Why you need to eat almonds..

Almonds contains:

1. Monounsaturated fats that help reduce the risk of heart disease
2. Protein to provide sustained energy
3. Calcium for strong and healthy bones
4. Magnesium, which promotes normal blood pressure and healthy metabolism.

So have plenty of unsalted or low-salted almonds with your salad, on yogurt or simply by itself. Just put a few of them in water and after 1-2 hr, eat the softer version of it and have fun.

Pineapple Chicken

Here is another interesting and unusual recipe for those who loves both fruits and chicken

Ingredients: 6-8 boneless chicken pieces, 2 medium sized grated onions, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon dry chilie paste, half-teaspoon black pepper dust, salt, One medium sized coconut's milk and half cup pineapple pieces.

Method: Take a karai (thick bottomed bowl), add ghee to it and fry onion. When the onion becomes brown, add remaining spices and keep frying. Now add chicken pieces and after a while add the coconut milk. Add salt and turn the flame to low. After 10-15 minutes, when the chicken becomes tender, add piceapple pieces and put the flame off. Keep for while with a cover. Serve with steamed rice.

Blog about having Fun!!

While surfing internet, I found a blog funtasticlinks.blogspot.com which is not about any particular topic It would bring you to different blogs where you will get some informations, some useful tools and also some fun along with your whole family. So do not hesitate to follow this blog. The full url of this blog is : http://funtasticlinks.blogspot.com

A healthy Kitchen must contains...

Dr. Andrew Weil's prescriptions...

A healthy kitchen promotes variety, especially when it comes to vegetables. For optimum health, keep your pantry stocked with produce that covers the whole spectrum of colors, including the following:
Onions: This classic, pungent vegetable adds flavor to any meal. Allicin, a phytonutrient found in most varieties of onions, may be responsible for its health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
Garlic: This fragrant bulb contains many of the same phytonutrients as onions, as well as antibiotic and antiviral compounds. It may help boost the immune system, prevent colds, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and fight fungal or yeast infections.
Spinach: This dark leafy green (and others like it, such as kale and collards) contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidant carotenoids that may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Spinach is also a source of calcium and folate, a B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects. Buy organic spinach, since pesticides are commonly used on conventionally grown varieties.
Cabbage: This low-cost yet highly nutritious cruciferous vegetable contains nutrients called indoles, which may protect against both breast and prostate cancer. It also provides significant amounts of fiber and vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes: Rich in beta carotene, these vegetables may help boost the immune system, deliver vitamin C and folate (which may reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent certain birth defects), and are low on the glycemic index and glycemic load charts.

Indian Masalas (ingredients) and their English counterparts

Here are some Indian ingredients which are necessary in any Indian cooking along with their English appropriates. I think while writing any recipes, it is necessary to let all of you know about it. I am writing here only a few of some must needed terms. Hope to post more in my next attempts.
Basmati -> Long Grained Rice
Paneer -> Cottage Cheese
Garam Masala -> Mixture of Black Pepper, Cloves and Cardamoms used wither whole or powdered
Ghee -> Clarified butter
Jaiphal -> Nutmeg
Javatri, Jaitri -> Mace
Kesar -> Safforn
Kishmish -> Raisins
I will post more tomorrow.

Rice Pudding!

It is a delicious sweet dish from India, especially from West Bengal. We called it 'Payas' or 'Payasam'.
Ingredients: 1 ltr milk, 1 fistfull and a little of Gobindabhog Atap (scented rice), bay leaf, raisins and sugar (as required).
First boiled the milk on low flame with 2 bayleaves for a while. Add washed rice into it and keep boiling until the rice get soft. Now add sugar and keep boling. Remember that, after adding sugar, the rice would not get soft any more, so before adding sugar just make sure that the rice is done enough. When the milk and rice get thickened, add raisins and move from the flame. Let it cool and serve with chopped cashew nuts over it.

For Osteoporosis

What Dr. Weil is prescribing:

Changing your diet can be an effective, gentle, inexpensive - and even delicious - way to prevent, relieve or even reverse a wide variety of conditions. If you are at risk for or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, consider adding these calcium-rich foods to your diet:
1. Low-fat or non-fat dairy products
2. Canned or fresh sardines and salmon
3. Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens.
4. Calcium-fortified juices and soy milk
5. Black-eyed peas
6. Blackstrap molasses
7. Poppy seeds and sesame seeds
8. Almonds
9. Figs

With Watermelon!!

I learnt this recipe from a TV show and want to share with you before it fades out from memory.

Mix some de-seeded watermelon pulp with grated cottage-cheese (paneer, what we called it in India) . Put a thick-bottomed pan on low flame, put some ghee (butter) into it, when hot, add that mixture and stir a little. Add some sugar to it. When two mixes well, put off the flame and let it cool. Decorate it with some fozen watermelon (deseeded) scoop and serve it, either to your friend or to yourself!.

Watermelon for men’s health?

A summertime favorite, watermelon is more than just a refreshing afternoon snack. Besides being a low-calorie, antioxidant-rich treat, watermelon has plenty of healthy nutrients, including vitamins C, A, B6 and B1. It is also a good source of the carotenoid lycopene, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of prostate and other cancers. Add this colorful fruit to your summer menu for a healthy way to cool off - perfect for any hot day.

Mutton Biriyani

Though this food is not originated in Bengal, it is one of the most favourite foods of this part of India. It is considered as one of the most popular street foods also. I am giving here the recepi of a famous restaurent from the suburb of Kolkata.

It is for 10 people.

Ingredients: 1 kg Basmati rice, 2 kg mutton, 1 kg potato (each one divided in large pieces), 500 ltr milk, 250 gm pure ghee, 100 gm green cardamom, 40 gm Jayitri (Mace), 20 gm cinnamon, 5-6 cloves, a pinch of Jafran, 2 tsp full keora essence, 1 large onion, ginger-garlic paste as required, salt, red chilli powder.
Process: Boil mutton in water for half of an hour and separate the mutton from the juice and keep it. Boil the potatoes with salt and chilli powder. Boil the rice in water and keep aside when half done, spread it on a flat place for cooling.
Mix all the spices, mutton juice and milk together. Take a thick bottomed large utensil (pan). Add potatoes, half done rice, and mutton in that juice and milk mixture. Add ghee. Spread Keora essence and jafran at the top of the mixture. Now place the bowl on the oven, keep it there for 15 minutes when the flame is high. Then turn the flame to a minimum position and keep the pan for another 10 minutes.

Now your mutton Biriyani is ready to eat.

You can add/alter anything to this recipe to make the biriyani more yummy!!!

After a long time I am now here again to post something new and interesting.

I would like to let you know that I, myself is not so good in cooking, but my mom and monther-in-law are really very good at this culinary skill and some of my relatives also know some good cooking from yesteryear. I will let you know all of those, and they are not only from Bengal or India, I will try my best to introduce you to some of the best recepies of the world.

I wouldn't follow any rule while posting my recepies, i.e., they shouldn't follow any particular category. I would also like to post some health related problems, what to eat, how to eat and also some kitchen tips.

So bear with me.

I am requesting you all to participate in my discussion and also to post some interesting recepies from your place.