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Tadakta bhadakta tadka

A good temper is essential in Indian cooking! Here’s presenting three great tadka recipes for you to try out today.
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta

Simple si life mein tadka lagna zaroori hai! Tempering or ‘tadka’ does add so much flavour to a dish that it’s difficult to imagine its true culinary value without tempering.

Call it what you want – chaunk in Hindi, tadka in Punjabi, baghaar in Urdu, phoron in Bengali, thaalithal in Tamil, oggaraṇe in Kannada, fodni in Marathi, thalimpu or popu in Telugu – tempering is a cooking method which is clearly the soul of Indian cuisine. After all, what is dal without tadka? Or aloo posto without paanch phoron?

Technically, tempering is a process where some whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, mustard seeds etc. are fried in ghee or oil to augment the flavours of these strong ingredients, to further add to the taste of a dish. In some variants, there is ginger, garlic and curry leaves as well. Tadka is usually made separately from the main dish that is later added to it. In fact, we add tempering to everything from dal, to veggies to chutneys.

Let’s take a look at some of the popularly tempered dishes in Indian food.

tadkewali dalTadkewali dal: Immensely popular in the North of India, tadkewali dal is a household phenomenon that exudes aromas that waft through the neighborhood. It is a comfort food for us Indians and is thoroughly enjoyed with freshly-made wheat phulkas or sticky, steamed rice.

You can prepare dal tadka with any yellow dal. Simply take 1 cup of mixed tur and masoor dal. Add it to 2 cups of water in the pressure cooker along with one each of chopped onion and tomato, two slit green chillies, 1 inch ginger, a dash of asafoetida and some haldi (turmeric powder). Turn off the flame after 4 to 5 whistles and then beat the dal to a creamy consistency. At this time, add some salt and garam masala as per your liking and then get the tadka ready.

For the tadka, take a pan and put two tablespoons of oil or ghee and heat it. Now add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it splutter. Once done, add thinly chopped 5-6 cloves of garlic and fry until they release the aroma. Then add 2 dried red chillies and in the end add half a tsp of asafoetida. The tadka is ready. Add this to the hot dal just before serving and garnish with a few sprigs of coriander. Voila, tadke wali dal is ready to be devoured with rice or roti.

paanch phoronPaanch phoron aloo: The Bengali version of tadka is known as panch phoron and is basically a combination of five whole spices. All the spices in the phoron are seeds. The mix is usually that of methi daana (fenugreek seeds), kalounji (onion or nigella seeds), black mustard seeds, jeera (cumin seeds) and saunf (fennel seeds) in equal proportions. This particular tempering is used in making many Bengali dishes including jhinga posto and aloo jhal.  Here’s the recipe for the universally popular paanch phoron aloo.

In a thick-bottomed pan, add 2 tbsp of mustard oil and heat it until the colour turns green. Now add a tablespoon of the paanch phoron masala and a thinly chopped green chilly. Then add a bit of turmeric powder and cook for a bit. Now add boiled potato cubes to the kadhai and mix well. Once the potatoes are well coated with the masala, shut off the flame and garnish with coriander and green chillies before serving. This serves as a brilliant side dish with a plain dal or can be enjoyed with the Bengali fluffy bread called loochi.

Kaudi (mussels) curry: This recipe is based on the Kannada tempering called oggaraṇe. This one is a really special recipemussels curry because it has been given to me by my aunt who is married in a Mangalorean household and enjoys cooking their cuisine a lot.

For this curry you need, 1 kilo of mussels, nicely scrubbed. Put the mussels in cold water so that they open in about 20 minutes. Drain the water and then remove the unopened mussels. Now debeard them by pulling out the hairy thread, scrub them well and place them back in cold water until they are ready to use.

Now prepare the oggarane. To 2 tbsp of oil add 1 tsp of mustard seeds and a few curry leaves. Now add one thinly sliced onion and cook until they leave colour. To this, add 2 slit green chillies, 3 inches thinly cut ginger, a pinch of haldi and 2 tbsp of south Indian curry powder and stir for a minute until the aromas are released.

To this tadka add half a cup of water or broth and boil. Now you can add 250 ml of coconut milk and a stalk of pounded lemongrass. Add salt to taste. This is the time when you add the kaudi or mussels (after taking them out of the cold water) and simmer for 7-8 minutes on a medium flame with a lid on top. Before serving, check for partially closed mussels and toss them out. Now take out the mussels in respective bowls and pour over the thin broth type curry. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of coriander. Enjoy with freshly made appams or neer dosai. I love this curry with overboiled rice.

So here’s hoping that these recipes actually add some tadka to your gastronomical existence, and you do manage to have the chutzpah to stand tall in the kitchen! Try them out today.

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

(Pictures courtesy www.tajagroproducts.com, www.stainlesssteelthumb.com, www.nandyala.org)

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Chutney bana do

What’s food without chutneys, right? Savour your food with three delectable ones – our food writer dishes out three recipes.
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta

Maar maar ke teri chutney bana doonga! We can’t get enough of this Bollywood dialogue, right? After all, chutney is super important in our desi lives.

Jokes apart, the incredibly delicious ‘Indian chutney’ has spawned many foreign copy cats with fancy fruit and what-not. But asli chutney is something else! With the perfect balance of khataas, mithaas and mirchi masala, it features at the top of any Indian’s culinary list. Of course, be it Mumbai ki chaat or Gujarati thaali, everything is incomplete without chutney. Not only can it make bland dal chawal a lot more interesting, but is a power-packed source of nutrition as well.

Considering that it has both fruit and spices, the nutritional benefits are doubled wonderfully, namely that chutneys aid digestion. Chutneys come in several flavours, which make them naturally sweet or sour, depending on the kind of fruit or vegetable used.

This brilliant Indian sauce has in fact travelled the seven seas. The West has pretty much accepted it as part of their culinary existence, with it being almost as popular as Basmati rice. It can be bought over the counter, but it tastes the best when made absolutely fresh in the mortar and pestle, just the way our grannies used to.

For us Mumbaikars, it is impossible to imagine sev puri or bhel without the khatti meethi, green and red chutneys.

imli chutneyThe khajoor and imli red chutney: This chutney is the life line for all kinds of chaat. My favourite way to enjoy this one is when it is liberally garnished fresh dahi wada. This one is a sure shot hit with anything from ragda patties, to khaman dhokla, samosa pav, to sev puri and my favourite, dahi batata puri.

Here’s how you make it: In a thick-bottomed pan, pour 3 cups of water and add a ball of imli (about 200 gm), a handful of dates and 150 gms of sugar, and let it simmer till the mixture becomes mushy. Then take it off the flame and let it cool. Once cool, whizz in a blender until smooth. Put this mixture back in the pan, on a medium flame and add one teaspoon each of saunf (fennel), roasted and ground jeera (cumin seeds) and chilli powder and salt according to taste. Once the sauce is boiled, take it off heat. You can add water or cook it down based on the consistency you want.

Hot tip: Try adding thin slices of banana to this imli-khajoor ki chutney and enjoying it as a fruit fondue of sorts with apples, mango, chikoo and pineapple.

Green dhaniya chutney: This one is the more robust version from the khatta family of chutney. Usually seen as an accompaniment to succulent kebabs, it can be made with lots of green chillies to add a special smack of heat. Again, this is a universal companion to all chaats and of course, the bhajjis and pakoras. My favourite way to enjoy it is with palak patta crisp pakoras.

Here’s how you make it: In a blender, put a big bunch of dhaniya patta (coriander leaves) and whizz until the leaves turn to puree. To that add 7-8 cloves of garlic and an inch of ginger. You can also add a few chillies depending on the amount of teekha you can handle. Then add a teaspoon of dry mango powder or juice of two lemons and salt to taste. Blend again with a little water. Now you can add some mint puree or some curd or even the tamarind chutney to make your own concoction.

Hot tip: Try adding a little radish (mooli) along with curd in dhaniya chutney and enjoy with besan ka cheela (gramflour pancakes) on a rainy evening. You can also add dry pomegranate seeds to mint and dhaniya chutney. It tastes absolutely brilliant and is known to augment digestion.

Garlic chutney: This one is also a hot favourite amongst Mumbaikars. Its dry version is made with sun dried garlic and chilli. It tastes superb with vada pav. The wet garlic chutneygarlic chutney goes famously with the South Indian cuisine. You can enjoy stews with appam and this heady mix of onion garlic and tamarind.

To make this, put 10 cloves of garlic, 5 red chillies and 5 small onions with a teaspoon of tamarind pulp in the blender. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a pan. Add half a teaspoon of mustard seeds and some curry leaves. Once they splutter, add this mixture and cook on medium flame. Keep adding water in order to prevent from getting too thick. If the chutney starts sticking then keep on adding oil little by little.  Once the chutney is thoroughly cooked, take it off heat and let it cool. I personally prefer this one to its traditional coconut counterpart.

I guess I can go on talking about various chutneys that adorn the Indian dining table! But the craving that has set in thanks to writing this column is forcing me to run to the bhelwallah downstairs and enjoy his special dahi batata puri with loads of imli chutney on top. Slurp!

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

 

 

(Pictures courtesy commons.wikimedia.org, bombybo.com, priyaraosrecipes.blogspot.com, vineelascooking.blogspot.com)

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Break an egg

Parsis add eggs to any preparation, and the proof is not just in the pudding, but in all their food.
anurita guptaby Anurita Patel

Is there an evil you want to ward off? Are you welcoming a bride in your house? Go ahead, break an egg, break an egg!

Yes, that’s a true blue Parsi. There is no community more colourful than the bawas when it comes to doing things differently. By virtue of being married to a Parsi, I have been subject to a whole bunch of antics and of course, the legendary bawa fixation with food. They take it so seriously, that you may catch a bawa talking about the motti motti kolmi he enjoyed at Gambhar last weekend in Alibaug while he is already sitting at the dining table enjoying a feast!  Parsis can talk about food, food and more food even while eating (or even after) food!

In short, never mess with a Parsi’s food. They are specifically very particular about two food items – fish and eggs. Like my dad-in-law says, you should always have fish only in the months that have ‘R’ in their names. So since we are in August, we shall avoid the fish and move on to their next big fixation – eggs.

Did you know that an egg is the bawa equivalent of the auspicious coconut in Hindu customs? My grandmother took great umbrage at one of our many wedding rituals, when my mother-in-law took an egg around my head and broke it on the floor 🙂 However, coming back to this divine ball of health, wealth and prosperity taking the paramount place in Parsi cuisine, let us take a look at all that they love in eggs and how it is made.

The Parsi Akoori. The pride and joy of every bawa breakfast table, the akoori is special because it is the Parsi Parsi akooriversion of the English scrambled eggs, albeit with a lot of masala. All you need to do is add a sprinkle of cumin and a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste to asli ghee. Then sauté thinly chopped onion in ghee until it is red, and add the chopped tomato to it. Once it’s nicely bhunao’d, add all the dry masalas, including a dash of cinnamon. Right at the end, add the glorious eggs and stir.

The trick here is to keep it at the same consistency as scrambled eggs. Like I said, the akoori is such a hot favourite that I have seen people in my family eat it religiously every day for breakfast.

 ‘Everything’ per eeda (egg). There is no vegetable or food item on the planet that cannot have an egg broken on it, as per the Parsis! To their credit, they can make absolutely anything taste delicious with an egg in it. The famous bheeda per eeda is nothing but egg on okra. Simply make the okra sabzi and then break an egg or two on top of it. Cover the pan with a lid for a minute or so. Open to see if the yolk is set. Once done, sprinkle some coriander and voila, bheeda per eeda is ready.

The other hot favourites are wafer per eedu, malai per eedu, vaingnu (brinjal) per eedu, tamota (tomato) per eedu, kheema per eedu and goor (mutton marrow) per eedu. Basically anything and everything per eedu is the bawa specialty.

lagan nu custardLagan nu custard. No Parsi wedding is ever complete without the lagan nu custard. The Parsis always have a sit down dinner at their special occasions. The food is served on a banana leaf and along with saas in machhi and sali margi, there is the famous lagan nu custard for the sweet dish. It is a baked custard made with eggs, semolina and condensed milk. Milk, sugar and condensed milk are boiled in a kadhai and then the semolina is added to it. It is left to simmer for 20 minutes so that the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Then, some cardamom powder and nutmeg powder is added to it. Now, another mixture of eggs in another bowl with vanilla essence is made and added to the cooled down semolina mix. It is then baked for an hour or so until set.

So while the actual recipes can be acquired from many of your bawa friends or family, the main ingredient clearly is egg and of course, love. So the next time a bawa invites you to a brunch party saying ‘Jamva chalo Ji’ you know what to look forward to! After all, ‘Sunday hove ke Monday, dar roj khawaanu eedu!’

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

(Pictures courtesy paleoaholic.com, www.cookveg.co.uk, www.flickr.com)

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Ramzaan feasting in Mumbai

We list five go-to joints for amazing Ramzaan food and drink – and the journey starts from Mohammad Ali Road.
by Anurita Gupta

anurita guptaThis entire holy month is supremely special for one and all irrespective of religion and culture. This is also because, along with the whole month of fasting, there is the feasting to look forward to!

In Mumbai, the mecca of Ramzan food ought to be this wonderful street that stretches between Nagpada Junction and Minara Masjid right under the famous JJ flyover – Mohammad Ali Road. The moment you think of this street, you start imagining skewers of assorted kebabs in a cloud of charred aroma, complemented by the ‘desi ghee ki khushboo’ coming from the big metal kadhais frying up fluffy malpuas and jalebis.

If you are a true foodie, you will not resist visiting Mohammad Ali Road at least once during Ramzaan, when this place wears a beautiful hue of green sparkle, thanks to the bright lights adorning the area. From seekh paranthas, kheeri kaleji to phirnis and mawa jalebi, you are sure to enjoy a feast but you have to be sure to visit the right places for a complete gastronomical experience.

JJ Jalebi Corner: Just when you take a few steps into Mohammad Ali road, there is the famous JJ Jalebi store jalebisdoling out the most divine jalebis, that look a bit different from the regular orange ones. These are unique Ramzani sweet meats called mawa jalebi. They are darker, fluffier and a bit more chewy than the regular ones, but supremely delicious.

One look at them and you know why they are sold out first at this popular eatery that was named by the owner, Haji Chhote, after the famous JJ flyover in the independence year of 1947. This place also serves brilliant malpuas with the option of single and double egg. The difference is in the size and the fluff. You can enjoy them with freshly-made rabri as well. The specialty of JJ Jalebi Corner is that all its sweets are made in desi ghee with a special ingredient, ‘chiraunji’ in their batter, which adds the much-needed crunch amongst everything sweet. Enjoy it before your fast begins so the calories last you the day, but if you are not fasting, like me, then a single egg malpua and a little bit of jalebi should suffice.

Al Rehmani Restaurant: Situated diagonally opposite JJ Hospital, this restaurant wears a bit of a dingy look but if you can go past that, you shall discover a treasure trove of gastronomy in the form of daal gosht, mutton biryani and the most succulent and delicious roasted chicken leg.

The mutton masala and chicken kadhai are not for the faint hearted, as you would find lots of oil on the surface but that is because there is clearly no compromise on the taste of the food you get here. A unique dish on offer here is the deep fried seekh parantha that is served with mint leaves and green chutney, something I seriously  recommend. With its super efficient service, Al Rehmani is easy on the pocket yet great on the taste (minus the excessive oil and the ambience).

idris cold drinksIdris Cold Drinks: After much eating comes a time when you crave something to drink. Idris Cold Drinks at Pakmodia Street, Bhendi Bazaar is worth a try. Known for home made sherbets, this place has some unique flavours on offer. Started in 1987, this joint specialised in the masala drink ‘Rimzim’, which is ‘Jaljeera’ for the North Indian in me. The young owner proudly recommends their Variyali (saunf or fennel) drink but I would honestly steer clear of it!

However, their milk shakes are a different story. You can try the traditional kesar elaichi and the modern butterscotch flavours. Also, their ‘Idris special’ is a rose sherbet made from rose petals – it’s surprisingly refreshing! What’s unique is that this place sells syrups they make themselves, and their drinks have a hint of soda too. Idris Cold Drinks is worth a try on the Mohammad Ali gastronomic journey.

Surti 12 Handi: Right after Mohammad Ali Road, there is Bohri Mohalla’s pride and joy, Surti 12 (Baarah) Handi that serves up the most amazing nihari. Traditionally known for an astonishingly unique bhel that is a concoction of meats and gravies that come from 12 handis and served with khamiri roti (sour dough bread), this joint is now run by the grandson of Hafiz Ismail, Naeem Surti, who has been forced to cater to the changing times where people do not prefer to mix their meats.

Although the 12 handis have now been reduced to 9, the style of cooking still remains the same. There are swarms of people standing outside in the evening waiting to lap up the out-of-the-ordinary feast as the mohalla exults in the aromas of various meats. For the month of Ramzaan their specialty is the nalli nihari (beef bone marrow in gravy) which is served with goat and cow trotters and other special meats as well. Really heavy on the heart but brilliantly comforting for the soul, one has to visit this place for its share of history, too.

Tawakkal Sweets: For everything malai, there is Tawakkal Sweets, at Bohri Mohalla. Their most popular ones are mango and balck currant malai flavours. As usual, this place sees a tawakkal sweetslot of rush with people usually taking parcels for everything, from malai to huge jalebi packets.

I personally love their phirnis. Soft and creamy, they have the most delicate flavour. Their blueberry malai is another favourite.  You can get your hands on their heavenly gulab jamoons and other traditional bohri sweet meats as well, such as Aflatoon, puff sweet samosa and malai puff.  Their khaja barfi is also very popular.

With that I conclude the culinary journey of the most delectable Ramzaan food and drink, hoping that you would surely visit these places irrespective of the traffic snarls and the rain. Happy feasting!

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

(Pictures courtesy www.buzzintown.com , www.finelychopped.net, www.team-bhp.com)

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The ultimate monsoon comfort food

What’s better than the monsoon in Mumbai, despite killing rains? Food that makes the season even more special, that’s what!
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta

Mumbai without monsoons is a Mumbai without colour, without some of its spirit. But now that the rains are here, let’s celebrate!

While you must have completed your neon-colored-raincoat-and-gumboots-shopping routine from Linking road, there is a lot more to do while baarish sings at your window sill; for instance, figuring out some rainy season comfort food and drink. Here are a few of my favourites that make monsoons even more cozy and comforting.

Kadak adrak chai: While it is the unofficial drink of India, Mumbai’s cutting chai with a dash of ginger is best masala-chaienjoyed during the rains. Not only does it enhance the taste of crisp mirchi and paneer pakodas, but ginger is good for us as well. Being a natural astringent, it aids in digestion and can actually cure the common stomach flu that tends to bother us in this season. Ginger is also known to sooth cold and cough and other allergies. So enjoy a cuppa while watching the rain soak the streets of the city. If you choose to make it on your own, then just add some thinly sliced ginger in regular chai before adding milk. Boil for two minutes and pour.

Kanda bhajji: There is no better snack that accompanies a kadak adrakwali chai in the monsoon than the Mumbaiyya kanda bhajji. These are onion and gram flour fritters. Enjoy it at a chai ki tapri near you or make them fresh at home.

Here’s how you do it: Make a thick paste of besan (gram flour) and water; add a spoon of cornflour, salt to taste, dry mango powder (aamchoor) and chilly powder, along with dhaniya powder and ginger garlic paste. Thinly slice onions. Dunk them in the batter and throw bit by bit in a heated kadhai of mustard oil. Deep fry until the bhajjis become golden brown, and enjoy with a nice sprinkling of chaat masala on top. Happy chomping!

Wonton soup: Pour yourself a bowl of soup while it’s pouring outside! All you have to do it to cook up some chicken or vegetable broth. You can make one yourself by throwing in actual chicken or some vegetables in a cooker. Give it a whistle or two, strain and serve. Or you can also pick up Maggi stock cubes to make the broth. Once done, open up a packet of frozen wontons, swirl in the hot broth for two minutes and serve with a spritz of lemon and a dash of ground black pepper.

Bhutta nimbu masala maar ke: At every nook and corner of Mumbai streets, you will find the delicious bhutta, i.e. corn on the cob. If it rains, it calls for a bhutta, that too with a genuine helping of lemon juice and chaat masala. The bhuttawala will happily give you the option of soft and hard, sweet and regular corn. Choose the one you like, watch it get grilled on coal and then relish it while taking a walk at Marine drive.

jalebi-samosaGarma garam jalebi samosa: If your sweet tooth takes a fancy to the rains, then the sweet dish that complements it the most is hot, crisp jalebi. These concentric circles made from flour and sugar and doused in chashni are heavenly when combined with crusty samosas. This combination is really one made in heaven. Enjoy it at a halwai shop near you or parcel it for a late monsoon night, when it tastes brilliant eaten cold with a glass of warm milk.

If you have firang taste buds, then chips and dips are a good choice with sizzling brownie and ice cream for those who love sweets. So go ahead, sing your favourite rain song as you sip hot chai and eat steaming hot bhajjis!

Anurita Gupta is a media professional who is passionate about two things – food and radio. Her love for all things food makes her a foodie with a cause.

(Pictures courtesy healthbeautyfitness.in, know.burrp.com, finelychoppedk.wordpress.com)

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Why aloe vera is great for you

Aloe vera alleviates breathing issues, reduces aches in joints and even helps get rid of lice. Try this plant today.
anurita guptaby Anurita Gupta

If aloe vera were a pop group, it would undoubtedly be The Beatles. This wonder plant is a true star, and it finds its place in history for thousands of years. Legend has it that Aristotle advised his student, Alexander the Great, to invade the island of Socrota to get all the aloe vera plants from there in order to use it to heal the wounds of his soldiers.

Although it looks like a hybrid cactus, aloe vera actually belongs to the lily family from the south of Africa. This plant’s gel and juice are said to possess miraculous healing qualities. The aloe gel, also known as ‘mucilage’ is taken from the inner part of the aloe leaf and the aloe vera juice comes from the latex part of the plant, just beneath the skin. The juice is said to contain the laxative aloin.

There are over two hundred useful ingredients in aloe vera, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, polysaccharide, and fatty acids. That is the reason why there is a whole list of benefits that this wonder plant accords. Apply it or add it to your favourite drink (non alcoholic ) for the following benefits:

Wrinkle-free, glowing skin: Throw away that wrinkle cream or herbal skin potion. Aloe vera gel is the only natural, sure-shot preventive solution for wrinkles, since it is a fantastic moisturiser. Dry or sensitive, acne-prone or psoriasis-ridden skin, aloe vera gel is said to be the best solution for all skin issues, because it provides oxygen to the epithelial cells that act as a power booster to get healthy skin.

Try this: Cut up an aloe vera plant leaf and slice it down the centre to extract just the gel, not the latex from the aloe vera gelsides. Whirl it in the blitzer and apply it on your face just before going to bed every night. Not only will you have acne-free, smooth, glowing skin, but wrinkles will say good bye forever!

Rapunzel-may-get-jealous hair: Opt for aloe vera gel if you want your inner Rapunzel to come alive. Use the gel directly on your scalp to rid it of dandruff or – eeeks! – even lice. You can get lush, strong, shiny hair thanks to the vitamins and folic acid stocked in this miracle plant.

Try this: Apply the gel on a clean scalp right after washing your hair with a light shampoo. Keep it on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Also, there are many off-the-counter shampoos available with aloe vera as an ingredient, so you could opt for those.

aloe vera gelHealth in a glass: Aloe vera comprises Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E, Folic Acid and Niacin and therefore, having a glass of aloe vera juice daily can boost our immunity and assist it in fighting against pesky free radicals and pollution-generated stress on our body. You can buy aloe vera juice at many chemist shops. They are also available in many flavours including green apple, mint and grape.

Try this: Aloe vera juice is very high in minerals. Drinking it regularly will supply you with essential minerals and help you attain optimum blood flow and a healthier BMR (Body Mass Ratio). It is a natural cleanser, so it is a great antacid that cures digestion issues in a matter of days. Drink a glass of aloe vera juice in the morning and feel a heightened sense of well-being.

Happy joints and hearts: Densely packed with 12 natural ingredients such as copper, iron, sodium, calcium, zinc and potassium, aloe vera helps in lowering inflammation naturally. In short, if you have aloe vera juice on a daily basis chances are that you would not have to visit the ‘bone doctor’ too soon. Thanks to the anti-inflammatory benefits of this plant, it aids in mobilising muscles and joints. Not only that, there’s the bonus advantage of lowered blood sugar and lesser cholesterol, thanks to aloe vera’s ability to greatly multiply supply of oxygen in the blood.

Try this: Add some aloe vera gel to a smoothie or milk shake of your choice. Also, the next time you have aching joints, there’s no need to rub ‘ghee’ on them – just apply an anti-inflammatory gel that contains aloe.

Breathe free: Aloe vera juice can aid extensively in cases of respiratory disorders. Having a glass daily can actually be very helpful for those who chronically have the sniffles, aloe-vera-gelinfluenza, bronchitis and many other allergies. Aloe vera comprises sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol that thwart the development of bad bacteria in the body, thereby reducing chances of all sorts of internal and external infections. So time to say ‘bottoms up’ to an aloe vera shot and breathe free.

While there are many products available in stores containing this brilliant plant, it is always recommended that you your own aloe vera gel or juice. The price you pay for this plant is a mere Rs 45 and it grows as beautifully indoors as in strong sunlight. Also, while its daily external application as a gel is highly recommended, there are naturopaths who advise against consuming aloe vera juice regularly because they believe it has to be used as a medicine for cure and not necessarily as a ‘healthy living’ magic potion.

(Pictures courtesy www.whyaloevera.com, articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, www.aloe-vera-bio.org, www.makeupbeautylounge.com)

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