DECOR

Cucumber Mussalam

BY CHEF GAUTAM MEHRISHI

Chef Mehrishi has become a household name with his various cooking shows on the television. In his most trending show, Kitchen Magic, he brings professional and innovative global cooking techniques to the home kitchen.

Ingredients

• 3 small and soft cucumbers • 250 gms kachri (lemon cucumber)

For the filling:

• 50 gms khoya • 1 tbsp cashew chopped + 1 tbsp cashew paste • 1 boiled and grated potato • Coriander

• Mint • Green beans • Salt to taste • 1 tsp cumin powder

For the gravy:

• 2 medium-sized onions, chopped • 1 tbsp ginger paste • 2 tbsps tomato puree • 1 tbsp cashew paste • 1 tbsp yoghurt • 1 tsp cumin powder • 1 tsp turmeric powder • 1 tsp coriander powder

Preparation

• Cut the cucumber into two halves and peel the outer skin. Scoop the seeds and make a hollow cylinder inside. • Punch the outer portion of the cucumber with a fork and run salt around it and keep it aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

• In a pan, boil water with salt and turmeric, and add the cucumber. Let it become soft but not too soft as otherwise it will not be able to hold the stuffing. • Mix khoya, potato, chillies, salt, cumin powder, peas and carrot to prepare the stuffing. With the help of a spoon gradually fill this stuffing in the hollow cylindrical cucumber. Then, holding the cucumber carefully cut it into one and half inch-thick slices and keep it aside. • For the gravy, add oil in the wok and then add onions. After they get brown add gingergarlic paste. • Let it cook for a while and then add tomato puree, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. • Once the masala is cooked properly, add cashew and paste and mix it well. Keep mixing continuously so that the cashew does not get burnt. Add a little water and garam masala, and keep mixing it. • Once the masala is again dried and seems cooked, add beaten yoghurt, cover the lid and cook for two minutes.

• Now gradually add the cut slices with 30 per cent of the slice above the gravy and put the flame on slow. Let it cook under cover for five to 10 minutes.

DIY Christmas decor ideas

BY MRINALINI SUNDAR Deck the Halls

It is that time of the year again when trees are up, halls are decked, and jingles are sung. Yes yes, Christmas is not too far away and that means you need to get ahead of time and plan Christmas decor. After all, you are going to hold parties and have family dinners - and get the house to look amazing for the holiday season. This year, give the big shopping stores a break and spend some time making decor items. This is also a great way to take the green route and use recycled material to get innovative. Now when you have those parties, show them every tiny detail of the decor you prepared on your own!

Pine cone and cotton beauty!

Getting crafty during Christmas is a lot of fun. In fact, it can even be turned into a family activity. How about creating your own ornaments for the tree? We have a few simple and very cute ideas. Pick up a few pine cones and paint them white on the tips. You can either place them together in a corner or hang them on the tree for some snowy effects. Add a little more snow to the tree with some cotton. Get a thin wooden sheet and draw a reindeer on it, cut the shape out, and stick cotton on the body. You can paint the snow grey if you wish or leave it as is. This can be a great fun activity for the kids.

A little wooden magic

Get a rustic, raw, round wooden slice. They make for great Christmas tree decorations. But give them a crafty twist. Cut cardboard in the shape of a car, Christmas tree, and stars. Get all your ideas out and do whatever designs you feel are right for your tree. Next, you paint them however you want. Just try to make them “Christmasy”. The final step is to stick them on the wooden board. Now you can place them on a table or hang them on the tree!

Pom-Poms on the stockings

Christmas stockings are a cute addition to the Christmas decorations. But do you know what makes it cuter? Pom-poms on stockings. Make the celebrations a lot more whimsical this year with this cutesy idea. All you need are a few woolen stockings, then you stick colourful yarn pom-poms all over them. You can choose to make it minimal or fill it up from top to bottom with colourful pom-poms, do it the way you want to and hang them from the fireplace.