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Fitness Tips

Why Must You Opt For the Every Other Day Diet?

February 28, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Why Must You Opt For the Every Other Day Diet

The Every Other Day Diet or EODD as it is called is a holistic approach towards achieving a slim and healthy body. Excess weight brings about lots of health issues; some of which can be even chronic. So the first and foremost thing that should be done is to get rid of the excess weight. Here comes the Every Other Day Diet to help you out.

Why Must You Opt For the Every Other Day Diet?

This diet had been introduced by Jon Benson and has since benefited many. The problems with most of the diets are that they need just about too much discipline with food. And the discipline as you can make out is basically with your favourite food. You give them up completely only to return back to them and hog them to fill up for the deprivation.

Why Must You Opt For the Every Other Day Diet
Why Must You Opt For the Every Other Day Diet

This “favourite food” of yours is usually calorie-laden and yummy. So you know what happens when you hog on them. You end up putting on more weight.

Also Read: The Perfect Dinner Party Companion: Swirl, Sip & Savor

Tired, aren’t you? Well here comes the magic of the every other day diet. You are never asked to give up your favourite food. You eat them on the “free days” and keep losing more weight with time.

The other benefit of this diet plan is that you are given a plan that is easy to understand and follow. You do not have this problem of slowed down metabolism and diet plateaus that bring your weight loss to a standstill.

This online program is clear and you are taught not to set unrealistic goals. If you are not satisfied with the diets that work, you are liable to get a full return on what you have invested. But Every Other Day Diet won’t let you face such a situation. It works and you must opt for it to see the ultimate weight loss results.

Filed Under: Fitness Tips Tagged With: alternate day fasting results 1 month, alternate day fasting results 1 week, alternate-day fasting side effects, every other day diet meal plan, every other day diet results, every other day diet success stories, is alternate-day fasting safe, the every other day diet pdf

A schoolteacher popularises Central Travancore jaggery, and triggers a sweet revolution

September 7, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Sugarcane grown on the flooded river banks of the Pampa, Manimala, Achankovil and Meenachil yields sweet organic jaggery with a distinctive taste

Two days ago, I received by post two packs of honey-coloured organic jaggery. Sweetened by the sun and the rich riverine soil, it narrates a sweet story of the revival of sugarcane cultivation in Central Travancore, comprising Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts and Chengannur taluk of Alappuzha district.

The jaggery was made from sugarcane grown by Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham at Arumanoor, a village on the banks of the Meenachil in Ayarkunnam panchayat, about 13 kilometres from Kottayam. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, the 61-year-old former Physics teacher resumed sugarcane cultivation after he retired from St Sebastian Higher Secondary School at Ayarkunnam.

Sugarcane grown by Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham at Arumanoor is crushed to extract the juice. This is used to make the famous Central Travancore jaggery

Sugarcane grown by Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham at Arumanoor is crushed to extract the juice. This is used to make the famous Central Travancore jaggery

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Sugarcane cultivation and jaggery making were once common along the banks of the Manimala, Achankovil, Pamba and Meenachil rivers. “Growing up, I remember sugarcane fields in our neighbourhood. The sweet smell of jaggery-making filled the air. By the time, I was in my twenties, my family had stopped cultivating sugarcane. When I wanted to resume cultivation on eight acres I own, I contacted the Agricultural Research Station (ARS) at Kallunkal in Thiruvalla to procure the seeds,” he says.

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In the early 20th Century, 8,000 hectares in Central Travancore were under sugarcane cultivation, says Dr VR Shajan, head of ARS, which functions under the Kerala Agricultural University. The Travancore State Manual (Volume III) published by the Government of Kerala (1996 edition) talks about sugarcane cultivation and jaggery production in the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore. The value of the jaggery exported during 1927-1936 ranged from ₹2.08 lakh to ₹11.36 lakh.

Sugarcane juice is heated till the water content evaporates and the sweet residue is poured into flat pans to be cooled. Workers at Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham’s place at Arumanoor, are pouring the hot residue into flat pans

Sugarcane juice is heated till the water content evaporates and the sweet residue is poured into flat pans to be cooled. Workers at Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham’s place at Arumanoor, are pouring the hot residue into flat pans

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“Ibn Battuta has written about the sugarcane of Kerala in the 14th Century. It was grown in a continuous belt from Pathanamthitta to Thiruvalla and Kottayam. In 1946, Pampa Sugar Mills was started at Valanjavattom, seven kilometres from Thiruvalla. Mannam Sugar Mills was at Pandalam,” says Shajan.

Managing director of Horticorp, J Sajeev, who was former farm superintendent of the Sugarcane Seed Farm under the Department of Agriculture, says: “The State Farming Corporation cleared forest land to cultivate sugarcane for the smooth running of the two sugar mills. The Agriculture Department used to give licenses to around 75 to 100 units functioning in the area.”

Molten, sweet residue of sugarcane juice is poured into flat pans. When it cools, it is rolled into balls of jaggery

Molten, sweet residue of sugarcane juice is poured into flat pans. When it cools, it is rolled into balls of jaggery

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

However, the Gulf boom in the Eighties changed the land use pattern. Many people stopped cultivating sugarcane as the labour intensive work became unprofitable. Gradually sugarcane cultivation almost vanished in this area. The sugar mills stopped functioning as enough sugarcane could not be procured for profitable operation of the mills. Cheaper, adulterated jaggery from neighbouring states made it difficult for the farmers to find customers. This affected the making of jaggery although a handful of farmers continued making it on a small scale.

Resuming production

Sajeev, who joined the Sugarcane Seed Farm in 2002, recalls that sugarcane was cultivated on 25 hectares owned by the Farm. Since both the sugar mills had downed shutters by then, the sugarcane had to be sold at throwaway prices. “We decided to find out if there was any chance of resuming production of jaggery at the farm. We toured Pollachi and Theni in Tamil Nadu and recruited a family from Theni to work in Pandalam on a contract basis. Pandalam Jaggery production at the Seed Farm began in 2007,” recounts Sajeev.

There was a huge demand for unadulterated jaggery. “The jaggery made in these parts have a natural sweetness and colour. And unlike sugarcane grown in alkaline soil, there is no taste of salt in the jaggery,” says Sajeev.

Harvested sugarcane is crushed and jaggery is made by heating the juice till the water content evaporates. It is then poured on flat containers and rolled into balls of jaggery or sold as padhiyan sharkara.

Central Travancore Jaggery being made at Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham’s place at Arumanoor, a village on the banks of the Meenachil in Ayarkunnam panchayat

Central Travancore Jaggery being made at Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham’s place at Arumanoor, a village on the banks of the Meenachil in Ayarkunnam panchayat

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Unda sharkara, chukkunda, infused with the flavours of cardamom, cumin and dried ginger, and paani are some of the products made from the sugarcane juice. Last year, sale outlets at the ARS sold 10 tonnes of jaggery at ₹150 per kg. At present, padhiyan sharkara, unda sharkara and chukku sharkara are sold at the outlet.

Obtaining GI tag

The ARS applied for a GI tag for the jaggery made in Central Travancore and got it in 2009. It was revived in 2019. Shajan explains that the unique taste of sugarcane is because it is grown on the banks of the rivers that gets flooded during the monsoon. He adds, “As river banks get inundated during the monsoon, sugarcane is the best crop that can be grown in the waterlogged soil. Sweet semi-solid padhiyan jaggery has a deep amber colour and is a speciality of the region. This is because of the rich micronutrients present in the soil.”

He adds: “Madhuri , a variety of sugarcane, is best for the fields here. It would be unprofitable to cultivate it on one or two acres. More land has to be cultivated for a jaggery production unit to be profitable. At present, approximately, 250 to 500 hectares are under sugarcane cultivation. However, it is not a continuous belt as it was before.”

Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham selling the handmade Central Travancore jaggery made from sugarcane cultivated by him at Arumanoor, a village on the banks of the Meenachil in Ayarkunnam panchayat

Jose Kuncharakattil Abraham selling the handmade Central Travancore jaggery made from sugarcane cultivated by him at Arumanoor, a village on the banks of the Meenachil in Ayarkunnam panchayat

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

As the leaves of the sugarcane are serrated, it can lacerate farm labourers. “Labour is hard to find and we make do with migrant labourers although the jaggery making is done by families in the area who used to do it in my parents’ time,” says Jose. He has two sales outlets and sells about 300 kilograms in a day. As the jaggery is not treated with caustic soda and other chemicals, there is a constant demand, which has spurred many to take up sugarcane cultivation again.

Jose, for instance, has taken 16 acres on lease to cultivate sugarcane. He says with a laugh that every day there is a long queue at their sales outlets to buy jaggery. He couriers it to buyers from across India.

The melt-in-the-mouth handmade jaggery from the Kuncharakattil farms proves why there are takers all over the country for the jaggery from Central Travancore. As I turn the chukkunda into a syrup to make aval vilayichathu, the aroma of cardamom and ginger fills my house with the flavours of Central Travancore jaggery.

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Stranger & Sons gin draws attention to Indian botanicals by winning multiple international awards

September 4, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Distilled in Goa, Stranger & Sons has been impressing international juries this year with its notes of sweet spices, ginger and citrus peels

Stranger & Sons, a contemporary Indian Gin, just won gold at Gin Master 2021 after competing with 472 entries from 233 different companies. The judges were convinced that it would “stand up well mixed in a gin and tonic.”

This is the latest of multiple gold medals won by this debut spirit from Third Eye Distillery in Goa this year. Founded in 2018 by Rahul Mehra, Sakshi Saigal and Vidur Gupta, Stranger & Sons was the first Indian gin to win a Gold-outstanding medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2020 in London. It happened to be one of the only 8 gins in the world to receive this award out of 800 brands that participated last year. This was followed by mutliple gold medals at The Drinks Business Asia Summer Tasting in Hong Kong (2021), followed by a handful of silver medals at the London Spirits Competition 2021 and San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021.

Stranger & Sons a debut spirit from Third Eye Distillery in Goa

Stranger & Sons a debut spirit from Third Eye Distillery in Goa
 

Described as ‘bold and delicious’, the spirit has also won a Master medal at The Asian Spirits Masters 2021. “The palate is wonderful – smooth and silky mouthfeel with no sharp edges or volatile alcohol”, said one of the judges, Bryan Rodriguez, wine and spirits buyer for Harvey Nichols.

Explaining the botanicals, all of which are sourced from India, one of the founders, Sakshi says, “We use a unique citrus peel mix: Gondhoraj lebu, the commonly found nimbu, Indian Bergamot and Nagpur oranges. With it go coriander seeds, angelica root, cassia bark, liquorice and warm spices such as pepper, mace and nutmeg.” Stating that multiple tasting panels were captivated by the aromas and tasting notes, she adds, “Our gin goes beyond the customary juniper and plays up Indian botanicals and spices.”

Looking back at their award graph Sakshi adds, “We started to create history in 2020 as the first Indian Gin to be awarded a Gold-outstanding Medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Ours was one of just 8 gins in the world to receive this award, out of 800 brands that participated in 2020 during the lockdown.”

Perry Road Peru by Stranger & Sons

Perry Road Peru by Stranger & Sons
 

She explains how the founders wanted to create a robust drink, and thus reshape the perception of Indian spirits. “Gin is going through an extremely exciting phase and transcending into mainstream in India. Participating in world competitions has enabled the brand to connect with a global audience and put quality spirits from India on the world stage. It makes us extremely proud.”

The founders say they will continue to participate in international spirits competitions apart from launching in cities like Telangana, Pondicherry, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Punjab nationally and “Internationally we will be launching in USA, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, New Zealand and Italy.”

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The PCOS discourse in India is changing, and it’s about time

September 2, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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For 2021’s Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month, India sees a surge in dialogue about women’s health as well as the first summit by PCOS Club India dedicated to the ‘cyster-hood’

When 28-year-old Noor Shukla (name changed to protect privacy) decided to deal with her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), one of her extended family members ushered her to an acquaintance who was an Ayurvedic specialist. Instead of offering empathy and holistic guidance, he told Noor that she was ‘disgusting’, ‘fat’, that she ‘has no shame’, and that she ‘better help herself.’ Eleven months later, Noor tells MetroPlus she is far too traumatised to speak openly about PCOS.

“I had already been to a couple of doctors at that point and I experienced very little empathy or understanding. People do not understand the difficulties of living with PCOS,” she says over the phone from Pune, as she works 14 hours a day as a marketing executive for a food aggregator. This work routine, she says, flared up her PCOS.

What is PCOS?

  • PCOS, also known as Poly-Cystic Ovary Disorder (PCOD) occurs when a hormonal imbalance disrupts the ovulation process, which can lead to missed or irregular menstrual periods as well as other symptoms such as hirsutism (excess facial and body hair), weight gain, insulin resistance, and hair loss. PCOS can lead to infertility and, as the name states, the development of cysts (small fluid-filled sacs) in the ovaries.

In India, PCOS is a tabooed disorder; the discourse around it being more reductive in the past few decades due to its link with infertility. Women who live with the condition feel marginalised and sometimes even secluded when they are called upon to explain the condition, especially during an arranged marriage process.

The health status-quo

The pandemic’s impact on women’s health can be best described “as a double-edged sword,” according to Achitha Jacob, founder of Proactive For Her, a digital health clinic geared towards women. Having founded the clinic in August 2020, she saw how the lockdowns had “disproportionately impacted women as they have blurred the lines between work and home.”

Read More | Sexual health under lockdown: answers to questions you’ve been too shy to ask

As PCOS Awareness Month (September) kicks off around the world (with September 1 marked as World PCOS Day), the dialogue around women’s healthcare has shifted in the last 18 months. Most health practitioners noticed an increased accountability on the part of women and other menstruators towards their health.

“The pandemic has forced an introspection over lifestyle habits and how they contribute to health,” avers Achitha. “I find that women are proactively seeking care and are more vocal about their relationship with their doctors. They are unwilling to settle for run-off-the-mill solutions such as weight loss or birth-control pills for PCOS, which are not customised to suit their needs.”

Anushree Mahajan, a certified health and life coach, known as Coach Nush

Anushree Mahajan, a certified health and life coach, known as Coach Nush
 

Bengaluru-based Anushree Mahajan, a health and lifestyle coach (@coachnush on Instagram), was diagnosed with PCOS when she was 15. She now works with women in both the western and eastern hemispheres and she notes some of the stark contrasts: “In India, medical professionals are much more likely to recommend dietary and lifestyle changes as a first response to a PCOS diagnosis, than in the United States, but the push for prescription medication like birth control and metformin (the first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance) is also less likely as a first response by medical professionals in India.”

The sydrome is often escorted by a range of mental health implications: depression, anxiety and fluctuating moods. “We have seen an increase in demand for tele-consultations with mental health professionals and our long-term PCOS support programme,” Achitha points out. “While we are happy to note that they are prioritising their wellness and are recognising that their burnout will negatively impact their familial equilibrium, there is a pressing need for us to create support structures which enable them to be more proactive about their health. We shouldn’t have to wait for another pandemic before women who have lived with PCOS for over a decade feel comfortable to reach out for help.”

Such support structures have long been missing for thousands of women including Noor.

Read More | The conversation around sexual wellness in India

Anushree elaborates that the mental health issues, “are less discussed and not even associated with PCOS amongst women in India. The focus is more on the physical symptoms that one faces, most significantly, weight gain and the inability to lose it. Hence the focus of healing from PCOS is predominantly all about weight-loss through diet and exercise. As a result, the importance of sleep, stress management, and supplementation are either ignored or not taken into consideration when improving your PCOS symptoms.”

Come one, come all

Because of this fast-shifting discourse, PCOS Club India (@pcosclubindia), founded by Mumbai-based Nidhi Singh in 2019 while she was working for Deloitte, is spearheading India’s first PCOS Summit.

Over the past two years, the community has garnered more than 38,000 members as well as a strong 33,500 following on Instagram. From the get-go, Nidhi wanted PCOS Club India to foster a healthy and safe space for women by teaming up with specialists such as Dr Minni Malhotra, a certified functional medical practitioner based in Texas, USA; Dr Kanika Gupta from Orchid Hospital, New Delhi; and Dr Navneeth Selvan, a senior scientist at Indian Council of Medical Research and founder of Threos Healthcare, Chennai.

PCOS Club India also partnered with Dr. Punith Kempegowda of University of Birmingham, UK, for a Blue Morpho research study exploring the hidden impacts of PCOS on emotional wellbeing, body image concerns and difficulties women face while getting diagnosed and treated. Around 600 volunteers via PCOS Club India participated.

The Summit, taking place virtually on September 18 and 19, will comprise various workshops and interactive seminars with doctors and holistic experts. Dr. Kempegowda will speak on the Blue Morpho study, Dr. Sheela Nambiar will chat about how health practitioners can improve PCOS treatment routines, clinical nutritionist Vaibhav Garg will address the link between proteins and PCOS, Dr Piyush Janeja is set to speak on how Cannabidiol may be helpful in some PCOS regimens, and Dr Manvir Bhatia, Vice President of the Indian Sleep Society, will detail the relationship between PCOS and sleep. “We are also having some fun sessions where people can socialise and even dance,” adds Nidhi.

Not wanting to turn the event into a medical convention, Nidhi turned down offers from pharmaceutical companies to sponsor it, choosing instead to partner with doctors who had studied different aspects of PCOS and women’s health over the years.

Influencer dynamics

The increased conversation around PCOS has led to a lot of social media chatter; the hashtags #PCOSIndia, #PCOSIndianDiet, #PCOSIndiaAwareness have hundred of posts each — but not all of said-chatter is legitimate. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Clubhouse are choc-a-bloc with pseudoscience and a wave of ‘PCOS influencers’ providing lifestyle tips on how to deal with the disorder. Naturally, this has bred skepticism, as one regimen that works for one woman, may not work for another.

Achitha observes, “There is definitely meaning in people sharing their journeys to spread awareness and social media provides a platform to de-stigmatise health issues like PCOS. One cannot treat what one doesn’t talk about. While all influencers may not be qualified to provide clinical advice, they are able to add value in terms of being vulnerable about their lived experiences.”

The idea of a coach may not appeal to someone grappling with a lifestyle issue. This is why Anushree believes a gynaecologist and a coach can work in symbiosis for the long-term benefit of a patient-client. “If doctors and coaches work together on helping a patient get to where they need to, the likelihood of success is far greater than one or the other,” she insists. “Coaches need the support of medical professionals: firstly, in order to gain the trust of those who might be skeptical of non-medical professionals in assisting them with their diagnosis. Secondly, to become aware of other options besides medication and just doing it all yourself. This will remove a barrier to access.”

This is what Nidhi hopes for: a streamlined dialogue about PCOS from health practitioners in this under-discussed space. She also hopes over the next few months, the greater community learn more about how to better support women struggling with PCOS or be a ‘PCOS companion’.



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How a Kerala farmer is experimenting with paddy and art

September 1, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Praseed Kumar from Wayanad grows over 125 traditional rice varieties and does rice paddy art in his field

Praseed Kumar Thayyil is back home after another busy day at work. It was the last day of planting rice seedlings for the new “rice paddy art” coming up on his paddy field. “We are ‘drawing’ Lord Buddha. The photo will be released in a month’s time,” says this farmer from Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district.

Developed by farmers of Inakadate village in Japan, rice paddy art or Tanbo Art is creating images in a paddy field using paddy of various shades. “The leaves and the inflorescence that bears rice spikelets come in different colours such as violet, purple, black, green, yellow… or in variations of these shades,” says Praseed, who has been into this art for the last five years.

Rice paddy art featuring two fish on Praseed Kumar Thayyil’s field, which was made last year

Rice paddy art featuring two fish on Praseed Kumar Thayyil’s field, which was made last year

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The first work to come up on his field was a map of India (2017). While the second one, an eagle, got washed away in the flood, the third figure, featuring Swami Vivekananda, failed after wild animals ravaged the field. Nevertheless, his team, led by his friend and artist Prasad, did not give up. Next year, they made the figure of an elephant as a tribute to Guruvayur Kesavan, the legendary tusker of the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple. Last year, it was two fish.

“Once the field is levelled, the outline is drawn with rice flour. Then we plant the seedlings. A specific portion of the field is always set aside for paddy rice art. The new work is coming up on 30 cents,” says 47-year-old Praseed. While Nazar Bath, a black-leaved paddy from Maharashtra, makes the border, the main ones are Dambar Sali, a variety from Karnataka with purple leaves, Jeerakashala and Mappilai Samba (originally from Tamil Nadu).

Praseed Kumar Thayyil, a farmer from Wayanad, grows over 125 paddy varieties

Praseed Kumar Thayyil, a farmer from Wayanad, grows over 125 paddy varieties

| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“To create the fish, we used Nazar Bath, Jeerakashala, Gandhakashala, Rakthashali and Malli Kuruva,” he adds.

Recipient of Kerala State Biodiversity Board’s ‘Haritha Vyakthi Award’ (2019-20) for conserving and promoting rice varieties, Praseed grows over 125 varieties on 10 acres spread in three locations in the district. Born into a farmer family, it was 10 years ago that he decided to try growing new paddy varieties.

The first variety he tested was Krishna Kamod, the aromatic Basmati rice variety from Gujarat, on one cent of his field. When that succeeded, he began collecting more types from across the country. “Black rice has been an attraction for me and I grow it on five acres. I have come across 17 types, out of which seven are with me,” he adds.

Seed bank

With a focus on conserving seeds, he harvests them before they mature. “Not all seed collectors are interested in the sale or exchange of seeds. But I want to promote traditional rice varieties. I sell some of these varieties as grains as well. This Onam, I sold 50 kilogram of black rice,” he shares. The seeds and rice are mainly sold through his website, https://automateanywhere.in/get-paid-to-sell-your-home-at-a-loss/

How a Kerala farmer is experimenting with paddy and art

In the last two years, Praseed has sold nearly 700 kilogram seeds, at rates varying from ₹50 per kilogram (Valichoori from Wayanad) , ₹500 per kilogram and up (black rice ) to the costliest ₹2,000 per kilogram (Ambemohar, a fragrant rice from Maharashtra). “Boka Saul from Assam is a unique variety. Merely putting it in water or milk is enough for it to be cooked. Once the seeds are ready, I plan to sell it at ₹5,000 per kilogram,” he adds.

Praseed emphasises that it is not easy to cultivate the black rice varieties. “At times, I get only 50 or 100 gram of seeds from seed collectors. There have been occasions when I could manage to get only a sheaf of a variety or just a few grains. In such cases, I grow them in pots and when there are enough seedlings I transfer them to the field. One such variety was Karuvachi, an indigenous variety found in the forests of Wayanad,” he explains.

A prized possession is Annoori in which flowering and ripening of the grain happens on the same day, between sunrise and sunset. Since it grows in the wild, there are debates about whether it can be called a paddy. “The grains remain on the plant for a day or two but usually birds eat them before I can collect them. I now grow them in 20 pots,” says Praseed.

A paddy variety

In addition to indigenous rice varieties from Kerala, he grows Kalabati, Kala Namak, Burma Black, Kattuyaanam, Japan Violet, Ramli and Poongar.

“Farmers are dependent on then monsoon and climate change always puts us in a fix; so it is high time we thought about cultivating more varieties to increase our income. I want to set an example by bringing in as many varieties as possible through rice paddy art,” he says.

Contact: 9447316591

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Sudha Menon’s book ‘Recipes for Life’ is about comfort food of 30 well-known Indians

August 29, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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‘Recipes for Life’ celebrates India’s food diversity and culinary traditions

I am craving comfort food, the way my mother makes it: well-cooked kanji, payar thoran, red coconut chutney, dollops of ghee and generous helpings of crisp, hot, golden pappadam and, maybe, a dash of pickle. If you read Pune-based Sudha Menon’s new book, Recipes for Life, published by Penguin, it is bound to make you long for the food of your childhood. Comfort food is all about nostalgia and what we eat as children.

As lockdowns motivated many people to return to comfort food, journalist-turned-writer Sudha Menon began her new book, Recipes for Life , on comfort food from all over India. Here, 30 celebrities from different walks of life talk about their food memories, the way their mothers would make it and how it evokes images of childhood, warmth and home.

The idea evolved when Sudha lost her mother-in-law and with it her treasured recipes for different kinds of masala and dishes. “None of us, including her children, had any idea how to make those. Indians don’t have a tradition of documenting recipes. Most of us learn cooking from our mothers or elders by helping them in the kitchen. Rarely are the ingredients or methods written down. Orally transmitted by women in the household, the measures are not accurate; you depend on expertise to discern what spice has to be added or decreased. The idea of the book gained traction when my mother, Pramila Radhakrishnan, and I spent time in UK with my elder sister, Sabita, a couple of years ago,” said Sudha.

Sudha Menon is the author of ‘Recipes for Life’

Age was playing tricks with her mother’s memory and the excellent cook who had pampered her three daughters with homemade food occasionally found it difficult to recollect a recipe.

A pan-Indian collection

That motivated Sudha to accelerate the work on her book of recipes, with stories collected from all over India. There is Olympian Mary Kom, authors Amish Tripathi, Shantha Gokhale and Manu Pillai, politician-author Shashi Tharoor, actors Suhasini Mani Ratnam and Vidya Balan, author and sports commentator Harsha Bhogle, Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochchar, artist Atul Dodiya, cricketer Irfan Pathan and banker Uday Kothak among others reminiscing about the food that shaped their childhood and youth.

As each one enthusiastically narrates stories about their choice of food, what is evident is the variety, simplicity and nutritive value of eating local and fresh food. Cuisines are never watertight compartments and ingredients, cooking methods and flavours from many regions in India blended in kitchens to form new taste palates.

“The book is a recognition of mothers’ ingenuity in transforming the most humble vegetable or meat into flavoursome dishes that pamper the taste buds. No matter where they lived, they would find ways to recreate the taste of home for their children,” she says.

Sudha Menon is the author of ‘Recipes for Life’

One also gets glimpses of Indians acquiring cross-culinary tastes from nooks and corners of the country thanks to their parents working in public sector companies, banks, railways, huge private firms and so on.

While Tisca Chopra recalls the roast chicken, mutton, tinned sardines and veggies such as brussels sprouts when her father was working in Kabul, VR Ferose, senior vice -president and head, SAP Academy of Engineering, reminisces how their home was a melting pot of different Indian cuisines as they lived in a Railways colony in Kharagpur, West Bengal.

Culinary traditions of India

From molgapodi, curd rice, vathakozhambu, bharli karli, saalans and mampoo pachadi (mango blossom chutney) and jackfruit seed payasam to puran poli, different kinds of dals, flavoured rice, breads and wadiwaali aloo, the book maps the rich culinary traditions of the country.

Sudha says although we believe ourselves to be cosmopolitan, she realised how little she knew about the diet in the North eastern states and her conversation with Mary Kom came as a revelation.

“Mothers usually shape the eating habits of children and those have a lasting effect on our food choice. So, there is Atul Kochchar who talks about how his strict mother made him eat lauki for a week because he refused to eat the vegetable. But it also showcased her culinary artistry because each time the lauki appeared on the table in a different taste. That was how mothers of an earlier generation made sure we never wasted food or turned up our nose at any kind of food,” says Sudha.

Her own favourites from her mother’s treasure trove of recipes include Avoli (promfret) cooked with mango and coconut, ripe mango chammanthi, raw mango and cucumber curry and mango pulissery.

Along with recipes of snacks, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, the book celebrates India’s vast food diversity. Many of the celebrities also reminisce on the food that used to be made during festivals. Every festival in the country, many with roots in our agricultural past, is closely linked to a wide range of cereals, snacks, curries, preserves, sweets and drinks.

Sudha hopes the book motivates readers to collect the recipes in his/her family to pass on to a new generation.

The book was launched on July 23.

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Drive-in restaurants offer diners physically distanced meals

August 26, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Drive-in restaurants are catching the fancy of diners in the pandemic era, with portable trays hitched to car windows, QR-coded menus and curated playlists

Move over BYOB, it is time to BYOC: Bring Your Own Car. With customers still nervous about eating at busy restaurants, but eager to get out of the house after successive lockdowns, a trend from the 70s is making a comeback and drive-in restaurants are sprouting across the country.

At Drive & Dine by Dhuaan in Kanpur, golf carts deliver food to cars packed in designated spots. Launched last August, by the Status Hospitality Group, this idea was a response to the pandemic. “The hospitality industry was shook. We have hundreds of employees to support. Home delivery was the only thing that was working but that was not enough to cover costs,” says Yash Malhotra who has taken over the family hospitality business along with his sister Insha Malhotra.

Drive and dine by Dhuaan

Drive and dine by Dhuaan
 

With large banquet lawns at their disposal, they realised a drive-in diner was a great way to capitalise on their expansive property. “This way diners can maintain distancing while being able to go out of the house and enjoy a meal,” says Yash. Picnic benches are placed alongside cars, in case people wish to stretch their legs, and get out of the car as well. Orders are made via QR codes.

The drive-in experiment got more traction than the Malhotras expected (roughly 60 cars over the weekend), and has now become a permanent feature. “Seeing the success, a couple of small restaurants from cities such as Surat and Chandigarh reached out to us and have implemented a similar concept,” says Yash. As Drive & Dine by Dhuaan turns one this week, the team continues to make an effort to keep the space exciting. They host themed evenings such as movie nights, Sufi nights, and even distance dancing nights. “Sometimes clients book the entire or part of the space to play tambola in their cars or for social events,” adds Yash.

Drive-in birthday parties are trending too. Shyam Sunder, who runs Arjun Garden Cafe in Chennai’s Medavakkam says he often hosts families and friends who park their cars at his cafe, and celebrate special occasions with confetti and cake. Flash mobs have also taken place here, he says.

Arjun Garden Cafe, Chennai

Shyam, who worked briefly at the Imperial in Delhi, and trained at the Indian Accent restaurant, also in the capital, returned home to Chennai in 2019, to set up the drive-in Cafe with his father Bala Sunder. Spread over an acre, it houses a seating area with a thatched roof, another space for pets and their owners, as well as 30,000 square feet of open space that can accommodate 45-50 cars.

When launched two years ago, he says, no one really came just for the drive-in. He tried telecasting cricket and football matches on the large screen, which drew in a few clients. Post pandemic, it is a different story.

“People are more comfortable sitting in their car as it’s their space, while we take care of everything else,” says Shyam. He adds that once the pandemic hit, he lost out on his bachelor clients as most of them moved back to their home-towns. Instead, he saw a rise in the family crowd. “I now have 80% more sales from the drive-in than I did pre-pandemic,” he says.

What makes it safer

To ensure physical distancing, a metre’s gap is maintained between the cars. Although the drive-in cafe is busiest at dinner time, they have a growing clientele coming in early in the day, to breakfast on the cafe’s popular uthappam waffles, gingelly oil dosa and chicken keema dosa. Regulars often call in and order in advance. Some call to pre-order slow-cooked meat, which they then enjoy outside on areca palm plates.

In an attempt to make clients feel safer, restaurants are constantly upgrading systems now. At Kaasa Kitchen, Kochi, finger bowls and fumigators (to get rid of the smell of the food) are part of the process. Others, like Zam Zam in Thiruvananthapuram are thoughtfully providing trays that can be attached to the cars’ windows, so diners can eat comfortably without juggling hot food on their laps.

Sri Kamakshi Mess

Sri Kamakshi Mess
 
| Photo Credit: Ragu R.

Recently launched Sri Kamatchi Mess drive-in in Parrys Corner, Chennai, has a carefully thought out system in place. “We have designed wooden benches that we slide into the cars, so customers can eat off them. They come in two different sizes to suit different models of cars,” says producer-turned-actor, V Natarajan, who launched this venture along with his daughter-in-law Rani Kumar. Their earlier businesses include maavadu.in (a Thanjavur-style meal delivery service), Sri Kamatchi mess in West Mambalam, and a food truck.

“We also have tables and chairs placed for those who prefer to sit outside and eat,” says Natarajan. Functioning out of the canteen building in the Raja Annamalai Mandram complex, the facility can hold about 40 cars at a time. Their strategic location, with the High Court and many Government offices located in the vicinity, has made it convenient for many to stop by for breakfast or lunch.

“Our USP is reviving old-style tiffin items such as Kanjeevaram idli, more koozh, puli upma, arisi upma. We also have a tandoori and Chinese counter, but the focus is on South Indian dishes,” says Rani.

This is an effective module, provided there is ample parking space. Some, like Sante Spa Cuisine in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, have made drive-in an extension of its dine-in restaurant. Kaneesha Jain, who owns this branch, says their parking area can easily hold up to 50 cars.

To cater to this car dining audience, the restaurant has invested in eco-friendly, plastic-free cutlery, hands-free ordering service via their app and a Spotify playlist that enables in-car diners to listen to the same music being played inside the restaurant.

People want to be in their safe bubbles and think of their cars as one. Yes, home delivery is always an option agrees Kaneesha, but certain dishes lose their flavour and character by the time they get delivered. This way, one gets to enjoy the best of both worlds: People get to go out and be safe at the same time. And of course, a little nostalgia never hurt anyone.

Woodlands did it first

In 1962, at the centre of what is now Semmozhi Poonga, stood Woodlands, South India’s first drive-in restaurant. The Woodlands Hotel Group leased out 18 of the 320 acres of the Agri-Horticultural Society on Cathedral Road to build what would go on to become one of the city’s most popular landmarks until it shut down in 2008.

Considered an innovative venture then, it helped popularise Udupi style vegetarian cuisine. The entire car parking area functioned as the restaurant and steel trays, with glasses of water, were fitted to the front doors of the cars. Waiters would then come to the car and narrate the items on the menu that day.

The Woodlands Drive in restaurant was shut down in April 2008

Its sprawling greenery that included a play area for children made it popular among families. Located in the heart of the city, it attracted many morning walkers who would stop by for breakfast and be assured of steaming hot pongal and idli as early as 6 am. Their chole bhature, masala dosa, sambar vada, chilli cheese, toast bonda and coffee were the most popular items on menu.

With inputs from Chitra Deepa Anantharam

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How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

August 21, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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A melting pot of migrants, Chennai is home to myriad communities who have given the city some iconic street foods, from bread butter bun to hand-churned ice cream. This Madras Day, we pay tribute

As locals, we know what to order at Chennai’s most iconic restaurants and food stalls. Over years of sitting at their tables, we have also learnt the stories behind these spaces. This Madras Day, we meet the faces behind the spaces: people who moved to Chennai from other States and towns, worked hard and created institutions that now define the flavours of this city.

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

Thanjavur Military Hotel, Park Town

For KK Gangadharan, it is a matter of pride to hold on to a legacy that his great grandfather created many years ago. Many years ago, Kattayan Chettiar made the journey from Kothattai near Chidambaram to Madras in search of new opportunities in the city.

He married the daughter of the founder of Kattayan Hotel. Now named Thanjavur Military Hotel, to emphasise its “non veg meals,” it still operates from the same single room that can seat about six people at a time. Well before live cooking and chefs’ tables became popular, here, the kitchen and dining area merged into each other, and customers have always been able to enjoy watching their dinner being prepared.

A staunch traditionalist, Gangadharan has stuck to his roots and little has changed here over the decades. He still likes to calculate customers’ bill using a slate and pencil, the way it has always been done.

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

The menu includes a popular meat and rice preparation, which he specifies is a pulao and not biryani. “The pulao masala’s main ingredients are green chillies and garlic. It is made in a copper handi which gives it a distinct taste,” says Gangadharan, adding that it is accompanied by mutton gravy.

Thanjavur Military Hotel is one of the few places in the city that serves a non-vegetarian meal as early as 8.30 am. Their customer game is strong, with loyal diners across generations. However, as the clientele got younger and business became more competitive, Gangadharan realised that his menu needed new additions. This is when his popular kari dosai and naatu kozhi fry were added.

Address: 75, New No.60, Old Rasappa Chetty Street, Park Town.

Contact: 044-25330955

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

Gopaul Diary, George Town

For many students who have studied in the vicinity, Gopaul Diary is an emotion. K Pramod, who is the third generation owner, beams with happiness when he mentions how their oldest customers still come to their shop, often with grandchildren in tow. One of Pramod’s best memories, in fact, is when an octogenarian visited along with two grandsons, who brought him as visiting Gopaul Diary was his last wish.

The little outlet was launched about 75 years ago when V Venkatraman moved from his home in Bavani Sagar, Erode, to Chennai, looking for job opportunities. He quickly realised that selling “bun butter jam” to the Anglo-Indians in the area was a practical way to earn a steady income.

He began with two items on the menu, and the format has never been changed. Venkatraman’s son, V Krishnaraja, who is now 65 years old, took over the business next. And, nine years ago his son, K Pramod, began to help him run the business.

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

Pramod fondly recollects how during his grandfather’s time their popular bun, slathered with creamy Uthukuli butter and jam, sold for one rupee. Over the years it gradually went up to ₹10, and is now ₹25.

Their small studio space is always busy with locals in the morning and they are usually sold out by 1 pm. Pramod is attached to both Chennai and his customers: “We have seen cyclones, storms, tsunami and the pandemic,” he says. “But, people here have always helped me bounce back.”

Address: 3, Philips Street, Parry’s Corner, George Town.

Contact: 9952954965

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

Kunhiraman General Stores, Royapuram

When C Kunhiraman moved to Chennai from Kozhikode to start a small departmental store in 1925, it quickly became a shopping hub for the Anglo-Indian community in the area.

The department store, selling provisions, got busier when he decided to sell juices from a special counter inside the shop, about 75 years ago. Then, 40 years later, he introduced the ice cream that made the shop famous.

Akilesh Baskran, Kunhiraman’s grandson, now runs the store along with his cousin Lakshmi Vasu, the granddaughter of the founder. Even today, their ice creams are churned out from their own unit behind their shop, following an old fashioned ‘hard ice cream method’ as opposed to the popular soft serve technology. They are popular for selling mango ice cream through the year, made from tinned pulp.

How Chennai’s migrants gave the city its iconic street food havens

Akilesh says there was a lull when many Anglo-Indians moved out of the locality. Fortunately, social media made Kunhiraman popular again and people started travelling from across the city to get photographed digging into a scoop, and post with #Kunhiraman.

Address: N Terminus Road, Chetty Thottam, Royapuram.

Contact: 044-25904889

Trouser Thatha Kadai, Mylapore

In 1977 R Rajendiran travelled to Chennai for the first time, from Vilampatti (Virudhunagar) for his daughter’s medical treatment.

Faced with mounting bills, he launched a little stall serving simple food as a means for income to support his daughter’s medical expenses. Set in the heart of Mylapore, the place became popular for the non-vegetarian food it served.

Even today, he insists on cooking the same way he did when he began, using hand ground masalas and wood fires.

Rajendiran, thoughtfully recollects how, in 1985, he changed the name to Kamakshi Mess from Arunagiri Mess though he does not remember exactly why. However locals, who became loyal customers over the years, came up with another name: since Rajendiran wore shorts as he cooked meals, they fondly started calling it the “Trouser Kadai”.

How does he stay the course? He answers with a single word, “Patience”. He adds that life and business have not always been easy, but patience has paid off. That and hard work. Although his sons R Vijaya Raj and R Ramesh now manage the restaurant, in the kitchen, with just one assistant, Rajendran is still cooking.

Address: 107, 56, Ramakrishna Mutt Road, Jeth Nagar, Mandaveli.

Contact: 9884380470

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Meet Chennai’s food artists who’ve stood the test of time

August 20, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Food historian Rakesh Raghunathan’s new documentary series tracks the people and emotions behind popular local joints

In the bylanes of Mandaveli, a man dressed in a low-slung pair of shorts has been tending wood-fired stoves in a soot-blackened kitchen for over 40 years now. And the hot meals he plates up have turned scores of customers into decades-long loyalists. Meet ‘trouser thatha’ Rajendran, of Trouser Kadai — the name lovingly given to his no-name food joint, thanks to his signature look. He is one of seven cooks starring in FoodArt: Chennai, the first edition of city-based food historian Rakesh Raghunathan’s new documentary series.

The idea for the show, which promises to go “behind the emotion of food”, came about quite serendipitously. “Last year, an old man came to our house to sell kolam maavu. As we got talking about how he makes his mixture [he adds rice flour to rock powder so that ants can eat it], he also shared food stories from his hometown of Dharmapuri. And it occurred to me that till now, through my shows and workshops, I’ve only focussed on food, never the people who cook it,” says Raghunathan, who started the handle @artistswhocreatefood on Instagram soon after. As he kept digging, he unearthed more stories.

Munzera Begum, ande ki mithai, ‘trouser thatha’ Rajendran, Raghunathan in an outdoor kitchen, and cooks at work

Munzera Begum, ande ki mithai, ‘trouser thatha’ Rajendran, Raghunathan in an outdoor kitchen, and cooks at work
 

“A conversation with Gautham Menon led me to Nainan’s, housed in the 130-year-old YMCA building in Parry’s Corner. It’s the filmmaker’s favourite stop for caramel custard,” he says. The café is a blast from our colonial past, with its high ceilings and marble-topped tables. “The custard recipe hasn’t changed in God knows how many years!” Another discovery: Munzera Begum of MR Bakerz in Triplicane. Her grandfather’s creation, ande ki mithai (made from surplus milk and eggs at his farm), is just divine. “When food touches the soul, it’s not just because of great technique, it’s because of the emotion, the philosophy behind it. That’s what I wanted to capture in this series,” says Raghunathan, who is still deciding if part two will explore more of Chennai, or head South to Madhurai, a city he loves.

The episodes are of varying lengths, ranging from six to 12 minutes. “It depends on how long they could chat with me,” he smiles. But the stories are all engrossing — from how Nainan’s once hosted India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to trouser thatha starting his kitchen to keep up with his sick daughter’s medical expenses. “His daughter passed away, but he stayed on in the city. When I asked him about his life, he told me, “What I’ve earned in my life is happiness’.” It is a sentiment that Raghunathan says will resonate in all the episodes. Oh, and if you drop by Trouser Kadai, he recommends the mutton kola urundai.

FoodArt: Chennai premieres on August 22 (Madras Day) across Raghunathan’s Instagram, Youtube and Facebook accounts.

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Brew sachets are all the rage, according to these Indian coffee masterbrewers

August 17, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

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Can brew sachets be a gamechanger for India’s coffee-lovers? A recent online coffee discussion hosted by Something’s Brewing explained how

On August 13, coffee lovers were introduced to a novel way of savouring their preferred beverage — brew sachets. At an online brewing session organised by Something’s Brewing, they experienced how these little brew bags offered them flavour without the trappings of instant pre-packed coffee or coffee powder.

The session was started by Abhinav Mathur, CEO of Something’s Brewing, a Bengaluru-based ecommerce company that aims to help coffee lovers get the experience of speciality coffee brewed by their favourite baristas. Abhinav was joined by masterbrewer Shubham Chawla, product marketing manager at Kaapi Machines.

Read More | India brings the café experience home through coffee-brewing tools and more

The concept of a brew bag is not entirely new to India’s coffee lovers. In 2020, many roasters introduced pre-packed coffee in brew bags. All you had to do was cut open the pouch, pour hot water and mix to drink. What is new is that Something’s Brewing brew bag allows coffee lovers choose the type of roast they would prefer on a particular day.

For newbies to the coffee space Shubham simplified the measuring technique by replacing the weighing scale with the teaspoon and tablespoon to decide the quantity to be used, ensuring that the spoons were captured on camera, leaving no room for doubts.

The session aimed at breaking brewing myths like coffee brewing requires specialised kits and machines. Abhinav and Shubham both emphasised the importance of the right technique and roast, depending on the drinker’s preference in coffee (light, medium to dark roast) . The brew bags also come with hangers that helps the bag to hang from the cup.

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