Prakruti Resorts....paradise in its own way!

Drive of 4 - 4 n half hours would take you in another world, far from city, far from hustle-bustle of life. A place where you can relax, splash water or just admire the Nature..... if you are still thinking what i am talking about.. Let me tell you i told you why i didn't visited the beaches in Mumbai.... this is the reason. We had planned a mini-vacation in Kashid.

Kashid is a beach town on the shores of Arabian sea, in the North Konkan region of Maharashtra,India. It's popular because of its white sand beaches. Beaches are very clear...more than the popular beaches of Goa.
We stayed at Prakruti Beach resort...which is paradise in its own way.! It's a four star luxury beach property spread over 100 acres. It have its own private beach which takes 5 minutes in bullock cart or you can just walk down. The cottages are pretty well done with minimal amenities but very airy. The balcony view either open to swimming pool or golf area.. Every apartment have a small little garden where hammocks are there for relaxing. You can find abundant of greenery around.....nature all around. The resort have swimming pool, kids area, mini golf, table tennis, pool & carom table, Spa.....& many other activities. All in all its a great place to relax your mind, body & soul.
We visited in April when it was little humid, but i guess its a year around place to travel. Monsoon will have its own charm.!

Its a picture heavy post... :)

Welcome to Paradise .....in its own way!

 This path will take me inside the resort..

 Pool view-1

 Pool view -2

Let's take a walk!

 Spa time!

 Buffet area facing park..

 The Bullock Cart takes you to & fro from beach!

A place to admire Mother Nature!

 Enjoy the beautiful surrounding.....

 Kashid beach...

Let's go for camel ride!

 View sunset from Prakruti's private beach....

Just relaxing!

Please note its not a paid review & all the pictures are mine. Thanks!

Mumbai Diary!

When you have half day and a city a explore....what you do ...explore the best things one can. Exactly, i did same. Though i was in city for 3 days but i thought to chitchat with my friend & let both the babies play, rather than moving out in humidity.

I started with a visit to temple, the famous Siddhi Vinayak Mandir(Lord Ganesha), i felt nostalgic....because i came here with my friends a decade ago...*sigh*. Best part about this day was, it was a voting day, so i didn't met any traffic. Took cab and traveled, picked hubby from his meeting point and then we went to Colaba Causeway... A shopper's paradise, especially for junk jewellery. We walked through the lanes but before that we had a quick bite at Cafe Mondegar (which marks the beginning of Colaba Causway, with Taj Hotel as Background)... Yummy chilli-cheese-toast... & cold coffee. U can even try Cafe Leopold, we heard good reviews about that too...but its 1st floor sitting is only air-conditioned, but where kids are not allowed & both my babies were not in a mood to sit between people under fans..so we avoided this place.

After exploring the place ,watching the beautiful architecture, a while you can forget you are in Mumbai- it could be any old European city. We walked till Gateway of India...took a horse ride....very touristy.. but very calming... Taj & other  on one side & Arabian sea on other side.!

Marine Drive....its walking distance only, since we had baby & walked too much we decided to take cab. Its also called "Queen's necklace", as the street light gives the illusion of necklace when viewed at night from any elevated point.

We tried Pizza by the Bay for dinner ...Its very chic with white interiors. A must visit from my side. Ended our day with Naturals Icecream, which is again walking distance from there. I don't even remember how many scoops & what all flavor we tried. :)

This is how our half day... or you can say my evening in Mumbai went.... What you do when you have few hours to explore a place ??

Now, if you think why we didn't go to any of the beaches....Stay tuned here...& you will find out soon! :)

Shaam Savera

As the name suggests, its opposite to each each other shaam(evening) savera(morning)...so as the dish. This dish is full of different flavors....opposite to each other yet together... Spinach & Panner Balls in Red Tomato Gravy. It's Sanjeev Kappor recipe ...I had this dish many times at his resturant... but tried for first time. Since i didn't had few ingredients as needed, i mended the recipe accordingly.

Hubby, the best critic for every situation gave thumbs up for the taste.... believe me, he has got some awesome taste :)

Ingredients:-
For the balls- 
1/2 cup of paneer grated/mashed, add little salt & a pinch of cardamon powder. Make small balls,around 5 & keep aside(since i prepared little early, i kept in fridge)

Bunch of spinach- washed, boiled, drained & pureed. Take pan, heat 1tbsp of oil, add 2 tbsp of besan/gram flour. Fry till golden brown, add the pureed spinach, salt & stir well till all the water evaporates. Turn off the gas when done... Let it cool. Make 5 balls. Take little oil in palm, flatten the spinach ball, put the paneer ball in between & cover it properly. Once all done.... dip them in a mixture of cornflour + water & fry in hot oil. Please handle carefully, I fried 2 at a time... It will take few seconds or a minute to fry.
Keep aside.

For the gravy-
Grind 2 large tomatoes, 1 green chillies, 1/2 inch ginger, 2tbsp of melon seeds, red chilli pwd as per taste, coriander pwd1 tsp, turmeric pwd 1/2 tsp.
3-4 bay leaf
1 cardamon
1 clove
Malai/ fresh cream -1 cup.
fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi

Method-
Heat oil in kadhai, add bay leaves, cardamon, clove & the tomato puree. Mix well till oil leaves its sides.Add salt as per taste. Add cream ,shimmer for a minute or two. Crush kasuri methi ...sprinkle it n cover it(I believe if we cover the kadhai, the smells of leaves stay in it). Turn off the gas.

Now...pour the gravy in serving bowl, halves the balls, place on the gravy & serve immediately. Enjoy!!

I noticed its a no-onion, no-garlic recipe....yet it came out very yummy!
Till next time...
Hv fn..Tk cr :)

Stuffed Garlic Bread

Hey all.....There are many post which are lying in the draft...too lazy to finish them up.. anyways...i am just too busy these days,
  1. My baby having his summer holidays....running after him all day,
  2. Experiments in kitchen... ;)

Yes, so without rambling much i am sharing the recipe. The yeast madness is on me...  have made ladi pav/ buns, Herbs loaf (may be will soon post the recipe) & the Garlic Bread... The stuffed one got finished in blink of an eye(Hubby asked for second round).....yummm..

Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour(guilt free ..lol)
1 cup flour
1 tbsp olive oil
7-8 pod grated garlic
salt as per taste
2 tsp of active dry yeast
1 tsp of sugar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp Butter
Garlic pwd(optional)

Filling :-
Mozzeralla cheese chopped in cubes/ shredded
Corn  boiled
Oregano
Chilli flakes
Black pepper pwd

Take hot milk add sugar add yeast...mix ..rest it for 10 minutes.

On kitchen slab(yes i like working there..... its the best place to mix it) put both the flour , add the salt, garlic, olive oil & now the yeast (use only if fermented....else throw it & try again) . Mix well

Add butter & keep on mixing around 8 -10 minutes... if its little sticky...its ok... or else add little more milk n keep on mixing from the pressure of your palm.

Now oil a large bowl spread little oil n put the dough in it. Cover it n keep in warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.

The dough will rise. Punch the dough & fold it, if its sticky add little flour, but don't mix too much..just fold it.

Now divide the dough into two.. spread from your hand or use rolling pin..  Spread the filling ingredients on the half side & cover it with the other half(semi-circle).

Now, with the second portion ...make same or make garlic loaf..for that oil the baking tray ...put the dough.. & cover it with wet kitchen towel & put it in warm place for another 15 minutes ...After that take out & bake it.(Do apply milk before baking & butter after baking...for glaze & softness)

Spread little milk over it ... Sprinkle garlic pwd, oregano over it & bake it in pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes at 180-200 degree.
  Enjoy!

To tell you the truth...its too easy to make....you only need to check with the yeast...that's it... Do try !! :)

Till next time ...
Hv fn tk cr :)

Spices + Chocolate Cookies

The cooking bug have long bitten me.....1st time when I was in Class 2 ....I made Spring onion veggie(mom says)....& it continues.. I don't like to prepare the regular dal-rice-roti-sabji combo.... i feel sick if i don't give any twist & turns to it. I even enjoy the regular khana but only when I don't want to stay in kitchen for long(more on this later).

As i completed a year of blogging this month,same very date, i am quiet happy.... I am not pro in cooking, never wrote anything more than few line of essays, fashion i studied from heart,styling i do from mind, just bought my first slr 4 months back...so photography in learning phase. With all these i admire all the beautiful comments, advises, love i got here.. I never planned what i am going to do when i started putting my words down... But, i am happy hows it's shaping now. Thank you all for reading ,commenting & appreciating it & special thanks to critics also(it means i have to work harder). Keep showering love!

As part of celebration i am trying some healthy chocolate cookies....but with twist.
Chocolate cookies get a slight makeover with the desi(Indian) spices. The aroma hit the nostrils & the flavor melt in the mouth with chocolate. What better if cookies are made of wheat flour.Have it with a glass full of chilled milk or a tub of vanilla ice-cream. :)

Ingredients:-
Wheat flour-1/2 cup or as required
Sugar- 2 tbsp
Cloves- 2-3(crushed/powdered)
Cardamon 2-3(crushed/powdered)
Nutmeg- a pinch
Butter -25gm (i used Amul)
A pich soda
1tsp of baking pwd
Cocoa pwd- 1 tbsp
Choco-chips
Milk as required

Method :-
Mix butter & sugar.. add all the spices, soda & baking pwd. mix well... it will be light & fluffy..enjoy the aroma
Add wheat flour..mix well.. add milk .prepare the dough
Clean wrap the dough & in fridge for 20-30 min
Sprinkle cocoa & roll over the dough.
Make small balls. Put choco-chip as required & bake in greased tray for 10-15 min at 200 degree.

 Ready to go inside the oven...

 Aroma.......ummmm

 My toddler taking pic...just like mumma ;)

Enjoy the yuumy-ness of spices & chocolate all in one!

Cucumber-black grapes Popsicles

So, the lollies saga will continue in this post also :)
Will jump straight towards the recipe section, no more inspiration talk today. If you haven't read the last lollies saga, read it HERE, you will know whose provoking me to make all this ;)

Ingredients :-
Few thinly sliced cucumber
Few sliced black grapes
Mint Lemonade( Few crushed mint leaves + lemon juice+water)
Chat masala

Method :-
Arrange the cucumber & black grapes in the container properly.
Pour the Mint lemonade over it.
Cover the container & freeze it, if there's no lid, use cling film or aluminium foil. Let it set for few hours & then insert the stick.
Sprinkle generous amount of chat masala....  enjoy every bite or lick it up..... as per your choice ;)

Soft & Crunchy Popsicle

I had to bite before taking more piks ;)

Watermelon ice-lollies

Finally, summers are here and so are the juicy fruits.

Admit it when you read the word ice-lollies, you were instantly transported back to school, feeling nostalgic.....same here.! I remember, my mom made Rasna(instant drink mix) in all colors & weekend was the time when we had all colored & shaped ice-lollies with cousins. That was one great time...aah!

The history is repeating. But, now the Rasna will be replaced with fresh fruits & the cousins counting may go down by few numbers... yet the power of ice-lollies will stay in its place. ;)

My baby forced me to try this for him. While coming back from playschool everyday, he started demanding for ice-cream.... day or two is fine...but everyday... no MOM will allow.. so HOW can I.?

Now let me stop all the talking & share the quick recipe which won't take even 5 minutes..

Ingredients :-

Watermelon- roughly chopped(i even used the white part)

1/2 lemon juice or as per your taste

Rock/Black salt -2 pinch

Mint leaves- 10 leaves roughly torn out with hands

Chat Masala- optional

Method :-

Blend watermelon to juice. Sieve it twice.

Add rock salt, lemon juice & mint leaves

{*Just drink your watermelon lemonade :) }

Put in any container of your choice(i am using tupperware which has cover).

If you are using anything without cover, cover it with cling film or aluminium foil, put the stick in after its little set, so it can hold.

And let it set for few hours before you become a kid with your kiddo ;)

Just for more taste sprinkle little chat masala over it..

I have already checked my freezer several times in an hour...Impatient me! ;)

Till next time...
Hv fn..Tk cr :)