Recipe> Fish Flavoured in Garlic Butter

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Fish is one of my favourite foods that I simply cannot live without. Be it baked, fried, curried or steamed, it’s an all time favourite dish.

I chanced upon this very simple and easy to make fish recipe. This is best for snacks for a cocktail party or can be served as a side dish along with your meal.

Ingredients:
4 Fish fillet (Preferably use Pomfret fish which is best suited for finger foods.)
1 tbsp White pepper powder
2 tbsp Melted butter
1 tsp Lemon juice

For the Garlic Butter:
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic

Things you need:
Microwave/ non-stick pan Wooden ladle

Method:

• If you’re using a microwave, pre-heat it for about 4 minutes in the oven and grill option. This would be at 220o or 4400 F.
• –Or- Heat a non-stick pan.
• In the meantime, marinate the fish fillet with lemon juice, salt and white pepper.
• Dip the fish fillet in melted butter and place it on the crusty plate of the microwave.
• –Or- In the non-stick pan, put a teaspoon of butter or with a food brush, grease the pan and then place the fish dipped in butter.
• If in the microwave, set it on high over the grill and oven option for about 8 minutes at 220o or 4400 F. Ensure, that you turn the fish after the first four minutes.
• –Or- Use the same 8 minutes cooking time to fry the fish, but turn it over after the first four minutes. Now comes the garlic butter – in a glass bowl melt the butter for 1 minute.
• - Or- In a separate non-stick pan, heat the butter till it melts completely. Take care not to burn it.
• Add the chopped garlic to the melted butter and heat for another 2 minutes in the microwave.
• - Or – Add the chopped garlic to the melted butter and sauté for about a minute. Make sure you don’t burn the garlic.
• Serve hot fish fillet with a teaspoon of garlic butter poured over each piece.

Travel> Karnataka> Bandipur

Image: Elephant ride at Bandipur National Park
Image by: Swami Stream's

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Bandipur
Located 215 km away from Bangalore, the Bandipur National Park is nestled between the Western Ghats and the Niligiri mountains. It is spread across 90 sq km.
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"We saw spotted deer and lots of elephants. The guides at the Bandipur National Park took us on an exciting ride through the middle of the jungle. It is great to see wildlife at such close proximity," says Bangalore-based Sumit Ghosh, a software engineer.
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One of the earliest tiger reserves to be established in India, the Bandipur National Park is one of nine tiger reserves in the country. Though it existed even in 1931 under the patronage of the Mysore maharaja, it became a full-fledged tiger reserve in the early 1970s. You might have a chance to spot elephants, gaur, wild boars, sambhars, deer, wild dogs, tiger and leopards.
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How to get there:
By road Bandipur is 215 km from Bangalore and 80 km from Mysore. The nearest railway station is Mysore.
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Where to stay:
Ideally the cheapest way to stay at Bandipur is at one of the forest department guest houses.

~ Forest Rest Houses KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation)

~ Bush Betta Holiday Wildlife (Rs 1,990)Phone: (080) 2243274, 224795

~ Tusker Trails (Rs 1700 to Rs 1,900)Phone: (0821) 636055

~ KSTDC Mayura Prakruti (Single bed: Rs 300, Double Bed: Rs 400)Phone: (08229) 7301

~ Forest Department CottagesPhone: (0821) 636043,025

~ For reservations, contact the Field Director's office: Phone: (0821) 2480901
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Website: http://wildlywise.com/banp_intro.htm

Published in Rediff.com, on January 27, 2007
Link: http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/jan/24slid2.htm

Fashion Accessories> Footwear: Get it right!

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Most of the time, shoe styles go unnoticed. Usually, we tend to overlook the importance of wearing the correct type of footwear; we don't realise this can make or break an outfit.
Keeping this in mind, we list footwear etiquette that protect you from common fashion bloopers.

Slippers
"The primary reason for wearing slippers is to escape the heat," says Pooja Munshi, a New York-based fashion designer. "Also, they lend a casual air."

To carry off the casual look without looking frumpy try out the following tips:

~ Slippers with a slight platform heels work well for short women.

~ Open-toe and strappy slippers are in while bulky looking slippers, with broad or block soles are out.

~ Havaianas or Hawai as they are popularly known (a Brazilian brand available in funky designs and colours) slippers from Bata are a current trend for men.

~ Comfy surf slippers made of corduroy or cloth that covers your feet and heels, protecting them from the sun, dirt and dust.

Keeping it casual

Follow these tips to carry off casual footwear with elan:

~ Make sure your toes are well manicured before wearing open toe shoes.

~ Casual sneakers look great with denims.

~ Boots are very trendy right now and can often hide unshapely legs.

~ Men can choose for leather slip-ons, mojris, sneakers and moccasins.

Work it right

Clothes are not the only things that reflect your personality. Shoes do too; a scruffy pair will mark you as a sloppy dresser.

Follow these tips when choosing the right footwear for work:

~ Women, pick strappy sandals with kitten heels (one inch, slightly thick heels) for a comfortable yet classic look.

~ Men should team up their suits with a pair of sleek black and brown pair of shoes.

~ The current trend in men's footwear is gently square-toed shoes with thick sole.

~ While black and brown or tan are the main colours for men, pick shoes with a smooth leather or suede finish.

~ Nubuck leather (soft and high quality leather) and suede shoes make a lavish style statement.

Go formal

~ Heels make a woman look elegant and taller.

~ One rule of thumb: In cold weather wear closed shoes or boots with heels.

~ Men can stick to square tip shoes -- either in leather or suede. Browns, tans and black are great colours and look great with almost any outfit.

Published in Rediff.com, on May 29, 2007
Link: http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/may/29slide1.htm

Fashion> Hand Accessories

Image: Bracelets & rings
Image by: Dale Gillard

Text by: Tanya Munshi

All you want to know about hand accessories

Style need not be confined to just the clothes you wear or your hairdo. Accessories can help complete your dress -- some may even make or break an outfit. For example, a plain dress in black could look cheap or chic depending on the accessories you wear. Big gaudy earrings or a loud necklace would make an outfit look anything but chic.
Here we take a look at some of the hand accessories like watches, bangles, bracelets, bands and rings, and how to team them up with an outfit.

Watches
Rashi Barwal, a fashion designer, says women can easily mix and match their watches with their clothes and jewellery. "For college or a date, girls can wear pink straps that go well with casuals or choose from a variety of colours," she says.

~ For traditional outfits, women can wear ornamental gold or silver watches that look more like bracelets and bangles. These watches should be light.

~ For casual or party wear, women can try wearing square watches or zig zag ones with colourful dials ranging from pinks to purples.

~ For formal wear, ladies can wear off-white dials or black ones to go with their evening gowns. However, it's best to reserve white dials for ethnic wear, as it compliments traditional attire beautifully.

~ Choose gold watches with oval instead of round faces; oval is very in right now.

~ Overweight women should avoid wearing sleek or thin straps as this accentuates the chubbiness of their wrists. Thicker watches with broad straps will look better.

~ Thin women should wear sleek watches and slim watches. Sleek watches look best with saris.

Men
~ For a casual look, stick to military green or black watches for a macho look. Such watches also come with canvas straps, which help to absorb sweat."Chunky watches look good on young men who tend to wear loose jeans and t-shirts," says Barwal. Shadaab Razak, a Dubai-based fashion consultant, says these young men (usually college students) prefer leather, silver or copper straps to flashy gold or platinum bracelets. "These are usually inspired by the watches worn by action stars or models," says Razak.

~ "For formal wear, avoid wearing plastic straps and digital watches, as these are not in fashion right now. Keep digital watches for sports wear only," says Barwal. For formals, the three-dial watch known as the Chronograph is very in and goes well with casuals as well as formals.

~ Pair jackets or business suits with thick, heavy, square or round metallic watches that are not shiny. Metallic straps are available in different combinations of gold and silver or gold and platinum. Avoid leather straps. Gold or platinum watches in matte finish are the best.

~ For sports wear, watches should be thick and heavy looking (only in looks, mind you). Heavy watches are passe. Choose the watch according to the activity -- swimming, diving, parachute and sailing. There are watches for almost every sporting activity. For instance, a water resistant watch is ideal for swimming while one with a compass is used for sailing.

~ For dials, men can choose from black, white or silver. Men usually don't wear colourful dials.
~ Avoid shiny watches as they are outdated. Metallic watches should have a matte finish. "However, it's okay to wear pure gold watches to traditional weddings," says Barwal.

~ As straps for men usually come in broad sizes, there isn't much difference if he you are overweight or thin.

Bracelets
For a casual look, girls can wear plastic or beaded bracelets in natural, pastel or bright colours. Hand-woven thread bracelets as well as metallic ones that open from one side are also very fashionable. For the finish, light pearl and matte silver make definite style statements.
Girls can also wear plain gold or silver bracelets studded with semiprecious stones, which look good with traditional or party wear.

Men
~ Bracelets with silver or gold, matte finish. These are usually in the form of a chain and are a little thicker than a woman's bracelet. Check out Salman Khan's thick silver bracelet with a turquoise blue stone.

~ Gold or silver bracelets are usually seen on married men and more so in traditional events like a wedding.

Bangles
For a casual look, women can wear oval, polka dot or flower printed plastic bangles. These can come in square, heart, curvy or zig zag shapes in different colours. Make sure they are sleek. For a unique style statement wear a bunch of six bangles on only one hand. Pastel shades of bangles in wood, plastic or glass are very in right now.

~ Silver bangles, kadas and fancy looking glass bangles with transparent or frosted finish look really fashionable. You can try wearing a bunch of five or six in sleek pastel shades for a complete style statement. As for glass bangles, you can wear a thick one in oval or square.

Men
~ Except for traditional kadas made of gold, silver or copper, men don't usually wear bangles.

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Bands
Livestrong bands (yellow, white or red, with a social message -- for example, an anti-AIDS slogan -- embossed on it), or friendship bands are very popular with young people.
"You can choose accessories on the basis of colour and design -- red and black or grey and black are some of the colours available in this range. You will notice a lot of men wearing red, plastic friendship bands as well," says Barwal.

Men
~ Men tend to wear leather bands with rivets (metallic holes) or metallic buttons with leather thread stitched over them.

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Rings
Silver or oxidized (with a black finish) rings with semiprecious stones are very fashionable. Glass and and heavy stone rings are also popular with young women.

~ For parties, a heavy studded stone ring looks good. Check out the one sported by Priyanka Chopra in the movie Salaam-e-Ishq.

~ Rings with birthstones are decided by the astrologer, so you might have limited choice in deciding the stone.

~ Avoid wearing fancy glass rings or those embedded with heavy stones to work.

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Men
~ Rings for men usually are of heavy metal, wood, leather and skull shaped. These are alright for a casual look, but best avoided for formal dos or the office.

~ Married men should stick to plain, golden wedding bands. A solitaire can be added but it's best to stick to plain white or gold band. No garish designs, please!

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How to choose your accessories
Now that you know about the types of hand accessories available, it's time to find out how to choose the right one for you.

Razak offers some tips:
~ Pick your accessories from a reputed store. Insist on a guarantee card. Check the corners or joints for rust. Make sure the bangles or bracelet you buy is of good quality. The metal should not erode or rust. It should not leave any residue on your skin.

~ You need not spend a bomb on your hand accessories. You can avail of good imitation gold, silver or platinum accessories from Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and Westside. Most jewellery stores also offer a range of popular imitation hand accessories to suit your budget and style.

~ Check your wrist size. If you are plump and healthy and have thick wrists, choose something slim or shiny. Not only will it add glamour to your attire but also it won�t weigh you down, as heavy jewellery often tends to do.

~ At any given time, men should wear only one item on their wrists -- either a wrist band or a bracelet, never both.

~ Take proper care of your accessories. Avoid perfume while cleaning and always use a soft, clean flannel cloth. Silver can be left overnight in water with some detergent. Clean thoroughly with a flannel cloth the next morning. Pure gold doesn't usually need much cleaning, though you can take it to a reliable jeweller for polishing, if required.

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Published in Rediff.com, on February 27, 2007.

Link: http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/feb/27sld1.htm

Travel> Kerala> Wayanad

Image: Chemdra Peak Wayanad
Image by: Dhruvaraj

Text by: Tanya Munshi

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Wayanad
Looking for an ideal destination for hiking and trekking, Wayanad is the place to be. Famous for its home-stays, tea, coffee, rubber and spice plantations, Wayanad is a perfect weekend getaway for the adventurous spirit in you.
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About the place
Trekkers can hop on to their trail to the Chembra Peak which is around 18 kms away, the Banasura Sagar Dam near Padinharathara, which also 18 kms away, and the Meenmutty Waterfalls which is about 40 kms from Kalpetta.

Don’t miss the Pookote Lake which is an ideal picnic spot where you can also go for boat cruises in the lake. If you wish to visit some beautiful coffee plantations, then plan a trip to the Manathavady, which is about 110 kms from Calicut.

Apart from monumental temples such as the Thirunelly and Valliyurkavu Bhagawathi temples, you can also visit the bird-watching centre of Pakshippathalam. Also don’t miss the Ambukuthi Hills to see the Edakkal caves formed by natural rock-cut formations. Once in Waynad, you can make it a point to visit the famous Ananthaatha Jain Temple at Puliyarmala, which is located on the slope of the Vellarimala Hill. This temple bears testimony of the Jain population of this region of the yesteryears. It is a must visit to see the mirrors inside the temple that reflect hundreds of beautiful patterns of the temple icons.
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How to get there
Wayanad is well connected by most state run buses. In fact, Wayanad is head quartered in Kalpetta which is well linked to towns in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

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Air: The nearest airport to Wayanad is Kozhikode, Calicut - about 100 kms. You can also reach Wayanad from Cochin International Airport, which is about around 300 kms.

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Rail: The nearest railhead is at Calicut - about 110 kilometers from Wayanad.

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Hotels

http://www.hotelskerala.com/wayanad.htm

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Website
http://www.beautifulkerala.com/coco/redcarpet/wynad.php

http://www.wayanad.com/

Summer Special> Ice Creams - 5

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Ice Creams
Would you believe that the recipe for ice cream was one of the most guarded secrets by Charles I of England? It is said that he was so impressed by the frozen snow that he offered his personal ice cream maker a lifetime pension with a promise that he would keep the formula secret.

Ice creams are frozen desserts made from dairy products, like milk and cream that are blended with flavourings and sweeteners, which is then mixed slowly while cooling to prevent large ice crystals from forming. This eventually leads to a smooth ice cream consistency.

It is said that in 1953, when the Italian duchess Catherine de' Medici married the duc d’Orléans, she had brought her Italian chefs along with her, who knew the recipes for flavoured ices or sorbets and introduced them in France.

Before the invention of refrigeration, ice cream was a luxury that was especially reserved for special events. In fact, the entire process of preparing ice creams was quite toilsome. The ice would be cut from the lakes and ponds during winter and stored in large batches, in underground pits, or in ice houses that were wooden rooms, insulated by straw.

Several farmers and plantation owners, including U.S. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, cut and stored ice in the winter to be used in summers. Frederic Tudor of Boston converted ice harvesting and shipping into a big business, where he cut ice in New England and shipped it all over the globe.

Surabhi Goyal, a teacher at a kindergarten school who regularly conducts ice-cream making classes, shares a delightful ice cream recipe and a badam kulfi recipe.

Basic Ice Cream
Ingredients
Fresh un-boiled milk – 450 ml
Sugar – 8 tsp or 210 gms
Corn flour – 4 ½ tsp dissolved in 50 ml milk
CMC – ¾ tsp (anti-crystallization)
GMS – 4 ½ tsp (for rising froth)
Fresh Malai/ Cream – 200 ml
Large bowl

Method

• Mix sugar and milk together on a burner and stir continuously till the sugar completely dissolves.
• Then add CMC, GMC and corn flour and lower the flame.
• Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes; ensure that no lumps should form in the milk. Make sure that the milk should not boil, but it should just reach the boiling point.
• Now add the malai/ cream, mix well and cool it.
• Pour the contents in a large bowl, cover it with an aluminium foil, like an air tight container and freeze it.
• Next day, take out the bowl, place it in a bed of ice and whip the mixture for about 35-40 minutes, the entire mixture will rise to 2 litres. At this time ensure that you don’t change the bowl and that is why it is important to use a large bowl right from the start.
• Once it is beaten, add essence and food colour of your choice and freeze the ice cream.
• Let it set for a few hours, to be served later.

Ice Cream Flavours

• Vanilla - You only need to add vanilla essence, there is no need to add colour.
• Strawberry - Add rose pink colour, about 2-3 drops, if you want darker add 4-5 drops and strawberry essence.
• Choco-chip - Grate one bar of chocolate into the vanilla ice cream, mix it well and freeze it.
• Mango - For There is no need to add colour or essence as fresh mango has a beautiful colour and an aroma itself. Make a puree out of fresh mangoes, add it in the final mixture, whisk well and freeze.
• Pistachio - Add 3 drops of vanilla essence, green colour and serve garnished with chopped pistachios.
• Butterscotch – Add 2-3 drops of lemon colour and mix praline.
• Fresh fruit – when the vanilla ice cream is half set, add lots of chopped fruits like grape, banana, apple, pomegranate and orange. Mix it well in a bowl and freeze. Your fresh fruit ice cream is ready to be served.

“Usually, I make four portions of a 2 litre ice cream and add four different colours and essence to get four different flavours,” says Surabhi. “But, if you want the entire ice cream as one flavour, then add 1 teaspoon of essence and 4-5 drops of food colour,” she adds.

Badam Kulfi
Ingredients
Milk – 3 cups
Plain khoya – 6 tbsp
Sugar – 6 tbsp
Cashew – 8 – 10 nos.
Almonds – 4-5 nos.
Cardamom – 2-3 nos.
Malai/ Cream – 3 tbsp
Saffron threads

Method

• Boil milk for 3 – 4 minutes and add the khoya.
• Add powdered cashew, cardamom and sugar.
• Keep stirring till the quantity becomes half.
• Once cool, pour the contents in a blender and mix well.
• Pour in a bowl and freeze.
• In about an hour, when the mixture will be half set, remove it from the freezer, add malai, almonds and mix well.
• Now pour the contents in kulfi moulds.
• Once set, garnish with chopped almonds, saffron threads and serve.

Published in Kingfisher Airline's inflight magazine - Simplyfly, May 2006 issue.

Summer Special> Milk Shakes - 4

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Milk Shake
A milk shake is usually a delicious wholesome snack and very popular with kids, that caters to most of the nutrient requirements if prepared in a healthy manner. Seasonal fruits, milk and sugar are great energisers to beat the summer heat. Milkshakes get their flavour and colour from fruit syrups, chocolate sauce – either natural or artificial ingredients.

Would you believe it that milkshake originally was an alcoholic drink, with the main ingredient being whiskey? The word ‘milkshake’, was first introduced in print in 1885, which revealed that, milkshake was made from eggs and whiskey, which came to be known as egg nog. Egg nog is a punch prepared from sweetened milk or fresh cream blended with eggs and alcohol.

Gradually, the 1900s referred milkshakes as nutritive drinks prepared with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrups. Soon, ice creams became a part of milkshake, giving rise to
‘Malt Stops’ that were popular hangout areas, where friends met up for milkshakes.

The invention of the blender and the popularity of milkshakes are linked to one another. Before, the blender made its appearance; milkshakes were hand shaken with loads of crushed ice, milk, sugar and flavouring agents.

In 1922, the electric blender was invented by Steven Poplawski and that changed the way milkshakes were prepared, as this introduced a new look for milkshakes. You now get milkshakes whipped, aerated and frothy.

Mahua Khanna shared a milkshake recipe.

Cucumber Pista Ice Cream Shake
Ingredients
Cucumber – ½
Pista ice cream – 2-3 scoops
Mint leaves – 2 strands
Lots of ice

Method

• Add half a cucumber, two scoops of pistachio ice cream, mint leaves and add it to the mixer grinder (no sugar syrup).
• Drop in a few ice cubes in a tall glass
• Pour the shake in the tall glass, your milk shake is ready.

Prachi Vaish offers a filling milk shake recipe.

Banana Milkshake
Bananas – 2 nos., coarsely chopped
Milk – 2 glasses
Sugar – according to taste
Ice cubes – 4 nos.

Method

• Drop all the ingredients, except the ice cubes in a blender.
• Give the mixture a few good churns.
• Drop a couple of ice cubes in two separate glasses.
• Pour the milkshake in both the glasses from a height to give froth.
• Serve chilled.

Published in Kingfisher's in-flight magazine Symplifly.

Travel> How to Check a Euro Note

Image: Euro Note
Image courtesy: flickr

Text by: Tanya Munshi

In an endless list of Europe travel, as a tourist you need to be extra careful while handling currency. In all the excitement of visiting a new place, you wouldn’t want any misadventure to ruin your trip - especially when it comes to handling foreign currency.There are several security features to identify an authentic Euro note from a fake one.
Here are some easy and handy tips to help you figure out the note you’ve been given is a genuine one.

Watermark: Every denomination is printed on a unique watermarked paper. You can see this by holding the note against the light.

Bar code: When you hold a Euro note against the light you will notice metallic bars to the right of the watermark.

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Security thread: If you hold a Euro note against against the light, you will notice a black thread in the middle of the note. This thread shows the denomination of the note, with ‘Euro’ written on it.

Variable color ink: For €50 and higher, on the reverse of these notes, look for a variable color that appears on the lower right hand corner. If you look at the color from varying angles, it will change color between purple and green.

Holographic band: On the front side of the Euro notes from €5, €10 and €20, you will find an embedded holographic band on the right hand corner. Every note has a unique holographic band. For example, in a €10 note, the band will have denominations of €10 like this – “€10 €10 €10…” For currency notes of €50 and above, this band is imprinted with a holographic symbol.

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Registration: Hold a Euro note facing you. Notice that on the upper left hand corner in the front, has the note denomination printed incompletely. Whereas, this denomination appears complete on the reverse, right hand corner of the note. When you hold the note against the light, you can see the entire denomination clearly on the left side. More so, a genuine note will have a perfect alignment between the front (left) and the rear (right). A counterfeit note on the other hand, may not display a perfect alignment.

Summer Special> Desserts - 3

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Desserts
Usually, the last course of the meal, the word dessert, is derived from the French word desservir, which means, to ‘clear the table’, and the term was also used to differ between fruit and confectionary or patisserie. Desserts are normally identified as something sweet and are usually made from milk and milk products like cheese.

Interestingly, between 1500 and 1600, the term dessert was considered improper in the English language; so much so that it was it was customary for the upper class and the rich middle class to serve the dessert in another room.

Gradually, in the 18th century, having a meal together became more intimate. Instead of shifting to another room, the desserts were served as soon as the main meal was over.

Today, our guests head to the living room post lunch or dinner to end their dining experience with coffee, liqueur and after mints.

Mahua Khanna offers a couple of dreamy desserts apt for summer.

Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
Ready custard – any flavour, ½ litre
Cocoa powder – 2-3 tsp
Brown bread or white bread – 5-6 slices

Method
o Make any custard that you have at home. Ensure that its consistency is like a thick batter, and not dripping like water.
o As soon as the custard is ready, switch off the burner and crumble five to six slices or brown or white bread into the mixture.
o Add cocoa powder immediately and stir well.
o Pour the entire content into a small serving bowls or one large serving bowl and let it cool.
o Refrigerate and serve with one red cherry and two mint leaves.

To make mango mousse, follow the same procedure, but at the end, instead of adding cocoa powder, switch off the burner and allow the custard (with the crumbled bread) to cool. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. Remove the custard from the fridge, add chopped mango and mango pulp to the contents and refrigerate. Serve chilled, garnished with two mint leaves on each bowl.

Firni
Ingredients
Rice – 3 tsp soaked in water
Milk – ½ litre
Sugar – to taste
Saffron – few strands
Pistachios – 5-6 nos.

Method
o Make a paste with the soaked rice and add it to the milk and boil.
o Keep stirring the mixture with an egg beater.
o When the milk and rice mixture tends to thicken, it will cover the beater, then switch off the burner.
o Dip a few strands of saffron in milk and add only the soaked saffron into the milk and rice mixture. Don’t add the milk in which you had soaked the saffron.
o Add one chopped pistachio to this mixture and allow it to cool.
o Serve chilled, garnished with grated pistachios.

Published in Kingfisher Airlines Deccan 'Symplifly' in-flight magazine on May 2008.

Summer Special> Salads - 2

Image: Papaya Salad of Thailand
Image by: Tanya Munshi

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Salads
A salad is primarily a light or a portion of an entire meal, which can be made with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients. Salads are best prepared when the ingredients are raw or partially cooked or steamed, tossed in with mild seasoning like freshly ground black pepper, crushed garlic, rock salt and olive oil. There are several types of salad:

The term green or garden salad is used when we use green leafy vegetables like lettuce or spinach, torn into small portions, and kept as the base or tossed with a variety of fresh veggies.

A lettuce salad is a special type of salad that is relished in winter and spring, that is made of sliced lettuce, spring onions, fresh dill, and dressed with salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil and red wine, vinegar or lemon juice.

A dinner salad is a small portion of salad with no meat is known as dinner salad.

A non-vegetarian salad would comprise of meat, eggs, chicken, tuna and prawns. One of the most popular salads in the world are Caesar salad, Cobb salad and Greek salad.

Nina Modgil, a Russian and English translator shares a couple of summer salads.

Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Spinach – 2-3 small bunches
Boiled eggs – 2-3 nos.
Cucumber - 1 small finely chopped
Mayonnaise – as per taste
Curd – according to taste
Salt – according to taste
Crushed pepper corns – according to taste
Crushed garlic – 3 nos.

Method

• Clean the spinach properly and then coarsely chop them.
• Cut the boiled eggs in cubes, or it is okay if you mash them.
• Mix the spinach, boiled eggs, cucumber, curd and mayonnaise (you can use either or both), salt and crush garlic.
• After you mix the ingredients well, place in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled.

Beetroot Salad
Ingredients
Boiled beetroots – 2 medium size
Garlic flakes – 5 nos. finely chopped or grated
Crushed walnut – ½ a cup
Raisins - ½ a cup
Mayonnaise – as per taste
Salt – as per taste

Method

• Chop or mash the boiled beetroot.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a salad bowl.
• Keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

Published in the in-flight magazine 'Symplifly' of Kingfisher Deccan, May 2008 issue.

Summer Special> Cool Treats> Sherbets - 1

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Gone winter, the sun is no longer a welcome companion, as we draw the curtains to keep its harsh rays away from us. After days of hot soups, stews and bakes, now is the time to cool and refresh our senses. What better way to keep us cool, than digging into some delicious cold salads, sipping refreshing sherbets and melting into divine cool desserts. Let’s begin with one of the world’s oldest forms of thirst quenchers that offered immense relief from the summer sun.

Sherbet
The word Sherbet comes from the Arabic word shariba, which means “to drink.” It is from the word shariba that several variations arose both in Arabic and many languages. Sherbet’s actual meaning is “syrup” or “a cooling drink (of the East)”.

The first reference of sherbet was in the 101 Arabian Nights, where it made its appearance as a pleasant drink with healing properties. Philosopher Francis Bacon in 1626 was one of the few to have tasted sherbet and introduced it to the English dictionary.

Sherbet is made from plant, fruit or flower extract, blended beautifully with sugar, water or vinegar, depending upon the taste desired. It was then, thinned down in form of syrup, which could then be added to cold water and served as a refreshing drink. Sherbets came about with the main aim of preserving the essential nutrients, at a time when preserving perishable food items was not very easy.

Interior designer, Mahua Khanna lends one of her personal favourite sherbet recipe – Cucumber and Mint Sherbet.

Cucumber and Mint Sherbet
Ingredients
Cucumber – 1 small
Fresh mint – 2 strands
Lots of ice
Sugar syrup – according to taste
Soda

Method

• Coarsely chop the cucumber and add it to a blender.
• Wash the mint leaves and drop them in the blender.
• Give the mixture one churn and remove from the blender.
• In a tall glass, add lots of ice, sugar syrup and pour the cucumber and mint mixture, till about half a glass.
• Top it up with soda and serve chilled.

Published in Simplyfly, the in-flight magazine of Kingfisher Deccan, May 2008 issue.