Healthy Food #2 Exotic Fruit Salads, Pomegranates, Kiwis and Dragon Fruits

So when Life gives you lemons you make Lemonade out of it….But what about, when Life gives you Pomegranates, Kiwis and Dragon Fruits??

Well the answer is you make an Exotic Fruit Salad out of it.

This Exotic Fruit Salad consists of Kiwis, Pomegranates and Dragon Fruits.

And this is as healthy as it gets. The sweetness of the Pomegranate Seeds with their blood red goodness balances the bland taste of the crunchy Dragon Fruit. Let’s not get started with Kiwis, they are one of favourites. The tangy, soury, sweetness with the grittiness of the seeds is really exotic.

So wishing everyone one a Healthy Life with this beautiful morning fruit snack.. well you can have it any time.

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Cooking in my Kitchen #19 Basanti Pilaf with Chicken Curry essenced in Aroma King Lemon Zest

Cooking a special Sunday meal for your family and loved ones, and the joy it brings to them makes your weekend all the more special. Today was all about a traditional Bengali Sunday afternoon meal.

 

With the winter setting in… the chills can be felt with the incoming sudden blasts of the Northern Winds..and a Bengali likes to bask in the sultry afternoon sun after a good lunch. Basanti Pilaf is a preparation of rice with minced vegetables, cashew nuts, raisins and is a bit sweet and the appearance is yellow and hence the name Basanti which means yellow.

 

The Basanti Pilaf or Pulao that I cooked of course had its own twist to the traditional Bengali Recipe, a little less sweet with honey and a bit more spicy to give it a touch of heat. To compliment the sweet and spicy Basanti Pilaf , the Chicken Curry with Aroma King Lemon zest is just perfect. The tangy citric taste and the exotic aroma of these lemons are truly incomparable flavours when it comes to the Bengali Cuisine. The chicken is slow cooked to make the meat tender and juicy along with all the flavours of the spices.

The Basanti Pilaf is touched with a drizzle of Ghee (clarified butter), to give it an extra boost of aroma. Well what can I say it’s really mouth-watering and a perfect dish for a Sunday winter afternoon lunch. Hope you enjoy it. Good Food is Happiness and that’s what one needs to be healthy and alive!!

 

#10 Poetry: Ode to Eternals and Inevitables

 

Is it fair to Dare to be happy?

When you cannot even count the shattered pieces of your heart

 

Is it beautiful to dream?

When all they do is bleed when you kiss them like a Lover

 

Is it hopeful to promise falsely?

When every time I break them I lose a piece my heart’s hollowed Soul..

 

Is it ever wise to touch Lovingly?

When time knows how to burn my impression down gracefully..

 

Is it daunting to walk into a Battle?

When you desire your own Liberty in Vanquishment

 

Is it timorous to run away from the War?

When the conflicts inside you are tearing apart every strand of hope.

 

Is it valiant to walk the path of life?

When you know you are plummeting down the traps of your Creative Designs.

 

 

Is it sincere to change?

When you know change is Inevitable but you long for the constant cocoon of fragile Eternal happiness.

 

Is it unprejudiced to question?

When all the answers have been etched into the core of your consciousness.

 

It is.. it is.. it is.. it is.. it is.. it is.. it is.. it is.. it is..

 

-By Soumya Bunk

 

Life is almost always about dealing with dilemmas and choosing the right things.. they are difficult choices but the pain.. is alleviated.. only  a little when one learns to accept their choices…

#9 POETRY: TO BE KISSED BY A MOTH

Walking through the Forest of my dreams

I stumbled across this beautiful song,

The melody carved my heart and transcended

Into the depths of memories where I belong.

In my haste to surround me with this strange music

I forgot the bliss the thorns gave me

As I hurried barefoot across the forest floor , the music 

 Resonated in the broken heart which had ceased to be…

The forest cleared and I could see,

The strange blue fire illuminating my darkness,

Burning like the brilliant million stars 

From the Starry skies of my Dreamscapes.

And I saw the solitary Moth

Dancing around the fire,

Flapping the wings of silk black death

And the flames lapping around it with desire

As they circled around each other like lovers

The symphony of bliss weaved the webs of ecstasy

Lovers they were of centuries and millenias

Sublime passion igniting their fantasy

For when the Moth gave in and it kissed the fire

It never denied its own true nature

Singeing the black silk wings it liberated the being

From its inevitable mortal desire.

And I sat wondering was this melancholic

Or is it very poetic of romance

To die in your Lover’s loving embrace

Blissfully leaving the realm of existence.
                                   

                                            -By Soumya Bunk

Sometimes it’s just okay to lose yourself in love, not worrying about any consequences or the inevitable predicaments of Life.

Tales of Cocktails #1 Orange Beer Sangria

With the Rising heat of Summer, it’s time to chill with some cool drinks..It’s of great importance that we take in a lot of fluids and so what great way.. is there other than to chill with some great Cocktails on a Lazy Hot afternoon…Here’s Orange Beer Sangria.. A cocktail of Spanish Origins.. with some twists of my very own..

Sangria is traditionally a Red Wine based Cocktail with chopped fruits.. Orange Beer Sangria is essentially made with Beer(chilled) , freshly squeezed Orange Juice and for fruits I used Pomegranates..but any other fruits would do just fine..and Voilà your Orange Beer Sangria Cocktail  is ready…

To beat the Summer heat ..it’s absolutely perfect.. the Tangy Bitter Sweet Freshness and provides rejuvenation instantly….

#8 Poetry Every Spring I Fall In Love With You

Every Spring I Fall in Love With You,
The Memories of Bliss Come Back.
I Never get the Courage to tell you,
The Feelings turn White and Black.
I don’t have enough colours for you,
To Colour your Body with,
Just some Long Lost Words to tell You….
Enough to Fill your Heart to the Limits….
-by Soumya Bunk

 

 

Words they are So Powerful.. Ask a Leader..Ask an Orator..Ask a Teacher..Ask a Broken Heart..
Words when you Repress them Inside you..they Eat you up..Use them Unwisely and Frivolously..They Destroy You..
Just let them..be the gentle waves of Fascinating Creations..like a Crook in a Serene and Deep Forest.. Ready to be turbulent like a Raging River when Required..
World Poetry Day..and just a few lines.

Cooking in my Kitchen #16 Milky Prawn Clear Soup with Long Beans.

Clear soups are  light, refreshing and soothing to the Taste buds. The thin milky clear is made with made of water and cream of milk with crisp fried  long beans and chopped tomato to add an acidic touch to it.

 

The Prawns are sautéed quickly on a wok just to give them the reddish tint. The shells of the prawn are left behind in order to add more flavour to the Soup.The chopped long Beans and then lightly fried in high flame to give them a crisp texture.

A twisted is added by giving some crushed pepper and light spices to this light fried Beans and Prawns..and then a considerable amount of water is added with very finely chopped tomato. Boil it for quite some time..and take in the aroma of the prawns and light spices..Add some cream of milk and take off the Heat…and the Milky Prawn Clear Soup with Long Beans is ready to go.

The Milky Prawn Clear Soup with Long Beans can be served hot or cold..It goes best with Rice Dumplings also one can add rice noodles and make a Noodle Soup. This is a Chinese dish with a little Indian twist of Spice Play.

 

 

Cooking in my Kitchen #14 Fried Achari(Pickle) Eggplants with Aroma King Lemon Shreddings

Being an Indian and a Bong, Eggplants (Brinjals) are an essential constituent of meals. As a kid I have always loved lightly fried eggplants which are a delicacy.

 

Achar or Pickles are also a very common condiment served with Indian Dishes and Thalis. So this Dish is a special creation with the fusion of these two important ingredients of the Indian Cuisine.

 

Fried Achari(Pickle) Eggplants with Aroma King Lemon Shredding is a twisted delicacy. Small slender eggplants are very lightly fried and more baked in a pan and before it is taken off from the oven a sprinkle of Pickle Juice or Achar is added and stirred lightly. I used salty pickled mangoes.

 

To finish the dish you need an Aroma King Lemon more commonly known as the Gondhoraj Lebu (in Bengali) which has a unique aroma and shred it over the plated fried eggplants. The juicy fried Eggplants with the slightly sour Pickle flavour topped with the Aroma King Lemon Shredding is a good explosion of flavours inside your mouth which is quite refreshing and a palate cleanser. And don’t forget to add the special ingredient that they call Love and Enjoy this light Dish.

 

 

 

#7 Poetry : Petrichor Flowers

The tears Rained down my cheeks,

And the hard Ground came closer

As I fell down on the earth.

The Everlasting support seemed forever gone

The feelings all like Thunderous clouds,

The Warmth of Love, lost from Heart’s hearth.

 

The pair of Feet that walked away,

Away from me,never to come back again,

The footprints lost in the Pages of Time,

Left behind a shattered Heart

A Timeless sense of  eternal Sorrow

And the Fear, that you will never be mine.

 

The Winter froze the Ailing Heart,

As I locked away those Butterflies

In the Prison, bereft of Love.

The touch of Ice deadened the Heart.

The Feelings all ceased to exist.

The Fruits Bittersweet frozen in my Memory’s Grove.

 

Spring came with the Bountiful Promises,

Happiness and Joy all around

The Flowers of Passion bloomed blissfully,

But I crushed them down

And bit down upon my Bloody Teary Lips,

Putting away the Lonely Memories of Love, Carefully.

 

The Summer of Scorching Truth,

Burned the thawy Heart Raw.

With it’s Raging Fire it Danced away

Embers of Passion turned to Dust.

Now the Heart was Empty

Memories turned oblivious in the Tempest sway.

 

The Raindrops of the Euphoric rain,

Fell on the Scorched Heart

And sowed seeds of New Hopes.

Petrichor Flowers bloomed Again

And set free the Butterflies….The feelings

Danced to the Rhythm of Raindrops.

 

The tears came Again

They fell upon the Rivulets of the Earth

With New Dreams and Happiness

The Ground seemed Welcoming, Soft…

And embraced me with Blossomed Flowers.

The Innocent Heart Laughed…Devoid of Sadness..

 

-By Soumya Bunk

 

There comes a time in Life when we lose hope , someone or something and the heart forgets to laugh..to enjoy..to live, at this time there comes a realization and situation..which finally teaches us to laugh again and to live again..Hope is what drives us forward..and there is always a silver lining waiting..we have to be patient for the right Time and Situation..and the Right Person.

 

 

Cooking in my Kitchen #12 The Rash-Malai

The Rash Malai is a Bengali dessert which is a delicacy for not only the sweet-toothed Bengalis but also to people who have a great love for desserts.

It is actually sweetmeats (Rasgullas) in a reduction of Milk. The Milk is reduced to a thick creamy texture which is flavoured with Elaichi (Green Cardamom).

After a delicious main course meal an equally royal wat to end your meal would be with the Dessert Rash Malai. Best served when cooled. The sweetmeats melt in your mouth and  the thick creamy milk compliments the taste buds equally.

A dessert which is simply good for the summers.You  can garnish it with Kesar or chopped Cashew Nuts to make it even more tastier.

PS: If you have an extra sweet tooth , it’s not necessary that it has to be restricted only as a dessert.. you can have it anytime. 😉