Single & Shining

More than just twinkling stars of the tinsel world shining in earthy ‘K’-serials on the television, half-Punjabi Jenifer Wignet, Chaitanya Chowdhary and Shaleen Bhanot are all eligible singles. And if you go by Wignet’s own little declaration, the little miss is not averse to the idea of tying the knot with City Beautiful by picking upon her soul buddy from Chandigarh! After all, the Mumbai-bred gal’s mom too is from Punjab.

Saurabh Malik catches up, as they get ready to promote Star Plus’ new primetime show Sangam in Chandigarh. Here are the excerpts: 

Pretty ready

You have got a charming smile — is one of the best compliments she has ever received. And one look at Jenifer Wignet is enough to tell you how authentic it is. As she enters, the beam broadens till her sparkling doe-eyes taper. It turns all the more captivating as the cameras incessantly click.

It remains so as you ask her about the dire need for the serials on the small screen to experiment with new themes and evolve like her own acting. Grinning, but this time a little more seriously, she agrees.

“Oh yes, the serials are turning quite predictable. You are right when you say people know the dead protagonist will eventually rise from his grave or else someone else will step into his shoes after getting plastic surgery. But it is something the audience is accepting”.

Heaving a deep sigh, but with the smile still intact, Jenifer says, “It is more of a trend these days and will continue till the spectators vehemently turn their back to it, literally. And believe me, sooner or later, things will change.”

In movies also, you do not have pure masala flicks nowadays. As the directors and producers are experimenting with different subjects and alternative themes, you have movies that are completely unconventional and divorced from usual love stories.

Quoting an example, she says Andaz Apna Apna beautifully fits in the category of movies with the jara hat key theme. Even the treatment of the subject matter is so very different. “It did not go very well with the audience then as the movie was far ahead of its times. But people are now appreciating it.”

Guys, Jenifer knows what she is talking about. The young little star, with looks that somewhat resemble Divya Bharti, has already showcased her talent both on the silver and the small screens.

In fact, Jenifer was in Class V when she went for Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya’s audition. And even before she knew it, the pretty girl was the daughter in the Arvind Swamy-Manisha Koirala family. Since then, it has been series of flicks and soaps for her — right from Kasauti Zindagi Ki to Kkusum and Koi Dil Mein Hai.

Good! But what are her future plans? Is she planning to stick to the small screen or move out once again? “Well, I do not plan. Things happen because of God’s grace. So, while I am not making efforts to grab roles, and am concentrating on the new show, I am open to good offers,” she asserts.

How about parting ways with her single status? Beaming, she says heartily: “I keep my eyes and my heart open as I go from one place to another. Who knows, I may meet my dream man right here in Chandigarh.” All the best, girl! Live happily ever after!

Bachelor Boy

You can call him an ideal bachelor boy. For, tall and handsome hunk Chaitanya Chowdhary is sophisticated, polite and completely down to earth. And, above all, he has eyes that make most people see beauty in him. From one angle, they look grey and from another, they appear greenish.

Just in case you still have not been to figure it out, he is the gorgeous young man who played so dexterously the part of Akshat in Kaahin To Hoga.

And fellows, Chowdhary belongs to the winning loser’s category. That’s right. He was 89 kg when he applied for the Gladrags Model Hunt. Perhaps, more candid than candied, the organisers asked him if he could come lighter and that also in three months. Well, he started going to the gym as early as 6.30 am, and again for long jogs in the evenings. At the end of three months, Chowdhary says, with 10 kgs less he looked like a Gladrags applicant. Eventually, he was awarded the Mr Photogenic title and was the third runner-up.

  Dancing glory

Shaleen Bhanot
Shaleen Bhanot

If music is the food of love, dancing sets the heart pounding. And if you do not harmoniously agree with the assertion, ask Shaleen Bhanot. The young actor is really passionate about it.

Trained under none else than renowned choreographer Habiba Rehman, Shaleen can set the stage on fire with his Western, Indo-Western and traditional Indian dances. In acting also, he has received formal training.

If you are wondering about his likes and dislikes, he loves the mountains and places with heritage and architectural value — monuments, temples and forts are included. An all-rounder, eh!

 

 

saurabh@tribunemail.com

 A new high
Purva Grover

He is a familiar face in the city. For almost seven years now, no event in the city has gone without the presence of his fancy, colourful and educational kites. Devinder Pal Singh Sehgal, city’s very own kiteman, is now soaring higher and so are our hopes with him. Sehgal will probably be the first Indian to participant in the Impossibility Challenger Games to be held in Munich, Germany, in November this year. He says, “I am perhaps the first Indian to participate in an international event of this kind.”

The annual event in its sixth year sees participants from all across the globe who compete to gain an entry into the Guinness Book of Records. The event includes all those games that are not including in Olympics and also sees the officials from the Guinness Records on lookout for fascinating and fresh record holders.

And, Sehgal is all set to impress the authorities with his novel record. He says, “I am trying to fly 51 kites on a single thread.” And, will they carry a message? For the man has been spreading awareness on varied issues through his kites. He says, “The leading kite would carry a message on international peace and brotherhood.”

Sehgal, who works as a scientist in the forensic laboratory of the Punjab government set up a national record of passing eight miniature kites through the eye of a 0.003-inch needle in 2003. Also, in his kitty is a Slovak record for the smallest kite in the world set in 2002. He has also been a regular participant in miniature kite contest at the Drachen Foundation, Seattle, Washington, for past four years now.

An athlete, he would also represent the country in Sun Games there. “I will participate in one leg race and back race,” he says. As of now, he is looking for sponsorship for this big flight. He says, “ I wish to keep alive this traditional folk art and spread educative messages via the medium.” We wish him luck and hope to see his kites flying higher with the messages. 

 hello, hello... 
May I help you?
Aman Minhas

Ever thought of the woman behind the voice, who enters your life through the phone and makes your life easier? 

They are the new faces (read voices) of India. Age no bar. Working long hours is not just about delegating work in plush AC offices but helping people deal with life’s little problems. If one handles enquiries, the other sells bank schemes on the phone. If one provides transport, the other announces and makes available tickets to city residents. These women enter our lives via our ears and in a few moments relieve us of the tension of completing petty but pertinent tasks, and exit silently, sometimes even without an acknowledgement. But in our not so busy moments, a thought does cross our mind — who are they?

We got up close and personal with a few such women for whom baritone, pitch, warmth in voice and patience mean livelihood.

Creditable!

Name: Neha Sharma

Age: 20

Job: Telecaller for credit cards

She is: A warm, fun loving, easy to talk to, girl next door who thinks working is better than sitting idle at home. This Arjun Rampal fan loves to party with friends and has a fad for clothes and a large chunk of her income goes into buying them.

Work revolves around: Selling credit cards and interesting policies that she smoothly does over the phone without any difficulty.

What keeps her going: Her set target for the day motivates her to do better than her friends.

Special moments: She has high regards for customers who speak to her politely.

On firm platform

Name: Jaspreet Kaur

Age: 37 year

Job: Handles enquiries at the railways

She is: Someone who is religious but not rigid and prefers home-cooked food over restaurant ka khaana, Jaspreet enjoys relaxing with her son, in-laws and husband after a long day’s work.

Work revolves around: Lots of public dealing, so lots of patience. Answering enquiries, be it on the phone or in person, she is always willing to help strangers even if it is not related to her field.

What keeps her going: She draws satisfaction from helping people in their hour of need.

Special moments: An old man who she helped on several occasions treats her like his daughter. What started as an enquiry, has now become a strong family friendship.

Air-borne

Name: Rachana

Age: 24 year

Job: Customer Service Assistant at a private airlines office.

She is: Rachana always wanted to be in the aviation. Reserved by nature she loves to paint the canvas with oil colours and loves of life. A hard-core professional who keeps personal and professional life separate. She loves continental food. Partying around is not her cup of tea. Her favourite time out would be with her family.

Work revolves around: Ground job, she says is equally important, as they are the first ones to meet the passengers. Ticketing, handling flight delays and any other emergency on ground are her responsibilities.

What keeps her going: Her love for the aviation industry.

Special moments: All moments when she helped her passengers and made them feel comfortable in the worst possible delays.

Book a cab

Name: Kavita

Age: 22 year

Job: Works in a cab booking call centre

She is: A typical young girl who likes Shah Rukh Khan and chocolates. She is not a cricket buff and fails to understand why others do. She loves to chat with friends and enjoys old music. Quite a chirpy person, she fits into any crowd easily.

Work revolves around: Handling calls from the city-wallas, who need transport in a jiffy.

What keeps her going: The money she earns and the desire to work.

Special moments: Every evening, when she goes back home feeling how many people she has helped.

Next time that you call a helpline or enquiry you wont be as clueless and unattached to the person who is deriving happiness as well as livelihood from this call.

TELLY TALES
Lions of Punjab
Aman Minhas

Punjab is not just a state, it is a brand, and that too a global one. Patiala salwaars, butter chicken, Santa Banta jokes, Jaspal Bhatti, Jassi, Sidhu paaji, Ricky Thakural...the Punjabi brigade has invaded all parts of live and rightfully emerged as the kings and queens of tellydom and Bollywood too.

That Punjabis have the wackiest of sense humor was further proved on the telly screen, as all the three finalists in Laughter Challenge-III were our very own men. They cracked the craziest of jokes and set Sidhu and Shekhar Suman in fits of laughter. Now, Sidhu with his penchant for dressing and infectious laughter could be the ambassador for Brand-P. What say? Singing his way to our hearts is Ishmeet Singh on Star’s Voice of India. The soaps too are buzzing with Punjabi characters like in Sony’s Kaajal or Manjeet in Teen Bahuraniyan. Is it time for Ekta Kapoor to lend a parandhi or sarson da saag to her Gujju cast. May be.

In the tinsel town too the Brand P is working its charm. No longer do they play the supporting cast who crackle a joke and vanish, they are now the lead stars. Ricky Thakural (Abhishek Bachchan) in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom was from Bhatinda and so will be Kareena Kapoor in the yet to release flick Jab We Met. And who can forget the lovable Bobby aunty (Kiron Kher) in Hum Tum and the accented Hema Malini in Veer-Zara.

And, then no music video is complete without the beats of the dhol. Do you remember any movie that didn’t have a Punjabi number or a party that didn’t play Labh Janjua hit or a Daler Mehendi song?

Well, so if you want to celebrate punjabiyat, then all you got to do is tune in to the radio, TV or catch a flick.

Aaja Nach Le

The third season of Nach Baliye promisesdance, music, masti, fun, energy and gossip. A test of dancing skills and choreographers imagination, the ten celeb jodis will be judged by Ishaa Koopikar, Vaibhavi Merchant and David Dhawan. The human touch (read, masala) will be the emotional journey of these jodis through the competition. To name a few jodis, Rakhi Sawant-Abhishek Awasthi, Kashmeera-Krushna, Pooja Bedi-Hanif Hilal and Shivangi-Shakti Kapoor. So get your mobiles recharged for its SMS time again.

Every Friday &Saturday, 8 pm, Star Plus

What Women Want

They are sexy, they are elusive, they are desperate. And, they are back. Impending marriages, new romances, crazy neighbours and more await you in Desperate Housewives- III. Dying to know more, hmm...here’s a little peek. Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) will be seen tangling with her pregnant maid-turned surrogate mother. Susan (Teri Hatcher) will wrestle with Mike, her love. Now, that’s enough to get you tuned to the lives of Wisteria Lane’s glamorous ladies again, isn’t it? Starts this Sunday.

Every Sunday, 9 pm, Star World.

(Beginning today, this column appears weekly)

 Cool Stuff

aCCESSORies

Contemporary Spirituality

Based on religious scriptures and historical literature across Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam, the Raksha Taveez Collection by Orra is inspired by the tradition of amulets and talismans to ward off evil and bring good fortune. Crafted in 22-carat gold, it features motifs like Ganesha, Rudraksha, Krishna, Mahalaxmi, Shiva, Hanuman and Allah. The collection has more than 10 different designs of capsules, caskets, plaques, and charm bracelet, studded with precious stones and combined with materials of traditional significance like rudraksha and holy navratnas.Priced Rs 9,000 onwards.

MOBILE

Bedazzled 

Flaunted by the likes of Madonna, Pierce Brosnan and Kelly Osborne, LG Shine — a full-metal bodied super-slim handset — offers amazing looks and high technical specification. When closed, the reflective 2.2” wide mirror LCD screen transforms into a high-quality colour screen. When activated, Shine’s keys bathe in a cool blue light. The sleek design includes a 2 mega-pixel auto focus camera, expandable memory, multi-function scroll key, media player with multi-codec support and real spectrum display. It supports GPRS and EDGE network compatibility, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.  The Shine slider phone costs Rs 15,999 and bar phone Rs 8,999. 

FASHION

Lace Up

Footwear brand Ecco brings its formal, executive collection for men — Montreal, a range of shoes that gives professional-level sports performance to the business arena. The collection has been designed for active, modern, outgoing, high performance business people, who always demand high-level performance at work. Blending modern and classic Italian styling, the shoes are crafted with calf leather uppers, leather lining and a leather-covered, comfort inlay sole. The unique direct injected technology ensures ultimate flexibility, lightness, optimal fit, style and comfort. Available in shades of black and cognac, it is priced at Rs 17,000.

luxury

Fast & Posh

Vertu launches its new, the Vertu Ascent Ferrari 1947 Limited Edition handset that has hand-polished titanium for the chassis and draws inspiration from Ferrari GT cars that embody strength, durability and high level performance. The bezel nose on the front of the phone features the famed Ferrari Prancing Horse, while on the rear back plate there is a scaled down iconic Ferrari brake peddle. It also comes in a stylish case, conceptulised by Ferrari’s design team. Launched to celebrate India’s 60th independence and Ferrari’s 60th anniversary the handset is priced at Rs 13.5 lakh. — TNS

 Itsy-Bitsy Teeny Weeny...
Purva Grover

Falling denims, rising skirt hemlines, plunging cholis: Where are city fashionistas heading? 

A negative shade in the character spells backless blouses, a perfect body in tiny clothes defines an item girl, a cricket commentator is known less for her knowledge of the game and more for the noodle straps of her designer blouses. Phew, watching the idiot box is quite a fashion fright. Switch to reality, and the city’s fashion scene is scary. Fresh, trendy and international, is how the city fashionistas define it. Sporting less and showing more, is what, we, the less fashionable, feel it is.

Be it watching a movie at Fun Republic, attending a class in the university, visiting a temple with granny or shaking a leg at the city disc, the attire of this fashionable brigade remains just the same. The girlies are as comfy sporting a halter at a party as she is in slipping a slinky dress for a lecture at college. The boys too are not far behind. A body hugging or sleeveless T-shirt with a pair of falling denims and a glistening stud is what defines them. And what’s more, the style virus has bugged our budding doctors too, they too are on a liberation drive for their noble profession.

One really doesn’t need increased buying power to fetch these itsy-bitsy pieces of fashion. With fashion huts offering international brands at rock bottom prices, a strappy dress, a spaghetti, a halter or backless top, is all within reach. But then, if all will be on a revealing drive, will it not lose its charm. We fear so.

And now, when did showing lingerie in public become fashionable? This is one cool trend we want to stay away from. Or is it that the youth has tied up a promotional contract with brands like CK, Tommy or Jockey, letting them peek out of their ultra-low denims. And, then don’t Indian brands deserve the same limelight too? Anyways, that’s a different story altogether. For now, we don’t want to be spectators to transparent and colourful straps or branded lingerie.

And, as for the last word, fashion is about sporting a different look. Then why is the trendy brigade looking like a bunch of clones? Is this yet another new trend? We’ll find out soon.

purva@tribunemail.com

 Sweet Delights 
Archana K. Sudheer

Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Here is some yummy bit of news for all you foodies. Nikhil Mittal aka Nik Bakers has opened its second outlet in Sector 35. The eatery with a seating capacity of 130 promises to leave foodies asking for more.

The inauguration of the eatery also saw the introduction of fresh gelato on cold stone. “We’ll make the gelato right in front of you. All you got to do is choose the flavour and toppings,” says Nik. And what’s all this hype about cold stone? It is based on German-technology and set at a freezing temperature of -22°C that helps in instant hardening. There are 18 flavours to choose from, including the yogurt-based sugar free. Pick a shape, let them pour chocolate and then top it with gems, wafers or sugar-coated saunf.

Other lip smacking delicacies include Nik’s signature cakes, fresh fruit tarts, gateaux, Swiss rolls and more. For chocoholics, there is African delights, éclairs, mud slices, truffles, opera French pies and carte du jour. Health freaks can bite into sugar-free cookies and breads made of multi-grains, oats, linseed and bran. The eatery will soon set its third outlet in Panchkula and also launch its website.

archana@tribunemail.com 

 What a party!
Archana K. Sudheer

It was party time. The building reverberated with the sounds of claps, cheers and whistles, with hot Punjabi peppy music in the background. The event was a get-together for students of the Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training and children of Theatre Age, an NGO that works with street kids. The Frankfinn initiative, held at Government Model School–24, was an attempt to lighten up the lives of these children and to break away from regular classroom sessions.

The evening began with a choreography item on Hare Rama Hare Krishna by the aviation students. The dance portrayed the need to remember God in the midst of the technology boom. Binona Sharma, an airhostess-in-the-making, then performed on a solo song. The kids kept on clapping throughout the performance and encouraged Binona, who had auditioned for Indian Idol and cleared three rounds before losing in the duet performance.

The highlight of the evening was a dance by the Theatre Age children. Sporting yellow kurtas, white pajamas and red chunnis, the young performers had everyone on their toes. It was interesting to see how the kids didn’t miss a single beat or step. They were totally in sync with each other, showing long hours of practice and effort they had put in.

Festivity was in the air as the two groups mingled together and danced like crazy. It was amusing to see the young Frankfinn students perform a bhangra in their skirts and stockings. Their expressions were so apt that the clothes just added beauty to the performance.

“The basic idea of hospitality is care. If you can’t care about those around you, how are you going to learn the art?” asks Kamal Saini, centre head of the institute.

Theatre Age president Zulfiqar Khan said such interactive initiatives not only boosted the morale of the children, but also prompted them to work harder towards creating a better future. “A few of my kids now want to join the hospitality business,” he smiles.

What could be a better way of concluding the programme than a combined blast on the dance floor? The atmosphere was already charged with excitement and blaring Punjabi music just added to the fervour. Shedding inhibitions, all were soon tapping their toes to the music. In fact Zulfiqar and his staff had a hard time persuading the kids to round up the programme. 

film & Fashion 
A toxic party

Britney Spears went partying just hours after a judge ordered her to submit to random drug tests and abstain from alcohol. The club-hop for the singer came just hours after a judge warned the Toxic singer about her drug and alcohol abuse. “They kept bringing (Spears) shots and so they were drinking. She was dancing on the tables trying to be really sexy, even putting a black sock over her head as a hat, and putting on a show for everyone,” a witness said. The singer refused to comment on the on-going child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

No entry for Paris

Paris Hilton has been banned from attending Munich’s Oktoberfest after she ‘cheapened’ the event last year. Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany in September and October. It is one of the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year. Last year, the socialite angered locals when she arrived at the event in a traditional Bavarian dress and plaits to promote a brand of canned wine.

Bare-all vegetarianism?

Actress Alicia Silverstone has stripped naked to encourage vegetarianism. The Clueless actress, who was voted the sexiest female vegetarian in 2004, took off all her clothes for the 30-second TV commercial for the goveg.com campaign.The ad begins with Silverstone sensually pulling herself out of a swimming pool, carefully hiding her modesty with her arms. The 30-year-old actress said,“I am Alicia Silverstone, and I am a vegetarian”, before insisting, “There’s nothing in the world that’s changed me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much more energy. It’s amazing.” — ANI

Beauty Studio
Lipfinity for the ladies brigade
Pammy Kaul

Get maximum fun from that luscious colour in your tube

Lipstick is part of every lady’s beauty pouch, whatever the age! Moreover, these days, girls don’t wait to arrive at a certain age to wear lipstick. Wearing lipstick has become a part of ones daily beauty-routine for the young ones. Here are a few lip tips, for you to get maximum effect from your lipstick: 

When looking for the right shade to compliment your skin tone, try wearing your lip colour without any make up. If it compliments your face, then that’s the shade for you. The most flattering lip tones will be a shade darker than your natural lip colour. The trick is to try it on the lower lip first, compare the two and then, go for two or three shades darker.

When choosing your lipsticks, stay away from the ones that contain lead. Anything that stays on for long hours on your lips should be checked for lead content as it is harmful and is carcinogenic. Any lipstick that leaves a faint stain is because of the silicone oil used in it. Always, check the lipstick contents and look for Vitamin E, sunscreen, aloe vera and collagen to protect and keep the softness of your lips. If your lips are lacking in shine, go for lipsticks that have cocoa butter, olive, castor oil. Don’t confuse it with Bees wax or Candelilla wax as these are just added for the ease of application.

I love wearing lip-gloss and my favourite shade is red. Whenever I wear lip-gloss on top, it spreads. What do I do? 

Neha via e-mail

There is huge buzz these days on lip colours and lip-glosses. Luminising your lips with a high gloss is the hottest new trend. You could create a red stain on your lips by covering them with a lip-balm and then just dab red lipstick colour on with the help of a finger. The latest must have make-up for your beauty bag is an opaque basecoat with a tinted shimmering gloss top coat; shimmering pink however is the shade of the season. You must apply the base coat first to lock the colour in and then apply the gloss to experience that high impact shine on your lips. You could even apply sheer foundation on your lips and then dust it with powder before applying the colour. Another trick is to keep your lips apart for a while and let the colour set in. Remember, a thin layer of lipstick stays much longer than a thicker layer.

Lip hygiene

  •  When using testers to try out lip colours, never use them on your lips. Try them on your fingers, never on the back of your hand.
  • Wash your lip brushes regularly in a disinfectant or brush cleaner to kill those germs. 
  • Exfoliate your lips with a soft warm cloth for 30 seconds to get rid of the dead skin.

Pammy Kaul is a UK-based beauty therapist. E-mail your queries to lifestyletribune@gmail.com or write to  The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh

(This column appears fortnightly)

Fighting an elephant cause

What do you get when celebrities like Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, John Abraham and Raveena Tandon join hands with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)? A compassionate statement for elephants that live in cities, where they are forced to walk on scorching-hot, pothole-ridden roads in busy traffic. That’s why several celebs like Sanjay Leela Bansali, Isha Koppikar, Mahesh Bhatt and Yana Gupta have signed PETA’s petition urging chief ministers across the country to ban the elephant’s entry into urban areas. This is timed to mark the first anniversary of the death of elephant Lakshmi, mowed down by a truck in September. While Maharashtra has already banned the entry of elephants, PETA hopes their petition will be a wake-up call for others as well. — TNS

 BON APPETIT 
Paneer’s first-cousin
Kandla Nijhowne

Tofu. The vegans swear by it. Others like me are vague about paneer’s cousin, happier with our favourite meat dishes! But no one can deny that tofu packs quite a protein-punch, and not just for the dyed-in-the-wool vegetarians. Glorified justifiably, tofu is now easily available, and not on the fringe any more of our shopping list.

Tofu Stir-fry

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 400 gm tofu, cubed
  • 1 cup red and green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup spring onion
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 4 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tbsp each, honey, soy sauce and cornflour

Method

Using a wok or kadhai, stir-fry the onion, adding ginger and garlic to it when the onion has softened. Slide the tofu cubes in after about 30 seconds, tossing around for a minute. Add the bell pepper and mushroom, frying them for another two minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. In another pan, prepare the sauce by boiling half a cup of water with vinegar, soy sauce and honey. Dissolve the cornflour in 4 tsp of water and add to the sauce mixture, cooking it till thickened. Season and pour over the prepared tofu and vegetables.

Tofu & cucumber wraps

  • 250 gm masaala-tofu, cut into strips
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp each, oil & lemon juice
  • 1 tsp chili sauce
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 3 tbsp crushed peanuts
  • 1 cup thick yoghurt
  • A cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 lightly cooked chappaties

Method

Mix all the marinade ingredients — garlic, herbs, oil, lemon juice and chili sauce in a wide bowl. Add the tofu strips and flip them about till evenly coated. Allow them to sit in the marinade for at least two hours.

Sautee them in a heated pan, adding bean sprouts after a few minutes. Season to taste. Place some strips in the centre of a chappati followed by a sprinkling of peanuts. Roll up and skewer with a toothpick. Blend the yoghurt and cucumber in a liquidiser till fairly smooth but still chunky. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and chili sauce. Keep chilled. Warm the wraps on a lightly oiled pan and serve with the relish.

Spinach Tofu Dip

  • 1 cup crumbled tofu
  • 3 tbsp cashew nuts
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 red bell pepper, minced
  • 150 gm chopped spinach
  • Lemon juice, salt and pepper

Method

Steam the spinach with just a splash of water. Cool and squeeze out the excess liquid. Puree the first 5 ingredients to a smooth paste, adding seasoning and lemon juice to taste. Transfer into a bowl and fold in the red pepper and spinach.

Tip of the week

Always squeeze out excess liquid from tofu. This encourages the added juices, seasoning and flavours to soak into it, enhancing its final taste.

The Culinary Chameleon
Aman Minhas

Nutritional Highlights

Ladies and gentlemen we present to you a revolution in the way the world eats. We give you a simple, healthy yet tasty food that will tingle your taste buds and help remove that extra tyre too. What are we talking about? We are talking about Tofu. The new age miracle that has been around for some time now and people all over are waking up to it.

A food of Chinese origin, Tofu or bean curd is made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. Just like the ever fav high in calories, paneer. Low in calories and cholestrol, high on iron, calcium, magnesium and protein.

While soya protein does decrease serum cholesterol, bad cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, it does not increase good cholesterol. Just 25 gm tofu and a few precautions can reduce risk of heart diseases.

Tofu has a mild natural flavour, but absorbs flavours from ingredients it is used with – a true culinary chameleon. Broadly, tofu can be substituted for paneer in most Indian dishes. So how about matar-tofu and palak-tofu? Tofu is also used in Pan-Asian stir-fries and soups. The more adventurous even claim it is a worthy substitute for meats.

Now the best part: Tofu is readily available in town and in two flavours — plain and masala. Masala tofu contains coriander, mint, herbs and salt and makes a no-fuss, healthy snack. Just referigerate it in a bowl of water and change the water every day.

Available in 200 gm packs at an affordable Rs 20 for plain and Rs 25 for masala at most grocery stores.

lifestyletribune@gmail.com

HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY 

Sept  to compensate forward neck posture do Chin Glide ie while sitting or standing push head backwards as far as possible.  Hold for 5 seconds.  Repeat 10 times.

— Dr Ravinder Chadha





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