Tag: food

How your Fridge can Save you Money!

I know fridge is something you love to look at whenever bored or hungry. Fridge is exciting, full of food and all the variety. They help in food preservation and keep it fresh. Our fridge has everything from drinks to fruits and veggies to icecreams to frozen food to cheese to left out foods to what not. We love food, so we love our Refrigerators.

If we love them so much and keep our dearest food items in it, why not to make better use of domestic freezers and fridges so that food last longer resulting in less waste. In fact, if you learn to use it efficiently, you can save loads of money if we all used fridges to store certain foods and lowered the temperature. Even the food remains fresh for longer period of time and is healthy for consumption. Cleaning your refrigerator regularly with simple and easy techniques is also important so that preservation is upto the mark. Do you know what temperature your refrigerator is set to right now? If not, you could be wasting so much of cash and wasting electricity. See, such a awareness can save your money to such a great extent. The new research report by WRAP claims that lowering your refrigerator’s temperature to 39 degrees Fahrenheit or between 0 to 5 degrees Celsius can keep food from spoiling quickly and help preserve food for longer and in turn saves up your money. The report claims that maintaining the right temperature helps food to stay fresh for three days after its expected expiration date. By lowering down the temperature, the bacteria growth is slowed down and foods stays fresh for longer. Also, don’t overload your fridge, keep it no more than 3 quarters full with space in between to allow good amount of air circulation. This way all the food inside it is cooled evenly. Just simply Adjusting the temperature of fridge wont ensure the prolonged shelf life, but still its good way to start if you want to cut out the grocery bills and is also beneficial. Alongwith, cleaning the shelves of refrigerator and bins every 2 to 3 months will disinfect the surfaces and food will be healthy and delicious as you want it to be. Let’s jot down some points to make it an interesting task;

Store leftovers Smartly: After dinner, if you are left with too many food, instead of dumping it in a large container, rather store it efficiently in small clear containers or transparent bags. It will be good if you ration them in individualized portions. These leftover food can be consumed from two to three days whenever you like. At least you will be having something to eat in case of emergency or for a change of taste.

Keep fruits and Veggies Separate: Most fridge come with two separate drawers, so it is better if you keep the fruits in drawer and vegetables in other to ensure the maximum longevity. Because, like peaches and apples which have high amounts of ethylene can prematurely ripen and can spoil vegetables. So, it is recommended to place them seperately in fridge. Also, don’t wash vegetables until you’re ready to use. Better to place them in fridge straightway after fetching it from grocery store and wash them nicely when you want to use them. This is because prewashing of veggies can reduce the shelf life of veggies.

Maximize the Shelf Space of Fridge: The nicely organized fridge is always lovely to see and easy to handle. The shelf space should be consumed for eatables which actually need to be put in and requires cooling. If something doesn’t need to be kept cold, it can be kept out of fridge. It is a very good tip to not to overstuff your fridge, as proper keeping with some spaces will allow air circulation and keep things fresh in the fridge.

Keep appropriate things in the door shelf: The doors are warmest part of fridge so keep store-bought products like ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, water bottles or some tonics with long shelf life in the doors. Generally, the foods that don’t require cooking to be kept at top shelves like leftovers or yoghurt. Since, the bottom of the fridge is coldest, use this part to store sea foods, meat that need to be kept coldest and is cooked at high temperatures. Keeping the important and readymade things at door will also make more space for other things. The key is placing the things in fridge mindfully.

After being going through all the above listings, you will be well aware about how fridge is not important for food perspective but can also help in savings. You can see how an Organized fridge can cut down on your so many worries. Just little organization and mindful keeping of fridge can change all this. Start with top and work your way down. Though, it may seem like daunting task at first, but when you put your mind in it, and have put a fixed time and planning into organizing it, you will be fascinated by the results, as it not saved money for you but also lots of time where dinner is concerned.

September 14, 2014
Culture of Nepal

Nepal has a unique culture which has evolved since many years.It’s culture is greatly influenced by religion, architecture, music and literature.In Nepal, we can find various temples, churches, monasteries and many other religious buildings.There are many ethic groups, tribal and social groups in Nepal.Different type of festivals and practices are seen in Nepal.Nepal got its name from the Kathmandu valley as the founder of the nation established a capital there in eighteenth century itself.

Culture of Nepal

Geography:

The country is spread over an area of 381,200 square kilometers.It is surrounded by three Indian states on south, west and east whereas the north border is shared by Tibet.Most of the Himalayan mountain ranges are in Nepal, including the Mt.Everest.The country is divided into three horizontal zones which are: the high mountains, the lush central hills, and the flat region with low water levels in the south.The trade factor has influenced the ethnic groups.There are more than thirty six ethnic groups and over fifty languages in Nepal.According to 1977 ,the population of Nepal is nearly 22.6 million.As the birth rate is gradually increasing in rural areas, people are migrated to cities.This lead to over population in Kathmandu, at present it is holding more than seven Lakh people.

Geography of Nepal

Ethnic relations:

Nepal consists of many cultural, racial, linguistic groups, that are mainly divided into three categories.Indo Napelese, Tibeto Nepalese and Indigenous Nepalese.Since centuries, they were practicing Hinduism and people speak Indo-Aryan languages.Most of these people settle in lower hills and river valleys.The second type is Tibeto Nepalese who have generally Mongolian features and they speak Tibeto Burmese languages.These people reside in hills and mountain areas.Different groups under Tibeto Nepalese practice Buddhism, Hinduism.Later these ethnic groups fell into single caste hierarchy.The first and the top most caste is Hindus, second is Matwalis who are generally alcohol drinking people.Bottom are the untouchable Hindu castes.Higher caste people buy lands and enjoy political and economic privileges whereas lower caste people are far from these opportunities.Untouchable castes were not permitted to own land.We know that the caste system is illegal, but it has not disappeared in many places.Most of the posts like civil services, army and police were selected by the higher caste people only.

Different Ethnic relations of Nepal

Food:

Nepalese enjoy different food items that are generally hot, spicy and nutritious.Newari and Thakali cuisines are the original taste of Nepal.Generally Nepalese cooking style is influenced by both Indian cuisine and Tibetan cuisine.Nepalese staple food is daal bhat tarkari.Most of the tourists who visit Nepal like to have hot and spicy meat curries that are cooked in their style.The meal includes different varieties of food items and also pickle that is made out of fruits or vegetables are served.Most families eat from individual plates while seated on the floor.It is more common to eat food with hands rather than utensils.In Nepal, high caste people only eat vegetarian and do not take alcohol whereas other caste people may drink alcohol, eat pork and even beef.People of higher caste do not show interest to eat food that is prepared by strangers.

Food of Nepal

Industries:

In Nepal there was no industrial development till the middle of the twentieth century.The industrial development is accomplished with the help of countries like India, China and Soviet Union.With the abundant availability of minerals, industrial development is made possible in Nepal.The major industries focused on was of jute, tea and sugar.Manufacturing of brick, tiles, construction materials, paper making, vegetable oil extraction, sugar refining and many more industries are established in Nepal.

Industrial textile factory

Trade:

The trade of Nepal mostly depends on the neighboring countries -India and China.Major of the goods are imported from India.Goods transportation is limited by the terrain.Nepal import gold, machinery and other equipment.In Nepal although roads and modern transport are available, much of the country goods are transported by porters and pack animals.Generally this type of transport is used where landslides and flooding is more.Not only imports ,but Nepal is also famous for exports of goods like carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute, and grain.Apart from these, Nepal is famous for tourism which is another primary export.

Nepal trade with the neighboring countries

Medicine and health care:

Nepal suffers from malnutrition, infant mortality,respiratory and intestinal diseases.In Nepal, average expectation of life span is fifty seven years.Being very poor , unhygienic and lack of health care, the hospitals are available only in urban areas.But these hospitals are also poorly equipped and unhygienic.Few medicines are also not available in rural areas.There are few western hospitals, but the poor cannot afford them because of high costs.People still believe in religious practitioners and they approach them if they have any health problems.Hence, few people look at Ayurvedic medicines.As they think that illness is caused due to the imbalance of body hormones, they try to balance them using proper diet.Recently malaria is eradicated in Nepal.So at present, health development is concentrated on immunization, birth control, and basic medical care.

Health care services in Nepal

September 9, 2014
Pocket-friendly Food!

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

You go to Blue Sky Café.

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

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

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

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

Chilly Pork

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

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

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

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

Mutton Breast Cutlet

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

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

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

Directions:

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

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

Devilled Eggs

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

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

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

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

July 30, 2014
4 things that make Gol Gappe the best

Gol gappe belong to the Indian family of street food which is found in almost every corner of a city. Gol gappe, which is the plural of gol gappa, are fried, hollow puris that are stuffed with boiled chick peas and potatoes and toppeed with some tamarind chutney and filled with flavoured water that has generous concentration of mint and some spices. Gol gappe are best had at a roadside vendor. Now, if you are going to lecture us on hygiene and health, let me just say, take a chill pill! Life is all about relaxation and enjoyment. We all definitely have eaten weirdest things on the earth which were not even edible, when we were little babies. Did we die? No, I do not think so. And come on, won’t it be a matter of pride to have “died of eating gol gappe” on your tombstone? Jokes apart, there are a great number of reasons that you should be aware of to put off that (facade of) hesitation that has gripped you. In this list, we have tried to point out some of these reasons why you should absolutely go and have a gol gappa, right away!

1. The Taste

Gol gappe have a crunchy texture to them. The hollow, fried balls are crispy and gel completely in fabulous way with the gooey filling inside. The flavoured water, fondly and simply called “pani”, takes the flavour of gol gappe to an entirely different level. The pani has a spicy and refreshing touch to it, which makes it a delight to have in any weather. Talking about the weather, it is monsoon presently and having a mouth full of gol gappa and rain drops on face is just the dream and beats almost everything in the world. It is said that little things do wonders and the humble chutney that goes into the preparation of a gol gappa defines the same, like a boss. The tangy taste of the chutney blends smoothly with the pani, adding an element of sweet to the spicy, making the gol gappa a snack to die for.

2. The Price

In today’s world, when the prices for a meagre cellular phone have crossed over fifty grands, we know that we are in a soup, a financial soup. We are living in an age where living by the budget is more important than living by the holy scripture. Inflation has been on an ever increasing rise since almost forever, so it seems now. It only makes sense to know of a great food item that does not burn a hole in your pocket and is as cheap as meagre Rs. 20! Having something to eat at such low cost is surely a great booster. the brilliant taste that one gets at such brilliant price advocates having gol gappe to a great extent. it is an awesome street food option and one of the very few ones which have stuck to the notion of being street food with respect to cost factor.

3. The Fun

The ideal and traditional way in which a plate of gol gappe is had is one where the gol gappa chef hands over a single piece to the customer, at a time and waits patiently until he/she finishes his/her huge bite. This old school way of having gol gappe cannot be matched by anything else. In addition to this, there are some more fun elements attached to eating a gol gappa and that is the way it is supposed to be had. You have to take it in, in one single go. Do not even think about taking half a gol gappa in one bite and the ither half in another. This is just as absurd as it could get and no to pleasing to watch, too. Gol gappe are of two varieties, one is made up of sooji and the other one is made up of atta. One reaches the zenith of fun while having a gol gappa that is made of atta because of the huge size that it has. Having an atta gol gappa in one go is a feat that everyone wants to accomplish and with a little bit of practice, can be, too.

4. The Perks

When you were a kid, you must have gone all crazy about the tazos that you could get with a packet of Lay’s chips. Now, when you are a grown up, you must be going crazy about the 30% extra discount that you get at your favourite showroom because of the platinum card that you possess. In both of these situations, the fact remains that we all like having something extra. Having perks alonside the main product/service is a privilege that everybody loves. Now, when you are eating a gol gappa, you have the perks of asking for some more pani because you know that it is never enough. Its spicy flavour would make you sweat like a pig but who cares! Why? Because another perk comes to your rescue in that situation. It is the privilege of asking for an extra papdi from the vendor and he happily gives it away. Try doing something like that at your high-end restaurant and you will be given the stare of your life. So, gol gappe come with some sweet, little perks that you must enjoy. After all, little things make you feel special in a way that is really sweet.

So, what are you waiting for? Go, ask that bhaiya to give you a full plate of gol gappe and rejoice!

July 30, 2014
Fascinating Food Facts!

C’mmon! You all Foodies. You love food, I love food, We love food, All love food. But do you know the superawesome, amazing, unbelievably true random facts about food. Some of you may be say Yes, while others aren’t so aware. But here’s some bizzare facts about the food you swallow, that tickles your tastebuds, satisfy your cravings and love you back. In the world of food, some are healthy, while others are junk food. But Food is food and we eat it with all our consciousness and sometimes sentiments too.

Well, If you’re also excited like me to know about the 3Fs (Fascinating food facts), not so common, surprising and curiosity evoking, here’s some I have rounded up. Go on, read these startling facts and amaze yourself. Or whip out a few at your next party and you might even impress your friends; how much you know about food and nutrition;

A can of coke has more sugar than you’re supposed to have in your whole day. When you drink one can of Coca-Cola, you are consuming 65grams of sugar. Though it is refreshing and delicious to drink, it doesn’t do much good to you and your health.

Green tea is an elixir, No? But do you know, Adding citrus juice (lemon drops) to green tea stabilizes its ‘catechin’ content, boosting the level of antioxidants that survive the digestive system upto 13-fold and become all the more healthy drink.

I’m lovin it! Remember it? The McDonald’s. This multi national food joint has outlets all over the world. But Americans love it most of all and If you don’t know this fact that 1 in every 8 Americans has been employed by McDonald’s.

Now, something really interesting. Note it. Neither Strawberries, Raspberries or Blackberries are actually berries. While Bananas, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and avocadoes are all berries.

People love that diary white milk and most consume for the supplement called Vitamin D. But here’s this fact saying that Oysters provide 4 times more Vitamin D than skim milk.

You love chocolate? And you love Caramel in it? But do you know that Caramel was first invented for Waxing those unwanted bodily hair. It was originally used as that in Arabic countries until some bright spark realized it would also make a delicious dessert.

Saffron? Wow, gives lovely colour. Well, do you know that saffron is ridiculously expensive to buy and use in culinary activities, but yet super easy to grow. This is because it takes 200 crocus flowers to produce 1 gram of saffron. However, you can grow it straight into your garden and cut the middlemen. For that, you just need a few seeds, a sunny corner of your garden and a little patience while they grow.

Do you also feel that gluten free products are more healthier and do you use them often? Then maybe you have experienced it too. As On Average, Gluten-free food products are 242% more expensive than regular food products.

Love Coffee? Here’s a study by NEJM 2012, which found out that drinking upto 6 cups of coffee per day can reduce all cause mortality by 10% in men and 15% in women. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Cinnamon; quite flavorful and nice herb for sweet or salty dishes. And you know, Cinnamon is a potent antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of blood clots, controls blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity and thus as a result prevent gain of weight and diabetes. Wonderful !

Like this green fruit called Kiwi? Rich in Vitamin C, this fruit was called as Chinese gooseberry but marketers didn’t like the name so they renamed the fruit “Kiwi” after a bird that it resembles.

Oregano, a spicy herb inducing the taste on pizzas an pastas. A very common ingredient in Mexican and Italian cuisine is derived from the leaves of the herb. The fact regarding Oregano is that it has very high antioxidant content, even higher than that of blueberries. Its antioxidant activity is 20 times higher than that of any other herb. Oregano has 4 times the antioxidant activity of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times that of apples. So, Keep lovin’ it.

Popcorns are perfect for movietime. But be little cautious. They are healthy because of corn but Microwave Popcorn gives off a toxic, lung-damaging gas when cooked. But 1 cup of air-popped popcorns contains more antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, than the average fruit or vegetables. So, Pop the popcorns but not in microwave.

Peaches are too good. For the skin, as a taste, for body and many more benefits. But do you know even the seed is useful. The seed inside a peach contains an almond-like nut which holds a potent anti-cancer medicine called laetrile and reasearches have suggested that this induces programmed cell death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Well, peaches are awesome.

Are you nuts about nuts? Well, that’s good. Because Pecans and walnuts have more antioxidants than strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cranberries. So, keep munching them.

Woahh! These were some Amazingly awesome facts about food we all eat in our everyday life. Still don’t know them. The stuff you swallow has some facts attached and now, you know them.

Enjoy Food. Enjoy facts.

July 30, 2014
Sankalp: The Home of Delicious South Indian Cuisines

Today we have so many South Indian food serving restaurants in different parts of the country, but none is more popular than Sankalp. The success story of this Indian restaurant is really incredible. The style and broad range of dishes present in the menu of this restaurant is nonpareil. One of the main reasons of their popularity is the presence of the innovative food items in their menu. The experts call this restaurant chain as the perfect combination of the western and the south culture. This first restaurant of this amazing Indian restaurant chain was opened in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in the year 1981 under the reigns of the veteran businessman Mr. Kailash Goenka. He had a dream to spread the delicious South Indian cuisine to every corner of the country and after about 33 years since its first flagship restaurant was opened one can proudly say that Sankalp is one of the India’s best restaurants. They have the vision not to compromise on the quality, service and the hygiene while continuing to satisfy the customers with delicious foods.

Currently there are more than 110 restaurants under this group spread over each and every corner of the country. Its popularity can be determined by the fact that this group has also opened its franchise in other countries such as Australia, United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and United Arab Emirates. They further have plans for their expansion. Under the flags of the Sankalp Group other than the Sankalp restaurant which offers the south Indian cuisines, they also have Saffron restaurant which offers North Indian food items prepared in the Gujarati style. The foods served in the Saffron restaurant are simply amazing as they have a completely different taste and are very much innovative. Moreover, the Sam’s Pizza outlet which specializes in offering delicious salads, pizzas, breads and soups is also the part of this Sankalp group. With the Sam’s Pizza this group has tried to enter into the world of western food culture and here too they have managed to build a satisfied customer base. The latest initiative of this group is Sankalp Xpress, a fast food restaurant which specializes in Indian-Western fusion foods.

The immense success of Sankalp south Indian food serving restaurant chain is only because of their commitment, dedications and the high quality of food which is served here. They believe that the satisfaction of the customer is the top notch priority. One can be sure of experiencing a wonderful dining experience once they enter into the premises of Sankalp restaurant and this has helped them to build very strong consumer bases who visit this restaurant regularly. Sankalp is among the few Indian restaurants who have managed to inculcate the much desired loyalty among the food lovers. A person always returns satisfied with the food and the service provided in this restaurant. One of the best times for visiting the Sankalp restaurant is during various South Indian food festivals which are celebrated here.

The USP of this restaurant is the ambience and the service provided to the customer. You will feel as if you have entered into the South Indian states and will be treated royally according to their cultures and traditions. The foods will be served to you in a royal manner and you will surely be delighted with the experience. The culinary preparation of this restaurant is truly authentic. Some of the most famous dishes of this restaurant are Kura Mura Dosa, Rava Dosa, Idli, Telangana Dosa, Kaikari Biryani, Three Barrel Dosa, Iddiaappam, Cheese Uttampam, Spring Dosa and many more. All these food items are delicious and exquisite. You will surely have craving for them in future.The interior of the Sankalp restaurants is well designed which gives you the perfect ambience. Further, the waiters are well dressed and are always ready to help you in selecting the best dish as per your choice. The service in each of the Sankalp restaurant is top notch and impeccable. It makes you visit this place again. This makes Sankalp a top rated place for the south Indian food and so each time people are craving for such food items, Sankalp is the first name which pops up in their mind.

The chutneys and Sāmbhar prepared in the Sankalp restaurant have amazing taste. They are prepared with so much perfection that people love them. If you are not much of a fan of the South Indians cuisines, then you must pay a visit to this restaurant and I assure you that the tempting foods served here will surely change your opinion. For a family outing, Sankalp is the best place to visit. The Sankalp restaurant got its name registered in the Guinness Book of World Records twice for preparing the world longest Dosa. I guess this is enough for you to get impressed by the dedication of this restaurant towards the South Indian food. Once you finish your meal, you will be served with Meetha pan which surely makes your visit even more pleasing and rewarding.

July 30, 2014
The So Called Heart Healthy Food Which Can Actually Clog Your Arteries!

You must have been often recommended by your doctors or elder to eat those food items which offer essential nutrients and minerals required by the human body as it helps in proper growth and development. And in order to follow those advices you often go for those food items which have healthy tag on them. You choose food items which are processed or chose oils which have the healthy tag on them. This is one of the marketing strategies of the companies manufacturing these food items so that they can attract innocent people towards their products and make some easy money. You as a health couscous personally believe that those food items are actually good for your health. But the reality is somewhat very much different from what is presented in front of you. There are several food items which you believe are healthy for your body, but generally they harm your body. We are hereby mentioning some of those food items which are not at all good for you and their side effects can eventually clog the arteries present inside your body. You should immediately stop eating these food items so that live longer and stay protected.

Healthy Breakfast Cereals: Currently there are endless brands in the market which offers the breakfast cereals. The way they are presented in front of us is quite surprising. If you are not aware of the consequences of these cereals, then you may easily get into its trap. A normal person who does not know about it believes that these cereals are extremely beneficial and provides the essential minerals required by the body. In reality, these breakfast cereals are one of the highly processed food items which have a very large amount of refined grains. Further the amount of the sugar present in them is also high. The manufacturers attract people by mentioning the “whole grain” tag. But what really happens is that these whole grains are first pulverized to form the fine flour, which has the similar effects on your blood sugar level as a refined food does. It also affects the metabolism processes inside the human body. These manufacturers add several other ingredients so that the actual quantity of the sugar added to these breakfast cereals can be kept a secret. What is more surprising is the fact that these breakfast cereals are marketed as a healthy food for the children. Parents believe that these food items will help their child with proper growth and their child will be protected against the diseases.

Low Fat Dairy Products: Now again low fat dairy products are the ones which are in so much demand now a day. Since the dairy products have a rich amount of saturated fats in them, people go for lower fat dairy products, considering them best for their health. The problem is here is that it is not the saturated fats which creates a problem in your heart. The actual problem maker is the low fat food products. If you are among such people who opt for the high fat dairy products then there are more chances that you will not be affected by obesity and the heart diseases are also avoided. You are also protected against the diabetes. The dairy products are beneficial to the human body only because of the presence of the fatty components in them. If you remove these fatty components, then they are of no use. Further, in low fat dairy products there are high amounts of added sugar, which not only affect the metabolism, but also increases the risk of abdominal obesity and heart disease. Moreover the LDL cholesterol level in the body is also disturbed and affected.

Heart Healthy Whole Wheat: Go to a grocery store and you will find several different brands offering the heart healthy whole wheat. This modern version of the wheat is not healthy and they have been actually created by the scientists by altering the genes of the plants so that a new breed can be generated which can offer much more yield. The main motto of this step was to increase the yield so that the starvation can be reduced in different parts of the world. But now this is done for economic gains. So much tampering with the genes of the wheat plant is actually making them less healthy and so there are unforeseen consequences which we didn’t want in the first place. This wheat is called as the semi-dwarf wheat and is significantly low in nutrition level when compared to the older varieties. The recent studies have shown that this semi-dwarf wheat can increase the level of the cholesterol inside the human body and also increases the inflammatory markers. The acute inflammation is the major reason for the heart diseases. The LDL particle count is also high and they also have gluten in them. All these constituents are very much harmful for your heart and you can end up losing your precious life. It’s time you stop using all these mentioned food items and protect yourself so that you can live happily.

July 30, 2014
Aloo Paratha Recipe

Generally Parathas are treated as Indian breads.These Indian breads are roasted on a skillet with oil.This delicious dish is conceived previously in Punjab,later it spread to all the parts of the country and also South Asia.There are different types of Parathas.Parathas may be plain, stuffed with vegetables like potatoes, cauliflowers, peas, paneer and few are stuffed with non vegetarian like ground meat, eggs and many more.Parathas are available at any of the Indian restaurant and Dhaba’s are famous places to enjoy these Paratha recipes.In India we can find few frozen and precooked parathas in supermarkets.Most of the veggies choose to eat parathas as a meal in any part of the day.Paratha can be eaten simply with a spoon of ghee, butter.But it tastes best with pickle, thick curd, chutneys, any curry or gravies.

Spicy Aloo Paratha served with curd and pickles with butter topping

In North India most of the people like to have flat breads stuffed with spiced potatoes generally known as Aloo paratha.For the preparation of this dish patience is required.Aloo paratha is a famous dish that is so delicious and tasty.The name itself specifies that Aloo means potato.It is very easy to make it and can be served as breakfast or a snack item.The preparation of Aloo paratha is as follows.

Ingredients:

For Dough preparation:

1) Take a cup of golden temple flour

2) Take half the cup of water

3) Take half teaspoon of salt

4) Take two to three teaspoon of oil

Dough Preparation Ingredients

For Aloo stuffing:

1) Take two medium potatoes

2) Take half the teaspoon of salt

3) Take half teaspoon of garam masala

4) Take half teaspoon of cumin seeds

5) Take one fourth teaspoon of turmeric

6)Take one fourth teaspoon of red chili flakes

7)Take five sprigs of cilantro, chopped

Aloo stuffing ingredients

Preparation:

To enhance better taste, the first thing we need to consider is take right kind of flour.That kind of flour is also known as duram atta.This flour is a combination of stone ground wheat and regular flour.It is perfect for making roti’s, chapathi’s and paratha’s.Here in the below preparation process we are going to take golden temple flour.As we are having the flour we are half set.The first and the important part in the preparation of aloo paratha is dough.

Dough preparation:

Take a bowl and rinse it completely.Then clean it by using a dry cloth.Now take all the ingredients: add a cup of golden temple flour, add half the cup of water, add half teaspoon of salt, add two to three teaspoon of oil.Mix them thoroughly until it forms a soft, elastic dough.The mixture should not be sticky, but it must be smooth.To form smooth paste it must be stirred cotinuously.After the dough is prepared break it up into equal pieces and roll them to form balls.Now set them in a small bowl containing oil and cover it by using some oiled plastic wrap.Let the dough balls last for few some time.As we are making Aloo paratha we need to make potato mixture now.

Dough preparation for aloo paratha

Aloo stuffing preparation:

For the preparation of this recipe and to have delicious taste, we need to take fresh and unspoiled potatoes.Take small round potatoes and boil them for few minutes.Now peel off the covering of potatoes and chop them into small pieces.Boiling process must be done until the fork tender into potatoes.Now use a mill to mash potatoes.After mashing them, add all the ingredients and mix well.Make sure to have same amount of potatoes as that of dough balls.

Aloo stuffing in paratha preparation

Now our original preparation of parathas starts.Before making paratha rolls first heat the pan at low flame and keep the work space ready.Take a non stick pan with a wide, flat bottom and low sides as it is easy to cook and also heats up very quickly.Along with pan ready we also need to take a bowl full of flour, a cutting board or other flat surface for rolling out the dough and a small rolling pin called a Belan.

Aloo Paratha preparation:

1) Take one teaspoon of oil on a non stick pan and heat it on a medium flame.

2) Now take the dough and dip in a flour bowl until flour is attached to it on all sides.

3) After applying flour on all sides flatten it in the form of a disc.

4) Now roll it on a flat surface using a Belan to form long flat discs.

5) Take the potato stuffing that is prepared earlier and place it on the middle of flat dough.Now roll the dough a little, so that it is large enough to cover the potato ball.After that wrap a potato ball with the dough, gathering the edges together.

6) Press the edges inn to get sealed and again make it flat in the form of a disc.

7) Again dip the new flat thing in the flour bowl, so that it is attached with flour on all of its sides.

8) Take this on a flat surface and roll out the disc evenly into a circle upto a size of six inches in diameter.Make sure the dough must be as thin as possible so that we can see the spices through it.

9) Now place the stuffed dough disks on a non stick pan and heat it on medium flame.You will notice a color change to yellow.Once the paratha is cooked on one side toast it on other side.That’s it spicy tasty vegetarian paratha is ready.

Aloo paratha is ready to serve

July 30, 2014
Miraculous ALOE VERA!

Yes, Aloe Vera! That green spiky edged, gel filled plant, almost every garden of every household have is incredibly awesome. This wonder plant is put to plethora of practical uses and its application is worldwide. Like Cleopatra, who applied the middle gel to her body as part of her beauty regimen, this plant and its juice is incredible natural remedy having internal and external applications. Aloe vera is a plant that thrives in tropical areas and can work as a houseplant in warm environments. Aloe vera, being antiseptic, anti-bacterial gel is proved wonderful in treating many infections, number 1 thing for skincare and the aloe vera juice is simply superb to keep many diseases in check and maintain the healthy body. Just simply splitting the leaf downwards lengthwise and take out the gel and use it. Aloe vera alone produces six types of natural antiseptics which are able to kill bacteria, virus, funguses and scientists are carrying out researches to find out its potential for diseases like AIDS and cancer.

This health elixir can be put to versatile uses from beauty aid to health tonic and I’m enlisting the benefits of the miraculous, variety oriented aloe vera;

High content of Vitamins, Minerals, Amino acids and fatty acids: Aloe vera is rich in many vitamins like A,C,E, Vitamin B1,2,3 and Vitamin B12 and minerals like calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, selenium, copper, manganese and many others. Many studies have proven the rich composition of vitamins and mineral in aloe vera. Estimates have found there are around 18-20 amino acids and all 8 essential amino acids. It also contains an impressive range of fatty acids which are helpful in reducing symptoms of allergies and acid indigestion. Having all the goodness of essential elements, aloe vera is just unexpectedly healthy.

Adaptogen: It means that a thing that boosts the ability of the body to resist illness and adapt to external environment. It stimulates the adaptive and defensive mechansims of body. Aloe vera’s adaptogenic powers allows you an increased ability to deal with physical and emotional stress. Being adaptogen, it has gind so much popularity in health world.

Antioxidant properties: Aloe vera ia unique which is gelatinous and gives the benefit of absorbing toxins in your digestive tract and having antioxidant properties, it is helpful in proper elimination of toxins and waste from body and thus benefits the liver and helps in detoxification of body.

Great for skin: Because of its anti-healing properties, it is excellent for skin care and really popular among women. The gel part of aloe vera is really effective and provides glowing, healthy, supple skin when applied and even drinking aloe vera juice in morning can do miracles for skin. It is one of the primary compounds used in cosmetic industry. Having high water content, over 99%; it is a great way to moisturize, hydrate and rejuvenate you skin and it also increases the elasticity of skin through collagen and elastin repair. So, certainly aloe vera is best for skin maintenance.

Boost for Immune System: the aloe vera juice contains polysaccharids which stimulates macrophages (white blood cells) of your immune system that fight against viruses. Also, because of its anti-oxidant properties, aloe is an immune enhancer. As it is antipyretic, it is also used in treating fever. Thus, the compounds and nutrients present in aloe vera helps in immune boost.

Cardiovascular health maintenance: Aloe vera has potential benefits in treating heart disease and has positive effects on cardiovascular health. In a research, it was shoen that aloe vera extract injected into blood greatly enhances oxygen transportation. Also, consuming aloe vera gel regulates blood pressure, improving circulation and oxidation of blood and lowers the cholesterol. Blood sugar levels are also increased in diabetic patients.

Aloe Vera Uses:

Pamper yourself by using aloe vera as a soothing body scrub. Slice it lengthwise and and use inner sides as a body scrub in shower.

Use it as an antidote for allergic skin infections or use is as a good moisturizer in place of creams and lotions.

Treats acne and eczema.

Speed up your hair growth by massaging aloe into scalp and also use it as a conditioner for silky, smooth hair and it also reduces dandruff.

Take it orally to treat number of diseases from diabetes, asthma, inflammation, indigestion, ulcers, dental conditions, arthritis etc.

Treat burns from minor mishaps or cuts or scars and also treat insect bites, itches and prevent stretch marks. Can make foot baby soft by preparing foot mask. Treat the sunburns and soothe the skin in good way.

Aloe Vera is a miraculous plant, a health supplement and a super food. Though plant is incredibly medicinal, there are little precautions that one must take. Its okay to apply it to your skin or drink aloe vera juice 3-4 times a week. If you cant cope with taking it straight as it has strong taste, you can add it in smoothie or mix it in your green juice. But Avoid taking aloe vera internally as consuming gel orally or as aloe juice during pregnancy, menstruation or degeneration of the liver and gall bladder.

Well, be little cautious and Enjoy all the goodness and big benefits of aloe vera it has to offer and be healthy and beautiful always.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

July 27, 2014
Rico’s-Adding taste to North campus

If you are a student of the University of Delhi and that too North Campus, then you must have thanked your stars making your life worth living by blessing you with innumerable cafes in Hudson Lane. Move towards GTB Nagar metro station’s gate number 3 from Patel Chest and you will find yourself on a street that is never tired. There are people going crazy for photocpies and then, move a bit forward and voila! BYD or Big Yellow Door stares at you with watery eyes asking you to come inside and feel the epicurean heaven. However, if you move a bit more onward, you will come across the father, mother and whole family of cafes-Rico’s. This place has been sent to the students of DU by God himself. Be it the amazing ambience, the gripping books, great staff or most importantly, amazing food; you just cannot sayy no to Rico’s. You do not need a reason to fall in love with this place. You automatically will. For all the foodies and non-foodies too, Rico’s is a great option for birthday celebration and much more. If you have not been to Rico’s yet, I would highly recommend you to ditch your next meal and go, hog at this wonderful cafe. You will not be left dissatisfied. Before you go, there are a few things that you must know that you must try. Some of those things are:

1. Classic Mojito

Classic mojito is a drink that finds its origin in Cuba. Mojito is also said to be the favourite drink of the author, Ernst Hemingway. The drink is an absolute bliss and provides great soothing effect in the scorching heat of Delhi. The best part of the classic mojito that is served at Rico’s is its presentation! The huge pitcher in which it is served is bound to make any adult feel like an over-excited child from inside. The pitcher can easily serve 6-8 glasses, which makes it a great value for money drink as it costs a meagre Rs. 200. The refreshing taste of mint and lime is just what one needs after attending torturous lectures back to back in the worst summers ever possible. This drink beats all the other drinks in the menu and make it an all time favourite for most of the people.

2. Vegetarian Enchilada

The menu at Rico’s gives a brief description of vegetarian enchilada as “baked tortillas rolled around a filling and covered with chili pepper sauce”. That is sufficient to give you a clear glimpse of what an enchilada would be like. What it does not inform is the immensity of its fabulous taste and its aptness in filling one’s hungry stomach. Vegetarian enchilada is a dish that is not too heavy and not too light. It is perfect for the pangs of hunger when you are not able to identify whether you really are so hungry or not. The filling is rich and tempting. The baked cheese over it just makes it all the more interesting and delicious in flavour. It has a perfect blend of crisp and gooey, which speaks volumes about the chef(s) at Rico’s. For those who feel that vegetarian food is just about fruits and leaves, this is a response that totally is in-the-face!

3. Nachos Grande

Nachos are chips that are made out of corn. Nachos Grande is a dish that has nachos which are loaded with various dips and sauces like salsa, sour cream, mustard and hummus. These sauces double, tripple or in fact, quadruple the already amzing taste of nachos. That feeling that you get when you dig into that dish with your fingers and have created a mess due to those lip smacking dips and sauces generously poured over the crispies, is just out of the world. Nachos Grande is a dish that serves as a brilliant side dish. You can add chicken to it for just Rs. 40 extra and make this dish from the Extra Innings section,more sinful. Nachos grande are great for munching and provide a brilliant alternative to the otherwise unhealthy fries.

4. Spicy Arrabiata Pasta

This is that variant of pasta which never gets old or boring. It is a clasic recipe that never fails. The brilliant spicy and tangy tomato based sauce, infused with garlic, gives the pasta a rich taste. The texture of the pasta at Rico’s is absolutely correct, not too gooey, not too hard. The consistency of the sauce is one that you would rarely find in most of the cafes. The spice is never over done and is thus, a great option even for those who cannot handle their chili. Spicy arrabiata pasta tastes brilliant when had with a glass of chilled, classic mojito. The sweetness of mojito and tangy flavour of pasta gel up in an awesome way, making the foodie inside you crave for more and more.

July 27, 2014