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Biscuits:Easy-to-carry and Easy-to-store

In this neoteric world every person from adults to children is found to be a biscuit fan. A pack of variety of biscuits is always found to be in your handbags. The time you feel hungry and have nothing to eat around you then take this out and fulfil the demands of your stomach for once. They are usually known by their different names like cookies in Canada and United States and biscuits in Europe and India. It has derived its name from the two Latin words bis means twice and coctus means cooked (process of baking associated with them). It is the best option people used to carry on their long journeys as they are easy to store.

Biscuits or sometimes referred to as cookies are available in different sizes and shapes. They are manufactured by various different companies all around the world. The European or Indian variety is found to be more creative than English Variety. They are distinguished on the basis of sugar, cream, jams, butter, herbs, and cheese and so on while in the United States they are harder and flaky in nature. When we talk about its history the manufacturers used to create hardest cookies possible so that they can be easily stored in high temperature and during the time of humidity too. But now they are made as sweet as possible with a layer of cream sandwiched between the two biscuits to make them taste yummy.

Sweet biscuits are usually preferred in snacks in the morning time as they are made of wheat flour and oats. The taste of sweet is added with the help of honey or sugar. There a variation lies in their flavors like chocolate, jams, nuts, fruit etc. They are usually accompanied with the cup of tea. They are very hard to consume so people tend to dip this into their tea for a small amount of time so as to make them soft before consumption. It involves all the digestive biscuits and bourbon cream biscuits.

Savoury biscuits are the cookies which are consumed normally along with the meal or cheese. They are also known as crackers or matzos which involves water biscuits, cream crackers and crisp breads. These biscuits also contain some additives like melted cheese, onion seeds or olives. They are somewhat spicy in taste rather than sweet, but exception lies in Hovis biscuits. They are usually sold in the European supermarkets.

Digestive biscuits have several health benefits. They are very high in their fiber content. So if people are suffering from diabetes then they can take these biscuits and simultaneously avoid the increase of sugar content in their body. You can easily prepare these biscuits in your home too. Only a certain amount of extra ingredients like butter, brown sugar, oats, and baking powder will be required. They also help in digestion and bowel movement too. For example Nutri Choice which is high in dietary fiber is the best choice you can have.

Glucose biscuits help to address the deficiency of glucose in our body and mainly in children. The best choice is Parle-G. It is fully made of wheat flour and milk content. Parle Group is the largest manufacture across all over the world. Its nutritional value is very high and purchase cost is very low. It has several other products rich in nutrients like Krackjack which has a taste of both salt and sweet, Monaco which is a namkeen biscuit, hide and seek which is a mixture of chocolate and sweet both with chocolate chips endowed in it.

Ginger biscuits help in the treatment of nausea, vomiting and sweating. As we know ginger act as an anti-oxidants so intake of ginger biscuits helps to reduce the risk of cell damage and remove all the free radicals responsible for it. They are also preferred when glucose levels in our body are increasing.

Biscuits do have various advantages but their intake must not be so high. They must be consumed in a much planned way. Their consumption depends on the time when they are eaten. People tend to utilize them at the time of their meal sometime or sometimes as their snacks too. The best way of their consumption is they must divided into 2-3 pieces and then taken at their regular intervals during snacks or meals. Homemade cookies and cookies that are high in fiber content and low in fat contents are preferred. Before purchasing any pack you must check its ingredients and make sure that list involves whole grain, some natural preservatives and additives too. At the time of humidity you must store them in airtight boxes so as to prevent them getting stale. And if you are consuming canned biscuits, then make sure to store them in refrigerators.

Go on and consume this long-lasting item in your snacks or meal and have its all benefits along with the taste.

August 1, 2014
Monsoon Treats
The Monsoon brings with it the chilly winds and pleating rain. The beautiful weather, accompanied with just the right food, can make your day perfect. Here’s a list of the stuff you can hog, without having to worry about your health, and how it can be made!

Hot Soups:

Vegetable soups are a great option to indulge in the rainy season. Warm nutrition-packed veggie soups will not just help you stay away from cold and flu, but also help you stay healthy and hydrated.

Vegetable soups are also the easiest thing to cook, among other soups.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 potatoes, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 cup of green beans, cut into smaller pieces

2 cups of spinach*

1 can of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons of tomato passata

4 cups of chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Sour cream (optional)

There are no hard and fast rules.Quantities of vegetables can be adjusted according to your taste and requirement and you are allowed to use any vegetables that you have on hand.

Method:

1. In a big saucepan on low to medium heat, add oil and saute the onion for a couple of minutes

2. Add garlic, saute for a further minute

3. Put heat up to medium and add all the vegetables to the saucepan, saute for five minutes

4. Add diced tomatoes and passata, stir through for a minute

5. Add chicken stock and bring it to the boil

6. Turn down the heat and let it simmer on low to medium heat for 25-30 minutes – add salt and pepper to taste

7. Serve with crusty bread and a dollop of sour cream (optional)

Tea:

Have tea, especially herbal ones- this will keep bouts of influenza away. Herbal teas are also good for digestion. Now there are two methods you can use. One of them is to buy herbal tea bags, in which case, all you have to do is dip them in hot water and add milk and sugar as per instructions.

Ginger tea, however, is another easy alternative.

Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 3-4 black tea bags or 3-4 tsp black tea leaves
- 2 inch ginger for a strong taste or 1 inch ginger for a milder taste, peeled & either crushed or grated.
- 3-4 cardamom, crushed or powdered in a mortar-pestle(optional)
- ½ to ¾ cup regular milk or cashew milk or soy milk – add more if you want a milky tea
- 8 tsp unrefined organic cane sugar or add more for more sweetness
Instructions
1. In a saucepan or kettle, add the water, crushed ginger and crushed cardamom with the peel.
2. boil this water-ginger-cardamom mixture for a good 6-7 minutes, till the color of the water changes to a mild yellowish hue. the ginger releases its juices and flavors in the water and thus the color of the water changes.
3. add sugar and simmer for a more of 1-2 minutes.
4. now add the tea leaves or tea bags and simmer for 2-3 minutes till the water gets a deep hue of red.
5. add milk. simmer the tea for 2-3 minutes if using regular milk or soy milk.
6. if using cashew milk or almond milk, then just stir the cashew milk with tea and remove from pan as otherwise heating further would cause the cashew or almond milk to become slimy and separate.
7. strain the tea through a strainer right into the cups.
8. serve the hot ginger tea or chai or adrak chai with indian snacks like pakoras or samosas. you could also serve the ginger tea with biscuits or cookies.
Pakoras:

Mouth watering pakoras are yet another dish that are a must have during the rainy season. A cup of hot tea and a plate of pakoras are an unbeatable combination. You can choose from various kinds of pakoras ike onion pakora, spinach pakora, potato pakora, paneer pakora, green chili pakora and it goes on. Here’s how you can make Onion Pakoras.

Ingredients
- 2 to 3 medium sized onions
- 2 cups gram flour or besan
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi (optional)
- ¾ tsp ajwain or carom seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida/hing
- Oil for shallow frying or deep frying – sunflower oil or any neutral flavored oil
- water as required
- salt as required
Instructions
1. Peel the onions.
2. Rinse and slice them thinly.
3. Add the chilli powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, salt and chick pea flour to the sliced onions.
4. Add water and mix it to a thick and smooth consistency.
5. Add little water in the beginning as the onions will release water later and so the batter becomes too watery.
6. The pakoras won’t turn out good if the batter becomes watery.
7. You can add more besan if you feel the batter is not thick and smooth. You can always adjust the content of besan and water by adding it more if you feel you have not got the right consistency.
8. Now heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Take a teaspoonful of the onion batter and add it in the oil. On a medium heat fry the onion pakoras till golden brown.
9. Serve onion pakoras hot with tomato sauce, green chutney and bread or pav.
So go ahead and make your taste buds dance this monsoon!

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August 1, 2014
Potatoes: Goodness Unearthed
Potatoes are one of the cheapest crops grown all over the world. It is a tuberous and starchy crop which belongs to nightshade family or Solanaceae family. It is considered as the most comfort food, whether it is in roasted, mashed or baked form. It is the only crop available throughout the year as it is harvested somewhere in every month of the year. It has listed its name amongst the world’s largest food crop which already includes maize, rice and wheat.

Potatoes are found in different sizes, shapes, color and flavors. There are about 100 different varieties of potatoes found all over the world. Potatoes are classified in two two groups: mature potatoes and new potatoes. Mature potatoes include the White Rose and Russet Burbank while New Potatoes include Red Pontiac and Red LeSoda. The outer covering of this crop is generally red, yellow or brown in color while inside it is white or yellow in color.

As we know potato is a rich source of nutrients so to have all its nutritional value, we must consume it fully without peeling it. You can scrub the potato in the cold water so as to remove bruises or deep eyes and if needed you can use the knife. And if you are peeling it, then be careful and only remove thin covering so as to retain all the nutrients. After cutting, potatoes must be placed in a bowl containing cold water and lemon juice so as to avoid its skin from darkening. Avoid its contact with aluminium or iron pots as they are sensitive to it.

Common and popular dishes made from potatoes are: mashed potatoes, which are prepared by boiling the potatoes and then mashing it along with yogurt, butter or milk; French-fried chips, which is prepared by slicing potatoes into chips and then fried; potato pancakes; baked potatoes and many more.

Potato is one of the most substantial food sources across the world. It is almost like an ingredient in each and every dish. It is considered as the best remedy to cure blood pressure problem, but unfortunately people take its intake after covering it with butter, melted cheese to make it yummier and simultaneously adding more fat to it. This sometimes becomes a big contributor to heat related problems. Potatoes are the main source of Vitamin B6 and a very good source of copper, manganese, fiber and Vitamin C. It also contains several phytonutrients which has anti-oxidant properties and perform activities against free radicals. Recent studies show that quercetin, a chemical which is present in potatoes helps in cardio-protective activities and has anti-cancer properties. Several health benefits that intake of potatoes involve are:

It helps in lowering blood pressure: Scientist in UK found a compound called kukoamines which has a blood-pressure lowering capabilities in potatoes. Previously this compound was only identified in an herbal plant named Lycium Chinese, but now it is present in the World’s most available crop i.e. Potatoes. Potatoes in addition to this also contain several health promoting chemicals. So people who are suffering from high blood pressure problem must take a regular intake of this vegetable in any form.

It helps in building our cells and makes them stronger: Potatoes being a good source of Vitamin B6 provides strength to our cell. It is found that one potato contains a half milligram of this special nutrient in it. B6 is the most important nutrient that our body demands every time like during enzymatic reactions, formation of new cells etc. So presence of any potato based dish in our meal is enough to fulfil all the requirements of B6 in our body.

A good source of Vitamin C and iron: potatoes are the main source of Vitamin C and contain more amount of this nutrient than tomato. It helps in preventing cellular damage as it has an anti oxidizing capability. It also helps in collagen production along with the iron absorption, which keeps our gums stronger. Potatoes also help in supporting our immune system. One potato can provide 6% of the iron needed by our body. The intake of potato helps in oxygen utilization, neural development and control the overall functioning of cells.

Apart from the health benefits it has several uses too:
- Potatoes are used in the preparation of several alcoholic drinks like vodka, potcheen etc.
- Potatoes are one of the main parts of the meal of domestic animals.
- Potato starch is used in textile industry and in the food manufacturing industry too. This starch is also used in biodegradable packaging.
- Potato if taken with honey, then it is the best remedy for scratches and burns.
- It is also used in various researches involving plants.
- Various companies are recycling all the waste potatoes to polylactic acid. This acid is used in several plastic products.
So here we have seen that all the goodness of potatoes. This appetizing, family-favorite crop is not just have health benefits instead has several other uses too. So make potato a part of your meal and unearth all its comfort.
August 1, 2014
Food in General

“Food in general” sounds really boring as the heading of a blog-style-article and I know that most of you won’t probably want to read this mostly because the title has this weird monotony inducing vibe to it. But I want to be clear about the body of this blog-style-article that it is going to be really useful, especially for the mothers and cooks in the house who love experimenting with their food, just because it gives a sizzling sensation to their taste buds. So I am hoping for you guys to stick around and find out what I have to rant out this time of the day, or night or whatever.

People love experimenting with something they love because doing one thing regularly bores them and newness excites them at the same time. The prospect of getting into an experiment and succeeding sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Same is the case with food and today, I would discuss about how people unintentionally rip the nutritional value of their food to pieces. R.I.P. to healthy food, I feel like it’s my duty to mention a condolence.

Indian food is generally extra fried, over cooked and spicy to the point of cringing and smacking one’s lip at the same time. Now, even though the taste is highly fantastic in a lot of cases when it comes to Indian cuisine, I feel like the way of cooking such dishes is kind of unhealthy in the long run. Personally, I have a problem with fried food. I feel nauseated and can’t ingest it, which might be bad or might be good, but all I know is that fried food is not healthy in the slightest bit.

I had a sleepover last night at my friend’s place and we ate “kachori and aloo ki sabzi” at breakfast, which was too much for me but nothing for my friends because apparently, they are used to such heavy, fried food at breakfasts. It’s like a ritual for them, eating unhealthy fried food at breakfast. I promised to not have a sleepover at her place after that because the nauseated feeling was way too much for me to handle.

I would recommend that eating heavy is the correct choice at breakfast because dieticians recommend having a heavy, nutritious breakfast but I don’t think that “kachori” has any nutritional value except that it’s fatty. Having a glass of chocolate milk, some bananas or omelette or fruit salad or even some chapatti and veggies sound like a tasty and dietary breakfast. I have seen Gujarati people eating kachori and jalebi and fafda and samosas etc during breakfast time and I always wonder how they can eat something so unhealthy and oily right in the morning.

But I am just suggesting, not commanding so you can do what you want. It’s your life, not mine. But just remember one thing that health is wealth.

Other than that, no pressure!

After fried, I would like to turn to the next term in the above mentioned list which is over cooking. Indian food is considered to be over cooked by estranged people and that is apt. Over cooking leads to destruction of existent nutritional value in the food which makes the point of eating healthy ingredients so as to gain some nutrition moot. Therefore, avoid over cooking food; ensure that it’s not raw but don’t overcook because it would make the food taste exceptionally good. Trust me; I have seen people crisp their okra up until to the point of turning them into chips because they taste helluva great.

One more thing that I want to add here is that chopping vegetables excessively is another factor as to why food becomes less nutritionally rich. Chopping an apple a hundred times so to make it a food of convenience for your child won’t help him reap any dietetic value from the apple.

Spices make the food taste bloody good and we all are thankful for the almighty inventing spices. Without spice, we all would have been nothing, just starved, uncreative beasts hungry for good food. But seasoning your food with a lot of spices is not the way to be thankful to them for existing. Using them judiciously is the way to be grateful to spices because highly spiced food is not good for the human body. Spicy food can cause stomach aches and indigestion. It can cause skin damage. Please don’t touch your skin with chilli clad hands or most importantly you eyes; they can burn like nobody’s business once you rub them with you spiced hands and you don’t want to experience that burning sensation.

I know it’s not much but this is all I have in “Food in General” because these are the four thing that Indians generally do to their food in their kitchens and I know it’s unintentional because of lack of awareness but I feel good and satisfied telling you thing now. Not so spicy, less fried, or properly cooked food can also taste fine, you know. You just have to accept the fact that healthy eating is the best way to treasure your body.

So stay fit, eat hit!

August 1, 2014
Food And Festivities

Colorful, exuberating, cheering…festivals in India are not just to mark a day of significance, but are a much-needed break from the exhausting work schedule. India is a platter of all kind of spices from the world, representing a potpourri of a variety of cultures and religions. Thus, every day in India is celebrated somewhere or the other! When it comes to festivities, how can one forget the profusion of various delicacies prepared with a pinch of love in every kitchen on the special day? Innumerable sweets and pakwaans, so colorful and delighting, decorated in thalis, can be spotted in every street during the festive season.

Every festival seems to have its own signature food item. Let’s have a look on some of the major festivals and the foods prepared on them.

DIWALI: Diwali is a festival of sweets. Families and friends exchange mithai and consume various chatpata snacks. The choice of sweet depends on the taste and custom of the family. From north to south, from east to west, a large variety of food is prepared on this festival. Kesar kaju barfi, besan laddoo, kheer, badam phirni, gajar ka halwa, channar payesh, jalebi, gulab jamun, shakkarpare, ghatiya, etc. are some of the sweets prepared on this festival. Roads can be seen occupied by stalls of snacks like dahi-bhalle and gol-gappe. Diwali ‘mela’ is another noticeable site where foodies can be spotted.

HOLI: Any Indian festival is somewhat incomplete without a grand feast! Holi is another popular festival in the country with its own list of delicacies. Gujhia, the main sweet prepared on this fest, can be spotted in every shop, every street, every kitchen, rather in every mouth on this day! Apart from gujhia, we have bhang as the major refreshment served in every holi gathering. Jaljeera, papri chaat, kanji-vada, and thandai also top the menu for dishes to be prepared on holi.

CHRISTMAS:

Not only in India, Christmas is a festival celebrated all over the world with great pomp and show. So, when it comes to Christmas celebrations, how can one forget the gala feasts prepared to mark this day! Christmas cakes and cookies, among many other scrumptious recipes, are children’s favourite all over the world. Plum cakes, chocolate puddings, flavoured fudges, colourful mocktails, fruit bars etc. are some of the favourites among many others.

EID-UL-FITR:

This festival is celebrated among Muslim community with great zeal and gusto in the country. Mouth-watering dishes are prepared in no time with special traditional techniques on this day. Eid is a festival promising appetizing dishes to be remembered life-long. Badami gosht is a very much liked dish on Eid and otherwise. Seviyaan, equally famous among Hindus and Muslims, is another major dish prepared on this day. It is a sweet made with vermicelli and milk, savoured as a dessert. Phirni, mutton, biryani are other savouries that are consumed by family and friends.

NAVRATRI: Navratri is a fest celebrated for a long period of continuous nine days. People fast during these days. It is festival in which food is consumed with utter precautions, according to Hindu mythology. Yet, many special recipes prevail without onion and garlic during this period. Specifications also extend to choice of spices. Only rock salt is used in the preparations. Kuttu ke pakore(prepared with buckwheat flour) and aloo ki khichdi mark the one time meal for fasters. Boondi ka raita, saboodana vada are also consumed. The dishes prepared vary from place to place. The course is strictly vegetarian.

GURU NANAK JAYANTI: this festival marks the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. This festival is celebrated by Sikhs with enthusiasm. No festival is complete without lip-smacking food items! Umpteen delicious sweets are served on Guru Nanak Jayanti. Some of them are kaju barfi, malai ke laddoo and atte ka seera.

ONAM: It is a state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated by Malayalees with zest all over the country. The grand feast of onam is held in a specified manner. The dishes are served on a banana leaf. All the preparations reflect the essence of south indian cuisine. Masala dosa, idli, avail, are very popular recipes in south india. Numerous other dishes are also served- sambhar, vada, coconut chutney and banana halwa to name a few.

India is a blend of various other such festivals offering their own list of preparations. Festivals and foods are inseparably connected to each other. Each soul in this very celebrated country enjoys the days of fest which are incomplete without the serve of respective delicacies and flavors. Though these specially made food items are available all year long, but the fine taste and joy of having them is experienced in festive seasons most. That is the time when everyone unites in one color and together celebrating love and happiness!

August 1, 2014
Food Addiction-A real problem
As a kid, most of us were asked to eat a lot. Growing up in an Indian family, if the child skipped a meal it was a sin and the mom would never forgive herself for letting her child skip a meal. We were forced to eat and sometimes just because some of us didn’t like normal food our parents introduced us to the world of junk foods! Pizzas, Burgers the chief culprits, and not to forget our first junk food the potato chips which we kept munching while watching our cartoons! Junk foods have now become a part of us. Most of the kids these days are addicted to junk foods and there are a lot of older people who have a craving for these monsters too!

Even though junk foods have been identified as a problem for a long time, until recently no one realized the actual enormity of this problem. Junk foods like drugs have become an addiction for today’s younger generation. Eating junk foods has now become fashionable and the problem of food addiction is huge and very real. Despite their best intentions, people repeatedly find themselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that it is causing them harm.

What is Food Addiction?

Food addiction is the extreme urge to eat junk and unhealthy foods, so much so that it affects your behavior and routine causing stress and tension. Food addiction is, quite simply, being addicted to junk food in the same way as drug addicts are addicted to drugs. It involves the same areas in the brain, the same neurotransmitters and many of the symptoms are identical. Food addiction is a relatively new term and there are no solid statistics available on how common it is.

Food addiction occurs because of the effect certain junk foods have on the human brain. They have the tendency to directly affect the neural system involving neurotransmitters and can clog brain functioning like how drugs do. Food addiction like other addictions cannot be diagnosed completely by medicines and they don’t necessarily have biological symptoms. They can be identified by certain behavioral symptoms.

How do we know someone is a Food addict?

There are certain behavioral symptoms which point towards food addiction. People who are addicted to junk foods tend to become restless when they haven’t had their daily share of junk food. Few of the common symptoms are:
- People who have become addicts to certain kinds of foods have a craving for the food, and as soon as they eat it they get a feeling of guilt and sadness. They try to stop themselves from eating it but are not sure how to control the urge.
- Food addicts get a sudden craving for a particular kind of food, and this doesn’t have any particular time or pattern. Despite being full they crave for their favorite food and after eating it they realize they should never have eaten it
- Another common trait is that Food addicts generally convince themselves that the particular food is good for health or sometimes they just convince themselves by saying it doesn’t matter what they eat things will remain the same.
- They know they shouldn’t have eaten that food in the first place, and try to hide this from everyone to save themselves the embarrassment of not being able to follow a thing as simple as controlling what they eat.
A real problem

Food addiction might not sound as bad as drug addiction or alcoholism but it is every bit dangerous as them. The symptoms and behavioral changes are the same according to some doctors. The social consequences are not as severe as drug addiction but the effects are equally bad to the addict. Food addiction might result in severe stress, obesity, increased blood and sugar levels and a high level of irritation. Food addiction can make the addict lose his self-esteem and become highly unhappy with his body and make one’s life miserable. It can lead to severe distress to the addict and affect his personality completely, sometimes making them prone to suicides and mental problems.

Ways to overcome Food addiction

Like any other addiction the first step in overcoming food addiction is self-acceptance. The addict must realize the harm it is causing to his body and must be in a state of mind to overcome this. The easiest solution is to avoid junk foods completely but in extreme cases it is not possible. Just like how a chain smoker can never become a casual smoker there is no question of a food addict eating junk foods occasionally. If the addict wants to get over it he should get over and done with it completely.

The best way to overcome food addiction is to find an alternate food, which is natural and healthy and at the same times satisfies your craving for junk food. Identify the fast food places which provide healthy food in your locality, this is important in case you are hungry and not in a mood to cook.

Mostly, it is not the lack of will, but the lack of proper planning which prevents people from getting over their addiction. It is important to plan your diet and healthily in order to overcome food addiction. It is high time people started realizing the importance of this, and overcome food addiction because the threat is enormous and requires significant effort.
August 1, 2014
Pocket-friendly Food!

When you want a sumptuous breakfast, that too under 150 bucks, where do you go?

You go to Blue Sky Café.

With burgers and grilled sandwiches priced in the range of 55 to 100, and mouth watering omelets, and yummy milkshakes with just the right amount of sugar – there seriously ain’t much to think about, is there?

I breakfasted there on 10^th of this month; had a Mushroom Chicken Cheese Omelet with some toast and shot all the cheese down (tried) with a glass of Hot Lemon. The food was well-prepared and simply delicious.

I seriously need to thank Rachaita (college buddy) for taking me to all these awesome food places. The last time we were internship hunting, we ended up having Chilly Pork (around Rs 200) at Chung Wah, a splendid restaurant in Chandni Chowk (mind you, if you do not know where it is, ASK! Not that people were of much help in our case; we ended up walking for more than 40 minutes trying to locate the place.)

And how can I proceed without sharing a home-made recipe of the divine Chilly Pork?

Chilly Pork

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 800g pork fillet (cut into thin slices), 1tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil , 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, 4 garlic cloves crushed with the flat of a knife, 3 red chillies (cut in half lengthways, de-seeded), 6 spring onion bulb (halved), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, 350g jasmine rice (steamed)

Directions: Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and chilli flakes in a shallow dish. Coat the pork in the marinade and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Heat a wok over high heat and add one tbsp of oil. Add half the pork and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove pork from wok and stir-fry the remaining pork for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pork from the wok. Heat the remaining tblsp of oil in the wok and add the garlic, chillies, one tbsp of water and the onions. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce and sugar and return the pork to the wok. Cook for a final minute. Garnish with roasted peanuts and serve with steamed rice.

The other day, on our way to browse books in College Street, we stopped at Dilkhush, which is situated exactly opposite to the famous sari shop, Adi Mohini Mohon Kanjilal. And Google to the rescue, the specialties are: Mutton Breast Cutlet and Dimer Devil (Devilled Eggs). As expected, we had both. The total bill came down to a mere 113 bucks. Well, about the food – the crunch, the aroma, the taste – purely nectarous. So, I’ll just keep my mouth shut and allow your taste buds to do all the talking.

Mutton Breast Cutlet

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Marinating- 8 pieces mutton ribs or chops, 2 tsp ginger paste, 2 tsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp of mint leaf paste or coriander paste, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/2 tsp of cumin seed powder, 1 tbsp of golden fried jullienes of onion, 1/4 tsp garam masala (powder of equal quantity of cardamon, clove, cinnamon sticks), 2 tsp of lemon juice

For the batter: All purpose flour, 2 eggs whites, bread crumbs, pinch of baking powder, oil

Directions:

To prepare the meat- Take the mutton chops/mutton ribs and flatten the meat using a wooden hammer or any heavy kitchen tool. the flesh on the bone should be scrapped. In the marination bowl add all the marination ingredients and mix well with yogurt or lime juice. Add the mutton chops and smear the marination on it. Refrigerate it overnight. Add the Baking powder with the flour and sieve it.

To fry- Take the Mutton chops and dip it in egg white. Dust it with flour and then coat it with bread crumbs. Take a heavy bottom flat frying pan. Add Oil and let it heat up. Slowly add the Mutton chops and fry till golden brown. Serve it hot with cold coriander chutney

Devilled Eggs

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 1 medium potato, 1 medium onion, carrot or beet, Other vegetables as per availability, ginger and garlic, green chilies, hing (asafoetida), jeera (Cumin), garam masala powder, bread crumbs, maida

Directions: Boil 2 eggs and 1 potato for 15 minute. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Cut onion, chilies, beans and grate the carrot/beet. Drain hot water, pour cold water (makes peeling off easier) and crack the egg shells. Cut the boiled eggs length wise and pop out the egg yolk in a separate container. Add peeled off potato and the vegetable mixture to the container. Add salt, pepper to taste. Mash them well. Heat a frying pan; put some cooking oil and then the onion pieces. Add the mashed potato-yolk-vegetable mixture. Fill the egg halves with the mixture. In a separate bowl, break an egg carefully and add a spoon of Besan. Add salt, pepper to taste and blend it well. On a pan, pour some bread crumbs. Heat a frying pan and add oil. Follow the sequence – roll the stuffed egg half in egg besan mixture, then in bread crumbs and then lower carefully on the heated oil. Fry well. Do this for each stuffed egg half.

Kolkata is filled with such similar pocket-friendly food places and each is better than the other. For us, college-goers, it sure IS the place to be!

July 30, 2014
4 Efficient methods to Meditate
The post informs about “4 Efficient methods to meditate” and is drafted after discussing all the Pros and Cons in the post before of why there is a need for meditation? For all the people down for it do need to know proper techniques and different types of meditation. As mentioned in the earlier post regarding meditation, it is not a onetime cure. It should be a lifelong habit. So after saying that, we should not be looking for any sorts of shortcuts to perform the task dutifully. Meditation is all about focusing your mind on anything that calms your mind, whether it may be listening to soft music or focusing your breath and stare on a burning flame. One can start either from baby steps to more focused approach or directly start with the demanding focused meditation.

There is no measurement as in which technique is better as all lead to the same result, it all goes down to what technique is one comfortable in. Just as you would be the one to practice meditation, you should be sure which technique resonates with your lifestyle and you. This will make sure the continuity of the practice for life long.

So, starting with listing below mentioned are some of the most efficient techniques to perform meditation mentioned in no particular order, But before that please not that information given here are just some brief introduction about different techniques and gist of the procedure.
1. MINDFUL MEDITATION
One of the most popular meditation practices especially in the west, mindfulness meditation is about staying in the present moment. Being aware of the moment and focusing only on one object while regulating your breath is what mindfulness meditation is all about. Also known as Vipassana meditation, it is rooted from the Buddhist traditional practice. It is often used in psychological treatments to get rid of many mental conditions like OCD and anxiety.

A person practicing this meditation needs to only focus on the ongoing happenings around and in his or her mind, like emotions and thoughts. This awareness sure has to be approached with no mental judgments whatsoever.
1. TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Primarily originated from the Hinduism was later promoted extensively throughout the world for its deep spiritual approach. A very simplified practice rooted from the Vedanta, in Transcendental meditation a person needs to chant mantra or a sacred word and focus is on being uplifted from all that belongs to the material world. Posture for the meditation is preferred to be sitting cross legged with back straight. This posture is known as “Lotus asana”, this asana is said to resemble a lotus and is said to encourage breathing proper to associated meditative practice and it also foster physical stability.
1. GUIDED MEDITATION
Another excellent technique to pursue meditation for the beginners, guided meditation takes an individual to a journey of guided visualization of different imageries and situations. The guidance usually consists of stories and set of sceneries described in a narrative sense. This technique is very powerful to experience one’s own psyche and thinking pattern. A person can truly introspect their daily activities and keep track of their doings and if they are doing it right through the regular practice of guided meditation. This will help your subconscious to solve some of the tangled issues which seems impossible to rationally be handled by the conscious brain. The meditation exercise starts with resting in any suitable and comfortable position, and then the person has to relieve all the stress stored in the different parts of the body from the head to toe. After the relaxed stage is reached, person is usually guided through stairs and doors to reach a peaceful place where colors and lights heal the self. Individual is allowed to relax there for few moments and asked to resolve any issues or find any required answers from the conscious life. It is believed that in this relaxed and calm state of the body the subconscious brain starts working which helps to increase our ability to see a situation from different perspectives; this resolves half of the problems.
1. CHAKRA MEDITATION
According to Hindu beliefs “Chakras” are believed to be the energy centers or spots are located at the physical counterparts of the major plexi of arteries, veins and nerves in the human body.

So, it is believed that opening and activating chakras will contribute to overall well being of an individual. In chakra meditation focus is given to the breathing of the individual while he or she is visualizing a spinning light that is connected to each chakra. Start from the root or base chakra (Muladhara) and then slowly move your way up through to the crown chakra (Shasrara). Each chakra has their specific colors.

At last, no method is difficult or easy to practice. They just differ in their approach. So, after finding the suitable type of meditation that relates to you, begin the practice! Meditation is not a onetime cure for anything and should be considered as a lifelong practice for the overall personality transformation. It affects the society in general if the individuals in it practice the same. The increased awareness in the society is beneficial for everybody on our planet as the very process of meditation brings unity and brotherhood among people.
July 30, 2014
Best Tomato dishes that you can prepare easily
- Tomatoes are known as red fruits or berries , but are mostly used as vegetables
- There are different species of tomatoes available depending upon the region to region and climate conditions. Tomatoes are native to Mexico.
- Like Bangalore tomatoes, cherry tomatoes which is available in different colors but almost all tomatoes are available in pure red color.
- Cherry tomatoes are the different variety of tomato which grows in very small size and red in color similar to cherries just like cherries so it is called as cherry tomatoes.
- Cherry tomatoes are originated from north Chile . These cherry tomatoes are cultivated since early 1800s.
- These cherry tomatoes are used mainly in salads , Mexican ans Spanish recipes, pizzas, and pastas.
- It can also be eaten raw or just boiled and roasted with salt and pepper.
- Tomatoes are rich in Lycopene, an antioxidant which is helpful in protecting cells in body and prevents skin cancer caused by UV-Rays.
- Eating tomatoes can keep you away from breast cancer and other cancer related diseases.
- Eating tomatoes can reduce sugar levels in blood and reduces fat
- Tomatoes contains carotene which improves blood serum level and also maintains good eye vision keeping away age related eye muscular diseases.
- Tomato contains 21% Vitamin C.
The tomato recipes that you could preparely easily are:

Tomato soup:

Ingredients:
- Tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- Ginger and garlic
- Pepper
- Butter cream
Preparation method:
1. Boil tomatoes along with ginger and add salt .and boil it still it is completely cooked.
2. Now grind the tomatoes with ginger garlic paste until the ingredients are completely smashed smoothly
3. Now take the mixture in the bowl add some butter cream with pepper powder sprinkled on it
4. You can also use coriander to sprinkle on the soup which tastes good
5. So hot soup is ready to be served .
Tomato Raita:

Ingredients
- Red Tomatoes
- Finely chopped green chilies
- Finely chopped onions
- Coriander leaves
- Thick curd
- Cumin powder
- Pepper powder
- Salt
Steps to prepare tomato raita
1. Take thick curd in a bowl and beat it until it becomes smooth
2. Take tomatoes and cut them into very small peaces
3. Now add the diced tomatoes , finely chopped green chilies to the curd
4. Now add cumin powder and salt to the mixture
5. Mix the mixture well and add more salt if required
6. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and now ready to serve with rice .
Tomato Coconut curry

Ingredients:
- Well ripened tomatoes
- Coconut milk prepared from raw fresh coconut by grinding the coconut peaces in the grinder and squeezing the milk from the paste yo u can prepare coconut milk
- Chili powder
- Turmeric powder
- Asafoteda or Hing
- Cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
- And Oil
Preparation method:
1. Heat the vessel and add oil and wait till it gets heated up
2. Now add cumin seeds and a pinch of Asafoteda when it splutters
3. Now add dices tomatoes and then add 1/2 spoon of red chili powder and turmeric
4. Let the tomatoes cook for 5-7 minutes
5. When the tomatoes are completely cooked add the coconut milk and stir well
6. Now let the mixture boil for just 5 minutes and then bring down the stove flame to simmer
7. Now the recipe is ready to serve .
Tomato chutney

Ingredients:
- Tomatoes
- Dry Red chilies
- Garlic
- Mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Oil
Method to prepare:
1. Heat a pan and add dry red chilies and garlic cloves
2. Fry them still they turn into brown color
3. Now add tomato peaces into the pan and fry them until they are cooked completely
4. Now remove the pan with tomatoes from stove and allow it to cool
5. After few minutes add this full mixture into a grinder and make it into smooth paste
6. Now in another pan heat the oil and add mustard seeds to the heated oil and allow it to splutter and next add curry leaves for thadka
7. Now pour the paste tomato paste into the pan
8. Now the chutney is ready to eat .
Tomato Vermicelli / Bambino recipe

Ingredients:
- Bambino/semiya
- Tomatoes
- Red chili powder
- Salt
- Coriander leaves
- Onions
- Green chilies
- Turmeric powder
- Curry leaves
- Oil
Method to prepare :
1. First roast the Bambino in en empty vessel without any oil just dry and keep at a side .
2. Now heat a vessel and add oil and then add curry leaves,chopped onions ,green chilies and now fry them nicely .
3. Now add little turmeric powder and one spoon chili powder and then add tomato peaces and fry them still they are cooked properly .
4. Now pour one mug of water into the mixture and little salt to taste and allow them to boil for about 10 minutes
5. After that add the roasted bambino and let them boil still the bambino is cooked properly .
6. Now just simmer the stove and leave it for about 10 minutes still they are completely cooked
7. Finally the bambino tomato recipe is ready to eat
July 30, 2014
Nutella, Nutella… Everywhere!

Have you heard about Nutella Chocolate? Freaky Question. I Know! Nutella, the hazelnut chocolate spread, is deliciously, awesomely, supertasty, lovely, chocolaty, creamy, fancy, uber, yum, nutty thing. You just need a spoon and there you go. Eat it and keep eating it and spreading it on breads, cookies or cakes or on anything you want. And the fascinating thing, you know 5 February,2014 is celebrated as Nutella Day. Nutella lovers must have beautiful memories with nutella from their childhood to even now, from oozing crepes to breakfast on vacations to free spooning sessions on the couch, nutells has prominent place in almost everyone’s lives. And now, the nutty chocolaty spread is turning 50. So let’s just celebrate its half century and know more about this awesome spread.

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread, which is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in the market in 1964. Made by young confectioner , who had a vision of an affordable luxury made of a small amount of cocoa and lots of hazelnuts, His name was Pietro Ferrero. What’s in Nutella? If count on the ingredients and the nutrition, here’s what goes in Nutella? Well, in numbers if I say, 97 hazelnuts goes in each 750 grams jar. The other ingredients being, sugar, skimmed milk powder, palm oil(non-hydrogenated), low-fat cocoa, whey powder, vanillin, emulsifier. The nutritional information per 100 gram of nutella spread is 544 kcal, sugar 56.7g, fat 31.6g, protein 6g. It is produced on huge scale in 11 factories located in Italy, france, Poland, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, Brazil, Australia. Well, the ingredient hazelnut, is good for health of your heart, making it fairly nutritious food to occasionally include into your healthy eating plan. Nutella is beneficial for you, though you do get very small amount of key nutrients from nutella like saturated fat and sugar. Occasional intake of saturated fat is good for heart in maintaining cholesterol levels and do not harm your health. But you should limit your consumption and have in moderation as excess is always bad.

Gone are the days , you were caught with a a spoon in the nutella jar, now we have some super awesome tips and tricks to put this spread into versatile uses and as an ingredient in various sweet pick ons. Just go through and give variety to your breakfast.

NUTELLA CAKE RECIPE:

Serving: 6-8 Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients: 100 gram nutella

4 eggs

100 gram butter

200 gram castor sugar

200 gram self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

Method: Preheat the oven at 220 degrees Celsius and grease the baking dish with oil or lina 9 inch cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Well, First In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together with a hand blender or electric blender. Once mixed and blended well, pour the batter into the cake tin making sure that you have got the even amount in it.

Bake it for 20-25 minutes until spongy soft to touch.

You can bake two cakes if you want a two layer cake. Now, take it out of the oven and let it cool down on a rack. When the two cakes are warm, not hot enough, decide which layer of cake is going to be a base and spread it with thick layering of nutella.

Now, Pop the other cake onto the nutella layer and press it firmly, sandiwiching them together. Spread more nutella layer on the top of cake and decorate it with strawberries or cherries or Cadbury shots or gems or use any other creativity of your own.

If you’re a big nutella lover, you will enjoy this recipe all the more. As, this is a rich chocolate cake with a thick nutella topping, this is perfect treat for nutella and chocolate lover. This delicious, mouth watering delicacy can be served with a dollop of vanilla icecream or thick cream and enjoy it.

Also, some more lovely recipes are here to make with nutella;

Spread it on a toast or bread or waffles with peanut butter and nutella on it . Quite a basic recipe but is loved the most.

You can slice the banana lengthwise and put nutella on it. Also, you can slice up apples thinly in circle pieces and put nutella on slices and sandwich them. Even, you can dip strawberries in nutella and eat them. Putting nutella on fruits make them all the more sweeter and gives an exotic taste, enjoyed by all.

Make a nutella shake with milk and blender. You can drink your nutella if you don’t like licking it from spoon and bored from spreading it.

You can frost banana cupcakes or any other cupcakes by nutella and vanilla swirl buttercream. Just looks and tastes yum.

Make a nutella covered bacons and enjoy them.

Put nutella on your icecream cups or cones and enjoy the deliciousness, richness and the iciness.

Nutella goes with anything to everything and makes things sweeter. Just perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth with the hazelnut delicacy. Enjoyit and keep eating till it gets over. Then, bring it more and eat it more and repeat.

Keep licking it. Keep spreading it. Because; Happy Eating is Happy Life.

July 30, 2014