Spice It Up: Must Have Spices For Indian Cooking

This is my spice rack that I cannot cook without. If you have these spices, you can make any Indian dish including curries and add an interesting twist to all the other dishes that you already love. You have to put together this spice rack yourself after purchasing the individual spices. It's simple, let me show you how. Let's begin with the brightest, yellow spice and go clockwise in naming the spices. 

WHAT TO BUY?

1. This bright, yellow spice is called TURMERIC. In Hindi, we call it HALDI. It is used in all curries and it is believed to be very good for your Health especially your brain.
   
2. The brownish spice to the left is ground cumin seeds.  In Hindi, it is called powdered ZEERA. Cumin just adds a very interesting flavor to any dish.
   
3. Next to that are whole mustard seeds. In Hindi, we call these RAI.  I use these for specific dishes like Potato Samosas.
4. Still going clockwise, next is another brownish spice and it is mixture of ground cumin and ground coriander seeds. We call this DHANA ZEERA. This is one of the three essential spices in curries along with Turmeric and Chili powder.
5. Next to that is a very well known Indian spice called Spicy Ground Chili (Chili powder). In Hindi, we call it MIRCHI. This is the last essential spice used to make Indian curry. 
6. Next to that is whole CUMIN seeds. We call this whole ZEERA. Cumin seeds are used very frequently in Indian cooking to add a touch of fragrance that is so distinct and wonderful. 
7. In the middle, I keep my whole spices: cloves, cinnamon, whole black peppercorn, etc. I use these in various dishes to add a little more spice and flavoring.

WHERE TO BUY?

I do not recommend you buying these spices from Jewel, Treasure Island or any other store because you will end up paying a lot for them. I recommend that you take a trip to an Indian Grocery Store like Patel Brothers on Devon Ave. in Chicago and buy these spices there. They are relatively cheap and will last you a long time. The store managers are very helpful and you may find other interesting foods at these Indian stores that you might like. So check out an Indian Grocery Store near you and if you cannot find one, contact me and I will try to help you out.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

I know you are thinking that spices are expensive but that's a myth. The spices that I talked about are not that expensive. A 2 lb bag of most of the spices listed is usually less than $5 dollars. The whole spices may be a little bit more but remember you are getting pounds, which is a lot and will last you a long time if you don't cook everyday. So it's definitely a great deal and worth the time to drive to an Indian Grocery Store. 

HOW TO USE THEM?

Well, check out my recipes under Simple Recipes and you will know how to make a variety of dishes Indian and others using these spices. 

Don't be intimidated by these lovely colored spices. They will really brighten up your foods if you just give them a try. 

Oprah: Greatest American Haircut Part II with Celebrity Hairstylists

Show Aired: 11-29-07

What was the show about?

Celebrity Hairstylists giving hair management and maintenance secrets.
Who was on the show?

Ken Paves, Kimberly Kimble, Rita Hazan, Ted Gibson and Harry Josh
What were the 5 main points?

1. First of all, you had to see the episode to see the dramatic hair makeovers they did on the 100 audience members. It was unbelievable how much better your face can look with a new hair style. You had to see it! But I will share the advise from the celebrity hairstylists.
2. Try something new. Women are so afraid to take chances; Ken said it's just hair. It'll grow back. So definitely go with something different and new that will work for your face. Don't get stuck because change can be good.
3. Long Hair CAN work for older women. It works for Demi Moore. So if you like long hair and it works for your age, go for it.
4. Coloring your hair is important. It can bring great lift to your image. After coloring once, maintain your hair by maintaing your root colors. Ladies, if you have gotten a relaxer or some kind of other treatment, let your hair colorist know because you CANNOT color your hair after certain treatments and if you do you hair with FALL OFF. It's serious so let your hair stylist/colorist know your hair history because it's very important according to the celebrity hairstylists.
5. For those people with braids and extensions, it's hard to wash the hair so it is recommended that you get hot oil treatments when you remove the braids/extensions to avoid clunky, greasy hair. 

For more info on the show, go to Oprah.com

My Little Chickadee

This movie won no awards and probably never will. Still, it is a classic comedy and worth seeing. The two stars are W. C. Fields and Mae West both of whom helped write the screenplay. W. C. Fields was a scowling comedian whose unique character made him a star in the thirties and early forties. One of his best lines in the movie was when someone asked him if poker was a game of chance. "Not when I play" was his reply. Mae West was a busty, bawdy, blonde who was liberated well before feminism was a popular subject. One of her best lines in the movie was a response to the judge who asked, "Are you trying to show contempt for this court?" "Your honor," she replied, "I'm trying my best not to."

The movie itself is a western. Mae West's character is thrown out of town for being a bad influence on the younger girls in the town. She can only come back if she gets married to a proper gentlemen. She chooses Field's character as her husband although the marriage isn't quite official. In between, there are card games, gunfights and a scene where Fields thinks he is in bed with West but it turns out he is in bed with a goat. The movie itself is just a backdrop for two comedians doing their comedy routines. This is the only time they worked together and apparently they did not get along that well during the filming.

Bruce Rosenberg

Twice As Long

Do you ever have that feeling that everything takes twice as long to do when you are sick? I certainly feel that way and I am sure most of you do too. It's the simple things like getting out of bed, getting dressed or just walking to the bathroom takes FOREVER.  I had this realization in college when I would be late for class every time I was sick not because I was late in getting up but because I was just slow in doing the every day things I needed to do to get out of the house. And this realization came to life again a few days ago as I have been feeling a little crummy and once again was very slow in moving around. It doesn't matter if it's a cold, infection, sore throat, chronic illness --- we just get slow. I know that we are weak and fatigued when we are sick but why do we feel slow mentally? Usually, I feel like I can take over the world and accomplish anything in the day, but when I am sick I feel nothing like that. Instead, I just think about tiredness and sleep; this is what slows me down because my mind is just not fully awake and ready to take on the day. I know, from the medical point of view, that our bodies need the most rest to get better when we are sick, but it is still mind boggling to me how slow in motion we get when we are ill. I know that being sick not only affects your physical stamina for a few days but it also affects your self-esteem. Being sick makes you feel like you are not pretty or smart or strong and many other negative thoughts surface because you are just not yourself. It's just overwhelming to see the effects of being sick on the body and the mind, but it is important to persevere and fight to get better so you can return to your productive, healthy self. Don't give up on life and your health, you can get out of bed fast and make it on time very soon.  Just remember, if we never experienced sickness then we would not appreciate health. 

 How do you feel when you are sick, leave me your feelings in the Comments. Love to hear and learn from your struggles. 

Oprah: Weight Loss Heroes and Shereos

Show Aired:11-28-07

What was the show about?

People losing hundreds of pounds by dieting and exercising --- no pills, no surgeries. 
Who was on the show?

Bob Greene and weightloss heroes and sheroes as Oprah called them.
What were the main points?

1. Most people who lost major weight lost it the right way by completely changing their life. They changed their diet, they exercised and they stopped filling their empty hole with food. Support is also necessary from friends  and family when losing weight along with diet and exercise.
2. They all seemed to have an inspiring story. They were morbidly obese and one day had a realization that if they wanted to live then then would need to take this issue on aggresively and make it their life.
3. Bob Greene also commented that most people who are binge eaters eat so much because they have other problems that they are hiding or suppressing with food. So these problems need to be solved not with food but by talking and getting help.
4. In addition, Bob commented that most people do not like exercising including Oprah but they do it because it is the right thing to do to have a good life. So start by taking small steps: cut soda, stop smoking, cut portion size, cut down on desserts and sugary foods, begin exercising slowly. If you can just take one step every day then you can do lose that weight it seems like.
5. Oprah also have away a treadmill and a basketful of goodies for the "GoodLife Diet." Change can happen if you really, really want it.  
6. To see the dramatic transformations and stories behind them go to Oprah.com

What was the most interesting thing?

Motivation, hard work and consistency are the key to losing weight along with diet and exercise. 
What was the conclusion?

If you would like to join Bob and Oprah in losing weight, they are looking for 1 million people who want to do change their life forever. Find out how to join at Oprah.com
For more info on the show, go to Oprah.com

Oprah: Behind The Scenes on the set of Oprah's Favorite Things

Show Aired: 11-27-07

What was the show about?

Mason, Georgia and how Oprah pulled off 2007 Favorite Things 
Who was on the show?

People of Georgia and Paula Deen
What were the main points?

1. This was show was so secretive that it had a code name, " The Hometown Show." That was cool to know. Truck loads of gifts were brought to Mason at night and put in a locked storage box packed in black boxes so no one would know what it was. 
2. Oprah hung out with the townspeople and thanked them for watching her show since they had the highest ratings. The townspeople including the audience members had no idea that it was Oprah's Favorite Things 2007 until they heard in on the show, which was so exciting and a great surprise.
3. Oprah did not have tickets to give away but she pulled strings and got a few tickets together. Then she knocked on people's doors in Mason to see who was watching the Oprah Show in the morning when it was on so she could give those people some tickets to the Favorite Things Show taping. She found some very exciting people who had no idea what she had in store for them the next day; it was fantastic to see their faces when they found out.
4. It was very cool to go backstage and find out about the chaotic world behind the scenes. Not even the FedEx people who deliver the gifts to the audience members knew why the show was about, so it was TRULY A SURPRISE. It was said on the show that they almost did not make this show because the power went out in Mason, but it came back right in time, so everything was okay after a moment of panic and chaos. 
5. Paula Deen stopped by to share some recipes and Oprah gave away yet another gift, the Artisan Stand Mixer to the audience for coming to the "Behind The Scene" show of the Favorite Things. So this audience got one favorite thing not all; hey it's still better than nothing. I would love to have that mixer. 

What was the most interesting thing?

It was amazing to see how secret everything is and how well they pull off such a huge surprise. It's crazyyyyy!

For more info on the show, go to Oprah.com

Oprah: The Great Debaters

Show Aired: 11-26-07

What was the show about?

The movie The Great Debaters directed by Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey

Who was on the show?

Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and the cast of The Great Debaters

What were the main points?

1. Two Oscar winners are in The Great Debaters: Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. These two great actors give it their best and are amazing to watch as always. The movie looks great and  definitely will go see it. 
2. Denzel Washington directed this film with Oprah Winfrey as the producer. He really liked the script and worked on it for the past few years with a lot of passion and vigor. As  a Director, Denzel sent the Debaters (kids) to a debate camp to really learn how to debate and get in the role. 
3. The three young actors said it was overwhelming to work with two Oscar winners but it was great to learn all the things from them. They said Denzel is very generous with his knowledge and they tried to soak it all up. The kids themselves are great actors and are very well spoken. From this film, it seems like the kids are going to become big someday. 
4. Basically, Oprah showed clips from the movie and talked about them. The clips looked amazing: the acting, the speeches and the amazing roles. I can't wait to see it.

What was the most interesting thing?

I really liked what Denzel Washington said, "Do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do." 

What was the conclusion?

The Great Debaters looks like a great movie and it comes out Christmas Day Dec 25, 07 so take your whole family to see it.  It seems like one of those inspiring films that will really get you excited about life. I am definitely going to see this movie; it looks awesome. 
For more info on the show, go to Oprah.com

Crepes

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time 20 min
Ready In: 30 min




INGREDIENTS
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparations:
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth. It is best to let the mix wet for 30min-1 hour. It can even be prepared few hours in advance and stored covered in the fridge.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can also use butter spray, or better, I use “I can’t believe it’s not butter” spray to spray the pan. It is best to use a non sticking pan.
3- Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.
4- Serve hot with the choice of toppings. The crepes can be served with sweet as well as salted
My favorite toppings:
For the sweet: Nutella, honey, maple sugar, fresh fruit or chopped walnuts
For the salty: slices of swiss cheese with some ham

Hanta R.

All Quiet On The Western Front

Almost everyone had to read All Quiet on the Western Front during high school. But, it is worthwhile to see the movie which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1930. It was only the third year that Oscars were given out. See this movie instead of the remake which was done in 1979. Even though the movie is in black and white and the sound is less than perfect, it is interesting when you realize that the dialogue could have been written yesterday.
The director was Lewis Milestone who won the Oscar for directing that year. Lew Ayres was the main actor. Erich Maria Remarque, who wrote the book, assisted with the script. The theme of the story is pacifism. The people who go fight in a war realize after they get there that war is not as glorious as they thought it would be. The scenes with the parents acting like they knew better even though they had not been to the battlefront are reminders that the battles between the generations did not start recently.
This is a movie to get you thinking. Regardless of how you feel about current events, you should consider the issues from a number of sides. Renting this movie is an interesting way to review high school English class and think about what is happening in the news.

Bruce Rosenberg

Oprah: Hannah Montana

Show Aired: 11-21-07

What was the show about?

The teen phenomenon Miley Cyrus a.k.a. Hannah Montana and The American Girl Dolls

Who was on the show?

Miley Cyrus and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus
What were the main points?

1. Miley Cyrus also known by her TV name Hannah Montana sits down with Oprah to talk about her amazing career as a singer, actress and just a kid. She seemed very down-to-earth and had a cute look to herself that was original and fun. 
2. Miley said that she is allowed to date but her dad is always very protective about her, so it's hard but she is cool with it. Miley's dad Billy Ray seems like a very good and cool parent. He talked about how he as taught Miley and her sister the importance of family and being together. It was amazing to hear how much the Cyrus family emphasizes values so their daughters don't have to go through what Britney, Paris and Lindsay are going through now.
3. Oprah had gathered 100 of Miley's screaming fans backstage who had no idea why they were there. Oprah surprised them with Miley and a song and they went crazy. It was a great moment. Then they got to stick out to get free American Girl Dolls and the whole audience also got a doll to take home.
4. The representative from The American Girl company brought with her the doll collection on the Oprah show to share the history of the company and how it was started. It was so cool to learn about this store that I see all the time on Michigan Ave. and had no idea what it stood for besides dolls. I learned that each doll has its own story and comes from a certain time in history. Every doll sold comes with its own book for girls to read, which is very cool. People can not only buy dolls, they can have brunch or tea with their dolls at The American Girl Store, which is why there are always long lines on Saturday mornings. Oprah said that she took her God daughters for tea there. I really liked what they do to inspire young girls to become great women with dolls. I will definitely take my neice when she is old enough, which is I think 8 and above. Buy a doll this Xmas, it's a great present.  

What was the most interesting thing?

It was amazing to see how loving Miley is towards her family and how down-to-earth that girl is even with all the fame. About the American Girl Dolls, I had no clue that they came with their own books about their lives so girls who bought them will read about their history and past to learn about them. This type of learning is not only inspiring readers but it creates a bond with historical figures and past events that important in cultural learning. 

For more info on the show, go to Oprah.com

Oprah: Oprah's Favorite Things 2007

Show Aired: 11-20-07
What was the show about?
Oprah Gave Away Thousands of Dollars Worth of Her Favorite Things This Year To The Lucky Folks of Mason, Georgia.
Here are all the pictures from Oprah.com of the cool gifts that she gave away this year.
For more info on the show and all the products shown, go to Oprah.com

Ground Beef Samosas

Ingredients:
Browned Ground Beef
Finely minced onion, cilantro and serano peppers
Salt, ground cumin, lemon juice, sugar
Cheese cloth (cotton cloth piece will do)

Preparations:
To brown the ground beef, just heat the ground beef in a non-stick pan with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of garlic and ginger paste until all the water has evaporated completely and the ground beef is mostly dry. Keep a close eye on the ground beef and stir occasionally so it doesn't burn or stick. Once it is ready, place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl to cool off completely.
While the meat is cooling, finely mince 2-3 medium sized onions for 1 lb of beef in the food processor. Remove the onions into a cheese cloth and wrap them tightly into a ball by twisting. Then squeeze out all the water from the onions in the sink. Once they look fairly dry, dump them into the cold ground beef bowl. Now, finely mince some cilantro and serano peppers in the same food processor. Add those to the bowl as well. At this point, add 2 tbsp of lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, 2 tsp of ground cumin and salt to taste to the bowl. Mix well and taste to make sure the salt content is to your taste. To add more heat, add some pepper flakes at the end. Mix well and follow the "HOW TO FOLD SAMOSA" recipe to prepare the samosas. Deep fry the samosas on medium-low heat in vegetable oil or store them in ziploc bags in the freezer for later use. Enjoy!!!

How To Fold Samosas

To seal the Samosas:
Take 3-4 tbsp of all purpose flour. Add a small amount of water so it becomes like a thick paste. Use this paste as a glue to seal the samosas. Now you have your samosa ready.
To get a clean look, wrap the same samosa in another wonton wrap strip to get a clean finish. Adding another layer of wrapping will give you two crunchy layers and a perfect, triangular looking samosa. Freeze for later use or fry in vegetable oil and enjoy this delicious Indian appetizer.