Tag: easy recipes

Chutneys are Yummy! Part 1
Often while having food, you find that the dish lacks a certain punch. A flavor so to speak. You wonder how to solve this problem. Well, worry no longer. There is a solution at hand which will leave your taste buds tingling in the process. What can that be you ask? One word we say in reply. Chutneys!

Chutney (also translated as chatney or chatni) is a family of condiments mainly associated with South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s), vegetable(s), and/or fruit(s). Chutneys may be either wet or dry, and can have a coarse or fine texture. There are various types of chutneys.

The name “chutney” covers a wide variety of foodstuffs. The common element which makes them all “chutneys” is that they are added to meals to add flavor; the best English “translation” of “chutney” is “relish”. As such, they can be, and are, eaten with a wide variety of foods.

The word “chutney” is derived from the Sanskrit word caṭnī, meaning to lick. The first chutneys in India would have been sticky fruit based preserves. Sugar, although available in India, was not widely cultivated and honey would have been used to sweeten dishes, this leading to the chutneys being used as more of a dipping sauce rather than a condiment. It is written differently in several North Indian and South Indian languages.

Let’s have a look at some popular Indian chutney recipes!
- Peanut Chutney:
Peanut Chutney, a versatile and easy-to-make spicy chutney, is a must-have accompaniment in South Indian cuisine. It can be of two types, wet and dry. This recipe is for making wet peanut chutney for Dosa and Idli, and it can be used either as spread or as an accompaniment.
- Ingredients:
1) 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, skin removed.
2) 3 garlic cloves.
3) 1/4 teaspoon tamarind paste.
4) 4 dry red chillis.
5) 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds.
6) 4-5 curry leaves.
7) 2 teaspoons oil.
8) 1/2 cup water.
9) Salt to taste.
- Directions:
1) Put the roasted peanuts, garlic, 3 dry red chillis, tamarind paste and salt in the chutney jar of the grinder.
2) Grind them together till a medium coarse powder.
3) Add 1/2 cup water to the mixture, and grind again until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer the paste to a serving bowl, and proceed to prepare tempering.
4) Heat oil in a small pan. Break 1 dry red chilli into two pieces. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add curry leaves and the remaining 1 dry red chilli. Sauté for 10 seconds and turn off the flame.
5) Pour the tempering over the prepared chutney paste. Peanut chutney is now ready to be served along with steamed Idli and Dosa!
- Tips:
1) If roasted peanuts are not available, then you can dry roast them over low flame in a heavy based pan for 7-8 minutes. Let them cool for 3-4 minutes and remove the skin.
2) Increase or decrease the amount of red chillis to make more or less spicy respectively.
3) You can avoid topping it up with mustard seeds tempering if you are going use it only for making Dosa.
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
- Cooking Time: 2 minutes.
- Servings: 2.
- Coconut Chutney:
Making South Indian Coconut Chutney for Dosa and Idli is very simple. Just blend fresh coconut with chillis, curd and ginger, and mix tempered mustard seeds. However, the real taste differentiators in this recipe are roasted chana dal, tamarind paste, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Follow this recipe and discover how good the chutney tastes. But yes, don’t blame us if you get addicted to it!
- Ingredients:
1) 1 cup roughly chopped fresh coconut.
2) 1 teaspoon grated ginger.
3) 2 green chillis, chopped.
4) 1 tablespoon roasted chana dal.
5) 1 tablespoon curd.
6) 1 teaspoon lemon juice or tamarind paste.
7) 1/2 cup water.
8) Salt to taste.
- For Tempering:
1) 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds.
2) 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds.
3) 4-5 curry leaves.
4) 1 dry red chilli.
5) 1 teaspoon oil.
- Directions:
1) Take chopped coconut in a small chutney jar of the food processor or grinder.
2) Grind it to make a medium coarse paste and transfer on to a plate.
3) Add green chillis, roasted chana dal and ginger to the same chutney jar.
4) Grind mixture to a smooth powder.
5) Add crushed coconut, curd, lemon juice, salt and 1/2 cup water.
6) Grind them to make a medium coarse paste. If required, add more water to get the desired consistency of chutney and grind again. Transfer to a bowl.
7) Heat oil in a small tempering pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, add cumin seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves and sauté for 10 seconds.
8) Take the pan away from flame and immediately pour tempering over the prepared coconut paste. Mix well. Delicious Coconut Chutney for Idli and Dosa is now ready to serve!
- Tips:
1) Adjust quantity of water accordingly to make it thick or diluted.
2) Avoid the addition of green chillis while making coconut paste, and avoid dry red chillis in tempering while making white Coconut Chutney.
3) Consume fresh chutney immediately or refrigerate it, and use it for up to 3 days.
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
- Cooking Time: 2 minutes.
- •Servings: 6.
Watch this space for recipes of more mouth-watering chutney recipes. Coming soon!
September 14, 2014
Monsoon’s Here!

It’s start of July and there had been few showers to subtly start the season of drizzle. Monsoon’s here! Except the all unpredictable showers and muddy pools on the road, there are so much beautiful stuffs to root for. Romantic day offs and bread pakoras!
Thinking of bread pakoras, we all have specified snack list for almost every season. Summer season had Mango chutneys, ice creams, shakes and squashes. For the monsoons spicy and crispy snacks do the roles of best treats. One of strong points of evening snacks are they gratify the hunger between the two meals that is lunch and dinner. Whether it may be a school going child who came home after playing outside for hours or a housewife retiring from chores, evening snack refreshes us. Now, what snacks could we relish especially in some seasons, like for instance you would not want samosas on a summer evening or ice cream in winters? And as the topic goes all in for monsoons, we won’t deny relishing warm snacks on the rainy days.
Just before we start, notice for all the calorie-watchers! Snacks mentioned below aren’t in any order put up considering their calorie values. So, indulge in the post warding off the concern for fat count.

BREAD PAKORAS!

For the stale yet to be passing the date of expiry bread loaf, stuffed pakoras are a delicious rescue. It can either be stuffed with preferably mashed-spiced up potatoes or cheese and then can be shallow or deeply fried. The bread is soaked in gram flour and then fried. Bread pakoras like many varieties of pakoras are best when served with mint/coriander sweet, sour and spicy chutney. The chutney is prepared by grinding coriander and mint leaves along with ginger and garlic. Salt and a small amount of tamarind paste can be added, totally as per your taste preferences.

CHOLE BHATURE!

Next in the line is the best Punjabi meal to energize up a lazy damp afternoon.
Chole Bhature is prepared in two parts and served as one dish. Chole is made by soaking chickpeas and then is prepared in typical North Indian style which includes ingredients like chopped onion and tomato cooked with coriander seeds, spices and ginger and garlic paste. Dried mango powder or as known as Aamchur powder is often used too. Bhature part is basically a kind of Puri made up by dough containing maida flour with yogurt, baking powder and sugar (as per taste). This dough is covered in damp cloth and kept overnight in a clean and dry place. Chole Bhature serves as a perfect mouth watering meal for an unpredictable monsoon afternoon.

SAMOSAS!

How can we discuss an Indian snack list and not mention the very popular Samosas? A samosa is a fried pastry with filling of generally spicy mashed potatoes, onions and lentils. Very popular yet not expensive at all and relished snack all over India, WAIT! Abroad too, Samosas are just blessing on a cold monsoon evening. You wouldn’t like missing on to some Green or sweet chutney with it.
Like samosas, kachoris are also a popular spicy snack alternative and can be easily prepared in the household.

POPCORN TIME!!

Watching a movie? We all know that popcorn is a must. So, why it is specially mentioned here? Well, it’s about how we wade away the clamminess of weather by adding some flavors to the popular snacks. Butter, chili flakes or cheese can be added in the popcorn for that warm snack for the movie time. If you are not much fan of popcorn, then you can also prepare “Pyaaz (Onions) ke pakore”! It serves as an excellent movie time snack and one or two of pakore equals a handful of popcorn, so you munch less.
Easy to prepare pyaaz ke pakore is prepared by chopping onions in long slices and dipping them in mixture of Besan (Gram Flour), water, salt and chili powder. The dipped onions are then shallow or deep fried and served with the obvious green chutney or even tomato ketchup would do.

FOR THAT SEASONAL FEVER.

It’s not unknown to most of us that whenever season changes and especially from summer to winters or monsoons, there is a scare of catching viral fever and cold. For the cold, soups and dals are the best. Now, how can we make it more tasteful? Yes! Additions! Manchurian balls, chicken and mushrooms!
Okay, before we miss. Dal Makhani! Perfect cure for the “mood gloom”. Nutritional balance? Check. High on potassium and sodium value, it doesn’t deny the presence of calories but that shouldn’t be an excuse for not indulging into this elegant rescue from the taste bud numbness caused due to the cold.

Jeez! CHINESE!

Discussing soups and just about to forget Chinese food! Almost everything available in this cuisine goes so well for the monsoon season snack. Yes! Especially Maggi Noodles! Now, if you’re bored with noodles, MOMOS!
Momos are steamed/fried dumplings stuffed with either vegetarian or non vegetarian ingredients. They originally belong to Nepali culture Hot momos served with the chili sauces are just the excellent evening snack ever. Other to be mentioned Chinese snacks and starters just for this weather are (In no particular order) :
(a)    Spring rolls
(b)   Shanghai Chowmein (Well, it comes under noodles category)
(c)    Siopao (Stuffed steamed dumplings)
(d)   Jian Bing (Chinese crepes)
So, here there you have! This checklist mentions just some of the worth savoring snacks and dishes for the monsoons, all must tries. Other than that, experiment and make your own custom season based dishes checklist!
Don’t let the rain damp away the hunger pangs! Happy Monsoons!

July 14, 2014
Here is why you should stop eating bread

Bread is one such food item which we extensively use in our daily life. It is prepared by mixing flour with water. The mixture obtained is then baked. If you will look at the history of the bread you will find its existence in almost every civilization. People find bread as the easiest food option available in front of them, so whenever they feel hungry, they eat the dishes made using them. But most of the people are not aware that the white bread consumption affects the human health in many ways. It simply means that bread isn’t healthy at all and you should start avoiding bread instantly. Many research conducted on this topic have yielded the same result. It is so recommended by the dietitians to stop eating bread and instead go for other food items which are available. We will hereby give you some of the adverse effect which bread can cause on the human health.

Bread is a rich source of the protein named as Gluten which has the properties found in glue and it is responsible for the viscoelastic properties of the dough. It has been proved in various research conducted worldwide that those people who regularly eat bread have the excess amount of Gluten in their body. This in turn seriously damages the digestive tract which results in lots of pain, tiredness and inconsistency in stool. The Gluten also causes disorder in brain and people get affected by the cerebellar ataxia disease. So you should stop eating bread and go for other options that are available.

People believe that bread is made using grains and is healthy for the body but they are not aware that it is not made using actual whole grains. They are made using grains which have been pulverized so as to get fine flour. Because of this process the breads gets digested easily and moreover the starch present in the bread also breaks down and so they enter as glucose into the bloodstream. This results into the steep rise of the insulin and blood sugar which is not at all good for human body. Again when the blood sugar level comes down we feel hungry. That is why people who are dieting and those who are affected with the blood sugar disease should avoid it instantly. Moreover if the blood sugar level is above the permitted value, it results into the formation of glycation and it is one such component which results into aging.

Bread is deprived of any sort of nutrients which is beneficial for the human body. Bread contains fructose which if present in access amount affects the health. This is proved worldwide that bread has sugar in it which is not at all healthy. They also have phytic acid in it which is generally known as the anti-nutrient. This phytic acid if present in the body makes the minerals required by the human body for growth and development to get stick to each other and so they do not get absorbed. The human body produces two types of cholesterol. While one is bad for the human health, other one is actually good and its presence is required. If you are a regular bread consumer then it is likely that the LDL cholesterol of the body will increase by 60 % which is quite a big figure and for your information LDL cholesterol is in fact the bad cholesterol which we have in our body. So it makes you prone to the different diseases such as the heath and lung diseases.

In all the bottom line is bread is not at all good for you as it is not at all nutritious. If we compare bread with other food items which are easily available to us, bread lie below them in terms of essential nutrition and minerals that they provide. Since the acid formed due to the bread consumption damages the intestinal lining, the absorption of the minerals and nutrients is not carried on by the human body and consequently its deficiency causes various diseases.

While this may be a bad news for all those people who love to eat bread or the dishes made using breads, it is for their own safety and healthy body that we hereby ask them to stop eating bread. It is not that you should completely eliminate it from your diet but then the frequency with which you eat bread and bread products must be decreased. So the next time you feel like eating bread, just remember that it will not only affect the functioning of your digestive system but will also not allow you to lose weight. We have given enough evidence which clearly states the adverse effects the human body. Other than bread there are various food items which are available and if you will eat those then you will certainly have a healthy body. So go for those and stop eating bread. Stay healthy.

June 26, 2014
Red Meat: Is it really bad for your health?

Red meat is certainly one food item which has created a lot of controversies and people are divided on the basis of their opinions id it sis good or bad for the health. When the red meat is raw, it is of red color and moreover its color does not change to white after it is cooked. There had been many reports lately suggesting that red meat is not good for the human health and so people should immediately stop eating it. These reports have been prepared on the basis of observational studies. Almost all the meat which is obtained from the body of mammals is red meat as they have a high concentration of myoglobin in it. The red meat lovers are in dilemma that whether they should eat their favorite food or skip it for the sake of their health. Some people have claimed that these reports are not correct and if you eat unprocessed i.e. the fresh raw meat then there is no harm. You just have to pay attention towards the fat content and the preparation of the dishes made out of red meat as it is the best way you can stay protected and enjoy your favorite food. The processed red meats are the ones which undergo various processes such as the smoking, adding preservatives etc. after it is obtained from the animal’s body. Here we are discussing if the red meat is actually bad for the health or it is just a myth that people have.

Talking about the red meat it is a wonderful source of many essential nutrients and minerals which the human body needs. It is in fact the most nutritious food which is available. If you measure 100 grams of red meat, it will have the following minerals and nutrients in it. Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin), Vitamin D, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Phosphorus, Iron (12 % of RDA), Zinc (32 % of RDA), Selenium (24 % of RDA), Creatine, Riboflavin, Thiamin and Lipoic acid. It also has the high calories and about 10 grams of fats in it. Those people who are vegetarians are deprived of certain nutrients such as Carnosine and Creatine. Red meat is a rich source of both these proteins which is essential for the timely development of human body. Red meat also increases the hemoglobin count in the blood and also helps in building and repairing of the muscles. The meat obtained from the body of the chickens, pigs and rabbits are actually white meat and it is also completely safe to eat.

There has been so many research conducted to verify if the red meat actually causes the so called cardiovascular diseases and diabetes which results into the death of the person. And every research has given us the report that these are just a myth and there is no evidence which can support these claims. But the catch here is that you should eat only those red meats which are unprocessed one. The processed red meats are unhealthy and they can therefore lead to you all these diseases. You have to clearly understand the distinction between the two and choose accordingly.

Another myth that people generally have is that red meat is one such food items whose consumption can increase the chances of cancer in the body. Generally people relate colorectal cancer with the red meat which is one of the most common cancers in today’s time. Although the careful studies conducted by the experts suggests that there is weak link between these two but since there is not enough evidence as the studies which have been conducted so far are the observational ones and so they cannot say that eating red meat will cause you colorectal cancer and this is actually a myth that people generally have.

Now for those people who love to eat red meat we hereby recommend that when you prepare any red meat dish, cook it at moderate temperature. The high temperature cooking can lead to the formation of the harmful compounds such as AGE, HA and PAH. These compounds can then harm your health. Any food item if cooked at high temperature will lead to the formation of these compounds in it. So go for the options such as the steaming and stewing. Further if you want to cook gravy dishes with red meat then first marinate it with the garlic or olive oil or red wine as this will reduce the formation of the HCA to a larger extent. When you start cooking, make sure that the meat is not overcooked and none of the pieces are burnt because of it. The burnt pieces must be thrown away. All these methods that have been mentioned here are for precautions. So eat unprocessed red meat by cooking it gently and make sure that they are not charred. Red meat is actually very healthy and if you are eating it frequently then I bet you will have a healthier body.

June 26, 2014
Delhi’s Street Food

There are many cities in the world which are famous for their street food and without a doubt Delhi finds a place in that list. Delhi is not only the capital of India but also a place which has rich heritage and history behind it. Although Delhi is full of high end restaurants and hotels which provide excellent food and ambience, Delhi’s street foods have their own separate name and reputation. These street foods are famous for being delicious and exquisite. And so people are crazy towards these street foods. The best things about the Delhi’s street foods is that they are not only fabulous in taste but are also very much pocket friendly and so everybody can afford it. Further there are numerous options available so people can select the dish as per their choice. Once you taste the dishes which are sold here, you will surely not be able to stop yourself from going back to the same place again and enjoy these appetizing dishes. This article is dedicated to all those people who are very much passionate about trying new, delicious food items in Delhi.

Dilli Haat:

Everybody knows Dilli Haat as a place which is perfect for window shopping and so it is one of such places where the people love to visit. Dilli Haat is also known for the wide range of street food stalls selling the delicious dishes. You can find all type of Indian foods be it a North Indian cuisine or South Indian cuisine. There are also specific shops selling the food items from a particular state. For a person who loves to try new dishes, Dilli Haat is the perfect destination as they will find numerous options in one location.

Connaught Place:

Connaught Place is located into the heart of Delhi and it is one such place where the people living here love to visit. It is because this place not only has shops of almost all brands but also famous food chains, restaurants, clubs, five star hotels and street food stalls which are open till late night. The famous food items here are Mutton Samosa, wide range of chicken, mutton and fish dishes, vegetarian and non-vegetarian rolls, Rasqulla, Chole Bhature, Biryani and many more. You will certainly enjoy shopping here and when you will get hungry you will have enormous choice to choose from.

Chandni Chowk:

Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest areas in Delhi and is often crowded with people coming here for shopping and offering prayers at the Jama Masjid. But without a doubt, the wide variety of street food which you can get in Chandni Chowk is simply unmatchable. You may be a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian; this place will surely make you happy with its exquisite dishes. You can visit the Karim’s if you love eating chicken and muttons. Else if you are a vegetarian, then you can simply walk into the Paranthe Wali Gali and get a taste of the delicious paranthas which are sold here from generations. Further you will also find Jalebi, Kachori, Dahi Bhalle, different types of Chatt, Lassi and Pakodas which will surely make you fall in love with them.

Khan Market:

Khan Market is one of the high end shopping markets in Delhi but the food items that are available here are very much pocket friendly and people simply love them. From noon till late mid night you will find variety of Chinese and Indian foods in various stalls. So the people living nearby Khan Market often pay visit in evening to taste the mouth-watering dishes that are sold here. Momos, Chilly Potatos, Soups, Corn and Chatt are the famous dishes in this place.

Pandara Road:

Pandara Road is another excellent place in Delhi where you will find delicious street foods. If you are a person who likes to eat spicy food, then this is the place you should visit. The Punjabi and the North Indian cuisines available in this place are simply amazing and eating here will surely be a delightful experience for you. Both for the non-vegetarians and the vegetarians there are tremendous options available and you will certainly not be disappointed with the food here. If you love Punjabi dishes then Pandara Road is the place you should visit as it has almost every dish which is made in Punjab and their preparation is so healthy and spicy that you will certainly feel like coming back to this place again.

Nehru Place:

Though out the day you will find Nehru Place filled with people as it is one of the biggest electronics market in India. But apart from the computer and electronic shops here, you will also find numerous food corners there. Again the Punjabi food is the most famous here. But then you can also find the food stalls offering the fast foods, continental and north Indian cuisines. The best thing about the food sold here is that they are delicious and healthy to eat. One simply gets a much desired relief after eating in the food stalls here.

June 24, 2014
Home made vanilla ice cream

Ice cream is a frozen dessert that is made from the dairy products like milk and cream and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavors.Most of these ice creams contain sugar and few uses some other sweeteners.While few of them uses artificial colors and flavors in addition to the natural ingredients.These mixture of ingredients are stirred slowly in order to incorporate air and to prevent formation of large ice crystals.The obtained product in semi solid state and is served as scoops.

So yummy and delicious Ice cream

History:

Ice creams origin took place almost far back in second century BC., Although we dont know the specific date of discovery and by whom but we know that the great Alexander enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar.Biblical references also show that King Solomon was fond of iced drinks during harvesting.Also we know that during the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius Caesar frequently used to sent runners into the mountains for the snow and is flavored with fruits and nuts.The historians say that the recipe evolved during 16th century.England have discovered ice cream even earlier than the Italians.

Ingredients:

1) Take one cup of whole milk

2) Take about 3/4th cup of sugar

3) Take one vanilla bean and it is split lengthwise

4) Take two cups of heavy cream

5) Take five large egg yolks

6) Take one teaspoon pure vanilla extract

7) Take a pinch of salt

Ingredients that are required for making vanilla ice cream

Preparation:

There is a delightful taste for the home made vanilla ice cream.This can be served alone or even along with the fruit salad which is even tastier.This vanilla ice cream can be prepared by using a ice cream maker or even with out using it. All you need is the best quality ingredients you can find and a little patience.Once you have prepared this at home you will never eat ice cream that is brought from out.When ever the climate is hot ,there is nothing better than a frosty scoop of home made ice cream that is pulled right from your freezer.

Step 1:

At first take a medium sauce pan and heat up the milk, sugar and salt in it.By using a knife scrape the seeds from vanilla bean carefully.Add the seeds that are scraped to the milk.After that the flamed is turned off and the sauce pan is covered by using a lid and leave it undisturbed for at least one hour.The next thing we have to do is to keep the heavy ice bath chilled.Take a large bowl and fill it with chilled water and ice cubes and let the heavy cream sit in the ice bowl until it is cooled.Take a bowl and whisk egg yolk until it is combined.Now again heat the vanilla mixed milk.After it is heated mix it with the egg yolk little amounts and stir it continuously.After they are mixed take the mixture into a saucepan and heat it on a low flame. Place the saucepan on a low heat and stir the custard constantly.When the custard forms a light coat on the back of the spoon or spatula, it is ready. Strain the custard into the heavy cream, and then stir in the vanilla extract.Now take the mixture in a container and refrigerate it overnight.

Heating the ingredients milk sugar and salt in a saucepan

Step 2:

Take out the ice cream mixture from the refrigerator and stir it continuously with a rubber spatula.Now transfer the mixture into a bowl and cover it with a plastic cover and make it air tight and place it back in a refrigerator.

Take out ice cream mixture from freezer and stir using rubber spatula

Step 3:

After forty five minutes take it out when the edges of the mixture started to freeze.At this stage take it out and mix it with a handheld mixer.After stirring well keep back in freezer for two to three hours and stirring should be done for every 30 minutes for soft taste.Stirring continuously is important when we are not using a ice cream maker.

Take out ice cream mixture from freezer and stir using rubber spatula until the freezed edges are softened

Step 4:

After the two hours is completed take it out from refrigerator and beat the mixture again with a hand mixer.The mixture should be thick but still too soft to scoop which is prominent for making an ice cream with good taste.If the ice cream is not so thick return it back to the freeze and leave it to freeze for some more time.If the ice cream has become thick then at this stage we can add some ingredients like chocolate chips, cookies, dry fruits to it.

Take this type of container and fill the ice cream in it

Step 5:

This is the final step and here we can take the mixture into plastic container and close by using a plastic wrap and keep it in a refrigerator.Make sure that we have left some gap while filling the ice cream in the plastic container.That’s it yummy delicious vanilla ice cream is ready.

June 24, 2014
Kentucky Fried Chicken: finger lickin’ good

Kentucky Fried Chicken which is most commonly known as KFC is an international fast food restaurant which currently has presence in about 118 countries. This fast food chain is specialized in preparing and serving delicious fried chickens to their customers. Currently there are approximately 19,000 outlets of KFC in different parts of the world and this shows the enormous name and success this fast food chain has achieved since it opened its first outlet in the year 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah. After United States, KFC opened its first international food store in United Kingdom and then in various parts of the world. Today it is the second largest food chain in the whole world and is only behind the McDonalds.

The main product of this food chain is fried chickens which are prepared using 11 secret herbs and spices. The recipe is a secret which has not been disclosed till date. Today they also offer chicken burgers, French fries, salads, desserts, wraps and soft drinks. People are just crazy about their trade mark bucket fired chicken which is simply luscious in taste. If you have not visited KFC yet then this is one such place where you should surely visit and for sure you will feel like eating fried chicken sold here again and again. “finger lickin’ good” is the official slogan of KFC which can be seen with its logo. Yum Brands now owns this brand and has a clear cut motive to expand this internationally acclaimed food chain to each and every corner of the world. The total revenue of KFC is 23 billion US dollars for the year 2013.

One of the reasons why KFC fried chickens are so popular among the masses is that they are served fresh to the customers. If the prepared chicken is not sold within 90 minutes then according to the company’s policy, it is simply discarded. People love to eat here as the chickens sold here are exquisite and appetizing. You will simply love the crispy chicken legs, chicken nuggets, hot wings, zinger burgers and other dishes here as they taste succulent and luscious. KFC has simply redefined the way the chicken is prepared and eaten in different parts of the world.

Harland Sanders is the person who started this business. He is commonly called as Colonel Sanders by his lovers. Initially he used to sell fried chickens in his restaurants at Corbin, Kentucky. His restaurant was named as Sanders Court & Café. Harland Sanders used to cook the fired chickens with the help of his secret recipes which his mother taught him and people used to love his cooked chickens. His success story is simply amazing and we should learn from his life and struggles. Harland Sanders had a dream to expand his empire and sell his delicious chickens in different parts of the country. The struggle that he went through and still where this food chain stands today is unbelievable. It shows that if you are determined to work hard and chase our dream then nothing can stop you from attaining success. He was determined to use the franchising concept in his fried chicken business.

Before opening his first commercial outlet he had to travel to almost all the parts of the United States where he tried to convince the restaurant and business owners to use his recipe and start selling fried chickens. In return he asked for a small amount of share from the profits made. The restaurants and the business owners thought the Harland Sanders idea’s to be a flop one and he was rejected by almost everyone. It is said that he faced over 1000 rejections. Just imagine his will to taste success. His strong will power made him a known figure in the whole world. By the year 1963, Harland Sanders managed to open a whopping 600 franchise of KFC in the United States alone but his growing age forced him to stop indulging into business any further and so he sold the KFC Empire to the group of business enthusiastic people in the year 1964. The reigns of the empire has been many shifted a times since then but the picture of Colonel Sanders still lies in its logo. He is synonym to the brand KFC.

KFC entered into the Indian environment by opening its first outlet in Bangalore in the year 1995. The company had doubt that about its success in India as people living here as so much indulged into the religious work and so the success of the brand was under severe spotlight here. Today there are about 370 KFC outlets in India. In India where we eat so much of spices in our food, KFC chickens are wonderful options for those who want to try something different and a food with fewer spices and more nutrients. For the Indian public, KFC has also started the vegetarian products in their menu such as the vegetarian burger, paneer burger, paneer wraps and so on with a motive to pull the vegetarian crowds to its restaurant.

June 24, 2014
Health Benefits of Eating Eggs

Eggs are excellent source of vitamins which helps the body in functioning appropriately and so doctors often recommend people to start eating egg regularly. Not only vitamins, eggs are also rich in essential nutrients which are very much required for the proper growth and development of the human body. You should daily eat eggs to stay healthy. Some people just eliminate the yellow yolk which is present inside the egg and eat only the outer whitish portion. This is not a good as the yolk is the only one which provides the essential fats, vitamins and nutrients to the human body. But that does not mean that the whitish portion of the egg is not important. They provide the proteins to the body.

A normal large egg contains the following: Selenium (22 % of the RDA), Vitamin A (6 % of the RDA), Vitamin B5 (7 % of the RDA), Vitamin 2 (15 % of the RDA), Vitamin B12 (9 % of the RDA), Vitamin E, iron, Folate, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and many others essential nutrients. Just imagine a single eggs is how much beneficial. If you eat eggs regularly then you are surely not going to get deficiency of any of the above mentioned vitamins and minerals. Further a single large egg also has 77 calories, carbohydrates and 5 grams each of fats and proteins.

Much people are not aware of the Choline, which is a very important nutrient considering the fact that it is responsible for the growth of the brain. It is often named with the B-complex vitamins. Egg is a tremendous source of Choline. This nutrient is required for various metabolism processes that go inside a human body. The synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is only possible if the body has adequate amount of Choline in it. If your body is deficit of Choline, then you are prone to cardiovascular and liver diseases. Also there are chances that you may suffer from neurological disorders. All these can be avoided if you eat egg as one egg contains about 113 mg of Choline. So go for it and stay away from these life threatening diseases.

One egg has about 212 mg of cholesterol in it, so often people have this doubt in their mind that it will affect their body in negative way. In a human body it is the responsibility of the liver to maintain the amount of cholesterol. If you consume less cholesterol food then liver compensates for it and if you are eating foods such as eggs which are rich in cholesterol, then liver produces less cholesterol. One of the biggest advantages of eating egg is that it raises the level of the HDL cholesterol which is very much required by the body and reduces the LDL cholesterol which is responsible for the various diseases that occurs in the body. This will in turn helps in keeping the cardiovascular disease away from you.

We have not mentioned about the antioxidants which are present in the egg so far. So let me tell you egg is a wonderful food item which has two most essential antioxidants required by the human body and they are Zeaxanthin and Lutein. Both of them are present in the yolk of the egg and are excellent for the proper functioning of the eyes. In the recent times cataracts is one such disease because of which many people have lost their eyesight. These antioxidants which we have mentioned here reduce the risk of cataract by providing power and stamina to the eyes.

You must have read it in your books that proteins are must for the human body as they are considered as to be the building blocks and performs several work in the human body which is very essential for its proper growth. There are 21 amino acids which the human body requires and out of these 21, there are quite a few which the body cannot produce on its own and so the protein rich foods are eaten to compensate for them. Egg provides all those amino acids which the body requires. In short if you want to stay healthy, then continue eating eggs regularly.

If you daily eat eggs in your breakfast then it can help you in losing your body fat and you can easily become fit and slim. When measured on the Satiety scale, an egg gets a reading of 19 which is quite high. This proves that eggs helps in shedding weight and improving the body mass index by a whopping 61 percent. If you have obesity problem and you do not eat eggs then this is one such food item which you should start eating. With so many health benefits that it provides and considering the fact that it is easily available and pocket friendly food item, one should include eggs in their diet chart. Moreover there are so many egg recipes available, so just try them and stay protected.

June 24, 2014
Long Island Ice Tea – A refreshing cocktail

Cocktail is a drink which is prepared by mixing various alcohols in an appropriate quantity. This does not mean that you need to mix many alcohols together to get your cocktail, it can also be prepared by just mixing one alcoholic ingredient. Today we have so many different varieties of cocktails and Long Island Ice Tea is one of them. It has the reputation of being a mild, refreshing drink which feels like ice tea and gives you a much desired relief. This is the reason Long Island Ice Tea is one of the world’s most preferred cocktails. Go to any part of the world and you will find people loving and talking about this wonderful drink. It is prepared by mixing gin, vodka, rum and tequila. Yes, you have all these in one single drink. Isn’t incredible?

One of the most popular version of the Long Island Ice Tea which is high in demand is the one in which there is an equal proportion of the gin, vodka, tequila, triple sec and rum mixed with the one and a half parts of the sour and some cola to give it a color of ice tea. Long Island Ice Tea is then served on the rocks or poured over the glass containing ice. In other variants the sour mixed can be replaced with the other available options such as the lemon juice and the cola can be replaced by the actual ice tea. Even if this drink has the name of the Long Island Ice Tea, it generally does not contain any tea in most of its variants.

According to the International Bartenders Association, Long Island Ice Tea is one of the contemporary classics drinks that is widely loved and appreciated. One of the basic advantages with the Long Island Ice Tea is that we can make it stronger when required by just increasing the concentration of the alcohol in it. A normal Long Island Ice Tea has 22 percent of alcohol concentration in it. Some of the people love to have it with a high level of alcohol concentration in it. It helps them to relax and attain a much desired pleasure. Some people like to go for the extra-long version of this drink which has even more percentage of the alcohol in it. Whatever variant of this ultimate drink you choose it is surely going to sooth you with its ultimate taste and fine aroma.

If you want to prepare it on your own you will have to get the following ingredients. 1.5 cl each of vodka, tequila, triples sec, rum and gin. 3.0 cl of gomme syrup, 2.5 cl of lemon juice and the cola to give it the much desired ice tea color. Just add all the above mentioned ingredients in a highball which should be perfectly filled with the ice. Stir it gently and then decorate it according to your wish. And now your drink is ready to get served. Add a straw and get the taste of this wonderful cocktail which will surely help you to get rid of the worries and will helps you in relaxing.

There is a conflict so as to how this drink came into existence and who actually coined the termed Long Island Ice Tea. The major conflict is between the claims made by person named as the Robert Rosebud Butt and an Old Man Bishop who was from Tennessee. According to the claims made by Robert Rosebud Butt, he is the person who gave the world the so called ‘Long Island Ice Tea’. In the year 1972, one day while working as a bar tender at the Oak Beach Inn resort located in Long Island, New York he tried to make a new sparkling drink that includes the triple sec and came out with the recipe of this drink and named it as Long Island Ice Tea. Many people say in support of Robert Rosebud Butt that yes he is the person because of whom we have such a refreshing alcoholic drink today.

This is one story. Another section of society believes that the Long Island Ice Tea was first prepared long back in the 1920s by the famous ‘Old Man Bishop’ was lived in Long Island community located in the Kingsport, Tennessee. It was the year of probation. After he made this drink for the first time, his son Ransom Bishop made some changes to the drink with the maple syrup and the whiskey to give it a much relishing taste. For years now we had the debate of where the Long Island Ice Tea was first prepared. Is it Tennessee or is it New York? This question is still unanswered but one thing is for sure, who so ever invented it, did a wonderful job. The name Long Island Ice Tea can be found mentioned in the literatures that were written in the year 1961 and so people believe that the later mentioned story is more appropriate.

June 18, 2014
Pickle your Mangoes this Summer

Mango pickle refers to a variety of pickles that are prepared by using mangoes.Mango pickle is a very popular in south India and few parts of south Asia. Mango pickle is a spicy dish that can be enjoyed with any variety of food.This traditional south Indian dish can be available in many forms either spicy one or sweet one.As it is summer we can find mangoes abundant in all the markets and streets.As the availability is more most of the women at home are busy making pickles with raw mangoes.In Andhra mango pickle is famously known as Avakaaya pachadi or Mamidikaaya pachadi. As different regions in India have different preparation process the taste also varies.South Indian Pickle has quite different taste from the flavor of pickle in north India.Even the main ingredients are same in any of the preparation process but south Asian pickles are having different flavor from others as it undergoes different process and uses different spices in the preparation.The main difference in the preparation is, in the southern states sesame oil is used where as in northern states mustard oil is preferred for for making pickles.

Hot and spicy mouth watering spicy mango pickle

The pickle has a flavor which tempts every one for its fragrance and everyone likes to taste it because of its attractive color and spiciness in it. It is a favorite dish for many people,this has a great taste when it is eaten with hot rice and ghee.Generally this pickle is prepared in summer season just after the ugadi festival as raw mangoes are abundantly available.The ingredients that give spicy and great taste for mango pickle are cumin seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek powder, garlic, hing , mustard powder, mustard seeds, oil, raw sour green mango, dried red chillies, red chilli powder and little turmeric powder.The overall taste of mango pickle is like sour, tangy and spicy flavour.

Ingredients:

For making spicy pickled mango:

1) Take one kg of raw green mangoes

2) Take one and half cup of mustard oil ( Aamudamu )

3) Take three table spoons of fenugreek seeds ( Mentulu )

4) Take four table spoons of fennel seed ( Sompu )

5) Take two table Red chilli powder

6) Take two table spoons of turmeric ( Pasupu )

7) Take two strands curry leaves

8) Take two table spoons of 2 vinegar

9) take salt that is sufficient for taste

Ingredients that are required for making mango pickle

Preparation:

The pickling process in India is quite different as it follows different preparation steps and fermentation process.These pickles are used as side dishes and some times used as main dishes depending on the situations and occasions.For the preparation of this delicious spicy yummy mouth watering dish we mostly prefer to take raw mango or tender mango.We can find many types of mango pickles in the market but the most famous types are whole baby mango pickle or cut mango pickle.Whole baby mango is popular in South Indian and is prepared by using baby mangoes that are only few weeks old.The other is cut mango pickle in which we will use a special type of mango that is only used for pickle purpose and they cannot be consumed directly as ripe fruit.The baby mangoes are pickled and added with some spices by undergoing some process so that the pickles can be preserved for years.

Spicy pickled mango preparation:

Step 1:

Wash the mangoes thoroughly and cut them into four pieces each.Then remove the pit from the mango and add salt to the pieces and mix them well until the salt gets absorbed by the mango pieces and leave it undisturbed for about 20 minutes.After that dry the mango pieces in the sunlight for two to three hours so that the moisture present in them can be evaporated.

Mango preparation process step 1

Step 2:

Take one and half cup of mustard oil in a pan and heat it for about one to two minutes.If you don’t have mustard oil you can take cooking oil and heat it with mustard seeds.Now lightly crush the fenugreek seeds ( mentulu ) until they become are fine enough.Mix these crushed fenugreek with the remaining ingredients and half of the oil.Then mix the fenugreek with the fennel seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, curry leaves, vinegar, salt, and half of the mustard oil.After making this mixture add mango pieces to it and mix them well in this mixture until each piece gets the spice evenly.

Mixing of ingredients and spice with mango pieces

Step 3:

After mixing well move the pieces into a sterilized jar and the remaining oil that is present poured over the pieces.Then place a muslin cloth on the jar and use a rubber band to secure the cloth.Later place the jar in sun for four to five days so that the pieces get enough time to fully absorb the spicy pickling mixture.after five days remove the muslin cloth and cover it with a lid.Once the mango is fully pickled, just use a jar with a tight lid which will help it to last for longer time.That’s it the spicy South Indian variety mango pickle is ready and it can be served with daal, rice, roti, ghee and many more.

Jadi that are mostly used for preserving pickles

June 18, 2014