Category: More

Healthy Drinks for Party-Lovers !!!

I am talking sense when I put party and health together. Yes we can have healthy menu for a party without compromising the taste. Its no robot science to achieve that . Simply having healthy food prepared in a tasty way can make you feel detoxified even when you are partying full on. Grabbing a few healthy ingredients blending it with complimenting substitutes can easily make your party fun and healthy . It would be great for a change to not hit the gym immediately you had attended a party instead you can just chill out more an stop worrying about weight gain. Isn’t it a idea of generation next to have a blast with a sigh of relief. I have few secret recipes for the much hot topic of the parties” DRINKS“. Yes! No matter how hard you try to not eat food in a party you often binge on drinks (hich by the way carry a lot of calories) thinking that fluid will be no harm . Not eating fat through solid dishes is not the way out . You often avoid eating tikkas , fried balls, naans, butter chicken in a party but you never forget to grab a glass of drink with 300 kcal per glass. So back to square one your tummy feels empty but you still gain weight wondering where did I go wrong ?Specially chicks conscious about eating often attend to much more calorie stuff than those who controlled over for few dishes but at least had tummy full evening. You must be thinking what a waste ! Yes its a waste , really you need to organise a party now with few delicious party drink recipes and create a aura of comfort for diet conscious people and prove them that party can be so fun without gaining weight (New concept be prepared for critics ).

Healthy drink is not an alien concept .Its simply blending few healthy ingredients with a twisting flavour and get a tasty healthy drink ready for hitting the floor. With much applause I now present the wonder party drinks which can bring to you a great punch of flavours and obvious smile on your face.

Mint and Cucumber refresher :

Ingredients : Few sprig of mint leaves, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, Juice of Lime, Thinly slices Cucumber for dressing up the drink (You may not be very professional in slicing the cucumber ), Your favourite sparkling water (Lime , Cranberry , Strawberry but avoid a too much of it ).

Servings : 1

Method : Chop a few mint leaves and mix it with the caster sugar. Rub a little Lime around the rim of a pretty glass and dip it in the minted sugar. Leave it to dry and settle on the rim. Mix rest of the Lime juice ,cucumber, and mint- some chopped ans some whole – in a jug and chill. To serve , pour the Lime and cucumber into the prepared glass and top up to taste with chilled sparkling water and Ice cubes. A perfect blend of taste and health will sparkle up your party .

Apple and Celery Revitaliser:

Ingredients : 1 Edible apple (not very Sour) peeled, cored and diced. 100g of celery chopped , 600 ml Milk, Pinch of Sugar (Its Optional), Salt (Optional), Strips of celery to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Put the apple , celery , milk into a blender or food processor and mix until it combines with each other smoothly and thoroughly. Stir in a pinch of sugar and some salt, if using. Pour into chilled glasses , decorate with strips of celery and serve.

Red Pepper Reactor :

Turn your party hot with this specific drink . It will sizzle up the X factor quotient in your party.

Ingredients : 250 ml carrot juice freshly strained from a blender, 250 ml Tomato juice freshly strained from a blender, 2 large red peppers (Very commonly available in markets ) de seeded and roughly chopped, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, strips of shredded carrot , to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Pour the carrot juice and tomato juice into a food processor or blender and process gently until combined. Add the red peppers and lemon juice. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and process until it smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses, decorate with the strips of shredded carrot and serve.

On the beat :

Ingredients :200 g cooked beetroot, chopped. 125 ml of Orange Juice freshly strained or (you may use canned juice too ) chilled, 5 tablespoon natural yoghurt, chilled. Salt , Slices of Orange to decorate.

Serving : 2

Method : Put the beetroot, orange Juice ,yoghurt and water into the food processor or blender and season to taste with salt. Process until smooth , then pour into the chilled glasses and serve , decorate with slices of orange .

Watermelon Whiz:

A watermelon is perfect ingredient for classic mock tails and cocktails . A variety of drinks and be prepared out of it . But the fun would be not to try anything fancy and simply serve a juice with loads of ice . The icy cool effect will create a aura of wonders and you will chill without doing much.

Ingredients : Wedges of watermelon, weighing about 400 g, Ice cubes, Slices of watermelon to decorate.

Servings : 2

Method : Put the Watermelon and ice cubes in a blender or food processor and blend well until smooth and then pour in the drink to a glass and decorate it with watermelon pieces.

Passionate Juice Fizz :

The name suggest it would be tough to prepare but if you actually view the recipe its the simplest of the drinks served to you ever and that might click the idea to you of throwing a surprise party at home.

Ingredients : 1 Pomegranate, 1/2 orange, 4 passion fruit (Easily available in markets ), 100 ml of sparkling water/ Plain Soda water.

Servings : 2

Method : Peel the rind from the pomegranate and peel the orange, leaving on the with pith. Scoop the flesh from the passion fruits. Process or blend the pomegranate with the orange and pulp of three passion fruits. Pour into the glasses and stir in the remaining passion fruit pulp . Top up with the sparkling soda water and serve .

December 20, 2014
Food for Friends!

I love cooking for my friends. I bake cakes, make chocolates, and cook some delicious schezwan panner or even the Chicken & Veggie Wrap that I learnt from my sister-in-law a couple of months back. Whatever suits my fancy, really. My school friends used to adore my Vegetable Cutlet Sandwich and Garlic Paneer Noodles. Recently, I made fish biriyani for my to-be-graduate college mates. It was Ma’s recipe and as usual, it was a hit. Quite the little cook, ain’t I? Jokes apart, cooking for my friends make me happy. Watching them enjoy every bit of my dish and ask for a second (or even a third) helping – simply melts my heart.

Vegetable Cutlet Sandwich

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 slices multigrain bread

For the cutlet- 1 and a ½ cup mixed veggies (which includes carrots, French beans, cauliflower, celery), ½ cup mashed potato, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 tsp lime juice, a pinch of turmeric, 2 green chillis (finely chopped), 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method: Lightly steam vegetables, until cooked but slightly crunchy. Mix into mashed potatoes. Add all the masalas and salt. Cook this mixture on a slow fire for about 5 minutes, until masalas are cooked and the water evaporates completely, to form a dough-like consistency. Shape the mixture into four cutlets. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the cutlets till golden brown on both sides. Place each cutlet between 2 slices of bread, into a sandwich. Serve with mint chutney.

Chicken & Veggie Wrap

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 rotis – for the wraps

For the filling- 4 pieces boiled or roasted chicken (each 3 inch x 3 inch in size), 3-4 stalks celery (chopped), 2 small onions or green onions (chopped), ¼ cup coriander (chopped), 4-5 olives (chopped), ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp prepared mustard dressing

Method: Combine all the filling ingredients to make a spicy chicken mixture. Lay out the 8 rotis and place the chicken fillings on the rotis, dividing equally. Roll up each roti, folding in the top and bottom edges to seal in the filling. Wrap in tin foil. (Chicken can be substituted with roast turkey or water-packed tuna)

Garlic Paneer Noodles

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 cups boiled cooked noodles, 2 stalks celery (diagonally sliced), 1 white onion (sliced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tsp hot chilli sauce, 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar, 16 cubes low-fat paneer cubes ( of 1 inch x 1 inch size), 1 tsp sesame oil

Method: heat oil to high heat in wok or deep skillet. Add onion, celery, garlic and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add paneer, soy sauce, hot sauce and vinegar. Immerse the noodles in boiling salted water for 1 minute, or until tender. Drain noodles and toss into the wok, mix well. Serve hot.

Aparna is my best friend and she simply cannot live without dosas. Like seriously. A true Dosa-o-holic. Her birthday is next week and I have a brilliant idea. Why not cook her something marvelous instead of buying an impersonal gift? What do you think?

Anyway, I have been bugging Ma to teach me her special Moong Dal Dosa which she makes for parties. And luckily, she did. A few more practice sessions and I’ll surely master it. Till then, you can try your hand at it too…

Moong Dal Dosa

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 cups green moong dal (soaked), 1 large onion (chopped fine), 2 finely grated carrots, 2 inch piece ginger (grated), 4-6 green chillis, 1 large bunch green coriander leaves (chopped), 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp oil, salt to taste

Method: Soak moong dal overnight. Grind together with ginger, chillies, coriander leaves and salt. Add finely chopped onion, carrot and jeera to the dosa batter. Heat a few drops of oil in a non-stick pan. Pour out batter, to make a medium-thick dosa. When one side is golden brown, flip over to brown other side. Serve hot with tomato chutney or garlic chutney.

My friend Utsab first had squid while he was in Goa on a college trip. The squid turned out to be “very rubbery”, to quote him. I have seen squid being cooked in MasterChef innumerable times. Much to my delight, the contestants even used squid ink to add a sense of theatrical element to their food. This was highly appreciated by the judges. Inspired, I browsed through about three dozen recipes till I came across the ‘Squid and Apple Salad. Giving it my own personal twist, I tried my best to change Utsab “very rubbery squid” nightmare into a delicious one.

Squid and Apple Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 900g squid (including tentacles, pouches and wings), 1 tsp olive oil, 5 cups chopped mixed lettuce greens, 1 medium green apple (thinly sliced), 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, pepper (to taste), salt (to taste)

For the raspberry vinaigrette- 1/3 cup olive oil or salad oil, 1/3 cup raspberry preserve, ¼ cup wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp dried herbs, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste)

Method: Wash and soak lettuce leaves in ice-cold water. Rinse and completely dry the leaves in a strainer or pass through a salad spinner. Transfer to a serving bowl. Rub apple slices with lemon juice and place in a bowl over lettuce leaves. Cover with cling wrap and keep cold. In a small bowl, mix together cranberries, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.

For squid- Clean the squid properly. Cut the tentacles, pouches and wings in 1 cm thick rings. Add one tsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the squid rings. Add salt and pepper. Stir fry over a high heat until the squid has slightly browned (for about 1 minute).

For vinaigrette- Mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a screw-top jar and shake thoroughly to mix well.

To serve- Just before serving, sprinkle nuts over the salad, add the fried squid, pour vinaigrette all over and toss salad with salad tongs starting from below and going upwards. Serve immediately.

Eat. Share. Eat some more. Enjoy.

December 16, 2014
Heart-filled Bengali Recipes!!!

You keep whole India on one side and Bengalis on other side when it comes to eating and love for food. I have mentioned in my very first article that Bengalis just crave for food at every second of the day. Being a Bengali boumaa I know the responsibility on my shoulders and that’s why I would cut the drama out and straight away take you to the soulful cooking heaven ….ABengaliskitchen. You can never go out of aroma if you enter a Bengali house and all thanks to the heartfilled mums and granny’s who never let

you step out without a wholesome meal. They will feed you till brim and still think you are so skinny. ( No wonder I enrolled for a gym).You can excuse out of anything but meals no chance. My mother- in -law will frown badly if any day I don’t eat my rui macher jhol Or if I skip through rice and only have a bowl of chicken stew. They keep you on high maintenance (Even if you don’t want to be ).The speciality of Bengali food lies in the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavours. For Bengalis, food is one of the most essential aspects of their day to day lives. Ladies spend lot of time in the kitchen cooking delicious feast for the family.

Max mueller once said : “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully Developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions , I should point to India .”

And according to me Bengal shines in every aspect of that most talked about India. We Bengalis love to celebrate life even if we are part of a bizarre and slow pace city. For every moment in life we celebrate it with food (Little salty, Little sweet, Little sour).

So enough of self praises lets take you to real kitchen of Bengalis with mouth watering daily recipes which are made with loved adoration .

Ghee Bhat (Bengali Rice Preparation):

Ingredients : I kg Fine long grained rice (Preferably basmati ) washed and dried, 250 g of ghee (I told you we don’t care about calories), 30 g raisins picked ,washed, and soaked in water to soften, Salt to taste, 3 Large bay leaves, 1 Long Cinnamon stick, 3 Cardamom, 6 Cloves, 250 g onions , peeled, halved, and sliced thinly.Fry the onions till crisp and golden brown . Drain excess oil and leave aside., 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder.

Servings : 8 to 10 (We believe in feeding people wholeheartedly )

Method : Measure the rice in cups. Using the same measure, pour double the measure of water to rice in a large pan and set to boil. When water comes to a boil , add the rice , stir and half cover , and let cook on medium flame till rice is done. (Approximately it will take 15 to 20 minutes).Next wash out rice with cold water to remove starch . Drain thoroughly.Heat ghee in separate deep pan and fry all the whole spices till they start to splutter.Stir in rice using a skewer. Fry till the rice starts to brown . Add in salt and raisins and cook for few more minutes.Sprinkle with previously browned onions and Garam masala powder and serve hot.

Shukto (Mixed Bitter-sweet Vegetables):

Ingredients : 2 Medium Sized Potato, I medium sized Eggplant, 1 Horse Radish, 1 green Banana, 4 Parwals( Pointed Gourds), 3 Drumsticks, 2 small bitter gourd, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ground ginger paste, 1 tablespoon ground cumin paste, 1 teaspoon ground mustard paste, salt to taste, 6 medium sized Boris ( Optional ), 2 tablespoon oil, 2 to 3 cups of water, 1 tablespoon ghee, A pinch of panch phoran, 1-2 tablespoon milk, 1-2 teaspoons sugar.

Servings : 6 to 8

Method :Peel and but potatoes in half lengthwise, and then crosswise. Slit the eggplant in four lengthwise and then crosswise into half inch thick slices,Slit the horse radish in four and then cut on the bias into one inch length.

Trim and scrape the parwals, cut in half lengthwise and cut in four pieces on the bias. trim drumsticks and cut into small sizes. Slice the bitter gourd (It gives the bitter taste to the recipe).

Fry the boris in hot oil and keep it aside, fry the bitter gourd slices and add all the other vegetables and fry for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add all the spices and pastes ands mix thoroughly with vegetables. Add salt and finally two cups of water .ontinue simmering until veggies are all cooked. Heat teaspoon of ghee in another pan , add panch phoran, Fry till it stops spluttering and pour this over the simmering veggies. Mix thoroughly. Add a tablespoon of milk and sugar to taste . Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from fire .

This hot Shukto is generally served during summers . But you may enjoy this on any occasion , any season.

Kumro Chenchki (Red Pumpkin Fried with spices):

Ingredients : 500 g of pumpkin , diced medium thick, 2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon whole onion seeds, 2 whole red chillies, 1 onion halved and sliced fine, 1 &1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon chilly powder, salt to taste.

Servings : 6

Method : Heat oil in a pan. When a blue haze appears , add onion seeds and whole red chillies.Stir -fry for couple of minutes and then add the pumpkin and some salt, Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cover .To the water given out by the pumpkin , add the sliced onion and spice powders. Cook over high heat , stirring all the while . When the pumpkin is cooked and the boil rises to the surface , remove it from fire. This particular preparation of the pumpkin is quiet dry.

Try these recipes and you would feel the real hard work goes through a Bengali kitchen. These mouth watering dishes are just splendid and easy to prepare. If you ain’t a Bengali just prepare and invite your bong friends over and they will worship you . If you don’t believe me just try.

December 16, 2014
Goodness of a Salad

Salads the natural way of having nutrients with raw flavours. Salads can be simple easily from easily available veggies , nuts , pulses , cereals , fruits etc.Packed full of goodness, salads bring flavour to your diet plan each day. Eating salads is an easy way to eat your daily serving of vegetables and it is not so difficult. You can prepare a salad and take it to work with you or to an outing with family and friends. Why is it so important to have salads with each of your meal ? You can only answer this question once you have had addicted yourself to have salads each meal or each day . Its simple to prepare , easy to consume , jam-packed with nutrients , Highly fibrous which is another valid reason to addict yourself to salad. We often emphasis on fibre content in food and the reason being simple, eating a high-fibre diet can help lower cholesterol levels
and prevent constipation, eating more fibre can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight. Salads are full of fruits and vegetables , which increases your intake of nutrients and lowers your risk of getting ill fatally. Diabetes ,High Blood pressure, Low Blood pressure, Nausea , Weakness, Malnourishment these are fatal diseases you can avoid and prevent yourself from by consuming salads with your meals.If losing weight is your goal, you may want to start your meals with a green salad. That’s the best trick for a girl to move happily from XL to XS ( Why should I spare the boys from this joy ). Even if you team up your salad with a slice of fat its still okay rather than having a full fat mealand suffer the rest of your day as fat makes you lazy and dull ( Ugly too If I am being honest ). Raw vegetables and fruits are good source of water specially tropical fruits which help you get feel fuller and also charged up . If we talk more about goodness of fruits and vegetables so they are delicious, so mixing them in different combinations to create a salad ensures exciting meals.First, you eat food with your eyes. Salads have varied textures, shapes, sizes and colours which make them visually appealing and satisfying. We enjoy foods that are entice our eyes and also eat more of them.Eating a variety of textures keeps mealtime interesting. Salad ingredients can add a nice crunch which is much better for you than munching on cookies or potato chips.So by far I have given you enough of reasons to check out your diet plan and indulge yourself to healthy meals. It will not only give you reason to eat more also you can commit sin guilt-free by having junk sometimes. And moreover our gyms are running quiet well so admit yourself to a healthy regime.

Black Bean , Corn , Potato and Pepper Salad :

Ingredients :

For Salad: 1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight , 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme , 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano , 1/2 teaspoon salt , 1/2 cup boiled corn kernels , 1 onion finely chopped , 1 tomato finely chopped , 1/2 cup red pepper (red capsicum ) cubes , 1/2 cup green pepper(green capsicum )cubes , 100 g baby potatoes boiled and peeled , 100 g baby onions boiled and peeled .

For dressing :1 tablespoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic , 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind ( the outer surface of lemon ), 1 teaspoon salt , 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilly flakes , 1/2 teaspoon pepper , 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint , 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies ,5 to 6 tablespoon olive oil .To garnish you may use mint and coriander sprigs.

Servings : 2

Method : Boil the kidney beans with thyme , oregano and salt until soft but firm . drain the beans and set aside .Mix the remaining ingredients in the bowl.To prepare the dressing you need to blend all the ingredients listed above for it in a small bender jar .Toss the prepared veggies mixture in the dressing and lastly add the beans .Adjust the salt if you feel it doesn’t suits your taste.Garnish it with mint or coriander sprigs and serve it at room temperature.

Tip : Prepare this dish just before serving it else the nutrient value gets reduced and flavours do get mingled giving it a very liquid texture due to addition of salt before hand.

Carrot and almond Salad :

Carrot being my favourite I always try and make different recipes which eventually turns out to be very tasty and nutrients. There is natural sweetness in carrots and we do get best of it during winter season . To sum up I would implement the richness of carrot in this recipe which is tasty , different and worth a try .

Ingredients :

For Salad :1/2 kg carrots peeled and coarsely grated, 2 small cucumber thinly sliced , 1/4 cup raisins soaked in water for 10 minutes , 1/2 cup sliced almonds without the skin ( to remove the skin just soak it overnight skin is peeled of easily ).

For Dressing :
I tablespoon lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey,1 teaspoon dried ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/3 cup olive oil , salt to taste , Pepper to taste .To garnish finely chopped parsley. ( You may use dry parsley too)

Servings : 4

Method : Place carrots and cucumber in a glass bowl. Add raisins and toss to mix .

For dressing :
Add lemon juice , honey , ginger , cinnamon , olive oil , salt and pepper in a screw top jar . shake well to combine.Toast the almonds on a flat pan until they are golden brown in colour.Pour the dressing over the salad , and toss well .Sprinkle with almonds and garnish with parsley. Serve at room temperature.

Yes ! I am slowly turning you all to health freaks which is why I am posting this article so that we all realise that health is a factor to be taken seriously . Today we all undergo a lot of stress and distress . Which gives us mental and physical fatigue. To avoid the same we all need to maintain a balanced diet , eat on time , and maintain a healthy lifestyle . It takes 15 minutes of our time to prepare such good recipes which are healthy and much better to eat than just plain oatmeal bowl. So do try them and Live Love Louder !!!

December 15, 2014
Food and Mood… like Body and Soul!

Food is heaven! I know that twinkling eyes when you see your food coming and the joy of relishing all the more tasty food. Have you seen many people are depressed and anxious and why are they?! Yes, maybe the stress of their life probably, but the magic wand which presents food will always likely to make them happy. You know, A lot of it comes down to food. But if you get people eating the right food, they start to feel good instantly. Of course, this is mentioned in conjunction with moderate exercise and overall healthy diet. The foods that boosts level of serotonin levels in our blood forms an important part of achieving balanced mind and body. And the best part is most of the food that makes us happy aren’t that boring as you might think. Surprised, eh?! Read on to get an idea what blissful meals you can when you’re feeling blue;

Chocolate: Yes, you heard it right. Let’s start with most loved, Chocolate. This might be great news for you as Chocolate actually alleviates your mood. Many studies have shown that people tend to feel better after having small piece of dark chocolate. It reduces stress and experts believe that this is due to the antioxidants it contains. When you indulge, don’t take too much of it, as there are calories too but yes, little for some while is a good idea.

Fruits and veggies: Do you know experts recommend 4 to 11 bananas per week for optimal happiness. This is because potassium rich bananas are rich in tryptophan and it stimulates the ‘feel good’ hormone, called serotonine. Its not just this fruit but other fruits include blueberries, avocados, pineapple, citrus, beans or dark green vegetables. These are considered good because they contain B vitamins and folate. They give our hormones a boost. These blueberries, avocados are really important because of their antioxidants content, which helps in reducing inflammation and risk of many diseases including cancer. Also, it is well known to eat whole foods to be healthy. So, don’t think twice while having these fruits and veggies.

Seafood: Fish are a Superfood. Wondering why! Well, because they are full of Omega-3s, which as we know are wonderful for our health. Seafood is generally full in Omega 3s, which is known to reduce inflammation and actually makes a large part of brain and if you consume them more, you are less likely to suffer from depression. Eating oily fatty fish like sardines, tuna will really boost up your mood. So, munch on seafood whenever you like.

Coconut: The scent of coconut can really de-stress you and blunt your fight or flight response. It is proved by researchers that inhaling a pleasant scent of coconut really enhances alertness alongwith soothing our response to stress. Go, have coconut and smell it and feel the freshness.

Low fat-dairy products: Dairy foods are excellent source of Vitamin B, D, proteins and minerals including magnesium and zinc and the good part is they contribute to the creation of serotonin in the brain. The cheese you try to avoid because of calorie issues, do you know, is particularly high in amino acids, which generates tryptophan to make serotonin and eventually boost up your mood.

Saffron: Well, saffron is something loveliest of all and yes, the expensive one too. But I’m sure you won’t know this part that saffron is historically used for depression in Persian traditional medicines and is really effective. It is reported by researchers that women when take pinch of saffron in their menstrual cycles helps in reduction of PMS symptoms by half like depression, mood swings, anxiety etc. Saffron really has antidepressant effect, proven by many studies. Researchers believe that the spice works by same mechanism, helping to make feel good neuro transmitters , serotonin, more available to the brain.

Legumes and Beans: Eating legumes is like all time recommendation to anyone as they are really healthy. They are like superfood, full of proteins, have no fat and clean your intestines. Legumes such as chickpeas, kidney and bertolli beans helps in maintaining blood sugar levels and which in turn maintains an even temper. Generally, what happens is people eat foods which are readily available and has lot of refined sugars, wheat, cakes, pies and sweets. Legumes, however, slow down the body’s absorption of carbohydrates, also lay off hunger pangs and thus the resultant mood swings that come from not eating right.

Carbohydrates: You heard it right, I’m talking about carbs. They can make you happy. It holds true that highly refined carbs like cakes, pastas, bread can bring up mood highs and lows, it is still essential to have good carbohydrates in your diet, rather than completely avoiding it. Despite persistent myths, I’m mentioning here that carbs don’t make you fat and can boost up your mood. Researchers have found that carbs promote the production of serotonin levels, so assign yourself this high carb, low-fat dairy, whole grain, beans and fruits. While, following low-carb diet strictly can really affect your mood negatively.

Basically, food is the perfect solution for a bad day, bad mood. No matter what you have faced the whole day, relishing a good food can uplift your mood in no time. Whatever the challenges are, its easier to cope up when your spirits are high, And it’s hard to be in good mood if you are lacking in some key nutrients or feeling hungry constantly. So, never skip a meal and have food whenever you feel like. Who says healthy is boring. The above listed ones are delicious and most of us love the seafood or chocolate or carbs and the most loved, saffron. Munch as much as you want and enjoy the happiness. Because eating is happy and healthy.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

December 13, 2014
My Birthday Party Recipes !!!

I will soon turn a year older an something clicked in my mind. Am I going to throw a party ??? The answer is still uncertain but one thing is for sure I will cook for me and will treat my tummy with dishes Like. It’s a nice nice idea, isn’t it ? If I play rewind record of my earlier childhood or teen-hood birthdays food was never my priority , it was always what birthday gift I got (I am confessing I was materialistic back then). Me and my friends use to party a lot and my mum use to cook best possible recipes for us and we use to just finish it in about 30 minutes. Long gone are those days and those friends are so far from my reach . Though they wish me through social media or a message or a call , few even gift me stuff through couriers but still my birthdays are not so happier the way they use to be earlier. They are now much milder in , much calm , much busy in work types these days . My

Mum still cooks for me on my birthday( Her famous kheer/Sweet rice pudding…a very popular dish among my friends ) but I am too far from her to taste that .If I look now the gifts are more sophisticated , much more expensive , much more “I like Stuff” but somewhere the birthdays with a pencil box gift wrapped or a plastic doll , or a chocolate bar with hideous decorations were more meaningful , lifelike , much more valuable for me. To have that feeling back I have decided to cook the way my Mum use to cook for me , dance on Bollywood cheap songs the way my friends use to entertain my make my parties fun , shout the way they use to scream “happy birthday” for me and Burst a balloon for myself filled with goodies inside. I again asked my self Am I eccentric ….Big deal even If I am. I will have fun the way I use to have a decade ago and cherish these memories a decade later rather than repenting on my arm chair with a ART OF LIVING BOOK on my side desk .I know my friends my parents , my best pal my sister wont be there in my little celebration this time but I am going to celebrate for me. I am going to make this birthday Rock . Will Click selfies of my own , will dress up , Will do make up. I will not repent this birthday to be on a weekday and so I am not celebrating it , No I will make it happier& funny for me. You feel terrible when you don’t try , But I wont give up I will just have a blast ….To celebrate with me try these recipes which I will cook for my birthday .

Mojito:

Yes I am talking alcohol now. BUt its a crime say that I am being drunk here its a celebration drink for my birthday and I have full right to break the rules. Drinks are party showstoppers for me and if its for my celebration I will commit this sin gladly.

Ingredients : Mint sprigs roughly cut , 1 tablespoon sugar syrup , 30 ml Vodka ,15ml Soda water, Ice cubes, Peppermint tablets finely crushed, Lemon wedges , lemon ring for decoration. For serving your choice matters .

Servings : Its crime to count the servings when you are celebrating so please repeat till you find yourself sane.

Method : Its easy and very quick to make. Firstly crush the peppermint tablets powder, mint leaves and lemon wedges together. Now Take a glass (Your choice matters not mine ) add ice cubes, sugar syrup , and freshly crushed mint peppermint and lemon wedges . Now add Vodka and soda water into the glass stir it gently with a stirrer. And Yes do decorate it with lemon ring and serve yourself .Cheers!!!

Cheese Corn Balls :

With a perfect drink we have to have the perfect starter. And to get that we have a very simple and quick recipe too. (Remember Its me who is cooking and I don’t want to get tired on my birthday so planned a quick dish celebration…being smart is justified ).

Ingredients : 2 cups corn kernels , 1/2 cup refined flour, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander, 1 cup grated processed cheese, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon dry mango powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilled, oil for deep frying.

Servings : 2 to 3

Method : Crush corn kernels roughly in a blender. Mix blender corn , refined flour, corriander, dry spices, cheese , salt, and lemon juice and bind the mixture well into a fine dough. Adding water is not required as corn kernels hold a lot of moisture into them which will be enough for binding the mixture.

Make small equal round balls out of the dough and give them smooth round shape. Deep fry the cheese corn balls and serve them as appetisers or have loads of them to fill your tummy. Remember this party is to relax and have fun , extra work not required.

Monte Carlo:

Its easy to make dessert . Indulge yourself with this at the end and have a good nite sleep later.

Ingredients : 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream (You may use butterscotch flavour also ), few butterscotch drops, Dark chocolate syrup ,1 teaspoon
honey,1 tablespoon whipped cream, choco-chips if you are a chocolate person.

Servings : 1

Method : Take a ice-cream bowl or a fancy glassware , add two scoops of vanilla ice-cream to it , top it up with ,whipped cream , butterscotch, honey, choco-chips and at last chocolate syrup. Serve it .

So, isn’t it a great idea to celebrate your birthday and throw yourself a small party. The only way to keep yourself tempted for life is to appreciate each day and keep yourself engrossed in you to get out of all cribbing’s which we generally do all day. Make a difference and spread happiness.

December 13, 2014
Winter Soups!

“Let me be the first to tell you, drinking alcohol is the worst thing to do in cold weather. Hot soup is the best because the process of digesting food helps to warm you up.” –

Morgan Freeman A hot soup on a winter evening is simply comfort in a bowl. It warms every bit of you and makes you feel awfully good. Yummm! Be it a gooey creamy chilli soup or a clear vegetable soup or the classic tomato soup or the modern popcorn soup – each is at its best! As Marge Kennedy points out, soup is like family. Each batch has its own individual characteristics. Each ingredient of a soup enhances the other ingredients to a whole different level. A soup is not just a soup. It is many a thing more. “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup”

Ludwig van Beethoven These are four of my favourite winter soups. Simple and easy to make and marked with the magical ambrosial taste. These soups are simply splendid.

Vegetable Soup with Basil Sauce

Time taken:25 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For vegetable stock- 2 medium onions (chopped), 1 medium leek (chopped), 1 medium carrot (chopped), 1 bay leaf tied with 1 large sprig of parsley, 1 small piece of bottle gourd (chopped) For basil sauce- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 2 large cloves of garlic, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 3 grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup olive oil For soup- 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium potato (cut into small cubes), 1 medium zucchini (cut into small cubes), ½ cup boiled peas, ½ cup soaked and boiled broad beans, 2 medium tomatoes (blanched and chopped), salt, pepper, ½ cup boiled pasta

Directions: For vegetable stock- Pour 6 cups water in a pressure cooker, add the stock ingredients, and pressure cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Cool and discard the parsley and bay leaf. Puree the ingredients, pass through a strainer and set aside. For basil sauce- Blend all the ingredients except oil in a small blender for 20 seconds. Gradually add oil and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. For soup- heat olive oil in a pan. Add potato and zucchini and cook for 3- 4 minutes. Add peas, beans and tomatoes along with pureed stock, salt and pepper. Boil hot soup into individual bowls, spoon basil sauce on top and serve.

Mongolian Hot Pot

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For clear vegetable stock- 1 carrot (chopped), 1 onion (chopped), 1 stem spring onion (chopped), 1 stick celery (chopped), 1 inch ginger (chopped), a few black peppercorns For dips and garnishes- 2 cups coarsely chopped Chinese cabbage leaves, 200 gm cubed tofu (bean curd), 100 gm rice noodles (soaked in hot water), 2-3 tbsp sesame paste, ¼ cup soy sauce mixed with ¼ cup water, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup chilli oil, ¼ cup finely chopped coriander, 4 tbsp chopped garlic (soaked in a little vinegar and salt

Directions:

Pour 6 cups water in a pan. Add the stock ingredients and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and transfer the stock to a heatproof ceramic or metal dish. Place the dish on a small burner on the table. Bring the stock back to boil. Arrange all the dips and garnishes in individual bowls and place them on the table. Diners cook their own choice of vegetables and tofu and season them to individual taste with dips and sauces. Each one should place some noodles in a bowl and top it with some simmering stock flavoured with sauces to taste. This soup is eaten as a final course.

Pumpkin Soup

Time taken: 25 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 tbsp salad oil or sunflower oil (for brushing), 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 onion (chopped), 1 potato (chopped), 1 carrot (chopped), 2 celery stalks (chopped), 700-900 gm red pumpkin (peeled, seeded and chopped), 1 ½-2 cups clear vegetable stock, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), lemon juice (to taste), chopped coriander, reserved pumpkin shell (cleaned and washed) Directions: Heat oil in a large pan. Add ginger, garlic and coriander powder and sauté for 2- 3 minutes. Add all the vegetables and pumpkin and cook until slightly softened. Add 3 cups water and transfer the soup to a pressure cooker; cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Puree the soup in a blender and pass it through a strainer. Return the soup to the pan and heat gently. Add stock to get the desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Spring Vegetable Soup

Time taken: 20 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For vegetable stock- 2 medium onions (chopped), 1 medium leek (chopped), 1 medium carrot (chopped), 1 bay leaf tied with 1 large sprig of parsley, 1 small piece of bottle gourd (chopped) For soup- 2 onions (cut into cubes), 2 potatoes (cut into cubes), 2 leeks (cut into cubes), 2 tbsp butter, 1 spring onion with greens (finely chopped), 100gm carrots (chopped), 100gm cauliflower (chopped), 100gm asparagus (chopped), 100gm shelled green peas, 5-6 French beans (chopped), 1 cup vegetable stock, ½ cup fresh cream or milk, 3-4 tbsp grated cheese, salt, pepper, crusty garlic and herb bread (to serve)

Directions:

For vegetable stock- Pour 6 cups water in a pressure cooker, add the stock ingredients, and pressure cook till the pressure is released 3 times (3 whistles). Cool and discard the parsley and bay leaf. Puree the ingredients, pass through a strainer and set aside. For soup- Cook onions, potatoes and leeks along with 6 cups water in a pressure cooker till soft. Puree in a blender, strain and set aside. In a pan, melt butter and fry onions, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, green peas and French beans. Cover and cook until soft. Add the onion-potato puree and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are cooked. Add cream, 2 tbsp cheese, salt and pepper. Serve hot, sprinkled with remaining cheese, and garlic and herb bread on the side. So, Happy Cooking!

December 13, 2014
Food Delights!

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

– George Bernard Shaw

My sister-in-law loves food and everything to do with food. Recently, she took up the massive challenge of maintaining a food blog. Soon, she was deeply engrossed in it and then, gradually all her experiments with food started to bloom– “How about I mash this up and then add a bit of that? I have a gut feeling that it will work”. Well, most of them did. Being The Taster, my job was easy-peasy and I genuinely loved all her food.

From healthy snacks such as South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing to the not-so healthy ones (but super tasty!), like the Gujrati Kadhi; from the nice and sweet Melon Refresher to the spicy Cream of Chilli Soup– all were simply lip smacking. My favourite is her desi Mixed Vegetable Curry. It is an absolute hit among my friends as well. Hence, I thought I would be a little generous and share her super easy, super simple and super awesome recipes with my readers. So, here goes –

Cream of Chilli Soup

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients : 2 large corn tortillas (cut into 1/4inch wide strips, 3 tbsp butter, 1 cup chopped onions, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups of White Vegetable Stock, 1 medium potato (peeled and cubed), pepper (to taste), salt (to taste), 3-4 jalapeno chillies (chopped), ¼ cup fresh cream, 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)

Method: Crispthe tortillas in the oven. In a pan, melt butter; add onions, garlic, oregano and bay leaf. Cook until onions are soft. Stir in the stock, potato, salt and paper. Bring to a boil. Simmer till potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf and process the soup in a blender till smooth. Pass through a sieve and return to heat. Add the chillies and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and stir in the cream. Set aside until ready to serve. Reheat gently just before serving. Add the cheese and spoon thesoup into individual bowls. Sprinkle tortilla chips and serve immediately.

South-western Salad with Avocado Dressing

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For salad- 2 cups of shredded lettuce or salad greens, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, ½ cup chopped white onions, ¼ cup sliced jalapeno chillis, ½ cup chopped red, yellow or green capsicum, ¼ cup grated cheese

For dressing- 1 cup medium ripe avocado (peeled, seeded and chopped), 3-4 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tbsp mustard paste, 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno chillies, ½ cup olive oil, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), cumin powder (to taste)

To garnish- 2-3 slices of avocado and a sprig of coriander

Method:

For salad- Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl, cover with cling film and chill thoroughly.

For dressing- Mash the avocado and drizzle lemon juice over it. Add garlic, mustard, coriander, vinegar and jalapeno chillies and mix well. Add oil in a thin stream beating continuously. Add ½ – ¾ cup ice cold water to get the right consistency. Ensure that the dressing does not get too runny. Cover and chill until ready to use. Pour the dressing in a serving bowl and pile the salad on top. With a salad fork and spoon, toss the salad gently to mix. Season with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Garnish with avocado and coriander. Serve immediately.

Melon Refresher

Time taken: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 250 ml natural yogurt,100g galia melon (cut into chunks), 100g cantaloupe melon (cut into chunks), 100g watermelon (cut into chunks), 6 ice cubes, wedges of melons( to decorate)

Method : Pour the yogurt into a food processor or blender. Add the galia melon chunks and process until smooth. Add the cantaloupe melons and watermelon chunks along with the ice cubes and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into glasses and decorate with wedges of melon. Serve at once.

Modified Gujrati Kadhi

Time taken: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 tbsp yellow moong dal flour, 1 and a ½ cup sour low-fat curd, 2 and a ½ cup water, 1 inch ginger (finely chopped), 2 to 3 curry leaf stalks, ¼ cup coriander leaves, 2 green chillies (slit), salt (to taste)

For tempering- 1 inch cinnamon, 5 cloves, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp asafoetida powder

Method: Combine the curds and moong dal powder, and then whip to a creamy consistency. Add the water gradually, making sure that there are no lumps. Then add the finely chopped ginger and salt to taste. Put this mixture to boil over a low flame. Stir to avoid lumps. Slit the green chillies and chop the coriander, and keep them aside. Dry roast the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add slit green chillies and asafoetida. If it burns, you can add a few drops of water. Once the dry tadka is well roasted, drop it into the boiling kadhi. Top the kadhi with freshly chopped green coriander, and serve hot with your recommended rice serving.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: ½ cup carrots (cut lengthwise), ½ cup beans (cut lengthwise), ½ cup eggplant (cut into 1 inch pieces), ½ cup onions (sliced lengthwise), ½ cup tomatoes (sliced lengthwise), 1 tsp ajwain seeds, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat oil to high heat in a frying pan (or non- stick pan). Add ajwain seeds and onions. Sauté until onions are transparent. Add the carrots and beans. Sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the eggplant and sauté until all the vegetables are cooked tender. Add turmeric powder, tomatoes, Garam Masala, chilli powder and salt. Sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes are tender, but not completely pulpy. Leaving the tomatoes half- cooked adds to the fresh flavor. Serve hot.

December 13, 2014
Healthy Bites!!

Fat makes you fat. It is as simple as that. So if you want to be fit, exercise regularly and maintain a balanced healthy diet.

It’s true that maintaining a diet is tough and requires a lot of determination, but if you put your heart to it, you will manage. You will succeed. Fight your unhealthy cravings. Even if you slip, don’t give up the diet all together. A slip here and there is Okay (but this does not mean you will make a habit of it). Exercising regularly is a must!

Do not stress about being fat. Stressing about anything is never a good thing. In order to help yourself to stick to the diet, try and make your meals attractive and appetizing. Make smart food choices. If you can put down the ‘ghee ka ladoo’ and munch on a juicy fruit instead, congratulate yourself. It is the baby steps that count.

Jump-start your day with a healthy breakfast. Never skip your breakfast. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do not starve yourself. Fill in the gaps with bite-size healthy snacks. Eat at frequent intervals but keep your portion in mind. Hydrate yourself throughout the day- drink 8 glasses of water. Have a light lunch. End your day with a low calorie yet filling dinner – so that your tummy doesn’t start rumbling in the dead of night.

*Healthy Breakfast*

Dalia Upma with Vegetables

Time taken: 16 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 3 cups broken wheat dalia, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 carrots (diced), 1 small capsicum (diced), ½ cup corn kernels, ½ inch piece grated ginger, 3 slit green chillis, a pinch of asafoetida,a pinch of turmeric powder, ½ tsp mustard seeds, a handful of curry leaves, 2 tsp oil, 2 cups water, chopped coriander (for garnish), 2 tbsp lime juice, salt (to taste)

Method: Roast dalia in a pan on low flame until light brown in colour. Remove from pan and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds splutter, add grated ginger and slit green chillis. Add chopped onion. Stir. Then add other diced vegetables. Stir for about 5 minutes and add dalia. Season with salt and turmeric. Add 2 cups water and put in pressure cooker till dalia is soft and crumbly. Blend in the lime juice and top with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

*Healthy Lunch*

Tomato Fish

Time taken: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the main prep- 4 medium-sized pieces fish fillet (any firm fish fillet), 2 onions (finely chopped), 1 green capsicum (cut into julienne strips), 2 green chillis (slit vertically), 2 inch piece of ginger (cut into julienne strips), handful of mint leaves (chopped), salt (to taste)

For the sauce- 1 onion (chopped fine), 4 tomatoes (chopped fine), 4 cloves garlic (crushed), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, ½ cup water, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp oil, salt (to taste)

Method:

For the sauce- To make the sauce, simmer the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and chilli powder together for 20 minutes. Sieve the sauce and discard the tomato skins, then return the sauce to a clean pan. Heat the pan again, stir the sauce. Mix the arrowroot powder and water to a smooth paste. Add it to the tomato sauce, along with the wine vinegar and sugar, stirring continuously till the sauce thickens.

For the fish- Heat the oil and fry the chopped onions until soft. Remove onions from the pan and set aside. Add the fish and salt to the same oil and brown the fish gently on both sides. Add the previously fried onions to the pan along with the slit green chillies, ginger and capsicum. Pour the tomato sauce over the fish pieces. Cook the fish for about 5 minutes then take the pan off the fire. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice.

*Healthy Snack*

Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake

Time taken: 1 hour 10 minutes (including preparation time)

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 medium sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp prepared mustard, 2 tsp teriyaki sauce, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt (to taste)

Method: Cut the two chicken breasts into four pieces and pound each one to an even flatness. Place the chicken pieces into a large zip lock pouch. Add all the sauces into the pouch and seal it up properly. Shake the bag, allowing all the sauces to blend together. Keep the pouch in the fridge for half an hour. Heat your oven to 350 degree Celsius. Get the bag out of the fridge and once again, shake it vigorously. Then place the chicken pieces in a foil tray and bake for about ½ an hour, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. You can flip the pieces over once, for even browning. Your Chicken Shake ‘N’ Bake is ready.

*Healthy Dinner*

Grilled Sandwich

Time taken: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 large slices whole wheat bread, 1 medium onion (chopped fine), 2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine), 1 capsicum (chopped fine), ½ tsp jeera-dhania Masala, ¼ tsp ground pepper, 16 pieces low-fat paneer cubes (1 inch x 1 inch, crumbled), 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp butter, salt (to taste)

Method: Heat 1 tsp oil in a non- stick pan. Add onion and tomato. Cook them to a pulpy consistency. Add the powder masala and salt. Blend well. Then add the crumbled paneer. Stir. Adjust seasoning to taste. Lightly butter the bread slices and place them buttered side down on a plate. Then, heap the paneer mixture evenly on 2 of the open slices (buttered side remains down). Use the remaining 2 slices to cover the lower slices, like a sandwich, making sure the buttered side is on the outer side facing up. This sandwich can be toasted in a sandwich toaster, or simply put onto a hot pan to brown. On a pan, toast the slices to a crisp golden brown on one side, then flip over, to brown on other side. If you are using a pan, you may need to seal the inner edges by lining the inner side with a few drops of water before it goes onto the pan. In a sandwich toaster, remove from toaster when golden brown. Cut each sandwich into two triangles.

Stay Fit. Stay Healthy.

December 13, 2014
Culture of Shimla- writing

Shimla Culture

Shimla,located on the lofty ranges of the Himalayas with about 7,500 ft above the sea level,is one of the most popular tourist destination throughout the world.It is a place free of commercialization and globalization and is famous for its lifestyle,arts,crafts,food,fairs,dance and music. Shimla is quite different from other states with its own charm and portrays a harmony between traditional values and modern thoughts.

Shimla is considered as one of the best tourist and holiday spot in India.In the year of 1864,it was declared as the Summer Capital of India during the reign of British and after the independence,it became the capital of Punjab.Now,it is a proud capital of Himachal Pradesh.

History:

Pic showing the history of Shimla

The history of Shimla begun with the discovery of British with a little village in 1819 and was made as the Summer Capital of India.Shimla was truly earned by the government of India at the time of Lord William Bentinck.After the Gurkha war,British soldiers founded a dense forest near Golden Shyamala temple and gave the name as Shimla after the name of the goddess.Also,many fine fabrics,French sauces,English sweets and fine horses were available in Shimla making it popular.

In 1819,Lt.Ross,the Assistant Political Agent of hill states set up the first residence of British here and his successor built the first concrete house in 1822.In the mid 18th century,the Hindustan Tibet road was constructed from Kalka to Shimla.Shimla was connected by the railways in 1903.It eventually became the capital of Himachal Pradesh,after the independence,in 1966.

Geography:

Pic-Showing-Shimla-Tourism-Geography

Shimla’s geographical location is dependent on its pleasant climatic conditions that suits a perfect vacation.It has an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level,lying between 31.060 North to 77.130 East.The altitude is having a vegetation of pine trees.The city is spread over an area of 25 square kilometers with a look of majestic hill station.The Himalayas fall to the north east of Shimla. Shimla consists of sub-tropical forests,maize fields,cedar and orchards.

Climate:

The view of climate in Shimla

Shimla’s climatic conditions are pleasant in any season favoring the tourists’ visit.It may have sudden changes due to the high altitude and may result in sudden drop and rise in temperature.Summers are warm with packed tourists and the temperature never goes beyond 270 Celsius.Even though there are occasional rainfalls,they are just bearable.Monsoons last from July to September that may be not suitable to visit as they are pretty heavy.Landslides are too frequent with a range of 150 -250 Celsius.Winters last from November to February with cold and chilly winds from the Himalayas.The temperature may drop down to zero levels.Snowfall is the main attraction in this season.Even though transport and residence is a slight problem,people love to visit Shimla in this season.

Economy:

Tourism a major economy of Shimla

Most of the city’s economy is driven from the tourism.Shimla is a famous healthcare centre having one medical college and four major hospitals named as the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital,Kamla Nehru Hospital and Indus Hospital.Hotels in the city are one of the major sources of income.Shimla is one of the lead cities in India for having large number of hotels.Shimla is also famous for its quality of education and for the leading schools it is having.The higher education institutes are also present in Shimla namely Himachal Pradesh University and Indian Institute of Advance Studies.People from different parts of the country prefer to study in Shimla because of its climatic conditions and hill station status.These has been adding to the economy of the district as well as the state.At present, government is trying to promote technology and IT sector in Shimla for its growth and promotion.

Culture:

Festival celebrations in Shimla

People of Shimla are informally called as Shimlaites.A variety of festivals are celebrated in Shimla.During the peak tourist season, Shimla summer festival is celebrated and it lasts for 3 to 4 days.The highlights of this festival include events performed by popular singers from all over the country.Shimla has many places to visit and the local hangouts are the Mall, the Ridge that are in the heart of the city.Some of the oldest and famous buildings are the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and Wildflower Hall which is now a luxury hotel.The State Museum is one of the oldest Museums in India and it holds a huge collection of paintings, jewelry and textiles of that region.Naldehra nine-hole golf court is one of the oldest of its kind in India that is located farther out from the city.Kufri is a ski resort and is one of the best tourist attractions of Shimla located 19 kilometers away from the main city.Lakkar Bazaar in Shimla is famous for its hand crafts and wood items.Shimla has a natural ice skating rink and state and national level competitions are more often held at this venue.Shimla Ice Skating Club manages many events every year in the month of January.Due to the Global warming and increasing population in and around Shimla, the amount of ice has been decreasing in the past few years.

Temples:

Bhimakali-Temple-Shimla

Shimla has many temples and is frequently visited by many devotes from nearby towns and cities.Jakhoo temple, one of the famous Hanuman temple is located at the highest point in Shimla.Kali Bari temple of goddess Kali is situated near the Mall.Another Hanuman temple, Sankat Mochan is famous for the numerous monkeys located on the Shimla-Kalka road about 10 kilometers away from the city.We can also find other places of worship like Gurudwara near the bus edge and a famous Church on the Ridge.We can find excellent stone works and architecture on the walls of temples in Shimla.The sculptors that are carved on the temple walls show the art of Shimla.

Jakko temple in Shimla located at the highest point

The snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures surrounding Shimla gives a wonderful view of the nature and just a simple walk through Shimla’s Victorian-era architecture, labyrinthine bazaars and lengthy pedestrian shopping mall brings excitement and enjoyment.It is a simple yet elegant place created by mother nature’s wonderful creation.

December 13, 2014