The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

	Warm up to the soup There is nothing like a piping hot bowl of soup to beat the chill of January — the official soup month Mona The days are short, evenings cold and long. As you curl up on your couch after a day’s work, a hot, steaming cup of soup makes for a perfect companion. It’s full on nutrition, low on the calorie meter; adds to your looks and helps keep your weight in check. Soups make a staple in celeb diets. Right from Malaika Arora Khan to Elizabeth Hurley, both very well-maintained celebrities, soups form a substantial part of diet chart. Nutritionists mention numerous benefits of soups. Vegetables retain more of their nutrients than when they are stewed or fried, promote feeling of fullness and are quick as well as easy to prepare. Soups have been increasingly becoming a significant part of menus in restaurants. Chef Hari’s Slow Roasted Tomato Soup with Parmesan Pudding is a hit with his guests. “Come January and the demand for soup goes up, as our guests want to go easy after feasting in the celebratory mood till New Year,” says Chef Hari, who offers a variety with clear, broth and heavy soups. Soups and salads are a sought after dinner with Hari. “Soups work as the best winter food,” says dietician Renupreet Kaur. “They are nutritious. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are fat-burning families; their soups help in weight loss,” says Renupreet who advocates tomato, spinach, beetroot plus vegetables soups if you want to stock up on nutrition. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage soups are the best for those on diets. “Throw in a whole wheat bread or plain dal soup work as a full meal in itself,” she adds. What this nutritionist says is a strict ‘no’ to market soups. “One would not know what all they put, sometimes there is flour or fat. The best is to prepare fresh soup at home.” Her idea of food is simple, steam all the freshly washed and cut vegetables; blend in rather than straining to make the most of its health benefits. mona@tribunemail.com Recipe corner Slow roasted tomato soup with Parmesan pudding (serves 4) 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 minced garlic cloves 20g basil leaves 1kg fresh tomato 2 tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground pepper 2 cups vegetable stock 25ml cream Olive oil for drizzling (optional) For the Parmesan pudding 1½ tbs butter 3 tbs flour 2 cups cream 2 tbs milk 1½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tsp salt Weighty issue Cabbage soup is a significant part of popular GM Diet. The diet that guarantees weight loss only allows unlimited quantity of Wonder Soup that has cabbage, onions, green peppers and tomato for its ingredients, all seven days. METHOD Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Slice the tomatoes and place on the baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Roast in a pre-heated oven (at 120 °C) for an hour. Remove from the oven and cool. Blend the cooled tomatoes with the vegetable stock until smooth. Transfer to a large pot. Heat it once again, checking the consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the cream. For the Parmesan pudding, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook until a paste forms. In a medium bowl, combine cream and milk. Add the flour mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, add cheese and salt. Boil again. Remove from the heat. Lightly butter an oven proof dish and transfer the mixture into the dish. Bake for 25 minutes at 170 °C. Serve the soup hot.
	So natural Mintu Singh Azad's solo show Nature At Its Best represents nature as it is Mona It's only a few who have the courage and zeal to follow their dreams. Mintu Singh Azad took on life as it unfolded; joined teaching profession, wrote content for a few years while her passion always beckoned. Two years back, this woman let go of everything else and sat down to paint. The reward, contentment and this self-taught painter is now on with her first exhibition 'Nature At Its Best' at Alliance Francaise - 36. Some 30 frames of hers, themed around nature, dot the gallery. There is a beautiful play of colours in her works. She uses water colours mostly, but some are painted with acrylic on canvas. Silhouette of an all black tree against the stark red background, varied blues for a beach, a lovely mix of green and blue for a sea shore; there are ponds, streams, flowers and animals in Mintu's works. "I believe God is the best painter and in his nature I find my theme," says Mintu, who apart from her own works, admires those of Anjolie Ela Menon, Sobha Singh and Spanish painter Dali. Mintu considers herself lucky that recognition came early and she is able to sell her works. "I have got a very good response for my works. People say watercolour is not an easy medium to master but it comes naturally to me. Most of my buyers are from outside Punjab," says Mintu who enjoys her work so much that at times she has three to four frames ready by the end of the day. Her paintings are soothing and the serene nature takes you to a different, dreamy world altogether. She is on with her next theme, God and People. "It will take me a couple of months to get another exhibition in place, but I am eagerly looking forward to the response to this one!" On till January 25 mona@tribunemail.com
	Finding Mann Jasmine Singh Try telling Babbu Mann that he unapproachable, getting him on the phone or meeting otherwise is a Herculean task, and he would laugh it off saying that 'he has been trying to find himself for the last 20 years, but he still hasn't been successful'. Standing close to Pammi Bai who releases his album Meri Jugni at Darling Buds Clinic, Sector -17, we try to make an effort to find more of him. With of course Pammi Bai smiling radiantly and nodding in approval. The current topic I am making a track on the 'muddy rally track'. This is the only thing I am doing. I have 3-4 subjects for films. Let's see where will I go with them and which director will take it up. Laugh it off There is nothing wrong with comedy movies, what we need is directors who can implement it nicely. Who is the star? I don't understand the concept of overnight star; people of Punjab do not accept anyone as a star easily. If you have to find the real star, and then go to the masses, go to the villages and see who the star is. Politics, not bad We would often say that artists never make it in politics, then we had Mohammad Siddiqui. This was the stepping stone, now it is up to the artists to reach and touch the hearts of people.
	TRENDSETTER Balancing act Elegance, attitude and smartness all go hand-in-hand and if we are looking for second glances then each wannabe fashionista has to cultivate these qualities. Balance in these qualities is what Palak Dhir, a Montessori school trainer, is looking for… Your sense of style? A balanced sense of dressing which exudes elegance and smartness denotes my sense of style. Latest addition to your treasure of clothing or accessories? A new pair of dangling earrings from my fathers shop. Brand crazy or street pick-ups? I prefer brands only, though I do like to experiment. Who would be your style icon? Kareena Kapoor Khan and Priyanka Chopra if I can name two. Who do you think is the worst dressed celebrity? Sonakshi Sinha. Which look would you prefer? Glamorous would do. One fashion trend that goes beyond your comprehension? Being size zero does not appeal to me Your take on accessories? No chunky stuff for me. Just some small precious stones! Given a choice which designer would you like to be dressed by? Anjali and Arjun Kapoor. What gives you a high on the confidence level? Compliments, compliments and compliments! — As told to Poonam Bindra
	Sensible take Sushmita Sen rarely makes public appearances these days. She is busy being a hands-on mother and businesswoman and above all, an inspiration to millions. She talks about artistic expression, her children, and more. Artistic expression I believe a piece of art is like a good book. A storytelling session in a book is akin to art as a means to express oneself. You may be facing painful situations in life and you can express that in your sketches, in singing or writing your heart out. These art forms give you hope as they allow you to imagine a world which is better than it actually is. I am a strong believer of 'what you image, you can manifest'. Passion personalified I am passionate about life and the people around me. Every minute of my life is a celebration. Be it shooting a film, running office, watching my kids study and play or even dating a man, everything is important and real to me. I want to live every moment passionately because once a moment has passed by, it's lost forever. I don't want to say things like abhi to poori zindagi baaki hai or baad mein kar lungi. I believe in living a full life. Doting mother I am a hands-on mother. I love getting involved with my daughters' academics, main nahi karungi toh aur kaun karega? (laughs). The fun thing about single parenting is that you have to do it all by yourself. You are not answerable to anyone. Of course, I have people helping me out, my family and friends help me monitor all their activities. Mama's darlings My elder daughter Renee is in a weekly boarding school. She comes back on weekends. The younger one is still in kindergarten. But she's so smart that she has already started teaching her class-mates. I won't be surprised if she climbs two grades at one time. In fact, her teacher was recently joking that her job is at stake as Alisah was taking over her duties (laughs). It's wonderful to be the centre of their attention, it's a bliss to listen to all their chatter about what's happening in their everyday lives. Musical bonding Besides studying, I love bonding with my daughters over fun activities. All of us have different tastes in music-Renee likes Justin Bieber, Alisah is into Peppa Pig and Barney while I am listening to Dan Bern these days. But we try to listen to each one's music in turns. Similarly, Renee loves to sing and write while the little one likes to create things from clay or draw. I am a complete besharam bathroom singer. I have not bothered to learn it but enjoy singing out of tune, nevertheless. Yet, we enjoy and encourage each other's skills. I have started realising that I have a split personality. I like doing completely contrasting things along with them. But I guess that's what keeps me young, happy and on my toes.
	Sonakshi sad over Lootera nominations The award season is here and apparently Vikramaditya Motwane's critically-acclaimed film Lootera is missing from many major categories. Actress Sonakshi Sinha, who received praises for her performance in the film, turned to Twitter to expresses her disappointment over the snub. "Disheartening how Lootera has been held back from most of the nominations this year! Dint they call it a masterpiece/poetry in motion/world class/technically superior film when it released? That seems like qualification enough to be out there," the 26-year-old actress tweeted. Not fair: Sonakshi Sinha "Not nominating Vikram Motwane for best director, Ranveer for acting, Amit Trivedi for music, Shetty for cinematography, Aditya for art, Subarna for costume, Amitabh for lyrics makes my nomination feel so out of place!" she added. "Vikram motwane, you will and always be best director for me! Ranveer, Amit Trivedi, Shetty, Aditya, Subarna, Amitabh Bhattacharya and everyone associated with this very special film will always be proud of Lootera whether or not they acknowledge us :)" she signed off.
	Prasoon running all the way Prasoon Joshi is thrilled that Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, which he wrote, has bagged the best film award at the 20th annual Life OK screen awards. The film marks the lyricist's debut as scriptwriter. "It's wonderful that Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as a film on a holistic level has been appreciated and awarded by the jury. It's my maiden script and, therefore, very close to the heart," Joshi said in a statement. "Award is a reaffirmation of the fact that hard work done in all departments, acting, cinematography, direction, and music has played its role," he added. Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the biopic on athlete Milkha Singh starred Farhan Akhtar in the lead role and it was loved by the audience. — IANS
	Queen-size problem Anurag Kashyap is known for his low budgets and simplistic films, but the filmmaker's upcoming production Queen has been one of his toughest films so far. Produced by Viacom Motion Pictures and Phantom Films and directed by Vikas Bahl, the Kangana Ranaut-starrer was shot across 140 locations in three countries. "We have shot extensively across the globe and in that sense it was pretty tough to shoot it. Anurag would often joke that Queen was much tougher to film than Gangs of Wasseypur," Bahl said.
	The grand entry A splashy, flamboyant entry that sends the fans into an uncontrollable frenzy is a must when you have a star as big as Salman Khan making an appearance on a television show! So, out came the dhol-tashas, the nagadas and the tutaaris when it was time for Sallu Bhai to visit the sets of India's top-rated dance reality show, Dance India Dance. If all of this wasn't enough, Salman zoomed in to the venue standing unabashedly atop a convertible auto rickshaw with its top torn off just like the superstar tears off his own shirts. Just like his entertaining entry, Salman's time on the sets was full of fun, light-hearted moments that had grandmaster Mithun Da, the judges, hosts and contestants in splits. He was clearly in the mood to just let go and have a ball. Be it his lively interaction with a kabootar that flew in to the sets, reminding him of his Maine Pyar Kiya days and his hit song Kabootar Ja Ja Ja or the time when he actually went up on stage to make some candy-floss for his biggest fan — the talented contestant Swarali, Salman was on a roll. While the spirit on the sets was one of tom-foolery, there was one man who was driven to tears when Sallu Bhai spoke of him. The superstar's own discovery — DID Judge Mudassar Khan. When Salman revealed how he spotted Mudassar performing impressively at a mall in Indore in the course of the promotional campaign for his film Wanted and immediately approached him to work for him, Mudassar fought back tears and acknowledged that his meeting with Salman was the turning point of his life. Salman spoke equally highly of his Jai Ho co-star Daisy Shah, another assistant choreographer he'd spotted on the sets of his previous film. It naturally left both Mudassar and Daisy choked with emotion as they look up to Salman as their mentor. To bring back a lighter mood, Salman leapt up on stage and danced with Dada and Manan-Sumedh to his famous Dhinka Chika, leaving the audience roaring for an encore! Stay tuned to all this and more in an action-packed Salman special episode of Maruti Suzuki Dance India Dance powered by Quikr.com on Saturday, January 18, at 9 pm, only on Zee TV. — HRM
	NEW RELEASES Karle Pyaar Karle Producer, story writer: Suneel Darshan Director: Rajesh Pandey Famous for his romantic films, Suneel Darshan now offers an action-packed edgy love story of two rebels. He launches his son Shiv Darshan with this movie. This is the story of two daredevils who love challenges and are ready to take on anything that comes their way. Shot in Thailand, Dubai, Lavasa, Delhi and Mumbai, the movie has Hasleen Kaur in the lead role. Aham Sharma, Ankit Raaj and Sanjay Sharma are in the supporting roles. Meet Bros, Rayyan Ameen, Prashant Singh and Mumzy are the music composers. Rajesh Pandey has directed this romantic film. Miss Lovely Producers: Sanjay Shah, Shumona Goel, Pinnaki Chatterjee Director: Ashim Ahluwalia Miss Lovely, an adult thriller directed by Ashim Ahluwalia, is set for release this Friday. The film explores the intense and mutually destructive relationship between two brothers and a struggling actress, played by Niharika Singh. It was an official entry in the Cannes as well as Toronto Film Festival. Miss Lovely has won the 14th Mumbai International Film Festival, the Reliance Media Works Crea Tech Award and an award at the 11th Indian Film Festival at Los Angeles. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Anil George play two brothers. Zeena Bhatia and Menaka Lalwani support the lead stars. Pranthe Wali Gali Producer: Sachin Gupta Director: Sachin Gupta Shot in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad, debutant producer-director Sachin Gupta is ready to rock Bollywood with his romantic comedy Pranthe Wali Gali, a sensitive film of dreams, success, failures and relationships. The film has been named after Pranthe Wali Gali - Old Delhi's bylane famous for pranthas. Renowned TV actor Anuj Saxena and Neha Pawar play the lead roles. The Legend of Hercules Producer: Boaz Davidson, Renny Harlin, Les Weldon, Danny Lerner Director: Renny Harlin Kellan Lutz-starrer action film The Legend of Hercules is one of the most anticipated Hollywood movies. The film approaches Hercules legendary history from the perspective of young man struggling with his destiny. Technically, the movie is quite compact. — Dharam Pal
	CHATTER BOX Double the fun Manish Goel seems to be actively interested in getting back to work, which is perhaps why post his role as a super villain in Firework Production's Hum Ne Li Hai Shapath, on Life OK, now he will be seen in a double role again on the show. Buzz is that he will play a scientist who travels back in time for revenge. Twin flavour: Manish Goel The big leap Rumours are that Saathiya will take a leap soon. After the leap in June 2013, this time it will be for eight years. As details are still being worked out, rumours are that some of the cast members are not interested in playing older characters. SRK on telly? Rumours are that superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who has hosted shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain, might be back on television soon. At a recent press conference, Zee TV officials hinted that if it works they might bring him back to TV, which has sparked these rumours. Tough times Ronit Roy has not been keeping well. He is suffering from fever, cold and cough; yet as he has to wrap up shooting of his television show Adalat, he has been working diligently. The unit is cautious not to put him through much strain and he's been taken care of on the sets. Cycling spree Deepika Singh might be training to be an IPS officer, but she is also learning to ride a bicycle these days. During her off time, she rides a cycle on the sets of Star Plus' Diya Aur Baati Hum. NEW HOBBY: Deepika Singh Elli takes the item path Elli Avram, who won hearts in Mickey Virus and on Bigg Boss, will do an item song in Salman Khan's brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri's film and will shoot for it later this month or next month. Salman also has a cameo in it. Broad offer Sonakshi Sinha has been offered a chance to go to Broadway, the Mecca of theatre this summer and be part of a performance in New York. The people at Broadway liked her work in Lootera. Woes in Oman Priyanka Chopra was shooting for a song for Gunday in Oman with Ranveer Singh and she got rashes on her skin due to the intense heat and sandstorms. Heat wave: Priyanka Chopra Lovers’ reunion Varun Dhawan has rekindled his relationship with former sweetheart and designer Natasha Dalal lately. The duo split in 2012 and were on a break after Varun was linked with a bevy on Bollywood debutantes. Suchitra unwell Former veteran actress Suchitra Sen, who was in hospital, is still not out of danger. She is undergoing oxygen therapy treatment and her family is rallying around her. Bad reviews, big money Yaariyaan, which has hit songs by Yo Yo Honey Singh and a youth theme, has grossed more money than Dedh Ishqiya which has an adult theme and is for mature audiences. Yaariyan is a surprise hit despite negative reviews.
	ASTRO TURF P Khurrana ARIES: You will be focused and alert. Working with colleagues and gaining their support will lead to faster progress on assignments. Don't take impulsive decisions regarding your finances. Tarot message: Don't accept situations you dislike. Lucky colour: Blue. Lucky number: 63. TAURUS: You're not undecided, just trying to understand what others around you are thinking so that you can plan ahead. Avoid new debt or excess spending. Tarot message: Take thing one at a time. Lucky colour: Green. Lucky number: 48. GEMINI: Do not overlook a chance meeting that can lead to a future romance. Kick old habits; adopt a healthier lifestyle with more time for meditation and relaxing. Tarot message: Polish your public relation skills. Lucky colour: Mauve. Lucky number: 43. CANCER: You are likely to find an ideal partner. Be bold to speak out what is in your mind. Professional success will blend with anxiety as changes are imminent. Tarot message: Beware of depleting your energy or resources on others. Lucky colour: Peach. Lucky number: 38. LEO: You will be able to enjoy interaction with people who share your views and thoughts. Your ability to communicate effectively will help you enhance your reputation. Tarot message: Arrogance will not be rewarded. Lucky colour: Brown. Lucky number: 55. VIRGO: You find ways to express your creativity and emotions. Your personal interests are likely to be stagnant. This should be a pleasantly sociable day. Tarot message: At work, a setback would be followed by a rapid advance. Lucky colour: Burgundy. Lucky number: 49. LIBRA: Today a long cherished dream can come true. Do not try any shortcuts as they can misfire. A surprise phone call can put you back in touch with an old friend. Tarot message: Do not refuse offers without seeking advice. Lucky colour: Green. Lucky number: 29. SCORPIO: Youngsters should be capable of entertaining themselves. Don't be unnerved today. Complicated family issues, past romantic promises or repeated social patterns require consideration. Tarot message: A dissatisfactory phase will need gentle handling. Lucky colour: Sky blue. Lucky number: 44. SAGITTARIUS: Inception of new business venture is likely. Minor jealousies are best addressed in the moment. Tonight, you can plan creative distractions or group events. Tarot message: Feel free to change your mind. Lucky colour: Pink. Lucky number: 37 CAPRICORN: A close friend needs advice concerning strained relationships. Past disappointments will now provide valuable social wisdom. Tarot message: If you insist on leading a fast life, you will aggravate your problems. Lucky colour: Maroon. Lucky number: 54. AQUARIUS: This is a strong time for shared enjoyment with family. Tonight review financial records for forgotten payments. Avoid acting as a mediator and wait for obvious cues from loved ones. Tarot message: Trust your heart and intuition. Lucky colour: Yellow. Lucky number: 61. PISCES: Expect loved ones to propose new forms of entertainment. This is an excellent time to adopt new routines and foster friendships for life. Tarot message: Do not get tied down by any promises. Lucky colour: Orange. Lucky number: 46.
	THE YEAR AHEAD Madan Gupta Spatu If your birthday is January 17... This year, you'll be razor sharp and particularly shrewd when faced with new opportunities. Pressures will be very high. Hardwork would have to be exceptional too, but all this will give you very good growth and returns eventually. There would be chances of marriage or a new partnership after June. New opportunities and alliances from foreign lands might come about in the second half of the year. Your thinking and outlook could be pessimistic and negative after July 2014. Be careful and avoid getting bugged down by negative thoughts. Beyond November, your income will rise substantially and efforts of the past would give excellent returns. A business trip will take you to a gorgeous country. Positive colours: Black, Chocolate, Blue, Violet. Select days: Sunday, Tuesday. Favourable numbers: 1, 4, 9. Gems recommended: Blue Sapphire, Diamond. Charity on birthday: Donate cosmetics to a poor bride. You share your birthday with Javed Akhtar ((January 17, 1945 , Gwalior), son of Jan Nisar Akhtar, a Bollywood film songwriter and Urdu poet. Akhtar was married to Honey Irani, a script-writer for Hindi films, with whom he had two children Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both film directors. Later he married actress Shabana Azmi.