Z-Blogs

If you are craving for a good scrumptious meal yet with less spices, Bengali cuisine is the right thing to try. The food, originating from West Bengal, predominantly has fish, vegetables and lentils, and is mostly served with rice, Luchi or pooris or parathas. Generally mustard oil is used for preparation, and sometimes, even sunflower oil. The key spices that bring a different flavor are cumin, fennel, fenugreek, kalonji and black mustard seeds, usually referred to as Phoron. This mixture of spices is generally used for preparation of vegetables and fish. Maach curry. Pic: Wikimedia commons A large number of…

Ganesh Chathurthi marks the start of the Hindu festive season of the year. How about starting it on an eco-friendly note? Ganesh idol made out of clay. Pic: ecoexist Every year, the rivers and lakes get polluted because of the chemicals used in making Ganesha idols. In order to be sympathetic towards nature, a large number of people are moving towards eco-friendly Ganesha idols that are made of clay. Ecoexist is a group that encourages the concept of eco-friendly products and you can book your eco-friendly, hand-sculpted clay ganesha from their website - www.e-coexist.com. The clay Ganesh idols are biodegradable.…

On Id-ul-Adha, the Moon, too, seems to have sacrificed some of Herself:The festival is also called Bakrid, and this is not because the Bakri (Goat) is beingvenerated, it's because it is going to be sacrificed...I was musing on how the concept of sacrificing something to appease a Higher Power came about... this is what the Wiki had to say.I wonder if the gentle, repressed people of today's urban societies realize that the pumpkins that they smash into the roads after smearing them with vermilion....are a symbol of blood sacrifice? I listened to one elderly gentleman ("I am proud to be…

as seen at Sunday Soul Santhe.Pic by Manvi Gandotra ⊕

Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. And when it comes to harvest, how can we miss out on the delicious goodies made out of these first crops? Rice, pulses, vegetables and sweet. It’s a combination of a lot of delicious delicacies put together on one platter. Rather, a plantain leaf. Ona Sadhya. Pic: Anisha Nair This sadhya or the grand meal, is usually a vegetarian affair. A meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes, is savoured on a fresh banana leaf. Papad, Banana, Sarkara Varatti – banana chip coated with jaggery, Pickle, Inchi curry or inchipuli, Thoran –…

Jayanagar based N Mukund, Joint Secretary of Citizens Action Forum, sent us a hard hitting letter on the city’s garbage mess. This year, BBMP has raised the garbage cess it is collecting as part of property tax. It came a day before the latest nightmare at the Mavallipura landfill, which was about to unfold. Mukund is challenging BBMP to explain what it has done with the garbage cess collected with the property tax last year and questions the body’s decision to raise the cess this year.  “As citizens, we wish to know how the steps taken by BBMP for the…

Imli or Tamarind - an important ingredient of gravies that brings a completely different flavour to the dish. Hence the name, Tamarind. The restaurant has branches in Indiranagar and Banaswadi. This restaurant is a part of the same group that owns Enigma, the pub, and a rooftop restaurant interestingly called ‘Over the Top.’ All three are located in the same building. Handi Mushroom - Tamarind. Pic: Anisha Nair    This giant will not satisfy Bakasur, a new restaurant on ORR will definitely draw your attention with the images of a giant with his mouth wide open, displayed along the building.…

Havelock, in JP Nagar 5th Phase, though multicuisine, largely serves Mangalorean and North Indian food. This month-old restaurant has all the usual fare. The menu is extensive especially for non-vegetarians. The recommended dish for non-vegetarian food lovers would be Prawn Gassi (Mangalorean Prawn Curry) served with plain steamed rice or neer dosa. The curries also taste good when served with neer dosa. Manglorean Prawn curry with roti and rice. Pic: Abhishek Angad The typical Mangalorean food usually comprises seafood and poultry. It is prepared with a coconut base. It’s high on spices but is not very oily. The curry has…

 Please click here    to get the details of the WWF India Wildlife quiz online, from Oct 1 to 7, for children of Class 6, 7 and 8. For the offline quiz, which will be held in Bangalore as well as other cities,  click here for details.  ⊕

In my unending search for resources that familiarise children with the environment I had chanced upon the 'Garrulous Gastronaut' a few months ago. So it was quite a coincidence that my daughter was invited to a workshop titled, 'Planting an edible garden' recently held at Galleryske, Richmond Town. Pushpi Bagchi's Garrulous Gastronaut. Pic: Pushpi Bagchi Conceived and facilitated by Pushpi Bagchi, a young Illustrator & Visual Communication Designer from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, the three hour workshop was a fun mix of story-time, experience-sharing, eating some delicious food prepared from fresh vegetables and finally some hands-on seed…