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Yes you read it right: kunafeh in the form of pie. I always try and modify classical dishes and present them in a unique way — this is one such example. A few days back while I was driving past my favourite sweet shop in Doha, I stopped by to relish my favourite sweet dish — the kunafeh, the evergreen sweet that I can relish every single day. The kunafeh I tried that day was the crispier one as opposed to the grounded kunafeh dough variety. I noticed that this delicate Arabian sweet dish is always prepared in large aluminium trays, and a portion is usually sliced out of the big platter and served with drizzle of sugar syrup. I decided to make it in smaller pastry moulds and serve it individually portioned to make it even more special and elegantly presented. A pie is defined as stuffed sweet pastry, so I call my kunafeh as pie as the filling is sandwiched between two layers of kunafeh dough. Kunafeh is an Arabic pastry made with spun whet strands or powder and is first baked and then soaked with sugar syrup. The kunafeh is considered to have originated in the city of Nablus in Palestine but is famous now across the world and especially Middle East for its great taste and texture. There are numerous recipe and variants of this dessert and method of preparation. The city of Nablus in Palestine is especially renowned for its kunafeh. The city also holds the Guinness book world record for making the largest kunafeh in the world. The massive preparation weighed more than 1,350 kilograms and spanned over 75 X 2 metres. Although there are some popular variations to this dessert from neighbouring countries like Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, the best one hails from Palestine. One important aspect of associating any food dish with a place is that the area, demographic conditions, the climate of the region, the origin of water used in the preparation plays a very important role in achieving a specific taste of the food items and I have experienced it myself. For example, you can’t match the taste and texture of sponge rasgulla made in Kolkata, the originating place of the dessert as even the change in water used in its preparation makes it taste different than the one from Kolkata. One popular story associated with the origin of kunafeh and its significance during Ramadan is about a princess who had difficulty in fasting because of her appetite. Her chef created this rich dish and asked her to eat ample quantity of the dessert before dawn so that she will not feel hungry during the day. After consuming kunafeh she could fast easily and thus this dish became associated with Ramadan. Kunafeh pastry comes in three types, based on the texture of the dough used to make it. First is the rough one in which the crust is made with long thin noodle threads of spun wheat, the one I recently tried.  The second type has a fine texture, where the dough is made with grounded spun wheat. The third and last type is a combination of the first two. My personal favourite now is the first one. In different variations of this dish, the kishta (clotted cream with rose water) is replaced by mozzarella or by cream cheese and at times cinnamon is also added.   Kunafeh Pie Ingredients Serves 4 Kunafeh dough 400 gm Desi ghee 200 gm For Kishta Milk powder 150 gm Water 500 gm Semolina 50 gm Corn flour 120 gm For sugar syrup Sugar 500 gm Water 500 gm Rose water few drops For Garnish Pistachio 50 gm Cherry 50 gm Method Grease a muffins baking tray with desi ghee and spread a layer of half of the kunafeh dough strands. Keep another muffins baking tray on the dough and place some heavy weight on top to flatten the dough and shape it. In the meanwhile, make kishta by boiling water with milk powder. Bring to boil and gradually add corn flour while whisking continuously till the mixture becomes sticky, add few drops of rose water. Allow kishta to cool down and using a piping bag spread an even layer of kishta on kunafeh dough. Layer the remaining kunafeh dough on top of kishta and press again using another muffin baking tray and heavy height. Leave aside to set for 1 hour and remove the top tray and spread the remaining desi ghee on top. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes at 200 degree Celsius. Make a thick sugar syrup by boiling together sugar and water and add rose water to flavour it. Once the top layer has a nice golden colour remove from oven and pour the prepared sugar syrup as required. Garnish with cherry and pistachio and serve hot. Note: Fresh or frozen kunafeh dough is available readymade in local hypermarkets. Also you can try your own variation by adding nuts of your choice to the filling. Drizzle your kunafeh with exotic fruit purees like blueberry, cherry or cranberry to make your own preferred fruity kunafeh.

With each passing day during this Ramadan, one thing that satisfies me the most is the happiness on the faces of fasting people when they break their fast and finish their meals — especially the desserts at the buffet. Although Arabic sweets and pastries do not need an introduction, they are popular around the world and are liked by the masses. They range from the easy to make omali to time taking baklava to the delicate kunafeh to cheese delicacies like Halawet el Jibn. One humble dessert that forms a significant part of my dessert buffet is the Balah el Sham. Balah el Sham simply translates as “Dates of Sham,” a famous city. It is basically a deep fried pastry sweetened with rose flavoured sugar syrup and is made from unleavened dough lump (about 10 cm long) given a small ovoid shape with ridges along it using an ‘icing’ bag with a special nozzle. It is first deep-fried to golden colour and then soaked in rose scented sugar syrup while still hot and is later served cold. One more story related to Balah el Sham is by its different name of Asabe Zainab, which means Zainab’s fingers. The story goes that 100s of years back, a woman named Zainab created this dish and the sweet is thus named after her. I strongly believe that discovering and talking about the stories behind traditional Ramadan food helps us bond more with the traditions and hand over the culinary heritage to our new generations. Whenever I relish this delicate dish, it reminds me about the Indian dessert Jalebi, which is made with a similar recipe. But the dough instead is coloured with saffron and piped in a particular shape in the hot oil using a special knitted cloth and then soaked in sugar syrup and served hot. Balah el Sham is a simple recipe that is not only easy to prepare but is a treat for your taste buds. This dessert finds its way in most Iftar buffet desserts and is liked by not only Arabs but others as well. Balah el Sham Ingredients Unsalted butter 70 gm Water    250gm Flour 300 gm Egg 6 no Vanilla extracts few drops Saffron few strands Oil to fry For sugar syrup Sugar 500 gm Water 500 gm Lemon ½ no Rose water few drops Garnish Pistachio to garnish Method Prepare the sugar syrup beforehand by boiling sugar and water till the sugar dissolves and becomes thick. Add a piece of lemon to it while boiling to clarify the sugar syrup, and rose water to impart rose fragrance to it and keep aside. For the Balah el Sham, boil butter in water till it is melted and gradually add flour. Stir continuously to avoid getting lumps and to get a sticky dough like choux pastry. Add eggs one by one and vanilla extracts to the prepared mixture to get a smooth and soft dough. Pour this mixture into a piping bag with star or fringed round nozzle. Heat the oil for frying in a heavy bottom pan and tie a steel wire above it to cut the dough. Pipe the dough on top of the oil carefully not to splash the oil and pass the piping bag nozzle over the steel wire to cut the dough. You can adjust the length of Balah el Sham by keeping them long or short as per your preference. The approximate length of the fingers should be 2-3 inches long. Turn the fingers to evenly fry them to a golden brown colour. Remove from oil and soak in the prepared sugar syrup to sweeten it. Drain excess sugar syrup and garnish with pistachio and serve. Note: To make softer Balah el Sham, reduce the quantity of flour in the recipe a bit. But try the above recipe if making it for the first time so that you have some practice and the product does not break apart while frying or soaking in sugar syrup. Chocolate Balah el Sham There has been a recent trend about pairing the classical food with modern or other ingredients that blend well together and complement each other’s taste. So I tried pairing Balah el Sham with dark chocolate and it turned out to be delicious. So after you have prepared your Balah el Sham according to the above mentioned recipe, you can refrigerate them for an hour and then dip them in melted dark chocolate and serve a new variant to your friends or guests.

Baklava or baklawa, no matter how you spell it, is a rich nutty, flaky, sweet pastry that has always been associated with the spice roads of Middle East. Baklava’s origins are intrinsically tied to the history of the region. It is a well-known dessert worldwide and is considered a national dessert in many countries such as Lebanon, Turkey and Greece and they all claim partial ownership of this delicious dessert. During Ramadan, you can always find Arabic sweet shops filled with variety of baklava in their varied shapes and fillings arranged in huge dessert platters. These shops are always flocked with sweet lovers to satisfy their sweet cravings. The story of baklava dates back to 8th century when the Assyrians layered thin dough sheets with nuts and baked their primitive pastry in wood fired ovens and sweetened it with honey. The area was frequented by Greek seamen and thus the dessert travelled to Athens. The Greeks then mastered the art of rolling the dough sheets into paper thin sheets and called it “Fillo”. The word “Fillo” or “Phyllo” actually means leaf in Greek language. The thinner the rolled dough, the crispier the dessert after baking. In the early days, baklava was served in wealthy households for special occasions due to the high cost of production and limited availability. As often happens with specialty foods, the neighbouring areas and countries adopted and altered the recipe according to their preference and taste buds. So baklava also underwent several changes — Armenians added cinnamon and cloves to their recipe, Arabs added rosewater and cardamom. This mixing of culinary culture and preferences resulted in the modern day varieties of baklava. There are more than a dozen variants available nowadays. Western European countries also had a similar product called puff pastry. But this dough, which began to be eaten in France during the seventeenth century, differed from its Middle Eastern counterpart as butter was kneaded directly into the dough during its preparation as opposed to the melted clarified butter layering in baklava. Baklava mainly contains nuts as its filling and is always sweet, whereas puff pastry fillings can be sweet or savoury and can contain vegetables to meat items to nuts as their fillings. To make this delicious pastry in those days was a cumbersome activity involving hand rolling of several sheets of pastry to paper thin thickness and then filling them with choice of nuts. However with the advancement of food technology, readymade fillo pastry is readily available now, which can be easily prepared and filled with nuts in several shapes to make baklava easily. The taste of baklava mainly depends on the thin dough sheets and Middle Eastern chefs still prefer to roll their dough sheets to make baklava rather than buy the readymade fillo pastry sheets. However to make baklava at home, fillo pastry is an excellent option to consider. The following recipe is one of my latest signature recipes and I call it rainbow baklava because it contains seven types of nuts corresponding to the seven colors of rainbow. Each nut has its own taste and they complement each other when combined together. Rainbow Baklava Ingredients Fillo pastry 500 gm (1 packet) Chopped almonds 150 gm Cashew nuts 150 gm Pistachio 150 gm Pine nuts 50 gm Walnuts 50 gm Hazelnut 50 gm Macadamia 50 gm Ghee 300 ml         Rose water 2 tbsp Cardamom powder ½ tsp Coconut powder 50 gm     Sugar syrup Water 1 lit Sugar 1 kg Lemon juice 1 tbsp Method Crush all the seven nuts mentioned to a coarse texture and keep in a clean dry bowl. Add rose water, cardamom powder and mix to combine. Prepare a sugar syrup by boiling sugar with water and adding lemon juice after boiling to clear it, keep aside. Allow the fillo pastry to thaw and open the sheets, separate a sheet and brush melted ghee all over. Place another fillo sheet on top, repeat the same to get 6 sheets of layered fillo. Place the prepared nut filling on one side and roll over to cover the filling to form a cylinder. Cut along the side to separate from the rest of the sheets. Place in a greased tray and repeat with the remaining filling and fillo pastry. Once all the fillo pastry is rolled with the filling inside, brush the remaining ghee on top. Place deseeded dates on top and sprinkle coconut powder on it. Cut the baklava into desired length all the way till the bottom layer so that you can separate it after baking. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 Celsius and bake for 40 minutes or until the top becomes crispy and golden in colour. Remove from oven and pour adequate sugar syrup on top to sweeten the dish. Allow to cool and serve as required.

Zucchini as we know is a vegetable from the squash family and is also popularly known as marrow. Although this summer squash is considered a vegetable, it is actually a fruit. The Italians are credited to introducing zucchini to America in early 1900s.  The word zucchini comes from “zucca,” the Italian word for squash. Zucchini is mainly available in two colours: green and yellow. There are approximately eight different varieties to this squash family and all are almost alike with little variation in colour, shape and size.  Culinary uses Zucchini is usually served cooked but can be eaten in its raw form in moderate quantity. It has a striking resemblance to cucumber. They are picked for use when they are approximately 8 inches in length and are firm to touch. Large mature zucchini can grow up to one meter in length but will be very fibrous to eat, so avoid allowing them to grow so big. A soft immature zucchini has a subtle sweet flavour.  There are multiple ways to cook this delicate squash. You can either deep fry, bake, steam, grill or stew it alone or in combination with other ingredients and proteins. There are many classic dishes that involve this as one of the main ingredients, like ratatouille, the traditional provencal stewed vegetable dish; or kousa mahshi, the Arabic stuffed zucchini with meat. Greeks love to stuff their zucchini with rice and serve with avgolemono sauce (lemon and egg cream sauce) and also make zucchini moussaka. Italians make minestrone soup with it. Mexicans fill their quesadillas with zucchini and beans. Turkish people love to make zucchini pancakes.  Zucchini is a delicate vegetable and is suitable for quick cooking. For a quick meal, just slice the zucchini and toss with some butter or olive oil along with some herbs. Its flowers can be eaten stuffed and are a delicacy when deep fried. Zucchini can also be baked along with bread, for instance the banana bread.  When it comes to health, zucchini is a low calorie food; an average piece contains only 35 calories as compared to approximately 140 calories in a baked potato. According to a recent study, the nutrients and vitamins in zucchini may help prevent cancer and heart-related diseases. The potassium content in a zucchini is more than that of a banana. The skin or peel is a good source of fibre and helps in relieving constipation. Zucchini is also a good source of Vitamin C and manganese, and is cholesterol free. The seeds and skin are also rich in anti-oxidants. To retain these, it is advisable to steam the zucchini. Also try not to discard the skin as it packs a lot of nutrients.  While shopping for zucchini at the supermarket, choose small to medium length of 6 to 8 inches, as zucchinis of these sizes will pack the most flavour and taste. The skin should be dark in colour and free from any blemishes. The zucchini should feel heavy in hand and firm to touch. Although available all year, zucchini are best during the late spring and summer season. Also look for the ones that have flowers attached to them, as they will be fresher and will taste better.  Good for you, easy to grow, easy to find, zucchini is a wonderful fruit to experiment with. It takes less time to cook and is packed with essential nutrients. The below recipe is just an example on how you can also try your hands on this great vegetable.  Zucchini Tuna Barrels Ingredients Zucchini 4 no Tuna fish 200 gm Bell peppers red and yellow 1 no Parsley, chopped 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese 4 tbsp Olive oil 3 tbsp Bread crumbs 4 tbsp Butter 3 tbsp Salt to taste Black pepper powder to taste Method Wash and slice the zucchini lengthwise; scoop out the centre pulp and seeds, chop it and keep aside. Steam the zucchini barrels for 5-8 minutes in a steamer or cook in boiling water. Remove and refresh in cold water. Cut the bell peppers into small dices and keep in a bowl; add the zucchini pulp, chopped parsley, tuna fish flakes, salt, black pepper, olive oil and toss to combine the ingredients. Combine bread crumbs with soft butter to get crumbly texture, keep aside. Scoop in the prepared mixture in the zucchini barrels, grate parmesan cheese on top, followed by the bread crumble. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 8-10 minutes or till the top gets a golden brown colour and the cheese melts. Remove from oven and slice as required, serve hot with your choice of sauce.  Note: In order to make a vegetarian version of the same recipe, just replace tuna with any of your favourite beans like kidney beans, fava beans, or vegetables like broccoli, baby corn, and mushroom. *Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to: [email protected]

Modern fusion and clever twists are fast becoming the norm in fine dining circles. On the other hand, precious few can stake a claim at delivering true-blue, authentic cuisine that encapsulates the riches of culture and history of the region – like Misk. Traditional Lebanese cuisine gets the respect and sincerity it deserves at City Centre Rotana Doha’s new restaurant Misk. Joseph Coubat, General Manager of City Centre Rotana Doha, says, “For the first time in Qatar, we are aiming to provide an innovative and traditional cuisine amid an authentic Lebanese atmosphere.” The visually delicious décor stirs up a dreamy mood while the range of authentic Lebanese dishes completes the dream. From cold appetisers (mezze) such as Hummus with Ras Asfour meat and pine nuts, Hummus with sausage and pistachio, Hummus Beiruti, Raheb Salad, and Lebanese Eggplant Moussaka, to hot ones such as Shrimp with Coriander, Fried Samak Bizri, Kibbeh Beirutia, Hot Kibbeh Zghartaweya with Walnuts, Sausage and Octopus in Vinegar and Lemon, it’s hard to take your pick. Dishes such as Green Kishk, Shanklish, Basturma (Pastirma), Batarekh (Roe), Warak Enab (Grape Leaves), Hindbeh (Dandelions) with Olive Oil, Lubia with Olive Oil, Siliq Stems in Tahina, Jabalia Salad, Kibbeh Nayyeh and Kafta Nayyeh, apart from the succulent Lebanese grilled platters such as Shiqaf, Taouk-grilled Chicken, Chicken Misahab, Arayes Lahmeh (Meat), Arayes Kafta, Kafta with Yogurt, Kafta Istanbouli, and Kafta with Tahina, might leave you wondering what kind of thought has gone behind this extensive menu. Community meets Coubat who takes us through the essence of Lebanese cuisine and why that had to be conveyed through Misk: Lebanese cuisine is becoming an international cuisine. A lot of restaurateurs are now trying to give it a spin with their “fusions”. What we at Misk are trying to do is achieve the authentic taste. For me, it’s about feeling the products, smelling the spices, seeing what is available in the market and based on that, trying to do our best out of it. To find the right product here, sometimes, is almost impossible. Often when I return to Doha from Lebanon, I bring bottles of rose water and pomegranate molasses made in the villages of Lebanon because I can’t find those products here. It takes more than 10 kilos of pomegranates to produce one 750 ml bottle of molasses. The menu of Misk was designed and the items were chosen based on what we could find fresh in the market in order to get the best out of it, in terms of taste and authenticity with respect to the original dish. And this is where the story starts – whether to go fusion or stay traditional. The mezze (Lebanese appetisers) has become a cliché, a commodity. But it features dishes that I still like to have. They can be very simple recipes perfected by our grandmothers, but why are they hidden? What is the meaning of mezze, as a concept? Mezze is all about sharing food. Usually, back in Lebanon, we enjoy mezze on special occasions or Sundays. In Lebanon, we say that the dinner table should look rich. The generosity of the mezze goes back to those days when nobody was supposed to finish them. When you are served a mezze of 40 dishes, how can you? Meals would be like a gathering around a table that would go on for hours. We import, especially fruits and vegetables directly by air from three suppliers in Lebanon. Also, we have our special orders; like we order the Wagyu beef and Australian lamb. I love cooking. It’s my hobby. I spend half of my weekend cooking and inviting friends. Since I have been cooking for more than 40 years now, I know exactly what I want to taste. I prepare the cuisine just the way I want it. I even refer to old recipes or call grandmothers of my Lebanese friends for precise directions. As for the presentation, I have left that to our Executive Chef, who has put a spin by using colourful vessels or cast-iron cookware to serve. The beauty of the Lebanese cuisine is that it evolved. We refined it. We are lucky to be from a country where the quality of air, water, and earth is really unique. That’s why we get the best tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers. I remember when I was a kid, for three months in the winter, there would be no tabbouleh on the table as parsley and tomatoes won’t grow in those months. Nowadays, of course, the ingredients travel everywhere. Yet the taste may not be there. What we are trying to do with Misk is return to the taste of the traditional cuisine. I didn’t expect our Lamb Tongue to be so popular. We have dishes made of lamb brain and ingredients nobody dares to touch in Doha. That’s because raw meat delicacies can be tricky. They mandate an extremely high level of hygiene while dealing with them in the kitchen. I am very particular about this. The Lebanese usually don’t opt for raw meat delicacies outside their homes; certain platters are reserved only to be prepared by their mothers or grandmothers. I know how difficult they can be because I am one of them. So when they appreciate our food at Misk, which they do, it’s the most rewarding compliment I can get.

This humble semolina cake from the Middle Eastern region is a must during Iftar celebrations during the holy month of Ramadan. The cake is also known as Revani in Turkey, Namoura in Lebanon, Shamali in Armenian cuisine, Hareesa in Jordan and Gabelouze in French. All these items have different names and vary slightly, but the core product is the same. Basbousa is cooked with coconut, butter soaked in rose scented sugar syrup and garnished with nuts. In Arabic, we can call our loved ones “basbousa”. This demonstrates how nice this dessert’s name is, and its significance in the Arabic cuisine. But today I will tell you about a variant of the traditional basbousa, which I recently tried and it so much that I decided to share the recipe with all my readers. It is very easy to prepare and the best thing I like about it is that you can make it ahead of time, thus making it a no-fuss dessert. Coffee Basbousa Ingredients For basbousa Semolina 800gm Desiccated coconut 100gm Milk powder 50gm Sugar 50gm Yeast 1tsp Honey 100gm Water 600ml Tahina     2tbsp Ghee 100gm Cocoa powder 2-3tbsp Garnish Nuts 100gm Chocolate 150gm For Sugar syrup Sugar 2kg Water 1kg Rose water 4tbsp         Glucose 150gm Method First let’s prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water together in a heavy bottom pan. Once the sugar is dissolved, add glucose to thicken the sugar syrup and rose water to flavour it. Remove the syrup from the flame and keep aside. In a separate bowl combine semolina, desiccated coconut, milk powder, sugar, yeast honey, ghee, cocoa powder and water. Mix well to get a thick mixture; if the mixture is too thick, dilute with milk as required. Allow the mixture to rest for two hours and the yeast to ferment and make the mixture fluffy and light. Grease a baking tray with tahina and place the mixture in the tray and flatten it with moist spatula. Mark the top of the mixture in diamond shape or squares using a spatula. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 250 degree Celsius till the mixture is cooked and the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and pour the sugar syrup using a ladle. Allow to cool down for 30 minutes and grate dark chocolate on top. Sprinkle roasted and crushed nuts on top and serve as required. Note To make the regular basbousa without coffee and chocolate, remove both of these from the recipe and enjoy the taste of classic home-baked basbousa. Also you can flavour your sugar syrup with cardamom pods as per your preference. Apart from being baked, basbousa can also be made on stove top. What distinguishes the two versions is that the later uses finely milled semolina as compared to the coarse ground for the baked one. You will come across a lot of recipes that call for eggs, baking soda and many other such leavening things. But I prefer to use yeast as it gives the right amount of fluffiness to the basbousa and also helps get the perfect brown not-so-hard crust on top. Some people also use diluted yoghurt, you can use it instead of the milk used in the recipe. One important thing to remember while using yoghurt in your recipe is to add a little water so that semolina can absorb enough moisture to achieve that lovely nutty texture that basbousa is famous for. Adding some desiccated coconut also takes basbousa to a next level in taste. The stove top basbousa version is also found in Indian culture and is known as Sooji Halwa. This is one of my favourite easy-to-make no-fuss desserts. Although the main ingredient is the same, the product differs in its taste and consistency. Basbousa is served regularly throughout the Middle East and is one of the several desserts that are served during the holy month of Ramadan. There is a popular dessert shop in Doha that I regularly visit to satisfy my sweet cravings. I always find myself gravitating towards basbousa and kunafeh, which I have mentioned in my previous write-ups also. To give a signature twist to your home-made basbousa, top it with whipped cream and exotic fruit purees like blueberry, cranberry, and strawberry. Personally I prefer topping it with orange puree, as it gives the dessert a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavour.

In this scorching summer heat, we all strive to relish on something ice cold, creamy, flavourful, and what comes to your mind is ice-cream. But of late, there has been a new food trend — the gelato. For a layman it is the same as an ice-cream but with a different name. However, I prefer to call gelato as ice-cream’s Italian cousin. They are from the same family of frozen desserts but are prepared in different ways and the ingredients used to produce them also vary. This translates to different prices too. Gelato vs ice-cream First thing that you notice about gelato is that it is a lot creamier than ice-cream and thus much smoother. The aim of an ice-cream making is to freeze the ingredients by keeping the ice crystals as small as possible, so they are always churned while they are being frozen. Churning also incorporates air into the ingredients and makes it lighter and fluffier. The gelato also uses the same technique but is churned at a much lower temperature, thus incorporating less air and resulting in a denser and creamier dessert. The air incorporation is called overrun. Most ice-creams have an overrun of 25%, which means that the ice-cream increases its volume by 25% after churning, and some economical versions can go up to 50%-60%. The next not-so-significant difference is the sugar content, which depends on choice of consumers and the manufacturer’s recipe. The third difference is the flavour of the product. People always say that gelato is more flavourful, as compared to an ice-cream. The reason is the fat content — gelato has less fat content so it coats your tongue less as compared to ice-cream and you taste the flavour better and enjoy it more. That said, there are intense flavoured ice-creams as well, which are as flavourful as gelato. Then there is a difference in the preparation and serving temperatures of gelato and ice-cream. Also you may be wondering if gelato has less amount of fat and less air, why is it always so creamy and smooth and easy to scoop out. Temperature is the factor that affects this gelato texture. Ice-creams are prepared at -35 Celsius and stored and served at -18 Celsius. Gelatos are produced at -10 Celsius and are stored and served at -14 Celsius. This means that gelato is kept at warmer temperatures than ice-creams to get a creamier effect. One question that you may ask now is why can’t we store ice-cream at the same temperature as gelato. The higher fat and water emulsion in ice-cream will start to melt at warmer temperature and will turn your frozen dessert soupy. There is also a difference in the ingredients that go into gelatos and ice-creams. To get better emulsion, eggs are commonly used in ice-cream production. Gelato, in contrast, can be easily made without eggs. It is noteworthy that even when the gelato does not use cream, it may taste creamy owing to the factors discussed above. In fact for a person not so familiar with gelato production, it is difficult to distinguish between gelato that contains cream and one that doesn’t. At the end of the day though, it is all delicious. We can go on and on about the minute differences between gelato and ice-cream, and which one of them is better. But at the end of the day it’s just a creamy, flavourful frozen dessert. Rather than arguing about it, I would prefer to grab a scoop of either one of them from the next available frozen dessert parlour. Now you may be wondering if the unused or sparingly used ice-cream machine you bought after being tempted by the salesperson or after you watched your favourite cooking show can be of any help to churn out some homemade gelato. The answer is yes. The ice-cream machines available for domestic use do not churn at the same speed as that of commercial ice-cream making machines. So churn your gelato less and store it at a warmer temperature as compared to ice-cream and you will get the art of making a perfect gelato. Just remember the amount of air incorporated is the key to make a perfect gelato. Almond and Pumpkin Gelato Ingredients Pumpkin purees 2 cups Roasted almonds 40 gm Cooking cream 1 cup Fresh milk 1 cup Castor sugar 3 tbsp Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp Salt a small pinch Garnish Pistachio powder to garnish Method Remove the skin and deseed the yellow pumpkin. Cut roughly into cubes. Boil in water till the pumpkin is cooked and soft. Refresh the pumpkin in cold water and allow it to cool down. Blend to get a puree. In a bowl combine pumpkin puree, cream, milk, sugar and nutmeg and mix well. Pour this mixture into your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. When you are halfway through, add crushed roasted almonds. Once the gelato consistency is achieved, pour the mixture into the storage container or desired moulds.

During my recent visits to some hypermarkets in the last few weeks, I have noticed additions to their fruits section — multiple varieties of the “king of fruits,” the mango. Yes, the season of delicious mangoes is here. Mango, as we all know, is arguably the most popular fruit across the globe. Mango lovers always wait every year for their arrival and jump with joy once they taste the heavenly juicy mango pulp. My wife and son are real mango lovers and are so happy to relish different varieties of mangoes. The fruit was first cultivated in India and is the national fruit of the country. Initially mango cultivation spread to Southeast Asian countries and travelled to USA in 1800. Portuguese explorers introduced mangoes to Africa and South America. India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes; China, Thailand, Brazil and Mexico also cultivate this highly-prized fruit. Mangoes are in the same family of plants as cashews and pistachios. The tropical mango-bearing tree can grow up to 100 feet and takes 10 years to mature and produce the first yield. According to Indian beliefs, mango and its tree symbolises life, thus the fruit and its leaves are used in all festivals, birth and wedding rituals. One very nice thing about mango plantations is the numerous times it finds a mention in kids’ storybooks, and how kids used to enter the plantations and pluck ripe mangoes from a tree and savour them. Mango chutney is in fact so delicious that one European guest used to dine in my restaurant just to taste the mango chutney we used to serve along the meals. Mangoes are oval in shape and are approximately 4-5 inches in length; they are usually heavy in comparison to their volumes due to a large single seed in the centre of the pulp. Their colour varies from greenish yellow to reddish yellow depending on tier variety and how ripe they are. The fruit pulp surrounding the seed is succulently sweet, fresh and juicy with the right amount of tartness. How to choose a right mango I’ve experienced people vouching for their own methods to identify a sweet and ripe mango, but the rule that I follow is to press gently on the skin with your thumb. If it’s squishy, it is too ripe and if it is too hard it’s not ready yet. Also try to smell the fruity aroma around the stem side. You can store unripe mangoes at room temperature and wrap them in newspaper to speed up the ripening process. Apart from its heavenly taste, I’ll give you plenty of other reasons to include this “King of Fruit” in your diet. The presence of antioxidants in mango helps you resist against cancer and also boosts your immunity to fight against other diseases. The fibrous nature of the fruit keeps your digestive tract clear and also aids in digestion due to some enzymes present in it like papaya, which are soothing to the stomach. The high levels of Vitamin C, pectin and fibre present in it keeps bad cholesterol under check and helps reduce it. Vitamin E gives our skin the nourishment and helps maintain a healthy glow. Seasonal mangoes are perfect snacks — rather than munching on unhealthy chips, fried snacks and cookies, why not feast on fresh mango slices and maintain your health. You can also make your own mango dehydrated slices and buy them; believe me they are the best tasting dehydrated fruits. You can also make homemade beauty mask by applying ripe mango pulp to your face for that natural glow to your skin. Mango Choco Mania Ingredients For mango mousse Ripe mango 2 no Green Cardamom 4-5 pods Sugar 2 tbsp Salt a pinch Whipping cream 100 ml Gelatin powder ½ tbsp For chocolate ganache Dark chocolate 100gm Cooking cream 100ml     Garnish Mint leaves to garnish Method For the chocolate ganache, place the roughly chopped chocolate in a glass bowl and keep aside. Heat the cooking cream in a heavy bottom pan and bring to boil. Once the cream boils, remove from flame and pour over the chopped dark chocolate. Allow to stand for 4-6 minutes and whisk to a smooth consistency. Strain using a sieve to avoid any lumps and keep aside. For the mango mousse, remove the mango pulp and blend to a smooth consistency with cardamom seeds and a pinch of salt. Melt the gelatine with some water on double boiler and add to the mango pulp. Whisk the cream to aerate it to double its volume. Combine the mango pulp and the cream using cut and fold method.  Do not overmix to remove the air and make the mixture heavy and remove the air from the cream. In a serving glass pipe the prepared chocolate ganache in the base. Pour the prepared mango mousse on top. Set in refrigerator for 2 hours, serve cold garnished with mint leaves.

La Veranda at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel ‘matches Italy’s finest restaurants.’ By Anand Holla In Doha, one might think, you can’t have your slice of Italy and eat it, too. At the La Veranda restaurant though, gorgeously set on the brink of the Corniche, you can have your slice of quintessential Italian alfresco dining ambience by the sea – so what if it’s Arabian and not Mediterranean – and eat a slice of delicious pizzas off wood-fired ovens, too. The recently revamped Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel houses top-of-the-line restaurants that are specialists in the cuisines they deal with such as Al Maskar, Al Hubara, Al Shaheen, Latino Steakhouse, and La Veranda. Authentic Italian cuisine inspired by everything from traditional home-cooked goodness to the gastronomic rewards of focusing on fresh produce, La Veranda packs in the kitchen favourites with flair and offers a fantastic sea view to boot. As an appetiser, the Melanzane alla parmigiana with its mix of eggplant, basil, tomato sauce, parmesan and mozzarella, for instance, works on many levels. With tender-to-the-bite gnocchi slathered in a rich white cheesy ensemble, Gnocchi ai quattro formaggi is a heaven-sent hug to the taste buds. Deep saffron notes and fresh burrata cheese stand out all through in the creamy Risotto allo zafferano that satisfies in terms of both quantity and substance. The star of the desserts section, Tiramisu tradizionale crumbles and melts in mouth to such gratifying sweetness that you might want to pen a poem in its praise. Among the other highlights in the menu are Tagliata di manzo (grilled rib eye served with rocket salad and cherry tomato), Galleto arrosto (roasted baby chicken served with grilled vegetables and potatoes), Grigliata di mare (seafood mixed grill of lobster, cuttlefish, king prawns and scallops, served with grilled vegetables and salmoriglio dressing), Porcini e tartufo pizza (mozzarella, porcini mushrooms and black truffle), and Ravioli di burrata (filled with burrata and served with lobster ragu). Italian cuisine in Doha is on a tremendous high – only last week, Ospitalita’ Italiana Diplomas, which follows procedures similar to those of being awarded a Michelin Star, were awarded to 11 Italian restaurants of Qatar for meeting the highest standards of food and service. In the face of such intense competition and Italian cuisine alternatives, how does La Veranda stand out from the rest? Head Chef Alessandro told Community, “The location of our restaurant, with the unique sea view and the beautiful ambience, the authentic wood oven pizzas, the use of fresh seasonal ingredients; these are some of the distinguishing factors.” One would have to agree. The terrific location is complemented by a menu that revels in sophisticated simplicity and authentic flavours, which is made only better by how light the food at La Veranda is on the stomach. “We want our guests to experience Italy in the heart of Doha, be it through the combination of authentic Italian flavours we offer or the warm ambience of our restaurant. We see to it that our guests leave the restaurant satisfied, peaceful and happy,” the Chef says. Understandably, great care is taken to ensure that the ingredients are of Italian origin and of high quality. “We focus on procuring Italian-origin ingredients and that the food is cooked by Italian chefs,” Alessandro says, “Also, we ensure that the preparation method of dishes follow the traditional way of Italian cooking.” Over time, La Veranda has enjoyed good word of mouth and it has become as much a favourite with many locals and expats as a dining place as it has for its business lunches and weekend brunches. Alessandro says, “For us, the best compliment has come from the guests who have travelled to Italy. They have congratulated us at La Veranda for exceeding their expectations and matching Italy’s finest restaurants.”

Sweet corn, as you would have definitely spotted in the malls and hypermarkets, is a fast food with nutrients and sweetness. Sweet corn is a special maize variety technically different from the field-grown maize. Its kernel is much more tender, sweet and consumed as a vegetable across the globe. Its has achieved great success as one of the important cash crops in many tropical and semi-tropical countries. In contrast to the field corn, sweet corn crops are harvested when their corn ears just reached milky stage to make sure they stay tender and juicy when cooked. The kernel is used immediately or tinned or frozen for storage and later use. Corn is native to Central America and which later travelled with Spanish explorers. Corn Salt and Pepper Ingredients Serves 2 Sweet corn kernels 2 cup Corn flour 3 tbsp Rice flour 4 tbsp Black pepper powder 1/3 tsp Salt to taste To stir fry Bell peppers, chopped ½ cup Coriander leaves chopped 4 tbsp Onion, chopped 3 tbsp Green chilli, chopped 1 tsp Soy sauce 1 tsp Vinegar 1 tsp Black pepper powder a pinch Oil to deep fry Method Drain the water from the tinned corn and keep aside in a bowl. Add salt and black pepper powder and toss the kernels. Sprinkle rice flour and corn flour and mix with a spoon, do not add water. Heat oil in a wide heavy bottom pan and deep fry the corn kernel. Stir to separate the corn kernels sticking to each other. When the corn kernels are crispy, remove from oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil. In a separate sauté pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add chopped onion, bell peppers, green chillies and stir fry over high heat. Add fresh coriander, soy sauce, vinegar and a pinch of black pepper powder and mix. Add the crispy fried corn and toss to combine with the mixture. Serve hot garnished with lemon wedge and salad on the side. Get to know your corn The corn is also known as “maize” in many countries and comes from the Spanish word “maiz”. There can be as many as 300 uses of corn and it’s by products. It is one of the most versatile and commonly used food items. Corn is a cereal crop but is a part of grass family. An ear or cob of corn is actually part of the flower and an individual kernel is a seed. On an average, an ear of corn has 800 kernels in 16 rows. One interesting fact about corn is that it will always have an even number of rows on each cob. Corn is one crop that is grown everywhere except Antarctica. As well as being eaten by the cob or a kernel, corn is also processed and is used as a major component in many food items like cereals, peanut butter, soups, yoghurt, mayonnaise, mash potato powder, bakery flour premixes, oil, baby foods, ice creams processed meats and many more. Next time read the label on your processed food, you will definitely find corn or it’s by products in the contents. Even non edible items like glue, paint, detergents, soaps, cosmetics, polish, plastic manufacturing, and fireworks use corn to produce them. United States of America is the largest producer and exporter of corn and produces 40 % of the entire world’s total harvest. The states where corn is grown in abundant and the demographic conditions are ideal are Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Indians, Michigan, Kansas and Kentucky. Corn was also used as a trade in currency in among early settlers in America. Reasons to include corn in your diet I read many articles that state to remove corn from your diet due to its sugar content. But I was not convinced, so I did some research on the nutritional aspects of corn and below are the main reasons to include this food item in your diet. Sweet corn is not so sugary: The most common thing you hear about corn is its sugar contents. In fact an ear of corn has a quarter of sugar as compared to an apple and same amount of calories. And you thought it was full of sugar. It is nutrient rich: Corn along with other vegetables is rich in nutrients and also includes anti-oxidants like beta-carotene, the carotenoids that give the vegetables their distinctive colour. Corn is also a rich source of Vitamin B and Vitamin C, along with magnesium and potassium. Corn is gluten free: For people who are gluten intolerant, this is like a blessing in disguise. Sweet corn is naturally gluten free. In its flour form, corn is used to make gluten free pasta, which is a healthy alternate to wheat pasta. It is fibrous: Doctors always advise us to increase the intake of fibre in out diet. An average daily intake for most people is 20gm as compared to the recommended daily intake of 30gm. Corn is a rich source of fibre, which is good for our digestive track. It supports good bacteria: Sweet corn has high amounts of insoluble fibre and that is the reason the husk of corn kernels are not digested, which in turn is good for our digestive tract as it acts as the feed for the good bacteria in our body.

China boasts of one of the world’s most loved cuisine. Chinese food is famous all over the world and can be easily spotted in almost every country. There is a surprising range and variety of Chinese food available. Cuisine has always been an important aspect of the Chinese culture and people there have always loved to eat freshly prepared food. China, one of the oldest civilisations, always associated their food with its medicinal properties. Chinese cuisine is characterised by its special seasoning, cooking methods and distinct taste. A typical Chinese meal consists of two parts. The first part is the carbohydrates or starch in the form of rice, noodles or steamed buns. The second component is the accompanying dish of vegetable or protein dish of meat, fish or poultry. It is somewhat opposite of the western concept of food where the protein is considered as the main dish and carbohydrate as side dish. Chopsticks are the primary eating equipment in Chinese food culture for solid foods, whereas soups and other liquids are enjoyed with a wide, flat bottomed spoon. Wooden chopsticks are considered more authentic as the wood also imparts its own taste and enhances the taste of the food. I remember during my days at Tea House of August Moon, a high-end Chinese restaurant in Delhi, India, we used to engrave the name of the guest on their chopsticks to take the service standards to next level and delight the guest with hospitality. Nowadays, plastic chopstick is gaining popularity to curb trees being cut for them. However in the past, expensive materials like ivory and silver were also used by the royal families for their feasts. With a rich and diversified heritage, Chinese cuisine can be categorised into eight cuisine styles depending on their region. I’ll write briefly about each as they have their own features both in terms of seasoning and cooking methods. Sichuan: As the name suggests this style originated in the Sichuan province of southwest China. This cuisine is pungent and spicy, owing to the use of Sichuan pepper, hot chilli, peanuts, sesame paste and ginger. The cuisine is known for its hotness, sourness and the numbness it produces. Popular dish is hotpot. Cantonese: This style enjoys a long history and a good reputation globally. Popular dishes are dim sum, rice rolls, lotus leaf ice, turnip cakes, buns, congee porridge and stir fried green vegetables and soups   Hunan: Also called Xiang, Hunan cuisine features a hot and spicy flavour with fresh, deep aroma. Traditional cooking methods like stewing, frying, pot roasting and smoking are used. Due to its rich geographical location, the variety of ingredients is abundant and diverse.   Anhui: This is the cuisine from the mountains and emphasises more on local herbs and vegetables. Fresh bamboo and mushrooms are used in abundance. Shandong: It is the cuisine from North China, although it is popular till the southern tip of the country as well. It is characterised by its cooking technique, like braising. Popular dishes include sweet and sour carp, dezhou chicken, and braised sea cucumber.   Fujian: One of the most famous among the eight. Slicing is the predominant cutting style to enhance the flavour and aroma. Fujian cuisine is often served in a broth or soup and is prepared using cooking techniques of braising, stewing, steaming and boiling. Su or Jiangsu cuisine: It is characterised by its distinctive style, special taste and featured cooking techniques that makes it quite popular among the worldwide gourmet kitchens. Dishes you can’t miss include jingling salted dried duck, clear crab shell meatballs, and triple combo duck.   Zhejiang cuisine: It is characterised by its non-greasy taste, subtle flavours and mellow fragrance. This cuisine features dishes with bamboo shoots, fresh water fish, seafood and dim sum. Crispy Fried Prawns Ingredients Prawns 16 nos (11-15, Peeled deveined tail on)                 Garlic 4-6 cloves Lemon juice 1 tbsp White pepper powder 1/3 tsp Salt to taste Refined flour no 1 One cup Corn flour ½ cup Baking powder ¼ tsp Panko crumbs 2 cups Oil to fry Ice cold water 1 cup Method Wash and devein the prawns and leave the tail on, keep aside. In a separate bowl combine garlic, lemon juice, white pepper powder and salt. Rub this marinade on the prawns and refrigerate for two hours. Sift flour, baking powder and corn flour in a clean dry bowl. Add oil and ice cold water to make a smooth batter. In a separate bowl place the Panko bread crumbs. Heat oil in a wok or deep fat fryer over medium heat. Holding the tail dip the prawn in prepared batter and remove excess batter and toss in panko bread crumb to coat. Deep fry over medium heat for 3-4 or until golden brown in colour. Remove and place on kitchen paper towel to extract excess moisture; serve with choice of fried rice and sauce on the side.

If there is one vegetable that charms and attracts me with its gorgeous bright purple colour and beauty, it is eggplant. Eggplant is also known as brinjal or guinea squash. Although I am not a picky eater when it comes to vegetables, eggplant holds a special place in my heart. There are some vegetables that I started eating as I grew up — and this one has been one of my preferred ones since childhood. Eggplants are available all the year round in the market but are their best from August to October. They grow in a manner like tomatoes, hanging from the vines of a plant that grow several feet in height. There are some eggplant dishes that are my preferred ones, like the bharta that is roasted eggplant mashed and sautéed with abundant onions and tomatoes. Another dish is from Calcutta, where they make eggplant fritters called baingan bhaji locally. Then there is the ratatouille-filled eggplants, wherein fried English vegetables are sautéed with tomato and filled in scooped out eggplants. Then comes the evergreen moussaka, which is grilled eggplant layered with meat sauce and then baked. My Arabic eggplant favourite is the moutabel, which is a spiced eggplant dip served as a mezzeh. My recent favourite is roasted mashed eggplants sautéed with minced chicken and herbs, and is served hot — I call it chicken bharta. I will be sharing the recipe in the coming weeks. Health aspects Eggplant not only looks good but is also high in nutrients and has many health benefits, so one should include it at least once a week in their meals for its nutritional benefits. Eggplant also provides us with dietary fibre. Research shows the presence of antioxidant compounds on the eggplant skin that protects skin membrane from damage. It is also a good source of iron, copper, manganese and vitamin B. Eggplants belong to the nightshade family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, bell peppers, capsicum and potatoes. Cooking tips Always remember to use a stainless steel knife while cutting eggplant as it is reactive to other metals. Immediately after cutting, place the eggplants in salt water or sprinkle some salt over them. This helps to remove the butter taste of the eggplants and will aso make your dish taste better. You can roast it, fry it, stew it or grill it marinated with some olive oil, herbs and seasoning. You can add eggplant to a variety of dishes like sambhar, stew, pasta sauce, fritters, and appetisers. When you cut an eggplant, be vigilant for any insects inside as the chances of eggplant infested with insects is quite high if it hasn’t been stored properly. Do not store the cut eggplants for long — instead you can keep it whole for few days under refrigeration. How to choose a good eggplant One common concern and question is that of choosing a fresh and good eggplant. The following tips will ensure you’ll choose a good eggplant and will enjoy cooking it as well as relishing it. Always choose a small to medium sized eggplant, as the bitterness of eggplant increases as it matures. So look for young vegetables, so that your dish cooks faster and will taste better too. The next sign of freshness is the skin of eggplant. The skin should be smooth, shiny and bright. See if there are any blemishes, cuts or wrinkles as this denotes an old eggplant or improper storage of eggplant. The vegetable should feel light in comparison to its volume when you hold it in hand. Also when you press your thumb against the skin it should spring back leaving no finger mark. There should not be any hole in the skin as this denotes an infested eggplant. When you keep all the above points in mind while choosing and cooking, the result will be a delicate and unique -flavoured eggplant that you and your family will definitely enjoy. Baked eggplant Ingredients Eggplant 10 no Butter    1 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Garlic cloves 3-4 no Corn kernel ½ cup Bell peppers red and yellow 1 each         Tomato 2 no Oregano 1 tsp Salt to taste Crushed pepper to taste Oregano fresh, chopped 1 tsp Parsley, chopped 2 tbsp Grana padano, grated ½ cup Method Halve the eggplant lengthwise and scoop out the centre and keep aside. Deep fry the scooped out eggplant shell over medium heat till they are cooked, remove on kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Heat oil and butter in a heavy bottom pan and add crushed garlic and sauté till the raw smell is gone. Add corn kernel and diced bell pepper and diced tomatoes and scooped out eggplant and stir over medium flame. Once the vegetables are soft and tender, sprinkle some oregano and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley and place the prepared mixture in the scooped eggplants. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and place the eggplants in a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot garnished with parsley leaf.

I always get requests to share easy and classic recipes to my readers, so that they can try them and enhance their culinary skills; here is a simple and classic recipe of quiche. Also with the schools re-opening for their new terms, this can be a perfect recipe for the kid’s lunch boxes. Quiche is the food that we may associate with classical French cuisine, but actually it has German origins — the word comes from the German word “kuchen,” which simply means cake. It is thought to have originated in medieval kingdom under German rule, which was later renamed “Lorraine” from ‘Lothringen” by the French. Quiche is a pastry food cooked in oven and is commonly eaten as a savoury food. In simple words, quiche is an open-faced savoury pie with a filling enriched and thickened with cream and egg. The bottom crust was initially made with bread dough but later on evolved to short crust pastry or puff pastry. Quiche became popular in England after the World War 2 and in the USA in the 1970s. Quiche can be made in a variety of styles, fillings, flavours and ingredients depending on one’s choice and the availability of ingredients. I must say that the most common quiche is the spinach and cheese which is humble yet so exotic that the name itself is enough to fill your mouth with water. The best thing about quiches is that you can eat them warm, cold or at room temperature, and they are usually eaten for brunch or lunch. You’ll often find smaller quiches eaten as finger food at get-togethers. The hardest thing to master in the art of making a perfect quiche is to prevent the juices or liquids from oozing out of the pastry and spoiling the dish. That is the reason the pastry base is baked first. The filling is then placed, followed by the custard and then baked to make the dish complete. Health-wise, quiches vary in the quantity and kinds of vitamins and minerals they contain — this depends on the recipe and ingredients chosen. But generally they are a good source of calcium and protein due to the milk and egg content. Garden Green Quiche Ingredients Asparagus spears, diced 4-5 no Baby spinach, shredded 100 gm Corn kernels ½ cup Green peas ½ cup Zucchini, diced ½ cup     Sundried tomatos 50 gm Yellow onion 1 no Olive oil 1 tbsp Eggs 4 no Cooking cream ½ cup Crumbled feta cheese 30 gm White cheddar cheese 30 gm Mozzarella cheese 40 gm Salt to taste Crushed pepper to taste Pie crust (9inch dia) 1 no Method Thaw the pie dough at room temperature until it is soft. Flatten the dough using a rolling pin and dust some flour on it to avoid it sticking to the table. Line a 9-inch pie mold with the flattened pie dough and freeze for two hours to shape it up; poke using a fork to remove excess air. Bake in pre-heated oven at 200 degree for 4-7 minutes to retain the shape of the dough, remove from oven and allow it to cool down. Blanch the spinach and refresh in ice cold water, drain the water and keep aside. Meanwhile you can prepare the quiche mixture. In a heavy bottom pan, heat olive oil and add chopped yellow onion and sauté till the onion is translucent but still crunchy. Add asparagus spears, green peas, corn kernels, zucchini dices, sundried tomatoes and continue to sauté over low heat. Once the vegetables are soft add the baby spinach and continue to cook till the mixture is dry, adjust the seasoning remove from flame and keep aside. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and milk and add feta cheese and keep aside. Take the pie mold with the dough and fill with the prepared vegetable mixture, followed by the egg and milk mixture to cover the filling. Add grated cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degree for 45 minutes until the quiche is set and gets a golden brown colour on top. Demould and cut into desired size allow them to stand for 15 minutes before serving.   Note: Always remember while preparing the filling for the quiche that it should not have too much liquid as this will make the pie dough wet, and the quiche will leak. This will make the quiche dry to eat. You can prepare the quiche beforehand and heat it in microwave when you’ll like to serve it.

It enters its third year. And with every passing year, the exotic flavours it brings to the table get richer. Bringing the traditional biodiversity and gastronomy of a beautiful South American country, the Ecuador Food Festival opens at Diplomatic Club. Offering succulent assortment of Ecuadorian dishes, especially the ones from the Amazon of Ecuador, the festival celebrates the grassroots of Ecuador’s food culture. Kabalan Abi Saab, ambassador of Ecuador to Qatar, officially inaugurated the festival here in the presence of dignitaries from Qatar’s government besides members of diplomatic corps with their families. The third edition of the festival, happening for the third consecutive year at Diplomatic Club, opened with a welcome speech by ambassador Saab. The ambassador said he was delighted in celebrating the Ecuadorian cuisine with so many people. “The people around the world have many ways to express their culture, and cuisine is one of the best ways to do it. Our culture as a whole is marked by its diversity of language, dress, music, art, literature, poetry, and of course gastronomy,” said the ambassador while addressing the audience. “Biodiversity, fertile land, endemic species, a singular geographical configuration, a multicultural society and ancestral customs, are some of the factors that come together to make Ecuador a land with unique culinary wealth,” added Saab. The Ecuadorian table, he said, can become a multicolour, multi-flavoured and multicultural mosaic. It all depends on what kind of culinary voyage you wish to take. For eight days, the Diplomatic Club and the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador join hands to bring the annual Ecuadorian Food Festival to Doha. The festival is designed to celebrate the country’s fabulously diverse range of food, irrespective of whether you’re an Ecuadorian food lover or a culinary adventurist. This year, the festival will take place on the beautiful and serene beach of The Diplomatic Club. It will be a time for the entire family and friends to roll up their sleeves and enjoy a whole host of live cooking demonstrations, buffet stations and mocktails. There is even a chance to mingle with the staff of The Diplomatic Club to know more about Ecuadorian cuisine. A master chef has been flown in from Ecuador to prepare the traditional culinary delights with authentic spices. “People around the world have many ways to express their culture and showcasing cuisine is one of the best ways to do it,” said Saab, while thanking the member of diplomatic community and the representatives of Qatar government for attending the festival. The ambassador said that throughout the history, cookery has been a way for them to find and reaffirm their social and cultural diversity. “Our culture as a whole is marked by its diversity of language, dress, music and of course gastronomy,” added the ambassador. He invited guests to get closer to Ecuador and to know the richness of its culture, to visit the beautiful country of four worlds and the most compact mega diversity in the world. Diplomatic Club general manager Aysha al-Marzouqi, in her opening speech, said that the club organises the Ecuadorian Food Festival to introduce the Doha audience to the beautiful country of Ecuador through food, their standout glory. “Achievement of this food triumph has come through constant trial and error of the chefs at The Diplomatic Club who have trained with Chef Dayana for the past few weeks. The collaboration between the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador and The Diplomatic club is indeed a fruitful story to enlighten,” said Aysha. To begin, this culinary trip takes you on tour of shrimp soup, spinach salad with raspberry, gorgonzola cheese and walnuts, quinoa with vegetables, and fish in coconut sauce among others — and these are just the starters. Ecuador is big on sea food. The country gets both the cold and the hot currents, and therefore produces different types of fish and seafood. It is also in the tropical region, and its mountains produce fresh produce such as quinoa, potato and other vegetables. The food is fresh and diverse, coming from different regions. And the countries culinary breadth is on full display for a few days at the festival that runs 7pm onwards every day until April 13.

With the steadily rising incidence of lifestyle disorders tightening its grip on society, switching to healthier food alternatives has never been this crucial. The visionaries know that unhealthy eating could be our greatest undoing unless we act now. That is why an important campaign has now begun in earnest in the way of the new Healthy Food Initiative. Developed under the guidance of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, with the support of celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, the Healthy Food Initiative (HFI) is an innovative programme designed to increase awareness amongst Qataris about leading a healthier lifestyle. At the recently held seventh edition of the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), a range of activities celebrated the launch of this much-needed healthy eating campaign; from a Healthy Food Show that packed in a full afternoon of panel talks, a debate with a leading nutrition expert and a conversation with Ducasse, to children’s workshops led by trained coaches and designed to educate youngsters on healthy eating, organic foods and leading a healthy lifestyle. About the HFI, Sheikha Mayassa, during the event, said that the festival provides the “ideal opportunity” to highlight the relationship between food, healthy eating, exercise and well-being. “We are delighted that leading figures such as Valerie Espinasse and Alain Ducasse have chosen to back our initiative. With their involvement and support, we hope to engage as many people as possible in taking positive steps to eat well and lead a healthy lifestyle,” she said. Qatar has one of the highest rates of adult obesity and diabetes in the world, and against this backdrop, the HFI aims to improve awareness and understanding amongst parents, teenagers and children on the importance of a balanced diet and eating well. The initiative seeks to highlight the link between being overweight, diabetes and other illnesses. It also conveys positive messages about healthy eating habits and demonstrates that healthy food can be easy and appealing too. At the Healthy Food Show, doctor-nutritionist-detox diets expert Valérie Espinasse explained how we can improve health and well-being by simply changing some eating habits, and Ducasse, in conversation with journalist Sophie Menut, shared how we can balance great-tasting food with eating well, and how we must encourage children to eat healthy. Earlier in the day, Community caught up with renowned French chef Ducasse, the most Michelin-starred cook on Earth – he holds 21 stars – to know more about his concept of healthy eating. Q. You are regarded as the cornerstone of modern French cuisine. Have you always considered healthy eating as a cornerstone of your cooking? A. The importance of combining healthy eating with cooking has continued throughout my entire career, and has been very much imprinted in my brain from my childhood. Having been raised on a farm and having grown up with a direct link with nature and my grandmother’s culinary delights, eating healthy has always been a companion to my cooking. As years have passed by, I have become more focused on the health aspect of food. Also, I am convinced that taste development is a significant lever for a good diet. Developing a wide and varied taste palette is the key to diversifying a healthy diet while enjoying it. Q. Why did the HFI interest you? A. To be part of this initiative, to be part of QIFF and to be open to the public, is particularly of interest to me because the attention to healthy eating is not a question related to haute cuisine or fine dining. It appeals to every style of cooking, in terms of restaurants. However, it’s also very interesting for me to especially talk to the people about my own experiences and about what we are doing here at IDAM (Ducasse’s first Middle-Eastern restaurant IDAM is in the heart of Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art). Healthy eating and healthy food habits are indeed a concern for everyone today and there are solutions for everyone. So I am not here only as a chef of high-end restaurants, but I am here to speak to the masses about the need to make healthier food choices. When I was approached, I had no hesitation to be part of this initiative because there needs to be greater consciousness on this subject and it’s never too late to talk about it. Q. Do you think people in Qatar would respond positively to “healthier” food? A. That’s why we are all here – to start raising awareness. As a chef, be it at Plaza Athénée (in Paris) or at our other restaurants, I have reduced sugar in our desserts by about 20 to 25 per cent. I have learnt and I can testify that our patrons derive immense pleasure in trying out this new recipe. So it’s about how you can successfully combine the pleasure of great-tasting food with healthy benefits that it has to offer. I have written various books and cooking lessons on this subject. Having worked on this for years, I can say that it’s best if we eat meat once a week. Basically, we should minimise the animal protein and enjoy our simple, regular meals more. Q. French cuisine carries a perception of sophistication, but you have been known to simplify the complex. At what point do you know that you can’t simplify it further? A. On this planet, let’s say you have a billion over-fed, and a billion under-fed people. If we don’t decide to do something or show that something needs to be done, this disparity will not change. And it has to change. So we need to learn to eat a different combination of food. We must opt from having the vegetables as the side dish to having animal protein as the side dish. We need to include more grains, vegetables, pulses, and fishes as part of our main dish. We must make this change in proportions. It would be good for our health and also the planet’s. Q. Can you share your favourite story about encountering one of your countless fans? A. Oh, there are many. But I would like to turn this question the other way around. I had the pleasure of meeting Sebastião Salgado (noted Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist) a couple of months ago. It was a great honour for me. Through his amazing pictures, Salgado shared with me his experiences of the work he has been doing in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. I was extremely impressed by him, as a person. I realised, more than at any other time, how important it is now to become a real actor on this subject of consuming more ethically and more fairly and make a difference. By sharing those photos and experiences, Salgado showed that we cannot remain mute spectators to whatever goes on. I, too, have a voice on this subject of food and I have the opportunity to be heard about what I have been doing in this arena. I’d like to believe that my talk and my sharing of ideas all over the world will lead to positive consequences.

This is the phrase that comes to mind when I think of this mélange of two equally popular desserts from different corners of the world. Gulab jamun is from the east and cheese cake from the west. Few days back I was thinking to add a different dimension to popular Indian desserts and was experimenting by combining them with the classical western desserts, and then this dish came to my mind. Even the thought of creating this unique dessert gave me the confidence that this recipe will work out to be a good one and will taste good too. When I tried this recipe it came out real nice on first attempt and tasted absolutely delicious. Then I gave it to my guests for the feedback and they too were happy to taste it. Taking about combining different foods, fusion food is a trending concept in the culinary world. Popular food dishes are being paired with locally available ingredients or recipes and thus new dishes are created to increase the acceptance and demand for those dishes in the local market. The best example that I can cite are the western food chains who, in order to grow their market in India, are pairing their dishes with the Indian ones so that they can match up to the expectation of Indian taste buds. I won’t name any particular pizza chain, but if you visit any of their outlets in India you will find paneer-based pizza, kadhai chicken pizza and chicken tikka pizza on their menu. So the idea is to develop and deliver the taste of pizza along with the local dishes as toppings so that people will accept them faster. My today’s recipe is also inspired by this concept of west meets east, where cheese cake is flavoured with gulab jamun.  Cheese cakes are classic elegant desserts and they simply spoil you with the choice of variations available — with this variation with gulab jamun they will surely leave a positive mark on your belly and mind. When you place small pieces of gulab jamun between the cheese cake, the resulting combination is simply delightful. The creamy, cheesy and delicate flavour of the cake paired with the unique and rich flavour of gulab jamun with a hint of saffron is like a made-for-each-other combination. Gulab Jamun Cheese Cake Ingredients For cheese cake Philadelphia cheese 280 gm Icing sugar 80 gm Egg 2 no Castor sugar 40 gm Flour 30 gm Cooking Cream 50 ml Vanilla extracts ½ tsp For the base Biscuit 150 gm Butter 2 tbsp For gulab jamun Gulab jamun mix 200 gm Milk 100 ml Oil to fry (500 ml) For sugar syrup     Water 1 lit Sugar 1 kg Green cardamom 3 pods Saffron few strands Garnish Fresh fruits to garnish Method In a heavy bottom pan, heat water and sugar along with cardamom pod and saffron strands. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from flame and keep aside. For the gulab jamun, combine the gulab jamun mix and milk to make soft dough. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and divide the dough into equal sized balls. Heat oil for frying in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Fry the prepared balls over medium heat to a golden brown colour. Once the balls are golden brown remove from oil and soak in the prepared sugar syrup and keep aside. In a clean and dry bowl combine cheese, icing sugar and cream together till light and fluffy. Separate the egg white and yolk and whip the egg white to soft peak with castor sugar and keep aside. Add egg yolk and cooking cream to the cheese mixture and mix gently, do not over mix. Add sifted flour and make a smooth mixture. Add the whipped egg white to the above mixture and mix using cut and fold method. Grease a cheese cake ring with butter and keep aside. Crumble the biscuit with melted butter to get a crumbly mixture. Line the ring with this mixture and press with fingers to form a base. Place the prepared gulab jamun in the cake ring. Pour the prepared cheese cake mixture in the ring and tap on table to remove any air bubbles. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 45-50 minutes in a tray filled with water to bake it with steam. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down; refrigerate for 2 hours. Slice as required, and serve cold garnished with whipped cream and sliced fresh fruits. Note: If you want to make the process simple you can buy the readymade gulab jamun either freshly made or the tinned ones easily available in the market.

The ongoing seventh edition of Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) is not just about food for the tummy and thrill for the taste buds, but it’s also about nourishing a wholesome family experience. Two popular and very entertaining animation films – Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Ponyo – will be screened throughout the length of the festival at the Qanat Quartier Beach pop-up at The Pearl. While the American production Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs will be screened tomorrow (March 26) and on March 28 at 7:30pm, the Japanese Ponyo will be screened today (March 25) and on March 27 at 7:30pm – and we recommend you don’t miss either of them. The screenings are free but since the capacity is limited, the seats are first come first served. QIFF 2016’s official festivity partners include Ooredoo, Baraem TV, and Doha Film Institute, who will be screening the two movies. In the 2009 computer-animated science fiction comedy film loosely based on the children’s book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett, local scientist Flint Lockwood invents a machine that can turn water into food. But when his latest contraption accidentally destroys the town square and rockets up into the clouds, he thinks his inventing career is over. Then something amazing happens as delicious cheeseburgers start raining from the sky – his machine seems to work well. As people’s greed drives them to ask for more food, the machine starts to run amok, unleashing spaghetti tornadoes and giant meatballs that threaten the whole world. Now it’s up to Flint, with the help of weather girl Sam Sparks and Steve, his talking monkey assistant, to find some way to shut down the machine before the world is covered in super-sized meatballs. The film’s directors, Philip A. “Phil” Lord and Christopher Robert Miller are American film and television writers, producers, directors, actors and animators. Lord and Miller met at Dartmouth College. They are known for directing and writing the animated films Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and The Lego Movie (2014), as well as directing the comedy 21 Jump Street (2012) and its sequel 22 Jump Street (2014). Cloudy… received positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 87 per cent of critics gave positive reviews based on 138 reviews with an average rating of 7.3/10. The 2008-fantasy treat Ponyo introduces us to S?suke, a good-natured son of a sailor who loves playing by the sea. One day, he finds a beautiful fish trapped in a bottle. The five-year-old boy frees the creature, names her Ponyo and takes her everywhere in his green bucket, promising to look after her forever. Touched by S?suke’s kindness and fascinated by his life on land, Ponyo decides she wants to become human. Unbeknownst to S?suke, however, Ponyo is in fact a goldfish princess – and Fujimoto, her magician father, is distraught at her disappearance and summons all his power to return her to her undersea home. But Ponyo’s love for S?suke is so great and her desire to live on land so strong that the world is thrown out of balance, and it takes a lot of love, magic and understanding to make things right again. Celebrated anime director Hayao Miyazaki is in magnificent form with Ponyo (2008), which makes excellent use of the master’s customary stunning, magical animation to tell a charming tale. A gorgeous underwater universe, thrilling soundtrack, hilarious antics and imaginative whimsy make Ponyo a holiday treat for the whole family. Some of the interesting trivia about the film that carries the tagline of ‘Welcome to a world where anything is possible’ is that the opening 12 seconds, involving vast schools of fish and undersea creatures, required 1613 pages of conceptual sketches to develop. The level of detail in the animation resulted in 170,000 separate images — the most that have ever appeared in a Miyazaki film. Also, this is the first animated feature film since Princess Mononoke (1997) to be created and painted on traditional animation cels. Ponyo won five awards at the Tokyo Anime Awards in 2009, including Anime of the Year, Best Domestic Film, Best Director and Best Art Direction, and was named Animation of the Year by the Japan Academy Prize Association the same year.

Yes, you read it right. But I mean by “as many kebabs as cooks” is the variety of exotic and delicious mouth-watering kebabs that was equivalent to the number of cooks in the royal kitchens of ancient Indian rulers. Each cook had their own unique way of making and serving the kebabs to their king and this is what differentiated them from each other. Once the kebab was presented to the ruler of the region and he/she appreciated it, the recipe would be tried again and again for the royal feasts and thus will be carried from one generation of cooks to another. Indian cuisine has always been influenced by the travellers from neighbouring countries who brought with them their techniques and recipes for their kebabs. Hyderabad is one such place that can undoubtedly be called the home to the best of the cooks and has exerted considerable influence on traditional kebab making. One such kebab from the kitchens of royal India is “Pathar ke Kebab” — you read it right but am sure are misunderstood the meaning; I am not going to make kebab with “pathar” (stone) as its ingredient but will use a hot stone to cook the kebab. So what makes this kebab unique is the method of cooking. The method is slow but the resulting kebab is absolutely delicious and simply melts in the mouth. Stone being a good conductor of heat has a property to retain the heat and give a constant temperature for cooking on its surface, which is very essential for cooking perfect tender kebabs. The other reason for this kebab to be called so is the spice called “pathar ke phool” or “kalpasi” or “darad ke phool”. This is a peculiar spice with a peculiar shape and can be found along with other spices if you buy a whole curry powder packet in south India. In Tamil “kal” means stone and “passi” means green coloured moss that grows on rocks in running streams or rivers or on trees in hill stations. Kalpasi does not have any particular shape and is very light. It is in the form of a curly dried flower. You can spot shades of black, white, grey, green and pale green. There is no smell when it is raw, but it imparts its unique flavour that is close to star anise when cooked in curries. I came to know of this exotic recipe from my mentor Chef Sushil Chug, who is a master of the trade and has always been a great inspiration to me. Pathar ke kebab Serves 4 Ingredients Lamb muscle meat 1 kg Ginger, fine chopped 1 tbsp Garlic, minced 1 tbsp Raw papaya, paste 2 tbsp Green chili paste 3-4 no Black cumin powder ½ tsp Cinnamon powder 1 tsp Black pepper powder 1 tsp Garam masala  ½ tsp Kalpasi or darad phool 1 tsp Salt to taste Desi ghee 2 tbsp Lemon juice 1 tbsp Garnish Onion rings to garnish Lemon wedge 5-6 no Equipment required Granite stone to cook Charcoal to heat the stone Method Wash and pat dry the lamb muscle meat and place in a clean bowl. Marinate with ginger garlic paste, green chili paste and raw papaya paste and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (preferable overnight). In a separate bowl combine desi ghee, black cumin powder, cinnamon powder, Garam masala, kalpasi, salt and lemon juice and make a marinade. Marinate the lamb muscle slices in the above marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place a granite stone over hot charcoal to make it hot. Once the granite stone is hot enough, place the marinated lamb muscle meat on it. The meat should sizzle at first and the sizzling will reduce as the stone gets a bit cold due to lamb. The hot charcoal will raise the temperature of the stone, causing the meat to sizzle again. The lamb will cook in its own juices and will absorb the moisture. Turn the meat to cook evenly from both the sides. Once the lamb is cooked and the moisture evaporates, remove from stone. Serve hot garnished with onion rings, lemon wedge and choice of bread. Note: In case you can’t use charcoal to heat the stone, place the stone in the oven to make it hot and place the kebab covered with silver foil on top so that the kebab incorporates the flavour of hot stone. Other option is to place the stone over your kitchen stove over very low heat and make it hot gradually and cook the kebab on top. Be careful about gradually heating the stone otherwise the stone will crack due to sudden change in temperature.

Coconut is not only a fruit but a nut and a seed as well, technically it is a called a drupe. It consists of three layers — the outside layer is called exocarp, the fibrous inside layer is called mesocarp and the thin woody layer surrounding the actual layer of coconut is the endocarp. These layers have a varied use, not only in the culinary world but also to make other utility items like coir mattress, bags, charcoal, and fertilisers. From the outer to the middle to the innermost layer, this nature’s gift is so versatile that there are handicraft industries established just to utilise its by-products. Coconut has always been there since the dawn of time and mankind has made use of coconut hard casing, milk and oil. Scientists today are still studying the health benefits associated with the oil and are amazed to see the results; this has also been published in numerous journals across the globe. Contrary to the old notion that coconut oil is a high fat food for human consumption, it has been found out that with its medium-chain fatty acids, coconut is actually a powerhouse of nutrition and healing. For centuries, coconut oil has been claimed as a potent cure for nausea, rash, heat burns, bruises, bug repellent and natural hair serum. Coconut oil is edible oil extracted from the kernel of the matured coconut. Either the dried coconut called the copra is pressed to extract the oil or it is combined with water to make an emulsion and then separated to get the oil. Despite the technical advancements, the wet method is not that practically feasible and results are better for the first and traditional methods of extraction. Coconut milk is a wonderful base for all kinds of south East Asian curries and south Indian curries; it is used as a thickening agent and a flavour enhancer. Coconut is a part of daily diets of millions of people living on the coastal areas due to its easy availability in the region. In the western and European countries coconut and its products are a delicacy. Coconuts are different from other fruits as they contain a large amount of water and when still raw, they are called tender coconut and are harvested mainly for its drinking water. Coconut water can undoubtedly be called as one of the best, healthy and refreshing drink in the world. I can go on and write a book on the healthy aspects of coconut water as some people have already done. When the coconut matures, the outer layer turns from green to a fibrous brown colour. They still contain some water and can be used as seed nut or processed to produce the world renowned coconut oil from the kernel. Other by-products are charcoal from the hard shell and coir from the fibrous husk. The pulp left after the oil extraction is fed to the cattle or used as a natural fertiliser. The shells can also be used to make ladles by tying the end of the shell to a wooden stick. To include coconut and its health benefits in your daily diet, you can even replace the milk in your tea and coffee with coconut milk and add another dimension to your daily coffee or tea intake. The below recipe also used coconut as its main ingredient and you can make them in advance and store them for future use. Coconut Macaroon Ingredients Coconut powder 250gm Castor sugar 250gm Egg white 5 eggs Apricot jam 75gm Baking soda ½tsp Baking powder ½tsp Vanilla extracts 1tsp Candied mixed fruits/cherry 50gm Garnish Icing sugar to sprinkle or Dark chocolate to coat the cookies Method In a clean and dry bowl combine coconut powder, castor sugar, apricot jam, baking powder, baking soda and mix well. Take a heavy bottom pan and add these ingredients over slow flame and continue to turn the mixture with spatula. Once the mixture melts add the egg white and continue to cook till the sugar melts and egg white is combined with the mixture. The mixture should be of piping consistency and should be sticky to touch. Remove from flame and add vanilla extract and candied dried fruits. Line a baking tray with baking paper and fill the mixture in a piping bag. Pipe into adequate lumps maintaining distance between each cookie. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150 Celsius for 18-20 minutes. Remove the tray and allow to cool down at room temperature. Sprinkle with icing sugar on top or garnish with melted dark chocolate accordingly. Store them in airtight containers and serve with choice of hot or cold beverage. Note: When you take out the baked cookies from oven they may seem to be under baked or raw in centre, allow them to stand for a while and they will turn themselves to perfectly baked cookies.

We may not know any fruit that goes by Bitter Melon, but are all familiar with its other name that is bitter gourd or bitter squash or karela in India. karela is considered as the most bitter among all fruits and vegetables. Many of us don’t even like to consume this wonder food due to its bitter taste. But what we lose is the nutrients that this food item contains, which are very essential for our body. karela is technically a fruit as it contains seeds. It is highly beneficial for diabetics, owing to its essential compounds that play key role in lowering one’s blood sugar levels. karela juice is extremely nutritional — it is in fact considered a miraculous drink and has numerous health benefits. It is also packed with anti-oxidants that help the body fight off associated complications commonly seen in diabetics by scavenging free radicals. The seeds of the plant are packed with plant insulin called polypeptide that mimics the insulin produced by the human pancreas and helps in reducing the blood sugar levels. karela is mainly grown in Asian and sub-tropical countries. Regular intake of this bitter fruit helps boost the overall immunity of the body as it clears the digestive track of toxins. However the most common use of this fruit is as a vegetable, as cooking reduces the bitterness. Regular consumption of karela is not only beneficial for diabetics but also good for our overall wellbeing. karela fulfils the deficiency of major nutrients that we require on a daily basis. It is a rich source of all water soluble vitamins like C and B Complex. It also contains rich minerals like zinc, alkaloids, manganese and folic acid. The nutrient contents of this bitter fruit are in fact much higher than green vegetables. To get the best out of karela, drink it in its raw form as a juice every morning on an empty stomach. To prepare karela juice, cut the karela with skin and seeds and soak it in water with salt for 15-20 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness of the fruit. Now drink the water and grind it with little water and few drops of lemon juice. You can also add a piece of amla or Indian Gooseberry to improve the taste of the juice and further enhance its nutritional value. Sieve out the pulp and drink the juice empty stomach early morning for best health results. Keema Karela Ingredients Bitter gourd ½ kg Chicken mince 1 kg Salt to taste Oil ½ cup Cumin seeds 1 tsp Onion 2 no Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Green chili 2-3 no Turmeric powder ¼ tsp Coriander powder 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder 2 tsp Cumin powder 1 tbsp Garam masala powder 2 tsp Tomato 4 no Coriander leaves 2 tbsp Garnish Ginger julienne Method Scrap the bitter gourd skin using the blunt side of the knife to smoothen it and cut into two pieces from the centre. Scoop out the seeds using a scooper or a small spoon, keep the seeds aside. Rub salt outside and inside to reduce the bitterness and leave covered for 30 minutes. Rinse in cold water and boil in fresh water for 4-6 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry the bitter gourds for five minutes to cook them, drain and keep aside. Take 3 tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds cook till they float on top. Sauté ginger garlic paste for 2-3 minutes, add chopped onion and continue to cook till they turn translucent. Add chopped green chili, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, scooped out bitter gourd seeds and the chicken mince. Stir well to cook evenly, add moisture if required, once the chicken is almost cooked add tomato chopped and continue to cook. Adjust the seasoning and sprinkle Garam Masala on top, followed by chopped coriander leaves. Remove from flame. Spoon the prepared mixture in the fried bitter gourd. Return the remaining mixture to the flame and add 1 cup of boiling water to make it thin; adjust the seasoning. Pour the prepared gravy in a bowl and arrange the keema-filled bitter gourd in it. Serve hot, garnished with coriander sprig and ginger juliennes with choice of breads.