Category: More

A nutty affair!

Be it peanut butter or an almond fudge; hazelnuts coated in chocolate or a Choco-walnut cookie; nuts often form the heart of many dishes be it savory or a dessert. Though the botanical definition of a nut has a vivid criteria for categorization, yet in culinary terms, a nut is any large, oily kernel found within a shell and used in food.

Nuts are rich in a variety of nutrients. Often suggested as a healthy snack option, these are packed with rich energy sources and many other nutrients. Because of the high oil content, they are an excellent source of high instant energy and even make you feel full after a handful is consumed. Nuts boast of a nutritional value loaded with monounsaturated-fatty acids (MUF) such as oleic and palmitoleic acids, which aid in lowering “bad cholesterol” and increase “good cholesterol.” They are rich source of all important omega-3 essential fatty acids which have an anti-inflammatory action and thus help in lowering the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers. Another nutrient that these small wonders are loaded with are health benefiting poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidants such as carotenes, resveratrol etc. This makes nuts an excellent choice for protection against cancers, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and viral/ fungal infections. In addition to calories, nuts contain high levels of vitamins and essential minerals such as manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc etc. They also have a good level of Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex which aid in cell building and overall health development. Thus we see that nuts are actually a complete food with a very balanced nutritional chart to their credit.

Though most of us are familiar with many nuts that are commonly used in our kitchens, like the almonds, pistachios or even the humble peanuts, there are many other members of the nut-family which not all of us know.

Here are some exotic nuts that are used for a variety of purposes all over the world.

1.)    Pecans

The word ‘pecan’ is derived from an Algonquian word which means a nut requiring a stone to crack. It is a species of hickory that is natively grown in south-central North America. The parent tree is a deciduous tree that grows up to 20–40 m in height. A pecan, like the fruit of all other members of its genus, is not really a nut. It is technically a drupe i.e a fruit with a single stone or pit, surrounded by a husk.

The seeds of the pecan have a rich, buttery flavor. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, often in desserts. One of the most common desserts with the pecan as major ingredient is the pecan pie, a traditional U.S. recipe. Pecans also form a core ingredient in praline candy.

Pecans are rich in manganese and also serve as an excellent source of protein and unsaturated fats. Pecans also contain a significant amount of omega-6 fatty acids like walnuts.

In addition to the seed, the wood from the tree is also used extensively in making furniture and wooden flooring. It is as well used as a flavoring fuel for smoking meats.

Pecans were originally harvested as a domestic crop. After the commercial cultivation of this crop started in late 1880s, U.S. has now become the leading producer with around 90 percent of the produce coming from there. San Saba in Texas is commonly known as “The Pecan Capital of the World”.

2.)    Chestnut

Chestnuts are again an edible nut obtained from the deciduous tree from the Castanea genus. It is a native from the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name “Chestnut” is derived from an older English term “Chesten nut”, which actually is obtained from the Old French word “chastain”. There are four main species viz. the European, Chinese, Japanese and American chestnuts.

A chestnut can either be peeled directly to be eaten raw or be roasted and then consumed. When cooked slightly, the taste resembles that of a baked potato. There are many other ways to use this nut for culinary purposes. Chestnuts can also be dried and milled into flour, which can later be used to make processed food items like breads, cakes, pancakes, and pastas. Candied chestnuts are a common delicacy in France and Turkey. Many cultures also enjoy desserts with pureed chestnuts and sugar with whipped cream.

Chestnut wood contains many tannins, as it belongs to the same family as oak. This makes the wood very durable besides giving it excellent natural outdoor resistance. It also saves the need for any other protection treatment. The dry chestnut firewood also serves a good fuel option. It is also an excellent source of tannin and provides an excellent source of tanning leather.

Fresh chestnuts contain a significant amount of calories in the form of carbohydrates with almost no fast. Besides a vast source of sugars, they are the only nuts that provide Vitamin C. The quantity of Vitamin C in chestnuts reduces by 40 percent when heated.

3.)    Hazelnut

A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also called a cobnut or filbert nut. Hazelnuts are extensively cultivated in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Italy, Greece and Georgia, for commercial reasons. They are also grown in the south of the Spanish region of Catalonia and in the American states of Oregon and Washington. Turkey is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world.

Hazelnuts are widely used in confectionery to make pralines, chocolate truffles, and also in a variety of hazelnut paste products. In Austria, hazelnut paste is an important ingredient in the making of tortes. In a Kiev cake, the meringue body is flavored using hazelnut flour, and crushed hazelnuts are sprinkled over its sides.

Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. They also boast of a significant amount of thiamine and vitamin B6, along with smaller amounts of other B vitamins.

So, these few nuts are among the many others like the Brazil Nut, the acorns, the Oak Nut and so on, which not only have a distinct flavor but are also used widely for many other purposes. With an excellent nutrient value, they form a delightful ingredient. Besides, it is always good to explore food, isn’t it?

July 30, 2014
Diwali-A festival of lights

Diwali is celebrated by Indians all over the world with great happiness.This is the reason it is most popular and is also most likely festival in the country as well as abroad.Diwali is also known as festival of lights.Diwali is different from other festivals it doesn’t comes with one day celebrations, it brings a series of holidays along with it.On the day of Diwali goddess Lakshmi is worshiped with most devotion and peace of mind.During the Diwali season lights, crackers, sweets are shopped frequently everywhere in India and abroad.This festival generally falls in the month of September-November.The festival is generally celebrated as the victory of good over evil.It can also be said that the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.The festival gets its name from lamps ( known as deepa ) that are arranged in a row ( known as avali ).As Indians on the day of Diwali arrange lamps outside the house in a row, it is known as Deepavali.By doing so they feel that that it is a symbol for the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness.

Diwali a festival of flowers

Five day festival:

First day ( Dhanteras ) :

According to Hindu month diwali starts with Dhanwantari Trayodashi, it is the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha.This Trayodashi is popularly known as Dhanteras.According to few beliefs, on this day lord Dhanwantari came out of ocean with ayurvedic to look after the welfare of mankind.On this special occasion people worship god of death Yama by lightening a yama diya.There is a tradition from many years that buying a utensil on this day will bring good luck.

First day of Diwali celebrations

Second day( Choti Diwali ):

The second day of Diwali is Narak Chaturdashi.Ancestors say that lord Krishna has killed the demon Narakasura on this day to make people free from fear.On this special people have oil massage to body and they take bath on this day.There is also a belief that people who don’t take bath on this day will go to Narak.

Narak chaturdi celebration

Third day ( Lakshmi Puja ):

The third day of Diwali is the main day of Diwali and is known as Badi Diwali.On this day people worship Goddess Lakshmi with divine and peace of mind to bless them with wealth and prosperity.Many of the business people do this puja every year to seek blessings from goddess lakshmi.All the women at home do this puja asking goddess Lakshmi to look after their family.On this day people clean their homes and decorate it with various colorful lights and fire crackers to express their joy.

Lakshmi puja on third day

Fourth day ( Govardhan Puja ):

The fourth day of Diwali is celebrated as Gowardhan puja.The name itself specifies that on this day we must worship gowardhan parvat.Legends say that on this day lord Krishna offered pooja to gowardhan parvat to protect people from heavy rains.Since then it became a tradition for Hindus to worship Govardhan Parvat.

Govardhan puja on fourth day

Fifth day ( Bhai Duj ):

The fifth day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Doj.The name itself says that it is the time to honor brother and sister relationship.Legends say that on this day when brothers visit their sisters they will get rid of all their sins.Thus on this day brothers visit sisters and and sisters sweeten their mouth with sweets.This day ends the festival Diwali.

Brothers visit sisters on fifth day

Lights and fireworks:

As the name specifies that it is a festival of lights arranges in a row.On this special occasion houses, shops, public places are decorated with oil lamps in a attractive manner.Few people replace oil lamps with candles.The lamps are lightened using mustard oil and mostly placed in a row in windows, doors and outside buildings.These lamps are lightened to welcome goddess Lakshmi into home’s.The main reason for the celebration of the festival is that the return of Lord Rama and Sita to Rama’s kingdom after fourteen years of exile.On this day oil lamps are often seen floating on the rivers especially Ganges.

Diwali lights

Fireworks:

The illumination of fire crackers is mainly for the better maintenance of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity.People living on earth enjoy firing crackers.There is a reason that during the month of the festival as winter falls, few types of bacteria will rice up due to the atmospheric changes.To kill those bacteria and insects people fire crackers and the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains.Fireworks are a big part of the Diwali celebrations.But since many years there are some movements against it as it is causing air pollution and as it also leads to some dreadful accidents.Diwali is officially considered as holiday in many countries like India, Nepal, Srilanka, Singapore, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Suriname, Malaysia, Fiji.

Diwali fireworks

This festival is considered as festival of peace.On this occasion Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities also mark charitable causes, kindness, and for peace.As it is festival of peace on the this day the at thee International border, Indian forces approach Pakistani forces and offer traditional Indian sweets.In response to this the Pakistani forces offer Pakistani sweets.

July 30, 2014
Fascinating Food Facts!

C’mmon! You all Foodies. You love food, I love food, We love food, All love food. But do you know the superawesome, amazing, unbelievably true random facts about food. Some of you may be say Yes, while others aren’t so aware. But here’s some bizzare facts about the food you swallow, that tickles your tastebuds, satisfy your cravings and love you back. In the world of food, some are healthy, while others are junk food. But Food is food and we eat it with all our consciousness and sometimes sentiments too.

Well, If you’re also excited like me to know about the 3Fs (Fascinating food facts), not so common, surprising and curiosity evoking, here’s some I have rounded up. Go on, read these startling facts and amaze yourself. Or whip out a few at your next party and you might even impress your friends; how much you know about food and nutrition;

A can of coke has more sugar than you’re supposed to have in your whole day. When you drink one can of Coca-Cola, you are consuming 65grams of sugar. Though it is refreshing and delicious to drink, it doesn’t do much good to you and your health.

Green tea is an elixir, No? But do you know, Adding citrus juice (lemon drops) to green tea stabilizes its ‘catechin’ content, boosting the level of antioxidants that survive the digestive system upto 13-fold and become all the more healthy drink.

I’m lovin it! Remember it? The McDonald’s. This multi national food joint has outlets all over the world. But Americans love it most of all and If you don’t know this fact that 1 in every 8 Americans has been employed by McDonald’s.

Now, something really interesting. Note it. Neither Strawberries, Raspberries or Blackberries are actually berries. While Bananas, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and avocadoes are all berries.

People love that diary white milk and most consume for the supplement called Vitamin D. But here’s this fact saying that Oysters provide 4 times more Vitamin D than skim milk.

You love chocolate? And you love Caramel in it? But do you know that Caramel was first invented for Waxing those unwanted bodily hair. It was originally used as that in Arabic countries until some bright spark realized it would also make a delicious dessert.

Saffron? Wow, gives lovely colour. Well, do you know that saffron is ridiculously expensive to buy and use in culinary activities, but yet super easy to grow. This is because it takes 200 crocus flowers to produce 1 gram of saffron. However, you can grow it straight into your garden and cut the middlemen. For that, you just need a few seeds, a sunny corner of your garden and a little patience while they grow.

Do you also feel that gluten free products are more healthier and do you use them often? Then maybe you have experienced it too. As On Average, Gluten-free food products are 242% more expensive than regular food products.

Love Coffee? Here’s a study by NEJM 2012, which found out that drinking upto 6 cups of coffee per day can reduce all cause mortality by 10% in men and 15% in women. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Cinnamon; quite flavorful and nice herb for sweet or salty dishes. And you know, Cinnamon is a potent antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of blood clots, controls blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity and thus as a result prevent gain of weight and diabetes. Wonderful !

Like this green fruit called Kiwi? Rich in Vitamin C, this fruit was called as Chinese gooseberry but marketers didn’t like the name so they renamed the fruit “Kiwi” after a bird that it resembles.

Oregano, a spicy herb inducing the taste on pizzas an pastas. A very common ingredient in Mexican and Italian cuisine is derived from the leaves of the herb. The fact regarding Oregano is that it has very high antioxidant content, even higher than that of blueberries. Its antioxidant activity is 20 times higher than that of any other herb. Oregano has 4 times the antioxidant activity of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times that of apples. So, Keep lovin’ it.

Popcorns are perfect for movietime. But be little cautious. They are healthy because of corn but Microwave Popcorn gives off a toxic, lung-damaging gas when cooked. But 1 cup of air-popped popcorns contains more antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, than the average fruit or vegetables. So, Pop the popcorns but not in microwave.

Peaches are too good. For the skin, as a taste, for body and many more benefits. But do you know even the seed is useful. The seed inside a peach contains an almond-like nut which holds a potent anti-cancer medicine called laetrile and reasearches have suggested that this induces programmed cell death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Well, peaches are awesome.

Are you nuts about nuts? Well, that’s good. Because Pecans and walnuts have more antioxidants than strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cranberries. So, keep munching them.

Woahh! These were some Amazingly awesome facts about food we all eat in our everyday life. Still don’t know them. The stuff you swallow has some facts attached and now, you know them.

Enjoy Food. Enjoy facts.

July 30, 2014
Enjoy this monsoon with hot and crispy Pakoras
Monsoon is here to make the whole environment vivacious with its drizzling effect and make it lively. Monsoon comes with different flavors and have lots of fun embodied in it. For example for children it is the time to sail their handmade boats, for farmers it is like a blessing and some people enjoy the tiny droplets falling over the ground. So different people enjoy this season in their own different ways but common part amongst all of them is that their fun is always accompanied by eating crispy pakoras. Monsoon is said to be complete when you have enjoyed the rain with hot and crispy pakoras along with the tea or coffee. The best thing about pakoras is that they are easily prepared and taste delicious when served with chutney or sauce. It is known fact that pakoras are the main reason behind the rise of cholesterol in the body but eating it once during the whole season did not affect anyone’s health. They are quite easy to be prepared so avoid eating pakoras at road side stalls and start the intake of home-made healthy pakoras.

In southern parts of India, pakoras are known with the name Bajji. This hot, crispy dish is famous in Pakistan too. But it is not treated as a separate snack rather it is served with curry and this dish is known as Pakora curry. It is also an important part of Afghani Cuisine. In China people used to refer it by the name Pakoda.

Pakoras come with its different flavors. There are various ways of making pakoras like onion pakora, paneer pakora, cabbage pakora, egg pakora etc. But here tastes and its nutritional value is the most concerning factors. So here are the few recipes that you can enjoy while sitting along the windows served with hot tea.

Onion pakora:

During monsoon season your tongue definitely demands something crunchy, something spicy and something hot and then suddenly onion pakoras rings a bell and the aroma of these onion pakoras are felt. It is very popular and common snack preferred during this season. It has a quite simple recipe and ingredients required are easily available in everyone’s kitchen. Ingredients required are:
- 1/2 cup Besan
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 large Onion
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
Initially take sliced onion and put turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt to it. After mixing all the ingredients add besan to it and at the same time pour water to it so that sliced onion is properly coated with the besan. Take oil in a frying pan and allow it to be heated for some time. After this slowly add the prepared batter into it and allow the pakoras to be fried. The excess oil must be absorbed with the help of paper. Now onion pakoras are ready to be served with hot chutney or sauce.

Paneer Pakora:

Paneer pakora is another famous recipe for paneer loving people. Ingredients required are same as onion pakoras but instead of onion you need to have cubes of paneer and chat masala. Its recipe is again quite simple. Add cubes of paneer to the prepared batter of besan, red chilly powder, ginger paste and salt. Now let the paneer cubes marinate for half an hour. Now slowly fry this batter in the hot frying pan containing oil. After taking out absorb the excess oil and sprinkle the chat masala over it. Now the paneer pakoras are ready to be served.

Bread Pakora:

Evening snacks during the monsoon season with the hot cup of tea is one the best thing your tongue demands..! It is a popular street food in the northern parts of India. Ingredients required are:
- 2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 inch ginger
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp chat masala
- Salt
- Slices of whole grain bread
- 1 cup besan
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2-1 tsp chili powder
Boil the potatoes and mash them properly. In a bowl, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds and after they popped, add ginger, chillies, urad dal and onions to it. Now add salt and all the spices according to your taste and then add mashed potatoes to it. If it is the season of peas, then you can add peas also. Now take the slice of bread and spread the mixture prepared over it. Now cover this with another slice of bread and cut it into two pieces. Now prepare the batter with the besan, turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder. Dip the slice of bread into it and make sure it must be coated properly. Fry this coated slice in a pan containing oil till it turned reddish brown. Remove the excess oil from it and now it is ready to be served with chilly sauce or chutney.

Experiment with all the above discussed recipes and enjoy this monsoon with the different flavors of hot and crispy pakoras..!
July 30, 2014
Universal Truths in Nutrition That People Actually Agree On

There are lots of controversies on the facts about the nutrition. People generally believe in what they hear without authenticating the source and consider the facts as truths. It is a common human tendency and happens with almost everyone. You hear the views of the elders or some learned person and try to follow them without making any efforts to make sure that the facts mentioned are correct or not. We are hereby talking about those universal nutrition truths which people generally believe is correct and try to find out if they are correct or just myths.

Added Sugar is Unhealthy: Well, if you are believer of this fact that added sugar is unhealthy, then you are correct. The addition of sugar gives rise to the blood sugar level, which affects the normal functioning of the human body. The added sugars are in fact sucrose or fructose corn syrup which is very much harmful for the human body. Not only they have empty calories in them, they are also the source of various harmful metabolic toxins which causes serious harm to your health. Many researchers believe that the added sugar is the prime reason for the spread of the western diseases among the people.

The Artificial Trans Fats are Unhealthy: There are lots of controversies about the artificial Trans fats. While some people believe that the Trans Fats are healthy, a major section of the people believes that they are not good for the human body and their consumption is like inviting the diseases to attack you. Trans Fats are actually unsaturated fats, which are created by altering the saturated fats chemically. In the process of manufacturing of the unsaturated fats, the saturated fats are exposed to the high pressure and high heat in the presence of the hydrogen gas acting as a catalyst. Because of the hydrogenation of the fats the LDL cholesterol level, which is bad for the human body increases while the HDL cholesterol which is good decreases. The highly processed foods are the ones which have the artificial Trans fats. So it is a wise step to avoid these artificial Trans fats.

Green Tea is one of the Healthy Beverages: Most of the people have this mindset that the coffee consumption is not at all good for the human body as it contains caffeine but on the other hand the consumption of the green tea is healthy. While there is a controversy on the consumption of the coffee, the intake of the green tea is actually very much beneficial for health. Green tea is a rich source of the antioxidants and the EGCG, which is a bioactive compound. If you regularly drink green tea, then there are strongly protected against the chronic heart diseases and cancer. Green tea not only boosts the metabolic processes in the body, but also helps in burning the fats. Moreover, they also have specific amino acids which play a major role in maintaining the proper functioning of the brain. So it’s time you start drinking it as it will help you to stay fit and healthy.

Olive Oil is Healthy: Most of the people consider olive oil as healthy and this is absolutely correct. They are very much beneficial in maintaining good health. Olive oil is actually one of the gifts of the Mediterranean diet and is used in almost every corner of the world. The most tedious task in today’s time is getting the right kind of olive oil from the market as there are so many adulterated olive oils being sold throughout the world. Olive oils offer several advantages. They have a large amount of monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants, which gives the much desired boost to the metabolic health. Further, the presence of the anti-inflammatory compounds in the olive oil makes it very much beneficial for the heart. If you can get the quality olive oil then it will be optimal as they have the healthy fats in them.

Supplements Cannot Be Used to Compensate the Unhealthy Diets: It is extremely important for you to choose and eat the right food items as they have a direct impact on your health. Any negligence in this regard is not accepted and it can be dangerous for you. The composition of the whole food is very much complex. They have so much of vitamins, proteins and other essential minerals in them. Quite frankly, we are not at all aware of the total compositions of most of the food items and so the supplements cannot be used to compensate for the real healthy foods. Science has progressed a lot but still we do not have the supplements for the traces of unaccounted minerals found in the real food items. So it lies in your hand to select the food best suited for your health. If you believe that you can eat anything, even if it is unhealthy and not fit for your body and in order to compensate for the essential nutrients you will eat supplements, then you are wrong and you need to change your attitude quickly before it affects your health.

July 30, 2014
Go on and try some Bread based meal
Bread is one of the oldest foods which people use in their daily life. It is available all around the world anywhere and anytime. It is the simplest and the easiest option available to the people whenever they are hungry and are not in a mood to do any type of effort. It is a type of staple food which is prepared by mixing water and flour together. The dough we obtained is then baked and given its ordinary shape. Since from the emergence of agriculture, it has found its existence and till now it has come up wide varieties which are differentiated on the basis of shape, size and color. Bread is sometimes taken as the most popular snack item and sometimes it is used as ingredients in our dishes. It is hard to believe the fact that bread has found its existence in religious rituals too in Europe and East Asia.

Bread is a rich source of carbohydrate and at the same time it consists of various other nutrients such as iron, magnesium, Vitamin B and fiber. Regular intake of bread will tends to increase the overall intake of grains in our body. So to maintain the regular amount of grain and carbohydrate in our body we must take the bread or dishes involving bread into our meal. To defeat the hunger, bread dishes are the best way as they are very easy in their preparation and at the same time it fulfills all the demands of our stomach. . Bread can also be used as an ingredient in various other preparations like bread crumbs are used to provide crunchy and crispy crusts. Some common bread recipes which are popular all over the world are:

Bread Patties:

It is a very famous snack which was originated and firstly prepared in Maharashtra. It is perfect when eaten in rainy season along with the cup of tea.

Ingredients:
- Chickpea and rice flour
- Red chili powder
- Baking Soda
- Carom Seeds
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Potato and green chillies
- Ginger paste and chat masala
Preparation:
- Heat oil along with mustard seeds, pinch of hing, ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Add green chilies which are chopped, turmeric powder and salt together.
- Add chat masala to the boiled potatoes.
- Take a bowl and add besan, rice flour, red chili powder, carom seeds, salt and any other spices if needed.
- Mix and add some amount of water and prepare a batter.
- Cut bread into a shape required. Spread the prepared potato filling on the slices evenly.
- Dip potato filled slices into batter and fry till it gets golden color.
The patties are ready to be served with tamarind chutney or mint chutney.

Bread Roll:

A Bread roll is hot and crispy in nature and is very popular in the northern parts of India.
- Large Potatoes and Green Chillies
- Pinch of hing and garlic paste
- Turmeric powder and salt
- Lemon juice and oil
- Coriander Leaves
- Bread slices
Method:
- Initially blend green chilies and garlic together and make a paste.
- Grind to make that into a coarse paste.
- Heat oil and add hing along with the paste prepared above.
- Also add turmeric powder to it.
- After this heat is turned off and the mixture is mixed with the mashed potatoes.
- Add potatoes with salt and lemon juice and mix it well.
- Then take the slices of bread and trim its edges.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Now take that potato mixture and roll it out into a desired shape.
- Stuff that roll in bread slices.
- Fry till it gets golden color and then absorb all the excess oil from it.
- Bread roll is ready to be served..!
Bread Cutlet:

Bread cutlet is a very appetizing and tasty dish liked by all the children. It is usually prepared on several occasions like parties, picnics and sometime eaten as an evening snack too. They are crispy and crunchy in nature.

Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Green chili
- Ginger piece
- Red chili powder
- Garam masala
- Mustard seed
- Oil and Salt
- Slices of bread
Method:
- Heat oil and add mustard seed and curry leaves. After 10 minutes, add mashed potatoes along with green chilies, ginger, red chili powder, garam masala and salt.
- Now make small round balls from that mixture.
- Dip slices into cold water and drain out all the excess water.
- Cover the balls with the slices of bread and evenly spread the mixture.
- Now heat the oil and let the cutlet to be fried in it till it gets golden in color.
- Take them out and sprinkle out the chat masala over it.
- Serve the cutlet with green chutney.
So if your mouth is craving for something chatpata.. And you are only left with bread, then go on and try these simple recipes to prepare a bread based meal.
July 30, 2014
The So Called Heart Healthy Food Which Can Actually Clog Your Arteries!

You must have been often recommended by your doctors or elder to eat those food items which offer essential nutrients and minerals required by the human body as it helps in proper growth and development. And in order to follow those advices you often go for those food items which have healthy tag on them. You choose food items which are processed or chose oils which have the healthy tag on them. This is one of the marketing strategies of the companies manufacturing these food items so that they can attract innocent people towards their products and make some easy money. You as a health couscous personally believe that those food items are actually good for your health. But the reality is somewhat very much different from what is presented in front of you. There are several food items which you believe are healthy for your body, but generally they harm your body. We are hereby mentioning some of those food items which are not at all good for you and their side effects can eventually clog the arteries present inside your body. You should immediately stop eating these food items so that live longer and stay protected.

Healthy Breakfast Cereals: Currently there are endless brands in the market which offers the breakfast cereals. The way they are presented in front of us is quite surprising. If you are not aware of the consequences of these cereals, then you may easily get into its trap. A normal person who does not know about it believes that these cereals are extremely beneficial and provides the essential minerals required by the body. In reality, these breakfast cereals are one of the highly processed food items which have a very large amount of refined grains. Further the amount of the sugar present in them is also high. The manufacturers attract people by mentioning the “whole grain” tag. But what really happens is that these whole grains are first pulverized to form the fine flour, which has the similar effects on your blood sugar level as a refined food does. It also affects the metabolism processes inside the human body. These manufacturers add several other ingredients so that the actual quantity of the sugar added to these breakfast cereals can be kept a secret. What is more surprising is the fact that these breakfast cereals are marketed as a healthy food for the children. Parents believe that these food items will help their child with proper growth and their child will be protected against the diseases.

Low Fat Dairy Products: Now again low fat dairy products are the ones which are in so much demand now a day. Since the dairy products have a rich amount of saturated fats in them, people go for lower fat dairy products, considering them best for their health. The problem is here is that it is not the saturated fats which creates a problem in your heart. The actual problem maker is the low fat food products. If you are among such people who opt for the high fat dairy products then there are more chances that you will not be affected by obesity and the heart diseases are also avoided. You are also protected against the diabetes. The dairy products are beneficial to the human body only because of the presence of the fatty components in them. If you remove these fatty components, then they are of no use. Further, in low fat dairy products there are high amounts of added sugar, which not only affect the metabolism, but also increases the risk of abdominal obesity and heart disease. Moreover the LDL cholesterol level in the body is also disturbed and affected.

Heart Healthy Whole Wheat: Go to a grocery store and you will find several different brands offering the heart healthy whole wheat. This modern version of the wheat is not healthy and they have been actually created by the scientists by altering the genes of the plants so that a new breed can be generated which can offer much more yield. The main motto of this step was to increase the yield so that the starvation can be reduced in different parts of the world. But now this is done for economic gains. So much tampering with the genes of the wheat plant is actually making them less healthy and so there are unforeseen consequences which we didn’t want in the first place. This wheat is called as the semi-dwarf wheat and is significantly low in nutrition level when compared to the older varieties. The recent studies have shown that this semi-dwarf wheat can increase the level of the cholesterol inside the human body and also increases the inflammatory markers. The acute inflammation is the major reason for the heart diseases. The LDL particle count is also high and they also have gluten in them. All these constituents are very much harmful for your heart and you can end up losing your precious life. It’s time you stop using all these mentioned food items and protect yourself so that you can live happily.

July 30, 2014
Dussehra – A festival celebrated all over India

As we all know that India is a land of festivals and celebrations.Dussehra is one of the most celebrated festival in all the parts of the country.It is a annual festival and is celebrated for seven consecutive days.There are two important stories behind the celebration of dussehra in India.One story related to Lord Ram and the other relates to goddess Durga.The main reason for the celebration of this festival is due to victory of good against evil.Many of the festivals in India are related to the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and Dussehra is one among them.

Dussehra celebrations in India

History:

According to north India, history of dussehra began when Lord Rama declared war on Ravana, who took away Rama’s wife Sita.Lord Rama took blessings from goddess Durga and he succeeded in the war that took place between Lord Ram and Ravana.This war lasted for ten days.Thus people started celebrating dussehra to seek blessings from the goddess of power and courage.

Lord Rama assassinating Ravana

Coming to south India, the history behind the celebration of dussehra festival as follows.When Mahishasura was undefeatable even by Lord Brahma ( the creator ), Lord Vishnu ( the protector ) and Lord Shiva ( the destroyer ).At that time goddess Durga was powered to destroy the demon Mahishasura.This victory against the demon is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra.During Vijayadashami for nine nights people worship goddess Durga.Generally this festival falls in the month of September or October.

Goddess Durga assassinating Mahishasura

Dussehra celebrations in different parts:

Northern India:

On the first day of navaratri, many of the northern states like Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and west Bihar have a tradition to plant barley seeds in earthen pots.On the ninth day i.e., Dussehra the sprouts are kept in men’s cap or ears.They believe that it is a symbol of luck.In some parts of Maharashtra during the ten days of this festival, many plays and dramas based on Ramayana are performed.While in the evenings,there are outdoor plays and large parades with sculptures of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanad.These sculptures are burnt in the open place.Generally dussehra starts with the end of hot summer.At this time it is believed to spread infections.To avoid those infections they burn these large sculptures which are made out of phosphorous in air.By doing so it certainly purifies the atmosphere.Where as in temples they perform chandi homa with same cause.

Dussehra-The-Triumph-of-Good-over-Evil

Southern India:

Vijayadashami is celebrated in south India in various ways.Most of the south Indians believe that it is a best day to start anything to achieve in life.This festival is celebrated as Golu in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tami Nadu,Kerala from navarathri onwards.The exhibition of toys in various places undertake various names.It is known as “Bombe habba” in Karnataka, “Bommala Koluvu” in Andhra Pradesh,”Bomma Gollu”in Kerala and Golu or Kolu in Tamil Nadu.As the goddess Durga needed lots of power at the time of assassination of Mahisahasura.Many of the gods and goddesses transferred their power to her and they all stood still as statues.So to respect their sacrifice, people prepare small statues in the shape of gods and goddesses.People think that it is a favorable day for starting their child’s formal education.Also people keep their books, tools, materials for puja and take back those things on the ninth day of navaratri.

Dussehra celebrations in South India

Andhra Pradesh:

According to Telugu people, Vijayadashami is a auspicious day for starting a new business, education, selling or buying of things.In the city of Hyderabad, Durga Puja is being celebrated for more than 60 years till now.During navaratri goddess Durga is decorated in different avatars like Bala Tripura Sundari, Mahishasura Mardhini, Annapoorna, Kali, Raja Rajeswari, Kanaka Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Gayatri Devi.In Andhra especially the festival is celebrated grandly in Vijayawada.Every year it is celebrated grandly in this place. are celebrated every year with great pomp & show and tens of thousands of people visit this temple during the navaratri’s.

Vijayadashami celebrations in Andhra Pradesh

Karnataka:

In karnataka people celebrate ayudha puja on the ninth day of navaratri.They celebrate it by worshiping the commonly used tools like pens, books, kitchen tools, vehicle tools and many more.They believe whatever may be the work that is started on this day will lead to success with the help of goddess Durga blessings.

Dussehra celebrations in Karnataka

Kerala:

In Kerala the last three days of navaratri is celebrated as Saraswati puja.People of Kerala keep their books for puja on the first day of navaratri and take them back on third day i.e., Vijayadashami.Ayudha puja is also conducted during this period.

Dussehra celebrations in Kerala

Tamil Nadu:

In Tamil Nadu they celebrate the worship of goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati and Shakti.People fast on all 9 days of navaratri and tie a holy thread on fist.People of Tamil Nadu dress up in various avatar’s of goddess and collect money.All the money that is collected is offered to temple on the ninth day of navaratri.

Dussehra celebrations in Tamil Nadu

Western India:

In Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated on the tenth day in the month of Ashwin.On the first day people visit each other and exchange sweets.On this occasion people worship Apta tree and decorate their home or work place using those leaves.They believe it brings them luck.They also start new things on this occasion believing it brings success and will have blessings of goddess Durga.

Dussehra celebrations in Western India

Eastern India:

In Bengal, Orissa and Assam, Dussehra is celebrated in the form of Durga Puja.It is celebrated for five days in Bengal, whereas in Orrisa and Assam it is celebrated for four days.As a part of their celebration on the fifth day, they place a statue of goddess Durga and is beautifully established in the form of Pandals.They perform Durga puja on sashti, sapthami, ashtami, navami followed by a great puja on tenth day.Women take sindhoor on their foreheads each other.In this way they play sindhoor holi against each other.

Dussehra-and-Durga-Puja-Celebrations

July 30, 2014
Savoury indulgence on Eid
Celebration of Id, without haleem on the menu is preposterous! And, this realization dawned upon me, after my acquaintance with a Muslim friend led to the arrival of an invitation for ‘Id ki daawat’ at their place. With no prior information or preparation I felt elated and made my way to their set destination. Having been alien to Islamic customs, however, did not dwindle my enthusiasm rather infuriated it, and after my arrival, when it was time to eat, I was shocked at the array of delicacies laid down on the huge wooden table. All, I had known to expect was many types of kebabs, shorbas, biryani, kormas and basbousas. The table, had taken a plethoric dimension.

My friend however, well aware of my palate-fantasies and curiosities, volunteered to introduce me with all of the savoury dishes, laid down there. What intrigued me the most, was their holy dish, Haleem, which was particularly consumed on this day. After further enquiry, with periodical interventions by the elders of the family to add minute details to the conversation, I comprehended that Haleem is a popular stew made out of wheat, barley, meat( which is usually beef, mutton, but also sometimes chicken) lentils and spices. It is slow cooked for almost seven to eight hours in order to unleash its divine taste and qualities, till, it reaches a paste-like thick aromatic consistency.

Its origin, however, is said to be lying in an Arabian dish called Harisah, which is an ancient delicacy, dating back to some 10^th century or so, interwoven around an interesting history that I seemed to enjoy listening to, while gulping an extra helping of haleem and kebabs.

So, according to the oldest member of the family, Dada-jaan, the recipe for Harisah was first put down in a book called Kitab Al-Tabikh (Book of recipes) by Abu Muhammad al-Muzaffar ibn Sayyar which is said to be one of world’s oldest surviving Arabic cookbooks, and that this recipe has many similarities with what, in these contemporary times, Middle East boasts as Haleem. It was said that Harisah, the ancestor of haleem was actually invented by the soldiers of the Hyderabad Nizam’s army, to cater to their gastronomic needs. Something similar to the traditional Harisah is said to be still available in a place called Barkas, Hyderabad, however under the name of Haris.Had never anticipated that a food item, would ever have such an illustrious past. The acquired knowledge aggravated my curiosity, and I vouched to myself, that given the opportunity, I would surely venture to try out the ancient dish Harisah. However, that was still just too distant for me then, and so I chose to retort back to unearthing the secret recipe that Dadee-jaan would mostly boast of. Was it my charm, or vexing curiosity that hung around me, I luckily managed to string it out .But after learning its elaborate preparation, I became sceptical of my capabilities and courage to endanger the cooking gas to prepare this dish, which involved seven to eight hours on the flame. Nevertheless, if you are beyond such scepticism and are willing to dedicate your time, energy and resources for this divine delicacy, here’s a little help I could manage.

Haleem Recipe

INGREDIENTS
- Mutton or Beef- 1 ½ kilograms
- Wheat grains (crushed and soaked for 1 ½ hour) – ½ kilograms
- Onions (thinly sliced) – 4 large
- Gram Lentils (soaked and boiled)- 1 cup
- Garam masala powder- 1 tsp.
- Turmeric powder- 1 tsp.
- Coriander powder – 1 ½ tbsp.
- Red Chilli powder – 2 tbsp.
- Garlic paste – 1 tbsp.
- Ginger paste – 1tbsp.
- Dalda Banaspati or any clarified butter (ghee) – 1 ½ cup
- A pinch of soda
- Salt to taste
For Seasoning
- Fresh Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 1 bunch
- Fresh Mint leaves (finely chopped) – 1 bunch
- Sliced Onion (large)- 1
- Ginger root (medium) – 2 pieces
- Lemons (cut in quarters) – 4
- Dalda Banaspati or clarified butter (ghee) – 2 cups
- Green chillies (seeded and finely chopped) – to taste
- Garam masala powder – 1 tsp.
- Cumin seeds (roasted and ground) – 1 tsp.
METHOD
- In a pan, heat Banaspati or the clarified butter, and add the meat, garlic, garam masala powder, turmeric ,red chilli powder, , coriander powder and salt. Carefully, smear the meat in these spices and let it cook for some time on medium flame.
- Take another separate pan, and fill it up with water. Boil the wheat grains in it with a pinch of salt. Keep a check over it, and once the water starts to bubble and the grains become tender and squashy, add a pinch of soda in it and cook for some 15-12 minutes more.
- As the water gets soaked, drain the excess and, mix the grains with the mead. Keep stirring till all of it is mixed properly.
- In a food processor, grind the lentils, and by adding a few cups of water, bring it to paste-like consistency.
- Pour in the lentil paste into the meat and wheat grain mixture, and stir continuously. Position the pan, on a griddle or heavy tava, on low flame and cook some 30 to 40 minutes.
- Sauté the sliced onions in ghee or clarified butter, and drain the excess oil, with the help of a tissue paper. Once the haleem is cooked, spread the fried onions over it, and sprinkle the garam masala powder, fresh mint and coriander leaves. Garnish it with cumin and ginger. While serving it, sprinkle some more seasoning!
Though I haven’t yet tried making it properly due to certain limitations, I have still been engaged with the consumption of Haleem from time to time, and also had the opportunity to witness an actual haleem competition. On the day of Id, this week, I’m planning to once again indulge in its rich and luscious taste, expecting some more company this time!
July 27, 2014
Why AVOCADOS are Healthiest of all foods.

Avocados. Are. Really. Healthy. Do you know that? If you have eaten it, you have definitely experienced its benefits, but if you don’t consume it, maybe you doubt its perks. The Avocado, not so common in India is very renowned and beneficial fruit, healthiest of all. It has proven benefits and is loved all over the world and is consumed with all the consciousness. Avocado, also known as Alligator pear are commercially valuable and cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Although it is techmically a fruit, this mild-flavored avocado is also used as a vegetable. It is also sometimes known as butter pear beacause of its saccharine flesh and its textured skin. Native to Mexico and Central America, there are 4 main varieties of avocado; Hass (considered to be best and used often), which has dark, greenish skin, Ettinger which is pear shaped, smooth skinned, Fuerte and Nabal which is spherical. This fruit is highly nutritious, containing Vitamin E, potassium, iron and niacin and gives nutrition to the body in a great way. It has excess of 25 essential nutrients including Vitamin A, B, C,K and also contain fiber, protein and other beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, lutein, betasitosterol, which protects our body against many diseases. It is available all year round in grocery stores and veggie and fruits area of your locality and Its best to keep it in fridge once ripe to maintain its freshness. If you have to decide about choosing the best avocados, go for an unblemished skin, not too soft but gives flesh when squeezed gently and if you buy hard ones , it can be ripen quickly by putting them in brown paper with a banana, out of the fridge.

The preparation of avocado and eating it easy. Just run the small, sharp knife all the way around avocado from top to bottom. To remove the stone out of avocado, ease it out with the spoon, firmly and lever out. The flesh of avocado discolours rapidly when exposed to air, so brush it with lemon juice, if you are not going to eat it straightway. Though Avocados are best used Raw, not cooked, yet there are many recipes with avocado and is even used as vegetables sometimes. You can mash it with tomatoes, garlic, chillies to make the classic Mexican dip, guacamole or you can even slice it thinly with tomato and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil to make an Italian Salad. Or enjoy it as you like.

The Mayan Indians have a popular saying,”Where avocados grow, hunger or malnutrition have no friends.”

Now, you may be having curiosity to know the health benefits of Avocado and why it is one of the healthiest foods in an entire world and why it is recommended to have one Avocado a day and how it can make a difference to your life;

Good for Heart: Avocados are best for heart health, Having Vitamin B6 and folic acid, which helps in maintaining homocysteine levels. It is something which is associated with increased risk of heart diseases if have high levels of homocysteine. Also, other nutrients like Vitamin E, glutathione, monounsaturated fat helps in maintaining heart health. In addition Oleic acid in avocados improves the cardiovascular condition.

High Fiber Content: If you’re tired and bored of eating and trying other things for fiber, come try the avocados. They have quite fiber content. There is like 10 grams of fiber in a medium-sized avocado, with 75 percent of fiber is insoluble; the one that speeds up the digesting process and other 25 percent is soluble; which is responsible for making you feel full.

Awesome for Skincare: Yes, you heard it right. Avocados prove to be great moisturizer, treat sunburns and even reduce wrinkles. There’s this simple face mask; Mix honey, yoghurt, avocado together and put it on your face on keep it there for some time. And just see the magic after how your face glows out. Also, there’s this thing called Avocado oil, simply awesome and is said to do wonders for your body. Even cooking with avocado oil, can fight many diseases like heart disease, cancer and signs of ageing. So, use Avocado and its oil to the rescue.

Antioxidant Properties: Avocado is wonderful antioxidant as it contains master antioxidant “glutathione” which is an antioxidant booster and helps in fighting free radicals in the body. It boosts the body’s immune system and keeps the nervous system healthy. So, this fruit an be a wonder for you.

Eye-Protection: Avocados are best for eyes and can prevent eye weakness and even age related eye health decline. Use avocados and eat then daily for perfect eyesight. As having carotenoid lutein, it protects the eyes from age-related eye degeneration and cataracts. For healthy eyes, go for avocados.

Avocados are fattening but in a good way: Don’t be surprised. I’m talking about avocados which contain incredibly healthy monounsaturated fats which is amazing for your heart . Yes, they do hav more fats than any other fruits, but ina healthy way. So, don’t deter from eating them for weight concern.

Some Quick Serving Ideas:

Use chopped avocados for garnishing on black bean soup.

You can combine sliced avocado with fennel, fresh mint and oranges and it can be a lovely salad.

Want something new? Spread ripe avocados on bread in place of mayonnaise when making a sandwich. It can be a very helthy replacement.

Add avocado to your creamy tofu-based dressing recipe to give it richness and beautiful green colour.

Well, with so much of info and so many recipes, you should run to your nearest fruit shop and start having it. Keep loving Avocado and it will love you back all the more.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

July 27, 2014