Bondi Beach visit on September

I have been to sydney for a tour and there i got a chance to visit many places like diamond harbour, opera house etc.

But the place i like most is the Bondi beach.

I was staying at macquire park in NSW, so one day i woke up and decided to visit bondi beach , i started my journey at around 10 AM boarded for metro and within 1-1.3 hour (approx ) i reached bondi junction, From there buses are available which will drop you to bondi beach .

The beach is really cool with proper arrangement for life saving staff (Bondi rescue life guard) who are watching you so that you can enjoy the moment safely

 

 

 

 

 

Bondi Beach View

There are many shop near bondi from where you can buy some gift as a memory for your visit .

Soya Chaap Masala - Non veg taste for vegetarian

Soya chap is a good alternate for non-vegetarian dish ,if cooked the same way as non-veg it taste like chicken only.Also it a good source of protein

Ingredients >>>

Soya Chaap        500 gm
Onion                 3
Tomato              4 Meduium size   
Ginger paste
Garlic
Cumin Sees         2 tsp
Coriander seeds  2 tsp
Tomato Sauce     2 tbsp
Amchoor Pdr      2 tsp (dry mango powder)
Red Chilly pdr    as per your taste
Coriander Leave 3 Pieces
Salt                     - as per your taste


Procedure >>>

Boil soya  chaap for 5 Minutes
Crush Onion,tomatao,Ginger and Garlic
Squeez out water from the soya chaap and deep fry in oil (i prefer mustard oil for good taste)
Cut soya chaap into pieces
Heat oil in a pan
Add some coriander seeds in the oil and fry it
Add the crushed Onion,tomatao,Ginger and Garlic into the hot oil and fry for few minute
Add  all the spices and fry for few second
Put some water boil the water till the other content mix properly with the water
Put the chopped Soya chaap into  the curry
Cover the content and cook for approx 5 min
Serve with roti or rice


Done...

Delicious Rajma Masala

Rajma Masala is  a very common indian home cuisines and is consumed mostly in northen  india ,Its a spicy dish that is server with rice or Chapati (Indian Bread)

 

Ingredients >>>

Red kidney beans (Rajma), soaked overnight      1 ½ cups

Oil     3 tbsp

Bay leaves   2

Cinnamon 2 sticks

Cloves 3-4

Hing ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds/Jeera 1 tsp

Black cardamom ( moti elaichi) 1

2 medium Onions, finely sliced       

Ginger, chopped   1 inch piece

Garlic, chopped    5-6 cloves

2 medium Tomatoes, pureed  

Coriander powder 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder     1 teaspoon

Red chili powder  2 teaspoons

Turmeric powder  ½ teaspoon

Garam masala powder   2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Method >>>

1. Pressure cook rajma with five cups of water and salt till totally cooked and soft.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add jeera and hing.
3. When it splutters, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom and onions on medium flame.
4. After 1 min, add ginger and garlic and continue to sauté till the mixture turns golden.
5. Add tomato puree, mix and continue to cook on low flame.
6. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cook till the oil leaves the masala. This will take about 10-12 mins.
7. Turn off the gas and blend this mixture in a blender/grinder.
8. Add this masala paste in the rajma and mix.
9. Adjust salt and add Garam masala powder.
10. Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes on low heat. Mash a little to make the gravy thick.
11. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Paneer Masala with Roti or Paratha

Ingredients >>>

250 grams (12 oz.) paneer.
2 tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon chilli sauce (optional)
3 tablesppons ghee
ghee for deep frying
salt to taste.

Below ingredient should be crushed into paste >>>

1 large onion
1 tablespoon khus-khus
1 tablespoon grated fresh coconut
2 sticks cinnamon
2 cloves
10 peppercorns
6 red kashmiri chillies
3 teaspoons coriander seeds powder
one and half teaspoons cumin seeds
6 coves garlic
Ginger

Procedure >>>

1. Cut the paneer into long pieces  and deep fry in ghee.

2. Chop the tomatoes.

3. Heat the ghee in a vessel. Fry the paste for at least 3 to 4 minutes

4. Add the paneer pieces, cream, chilli sauce, salt and one teacup of water and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with roti or paratha ...

Food from India - Punjabi Chole

Chole is very nutritious and used for making many dishes ,One of these is Punjabi chole which contains gravy and is very spicy ....

Ingredients >>>
ingredients for the chole
1 and half cup chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans, Kabuli Chana)
2 medium sized onions chopped
3 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 tsp ginger paste or coarsely ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilly powder
1 tsp amchur powder
2 green chillies
1 tbsp oil
salt as per taste

Spices >>>
4-5 black cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon
5-6 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 and half tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 and half tsp coriander seeds (dhania)
1 and half tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 red chillies

Procedure >>>

•  Wash and soak the chole (chickpeas) in enough water overnight.
• .In a pressure cooker add the chole, enough water, salt and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.
• In a fry pan, dry roast all the spices mentioned above till brown.
• On a slow or moderate flame you can roast the spices.
• Once they are cooled, grind them into a fine powder
• Add some oil in the fry pan. Once the oil becomes hot, add the chopped onions.
• Now add the ginger paste.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and  little salt so that the tomatoes gets cooked fast
• Add the powdered spices to the onion-ginger-tomato mixture. cook for 2 minute.
• Now add the boiled chole with a little quantity of its remaining water.
• Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
• Add a small quantity of amchur powder.
• Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro leaves.
• Serve the punjabi chole with rotis.

Shahi Paneer from India

Shahi means royal. Shahi in Hindi means royal so the dish prove its true meaning .The recipe of shahi paneer is very simple.

Ingredients for Shahi Paneer:

• 250 Grams Paneer
• 1 Onion - finely chopped
• 3-4 Tomatoes - finely chopped
• 1/4 cup beaten curd
• 8-10 Cashews (Raw)
• 2 Green Chilies, finely chopped
• 1/2" piece Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 2-3 Cardamoms  crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
• 2 teaspoon Tomato Sauce
• 2-3 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 cup Water
• Salt to taste

How to make Shahi Paneer:

Cut the paneer into small Pieces . Soak cashews in warm milk for 20-30 mins and then blend it. Keep cashew paste aside.

To prepare Shahi Paneer, heat oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onion and fry till it gets light brown. Now add ginger, garlic, cardamoms and green chilies. Then add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chili powder and salt . Stir the mixture and fry it for 5-6 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and cashew paste and cook it for 5-6 mins.

Add crushed curd, tomato sauce and cook it further. Add water based on the thickness of the gravy required . Add paneer cubes and gently simmer it for few minutes.

Garnish it with grated paneer and chopped cilantro leaves.

Nainital--City of Eye

Nainital is a City in the hill of Himalayas and come under state of Uttarakhand .It is surrounded by Mountains and has a famous lake called Naini Lake due to which it gets its name .

In Indian mythology Nainital is supposed  to be a Place where the eye of devi Sati fell here when lord shiva  carried her .It is beleived to be one of the 64 Sakti peeth according to Indian Myhtology

There is a temple called Naina Devi temple to worship goddess Sati .However the original Naina devi temple has destroyed in the Landslide of 1880.In place of this government has created a new temple.

 Nainital came into limelight when British senior Military official and soldier started to visit Nanitital to have a relaxation from summers of Plain .They also established many School and church here  

Nainital is very much popular for tourism and there are many spot that ine can go and enjoy .

Naini Lake View from Lake



Touching the cloud


There are many place to look for in Nainital

Naina Peak: one can see a large swath of the Himalayas with snow covered mountains ,This point is also known as China Peak and is the highest peak in the city

Tiffin Top : Its is a good picinic spot  un the hills

Gurney House : it is the residence of the famous Hunter Sir Jim Corbett

Tiffin Top

Naina Devi Temple

Rishikesh Tour

Rishikesh- "Lord of Senses"




Rishikesh is a place in state of  Uttarakand and comes under Dehradun disctrict,it has a important place in Hindu Mythology,It is located at foothills of Himalayas and is considered as the gateway to Himalayas.It is surrounded by three district Pauri Gharwal,Tehri Garhwal and Haridwar
It got the name from lord Vishnu which mean 'Lord of Senses "
Also it is beleived that lord Shiva had expiated God Agni for this sins here so it is also known as Agni tirth .

Legends also say that Lord Rama did a penance here after killing King Ravana here,There is a bridge called Lakxman Jhula in Rishikiesh ,It is a beleif that Lord Laxman cross the ganges using this bridge but nowadays the original jute bridge is replaced by a concrete bridge .

Apart from Mythological significane this place is also very much popoular for water sports and camping .It has good number of  waterfalls where one can do rafting etc .

This place also host many Yoga instituton and very popular among yoga enthusiast .

reachability is good with other city so one will not face any issue

You can also visit the Rajaji National park which is few kilo meter away from Rishikesh .

To Be Continued ............

Haridwar Tour

Haridwar--One of the holiest place in Hinduism

Few days back i visited the place called Haridwar  which is in the state of Uttarakhand in India.
This place has a very important significance in the history of India.
The holy River Ganges first time enter the northern plain of india  from Haridwar after its origin in Gaumukh.

Haridwar is connected to other cities by Road or Train,It also has hotels to stay. My tour of Haridwar starts with "Har ki Paudi" .Har ki paudi is the Bank of River Ganga and in Hindu mythology it is associated with God "Shiva" and "Vishnu", it is also beleived that a drop of the divine elixir "Amrit" dropped here in the "Har ki Paudi"

As this is a Pilgrimage place one can see huge number of Yogis performing Yagnas and also having aarti(Prayed) to the River Ganges

There is a belief in hinduism that with a dip in the river Ganga the devotee can go to heaven by getting their Salvation.
Once you reached Haridwar there are many number of hotel you can check in.. They are not very costly and can starts with Rs 500 per room..

There are many places apart from har ki paudi that one can visit , One is the Bharat Mata Mandir..
It is located at sapt Sarovar and has different floor devoted to diferent deities..

Chandi Devi Temple is one of the temple devoted to Goddess Chandi devi

It  was beleived that Devi Chandi rested in the Neel parvat after killing the daemons Sumbh and Nisumbha

The idol here is beleived to be dated back to 8th Century and supposed to be installed by Adi Shankaracharya .

The other Temple to visit is Mansa devi temple , This temple is devoted to goddess Mansa who was the wife of  Nag Vasuki, This temple is loacted in the Bilwa Parvat in shivalik link

Maya Devi Temple: This is the place where it is beleived that the heart of Mata Sati had fallen and this is  considered as one of the Sakti Peth

North East -- The land of seven sisters

I am just strating writing this blog as i think i should share my tour story for north east india with the community