Almonds in a tastier way

By IANSlife April 3, 2022 (IANSlife) A healthy diet never sounds appealing because it reminds us of the rustic and bland taste of nuts. However, this is merely a misunderstanding that causes people to abandon a healthy diet. Chef Manish Mehrotra shares how to prepare almonds the right way.

Almonds in a tastier way Now get green chilli powder

IANSLIFE on your table soon

ALMOND & SWEET POTATO TOAST INGREDIENTS:

• Almond with skin ¾ cup • Bread slice 3-4 no • Diced roast sweet potato 2 cups • Sea salt to taste • Black pepper powder ½ tsp ALMOND & SWEET POTATO TOAST • Chaat masala ½ tsp • Chopped fresh coriander 2 tsp • Lemon juice 2 tsp • Chopped root ginger 1 tsp • Chopped green chilli ½ tsp • Green chutney 1 tbsp • Olive oil 1 tsp • Mayonnaise 1tsp

METHOD

• Roast the almonds with skin in preheated oven at 180 degrees • celsius for 4 minutes and cut into slivers once it is cool In a bowl, add dice of roast ‘Un-complicate the act of sweet potato with salt, pepper, chaat masala, lemon juice, chop ginger, chopped green chilli, green chutney and mayonnaise. eating’, Rujuta Diwekar toss it well to mix evenly. • Toast the bread till golden colour. • Layer the mix of diced sweet potato over toasted bread and • Sprinkle the almond slivers on it and serve. drizzle olive oil over it.

ALMOND & CAULIFLOWER RICE SALAD ALMOND & CAULIFLOWER RICE INGREDIENTS: SALAD

• Almond with skin 1 cup • Pulsed cauliflower 2 cups • Sea salt to taste • Black pepper powder ½ tsp • Chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp • Lemon juice 2 tsp • Chopped root ginger 1 tsp • Chopped green chilli 1 tsp • Cumin seed ½ tsp • Olive oil 2 tbsp

METHOD

• Roast the almonds with skin in preheated oven at 180 degree celsius for 4 minutes and cut into slivers, once it is cooled. • In a pan, heat olive oil and crackle cumin seed, add chopped ginger, chopped green chilli and saute for 10-15 seconds. • Stir-in pulsed cauliflower and cook for a minute or till tender. • Take off the pan from flame and finish up with lemon juice, freshly chopped coriander and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. • Add roasted slivered almonds to it. • Serve fluffy textured pulao. Love Beer? Know all about this drink

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), April 7 (IANS) Ever thought of having a green chilli powder on your dining table? This is all set to become a reality because the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi has now developed a technology of making powder of green chilli which will be launched in the market soon. Till now only red chilli powder was easily available in the market whereas green chilli powder, of its own natural colour of green chilli is not. The IIVR has got this technique patented in its name and is all set for the market launch of the product. The institute has signed a memorandum of understanding with a Himachal Pradesh-based firm. IIVR Director Tusar Kanti Behera, said the institute has inked an agreement with a Una (Himachal Pradesh)-based company for the production of green chilli powder. By IANSlife April 06, 2022 (IANSlife) As World Health Day approaches, it is the perfect time to get into action and set your health goals right. In a nine-episode podcast available on Audible titled Rujuta’s Soch, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar advises adopting some simple yet effective tips for each meal during the day. Here’s the scoop from the episode! Don’t skip your breakfast and definitely have a home-cooked fresh breakfast: It’s not enough to eat the right dinner; you should also start your day with a home-cooked fresh breakfast that includes Idli, Poha, Dosa, and Eggs as part of your daily routine. Aside from that, you must include fresh fruit and nuts, which can be soaked almonds, walnuts, or simply bananas. Eat a hyper-local fruit as a mid-meal daily: Every day, include a hyper-local fruit as a mid-meal (between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner). A hyper-local fruit is one that does not have an English name, but rather one in your native language. It may be well-known in your region, but it is not necessarily well-known throughout the world. It differs from common or known local fruits such as bananas, guavas, jackfruits, grapes, and so on. To stay physically and mentally fit, eat fruits like ‘ber’ (jujube), maran, phalsa, ‘shahtoot’ (mulberry), karvanda, ranjana, jamun, bel, cashew fruits, “The institute is promoting the public-private partnership to take its advanced technologies to the beneficiaries. According to the agreement, the IIVR will transfer the technology to the company to produce the green chilli powder and make it available in the market,” he added. According to him, the green chilli powder prepared by this technology also contains more than 30 per cent vitamin C, 94-95 per cent chlorophyll and 65-70 per cent capsin and thus prepared green chilli powder can be stored safely for several dhurchuk, tadgola, nimboli, ramphal, and others that are high in nutrition, vitamins, prebiotics, and bioactive compounds. Don’t starve yourself during lunch: Having a full-fledged Indian Thali is sufficient. Full-fledged means dal, roti, rice, green veggies, and a side dish, such as curd, pickle, or any sweet, if desired. As a result, make sure your lunch is nutritious and contains the necessary vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a protein source. Take a short afternoon nap (10-30 mins): Rujuta emphasises the importance of taking a nap in the afternoon. She recommends taking at least a 20 to 30-minute nap in the afternoon, right after lunch. Begin taking an afternoon nap; it will help you sleep better at night. It months at normal temperature. The IIVR Director said he had discussed its quality standards and marketing with the company’s representative Yashoda Nand Gupta. The institute has also connected the farmers of eastern Uttar Pradesh with the company, so that the green chillies produced in this area can be directly purchased by this company. This will increase the demand for the produce of the farmers and fetch a fair price, which will increase their income. will assist you in obtaining optimal levels of growth hormones and IGF (Insulin-like growth factor). It will also hasten your fat loss. She also mentions that those who have had heart surgery, those who suffer from thyroid PCOD, hormonal problems, diabetes, acidity, and digestive issues, or those who struggle with insomnia and have broken sleep should try to take an afternoon nap. Wrap up with an early dinner: After all, eating a healthy and light dinner will help your body maintain its levels and functions. Rujuta says, “... never remove roti, rice, and ghee from your diet in order to have a perfect body,” when discussing how people nowadays focus on skipping dinner. Rujuta also emphasises the importance of good sleep after dinner for a full recovery, saying, “Sleep and Recovery are equally important.”

ALMOND & AMARANTH KEBAB INGREDIENTS:

• Whole almond ¼ cup • Amaranth flour ½ cup • Almond flour ½ cup • Chopped ginger 2 tsp • Chopped garlic 1 tsp • Chopped green chilli 1 tsp • Chopped red onions 3 tbsp • Boiled potato mashed 2 tbsp • Salt to taste • Red chilli powder ½ tsp • Garam masala powder ¼ tsp • Freshly chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp • Oil (for grilling)

METHOD

• Roast almonds in preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 4 minutes and cut them roughly once cooled. • In a bowl, combine amaranth flour, almond flour, roughly chopped almonds, chopped ginger, chopped onion, chopped green chilli, mashed potatoes, salt, red chilli powder,garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves and mix thoroughly. • Portion the mix in 25 gm size and keep aside in a plate.

ALMOND & AMARANTH KEBAB

• Heat oil in a pan on medium flame, pan-fry kebabs to golden and crisp. • Serve hot kebabs with chutney. Add roasted slivered almonds to it. • Serve fluffy textured pulao. By Prem Dewan April 02, 2022 (IANSlife) Beer is widely associated with beer bellies but on the contrary, it is actually a very healthy drink. Probably one of the healthiest drinks one can have as it is made mostly from barley but can also have small quantities of rice or wheat. The bitterness is created by the addition of hops, a flower that is very bitter and imparts its bitterness and flavour to the beer. Beer has all the natural goodness of barley, except for its starch, which is converted during the beer-making process into sugar with the help of enzymes available in the barley malt itself. This sugar is then converted into alcohol during the fermentation process, leaving all the other ingredients of the malted barley in the finished beer. A normal beer with about 4.5 per cent alcohol contains less than half a calorie per ml of beer while a strong beer with about 7 per cent alcohol can have just three-fourths of a calorie per ml. Beer has, however, for long been clubbed with other liquors in India for all regulations pertaining to the manufacture, distribution and sale. Nobody can trade in beer unless one gets an excise license from the concerned state government. The same norms as applicable to liquor are applicable to beer in manufacturing, wholesale, retail sale and even on-trade sale, i.e. in bars, clubs and hotels. There is even a limit to how much beer one can keep at home - normally just about a case of beer is allowed in most states across the country. This as a matter of fact is quite the opposite of how beer is viewed in Europe, the US and other developed countries where it is considered more a fun drink to be had in the company of friends, at parties and even in solitude at home. Beer comes in a number of styles, the main ones being a lager, pilsner, ale, and wheat, among others. Yeast plays a major part in the production of beer as it converts the sugars into alcohol and different yeasts impart different flavours and taste to the beer. It takes about a fortnight for a beer to be ready for bottling during which time it is processed at temperatures ranging from 10C to 20C. The processing temperature can go as high as even 25C in the case of ales. However, plant hygiene and quality control play a huge role in the final quality of beers and even a small deviation in the standard manufacturing procedures can result in the beer not meeting its final quality parameters. Beers can also be gold coloured or dark depending on the malt being used. The beer is bottled at about 3C and then immediately pasteurised before it is labelled and packed for dispatch to the market. Beer quality has improved tremendously over the past few years. Beer shelf life which was traditionally considered only three months in the sixties has now increased to 12 months with improved processes and manufacturing systems. However, Beer should be kept in a cool place away from light in order to retain its original flavours and taste. Manufacturers are now more focused on quality and the entry of international brewers into the country has spurred domestic manufacturers to improve their processes in order to match international quality standards. While this has resulted in increased consumption of beer, the per capita consumption of beer in India continues to be abysmally low when compared to other countries, being less than a litre. Compare this with the per capita consumption in Germany and Austria and even in Seychelles of over 100 litres! Obviously, we have a long distance to cover but this can only happen with a helping hand from the government and distancing beer from the liquor regulations.

(Prem Dewan, Managing Director of DeVANS Modern Breweries)