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AMLA has it all…

The well known fruit Amla is something that can be considered as a food for fitness. It is a powerhouse of Vitamin C and many other nutrients. The benefits of amla can never be undermined and are always well recognized by its sour, succulent taste and vibrant green colour. Indian Gooseberry, being English name of amla and Phyllanthus emblica being scientific name, this fruit has many versatile uses in Indian kitchen. It is famous because of its anti viral and anti microbial properties and has achieved great recognition in Ayurveda. Grown on deciduous trees, this astringent, sour tasting fruits is consumed as an ingredient in sweets, juices or pickles or chutneys or it is taken in raw form. It is flavourful and really healthy food with very low calories of only 60 calories for 100 grams. It is a very rich source of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, carbohydrates and have minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorus and is also contains antioxidants.

Well, if you wonder why it is recommended to eat atleast one amla or its dish every day, here are some key benefits it can provide you with. Amla is such a superawesome fruit, fulfilled with all the wonderful benefits. Just go through it and you will be amazed;

Amla promotes healthy eyes and skin: Many eye diseases can be prevented by its use. Because it is rich in vitamins A and C and has antioxidants, which helps in protecting the retina from oxidative damages and also prevents cataract and nearsightedness. The regular use of amla can even avoids the age related eyesight problems. In addition, amla is excellent for maintaining skin health and makes it glowy and soft. The vitamin C present in amla helps in flushing out toxins, which results in reducing blemishes, acne and also rejuvenates the skin. So, amla is something that is really good for eyes and skin health.

Amla is good for hair too: Indian markets are flooded with products containing amla calling it, amla hair oil, amla hair shampoo and many other because of its superb benefits for healthy, lustrous hair. Eating raw amla or in any other form or making a home-made amla shampoo or amla conditioner for your hair will do the wonder and makes your hair awesome looking.

Amla protects your heart: Regular consumption of amla or a glass of amla juice daily will prove to be super awesome for your heart health. It is a great remedy for many heart problems as it makes heart muscles strong and enable the heart to pump blood easily and also reduces the cholesterol and helps in monitoring any heart disease. It actually reduces the risk of strokes or heart attacks as, being rich in iron and fiber, it is very effective in controlling the oxidation of LDL(bad cholesterol) and thus maintain the cholesterol levels , thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

Amla controls Diabetes: It has beneficial effects on secretion of insulin, it controls the blood sugar levels. Amla, a polyphenol-rich fruit has properties that can assist in absorbing the insulin which leads to drop in the blood sugar in diabetics patients. It protects the body from oxidative properties of high blood sugar. Amla variants, if taken regularly or amla juice taken with turmeric powder and honey helps in controlling diabetes and keeps check on blood sugar levels.

Amla protects from Cancer: Due to the anti-oxidant properties of amla, it prevents the formation of free radicals and thus protects the body from cancer. It even inhibits the further growth of cancerous cells and has the potential to protect the body from harmful effects of chemical which are carcinogenic and thus reduces the risk of cancer.

Amla is great blood purifier: Amla juice is something that acts as a blood purifier by flushing out the toxins and thus detoxifying the body. This detoxification is very necessary, in order for the organs to function well. Also, regular intake of juice purifies the blood and increases the haemoglobin.

Amla protects your liver and prevents gastric problems: In order to keep your liver safe and healthy, amla has properties that t can heal the damaged liver from the oxidative damage from alcohol or smoking. Also, amla having fiber, polyphenol and water content combined with inflammatory properties is a great antidote for upset stomach and acidity.

With so many perks of amla, let’s have a look on this simple recipe having all the nutrition of amla so that you can avail all these benefits and keep diseases at bay.

AMLA JUICE RECIPE:

Ingredients: 1 cup sugar, pinch of salt, pinch of cardamom powder and turmeric powder, 1 cup amla cut into pieces.

Method: Wash the amlas and dry them and keep them in a bowl. Place this bowl in a pressure cooker having 1 ½ cup of water and remove the pressure cooker from gas after one whistle.

Now, remove the bowl from cooker when there is no pressure and touch the amlas to see if it has become soft and has cooled down.

Then, Press the amlas with hands to remove the seeds and break them into pieces and then grind them with little sugar and salt into a fine powder.

Now, to prepare the amla juice concentrate, mix this amla paste with sugar powder and salt and can place this concentrate in the freezer.

You can add 2-3 teaspoons of this paste in water and make a juice of it and drink regularly. You can add cardamom or turmeric powder as per your taste for some flavor.

Drinking this amla juice regularly can keep you away from many health problems. Because AMLA, the Indian Gooseberry has it all; yes, all the nutrition.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

July 14, 2014
Most popular Icecream brands

I scream, you scream and we all scream for ice cream. Ice cream is worth screaming for. Mostly all the people enjoy eating ice cream. The love for ice cream is widely growing among the people. Ice cream is served as a very common icy desert since a long time. No one can stop their mouth from watering if the favorite ice-cream is presented in front of them. So many kinds of ice-cream are available in our nearby stores and everyone has their favorites. There are many popular brands of ice-cream in the world. Based on the popularity there are some major brands of ice cream that are given below and if you are an icecream lover then make sure that you give each one a try.

Ben & Jerry’s: Everyone has certainly heard about Ben & Jerry’s as it so famous across every part of the world. This brand is available in almost each and every country. It has become the most prevalent brand of ice-cream because of its mouthwatering flavors and delectable taste. Ben & jerry’s is the first choice of every ice-cream lover. This is an American company which was started in 1978 by two friends namely jerry and ben, hence owing to its name. The headquarters of the company is situated in Vermont in United States.

Baskin-Robbins: Another brand which is globally liked by the people is Baskin-Robbins. None of the outing is completed without visiting the Baskin Robbins Store. This is an American company which was originated in California in the year of 1945 by Burt together with Irv. There are numerous outlets of this brand across the entire world. This brand is hugely recognized for its ‘31 flavors’ saying. Baskin Robbins provides their consumers with around 100 of distinct flavors, some of them are massive triumphs in the market. The most popular flavor of Baskin Robbins is “Steverino.”

Nestle: The first brand that comes to the mind when we hear about food & nutrition is Nestle. Nestle is a renowned brand especially for its ice-creams. The company was originated in Switzerland in 1905. The company was provided with the tag of biggest maker of ice-cream in the entire world in the year of 2006. The company offers employment to great number of people and it is operated in around 86 countries all over the world. The nestle ice creams are filled with so many tasty flavors and are quite reasonable to buy.

Haagen-Dazs: When taste and flavor is the priority then certainly this brand is the best choice. It was founded in the year of 1961 in New York. During the beginning the company provides their customers with mainly 3 flavors chocolate, vanilla and coffee. These days the company has its outlets in many countries all over the world. It has been found out that the company uses milk of very high quality as well as organic stuff for the different flavors of ice-cream. People love their ice-creams for its smoothness, creaminess and rich flavors.

Blue Bell Creameries: Blue bell creameries are among the best ice cream brands that are cherished by the people. It was originated in the year of 1907 and it’s headquarter is located at Brenham in Texas. Around 250 distinct frozen stuffs are produced by blue berry among which there are 66 flavors of ice-cream. In United States, blue bell creameries is the 3rd biggest ice-cream selling company. Blue bell ice-creams are available in various rich flavors and each flavor is utterly balanced. The people are fond of the creaminess of blue bell ice creams.

Amul: Amul is an Indian brand of ice-cream which has succeeded in occupying a place among the best ice cream brands. The brand has achieved remarkable love worldwide and it was founded in 1946. Apart from India, the amul ice-creams are available in many other counties too. Its popularity owes to the fact that the amul ice-creams are very delicious and reasonable in price too. Moreover ice-creams are found with no preservatives and hence it is worth eating.

Dairy Queen: When it comes to soft serving ice-cream brand, Dairy Queen is believed to be the best choice. The 1st store of Dairy queen’s started in the year of 1940 in Illinois. The admirers of Dairy Queen’s ice creams are present in various countries and consider this brand as the best soft serving ice-cream brand. The brand has earned a lot amount of fame for the consistency and tastes of their ice-creams.

Cold Stone Creameries: It is an American brand that started in the year of 1988 in Arizona. It has already created remarkable presence in United States and trying to achieve popularity globally. It is the brand of finest quality ice-creams. The company uses real honey to serve the purpose of sweetener. People admire the brand for intense and deep flavors and they also claims that the ice creams of this brand are less in calories because they don’t contain unnecessary sugar.

July 14, 2014
Stay healthy during monsoon

Rains are awaited by all and it certainly creates a wonderful environment. Rainy season is a kind of relief from hot and sunny days. Every single person cherishes the rains. But there are some areas that need our attention. With rains come health irritations like aversions, illness and stomach problems. The level of humidity is increased during the rainy season that affects the digestion. But nothing to get worried about as certain changes in our diet and nourishment can surely solves the problem. So it is very essential to keep an eye on what we eat during the monsoon to stay perfectly healthy.

Drink lot of water: It is necessary to take in extra amount of water in rainy days as the humidity level increases and it becomes difficult for the sweat to get evaporated. Consequently, the body heat is not released properly. It has been also found out that drinking water prevents the various skin problems. As a result it is recommended to keep ourselves hydrated during the rainy seasons. Carbonated and gaseous liquids should be avoided because they can result in indigestion. Drinks like tea can work as a great substitute of it. So during this monsoon do not forget to possess a water bottle with yourself all the time.

Go for fresh and hygienic foodstuff: Keep in mind to wash every single fruit before eating them. While cooking, the vegetable should be washed thoroughly and steam them to destroy the microbes which are present on them. Filthy and unclean food stuff is harmful for the body and can result in sickness. It is advisable to take in cooked foodstuff rather than eating them as raw. Soups are too very beneficial during the rainy days as it provides the body with needed nutrition. Therefore always try to go for recently cooked food stuff.

Say no to outside food: This particular point is of great importance. You should keep yourself away from eating the street food. Street foods are quite enticing to all of us but they could possibly hold many germs which results in stomach diseases. Hence take a firm decision of not eating out.

Stay away from oily food: It is greatly recommended to stay away from the oily and fatty food items. The digestion in the body gets weaker during the rainy days as the humidity level goes up. Hence the ability of body to digest the oily food items becomes feeble and thus upsetting the stomach. Therefore, try to eat light and less oily food items.

Reduce the consumption of dairy items: The dairy foods have the supreme tendency of getting contaminated by germs. As a result the consumption of the dairy products must be low. It is better to consume curd rather than milk even if the milk is filled with all the desired nutrients. Apart from that, one should try to boil and disinfect the water before drinking it.

Intake of balanced diet: As we know that digestion is weak throughout the rainy days therefore it is advised to eat reasonably. Stop taking in food stuff even when you are not starving. Perfect balanced diet is much needed to stay from stomach problems at the time of monsoon. Fruits such as apples, litchis as well as bananas must be consumed. Along with them include carrots in your diet too. Spice up the food with pepper, turmeric as they advance the resistance of the body and supports ingestion.

Avoid drinking juices: Make sure you don’t drink juices especially from outside as they may apply water which is not filtered. It is greatly recommended to drink at once the juices prepared at home.

Sea food can be harmful: During the rainy season, make sure that you stay away from the sea foodstuff. Give more attention to fishes as well as prawns and greatly avoid eating them as rainy season is the propagating season for them. Even if you are taking in the sea food make it certain about its freshness as well as cleanness.

No spicy foodstuff: There are many people who deal with skin infections throughout this season. It is advisable for them to stay away from the spicy foodstuff, as the spicy items arouse the temperature of the body that certainly results in skin illness and infections. It is better to visit to a doctor if the infection stays for long.

Some more tips: Food items such as barley as well as oats are found out to be very beneficial for the stomach during the rainy season. Garlic is also very valuable as it enhances the immunity of the body. Fruits are considered as the supreme source of energy. But make sure that you don’t eat watermelons during the monsoon. Instead of watermelons try to eat apples, pears more. It is said that taking anything in extra amount is bad for health so avoid doing that.

With the assistance of these advices try to stay healthy and strong during the monsoon and at the same time relish the rains of the monsoon.

July 14, 2014
Food of Gods

Waking up to the smell of ghee and sweets! The heavenly aroma of sweet pongal or “paal guava” the milk based sweet which never fails to satisfy your taste buds and the hot vada’s and payasam the typical festival food in any South Indian home. The Gods are served with different types of foods and over the years, festivals are being identified by the food which is served. It is not diwali if there are no more than three varieties of sweets and not Christmas if you don’t have cakes or Ramzan if you can’t find the biryani! The practice of extensive cooking and baking on festivals is an age old practice. So what do God’s eat? Do they get hungry like us humans? According to people who study food cultures this basically started because it is on these occasions that families and friends get together and there is no good outing without good food.

What did Greek Gods eat?

The Greek mythology revolves around its Gods and heroes. According to them, the Greek Gods walked, ate, fought and roamed the world just like humans. According to myths Greek Gods ate Amborisa the food, sometimes the drink, of the gods, often depicted as conferring immortality on who ever consumes it. Nectar is another drink derived from Latin nectar meaning drink of the gods, a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants.

What do the Hindu Gods eat?

In Hinduism, food plays an important role in rituals and worship, and the food offered to the gods is called prasada. The Sanskrit word “prasada” means “mercy,” or the divine grace of God. According to Hinduism, serving food to God is considered to be a kind of meditation and the food served is exclusively vegetarian as they feel any food obtained from pain caused to other living organisms cannot be served to God.

Foods like Onion, garlic are also avoided as ancient Vedic scripts explain that these foods excite the more passionate elements of the human psycho-physical constitution. Another important thing is that food served to God cannot be tasted and are meant to be served pure.

Lord Ganesha

Modak:

Lord Ganesha is a complete foodie. The enormous pouches on his body leaves no doubt that Ganesha just loves food. So, the easiest way to Ganapati’s heart is through his stomach. Modak or Kozhukattai is a particular kind of sweet that looks like dumplings. They are Ganesha’s favorite sweets and must be offered to him on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Fruits:

Coconuts and bananas are Ganesha’s favorite fruits. Ganesha’s head is of an elephant and thus has a weakness for bananas and all parts of the plantain. His idols are usually surrounded by banana leaves and also the stem of the banana plain.

Lord Krishna

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna states, “If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.” From this verse it is understood that we can offer Krishna foods prepared from milk products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Meat, fish, and eggs are not allowed though.

Islam

In Islam offerings to God are not made as food. Offerings could include:

->Charities to the poor.

->Sacrificing animals only for Allah’s sake at different occasions or even without an occasion.

Muslims have days of fasting and feasting. Fasting is considered an opportunity to earn the approval of Allah, to wipe out previous sins, and to understand the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also partly to be in control of appetite and to avoid food addiction. It is the fourth ritual observance in the Five Pillars of Islam.

Fasting includes abstention from all food and drink from dawn to sunset. Voluntary fasting is common on Mondays and Thursdays. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that commemorates the period when the Qur’an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Feast days include Eid al-Fitr (after finishing the fasting months of Ramadan), Eid al-Udha, and Maulud n Nabi.

Christianity

Like Muslims, Christians too don’t offer food to Gods, but Christians joyfully celebrate the goodness of food and drink as part of God’s glorious and abundant creation. They do not have any rules relating to food or drink which they are expected to keep. They believe that freedom is the consequence of the salvation that Jesus has brought to men and women. The freedom to eat and drink everything that is healthy is part of that.

From very soon after the life of Jesus his followers felt that they had been released from the restrictions that bound their fellow Jews. However, they were insistent that they would not do anything that offended other people. Instead of adhering to rules, they felt they should be led to do what is right by considering the impact they were having on others. In modern culture, Cakes are an important part of Christmas and Easter Eggs are synonymous with Easter.

Every Religion has deep linking with food and these food habits and food offerings have a lot to do with where these religions originated. Most of the religions which originated in the Middle East encourage meat eating whereas the ones which originated in the sub continent have a vegan influence. Despite all the differences all of us are linked through one common thing- Food, especially good food.

July 11, 2014
The Red Velvet Cake
Cooking is a story. Baking is another. It is chemistry. You need a great amount of skill, concentration and experience to excel at it. But, wait! You wanted to bake a cake for your mother’s birthday and the first lines of my article are kinda letting you down!? Well, in that case, you need not worry. Why fear when I’m here!Woo – ah-haha!!! (Yikes, got a bit carried away!)

Anyways, in this article I will let you in the perfect red velvet cake with vanilla butter cream frosting recipe.So that you can bake a cake for your mom on Mother’s Day and see the surprised look on her face or impress your friends and family with your baking skills or just bake a 9- inch cake and eat it all by yourself! Just for the love of cakes! 😀

I would definitely do the last thing!! Cakes, yum!! J

This red velvet cake recipe is easy, super – moist, melts in your mouth with that signature light chocolat-y red velvet taste.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened, cocoa powder
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar
- 1-2 oz. red food colouring
- ½ cup of prepared plain hot coffee( DO NOT skip this step.Don’t worry, you can’t taste the coffee but it just takes the cake a totally different level!)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
4. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food colouring until properly mixed.
5. Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
6. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at time, mixing after each addition, just until combined.
7. Generously grease and flour two round, 9-inch cake pans with shortening/butter and flour.
1. Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
1. Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake as cake will continue to cook as it cools.
1. Let cool on a cooling rack until the pans are warm to touch.
1. Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
1. Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool.
1. Frost the cake with vanilla butter cream frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.( You may have to refrigerate the cakes before stacking and frosting as they are very moist.)
If you are using a microwave oven then:

1) Heat the vegetable oil and the eggs for a minute or two and then add it to the wet ingredients.

2) After the batter is made, bake the cake on HIGH for 4 minutes or 5 at the maximum.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

Time: 10 minutes

Makes enough filling and frosting for one 9-inch layer cake, or two dozen cupcakes

Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar
- 6 tablespoons of cream or milk, plus a little more if needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Use a fork or electric mixer to cream the butter. Gradually work in the sugar, alternating with the cream and beating well after each addition.
2. Stir in the vanilla.If the frosting is too thick to spread, add a little more cream, one teaspoon at a time.If it is too thin ( unlikely, but possible, especially after the addition of lemon or orange juice for variation) refrigerate ; it will thicken as the butter hardens.
You can reduce the amount of sugar being used in case you want it to be a little less on calories. Also, to avoid the melting of the frosting you can refrigerate the cake for an hour or so , or overnight depending on your level of paranoia *hehe ;)* or how long you have to travel.

So prepare this masterpiece of a cake and get ready for it to be devoured!!
July 10, 2014
5 Table Etiquettes You Must Follow

Table manners or etiquettes are a set of rules that one must follow while dining,whether at one’s own place, in a restaurant or at somebody else’s place. Different cultures have different set of norms and rules for table etiquettes. Within a particular culture too, table manners differ from family to family, at times. Dining etiquettes are present to maintain social decorum and standard. In addition to that, it helps in maintaining a certain level of atmosphere whih does not make you puke over the laid out food. Bad eating habits are a huge turn off for everyone out there. Nobody likes eating with a person who eats in a way that is enough to induce a wave of killing spree inside someone. In order to avoid being murdered and public embarrassment, have a look at the table etiquettes you must follow.

1. Do Not Make Noise

You are eating a lot of crunchy food. Chips and crisp lettuce are all that you have for dinner. However, that does not mean that you have to sound like an anaconda while munching them away. Imagine you are sitting on a table with your date having a romantic, candle-lit dinner. Everything is going pretty smooth and you imagine yourself having babies with that person but instead of the wailing of your future kid, all you can hear is Crunch! Poof will go those dreams! You do not want to be that cruncher yourself. You do not have to be too vocal about loving your food by constantly emitting sounds like “nyom nyom”. In addition to that, you do not have to open your mouth ha! h! ha! The first thing for table manners is not to make noise while you are eating. It is just not done.

2. Pass

When you are sitting on a table and you cannot reach that bowl or bread basket kept at the other end of the table, you might try matrix-ing your way through the table. No matter how cool that might sound and seem in your imagination, you are not supposed to do that. Nobody likes somebody’s sleeves dipped in the bowl of curry or a spilled glass of water on the table. It is thus important to learn to pass. You know you have been passing your time reading this article for so long, it is high time that you learn how to pass the bowls too. It not only makes eating less clumsy, but also helps in avoiding being stood up the next time you go on a date with the same person.

3. Let Everyone Finish

In almost all the countries and sub cultures, it is considered rude to get up from the table before everybody else has finished eating. You might have hogged like a ninja but you cannot expect the same from everybody. In some cultures, you cannot get up from the table until the host or the elderly person has gotten up. It is just a little sign of respect for the others around you. This sign of gratitude is one that requires you to just relax after having had your food. Now, who has a problem with having a few minutes to relax after you have eaten bucket loads of Butter Chicken? So, stay calm. Enjoy finding faults in others’ table etiquettes and feel like a Boss.

4. Use Correct Cutlery

Now, we do not mean that you need to know all the spoons and forks and knives that Jack is supposed to know in Titanic. But, at least you should not commit the heresy by dipping a soup spoon in you bowl of curry. And do not even think of eating your salad with your dessert spoon. You are an adult and you should be able to identify A from B. It is no rocket science and this much you can learn just by Youtube-ing the same. You should start picking your cutlery from outside and then use them for each course. If you are aware of the different kinds of spoons and their uses, who knows you might just impress the person with weird liking habits, sitting at the other end of the restaurant.

5. Move That Elbow! Nudge

Do not think of me as a propagator of some Victorian norms. But, do not keep those elbows on the table, please. If you keep your elbows on the table, where do yoiu expect the person sitting next to you, to keep his/her glass of wine? Yeah, wine is more important than those non-manicured elbows. You do not want to constantly nudge the adjacent person unless you want to bring to their notice some quirky happenings around. On a more serious note, you need to keep your things within your space and do not intrude into somebody else’s. Be satisfied with what you have got, hungry fellow!

July 10, 2014
4 Things North Indians Can Never Get Tired Of Eating

Go to Delhi. You will find loud behaviour, devil-may-care attitude, style that could even make a Parisian resident feel ashamed, music that is fully capable of destroying your ear drums and great food! Delhiites are known to be big foodies and theere is no dearth of memes online that describe this spect of theirs. There is one such picture on the internet that shows how a Delhiite visualises rest of the parts of India according to the food available there. North Indian food is obsessed with ghee and butter. It is like you can prepare butter chicken without chicken but definitely not without butter! Here, the food has a high content of spices and chillies, so much so, that it is capable of putting your tongue on fire. Delhiites are known for their lively behaviour and fun loving attitude. This attitude, when clubbed with palatable food, evolves into a life-of-the-party package. The people of Delhi can eat almost anything and everything that comes their way. However, there are some dishes that they can have even while they are sleeping. Some of those dishes are listed as follows:

1. Shahi Paneer

The word “shahi” roughly translates into English as royal. Now, do we need to say more? Is it not self-explanatory? Shahi paneer is like oxygen to Delhiites whenever they go to a restaurant. If you go out somewhere and do not order shahi paneer, you might as well drown yourself in the finger bowl you will get after eating something weird as all non-shahi paneers are weird. It is the rule of law. The big fat Delhi weddings too are brimming with different varieties of paneer, be it shahi paneer, kadhai paneer, paneer butter masala and so on. The thing about shahi paneer is that it is so delicious that even a first timer cannot cook it really bad. It is a dish that has been sent directly from Satan, who is such a sinner. Courtesy: gluttony. And, calling paneer, cottage cheese or curd is just equivalent to disrespecting your great grandfather’s niece’s brother-in-law’s God!

2. Dal Makhani

Ask any Delhiite to say “shahi paneer” and he/she will automatically say dal makhani at the end of the sentence. Dal Makhni and Shahi Paneer are two siamese twins that no doctor in the world can unjoin. After all, who would even dare to think of such iconoclasm! Dal Makhani when garnished with some sort of cream and butter, tastes nothing less than heaven. It is so buttery that at the end of your dinner, you woould just end up having perfectly moisturised lips. Al Bukhara’s Dal Bukhara is one variant which people swear by and make a promise to themselves of having it at least once before they die. The rich ones, however, leave no stone unturned in making the less privileged feel like messy beings for not having had the most wonderful dal on this planet. However, dal makhni is a dish that tastes as brilliant in a roadside dhaba as it does in an air-conditioned fancy restaurant. Why? Because it is.

3. Butter Chicken

If you are a non vegetarian and a Delhiite, your eyes must have lit up as soon as you read those two words. Butter. Chicken. If you are a vegetarian, you must have heaved a sigh of relief after seeing this on the list as you know that Butter Chicken is to Delhi as shoe is to lace. Non-vegetarians strictly abide by this dish, in sickness and in health. Butter chicken has the two most favourite things of a Delhiite, namely, butter and chicken. The hardcore punjabi style in which it is cooked, leaves one licking their fingers till the last drop, no matter how posh a restaurant they are sitting in. And when it is about food, Delhiites do not give a damn to the surroundings. They are just having an intimate relationship with their butter chicken and the last thing you would want to do them at that moment would be disturb them by reminding them of table manners and etiquettes. If you do, then God save you from the wrath of a Delhiite. It is much worse than Achilles’.

4. Chhole Bhature

When we talk about a Delhiite, we have to talk about chhole bhature. However, a fun fact is that if you ask someone from deeper towns of Punjab, they would tell you that they are not as crazy about chhole bhature as a Delhiite. Delhiites love to have chickpeas and the way it is cooked in a Punjabi household, it is unmatchable. You have got to eat it to believe it. It does not then come as a shcok that most of the stalls are done with their stock of chhole bhature by 2 PM at the most. The al dante kind of texture of the chickpeas and the crispness of the fried bhaturas are a delicacy to relish. These are generally ahd for breakfast and thus, are way too cheaper than the other options mentioned in the list. This makes the dish pcoket friendly and thereby, student friendly who have their budget going by each penny. Chhole bhature are so filling and so tasty that there is no reason why they should not be on the top of any Delhiite’s list of favourite food.

July 10, 2014
Jams and Jellies

Spread it on a finely toasted slice of bread or top some crackers with a dollop of this, and you’re good to go for a quick delicious snack! I am talking about jams and jellies. As a kid, my favorite dessert used to be vanilla ice-cream with strawberry jelly that my mom used to make as home. Having seen orange marmalade being made at home, I have grown up having the best of the fruit preservatives world!

Preserving fruit by turning them into delicious jams, jellies, marmalade, preserves or fruit butters has been an age old practice. The exact place of origin is not clear though we believe it started in the Middle East where there was an abundance of sugar. The concept of preserving fruit was brought to Europe where it gained popularity as jams, jellies and preserves. Back in the 16^th century, when the Spanish came to the West Indies, they preserved fruits using sugar cane to make jam and jelly hence popularizing the idea. In the U.S., early English settlers would make fruit preservatives using honey, molasses and fruit pectin derived from apple parings.

The concept of cooking fruit to preserve it was a home-task until Industrial Revolution. Cooks would make preservatives to relish seasonal fruits at other times of the year or to store them for times of scarcity. Preserving fruit would be helpful for sailors to take on long voyages. During World War 1, U.S. Army troops were given a grape-jam called ‘Grapelade’ for their stay during the war. After the troops returned, they demanded more of the jam hence leading to increased production. On advent of Industrial Revolution, came the era of factory-produced fruit preservatives. They were commercially produces and soon the market racks were filled with arrays of jam and jelly bottles, thus making it completely unnecessary to make preserves at home. Despite that, home-cooks and chefs continue to make their own jellies and jams thus indicating that this practice has more of a cultural significance rather than mere physical nourishment.

When you go to buy some of these delectable condiments, make sure you know what you want. Jams and jellies, relished equally have a huge difference. Jams use the complete fruit hence avoiding any wastage. Jams have an interesting texture as they are neither solid nor liquid. They contain chunks of fruits which lends it a sense of bite and solid appearance, but leave it at room temperature and you will see the juicy bit of it too. Jellies on the other hand have a clear translucent appearance and have the sparkling flavor of fruit juices. After cooking the fruit in its juices, it is left to naturally strain its juices through a muslin cloth. Forced straining of the juices might take away the clear appearance of the juice. Marmalade are only different from jams in a way that they have the fruit peels processed into them. Marmalade mainly use citric fruits like oranges, lemons, mandarin etc. or combination of these.

Some easy home-made recipes are given below.

Lemon Marmalade

Ingredients:

10 large lemons

4 cups water

4 cups sugar

Procedure:

Peel off the yellow part of peel in strips from lemons. Cut strips of desirable thickness and cut off all white membrane (pith), from the peeled lemons using a knife.

Cut the peeled lemons crosswise into thin slices. Put the lemon peel, sliced fruit, and water in a heavy non corrosive vessel, cover it and refrigerate for a few hours.

Heat the lemon mixture by boiling it over high heat, stirring frequently.

Reduce the heat and simmer it till the mixture softens, for about half an hour. Remember to keep the vessel covered during this step.

Add sugar to the mixture .Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until sugar dissolves. Heat to boiling and reduce heat just so mixture boils gently. Boil uncovered, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches a temperature of around 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

Store in clean glass jars when the mixture cools down.

These might also serve as interesting gift ideas or personalized tokens of appreciation.

Spiced Peach and Apricot Jam

Ingredients:

6 medium peaches, peeled and pitted

8 medium apricots, pitted

2 tbsp. (25 mL) lemon juice

5 1/2 cups (1.375 L) sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2 mL) allspice

Procedure:

Finely chop the peaches and apricots and combine them with lemon juice in a deep heavy vessel.

Place the heavy bottomed vessel over high heat and cook till the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Stir constantly.

Stir in the sugar and spices and cook over high heat till the mixture returns to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir and skim the foam away. Let the mixture cool down

Store in clean sterilized jars and enjoy with any kind of bread.

Strawberry Jelly

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh strawberries

2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (2 1/2 lemons)

Procedure:

Wash, stem and quarter the strawberries. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together the fruit, sugar and lemon juice.

Mix in the sugar and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. After the sugar crystals have dissolved, increase heat to high till the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

Strain the mixture through a fine muslin cloth without pressing the pulp and sieve through. Place the liquid back in the saucepan and boil it stirring often, till it reaches an approximate 220 F.

Transfer to clean sterile jars and refrigerate jelly for up to two weeks and enjoy.

July 10, 2014
Benefits of Milk

Milk can be generally defined as the white liquid substance that can be produced by mammary glands in mammals.This is mainly used as a primary source for the months babies and mammals as they cannot able to digest other types of food items.Milk is the a liquid like substance that contain colostrum which is helpful in carrying parent antibodies to the child and reduces the risk from many diseases in the baby.It is enriched with many nutrients.

Mother feeding milk to child

If we come to milk as a agricultural product, it is extracted from mammals during or soon after the pregnancy and is used as a source of food which is rich in nutrients for human beings.From all the parts around the world daily forms daily produce millions of tonnes of milk every day.As we all know that in India the consumption of milk is more it is also the worlds largest milk producer and it does not export or import milk.China and Russia are the largest importers of milk every day.There is a lot of demand not only for milk but also for the milk based products.Being a largest production and consumption it also provides large number of employment opportunities.Malnutrition and few cases can be reduced by increasing the production of milk all over the world.

Milk enriched with nutrients

Milk is considered as an important part of our diet.During young age the consumption will be more and it reduces gradually as we grow up.There is a thinking in few people in mind that it will add more fat to their diet so few people regret intake of it and some think that it is no longer needed and will avoid taking it.But actually there is no age limit or anything to ignore milk and it can be taken every time at whatever age we are as it is rich in vitamins, nutrients and it also has many benefits like

1. Glowing Skin

Milk is one of the best medicine for skin and makes it glow.In olden days Cleopatra used to take milk bath so taht it helped her for soft skin.We can take the same process or can also have a glass of milk daily by which we get its benefits.Many nutrients are present in milk that help it the skin to look the best.The lactic acid and enzymes that are present in milk help for smooth skin.The amino acids that keep the skin free from moisture are also present in milk.Milk can help prevent damage from environmental toxins because it has antioxidants.Not only direct taking of milk is advantageous but also milk based products are also good for skin.

Milk bath for glowing skin

2. Healthy Bones and Teeth

IN milk we can find large amount of calcium which is generally helpful for bones and teeth.This is not particular for children are growing and helps in bone development, but adults need to take milk as calcium is required for them to develop strong bones and to prevent osteoporosis.The calcium present in milk are useful to prevent tooth decaying and cavities.As the calcium to be absorbed by the body we need vitamin D which can be achieved by taking milk daily.

Milk for healthy teeth and strong bones

3. Muscles

For the muscle development milk is a necessary product.It is advisable to take a glass of milk after workout to observe better results.During workout our body looses some of the fluids those fluids can be regained by taking milk after workout.

Drinking milk after workout builds muscles

4. Weight Loss

According to few surveys and studies it is observed that the women who took low fat milk had loosen their weight than those who don’t take it.It is a great appetizer and it reduces body metabolism.It is better to take a glass of milk while our dinner or by having a fruit.

Taking low fat milk reduces weight

5. Low Stress

At the end of the day by having a glass of milk we can keep away the stress.Actually the reason is the warm milk we take in will help our tense muscles to relax and soothe frayed nerves.After you woke up early in the morning also it is advisable to take a cup of hot milk to relieve stress.

Stress can be relieved by taking hot milk

6. Healthy Body

To maintain healthy body it is necessary to take milk daily at whatever may be the age it is.Milk is having the properties that reduce the high blood pressure and relieves the risk of getting heart strokes.By taking milk we can reduce the cholesterol that is produced by liver and it acts an antacid.Eye related problems can be avoided as it contains the vitamins A and vitamin B.It is also seen that the risk of getting cancer can be lowered by taking a glass of milk.In market we can many varieties of milk like whole, low fat, 2%,and fat free.

Milk intake daily helps in developing healthy body

July 10, 2014
Hyderabadi Haleem recipe

Haleem is a dish that is made out of wheat, barley, meat ( Generally made up of mutton ) but sometimes it is made out of chicken along with the lentils and spices.Generally this dish takes too much time for preparation around seven to eight hours, so that it leads to the formation of a very soft paste like substance by blending the flavors of spices, meat, barley and wheat.This dish is very famous around south east and central Asia.The preparation of it varies from region to region and is mostly prepared during the Ramadan season.

Hyderabadi Haleem

History:

This delicious South Asian dish is originated from the Arabs during the rule of the Nizams.This is a Arabic dish which is consisting of meat and it is containing pounded wheat as the chief ingredients.From the original dish slight variations are introduced in taking flavors that resulted in the distinct taste from other types of haleem.

Hyderabad special haleem history

Ingredients:

1) Take one kg of boneless mutton or with bone

2) Take 200 grams of broken wheat

3) Take four teaspoons of ginger garlic paste

4) Take one cup of urad daal

5) Take one cup of chana daal

6) Take one teaspoon of red chilli powder

7) Take half tea spoon of turmeric powder

8) Take one to half cup of curd

9) Take two cups of onions that are length wise sliced and make a deep fry so that they change their color to deep brown.

10) Take two to three cardamom pieces

11) Take two small cinnamon sticks

12) Take four cloves

13) Take one tea spoon of coriander powder

14) Take one fourth the teaspoon of Garam masala powder

15) Take one fourth the teaspoon of jeera powder

16) Take half teaspoon of black pepper corns

17) Take one teaspoon of ghee

18) Take half the cup of fresh coriander leaves

19) Take half the cup of fresh mint leaves

20) Take four green chillies

21) Take one finely chopped tomato

22) Take half the cup of cashew nuts

23) Take salt that is sufficient for taste

24) Take oil that is required

Ingredients and preparation of Haleem

Preparation:

This is a dish that looks as if it is a signature of the festive month of Ramadan.This is a very long process of preparation and it takes about seven to eight hours for preparing it.This is a dish mostly available during the month of Ramadan where most of the Muslims do fasting.It is very popular dish especially Hyderabadi Haleem is very famous around the world and it has international demand for this product.This is a dish that is the best for those Muslims to break their fast with absolute delicious taste.Apart from Hyderabad dum biryani this is the most taken food item.There is a lot of hard work involved in the making of this dish.

Step 1:

Take a bowl and mix the broken wheat along with urad and chana daal and let this mixture soak in water for at least 4 hours.The water that is taken for soaking this mixture must be double the quantity of dal and wheat mixture.

Step 2:

Take a cup of long and thin sliced onions pieces in a cooker and make a deep fry in fortune rice bran oil.Fry them until their color changes to dark brown.While making a fry of onions along with it put cardamom cinnamon and clove pieces also and fry for about two minutes.

Step 3:

Now take the mutton pieces and wash them thoroughly.Put them in a cooker and add one fourth tea spoon of turmeric powder, one tea spoon of red chilli powder and add one cup of water.All of them are stirred continuously until they mix well and close the lid of the cooker.Let the flame be continued until five whistles.

Step 4:

After taking it from cooker separate the bones and meat.Now meat separated from bones is placed in a cooker and add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon coriander powder, one fourth teaspoon of Garam masala and jeera powder.Also add four green chillies, half cup coriander leaves, mint leaves and the fine chopped tomato pieces.To this add curd and a cup of water and mix all the contents well.The cooker is allowed to cook for 20 minutes on a high flame.

Step 5:

While the meat is being cooked take a pan on other side and put the well soaked broken wheat, urad and chana dal mixture in it.To this mixture add two glasses of water and mix well.

Step 6:

The bones that are separated at step 4 are taken in a container along with dal, wheat mixture and one fourth teaspoon of turmeric powder.Add salt to it and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes and stir it continuously.

Step 7:

After the bones are cooked for twenty minutes it is taken out and the bones are mashed using a wooden churner for at least five minutes.

Step 8:

In a container take the meat that is cooked and is added to the dal mixture and turn on the flame and let it be cooked for one hour on a low flame.Continuous stirring should be done for every three minutes for the complete one hour.

Ste 9:

After the completion of one hour check whether it is like a thick paste or not.Don’t overcook as the taste and feel will be spoiled and the color becomes brown.So we must turn off the flame when it is golden yellow in color.That’s it tasty spicy Ramadan season special Haleem is ready it can be garnished with fried onions, cashew nuts, coriander and can be served in a serving bowl.

Hyderabadi Haleem is ready

July 10, 2014