Home remedies to cure indigestion

Most people are known to overeat, especially when the food is irresistibly delicious. So occasions like parties, weddings, friends' birthday treats or simply trying out new restaurants are some of the many occasions where one tends to overeat.

But hogging all that yummy food also gives one the problem of indigestion. Indigestion also known as dyspepsia occurs when the digestive juices in the stomach are not secreted properly and as a result causes one discomfort. Here are some remedies for digestion:

- One of the most common remedies is to take two spoons of lime and ginger juice, and honey mixed in a glass of warm water, after your heavy-duty meal.

- Add a teaspoon of roasted and ground coriander seeds to a glass of butter milk and have it.

- Munching a teaspoon of aniseed after your meal, will provide relief.

- Another effective remedy is to have a teaspoon of ajwain seeds along with a pinch of black salt.

- Mix a teaspoon of roasted cumin or jeera powder in a glass of water and drink it.

- Drinking green tea or herbal tea after your meal is a great way to aid in digestion.

- Drink a glass of water to which a few drops of peppermint extract has been added.

- Add about two teaspoons of coriander juice to a glass of buttermilk. Drinking this will provide relief.

- If you know that you are planning to pig out for a meal, chew on some fresh ginger slices with a pinch of salt. Doing this will help stimulate the digestive juices.

- Place a packet of ice over your stomach to seek relief.

- Add about a teaspoon of baking soda to half a glass of water and drink it. This is known to provide instant relief.

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The complete drinking guide for women

Did you know the way a woman drinks her cocktail and a man gulps his beer can be markedly different in terms of harming their respective bodies. Here's the complete drinking manual for all you gals! Go ahead and say cheers!

A study recently revealed that women who gave their mood a 'high' rating beforte they started consuming alchohol were 60% less likely to feel hungover after six units of alcohol. Getting high depends on your mood, if drinkers are feeling high on life, they can avoid a hangover. On the other hand feeling dull and depressed is likely to give you a painful hang over only after a couple of drinks. Here's how you can drink smart:

1. Say goodbye to the liquid lunch
Lunchtime is the worst time to consume alcohol because a woman's hormone levels are high, so the alchohol enters the bloodstream far too quickly for your liver to adequately break it down. Furthermore, the alcohol disrupts the digestive process, potentially leavign you with indigestion. A study from Cornell University in the US says we process alcohol most efficiently between 7 and 8 pm when our hormone levels are lowest, and that's also the best time for drinking because it'll leave you with a considerable margin before hitting the sack.

2. Prepare your body
Always have a snack to avoid a hangover. "Wash down a brown bread sandwich with a glass of milk 30 minutes before you start drinking. The complex carbohydrates in the bread give you lots of energy and the fat in the milk is the perfect stomach liner.

3. Physical fitness is key
Being fit protects you against drunkeness as you are likely to have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio, which means your body has a higher water content, diluting the alcohol. People who are physically fit and active also posess higher metablic rates, which means alcolhol moves quickly their system more quickly. Try and exercise a bit or do some effective yoga stretches before you drink as this speeds up your metabolism, so you'll process alcohol quicker. Or if your party or pub is round the corner, engage in a A brisk 20-minute walk.

4. Chilled truths
According to research from Lyon University, drink wine that's chilled at 5°C or less and you'll take nearly ten per cent longer to finish your drink. Adding ice will also bulk out your drink, so it'll feel fuller, and the extra water content will rehydrate you.

5. Forego the fizz
Fizzy wines and champagnes are absorbed more quickly than still ones because they are quite bland, but the alcohol content is just as high. Champagne has a heady intoxicating effect since its blandness doesn't cause the pylorus (the outlet of the stomach) to reach a spasm, as stronger-flavoured wines do. So your fizz passes through an open gateway into the gut, where it's absorbed - as you make it to the counter for another refill.

6. Always check the label
Always check the label to ascertain the alcohol concentration of drinks. Choose wisely.

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Women 'spoilt for choice' with their clothes

Women's wardrobes are packed with an average of 128 items of clothing, leaving them spoilt for choice when deciding what to wear, a new study has revealed.

Men, however, are lagging behind with an average of 106.

The study also found that women own 25 pairs of knickers on an average, while men rely on 17 pairs of underpants.

The figures from Cotton USA reveal that, despite the economic gloom, Britain is still a nation of shoppers, with 56 per cent of the people "loving or really liking" shopping for clothes.

"Today's wardrobe needs to fit in a lot. However, British consumers are savvy and are ensuring that they get the best value by choosing quality items," the Daily Express quoted Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, international marketing manager for Cotton USA, as saying.

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How to train your mind for endurance

They say that before your body can do something, your mind has to do it first.

If you do not believe in something mentally, then - physically - you will not be able to do it 99% of the time. Thus, a proper mindset is very important for maximising your physical performance. "For endurance training, the mental side plays a very important role too. Often in extreme endurance events, a participant's body goes through extreme wear and tear, and things like blisters, skin tearing, total exhaustion, etc are quite common. In these moments, it is through sheer mental strength that a participant pushes through and finishes what he or she has started", informs HealthMeUp.com's strength and conditioning coach Arnav Sarkar.

Of course, one needs to focus on building endurance gradually, since your mind can only take you so far before your body really cannot operate anymore. It is in these months/years that you spend preparing for an event that you have to start preparing mentally to do well during the actual event. "In my experience, the best way to mentally approach an endurance event is to break the event down to small parts and focus on one small part at a time. For eg, if you are to run 10km, then instead of focusing on 10 km at one time, take it 1km at a time. Once you finish one, again begin mentally for another km. This way your mind gets a chance to "refresh", and be able to keep pushing," says Arnav.

Staying in all the time

If you need to be mentally prepared, you need to be involved all the time. This will not only stretch your mind but also keep it sharp.

A fit mind

With new things, the human mind learns to stay strong and perform better, because different challenges make your brain act differently every time. Combine fun with learning by reading often and playing a variety of different games. Regular exercise and fitness activities will strengthen your mental capacity.

Reinforcing mental function

Developing the right skills to help your mind stay sharp and promote stronger thinking and concentration is also important for good mental functioning. One need to identify things that distract you and then create an environment that keeps those thoughts away so it doesn't harm your performance.

Above all, an endurance event is a mental and physical test
While the body's physical performance can be measured, quantified and improved through tangible methods, the mind's astute adherence to survival mode takes true grit. This grit comes with practise, self-motivation and very high levels of self-efficacy. You have to believe in your capacity to achieve the goal.

Often, endurance events are designed to create mental blocks
A ditch jump, or monkey bar obstacle over a drop are all physical fetes that may make you stop because you 'think' you can't cross the barrier, when in truth the length of that jump or monkey bar climb could be something you've practised hundreds of times earlier. Maintaining resolve is the backbone to truly achieving mental strength for endurance sports.

Read more Personal Health, Diet & Fitness stories on www.healthmeup.com

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The proof of the pudding

Mumbai's original cosmopolitan dessert, the bread pudding still beats assembly-line cupcakes hollow

How many memories can a 5x5 inch lump of milk, egg yolk, cream, sugar, bread and cardamom hold?

Several, if you were lucky to have grown up in Mumbai before tarts, macaroons and cupcakes invaded the stores.

The stodgy bread pudding, Mumbai's cosmopolitan dessert, packs in memories of the sweet aroma wafting through modest hostel dining halls post-lunch, and walking out of a matinee show straight into a dingy SoBo snack joint to order a gooey burnt sugar-coated chunk.

It's not clear how the bread pudding became an important part of the Mumbai dessert culture. The reticent owners of the city's Irani cafes aren't willing to admit it has anything to do with the colonisers, although the stomach-filler often finds a mention in Britain's rich culinary tradition.

What's certain is that the bread pudding is a fast fading dessert. Here's why and where you should grab a bite as long as the city's dozen Irani joints still make them.

Cafe Excelsior, VT

The 93-year-old cafe run by Ardeshir Mazkoori is open seven days a week from 7 am to 11 pm. The pudding here is moist, light, comforting and bland in an oddly delicious way. It's something you can start your day with, over a cup of chai, and end your night with, too. Ask Nityanand, who mans the ready-to-eats counter, what the secret behind their pudding is, and he says it's the measure of ingredients. That's a secret Mazkoori's grandfather passed onto to cook Ali. Demand, says Nityanand, hasn't slipped a bit. Marathi theatre personalities, politicians and students still ask for it. "Sometimes, they eat two slices at a go!" he says.

Yazdani Bakery, Fort

The bakery that's been standing for 51 years on Cowasji Jehangir Street offers multiple temptations. Hand-painted boards promise freshly baked bread, apple pie and the best Shrewsbury biscuits in town. Aluminium trays stacked with pudding carry what we discovered was melt-in-themouth pudding. Part of the appeal of Yazdani's pudding lies in its simplicity. If anything bought off the counter in a plastic wrapper had to classify as comforting, it would have to be this.

Stadium restaurant, Churchgate Station

On a table opposite ours, four old men bent over a single chunk of the bread pudding, relishing every spoonful. We called for a slice and the staff was honest enough to say that day's portion was "overcooked". We went ahead and placed an order anyway. What arrived at the table was yellow, nottoo-sweet, dense crusty goodness. The demand, said the waiter, had slipped over the years. They now make just two trays a day. That's 48 pieces of pleasure, daily.

mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com

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What is Pancreatitis?

According to pubmedhealth, Pancreatitis is defined as "inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. It releases the hormones, insulin and glucagon, as well as digestive enzymes that help you digest and absorb food."

Pancreatitis can be caused by gallstones that become lodged at the opening to the pancreas.

Bending forward or curling in a fetal position may ease the pain, while eating or drinking tends to make it worse. Usually the blockage is temporary, lasting a few days, and the symptoms disappear when the gallstone is dislodged.

Chronic Pancreatitis is as a result of heavy alcohol use. It's unclear how alcohol causes pancreatitis. This involves chronic abdominal pain that can go from months to years. Every meal one eats can make the pain worse.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis include painful episodes of abdominal pain, a chronic dull ache in the middle of the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, and oily, smelly stools.

How bad is Pancreatitis

- Mild cases of acute pancreatitis generally improve within a week. Moderate to severe cases may take longer to resolve.
- The chronic Pancreatitis usually causes permanent damage to the pancreas.
- Loss of pancreatic function can lead to the inability to properly digest nutrients.

Treatment
Acute pancreatitis patients are admitted to the hospital to avoid dehydration, monitoring and control pain. If gallstones are the reason behind the pancreatitis than they may be removes surgically or through laparoscopy.

Read more Personal Health, Diet & Fitness stories on www.healthmeup.com

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Pick the perfect sofa for your home

Here's what you need to keep in mind when choosing one.

Sofas have always been and will be the focus of attention in living rooms, and so needs attention in both purchase and maintenance. Here's how you should go about selecting the ideal one for your home...

Size wise
It is important to first determine the sofa dimensions that will fit into the space in your room. Before you purchase, you must know the approximate width and length of your living room or hall.

Material matters
Once you know the size, select the upholstery. Choose a fabric that best suits your lifestyle — cotton, silk, wool or a blend or synthetic leather. Silk looks beautiful and classy. Cotton is perfect but is thin and linen wrinkles quickly. Chenille and synthetic leather are both soft and durable.

Pattern policy
If you place your sofa in a high-traffic zone in your home, or you have active kids at home, then it is wise to go in for a multi-colored pattern on the upholstery or tweeds which hide stains well.

Colour coded
Colour is the other important factor that is decided not only by your personal taste and preference.

Style mantra
You have to decide on the style — whether you'd want an ethnic one like a Rajasthani style or a modern style one in an abstract, eye-catching design.

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Neelesh Misra's radio stories turned into books

He has been taking radio listeners on a storytelling ride through two seasons of "Yaadon Ka Idiot Box", and now, journalist, scriptwriter and lyricist Neelesh Misra is set to launch a series of books that are a compilation of the tales he narrates on the show.

The book, "Neelesh Misra Ka Yaad Sheher", will be launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival Thursday.

"Yaadon Ka Idiot Box", the primetime show on 92.7 Big FM, features Misra narrating stories from the imaginary city of Yaad Sheher.

The book series is being published by the joint venture of Westland and Yatra Books. The Hindi version will be followed by a series of "Yaad Sheher" books in English. Each volume will have 20 to 25 stories, and Westland-Yatra has acquired the rights for six volumes of the book.

Misra is "delighted" that the stories "are being brought to life after being aired on radio".

"I hope this marks the start of a new level of integration between radio, print and other verticals, which will help provide engaging content to audiences through multiple mediums," Misra, author of the book "173 Hours in Captivity: The Hijacking of IC-814", said in a statement.

Misra, who has penned songs like "Jaadu hai nasha hai" from "Jism" , "I love you" from " Bodyguard", "Banjaara" from "Ek Tha Tiger" and "Kyon" from "Barfi!", will host a live storytelling and song performance at the fest.

He also co-wrote the screenplay of "Ek Tha Tiger" with Kabir Khan.

"Yaadon Ka Idiot Box" is produced by Misra's company Content Project Pvt. Ltd. for Reliance Broadcast Network, the parent company of 92.7 BIG FM.

Post the book launch, Misra plans to take the stories to a digital platform.

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17 unkown facts about Vietnamese cuisine

Chef Tong Hoang Gia shares trivia about what makes this fare unique

1.Vietnamese cuisine involves the use of fish sauce, soy sauce, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables.

2. Cakes are wrapped in banana or coconut leaves.

3. Vietnamese recipes make use of a range of herbs, including lemongrass, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves.

4. Traditional Vietnamese cooking is appreciated for the freshness of the ingredients and for the minimum use of oil which makes this cuisine very healthy.

5. Beef, pork, chicken, fish and various kinds of seafood are used in most dishes.

6.Vietnamese also have a sweet dessert soup that is usually prepared with beans or sago and served with diced seasonal fresh fruits.

7. Unlike Chinese spring rolls which can be oily at times and are generally made with wheat flour, Vietnamese spring rolls are made with rice flour and are very light on the palate

8. The spices used in dishes are mild.

9. Mint leaf is used extensively in most dishes to cleanse your palate.

10.You will primarily taste four flavours fish sauce, lime or rice, vinegar, salt and sugar.

11.This cuisine is famous for its noodle soup and spring rolls.

12. During summer the food is lighter and a lot of vegetables are used in dishes, while in winter pork and beef are used a lot.

13. Lamb is not widely consumed.

14. We avoid using preserves and corn starch in the food; the emphasis is on using fresh ingredients.

15. Rice wine is available in different colours including red, black and yellow.

16. Lotus tea is another popular beverage in Vietnamese food.

17. Every part of the lotus is used to prepare different dishes androot plants are used a lot in different dishes.

As told to Melissa D'costa

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Sex addiction to become a mental health condition

Sex addiction will no longer be a loosely used term. A team of experts from the University of California, Los Angeles ( UCLA), have now tested a proposed set of criteria to define hypersexual disorder — more popularly known as sex addiction — as a new mental health condition.

Senior sex therapist and counsellor Dr (Prof.) Rajan Bhonsle defines addiction as a compulsive 'preoccupation' with any activity. "When any obsession starts affecting major aspects of a person's life and relationships, it is classified as an addiction. Sexual addiction, therefore, implies an inability to control one's sexual behaviour despite its negative consequences. It leaves a person dysfunctional in all other areas of life such as study, work, relationships, social obligations, family life and personal health and hygiene. Some people have a higher libido. As long as it doesn't make them dysfunctional in any aspect of their life, it is not an addiction. But if they have conflicts over it, or worse, are doing things on the sly, then it is a case of sex addiction," says Dr Bhonsle.

Adds clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany, "Sex addiction is when a person has a markedly increased amount of sex to feel sexually fulfilled. He/she also shows a persistent desire to spend abnormal amounts of time fulfilling sexual cravings. This obsession, or intense desire for sex, increases each day and a person struggles to cut down or control his behaviour in spite of the damage it causes ."

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by a trained and experienced therapist, purely on the basis of a patient's detailed case history, which is compiled after talking to the person and/or his close relatives and friends. "There are no tests to diagnose sex addiction. It is as prevalent in India as it is in the West or any other part of the world," says Dr Bhonsle.

Treatment

Counselling and psychotherapy (multimodal approach) should be done by a trained therapist. "The multimodal approach, which includes the Robert Carkhuff model of counselling, a combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), has been found effective. Pharmacotherapy is advised for primary or secondary emotional problems while family therapy studies and manages the stress factors at home. It also involves close family members in the therapy,"says Dr Bhonsle.

"For successful treatment, it is important that the therapist is fully trained. Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can help those who have been sexually abused and have developed the disorder because of that trauma," explains Hingorrany.

Being supportive

Family support is an important part of the treatment plan. "A psychologist explains to the patient's spouse how sex addiction is a treatable disorder of the mind. Patience and support from the spouse really helps," says Hingorrany.

Symptoms

Compulsive masturbation (self-stimulation)

Excessive thoughts about sex

Multiple affairs (extra-marital affairs)

Multiple or anonymous sexual partners and/or one-night stands

Persistent use of pornography

Unsafe sex

Phone or computer sex (cybersex)

Indulging in prostitution or visiting prostitutes

Obsessive dating through personal ads

Voyeurism and/or stalking

Sexual harassment, molestation and rape (in extreme cases)

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Glam up your collar this season

Glam up plain ensembles with collar necklaces that are all the rage

No sooner did the collar necklace from the '80s make a comeback at winter fashion week all over the world, we spotted celebs adorning these ultra chic neckpieces. The jewelled collar, or bib necklace as it is referred to, is a suitable accessory to add a bit of pop to a regular outfit. Says accessory designer Sannam Chopra, "Go with a sleek hairdo, hair pulled back in a ponytail or a high bun for instance, when you opt for these statement necklaces."

"There is nothing worse than a clumsy overdone ensemble," says accessory designer Felix Bendish. So, the trick is to keep it simple. Easy style upgrades without having to compromise on wardrobe space, these statement pieces come with a statutory warning: To be strictly worn over a plain low-neck top.

Tips & tricks
- Use one to spruce up a regular tee or a boring tunic dress
- It gives you a formal look with a fashionable twist
- Choose from a wide range of metallic or fabricated collars
- Best worn over silhouettes of deep or tonal shades
- Avoid heavy prints, jackets, turtlenecks and chunky earrings

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How about some spicy chocolates

Who doesn't like to indulge in some tasty chocolates? Well, if you're the sort that loves making chocolates at home, then here's some interesting tips for you.

You can make those chocolates with an 'Indian' twist, to add to the assortment of mithais that you put forth at festivals.

One of the simplest way is to add a dash of cinnamon into the chocoltes that you make (remember the little cinnamon powder on top of your hot chocolate glasses?). This will not just enhance the taste, but if presented well, can make for a festive dessert.

Other spices, like cloves, star anise and anise also make interesting taste variations when you are making chocolate. Like the way wasabi adds that little stinging spice to dessert, you can get that with clove. All you need to do is boil a little water with a lot of cloves and use that as the binding agent when mixing your chocolate. Alternately, you could add a dash of clove oil on to the chocolate, once it is set.

If you're a little adventurous as far as your palate goes, then you can also try adding some tangy tamarind juice to chocolate, it can be quite tasty!

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Coorg, a green escape in Karnataka

If you find Ooty, Kodaikanal or Munnar a bit too touristy and crowded a destination in southern India, Coorg is that perfect holiday spot in Karnataka that is sure to please toddlers, youth and the old alike.

Not that this hill station needs to be chosen for a sojourn by eliminating other similar destinations in the vicinity. Just a three-hour drive from Mysore, 150 km away, Coorg district on its own has much to offer, beyond its coffee, cardamom, pepper and beetelnut estates.

There is much to see, admire and soak in at this hill station, which the locals call Kodagu, on the slopes of the Western Ghats, what with some pristine trekking trails, picnic spots, waterfalls, wildlife, woods, forests, valleys and some mouth-watering cuisine.

Situated at a height of 1,525 metres, Madikeri or Mercara is the capital of Coorg, with a nice bazaar, quaint houses with red-roofs and liberal use of teakwood reapers for doors and furniture, so common among homes and clubhouses in Indian hill stations.

It may come as a surprise to some that Coorg has one of the largest settlements of Buddhists in India, just about 30 km away from Madikeri, with their own Namdroling Monastery built in 1963, which the locals call the Golden Temple.

Once you enter the monastery, you feel transported into some other world in the Orient, packed as it is with some 5,000 monks in bright yellow and red robes, with some soothing Buddhist chants, smell of incense and breathtaking sights of pagodas.

After seeing those large golden statues of the Buddha and Tara, the intricate murals and Tangkha paintings, don't forget to taste some authentic Tibetan food here, especially the delectable momos and the subtle thugkpa, their noodle soup.

One is told it is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa - a major lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world - and the present Dalai Lama gave its shorter name, as opposed to Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling that this mesmerising place was called originally.

Before dwelling further, where to stay is a question that is bound to crop up. While there are plenty of hotels and resorts, including the Orange County, that can even set you back by as much as Rs.25,000 per day, it is best to opt for a home stay.

There are some 35 of them in and around Medikeri in a range of Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day where one gets not just to retire but also taste authentic Coorgi food and take some refreshing strolls on their plantations that grow coffee and other cash crops.

As far as the season goes, October to March -- like most places in India -- are the best months. The weather is pleasant with that welcome nip in the air. But Coorg during monsoons can be equally mesmerising and enchanting.

There are also plenty of places one can go to. There is Abbey Falls, not far, where one has to make his or her way through some dense woods, dotted with coffee bushes, trees and creepers, to suddenly find a cascading gush of water.

Then about 80 km away is the Iruppu Falls, right next to the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, also called Nagarhole, which is famous for its elephants, with a lot of other game and some 50 species of birds.

Children, especially, are certain to enjoy a visit to Dubare Forest, around an hour and a half from Medikeri. A ferry there takes you across to an elephant camp where one can see the pachyderms being bathed and fed, after which they are ready for a joy ride.

Talacauvery, around an hour away, is the source of the river Cauvery, with a temple to pay homage to this main source of water for some parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Not far is Bhagamandala, the confluence of three rivers: Cauvery, Kanika, and Sujyothi.

Another must-see is Tadiyendamol, which is the tallest peak in Kodagu and gives a breathtaking view of the entire Coorg, apart from the distant Arabian Sea. There is also the Naalkunaadu Palace built by Kodagu king Dodda Raja Veerendra in 1792.

After all this exploring, a bungalow at the plantation is perhaps the best place to retire. Toddlers can chase butterflies, and a hammock and freshly brewed coffee are sure to be at hand!

How far: Around 150 km from Mysore and 260 km from Bangalore

How to reach: By bus or car from Mysore. Closest airport is in Bangalore; the airport in Coimbatore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu is another alternative.

Cost: Around 35-40 home stays in Coorg ranging Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day.

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Top food trends to watch out for in 2013

Here's a look at what 2012 brought to us on the table from the labs, and what's in store in 2013

1. So much in a cookie

From sugar-free, to high fibre, and multigrain, cookies took on a new mantle as the year neared the end giving us antioxidant cookies. These cookies, made from grape seeds not only taste good, but also have an antioxidant level about 10 times higher than regular cookies, say researchers. Of course, all this talk is on in the lab, but you never know, cookies with anti-oxidant labels may hit the stores as soon as this year!

2. Flavourful fruits

Horticulture scientists in Australia for years were trying to create a sweeter and low-on- acid pineapple, and guess what they got into their hands - a new pineapple that tastes like a coconut. And something tells us, this is the first of many. Anyway, one thing's for sure, making pina cola will be so easy.

3. Long live the bread

Sigh, a loaf big enough to feed your family for a week can only last for two days until it becomes a feast for mold. Now, 2012 brought to us this news that this grief could soon be part of history. An American company claimed that it developed a technique that can make bread stay mold-free for 60 days. 60days?! Well, yes. At a laboratory on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, chief executive Don Stull showed off the long, metallic microwave device that makes it possible. While this will help save a lot of bread from the bins, Stull believes it could give us cleaner bread too. Here's how, bread manufacturers add lots of preservatives to try and fight mould, and then add extra chemicals to mask the taste of the preservatives. With this technology, it could be goodbye to chemicals and preservatives too.

4. Chinese farms on the moon

Though other countries have tested the prospects of growing food on moon, China had approving results of its first experiment this year. And in 2013, they plan to land an exploratory craft on the moon, as part of an ambitious space programme. During the preliminary tests in Beijing, four kinds of vegetables were grown in an "ecological life support system," a 300 cubic metre cabin where astronauts developed their own stocks of air, water and food.

5. Milk gets more

Next on the list of fortification for milk is heart healthy fish oil, and this version by US based researchers also passes the sniff test. In the lab, the formulation delivered 432 milligrams of heart-healthy fatty acids per cup, close to the 500 milligram daily target for healthy people. Health agencies of various nations, including India, look at milk as the best delivery vehicle for essential nutrients, and over the years, this drink that received quite a few fortifying doses. Many years ago, milk was first fortified with Vitamin D as a way to fight rickets.

6. Ready-to-eat festive fare

Now, its cultural and health aspects are debatable, this year, busy South Indians were surprised with ready-to-eat Payasams launched during onam, by South India's leading food brand. In three variants - Rice Ada, Vermacilli and wheat, these payasams came with a one year shelf life.

7. Seaweed, the new hot item

It all started with a slew of studies and research reports hailing benefits of seaweed in the diet, and soon came along seaweed bread, seaweed shakes and seaweed salads. We see 2013 will continue to get its seaweed dose along with other super foods.

8. Vegetarian meats

The idea of fake meats from plants (like soy and more) began to gain momentum this year. One reason being a considerable progress made in getting a closer texture and taste. Mock meats will surely find a substantial space in the freezers of grocery giants marked for vegetarians in 2013.

9. The green 'bug'

Insect diet started off in 2011, as bizarre, but by 2012, one heard of more and more of the 'crawlie cuisine'. And so will 2013. A section of scientists and entomologist hail it as a better source of nutrients and some environmentalists and champions of animal rights are only too happy to push the idea of breeding of edible bugs. And adventures chefs are on it with gusto!

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4 Types of tea leaf symbols

Find out what those patterns at the bottom of your cup signify.

The Four Types of Symbols
Tea leaf symbols are broken down into four main categories. They are:

People
This can be divided into two parts: people and body parts. It could be an indication of the role of a certain person in your life.

Animals
The types of animals which appear in a tea-leaf reading often mirror our hopes, fears, or dreams. They can also reveal personal qualities that we are expressing or show us the inner truth of how we are feeling.

Objects
Objects reflect what we create and generate, be it positive energy or chaos.

(Compiled by Melissa D'costa)

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17 tricks to take you from day to night

Who says going from day to night needs time and effort? With even just one of these tricks you can be ready and set to go out instantly!

1. Red lipstick can brighten up your face and add a glam factor.

2. High heels can lift an entire outfit giving you a sleeker, leaner look.

3. Nothing is easier than slipping on a mini dress to look fun and ready to party.

4. A blazer dresses up any casual attire for the evening. Try a boyfriend blazer this season.

5. Voluminous mascara opens up your eyes and gives a fresh look after a long day.

6. Good hair puts anyone in the mood to go out, and all you need is a hair straightener to do the job.

7. The best way to freshen up your nails is to apply a top coat over your existing nail polish. It gives them a freshly manicured look.

8. There is nothing like some bling to add oomph to an outfit and a cocktail ring does just that.

9. To get an early morning glow, touch up your cheeks with a rosy blush.

10. Be it a head band, barrette or clip, hair accessories will make you look dressed up in no time.

11. Glowing skin on an evening out is a must. To achieve this use body lotion with shimmer.

12. A statement necklace will change the entire look of an outfit, adding glam instantly.

13. A night out is perfect with a chain sling minibag, which is easy to wear and just big enough for lipstick, your phone and a credit card.

14. Nothing brings a glow
to your face like a good bronzer.

15. A credit card is essential to take you from day to evening so that you are set to be a classy girl and pay for yourself.

16. After a yummy glass of champagne you will automatically be ready for a fun night out on the town.

17. Always be prepared with breath mints so your breath can smell as good as you look.

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Chittoor's Horsley Hills touch the clouds

The quaint hill station of Horsley Hills in Chittoor district is the perfect refuge for weekend holidayers. Pristine air, panoramic views of the surrounding hillocks and dense forests, perfect weather and tranquillity — can one ask for more?

Standing at a dizzying height of 4,312 feet (1,314 meters) above sea-level, the unspoilt and tranquil environs of Horsley Hills in Chittoor district command breath-taking, panoramic views of the lush expanse of the broken hill ranges of the Southern portion of the Eastern Ghats. Located near the South Western border of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, this "Andhra Ooty", with its rich foliage, wildlife and pleasant climate is undoubtedly one of the underrated hill stations in the country.

It is a little known fact that the hills, called Archeans, are geologically some of the oldest. The idyllic hill station has temperatures that range from 5 degrees celcius to a maximum of 32 degrees celcius. And on most days, the occasional clouds that pass by you, leave you in awe. Situated at a distance of 56 kms from Madanapalle, it is well-connected to Hyderabad, Tirupathi, Bangalore and Chennai, and boasts of several tourist spots and adventure sports in the vicinity.

The area is a treasure trove of deciduous flora and fauna and rich in eucalyptus, silver oak, mahogany, coffee, jacaranda, allamanda, gulmohar and flowering plants. It is also
famous for red sanders and sandalwood.

The dense forests are home to several wild animals and birds. Panthers, sambars,
wildboars, bears, four-horned antelopes, jungle-fowls, porcupine are found in the ravines.

The environs of the charming hill station is home to several species of birds. Great Indian bustard for one, is the more famous and fast-disappearing species found here. The hills are also frequented by migratory birds like the red-throated flycatcher, Montagu's harrier, blue-headed rock-thrush, ultramarine lycatcher etc.

The invigorating scent of the eucalyptus trees, the soul-stirring sights of the underlying expanse, the echoing chirp of exotic birds and the tranquil aura that encompasses the hill station make it the perfect getaway for adventure-loving friends, couples and families alike.

Steeped in history
The hillocks got their name from WH Horsley, a British civil servant who served as the Collector of Cuddapah (Kadapa) between 1863-1867. In awe of the idyllic environs, he built the first building here — a summer bungalow — in 1862, that is now called 'Forest Bungalow'. The tiles used for flooring were imported from England in 1863.

Originally, the hillock was called Yenugu Mallamma Konda by locals and the name has a rather interesting folklore history associated with it. According to local folklore, it got its name from Mallamma, who was a saintly lady, raised by elephants in these hills around 300 years back. A temple in her name, exists 20 kms from Horsley Hills. Also situated 20 kms outside Horsley Hills, en route Madanapalle, are three hillocks situated in a straight line that house three Mallikarjunaswamy temples on their respective summits. The famed Rishi Valley School that was founded by Madanapalle-born philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, is located at the foot of the very hills.

Environmental Park
The Environmental Park, known as EEC centre, was built by Hyderabadi environmentalist Balijepalli Venkata Subba Rao. The lush park is a mini-ecosystem in itself, complete with trees, coffee plants, a crocodile enclosure, a mini-zoo, lake Mansarovar and a
nature study centre. The study centre has a museum and also an AV room where one can watch videos on wildlife, apart from a library.

Gaali banda/Wind rock
The hillock that boasts of a cliff slope, made of a single rock that extends several thousand feet downwards, is worth a visit. One can walk down the entire hillrock, admiring the unobstructed view of the low-lying expanse. Enjoy the rejuvenating heavy winds as they blow past you.

Highview seeing point
It is the most popular spot located at the highest summit, that offers all-encompassing view of the underlying ravines, valleys, broken hillocks and dense forests. The view of the endless expanse, dotted by hills and forests is in itself worth the trip to the hill station. Don't miss the sunset from this point — it is truly a spectacle not to be missed.

Kalyani tree
Do visit the 148-year -old eucalyptus tree — 'Kalyani' — that is visible from the Kadiri-Madanapalle road, that is 70 kms away, on clear days. Planted by WH Horsley in 1859, the tree was awarded the Maha Vriksha Puraskar a few years ago.

Lake Gangotri and Mansarovar
Gangotri is located at the entry of the hills, while Manasarovar is found next to the study centre in the Environ-mental Park. Folklore has it that both lakes never dry up.

Tourist spots near Horsley Hills
World's largest Banyan tree
Thimmamma Marrimanu banyan tree, that is located at a distance of 75 kms from Horsley Hills, was awarded the Guinness Record title of the 'World's biggest banyan tree' in 1989. Spread over eight acres, the sprawling banyan tree is named after Thimmamma, a lady who jumped into the funeral pyre of her husband and transformed into the tree with her husband, according to folklore. The tree houses a temple and Thimmamma's samadhi. The temple is very popular and is known to bestow the miracle of birth upon childless couples. The place is open from 6 am to 9 pm and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management is all set to take over the maintenance of the temple, that is currently overlooked by the village committee.

The famed temples
Three temples atop three hillocks that are aligned in a straight line around Horsley Hills and Madanapalle are popular tourist spots in the Chittoor district. Devotees throng the temple on Maha Shivatri and full-moon nights. The Sri Akanda Malleswara Swamy Devasthanam is perched atop the Malliah Konda — the middle hill — located in Angallu near Madanapalle.

Where to stay
The most popular choice with visitors is the AP Tourism Hill Resorts that is perched atop the hills. The resorts is a comfy haven, equipped with modern-day amenities and services. Apart from cottages, rooms, the resort boasts of a swimming pool surrounded by hills, a Kerala ayurveda centre that is a unit of Santhigiri Ashram, a bar, a full-fledged restaurant, a kids play area, a conference complex and adventure sports facilities.

Adventure sports area
People can choose from a wide array of exciting activities like zorbing, rappelling and trekking that can be booked for a minimum batch of 10 participants. Burma bridge, earthquake, spider web, rope sliding, horizontal ladder are some of the high rope activities one can opt for, besides the trampoline, archery, etc. The adventure sports are open from 7 am to 6 pm and anyone above 5 years are eligible.

Swimming pool
Nestled between scenic hills, the swimming pool is open from 8 am to 6 pm. Two adults and a child staying at the resort, are entitled to one hour of swimming at no extra cost. One can also opt for fun activities like water-walking in the swimming pool.

Room stay
There's no dearth of the types of accommodation one can opt for at the resorts based on one's preference and budget.

Weekday tariffs that apply from Monday to Thursday are a tad cheaper than weekend tariff. Breakfast is complimentary.

Whisper Winds (8) — `1,445
Wind Whistle (6) — `1,223
Wild Winds (AC) (8) — `2,335
Wind Fall (4) — `2,558
Horsley Suite (AC) (1) — `6,671
Governor's Bungalow (AC) (6) — ` 2,224
Cottages (big) (4) — ` 1,557
Cottages (small) (6) — ` 735

Prices for stay between Monday and Thursday, inclusive of taxes

Room bookings can be made round-the-clock over phone, the APTDC website or via email. One can call 08571-279323/324, 09440272241 or 09951611040 to book rooms or email aptdc.horsleyhills@gmail.com. All debit and credit cards are accepted.

- All rooms have room service and the rooms are clean, self-sufficient and are well-maintained.
- The check-in and check-out time is 12 noon.
- Lunch buffet is `115 per person
- One can opt to dine at a make-shift table near the room, set up under the stars.
- Music and campfire can be set up at a cost of `5,000 between 7.30 and 10.30 pm.
- There is no ATM on the hill, so ensure you withdraw cash at the nearest towns Angallu or Madanapalle.

How to reach
From Hyderabad (524 kms)
Buses: Direct overnight
private and government-run buses to Madanapalle are easily available.
Train: You can travel from Hyderabad to Tirupati by train and Tirupati to Madanapalle by bus. Catch the Kacheguda-Bangalore Express to reach Dharmavaram. The Dharmavaram-Pakala train halts at Madanapalle Road Station.
Road: Drive down to Horsley Hills via Anantapur and Madanapalle.

From Bangalore (140 kms)
Buses: Private buses run every hour during the day from Kalasapalayam bus stand. KSRTC and APSRTC buses leave from Majestic bus stand every hour.

From Tirupati (123 kms) and
Cuddapah (125 kms)
There are buses every hour in the day to Madanapalle.

Mandanpalle to Horsley (40 kms)
Autorickshaws and taxis are available on hire.

abhishek.raje@timesgroup.com

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A spicy route to good health

Spices do much more than just flavour your food. Used correctly, they are a storehouse of curative properties

Spice is nice and even nicer in traditional Indian cuisine. Think about it, what would our curries, gravies and sabzis be without essential ingredients like chillies, turmeric, coriander and the likes? And what would a tadka be without mustard, cumin and curry leaves? And there's that all important garam masala which - as the name suggests - is a blend of an assortment of spices.

But taste isn't the only benefit you can derive from spices. Ask the elders in your house and they are sure to start off a litany about the various medicinal properties of all the spices that are a part of everyday cooking. Yes, just like each of these spices have their unique flavour, in their own way they also work to contribute to our health. While turmeric is being researched for its potential to prevent cancer, coriander seeds, which have anti-inflammatory properties, are being studied for their connection to cholesterol reduction. The flaming red chilli is associated with a range of health benefits including reducing congestion, pain relief, prevention of stomach ulcers and even weight loss.

But as the golden rule says, you need to use them in moderation, as using these spices in excessive amounts may just work adversely and harm you. Below are a couple of spices (that we use rather extensively) and their medicinal properties explained:

Garlic (Lahsun)
Yes, it may give you bad breath but when you consider its medicinal properties, that is a small price to pay. Right from helping in maintaining cholesterol and high blood pressure levels to fending off colds, heart disease, infection and even impotence, garlic also has antifungal and antibiotic properties. Research has also proved that garlic has the ability to reduce the formation of cancer causing compounds and slowing the growth of tumour cells. It also helps raise the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and prevent LDL (bad cholesterol) from building up on the walls of the arteries, thus reducing the chances of plaque formation. In fact, just two cloves a day can reduce your cholesterol level by a massive nine per cent. For those suffering from hypertension, garlic helps control the blood pressure by thinning the blood and keeping clots from forming. Remember, one can obtain the most out of garlic when it is consumed in its raw form, crushed or finely chopped. However, don't overdo it - excess garlic can irritate the digestive tract.

Ginger (Adrak)
Apart from flavouring your morning cup of tea, ginger works wonders to treat a whole lot of illnesses. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it a natural remedy for heartburn. It is also effective against morning sickness, migraine, cold and flu, stomach ailments and even those dreaded menstrual cramps. Ginger is also being researched as an effective treatment for ovarian and colon cancer as it has been found to induce cell death in ovarian cancer cells and slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.

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Frame your fav celluloid moment on your wall

Want to freeze your favourite celluloid moments on your wall? Grab your mouse and go click-click. The poster you longed for might soon be out of stock

There was a time when the search for authentic film posters took us to dingy bylanes in the city or made us depend on that distant NRI cousin to return with the shipment. Not any more. A host of websites are on the job, selling original and licensed prints of film stills and posters. Collecting posters is thus no longer considered a niche hobby as you too can line up that empty wall along your staircase with your favourite movie moments.

Says Ankit Magori, VP Business Development of Flipkart, a website that started by vending books and gradually moved on to gadgets and now, posters, "Posters have always been popular collectibles since it gives people the opportunity to connect with their favourite movies, icons, and artists. Our research has shown that this had potential to be a scaleable and sustainable category." The demand for posters is such that they become out of stock the very next day. And it's not just film posters that are flying off the racks. "Pink Floyd to Monet art prints, it's the same story. In the coming months, we plan to launch canvasses, framed and stretched posters as well as 3D ones," says Ankit.

The burgeoning sales have made absolute rookies, fresh out of colleges, sit up and take notice. Take 22-year-old Bharat Sethi, who cofounded PosterGully, for instance. He saw that there was an untapped market, waiting to be explored. "I ganged up with my friends — Anuvi Srivastava, Utsav Marwaha and Mahesh Jhakotia and PosterGully was launched in May," he says. The site has almost 60,000 unique visitors, an unusually high growth for online businesses. Rahul Rao of OyeBazaar feels posters were always a fun thing to purchase. "They've have never been so easily accessible. That, combined with the massive choice online stores offer are key to the growth in this little segment," he says.

Buyers are spoilt rotten when it comes to choice — huge maxi prints, doorway posters, 3D and even vintage re-prints of New York Times pages. The websites are user-friendly with options of online payment or cash-on-delivery, free home delivery and money back guarantee. The USP of the sites is that they sell licensed products. "We acquire these products and images from production houses and suppliers in the west," says Bharat. "We also have a lot of domestic artwork posters, photography and prints, the rights of which we acquire from individual artists," he adds. "We've tied up with companies that have the official rights to print these licensed images," says Rahul. His company sources all its posters from these companies located in the US and UK. While PosterGully boasts of a collection of 5000 posters, OyeBazaar claims of an even bigger database. Bharat adds a word of caution, though. "Some sites are selling unlicensed products. Make sure where you are purchasing your posters from," he says.

While none are willing to share exact figures, all agree, the coming months will see a surge in the trend. So be it Batman saving Gotham, Monroe in her billowing skirt or Breakfast At Tiffany's, it's time to get them framed. After all, they're only a click away!

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Spat between Javed Akhtar, Kancha Ilaiah at lit fest

A quarrel over religion broke out between Bollywood lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar and Dalit activist and writer Kancha Illaiah at the Jaipur Literature Festival here on Friday.

The tiff erupted after Akhtar, who was in the audience at a packed venue, interjected during the session on 'God as a political philosopher: Dalit Perspectives on Buddhism', saying he was an atheist and no religion gave equality to women and weaker sections.

"Discussing religion was like discussing which cave will be better to live. If you want to follow a religion, follow any religion. It does not matter. If you have decided to commit suicide, does it matter how you do it?" he said, triggering applause.

To this, a fuming Ilaiah, one of the speakers, said: "Real life is not like cinema, certainly not Hindi cinema.... the crores of Buddhists in India have more knowledge than the intellectuals."

As the mood in the gathering got tense, the moderator wound up the session despite protests from audience.

Akhtar, who was to address the next session, then took to the stage and said: "All religious values should be based on justice and equality."

"What he said was bad. He can be an atheist but the rest of world cannot be atheist," Ilaiah said soon after.

"All (Bollywood) superstars are superstitious!"

Akhtar also countered Ilaiah's views on cinema. "If you watch cinema, it tells you a lot about life. Indians worship films. If you make a list of Hindi film villains, you can write the socio-political history of India."

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Irregular beats spell higher risk of kidney failure

The risk of kidney failure is greater for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially those suffering from atrial fibrillation - a common form of irregular heart beats in adults, says a study.

The findings by the researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research could open the way to new approaches, with improved outcomes for CKD patients.

Those who suffer with CKD or end-stage renal disease commonly have atrial fibrillation and tend to have a stroke or to die. However, the long-term impact of atrial fibrillation on kidney function among CKD patients has been unknown, the journal Circulation reports.

The new study involved 206,229 CKD patients who were drawn from members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large integrated health care delivery system, according to an UCSF statement.

Over the course of about five years, approximately 16,400 patients developed atrial fibrillation, and those who did were 67 percent more likely to progress to end-stage renal disease compared with patients who had CKD, but did not develop atrial fibrillation.

"These novel findings expand on previous knowledge by highlighting that atrial fibrillation is linked to a worse kidney prognosis in patients with underlying kidney dysfunction," said kidney specialist Nisha Bansal, assistant professor of Nephrology at UCSF.

"There is a knowledge gap about the long-term impact of atrial fibrillation on the risk of adverse kidney-related outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease," said senior study co-author Alan S. Go, director of the Comprehensive Clinical Research Unit at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.

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Smart dressing for petite beauties

Not everyone is blessed with enviable height like that of B'wood's Deepika and Bipasha. But hey, being short is not so bad either. If you are big on personality and style, no one will even bother about your lack of height. After all, good things come in small packages!

Here are some tips and tricks to highlight your assets by who else but the pretty and petite designer Namrata Joshipura, who manages to stand-out despite her small frame.

Trousers
Flared trousers are a big no as they add volume to the bottom and make you look broad at the wrong place. Go for slim fits that will give an elongated look to your body.

Capris
If capris are your fav pick, make sure you go for one that either ends at the knee or not be mid-calf. Calves are the widest part of the lower legs, flaunting them will only spoil the plan.

Shorts
If hot pants are not your cup of tea, then pick up shorts that end just above the knee.

Skirts and dresses
The ideal length for a skirt is two inches below the knee. Just like capries, skirts that meet the calves, are best avoided.

Mini's look great on short girls. Go for ones that are tight around the thighs. Flared, flounced skirts add to the girth.

Shapely pencil skirts will help you give a taller and slimmer look.

If variety is the word for you then, make sure you have a long straight-fitting skirt and an A-line skirt in your wardrobe, the latter only if you have a heavy bottom.

Go for monochromatic dresses and avoid pieces with stark colour contrast between the top and bottom.

V-necks and broad necklines, flatter petite women as they create an illusion of a long and lean neckline.

Patterns
While bold prints are a big no, horizontal lines are another set of killers. Make vertical lines your friend and patterns that traverse through the length of your garment are suggested.

Belts
Stay away from very big belts as they will divide your body in two parts, highlighting your short legs or short torso.

Bags
While buying a bag, wear it to see it's not hiding a lot of you.

Cut n fit
Avoid very loose and loud silhouettes as they have a dwarfing effect. Make sure your clothes are well-tailored and fit properly. Over sized T-shirts or huge tops will not hide anything, but only make you look bloated.

Shoes
A pair of comfortable heels will only add to your persona. Boots can be opted for when you wear trousers to give a continuous sweep of length.

Tops
Anything that ends near mid-thigh is absolutely unacceptable as it will cut the length. Go for tops and shirts that end anywhere close to the pocket of your trouser or skirt.

Kurtas
Avoid floor length- anarkali kurtas and if the silhouette is enticing you from long, make sure it ends at least 5 inches above your ankle.

If you are a sucker for churidaar and kurtas , knee level is where your kurta should end. Avoid huge salwars and try and keep the top and bottom in similar colours.

Last but not the least, feel confident for short can also be smart!

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Shaken cocktails less potent

The shaken not stirred debate about martinis has been made famous by James Bond, but now you can find out whether a shaken cocktail will make get you more drunk than a stirred one.

The site Gizmodo conducted an experiment to find out the answer to the perennial shaken vs stirred question.

They created cocktails with precise measurements of ingredients, for eg, 14 identical ice cubes from the same tray, each made using exactly 25 grams of water, and 70 grams of vodka with 40 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV). The temperature was also kept at an exact 73 degrees Fahrenheit.

To calculate the contents of the shaken and stirred samples, a digital scale was used to measure how much water weight the solution gained, and a distilling hydrometer called a Proof and Tralle Hydrometer was used to measure proof.

The results for the two drinks were measured on the basis of temperature, weight and measurement of water content by the hydrometer.

The temperature of the shaken drink was found to be 29 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the stirred cocktail measured only 38.1 degrees. The two drinks were then weighed.

Both the solutions had started with 70 grams of vodka, but the stirred solution was found to weigh 86 grams, due to the water gained by melting ice.

However, the shaken solution weighed 116 grams, gaining 46 grams from the amount of water knocked off from the ice cubes while shaking.

Once both solutions had reached a temperature of exactly 72.4 degrees Fahrenheit, they were tested with a hydrometer.

The stirred drink had dropped down from 80 proof to 60, meaning it had a final 30 percent ABV.

The shaken drink measured between 45 and 46 proof on the hydrometer, which means it had an ABV of around 23 per cent.

Shaking just ice and alcohol had cut the spirit's potency nearly in half, diluting the drink 1.75 times more than stirring did.

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Hairy chests out, welcome clean-shaven torsos

Rewind to the 1980s - Amitabh Bachchan's many heroines leaned over his hairy chest and twiddled with the curls - scenes which left that generation of women romanticising male chest hair.

Fast forward to 2000 - an era of male stars with clean-shaven, chiselled torsos topped with the perfect six-pack.

"Chest hair was the six-pack of the 1980s," filmmaker Shirish Kunder tweeted recently, sparking a pertinent thought - Where's the male actor who came on screen with his torso as it was?

The answer lies in the common man and woman's choice itself!

A survey conducted by consumer electronics manufacturer Philips India, which is set to launch a range of grooming products for men, indicates 65 percent men (out of 500 respondents aged between 18-25 in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi) are comfortable with the idea of removing body hair below the chin.

What drives this? The urge to look good and attractive for one's partner.

"A well-built body and an overall well-groomed personality have now become the benchmark for one's macho quotient instead of the amount of body hair one sports," actor John Abraham, who has unabashedly sported his neat, toned chest on the big screen, said.

"In recent years, we have seen a huge style revolution among men and they have started taking their grooming very seriously, be it experimenting with their clothes, facial hair, or body hair.

"Women today also prefer their partners to be more hygienic and well-groomed in every aspect, even if that means shaving off their body hair," added John, who is also the brand ambassador of the Philips Male Grooming Range.

According to 80 percent of the women who were part of the survey, too much body hair on their partner is a turn-off.

Amita Biswas, 56, feels "chest hair is sexy and men with hairy chest can be trusted", while 25-year-old Kavita Bansal said: "It is totally uninviting and unhygienic."

It surely is a matter of the generation gap.

But in its own little way, chest hair played a memorable part in romantic, action and comedy sequences involving actors like Amitabh, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar and even the Khans - Salman ("Maine Pyar Kiya") and Aamir ("Lagaan").

Cut to the 21st century, the younger lot of these actors and many more a la Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor, barring the fuzzy Abhay Deol, resorted to shaving, waxing, epilators, hair removal creams and even laser hair removal treatment for a smooth and clean look.

And just like most Bollywood trends do, this trend moved to the streets among commoners too.

Women are increasingly backing it and encouraging their male partners to shed their body hair. They are open to presenting their man with a razor or bodygroomer, booking him a waxing session and also discussing their likes or dislikes regarding body hair - all facts reaffirmed by the survey.

"It is good to be open to your partner and if it means talking about things like removing chest hair, why not?" said Pragya Sinha, a professional who prefers the waxed look.

But some, like actress Asin Thottumkal, laugh about it. "I don't judge a man by his chest hair. Whatever he is as a person matters more to me. I would go for his personality rather than his chest hair," she said.

Director Rohit Shetty was into splits when we posed the question to him and, amid laughter, he uttered: "I am a man, how can I answer this?"

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The proof of the pudding

Mumbai's original cosmopolitan dessert, the bread pudding still beats assembly-line cupcakes hollow

How many memories can a 5x5 inch lump of milk, egg yolk, cream, sugar, bread and cardamom hold?

Several, if you were lucky to have grown up in Mumbai before tarts, macaroons and cupcakes invaded the stores.

The stodgy bread pudding, Mumbai's cosmopolitan dessert, packs in memories of the sweet aroma wafting through modest hostel dining halls post-lunch, and walking out of a matinee show straight into a dingy SoBo snack joint to order a gooey burnt sugar-coated chunk.

It's not clear how the bread pudding became an important part of the Mumbai dessert culture. The reticent owners of the city's Irani cafes aren't willing to admit it has anything to do with the colonisers, although the stomach-filler often finds a mention in Britain's rich culinary tradition.

What's certain is that the bread pudding is a fast fading dessert. Here's why and where you should grab a bite as long as the city's dozen Irani joints still make them.

Cafe Excelsior, VT

The 93-year-old cafe run by Ardeshir Mazkoori is open seven days a week from 7 am to 11 pm. The pudding here is moist, light, comforting and bland in an oddly delicious way. It's something you can start your day with, over a cup of chai, and end your night with, too. Ask Nityanand, who mans the ready-to-eats counter, what the secret behind their pudding is, and he says it's the measure of ingredients. That's a secret Mazkoori's grandfather passed onto to cook Ali. Demand, says Nityanand, hasn't slipped a bit. Marathi theatre personalities, politicians and students still ask for it. "Sometimes, they eat two slices at a go!" he says.

Yazdani Bakery, Fort

The bakery that's been standing for 51 years on Cowasji Jehangir Street offers multiple temptations. Hand-painted boards promise freshly baked bread, apple pie and the best Shrewsbury biscuits in town. Aluminium trays stacked with pudding carry what we discovered was melt-in-themouth pudding. Part of the appeal of Yazdani's pudding lies in its simplicity. If anything bought off the counter in a plastic wrapper had to classify as comforting, it would have to be this.

Stadium restaurant, Churchgate Station

On a table opposite ours, four old men bent over a single chunk of the bread pudding, relishing every spoonful. We called for a slice and the staff was honest enough to say that day's portion was "overcooked". We went ahead and placed an order anyway. What arrived at the table was yellow, nottoo-sweet, dense crusty goodness. The demand, said the waiter, had slipped over the years. They now make just two trays a day. That's 48 pieces of pleasure, daily.

mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com

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5 Tips to be an easy-going mom

Are you among those moms who panic about everything whether it's dropping kids to school on time or cooking or something as simple as dusting the house?

But if you're becoming over-competitive or over-stressed, your parenting style may not only affect you but even your kids. Here's how to stay calm and relaxed.

Tips to being an easy-going mother:

Think about pros and cons of your parenting style
Think about how beneficial is your parenting style to your kids? If you are strict and tough as a mom, your personality can teach your kids discipline and values. Every parenting style has a positive side to it. Work with your natural mothering instincts instead of following the footsteps of other mothers.

Do not give extra significance to petty things
Kids tend to drop things here and there and it's not a big deal unless it is something that would hurt them. Don't waste your time and energy on small stuff that isn't going to make a big difference. So do not yell or beat your kids for those little mistakes as it's neither going to help you nor your kids.

Trust your kids
Many parents are extremely suspicious in nature and keep on worrying whether their kids are lying or whether they are into anything wrong. There is no harm in taking care of your children but you need to trust them and have confidence in them. If you have raised them with the right values, they would know what is right or wrong for them. Do not be extra possessive or protective as it is only going to stress you.

Do not over-burden yourself and your kids
To make your kids smart and active, you need not push them into ten different kinds of extra-curricular activities. Do not over-schedule yourself and your kids by forcing them into attending various activity classes. Enroll them for just one or two activities of their choice. Try spending more time at home bonding together as a family, playing games, watching good movies and doing other simple things. You will see that you and your kids are enjoying more by taking it slow and steady.

Not over-expect
Having a lot of expectations from your kids may not only bring them under constant pressure but also make you unhappy if they're unable to perform up to the standards set by you. It's best to encourage and motivate them to do their best instead of stressing yourself and the kids by becoming an over ambitious mom.

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Tips to maintain your bachelor pad

Too many parties, too many sleepovers can make your bachelor pad look ransacked more often than not.

And can be embarrassing if you are hosting your boss or, most importantly, a girl, over. Agreed, you are a bachelor, but that doesn't give you the excuse of leading an unorganised life.

With help from Gandharv Gombar, director, Rolf Benz (makers of luxury furniture), we put together ideas to keep you bachelor pad in ship shape.

There are always ways to make small space living not only livable, but practical and stylish too.

1. A daybed is a perfect solution for a bachelor's pad - camouflaged as a sofa with stylish pillows and finished off with a storage ottoman/coffee table, no one will know it is transformed into your bed at night.

2. A small, round table can act as an end table and breakfast area. Placed beside the daybed with a few books and a pretty lamp, it works as a night table, and flanked with pretty bistro chairs it becomes a dining table.

3. Furniture should be large scale and comfortable. Be smart with storage cabinets, use closets or walk-ins in bedroom.

4. Keeping a mini bar in the bachelor's room is a very good option for youngsters.

5. One espresso coffee maker to readily offer coffee to your guests is a must. Kitchen should be easy-to-use and maintain, yet smart in look.

6. Following the minimalist theme; simple chairs, stripped of prints and details are really the way to go.

7. A classy beautiful lamp should be placed that provides ambient lighting; as for style, opt for something simple like a steel standing lamp or something trendy, like a lamp with natural paper or even linen shade.

8. Adding a trendy CD or a magazine rack to your bedroom will make your collections look more organised. Use bookshelves in case you are an ardent reader.

9. Trendy media console for gaming and watching movies on your LED/LCDs when friends come over.

10. A trendy art work is a smart way to decorate the bachelor pad.

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Ideas to cook with tea

The Chinese have been doing it since they first discovered tea, and it's the current favourite among chefs across the world as they bring out its versatile flavours to the plate

For the culinary world, recession may have been a small blessing, as it brought into focus things lying overhead, in kitchen cabinets, like tea. Whether pastry chefs led the way or not, is debatable, but they surely made us comfortable with the idea of having tea out of the cup and onto our plates. Its subtle and aromatic notes made its way into breads and cakes. Tea infused chocolates and chocolate-based desserts, puddings and cream pairings were received well even by conservative palates. And while the Chinese are known to be cooking with tea for centuries, world over (India included!) chai is now a hot ingredient among chefs in their spice blends and marinades, and is being favoured for smoking and stewing meats and vegetables. As it comes in so many forms, it lends itself in many ways, says celebrity chef Ajay Chopra.

Local tadka
In north Indian homes, tea is often added to Punjabi chole for colour. "The typical chole dishes at dhabas, and even homes, are cooked with tea for that lovely brown colour," says Chef Sandeep Kalia. Tea is tied in a muslin cloth and added when boiling chole. This method apparently came about as an alternative, Chef Chopra tells us. "Originally, dry amla was added to get that black colour and a tangy flavour. However, in times of unavailability, aamchur and tea bags were substituted," and perhaps is now more a norm that the original ingredients.

Perfect for a detox menu
Tea, as an ingredient, has a great USP for today's health conscious foodies. "Being a natural diuretic and rich in anti-oxidants, it works well for a detox menu," says chef Zubin D'Souza. However, if you are using tea in your food, go light on the masala. He recommends trying tea-flavoured broth for fish, "Mild fish like Basa, or even pomfret, go well with it." You can try it with whatever tea you have at home.

Chef Vernon Coelho says one could use a milder tea — like Jasmine tea, to cook rice. "While it lends a nice and mild flavour, it won't give too much colour." A mild vegetable or prawn curry would go well with tea flavoured rice. However, choose your rice wisely. Basmati has a strong flavour of its own, Surti kolum will work well, as it doesn't have a strong flavour of its own.

For effect
Tea could be your secret ingredient to bring about unique taste or even for visual effect. "Like the Chinese marble eggs," says Chef Coelho. "Lightly crack the shells of boiled eggs all over with the back of a spoon (do not remove shells) and let the eggs steep in a hot, strong tea concoction for a five hours or more." You could add spices like star anise and cinnamon in the concoction for some flavour, if you like.

You could also create a tea jelly for topping your sweet and savoury treats. "Infuse cinnamon, red chilly and honey with tea, and you have a delicious tea jelly for toppings," shares Chef D'Souza. He teamed this jelly with grilled paneer.

Scene abroad
Chefs in San Francisco and Napa Valley in California use tea for many of their signature dishes. Napa Valley's Chef Perry Hoffman's tea-smoked duck applies a simple table-top smoker, perforated pan, loose tea leaves and six to eight minutes of smoking. He also likes steeping light black tea and poaching eggs, especially if they are from quails. Like the Chinese marble eggs, they not only soaks up the tea's colour, but also its aroma and spice.

Chef Vincent Pouessel works with an organic green tea mixture of lemon citrus, lemon grass and lemon myrtle by processing, powdering and then spicing the concoction to create a delicate coating for tuna loins. He is known to use tea for its capacity to add spice and bring a smoky, woody, flavourful taste to a dish. When smoking a duck, he explains that most chefs grow frustrated when the wood chimney taste isn't retained. With tea, this is not a problem. Tea retains the smoky essence that chefs crave, making it an exceptionally important ingredient in both French and Asian cooking.

Guidelines
Chefs who have experimented with tea in cooking caution against over-steeping. You don't want too bitter tea or overpower the flavour of the main ingredients. And never cook with used tea. The secret is to start simple. Try simple flavoured teas first.

So folks, think outside the cup; try cooking with tea.

Things you can try with tea
Tea sauce
A multipurpose sauce made by tea, chives, ginger, honey, soy sauce and lemon juice. Could be used with heavier meats like game, duck and beef

Tea marinade
Concoction of tea, garlic, clove and brown sugar

Tea in dessert
A sticky toffee pudding of rich fruit sponge covered with a toffee sauce infused with the light floral flavours of Earl Grey

Tea for smoking the fish
Heat together a mixture of rice, brown sugar and Jasmine or Chamomile leaves, so that aroma is infused in fish.

Tea for cocktails
Earl Grey-infused bourbon whiskey gives the Earl of Manhattan cocktail a winningly complex flavour

(Recommendations by celebrity chef Ajay Chopra)

saadia.dhailey@timesgroup.com

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Get your teeth inked

Looks like body tattoos are passe, and the next big thing in India is getting your teeth inked. A decade-old fashion statement in the West, dental tattoos are soon catching up in India too.

"We have youngsters who get their boyfriend/girlfriend's name inked on their teeth. As the idea is to show off the tattoo, they're designed on the front portion of the teeth," affirms Dr Anil Chandan, orthodontist, vice president, Delhi Dental Council.

"Dental tattoos came in the limelight when hip-hop singers and rappers began to don them to look phenomenal on the stage. This trend is basically for party animals," agrees Dr Prashant Bhasin, an assistant professor at a dental college, and a private practitioner, adding, "Recently, a 13-year-old girl got a temporary tattoo done on her tooth. She had seen it on her friend's mother's tooth, so she also wanted one. Temporary tattoos are stuck on the tooth with the help of laser, while permanent ones are drilled into the tooth. Patients mostly go for temporary ones because this is a fad, and may not be so cool after a few seasons. Though permanent tattoos can also be removed, temporary ones are easily removable."

Safe & painless option?
"There are no side effects of dental tattoos, until and unless you are putting in something which is not recommended," asserts Dr Sonia, dental tattoo expert, "The product which is being put on your teeth has to be of a certain quality. We use very safe products so that if a person swallows the stud by mistake, it causes him no harm. Even I got a dental tattoo some time back, and there have been zero side effects. All you need to do is maintain your dental hygiene, and keep a check on cavities, etc." And according to Dr Prashant, "It is not at all painful. Women think of it as dental jewellery and adore it." Dr Chandan, however, disagrees, and often discourages people to get it done because of multiple apprehensions (see box below). "Our job is to let them know of the possible side effects and leave the final decision to the client," he says.

Age no bar
Twenty-six-year-old Parul Suri got a tattoo on her tooth four months back. "It's very trendy. I came to know about it from the internet. I've got a single stud on my tooth that sparkles whenever I smile. It's been raining compliments ever since I got it done." Hers is a temporary one because she thinks that she might get bored of it after some time and might want to flaunt a new design. And in case you thought it's a fashion fad only among the young, think again. Dr Sanjay Arora, chief dental surgeon at Alchemist Dental Clinic, says that his clientele for dental tattoos comprises people from the age group of 15 to 50. Dr Sonia, too, gave a beautiful tooth tattoo to a 40-year-old lady recently.

How much is the cost?
"It ranges anywhere between `5,000 - 20,000," says Dr Chandan. Moreover, it depends on the stud too. If one chooses a gold stud, the price will certainly shoot up. "The designs range from a flower to a stud. Anything that the clientwants can be incorporated. And depending on the design, and whether one wants to get it on a single tooth or multiple teeth, the cost varies," specifies Dr Sanjay Arora.

Design details
In India, till now, the swarovski studs have been used the most. The pictorial ones are no so common yet. But you can get a custom-made design in a dental laboratory, which your dentist can stick on your teeth.

The temporary tattoos - often termed "gnasher tats" - last upto three months. They can also be removed by vigorous brushing. Sticking a temporary tattoo takes 15-20 minutes. Drilling permanent tattoos can take hours, depending on the design. It doesn't involve any surgical procedure and even getting a permanent tattoo is a painless process. There are no side effects if hygiene is maintained and there's no maintenance cost.

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Curated voyages

Astrogazing in Rajasthan, beachcombing in Orissa, swimming in the caves of Meghalaya and climbing a coconut tree in Kerala; the new intrepid Indian's itinerary has never been more exciting, finds out Supriya Sharma.

Camping in the sand dunes of Jaisalmer was an exhilarating experience for them. But this bunch of vacationers had come with a 'higher' purpose. Armed with telescopes and guided by a professional astronomer, White Collar Hippie's travellers were in Rajasthan for a mid-desert astronomy vacation. This fresh-off-the-boat travel company, which belongs to Mumbai-based travel buffs Sachin Parikh and Vikrant Chheda, offers 'journeys instead of holidays' to its guests. From sand-sculpture classes in the Chota Rann of Kutch to boat building and coconut tree-climbing lessons in Kerala, this avant-garde company is offering far more than just bookings and travel itineraries.
On a hobby horse
"In all our holidays — mostly hobby-based — we make sure to throw in elements of learning, adventure and local interaction. The person in charge could be an expert from the field or a writer or photographer, who's scanned the area really well. On our Andaman diving trip, for instance, we make our travellers stay with the local environmental team and learn about the forests and marine life of the region," explains Chheda.
Similarly, on their Ladakh trip, they make their vacationers work with the local harvesters, and travel with these locals on bikes, camels and rafts so that they see Ladakh in a totally different light. However, nothing beats their 'Band on The Bus' vacation — a group of around 40 travel enthusiasts, perched on top of a bus, sing, jam and travel with a music band! They did it for the Sunburn Festival 2011 and for the NH7 Festival, Pune, last year. "We started from Mumbai, camped in Lonavala on the way and finally halted in Pune. En route, the musicians played their favourite songs and exchanged music with the tourists on their iPods. We also had an acoustic session mid-way to the campsite," tells Chheda.
Tailor-made adventures are generating a lot of interest among Indians. Gauging their rising demand, marine biologist Manjari Verma and travel writer Avani Patel got together to form their travel company Broken Compass, which arranges half-day trips around Mumbai as well as longer international sojourns. The duo customises trips according to an individual's needs and personality. No two trips are similar. One could be as plush as a horse carriage ride and special anniversary dinner in a Ferris wheel booth in Austria, another may be as rugged as a private caravan road trip in the US. They rope in experts too. For a personalised shopping trip in Milan, Italy, there will be a stylist on board while a stay in Munnar will include a tea taster educating the travellers.
The young entrepreneurs also organise an offbeat 'Dine in the Dark'experience at a restaurant in Berlin, Germany. The idea behind the restaurant is that if a person isn't using his eyes, the other senses in his body heighten, like the aroma of the food or taste, allowing diners to appreciate their meal in a new way. Says Manjari Verma, "You are led into a restaurant with no lights or candles. Your other senses begin to heighten. Specially-trained, visually-impaired waiters guide you through your dining experience in the pitchdark ambience. This is a unique opportunity to taste something you cannot see and completely rely on your senses. Dinner is accompanied by live entertainment like music, a murder mystery or a little dark comedy, all meant to suit the ambience. It's a fun and surprising way to dine out in the German capital."
Earthy fun
However, dining in the dark need not always be an opulent experience. It could simply mean holidaying without electricity and a gas connection! Like in the case of 'Living off the Grid Experience', a vacation designed by Bangalore-based travel company Getoffurass meant for travellers who long to experience life in its most rustic form. "On our last trip, around 12 people visited a farm in an isolated part of the Konkan district, in Karnataka, where an expert taught the group how to build structures using mud, hay and other locally available materials. We built a mud sofa and a stove. The place is not connected to the grid — the group lived off the land exploring the various sustainable technologies on the farm, cooked over fire and discussed the various eco-friendly solutions," shares Santosh Kumar, co-owner of the company who also works as a river guide.
Kumar and his partner Devkishore's innovative trips aren't restricted to Indian shores. The duo has conceived a 'Flying Safari' in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, along with Dag Goering and Maria Coffey, founders of the Elephant Earth initiative. They organise trips to exclusive zones in the reserve. "The Great Rift Valley stretches out beneath us as our private charter plane takes us to the dry highlands of Laikipia. En route, we fly over Rift Valley lakes resplendent with thousands of flamingos. The USP of this trip is that you escape the crowds and watch the game without the usual cluster of minivans!" says Kumar.
Holiday activities
Climbing coconut palms: Tour operators are organising trips to non-descript villages in Kerala, offering visitors a chance to climb arecanut, mango and coconut palms, some 60-feet-tall! Dewalokam, an ancestral farm in Kerala, is one such destination. A professional tree climber is there to guide you. Climbing equipment, including a seat and pedal unit, are provided for safety. Other than that, the place also offers tourists unique activities like spotting butterflies, extraction of honey, milking cows and rubber processing.
Safari on foot: Satpura is the only national park in the country to offer walking safaris, which means you get a rare chance to walk in tiger country! For eg, one stroll begins from Satpura forest reserve and ends at Pachmarhi. Travellers get to walk in pristine forest, camping around tribal settlements, soaking in the stunning scenery, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and tigers.
Caving: While Ajanta and Ellora are popular, an unexplored option is Meghalaya, known to be amongst the top 10 caving destinations of the world. The state, which has huge deposits of limestone and abundant rainfall (six to eight months in a year), ensures cave formations here. Adventure travel companies are putting together customised caving trips to Meghalaya's dark and mysterious caves with pools of crystal-clear water. The trips involve a bit of free hand rock climbing, plenty of crawling, going through tight squeezes, walking and, if one is lucky, some swimming.
Beachcombing: Abroad, people are choosing vacation spots on the beach, and resorts are offering beachcombing as a family activity. It helps children bond, learn about various shells and be aware of the environment. When visiting Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar, Orissa, Goa, beachcombing for tiny fish, sea shells, and crabs is becoming a must-do activity for travellers.

supriya.sharma2@timesgroup.com

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Don’t throw the orange peel away

While eating oranges, we usually just peel them and throw the skin away. Although kids squeeze them in each other's eyes to make one cry as a prank, but that's wastage too!

Orange peel and apple skin are similar since most of the nutrients and benefits are in the skin of these fruits. According to Rebecca Wood, author of The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, "One medium orange contains over 60 flavonoids and 170 different phytonutrients." They are good for your skin, your system and your home too. Dr. Jaishree Bhattacharjee, Ayurvedic consultant with Satvikshop helps us find out it's different uses.

Medicinal Properties of Orange Peels

As per Ayurveda, orange peel is tikta (bitter) and has laghu and ruksha guna. Due to these properties, it effectively pacifies kapha and pitta. It is useful in disease conditions originated from imbalance of these two doshas.

It improves digestion and removes sluggishness in the abdomen. It helps to remove gas, heartburn, vomiting and acidic eructation. It works well in perking up appetite and relieving nausea.

Due to its kapha pacifying properties, orange peel powder helps dissolving phlegam in respiratory systems and alleviate cough, asthama etc.

Beneficiary aspects of orange peels come from its essential oils, which have anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Essential oil d-limonene has ability to defuse stomach acids and maintain normal intestinal movements. It also promotes normal liver function.

Studies have shown that orange peel can dissolve cholesterol and triglyceride. That means consumption of orange peel can benefit obese persons who have high cholesterol levels. It has a flavonoid known as hesperidine, which is said to be effective against colon cancer and osteoporosis.

Essential oils from orange peels are sedative in nature so can be used to calm nerves and induce sleep. Use orange peels in baths or simmer in a pot for uplifting your mood and drive away insomnia.

Beauty Properties of Orange Peels

Skin with kapha and pitta imbalance (oily skin) responds well to application of orange peels. It balances the skin oils and makes skin smooth and soft.

Dried orange peel beads act as natural exfoliators and remove dead cells and blackheads gently and naturally, bringing a glow to the skin.

Orange peels help in removing dark spots and blemishes.

Due to its cleansing, anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and antifungal properties, it works well against pus filled pimples and acne.

To remove damp or musky odor from house and fill it with beautiful fragrance, it can be boiled in water with clove or cinnamon.

Orange Peels in Cooking

In cooking, orange zest enhances the taste and flavour of many dishes.

Dried orange peels can absorb humidity from brown sugar

Sweet candies made with orange peel can tickle your taste buds and improve your appetite and the vitamin c in them would protect you from the onset of many ailments

Read more Personal Health, Diet & Fitness stories on www.healthmeup.com

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Create an atmospheric living room

Usually a living room or hall is the first room one notices on entering a home and must, therefore, be the most comfortable and relaxing zone in your house.

-Arrange your furniture in such a way that one can easily move around without tripping.

-If you have a fairly large hall, then designate separate areas or zones for various activities like dining, lounging, reading and watching television.

-If your hall is small, then opt for a multi-functional arrangement by placing the seating or the dining zone in front of or near to the entertainment or television area.

-Decorative screens, flooring, rugs and even art-work play an important role in defining the zones in the living room.

- A wall can be made the focal point of the living room. This can be done by adding interesting accent pieces like paintings and photographs.

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Perfect the art of grilling

This winter, fill your home with heady, intoxicating aromas of grilled dishes. Oven or charcoal, we give you a lowdown on getting it perfect.

Perhaps it's the smoky flavour or the mouthwatering aroma that it gives, grilled cuisine offers food connoisseurs, as well as novice cooks endless opportunities to create some spectacular yet satisfying dishes, especially during these chilly winters. Whether it's the good ol' grilled burgers or delectable tandoori chicken, cooking food in this way is not only quick, it is also a culinary treat to our palates. So to enjoy and master this form of cooking, all you need to do is conquer these grilling essentials and get that grill smoking.

Ways to grill food
Like in any cooking process, grilling too can be done by different techniques. Says Executive Sous Chef Himanshu Taneja, "Cooking with direct and indirect heat are the methods mostly used. It is important to understand the differences between the two methods to ensure success when grilling. Occasionally, both methods are used and are alternated to grill certain foods, which is often the case when grilling thick cuts of meat. The temperature required and the grilling method used, usually depends upon the type of food and the thickness of the food."

Direct heat
Direct heat grilling is the most basic and common grilling method. This method is accomplished by placing food items over direct heat in order to cook them. This can be done over charcoal, gas, wood or any other heat source. This technique is best suited for foods such as hot dogs, steaks, hamburgers, fish and pork chops.

Indirect heat
Indirect heat grilling is a technique, where the food is cooked with reflected or indirect heat. It involves not placing the food over a direct heat source and keeping the lid covered most of the time. If the food must be placed over the heat source, then the temperature will have to be low for the food to cook 'indirectly'. This allows thick food items to be cooked slowly, which is necessary to ensure that the food does not burn on the exterior surface, before the interior portion is properly cooked. Foods such as beef roasts, pork roasts, whole turkeys, and whole chickens are good choices for grilling with this method.

If you have an OTG
You can still grill... For those of you who don't want to fire up a special grill, you can still enjoy tasty grilled delights at home, by simply grilling in your OTG. The broiler function in the oven acts similar to a grill. It applies direct, intense heat to the surface of the food, sealing in the juices and producing a nice, crisp char on the outside. This technique works best for meats, which cook more slowly, although vegetables can be prepared under a broiler too, if they are carefully monitored. The key to grilling with your oven is to preheat it to the highest possible temperature first, then switching to the broil setting. This allows the oven to maintain a temperature that is as searing as a grill.

Grilling on charcoal
If you are investing in a charcoal grill, see to it that it is kept on a heat-proof surface, away from buildings and overhanging trees. Never grill inside your home, even in an open garage. Always start with a clean grill, as ash left over from previous cooking can rust the grill pan. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for lighting the grill. A charcoal fire takes 30-45 minutes to reach the proper cooking heat after you light it. Also, it is important to store the charcoal in a dry place.

Dos and Don'ts
- Always use tongs or a spatula when you are handling meat. Piercing meat with a fork will allow delicious juices to escape and hence make it less moist.
- Always ensure that the grilling surface is clean and preheated. Scrub the grid with a dry brass-bristled grill brush after every grilling session and again, once the grill is preheated.
- Drain most of the marinade from the food before placing it on the grill.
- Once on the grill, don't try to turn or move the food too soon. It takes about 10 minutes over high heat for the surface of a steak or piece of fish to cook enough so it will hold together and release easily.
- Watch foods carefully during grilling. The total cooking time will vary with the type of food, position on the grill, weather, temperature of the coals, and the degree of doneness that you desire.
- Never apply barbeque sauce on the food, until it is almost cooked, as the sauce contains sugar, which burns easily.

Recipes

Tandoori Paneer Tikka
Ingredients
30 pieces of 2 inch cubes of paneer
3 tbsps of tandoori masala
1/4 cup yogurt
1 large onion cut into square pieces
6 tbsps cooking oil
2 tbsps chaat masala
salt
Lemon wedges to garnish

Method
- Mix 2 1/2 tbsps of tandoori masala with the yogurt, 2 tbsps cooking oil and salt to taste and make a smooth paste.
- Put the paneer cubes in a bowl and pour this paste on it. Coat the paneer well.
- Cover and keep in the refrigerator to marinate for two hours.
- Mix the remaining 1/2 tbsp of masala with the onion pieces to coat them well.
- Thread the marinated paneer and onions onto bamboo skewers alternately.
- Preheat your grill on medium.
- Brush the paneer skewers with a little oil before grilling them.
- Grill till the paneer is light golden and the onions are cooked.
- Remove on a plate, squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle with chaat masala.

Grilled Shrimps with Garlic Butter
Ingredients
2 pounds of jumbo shrimps shelled and deveined, tail left on
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil.

For the garlic butter
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 large garlic clove
Salt

Method
- Use scissors to remove shells without disturbing tails.
- In a bowl, combine crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Put shrimp in bowl and stir to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently. - Remove the tails if cooking under broiler.
- For garlic butter sauce, in a small saucepan, melt butter.
- Add remaining ingredients and heat for 1 minute. Serve this dipping with the grilled shrimps.

Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
1 chopped onion
2 tps minced garlic
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 cup freshly sliced mushrooms
1 chopped tomato
2 chopped carrots
2 pounds ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Salt
Black pepper to taste

Method
- Saute the onion with the garlic first, then add the bell pepper, then the mushrooms, tomatoes and carrots, till they are tender.
- Set aside and allow all the vegetables to cool completely. In a large bowl, combine the grounded chicken and vegetables.
- Add the egg, bread crumbs, salt and black pepper to taste.
- Mix all together well and form into 8 patties.
- Grill over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until they are cooked.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients
12 large Portobello mushrooms
3 tbsps butter
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tbp lemon juice
3 cloves of minced garlic
black pepper

Method
- Wash the mushrooms, remove their stems and set them aside.
- Melt the butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper together in a small pot or on the grill. Brush the mushrooms generously with the melted butter and olive oil mixture.
- On a covered grill over medium coals, grill the mushrooms stem-side down for about 8 minutes.
- Turn and grill the tops of the mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes longer.
- The grilled Portobello mushrooms should be tender and nicely browned.

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