Category: Food

Rice Is Nice!

Rice is a part of the Bengali’s ‘Mach Dal Bhat’ and most of us have had it for a better part of our life – Rice for dinner. Rice for lunch. For some, rice for breakfast too. It is the staple food of Bengal. And it goes well with a myriad of delicious sides.

Rice can be cooked in various ways. It can be steamed, boiled, spiced up, etc. it can be simply stirred with jeera to make ‘Jeera Rice’ or made into a pulau, a biriyani or porridge; you can even make a risotto (this I learnt from MasterChef Australia). It can be used in soups, in sushi, stuffed in vegetables or wrapped in grape leaves.

Rice provides more than one – fifth of the calories consumed by humans all around the world. So, why not learn how to cook ‘em?

Jeera Rice

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, 2 tsp Cumin seeds, 1 ½ tsp Ghee, 1 bay leaf, 1 black cardamom, 1 2 inch cinnamon stick, salt

Directions: Wash rice thoroughly and soak in water for half an hour. Drain. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon. When cumin seeds crackle, add the rice. Add salt to taste. Stir till ghee coats every grain of rice and it looks glossy. Add three cups of water. Bring to a boil. Stir once. Reduce heat to minimum and cover the pan with a lid. Leave a little gap, otherwise water will boil over. Rice will be done when holes appear on the surface and water has been completely absorbed. Fork the rice out onto a serving dish. This will separate each grain. Serve hot with any curry.

Vegetable Pulao

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 cups long grained or basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes, 2 or 2.5 cups of chopped mixed veggies (cauliflower, carrots, green peas, potatoes, broccoli, corn kernels, baby corn, french beans ), 1 large onion (sliced), 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 green chili (chopped), 1 medium size tomato (chopped), 4.5 cups water or vegetable stock, 2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee, salt, whole spices (1 tsp cumin, 1 bay leaf 2-3 cloves, 2 green cardamoms , 1 black cardamom, 1 pinch of mace, 1 small star anise, 1 inch cinnamon)

Directions: In a deep pot, heat oil and fry all the whole spices till the oil becomes fragrant. Add the onions and brown them. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add the tomatoes & green chilies and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Add all the veggies and saute again for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Drain the rice and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil. Pour water and stir. Season with some salt. Cover tightly and let the rice cook on a low flame, till the water is absorbed and the rice is well cooked. Fluff and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Serve the vegetable pulao hot with some side salad, sliced onion & lemon wedges.

Hyderabadi Vegetable Biriyani

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: Served 4

Ingredients:

For the Rice: 1 and half cup basmati rice, 2 green cardamoms, 2 black cardamoms, 2 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, , 2 mace strands (javitri), 3 cups water, salt

For the Vegetable Gravy: ½ medium sized cauliflower (florets removed), 1 medium sized carrot (diced), 1 medium sized potato (cubed), 1 cup of chopped french beans, ½ cup frozen fresh peas, 1 and half onion (finely sliced), 1 green chili, slit, 2 tbsp ginger (julienned), 1 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 2 green cardamom, 2 black cardamoms, 2 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace strands, 100 gm whisked yogurt, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp cashew nuts, 1 tbsp sultanas or raisins, 2 tbsp almonds (blanched, peeled and sliced), 3 tbsp ghee, salt

For the assembling (herbs and spices): ½ cup chopped coriander, ½ cup mint leaves, 100 gm whisked yogurt, a few saffron strands, 1 tbsp milk

Directions:Pick and clean the rice in running water. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Now microwave or pressure cook the rice. Cook the rice till its ¾th done. In a pressure cooker or a microwave cooker, add the pre-soaked rice, add all the spices mentioned above and salt. Cook till the rice is almost done. Fluff the rice and keep it separate. Heat the ghee in a handi. Add cardamom, mace, clove, cinnamon and bay leaf. Fry them till they crackle. Add the onions. Fry them till golden brown. Add the green chilli, ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute. Add the turmeric and red chili powder. Stir. Add the vegetables and stir for a minute. Add the curd. Stir and then add ¾ cup water. Add salt. Stir the mixture well.

If using a pressure cooker for cooking the vegetables, then cover the cooker with a lid and pressure cook for 2 minutes. If not using a pressure cooker, then bring the entire vegetable mixture to a boil. Then simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Add the dry fruits (almonds, raisins and cashew nuts) to the vegetable gravy.

Warm the milk. Add saffron to it. Let this saffron-milk mixture cool. Add the curd to this mixture and mix well. In the same handi with the cooked vegetables, sprinkle half each of saffron-flavored curd, mint and coriander leaves. Now spread half of the rice. Sprinkle the remaining saffron-flavored curd/yoghurt, mint and coriander leaves. Spread the remaining rice. Sprinkle rose water. Place a moist cloth on top. Cover with a lid. Then seal with wheat flour dough or keep a heavy weight on the lid. Place the sealed handi on the gas stove at low fire. Cook for 20-25 minutes more.

If using an oven, preheat the oven to 190 degree C and bake the biryani for 15-20 minutes. Assemble the vegetable biryani as mentioned above in an oven proof utensil and then bake it.

July 7, 2014
Your breakfast is waiting, where are you?

Let us see what the morning is like for the following three people who decide to give the breakfast a miss.
Scene 1

A lousy you is woken up by your shouting mother. You bury your face into one of the pillows and tell her that you did not want to have breakfast and were not hungry. She shouts back that it wasn’t your choice to decide and had to have it. You go off to sleep anyway and your mother continues to shout.

Scene 2

The alarm clock strikes 8. You wake up startled and realize that you are late again. You curse yourself for forgetting such an important meeting! You take a shower hurriedly and get dressed, pick up the important files and documents, grab the wallet and the keys. You storm out of the door in an eye’s blink.

Scene 3

The sun has not even risen fully yet and you are up and going. You take a bath, offer the morning prayers. It’s time to wake up the children and the dear husband. You prepare the breakfast. You prepare the lunch and fill in their lunch boxes. At the same time, you are running around and tying your 5 year old son’s shoe laces. And who will braid the daughter’s hair but you! And oh, you got to make sure that your husband doesn’t forget the wallet and the watch again. Everyone leaves for their destinations. You are so tired by now that you simply sip in a cup of tea and watch a re-run of the last night’s television show you missed.

This is the daily routine of most of the people. Time is less and the work to be done is a lot. Or maybe it’s just ignorance. Whatever might the reason be, missing out on breakfast is not an option but a terribly bad idea. Scientists and researchers say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You can skip any other meal but this one. In today’s world that is so fast and furious, everyone is missing out on the importance of the morning’s meal, breakfast.
The top most important reasons for starting your day with breakfast are:

1) Re-fueling the body
Breakfast when broken into two gives its clear meaning, breaking the night long fast. You last ate at night and there happens to be a lot of time difference between the two meals if you skip breakfast and rather have lunch directly. Your body cannot endure that. You need to feed in that little boy something time to time! Like you have a timely routine to follow, the body has too. It needs to be refueled in order for it to work properly.

2) Controlled and maintained body weight
All the weight issues the mother of those two doting kids always complains about can be put to a rest. That is, if she decides to take care of herself like she takes care of her children and husband. It would take her an extra 5 minutes to sit along with them and have her breakfast. If she can do it for them, why can’t she do it for herself?
Having a timely and healthy breakfast reduces the chances of obesity and controls and maintains the body weight.

Keeps your body weight on check.

3) Lessened concentration issues
The guy who missed the breakfast because he woke up late and had an important meeting to attend will anyway be not able to concentrate in the meeting. Reason you ask? An empty growling stomach! All those lousy students in class who do not understand a thing about what the teacher is saying in the classes before lunch, can increase their concentration levels if they have a healthy breakfast. It enhances the brain power and makes you feel more energetic. Wish to attain higher grades? Start your day with a breakfast.

Concentration issues at school? Have some breakfast, you!

4) Reduced stress
The body does not get the required energy in the morning when you don’t have your breakfast. It then tends to take up whatever is available in the energy reserves and takes the fuel from them. This leaves you all irritated and stressed out due to the release of the stress hormones. You are not able to concentrate and work effectively. You do not produce a good result. On the other hand, if you do have a healthy breakfast, your energy reserves remain untouched and you remain stress free.

So much to do and so less time. Helps if you have your breakfast properly.

5) Reduced intake of unhealthy snacks
When you set out for office or school with an empty stomach, hunger creeps in hours before lunch. And as lunch is a time where you sit and eat a proper meal, it is not convenient for you to have a full meal before it, even if you maybe very hungry. Hence you decide to have some sort of snack here and some sort of snack there in order to quieten the growling stomach. The intake of such unhealthy snacks disrupts the functioning of the body. It also increases fat and sugar levels. The metabolism of the body gets adversely effected. A healthy breakfast in the morning kills the cravings for junk foods all together.

Say no to munching on unhealthy snacks! time for breakfast.

6) Reduced risk of chronic diseases
There are certain vitamins and minerals that only the breakfast can provide. Having a balanced and healthy breakfast reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart attack by maintaining the cholesterol levels. A proper intake of breakfast maintains the blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of diabetes.

Keep your cholesterol in check by having a healthy breakfast.

All the points very well establish the fact that it is extremely necessary to have a balanced, nutritious and energy enhancing breakfast. If you had to opt for one meal out of the three, go for breakfast. It is the meal that lets you survive the day.

July 7, 2014
Delicious Rajasthani Dishes

Rajasthani culture itself includes warlike lifestyles of its people. Along with the royal heritage Rajasthan possesses royal cuisine too. For mouth-watering aroma the food is especially cooked in pure ghee. Rajasthani dish is delicious to taste..!! Rajasthani thaali is a combination of two to three sweet dishes, several rajasthani curries, bajra and missi roti. So here come several famous Rajasthani dishes which need to be tasted if you haven’t tasted it once.

Kalakand, a sweet dish preferred by all the people of the region. It is also famous by the name called Mishri-Mawa. It is prepared with the help of cottage cheese and sweetened milk. It was firstly originated and prepared in Alwar so people usually called it as Alwar’s Kalakand. In several places it is known by the name Milk Cake. Because of its delicious and excellent taste it is renowned all over the state and even a place is named after this particular dish in Alwar.

Dal Bati Churma is a well-known Rajasthani dish which includes three individual servings i.e. Dal, Bati and Churma. Its preparation is quite easy, but take more time as compared to other Rajasthani dishes. It is considered as the most eminent and common dish for all kinds of occasion, whether it be any religious occasions, wedding parties or any small get together. Dal is basically made of tuvaar. It is prepared with the same common recipe as it has. Baati is prepared using wheat flour which is mixed with dahi, salt and water. Now the prepared ball sized round balls and put it into a well-heated oven. After it becomes brown it is served with ghee. Dal-baati is generally served with pudina chaatni, kari, green salad and buttermilk or chaach. Dal baati is incomplete without Churma. It is made of ground wheat, which is crushed and mixed with ghee to make it rich in calories. It is like a tradition to be followed in Rajasthan.

Jodhpuri Mawa Kachori, a special sweet originated in Jodhpur. As we know Jodhpur is known for having Rajasthani delicacies. Various different dishes were originated in Jodhpur like Pyaaz Kachori, Mirchibada, Makhaniya Lassi etc. Mawa Kachori is a sweet dish prepared from mawa which is stuffed in Kachori. It was firstly prepared by famous Rawat Mishthan Bhandar in Jodhpur. Since, from that time it is serving the best mawa kachori in the whole state.

Rajasthan is not only famous for sweet dishes instead its spicy dishes is as yummy and delicious as its sweet dishes. When we talk about spicy the first name comes to our mind is Kachori. Pyaaz ki Kachori is one of the variants of Rajasthani Kachori which was originated in Jodhpur. It is made of fried pastry which was stuffed with spicy onion. People across the country and especially travelers after entering into Rajasthan firstly wants to have this excellent taste in their mouth. This dish has become popular all over the country and is served in every Rajasthani outlet and restaurants. People here in Rajssthan prefer to have this spicy dish in their breakfast and snacks.

Ghewar is another renowned Rajasthani sweet dish. The demands for this sweet dish remain high during all the seasons, but especially it becomes a part of the meal during Teej. It gives an indication of the beginning of the festive season. It is made of wheat flour given a shape of rounded cake. After this preparation, it is poured into sugar syrup and then served. It has several variants that distinguish its taste. Rabdi Ghewar is generally famous and prepared on the occasion f wedding ceremonies which include a topping of rabdi along with the crunch of nuts over it. On the occasion of Gangaur, Makar Sakranti people used to celebrate their happiness with this Ghewar.

Mirchi Vada, another famous snack in Rajasthan. As we know everyone has a different taste varying it from sweet to spicy, so here comes a blend of both. Mirchi vada is combination of spicy and sweet flavours both. It is a spicy fried dish made from Mirchi stuffed with potato in it. It is served with tomato sauce, tamarind chatni, curd and with mint too. But during its preparation, make sure to remove the seeds of Mirchi so that it does not become spicier.

The meal is incomplete without rotis and in India there are different variants of rotis, paranthas etc. So when Rajasthani thali comes into concern it is incomplete without Missi Roti. Missi Roti is a specialty of Rajasthani cuisine. In ancient period it was prepared on a traditional chulha with the coals, but now a day’s people started using ovens for its preparation. Its preparation is quite simple. Initially you need to mesh wheat flour and besan along with dhaniya, red chilly, oil, salt and jeera. A stiff dough is prepared. After this thick rotis are made and brushed with melted ghee. Then it is ready to be served with Shahi Gatte, green chilly and pickle.

July 7, 2014
Do’s and don’ts for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a sort of chronic metabolic disorder which leads to a failure in converting body sugars, starches and other foods into energy.Generally during the process of digestion the food we take is converted into glucose which is carried through the body by the bloodstream.This glucose is converted into energy by the hormone insulin.But in diabetic people the body does not make enough insulin or it wont make better use of it.Generally there are two types of diabetes.

Type 1:

This type of diabetes is generally known as Juvenile Onset Diabetes.In this stage the body produces very little insulin or no insulin.This can be occurred mostly in children or in the teens.People who is having this type of diabetes need to take daily insulin injections.People who are having this type of diabetes must take balanced diet and and regular insulin injections daily to stay alive.

Type 2:

This type of diabetes mostly occurs for the people between the age of 35 to 40 years.Out of these two type of diabetes type 2 occurs the most for about 80 percent of the diabetics.In this type as though the pancreas produce sufficient insulin but the body cells show less sensitivity towards it.This is occurred mainly due to obesity and the best way to control is to have controlled diet and regular exercise.Some times insulin injections are also needed for this type of diabetes.

Food that must be avoided:

1) Salt:

Salt is the most regular culprit for the occurring of diabetes.As we intake vegetables they contain sufficient salt,so we can reduce the intake of inorganic salt.

Salt

2) Sugar:

Sugar is containing large amounts of calories and carbohydrates.In order to digest this sucrose we need more calcium.So it is better to replace sugar with its substitute like honey, jaggery etc.,

Sugar

3) Fat:

It is better not to take large amount of fats as it is not good for health.In our food we must try to avoid fried items completely.But we must see that the intake of fats must be sufficient for the soluble of vitamins especially like vitamin E.

fat-content

4) From non vegetarians:

It is not advisable to take dark red colored meat completely as the intake of it also leads to diabetes.Going to vegetarian diet is helpful for the people who cant leave the consumption of eggs poultry.But eating fish is good for health and also some of the fats and oils present in it are good for body metabolism.

Avoid non vegetarian

5) Whole milk and products:

Taking in pure milk is not so good for health but we can take low fat milk and milk derived products like yogurt or curd.Milk based products like cheese contains lot of fat and it can be replaced with low fat cottage cheese.

Milk products

6) Tea and coffee:

It is better to avoid decaffeinated tea every day and we can switch to herbal teas instead of it.Drinking two cups is not restricted but more than that is not so good for diabetic patients.

Coffee-Tea

7) White flour and its products:

Replace the flour products with whole grains,wholewheat or soya breads and unpolished rice.As it is very healthy and reduce the fat level in the body.

Soya breads

8) Foods with a high glycemic index:

The food items that contain high glycemic index are white rice, potatoes, carrots, breads and banana as they increase the blood sugar levels.

Special foods for diabetes:

1) Bitter gourd ( Kaakarakaya ):

This is a vegetable that contains high level of insulin dosage and it helps in lowering the blood sugar levels.It has very bitter taste and if we have the juice of three to four bitter gourd every day early in the morning on an empty stomach it can naturally work as a medicine and reduces the blood sugar.It can also be taken in the form of powder by mixing it with water.

Bitter gourd

2) Fenugreek ( Menthulu ):

Many of the people who is having diabetes choose this to control their sugar level.This can be taken in the form of powder by grinding the seeds and mixing it in water.It can also be taken in the form of seeds by soaking it in water and leaving it aside for one night.Few people also take it in the form of chapatis by mixing the fenugreek seeds powder to it.

Fenugreek

3) Indian blackberry ( Nerudupandu ):

This is a type of fruit and is used for controlling the diabetes.After eating the fruit the seed present in it is made into powder and is taken in.It contains glucoside which prevents the conversion of starch into sugars.

Indian blackberry

4) Garlic( Vellulli ):

This is also a very useful in controlling diabetes.This garlic is having potassium and it replaces the potassium that is getting lost during urine.Along with this it also contains zinc and sulphur which are the major components of insulin.Taking daily is better for good health.

Garlic

5) Onion:

Onion is one of the best medicine against diabetes because of its digestive properties.Taking raw onion is more advisable.

Onions

6) Flax seed ( Avise ginjalu ):

Flax seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.These help in controlling the diabetes as they are maintaining the sensitive cell of the membrane that helps in providing insulin and also provide glucose from the cells.

July 7, 2014
Punjabi food : Heartily delicious

Punjabis are food loving people and their cuisine represent the same liveliness. Punjabi food, like the Punjabi culture is famous for its unique taste and colourful presentation. It is healthy and finger-licking at the same time and is one of the most popular cuisines in Northern India. One of the key features of Punjabi cuisine is the wide variety of dishes available. Even in the Punjab region a disparity in taste is observed, inhabitants of Amritsar prefer stuffed paranthas with curd whereas people in the Malwa region adore bajra khichdi.

The dishes are prepared in a spicy gravy and the bread are baked with extra ghee. The secret of taste in Punjabi dishes is the exotic use of spices with a considerably high amount of ghee and oil. Punjabi etiquettes for serving as well as eating the food are also very elegant. Let us take a look at some of the popular Punjabi servings:

Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti:

It is a dish typical of Punjab. The luscious green sarso saag and baked makki di roti is not only a tasty combination, but also very heathy. It is very nutritious as mustard is high in proteins and iron. Some spinach is also added with mustard leaves to add more nutritional value, vibrant green colour and thickness to the saag.

Makki di Roti is the bread made out of corn flour. It is generally eaten in winters and bears a yellowish colour. The bread is made circular and then baked in a traditional way, on a tawa. The roti is then eaten with butter and the saag.

Butter Chicken:

Butter chicken, also known as Murgh Makhni is a very popular non-vegetarian ecstasy from Punjab. The chicken pieces are cooked in a tomato gravy with spices like garam masala, ginger, garlic paste and chili are extensively used. It is cooked in a tandoor generally, but can also be roasted or grilled. It is an irresistibly luscious dish that is liked by most of us. It is mostly served with Butter naan.

Lassi and curd:

Punjabis are passionate about curd, lassi and buttermilk. Lassi is basically sweet beaten curd and is the favourite drink of Punjab. It is thick, creamy and filling which can easily quench your thirst in summers. It is freshly prepared and does not contain any added flavours. Curd is an essential part of Punjabi meal and is eaten with Butter paranthas. Buttermilk or chhachh is prepared by whipping curd and removing the butter which comes on top. It is a year-long drink and is usually served with meals.

Bukhara Dal Makhani:

Dal Makhani is an awesome Punjabi dish that is prepared from a combination of Indian black lentils and beans. It is cooked with spices and whipped cream to give the gravy a thick texture. It is a close cousin of the popular dish dal makhani. It is slow cooked in a tandoor and is usually served with naan.

Punjabi Kadi Pakodi:

Kadi Pakodi is a very popular dish that is made regularly in Punjabi households. In this dish, pakoras are cooked in a spicy and sour soup made from gram flour (besan). It is eaten with rice or chapatti. The taste is dependent on the sourness of the curd used. The pakoras are optional, but adding pakoras adds a different texture to the kadi. It is a very delicious and easy to cook dish which is a staple food in Punjabi homes.

Paranthas:

Paranthas are a routine diet in Punjab. These may be made simple or with different fillings like that of cheese, potatoes, cauliflower etc. Paranthas are basically stuffed flat bread made from wheat flour which are then cooked in ghee or oil. These are high in calories and are generally eaten for breakfast or brunch. Aaloo da Parantha which is stuffed with potato filling is the most popular of them all.

Tandoori Chicken:

Tandoori chicken is a popular Punjabi non-vegetarian dish. Pieces of chicken are roasted or grilled and then cooked with a mixture of yoghurt and spices at high temperature. It is generally cooked in a traditional clay oven (tandoor), and hence its name. It needs to be marinated for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Sweet Dishes:

Just as no meal is complete without sweets, so is the case with Punjabi meal. Some of the sweet dishes typical of Punjab region are Gazar ka Halwa, Makhane ki Kheer, Channa Rabdi, Doodhi ka Halwa, Lauki ki Kheer etc. Pinni is a traditional Punjabi sweet that is prepared during winters in Punjabi households. It helps keep the body warm and keep the seasonal diseases at bay.

Besides these dishes, there are several other lip-smacking vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Rich in taste and good in the presentation are the key feature of any Punjabi food. The Punjabis pay heed to every detail of the food like taste, aroma, texture and flavour. So, whenever you get a chance of having the wholesome Punjabi meals, just grab it. But do not forget to keep a count of your calories!

July 6, 2014
On Food and Health Myths

This happened last day when I was wandering around the town all by myself and fortunately- or unfortunately- I stumbled across this naughty little kid and his mother who was trying to make him drink milk shake. Mother pointed out how the protein in milk will help to build muscles like his favourite superstar. Well, wait, I was not deliberately over-hearing. It was just a cute conversation but that conversation reminded me how we are fed on lies about food and nutrition from a very young age and those lies live with us till the end.
Here, I am trying to bust some of the food and health related myths so that they don’t live forever.
1. All fats are bad.
This one takes the prize when we talk about food myths. No, all fats are not bad. It is saturated fats and Trans fats that increases the production of ‘bad cholesterol,’ leading to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. But unsaturated fats are heart-healthy fats. Mono-saturated fats increase the amount of ‘good cholesterol’ and thus reduce the atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The best source of ‘good fats’ are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts.

2. Fasting periodically helps to clean toxins from the body
Well, the truth is human body has an elegant elaborate mechanism of digestion and waste removal. Though intake of fiber is always considered to be helpful for this mechanism but there is no such proof that not eating anything or consuming only fluids for an extended period can also help or make the mechanism do its work any better. Therefore, fasting periodically may be good for the diet conscious but toxin removal is in no way related to it.

3. Red wine is the only heart-friendly alcohol

This is a French high-class myth for the aristocracy who can easily afford the high-class drink and make their health better. But the important thing to note is that any kind of beverage that contains alcohol, when consumed in moderation (and that means one to two drinks a day), helps reduce heart disease risk. Alcohol, in general-not specifically red wine, raises levels of protective- good cholesterol-which helps to protect against plaque buildup in the arteries and reduce clotting factors that contribute to heart attack and stroke.

4. Skipping Breakfast helps lose weight
Do you really believe this one? Technically, yes, skipping a meal and thus eating less might very well help in maintaining weight but not in the case of breakfast. Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to eat more in form of snacks the whole day and take more calories in as compared to those who eat breakfast regularly. On another note, after hours of not eating anything at night how can one even skip breakfast?

5. Microwaving kills the nutrition of the food

This one is as true as cats are devils in disguise. Well, I am not sure about cats but Microwaving is one of the best ways to retain nutrients in the food if you do it the right way. There are dangers microwaving the food if you use the kind of plastic that is not meant for microwave.

6. Spicy food gives you an ulcer
Decades and decades after the true discovery has been made, people still think spicy food is the reason for ulcer. The only reason spicy food is associated with ulcer is because after eating spicy food ulcer patients feel more agonizing pain though simple food is no help either.

7. If you have diabetes, stay away from sugar and you’ll be fine.
Diabetes is about blood sugar management and the sugar in blood is mostly because of the carbohydrates we take in. So, it is not simply a check on literal ‘sugar’ but also the sugar that goes with fruits and other items. Staying away from only sugar doesn’t help. Also, excess of sugar doesn’t cause Diabetes in the first place. Sugar is taken less only after aa person has diabetes.

8. Drinking tea causes dehydration.
Nu-uh, it doesn’t. Though people usually believe that because tea has caffeine, it has everything that can dehydrate a person but in reality, tea- even strong tea is too mild for us. It is actually 99% water and thus counts towards the water intake of the body. Rather it helps to hydrate the body.

9. Drink 8 glass water a day

Well, there is no such magic number that goes with water. The intake of water for a human body depends on various factors physical size, activity, heat and humidity. A body needs to stay hydrated to get going but one can use other things as well as water like juices, tea, fruits. So, it is more of an encouraging number maybe but how many glasses of water is needed by a body depends more on the person’s need.

With the end of all this myth busting scene, all I would say is to check – double check the facts you know about anything so that you don’t end up fooling others as well as yourself.

July 4, 2014
Travelogue: Lonavala and Khandala, the enchanting hilly retreats

The twin hill stations located just 5 kilo metres apart are an ideal getaway during monsoons. You’ll get to see all the refreshing shades of green, cool breezes and beautiful waterfalls. Get drenched in the rain and savour a roasted corn, there is no dearth of things to do!

Reaching Lonavala or Khandala from anywhere in Mumbai is fairly easy. A number of trains bound to Pune run every day. One tip, do not choose to take up a reservation in AC class. You will miss out on all the beautiful scenery sitting inside the compartments with tinted windows. Be a sport and hop on to the general class and adore the sights that you pass by. It is a fairly short journey. I travelled along with two of my friends and we did enjoy the long tunnels and the view of the beautiful hills on the sides. The feel of the little drops of rain on my palm is something I still remember. If you have your own conveyance, the Mumbai-Pune expressway is a total delight. The scenic beauty that you’ll witness around is totally admirable. Buses too ply to and fro.

On the way to Lonavala

Once you reach the station, finding a hotel is not a tough job. There ample number of hotels and resorts in all price ranges. But mind you, once monsoon arrives the rates get doubled and tripled. This is the season when maximum number of tourists flock the area. In a radius of approximately 5 kilometres various other hotels and resorts can be found.
We unpacked, freshened up and booked a cab. He made us shell out a thousand rupees for taking us around the various points and destinations, the first being the Lions Point. Approximately 10 kilometres from the railway station, the twisty and curvy roads up to the point make for an adventurous ride. What a beauty it was! Standing and witnessing those beautiful peaks while a cool breeze brushes your face, total bliss! There were small vendors selling roasted corn as well as sweet corn nearby. Vendors selling water bottles can also be seen. The bhutta (corn) with sprinkled lemon juice and rock salt is a must have!

Lions Point

Our next stop was the Bhushi dam. Sadly we could not see the waterfall because the monsoon had not yet arrived. There were a lot of small shops selling vada pav and nimbu pani. There were some local tattoo artists too! Next we went to the Ryewood Park which is situated in the neighbourhoods of Lonavala. This is an ideal picnic spot for families and children. It has spacious green surroundings allowing for a relaxing day in the realms of nature. The park also has swings which attract the attention of the children. There is a Shiva temple situated inside the park as well. The garden is surely stunning.

Bhushi Dam

The day was coming to an end. We headed towards the very famous Rajmachi point and the sunset point. The two are situated in close proximity to each other. The Rajmachi point boasts of the view of the famous fort of Shivaji. There was a monkey point as well and boy, were there a lot of monkeys! A lot, but none of them would really harm you. Outside, we feasted on the yummy bhelpoori and the refreshing burf-ka-gola.

totally worth savoring!

Mumbai-Pune Expressway as visible from the Rajmachi point

The sight-seeing for the day came to an end. We got down near our hotel and walked towards the famous Kumar Resort in the neighbourhood hoping to see a snow park but unfortunately it was under construction. We then moved towards a small mall which had a very few shops and eating outlets, but enough to satisfy our day long hunger. We hogged in Yoko Sizzlers and everyone’s favourite McDonalds. I spotted a small market and indulged myself into buying a few clothes at throwaway prices. Lonavala is not really a shopper’s delight, with really very few shopping outlets. We finally retreated back into the comfort of our hotel rooms and slept like babies. It had been a tiring day.
The next we booked an auto in four hundred rupees. We went to visit the famous Karla Caves and the Karla temple. One has to climb up 350 stairs in order to reach the point. Our auto driver however took some short cut and made us start climb only 150 stairs. There were numerous stalls and shops selling Prasad, mithaai, malas, flowers etc. for the offerings at the temple. We went around and explored the temple and hall which has a Buddhist stupa. The Buddhist monks built the cave shrines around 3rd to 2nd century BC. It indeed is an architectural marvel. The temple though has been built very recently. The entry in the main caves is restricted. The number of people who stood in line to enter the temple amazed me. It would require an hour and a half to stand in line and wait!

Karla Caves and Karla Devi Temple

The rock-cut architectural styled hall at Karla Caves

After getting stuck in a jam for around an hour, we headed towards the MTDC resort. This resort is an ideal stay. It has private, spacious cottages. It has a water park and boating facilities. We went there specially for boating in the lake. Paddle and motor boats, both are available.

MTDC Boating

We did not visit any of the lakes because they were all dried up. When you go in the monsoons, do visit the Tungarli Lake, Pawan Lake and the Valvan dam.
There is no scarcity of eating joints around Lonavala. There are a number of good hotels and restaurants near the station itself. From Chinese to South Indian, you can find it all. As better options, resorts like Kumar Resort, Fariyas Resort and Dukes Retreat etc are available and within them are various restaurants and coffee shops.
Our last stop after having our tummies full was the one out of many famous Maganlal’s Chikki shop. I swear I saw at least a hundred Maganlal’s outlets! Lonavala is known for chikki which is prepared with ground nuts in jaggery. Variations include adding crushed coconut, cashews, almonds, etc. in the jaggery. Other famous shops for chikki are A-1 chikki and Purohit Chikki.

Maganlal’s Chikki – Assorted pack

The trip came to an end but the scenic beauty of these hilly retreats remain imprinted in our memories for times to come.

July 3, 2014
The crowning glory of the Ruby red- Saffron

Call it ‘Saffron’, ‘Zafran’, ‘Kesar’ or ‘Zafferano’, this spice definitely is a prized possession for professional chefs and home cooks alike. The most expensive spice on your kitchen shelf and in the world is also titled as the ‘King of Spices’ or ‘The Golden Spice’. Not everyone knows that Saffron is the stigma along with the style of the flower of Crocus Sativus, commonly known as the rose of saffron. The plant grows up to 30 cm in height and bears about three to four flowers each with three different crimson stigmas. These crowning glories of the rose of saffron are dried and then used as what we know as the strands of Saffron.

The crop is native to Southwest Asia and Greece, where it was first cultivated. It was then propagated and cloned in Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North and South America. Iran now accounts for 90 percent of the total world saffron production. Today, this spice is globally used and is an undisputed rock star for all taste buds, irrespective of ethnicity, cultures or regions.

Evidences claim that saffron is not just of culinary significance. It holds a cultural and economic importance for many civilizations while it is socially significant for many of them too. Most of the modern-day cultivation of saffron is done in India, Iran, Spain and Greece. The balmy Mediterranean and the mountainous Kashmir are responsibly the breeding baskets of the best quality Zafran. Other parts of the planet except Antarctica are minority producers. The cultivation of saffron needs a lot of patience and effort as manually plucking the minute stigmas from each flower is a tedious job. Also, since an overwhelmingly high number of flowers is required to produce a marketable amount of saffron, the costs by weight automatically go up. Besides, the relatively low production and the importance of this spice, make trading it a primary source of wealth for many areas like the hinterlands of Birjand, Ghayen, Ferdows in South Khorasan Province, along with areas abutting Gonabad and Torbat-e Heydarieh in Razavi Khorasan Province, which are the key cropping areas.

Some civilizations hold this spice in such high regard that they have literature paintings and legends attached to it. Ancient Greek legends hold accounts of brazen sailors who would embark on tiring long voyages to the land of Cilicia to procure the most valuable crocus crop according to them. The most famous of these legend is that of Crocus and Similax, where in the handsome young Crocus was in pursuit of the beautiful Similax, expressing his idyllic love to Similax who soon outgrew his affection. While he continued his pursuit, she bewitched him and transforms him into Saffron Crocus whose blazing crimson stigmas were symbolic of his undying and unrequited love. Saffron was also honored as a sweet smelling spice three millennia ago in the Hebrew Tanakh (Song of Solomon). Asian legends including those of Kashmir, China and Afghanistan have relics, fables, legends and tokens of tribute dedicated to the Crocus Sativus.

The uses of saffron in the modern day societies extend from culinary flavoring to medicinal properties and even cosmetics and fabric dyes. Ancient Buddhist legends account the use of saffron soaked in water to yield a gorgeous golden-yellow hue that was appreciated so much so to be made the official colour of the robe and mantle for Buddhist Monks. It has been found that Persian saffron threads have been woven into ancient carpets and funeral shrouds. The brilliant yellow uniform colour that it produces makes it an apt substitute for chemically synthesized dyes. Besides this, it has an interesting sweet grassy aroma that has been used to aromatize wine, food and is even used as an air freshner. It is said that courtesans would use saffron to attract and lure nobles towards themselves. Saffron also has proven medicinal properties that work wonders on a multitude of issues- blood disorders, stomach upsets, eye problems, heart diseases and paralysis to name some of them. The ancient Persians and Egyptians used saffron an aphrodisiac, a general-use antidote against poisoning, a digestive stimulant, and a tonic for dysentery and measles. Medieval Europeans also used this spice as a cure for various respiratory diseases and cold and flu. It was used for its carminative (suppressing cramps and flatulence) and emmenagogic (enhancing pelvic blood flow) properties.

The cosmetic applications of saffron dates back to the time when the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra used saffron infused in milk or water in her daily bath. This expensive spice contains some volatile but vital essential oils that have therapeutic and beautifying properties for the skin. Rich in carotenoids (anti-oxidants), saffron makes an excellent recipe for good health and brilliant skin. Those who long for a brighter complexion, fairer skin or those suffering from skin problems like acne, can depend on it to find amazing results.

As we all know, saffron has an impeccable exotic flavor to offer to whatever cuisine it is added to. It finds a significant place in European, North-African and Asian cooking. Be it the Kashmiri dum-biriyani or the Swedish lussekatt (a rich yeast dough bun that is enhanced with saffron, along with cinnamon or nutmeg and currants), Saffron has a delectable delicate flavor that you would not want to miss. Indian desserts are one place this spice finds a significant spot despite its high cost. One such dessert is the favourite-of-all Rasmalai. With discs of cottage-cheese, cooked in sugar syrup that melt in the mouth, the saffron coloured milk sauce is what stands out. Here is a simple recipe of this toothsome sweet-dish.

RASMALAI

For the paneer discs:

Ingredients-

1.) Homemade paneer (cottage-cheese) – 110 grams (make paneer from 1 liter of milk)

2.) Semolina/rava (any rava) – 1 tsp

3.) Cardamom – 1/4 tsp

4.) Sugar (for the discs) – 2 tsp

5.) Water – 2 1/2 cup

6.) Sugar (for the syrup) -1 cup

Procedure-

a.) Knead paneer/ homemade cottage cheese, with rava (semolina), cardamom powder and sugar, into a soft dough and make small equal-sized balls out of the dough.

b.) Flatten them gently and place them on a maida (flour)-dusted plate.

c.) Meanwhile, cook the sugar and water on low flame to make a thick syrup.

d.) When the solution comes to a rolling boil, lower the temperature and gently drop the discs into the syrup. The discs shall swell up and almost double up in size.

For the saffron-milk sauce:

Ingredients-

1.)    Milk – 2 1/2 cups or 1/2 liter

2.)    Sugar – 1/3 cup

3.)    Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp

4.)    Saffron -7-8 strands

5.)    Pistachios -chopped – 2-3 tbsp

6.)    Almonds (blanched and thinly sliced/slivered) -3-4 tbsp

Procedure-

a.) Boil the milk over low flame till it reduces to half. Keep stirring to prevent it from burning.

b.) Soak the strands of saffron in about 2 tablespoons of milk and keep it aside.

c.) Add all the ingredients except the nuts and the saffron and cook the milk mixture till the sugar dissolves.

d.) Next, add the almonds and pistachios, saving some for the garnish and mix well. Add the saffron solution and stir till the colour spreads uniformly.

e.) Take it off the flame and let it cool down. Drop the discs into this milk sauce while it is still warm and let it chill in the refrigerator.

f.) Garnish with almonds and pistachios before serving chilled.

Hope you like the recipe and enjoy the flavor of the delectable spice that is the hero of this dessert.

Make sure you store your saffron strands in a dry and cool place. It can be preserved longer this way and can be used for 4-5 years without losing its colour, aroma or flavor.

July 1, 2014
Wants to gain some extra kilos..??

In this Neoteric world, mostly people seem to lose their weight or lose some kilos, but there are people who want to put on some weight and gain some extra kilos. These are the people who are thin as a stick and for gaining extra kilos they tends to move towards unhealthy food or junk food. They believe that extra intake of this unhealthy food would help them to gain some amount of fat, but in reality it is not so. These foods help them to add weight, but at the same time they add bad fat to our body and make it unhealthy. So it is suggested to have such food in our meal which tends to increase the amount of nutrients in our body and increases our energy level.

People may be skinny and underweight due to a variety of reasons other than the hierarchy problem. It may be inadequate habit of feeding, long amount of gap between their meal time, bad selection of dishes, large workouts, etc. Sometimes diseases may also be the cause of underweight like cancer, tuberculosis, eating disorders and hormonal imbalances. So apart from sticking to the fact that you are underweight you must change your eating habits, selection of food and get back to a normal health. Eat butter, cheese, paneer in your meal is the very common advice you can get from everyone. But the question is: Are these three things sufficient for gaining weight?? Actually, extra intake of these items can have a bad effect on the heart

Salmon is the food which is rich in protein, so daily intake of two servings would help you to increase your protein level and helps in gaining weight. It consists of omega-3 fatty acid in it which helps it earn a title of health-supportive food.

You can take peanut butter too. It is a paste made from roasted peanuts. It is being a good source of saturated fats and vitamins helps to increase the energy and make you more fit and fine. It is preferred and generally served with bread so that with just one serving 192 calories is added to our diet. This is the healthiest way and the best choice for the people who are trying to gain weight. While taking this, make sure it contains a less amount of sugar in it. This is the main source of Vitamin B3 and folate.

You can take eggs with your meals and this is the only food which suits to everyone’s pocket. It provides proteins, Vitamin A, D and E and add a good amount of cholesterol to our body and helps in gaining extra kilos.

Start your morning with Granola. It is the most nutritious diet one can have in his/her breakfast. It consists of nuts and oats, which are sufficient for providing a good amount of calories in our body. Natural Granola is a cereal which has no added sugar in it. We can also add some dry fruits to it and enjoy this with thick yogurt to have a delicious experience.

For glowing and shiny skin you know nothing could have been better than the fruit juice, but do you people known it plays a significant role in gaining extra kilos too. With the intake of fruit juices, whether it may be of watermelon, apple, strawberry, etc. increases our energy and nutrient level. And also due to the presence of sugar it helps in gaining weight. According to food experts’ mango, banana and pineapple are the best choice you can make and if it is not possible to eat all of them one by one then you can blend them together. This serving would be full of sugar and can provide you energy.

You can take dry fruits and oats at least one time in a day and if possible morning is the best time. It is very fast and quick method to add calories along with the nutrients to the body rather than fresh ones. Oats contain fibre together with various nutrients so intake of these seems to be good for skinny people.

Bananas are the most easily available and in budget fruit in the market. Intake of two bananas in a day can prove to be fruitful. Generally people used to take these bananas with the milk in the morning so that along with the calorie proteins also add to our diet. People who used to workout, take these bananas on a daily basis as it is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients.

Indulge yourself in a habit of exercising every day. It will regularly tune your body and maintain the level of intake of nutrients. It maintains the flexibility of our body and helps to make our muscles stronger. It indirectly helps in gaining our weight.

These are some of the ways to shut the mouth of those people who usually comment you as skinny and thin. Try these and gain some extra kilos to look more perfect.

July 1, 2014
Nuts about them!!

They have been around quite a long time and have become so common, people hardly notice their presence. They occur as plain salted, sprinkled with spices and coated with a tinge of lemon or as small pieces in odd shapes, deftly concealed under layers of yummy, crunchy chocolate, their taste easily identifiable. According to records, peanuts have been a very tasty part in mankind and have evolved along with them, although not in terms of appearance, but on the basis of usage. They can be used plain salted as an excellent snack, spiced for use as a good substitute for popcorn, or roasted to perfect conditions to make a masterpiece among chocolates. Peanuts have not changed through history, but their ways of eating have transformed a lot.

History of peanuts

Peanuts have been believed to have first grown in the Brazilian forests. Finds have proved the existence of these nuts in the form of pottery-paintings. Even during those days, the appearance of these nuts hasn’t changed much and even today, they grow under the ground as tubular plants. They have been found to be rich in fats and proteins, which were both essential for general body metabolism and development. Their conditions for cultivating and their simplicity to cook them made them immensely popular and a huge success throughout the world. The wildest types of peanuts are still exported in large numbers even today from the countries of Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil and hence, these places have been thought to be the birthplace of peanuts. Their history can be traced back to the Peruvian civilizations, where they were an important offering to the gods during ceremonies, rituals and sacrifices. Even the Egyptians were found to give importance to this nut, by burying them along with their dead. They thought that these foods often helped the dead in their afterlife. From the civilization of Peru, it slowly spread to Spain, and to other parts of Central America. However, the mass migration of peanuts worldwide was because of the European civilization, which contributed greatly to the popularity of these nuts. The Europeans first discovered peanuts in Brazil. The Portugal brought it to their homeland and later passed it on to the Philippines and West Africa. Thus, peanuts slowly found their way into every nook and cranny of almost everyone in the world. However, it was not after the 1930’s that people switched the use of peanuts from cattle feed to human food. During the voyages of the African slaves to America, peanuts served as a staple food.

India produces about 6.23 million metric tonne of peanuts every year and is one of the largest producer and exporter.

Groundnut superiority!

They are also known as groundnuts .One of the best advantages of peanuts which make them so easy to grow is their nature to grow best by the use of the “crop-rotation” technique. In this technique, after the cultivation and harvest of particular plants are done and the soil, almost exhausted off its nutrients, another plant is grown, which, in addition to making use of the remaining nutrients, also replenishes the soil of the lost nitrates. Groundnuts, belonging to the tubular-type plants that grow underground, act as a good source of nitrate replenishing agent. Also, their rough, outer shells prevents them from most attacks by moisture and bacteria and hence were found to be the best sources of food for the armies and during long travels. As time passed, the combination of peanut and butter in a semi-solid or gel type proved to be a tasty idea and immediately struck a chord with the people. Thus, was born, one of the most famous foods ever made by man- the peanut butter jelly.

In the 19^th century, it was discovered that peanuts could protect decaying teeth and a physician in St.louis, made a paste of peanut, with a tinge of butter and fed to the people with bad teeth. Soon, this idea spread to all parts of the world like a wildfire and serial and confectionary companies realized this to be their window to the larger market. They adopted the basic idea and made changes of their own to it. While some added more butter to make it taste delicious, others churned it to give it a smoother, richer texture and feel, while the rest, roasted it to the perfect temperature to give the jam, a crunchy taste. One of the most common uses of peanuts is in the manufacture of peanut oil. This is found to have a relatively higher smoke point and a milder flavor. Also, it is healthier than saturated fats as it is monosaturated. Their shelf life is longer and they are resistant to rancidity. Peanut oil is very common in the Indian sub-continent, as Indian foods have been found to use oil more than any other country in the world.

In addition to using peanuts as oil, they are ground to a fine powdery state to give, peanut flour. It has been found to have high protein content and is used as a flavor enhancer in many dishes. Also, peanut flour is gluten-free and low in fat content and hence, a perfect choice of flour for the diet consciousness. Dry roasted peanuts are very famous in the American sub-continent where they are produced in large numbers and packed in hermetically sealed pouches and sold in thousands daily. These make the perfect snack while watching a movie or a game with friends and family. Peanuts are otherwise steamed or boiled in pressure cookers making them an ideal snack during cold or rainy seasons. This type of dish is very common especially in the southern parts of India.

In countries like Israel, peanuts are mixed with sesame oil, lecithin, and are roasted to perfection. They are then coated with a layer of salt or sugar and sold in the markets as snacks.

Nuts about them!!!

The market and trade of peanuts throughout the world have become easier and faster. As a result of this, it has reached people in almost all niches of life more than any other food has. Naturally, there are many ways that one can eat it. It has been found that there are over 300 ways or 300 recipes that one can make using peanuts.

Although it is a very popular and easily affordable snack, there are some who are highly allergic to it. This symptom is most commonly found in the American continent. One of the reasons for his allergy is because of the lack of sufficient digestive juices to break down and digest the nut. They have been found to take a longer time to digest and the taste lingers long after consumption. One of the most important benefits of groundnuts, though, is their ability to act as natural anti-oxidants, keeping the heart healthy. Truly, peanuts indeed occupy the top positions when it comes to snacks. Now that is what’s called, groundnut superiority.

July 1, 2014