3 Foods to Avoid if You Want to Look Young

SHP :27 Oct 2013

Want to keep your complexion smooth and youthful?

 Take a look at your plate.

 What you leave off of your plate is sometimes just as important as the food you’re putting on your plate when it comes to nutrients that can affect your complexion.

Put your best face forward (and improve your health) by keeping these to a minimum (remember that classic motto... moderation):

Sugar—Sweets and refined carbs raise glucose levels, which increases advanced glycation end products, which in turn interferes with the repair of collagen and elastin, a protein that allows skin to retain its shape.

Saturated Fat—Not all saturated fatty acids are created equal (see coconut oil), but experts say that eating a lot of saturated fat coming from marbled meats and full-fat dairy products can induce skin-aging inflammation.

Alcohol—With the exception of resveratrol-delivering red wine, alcohol can take a toll on your skin. It dries out skin and when metabolized in the liver, it creates skin’s enemy: free radicals.

Ginger versus turmeric

TOI:Trina Remedios, Health Me Up | Oct 26, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

In Ayurveda, ginger and turmeric or haldi are key ingredients for treating several ailments. 

We take a deeper look at which root is better for health - ginger or turmeric?

Different vitamins in ginger:
Ginger is rich in magnesium, vitamin B 6 and vitamin C. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc and iron in small amounts.

Benefits of ginger:
Improves digestion of food
Improves absorption of nutrients
Cures colds - throat and nose congestion
Reduces nausea
Reduces flatulence
Reduces abdominal cramps
Reduces inflammation and joint pain
Ginger reduces hypo pigmented patches on your skin.

Remedies with ginger:

- One can eat thin slices of ginger in a salt and limejuice mixture before and after meals to improve appetite and digestion.
- It can be used in cooking as a fresh spice to enhance the taste.
- Therapeutically ginger juice is mixed with basil leaves juice and honey to cure coughs and colds.

Different vitamins in turmeric:
Tumeric or haldi is a powerhouse of iron, potassium and vitamin B6. Magnesium, vitamin C and calcium can also be found in turmeric.

Benefits of turmeric:

Reduces infection
Improves circulation
Improves digestion
Heals wounds
Enhances the skin
Boosts immunity
Liver detox
Improves cholesterol levels
Fights free radicals
Improves anaemia
Fights colds and the build-up of mucus
Relief from joint pains and inflammation

Remedies with turmeric:

- Turmeric anti-aging face pack
- Milk and turmeric helps fight colds and builds immunity
- Turmeric is one of the key ingredients of Indian cooking, especially in curries, which makes it an integral part of our lives.

How to make…Elumichai rasam

Charanya Anand :The Hindu :24 Oct 2013

A rasam with zing

Lemon rasam is made not with the usual tomatoes but with lemons. 

This tangy broth tastes best with hot rice.

What you need

Lemon -1

Split green gram - 1 tbsp

Tomato - 1

Green chilli - 1

Salt

Turmeric powder

Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – for seasoning

Cooking instructions

Boil the gram with turmeric powder and asafoetida.

In a vessel, add water, tomato, chilli, sambar powder and salt. Add water and allow it to boil till it reduces to 1/4th the original quantity.

Add the boiled gram. Allow to boil.

Squeeze the lemon juice.

Garnish with coriander.

Season mustard seeds in gingelly oil and add to the rasam.

Charanya Anand is a homemaker 

who is passionate about cooking and loves trying out new dishes.

Coimbatore college canteens katha

Parshathy. J. Nath :The Hindu ;25 Oct 2013

These student-haunts are bristling with energy, ideas and of course great food writes, Parshathy. J. Nath of some college canteens in Coimbatore 

PSG College of Arts and Science

Location: Avanashi Road, Peelamedu

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Specials: Parotta and chilli gopi, all roast varieties

The aroma of hot dosais hits you as you enter the PSG CAS canteen. A long line of students waits respectfully for Velu Kumar, the canteen owner of Annai Aravindha Caterers, to serve them. The canteen is run by him and his brother Shanmuha. Velu who is also an alumnus of PSG CAS says how taste in food has changed since his college days. “Those days we used to be happy with meals during lunch. Students, these days, prefer tiffins, variety rice and snacks rather than meals.” Parotta and chilli gobhi is another item that sells like hot cakes here,” he says. Harshavardhani and Priyadharshini.K, third year BBM students say they love the pav bhajis. And the cold chocolate here that is so creamy and frothy. C. R.Jayaprakash, Assistant Professor in Communication and the staff co-ordinator of Eco Club says he comes to the canteen to socialise with the faculty from other departments. “Also, when our club meets, the canteen the canteen serves us hot raagi vadais and filter coffees. More than a space to eat, this is also a space for students to unwind and relax.”

PSG College of Technology

Location: Avanashi Road, Peelamedu

Time: 8 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Specials: Rasam, paniyarams and kothamalli biryani

Rasam, sambar, mor kozhumbu…ah! It is lunch time at PSG College of Technology and there is literally no place to stand. The place mills with teaching and non-teaching staff and students. While teachers sit down and eat near the buffet section, the students prefer to stand and relish their meals. “Apart from regular meals there is also a variety of rice dishes here,” says Suresh Kumar, the HOD of the English Department who also manages the canteen. The breakfast items include popular South Indian tiffin varieties here. Idlis cost Rs. 5 and uzhunnu vadais are priced at Rs.8. The kitchen is fully mechanised. The dishes are prepared through steam cooking. Solar panels are also used. The vegetable waste from the kitchen is dumped into the bio gas plant, here.

“The best thing about having lunch here is it is clean,” says V. Mohan Sivakumar, a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering Department. In the evenings there are the snacks such as paniyarams, veg burgers, cutlets and sandwiches. “Master, one cup of hot coffee!” cries out a student, who enters the canteen after her late afternoon class. Mani anna, who is also known as the “tea master”, whips up a hot steaming cuppa for the haggard student, who responds with a smile of gratitude. Mani anna has been serving coffee and tea for the students of the college for the past 15 years. “It feels like my home here. When they come with their parents they introduce me to them.” Crispy vadais, vazhakkai bajjis and cutlets are a fitting accompaniment to that strong evening tea.

Kumaraguru College of Technology

Location: Chinnavedampatti

Time: from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Specials: Mushroom biriyani and Veg Biryani

Last September, a group of 40 students of Kumaraguru College of Technology launched a canteen of their own. They shelled out Rs. 5000 each and named it Namma Café as they wanted it to be a space catering to the students. The canteen offers yummy mushroom and vegetable biriyanis, sandwiches, milk shakes and juices.

There are also 10 dosa varieties. The dosas here are priced between Rs. 15 and Rs.30. There is also chaat available in the evening. “We have coordinated with the nearby restaurants and hired cooks and employees,” says Janagavishnu, a student.

And visitors to the canteen also include past student members such as Lokesh Naveen. “I still remember the days when while writing exams, I would get message alerts saying, the canteen has run out of milk and there is no one here to serve the students”, he says. “We survived those initial hiccups. Now, we are more confident.”

Hindusthan College of Arts and Science

Location: Near Nava India, Avanashi Road

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Specials: Kothu parotta, chicken biriyani

Many a film script and documentary idea has come up in this canteen along with the steaming vadai and filter coffee. The Hindusthan College Canteen is a popular adda for many visual communication students in the college. Says Adharsh Nair, a student, “We sit here and have endless debates on our short film and documentary projects. We have even shot a few short films in the canteen.” His favourite here is the biriyani.

“There is chicken and vegetable biryani. And they cost just Rs. 25. ” At the counter is A. Murugavel, who has been serving food to the students for the past 15 years in the college.

“Both teachers and students frequent this canteen. The students spend long hours at completing their assignments. Many love to have our chilli gobhi when they work,” he says. The menu is never fixed, he says. “Some of the dishes such as ghee rice and chicken biriyani have been introduced on demand. Their egg bondas, costing Rs. 5, are popular. By evening, the smell of spicy chaat, bhelpuri and panipuri, wafts in the air. The college also has a snacks corner, in another part of the campus where students go for cool fresh fruit juice, biscuits, samosas and egg puffs.

Eating out: Raintree at Taj Connemara ,Chennai

Shonali Muthalaly : The Hindu :26 Oct 2013

For the past 25 years, Raintree at Taj Connemara has been experimenting with Chettinad cuisine without straying from its core taste

Another Chettinad meal. Meh. Let’s be honest. You need to be in a certain zone to enjoy this style of food: a meat-heavy cacophony of spices, amplified by lashings of chilli powder.

On the bright side, our reservations are at the mother ship — so to speak. About 25 years ago, Taj Connemara opened the city’s first serious Chettinad restaurant, expanding the Chennai culinary stereotype beyond idli-dosa-pongal. (Though over the past two decades, another stereotype was born — idli-dosa-pongal-mutton chukka-prawnvaruval-pepper chicken.)

The old Raintree celebrated traditional Chettinad cooking with outdoor dining, loud music and folk artistes. A bit over the top for mid-week dining to be honest, so I’m relieved when I hear they’re resigned into a ‘contemporary’ space. We enter through a dramatic walkway lined with century-old carved stone pillars. For everyone under 30, I suppose the best description is — it looks like a scene from Temple Run. There’s the obligatory lady-frying- murukku outside, and knots of fresh jasmine inside. The standard chic indoor water body set against old-fashioned murals. Table vadams and chutney trolleys.

But then there are also charming coconut wood floors, exaggerated windows that open up the restaurant and jasmine martinis. Yes. Jasmine martinis. The Raintree’s new line of cocktails is the first of a string of welcome surprises. Fresh ingredients combined with skilful blending result in flavours that are subtle, refreshing and unique. We try karuvepillai martini, a fragrant muddle of vodka and curry leaves. And Raintree mace twist, with an unexpected hint of paan, despite the mace, gin and apple juice.

Under Chef Chandrassekaran the menu makes an attempt to go beyond clichés. So while popular Chettinad staples are available — and they should be since they’ve grown to define the cuisine — he doesn’t limit himself to hearty meats, loud spices and fistfuls of chilli. We eat juicy tiger prawns tossed in a dozen spices, including the cuisine’s distinctive Marathi mokku and kalpasi.

The delicate vegetarian dishes are particularly appealing. Fluffy idlis green with curry leaf powder, and redolent with the scent of ghee. An almost meaty mushroom curry, steeped in spices. Okra tossed with raw mango ginger, a bowl of big bold spices. And the ubiquitous mandi — a tasty casual blend of vegetables cooked in rice water and tamarind.

There is of course plenty of meat too. We gingerly taste crisp brown lady fish thorny with bones, then bland chewy scallops followed by delectable fish curry spiked with mangoes.

Country chicken, velvety with rich marinade. And mutton pulao, gleaming with ghee and big on flavour. Finally, we wallow in the simplest of pleasures — hot rice topped with a spoon of golden ghee and grainy garlicky podi.

Other than a brilliant banana appam topped with creamy cinnamon ice-cream, the stylish new-age desserts can’t stand up to Raintree’s classic elaneer payasam.

On the whole, this is a successful reinvention. Its greatest triumph is that the team has managed to create a format offering something for everyone. Food that’s chic, light and beautifully presented for the hipsters. But also food that doesn’t stray too far away from the core of Chettinad cuisine, which should make the traditionalists happy. 

An added bonus: they offer Samayal Thali cooked by honest-to-goodness real aachis for lunch. And yes. You can order a jasmine martini with that. Raintree is at the Taj Connemara. A meal for two costs roughly Rs. 3,000. 

The Aachi Samayal lunch thali costs Rs. 800 for vegetarians and Rs. 900 for non-vegetarians.

இது ஆண்களுக்காக : ரசத்தில் எத்தனை வகையடா?

ரசம்

ச. தமிழ்ச்செல்வன் :தி இந்து :அக்டோபர் 7, 2013

தமிழர் உணவில் அற்புதமான ஒன்றாக நான் கருதுவது ரசம். நான் ராணுவத்தில் இருந்தபோது ரசம் வைக்கப்படும் நாள், ஒரு திருநாள் போலக் குதூகலம் தருவதாக இருக்கும். வட இந்திய சக வீரர்கள் அதை வாங்கி வாங்கிக் குடிப்பார்கள். நாம் அதைச் சோற்றில் ஊற்றிச் சாப்பிடுவதை வியப்பாகப் பார்ப்பார்கள்.

ரசம் என்றால், அது ஏதாவது ஒன்றின் ரசம் என்றாகிறது. ஒரு பழத்தின் ரசம், பழரசம் என்பதுபோல. ஆனால் நம்முடைய ரசம் பழமே இல்லாமல்கூட ரசம்தான். ரசத்தில் பலவகை உண்டு. புளி ரசம், மிளகு ரசம், தக்காளி ரசம், பீட்ரூட் ரசம், கொத்தமல்லி ரசம் போலப் பல வகைகள் உண்டு.

சமைக்க வரும் (உணர்வுள்ள) ஆண்கள் முதலில் ரசம் வைக்கக் கற்றுக்கொண்டால் எளிதாக இருக்கும். நான் அடிக்கடி வைக்கும் ரசம், தக்காளி ரசம்தான். சீரகம் 2 கரண்டி, பூண்டு 3 பல், மல்லி விதை ஒரு கரண்டி, மிளகு ஒரு கரண்டி, பச்சை மல்லித் தழை சிறிதளவு, கறிவேப்பிலை சிறிதளவு இவற்றை அம்மியில் வைத்து ரெண்டு இழுப்பு இழுத்து ‘பத்தப் பறக்க’அரைத்து எடுத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதாவது மையாக அரைக்கக் கூடாது. அம்மியை இழந்த வாழ்வு வாழ்வோர் மிக்சியில் போட்டு ஒரு அடி அடித்த பக்குவத்தில் எடுத்துக்கொள்ளலாம். மிளகு, மல்லி விதையெல்லாம் அரைகுறையாக உடைந்திருந்தால் போதும்.

ஒரு அகலமான பாத்திரத்தில் இந்த அரைப்பை மூணு டம்ளர் தண்ணீரில் கலக்க வேண்டும். செக்கச் சிவந்து தளதளவென இருக்கும் தக்காளிப் பழம் மூன்று அல்லது நான்கு எடுத்து, இந்தக் கலவைக்குள் போட்டுக் கையால் நன்கு பிசைந்துவிட வேண்டும். அத்தோடு கொஞ்சம் பச்சை மல்லித் தழைகளைப் பிய்த்துப் போட்டுப் பிசைய வேண்டும்.போதிய அளவு உப்பு சேர்த்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். நாக்கில் விட்டுப்பார்த்து உப்பு அல்லது தக்காளி தேவையெனில் மீண்டும் சேர்த்துச் சரி செய்துகொள்ளலாம்.

இப்போது கலவை தயார். அடுப்பில் தாளிக்கிற சட்டியை வைத்து, சிறிது நல்லெண்ணெய் விட்டு, மிதமான சூட்டில் ஓரிரு நிமிடம் காய வைக்கவும். அடுப்பை அதிகமாக எரிய விட்டால் எண்ணெய் சீக்கிரம் சூடாகி, நாம் போடும் கடுகு நொடியில் கருகிவிடும்.

காய்ந்த எண்ணெயில் சிறிது கடுகு, சிறிது வெந்தயம் போட்டுப் பொரிந்தவுடன் சிறிது பெருங்காயத்தூளை விசிறி, அதன் பின் கறிவேப்பிலையையும் நாலு மிளகாய் வத்தலையும் கிள்ளிப் போட்டு, எதுவுமே கருகிவிடாமல் சிவக்க வறுத்ததும் நாம் தயாராக வைத்திருக்கும் ரசக்கலவையை இந்தத் தாளிதத்தோடு சட்டியில் ஊற்றிவிட வேண்டும். ஒரு ஐந்து நிமிடம் அடுப்பில் இருக்கட்டும். நாம் பக்கத்திலேயே நிற்க வேண்டும். ரசம் கொதித்து விடக் கூடாது. நுரை நுரையாக அது கிளம்புவதைப் பார்த்ததும் அடுப்பை அணைத்துவிட்டு ரசத்தில் அரை எலுமிச்சம்பழத்தைப் பிழிந்து, உடனே மூடி வைத்துவிட வேண்டும். உங்கள் பேர் சொல்லப் பிறந்த ரசம் இப்போது தயார்.

இதில் பீட்ரூட் அல்லது முட்டைக்கோஸ் கொஞ்சம் துருவிப்போட்டால் அது பீட்ரூட் அல்லது முட்டைக்கோஸ் ரசமாகிவிடும். மூணு டம்ளருக்குப் பதில் ரெண்டு டம்ளர் தண்ணீரும் ஒரு டம்ளர் வேக வைத்த பருப்பு நீர் சேர்த்தால் அது ஒரு தனி ருசி. தட்டைப் யறு அவித்த நீரைச் சேர்த்தால் தனி மணமும் ருசியும் இருக்கும்.

தக்காளியை முதலில் தனியாக வெந்நீரில் கொதிக்கவிட்டு, அதன் தோலை உரித்து எடுத்துவிட்டு ரசம் வைத்தால் இன்னொரு ருசி கிடைக்கும். தக்காளியை முதலில் எண்ணெயில் வதக்கிக் கொண்டு, அப்புறம் பிசைந்தால் அது ஒரு ருசி. இப்படி சின்னச்சின்ன மாற்றங்களைச் செய்து ரசத்தின் தன்மையை பல்வகைப்படுத்தலாம்.

The taste of ' foreign " vegetables

Squash and Kakrol. Photo: Vasundhara Chauhan

 Vasundhara Chauhan, :The Hindu :19 Oct 2013

The exciting taste of unfamiliar vegetables...

This morning I saw some unusual vegetables in the local sabziwala’s cart. Not broccoli and multi-coloured bell peppers, which are commonplace now. Long light green aubergines and little green hedgehogs, kakrol.

Some years ago my father drove to Coorg in his caravan and brought back all manner of seeds and saplings, including Alfonso mangoes. Not for him the common and garden Langda or Dussehri, he had to grow Hapus in Haryana. And a few months later he sent me green aubergines he had grown, whose buttery texture I tasted then for the first time and now found again at my gate. Kakrol, which looks like a small green grenade, is another vegetable I’ve only known for the last few years. I have new help, a woman from Assam, and she saw it and said Oh, bhat karela!

The first time I saw it I just found the shape intriguing and bought it, then asked around on how to cook it and plumped for thin discs sprinkled with rice flour and fried crisp in mustard oil — it smells likekarela but doesn’t taste bitter and makes a papad-like accompaniment to dal-chawal. Razia said it grows abundantly back home, on a vine supported on cane trellises. For us, it’s so exotic that a meal is elevated with its inclusion.

Another “foreign” veggie I bought recently was pale green, pear-shaped and knobbly and about the size of a small raw papaya. The sabziwala said it was “kuskus”. Any normal person would have turned away, come back in and eaten lauki. But no, not me: I had seen it when driving past the markets of Dimapur and eaten it at the hostel I stayed in for a couple of weeks. At every meal it was served steamed, cut into long thick wedges, with rice and dal or pork stew.

So I brought it in and she said Oh, isskus! And said it was also grown back home and cooked as one doeslauki. I remembered that in Nagaland they called it squash. I cut myself a thin wedge and ate it, washed but raw. It was sweet and bursting with juice. So we made it Dimapur-hostel style and never before have I eaten such a refreshing, juicy vegetable, and certainly not from the Cucurbit family. Just steamed, without benefit of spices — not even salt — its green got intensified and the texture remained delightfully crisp and succulent.

I mentioned it to friends who were clueless, but made intelligent faces when I said “squash”. To the girl from Bongaigon, though, it was totally familiar but very exciting because it was from home.

poi ;Photo: Arun K. Attri

The third uncommon vegetable I’ve eaten this month is poi. Attri, who has a luxurious, bountiful garden, has let it grow around a tree and it’s so beautiful that even if it were not useful and edible, it’s worth keeping just for its gleaming dark green leaves and the way it winds itself on the bark of his neemtree. He gave us a huge armload and the then incumbent, Roopa, who is from Bengal, leapt up with excited cries of “pui!” I thought she was just happy to see it but then discovered she had been imbibing of the master’s stock.

Anyway she was dismissed, reeling and slurring, and I had to devise my own recipe. I thought we couldn’t really ruin it — how difficult is it to cook a bhujia of green leafy vegetables — all I needed was to sauté some garlic cloves and whole red chillies in mustard oil. But I did. I managed to ruin it. The moment the chopped leaves hit the pan they released quantities of mucilaginous slime. So it was sprinkled with rice flour and cooked uncovered for a few minutes, which got rid of the slime and made it look all right.

But when we ate it we discovered that the stalks were tough and fibrous. We should have peeled the thicker ones, which I should have known as a good Punjabi with sarson ka saag in my veins. Instead of which we had just chopped them and now had very fine, very miniature toothpicks in every mouthful. I’m now looking for a recipe to do the vegetable justice, from someone who’s familiar with it. 

To me these vegetables are the Indian equivalent of radicchio and asparagus: they’re unfamiliar and exciting. Maybe if they grew in my backyard I wouldn’t be so awestruck or so inept.

Delicious dhoklas

PROTEIN-PACKED Dhokla

Moushmi kishore :The Hindu : 21 Oct 2013

A steamed and nutritious dish, dhokla is not difficult to make. 

Here are interesting variations

Dhokla is a savoury cake made out of Bengal gram flour and is steamed to get a fluffy texture. The dish occupies pride of place in its state of origin — Gujarat, and has become a favourite across the country.

 It’s a low-calorie, healthy and protein-packed snack. It’s cooked with little or no oil and takes very little time to prepare. 

The fermentation of the flour enhances its nutritive value.

 Dhokla has a low glycemic index which makes it good for diabetics.

 Here are a few dhokla recipes and a tasty variation on the regular one.

Dhokla

Ingredients

Bengal Gram: 2 cups

Small lemons: 2

Green chillies, chopped: 4

Peppercorns: 2 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 2 tbsp

Grated coconut: half a cup

A handful of coriander leaves

Red chillies, chopped: 5

A pinch of asafoetida powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak gram for 7-8 hours. Drain and grind the dal coarsely. Set aside for 4-5 hours for fermentation. Beat the paste with a wooden spoon. Mix salt, green chillies, asafoetida and lemon juice with the paste. The paste should be of a pouring consistency. Now grease the separator from the pressure cooker or a flat steel vessel. Pour the batter, cover and cook in the cooker for 15-20 minutes. Let the cooker cool. Take out the cooked mixture; cut it into cubes. Heat oil and put in the seasoning — mustard and red chillies. Add it to the dhokla. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut. Serve hot with green chutney.

Moong Dal and Peas Dhokla

Ingredients

Moong dal (yellow lentils): half cup

Boiled and shelled green peas: half a cup

Green chillies: 2

Ginger, grated: 1 inch

Chickpea flour: 1 tbsp

Sour curd, well beaten: 2 tbsp

Sugar: 1 tsp

Fruit salt: 1 tsp

Citric acid crystals: quarter tsp

Turmeric powder: quarter tsp

A bunch of chopped coriander leaves

Grated coconut: 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

For Tempering

Oil: 2 tsp

Mustard seeds: half tsp

Chillies slit: 3

A few curry leaves

A pinch of asafoetida powder

Method:

Wash and soak moong dal for 4-5 hours. Rinse and drain the excess water. Grind soaked moong dal with one-third cup of peas, ginger and green chillies to a fine paste. Take this mixture into a bowl and add gram flour, the rest of the peas, beaten curd, sugar, citric acid crystals, turmeric powder, oil and salt and mix well. Add fruit salt just before steaming and mix well. The batter should be frothy. Immediately pour into a greased flat steel vessel or a dhokla container to one inch thickness. Steam for 15-20 minutes. Cool it a bit and run a knife in the edges and carefully un-mould the dhokla onto a plate. Heat oil in a small pan and put in the mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle. Add red chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and fry until the chillies turn colour and spread the seasoning over the dhokla. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut. Cut into squares or triangles of required size. Serve with peanut or coconut chutney.

Sandwich Dhokla

Ingredients

For Dhokla

Rava (semolina): 200 gm

Curd: 200 gm

Ginger, grated: 1 inch

Green chillies, finely chopped: 4

Pinch of edible soda

Salt to taste

For Tempering

Oil: 1 tbsp

Black mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Red chillies: 3

Sugar: 1 tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Water: 1 tbsp

A bunch of coriander leaves

Salt to taste

For Chutney

A handful of mint leaves

Dry red chillies, whole: 5

Garlic: 3 cloves

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Ginger, grated: 1–inch piece

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Tamarind: 1 small ball

Salt to taste

Method:

First prepare the chutney. Grind the tamarind to a fine paste in a mixer. Then add mint leaves, chillies, garlic, ginger and salt. Grind it all into a paste; then add vinegar and a little water and mix well. Keep chutney aside.

For preparing dhokla, stir the curd in the grinder. Mix semolina in the curd. There should not be any lumps. Mix grated ginger, green chillies, salt in the curd properly with a stirring spoon. Leave the mixture covered for 4-5 hours. Grease a flat plate or dhokla container. Stir the edible soda into the dhokla mixture. Spread the mixture on the plate. Steam dhokla for 20 minutes. Cool dhokla and cut with a knife. Apply mint chutney on it and cover with another layer of dhokla, which is covered with hot and sour sauce, press together a little bit, pour tempering on it and cut into square pieces. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

வாழைத்தண்டு புளிக்கறி

கவிசிவா ;சனி, அக்டோபர் 19, 2013

வாழைத்தண்டு புளிக்கறி

தேவையான பொருள்கள்:

வாழைத்தண்டு - 10 சென்டி மீட்டர் நீளமுள்ள துண்டு ஒன்று
புளி - சிறிய நெல்லிக்காய் அளவு
உப்பு - தேவையான அளவு

அரைக்க:

தேங்காய் துருவல் - அரை கப்
சின்ன வெங்காயம் - 3
மிளகு - கால் தேக்கரண்டி
மிளகாய் வற்றல் - 2 (காரத்திற்கு ஏற்ப)
மஞ்சள் தூள் - கால் தேக்கரண்டி
கறிவேப்பிலை - ஒரு இனுக்கு

தாளிக்க:

எண்ணெய் - ஒரு தேக்கரண்டி
சின்ன வெங்காயம் - 2
கடுகு - அரை தேக்கரண்டி
வெந்தயம் - கால் தேக்கரண்டி
கறிவேப்பிலை - ஒரு இனுக்கு

செய்முறை:

வாழைத்தண்டை மெல்லிய வில்லைகளாக வெட்டி மோர் கலந்த நீரில் போட்டு வைக்கவும்.

பிறகு வாழைத்தண்டை புளிக்கரைசல், உப்பு, தண்ணீர் சேர்த்து வேக வைக்கவும்.

அரைக்க கொடுத்துள்ள பொருட்களில் கறிவேப்பிலை தவிர மற்றவற்றை மையாக அரைக்கவும்.

கடைசியாக கறிவேப்பிலை சேர்த்து ஒரு சுற்று சுற்றி எடுக்கவும்.

வாழைத்தண்டு வெந்ததும், அரைத்த கலவையைச் சேர்த்து கொதிக்க விடவும். குழம்பு அதிகம் கெட்டியாக இல்லாமல் சற்று நீர்க்க இருக்க வேண்டும். உப்பு, புளி சரிபார்த்துக் கொள்ளவும்.

எண்ணெயை சூடாக்கி கடுகு, வெந்தயம் தாளித்து, பொடியாக நறுக்கிய சின்ன வெங்காயம் சேர்த்து நிறம் மாறும் வரை வதக்கி கறிவேப்பிலை சேர்த்து தாளிக்கவும்.

குழம்பு நன்றாக கொதித்து, பச்சை வாசனை போனதும் தாளித்த கலவையை சேர்த்து இறக்கவும்.

சாதத்தில் பிசைந்து சாப்பிட சுவையான வாழைத்தண்டு புளிக்கறி தயார்.


குறிப்பு: 
முருங்கைக்காய், கத்திரிக்காய், வெள்ளரிக்காய், வெள்ளை பூசணிக்காயிலும் இதே போல் செய்யலாம். இந்த காய்களில் செய்யும் போது தேங்காய் அரைக்கும் போது மிளகு மட்டும் சேர்க்க தேவையில்லை. மற்றபடி இதே முறையில் செய்தால் சுவையாக இருக்கும்.

'Almonds control appetite without increasing weight'

By Express Features - BANGALORE

 16th October 2013 09:23 AM

When hunger strikes, most of us take the easy route. Grab a bite at a cafe or buy a packet of ready to eat wafers or chocolates. These sure do solve the immediate problem. But at the end of the month, your weighing scale relates a different story. Even sweetened biscuits, which promise weight loss, are loaded with calories. Busting the myth that nuts are fattening, a new study states that 43 grams of almonds on a daily basis, improves vitamin E intake.

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that study participants consuming 43 grams of dry-roasted, lightly salted almonds every day experienced reduced hunger and improved dietary vitamin E and monounsaturated (good) fat intake without increasing body weight.

With continued rise in obesity rates and widespread nutrient shortfalls, it becomes increasingly important to identify foods that pose little risk for weight gain while providing health benefits.

How almonds benefit

Almonds are a good substitute for unhealthy fats as they fill you up because of their high fibre and protein contents.

Almonds have been shown to increase satiety in both normal weight and overweight people. This may be attributed to its monounsaturated fat (13 grams),protein (6 grams) and fibre (4 grams) content per single serving (30 grams).

Says D Suchitra, dietician at Medihope hospital, “Almonds are very rich in dietary fibres which make you feel full. So five-six almonds should be incorporated in your daily diet. If you don’t want to eat them raw, they can be added to cereals and in chutneys, you can add almonds instead of peanuts. Almond paste can be used in vegetables. It is safe for heart patients.” She adds that they are also a rich source of Vitamin E and anti oxidants and good for the skin too. Almonds also prevent cancer, especially in women.

Latest research

The newly published four-week randomised, controlled clinical study, led by researchers at Purdue University, investigated the effects of almond consumption on weight and appetite.

The study included 137 adult participants at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Participants were divided into five groups: a control group that avoided all nuts and seeds, a breakfast meal group and lunch meal group that ate 43 grams of almonds each with their daily breakfast or lunch, and a morning snack group and afternoon snack group that each consumed 43 grams of almonds between their customary meals.

All almond snacks were eaten within approximately two hours after their last meal.

Participants were not given any other dietary instruction other than to follow their usual eating patterns and physical activity.

Participant compliance to consuming almonds was monitored through self-reported dietary intake assessments and fasting vitamin E plasma levels. Despite consuming approximately 250 additional calories per day from almonds, participants did not increase the total number of calories they ate and drank over the course of the day or gain weight over the course of the four-week study.

“This research suggests that almonds may be a good snack option, especially for those concerned about weight,” says Richard Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD, professor of nutrition science at Purdue University and the study’s principal investigator.

“In this study, participants compensated for the additional calories provided by the almonds so daily energy intake did not rise. They also reported reduced hunger levels.”