Tag: 80

Plan your Summer Cooking

Summer is here and so is the sickening heat. So, you need to start planning your summer cooking. I promise this will prove to be a boon later. You need a smart menu to get your way through. Jot down family meals which are simple, less time consuming, healthy and definitely not fussy.

Remember to drink loads of water throughout the day. This will help you get rehydrated and keep headaches at bay. The fitter you are the better. Since in summer it is quite hot most of the time, when you are shopping, shop at one go so you won’t have to keep going back. Always make a list before shopping. Be guided by your head, not your stomach. Learn to keep a well-stocked store cupboard and replace things as you use them. Store food in fridge and freezer – this way, you can make several meals in case of an emergency.

My Summer Collection –

Cheesy Scrambled Egg Croissants (Quick and simple yet incredibly mouth – watering)

[Good source of Calcium; Suitable for vegetarians; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 7 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 large eggs, 100g grated cheddar, a splash of milk, chives, 4 large croissants, salt, pepper

Method: in a bowl whisk the eggs, cheddar, milk and some seasoning. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until softly scrambled. Stir in a small bunch snipped chives, then split open 4 croissants and put the scrambled eggs inside.

Spicy Crab Courgette Flowers (Courgette flowers are generally in season in summer. This is a must-have dish)

[Gluten free; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 5 (makes 10 flowers)

Ingredients: 100g fresh white crab meat, 1 red chilli (finely chopped), 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, 10 baby courgettes with flowers, 1 tbsp olive oil

Method: Mix together the crabmeat, chilli, white wine vinegar, parsley and some seasoning. Carefully fill the courgette flowers with this mixture. Twist the top of each flower to make sure that no filling comes out when cooking. Don’t overfill them. Once you have stuffed all the flowers, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the courgettes. Cook on all sides for about 6-7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bang Bang Chicken with Sichuan Salad (A hit among friends and family)

[Good source of Folate; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the salad – 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 large cucumber (peeled, deseeded and cut into matchsticks), 1 bunch spring onion (shredded), 1 tbsp sesame oil, juice ½ lime, handful chopped coriander

For the chicken – 1 kg pack chicken drumsticks or thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice

For the sauce – 140 kg chunky peanut butter, 100ml low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 red chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)

Method: Toast the peppercorns in a small frying pan until they begin to darken. Remove and cool, then crush with a large pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar. Mix in a bowl with the cucumber. Set Aside. Put the chicken in a bowl and rub in the oil and five- spice, leaving to marinate for an hour or use straight away. Cook on the barbeque, turning regularly, for about 35 to 40 minutes until the juices run clear. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce until smooth, adding water if needed. Drain the cucumber and mix through the carrots, spring onions, sesame oil, lime juice and coriander. Serve everything on a big platter.

Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts (easy to make and very healthy. You can use other nuts as well.)

[Suitable for vegetarians; Low fat; Gluten free; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 rounded tbsp pine nuts, 2 rounded tbsp raisins, 500g baby spinach leaves, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method: heat the oil in a large pan, add the pine nuts and fry until golden. Add the raisins and fry briefly, then add the spinach leaves and turn in the pan over a fairly high heat until the leaves are just wilted. Sprinkle in the balsamic and seasoning, warm through and serve straight away.

Tomato Tart (A Mediterranean-inspired elegant summer tomato tart. Dig in!)

[Suitable for vegetarians; not suitable for freezing]

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 3 whole garlic bulbs, 2 tbsp olive oil, 375g block all-butter puff pastry, 1 ½ tbsp honey Dijon mustard, 325g cherry tomatoes (halved), 1 egg (beaten), 150g pack soft goat’s cheese, handful basil leaves

Method: Heat oven to 180C . Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs and sit on a sheet of foil. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of the oil, season and wrap into a parcel. Roast for 50 minutes or until soft, then leave to cool (this can be done the day before). Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into quarters. Roll out each piece and cut into 14cm- diameter circle. Use a saucer as a guide if you don’t have a cutter. Pop the circles on a baking tray and score a 1 cm border around the edge of each, being careful not to cut all the way through. Avoiding the border, prick the pastry all over with a fork and then chill. Increase oven to 200C. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the flesh from the bulbs into a bowl. Add the mustard, remaining oil and some seasoning, and use a fork to mash to a paste. Spread this over the pastry, leaving the border clear, then top with the tomato halves, skin inside down, and season well. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg, crumble over the goat’s cheese and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the tomatoes are starting to shrivel. Remove from the tray and allow to cool to room temperature. Scatter over the basil before serving.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
Bean It Up!

Green Beans are popular among vegetarians as well as non vegetarians because of their high nutritional value. Beans are classified into Bush beans, Pole beans, Shell beans, Mottled beans, White beans, Yellow wax beans, Red or Kidney beans, Black beans and Pink beans.

Fresh green beans are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins (especially Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folates) and minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese Phosphorus, Zinc, Iron and Potassium). Moreover, they are low in calories and contain no saturated fats.

How to prepare beans before cooking?

Wash raw beans in cold water. Just before using, remove the strings and trim the ends.

Green beans can be used in grilled-salads, curries, soups, stews, stir fry (with rice) and be steamed with other vegetables. It tastes brilliant when mixed with butter, meat, seafood, nuts, mushrooms, leafy vegetables, cheese, etc. With anything and everything, it is good to go!

So, Bean It Up!

Bean Enchiladas

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil, 2 onions (chopped), 280g carrots (grated), 2 – 3 tsp chilli powder, 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g cans pulses in water (drained), 6 small whole meal tortillas, 200g low-fat yogurt, 50g extra-mature cheddar cheese (finely grated)

Method: Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onions and carrots for 5-8 minutes until soft – add a splash of water if they start to stick. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the tomatoes and pulses and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well.Heat grill to high. Spread a spoonful of the bean chilli over a large ovenproof dish. Lay each tortilla onto a board; fill with a few tbsp of chilli mixture, fold over the ends and roll up to seal. Place them into the ovenproof dish. Spoon the remaining chilli on top.Mix the yogurt and grated cheese together with some seasoning, and spoon over the enchiladas. Grill for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.

Broad Bean Bruschetta

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 300g podded broad beans, 4 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzing, juice 1 lemon, handful mint leaves, 4 slices rustic white bread, 1 garlic clove (peeled but left whole), 140g pecorino cheese (shaved with a peeler)

Method: Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again and then peel from their skins.Use a masher to roughly crush the beans with the olive oil and lemon juice and then stir through the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Heat a griddle pan; toast the bread on both sides, then rub with the garlic clove. Spoon some of the beans over each slice of bread, scatter over the pecorino and drizzle with more olive oil to serve.

Spanish Bean Stew

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 200g chorizo sausage (thickly sliced), 1 onion (chopped), 400g chicken thigh fillets (cubed), 1 tomato (roughly chopped), 410g can cannellini beans (drained), 1 large potato (cut into small cubes), 500ml hot chicken stock, 4 tbsp chopped parsley

Method: Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chorizo, onion and chicken over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until pulpy.Stir in the beans, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is soft and the chicken cooked through. Stir through the parsley and serve. You can cool and freeze the stew for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost and heat through thoroughly.

Fettuccine with Beans and Pancetta

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 100g pack smoked pancetta rashers, 350g fettuccine, 400g runner beans (trimmed and thickly sliced on the diagonal), 6 tbsp crème fraÎche, 15g pack chives (snipped), finely grates parmesan (optional)

Method: Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, separate the rashers of pancetta and cook them in two batches (without oil) in a large non-stick frying pan until the fat on the pancetta is golden. Lift out onto a plate to crisp up.When the water is boiling, add salt and the pasta to the pan and boil for 6 minutes. Tip in the beans, quickly return to the boil and cook for about 4 minutes more until both the pasta and beans are just tender.Drain and tip into a large serving bowl. Toss with the crème fraîche, chives or basil and plenty of seasoning and then quickly tear in the crisp pancetta (keeping it quite chunky). Serve with the Parmesan, a simple tomato salad and some crusty bread (optional).

Butter Bean

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (crushed), 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp sugar, 2 x 400g tins butter beans (rinsed and drained), small bunch basil (chopped)

Method: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Fry the garlic for 1 min, then add the tomatoes, sugar and some seasoning. Tip in the beans and a splash of water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the basil and serve.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
Midnight Demons : Counter Your Cravings

It is 11:00 p.m. You are watching T.V. Suddenly, a Dominoz commercial appears on the screen with their latest schemes and a sumptuous pizza flashes on the screen, and WHOOOSH…!!! U get severe hunger pangs, and well, you go to the kitchen, search for stock of chocolates, cakes or your favorite cookies to munch on. For most of the people, their midnight Maggi is the ultimate solace for these cravings. Ah, well, the tale doesn’t here. Then, after you satisfy your temptations, you have guilty feelings for consuming those extra calories. But you convince yourself by thinking that, it is just for tonight, and if we’re not meant to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge? And after coming to senses, you promise yourself to control this craving from next day. And the whole midnight tale repeats itself the following night.

The reasons behind these late night snacking are complex and various and range from boredom, restlessness, insomnia to loneliness, self-denial and nutritional imbalance and the first step towards overcoming a late-night snacking habit is figuring out the reason behind your nocturnal munching.

So here are a few simple steps which can help you control those hunger demons –

Self- talk : Go in front of the mirror and talk to yourself out loud about what you plan to eat, and why, and what you can do instead or how your favorite dress will become tight if you eat this piece of cake.

Aromatherapy : Burning aromatic candles can lower your appetite, but obviously, avoid chocolate and vanilla aromas, as they stimulate chocolate and ice-cream craving. Keep a pack of lavender with you at this time.

Keep only healthy foods at home : This is one of the best ways to stop yourself from gorging on those extra carbs. Bringing healthy snacks like muesli, digestive fibre biscuits etc. at home can help you keep your cravings at bay.

Stay busy : Take up a hobby like knitting, reading, jigsaw puzzle which will help to keep your mind off snacking.

Have a late dinner : Push your dinner back an hour or two and you will find yourself ready for bed before you have a chance to start craving a snack.

Also, here are some diet-friendly midnight snacks that will control self-destructive eating:

Water: Thirst also mimics hunger pangs, so before reaching a box of chocolates next time from your fridge, hydrate yourself with a cup or two of water. If you want something that is more savory to the taste buds, you can flavor it with sliced lemon or lime.

Milk : Milk has tryptophan, a sleep inducing amino acid that helps lull you into a deep sleep. Along with this, milk also provides us with Calcium and Vitamin D which is very good for our bones.

Popcorn : Watching a late night movie? Well popcorn is actually the right snack for you. Not only it is a good source of complex carbs, also is low in calories, in addition to being the fun movie snack.

Nuts : Nuts are a great night time nosh, they regulate blood sugar levels and promote serotonin production in body. So, reaching for a handful of your favorite nuts, which are rich in anti-oxidants is quite beneficial for you.

Craving for snacks in midnight is not a disease in itself, but it does cause obesity- related problems ad can sabotage your weight loss efforts. So as interesting and tasty as consuming these snacks sound, they are not so good for your health.

May 26, 2014
Doctor At Home – Kitchen To The Rescue

Not everybody is fortunate enough to be in a doctor’s family. So what? Each one of you can be a doctor at your home. Well, the kind of doctor I am talking about doesn’t need a medical degree, he/she just needs a kitchen with some of the regular stuff a typical kitchen should have. And having kitchen in your house, is not that big a deal (for those who don’t have it !!)..

Your body can throw you for a loop anytime in your life. The day you have an important presentation to give, you might end up having a sore throat. The delicious sea- food salad you got from an amazing eatery can leave you with a grumbling indigestion. Or , you might overdo it at the gym and may arrive with a stiff neck. You won’t have your doctor or therapist to attend to aches and pains all the time, at your disposal.Here’s the next best thing : all natural, expert recommended ways to treat your ailments quickly, safely and effectively at home.

So, here is a list of surprisingly effective kitchen stuff, which has a totally different use than just satisfying your taste buds.

Nausea

For nausea, frozen ginger chips are a boon. You should first infuse fresh ginger in hot water and then strain and freeze the concoction in ice cube trays. Crush the cubes after a while and suck the icy chips to provide your tummy with a smooth dribble.

Sore Throat

Fresh garlic juice has anti-microbial properties that fight pain-causing bacteria. Mix 6 pressed garlic cloves into a glass of warm water and gargle with the solution. Follow this for 3 days. Warm liquid soothes inflamed tissue.

Cough

Have a square or two of dark chocolate. Chocolate has a compound theobromine which is much more effective than codeine at suppressing coughs that are persistent without exhibiting any side effects like drowsiness and constipation.

Fever

Sipping linden flower tea stimulates the brain to control your temperature, and induces sweating. So add 1 tsp of this dried herb in a cup of water for 15 minutes, and sip it. Drinking this tea 3-4 times a day is really effective.

Burns

Applying aloe-vera gel to the burnt area is very soothing. This anti-inflammatory gel creates a second skin to protect the skin lying underneath, from air, as the exposed skin would otherwise irritate nerve endings.

Cold

Vitamin-C taken before the onset of cold shortens its duration and severity. So cut and squeeze half a lemon in a cup, add boiling water and honey to boost your immunity and to coat painful throat tissues. Sip this concoction 3-4 times a day.

Stained Teeth

Mix a pinch of stain- removing baking soda into a few freshly cut strawberries to make a paste. Apply this mixture to a soft- bristled toothpaste and brush your teeth with it every three to four months. The astringent malic acid in strawberries buffs coffee and red wine stains from the teeth.

Diarrhea

Having bananas cures diarrhea in a few hours. Also, tea made from pomegranate skin helps an upset stomach.

Food Poisoning

If you suspect food poisoning, couple a few pieces of burned toast with black tea. The tannic acid in tea and charcoal in the toast neutralizes the toxins and help you to recover quickly.

A Tough Workout

Drink a bottle of tart cherry juice to repair any damage caused by tiny tearing of tissues and swelling. Tart cherries have anthocyanins, which are antioxidants and has anti- inflammatory properties that help sore muscles recover.

See, it isn’t that tough to be your own doctor, is it? These things work miracles in the treatment of your everyday ailments. And if you don’t have them in your kitchen, then you should definitely clear some space in your refrigerator and kitchen shelves, as these things are pretty important for you.

May 26, 2014
5 Disasters To Ditch : A Step Towards A Healthy You
Most people think of their fridge as a nutritional safety zone, home to minimally- processed foods like fruits and veggies, milk, curd and condiments. But nutrition in the fridge is just confined to veggie box or main shelves. But look around inside the fridge, the door, the chill zone and the freezer, those small shelves, which, ironically, turn into the biggest attraction the moment you open the fridge. And they have the stuff that is the most dangerous. Candy bars, chocolates, mayonnaise, fizzy beverages etc. all these are nothing but calorie factories.

How to get rid of this stuff?

Well, the only way is to dispose them off, by tossing them into a trash can. But the problem here is, what and what not to dispose off. Every food item has a group of ingredients, and catchy captions, which make you think it is healthy, which is why you bought it in the first place. Now what, getting confused? Here’s a short and sweet list of the top 5 worst foods in that refrigerator of yours, and healthy alternatives to these sugar and fat bombs.
1. Worst Staple – White Bread : you may think a loaf of reliable white bread is a harmless vehicle. White bread is made up of refined flour, which is robbed of the protein, key nutrients and bran. Refined grains can be dangerous to your heart besides being lower in protein and fibre than whole wheat bread.
Quick Tip: whole wheat bread/multigrain bread/chapattis.
1. Worst Quick-Fix Side Dish – Frozen French Fries : If you think that having frozen fries and ‘smileys’ is a better alternative for having a healthy serving of potatoes, then you are gravely mistaken. Most frozen potato products are flash fried and contain a higher quantity of fat and salt contents than if you did it yourself. Also, they also help you pack on the pounds faster than you think. And out of all the available frozen fried foods, the worst culprit of weight gain are, ironically, the thinnest potato pieces – French fries..!! Eating one serving of French fries per day results in approximate 1.5 kg weight gain in 4 years. Many of these foods also contain as much as 1000 mg of sodium per serving (which is half your daily intake). No doubt, they are one of the main reasons for cardiovascular diseases all over the world
Quick Tip: make your own French fries. A much better option is to bake them by cutting them into small pieces , dipping them in olive oil, adding a pinch of salt, and keeping them in oven.
1. Worst Condiment – Mayonnaise : Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that mayonnaise is a common staple in fridges. But with 100 calories per tsp, this condiment can turn your typical sandwich into a calorie bomb, no matter how savory it is to your taste buds.
Quick Tip: Mustards are a great alternative to mayonnaise and add a whole new flavor to your snack, but if you really crave that creamy flavor and texture, pesto should be your pick.
1. Worst Spread And Cooking Fat – Butter: one tablespoon of butter contains 100 calories, 8g of saturated fat and 30 mg cholesterol, so it is not hard to see why this could be a diet danger if used too often. Using margarine in its place, isn’t better as well, because it contains cholesterol-raising trans fats. If you sauté your vegetables in butter, the flavor disappears even though you still get the calories.
Quick Tip: Olive oil. This is a healthy substituent to butter, because it contains heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats that make it a better bet.
1. Worst Beverage – Fizzy Drinks: Your typical can of aerated drinks contains about 140 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar – not exactly what a thirst quencher should contain. And diet cola isn’t any better, because both of them have been linked to adult metabolic syndrome, which increases your odds for developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These are not suitable even for children and teenagers, as they are a big reason for childhood obesity.
Quick Tip: Water/fresh juice/ iced tea. They are healthier and have less sugar and more nutrition.

So, here were some of the worst foods in your fridge that could set you off track and healthy options to stock instead. Passing up these foods, and having the healthy ones instead, can help to prevent many lifestyle diseases like cardiovascular diseases, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Always remember if you don’t have it, you’re not going to eat it or use it, it is as simple as that.
May 26, 2014
Let’s Taste Assam
There is one thing that strikes me every single time I come home to Assam: Assamese food, though little-known to people outside the valley, is more unique and distinct than given credit for. Assamese cuisine is a confluence of cooking habits of the hill folk that privilege fermentation and drying as forms of food preservation,and those from the plains that include the use of fresh vegetables and fish, found abundantly in its many rivers and ponds – both of which are centered on the main ingredient: rice. It is characterized by very minimal use of oil, little cooking over fire, and strong flavours due mainly to the use of endemic exotic fruits and vegetables that are fresh, dried, or fermented. Fish are popular, as are birds like chicken, duck, and squab. Preparations are rarely elaborate – the practice of Bhuna (the gentle frying of spices before the addition of the main ingredient) so common in North Indian cooking, is all but absent in the Assamese kitchen. There is a popular tendency to club Assamese cuisine together with Bengali cuisine, due to the prominence of rice and fish in both. However, if you consider the methods of preparation, as well as the other ingredients used, the differences are not easily missed.

Ingredients:
- Rice
As a staple, rice is eaten either steam boiled (ukhua) or sundried (aaroi). As a snack, it is roasted and ground (xandoh), boiled in its husk and flattened (chira), or puffed (akhoi). Rice is an indispensable part of all Assamese meals. A traditional breakfast consists of chira mixed with yogurt and jaggery. For other major meals, rice could be boiled, steamed or wrapped in leaves and roasted. A special class of rice preparations, called pithas, is generally made only on special occasions like Bihu. Usually made with soaked and ground glutinous rice, they could be fried in oil with a sesame filling (xutuli pitha), roasted in tender green bamboo over a slow fire (sunga pitha), or baked and rolled over a hot plate with a filling (kholasapori pitha).
- Fish
Fish, big and small, harvested from the many rivers, ponds, and lakes in the region, form an integral part of the Assamese diet. The most popular dish is, undoubtably, the tenga (fish sour). Another favorite is small fish roasted wrapped in banana leaves – patotdia. Hukuti is a special fish dish prepared from dried small fish (puthi maas) pounded with arum stem and dried and stored in bamboo tubes, and roasted with lavish amounts of green chilli, tomato, ginger, and garlic; the ingredients are then pounded in a mortar to make a coarse paste and served with rice. Fish cooked with fermented bamboo shoot is also popular, as is fish is fried in mustard oil, or curried with bottle gourd or spinach.
- Meat
The Assamese enjoy a wide variety of meat – duck, chicken, squab, mutton, venison, turtle; although in recent times, the consumption of venison and turtle meat has been declared illegal. Assamese meat preparations are characterised by the sparing use of oil, and higher quantities of ginger, curry leaves, and lemon juice. Boiling is the basic method of cooking.
- Greens and vegetables
Green leafy vegetables, called xaak, are an important part of the cuisine. There is indeed a bewildering variety – both domesticated and wild – that is eaten by the people of the region. In fact, according to custom, one has to have a hundred different kinds of xaak during the Rongali Bihu celebrations.
- Spices
Among spices, ginger, garlic, onion, cumin seed, black cumin, black pepper, chilli, turmeric, coriander seed, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fenugreek seed, white mustard seed, aniseed, and Malabar leaf find wide usage.

Traditional Preparations:
- Khar
When you think of a typical Assamese meal, you invariable think of khar. Khar is a class of preparations named after the key ingredient, which is made by filtering water through the ashes of a banana tree. Popular khar dishes are made of raw papaya or pulses as the other main ingredient.
- Tenga
The tenga is a light and sour fish preparation. The souring ingredient could be tomato, mangosteen, or lemon. Another tenga dish is prepared with matimah (urad bean) and outenga (elephant apple). However, mixing of tenga and khar is not recommended, the former being acidic and the latter alkaline.
- Pura
This is the Assamese version of smoked or barbecued dishes. Different types of meat and fish are often served in this form.
- Pitika
Side dishes called pitika (mashes) is a signature characteristic of Assamese cuisine. Perhaps, the most popular is aloo pitika (mashed potatoes), garnished with raw onions, mustard oil, green chilli, and sometimes, boiled eggs. Khorisa tenga is mashed fermented bamboo shoot, pickled in mustard oil and spices. Fermented mashed mustard seed is eaten in the form of kharoli (when a khar is added) or kahudi (when an acidic agent, such as lemon juice or dried mangosteen, is added). Pitikas are also made from roasted or steamed vegetables, primarily tomato and eggplant. Small fishes are roasted, separately wrapped in banana leaves, and mashed into pitika along with mustard oil, salt, chilli, etc – a preparation traditionally called patotdia.

We talk of “Indian cuisine” as if it were a homogenous category. Of course some ingredients and methods of preparation find favour in recipes across regions, but the distinctive elements stand out far too prominently for a one-size-fits-all definition. For instance, four years of eating North Indian food in Delhi and I still miss the flavours back home! It’s true: you are what you eat.
May 23, 2014
Baking for the Vegan
The day you went vegan, you probably made the most responsible choice you’ll ever make. Not only did you refuse to partake in the unethical treatment of animals, but you also took a step towards a healthier heart and away from obesity, diabetes, and various types of cancers. And the bonus? You get to smirk every time your meat-eating friends express awe at your choice. Because there is one secret all vegans know: veganism isn’t as difficult as it is made out to be. Today, a range of mock-meat and faux-poultry products are available in the market, implicating that compromise on taste is rarely an issue.

But what about those of you who love to bake? Does going vegan mean foregoing your passion? Or is your love for baking your apology for not going vegan despite wanting to? After all, eggs and dairy products are a baker’s indispensable ingredients, eh? Think again. Vegan baking is not only possible, but is also easy and effective. All you need to do is substitute a few key ingredients. Here’s how you can get started.

Eggs

Why give up eggs, you ask? The poultry industry is downright abusive. And unless your eggs come from your own chicken bred in your own strictly-for-private-use, non-abusive farm, you are contributing to the abuse. You may want to know these quick facts:
- Hens are kept cooped up in tiny, restrictive cells at high temperatures meant to alter their egg-producing cycles such that they produce eggs with unnatural frequency. Most do not get to so much as move a wing during their entire lifetime. In some cases, their beaks are chopped off, often without the use of anesthetics, so that they do not peck at their peer in the next cell.
- Millions of day-old male chicks are killed (usually in a high-speed grinder) every year because they are useless to the egg industry.
How to go about eggless-baking? It’s simpler than you anticipate. First, you need to determine why you need eggs in your recipe: Is it for leavening (to make the end product fluffy and light, like cakes)? Or is it for binding (to make the end product dense and thick, like cookies)? Then, replace each egg in your recipe with whichever of the following best suits you.

For leavening:
- 2 tsp. baking soda mixed with 2 tbsp. warm water and ½ tsp. oil
- 1 tsp. baking powder mixed with 1 tsp. vinegar
- 1 tsp. baker’s yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp. ground flaxseeds mixed with 3 tbsp. water
For binding:
- Ener G Egg Replacer
- 2 tbsp. corstarch mixed with 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. potato starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
For custards and quiches, replace each egg with ¼ cup pureed soft tofu.

If you need to replace just the egg white, try using 1 tbsp. plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water, whipped, chilled, and whipped again, for each egg white.

In a rush? A can of diet soda can be used to replace 2 eggs in many cake recipes. It won’t add any calories either!

Dairy Products

The dairy industry is no more forgiving than the poultry industry. Here’s why:
- Cows produce milk for the same reason as humans and other mammals do — to nourish their young. But mother cows in the dairy industry have their babies taken away from them shortly after birth, so as to conserve the milk.
- A cow’s natural lifespan is about 15 years, but cows used by the dairy industry live for a mere four to ﬁve years, as a result of abusive conﬁnement and unnatural stimulation to produce milk in greater quantities. Most are slaughtered once they are no longer capable of producing milk in the huge quantities expected.
If it is buttermilk you need to replace in your recipe, combine 1 cup unsweetened soy milk and 2 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar in a bowl, whisk until well blended and creamy, and use in place of 1 cup of buttermilk.

To replace cow’s milk in your recipe, use equal amounts of any of the following:
- Soy milk (better for rich desserts)
- Coconut milk (better for rich desserts)
- Almond milk
- Rice milk
Be sure to use the unsweetened varieties for baking. Otherwise, your finished product may end up slightly sweeter than anticipated.

To replace butter in your recipe, simply use same amounts of vegan margarine. For baking, use full-fat vegan margarine rather than the lighter varieties. You could try any of the following:
- Coconut oil
- Earth Balance Buttery Spread
- Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
- Smart Balance Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax
Miss the condensed milk? Here’s how you make a smart replacer:

You will need:
- 2 1/2 cups soy milk
- 6 Tbsp. vegan margarine
Here’s what you do:
- Boil the soy milk in a pan.
- In a separate pan, melt the vegan margarine; add sugar.
- When the sugar begins to melt, add the hot soy milk and a dash of salt to the margarine.
- Boil gently and stir for approximately 5 minutes.
(Makes 14 oz.)

I understand that vegan baking make take a wee bit more effort than the egg and dairy based baking you may be used to, but the very fact that you are doing your bit to give back to Mother Nature should keep you going. Kudos!
May 23, 2014
Beating The Heat With Juicy Retreat

Think about sitting at a beach on a hot summer day with an ice-cold beer !! Wonderful, isn’t it? Well, it aches my heart to tell you that this is not a common scenario in tropical countries like India. The sole reason for this is that the summer season here, makes it very difficult for us to beat the scorching heat. And to provide an icing on this cake, we have the super-spicy, oily, and heavy food, which is the signature feature of Indian cuisine, to make us feel even more miserable. This food takes its toll on our appetite, as a result of which we become poor on the ‘health’ front, owing to the indigestion, dehydration and abnormal levels of blood pressure in addition to the skin ailments. Due to this, we try and avoid the consumption of this ‘masale – daar’ food, as many people would like to put it.

In this heat, we aim towards juicy, cool, and refreshing food stuff that are low on calories. Well, for this, the best deal in India is having – fruits. Yes, there’s nothing better than having an ample amount of fruits that are exclusively available in summers , A.K.A. “summer fruits “.

These fruits not only satisfy our sweet tooth, but also hydrate our bodies. They keep us active and energized all day, and most of all, help us beat the summertime sadness.

There’s no need to worry about what are the ‘right’ fruits to target this summer. Just aim for the juicy and refreshing ones, and your job is done. Here are some of the ‘must-have’ ones this summer:

Watermelon

Summers and watermelons..they are just made for each other. Watermelon is an excellent fruit to quench our thirst and to replenish the lost fluids of our body, in addition to keeping us cool and satiated. Watermelons have Vitamin C and beta-carotene, which also protect our skin from sun damage. So, watermelon should never be missing from our lives during the hot summer days.

Mango

How can I not mention the king of fruits here..!! India is a home to 52 varieties of mangoes and ignoring mangoes in summers, is quite impossible here. Enriched with Vitamin A and C , they help to prevent cancer and if present in the forms like smoothies, yogurt, or salads, add a tropical kick to the summer heat.

Berries

These little gems are packed with anti-oxidants and flavonoids which improve our skin’s appearance, structure and texture. Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries, are some of the most famous ones that boost our immunity and have a healing effect on urinary tract infections.

Papaya

In addition to being a natural exfoliating agent for a healthy, glowing skin, papaya is a boon for digestive problems. It cures indigestion and reduces inflammation in the internal body parts, as it is enriched with Vitamin A and C and beta-carotene.

Oranges

Nothing is more rejuvenating than the fresh smell of citrus fruits. Oranges have 80 percent of water and keep us hydrated on the go. They are rich sources of potassium and having a glass of fresh orange juice everyday, keeps us refreshed and gives us plenty of Vitamin C to sustain ourselves throughout the day. So don’t forget to squeeze your way throughout the summers !!

Pineapple

Summers, when they come, bring with them the thoughts of tropical vacations and exotic fruits. Pineapples are one of the most apt fruits for summers as they are a blend of antioxidants, vitamins and enzymes like bromelain, which aid in digestive problems and keep our bodies cool.

Cucumber

It is surely one of the best fruits for healthy and hydrated skin, joints and muscles and immediately boosts up our energy levels. They are loaded with the mineral silica which helps in maintaining connective tissues in a good shape. So this food should definitely be fixed in your daily food habits.

These are some of the fruits that should definitely be included in your ‘summer-bible’ . With the advent of summers, chances of dehydration, indigestion and constipation increase manifold, if the diet we take is not right. Along with this, we should make sure we take adequate amount of fluids, in the form of lemonade, fruit juices and water. Fruits also provide us with roughage which helps in better excretion of undigested wastes.

The best part about these juicy summer fruits are, that if eating raw fruits seems boring and monotonous to you, you can team them up with low fat yogurt or bring them together in a synchronized way with a tinge of lemon juice and dried mango powder (amchoor), black salt or the famous Indian ‘chat masala’ to form sumptuous and enjoyable fruit salads. They can also be blended with cream to make a delicious dessert. If you want to have something a bit heavy, refreshing and healthy, all at the same time, then these fruits can be mixed with milk and ice to form flavored milkshakes and smoothies. Also, fruits can be used to make tarts, crumbles and pie.

There are practically unlimited ways to take in fruits in summers, and surprisingly, almost all the options are good for health. So guys,what are you waiting for? Grab a bag of fruits to rejuvenate yourself this summer and beat the burning heat !!!

May 23, 2014
The Homecoming

Delhi is almost home. I have been living here for long now: first as an undergrad at St. Stephen’s College between 2010 and 2013, and then as a graduate student at JNU since. I love the buzz of the capital. And I absolutely love the freedom of life in a hostel. I can stay up till 5 in the morning – reading, watching a movie, or simply trolling about on the web. And of course, I love my friends: they are like family. But every few months, there comes a time when I pack my bags, say goodbye to my friends and the unchecked (and often irresponsible) routine of hostel living, and leave the almost-home for home.

The moment the plane lands, I’m expected to switch on my phone and call mum. She gets anxious otherwise. Ever noticed how parents trust their kids (20-something year olds included, unless married – that’s a whole different story) to be responsible and keep safe when in another city, but worry themselves sick when those same kids are out with friends while in the home-city? In any case, the moment I emerge from the exit at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport, I am greeted by the much-familiar ring of Assamese words in the air. Once home with mum, it’s like I’d never left. The relaxed conversations, the very vernacular jokes, and the comfort of my bed (seriously, why are beds in hostel rooms never like the ones at home??) – all make the time away dissolve into nothingness. It’s only when mum brings in my lunch that I realise how much I had missed home!

When I’m in Delhi, lunch is a casual affair. More often than not, “lunch” is a quick samosa and a glass of nimbu paani at the canteen between classes. On days off, I have to drag myself to the hostel mess to feed on the less than palatable dal–chawal–sabzi served. The seemingly-harmless decision to take a catnap at noon and the subsequent failure to respond to the alarm may cost me a whole day of hunger-pangs. Home now, mum is religious about a good, hearty, no-nonsense lunch. The plate she brings in is laden with a generous serving with aromatic Basmati rice, dal, sabzi tailored to my taste, healthy home-made chicken stew, and papad. The first spoonful feels like a mouthful of health – the smell, the taste, the unparalleled delight of food prepared with love and care.

The one thing that never fails to make me feel blessed when home is the sheer abundance and easy availability of food. In order to truly appreciate this, you need to understand how the mess system in my hostel works. Breakfast is served between 8:00 and 9:30 in the morning, lunch between 12:30 and 2:00 in the afternoon, and dinner between 7:30 and 9:00 in the evening. Heavens forbid you feel hungry in the hours in between (and you often do between lunch and dinner), satiation would cost you some amount of money, and a walk in the sun to the dhaba or general store. One way around might be to stock up on fruits. But fruits aren’t easily available and don’t stay fresh for long in summer, the luxury of refrigeration not being available. Another option might be crackers and snack-cakes. But there’s only so much compromise your health and conscience can take. Besides, there are those days when your taste buds throw a tantrum: they need to be pampered with cooked food. How I’ve craved mum’s poha on those long, hungry evenings when I’m rushing to finish an assignment or am simply, utterly broke (yes, people in hostels go broke sometimes when they are careless in the first weeks of the month)! At home, any time that I feel hungry even in the slightest, I need look no further than the refrigerator or the kitchen shelf for some snack more wholesome than the deep fried pakoras or Masala Maggi available at the dhaba a good 10 minutes’ walk away from my hostel.

Besides, meal-time at home does not involve the stress of weighing your options. If the breakfast table has macaroni and cornflakes on it, I do not have to choose between the two – I can have a bit of both. At lunch or dinner, I do not have to decide whether foregoing my chicken curry in favour of the gulaab jamun that only comes with the paneer is a good idea. If there’s Roohafza on offer, mum does not deny me a glassful because I chose the egg curry instead of the sabzi.

I understand that every hostel mess offers choices so as to better accommodate diverse tastes and food-related beliefs of the students, and restrictions in choices of food are exercised so as to make the system economically viable. No complaints about that. But it’s an absolute pleasure to be liberated from these rules every once in a while – and by providing that opportunity, home just feels that much homelier. Every single time I come home for the holidays, I realise how real the connection between “home” and “food” is in my mind. Home is where the food feels right. You have to give it to George Bernard Shaw: there really is no love sincerer than the love for food.

May 23, 2014
What to NOT Feed Kids

I’m sure you’re a responsible parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle/babysitter. While that once-in-a-while trip to McDonalds’ is all right, you make sure that your kids do not feed on hamburgers, French fries, pizza, and coke day in and day out, much as they’d love to. While cutting the obvious junk out of your kids’ everyday diet is a great idea, you may be surprised as to what scientific studies have to reveal about a number of popular food items marketed as “healthy for kids”. Here is a list to help you make an informed choice.

Breakfast Cereals for kids:

Breakfast cereals for kids are amongst the most begged for foods in the supermarket. They are colourful, they are sugary, and their boxes display a variety of popular cartoon characters. Your kid loves them! And so do you. They boast of a whole lot of vitamins and minerals on the label, and they are tasty, which means your kid does not make a fuss on the breakfast table. However, the sour truth that these sweet cereals hide is that when you consider the amount of sugar and processed ingredients per serving, the miniscule amount of nutritional value they offer doesn’t count for much. Nutritionists recommend that when you shop for a suitable cereal, go for brands that contain at least 3-grams of fiber per serving and less than 10 grams of sugar. The best morning cereal that you can serve your kid hooked is whole grain oatmeal. It’s high on fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Sprinkle on some berries and mix it with yogurt, or a dab of honey or real maple syrup, and junior will love it just as much as he loves his froot loops.

Processed Meats:

Bologna and smoked ham may sound like lunchbox staples, but experts suggest that if your child eats a sliced meat sandwich every day, you may be packing her a toxic lunch. Processed meats contain saturated fat, high levels of sodium, and artificial preservatives like nitrates — all things that threat your child’s health. Nitrate, in particular, has been found to increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer in children. If your kids love lunch meats, opt for preservative-free varieties, or better yet, make your own by thinly slicing chicken at home.

Juice Boxes

We know your kid loves her pack of chilled Mango Frooti after school or play hours. But according to food experts, irrespective of what their labels say, juice boxes don’t really pack any nutritional value. Not only do they contain high levels of sugar, most commercial juices lack any fiber and vitamin content. If your child loves her cold beverages, try blending up a batch of fruit smoothies with whole fruits, yogurt, and ice as a nutritious after school snack.

Snack Cakes:

Your child probably looks forward to that Swiss-roll in her lunchbox every day. But as much as you love treating your kid, you should consider that most processed snack cakes are packed with trans fats, the most unhealthy processed fat known. So if packing in something sweet ensures that your child finishes her lunch at school, go for berries and grape or bake cookies or squares from scratch using natural ingredients.

Kids’ yogurt

This might be a shocker to you. Yogurt is a wonderfully healthy food for kids; kids’ yogurt, not so much. The reason is that it is so loaded with artificial colors and sugar that it negates any health benefits the original food might contain. So your kid does not like plain yogurt? Just buy the plain variety and sweeten it with frozen fruit, raisins, or honey.

Microwave popcorn

Many parents opt for microwave popcorn as a hassle-free “healthier” alternative to packaged and/or deep fried chips and snacks. However, here’s an ugly truth. Bags of microwave popcorn are lined with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, so that they do not catch fire while microwaving. While nobody wants a flaming microwave, what sets the alarm bells ringing is that PFOA has been linked to cancer, delayed puberty, thyroid abnormalities, and high cholesterol in children. It might be worth the while to steer clear of the microwave versions and make your own popcorn.

Granola Bars

Contrary to popular belief, food experts are of the opinion that granola bars do not really make a healthy snack for kids. In fact, most store-bought granola bars marketed to kids are lower on nutritional value than the brands for adults: they are loaded with sugar and added ingredients like chocolate chips, marshmallows, candy, high fructose syrup, and artificial dyes. If your kid is a fan of energy bars, try whipping up a batch at home with natural ingredients like almond, peanut butter, raisins, coconut, whole grain cereal, honey, and dried fruit and nuts.

Sports drinks

You may think they are a healthy choice, but unless your kids are exercising heavily on a hot day, there really is no need for them to drink a sports drink. Experts say that regular consumption of sports drinks make children develop a kind of tolerance that makes them less likely to choose water over these drinks even at other times of day, simple because it will taste bland in comparison. If your kid is thirsty, offer water. For a great post-game recovery drink, try chocolate milk — it has the perfect blend of carbohydrates and protein to help little bodies repair and replenish.

While this list should help you get started, I’m convinced it’s far from comprehensive. There is a number of unhealthy products in shiny packs that are sure to attract your kid while you navigate through the aisles of your local supermarket. The trick is to not be fooled by friendly-looking cartoons assuring you of a “mouthful of health”. Read the nutritional information and scan the ingredients with care. When in doubt, consult your nutritionist or pediatrician. Your smart choices prepare your child for a healthy life healthy.

May 23, 2014