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Add a little spice |
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 Add a little spice, cut back on salt and add something zesty like caraway to liven up your food. Many of us neglect the spices in our cupboard. Here are a few hot tips and tasty inspiration.
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Puducherry: The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est) |
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 When one thinks of India, what springs to mind is the noisy chaos of traffic in the hustle and bustle of the country’s major cities. But a safe haven from all of that does exist. Situated on the eastern Seaboard of India, is a quaint and enchanting place that’s steeped in history and tradition. Once described by former Indian Minister Jawarharlal Nehru as a 'window on French culture in India,' Pondicherry is a place that has kept one foot firmly in Colonial India and the other in a cosmopolitan 21st century town. |
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THE FIVE SPICE RULE OF MANJU |
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For most Indian savoury dishes, I tend to use these spices frequently which are widely available. Spices can generally be stored in an airtight container away from sunlight for 6 to 9 months.
After that period of time, they begin to lose their flavour or potency. |
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Sustainable Kitchen |
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 What does sustainability mean?
When it comes to the latest buzz-words, “sustainable” has to be one of them. But how do we make our kitchens more so? Firstly, a look at what is meant by sustainability… a good definition is given by the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, which says, “Sustainability is a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.” |
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Eating the Anti-Ageing Way |
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 Are we happy with growing old gracefully? Apparently not. You just have to step into department stores or shops and confront the wide array of anti-ageing eye creams , cleansers and moisturisers stacked on shelves. So it seems the evidence is clear; we prefer to remain youthful for longer. |
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A Taste of Home |
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 Apparently many people from Britain who go to live abroad are also taking food stuffs with them that they can’t live without. According to ‘Food from Britain’ an agency assisting companies from the UK to broaden their markets, says that exports have increased by almost 10 per cent in a year. |
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Kitchen tips |
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 Recently, I have been having a mass clearout in my kitchen sorting out the utensils and foodstuffs and discovering what needs to be consumed or recycled. More often than not, the kitchen forms the hub of the house and the first room we visit when we get home. So this is also the place where we de-junk and place items from around the house which doesn’t have any natural home or storage area. This may include newspapers, junk mail and shopping. So I have a few tips on how to make the most of your kitchen space. |
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Waste Not Want Not |
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 Did you know that a third of the food we buy ends up being thrown away? In other words, one in every three shopping bags gets chucked in the bin. When you look at it that way it’s quite startling. What’s also a crying shame is that most of the food that gets thrown away could have been eaten so we’re not just talking banana skins or used tea bags. |
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Ideal Home Exhibition |
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 It was a packed weekend of cooking demonstrations at London’s Ideal Home Show which celebrates its centenary this year. It was amazing to see how people are still hungry to learn about food and cooking and especially spices. I made extremely easy recipes for the virgin cook who has not really attempted to prepare Indian dishes. It was a quick crash course in making a few simple dishes in 40 minutes flat. If you weren’t able to make it to the show, here are the recipes I made at the sessions. I do hope you like them. And may I suggest that you have a go at the Bombay Potatoes.
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Indian Food Checklist |
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 Here’s a checklist of things to remember when it comes to dealing with Indian food, whether you’re cooking at home or in a restaurant.
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History of Curry |
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 Curry? What do you understand by the meaning of curry and do you know where the name curry comes from? Manju Malhi explains the roots of curry and how curry has come to hold the place it does in modern British life with a curry house on every corner . . . well not quite, but there are a great many Indian restaurants serving curry which shows the British love affair with what is a cuisine rather than a single dish. |
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Tips on cooking with spices |
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Spices form the backbone of Indian cuisine. Without them, life would be quite dull or tasteless for many of us. Once you get to know them, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them. Here are some ideas on what to do with spices when you purchase them or if you’re lucky enough to receive them. |
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What is in season in April |
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 There are plenty of seasonal vegetables to cook with. Earthy tasting spinach is great for making saag dishes and it’s packed with vitamins and iron. Try my Buttery Spinach and Potatoes recipe. If you have to put meat in all of your spinach recipes, gradually try and cut back on the amount of meat that you do add to the dish. |
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A Guide to Regional Indian Cooking |
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 The hospitality of Indians is legendary. In Sanskrit literature, ‘atithi devo bhava’ means ‘the guest is truly your god’. Indians believe that they are honoured if they share their mealtimes with guests; even the poorest are willing to share their food.
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Indian Food Facts - Did You Know? |
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 Here’s a selection of random facts that you may have come across that’s fascinating food trivia on some of your favourite spices. |
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Food Safety Tips |
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 Here are a few handy hints to make sure you’re keeping your food safe.
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Blitz those winter blues with a touch of spice! |
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 Chillies contain a substance called capsaicin which has been known to have pain reducing effects. Chillies also make a great nasal decongestant. The heat of chillies stimulates secretions that help clear mucus from a stuffy nose. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin A.
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Streetfood and Shopping in Delhi |
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 Streetfood and Shopping in Delhi - The capital of India in the North of the country
To me, India is one big, giant shopping centre but that could be because I’m a marketer’s dream and I’ll try anything once. I may have an addiction and I may be a shopaholic because wherever I go in the world, I try and contribute to the country’s economy. And the northern capital of India is certainly a shopper’s paradise. Items such as carpets, silks, jewellery, leather and silverware, handicrafts and handprinted cottons synonymous with the region, never go unnoticed and for me, an extra suitcase is always on standby. |
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Take it with a grain of salt |
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 You may have noticed recently that stories have been flying around in the press about consuming too much salt in your diet. As we all know, eating too much of one thing is definitely detrimental to one’s health in the long term and this also applies to that chemical compound sodium chloride which we all know as salt. The UK government is advising all of us to cut down on salt and the website www.salt.gov.uk gives you more details on why you need to reduce its intake. |
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Spicy Beauty Tips |
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For centuries, spices in India have not only been used in cooking but have also been valued for their medicinal properties and improving ones health and beauty. Check out some of these suggestions. |
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Features 
When you’re going out for an Indian meal, try not to order the most expensive bottle on the restaurant wine list. You may not be able to appreciate your extravagant tipple fully alongside the dishes containing spices which may tend to clash with your glass. 
Chicken with Caramelised Onion, Garlic and Ginger 