MERRY CHRISTMAS...

"From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other."

Emily Matthews

 Daily Tiffin wishes all its readers a Merry Christmas.
Have a great holiday season and a prosperous new year.

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This post was written by Deeba


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A Time For Giving ... Bitter Orange Marmalade

It’s the time of the year that I like best. A time for giving, a time for sharing, and a season full of joyous spirit. Now is perfect for baking, cooking & gifting home made food stuff, and is a longstanding Christmas tradition. A tradition which is about giving, and not so much about getting. Baked goods play a huge role in celebrating holidays. Add fudge, praline, jams, jellies, relishes, homemade chocolates and life sparkles with festivity.

This is also the time of the year that the tangerine tree is laden with fruit & calling my name. I have a tradition of making bitter orange marmalade at this time of the year, packaging it in reusable jars that I collect through the year, and gifting them. I have a long list of bitter marmalade lovers who await their annual 'share'!

Most people in India grow these tangerine trees for it's ornamental beauty as the fruit is sour beyond belief. I make this traditional British-style marmalade with a recipe handed down from my mothers' friend. British marmalade is a sweet preserve with a bitter tang made from fruit, sugar, water and, in some commercial brands, a gelling agent. American-style marmalade is sweet, not bitter.

Bitter oranges originated in the northeast of India and neighbouring areas of China and Southeast Asia. During the first centuries of their empire, the Romans took a great interest in the fruit; however, as their domination of Europe ended, so did the cultivation of oranges. By this time, Arabs had established both themselves and the bitter orange in Spain. With the Moors' irrigation technology, the fruit flourished in the once-dry land.

Some believe that the British passion for the fruit – or rather, the fruit transformed to marmalade – began with a happy accident in 1700, after a young Dundee grocer named James Keiller took a risk on a large consignment of oranges that were en route from Seville, on a ship sheltering against a storm in Dundee harbour. The oranges were cheap, but Keiller couldn't sell them: the flesh was far too sour. His shrewd wife, however, used the oranges to make a spreadable preserve. The jars went on sale in Keiller's shop and soon demand became so high, the family had to order a regular shipment of oranges from Seville. By 1797 they had opened Britain's first marmalade factory.

Tangerines are easy fruit to preserve as jam, as the seeds are high in pectin content. This particular recipe has the seeds tied together in a tiny piece of cheesecloth & immersed in the ingredients during the process. I think it adds to the conventional bitter edge to the marmalade.

BITTER ORANGE MARMALADE

Ingredients:
Tangerines - 1 kg
Sugar – 1.250 kg
Water - 250ml

Method:
Sterilize 4-5 jam jars, including lids. Place a sterilized metal spoon in each jar (this ensures that the glass jar will not crack when the hot jam is poured in).
Halve the tangerines and deseed them. Tie the seeds in a small piece of cheesecloth and reserve them.

Snip the peels and pith included into strips with kitchen scissors.

Put the strips, with the pouch of seeds, in a heavy bottom pan on full heat. Boil for 2-3 minutes till the peel is tender, stirring constantly.
Add water and boil for 2-3 minutes. Now add sugar, stirring constantly.
Continue to boil on full heat for a further 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens & the strips becomes translucent.
Drop a few drops on a cold metal plate to check if the jam is setting properly. After 30 seconds, it should congeal and look jellylike.
Put off the flame, discard the muslin pouch with the seeds and allow the jam top cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
Now pour the marmalade into the jars, and seal after 10-15 minutes. (Refrigerate if you like. I do because I make a batch that lasts me 6 months.)

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This post was written by Deeba

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‘Earth to Table in the Shortest Time’… The locavores have arrived!

Locavore … a term coined on World Environment Day, 2005, to promote the buying /eating of produce grown within the 100 mile (160Km) radius.

~

The issue being addressed in 2005 was the alarming trend of produce being transported half way across the globe to feed a ‘global appetite for exotic fare'. What was satiating the palate was no different in calories, but meant hugely in terms of miles it travelled, the cost of shipping … in other words, the significant carbon footprint it left stamped on a burdened Earth.

I am a firm supporter of the 100 mile diet. My Indian lamb chops taste as good as any I have had. New Zealand lamb chops may still be the best, but I am ‘palate happy'. I cringed when I heard of a new butter chicken launched in a city in India, advertised as “Anaarkali, the classiest Butter Chicken on earth is about more than just exotic ingredients & years of research.” A dish that serves 2 is for Rs 6000/- (USD 136/-), counts as its ingredients fresh tomatoes and Hunt’s Tomato Paste, Danish Lurpak Unsalted Butter, Fillipo Berio Olive Oil and Evian Natural Spring Water. It might well be the best butter chicken on the face of this Earth, and the entrepreneurs mean well as they are donating part of the proceeds to charity, yet, wouldn’t ‘eating off the land’ have been better for Earth?

This is not about food snobbery. It’s all a matter of perspective, and it’s heartening to see foodie bloggers playing a hugely responsible role in following a locavore diet. It’s wonderful to see them following seasons, blogs glowing orange with anything from persimmons to pumpkins announcing fall. Even better to see folk roasting their own pumpkins for puree! It’s imperative to begin counting ‘Food Miles’, or the distance food travels from where it is grown. The words ring loud… the closer the food, the better the taste! Andrea Meyers leads with her Grow Your Own event, a twice-a-month blogging event that celebrates the foods we grow or raise ourselves and the dishes we make using our homegrown products.
In September this year, the Obama administration launched a 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative to connect consumers with local producers. The idea is not to limit choice, but to expand consciences, and encourage healthy seasonal eating. 2 recent cookbooks that sing the locavore anthem of ‘Earth to table in the shortest time’ are worth a mention. In their book, Earth to Table, renowned chefs Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann remind us of the relationship between local eating and taste, and demonstrate how you can reduce your carbon footprint without diminishing your enjoyment of food. Bringing together stories of the passage of seasons on the farm; how-to sections; stunning photographs; and, of course, creative and delectable recipes that will leave anyone wondering why they ever considered eating a tomato in February. In Cooking for Friends, award-winning chef, world-renowned restaurateur, bestselling author, and Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon Ramsey offers us more than 100 exceptional recipes from his own family table. The way Gordon cooks here embodies his strongly held views: use in-season, fresh ingredients at their peak; support local producers and farmers' markets whenever possible; and celebrate the food culture and its many influences.

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This post was written by Deeba

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Rebel without a cause….

Went to drop the daughter to school this morning for the annual camping trip. They’re off for 3 days to an adventure camp in the lap of the Himalayas. A camp filled with much excitement for the 13 year olds…with promises of body surfing, night hiking, river crossing, rappelling, fish catching techniques, rowing & much more.

It's 3.30 am, time to get moving, and the argument begins once again…
1. You aren’t going to wear flip-flops & board the train?
Of course I am! We ALL are!

(Pre-decided...hmmmmm)
But, I argue, lamelessly, the platforms here are filthy.
Don’t I know? We do this every year. It’s OK. We’re ALL wearing these!
I rest my case! Peer pressure, mob mentality… whatever!
2. For heaven’s sake, does each toe nail HAVE to be a different colour?

(Fuchsia pink, sunshine yellow, lime green, orange & turquoise)
Yeah, they’re matching the flip-flops. That’s why I bought them!

‘Them’ refers to new Converse flip flops, & also to a dazzling array of nail paints.
3. Hurry we’re getting late.
Wait. I still have to paint my nails!
WHAT?
Change of plans over last minute telephone conversations. Multi coloured is off; black is being lavished on the pretty toes. I am about to explode….

We reach school, thankfully well in time, as we are known to be punctual folk. Meet up with a bunch of my friends, parents from the school community, and 4am seems the perfect time to air our woes. Our drift is the same, and we begin exchanging notes. The kids who’ve studied together since they were 4 years old are all thick pals. Everything is obviously decided because one look around, and you can see black painted toe nails & flip flops all across the gym.

A harried father of one of her girlfriends joins our animated conversation. “Why black, why is everything black? My daughter is a rebel. A rebel without a cause,” he says. He hit the nail on the head! Mine is too, only until this morning I didn’t have a coined phrase for her. ‘REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE’ - It does feel better putting her into a category of sorts! (Am I being mean?)

The harried man goes on to add. (They are Bengalis from Eastern India, and this is the most auspicious month for them. They gather at a community fair at this time every year to offer obeisance to their goddess). "We went to the prayer service and fair yesterday and she went dressed like ‘that’." He points to his daughter dressed in shorts, sneakers & a black tee. In India, at fairs like these, you would find people dressed, or rather overdressed, in traditional attire. He continues…"Then when we went to offer flowers to the deity, she stood far from us, refusing to join us, asking what we expected to achieve by doing 'all this'. What do you think you'll ‘get’?" He was pretty alarmed by the sign of times to come as she said she didn’t believe in ‘stuff like this’!

I got back and related this to the hub, who is on the quieter side, and pretty much reserved about his thoughts in public! He had but one comment to make, and with a smile of amused relief. "Thankfully we aren’t religious, so at least we have one less thing to argue over!"

That said, it’s not easy bringing up teens. The daughter has marked her ‘rebel’ path, and the son is beginning to show similar signs too, like an infectious disease! To those who have ‘been there, done that’, when does it get better? And to those that have yet to get ‘there’, good luck to you! This saga never ends!

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This post was written by Deeba

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STEPPING OUT OF 'MY' COMFORT ZONE...

A few days ago the hub decided to shake the kids out of their secure bubble, & announced it was time to take a trip into town using public transport. The call was for a trip into the old city here in Delhi, 'Old Delhi, Purani Dilli or the Walled City' as it is also called, and by the Delhi Metro. The Metro has been around for a couple of years yet we hadn’t experienced it. 'Oh NO'… a huge cry rose across the room, both kids looking at me in despair. The hub always feels that the two of them have got too used to being driven around from point A to B, or using the school bus. They have no idea how the transport system works, & how we used to hop on and off buses when we were young. We’ve been on the Monorail in Sydney, MRT in Singapore, Metro in HKG, Tube in London, even the Moscow Metro…but every country is different, and ours is no exception. Hopped onto the train, stumbling around the system initially, but we soon got a hang of things. Though the journey into town was an hour long, it was stress free, in air conditioned comfort, with no crowds etc. Being a really hot and humid day, once out of the train, the heat, humidity & chaos soon hit us. We had stepped into a different world, & the kids just gaped! The walled city has a certain charm of it’s own. Lots of old dilapidated buildings, delicious roadside food (which we didn’t heat because of jaundice, typhoid fears), hundreds of people, cattle, rickshaws ... all sharing space on the road. A happy balance of complete chaos. We had fun sauntering around streets with no names, reaching dead ends, then piling into rickshaws and racing each other, passing the Jama Masjid en route, India’s largest and most picturesque mosque. Screeched to a halt to crowd into a tiny shop dealing with brass ware etc. Was fun to see the kids’ eyes light up… so much to sift through. A shop packed with fascinating bric-a-brac. They wanted everything, the daughter especially who went ballistic and almost needed to be tranquilized. I wanted everything, but then I’m ‘grown-up’, so that’s my perk!! We shopped till the hub dropped, & then set off again. The bait was the food of course! Here the kids were game. Let’s go to Karim’s was the call…a place that found its way into top Asian foodie joint listings, including the Times and BBC guides. To quote from the Time Magazine, 'Travelers in Delhi have a lot on their plate. Mughal monuments like the hulking Red Fort and the elegant Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, loom above the city's myriad bazaars and the dusty homes of forgotten poets. But no matter how much there is to explore, locals and visitors alike always return to Delhi's most beloved haunt: Karim's. A cycle-rickshaw ride from the Chandni Chowk Metro stop, Karim's is neither soaring fortress nor ancient temple, yet it is an unmissable landmark nonetheless, often filled to capacity with the faithful. This drab roadside dhaba (or eatery) serves up the most authentic Mughlai fare in the city—which is what you might expect considering who runs the place.'The hype had been created before. We conveniently forgot to tell them that it was a glorified road-side dhaba that is famous for its food, not interiors. They were shocked & refused to eat. Hub and me exchanged looks, & told them to wait while we ate, and they could eat at home. To Karim’s credit, the minute the food was served, the kids devoured it like there was no tomorrow, enjoying each morsel.Long day done, early supper enjoyed, and we set off into the setting sun to catch the Metro back home. This time the journey wasn’t easy. We got caught in the holiday rush & were squished like sardines in a can. Crowds like we’ve never seen before, jostling for every square inch. Quite alarming actually, but surprise surprise; the kids didn’t complain. Not once. They just took to it and were quite fancy-free. Not a whine the entire hour of standing with teeming millions, not a whine when there was a power cut for a minute & my heart stopped beating, not a whine till we got back home…WOW!!Lesson learnt - It's me who has to step out of my comfort zone. I confess I was VERY skeptical and doubted this idea would work. Rolled my eyes at the hub when the kids weren't looking. Experience is a great teacher! Kids are so much more adaptable. They just need the opportunity.

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This post was written by Deeba

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The luxury of homemade Mascarpone...in a cake!

Have you tried making soft cheese at home?

I've tried & I'm sold on the idea. Not only is it a much cheaper option, it's also a very satisfying process. Fresh cheese should be moist and white, with no sign of mold. The fat content of fresh cheese varies as they can be made from whole or skimmed milk, or even with cream. I've been on a soft cheese making spree these days, having been completely taken in by the luxury of homemade soft cheese, amazed at the freshness & smoothness. It's from Vera's Baking Obsession that I've tried homemade ricotta & mascarpone, both with outstanding results. Cottage cheese is something inherent to Indian culture, & is made in almost every home, ours too. My next attempt is going to be Quark, from a recipe @ Meeta's What's For Lunch Honey. I'm going to share a recipe for a cake I made using homemade mascarpone, a cake I made for my father's birthday. It was a delicious to goodness cake with a genoise sponge as the base. The crumb of the genoise was light, tender & moist, and a dousing of coffee syrup made it perfect! Sandwiched with a cream as luxurious & indulgent as homemade mascarpone, the cake was perfect. Just right - not exceedingly sweet, light, yet luxurious! I made the mascarpone 2 days in advance, the genoise a day in advance, & refrigerated both.

HOMEMADE MASCARPONE CREAM
as adapted from Baking Obsession
Makes about 12 oz
Ingredients:
600ml low fat cream (25 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream
1 tbsp fresh lime juice Method:
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering.
Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating.
Add the lime juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours. CHOCOLATE GENOISE
As adapted from this recipe @ Baking Obsession
Ingredients:
3 tbsp clarified butter/ghee
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
4 large eggs (I used 5 as the eggs were smallish)
2/3 cup fine granulated vanilla sugar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line, grease & flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
Sift the flour and cocoa together three times; reserve.
Bring some water to a boil in a large pan/griddle & reduce to simmer. Place eggs & sugar in a large bowl, whisk constantly over the simmering water, heat the eggs to lukewarm (about 105F). Remove the bowl from the pan; leave the skillet on the stove but turn off the heat. With an electric mixer, beat the egg mixture at high speed until it has cooled, tripled in volume, and resembles softly whipped cream, about 5 minutes in a heavy-duty mixer or longer with a less powerful mixer.
Meanwhile, set the bowl of clarified butter/ghee and vanilla in the skillet of hot water, with the burner off, to keep it warm.
Sift about one-third of the flour and cocoa over the whipped eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture-quickly but gently-until combined. Fold in half the remaining flour and cocoa, then fold in the rest. Remove the warm butter mixture from the skillet. Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl with the butter and fold together until completely combined. Use the large rubber spatula to fold the butter mixture completely into the remaining batter. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and tilt to level.
Bake until the cake beginning to shrink slightly around the edges and the top springs back when pressed with your finger, about 40-45 minutes. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a rack.
To unmold, run a small knife or spatula around the inner edges of the pan. Invert it onto a rack and remove the parchment liner. Turn the cake right side up. The génoise can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
MOCHA MASCARPONE FROSTING
Ingredients:
12oz Mascarpone Cream (recipe above)
200ml low fat cream (25% fat)
1 tsp coffee powder (increase or omit as desired)
2-3 tbsps ground vanilla sugar, or regular sugar (according to taste)
Method:
Beat mascarpone cheese with a wooden spoon till smooth. Fold in the rest of the ingredients & mix with the spoon till smooth. CHOCOLATE GENOISE CAKE with MOCHA MASCARPONE
Ingredients:
1 chocolate genoise sponge (recipe above)
1 portion of Mocha Mascarpone Cream (recipe above)
Coffee syrup
Dark chocolate shavings, flakes & coffee beans etc to garnishTo assemble:
Make a strong coffee syrup with 1/4 cup of hot water, 2-3 tsps sugar & 2 tsps coffee powder. Cool.
Cut the genoise into 2 horizontal layers.
Place one layer on the cake platter. Brush well with the coffee syrup. Sandwich with a little less than half the mocha mascarpone.
Top with the second layer, & brush that well with the coffee syrup.
Frost the top & sides of the cake with the remaining mascarpone. Grate dark chocolate over the top, edge with coffee beans, & sift cocoa over the edges.
Chill for 3-4 hours.

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This post was Written by Deeba

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WHAT'S ALL THE TWITTER ABOUT?

Twittering changed a part of my life, for the better. About an year ago, I read about an article about Twitter & how this micro blogging application is changing the world. At the time, I understood it minimally, but it held my attention. Eventually, I began twittering, after being coerced into it by my bunch of foodie friends, and it changed a part of my life. I find that twittering brings people closer, bridges gaps and helps build long lasting relationships. Being part of this forum, allows you to think about issues differently, sometimes 'out of the box'. More people mean more perspectives, in harmonious balance, because you choose who to follow! Do you Twitter? Has it changed your life?

What's Twitter all about?
By accepting messages from sms, web, mobile web, instant message, or from third party API projects, Twitter makes it easy for folks to stay connected. Simplicity has played an important role in Twitter's success. People are eager to connect with other people and Twitter makes that simple. Twitter asks one question, "What are you doing?" Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web.

What I like about Twitter ...

• Always someone to tweet to at any given time night or day
• Can catch up with friends in uno momento
• Can join like minded groups - foodie, medical, parenting etc, & find passionate people
• Make new friends who are a treasure & absolute fun
• Meet up with bloggers that you might not be able to keep up with otherwise
• ALWAYS someone who says good morning or good night to you with a HUGE smile!
• 'Tweeples' are the most fun & helpful people. Just a tweet with a question or dilemma & rest assured, there's bound be a solution soon, if not many
• Photo uploads to share take a couple of seconds
• News breaks fastest here. Is Twitter the Face of 21st Century News? ... but sometimes the reliability is in question
• It's easy to lend support to a political/social movement. Currently quite a few of us are 'draped in green' to lend support to the situation in Iran

Twitter is addictive & gobbles away a large part of your day if you aren't careful. Sometimes I need to be peeled away from twitter. It's fun, not eactly or easily describable, but a whole lot of FUN!

To get twittering, all you need to do is get an account on Twitter, & then get a desktop application/tool to make life easier. Some tools are TweetDeck , Twhirl, Twitter Gadget, Twitterrific, Twitterfeed and TwitThis. Check out lots more applications here, & get twittering!!

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This post was written by Deeba

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ARE YOU OBSESSIVE?

Are you obsessive?

Sometimes I feel that I’m possessed by obsession. And more often than not, IT follows me to the kitchen. Each time I finish a part of the menu I am cooking up, I do the dishes, wipe them, clear the place, put everything back, wipe the counters…& then begin the next bit. My knives have to be in the right place, the right knife has to be used for the right thing. I will not slice tomatoes till I find my serrated slicer, I worship my microplaner, my santuko is the only thing that slices my grilled chicken … & I’m the mistress of the kitchen. So much so, that when I chop, each piece should be the same size. The saving grace is that I’m pretty quick with the cutting, chopping and clearing up, otherwise we would have a ‘singing for the supper’ happening every night!

Things are slowly changing, & now I have company. The daughter is growing up, & she’s the regular teen with her head in the clouds. My knives are misplaced; my favourite non-stick is where I can’t find it, the ketchup is out & the cupboard is open … SIGH!! Sometimes I wish I was more chilled out, but it's not happening yet!

Wonder if I'm alone in this obsession; are you in there with me?

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This post was written by Deeba

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THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOGURT...

There's something about YOGURT, & I'm hooked to it. Sometimes I think I'm taking it too far, & substituting cream with yogurt too often, but it's a habit that grows on you. On indulgent days my panna cotta will have cream, but otherwise, it'll have a thick hung yogurt, referred to here as 'curd cheese' or 'shrikhand'. Yogurt is the most versatile ingredient in my fridge, & the benefits are manifold. Amongst others, yogurt

• may help you to live longer, and may fortify your immune system
• can significantly improve the cholesterol profile
• contains lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein that boosts the growth and activity of osteoblasts (the cells that build bone)
• has Lactobacillus, a probiotic (friendly) bacteria which offers "remarkable preventive and curative" effects on arthritis
• strengthens the immune system
• is helpful in the battle against ulcers
  

Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Yogurt is a very good source of iodine, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B2. It is also a good source of protein, vitamin B12, potassium, molybdenum, zinc and pantothenic acid. These 10 nutrients alone would make yogurt a health-supportive food. Some of the most interesting health information about yogurt comes from its potential inclusion of live bacteria.

It's no secret at home that I make my ice-creams/frozen yogurt desserts, my egg less cheesecake & sour cream etc with yogurt, & the results are delicious. Might well be a good idea to introduce kids to a 'yogurt habit' when young. Mine have been hooked on to it since they were very young. Come summer, winter, spring or fall, there has to be fresh, home-made, chilled yogurt every single day. The daughter isn't so much of a yogurt addict any more (teen thingy?), but the son is a complete 'yogurt freak'! He eats 2-3 bowlfuls with every meal, just plain, sans sugar. The daughter will usually add a tsp of sugar but wolf it down anyway. I set 2 litres of yogurt every alternate day... it's that much part of our existence!! I use it in sauces, in kebabs & curries, in lassi (sweet & sour), to make dips, to make sour cream, to make my cheesecakes (with eggs & without), to make ice-cream, to make chocolate yogurt cake, to make muffins...oh the list is endless! Here's a simple David Levobitz recipe I adapted. It might be a good way to introduce yogurt to frozen desserts this summer, but be warned, it's very addictive. And oh yes, you don't need an ice-cream machine to make this one!

Frozen Strawberry Yogurt
Adapted from David Levobitz
Ingredients:
1 cup (240g) hung curd
1 pound (450g) strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Method:
Tie the yogurt in a cheesecloth and let it sit in a strainer in a bowl overnight or for at least 2 hours. This will help drain off all the whey and result in a very creamy frozen yogurt dessert. (I find overnight a better option)
Cut the strawberries and toss them in the sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve. (I used vanilla sugar).
Blend it together to a puree. (Strain if you don't like the seeds in)
Next, blend in the yogurt and lime juice until the mixture is smooth. Adjust the sweetness if required.
Freeze the mixture in a wide dish or plastic container. (The larger the surface area, quicker the freezing – since we have to pulse this mixture a couple of times).
Keep checking on the mixture every 30 minutes or so and use the stick blender to break the icicles, 4, maybe 5 times. (I used a sturdy whisk).
Once it's almost set, you can add a handful of finely chopped fresh basil, or else, some chopped pistachio nuts if you like. Just plain is good too!
Garnish with sliced strawberries & a sprig of basil, or, chopped pistachio nuts & mint!

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This post was written by Deeba

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DO YOU FIND COMFORT IN FOOD?

Comfort food..." Food that is simply prepared and associated with a sense of home or contentment."

Comfort food is food that you turn to in times of negative emotions , in times of stress, when you're in a bad mood, when life isn't looking too good. Foods that you connect to good memories, childhood security ... safety, joy, warmth = comfort. They have an air of familiarity, are often indulgent, and typically provide a sense of physical as well as emotional comfort. Science has it that comfort food release good chemicals in our brain leading to mood alleviation. Very often comfort food is a home-cooked informal meal, that you can sit & eat on the couch, with your feet tucked in under you.

Research on 'negative emotions & consumption therapy' often find a strong link between 'comfort food' and the notion of mood-alleviation. Other examples include impulse purchasing, compensatory consumption, recreational shopping, and self-gift behaviors.

Did you know that as recession surges, so do comfort food needs. A study in the UK shows that 'sales of nostalgic treats and products that remind us of happier, less complicated times are soaring'. Marks & Spencer's recently started selling a jam sandwich for 75p..."It really is the ultimate comfort food at an unbeatable price", they claim. One bite takes you right back to your childhood.

Studies also reflect that different choices in comfort food are picked by men & women. Men tend to pick a whole meal whereas women are known to reach for chocolate or snacks. Age also plays a huge role. Youngsters are more likely to pick sweets & snacks, whereas older people find comfort in hot foods like mashed potatoes & soup.

Do you find comfort in food? What is your comfort food? Macaroni & cheese, fries, crisps, chili, fried chicken, a bar of chocolate, ice-cream, candy seem to be popular choices. I find comfort in a packet of crisps, or a bar of bitter chocolate, but I find the most comfort in nature, more than anything else. I can spend hours outdoors!

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This post was written by Deeba

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WASTE - The Demon of Despair

When the economy is galloping full throttle, & life is hunky dory, a lot of things fade into oblivion. But in times like these, where recession is looming large, & it becomes prudent to tighten purse strings wherever possible, issues like food waste leave the back burner.

The US, which in my view poses the biggest example of ‘large king-size portions’ of food in every form, leads by far. A niggling question always … if you don’t serve such large portions of food, will there be such a huge percentage of waste? Also, would you agree or disagree that the body gets used to eating what it expects to be served up on the platter? Over the years, consumers have become conditioned to eat ‘larger’ than required portions. Visiting my sister in the US, I have seen more being trashed in a frenzy to clear the counters or fridge, than was required. Breaks my heart to see kids at fast food joints trying to wolf down more than necessary…& then the rest reaches the bin. It was heartening to read a report the other day about a restaurant in the UK where you can order according to the amount you wish to spend. That kills 2 birds with one stone, well make that 3 … fills the tummy satisfactorily, gives you the option of saving money, & most importantly, actively reduces waste!

What can we do to reduce food waste in our own little ways?

• Left-overs are left-overs. Store them, labeled with a date, & creatively re-use them as soon as possible. Small portions make nice after school nibbles when the hungry ones head home. Make a kaleidoscope topping on a pizza base, veggies & all. Grill that left-over chicken or veggies into a sandwich with the left over pizza sauce, & watch them enjoy!!
• Treat perishables with a vengeance. Have a plan. They say ripe bananas keep well as is in the freezer, just the skin gets black, but they remain fine within for the banana bread you were planning, but never happened.
• Freeze a portion if you judge that it’s too much to consume at a go. It always comes in handy on a rainy day. In addition, clear the freezer regularly, & do a stock check every month.
• Mark a day to clear the fridge. When we were young, Fridays were 'left over days'. Mom would clear out the fridge & we would finish all the little bits & bobs crowding the fridge, no matter how disjointed the combination was. It was a standing joke amongst friends & relatives not to visit us on Fridays …they would only get left-overs. I try & carry out the left-over tradition to date!
• When eating out, see if you want to share large portions. Check if the restaurant is willing to make a 1 X 2 serving. We used to do that in college to save money, & more often than not, the restaurant would oblige. No harm in asking!
• Gradually encourage kids to order small servings. The mind, body & heart adjust really fast. It’s a matter of conditioning. A scoop of ice-cream or cheesecake can fill in the gaps!!
• Sharing is caring. I love to share with my Mom, neighbours, friends & household help. If I get large portions of veggies or fruits from the farm, which I know will spoil before I get to the bottom of the basket, I share them out immediately. If I make 4 jars of jam, we keep one, & the rest are sent out to my friends. It works vice versa as well!!

I just googled to see what the world thinks about food waste. A few points highlighted on a news report on CNN:

• 5 percent of American's leftovers could feed 4 million people for 1 day
• Disposing of food waste costs the U.S. $1 billion a year
• Rotting food releases methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2
• Methane can be harnessed to create clean energy for heat, light and fuel

Got any 'wasted' ideas? Let's hear them. Together we can reduce our carbon footprint & fight the demon of waste!

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This post was written by Deeba

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COMPASSION, SENSITIVITY ... & CHILDREN!

"The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope."

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
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India has been in the news on the book & film front of late, & this time, the underdog & poverty are coming to the forefront. Am currently reading Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger (Winner of the 2008 Man Booker Prize), which talks about India’s underbelly, dominated by poverty, in a really engaging narrative. I’m halfway through the book & admire the way this young man presents his story; fiction, but for us living here, very much the reality!

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We are also just back from seeing Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire', a low budget, love story, with all the trappings of a typical Indian masala film. Inquisitive to feel the hype for ourselves, we were astounded & amazed at the film. Perfect in every frame, fast paced, technically good, & above all touching the life of the common man in Mumbai, sometimes in a heart-wrenching manner. For me, it was the heart that beats. A film that left me with mixed raw emotions, so much poverty, so much deceit in the underbelly, so much despair, but then again, hope conquers all as the film wraps up.

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Why am I talking about this?

It’s about sensitivity & compassion - To accept what we know, to open a window for the children to step out of their protected spheres, & look at other aspects of life. We took the kids to see the film with us, despite many telling us that the language was inappropriate etc. But reality is reality, & when presented in such a cutting edge manner, it is imperative that we appreciate life in every avatar, & learn compassion. The film was a lesson of life delivered in just 2 hours. In a nutshell…touching! Here is a small story about little Rahul. The past few days I’ve been going to the bus-stop to drop the son for school as it’s been foggy every morning. Each day we wait at the stop, & alongside is a little temporary shanty where a man sits by a small wood fire, boiling milk & making chapattis/flatbread, with a toddler in his lap. It’s freezing cold, but the man, who is a watchman / chowkidar, follows the same routine every morning, & the little kid adoringly follows his father. My son watches with me, & last night I found him diving into his toy box. He was quite affected by the daily scenes, more so after watching the film. He pulled out some toys, & asked his sister to put a bag together for the little fellow. We dropped the stuff by this morning…the JOY on the little mites' face was untold. He first stared at us unbelieving, then gently came up & took this car, & the other stuff. The next 10-15 minutes were pure happiness for both father & son. The father, passionate in his care for the boy, heated the little ones shoes in front of the flickering flames, before putting them on the bare feet.
My heart is heavy, but I’m glad my kids feel compassion, & understand economic & social disparity in their own small ways. It’s little things that make a difference, & hopefully many of ours will lead to change the world one day.

"Compassion is the radicalism of our time."

HH the Dalai Lama

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This post was written by Deeba /p>

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MURPHY'S LAW & KIDS...NO KIDDING!!

"If anything can go wrong, it will."

Travelling is one thing, but travelling with kids adds a whole new dimension to life. We've been travelling for ages, before & after the kids appeared on the scene ... perks of working with the airlines I guess. To date, we've never travelled without medical insurance, other than on this last trip to Sydney. To date, we've never had a medical emergency, other than of course on this last trip to Sydney! Murphy's law fell into place & as things had to go wrong, they certainly did!! We didn't have time to sort out insurance because of last minute changes to the trip, visits to the Australian High Commission to change the visa etc...& then sheer exhaustion! It was on my mind through out, & then in one moment of wild abandon, I just abandoned the idea. NOTHING untoward on the medical front has ever happened till today, & I have been travelling with kids since the daughter was 3 months old...she is almost 13 years now. But, halfway through our short vacation is Sydney she developed jaundice. Hmmmmmmmm....I'd like to share my notes for the future while travelling with kids:

• Make sure all their vaccinations are up to date (I always do)
• Visit your paediatrician before leaving (something I always do as a habit)
• Carry a small medical kit in your hand baggage (something I've always done, whether I'm travelling or not..my bag is most unglamorous!)
• Make note of your paediatricians' emergency contact; he knows your kid best
• Carry alcohol wipes on the flight (recommended by the doctor in the children's emergency hospital in Sydney; brilliant idea I think)
• Carry a good quality hand sanitizer because the doctor felt that most bugs are picked up on flights (a valid piece of advice indeed; my sisters daughter who is 3+ now, has always landed in India with a flu bug & the first person we always visit is the doc!)
• Carry all vaccination records (or scan a copy & upload it in an online account for quick access)
• Carry any medical history
• If by chance, you are required to see a doctor in a foreign land, do make points of significant & insignificant happenings while waiting in the clinic, because every bit of history helps here.
• Do not PANIC. Be cautious, but never panic. Panic makes the mind think irrationally, & panic tends to transfer to kids as well.
• Lastly, of course, & quite obviously, take medical insurance. It's available online too, now I've learnt...better late than never. Am still paying back hospital bills for blood tests etc, but I guess, we live & learn!

Thinking back now, it was a good learning experience, though an expensive one. I must commend the medical facilities & the excellent doctor, (Dr Scott Nightingale), in Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney. He was the best doc I've met to date, & despite being so busy, is till sending me the results of some of the medical tests which come through every now & then.

"I never had a slice of bread,
Particularly large and wide,
That did not fall upon the floor,
And always on the buttered side"

Have a safe & peaceful hoilday season...

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This post was written by Deeba

Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.