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Another Quake Strikes Japan; 9 Dead; Aftershocks Continue

Japan earthquake hits Kinki Another deadly tremor measuring 6.5 on richter scale has struck Japan's Kyushu island in the wee hours of April 15th. Nine persons have already died in the south Japan earthquake and many more are feared trapped under collapsed buildings. The earthquake was so severe that the tremors were felt for 20 seconds, leaving 800 severely wounded. About 7,50,000 people felt the violent to severe shaking due to the shallow depth of the earthquake, reported just 10 kms or 6.1 miles beneath the earth. Since it was a shallow earthquake, the shaking of the earth is more intense. Deeper quakes cause less shaking, while shallow and surface tremors are the most severe, since they are closer to the surface and can spiral to a larger area. Thankfully, there are no fears of tsunami, since the epicenter of this Japan earthquake was in the land, not in the sea bed. This quake follows the recent Okinawa quake. Japan experiences frequent tremors since it sits in

Obesity Danger Lurks; Know Reasons, Risks, Simple Ways To Control

Obesity danger signs are ringing loud and clear. Yes, the world is becoming fatter by the day, with over 641 million obese people around the globe. world obesity bmi Statistics reveal that there has been a spike in the number of people with a body mass index of over 30. The number of such people was 641 million in 2014. Another glaring statistic from the The Lancet medical journal study is that one in every seven women are obese, while in men, of every 10 men, one has a BMI of over 30. What is Obesity- BMI Divide weight in kilograms by height in square meters to get the BMI of a person. It indicates whether a person is obese or enjoys a healthy weight. Any person with a BMI of over 25 is overweight. Those with a body mass index above 30 are obese and those over 40 are categorized under morbidly obese, with about 2 % women and  1 % men. In morbid obesity, the weight interferes with normal physical functions of the body, which include breathing and walking. The stati

Tasty, Tangy, Sweet Bitter Gourd Stir Fry (Khatta Meetha Karela)

khatta meetha karela Khatta Meetha karela ? Yes, the credit for this recipe goes to Chitra Balachander, a dear friend of mine. This lady boasts amazing culinary skills, with a repertoire rich in south Indian delicacies. Of course, she knows it all about north Indian food and other food varieties across India. She shared this khatta meetha karela recipe a few days back, which tempted me to try the recipe myself. I have given it a try and found it as one of the best karela recipes ever. The sweet & tangy bitter gourd stir fry goes well with rice, lentil curry, and any other gravy. Here's a sneak peak into Chitra di's recipe: khatta meetha karela by Chitra Balachander I made little modifications: 1 tsp- mustard oil 6-7 karelas (bitter gourd) turmeric, salt, jeera 1 big onion 1 tsp- tamarind paste 1 tsp- jaggery powder red chilly powder Procedure sweet & tangy karela Wash and cut karelas into round slices. Chop onion and mix with slic

Eggless Wholemeal Flour Cake Recipes

Baking is a passion for some, but for others, it is a hobby. For me, it is neither a passion nor a hobby. But the need for baking with whole grains arose when I realized the benefits of healthy eating. Whole grain bakes are starting to become popular even though maida/white flour/refined flour cakes continue to flood the market. Well, to me, food has to begin with the word "H." My choice of food and ingredients does not enlist unhealthy items. You all know me by now and have tried out my healthy recipes. This wholemeal flour cake recipe collection is just an effort to collate all of my healthy cakes under one thread, so that they are easy to access. eggless basbousa ith dates 3 Ingredient Biscuit Cake Steamed Eggless Almond Butter Wheat Cake Eggless Gur ginger Cake Eggless Steamed Biscuit Cake Suji Cake on Stovetop No Sugar Eggless Wheat Gur Ginger Cake Eggless Wheat Dates Carrot Cake Eggless, Sugarless C

3-Ingredient Steamed Biscuit Cake No Bake

Biscuit cake no bake!! Surprised, are you? Well, yes, this is simply the simplest cake recipe ever that gives you the tastiest cake. steamed biscuitt cake What's more, it uses just 3 key ingredients - take biscuits of your choice, add milk to make batter, and little amount of baking soda - that's it! Here's my another take on biscuit cake. Yes, I bake cookies at home and then use them for baking a cake, though this time again, I chose to steam the cake than baking it. It has come out super soft and yummy!! I crushed the besan-oats cookies I had baked two days ago and then blended them with powdered cornflakes (2 tbsp). You may skip cornflakes altogether. The no egg biscuit cake no bake would still taste delicious. This is one biscuit cake recipe in cooker or vessel that you would want to try every time your kids want a spongy cake. Any takers? biscuit cake no bake steamed Steamed Biscuit Cake Ingredients 20 biscuits (I used home made

Kaddu Chutney (Pumpkin Chutney/Condiment/Seasoning)

kaddu chutney, bengal gram chutney It was kaddu or pumpkin day in my kitchen today. I tried kaddu raita , k addu buttermilk , and kaddu chutney and savored all of these with dosa! Yum platter it was! The decision to make kaddu or pumpkin chutney came all of a sudden. It's very simple to prepare this tasty, tangy, and healthy chutney. Let's see what all I have included here! Ingredients kaddu 1/2 tsp- chana dal 1/2 tsp - urad dal 1/4 tsp- mustard seeds 1/2 tsp- oil 1 small piece of tamarind (I used sweet tamarind chutney) If you are using tamarind, then keep it for boiling along with little sugar for 8-10 mins Tomato -1 (if you do not want to use tamarind - I used imli instead of tomato) Salt, black salt Green chilly 4-5 mint leaves Procedure kaddu chutney pumpkin chutney Cut pumpkin into small pieces and boil with little salt and turmeric for 20-30 minutes. Let them cool down. Take oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds,chana dal and urad dal

Kaddu Lassi (Pumpkin Buttermilk)

kaddu lassi I am a Punjabi and love curd. Lassi is widely used in Punjabi homes. I love the salty, spiced lassi. But yes, I do not like its sweet version. Well, that's my choice. Hubby loves the sweeter one. Everyone has a choice! After trying out kaddu raita with inspiration from Tanvee Sharda's recipe, I used the leftover to make buttermilk. I try to increase the intake of curd in our daily diet, especially in the summer season. Curd keeps our bodies cool! I love it ! Ingredients 1/2 cup- pumpkin or kaddu raita or pumpkin puree 2 cups of water 2 tbsp- curd black salt pinch of sugar or little more if you want it sweeter salt mint leaves ginger grated -1/2 tsp Roasted jeera powder Roasted flax meal Pumpkin Buttermilk Procedure If you are using kaddu puree, then you need extra curd. Take 1/2 cup curd. Take all the ingredients and add them to the processor, except water. Give them a churn once. Then add water and churn once again. Check for spice

Kaddu Raita (Pumpkin Yogurt Curry)

kaddu raita  Kaddu was never a favorite this side. However, ever since I tasted kaddu sabzi (pumpkin curry) in a community kitchen in Khadur Saheb, I have developed special liking for pumpkin. Nevertheless I had never thought of trying kaddu ka raita unless I came across my dear friend Tanvee Sharda's heirloom kaduu raita recipe . Finally, I have given it a try and amazingly, the unique blend of pumpkin and curd tastes yum! I made my own adjustments to the recipe. Ingredients 1/4 pumpkin (sliced into small pieces) 1 cup- curd 1/2 tsp- mustard seeds 1/4 tsp- chana dal 1/4 tsp- urad dal black salt salt sugar- 1 big pinch green chilly coriander leaves roasted jeera powder (cumin seeds) flax meal (alsi powder) 1/4 tsp- oil Procedure dosa, kaddu chutney, bengal gram chutney and kaddu raita Boil pumpkin with little salt and turmeric for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Let it cool. Meanwhile, let's prepare the tempering. Put oil in a pain. Drop in mus

Chakuli (Crispy, Crunchy, Savory Rice Spirals)

rice chakuli Whenever I visit Odisha, I make it a point to bring loads of dantikulu or chakli or rice flour spirals along with me to Delhi. It's not that I do not get them here, but I have always loved ethnic food made by traditional hands. Yes, before I land in Odisha, my mother in law makes sure she buys dantikulu in bulk so that her daughter in law can feast over them. But that does not mean I gulp down everything just like that. I have set my own limitations when it comes to food and eating and hardly eat more than 1 piece at a time. Anyway, so my love for chakuli motivated me to try my hands at this traditional snack, which is made with rice flour. In some areas, they include besan or gram flour or chickpea flour as well to rice flour to enhance the flavor. Shall try including gram flour next time. This time I have made chakuli with rice flour and oats. Unlike its traditional deep fried version, I have chosen to bake it. Of course, you all know the reason by now - I har

Instant Aam Papad (Sada) With Jaggery: Sweet & Tangy Mango Slices

Aam papad has been a hot favorite since childhood. I do not remember how many times I have enjoyed these sweet & tangy mango sheets, though no one from my mom's side ever tried making them at home. After marriage, my mother in law, who is an awesome cook, made these savory & sweet mango pulp slices for me. I must tell that she makes the best mango pickle in the world - which is both sweet & sour. She made two buckets full for me after she found that I love aam achaar. instant aam sada papad odia recipe Who does not like sweet and tangy mango leather? Our generation has grown up relishing aam papad- wonder what all the present generation is missing out on! So this instant aam sada or papad recipe was born after my dear friend Poonam Bachhav had shared her aam papad post. Her post was the ultimate trigger for me to come up with my own instant Odia version. Poonam is the real Annapurna. I love the way she picks healthy ingredients to cook up deliciousness in the k

How To Make Eggless Whole Wheat Cake With Almond Butter, No Egg

This is another of my experiments with baking with whole grains. Perhaps you have seen me experiment a lot with almonds. You have also seen my cookie experiments with almond butter. This time I have come up with an almond butter cake with whole wheat. If you have been wondering how to make eggless whole wheat cake with almond butter, then this recipe may come in handy. Since my almond butter banana ice cream experiment was a hit, my hands have been itching to include almond butter in my bakes. This was the perfect day for another experiment. almond butter cake with whole wheat flour The whole wheat cake without egg is going to be a hit in your family. We loved this eggless cake, bursting with almond butter flavor. I am sure the whole wheat cake recipe won't disappoint you either. The best thing about this baked beauty is that you can experiment with flavor - add either bournvita to tempt the taste buds of kids or include coffee for flavor for elders. All in al