Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

Also called the “kacche gosht ki Biryani”, where raw meat is cooked on low flame in trapped steam along with half cooked rice till the meat becomes tender and rice becomes fragrant. The art of making this Biryani has a long history associated with the Mughals. It’s now popularly known as the Hyderabadi Biryani.

The essence of this cooking method is the trapped steam. The marinated pieces of raw mutton get cooked on super low heat for a long time.

This recipe is a two step process. First step calls for marinating the mutton and the second step calls for sealing the pot of Biryani shut and cooking on “dum”.

This recipe serves 4 people and provides approximately 860 calories per serving.

Here is what you’ll need:

½ kg mutton

2 cups long grain basmati

2 cardamoms

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 inch cinnamon stick

Mint leaves for garnish

Saffron soaked in 2 tbsp milk

Marinade:

6-7 green chillies slit

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp black pepper

1 tbsp Biryani masala powder (optional)

4 cloves whole

4 cardamoms whole

1 inch cinnamon stick

200 gm yoghurt

1 cup fried onions/ fry 2 onions (check link)

½ cup coriander

½ cup mint leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

5 tbsp oil.

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean and wash the mutton pieces.
2. Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the marinade with all the ingredients listed under “marinade”,
4. Marinate the mutton pieces for 2 hours.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
6. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, cook the rice for 5 minutes or till half done and drain it.
7. Layer the bottom of the pan with the marinated mutton and add the half cooked rice on top.
8. Garnish with few mint leaves and saffron milk.
9. Seal the pot tightly by applying sticky dough of all-purpose flour around the brim of the pot.
10. Once the pot is sealed, cook on low flame for 20 minutes and then keep on “dum” for another 20 minutes.
11. For keeping on dum keep the pot on a hot tawa and then put it on low flame.
12. Serve hot with raita.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Food Additives - Antioxidants

It is a known fact that certain foods contain natural antioxidants but little do we know that antioxidants are added to certain foods artificially. Antioxidants which are added to the food as additives help in improving certain qualities of the food especially the keeping quality of food.

So now we move on to the next type of Food Additive – Antioxidants - Antioxidants is used as food additives to preserve food for a longer period of time by preventing oxidation of foods. Antioxidants act as oxygen scavengers. In the absence of antioxidant, oxidation of unsaturated fats takes place rendering to foul smell and discoloration of food. 

Oxidation in food is a destructive process which leads to the spoilage of food and changes the chemical composition as well as nutritional value of food when it is exposed to oxygen. To prevent this or delay the process of oxidation, antioxidants are added to the food. They increase the shelf life of the food.

Different kinds of antioxidants act in different ways to delay or minimize the process of oxidation in food. Some antioxidants combine with oxygen to prevent oxidation and other prevent the oxygen from reacting with the food leading to its spoilage.

Fats and oils and any food containing them are more prone to oxidation. So antioxidants are added to these to prevent oxidation. The list of foods where antioxidants are added are vegetable oil, animal fat, meat, fish, poultry, baked products, potato products, margarine, salad dressing etc.

Some popular antioxidant food additives are listed below:

Antioxidant Vitamins - Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C): This antioxidant vitamin is used in beers, cut fruits, dried potatoes and jams. The antioxidant vitamins in these foods help in preventing the discoloration of food by preventing the oxidation. It can also act as a substitute of vitamin C in potatoes that is lost during processing.

Citric Acid: It is used in biscuits, jams, tinned fruits, alcoholic drinks, cheese and dried soup. It has many uses like it prevents the discoloration of food, increases the anti-oxidant effect of other substances and regulates pH in jams and jellies.

Tocopherols: This antioxidant food additive is used in the meat pies and oils to reduce the oxidation of fatty acids and vitamins.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is used in margarine, oils, crisps and cheese. This antioxidant helps in preventing the reactions leading to the breakdown of fats.

There are many benefits of using antioxidant food additives. Antioxidants prevent the blockage of arteries with fatty deposits that prevents the heart attacks. Also these are associated with the prevention of certain types of cancers, arthritis and more conditions of these kinds.

Antioxidants Food Additives List

Ascorbic acid

Sodium ascorbate

Calcium ascorbate

Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid

Tocopherols

Alpha-tocopherol

Gamma-tocopherol

Delta-tocopherol

Propyl gallate

Octyl gallate

Dodecyl gallate

Erythorbic acid

Sodium erythorbate

Tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ)

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

Citric Acid

Hexylresorcinol

Next time you see a fat containing food gone rancid or smelling foul then you know what it doesn't contain.  Know your food, Educate yourself. 

Post by Faiz Lahori

Crepes Foldover/ Appa Gudiyo

So, this is the second type of savoury crepes. A ready spicy filling is added to the crepe and folded into pockets. It’s the shallow fried and served hot as an appetizer.

These savoury crepes are good appetizers if you have guests coming over. They can be folded in advance and frozen weeks ahead. All you have to do is defrost it and shallow fry.

Each serving of this recipe will provide 140 calories approximately.

Here is what you’ll need:

Basic crepes

Vegetable and chicken masala filling

Method:

1. Take one crepe out on a plate and arrange 1 tbsp of masala filling on i
2. Fold it from opposites side from all four sides till a square pocket is formed.
3. Repeat with all the crepes.
4. Once all the foldovers are prepared, shallow fry it on medium heat till golden brown on both sides.
5. Serve hot.

Leran to make Basic crepes and Mixed Vegetable and Chicken masala Filling in The Kitchen Counter column.

Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis results following the repeated attacks of acute pancreatitis and the effects of digestive enzymes on pancreas or may be associated with chronic inflammation of the biliary tract.

The causes of this condition are neglect of acute pancreatitis, alcohol abuse, excessive iron in the blood and other unknown factors.

The common symptoms of chronic pancreatitis are pain, malabsorption, weight loss, malnutrition and steatorrhoea.

The goals of nutritional management of this condition are to provide rest to pancreas, prevention of diabetes, enteral supplementation, diet control and special feeding.

Pancreatic enzyme supplementation is important in long term patient management and it helps to control and reduce malabsorption.

The dietary guidelines include:

Nutrients	Note
Calories	35 Kcal/kg IBW is ascertained keeping in mind the moderate stressful state.
Fats	Low fat diet. 40-60 g/day. Parenteral administration of fat-soluble vitamin is necessary.
Calcium and Vitamin B12	To prevent deficiency

Important guidelines for managing chronic pancreatitis:

• Avoid alcohol
• Avoid meal with a high fat content. Use MCTs in severe steatorrhoea.
• Give adequate energy and protein intake.
• Monitor blood glucose levels regularly.
• Give vitamin and mineral supplementation (fat soluble vitamins, folic acid and calcium).
• Pancreatic enzyme supplementation should be taken adjusted to quantity of food and fat content of meals.

Post by Faiz Lahori

Savoury Crepes/ Teekh appo

First things first, If you haven’t checked out the Basic crepes recipe yet, go back and check that out first. It will give a better idea of what we are doing here.

Normal type of crepes stuffed with savoury filling becomes savoury crepes. Today’s recipe of savoury crepe is what we call in Bhatkal as the “Teekh Pattal Appo” as in “Spicy thin crepes”. This is a one step process of making a spicy batter for the crepe and does not need any additional fillings. It has a delicious desi taste with the kick of spiciness.

For the savoury type ,the main spiciness is from chillies. I do not add any other spices or masalas. But I do add a tbsp or 2 of any ready bhuna masala I have left over in the fridge (which I normally have :-)). It gives the crepes the extra flavor.  I also add a tbsp of milk powder to the batter. Why? No clue. Mom said so. Maybe it gives the extra rich or subtleness. Nevertheless it’s optional. 

This recipe makes 10 crepes. One serving provides approximately 86 Calories.

Here is what you’ll need:

3 eggs

1 cup all purpose flour (Maida)

2 ½  cups water

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp cornflour

½  medium onion

1 tbsp milk powder (optional)

3 green chillies

½ inch ginger

2-3 cloves of garlic

4-5 sprigs of coriander leaves

2 tbsp of any type of bhuna masala (optional yet must J)

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients in a blender till smooth.
2. Pour it out in a large bowl and heat a non stick frying pan.
3. Scoop out ¾ of a ladle and swirl it onto the hot pan.
4. Keeping the flame medium high let the crepe cook till the crusts turn golden brown.
5. Using a flat spoon slowly ease out the crepe and put it onto a plate.
6. Serve hot.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Food Additives - Preservatives

Having read about the various Food Additives added to food, now it is time to understand each type of additive. The first type of food additives that we shall discuss about are the food preservatives. Food preservative is a substance which when added to food, is capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of fermentation, acidification or decomposition of food.

It is classified into Class 1 and class 2 preservatives. 

Following are the few factors which influence the choice of preservatives:

1. Properties of food: Determined by the pH, composition, nature of spoilage during handling, processing and storage, various physical and chemical properties as well as method of application. E.g. Protein and fiber in foods can affect the activity of a preservative.
2. Level and type of microorganisms: Nature of food production can influence the microbial flora and load as well as the method of food preservation. Choice of preservative depends on the microbial spectrum and load. A preservative cannot be used as replacement for sanitation and hygiene in a food processing operation.
3. Other treatments such as pasteurization, partial dehydration, refrigeration and packing too can affect. E.g. packing can prevent growth of moulds and aerobic bacteria.
4. Safety - It should not be toxic and should be safely ingested and absorbed.
5. Water activity - regulation of water in food is very important. Dehydration, freezing and addition of solutes such as salt and sugar can determine microbiological growth and biochemical reaction to be controlled.

Here are some examples of a few of the preservatives which are added to the several types of food products:

Sulphur dioxide, sulphites and bisuphites are used in fruit and beverage preservation and in dehydrated fruits and vegetables, soups and other mixes to control browning. Its salts are used to prevent fermentation and spoilage by yeasts and molds. E.g. Grape juice which may have Acetobacter cells is inhibited. Saccharomyces are found in juices, soft drinks and wine industry which are inhibited. These are used as temporary preservatives in fruit pulps and juices in raw and semi-finished products and may be removed during processing. Also used in sausages and other processed meats, cherries and berries, fruit juice concentrate, jams, jellies, squashes, preserves, marmalades, refined sugar, beer, gelatin, corn flour, pickles, dehydrated vegetables and fruits, cocoa powder, chocolates and its products etc.

Benzoic acid and its salt are used as preservative in jams, jellies, tomato puree, ketchup, sweets like halwa, jalebi, soft drinks, sauces, squashes, syrups and sherbets, coffee extracts etc. They are used to control yeasts and molds. Sodium benzoate is used in margarine, mayonnaise, margarine, fruits juices etc.

Sorbic acid is used widely in bakery industry and confectionary products like cakes, fillings for chocolates etc. It has been used to increase the shelf life of ready to eat chapathis etc. It is widely used in cheese and cheese spreads where its potassium salts may be used and also used in brine solution for ducting of cheese and also the sorbic acid treated wrappers are useful for packing of smoked fish products. It is used in fermented vegetable products and in cured meats with nitrites. Also used to preserve prunes and fruit pulps, jams and jellies to prevent mould growth and also to sterilize wines.

Nitrates and Nitrites are used for curing and pickling of meats. They prevent gas formation in cheese such as Gouda cheese and inhibit the toxins formed by Clostridium botulinum and Staphylococcus aureus. It is mainly used as a color fixative. They react with myoglobin forming nitrosomyoglobin which has a bright red colour and is not affected by atmospheric oxidation. They delay off colour development during storage of processed meat products.

Various fumigants such as ethylene oxide and ethyl formate are used to control microorganisms on spices, nuts and dried fruits.

Propionic acid and propionates are also used for preserving foods.

So turn those food packets and read what are the preservatives added to them. Happy reading!

 Post by Faiz Lahori

Basic Crepes/ Pattal appo

Crepes are an all time favorite breakfast for most of us. Eaten plain or with honey, sugar, cream, or whatever sweetener that comes into our mind.

The process of crepe making always seemed to be a daunting one. I used to watch my mom in awe the way she would pour the batter with one hand and swirl the whole pan with the other hand. But once you really stand and do it, with practice comes perfection.

I checked out few other recipes of crepes online but the look of it always puts my mood off as the description itself says delicate thin pancakes. I would describe my crepes as super thin, super crisp, paper weight, melt-in mouth, nothing-like- pancakes. No exaggeration! Whenever mom would make it for breakfast, she would serve us one at a time. Now it’s me making them and my husband sitting on a chair in the kitchen eating it hot and crisp. Crepes never taste as good, if you stack them for the whole family and let them sit. Feels really soggy and heavy.

Custard powder is added to keep the crepes crisp and milk powder gives richness.

Preparation takes no time at all. Keep all the ingredients ready. Crack the eggs, sift the flour and add all the rest of the ingredients right into the blender/Mixer (whatever you call it) and blend till smooth. Pour out the batter into a large bowl and check the consistency. It should not be watery thin or pancake- thick. I’d say the consistency of Lassi?  Maybe. Well you’ll know when you start making.

Heat a non stick frying pan which has edges and keep the flame on medium high. Once the tawa is heated, hold the tawa in your left hand and scoop out ¾ of a batter in a ladle and pour out into the tawa and quickly swirl it till the batter covers the pan. Cooking takes a minute or less on medium high flame. As soon as you see the edges turning golden brown and crisp, it means done .Add a couple of drops of ghee and use a flat spatula to ease the whole crepe out into a plate. All those beautiful tiny holes. That’s perfection. J

I normally apply a drop of ghee and sprinkle sugar over it. Tastes yummy.

This recipe makes 16 crepes of 101 calorie each and serves 4 people.

Here is what you’ll need:

3 eggs

2 cup water

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp custard powder (optional)

2 tbsp milk powder (optional)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. In a blender, crack the eggs, sift the flour.
2. To it, add the milk powder and custard powder along with salt.
3. Add the vanilla essence and blend it together with measured amount of water.
4. Heat a large non-stick pan.
5. Using a ladle, pour ¾  filled ladle with your right hand  and swirl the pan with your left hand making sure the batter covers thinly and evenly the entire surface of the pan.
6. After a couple of minutes when the edges start browning, ease the entire crepe out on  plate with the help of a spatula.
7. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Zohra Sada

Acidity - Remedies

Acidity is a form of indigestion in which there is accumulation of acid leading to a burning sensation in the stomach and the digestive tract.

The stomach produces acid periodically to aid in digestion and when we don’t eat regularly or are too stressed, the stomach produces more acids which harm our body.

The symptoms of acidity are burning sensation in the digestive tract, headache, sour burps and dizziness due to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).

Following is the list of food items which will help relieve acidity:

Item	Effect	Recipe
Basil Leaves	The soothing properties of basil leaves can give you instant relief from acidity, gas and nausea.	Simply eat some basil leaves at the first sign of acid upset. Be sure to chew them thoroughly.            Boil three to five basil leaves in a cup of water and then let it simmer for a few minutes. You can sweeten this basil tea with honey. Do not add milk, though. Sip it frequently.
Cinnamon	Cinnamon works as a natural antacid and helps dispel stomach gas.	Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder in a cup of water. Boil it for few minutes. Drink this cinnamon tea two to three times a day. Add cinnamon powder to your soup or salad.
Buttermilk	It contains lactic acid that normalizes the acidity in the stomach.	Grind half to one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with a little water to make a paste. Mix it in a glass of buttermilk and consume it to relieve stomach ache caused by acidity.      Or drink buttermilk several times a day until you get relief. Mix in a little black pepper or one tablespoon of coriander leaf juice for best results.
Apple Cider Vinegar	It has an alkalizing effect. Thus, it helps treat stomach acidity.	Simply mix one or two teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a cup of water. Drink it once or twice a day. You can also drink it before meals.
Cloves	Cloves can help alleviate acidity and dispel gas due to their carminative effect that increases hydrochloric acid in the stomach.	Chew two to three cloves thoroughly so that the juices are released into your system.       Eating crushed cloves and cardamom mixed in equal amounts can help minimize acid trouble and freshen bad breath that often accompanies this problem.
Cumin Seeds	Cumin works as a great acid neutralizer and it aids in digestion and relieves stomach pain.	Slightly crush some roasted cumin seeds and stir it into a glass of water. Drink it after every meal.       Boil one teaspoon of cumin seeds in a cup of water, strain it and then drink the water after your meal.            Mix one teaspoon each of coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder, fennel seed powder and some sugar in one-half cup of water. Drink it on an empty stomach.
Ginger	The anti-inflammatory properties in ginger help treat acidity. Ginger juice can also neutralize stomach acids.	During acidity just chew a slice of fresh ginger.         Put some fresh ginger slices in a cup of boiling water, let it steep for a few minutes and then drink it.        A spoonful of ginger juice taken two to three times a day can provide relief from acidity.
Jaggery	Jaggery aids digestion and becomes alkaline in the digestive system, thus reducing stomach acidity.	After each meal, suck on a small piece of jaggery until acidity subsides. This remedy is not suitable for people who have diabetes.
Fennel	Fennel has carminative properties that aid digestion and help relieve stomach gas.	Simply chew some aniseed after eating a heavy or spicy meal.     Steep one or two teaspoons of fennel seeds in a cup of hot water. Strain and drink it a few times a day.
Cold Milk	Milk can help stabilize gastric acids in the stomach and give relief from acidity. Milk is rich in calcium, which prevents build-up of stomach acid.	Simply drink a glass of cold milk to prevent or soothe acidity problems.
Kokum	It has anthelmintic properties and it can stimulate the appetite too	Sherbat made with kokum and perked with jeera is excellent in keeping acidity at bay.
Lemon	The citric acid in lemon quickly changes an acid condition into an alkaline one thus dealing with the foundational cause of acidity rather than just suppressing the symptoms.	Juice of one lemon mixed in half a glass of water and ½ tsp sugar if consumed before meals helps to relieve acidity.
Mint	Mint is known to calm stomach cramps and help beat acidity and flatulence.	Fresh mint juice taken everyday or fresh mint leaves boiled in a cup of water and sipped slowly after meals also helps to keep the stomach acids at bay.
Onion	The juice of onions is an excellent remedy for acidity.	Have raw onions in salads with meals or alternatively, try whole wheat or jowar rotis made with onions.

Foods to be avoided in cases of acidity are Tea and coffee, Pickles, canned and preserved foods, vinegar, acidic fruits like orange, sweet ime, strawberry etc., confectionary and mithai, fermented foods like idli, dosa, dhokla, bread, cheese, etc., and tuvar dal.

Acidity can be prevented by following these simple steps:

• Regular eating habits and a healthy diet.
• Do not remain hungry for a long time. Have plenty of raw foods, salads and juices and avoid spicy or deep fried foods.
• Eat in a calm and stress-free environment. Avoid irregular and hurried meals.
• Have your evening meals atleast 2-3 hours before going to bed.
• Drink plenty of water (atleast 6-8 glasses per day) and other fluids to maintain the acid balance in the stomach.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol.

Next time you suffer from acidity, try these remedies. If you do not get relief within a day or two, consult a doctor.

Post by Faiz Lahori

“Moongatamallum”/ Green Gram with Coconut

This is a Sri Lankan recipe made with green gram and coconut. Coconut is used in almost all Sri Lankan recipes and this specific recipe is a personal favorite of mine. It’s very simple to make. I prefer cooked green gram rather than eating it raw. This can be had along with rice or separately as breakfast.

This recipe serves 4 people and each serving provides approximately 156.6 calories.

Ingredients:

Green gram (soaked in water overnight) – 2 cups

Grated coconut ¾ cup

½ tsp mustard seed powder or mustard paste

1 tsp curry leaf powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak  green gram overnight in water.
2. Cook the green gram for 20 minutes or till tender (add salt).
3. In a blender blitz coconut, mustard, pepper salt, turmeric, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste.
4. Mix with strained green gram, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Recipe by Chaya Ranasinghe