Monday 18 March 2013

Celebrated Chef- Asha Khatau exclusively on the India Food Network


Mumbai, 11th March 2013: The India Food Network, India's first internet HD food channel, continues to appease our taste buds and make our gastronomical journey even more delightful, with the array of talent and the varied cuisines, which not only includes expert home chefs, but popular VJ/actor and culinary diva Maria Goretti, who recently crafted a yummylicious French "Paris Brest"on the occasion of Women's Day. The latest entrant to lend her culinary genius to the India Food Network, is none other than the award winning celebrated chef- Asha Khatau, who in 2010 was placed third among the top ten authors/chefs for their outstanding career 

 Having more than 6 cookbooks on vegetarian cuisine to her credit, Asha wrote her first cookbook in 2002 and since then there has been no looking back. This food connoisseur has been bestowed with numerous laurels for her exemplary culinary talent  right from her very first book on vegetarian cuisine "Cuisines of the World"  which was awarded the "Best Vegetarian Book in the World", at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2002 in France. Delectable Desserts of the World, published in 2005, won Honourable Mention in the "Best Foreign Cookbook in the World" category at the Gourmand awards in 2006. 

Asha Khatau was the only Indian author whose book, Exciting Vegetarian Cuisines of the World won Honours at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2011. At the recently held Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris, Asha Khatau was honored for her outstanding career in vegetarian books. She received a citation and a medal from Mr.Edouard Cointreau, the President of Gourmand International and founder of Gourmand World cookbook awards which are considered the "Oscars" in cookbooks category.

With this award, Asha Khatau once again proves that international vegetarian cuisine is not only varied, easily adaptable and delicious, but easy to make at home! Whether it is American, Continental, Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, or Pan Asian, there is a recipe to suit every taste and palate. 

The India Food Network is proud to present the marvels of Asha Khatau, for the very first time on a digital broadcast platform, as she whips up delicious vegetarian cuisine including Gujarati kadi, Panki and Khatti Meethi Dal, in a simple and easy to watch- learn way! Stay tuned for more delectable recipes by Asha only on the India Food Network!!

About India Food Network:
India Food Network is India’s first full HD food network & a step by step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. From regional Indian cuisine to popular dishes from around the globe, the focus is on make cooking simple and accessible to all including beginners  IFN videos have loads of quick tips and easy tricks & the recipes are shot and produced in natural home environments. So you too can cook the perfect dish right at home.

Ping Digital Broadcast is a Mumbai-headquartered, start-up broadcast network for digital audiences, building content across knowledge, utility and talent genres. India Food Network  is a part of Ping Digital, a YouTube Partner

PING DIGITAL NETWORK POWERS THE “GROWTH NET”- THE NEW 30-COUNTRY WORLD ORDER


10th -12th March, at Taj Palace, New Delhi

Mumbai, March 11, 2013: After successfully associating with NASSCOM’s annual leadership forum 2013 held last month, Ping Digital Broadcast Pvt. Ltd-India’s first Internet HD Broadcasting Network is now the official internet broadcast partner for yet another coveted platform- ‘ The Growth Net’. Ping Digital Broadcast partners with the Smadja Foundation and the Aspen Institute for the inaugural meeting of ‘The Growth Net’ which is being held from 10th -12th March 2013 at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.

Ping network will handle the YouTube streaming for ‘The Growth Net’. The Ping Digital team will produce original content around the forum, and will update it on an hourly basis via the Ping Network live studios set up at the venue.  Discover more on www.youtube.com/aspeninstituteindia, where all questions regarding the growing economies will be answered by the head honchos in the business world.

 ‘The Growth Net’ has been designed to answer questions raised by the upcoming new world order. It has been created to reflect the new reality of the global economy. The event is aimed at helping you understand the new growth economies. The event emphasizes not only on the new MNCs but also on the MNCs in the making, with its agenda focused on the common opportunities and challenges, the common ambitions and expectations of the new constellation of growth countries, it is unique in terms of the business to business interaction it creates.

The forum will witness a paramount of speakers from a list that includes Shashi Tharoor, Claude Smadja,  Farooq Abdullah, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Naresh Chandra, Ronnie Chan to name a few, who are leaders in their field coming from a background of politics, business, academics, media or NGO’s. With proven track records and high international recognition, they will all come together at ‘The Growth Net’ with executives from the world’s biggest and innovative organizations to exchange, confront and foster their ideas and views about the state of business for emerging markets.

PING Digital Broadcast is a Google/YouTube partner in India and produces and distributes original content through a network of channels hosted on YouTube. These channels span the knowledge, utility & lifestyle genres. Ping Digital is a multi-layered 360-degree brand focused on reaching anyone, anywhere, connecting and building communities.

Aspen Institute India promotes values-based leadership, open dialogue and cross-sector outreach by engaging the civil society, government, private sector, and other key stakeholders on issues related to India’s development. It invites industrial, economic, financial, political, social and cultural leaders to discuss these issues in settings that encourage frank and open dialogue. 

Smadja & Smadja, a strategic advisory firm, created in 2001.The firm works with global corporations and government entities on strategic issues. The firm is specialized in generating high value-added knowledge, especially in terms of trends identification and assessment, and in creating "platforms of content" – international high-profile conferences, seminars, workshops, and strategic groups.

Monday 11 March 2013

Eat healthy stay fit - Healthy recipes for kids


Nowadays, people are too busy to prepare a healthy and sumptuous meal at home. And even creating fast easy healthy recipes is quite hard to be done. With proper planning, and a little help of few time saving tips, you will find out that it is much easier to prepare a fast yet healthy recipe meal for you and your family as well. Nutrition plays a vital role in our children's development, and we know this. But how easy is it to just grab a frozen pizza and call it a day! While tempting as it sounds, it's our responsibility as parents to find healthy recipes for kids that can be prepared and enjoyed at the family table.

 The healthy food which you provide to kids must be presented in a fun way to make them eat it.  Kids don't care about imperative vitamins and minerals and complex carbohydrates, they want food they can relate to, which is why food companies sell pasta in fun shapes and chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. Remember, in order for a healthy recipe to be a hit with kids, it needs to be appealing to them, so take your cues from what they like - animals, sports, cartoons, etc. You don't need to recreate the Mona Lisa out of tofu and fresh vegetables. Use simple recipes that combine imaginative names, bright colors, and kid friendly shapes for a sure fire hit. Keep the flavors simple (minimal or no spices) because you want them to like the foods as they are. As they grow, and their palate develops, they will be more inclined to try recipes with extra flavors (herbs and spices). Maintain your focus on vegetables, if you are trying to prepare a healthy recipe meal. As much as possible, avoid oils, cream sauces or using a lot of meat or dairy. You can replace your meals with beans or tofu or even protein rich foods which are really healthy .Here is one such recipe which would be a hit with the kids and adults alike.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
½ Onion, chopped
½ tsp. Garlic, minced
4 tsp. Cilantro, chopped
1 Tables spoon Butter
30 oz. Chicken Stock
8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
½ package of Taco Seasoning
14 oz. can Mexican Style or Plain Stewed Tomatoes
4 ½ oz. can Diced Green Chilies’
1 small can of Corn, drained
1T Worchestire Sauce
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (these can be frozen)

Put all the ingredients into a Crock Pot and cook on low for 8 hours. A half an hour prior to serving, pull out the chicken and shred. Put the chicken back into the soup and cook the remainder of the time (half an hour).
Serve with cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, and sour cream.

There are various sites which dish out lots of healthy recipes for kids and adults. India Food Network is one such site which you can refer to for healthy recipes, ingredients lists and much more. Good health and Good health is just a click away.

The gorgeous Maria Goretti whips up a special gourmet surprise this Womens Day exclusively for India Food Network


~ Maria Goretti debuts on India’s first digital HD food channel- India Food Network

Mumbai, 8th March 2013 : India Food Network, India’s first full HD food network and a complete guide to simple and delicious home cooking celebrates International Women’s Day on 8th March ,2013 with the very gorgeous, talented and yummy mummy Maria Goretti, displaying her culinary skills for the first time ever on camera. The India Food Network and culinary diva Maria Goretti, salute every woman for the demanding roles she plays in each realm of life- the role of a daughter, wife and mother, with undivided attention and unconditional love - with a special gourmet dessert crafted by Maria exclusively for the IFN audience!!

 The popular VJ and TV anchor Maria Goretti makes her debut on the India Food Network, paying an ode to all the women around the world, with a delicious French Pastry- ‘Paris Brest’ to celebrate this day. Surprise that special woman in your life with the decadent scrumptious goodness of the Paris Brest, topped with almonds, hazelnuts and whipped cream or a generous layer of chocolate ganache- as incredible and divine as the Woman in your life!
The ingredients of the “ Paris Brest’ reflects and sums up the innumerable moods of a woman- the tangy sweetness of strawberries, warm and fuzzy chocolate, the nutty rich flavor of the almonds and hazelnuts- the coming together of so many flavors and aromas to create that one perfect dessert!!

Make the day memorable by saying “Thank You” with a delightful Paris Brest and let the woman in your life cherish the day forever with every bite of this heavenly delight! Catch the recipe ONLY on Indiafoodnetwork (www.indiafoodnetwork.in) as Maria Goretti dons the chefs hat and sweeps you off the floor with this lip smacking Paris Brest!

Recipe of ‘Paris Brest’ by Maria Goretti
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
 85g all purpose flour
 85g unsalted butter
 ½ cup water
 ½ cup milk
 4 eggs

Toppings (Kiddies version- chocolate ganache, strawberries & whipped cream)
200g cooking chocolate
125 ml cream
½ cup whipping cream
A big bowl of strawberries
 Toppings (Adult’s version- Hazelnut praline & whipped cream)
1 cup hazelnuts (toasted at 175 degrees for 10 min)
¼ cup almond flakes (toasted at 175 degrees for 5-8 min)
Caramel from 1 cup sugar

Process:
  • For the Praline, pour caramel over the toasted nuts and blend in a mixer
  • For the pastry: Put the butter in a non-stick pan
  • Add ½ cup water
  • Add ½ cup milk
  • Boil on a medium flame
  • Take the pot off the flame and add the all-purpose flour while stirring continuously
  • Once well mixed, cook the batter for 5 min, stirring continuously
  • Knead the batter well
  • Once the batter is cool, start adding the whipped eggs, ½ an egg at a time
Tip – The batter should meld into a nice gooey consistency that stretches but doesn’t break
  •  Put the batter into a piping bag with a ½ inch nozzle at the end
  • Take a baking tray lined with silicon paper
  • Draw 2 circles using your baking rings as a guide
  • Trace out 2 touching, concentric circles inside your mark
  • Pipe another circle in between the 2 circles of batter
  • Repeat the process for the second pastry
  • Brush the batter with milk
  • Top with almond flakes
Tip – Place the rings around the circles of batter to help them retain shape as they rise
Bake at 200 degrees for 20 min and then at 175 degrees for 30 min
  •  Once the pastry has cooled, slice them into halves with a serrated knife
  • Smear the inside of one pastry with hazelnut praline
  • Onto this layer pipe, on roses of whipped cream
  • On the other pastry smear chocolate ganache
  • Pipe on whipped cream roses
  • Top off with a generous dose of strawberries
  • Place the top halves of the pastry back on
  • Shower with powdered sugar
Your Paris-Brest Pastry is ready to serve!

About India Food Network
India Food Network is India’s first full HD food network & a step by step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. From regional Indian cuisine to popular dishes from around the globe, the focus is on make cooking simple and accessible to all including beginners  IFN videos have loads of quick tips and easy tricks & the recipes are shot and produced in natural home environments. So you too can cook the perfect dish right at home. Log on to www.indiafoodnetwork.in

Sunday 3 March 2013

Eat Right to Stay Bright- Cook Healthy Recipes


There are lots of natural food stores opening up in different part of the world specializing in purely natural, healthy foods, these are becoming quite popular. There are even complete cookbooks, websites and cooking shows dedicated to showing people how obvious it is to cook speedy healthy recipes. Anything from appetizers, soups, entrees and desserts can be produced from a large assortment of new and nutritious foods that are conveniently attainable at any local produce stand, or supermarket.

Exploring the possibilities of preparing healthy meals and snacks can be a fun family activity and the well being good points and healthy lifestyle will create lifelong advantages. Eating nutrient dense foods such as speedy foods and highly processed foods can create a situation where the stomach is full, but the body does not have any real protein, fats, or antioxidants. The food that is eaten must be hearty enough to fulfill the nutrition requirements of the body. Eating large amounts of meats throughout in the morning slows the body down. The denseness of the meat lacks in fiber content, thus consumption of meat every day can slow down the frequency of elimination. This may create a feeling of sluggishness, tiredness, and painful constipation. It is up to the individual to decide what sort of recipes they would like to use and what is the purpose of using them. Organic foods are the healthiest foods and any food made from mostly organic food items would most likely be considered a healthy recipe. You see most foods people eat especially fast foods, which everyone loves, are not healthy for us because they contain too many carbohydrates and a lot of artificial products. That is why it is important to eat as many healthy foods as possible, it makes you feel healthier and it is important to maintain a good balanced diet.

A good place you would find ingredients for all your healthy recipes is at an organic food store. Not all foods are created equally, when you buy fruits, vegetables and meats from large scale businesses, it is usually not as healthy as you would think because most large companies put many chemicals into their products to make the items grow faster and bigger.

Food recipes are not the only types of healthy recipes, some people would also consider exercise as a healthy type of recipe for the body while again others may use reading as a healthy recipe for the brain. You can find lots of healthy recipes on the internet, but another place you may find some good healthy recipes are in an organic food store. Foods high in nutrition tend to have fewer calories, higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants that fight many diseases. Foods high in nutrients promote good health and well being. It is important to make sure your meals are healthy- the results of this won't show overnight but a constant and regular healthy lifestyle starting with your meals will show in time- and this maintenance is also something that is longer and less expensive- its results are natural and innate. Hot cereals, instant breads, pancakes, rolls, and waffles should be produced of whole grains. Try healthy breakfast recipes that include whole grain components. White flour offerings should be omitted from a healthy diet. The white flour is when grain has the fiber milled out. These are few pointers you must keep in mind to keep yourself healthy and fit. India food network is a site which you can refer for various healthy recipes, cooking tips and much more. India food network focuses on making the art of cooking healthy and easy.