Merits of Smoked Foods

Smoking of meat and fish goes back a long time in history. It is believed that indigenous people used smoke produced whilst drying fish to drive flies away. Previously, they used to hang meats to dry. They eventually found out that the smoke acted as a preservative for food as well. The meat stored in smoky areas also tasted better than that dried from the Sun.

Smoking of food includes heating, roasting or cooking through constant application of heat from smoke produced naturally (burning wood or coal) or artificially (electrically). Smoked foods bring a different taste and way of cooking for people around the world. The primary advantage of smoking food products is that it helps in preservation of food for future consumption. They help in preserving wastage food that may become useful in the future.

There are other advantages of smoked foods as well which are:

– High temperature due to smoking kills and slows down growth of bacteria in food. Continue reading “Merits of Smoked Foods”

Caste System in Nepal

1.Background.

The word Caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning lineage, breed or race. The term “caste,” when used in a cultural context, is usually in conjunction with the social division in Hindu society, particularly in India although a form of the caste system was prevalent in many ancient societies, and in particular feudal societies.

In ancient India there developed a social system in which people were divided into separate close communities. These communities are known in English as caste. The origin of the caste system is in Hinduism but it affected the whole Indian society later it has transmitted to Nepal. The caste system in the religious form is basically a simple division of society in which there is four castes arranged in a hierarchy and below them the outcast. But socially the caste system was more complicated, with much more castes and sub-castes and other divisions. Legally the government disallows the practice of caste system but has a policy of affirmative discrimination of the backward classes. Continue reading “Caste System in Nepal”

Book Review Of Sharell Cook’s Henna For The Broken-Hearted

I had been meaning to read Henna For The Broken-Hearted for quite some time and finally managed to get my hands on it. To begin with, I really like the title of the book. I think it is so poetic – and also, aptly captures the spirit of the story in just a few words.

Henna For The Broken-Hearted is narrated in first person. It tells the story of how the author led a seemingly complete, but apparently empty, life in Australia. Faced with some life altering changes, Cook decides to volunteer in India – where she rediscovers life and love, and in the process, herself.

As I started reading Cook’s description of herself, I thought, “Oh that sounds so much like me!” For instance, she says, “Despite what some would call an idyllic childhood… I grew into a shy, closed and introverted teenager… used to spending time by myself among nature and absorbed in books.“As she goes on to explain her career choices and other expectations from life, I was hooked. Continue reading “Book Review Of Sharell Cook’s Henna For The Broken-Hearted”

Gravlax – The Scandinavian Gourmet Salmon Dish

Gravlax is a diminutive, it means “buried Salmon” in Swedish from “Gravad Lax”, yet this solid, prosaic and rather dull name does not come anywhere near to describing this fantastic smooth, suave, elegant appetiser. However gravlax got its name from the old way of preparing it which was salting the salmon, putting it in an old barrel and burying it underground for several days or even several months if it was going to be preserved for the Winter. Modern recipes often add aquavit or vodka to the salmon, but for me the old simple way is best because with gravlax, less is definitely more. Quite when the dill came fashionable no one knows and although I loathe dill on anything else, it is as part of gravlax as cream is to strawberries and cream. I have seen it made myrtle leaves and fennel seeds, I have often wondered what it would be like with wild fennel leaves, but have never got around to trying it.

Gravlax is cured salmon but that is no excuse for not using the freshest salmon, even if you have some salmon that has been languishing at the bottom of the fridge for a few days give it to the cat, which will probably turn their nose up anyway because they have such a strong sense of smell. Continue reading “Gravlax – The Scandinavian Gourmet Salmon Dish”

Formentera Food – Friga Pagesa

Friga pagesa is a Formentera specialty. In English it can be called a peasant fry-up, but let me tell you that these peasants ate well! The only difference from the way that the peasants used to eat it is that it is made using olive oil, rather than lard these days.

To make this dish for two you will need a dash of white wine, half a green pepper, pork chops (200 grams when chopped), sirloin pork (250 grams), pigs liver (100 grams), half a red pepper, 3 cloves of garlic, potatoes (250 grams), olive oil, salt, pepper, and some parsley. Continue reading “Formentera Food – Friga Pagesa”

Reviewing ‘Pather Panchali’ Legendary Indian Director Satyajit Ray’s Masterpiece

For twenty whole years of my life I lived in ignorance without having seen the sun or the moon but today I have finally seen the Ray and I feel holy and blessed now. Akira Kurusawa, the man behind Japanese classics like Rashomon and Ran rightly said years ago that living in a world without having seen a Satyajit Ray film is similar to living without having seen the sun or moon; almost every film I’ve watched feels effete after living in Ray’s world. It is a transcending experience watching the late Bengali director’s debut effort Pather Panchali, one that deeply impacts the very core of your soul in a way that makes you feel afterwards as though you’ve lived two lives – one before having watched Pather Panchali and one after. It achieves the remarkable feat of invoking your senses to a higher state of consciousness; the experience watching Pather Panchali is similar to reading Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace or James Joyce’s Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man or some of William Blake’s or Emily Dickinson’s finest achievements, or watching Meryl Streep’s iconic turn as Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie’s Choice. The feeling is so powerful that it took me more than an hour to get back to my original state; the hardest part for me was to return the DVD to the movie rental store because I knew the true worth of what I was holding. May god bless the guy who recognized Pather Panchali’s worth years ago and preserved the original prints so the world today can have a chance to be transported to the precious little magical world of Apu, the film’s protagonist. Continue reading “Reviewing ‘Pather Panchali’ Legendary Indian Director Satyajit Ray’s Masterpiece”

Indian Bloggers Income From Blogging Full Time

Bloggers like Amit Agrawal and Harsh Agrawal are earning more than Rs 40 lakhs per month. Not only them, several bloggers earning Rs 40 lakhs per month in India.

If you have patience and passion to write, start blogging. You need to spend minimum Rs 3000-5000 to book a domain and start web hosting. We will provide you tips to start blogging to earn money from home. Blogging is a secure passive income. Rest is a history.

Select a niche market. There are 100 of topics available to blog. We cannot be master of all. But, we can try to blog on different topics. After blogging for 20-30 articles, we will get an idea. Automatically, we will understand our expertise, passion and fun in writing. Continue reading “Indian Bloggers Income From Blogging Full Time”

Book Review – Flashback: My Life and Times in Bollywood And Beyond by Niilesh A Raje

Author
Bob Christo (Foreword by Tom Alter)

Publisher
Penguin Books India

Pages
280

Price
Rs 399/-

ISBN
9780143414629

I distinctly remember that fight sequence from the movie Kaalia where everybody is standing in line while food is being distributed and Michael (actor Bob Christo) decides to spoil the decorum and breaks the queue. While one of his crippled inmates gathers courage and decides to retaliate against this brawny white guy Michael shouts back, “Hum jahaan khade hote hain line waheen se shuroo hotee hai”(The line always start behind me). Immediately after that all the other prisoners in the queue go and stand behind Michael. Continue reading “Book Review – Flashback: My Life and Times in Bollywood And Beyond by Niilesh A Raje”

How to Make Thattai Chat – A Popular South Indian Snack

Hello Everyone,

Today I’m here to teach you one of my favourite snack. Have you ever heard of Thattai?? I guess people in most parts of the world would have never heard of it. Anyways don’t worry, to those who are hearing it for the first time let me say what it is, Thattai (tamil) is a popular South Indian snack and it is often prepared during festive occasions like janmashtami and diwali. It is available in sweet shops of India and it forms a nice combo with tea. Now I am going to teach how to make this cracker a little more tastier like an icing on the cake with a dish of my own. It is very easy to prepare and very delicious to eat during the evenings. Continue reading “How to Make Thattai Chat – A Popular South Indian Snack”

Richard Gere Gone with the Wind of Shilpa Shetty

Hollywood Cowlifornia is where American Film Idols are made. Richard Gere is the star of American Gigolo and “Pretty Woman, walking down the street, Pretty Woman, stop a while, Pretty Woman, talk a while, Pretty woman, give your smile to me, Pretty Woman, give your cheek to me.”

If you take the words Bombay and Hollywood and put them together you have the film capital of India Bollywood. Shilpa Shetty has been nominated for 4 Filmfare (Indian Oscar) Awards. The stunningly beautiful 31 year old Shilpa Shetty and her knockout actress younger sister Shamita Shetty are the Indian version of the Hilton sisters. Continue reading “Richard Gere Gone with the Wind of Shilpa Shetty”