Lebanese Garlic Sauce

“Toumeh” the Lebanese garlic sauce which is classic in its own right and very popular. For many people Toumeh might be their first taste in Lebanese cuisine.  This Garlic sauce is very popular across the Middle East Region! It goes well with grilled chicken, meat, Shawarma, and countless other things.  The great variety can cater to meat eater as well as the vegetarian.  

Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Personally, I am a huge fan of garlic sauce.  When I was in UAE I used to frequent to a Lebanese joint called “Fresh Chicken King”.  The main attraction for us there was just to have their Grilled Chicken which is served with French Fries, Tabouleh Salad, Garlic Sauce & Boorie (that is our dear old bhatura which we have it with Chole here).

The taste simply does not leave you and whenever I visit UAE I make it a point to visit this place at least once.  The sad part is the prices have been hiked to more than double then what we used to get earlier but nevertheless it still remains my favorite joint.

 

Today I am sharing with you’ll the recipe of Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toumeh) which I tried out at home and it turned out to be a big hit with my family folks.

What you will need:

1      Small potato (approximately 170 gram)
6      Large cloves garlic
¾     Teaspoon salt
¼     Cup vegetable oil (corn, sunflower or olive oil)
3      Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-3   Tablespoons yogurt   (optional and amount used depends on personal preference)  

How to make it:

• Peel and cut the potatoes. Put in pan with water and boil until well cooked.
• Remove potatoes from pan, drain and mash them with a fork. Set aside to cool.
• Peel garlic and place it with the salt in a heavy duty electric blender with a sharp knife. Pulse until the garlic is finely cut.
• Add the oil and lemon juice gradually and pulse with the electric blender between each addition.  I usually add the oil and lemon in 4 batches. This gradual addition and the pulsing in-between guarantee a smooth consistency. 
• Add the cold, mashed potatoes and pulse. By now you should have a thick, smooth, garlic paste. For garlic lovers, this could be the finished product and used as is.
• For those who prefer their garlic sauce a little milder, mix in 1 to 3 tablespoons yogurt depending on how strong you want the garlic flavor.  The more yogurt, the milder the garlic taste.
• Served as a dip with countless things…. but beware, it could be addictive!

Do try this dip & leave me your comment on how it turned out. You can serve this, as a dip for Kebabs &   Cutlets.

Enjoy!!!!!

Biotoque's Dandelion Anti Aging Serum

For the unlearned, old age is winter and for the learned, it is the season of the harvest.  Dust pollution and stressful life does take a toll on your health and skin.  Your face is a mirror which reflects how well you take care of yourself.

Anti-aging products cost quite a fortune for little quantity. I wanted to pick up something in Herbal or Ayurvedic which would not be harmful or have any side effects on my skin.  Hence decided to try Biotique’s Dandelion Anti aging serum.

Biotique Bio Dandelion Ageless Lightening Serum is an extraction of Dandelion which is a rejuvenating herbaceous plant known for its ageless properties. This lightening serum has got a rare combination of pure dandelion, rich in Vitamin E and minerals, blended with nutmeg oil.  The Serum is even known for stimulating skin's micro circulation, regenerating cells and helps greatly to firm the face and neck. I have been religiously using it for couple of years now.  It surely has worked great for me.

Ingredients:
Bihidana, Halon, Jaiphal, Badam Tail, Surajmukhi, Khamir, Doodhal, Ground nut oil, Himalayan Water.

Usage:
Before applying the anti aging serum, wash your face and neck with a mild facial cleanser.  Pour an appropriate amount (few drops) of anti aging serum on your palm.  Take a small amount of the serum with your ring finger and apply the serum all over your face including under eye areas.  Wait for 2 minutes until the serum is completely absorbed in to your facial skin and then you can apply a sunscreen moisturizer.  Repeat this twice a day morning and night.

This product is priced at Rs. 199/- for 35ml.

Pros 

Herbal Product

No side effects

Cheaper compared to the other brands

Light non greasy

Absorbs quickly

Skin looks young and soft

Cons

None I can think of…

Aging is an inevitable process. Some people age gracefully, they may die of old age, but they die young.

Rating - 10/10

Estee Lauder Pleasures Perfume Review

Estee Lauder Pleasures Perfume 

One of life's simple pleasures….

Fresh as flowers after a rain, this sheer, shimmering floral is a spirited blend of Lilies, Peonies and Jasmine, all tingling with the rare essence of exotic Baie Rose.

This is a very fresh scent that I love to wear. It seduces you so that you want to be closer and closer, but you cannot quite reach it. It’s not over powering very soft and feminine. I've received so many compliments on how fresh and uplifting this scent is and how good it smells. Perfect for any age, anytime, any event, never too heavy. This perfume has very good fragrance & it is long lasting.

 You can wear this in Summer's as well as Winter's.

  

 It comes in a neat transparent bottle with dull gold cap. The outer box is in bright peach color. 

Guys !!! please take a note, if you want to gift your wife or girlfriend. This is the best perfume you can gift. I swear you can never go wrong with this one. 

I absolutely love this perfume, I get more compliments on this, than on any other.  

Fragrance Type: Sheer Floral

Top Notes

White Lily
Violet Leaves
Green Accents

Middle Notes

Black Lilac
White Peony
Karo-Karounde Blossoms
Baie Rose
Pink Rose
Jasmine

Base Notes

Sandalwood
Patchouli

I picked up Estee Lauder Pleasures 100ml for Rs. 3500/-/- (this was the discounted price) 

Rating : 10/10

THE NINETH WONDER OF THE HAIR WORLD

Sebastian Portion 9

THE NINETH WONDER OF THE HAIR WORLD - For nearly 20 years, Portion 9 has been the iconic style care hybrid that stylist & consumers turn to. 

Potion 9 is a truly wearable and versatile styling treatment which combines the caring benefits of nine active Botanical Extracts with Sebastian’s professional styling technology to condition, manage and nourish the hair.

Potion 9 leaves the hair revitalized with flexible strength and improved manageability so you can style your hair as you desire with minimal fuss and damage. 

I visited my hairstylist for the routine trimming of my hair & i was quiet impressed with the way her hair was styled. It gave her a very fresh after shower look which was quite a good change from the routine straight hair. When i inquired about how did she manage to get this look. She introduced me to Sebastian Portion 9 product. 

After shower you have to take a little quantity of this product & apply it on the wet hair & squeeze your hair & leave it to dry naturally for this particular look. You can also use blow dry (used for curling hair)  for getting more precised curls.

What makes potion 9 different is its ingredient list. It uses a blend of 9 special botanicals that helps make your hair fabulous. These botanical are:

Simmodsia Chinensis Plant Seed Oil - Also know as jojoba oil,  It helps moisturize hair and absorb into the scalp.
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil - Called safflower oil, is a fatty acid which helps the hair maintain optimal health.
Gingerlly Oil - Is a great source of Vitamin E and naturally fights free radicals.
Cusi Oil - It comprised mainly of lipids which helps with hydration.
Olive Oil - Is a moisturizer and a cleanser .
Sun cup Oil - A sun cup is a type of flower. It contains high amounts of linoleic acid which helps with hair health.
Rice Bran Oil - Is high in rich fatty acids which are good for your hair.
Willow Bark Extract - Helps keep the hair hydrated for a longer amount of time and fight frizz.
Green Tea Extract - Is a natural anti oxidant and naturally help keep hair healthy by stopping damage due to the environment.

These 9 simple ingredients are the corner stone of Sebastian Potion 9 they come together and create a fantastic product with many benefits.We highly recommend this product, it is worth every penny.

How to use it

• Apply to damp hair and blow-dry or air dry for silky, touchable looks.

• Use hot tools for refined curls.

• Re-apply to dry hair for texture and control.

Sebastian Potion 9 will hydrate your hair all day while never weighing it down or leaving it feeling oily. It also smells fantastic like some kind of island fruit. It has an orange-y color which pretty much matches the smell. It can be used on wet or dry hair, and is great at reducing frizz.

Sebastian Portion 9 small bottle is priced at Rs. 550/- 

Tip: Potion 9 can be mixed with other Sebastian styling products to boost the exceptional results – e love mixing it with Liquid Gloss for an extra shine boost to dull hair.

Good About this Product 

Caring benefit of Nine active Botanical Extracts

Easy to use  

Handy 

Smells fantastic

Not so good about this Product

 Available only at few limited Salons in Mumbai.

Rating: 8/10