Simple and Soothing Dal-Roti

If you were to go by food stereotypes, my family is the most unlikely Punjabi family one can come across. Pure vegetarians, we stay away from heavy spices as much as possible. While we have our fill our fill of rajma-chawal, kadhi-chawal and winter quintessential aaloo ke paraanthe with white butter, it's simple, non-spicy regular food that rules on the dining table. From the mundane ghiya, tinde, tori in summers to gaajar, gobhi, matar et al in winters, we all love veggies and in combination with salad, raita, chutney and achar, roti-sabzi makes for a dominant feature on our dining table.

Now since a few members of the household are regulars on the London-Delhi route, a lot of international cuisines too have been jostling for a place in the regular menu. Variety of sandwiches, fusion experimental stews, spaghetti, easy on spices enchiladas made out of a variety of tortillas...these too keep featuring regularly on the dining table.

But when it comes to dinner, nothing makes us happier than the regular dal-roti. A few days of a different menu - veggies, or pasta or spaghetti or eating out - and there would come an uniform chorus from everyone - some light dal tonight please! Right from Papa Puri to the oh-so sophisticated been-there-done-that Beta Puri, everyone would go - yeah some respite from fancy food please. Make dal tonight! Comfort food, stomach soother, call it what you will - nothing brings our family together than a simple dal-roti dinner. Moongi dhuli, moongi sabut, masoor ki dal, urad ki dal, maahi ki daal and what not - but for us kids in the family, it's always peeli daal, orange daal, green daal...and yes, kaali daal! Hahah...

This is how an almost perfectly laid out dinner looks like on our dining table - yellow moong tadka daal tempered with chopped onions and garlic paste and beautifully garnished with coriander leaves, fluffy rotis slobbered with home-made ghee, neat ringlets of onion, capsicum and tomatoes for salad and mint chutney to add some spice to the otherwise moderate meal! And ll of this ready to be washed down with diluted salted lassi! Wholesome, isn't it?

Now while this meal to me is fulfilling to say the least, my only grouse is the 'steel ke bartan' they are served in. If you would have noticed I wrote 'almost perfectly' laid our dinner, and it's these steel ke bartan - the pateelas, the dongas and the kadchis that dilute the beauty of the food, and add that 'almost' to the perfect dinner! If only all that food came served in elegant and trendy dinnerware, it would add much beauty and visual appeal to the dinner table. Something like the gorgeous  Melamine range from Borosil - comforting and delicious home-made food served in these trendy dinnerware would so compliment each other! And I am sure the dal and the chutney would look much more appealing arriving at the dinner table in smart microwavable casseroles instead of the clumsy dongas! 

Ah, looks it's time for some kitchen-ware shopping from Borosil right away - to add a huge dash of class, colour and trend to the kitchen and the dining table! So I will take your leave now. Hope you enjoyed the post, do share what your favourite food/meal is! :)

This post is a part of My Beautiful Food blogging drive by Borosil, in association with IndiBlogger.

Product Review: Aloe Veda Turmeric Clarifying Face Wash

I am not a regular product reviewer, but it was the goodness of Aloe Veda Turmeric Clarifying Face Wash that prompted me to write about it. I reckon we all use face washes - many that promise a fairer skin, many promising cleaner pores, while quite a few assuring us of reducing fine lines and wrinkles. But at first glance, Aloe Veda Turmeric Clarifying Face Wash offered nothing. An unpretentious bottle that talked about the ingredients inside.

First detail to catch my attention was Sulphate Free, for there are not many face cleansing products in India that cut out sulphate from their ingredient list. So what is so special about a product being sulphate free? Here are a few pointers-

• Sulphate is a chemical added to produce more foam/lather in the hair and skin cleansing products. Most common sulphate is Sodium Lauryl sulphate, used in shampoos, toothpastes, and other cleansers.
• Sulphate strips the skin and scalp of natural oils, which are essential for skin's health.
• They can cause skin irritation and in the long run, do more harm to skin and scalp.

Second detail on the pack was Paraben free. This term too has been in vogue of late. Here's why the tag paraben-free matters-

• Parabens are chemical preservatives used to increase the shelf life of cosmetic products.
• Lately there have been studies and reports that say parabens may be linked to breast cancer and fertility issues.
• In some studies, skin problems such as dermatitis, and skin allergic reactions have been linked to parabens.

These and some more details on the pack and I was sure that I wanted to let go off the the excessively foamy and fragrant face washes I have been using, and try something organic and frill-free for a while. And having learnt about the ill-effects of parabens and sulphates, I was keen to try this product.

Key Ingredients: Turmeric Paste, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Aqua, Cocamidopropylbetaine, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerine, Polyquaternium 7, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Product Description on Bottle: This clarifying sulphate-free formula contains turmeric paste and turmeric oil that controls acne blemishes, blackheads, dark spots and hyper pigmentation. The Aloe Vera nourishes the pores, removes toxins, and cleans make-up without stripping the skin's natural oils and moisture content.

My Take:  I have used this face wash for a month now, and it has really helped clear out blemishes and has evened out my skin tone, thanks to the abundant turmeric extract in it. I have a combination skin, and it cleanses the skin really well, neither drying it nor leaving it oily. Moreover since it's chemical free, I feel reassured that there's no side effect on the sly happening. Again, because of absence of sulphate, it's not very foamy but lathers well.

Pros of the product:
- Chemical free formula

- Non-foaming, so washes off easily
- Spill-free packaging
- Easy on the wallet - 100ml bottle for Rs. 160
- Shelf life of 2 years

Cons of the product:

No con really, but it has no artificially added fragrance and smells strongly of turmeric.

Note: Some skin types may be allergic to certain natural ingredients. So it's always advisable to do a patch test before using the product.

Split Ends Free TRESemme Tresses!

I HAD never much cared about shampoos for quite a few years of my life. Thanks to my close cropped hair, details like this ABC shampoo was good for curly hair, or this XYZ  would turn a mass of rough hair into something that even Rapunzel could get envious of - did not concern me at all.  So long as it cleansed my hair good, ANY shampoo was good for me. 

But then just a few months ago, a severe attack of boredom made sure that I abandon my (now)old indifferent hairstyle and opt for something new, something different. AND So, I started growing my hair long, to escape the monotony of twiddling my fingers when it came to big and small chit-chats with friends about this hairstyle and that, this awesome shampoo and that! The boring close crop HAD to go!

But you know how it is, trying to grow back your hair after keeping them really short for a quite a long time. So while the monotony of short hair gradually withered away, I was left with some perennial hair woes - rough hair, stubborn frizz and yes, SPLIT ENDS! It did not take me long to realise that for those dealing with hair woes on a regular basis, happiness is something else! 

So, it was no long that the perennial hair woes had me too discussing sundry shampoos and the miracle they promised to work on different hair textures! And needless to add, details like ABC shampoo is good for curly hair, or this XYZ  turns rough hair into something that even Rapunzel could get envious of - now concerns me big time! And talking of hair woes while there are a few shampoos that promise healthy and and lustrous hair, there are not many that assure you of 'split end free' hair! Yes, and this was why TRESemmé's SPLIT REMEDY range of shampoo and conditioner got me all curious and excited! 

Thanks TRESemmé India for the lovely hamper

TRESemmé, the international hair care brand is on Mission Beautiful Hair, turning every hair woes stricken lady into gorgeous ramp ready Rapunzel! While their different shampoos and hair strengthening conditioners are taking care of the tricky tresses, their stylists are enlightening pretty young things about the various ramp ready hairstyles! Not long ago, (the times when I was indifferent to the fancy world of niche shampoos) a few of my friends had become fans of TRESemmé, all thanks to their collection of products suited for different hair types and hair problems. There’s Keratin Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner for frizz-free hair, then there's a whole range of Smooth & Shine products for rough and dry hair. And for those who have issues with humidity and windy weather playing spoilsport with their hair, they can opt for Climate Control range of products. And the pretty young things stricken by the hair fall problem should definitely try Hair Fall Defense range of products, which has, besides a special shampoo and conditioner, an anti-breakage treatment masque to nourish the damaged areas. And coming to the hair issue I was plagued with - split ends - and lo and behold, this magic potion from TRESemmé was here to tackle that!

Scissor-free solution to split ends

This beautiful TRESemmé Split Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner combination has won many a sceptical hearts and its goodness is being lauded by those perennially woebegone about their otherwise gorgeous hair's split end issues. Why, even I was one of them till about a month ago - worrying about my hair woes. But I must say that it was a pleasant surprise to see my hair look smoother and of course healthier.

And for this I had TRESemmé Split Remedy to thank, for it’s not often that one gets to experience the pleasure of professional hair care in the comforts of one’s own home, without having to step out to visit a salon! With lesser split ends, my hair looks smoother and I can wear it loose for as long as I want. Moreover, with this magical solution on my side, I no longer need to worry  about my hair suffering wear and tear at the beach or in fact any where outdoors!  I can be out for as long as I want, come back home and use  my magic hair potion and voilà post shampooing and conditioning my hair feels as  gorgeous and shinier as ever! One look at them I feel re-assured that split-end woes and bad hair days are now a thing of the past.

So friends, if you like me of yore, are indifferent to niche shampoos, or are still stuck with the thought that there's no solution to split ends besides regular visits to the salon, rest assured that there indeed is a 'scissorfree solution to split ends! :)
And yes, how about this for a parting shot? ;)

The sample for this product review was sponsored by TRESemmé India in association with IndiBlogger.

My Recharged Hair, Courtesy - Sunsilk Natural Recharge Shampoo & Conditioner

In my post about  why I wanted recharged hair, I had  ranted about how dull and lacklustre my hair was. So much so that I often had to resort to hiding them under scarves and caps and hoodies.  But then I had also hinted that my bad hair days were soon going to a thing of the past for I had just stumbled upon this awesome shampoo and conditioner combo that offered full-proof solution to all my hair woes!

And for all you who were left wondering about what that magic potion is....here it is!

This beautiful Sunsilk Natural Shampoo and Conditioner hamper has won many a sceptical hearts. But then more than the ribbons and leaves and beautiful packaging, its the goodness of the shampoo and conditioner that is being lauded by those perennially woebegone about their messy hair issues. Why, even I was one of them till about a month ago - worrying about my hair woes. And I must say that it was a pleasant surprise to see my hair look good not just in air-conditioned rooms but also stand strong against the  wear and tear at the beach - sun, sand and salt - and still going strong!

So what it is that works for Sunsilk Natural Recharge range? Here are a few pointers -

What works for Sunsilk Natural Recharge

• Sunsilk Natural Recharge Shampoo is infused with Ginseng plant root and oil that strengthen and nourish the hair.
  Ginseng is a herbal plant that is believed to restore and enhance normal well being and is currently one of the most widely bought herbal supplement.
• The shampoo and conditioner have been co-created with Jamal Hammadi, who's an expert in natural ingredients.
• A big plus - this one is Parabens-free. So you don't have to worry about chemicals ruining your hair and health.
• The fragrance of both the shampoo and the conditioner is pretty mild and soothing, so you if you have an aversion for shampoos with strong overwhelming fragrance, this one's another winner for you.
• I have frizz-prone hair, and was happy to see the conditioned controlling the frizz factor.
• The shampoo and conditioner combo are both pocket friendly. The 80ml pack of both the shampoo and the conditioner costs Rs. 60, while the 180ml pack of both is for Rs. 132.

Check check - Reality Check

And now time for some reality check too! My hair have taken well to Sunsilk Natural Recharge shampoo and conditioner, but then I will be frank in acknowledging that some of its claims have gone a bit overboard. 

• The shampoo claims of thicker, fuller and 5 times stronger hair, but well, am yet to see this kind of result. My hair feels healthier, yes, but 5 times stronger? No.
• If you have dandruff prone hair, then this on is not going to be of much help. It will clean your hair al-right, but dandruff issues will persist.
• Again this shampoo is no remedy for hair fall issues.

So that's about it with the reality check, not much to bog us down, isn't it? Plus the pros far over-weigh the cons. I have been using this shampoo & conditioner combo for over a month now, and I am really satisfied with the results.  I can go swimming, go trek in the sun and in general be outdoors this summer without worrying about my hair looking dull and dry.  If I am confident about my hair looking healthy and happy today, I have Sunsilk Natural Recharge to thank. :) 

This review has been written for a blogging drive organised on IndiBlogger, in association with Sunsilk.

#DovePlay: Befriending My Hair

This beautiful song from Dove got me dreaming. Dreaming about lustrous long hair. Lustrous long hair that cascades over my shoulders. Cascades over shoulders and does not get tangled and messy. Oh see, the train of thoughts. Ah, wishful thinking. 

Then there are Rekha's two beautiful braids! They too keep making an appearance off and on. Sigh!
What? You don't know the story of the braids? Did I never tell you all how infinitely jealous I was of Rekha's awesome long braids in the movie Khoobsurat! Every time I come across the movie, besides the beautiful songs, it is just her hair styles that attract all my attention. And in the movie, more often than not, she is shown sporting this same braided hairstyle.

Miss Goody-Two-Braids

As a school girl I so longed to have long hair - long hair tied up in two beautiful braids, with red satins ribbons adorning them. I so longed to play with them, shifting them across the shoulders, making false moustaches with them or just playfully toying with them absent-mindedly.  Too bad that my mother thought short hair were easier to look after and were less coming consuming when one had to get ready for school - one hurried swoosh of the comb and you were done. All my pleading to let me grow my hair would fall on deaf ears and a quick trip to the hair salon once a month would ensure that I had my hair neatly chopped and all in place, like a good school girl. 

And then that short hair so became me that I took it in my stride - my cropped hair style, or rather the lack of it. But then off and on, the deep desire to have lustrous long hair stirs around in some deep dark corner of both mind and heart and tries its best to make its presence felt. More so when I see women with beautiful hair flaunting their crowning glories, playing with them - so confident, so proud.

It is then again that the wishful thinking makes a comeback. I say wishful thinking for lustrous long hair cascading over my shoulders is a distant dream for now. I had really short hair till about a few months ago, and its only now that they have started to touch my shoulders. Despite my best efforts at growing them long and strong, the results, I must confess, have been far from satisfactory. The hair seems to be growing at snail's pace and that too sans any cheer - they look dull and drab, lacklustre to be more precise.

They are far far off from the  dreams I have had about them. But then this playful melodious song from Dove has now got me all motivated. May be redemption is near, and may be my hair will live and grow - and grow beautiful and healthy at that. So that one day I will tie them in two beautiful braids, adorn them with satin ribbons and will play with them - shifting them across my shoulders, making false moustaches and what not. :)

This post is written for the Dove Go Play blogging drive on Indiblogger, in association with Dove.
Photo Credits: www.youngistan.in, unboxedwriters.com

Time to Recharge My Hair, Recharge My Life!

I absolutely love flying kites and guess what, I have been faring quite okay till now! However the only glitch in this smooth sailing is my unruly hair! When out there on my super breezy terrace, I can either keep my unruly hair in control or fly the kites with gay abundance. Both of them DO NOT go together! You see... my hair have a mind of their own. Chance or no chance, they try and defy gravity and are always on the lookout for opportunities to be on their own and fly around in different directions. So my only option so far has been to bundle them together in a rubber band, pin up the loose strands and then put on a cap to keep them all in place, and of course in control too! Too bad, this effort makes me look more like a stuck-up woman on a mission, rather than a girl having fun flying kites.

Sigh! 

Before I amuse you more with my scary-hairy stories, let me start from the start - the school days when I was not allowed to cut my hair, and still they refused to grow the way I wanted them to grow! Wonder if there was some conspiracy theory at work! Anyways, so the moment I was independent enough to take my own decisions (read - what clothes to wear, what hairstyle to keep) the first thing I did was to get my hair sorted! Yes, I opted for a no-nonsense, easy to manage cropped cut. And the hairstyle remained so for a really long time. 

But now, after almost 5 years of really short hair, when boredom has finally set in, I have decided to give my hair a chance again! But looks like they still don't actually deserve a chance. I pin them hard, lest the loose strands rebel and incite the pinned crowd too! Time and again, I hide them under scarves and caps! 

And in all these hair woes, its my travel photos that go all awry! Random non-posy photos are a strict no-no, for I wouldn't know which different directions my hair would have decided to turn to, making me look more like a frenzied traveller than a happy tourist! On the other hand, the posy photos are boring, for they look all made up! Imagine - Every single hair in place! How so? Thanks to the many pins! And if they fail, there's always a cap, a scarf or your jacket hoodie to take care of things!

Dull hair under the hood please!

Needless to say all these shenanigans to tackle my perennial bad hair days, take quite a heavy toll on my routine! Pack the hair, unpack the hair, plot about keeping them in place, worry about their dullness, worry why they are not shiny enough despite the fancy shampoos and spas, and last but not the least worry about how to hide them in more fashionable ways!

Too much of worrying, isn't it! And this is why I want to recharge my hair!

Let them be so smooth, shiny and recharged that I never ever wish to hide them under caps and scarves!
Let them be so beautiful and recharged that I never ever have to dig into my handbag to sort them out right before a random photo shoot!
Let them be so recharged that the next time I go on a holiday I spend more time frolicking in the pool than worrying about chlorine's ill effects on my hair!
Let them be so bright and beautiful that I remain ever ready for all the fancy parties and get-togethers that my friends organize, that too right after office hours!
Let them be so recharged that all my photos look naturally beautiful!
Let them be so happy and recharged that I remain ever ready to face any camera pointing my way! Yay! 

And now it looks like my bad hair days are soon going to be history, for I have just stumbled upon this awesome website that offers solutions to all our hair woes! And from what I see, this site has all the magic potions to recharge and rejuvenate all kinds of lacklustre hair! And if the magic works, it is sure going to recharge my life too! 

All new Sunsilk hair coming soon!

This post has been written for 'Recharge your hair, recharge your life' blogging drive sponsored by Sunsilk, in association with IndiBlogger.

Caught You Cranberry! My Favourite Breezer Flavour!

So the good, happy and high (no puns intended) people at Bacardi have got all Christamas-sy and have organised this super cool blogging drive at Indiblogger – write about your favourite Breezer flavour and if you are lucky and write a really breezy (again, absolutely no pun intended!) post, you get to win a year supply of Bacardi Breezer. The first image flash after I read this was the delivery van outside my house taking out crate after crate of breezer bottles. Whoa! What a sight! Very inspiring! Hahaha. The second image or rather thought was of a quick mental calculation of the cost of a year supply of Bacardi Breezer. Double whoa! More inspiration. Hahah.

So I set down to plan my post. But first things first - select your favourite favour. The choice was from these six flavours:

1. Jamaican Passion
2. Cranberry
3. Blackberry Crush
4. Lime5. Orange, and
6. Island Pineapple

They look so deliciously inviting!

Well, I knew that Cranberry and Blackberry Crush taste absolutely yum and refreshing, my taste buds were alien to flavours of Jamacain Passion and Island Pineapple. The remaining two - Lime and Orange, I had tasted and found them quite regular, with their distinctive and yet common tastes. So my safest and bestest bet was to hop on the Cranberry bottlewagon! But alas, this wagon was full to capacity already, a clear sign that Cranberry ruled the roost so far as popularity was concerned.

So that left me with Island Passion, my second favourite flavour, and I did not lose any time in joining this team lest I be stranded while other breezer enthusiasts took off for Bacardi's Breezerland. But despite being here, my heart was still set for Cranberry and I waited in the shadows, hoping for some seat on Cranberry bottlewagon to fall vacant, waited for some Cranberry enthusiast to change his mind and shift teams! I waited, and while I waited guess what I did! Guess, guess!

 I PLAYED THIS SUPER FUN GAME!

Catch the Flavour! On your phone!

Yes! This Breezer Catch the Flavour is so much fun and entertainment! You can choose to either bottle or package the Breezer and can speed up the game as per liking. For more fun, invite friends to play to compare your  Breezer bottling and packaging skills through your scores! Play it on your laptop or download it on your phone and play on the go! 

And so while I waited, hoping to eventually become a part of my favourite Cranberry team, I became a pro at packaging and bottling! Cranberries, pineapples, limes, blackberries et al, all sorted in their respective bottles!

Bottling or Packaging? Take your pick!

Bottling like a pro!

Packing it all up!

And while I mastered the game, seats in the Cranberry team fell vacant for me to hop onto it with much gusto! Yay to that!

So now that I have finally managed to catch Cranberry Express, here's why I so love this flavour...But, well, before I wax eloquent about why Cranberry is my favourite flavour, here's some some gyaan about Breezers first -  for all those who think it is an out and out alcoholic drink, or as some say in Hindi, that it is...eh...sharaab. This gyaan is sourced from wikipedia and can be cross-checked with various online forums and relevant websites. But then you can also check about the alcohol content right on the breezer bottle too.

Bacardi Breezer is a fruit wine-based alcopop with 4.8% alcohol in India, 4.4% in Australia, 6.6% in the United Kingdom and 4.5% in Europe. It comes in a variety of fruit flavours: lemon, peach, pineapple, apple, ruby grapefruit, lime, orange, blackberry, watermelon, cranberry, coconut, raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate, strawberry, and mango. In India, Bacardi Breezer was the first entrant in the ready to drink category.

So you see, Breezer is not an out and out alcohol beverage and has very little alcohol percentage. In fact many reviews about the product say that it's a very peppy drink with strong fruity flavour. So now that the are basics of Breezer done with, here's why Cranberry flavour is my favourite flavour!

Cranberry, my favourite flavour!

MY DEBUT BREEZER! Cranberry was the first breezer flavour I ever tasted! After much apprehension about whether it was a hard drink or a soft drink and much debating about its alcohol content, it was my brother who finally convinced me to try one. And the choice of flavour too was his - 'Try Cranberry, it's quite fruity and you will like it.' And needless to say, I absolutely loved it!

ALCOHOLIC SHERBET! It is rum mixed with fruit juice but it's the fruity cranberry that wins over the rum. It tastes like fruit juice mixed with soda, giving a nice sweet and tangy flavour. 

IT REFRESHES! Besides the good taste part, cranberry flavour is pretty refreshing too. If you thought that breezers will get you intoxicated, here's this myth busted. It's quite mild and just about tingles your tongue. 

TINGLE & MINGLE! Like I mentioned earlier, Breezers have very little alcohol content, so this gives me a chance to mingle a bit more with those friends who are social drinkers and prefer hard drinks...so while they swirl their whiskeys and rums, I have my own fancy breezers to give them company! Better than the boring fruit juices!

ATTRACTIVE COLOUR! As much as the tangy flavour or rather the tartness of cranberries tastes good, the attractive orangy red colour too is very inviting! Plus it's been packed so beautifully in cute glass bottles! Beatiful and inviting packaging!

Cranberry, first among equals

So this was my take on my favourite Breezer flavour! Which one's your favourite? Which flavour do you love to catch? Tell, tell! Share, share! :)

This post has been written for Catch the Flavour Blogging Drive sponsored by Bacardi Breezer in association with IndiBlogger.
Photo Courtesy: picturejockey dot com