Peppery Broccoli Pulao ~ An Iron-rich dish (Recipe)

Every foodie looks for a dish that is both healthy and delicious. I believe we should always have food that is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. And if we know some cool recipes, we can prepare some really tasty dishes with healthy ingredients. 

There are so many people who suffer from iron-deficiency. During my college days, I remember suffering from iron-deficiency anemia due to the poor choices of food that I made. It is a well-known fact that every second woman in India suffers from iron-deficiency. If you have pale skin, weak nails that break away easily, feel tired most of the times and suffer from frequent hair fall, you must know that you are iron-deficient. Iron-deficiency reduces the stamina and energy of a woman to a huge extent. She is unable to work for long hours, which results in serious social, economic and lifestyle consequences in her life. 

There are various iron-rich foods such as spinach, broccoli, raisins, beans, oats, lentils, beetroot, almonds, methi, brown rice, whole wheat bread, eggs, chicken, and fish. You must incorporate these food items into your daily diet so that you don't face iron-deficiency symptoms. 

One of my favorite vegetables is Broccoli because not only it is a superfood with several health benefits, it is also delicious.Therefore, recently I cooked a new dish with Broccoli which I named "Peppery Broccoli Pulao". If you love fried rice, pulao and biriyani, you will surely love this dish too. It is healthy, spicy and tasty. 

Ingredients Required to make Peppery Broccoli Pulao

-Basmati Rice

- Mustard Oil

-Broccoli

-Carrot

-Peas

-Green Chili

-Onion

-Ginger

-Cardamom

-Cinnamon

-Cloves

-Bay Leaf

-Black Pepper Powder

-Salt

-Ghee

Steps to make Peppery Broccoli Pulao 

-I have half-cooked the Basmati Rice in pressure cooker beforehand.

-Heat the pan with oil

-Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Cook till you get a beautiful aroma. 

-Now add chopped onion, grated ginger, and green chili. Saut the mixture gently over low flame.

-When the onion becomes translucent, add broccoli florets, finely chopped carrots, and peas. 

-Now, add black pepper powder to the mixture and mix well. 

-Now, add the half-cooked Basmati Rice and mix gently. Add salt, water and give it a final mix. 

-Put a lid on the pan and let the pulao get cooked on low flame. Add a little ghee at the end for extra flavor.  

You can garnish the peppery broccoli pulao with coriander leaves and green chili. It is best served with Dum Aloo. 

If you also have an iron-rich recipe, you must take part in the iron-rich recipe making contest by Livogen (the number 1 iron supplement) and get a great chance to get featured in Femina, the leading women's magazine as a Celeb Chef. Top 3 winners will win vouchers worth 20,000 INR and the next 7 winners will win vouchers worth 5000 INR. You can check out more about the contest at http://www.livogen.in/iron-chef/

So, what are you waiting for? Grab this opportunity to show your culinary skills. And don't forget to incorporate iron-rich ingredients into your daily diet to stay fit and healthy. Try the "Peppery Broccoli Pulao" recipe and let me know if you liked it. 

Things you must know about Alphonso, the King of Mangoes

The best thing about summer is definitely mangoes. Despite the sweltering heat, people in India welcome summers heartily to enjoy the delicious mangoes. It’s only in the summer season when mangoes are found at every nook and corner of the country. I have fond memories of plucking mangoes from the mango tree in my ancestral house and gorging on them in the afternoon. The delicious summer fruit brings a smile on our lips and a wave of nostalgia in our mind.

Mango is known as the king of fruits as it is loved by almost everyone. It is also very rich in nutrients. There are plenty of health benefits of mangoes as the fruit is a great source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. There are various types of mangoes that are available during summer, but the King of Mangoes is undoubtedly Alphonso. 

Alphonso, the King of Mangoes

The season of Alphonso is from the end of March to May. It is the most expensive variety of mangoes available in India. It is considered as a luxury food item because of its rich flavor, tantalizing appearance and high price. There is a royal feel with the King of Mangoes that you cannot ignore. The price of 12 pieces of Alphonso mango ranges generally between Rs1000 and Rs 4000. The price depends on the grade, texture and size of the mangoes.

Featured in 1000 things to eat before you die

The Alphonso mango becomes a national obsession during its short season. They are available only in India and are exported to other corners of the world. Alphonso mango has appeared in many lists such as “1000 things to eat before you die”. If you have ever tasted the King of Mangoes, you will understand why it is celebrated all over the world. The Alphonso mangoes are very popular in the UK. 

The rich and unique flavor of Alphonso mangoes

Alphonso has a unique flavor that is a cross between apricot, peach, melon and nectarine with hints of citrus and honey. The unparalleled flavor of the Alphonso mangoes makes them the King of Mangoes. The sunshine-yellow skin of Alphonso looks very tempting. It has a buttery and smooth saffron colored flesh that is extremely inviting. Alphonso mangoes have a beautiful, sweet aroma with extraordinary flavor.

Chefs find Alphonso a great food item to experiment with. You can find Alphonso on the cocktail and dessert menus of popular bars and restaurants in the world. Alphonso is widely used for making yogurts, ice creams, pudding and cakes. You can also prepare many desserts and drinks at your home in summer with Alphonso mangoes. Sweet Mango Chutney, Mango Kesar Milkshake and Alphonso’s French connection can be easily prepared at home. 

The story behind the name of Alphonso mangoes

Alphonso has been named after Afonso de Albuquerque, a military expert and nobleman who helped in establishing the Portuguese colony in our country. The Portuguese introduced the process of grafting on mango trees that can produce great varieties like Alphonso. 

Best variety of Alphonso mangoes

Alphonso mangoes are cultivated widely in the state of Maharashtra. There are many varieties of Alphonso, but the best variety is grown on the farms of Ratnagiri. They are hand-harvested and widely exported worldwide. Ameya Vartak had established Aamrai (meaning mango orchard) at Ratnagiri that is delighting mango lovers all over the world since 2011. It is an acclaimed brand for the best quality Alphonso mangoes in the country. You can enjoy the season’s first Alphonso directly from the farms of Ratnagiri. Give yourself a beautiful experience this summer by relishing the King of Mangoes. 

Loved by the British

The British love Alphonso mangoes. In 1953, Alphonso mangoes were exported to London for the first time from the legendary Crawford Market of Mumbai. Since then, the love affair between the British and the Alphonso mangoes has only grown. There are many courier companies that provide the facility of gifting Alphonso mangoes to friends and relatives all over the world. 

Great taste and wonderful health benefits

Alphonso is the perfect combination of great taste and perfect nutrition. As it is rich in iron, it is great for pregnant women. It is also loaded with antioxidants and is rich in Vitamin A, E and Selenium. Its extraordinary taste will make you enjoy the summer season like never before. 

The mango season is a national obsession in our country, just like cricket and Bollywood. The top restaurants in the cities start mango festivals to attract customers. The street vendors sell fresh mango juice. People savor the Alphonso mangoes in various ways. So, what are you waiting for? Salebhai.com is providing great offers on Alphonso mangoes. If you are yet to savor the King of Mangoes, treat yourself this summer to the best quality Alphonso Mangoes. You will have a wonderful experience with your family that you can’t forget. 

Note:  The images have been sourced from the website of salebhai.com

An exotic experience with TERRA Chips

Like many people, chips are my comfort food. I can have them at any point of the day and whatever mood I am in. Whether I am happy or stressed, all I need is a packet of chips. Therefore, when I received this box of TERRA Chips last weekend, my happiness knew no bounds.

As I read “An exotic experience awaits you”, I was very excited to take a dive into the TERRA Adventures. I knew that TERRA chips are made of real vegetables and therefore, I couldn’t wait to taste them.

There were 3 bags of TERRA Chips inside the box:

-TERRA Blues

-TERRA Original

-TERRA Mediterranean

What makes TERRA Chips unique?

As I opened the first packet of TERRA Chips, I knew that I am going to have a unique experience. TERRA chips are real vegetable chips that are made from real whole vegetables such as naturally blue potato, sweet potato, yuca, parsnip, ruby dipped vegetables, batata and taro. 

Each flavor of TERRA Chips is made with a combination of a diverse range of root vegetables. They are extremely healthy as they are completely made of root vegetables.

If you are looking for healthy snacking without compromising on taste, TERRA Chips are the ideal thing for you. The delicious flavors and the vibrant colors of root vegetables make these chips a great, crunchy snack.

Terra Blues (Sea Salt)

This is the first bag of TERRA chips that I opened. The blue colored chips highlighted on the bag tantalized me. The bluish-purple colored chips are made of naturally blue potatoes. They are truly a rhapsody in blue. I loved the aroma of the chips. They tasted crunchy and had a slightly nutty flavor. The TERRA blues tasted different from normal potato chips. The crunchy taste of the chips appealed to me and I savored each one of them.

 Terra Original (Sea Salt)

Terra Original is a combination of various colored chips as it is made of taro, sweet potato, batata, parsnip, yuca and ruby dipped vegetables. As I opened the bag of Terra original, I found chips in various colors such as vibrant red, deep yellow, yellowish white, light brown, orange and white. The chips looked very inviting and they were delectably crunchy. They are perfect for healthy snacking.

Terra Mediterranean (Herbs & a hint of lemon)

Terra Mediterranean is also made of the same combination of root vegetables as Terra Original. However, instead of sea salt, herbs and a hint of lemon is used for flavor.

Product Experience

The TERRA chips looked and tasted so different from other chips that it was like taking an adventure.  I truly had an exotic experience with TERRA chips. The exotic flavor, the vibrant color and the fine texture of the chips are praiseworthy. If you like to maintain a healthy lifestyle, try TERRA chips for snacks. They are very healthy, crunchy and tasty. You can have them with your favorite beverage. You can also enjoy a bag of TERRA chips while watching your favorite movie. 

These real vegetable chips are gluten-free and are very healthy. It is the ideal choice for gourmet snacking. You can also impress your guests by preparing some food items with the chips. There are some amazing recipes listed on the Terrachipsindia.com website.

My family and I had an exotic adventure with TERRA chips. We loved experiencing the goodness and rich taste of root vegetables in the form of chips. Once you open a bag of TERRA chips, you can’t resist having them. 

So, what are you waiting for? Dive right now into an exotic adventure with TERRA chips. They are available in Amazon and BigBasket.

Place Of Origin: The best of tea and coffee

Placeoforigin.in is a wonderful marketplace for special Indian foods, ethnic foods, famous regional Indian snacks and a wide range of tea and coffee. The food products that you will find in Place Of Origin are sourced directly from the producer and are delivered directly to the consumer. Therefore, you can be totally assured that you will get 100% genuine food products from Place Of Origin.

Specialties of Place Of Origin

Place of Origin is a paradise for foodies all over India. You can get delicious sweets and confectionery, snacks of various kinds, pickles, mixes, spices, tea and coffee.

The best thing about this website is that you can find food products from the popular and famous brands of India such as Flurys of Kolkata, Almond House of Hyderabad, Moshes of Mumbai, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwala from Pune, All good taste from Punjab, Amonar Tea from Nagaland, Anandini Himalayan Tea from Himachal Pradesh, Bean Therapy from Mumbai, Jay Hind Sweets from Gujarat, Seven Beans Coffee Co from Karnataka, Evergreen Sweethouse from Delhi and many others.

You can view the menu of the brands and shop for your favorite sweets, snacks and staples. They also provide free shipping on many of their products.

Best of Tea and Coffee

Most of us are addicted to tea and coffee. We cannot even imagine going through a long, hectic day without savoring cups of tea and coffee. Truly speaking, our life seems incomplete without the morning coffee and the evening tea.

You can find a huge range of tea and coffee in Place of Origin. Apart from black tea, you can also find chamomile tea and various types of green tea such as Darjeeling Green Tea Elixir, Green Tea with Himalayan Tulsi and Rhododendron, Palampore Kangra Leaf Green Tea with wild tulsi and many others. We all know the tremendous health benefits of green tea and Place of Origin provides you a lot of options to choose from.

For people who prefer coffee to tea, Place of Origin also sells a wide range of coffee such as Coffee from the Nilgiris, The café chic blend, Rich Hazelnut Cream Coffee, The Sunkissed blend, French Vanilla Coffee and many others.

Tea and coffee are best enjoyed with cake, biscuits and namkeen. Therefore, you can also shop for your favorite snacks from Place of Origin to give yourself a delicious treat.

Final words

Place of Origin is the perfect destination for people who love to enjoy various kinds of tea and coffee with delicious snacks from all over India. Hop on to the website to savor the various flavors of India.

A cup of tea or coffee seems to make everything bearable and makes life way better.  

My favorite dessert: Patishapta Pitha (sugar free)

I have a sweet tooth and I am crazy for almost all kinds of sweets. However, my favorite is Patishapta Pitha which is a traditional Bengali sweet. 

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Patishapta Pitha 

Every year, during Makar Sankranti/Poush Parbon, I get to eat this amazing dessert. My granny prepares this incredibly delicious dessert on the day of Makar Sankranti. I have lovely childhood memories associated with this dessert.

Basically, Patishapta Pitha is a pancake recipe. Here, the pancakes are filled with kheer. It takes near about 45 minutes to prepare this dessert. Instead of using sugar, you can use SugarFree Natura. 

Ingredients

The ingredients that we will need to prepare Sugar Free Patishapta Pitha are as follows:

Suji (Semolina)
Maida (White flour)
Khowa Kheer
Cooking oil
Milk
SugarFree Natura

Recipe

Here is the recipe of sugar free Patishapta Pitha:

First of all, we need to condense the milk properly by boiling and stirring it constantly. Then we have to add Khowa Kheer so that it slowly turns into a semi-liquid state. We also need to add SugarFree Natura in the milk for taste. (Note: You can get Khowa Kheer from the market. However, if it is not available, you can still make this dish, but the milk will take plenty of time to get converted into a semi-liquid state).

Now, we need to add 2 cups of water in suji and maida to make a dense mix. Then, we have to add SugarFree Natura in the mix for taste.

Now, we should take the frying pan and heat it. Then, we have to coat the surface of the frying pan with a little amount of oil.

Carefully, we should pour 4-5 tablespoons of suji-maida mix on the frying pan. Then, spread the mix evenly on the frying pan till it takes a round shape.

Now, we should pour one tablespoon of the semi liquid kheer over the round spread.

After a few seconds, we should roll the circular spread like bread roll. Now, we need to fry the roll on the frying pan. We should flip the sides of the roll every 10 seconds till it turns slightly reddish brown in color.

And, we have our sugar free Bengali Patishapta Pitha ready! For me, winters are incomplete without this dessert. 

Know more about Sugarfree Natura at http://sugarfree-india.com/

No more food blunders. Thanks TinyOwl!

When the same kind of incident starts happening to you again and again, you are stereotyped and given an annoying name. And that’s an awful feeling, especially when you are called something which is really irksome.

Take my life, for example. Whenever I plan to take my family for a grand dinner or lunch on a special occasion, dear destiny turns no stone unturned to make it a grand blooper making me all fidgety and stressed to fix the problem. As my plan gets spoiled and ruined every time, I look at the sky helplessly and yell "Why me?" The feeling is so frustrating! 

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Be it Durga Puja, Christmas or birthdays, I always end up in an embarrassing situation whenever I take my family out for a meal and then I try hard to make amends. Fixing food problems at the last moment, sometimes by buying road side chowmein or other times by just preparing Maggi (when it was available, of course) has become my trademark instead of people complimenting me about how good the treat was. This is the reason why I am named “Miss Food fix” (not in a good way, of course!)

In fact, my granny loves calling me by this name after a series of food bloopers. I don’t blame her though. Here’s what she said, a few months back, when I told her that I want to take her out for a lovely dinner.

Me (with a cheerful grin): Granny, a wonderful new restaurant has opened. I want to give all of you a treat as my new anthology of poems have released.

Granny ( with a sarcastic smile): Oh dear, why don’t you rather cook something great for all of us?

Me (with a frown): You know it well how I hate cooking. I would rather do something more interesting during that time.

Granny: My little Miss Food Fix, you need to love cooking, else you have to keep fixing things at the eleventh hour.

Me (with a huge frown): Oh granny, stop calling me this. I agree that twice, okay thrice, things went wrong, but that doesn’t mean it will happen again.

Granny smiled and then tried hard to suppress her smile, after looking at my pitiful face. 

Now, I am sure all of you must have understood what I have to face whenever I tell my family excitedly that I will take them out for dinner. Let me share one of the blooper stories that led me to a food fix.

It was the occasion of Holi and therefore, I wanted to take my family and cousins for a sumptuous dinner. We went out of the house at 8pm and when we reached the particular place, we saw that all the restaurants were already filled and buzzing with people. There was not a single vacant seat inside and we were told to wait outside each and every restaurant. Seeing no way out, we waited outside a restaurant for about an hour and then we finally got a seat.

Being a Biriyani lover, I ordered Biriyani for all of us, but the waiter said that Biriyani was not available. Then I ordered Peas Pulao and even that was not available. With an unwilling heart, we settled for vegetable fried rice and chilli paneer. The food did not arrive, even after 45 minutes and on asking the waiter, he said that it is getting prepared. Finally the food arrived and it tasted so horrible that I don't even want to recall the taste. My Dad tried to eat some of it but my granny and cousins did not eat more than 2 spoons. The fried rice tasted like ordinary rice and the paneer tasted too bad. An abominable smell of garlic hit our nose as we had it. It was horrible.   

We left the restaurant with a look of disgust. It was 11 pm in the night and all of us were having terrible hunger pangs. 

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I felt guilty and helpless. I hit my forehead with my hand dramatically, but that did not result in anything miraculous. I kept on mumbling sorry and then remembered about the roadside chowmein which would surely be available at that particular hour of the night.

The chowmein tasted at least better than the fried rice and chilli paneer. I apologized to everyone and all of them said it was okay. Yes, it definitely was okay, but I was stereotyped Miss Food Fix when this kind of thing happened thrice. In all the 3 times, I had to do some last minute arrangement which was not at all good or even a little closer to what I planned.

Recently, I was sharing my sad story with a friend, when she suggested me to try the App called TinyOwl. I guffawed at first hearing its name, but when I tried the App, I was happy beyond limits. It was so awesome that after ordering food for the first time from this App, I was screaming "Yay!". Finally, I got a solution to my problem. 

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Tiny Owl is a great food ordering App that helps me to treat my family with a grand dinner or lunch at home itself on the special occasions and festivals. On festive days, most Restaurants and malls are always occupied and I really don’t want to land up in a food blunder anymore.

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The TinyOwl App lets me enjoy great food at home and I don’t even require cooking. This App is the smartest, coolest and the fastest way to order food. From Donut to Dosa to Paratha to Pasta, you can get anything delivered to your home by ordering food through the Tiny Owl App. The App can easily detect your location and choose the best restaurants for you. It is available in both android and iOS.

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The App also stores all your previous orders. If you are not aware of the new restaurants near your area, this App will give you great recommendations too.

This App has made my life easy and has helped me to get rid of the Miss Food Fix title as I don't have to fix food blunders anymore.  Thanks to TinyOwl!

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I was sad, wallowing in self-pity

All my plans get spoiled and gritty.

Whenever I plan a family dinner,

I end up in some embarrassing blooper.

I hate being called “Miss Food Fix”

Don’t want to take any more risk.

All I want is delicious and mouth-watering food

Now please for heaven’s sake, don’t tell me to cook!

Pizza, Burger, Biriyani and Calzone

I want these from restaurants reputed and well-known.

One such bad day, I came across you

The cute little fellow in yellow

You introduced yourself as TinyOwl

And asked,“Can I mend your mood that seems so foul?”

I shared with you all my agonies pent up.

You smiled and just showed me the App

No blunder anymore, I just scream "Yay"

Now good food is just a few clicks away

Family is happy and my life is set

Oh TinyOwl, you are so cool and great!

Do check out the amazing TinyOwl App that is available in Android and iOS.