on the face for soft skin.

For Black Spots

• Make a paste with mehndi and oil and apply on the face
• Make a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and glycerin and apply it on the spots
• Apply the paste of turmeric and curry leaves on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.
• Apply a mixture of mehndi and turmeric. For a piece of turmeric, 2-3 leaves of mehndi are used
• Grind dried basil leaf, neem and mint (100 gm each). Add some turmeric powder and rose water to make it in a paste form and apply it on the spots.
• Grind betel leaf and add a little coconut oil and apply it on the spots
• Soak a chappathi in milk overnight . Make it into a paste and apply it on black heads. Repeat for several days
• Make a paste of saffron and add some honey , apply it on the face to remove black spots.
• To remove black spots... apply a paste of turmeric and basil.
• To remove wrinkles on the face, apply a mixture of sandalwood powder, rosewater and glycerin. Wash with cold water after some time

For Pimples

• Apply a mixture of turmeric and neem paste on the face.
• A mixture of crushed mint leaves and oats will reduce pimples. Leave this for 20 minutes and wash it with warm water.
• Mix thick curd, turmeric and two drops of oil. Apply on the face.
• Crush garlic and take the juice and apply it on the face daily to reduce pimples
• Make a paste with sandalwood and turmeric and apply it on the face.