Egg Jalfrezi

Wikipedia says "The jalfrezi dates from the times of the British Raj when it was created as a way of using leftover meat; the chillies helped to disguise any disagreeable taste. The name comes indirectly from Bengali jhāl, spicy food, and Urdu parhezī, suitable for a diet"

Egg Jalfrezi:

Jalfrezi is a tasty sweet and spicy concoction of Bell Peppers, Tomato and Onion. You can add any vegetable of your choice or mixed veggies, meat or hard boiled Eggs into this thickish gravy.


About Jalfrezi:

There are many ways to make the Jalfrezi, here is my milder version since my kids like milder and sweeter sauce than spicy. You can add green chillies if you like, gives it a nice heat. I added red bell peppers for sweetness and color.


How to make Egg Jalfrezi my way!

Hard boil 6 eggs in water for 15mins, take off the heat, pour out the hot water and add cold water. This makes the Egg shells peel easy after they are cold. Peel the shells, cut the eggs 1/2 way to the center but do not cut it thru' to split them into half.

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil + 2 tsp Butter, add 1tsp Cumin seeds. When they turn reddish, add 1" grated fresh Ginger, saute for 2 mins.

2. Add 2 medium sized thinly sliced onions, saute for 3 mins, until they are soft. Add 2 large red Bell peppers, sliced into the sauce, stir fry for 3 mins, until they wilt a bit and soften.

3. Now, add 2-3 Plum Tomatoes, sliced to the pan, stir again and let it cook and oil shows on top a little, sauce leaves the sides of the pan.

4. Now, add enough salt, 1/4 or more tsp Chilli pd or Paprika (you can add green chillies too), 1/2 tsp Sugar, 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder, 1/2 tsp good quality Garam masala pd, homemade is better. Mix well and add 3/4 cup water and 1 tbsp cream or full cream milk (optional). Simmer for 5 mins.

5. Take off the heat, adjust the salt and chilli pd. Sprinkle 3 tbsp chopped Cilantro.

Serve with Lemon slices and cooked Basmati rice.

When stock prices drop, where's the money?

Have you ever wondered what happened to your socks when you put them into the dryer and then never saw them again? It's an unexplained mystery that may never have an answer. Many people feel the same way when they suddenly find that their brokerage account balance has taken a nosedive. So, where did that money go? Fortunately, money that is gained or lost on a stock doesn't just disappear. Read to find out what happens to it and what causes it.

Disappearing money

Before we get to how money disappears, it is important to understand that regardless of whether the market is in bull (appreciating) or bear (depreciating) mode, supply and demand drive the price of stocks, and fluctuations in stock prices determine whether you make money or lose it.

So, if you purchase a stock for $10 and then sell it for only $5, you will (obviously) lose $5. It may feel like that money must go to someone else, but that isn't exactly true. It doesn't go to the person who buys the stock from you. The company that issued the stock doesn't get it either. The brokerage is also left empty-handed, as you only paid it to make the transaction on your behalf. So the question remains: where did the money go?

Implicit and explicit value

The most straightforward answer to this question is that it actually disappeared into thin air, along with the decrease in demand for the stock, or, more specifically, the decrease in investors' favorable perception of it.

But this capacity of money to dissolve into the unknown demonstrates the complex and somewhat contradictory nature of money. Yes, money is a teaser - at once intangible, flirting with our dreams and fantasies, and concrete, the thing with which we obtain our daily bread. More precisely, this duplicity of money represents the two parts that make up a stock's market value: the implicit and explicit value.

On the one hand, money can be created or dissolved with the change in a stock's implicit value, which is determined by the personal perceptions and research of investors and analysts. For example, a pharmaceutical company with the rights to the patent for the cure for cancer may have a much higher implicit value than that of a corner store.

Depending on investors' perceptions and expectations for the stock, implicit value is based on revenues and earnings forecasts. If the implicit value undergoes a change - which, really, is generated by abstract things like faith and emotion - the stock price follows.

A decrease in implicit value, for instance, leaves the owners of the stock with a loss because their asset is now worth less than its original price. Again, no one else necessarily received the money; it has been lost to investors' perceptions.

Now that we've covered the somewhat "unreal" characteristic of money, we cannot ignore how money also represents explicit value, which is the concrete worth of a company. Referred to as the accounting value (or sometimes book value), the explicit value is calculated by adding up all assets and subtracting liabilities. So, this represents the amount of money that would be left over if a company were to sell all of its assets at fair market value and then pay off all of liabilities.

But you see, without explicit value, implicit value would not exist: investors' interpretation of how well a company will make use of its explicit value is the force behind implicit value.

Disappearing trick revealed

For instance, in February 2009, Cisco Systems Inc had 5.81 billion shares outstanding, which means that if the value of the shares dropped by $1, it would be the equivalent to losing more than $5.81 billion in (implicit) value. Because CSCO has many billions of dollars in concrete assets, we know that the change occurs not in explicit value, so the idea of money disappearing into thin air ironically becomes much more tangible.

In essence, what's happening is that investors, analysts and market professionals are declaring that their projections for the company have narrowed. Investors are therefore not willing to pay as much for the stock as they were before.

So, faith and expectations can translate into cold hard cash, but only because of something very real: the capacity of a company to create something, whether it is a product people can use or a service people need. The better a company is at creating something, the higher the company's earnings will be and the more faith investors will have in the company.

In a bull market, there is an overall positive perception of the market's ability to keep producing and creating. Because this perception would not exist were it not for some evidence that something is being or will be created, everyone in a bull market can be making money. Of course, the exact opposite can happen in a bear market.

To sum it all up, you can think of the stock market as a huge vehicle for wealth creation and destruction.

Disappearing socks

No one really knows why socks go into the dryer and never come out, but next time you're wondering where that stock price came from or went to, at least you can chalk it up to market perception.

10 Must To Do Things When Filing Your Income Tax Returns

With the due date of July 31 fast approaching, it is that time of the year again when the nation’s tax payers scramble to file I-T returns. After
all, filing of tax return is compulsory for everyone whose gross total income exceeds the basic exemption limit.

For financial year 2007-08, for instance, the basic exemption limit was Rs 1.45 lakh for women below 65 years of age, Rs 1.95 lakh for senior citizens and Rs 1.10 lakh for any other individual. However, for financial year 2008-09, the limit has been increased to Rs 1.80 lakh for women below 65 years of age, Rs 2.25 for senior citizens and Rs 1.50 lakh for males below 65 years.

Thus, if your income for the year exceeded the exemption limit, you will be required to file the return by the due date. "You need to file the tax return even if you are not paying any tax or even if your employer has deducted tax at source," says Ashish Kapur, CEO, Invest Shoppe India Ltd.

However, despite all the precautions taken by you, rush-hour filing may mean that you could inadvertently miss out on certain details and disclosures, and therefore be on the bad books of the taxman. If not that, you might just forget to make the most of the tax breaks available to you, thus paying more tax in the process and claiming no or less return.
Here are 10 important things to do before filing your I-T return:


1. Identify Sources of Income

Firstly, you need to identify your sources of income under different heads. Under the I-T Act, all incomes earned by persons are classified into five different heads, such as income from salary, income from house property, income from business or profession, income from capital gains, and income from other sources. Thus, you should identify all your incomes from different sources, just to ensure that you haven’t missed out something while filing your return.



2. Refer to the Basic Documents

According to Vikas Vasal, executive director, KPMG, some basic documents/information that should be referred to while filling the return include:

· Form No 16 (issued by the employer): This shows the income from salary and tax deducted by the employer on the same.
· Summary of all bank accounts during the year: This summary gives an idea about the income earned during the year, investments
made and other expenses. This will ensure that neither any income nor any eligible deductions are left out in the return.
· Details of tax paid during the year: This is required in case the individual has paid any advance tax during the year.
· Income of a minor child: This is to be included (except in few cases) even if it is a small amount, e.g. bank interest.



3. Compute Your Tax Liability

Having identified your sources of income and after referring to the basic documents, you need to compute your tax liability for the year. If you are familiar with the process and are comfortable with doing it, you can do it all by yourself. If not, you should take the help of a tax expert or a CA or some other qualified professional. This is important as a wrong computation of your tax liability can land you in trouble later on.
You also need to ensure that "if any tax is payable, the same has been paid as ‘self assessment tax’ before filing the tax return. Further, if any interest is payable for late payment of tax, then the same has also been deposited," says Vasal.



4. Chose the Right Form

Once the details in respect of income and expenses are collated, you should check which tax return form is applicable to you. With the introduction of new forms, based on the nature of income earned during the year, you should select the right income-tax form.
For example, there are two I-T return forms -- ITR-1 and ITR-2 - available for salaried individuals at the moment, and your sources of income will decide which form to use. Use the first form if your income is from salary, pension or interest earned in the financial year, and use the second one in case of any capital gain, income or loss from house property and income from any other source. There is another form - ITR-4 - which is meant for individuals having income from a business or profession. The Tax Department will refuse to accept your form in case you have chosen the wrong one.



5. Fill in Correct Personal Details

Ensure that you fill in correct personal details in the form meant for you, especially your name, address, bank account details and PAN number. Bank account details include the bank account number, type of account and the bank’s MICR code. "This is crucial, especially if you are claiming a refund. Likewise, your PAN is very important because the tax laws levy a fine for not quoting or misquoting your PAN number," says Kapur.



6. Claim all Deductions

Ensure that you have, under various sections of the I-T Act, claimed all the deductions that you are eligible for. For example,
a. Under Sec 80 C - For investments made like PF, PPF, NSC, school tuition fees of children, insurance premium, investments in specified mutual funds etc.
b. Under Sec 80 G - Donations made to charitable organizations
c. Housing deduction for interest on housing loan etc.



7. Information of Specified Investments/ Exempt Income

You also have to fill in information in respect of specified investments, as per prescribed limits, such as:
# Property bought or sold in excess of Rs 30 lakh
# Mutual funds, in excess of Rs 2 lakh
# Cash deposits in excess of Rs 10 lakh
# Credit card payments in excess of Rs 2 lakh
# Bonds etc in excess of Rs 5 lakh
It is also important to know that certain income that is exempt (i.e. income which is not taxable) is also required to be disclosed in the I-T return form. For example, dividend received and receipt of PF balance, among others. Not disclosing these incomes may land you in trouble also.



8. Claiming a Loss

If you are planning to claim a loss in the income-tax return, which you would like to carry forward, the same can be done, only if the return is filed by the due date. If this filing deadline is not met, then the loss claimed would not be allowed to be carried forward for future set off against income.



9. File By Due Date & In the Right Tax Jurisdiction

After the tax return is filled in, the next step is to file it appropriately, by the due date. For individuals having salary and interest income only, the due date of filing the tax return for the financial year 2008-09 is July 31, 2009. The return may be filed either electronically or in printed form. In few cases, even the electronically-filed return has to be filed in printed form within a given time period.

"One must also ensure that the return is filed with the right tax officer (tax jurisdiction). This is determined based on the address of the individual. In case of salaried employees, the jurisdiction is determined by particulars of the employer," informs Vasal.

The proof of filing the return is the acknowledgement, which is stamped and signed by the tax officer and a copy is returned to the individual.
One important thing to remember is whether it is electronic filing or paper filing, now individuals do not have to attach any document or attachment with the return of income.



10. Maintain Documents For Future Reference

The documents based on which the return is prepared may be requested at a later stage by the Income Tax Officer to check the correctness of the claims made. Failure to submit details may lead to disallowance of the deduction claimed, resulting in an increase in the tax liability or a decrease in refund. "Hence, it is advisable that all the documents required to substantiate the return are maintained by the tax payer for future reference," says Vasal.

These are the few important points which you should bear in mind while filing your return. The golden rule is to be organised in your paper work and be timely in paying tax and filing the tax return.

Revamping An Old Piece Of Furniture

Here's the starting point, a simple little piece of furniture that can fit into a corner, bought from a thrift shop.

It's so ugly and dirty that nobody would give it a second glance.

What's more, it's made of cheap old plywood. But it was so cheap that I decided to buy it.
Here's how it looked when I first got it.









I wash and sandpaper it. I take off the yellow foam and fill in all the flaws and screw holes with wood filler.












I glue a sheet of thick paper en relief on top.
I spray the feet with silver paint and paint the rest in a light cappuccino shade.






Last of all, using decopatch/paperpatch adhesive, I glue a type of glazed paper used by florists to the door.

When it's fully dry, I apply a layer of glossy glue/varnish.
The next day, I apply a coat of marine varnish over the entire item in order to give it maximum protection against any kinds of stains or splashes. Then I swap the plastic handles for more modern, aluminum ones.

Here's the result.

Scrapbooking idea : Personalized Cards

Using various materials...
scrapbooking card materials
and some scrapbooking techniques, you can make a personalized card.




The base : a rectangular card cut from a yellow/beige cardstock folder.

* Clip the two outside corners with a little punch.
* Choose two paper sheets in contrasting colors to be pasted to this surface: a light green or beige striped sheet and a sheet of light green vellum stamped with leaves and flowers.
* To highlight the contrasts, tear, don't cut the vellum paper.
* Using this vellum paper, practise your embossing with a heart shape, using a stencil and leaning on a glass surface.
* Also stick on a gold metallic sticker : color the raised part with metallic felt tip pens.
* Paste a raised, button-shaped sticker on two, round-edged squares (which match the card's colors and are positioned in a diamond shape to make the link between the different cards and colors).



The letters of your message :

* are created using stamps and cardstock cut into little rectangles.
* A raised effect is achieved using adhesive 3D foam squares.

Mixed Vegetable and Lilva / Avarekalu Uppittu

Well... Sahaja wanted a one dish meal and here is my simple yet nutritious one dish Uppittu/Upma I make when I am in a hurry or don't have any left overs to eat. Usually I throw in a frozen mixed vegetable pack here to make veg Uppittu. I love Avarekalu / Lilva / Field beans in Uppittu but fresh beans is not always available to me, so I soak dry ones and cook them to add to dishes or use frozen Lilva. For tanginess, I add Lemon juice at the end or one fresh sliced Tomato.

To make Mixed Veg Uppittu:

1. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a non-stick pan. Add 1 cup Semolina/Rava and roast until Rava is golden on a medium heat and spread it on paper to cool.

2. Add 2 tbsp oil to the same pan, add 1/2 Mustard seeds, 1 tsp Cumin seeds, few curry leaves, (Cashews are optional), 2 tsp each Chana dal and Urad dal, 1 onion, finely chopped, 2-3 green chillies and fry them until soft.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water, enough salt, few cilantro. Add 1 cup of pre cooked (Microwave them with little water) mixed veggies like Beans, Carrots, peas, Lilva beans, one Tomato sliced. Let it boil for 5 mins.

4. Taste for salt and turn down the heat to simmer. Slowly add Rava in a stream and stir all the while to prevent clumping. Stri well, cover and let it simmer for 4-5 mins.

5. It's ready to eat. serve with crunchy Sev, Boondi and plain yogurt.

A Dinner Plate With Chicken Patty

A dinner plate with Chicken Patty, Asparagus Stir-fry with Cheese Bread




How to make these:

Asparagus Stir-fry first:

1. Pick a tender (with thinner spears) bunch of Asparagus and wipe the outside with a clean wet towel.Hold the Asparagus at the end,snap the thicker part and it will break where is it tender and not stringy.Keep them whole.
2. Heat a 2 tsp butter in a wide pan,add asparagus spears ,sprinkle some salt and stir-fry for not more 5 mins,it should still be crisp when done not limp at all.
3. Before you take it off the heat,sprinkle 1/2 tsp each of Garlic powder,Cumin pd,1/8 tsp of Chili flaked or coarsely ground pepper.
4. Serve warm on the side with a some Mayonnaise(optional) on top.

Crispy Chicken Patties next:

1. In a bowl, mix 1 lb ground chicken,1 egg, 1 tbsp Mrs.Dash no-salt Spicy seasoning or Chipotle seasoning or any you like,2 tsp Parsley,salt and pepper well.
2. Divide in to four portions,make rounds and flatten to make four patties.
3. Add 1 cup Panko, Japanese bread crumbs on a plate and coat each patties well both sides and chill in the fridge covered until you are ready.
4. Heat 1 tsp butter or Olive oil in a non-stick pan on a medium heat,add one patty and cook until reddish on the bottom for about 3 mins,flip and cook the other side until the inside is cooked well with little more butter or oil.
5. Repeat with others and serve as soon as possible,warm and crisp.

Cheese-Garlic Bread last:)



I made some home made Naan bread stuffed with Cheddar Cheese and folded over to bake and brushed with Garlic-Parsley butter when done.