Car Review - Toyota Etios vs Swift Dezire vs Tata Manza

This is my latest 'Car'nama. We bought a Toyota Etios diesel variant almost after a month of research which led us to a series of enlightenment. So for the ones who are planning to buy a diesel car in a budget of 8-8.5 lacs here are some facts.

Buying a moving beauty is all about excitement to feel it as soon as possible. If you fall in this bracket never buy Maruti. Maruti being the most popular brand for private cars have their own tantrums. Yes their Swift DezireVDI stands apart in terms of fuel efficiency, value for money and features but their waiting period of 6 months almost kills your dezire to buy the dezire. It should actually be renamed 'Sluggish Dezire'. By the time your dezire gets fulfilled you may be in a different world!

Dezire vdi/zdi is great value for money (currently priced at approx 8 lacs and 880000 respectively). Their fuel efficiency is about 18 kmpl in city and 21+ on highways which is commendable. Beige interiors with handrest, wooden panels on the side doors, 2 din music system, electronically controlled mirrors, stylish led integrated mirrors look great but fails in legspace, bootspace and the exterior look. As someone rightly put it, it looks like an old lady with a fat bum in short skirt!

So we had booked Maruti swift dezire with Kalyani Motors (never go with their sweet talk, they are big liars). Said they could deliver in 2 months and at the end of it came up with different issues and asked for another month. We didn't want to wait for another month to hear the same song so we restarted our search for another brand.

The list popped up with two more names who could compete with Maruti - Toyota Etios GD and Tata Manza new abs aura quadrajet.

Well my husband is of the opinion the name 'TATA' in itself sounds more like passenger cars and is troublesome after a few years. Yet we checked out the car and alas! we were in for a surprise. The looks of the car were a killer. Awesome interiors, great shades and irresistible features - it comes with an ABS and even its fuel mileage is about 18 kmpl in city and 22+ on the highway. So we took a test drive and it's looks almost surpassed our expectations but the next moment it was all shattered to see the boot struggling to lock and during the test drive it hit the bumpers twicw due to low ground clearance. So we could imagine it's condition after two to three years.

Now it was Toyota's turn. Being a Japanese brand you can trust their durability.  But very disappointed with its interiors. Could not match up to Toyota standards. Yet the durability, its performance during test drive (it runs on 1st gear even after accelerating and does not stop) and good shape put us in a dual mind. The leg space is amazing even better than Tata Manza and the boot is humongous. The AC has air cleaning filter and blowers are great. Fuel is economy is similar to that of Maruti. But it has no hand rest in the rear seat as available in Manza and Dezire. No music system too (you have to buy one from them).

So after a lot of thoughts and reviews from friends, family and internet we have decided to go ahead with Toyota Etios! About the interiors we emptied our pockets a lil more to put chrome almost in every place possible.

Advertisement: Trust Ticket America for all the Minnesota twin matches. They can give their competitor a run for their money when it comes to ticket pricing. Be it home matches or road ones they have the best prices and delivery at almost every place as per your convenience. So why wait to check other websites, grab your ticket at the earliest by clicking on the link below.
minnesota twins tickets
los angeles dodgers tickets
milwaukee brewers tickets

Palak Chana Daal

Palak Chana Dal!

Probably one of the first dishes that I learnt to make and got quite a few accolades for it.....one for being healthy and tasty and two for readymade food served at their tables:-)

Ingredients:

Chana Dal - 1/2 cup washed and soaked in 2 cups water
Palak - 2 bunch cleaned well in 3-4 wash and chopped
ginger - chopped coarsely - 1 tbsp
garlic - chopped coarsely - `1/2 tbsp
onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 1 chopped
bayleaf - 2
Whole garam masala - Cardamom-2, cinnamon - 1", cloves-2
Kasoori methi - 2 tsp
Dry Red chilli - 2-3 broken
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
hing - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp (Ghee makes it even more tastier)

Boil dal by adding half of the chopped ginger, turmeric and water. Let the steam escape and mash it after opening the lid and keep aside
Now heat oil/Ghee, add bay leaf, whole garam masala, dry red chilli and cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add hing, garlic, rest of the ginger and fry for 1 min. Now add onion and fry till it turns brown. Now add tomato and salt let it cook for another min. Add chopped palak, cover and cook for 5 mins. Now add dal, kasoori methi and cook for another 5-6 mins. Serve hot!

Tips:  Add water if necessary while adding the dal however this dish is particularly thick and goes well with phulkas and even rice

Idli Upma/Leftover idlis

Do you have leftover idlis that have hardened enough to seal a crack in one's head. Even dogs give you a rude look when you offer them your hard work (literally!). Oh well i sound like those foreign tv marketers who translate their speech into something nonsensical. Well that's okay coz i m going to spare you from seeing your hard earned money sent into trash in form of those idlis.
Here is what you can make out of them

Ingredients:
Left over idlis - 8
Curry leaves - 12-15 ( i like them a lot)
methi seeds - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seed - 1 tsp
hing - 1/2 tsp
chopped onion - 1 big
chopped tomato - 1 big
chopped green chilli - 3-4
turmeric - 1/2 tsp optional
Veggies optional (peas, beans, carrot, capsicum)
White urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
salt as per taste
oil/ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:
Make a coarse powder of idlis...no you don't have to take out your kitchen weapons...your hands are good enough....just try breaking them (squeezing them literally...mind you it only needs hardened idli else it will not break into powder)

Now heat oil in a kadai. Add urad and chana dal and stir for 2-3 mins. once they turn brown add the dry spices (methi, mustard, cumin, hing). After they splutter, add curry leaves. Now add chopped onion and fry on high flame for 1 min. Lower the flame and add the vegetables, salt and turmeric and cook till they are done (alternatively you can boil the vegetable separately and add to the oil and fry). Now add chopped tomato, chillies and fry for another 2 mins.
Now add the mashed idlis and stir fry for 3-4 mins. Add lemon juice if you like a tangy taste.