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So SUITe!
Luxury is what you experience here; even with a history of over a hundred years, very few know how the opulent presidential suites look like. So, the first thought that strikes one while standing outside any of these is that of a golden opportunity to go inside a property belonging strictly to the elite! And the common thread between the three best presidential suites in the city is, of course, the promise a royal treatment, which justifies their price tags as well.
Royal touch The Royal Suite at Hotel Mountview-10 stands true to its claim. The two-room set opens into a living area. The space is enough to afford a royal treatment to guests. Furnished well with a dining table for four, a comfy couch and chairs for watching your favourite channel on LCD, the room makes one feel at home. Sprawling manicured lawns of the hotel is the perfect view from the windows of the room. Attached to it is the bedroom. Interiors are done aesthetically in the ever-soothing beige, the soft furnishing comprising bed-sheet, curtains and carpet that flows from end to end in the entire suite, is in orange. The combination of colours finely blends with the wood panelled ceiling, which is also the high point of the suite. It renders an ethnic touch to the otherwise contemporary look. There's another LCD in this part of the suite.
The décor is minimalist and is done up with lampshades in every corner. The living area has a console that also serves as the bar. Besides beverages, it has snacks and biscuits stored inside. A significant part of the area is dedicated to the washroom as well. Inside it is a small powder room, dressing area and wardrobes. The bathing portion has a shower cabin and a tub. There is another washroom for guests to the immediate left of the suite, which ensures privacy of the occupants. A rent of Rs 15,000 is sure worth the luxurious experience!
Different take Since, Bella Vista claims to be a boutique hotel, it has to have facilities that other hotels in the periphery are yet to introduce. Thus, there are attractions like a private deck with a private swimming pool just outside the room. The Bella Vista, when translated from French to English, means the beautiful view, which it does promise. One can enjoy from here the uninterrupted view of Shivalik hills, as the suite is located on the sixth floor of the hotel. Coming to the interiors, an interesting add-on is a treadmill and a small balcony that guarantees privacy. Since the hotel is made on the lines of Mediterranean architect, the suite in the area of 800 square feet is in tandem with the theme. All artworks in the room depict a water body, a characteristic feature of the Mediterranean region. Furniture and soft furnishing also flaunt the European touch. A lot of floral prints have been used, as they are reminiscent of the European style. The colour scheme is strictly pastels since these are the ones used in this region. Wooden flooring of the room has a few carpets that are imported from South Africa and rolled out just at the right place. This is also the only hotel to flaunt a jacuzzi in the washroom. The washroom is as opulent as the bedroom, as space hasn't been compromised with. The rent is Rs 20,000 for a night.
Classy look From the glass windows of the GVK suite on the sixth floor of Taj-17, the view is spectacular enough to justify the price tag of Rs 26,000 for one night. One gets a panoramic view of the roads from all the four sides meeting at the Matka Chowk. The total area of 1,050 square feet is split into living, bedroom and washroom, complementing the presidential tag. The living, as expected, has a huge LCD and couches. The add-on is the study area in the left corner of the room. A table, chair, enough shelves for books and your office stuff make for the perfect study. The room has two entries to the bedroom from either side of the wall dividing the space. A lot of cushions and pillows on the bed afford a cozy feel to the place. The furniture (only bed and a couch) is minimum in a bid to create an illusion of more space. The décor is done only in shades of beige. Colour is added only in the form of fresh flowers and two paintings in bright colours on either side of the huge glass window. Upholstery is in silk fabric that is finely embroidered, making it special again. Rugs are used instead of the carpets on the tiled floor, lending a contemporary look to the interiors. Next to the washroom is a walking closet and dressing rooms. This entire area has wood panelling with a lot of hidden lights. The washroom is huge and has a shower cubicle, a bathtub and powder room. Flooring with white tiles and dark brown textured walls are in harmony with the décor of the room. ashima@tribunemail.com
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Big
B
He is a Bollywood megastar with millions in the bank but Amitabh Bachchan recently took a rare day off from his high-flying lifestyle to toil in his fields at home in Uttar Pradesh.
Taking time out during visit to Lucknow to participate in a marriage recently, the actor accompanied by wife Jaya Bachchan toured their six hectare agricultural land in Muzaffarnagar village of Lucknow district. Big B rode a tractor and levelled the field before sowing seeds. "My first visit to the land that we had bought recently. Its nothing large and expansiv but it is our registered land and there is a wonderful feel to it...And the land that I till.. soo enthusiastic and loving every moment of it," wrote Bachchan on his blog. The land has three accounts where Amitabh owns 2.5 hectares, Abhishek 1.2 hectares and Jaya Bachchan 2.4 hectares. — PTI |
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Bollywood actors Dharmendra and his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol promoted Yamla, Pagla, Deewana in Mumbai amid much fanfare. Actors Kulraj Randhawa and Anupam Kher were also present at the event. "Yamla, Pagla, Deewana is a beautiful title. I think the name suits our characters and personas in totality. It is not for one person, but all three of us," said Dharmendra. Directed by Samir Karnik, the film revolves around the life of a Non-Residential Indian who suddenly finds out that his father and brother live in Varanasi. He returns to India to explore his past India's cultural ethos to revive family tie. "Comedy is always liked by the people. In our careers, we have touched people emotionally through movies. Now, I feel we should try to do the same with comedy too. I am quite hopeful that we will touch their hearts and make people laugh and laugh and laugh, and somewhere in between, make them cry too," said Dharmendra. The film's title is inspired by the Bollywood number, Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana, sung by Mohammad Rafi in the 1975 blockbuster Pratigya. The film is scheduled to hit theatres around Christmas. — ANI
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Bollywood's original dancing diva Madhuri Dixit has been missing from the big screen for some time now but the actor is staging a comeback to the world of showbiz as a celebrity judge on television.
"Since dance is my passion and this show is associated with that, I thought of taking it up. It took me some time to say yes. After I went to Los Angeles and saw how Dancing With The Stars was being shot, I was finally convinced about accepting this offer," said Madhuri at the launch of the Sony show in the capital last night. The Dhak Dhak girl will have choreographer Remo D'Souza for company on the judges' panel and although the third judges' name has not been revealed, rumours are rife that star choreographer Saroj Khan might come on board. "I don't know yet, that's up to Sony. But it'll be great for me if Sarojji becomes the third judge. I'll keep my fingers crossed," said Madhuri, who has danced to Khan's tunes in hit songs like Channe Ke Kheth and Ek Do Teen. As a judge, the actor says she will be looking at the grace, poise and the attitude of the contestants and leave the technical details to her co-judges. "The participants in the show are well-known in their own fields. They are people who are ambitious and will give in their best to win the challenge they have taken up. I will be looking at how they project themselves and bring in their personalities in their performance," said Madhuri. Jhalak Dikhla Jaa will go on air from December 13. — PTI
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She drove to her home in Los Angeles from the sober living facility she is staying at in Palm Springs, to have a meal with Michael and a group of friends.Lindsay returned to the facility later in evening. The Thanksgiving meal is the latest proof that the actor and her dad are working hard to repair their strained relationship.The pair and the Hollywood starlet's mother Dina recently underwent family therapy sessions at the clinic, and Michael insisted it was a very "cleansing" experience.Lindsay has been ordered by a Los Angeles court to stay in rehab until January 3 2011 after she tested positive for cocaine during a random drug test in September. — PTI
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The original 1967 film starred actor Dustin Hoffman as a college graduate who is seduced by an older woman, played by Anne Bancroft."Jen thinks she and Rob would be the perfect duo to recreate the highly sexual roles," said the source. "This film would allow Jen to do something raunchy and sophisticated after all the romantic comedies she's done and would give Rob the chance to move on to more grown-up roles after Twilight," added the source."Jen is very excited at the prospect of teaming up with Rob. She loves his brooding good looks and just adores his English accent. She thinks there is no one more perfect to cast opposite her," added the source. — PTI
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The Twilight hunk became close to his co-star while filming the thriller Abduction earlier this year and the on-screen couple later started dating in real life. The 18-year-old actor has taken his relationship to next level as he had gained the approval of the 21-year-old actor' father after she arranged for their meeting. "He (Phil)'s pretty tough on the guys Lily introduces him to. Taylor was nervous about meeting him, but they got along well," a source said. Lautner previously dated country singer Taylor Swift but the couple split last year. — PTI
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FLOATing fun
Chandigarh Carnival opened amid much gaiety, fun and cheer at the Leisure Valley-10 on Friday. And floats were the major attraction on Day 1. Keeping up the theme 'science fiction', the colourful floats had hugely popular Ben 10 XLR8, strong Powerpuff Girls, good at heart but aggressive looking Dragon Ball, adorable Doremon, beautiful Buzz from Toy Story, Rowdy Rough Boys and the iconic Harry Potter.
However, the one that stole the show was Jaadu from Krish and not just one, but many prepared by Chandigarh College of Art students. There is one original one as well. Named Hobo, the snail is a creation by Lovedeep, Geetanjali, Manu, Ruchika and Saral. And mind you this is no ordinary snail, it's an alien just out of its spaceship. "We had fun designing and creating this," chorus this group that took about a week to prepare this float. Mean machines and spaceships were part of the float rally as well. Robot factory by DPS had proud children dressed up as robots. Most interesting was the float designed by Government Model Senior Secondary School-35 students. A work by Maninder, Satinder and Abhinav, class nine students, along with their teachers, proudly took everyone who showed up at their float around, describing future housing and transportation. With no space on the ground, they have designs for housing in water and rocks. As for transportation, there are air cars. Within minutes of the carnival opening, the rides were full, the camel had as many as four young boys riding atop and music reverberated in the air. Students were out drawing the crowd to their stalls. Not long after, there were people with face paintings, some with souvenirs and others taking part in various competitions. Filmy duniya Set up by ITFT, this place has a huge dinosaur staring out of the Lost World. The stage had impromptu performers reciting, singing or dancing. Indu Sharma shared a sher on her students' request. She also shook a leg with her young bubbly girls on dhol beats. As for most popular numbers, no prizes for guessing, Munni badnam hui along with Zor ka jhatka. Decked up Amongst this hullabaloo, there is this statue of Buddha in all white. Standing 10-feet high, the Buddha sits in dhyan mudra. A work by JP Singh and Abhinder Singh Grewal, this statue will be installed in The Museum Outreach Activity Centre after the carnival. Till then, if you are keen on fun and festivity, you know where to head! mona@tribunemail.com |
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Royal bride-to-be Kate Middleton is ensuring that police minders get a hot cuppa while shivering outside her home. Kate's 1.5-million-pound house is being guarded round-the-clock after she and Prince William announced their wedding. "Kate's home is in the middle of nowhere - and it does get very brass monkeys when you are out guarding the front gate," the Sun quoted a Thames Valley Police source as saying. "Kate this week took pity on the officers and installed a kettle for them in the garage - along with a mini-fridge which has a pint of skimmed and a pint of full fat milk put in every day," he added. "It means officers can have a brew whenever they want. There is a choice of teas and coffees and a jar of hot chocolate," said the source. "The guys on duty have dubbed her K-Tea but are very thankful for the gesture - because it is below freezing most nights," he added. — ANI
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"I feel like we live together," she said. She explained that she has immersed herself so deeply in interpreting Monroe that her judgment had become a little cloudy. "At a certain point, something else does take over. I don't quite feel myself these days," she stated. My Week With Marilyn focuses on the relationship that developed between Colin Clark, a handsome Old Etonian and Oxford graduate who worked as a general dogsbody on set, and Monroe. Williams admitted that initially she was terrified of taking on Monroe, so her first answer to director Simon "But I knew I wouldn't be able to resist, eventually. Physically and vocally, everything about her is different from me," she added. — ANI
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Divorced from reality
Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala recently triggered gossip that her marriage with businessman Samrat Dahal is headed towards a divorce, but the rumours have been dismissed by her family. News that the couple's five month long marriage is undergoing a difficult phase spread after the 40-year-old actor posted a hasty comment on her married life as her Facebook status.
"Did I compromise for the good? If that has happened in my current life then love should have been worshipped in the home. Don't compromise in love... you are always qualified to get better choices," she wrote on the social networking site.However, Koirala's mother Sushma claimed that the media unnecessarily blowed the minor squabble between a husband and a wife out of proportion which she think is normal. "There might have been some minor dispute between the two which is normal in a married life but it has not reached to that extent as reported by the media." "Manisha is busy with her work and is in Goa currently to attend a film festival where she has become a judge.Everything will be fine as soon as she returns home in a few days. I haven't spoken her about the matter, but so far as I understand it is not serious," Sushma told PTI over phone."It is not a big deal. I don't want to blame the media and say that it was totally false. I hope that things will move towards positive direction," she added. According to a news report published in Saptahik, a Nepali weekly, Koirala remained most of the time after the marriage in her maternal home at Maharajgunj in the outskirts of the Kathmandu rather than her husband's house at Budhanilkantha in the Northern part of the capital.The Dil Se star tied the knot with Samrat, seven years younger than her, in Kathmandu on June 19. — PTI |
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The 64-year-old actor had acted in a porn film The Party at Kitty and Stud's when he was a struggling actor, strapped for cash in 1970. He went on to acquire stardom with the 1976 hit Rocky and the porn film hit shelves with a new name The Italian Stallion soon after Stallone's break-out role in the boxing classic. The rights to the erotic movie have now been purchased for $ 400,000 paving the way for its new owner to re-release the picture. Stallone meanwhile is planning a sequel to his hit directorial debut The
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Sunshine boy
In the city to perform at the Chandigarh carnival, Suraj still has his feet firmly on the ground. It's nice to be recognised; this is just the beginning. "I never thought Give me some sunshine would be such a hit and neither did Shantanu Moitra, the music director. In fact, Aamir Khan on the occasion of the music launch did mention that the song would connect to the youngsters. Who would have known that it would have such a cult following, especially when it had an English chorus," says Suraj. We loved the song; we so wanted to be young again. Of course, it came straight from the heart. "I did relate to the song, but I wasn't given any brief on it. Luckily, it became a hit. This is the case with other songs as well. I have been lucky to have sung numbers that I personally liked. Well, the 'direct-from-the-heart' effect comes when I sit with the director and get a brief on the story," he adds. Now this doesn't seem to be a singer who would rest on his laurels. "I have been singing for almost 20 years now. I never imagined myself singing for Bollywood, I didn't have any ambition for the limelight," puts in Suraj, who just fell into the industry without much thought. "I would play with my rock band, sing for advertisements. All along came Bollywood, and I am living it." Success tastes sweet, but for Suraj there is nothing sweeter than passion. "Tomorrow when people would forget about the Sunshine song, I would still be singing live somewhere," he smiles. His heart beats for live performances. We get him strumming on it. "I love the energy and the feel of performing live, singing in front of the crowd. Recording in the studio has its own charm, it is a creative process, and performing live is simply great too," says the singer who is all for his rock and pop genre. Oh! He is a rock star by the way. Take a close look at the picture! jasmine@tribunemail.com
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The Triveni Sangeet Sabha, in collaboration with Department of Culture, Haryana, is organising a concert by famous Dhrupad maestros Gundecha brothers.
Umakant and Ramakant have good voices with strong lower registers. They have worked to expand the Dhrupad repertoire by incorporating texts by poets such as Tulsidas, Padmakar They have set up a Dhrupad institute outside Bhopal where they teach students from all over the world. They are probably the most recorded Dhrupad singers. They run a music school in the Dhrupad tradition, according to the guru-shishya style of teaching that was prevalent in India for teaching of the arts. The Gundecha brothers have come to be regarded as a third force on par with the senior and junior Dagars. The function will commence with a vocal recital by Tanushree Kashyap, followed by release of a CD by sitarist Harvinder Sharma. Today at 6 pm at Punjab Kala Bhavan-16
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STYLE check
Beauty is a lucrative business if only you have the passion and dedication. And proving the same, Anju Khanna from Styl Studio, Panchkula, won the Big Brands Award for the best unisex salon in Chandigarh. With an 11-year experience in the business of beauty, Anju says, "I have worked really hard to achieve this award. I am not the one who just sits and oversees the business, I get into the work and do a lot of things in the salon myself." Having done a course in hair and beauty grooming, she adds, "I was always interested in make-up and things associated with it. I have worked not only as a make-up or beauty artist, but also handled the administrative side of business. So it gives me a fair idea of how things work." Ask her what makes her salon different from others and she says, "We have a personalised service, hygiene tops our priority list and I don't compromise on quality. And when I say quality I must mention, I don't have packages. I give personalised service; whatever the customer likes I include. There are no frills attached to my service." And what are the beauty trends this winter? "It's the retro look that is in, but it's with a contemporary touch. Bright colours are in. Be it for the eye, nail or lip. We are seeing a play of many colours. Right from use of gold to bright red, the make-up trend this winter is colourful." Talking about hairstyles, she says, "Since it's wedding season, we have low buns, which are a trendsetter this time." jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com
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Show time
The cast and crew of Punjabi feature film Tere Ishq Nachaya interacted with students of the Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital in Patiala on Friday. The interactive session lasted for over an hour and the lead actors of the movie shared their experiences. Parts of the film, wherein the male lead Gavie Chahal is shown to be a student of MBBS, have been shot in the Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital. Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust vice-chairman Dr Sukhwinder Singh and president Harnam Singh wished the team all the success in their endeavour. Eros international and Pearl Entertainment's Punjabi feature film Tere Ishq Nachaya has been produced by Kesar Singh and directed by Ravinder Ravi. Prior to this movie, Ravinder has also directed Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, Jamunia, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat etc. Besides, he is also directing upcoming teleserial Maryada, which will be telecast on Star Plus. Tere Ishq Nachaya has been shot in rural Punjab as well as exotic locations in Bangkok. The music has been composed by Hans Raj Hans and Navraj Hans. The songs have been recorded in the sonorous voices of Udit Narayan, Kailash Kher, Sunidhi Chauhan, Labh Jhanjna, Jaspinder Narula, Hans Raj Hans and Mikka Singh. Mannat Singh plays the female lead and the male leads are Daksh Ajit Singh and Gavie Chahal. The film is a love triangle. Kanwaljeet Singh, Deep Dhillon and Amar Noorie play the other major characters. The producer of this film Kesar Singh has been honoured by Punjabi Academy and is presently the director of P7 news channel.
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Master STROKES
Catch them young and then hone their skills to get out the best; holds true for most fields. And another example comes in the form of two siblings — Advika (10) and Arista (7) — who have exceptional skills in painting. Class 5th and 2nd students, respectively, at Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School-26, their works have already been bought by Chaya Art, an organisation keenly interested in promoting art among students.
The organisation will hold an exhibition under the able guidance of artists Praveen Sinha and Koushik Sinha at the Government Art Gallery-10 from November 27 to 28. As many as 60 paintings by Advika and 15 by Arista will be showcased during the exhibition. Advika's talent was noticed by her mother very early after she saw her paint the wall of their house. Later, under the guidance of her mentors she honed her skills. Advika uses different mediums like wax crayons, pencil shadings, glass markers and poster colours. Even at this tender age, she shows depth in choosing her subjects. She has brought on to the canvass subjects that are being discussed by the best brains of the world — environmental protection, poverty, child labour et al. Arista started learning drawing at the age of five. She likes to convey the message of healthy living through her work. Apart from this, both are fond of dancing and are being trained in Bharatnatyam and Kathak. As far as their studies are concerned, these sisters are among the top rankers.
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Mix ‘n’ bake
The sun is not in a mood to call it quits and the weather quite unlike sweet November, but since December is knocking and so is Christmas how can we not talk about the traditional cake mixing ceremony? About the intoxicating whiff of mounds of brown dates, black raisins, red cherries, cashew nuts, topped with cardamom, pepper and other secret spices!
Albeit Christmas is no fun without the traditional Christmas cake, making this cake is no easy task. Preparations begin months in advance. The first step towards making the cake is the mixing process, formally called the 'Cake Mixing Ceremony'; a ritual religiously followed the world over and said to be a harbinger of good tidings. And it's the Christian families in the city who bring alive the rich tradition for us, ushering in the spirit of the festival. Armed with gloves it's Gaity Francis, a teacher at St Annes Convent School, who takes us through the heavenly process of cake mixing. "Cake mixing is a family affair and everyone has a different style of doing it. I don't use wine, rum and soda. The mixing is done by hand. Electronic gadgets are a complete no-no for this occasion," she says. Her recipe takes in ingredients from eggs to ghee, fruits and dry fruits, but she says, "The whole family has to do their bit. My son breaks the eggs and separates the yolk from white, my husband cuts the dry fruits, my daughter helps in mixing and thus it becomes a family affair." Remember, a regulated temperature is needed to bake this cake. Talking about the tradition, Shelly John, a homemaker from Sector-37, says, "The cake mixing ceremony is done days ahead of the season. Dry fruits, nuts are soaked in wine and liquor, mixed thoroughly and kept for maturation for a few weeks. This age-old tradition dates back to the 17th century in Europe, marking the arrival of the harvest season. Originally it's a family affair, but now it's become a social event as organisations do it to spread camaraderie and goodwill." Confirming the same, Glenda Nunes, director, Bachpan Play School in Sector 71, Mohali, says, "The cake is generally prepared one month in advance. And for my recipe, we soak in the fruits, raisins, black currants in rum and give it a mix twice a week." Ask her the secret of soaking all fruits so early and she says, "What we are making for Christmas is no ordinary cake, but a rich plum cake and for that rich flavour one needs soaking at least a month in advance." Remembering it as a family affair, she adds, "I still remember we all sisters used to sit down and cut fruits. These days I have my sons helping me shop." Ask her about some traditional recipes and she says, "I make rose cookies (made of maida, milk and sugar, these are deep fried delicacies that come out like a flower), kul-kul (sweet somethings made of maida, eggs and vanilla essence) and nayorise (a sweetmeat that resembles our ghujiyan)." jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com |
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Want to calm down your hubby after a stressful day? If yes, then you should cook him a steak, say experts.ontrary to popular belief that red meat makes humans aggressive, scientists have found that it actually has a calming affect. Psychologist Frank Kachanoff said the belief that a hunk of red meat would prompt snarling behaviour probably dates back to our early ancestors who had to hunt wild animals for food. He asked 82 participants to look at photos, some of meat.
But they made them calmer and less aggressive. This could be because meat triggers associations of meals with family and friends. "It makes sense that our ancestors would be calm, as they would be surrounded by friends and family at meal time. I would like to run this experiment again, using hunting images," the Daily Express quoted Kachanoff, from McGill University, as saying. — ANI
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Weight & watch
Dreading the holiday season, as it would crash your plans to maintain a healthy diet? Well, you don't have to worry, for an expert has come up with a few tips to help you keep healthy habits intact during this time of the year. "Attitude and commitment are so important to eating healthy any time of year," said Brittany Glassett, registered dietitian at Porter Adventist Hospital.
Here is the 10 tip guide for healthy eating
* No skipping meals. The old adage rings true -always eat breakfast. Eat small, frequent meals and healthy snacks during the day to help avoid overeating at holiday parties. *
If you overindulge at one meal, don't stress about it - just get back on track with your next meal. *
Don't drink your calories! Monitor alcohol and soda consumption. Both are high in calories. Try alternating water with alcoholic beverages. *
Substitute - yogurt for cream, sour cream and mayonnaise, and substitute herbs and spices for salt and fats. You can also add strained applesauce instead of butter or cooking oil when baking. *
Eat smaller portions or use a smaller plate. Share a piece of pie and don't go back for seconds. *
Pace, don't race. Eat your food slowly. If you eat too fast your stomach won't have time to register that it is full. Savour each bite. *
Skip the appetizers - or bring your own healthy appetizer to a gathering. Nibble on raw vegetables, low fat dips and salsa. *
Don't loiter in the same room as the food. Focus your attention on the company, rather than the buffet or the bar. *
Trim back the trimmings. Dressings and side dishes are typically high in calories. Eat turkey without the skin, make gravy with little or no fat and use lighter dressings. *
Make sure you get regular exercise throughout the holidays. It helps you maintain your weight and decreases your stress. Get the family together for a walk after dinner or get to the gym in the mornings before the holiday activities begin. Finally, don't deny yourself, said Glassett. Have a tiny taste of those things you really enjoy, but the key word is taste. — ANI |
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Jo Zhiang Hua and So Ming Lee are a young married couple, busy with stressful jobs and no time to consider raising a family. To her utter distress, Ming Lee discovers that not only is she in the family way, but that she's expecting twins! Do you know what the distraught couple finally named their two chinky-chonk bundles? Jo Hua, So Hua!
Ingredients 2-3 Chicken breasts boneless 2 Spring onions 4 pods garlic, minced 1 green chilli 100 gm chicken mince 2 tbsp cornflour 2-3 tbsp peanut oil 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil Juice of 1 lime 1 inch fresh ginger, minced 1 red bell pepper small bunch of bok choy Method Heat up a little oil in a pan and stir fry the onion, adding half the minced garlic and half the chopped chilli. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of soy sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the chicken mince, blending with your fingertips. Make slits in each piece of chicken and stuff with the mince filling. Pour minimal oil in a fry pan and cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side. Moisten the chicken with a little stock or water, and cover and cook in a covered pan. In the meanwhile, cut the bok choy leaves into halves and stir fry till slightly wilted but still crunchy and bright in colour. Season and remove, dividing it between 2-3 plates. When the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat, drizzle in the sesame oil and place a piece each on the heap of tender bok choy. Heat the remaining oil and saute the garlic, chilli and ginger very lightly. Dice the bell pepper and toss it into the mixture, cooking very briefly. Add salt, pepper and a hint of soy sauce. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water and add gradually to the pan, cooking till the sauce is thick and glossy. Serve this sauce as an accompaniment to the chicken platter. Cabbage rolls with lamb and water chestnuts Ingredients 300 g minced meat 200 gm water chestnuts, peeled and finely chopped 1½ tsp five-spice powder 1 tbsp finely grated ginger 2 spring onions, finely chopped 3-4 tbsp soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 egg 8 large cabbage leaves 2 tsp peanut oil 2 cups chicken stock 1 flower star anise (phool chakri) 2 tsp cornflour 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce to taste Salt and pepper to taste Method This recipe can be converted to a vegetarian avtaar by substituting the mince with mushrooms, paneer or soya chunks, or even a combination of the three. Mix together the minced meat, water chestnuts, five-spice powder, ginger, spring onions, soy sauce (2 tbsp), garlic and egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a fork until the ingredients are well blended. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions. Use a sharp knife or a pair of scissors and cut away the tough stalk from the base of each cabbage leaf. Briefly blanch the leaves in boiling salted water, about 2-3 minutes till pliable. Place a portion of the mince mixture in the centre of each cabbage leaf and roll tightly, taking care that the stuffing is completely enclosed. Lightly smear them with minimal oil and place them in a steamer. Pour the stock into the lower section and steam for 20-25 minutes. The rolls should feel firm when you press them with your thumb. Heat the remaining oil and saute the chopped garlic till lightly browned. Stir in some pepper and soy sauce, followed by the stock left at the bottom of the steamer. Mix the cornflour with water and pour into the sauce. Add the star anise and bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add salt, pepper and chilli sauce. Pour most of the sauce over the cabbage rolls and use the rest as a dressing for an accompanying green vegetable (like French beans) |
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After registering himself as a seedgrower, the 68-year-old decided to participate in the process himself.
Last seen in Aaja Nachle which was a box office dud, the 43-year-old actor will be seen assessing other celebs on the fourth season of dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, which is the Indian adaptation of US show Dancing With The Stars.
Troubled star Lindsay Lohan was temporarily let out of rehab so she could spend Thanksgiving with her family.The 'Mean Girls' star stepped out of the Betty Ford Centre yesterday to spend the festive day with her estranged father Michael Lohan.The 24-year-old actor was allowed out of the centre for 15 hours only.
Hollywood beauty Jennifer Aniston wants to remake the cult hit The Graduate, with her playing the older seductress and 'Twilight' heartthrob Robert Pattinson as her young lover.The Friends star has asked her agents to set up a meeting with the British actor."Jen's a huge fan of The Graduate. It's one of her favourite films and she would love to do a new version of it," said a source close to the 41-year-old actor.
Hollywood heartthrob Taylor Lautner seems to be getting serious about his relationship with co-star Lily Collins as he recently met the actor's father, singer Phil Collins.
Mood magic
‘Brokeback Mountain star Michelle Williams has spoken out about her role as late actor Marilyn Monroe in a new movie. Williams, 30, is portraying the iconic blonde in My Week With Marilyn, which has just completed filming at Pinewood Studios.
Hollywood superstar Sylvester Stallone's porn star past has come back to haunt him as a adult movie featuring the action icon is set to be re-released.
Oh yes, it takes one song to change the course of life! In all honesty, Suraj Jagan, (Tick tock. We agree you need to rake up your brain to come up with what is synonymous to this name) didn't have the slightest of clue that a song beginning with an English chorus would strike a chord with the nation, and go on to become a veritable national anthem. 'Give me some sunshine,' the song from 3 Idiots indeed brought a world of sunshine for the singer.
Gundecha brothers were born in Ujjain and studied at the local Madhav Music College. Umakant has a post-graduate degree in music as well as economics, and Ramakant in music and commerce. They moved to Bhopal in 1981 for training under Dhrupad master Zia Fariddudin Dagar and his brother Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. 
Going by the history of cake mixing ceremony, we read that it was after kneading that the mixture was emptied into large vat like containers and stored away till just a couple of days before Christmas, with occasional stirring, to ensure that the nuts soak till they swell up. Topped with crispy caramel at the end, it makes for a lip-smacking dessert!
The participants were told they could "punish" a colleague if he made a mistake while sorting the pictures. The experts thought the meat pictures would prompt the participants to inflict more punishments.
"There is no need to deny yourself all 'treats' this time of year, but if you are mindful of what you are eating and practicing moderation, then you can be successful in your weight management goals - and know that you are sticking with your healthy habits," said Glassett.
There is more to Chinese food than stir-frying with the good ol' wok. Every restaurant, every street corner and every roadside vendor will dole out sweet corn soup, chowmien, manchurian and noodles with great gusto and even greater lashings of soy sauce, ajinomoto and chillies afloat in vinegar. The resulting 'local' flavours are enjoyed by locals and connoisseurs alike, even though we all know the food to be of a mongrel variety. Its time you stop eating Jo aaya, so khaaya and get on with doing some true blue, authentic Chinese dishes that you can boast about. Inject some soul into them so they will be memorable to family and friends alike! Nothing is so flattering to a proud cook as getting repeat requests to make a dish again! The mantra to memorize is, "Keep the texture and colours intact by quick flash cooking. Do not dish out foods cooked to death!
Stuffed chicken breast with pokchoi and bell peppers