Gorkha Delish November 2016

FESTIVE KARTIK: Tihar and Chhath Revisited In the Nepali cultural context ‘Tihar’ has an unmatched vigor with the Nepali people residing both inside and outside the country and it is celebrated in each household with pride, delight and enthusiasm. Other popular names of Tihar are Deepawali, Yamapanchak and Swanti...

FESTIVE FOOD Preparations for the festival tends to begin right after Dashain and the sweet aroma of ghee mixed with caramelized sugar floats around Nepali household...

A PARAGON OF HOSPITALITY: KGH Group of Hotels Untainted by existentialist injunctions of life, the serene cadence of this place will evoke within you a special fondness; all problematic notions of existence will dissolve; you will tune into the ‘oneness’ of nature; its bounty; you will experience life for its

Issue 4 November 2016

true quality, its true worth; its real beauty...

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CONTENT Festive Kartik:Tihar and Chhath revisited

The enticing flavours of Tihar

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Review : KGH Group of Hotels

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Review: The Dream Garden Cafe

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Recipe : Sel-Roti Deep-Fried Rice Flour Bread

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Entrepreneur Corner: Karna Shakya

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Ask the Chef

Recipe: Swedish Princess small Cakes

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Recipe: Thekua

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The Hindu’s Relationship with Food

Recipe: Molasses Vegan small Cakes

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Recipe: Bombay Biryani

NEW NORDIC Cuisine

Recipe: Eggplant and Minced Chicken Salad

Recipe : Kyo tio Kai sub

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Lost Wisdom of The Swastika

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Recipe: Brain Cooler

Food o Scope

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Editor In Chief Prabalta Rijal

Content Editor Prabesh Chapagain

Creative Director Sandeep Khatri

Art Director Yogesh Dhakal

Marketing Director Suraj Pradhan

Graphic Artist Shambhu Ghimire

Photography Umesh Basnet

Write to us at: editor@gorkhadelish.com promotions@gorkhadelish.com

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Tasty Tihar

Dear Readers,

We have also gone an extra mile this issue to present to you a review, not only of a single hotel or resort, but an entire Hospitality group- a group that is considered

Deepawali or Tihar, as we know it, has always been about family get together, worship, food and celebration.

From the piping hot jerry swari to sel and aloo ko achar, we just can’t get enough of the delicious food this Kartik.

Tihar is a festival that not only lights up our hearts’ with

be a paragon in the hospitality arena of Nepal. And in case you are looking to start a new enterprise you may want to explore our entrepreneur corner that features Mr. Karna Shakya; know his secrets; his motivations, and his journey from rags to riches.

love, but is also a time for thanksgiving, where we show our appreciation to our loved ones as we gather together and light oil lamps, gamble and play deusi bhailo.

We also feature fall drinks that are delicious healthy and that which will help you detoxify your system; just the thing that you will need once the festive season is over.

In this Festive issue, we celebrate Tihar and Chhath and take you into a spiritual food journey with Brett Matthews, as he tries to bring to light a new perspective on

Similarly, we have answered your queries in the ‘asks the

food and the Hindu religion; renowned author of the

chef’ section with easy to follow fixes and DIY’s to all

book ‘ lost Wisdoms Of The Swastika’ Ajay Chaturvedi

your kitchen woes. As usual, our ‘foodoscope’ section will

explores the importance 0f the infamous swastika sign.

inform you about what food to eat and what to avoid for

And because there’s no celebration quite like Tihar, where

remaining healthy this month.

tradition meets extravagance and elaborate rituals take centre stage, we felt this was the perfect time to indulge

Wish you all a prosperous Tihar and chhath!

in dessert recipes with our Italian Pastry Chef and traveler Marco Giudizio; it is certain that Marco’s recipes will bring smiles to the faces of the small bhailinis who will brighten our homes with their graceful presence on the day of Laxmi Pooja.

Editor-In-Chief Prabalta Rijal

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Festive Kartik: Tihar and Chhath revisited

by Prabesh Chapagain

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reaking the after-calm of Dashain, another most awaited and auspicious Nepali festival, the festival of lights, Tihar dawns upon the festive Nepali air. In the Nepali cultural context this festival has an unmatched vigor with the Nepali people residing both inside and outside the country, and it is celebrated in each household with pride, delight and enthusiasm. Other popular names of Tihar are Deepawali, Yamapanchak and Swanti. Tihar can be considered a continuation of the Dashain tradition in the sense that just like Dashain it is a festival of celebration; of rituals; singing, dancing, feasting, playing cards and getting together with family and friends. However, it is also a break free from the Dashain tradition in the sense that on Tihar special love and admiration for animals like crows, dogs, ox and cows becomes evident.

Mythology has it that during the Treta yuga when Lord Rama and his wife Sita returned to Ayodhya after having defeated the demon Ravana, the people of Ayodhya welcomed them by doing a deepawali and lighting up the entire city. And that was how the deepawali custom is said to have been initiated.

The festival of Tihar is spread over the duration of 5 days, each day having its own distinct significance, and rich with fascinating customs and rituals.

Kaag Tihar: - Kaag Tihar is the first day of Tihar. Kaag is the Nepali name for crow, and just like the name suggests Kaag Tihar is the day when the Nepali people worship this bird. In the Hindu culture, crow is considered to be a messenger of Yamaraj: the God of death. Hence, the idea behind worshipping the crow is to ward off death from the family.

On this day, people cook delicious foods early in the morning and place it in a duna (bowl made of leaves) and offer it to the crows. On this day, there is a tradition to eat only after the crow has fed upon the offering.

Kukur Tihar: - Kukur Tihar is the second day of the Tihar festival. Kukur is the Nepali term for ‘dog’.

Hence, just like the name suggests, on Kukur Tihar the Nepali people worship dogs. In the Hindu culture, dog(a black one especially) is considered as the mount of Kaal Bhairab (a manifestation of Lord Shiva, the God of destruction) and the idea of worshipping the dog is to appease Lord Bhairab.

On this day the Nepali people put a tika on the forehead of dogs and also place a garland of flowers around its neck and worship the animal; they then feed the dog. Tradition has it that only after having fed the dog should one eat their own meal. This day of tihar is also known as Khicha Puja and Narka Chaturdashi.

Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja:- Most of the times Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja fall on the same day of

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the Nepalese annual calendar, however, there might be exceptions. Gai Tihar is the third day of Tihar. Gai is the Nepali term for ‘cow’- the most sacred Hindu animal.

In Hinduism, cow is representative of abundance and prosperity. Cow has been used since time immortal: Milk and curd for a sound health, cow dung for cooking-fuel purposes, and cow-urine for purifications and rituals. On the morning of Gai tihar people put tika on the cow’s forehead, adorn it with a garland made of flowers, and offer delicious food to the animal.

On this day, people clean their house and office and decorate it with marigold flowers, garlands, swastika signs and Rangoli (of different colors). As per the age old tradition, the Nepali people have been using banana trunks in the entrance of their house and diyo filled with oil to adorn and lighten their homes. Today, for convenience reasons however, a combination of varieties of diyo, candles, electric bulbs and lambs are used.

The Rangoli, the Swastika and the lights all aid to beautify the home and it glows as the evening approaches. On an opportune time (as determined by the astrologers) the entire household gather in the Puja room of the house and worship the idol or picture of Goddess of wealth, Laxmi by burning incense, sprinkling flowers and singing praises of the Goddess.

On this day, from evening to night, groups of girls and women rejoice singing Bhailo songs and dancing from door to door. The money and the food that Models: from left (Sabita Parajuli, Shreya Parajuli and Ashreya Pant)

they collect this way they later distribute among themselves.

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It is also a tradition to gamble on this day.

community to carry out the Mha puja on this

makhmali (Globe Amaranth) flowers on one’s

Family members and friends gather together

day. Mha means ‘me’ in Nepali; hence this

brothers’ neck all have logical connotations

on this night, play cards and kauda and feast

Puja represents worshipping oneself. The idea

that are unique to the Nepali Culture.

and drink.

behind worshipping oneself is for obtaining a

Gobardan Puja: - Gobardan Puja is the

sound health and long life.

After putting the saptarangi tika on the brother’s forehead sisters’ offer sagun to their

fourth day of Tihar. It is also known as Goru

On this day of Tihar, boys and men play

brothers, and the brothers’ too give gifts and

puja (Goru being a Nepali term for ox). On

Deusi from door to door in groups, sing and

dakshina in exchange. Bhai Tika is the day

this day, the Nepali people worship the ox by

dance and collect money and food.

when sisters and brothers come together and

putting a tika on the animal’s forehead and

share their love and care for each other.

placing a garland of flowers around its neck;

Bhai Tika: Bhai is the Nepali term for

they then feed the ox.

brother. Bhai tika is the day when sisters put

Chhath is another Nepali festival that

tika on the forehead of their brothers. This is

immediately follows Tihar; it falls in the month

On the day of Gobardan Puja there is a

the last day of tihar. The main objective of the

of Kartik of the Nepalese annual calendar.

tradition of making a small hill-like-shape

tika is protection of the brother: sisters pray

Chhath Parwa (festival) is celebrated with

from cow dung and worshipping it. This

for good health and long life of their beloved

extreme enthusiasm near famous river

shape is considered to be in the image of the

brother on this day. The tradition of Bhai Tika

banks and ponds all across the country. The

Gobardan hill that which (according to the

has its own ritual process.

Chhath parwa is dedicated to the ancient

Hindu mythology) Lord Krishna had lifted in

Vedic Goddess Chhathi Maiya and the

the dwapar yuga in order to save the lives of

Some rituals of this Bhai Tika like breaking

Hindu Sun God (Surya) who is responsible for

his village people and cows from floodwater.

of the ookhar (Walnut), keeping the brother

sustaining life on Earth, promoting well-being

in the circle of mustard oil, using saptarangi

and prosperity. The Chhath has a special

There is a tradition among the Newar

(seven colors) tika, and placing a garland of

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importance with the maithil population of the

all the doors and windows of their house

and lets it touch the water surface. The bratalu

country and is more vibrant and happening in

and clean and worship their Puja Samagri.

then raises the nanglo and Kunia towards the

the terai regions of Nepal.

Tradition has it that they ought to do this

sun (a gesture of offering). The ritual ends with

without speaking a sound. After having

an arati of the Sun.

Chhath, just like Tihar, is spread over the

done with the worshipping ritual, the Chhath

duration of 5 days.

bratalu drink water and eat fruits, kheer, puri

The fourth and the final day of chhath the

etc, and this too without uttering a sound. The

bratalu makes it to the Ghat prior to sunrise.

bratalu refrain from eating salt on this day.

As the sun comes up, s/he submerges her/his

The very next day of Bhai Tika is the first day of Chaath. On this day, the Chhath bratalu

entire body onto the water, gives argha, and

(male and female) follow a chokho khani

On the fourth day of Chhath, the bratalu

then grabs the nanglo and kunia and lets its

(eating pure) tradition. On this day they

takes an early bath and engages in making

base touch the surface of the water next. This

refrain from eating tamasik food like onion,

parshad: Thekwa, Khajuri, Kasar etc. After

ritual is again followed by an arati of the Sun.

garlic, meat etc.

having done with the task they carry the puja

The bratalu is required to change her/his dress

samagri and parshad to the Ghat and adorn

in the Ghat itself. After having done this, they

the space of worship with banana trunks,

take the parshad and head home with a blissful

color paper, glitters, Rangoli, Swastika signs,

spiritual gratification.

According to tradition, on the second day of Chhath the bratalu are only allowed to eat lauka bhat (Bottle Gourd and rice).

Kharna Puja, the third day of Chhath is the most significant day of all the five days.

On this day, the bratalu refrain from eating and drinking water even, for the entire day.

And once the sun goes down, they close

and use cow dung to purify the place. They then place the parshad atop the nanglo

The parshad of the Chhath parwa is distributed

and kunia light diyo (or candle).At the time

to family members, relatives, neighbors and

of sunset, the bratalu first submerges her/his

friends.

entire body onto the water, gives argha, and then grabs a hold of the nanglo and kunai

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The enticing flavours of Tihar

by Prabalta Rijal

The minute I think about Tihar, my sweet tooth starts to tingle. For me, this festival is all about traditionally made breads like Sel, Puri and Finni, malpua to name a few, and also assortment of desserts like Barfi, Rasbari,Pedas, goji and thekua which are offered to Goddess laxmi and then shared as a blessing of the Goddess with everyone who comes to visit or for playing Deusi Bhailo, a Nepali tradition very similar to trick or treats on Halloween.

As it is important to cook at home during this festival, preparations for the festival tends to begin right after Dashain and the sweet aroma of ghee mixed with caramelized sugar floats around Nepali households weeks before the festival actually begins, and women gathering together to prepare sel, finni, and other sweets like Thekua(which is also the most important dish during Chhath) is a common occurrence. During the celebration of both the festivals:Tihar and chhath, visitors are greeted with sweets.

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Tihar is about celebrating the victory of Good over Evil and is supposedly the day King Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the king of Demons who abducted Sita mata, who is also believed to be an incarnation of the Goddess Laxmi. This is also why the food cooked during Tihar, unlike Dashain, is usually vegetarian. On the other hand, Chhath celebrates the never ending cycle of life- it is the only Hindu festival that is dedicated to the rising and setting sun. The foods prepared on both these festivals are very similar.

is non-vegetarian and after the bhai tika ritual sisters’ feed their brothers with their favourite foods including meat as this is the celebration of the bond between them.

A few of the foods cooked during this day include: Channa (chick peas) Saag (spinach)

On Laxmi puja varieties of delicacies are cooked at home. Usually on this day, a largegrains cracked wheat are sautĂŠed with ghee and sugar and are accompanied by a curry of yard-long beans which, due to their length, symbolise longevity and wealth. Sel roti and puri and various other dishes are also served to

Daal mix vegetables and paneer curried potatoes Pulau Pooris (fried soft round breads)

groups of children, especially girls coming for bhailo in the evening.

The day after Laxmi puja is associated with the destruction of evil spirits, so specialities including Anarasa, a rice-and-jaggery dish, are eaten with Kheer/rice pudding and aloo ko achar, and on this too the sweets and savouries are

Baara Raita Assortment of goat meat dishes Rasbari Rasmalai

shared with children, especially boys who come for deusi in the evening.

Bhai Tika is the only day the food during Tihar

Curd

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Tips Fasting healthy during Chhat As women usually fast without water for 36 hours during the Chhath Puja for religious purposes. It is very important to take precautions that will enable us to stay without food and water for a very long period.

Please note that such long hours of fasting can also have medical implications on your health so only fast if you are fit to do so and take the required precautions before you observe this fast

Here are a few tips that will help: Drink a lot of Fluids: Keep yourself well-hydrated till the fast begins not just with plain water but also drink fresh fruit juices, buttermilk as these drinks are packed with nutrients and energy.

Stick to healthy carbs: Eat foods like sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats with protein sources like curd, cheese and cottage cheese in a regular pattern, Have a light last meal: Having a simple last meal will prevent less acidity. Avoid too much sugary foods and sweets. Keep it light and opt for chapatis, yoghurt, dal and lightly sugared kheer.

As Tihar is a warm joyous celebration expressed through food. So it is the perfect time to get into the kitchen and find your creative spark as jaded palates perk up and family and friends come together to eat.

While breaking the fast, start off with a little bit of prasad but try and have some fluids first before a heavy meal fruit juices and fruits. You can follow this with a home-made full meal of celebratory food which is not too oily, but eat slowly as this will help your digestive system recover without implications.

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A Paragon of Hospitality: KGH Group of Hotels

By Prabesh Chapagain

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n enthralling baroque architecture right in the middle of Kathmandu’s commercial hub, the Maya Manor Boutique Hotel is an edifice that will leave you perplexed. Maya Manor is a perfectly poised blend of the modern and the traditional; the entire structure and the spaces in between, dispersing vibrations

of comfort that will enclose your entire ‘being’ in its warm cocoon.

We had checked into the hotel reception at around 7 pm. A hotel staff had immediately greeted us with complimentary drinks in a cordial manner: kindness on his face and humbleness in his body language. Subtle things, minor details in hospitality, could make you feel special; this was indeed one of those moments.

We took the elevator to the sixth floor and walked towards our room. The rich interiors, the buttery-yellow-color of the hotel, the antique paintings hanging by the walls, and the artifacts that could be seen here and there, appeared in accord with the place- nothing was cramped; as if it was all meant to be there, right there; everything was so appealing to the eye; majestic; elegant; enticing.

With a centrally positioned neat and tidy king-sized bed, our room was properly lit, and exceptionally clean. A small refrigerator in the room added value to its worthwe could chill our wine glasses after all. There was also a big flat screen TV on one of the corners of the room. The bathroom looked sanitary and was facilitated with three different varieties of aurvedic soap; the wide windows of the room gave a clear view of the vicinity.

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I had heard that every single hotel of the KGH group has a distinct personality and Maya Manor boutique hotel was all about history. Built during the Rana Regime-in the year 1935- this building was initially a mansion owned by the first Commanderin-Chief of the country, Toran Shamsher Rana. Later, it became a residence of the Chinese Ambassador (for 10 years). ‘I brought the house for 3 lakh Rupees in the year 1974’, says Mr. Karna Shakya, the owner of the property. It was only in the year 2016 that the house was converted into a hotel.

After having taken a hot shower, we trotted towards Thamel, and made it to our dinner table in the heart of Thamel: the Kathmandu Guest House. We had our dinner in a garden setting whilst listening to the tunes of bansuri and madal played live by a duo dressed in traditional Nepali attire. I had been using my knife to tear the nan on my plate when suddenly I felt something move inside of me.

Instinctively, I lifted my eyes, and chanced around: I saw a microcosm- people from all over the globe gathered under the common Nepali sky; this was a home away from home, an ‘imperfectly perfect’ setting; unofficial; hence comfortable. And for a split of a second, it felt as if I had discovered the personality of this place; its essence. No doubt, the Kathmandu Guest House has been able to deliver a distinct ‘Nepali experience’ to its guests.

We then walked the happy streets of Thamel, and made it back to Maya Manor in less than fifteen minutes.

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Maya Once settled into our room, we ordered two

place where the ‘Royal Tragedy’ had taken

bottles of La Loge wine. And, overlooking the

place. I couldn’t believe that I was staring

drowsy road with the now and then retreating

at the massacre grounds; it was so close; as

vehicles, we sipped in from our wine glasses.

if I was overlooking the main road from the

After the bottles were empty, we crashed into

Verandah of my own house. And just then,

our bed.

a thought brushed against my mind: Maya Manor Boutique hotel will somehow always

The next morning, after having taken an early

be attached with the Nepali history; or at

shower, I went out into the balcony. And it

least, it will always work towards informing

was right this moment I realized something;

the guests about the ill-fated historical event

something that had not crossed my mind till

that took place on 1 June, 2001(Jestha 19, 9:15

now: Maya Manor hotel was just opposite to

pm).

the Narayanhiti Royal Palace grounds- the

Manor

Boutique

hotel will somehow always be

attached

with

the

Nepali history; or at least, it will always work towards informing the guests about the ill-fated historical event that took place on 1 June, 2001(Jestha 19, 9:15 pm)

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With breakfast on our minds we descended the elevator. We discovered the heritage room instead, and marveled at the antique artifacts and paintings. The items was so pleasing to the eye that we had spend almost 30 minutes inside the room without even being aware of time; these were items that were fit for a museum.

On one of the walls of the indoor restaurant, I noticed antique pictures of Royal families from different parts of India and Nepal; these appeared older than the history of the mansion itself. We mused over the photographs for a while, and then sat down for breakfast.

Maya Manor Boutique hotel is a result of a lot of thought, expertise and money. Its restoration has been done in such a manner that even a 9 rector scale earthquake cannot damage the building. I would compare the Maya Manor Boutique hotel with some of the best hotels in Jakarta and New York, and even some baroque buildings of Germany.

Maya Manor Botique Hotel has been a preferred choice of stay for some living legends of the ‘conservational world’. Recently, renowned primatologists like George Schaller and Jane Goodall have been reported to have stayed in the Hotel. The Maya Manor also claims to have served Alex Mathieson (a renowned environmentalist, and son of Peter Mathieson- author of ‘Snow Leopard’).

If you are flying to Nepal, the Maya Manor Botique Hotel is something we would absolutely recommend to you. And while you are here, do explore some of Nepal’s history.

Next, we boarded a cab and headed towards another of the KGH group hotels, the Park Village Resort in Budhanilkantha.

Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.

–Gary Snyder A mere 20-25 minutes drive from the Kathmandu International Airport, yet far enough from the despairs of the ambitious city, the Park Village Resort with its vast greenery and its relaxed natural setting will immediately appeal your psyche. Untainted by existentialist injunctions of life, the serene cadence of this place will evoke within you a special fondness; all problematic notions of existence will dissolve; you will tune into the ‘oneness’ of nature; its bounty; you will experience life for its true quality, its true worth; its real beauty.

Located on the foothills of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park (north of Kathmandu), and spread over seven acres of land, the

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Park Village Resort is home to various species of butterflies, birds and

resort promotes. The best thing about this family business is that they

dragonflies. This resort is an outstanding example of an infrastructure

custom design the trips in order to meet the needs and requirements of

that is built into the womb of nature.

the guests (what better way to say: ‘we truly care’). Park village Resort also hosts a BBQ event (with live music) every Friday, and they have

In the Park Village the ‘natural’ dominates the ‘man-made’. If you are a

attractive packages for couples and families who intend to participate.

nature-lover we absolutely recommend that you visit this place; it’s only obvious that you will fall in love with the location; the vicinity too, it has

The outdoor swimming pool of the resort has been voted as one of the

equal charms.

best in Kathmandu, and unlike other locations, they always have a life guard on duty.

‘We are one of the most eco-friendly hotels, not only in Nepal, but all over south Asia. We try to recycle as much as possible’ says Kevin Ma,

The serene environment of the Park Village Resort paired with its

Corporate Resident Manager of the resort, ‘We are trying to run the

good food and accommodation makes it a preferred choice of stay

entire property on solar power; this is a break from the hospitality trend

in Kathmandu; it is guaranteed that you will have a rejuvenating

in Nepal and we are proud of it’, Kevin sounded enthusiastic. ‘The idea

experience in this place, an experience that you will cherish for a lifetime.

is to give back to nature’, Kevin thoughtfully added.

With altogether 7 hotels and a capacity of around 600 rooms, the Park Village Resort is one of the few hotels in the country that is spread

KGH group is working towards making a difference in the hospitality

over so much land; no wonder it’s the number one choice for hosting

and the tourism arena of Nepal. Other hotels of the KGH group are

big conferences. There are 7 conference halls, almost 135 rooms and

Water Front Resort in Lakeside, Pokhara, Himalayan Front Resort in

21 service apartments in the resorts. The massive outdoor space also

Sarangkot, Pokhara; Buddha Maya Garden Resort in Lumbini, and

makes Park Village a preferred location for hosting corporate parties,

Maruni Scantuary Lodge in Chitwan.

wedding ceremonies and rituals like bratabandha.

Bird watching, hiking, trekking, and adventure sports like bungee jumping, paragliding, rafting and canoeing are some activities that the

Gorkha Delish With altogether 7 hotels and a capacity of around 600 rooms, the KGH group is working towards making a difference in the hospitality and the tourism arena of Nepal. Other hotels of the KGH group are Water Front Resort in Lakeside, Pokhara, Himalayan Front Resort in Sarangkot, Pokhara; Buddha Maya Garden Resort in Lumbini, and Maruni Scantuary Lodge in Chitwan.

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THE DREAM GARDEN CAFE : a foodie’s paradise

By Prabalta Rijal

F

that isn’t perfect just like us and thus perfect or over 50 years Kathmandu

in its imperfections.

Guest house has served as a tranquil oasis amidst the

hustle and bustle of

The tranquil environment and delicious food are actually what makes this cafe so popular

The one thing that strikes us as we enter

with local and international travellers alike,

life inside Thamel.

the garden of the eighteenth century Rana

and I am certain it isn’t just me who enjoys this

It’s tranquil gardens with flower vines and

mansion, is its majestic architecture-the white

place, as so many famous people who have

statutes of buddha and Nepali artefacts

roman style pillars with intricately carved

stayed here and roamed this garden before

make you feel like you have escaped into a

designs on the large windows. Though only

me including my favourite Ricky Martin. In

traveler’s paradise, where you can spend an

one part of this majestic mansion remains

fact, ‘Their Walk of Fame’, honors a proud

entire day just reading your book and sipping

after the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake, the guest

list of famous celebrities and scholars’ and

in lemonade from a jar.

house has been renovated and remodelled

mountaineers who have stayed at KGH, but

in such a way that it hasn’t lost its original

what had me jumping was the fact that even

grandeur and has instead magnified its

The Beatles had stayed there in 1968.

It’s probably because of the tranquility it

allure, making you feel like you have walked

offers, Kathmandu Guest House has been

into a dream and that is perhaps why it got

termed as a home away from home, a place

its name ‘the dream garden cafe’.

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Okay, so, before I sway off and start going

tangy flavour from the marinade lingered on

on and on about Ricky Martin, let me just tell

in your mouth a while.

you about our dining experience at KGH. we had heard a lot about their Indian clay oven, so choosing Indian cuisine was an obvious

For the main course we ordered Chicken

choice and not a bad one either.

Butter Masala, Jeera Rice Sabzi Jalfrezi, Daal Makhani and plain Naan.The Chicken Butter masala was creamy and fresh, the bite

For starters, we started off with vegetable

size portions of the Chicken were succulent

Pokodas, Paneer Tikkas and Chicken Tikkas,

and soft and though the curry was spicy

which were cooked so well that we just had

it’s buttery flavour dulled the spicy effect.

to order some more. The Indian vegetable

The Naans were soft and not at all chewy

fritters were crispy and light, which the

and went really well with the Butter Chicken

chicken tikkas were soft and tender and their

Masala and the Sabzi Jalfrezi. This sweet and

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The tranquil environment and delicious food are actually what makes this cafe so popular with local and international travellers alike

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sour tomato based dish was light and for the first time my six year old did not frown at the sight of vegetables and actually had an extra serving, as the minimal spices brought out the flavours of the individual vegetables.

It is no wonder that the ‘Dream Garden Cafe’ is so popular for its Indian Cuisine. Apart from the delicious Indian cuisine, the cafe is also famous for its Continental and Chinese, and though we did not indulge in Chinese and Continental, we have heard that it is just as good. So, if you are looking to spend some quality laid back time with your family and friends this is the place we would absolutely recommend to you.

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Entrepreneur Corner: Karna Shakya Karna Shakya is an entrepreneur, author and a motivational speaker, but most of all he is a man with a vision who can spot the extraordinary in the ordinary. He has worked relentlessly all his life, and now at 72 years of age he still demonstrates confidence that could tame wild horses. The ‘Gorkha Delish’ team met up with this extraordinary personality for an exclusive interview about his life, vision and inspirations.

Gorkha Delish

Excerpts:

Karna Shakya: It was in the year 1979 that I resigned from forestry and started the first hotel

Gorkha Delish: Mr. Shakya, people

in Thamel. Kathmandu Guest House (KGH) was

know you as an entrepreneur, thinker,

my first hotel. I started out with only 13 rooms but

author, and motivational speaker. Could

it worked out well and we were able to do good

you tell us something about yourself

business.

that most people don’t know, something that you consider absolutely essential to

If you look at it now, KGH is one of the most reputed

have gathered your momentum for a

businesses of this country, and it operates a chain of

successful life?

hotels that are all distinct in its own way.

Karna Shakya: I am a forester. I did my masters’ in forestry. I worked as a

Gorkha Delish: Entrepreneurs envy you for having a

forest officer for the wildlife department;

right in the heart of Thamel. Among the seven hotels

that was about 50 years ago. Then, you

of the KGH group what comes second In terms of

guys were not even born. I had both the

business volume?

money minting machine: Kathmandu Guest house,

privilege and the honor to establish the ‘Chitwan National Park’ and become a

Karna Shakya (laughs): I will correct you there.

pioneer in the wildlife conservation arena

Kathmandu Guest house WAS a money minting

of the country.

machine. It’s the ‘Park Village Resort’ now that is doing the best in terms of business volume. Park

Gorkha Delish: When did the switch

Village is an eco-friendly hotel and in an extremely

from a forester to an hotelier happen?

adorable location. I am trying to coin the word

Would you please provide us with some

Budhanil for the Budhanilkantha area where the

insights?

resort is located. We want to create Budhanil as a weekend attraction, and I can see this happening,

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31

especially since the city needs a viable

map. This is the best time to cash in from the

staying in their hotel room and watching TV; or

alternative for the lack of parking space in

Tourism Industry. Even inside the country, 80

waiting to be dropped off to the airport. They

Thamel.

percent of the Nepali people are getting rich

want to jump from a cliff, fall from sky; they

now. They drive their own cars; there has been

want to float in the air; they have all become so

Gorkha Delish: Could you share in some

a trend for the entire family to go out and

adventurous. Tomorrow they will have different

thoughts

dine every once or twice a week. This is indeed

needs.

regarding

how you

perceive

Tourism?

Karna Shakya: Tourism is appreciation of

the best time for the Hospitality and Tourism Industries in Nepal.

In this business it is essential to understand the moods and the moments of the ‘tourism

beauty. In order to be able to understand

Gorkha Delish: How can one become

of tomorrow’; Today is not enough. Tourism

it, you are required to develop a proper

successful in the Tourism business?

is the business of tomorrow and you will have

mindset, have an eager vision and also know

to develop a sophisticated mind and remain

the right taste. Tourists go to the Bahamas

Karna Shakya: It is absolutely crucial to

active, dynamic and innovative to succeed in

for its beach; they go to Las Vegas for its

understand ‘Tourism is ever changing and

this business.

casinos. Similarly, tourists who come to Nepal

never ending’. It is the science of the human

come here looking for a ‘Nepali experience’.

psychology and the economic trend of the

They know they are going to Nepal and not

world. If you are able to understand the

to Switzerland. Nepal can never become

psychology of the people you will always be

Karna Shakya: I have my own formula: When

Switzerland, just like Switzerland can never

successful in the tourism business, and if you

you manage yourself you can manage the

become Nepal.

fail to tune yourself with its vibrations you will

whole world. When you are everywhere, you

fail.

might be nowhere.

Unlike older times, tourists today aren’t content

When a problem arises, close your eyes and

Gorkha Delish: What is your success mantra?

And now, Nepal has been voted as the no.

1 tourist destination in the world tourism

open your brain; it will show you so many different solutions for your problems (some of them will even be routes of mischief). Then, ask your heart, what does it say? Does it agree? If not, keep looking. Once you find the route that is in unison with both your heart and your head, follow it with all your strength; climb, fly, do whatever it takes and get there.

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Swedish Princess small Cakes

(PrinsesstĂĽrta):

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients required:

scraper (about 0.3 mm of thickness). Bake in the oven for about 6 minutes to 190 C°

for a standard half spheres silicone mold of 7

(static) until lightly golden in the edges. Bring

cm in dm (6 pieces)

out and using a steel round cutter (7 cm in

Sponge cake:

dm) make 6 circles. Put aside.

170 g of whole eggs

For making Almond paste: In a kitchen

70 g of caster sugar

container, pour in ground almonds, powdered

80 g of sifted cake flour

sugar and egg white and knead swiftly. Add

A pinch of salt

in almond extract and few drops of green

¼ teaspoon of pure vanilla powder

food colouring(incase you like it); wrap with cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 40 minutes. You must now spread it in a

Vanila Custard(filling):

working surface lightly dusted with powdered

240 ml of whipping cream

sugar (about 4 mm thickness), and using a

1 egg yolk

round cutter (12 cm) make 6 circles.

1 teaspoon of vanilla pure extract 60 g of caster sugar

For making Vanilla custard: In a small

7 g of unflavored powdered gelatin, plus 35

kitchen container put in egg yolk and sugar

g of cold water

beating swiftly. Meanwhile, heat in a pot half

6 cherries in syrup (incase you like it)

cream with vanilla extract. After 2-3 times, pour in egg mixture, mixing it finely with a kitchen whisk. Now put it back to heat, stirring

Almond paste:

until lightly thick (82 degrees C). You should

150 g of ground blanched almonds

now turn it into a metal bowl and place

150 g of powdered sugar

over ice, pouring hydrated unflavored gelatin

40 g of egg white (pasteurized, lightly

over it swiftly and stirring until it cools off.

beaten)

Now, whip the remaining cream until light

Half teaspoon of almond extract (optional)

and fluffy, and with a rubber spatula gently

Green food colouring in drops h.n

incorporate it in.

Extra powdered sugar for spread and dusting h.n

Method for putting the recipe together:

Sugar syrup to set: 70 g of water + 40 g of

Fill until ¾ of each one half sphere with

caster sugar (taken to boiling) and cooled

vanilla cream and 1 cherry in syrup (optional).

Set sponge cake circle, pushing lightly with your fingers. Put in the freezer for about 2

Method:

hours. Remove from the molds, brushing fastly everyone with some sugar syrup and covering

For making Sponge cake: Shift the flour into

with almond paste. Remove excess with a

a kitchen container. Next, in a mixing bowl,

kitchen knife. Dust lightly with powdered

beat eggs and sugar until foamy and firm;

sugar and decorate with sugar roses.

then with a rubber spatula incorporate the flour, salt and vanilla powder in( two-three times). Line a baking tray with a parchment baking sheet. Spread batter using a kitchen

Recipe by:

Marco Giudizio Pastry Chef and traveller

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Molasses Vegan small Cakes

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Ingredients required:

Method:

230 g of all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 180°C and set a rack in the

100 g of brown light sugar

middle. In a food processor -with a steel blade

130 g of caster sugar

in place (leaf)- or in a kitchen container, pour

½ teaspoon of salt

and combine flour, salt, sugar (both), baking

Marco Giudizio

130 g of molasses (I used English)

powder and ground spices and let it rest for a

Pastry Chef and traveller

150 g of organic corn oil

few seconds. Meanwhile, melt molasses into

200 g of hot water

hot water with grated orange peel. Add in

¼ teaspoon of baking powder

corn oil, and whisk until incorporating; pour

¼ teaspoon of ground spices (cinnamon,

in powders’ mixture by beating for about 30

cardamom, ginger)

seconds with a rubber spatula. Grease using

½ teaspoon of grated orange peel (organic)

melted butter/spray; also butter small muffin

3 tbsp White pearl sugar

pans and fill each one by ¾. Now sprinkle

Recipe by:

the top with white pearl sugar. Next, bake in the oven for about 12 minutes (you can use the toothpick test). Bring out and let cool.

Serve with a cup of good tea or coffee.

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NEW NORDIC A Gastronomic Revolution An insight into a very popular cuisine across Nordic countries

by Manoj Sapkota

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37

G

astro-nationalism has been widely used as a theme of identity expression through food (Desoucey, 2010).

In the last decade, Scandinavian countries (the world’s new culinary Mecca) are recognized for their New Nordic Cuisine (NNC), with some of the best fine dining restaurants such and Noma and Geranium making a mark in the world order.

Cuisine The New Nordic Cuisine (NNC) is fueled by

and other food professionals came together

a fierce devotion to regional ingredients, with

to create the “New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto”

reinvention and the return to old techniques,

represented the very moment of redefining the

such as drying, smoking, pickling and curing.

contours of New Nordic Cuisine.

The cuisine was initiated by Rene Redzepi and Claus Meyer for the restaurant Noma, which is

Launched with a manifesto endorsed by

short form of Nordic food (Mad). The concept

reputed local chefs at a culinary symposium in

of Nordic food was brilliantly developed as an

Copenhagen, Denmark, NNC has overcome

all-Nordic concept where a multitude of chefs

the reputation of heavy old-fashioned kitchen.

and people in the food industry have been

The initiators are shaping a “new taste of the

brought together to reach a common goal:

north” with new ingredients such as bulrushes,

to develop the Nordic region’s gastronomic

puffin

potential by elevating the quality and diversity

brambles and livestock breeds from the time of

of its cuisine (Byrkjeflot H et al., 2013), “The

Vikings. (Hallock, 2010)

Nordic Cuisine Symposium” in which chefs

eggs,

foraged

chickweed,

arctic,

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The New Nordic cuisine is about creating a footprint of Nordic chefs’ ambitions, recreating the atmosphere of a tradition with a contemporary feeling while dining (Meyer C, 2010).

In 2005, the Nordic Council of Ministers adopted the manifesto as an ideology for the New Nordic Food program, in an effort to establish a Nordic cuisine as part of a gastronomic revolution. Today, the manifesto is used as a road map by visionary chefs as well as small and large food conglomerates that strive for new ways to reach eager and attentive consumers.

The New Nordic cuisine is about creating a footprint of Nordic chefs’ ambitions, recreating the atmosphere of a tradition with a contemporary feeling while dining (Meyer C, 2010).

Moreover, it is connected to the distinctive identity of associate countries in relation to food and culinary science and it is a fusion of social identity, food aesthetics, purity and ethics. These principles in turn led to the definition of the New Nordic Diet guidelines, contextually adopted by the government of Denmark and other Scandinavian countries.

NNC not only evolved within a new dimension of fine dining, it also renewed culinary identity that brings the Nordic population together both culturally and socially (Meyer C, 2010).

The sociology of food and eating has since emerged in developed countries as an issue concerning not only health but also the relation to emerging food markets, food identity, food consumption patterns and has provided a ground for a renewed interest in food governance and food design (Paul W et al., 2010). It calls for an attention to the Nepalese chefs, experts, nutritionist, and policy makers to bring about a revolutionary change in Nepal’s culinary sector, which will help in providing an identity to the Nepali food and culture over the Indian ones, which

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is understood similar in international level.

Note: Nordic Region- The Nordic Countries are geographical, cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic. It consists of five countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden as well as their autonomous regions, the Ă…land Island, the Faroe Island and Greenland.

By: Manoj Sapkota (MSC. Integrated Food Studies) A student of culinary arts in Pacific Hospitality and school of culinary arts

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Gorkha Delish

Eggplant and Minced Chicken Salad (Pud Makua Kai) (Mutton cooked with pumpkin)

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients required: Chop roughly.

Eggplant:

1 medium size

Roughly Chopped Chicken : 200gm Green chilli:

Boil chicken and drain gently.

1

Coriander: 10gm

Scramble all the mentioned items and season

Celery: 10gm

as necessary(as per taste).

Onion: 30gm Mint: 2 sprig Garlic chop:

10gm

Boiled egg:

to garnish

Fish sauce:

to taste

Pepper: 3gm Msg: 3gm Lime juive:

15ml

Sugar: optional Chili flakes:

optional

Recipe by:

Santosh Thapa

Method: Take an eggplant and put it into direct contact with fire.

Make sure to puncture or make a hole with the aid of fork so it dosen’t burst.

After the skin turns black , take aside.

Scrub the blackened skin of eggplant.

Serve on a bed of a crispy dry lettuce.

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Kyo tio Kai sub (chicken noodles soup) (Mutton cooked with pumpkin)

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients required:

Gradually add the chicken and noodles followed by lime leaves and other remaining

Chicken stock:

300ml

items.

(you can buy readymade stock in stores) Lemon grass:

20gm

After 10m, season the soup hot.

Galangal: 20gm Kaffir lime:

4-5pcs

Coriander roots:

10gm

Bird eye chili or red chili

1pc

Chicken breast:

40gm

Rice noodles

30gm

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Mushroom: 20gm Lemon juice:

2tbsp

Fish sauce:

as required

Pepper: 1tsp

Recipe by:

Chicken cube:

optional

Coriandr:

to garnish

Santosh Thapa

Lemon wedges, coriander Lemon grass stalk

to garnish

Method:

Take a sauce pan and pour chicken stock as mentioned in the recipe.

Throw in lemon grass, Galangal, coriander root, green chili.

Bring it to boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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Lost Wisdom

of The Swastika

By Ajay Chaturvedi

Ajay Chaturvedi is the founder of HarVa, the first BPO set up in rural India which employs only women and author of the widely acclaimed, Lost Wisdom of The Swastika.

Gorkha Delish

“

45

As a society, we are very advanced in technology, today. A few centuries ago, people were adept at physical contact warfare. Similarly in the Vedic era,people were adept at the metaphysical. Being Arya was synonymous with that. There are people who are still adept at the metaphysical. Maybe this is what fascinated Hitler. But rest assured, the moment you attain Arya avastha, you can barely, not even willingly, harm a fly, let alone kill a human. Nazis were no Aryans. A lot of unrest that we see across the world today, leading to personal anxiety and unhappiness, is a result of lack of our own understanding. More than love and compassion, the world needs understanding of how people evolve. How races are real, religions manufactured.

Climes are real, countries manufactured. The more we delve into the wisdom of the Swastika, the better we become as a collective, and happier as individuals.

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Gorkha Delish

In Nepal and in India, the Swastika symbol is ubiquitous. Look

Almost everyone I have spoken to thinks that Hitler took the symbol,

around; on cars, homes, temples, gurudwaras, shops, building, cows

inverted it, tilted it and then used it as an Aryan supremacist symbol.

and buffaloes,tattooed on people and innumerable more places. The

No. It’s the same symbol. Nazis just tilted it and color-coded it. Rest

Swastika grows like wild grass in India, sprouting in every nook and

is history.

cranny without any care or attention.

So why did Hitler pick this symbol and misappropriate it? Well, it is What does the symbol even mean anymore today, to the average

happening today with haldi-doodh to turmeric latte or Basmati rice of

person on the street?

Dehradun to Texmati rice of Texas.

Is the once grand auspicious symbol of peace, good luck and

Opportunists, who can come from any race or color,tend to work

positivity,predating even the Indus Valley Civilization, today reduced

on the principles of reductionism. They want to benefit the most

to just a fuzzy notion, a feeling or a vague idea?

out of an idea, so they pick what they believe is the most important ingredient. Haldi-Doodh has been used as an analgesic in the Indian

Why should it matter?

Swastika Twisted to Meet Selfish Needs Swastika, the word itself translates to Su-Asti, meaning wellbeing.

Most of the words when translated in any other language, especially from Sanskrit lose the meaning as these languages are meant only for a two dimensional space.

One of the keys in the Vedas and Dhyan is the ability to explain and go to a fourth state, or the Chaturiya(Fourth) avastha (state).

The fourth state is also known as the Turiya avastha. The fourth state is beyond waking, sleeping and dreaming. The symbol of the Swastika is that of a four-dimensional cube, and is used extensively in Vedic mathematics.

How, why and what, are deeper subjects that one can’t just read about and understand. Unlike reading and learning other subjects, this is a subject of experiential learning.

sub-continent since time immemorial. Conventional wisdom also says that excessive use of anything, including turmeric, is harmful. Now it’s being sold as a mainstream beverage at Starbucks in California.

Quite a hit! People likely end up having more than one at a time.

Fancy if one of the customers came back with a stomach problem in a few years, they would malign turmeric and possibly ban it medically.

That’s the risk of reductionism. In the popular movie, Oceans’Thirteen, Brad Pitt’s character Rusty Ryan says to Elliot Gould’s character Reuben, “If you need Vitamin C, why have an orange, just pop Vitamin C?” And that is where holistic living, loses a battle to reductionism.

Antagonisms that follow are hard to beat.

As a society, we are very advanced in technology, today. A few centuries ago, people were adept at physical contact warfare.

Similarly in the Vedic era,people were adept at the metaphysical.

Being Arya was synonymous with that. There are people who are still adept at the metaphysical. Maybe this is what fascinated Hitler.

But rest assured, the moment you attain Arya avastha, you can

barely, not even willingly, harm a fly, let alone kill a human. Nazis were no Aryans. A lot of unrest that we see across the world today, leading to personal anxiety and unhappiness, is a result of lack of our own understanding. More than love and compassion, the world needs understanding of how people evolve. How races are real, religions manufactured. Climes are real, countries manufactured. The more we delve into the wisdom of the Swastika, the better we become as a collective, and happier as individuals.

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Truth is Universal

47

elite. One learns a natural Indian language in the surroundings one is born in absolutely

Ever wondered why Christmas falls on the 25th of December yet Diwali is a different day every year? If most of us, the urban elite only follow the

FREE. However for learning English, one has to go to a public

Gregorian calendar, who are these underdogs, making these calendar

school. These public schools are costly. English can’t be learnt for

entries that are all pervasive? Internet has been a boon but who determines

free. When I speak to my British or American friends, most of them

it on the ground and who makes the Panchangs(Hindu calendars)?

like to read History books in their spare time. I used to wonder why; because History never interested me in school, AT ALL. Then it

For over 800 years, different invaders ruled India. Yet here is India, with

dawned on me that we were primarily taught British and Mughal

80% of the country having retained its Sanatan Dharma. Most Indians still

history. There are sparing elements of actual Indian history. From

go by this unsaid truthEkam sat vipra bahudha vadanti - There is one truth,

a different perspective, the history we were taught was very war

the wise know it by many names. They might follow any religion, Sikhism,

centric. No mention or explanation of the wisdom, arts and culture,

Buddhism,

latent in the Indian civilization. Maybe we wouldn’t have grasped it,

Christianity, or any other, yet the spirit of universal acceptance echoes louder than anything else, in India.

even if they did cover those aspects, back then.

There is an African proverb, ‘Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.’

The missing ‘Indian-ness’ in History The British ruled India for well over 200 years and yet, less than 5% Indians communicate in fluent English (Source: Indian Human Development Survey).This is because it has always been a language of the rich and the

The British mastered the art of writing history and they wrote it for us, for the most part anyway. It is only now that shackles are falling and realization of the true wealth of our ancient wisdom passed on, via Guru-Shishya Parampara (Master-Disciple relationship), is being witnessed. A lot of it is still unwritten and explained and

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passed on as experiential wisdom, by a

Small Steps to Understanding the

word Vedan comes from. The knowledge

Guru.

Truth

of the self, the universal self and beyond, begins with the breath. Breathe, be

The key to mastering arithmetic is to first

happy and realize your Swastika!

master the numbers. Similarly, the key to There is a reason it wasn’t written,

mastering the English language is the

another topic, beyond the scope of this

alphabet. Likewise, in order to even begin

article.Despite Invaders, the Backbone

to understand the Vedic wisdom, one

This Spirituality and Transformative

Remains Unbroke. Despite the 800 odd

needs to first understand and possibly

Leadership series was set up as a

years rule by foreign invaders, the culture

master, Yogand Pranayam and then

response to the need to bring ‘higher

that has defined the Indian subcontinent

the language in which the instruction is

order’ principles into leadership today

is the rich Vedic Culture and it continues

passed on.

and to spark an ongoing discussion as

to be without much bolstering. The

to the role that spirituality, as distinct

ancient sciences of astrology, astronomy

from religion, has in today’s world. It is

to Ayurveda, are the rare esoteric gems

a curated series that invites both Young

that have kept the resilience of the society

In the ancient times, when the kids were

Global Leaders and others with an

till date. The vedic societies are quadri-

sent to the Gurukuls, the first initiation by

interest in leadership to contribute to

polar as opposed to a bipolar society,

the Guru was of Pranayam (the entire

a discussion on the role that spirituality

like in the US. Ever conjectured why even

eight step system is referred to as Yum-

plays in leadership today.

though India is a seemingly conservative

niyam). It is only after gaining complete

society now, the Kamasutra was written

knowledge of one’s breath,that the

in India here as well!

Guru would begin initiating the disciple on Dhyan (Medititation). The steps

One can fathom this when one

in Dhyan would then gradually lead

understands the real philosophy behind

to understanding human sensations

the Swastika.

via

feelings.

Sensations

roughly

translate to Samvedana, where the

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Sel-Roti

Picture from vahrehvah.com

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51

Sel-Roti does not need any introduction in the Nepali cuisine -- it is one of the most “uniquely Nepali� dishes, a sweet rice bread, distinct from any other breads of the world. Sel-Roti resembles a large thin puffed-up doughnut and has a crispy texture with reddish brown color.

It is prepared by grinding soaked rice to create a thick batter. It is then mixed with sugar, clarified butter, mashed banana, water, poured into bubbling oil and deep-fried. It is popular as a festive bread for many different occasions.

Traditional Nepali cooks grind the soaked rice in a heavy rectangular stone mortar and pestle (silauto-baccha), which produces a perfectly texture batter, because it provides the right pressure while grinding. These days people grind the rice in a blender for convenience.

Traditional versions of Sel-Roti require the batter to be deep-fried in a pure clarified butter (ghee), but now vegetable oil has replaced ghee for a lighter version of Sel.

Deep-Fried Rice Flour Bread Sel-Roti is always prepared during the Nepali religious festivals of Dashain and Tihar and for other special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and family celebrations. It is also prepared as a sacred food for the gods naivedya and offered ritualistically to deities.

Sel is distributed among friends and family as a blessed food parshad.

The following recipe is handed down from a centuries old tradition.

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Gorkha Delish

Gorkha Delish

Here’s what you need to make small-size (10-

batter into the hot oil. If it bubbles and rises to

12 pieces) Sel-Roti:

the surface immediately, it is ready.

Ingredients:

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the oil

3 cups of white rice

slowly, making a large circle. You can use

1 medium very ripe banana, peeled and

your hand, or a squeezable paper or plastic

mashed

cup or a pastry bag with a medium-size

1 cup sugar, or to taste

opening to pour the batter. Stretch and move

3/4 cup unsalted melted butter or clarified

the batter using a spoon or a thick wooden

butter/ghee

sticks (khaptero) to create round shape. As

1/2 cup rice flour, as needed, 4/5 cups of

the Sel-Roti puffs and rises, push it into the

vegetable oil for deep-frying.

oil with the back of a spoon until it is light golden brown. Flip and fry the second side until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Method:

Jyoti Pathak

Start by soaking the rice at least 4 hours or

Sel-Roti is delicious by itself, but can also be

overnight. Drain and place in a blender or

served with plain yogurt, fried vegetables,

Author,blogger and Photographer

food processor with the banana, sugar, butter

and Nepali radish or cucumber pickles.

Jyoti Pathak was born and

and process by adding up to 1 1/2 cups of

Sel tastes best when it is fresh; it becomes

water to make a semi-thick puree. You may

somewhat chewy and tough the next day,

have to do this in two batches.

although it still tastes good this way. It is a

Remove the batter and place in a mixing bowl and beat with hand vigorously to make it fluffy semi-thick smooth batter. Cover and set aside to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

raised in Kathmandu, Nepal .

Her book Taste of Nepal “www.

non-perishable bread, and can be kept at

tasteofnepalcookbook.com”

room temperature for more than a week.

was published in 2007 and was awarded the winner of 2008’s “Best Foreign Cuisine Book” in the USA by Gourmand Cookbooks

When the batter is well rested, mix it again

Awards. Though she resides in New

with your hand until all the ingredients in the

York her heart lays in Nepal as she

batter are fully mixed - this process is called “peenako chaamal lai beskaree faaune” in Nepali.

intricately weaves Nepali culture, culinary heritage, regional foods and festivals into her books and

The consistency should be similar to thick pourable heavy cream. If the batter is too runny, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice flour and mix well. If it seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and mix well.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot (350 to 375 degree). Test the readiness by placing a small drop of

blogs.

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Ask The Chef

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How do you find out if an egg is fresh or not without breaking it?

Well, the easiest way to check the quality of an egg is by adding an egg into a glass filled with water, if the egg is fresh it will sink to the bottom of the glass if it isn’t it will float. The science behind this is simple, though the egg shells look solid they are porous and allow air into the egg. Old and stale eggs float in fresh cold water because of a large air cell that forms as the egg cools after being laid. As the egg ages, air enters the egg and the air cell becomes larger and this acts as a buoyancy aid making it float in water.

Fresh eggs will generally sink to the bottom. If the eggs tilt so that the large end is up, they are old but still edible, the tilting is caused by air pockets in the eggs that increase in size over time as fluid evaporates through the porous shell and oxygen and gases filter in. The older an egg gets the more gas builds up inside it, so,eggs that float are rotten.

Hussain Mohammad Bangladesh

How to prevent lemon or lime from going to waste?

the juice out. This reduces the fruit’s exposure to oxygen and gives your lemon or lime more shelf life.

Mandeep kaul Punjabi Bagh, Delhi How do you restore the softness of the muffins which have hardened?

I love muffins and I have found a way to solve this problem as i have faced it myself before. Simply sprinkle some water on to the muffin and place it in the oven for ten seconds, or you can place your muffin in paper bag or ziplock bag and microwave it for about 30 seconds, this should do the trick.

Bheema Mishra Koteshowr, Kathmandu . Nepal

drop of juice from a lemon. I later learned that the easiest way squeeze more juice out of a lemon is by rolling it on the table back and forth for few minutes until it softens. This makes it easier to squeeze out all the juice.

Okot Elfadil Khartoum, Sudan

Is there any way you can ripen a fruit quickly?

While working as an apprentice at a French bistro, I was taught that If you place an unripe fruit with a ripe apple in a paper bag and leave it out, than the unripe fruit will ripen faster, as the apple releases ethylene gas, which catalyses the ripening process.

Vladislav Bolshakov

How do you prevent yoghurt from spoiling?

Good question. Pour your yogurt into an airtight container, close the lid tightly then place it upside down with the lid at the bottom and the base up. It helps in creating a vacuum that prevents bacterial formation and keeps your yogurt or cream fresh for longer.

Absalon Knutsen Oslo, Norway

The biggest problem with the lemon or lime is that even when we require small amount for our tea or lemonade, we tend to cut into half or slices. Once exposed to air it dries up quickly, so, the best way to prevent wastage is by puncturing the fruit with a fork or skewer and squeezing

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How can you extract more juice from a lemon or citrus fruit?

Now, this is something I have battled with too in my initial days. I used to put all my effort to squeeze out every

Kurgan, Russia

What is the best way to clean microwave?

Beautiful question indeed! I used to think the same a few years ago. One of my aunt’s taught me the simplest method to do it. Just take a cloth or hand towel and soak it in water and place it inside the microwave then set the timer key for 4 minutes. The water in the towel evaporates once it is heated. This makes the microwave steamy, then use the same cloth to wipe it before wiping off the excess moisture and cleaning it with a dry cloth . In fact this method also helps you get rid of foul smells.

Sirish Bikram Shahi Dhangadi, Nepal

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Thekua

Authentic Nepali Sweet Cookies

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients

Make sure you have a heated thick base iron or cast iron pan to fry the ready Thekuwa.

Flour:

700 gms

Fry the cookies in low heat until golden

Semollina:

300 gms

brown.

Milk:

500 ml

Now place them on a tray with paper towels

Water:

100 ml

to absorb the excess oil from the cookies.

Raisins, Cashews, Dates, Coconut powder or grated: combined 200 gms White Sesame seed: optional Sugar: 100 gms

Method Take a mixing bowl and add flour and

Recipe by:

Satya Naryan Chaudari

semolina to it.

Make a hole in the middle like a volcano mountain.

Add milk then add sugar and knead it.

Check the flour for consistency, as it should neither be runny nor too hard.

Mix coconut powder and finely chopped cashews, dates and whole raisins.

Now make balls that fit your palm from the dough.

Then Press the balls to make a coin shape, if you want, add white seasame seeds on top and press.

Student of Culinary Arts in Pacific Hospitality and School of Culinary Arts

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The Hindu’s Relationship with Food: A New Perspective

by Brett Matthews

“The Man has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. He pervaded the earth on all sides and extended beyond it as far as ten fingers. It is the Man who is all this, whatever has been and whatever is to be. He is the ruler of immortality, when he grows beyond everything through food.”

--The Rig Veda (10.90.1-2.)

Gorkha Delish

I

n the past volumes of Gorkha Delish, we

refused to accept Shiva as her husband. Similarly,

were taken on a journey through food as

Hindu mythshave also used food as a means for

it relates to particular Hindu customs and

teaching morals and ethics. As the below stories will

festivities. In “Sagun: Your Key to Luring

show, food is often used as a medium for teaching

Lady Luck”, for example, Rijal discussed

us selfless acts of devotion to godor to others.

the importance of giving specially

Furthermore, as it will be discussed later, the act of

prepared food to members of the family

selflessly preparing and serving food is held in such

and to particular deities during the

high regard in the scriptures that Sanat kumara

festivals, weddings, and just before the

compares it to one of the highest levels of spiritual

commencement of a long journey away

service.

from the household. Furthermore, with Teej having been celebrated in Nepal in

Food as Guru: The story of Ganesha and

September, Chapagain and Rijal took

Kubera,Krishna and Sridama, and Rama and

us on a historical and culinary journey

Sabari

through the festival and the Daar Khani

Of all the myths that use food to teach us about

feast, which takes place just before the

living life, I thought it would be appropriate to start

day-long fast that women adhere to

with one featuring Ganesha, given his central role in

for the sake of their husbands or future

Hindu worship. The story comes from the Ganesha

suitors. Similarly, the Dashain, Tihar and

Chapter of the Brahma Vivartha Purana and

the Chat traditions are inseparable from

recounts a feast hosted by Kubera at his palace in

food.

Alakapuri:

It is clear from all this that Hindus have had an intimate relationship with food for many hundreds of years. In this article, I would like to explore another way in which Hindus relate to food by looking beyond what it is that we eat and when we eat it. As I’m sure you all remember from reading the Swasthani (or equivalent!) when you were younger, Hinduism has a long and deeply-rooted mythical tradition that seems to have a story to explain the ethics, morals and dharma for every possible situation that life may throw at you. For example, we all remember Arjuna’s burden on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War, and the story of Sati’s self-sacrifice when her father, Daksha,

Kubera was once proud of his endless riches and decided one day to host a lavish feast to demonstrate this to his fellow men and to the gods. He wanted to invite Shiva to the feast although he was preoccupied with other arrangements. By Shiva’s recommendation, Kubera asked Ganesha to participate, so Ganesha and Kubera left Kailash to travel to his palace in Alakapuri.

When Ganesha sat down to eat, he ate the food that had been prepared for him and the other guests, and then started to feast on the utensils, the furniture and then Kubera’s palace. Still he went on eating, consuming the entirety of Kubera’s kingdom. Kubera begged him to stop but Ganesha threatened to eat him if nothing else was brought to him. Kubera went to Shiva for help, who gave him a handful of rice to give to Ganesha.

Kubera then returned to Alakapuri and gave the rice to Ganesha. Ganesha’s hunger was satisfied.

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This story is a popular one amongst children and is used to teach that a handful of puffed rice given with love and devotion is more important

troubles may end. Out of love towards his devotees, Krishna granted

and filling than all the food that Kubera had to offer to the gods,

his wish, even though it was never actually requested, and takes the

especially to Shiva. In the story, Ganesh and Kubera are yakshamurtis

bag of flat rice as a gift from his great friend. Sridama returns home

and are used to demonstrate that physical (human) comfort does not

to find palaces resembling the sun, fire and the moon, and adorned

necessarily lead to mental (spiritual) comfort. Ganesh takes all the

with lotuses, creatures of various kinds and a wife who appeared to

food that is offered to him, but he is still unsatisfied; Kubera gives

be like the gods.

all the food that he has, but he is still unsatisfied. It is only through pure faith and devotion that one can be satisfied in both the physical

Central to the story are a few handfuls of flattened rice, bhakti, and a

and mental senses--and the story contrasts the pure simplicity of the

moral lesson which is summarised in versus 34 and 35 of Chapter 81:

puffed rice with the sophisticated cuisine of the feastto teach us this.

A similar story with a similar teaching comes from Chapters 80 and 81 of the Tenth Book of the SrimadBhagavataPurana. The story recounts a visit by Sridama to Krishna’s abode after a long period of separation:

34. No doubt, Krishna, the enjoyer of abundance, without saying anything, personally notices and bestows abundance on a person present before him who only intends to solicit. My friend Krishna, the best of the descendants of Dasarha, is like a rain cloud.

35. Whatever is given by himself, he makes out to be insignificant, and whatever is done by his friend, even if of no consequence, he makes out to be great. I brought a handful of flat rice, and that great Soul accepted it with love.

The final story that I wanted to look at in this article is that of Rama, Laxman and Shabari from the Ramayana. It should be noted that the following story does not appear in the original Valmiki Ramayana text. Rather, it was believed to have been added to a later edition of the epic by Odian poet Balaram Das, who lived in the 15th century, identified himself as Shudra-Muni, and challenged traditional,brahmanical writings.

There was once a young woman named Shabari who was the daughter of a hunter. She was not a good looking woman, but her heart was Krishna and Sridama had been to school together and had been

pure like gold. Before her wedding day, her father had brought

taught by the same Guru. After leaving school, Sridama went on to

numerous goats and sheep to be sacrificed, according to the custom.

become a noble brahmana, a peaceful soul and detached from the

Unwilling to see these goats and sheep being sacrificed in her name,

objects of the senses through self-discipline. He was a householder

she runs away with the hope of being taken in as a disciple to learn

who survived on whatever had come his way by chance. His wife

brahma jnana. Many gurus declined her offer due to her caste, but

had lived a similarly difficult life, and, troubled by hunger, was in a

Sage Matanga welcomed her and allowed her to say at his ashram.

similar ragged state. Desperately needing wealth to help sustain the

Every day, Shabari willingly completed chores, looked after the

household and at his wife’s request, Sridama goes to visit Krishna at

animals and did whatever was asked of her. One day, Sage Matanga

his abode. Before he leaves home, he asks his wife for a present that

knew that his life was coming to an end, so he asked Shabari to see

they could give Krishna. Although the couple had nothing to give,

him to see if there was anything he could do for her. Shabari wished

Sridama’s wife packs a cloth full of flat rice. Upon arriving at Krishna’s

to join him after death so that they could seek liberation together.

abode, Sridama is bathed and treated like royalty by Krishna and

Matanga denied her request, saying that Rama would soon visit her.

his followers, and, after a while, the friends begin to talk about old

One day, Shabari visited Lake Pampasara nearby to collect water.

times. At some point throughout Sridama’s stay, Krishna realises that

It was considered sacred by many, and her presence at the lake was

Sridama had come to see him at the request of his wife so that their

met with contempt by the local hermits. When she approached the

Gorkha Delish

Lorem ipsum dolor

The mistreatment of Shabari by the other hermits, and by Laxmana water, a hermit threw a stone at her, that lead to a drop of her blood

to some extent, represents their inability, despite being learned, to rid

falling into the river, making it turn to blood. The hermits were shocked

themselves of their caste consciousness. Furthermore, by consuming

and when it seemed that nothing they did was working to restore the

the berries, Rama has made a rather potent statement against the

water to the lake, Rama and Laxmana arrive at the lake. The hermits

culture of impurity. Defiling food, or making food jhoota, is considered

pleaded with Rama to restore the lake, at one point asking him to

a taboo in Hinduism, especially when it comes to dining with people

submerge himself in and drink from its waters. But nothing worked.

from mixed/uncertain caste backgrounds. But Rama does not think

Rama then asked the hermits whose blood had contaminated the

of it in this way. Rather, Rama sees the devotional aspects of the food

waters. They replied that it was the blood of Shabari. Realising this,

as being more important: the caring manner in which each berry was

Rama said that he was unable to clean the lake as the blood which

harvested, the way it was prepared, the way it was stored, the idea

flowed from Shabari was also from his heart. He sent for Shabari, who

that only the best made it to the table, and that it was tasted to not

came and restored the lake. Afterwards, Shabari welcomed Rama

only to ensure that it was sweet to eat, but that it did not possess any

and Laxmana into her ashram and fed them berries which she had

other kind of imperfection.

harvested earlier that day. In order to ensure their sweetness, Shabari had nibbled at the top of each one. Despite Laxmana’s objection to the berries, having been made polluted by her saliva, Rama consumes the fruits and declares: “Whosoever offers a fruit, a leaf, a flower or water with love, I take it with great joy.”

Food as Divine Agent: An Excerpt from the Shiva Purana Shabari’s devotion to Rama and the berries in the Ramayana inspired

This story has often been viewed as an attack by Balaram Das

me to see what the scriptures said about food more generally. The

against the traditional bhramanical norms relating to caste and

finest discussion that I found on the nature of food was from the

purity. Shabari, a shudra in the eyes of her community, is blessed first

Shiva Purana. In the text, which takes the form of a dialogue between

by her guru and then by Rama. She is taught brahma jnana, wisdom

Vyasa and Sanatkumara, Sanatkumara identifies that the universe

that is often only traditionally reserved for twice-born Hindus, and

is equal to food, and that food is the sustaining force that governs

attains moksha by merging with her guru’s aatma after the feast.

it trinomial energies: creation, preservation and destruction. Further,

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Chapter Eleven (The glory of the gift of food) 17. Of all the charitable gifts, the gift of food is the greatest. It is pleasing. It gives pleasure immediately. It enhances strength and intellect.

19. Food gives blood, flesh, fat and semen, and out of semen, living

Concluding Remarks:

beings are born. Hence the universe is identical with food.

I hope this article has brought back some 21. All persons, the child in the womb, the new born babe, the child, the

good memories and shown another

middle aged man, the old man, the gods, the danavas or Raksasas,

way in which Hindus relate to food. The

desire food.

abridged stories that appear above (Ganesh and Kubera and Rama and

24. All embodied beings die when scorched by the fire of hunger. That

Shabari) are my own rendering, while

is why it is glorified that there is great merit in the charitable gift of

the others are from English translations

food.

of the original. The Krishna and Sridama

25. The giver of food is the giver of life. The giver of life is the giver of all. Hence, one attains the benefit of gifting everything by means of the charitable gift of food.

27. The giver of the charitable gift of food obtains here and hereafter whatever means of pleasure there are in the three worlds, such as gems, women and vehicles.

story was abridged and quoted from Edwin F. Bryant’s 2003 translation of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, while the Shiva Purana text was taken from A Board of Scholars’ 1970 translation. The opening quote was taken from Wendy Doniger’s 1981 translation of The Rig Veda. Images were sourced from the internet. A full

28. This body is the greatest of the means of achievement of virtue,

reference list can be supplied upon written

wealth, love and salvation. Hence, one should preserve one’s body

request.

with food and drink.

34. O Vyasa, a giver of food, being of good conduct and free from malice, is honoured.

38. The gift of food and drink, whether to a Sudra or to a brahmin is equally excellent. One should not ask the spiritual lineage, branch of the Vedas or the country of the recipient.

48. Food is Brahma himself. Food is Vishnu himself. Food is Siva. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a gift on par with that of food.

49. Even after committing a great sin, if a man gives food to the needy he becomes rid of all sins. He goes to heaven.

Shanti.

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Ingredients:

2 cups (rice cooker’s cup) Long grain Parboiled Rice (for best result I normally use parboiled rice or you may use any other but long grain rice) 2 big sized Onion (finely chopped) 7 pods of Garlic (chopped) 3 tbsp Curd 3 big sized Tomatoes (please blend it for good result) Biryani masala (I use shan Bombay masala) Chicken pieces (good if you use leg part else try to use big size cut chicken) Cashew nuts (7-10/optional) Saffron (5/6 stripes /optional) Rose water (optional/2 table spoon)

Bombay Biryani

Fresh Coriander leaves (chopped) Food Color (any, I use and prefer Zaffrani, the saffron color)

Method: Chicken pieces: Place about 10 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pressure cooker and heat it in a high flame. Now, place the chicken pieces in the oil and fry it until the chicken turns reddish. The red coloration makes your biryani look lucrative (Keep aside and use that oil for biryani curry part).

Recipe by:

Merina Poudyal

Rice part: Soak rice for about15 minutes and then drain the water off; boil 2 liters of water and add in the soaked rice. Wait until the rice is cooked by

Gorkha Delish 70% (This is important). You must now drain excess water from the rice using a clean cloth (I prefer using white cloth to drain the water completely). Cover it again. Don’t forget to keep a big bowl below it (This helps the rice to further cook by 5%).

Curry Part: Place the same oil that you used for frying the chicken over lover than medium heat and then add onions and garlic. After this mixture turns light brownish in color, add in Cashew nuts. Now, add blended tomatoes and cook until the raw smell of tomatoes fades away; add in curd. It’s now time to add biryani masala (the masala I am using has salt in it so if u don’t have salt in your masala add it to your taste). Cook for a while; make sure not to burn them though. You should now add chicken and cook it for around 3 minutes. Pour in half -cup luke warm water to this curry and wait for 2 minutes; add rice by evenly spreading over the curry.

Food Color: The secret of an alluring biryani is undisputedly its color. I used Zafrani (saffron color that was introduced by one of my Pakistani friends). In a glass bowl (don’t use melamine bowl) add rose water and a pinch of zafrani; stir well. The Final Step: Spray this colored water over the rice in cross format (and

not randomly) and cover the lid of the pressure cooker with rubber and whistle on. Reduce your flame to lower than the lowest as possible (This is called DAAM if I am not mistaken) and place the utensil on the oven (the lowest of lower) for 10 minutes (This way rice and chicken will cook even further). Finally, open the lid immediately and let the air escape. After 5 minutes, add chopped coriander and mix well. Make sure that you not cover your biryani when it’s hot.

Note: It is recommended that you always use a broad and thick base cooking pot (or pressure cooker) for this recipe.

Happy Cooking!

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Brain Cooler

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients required: Fresh pineapple juice:

Note: 90ml

If you are using fresh mint then make sure to add the mint at the end and use pulse mode

Carrot juice:

45ml

in mixture.

(use fresh carrots if you can) Incase you are making fresh carrots at home, Orange juice:

45ml

make sure to blend it in a blender by cutting dices.

Last mint syrup:

4/5 dash

(you can use fresh mint as substitute syrup)

Add one more cup of water.

Make sure to strain it and take out the chunks of the carrot. Use only the juice part.

Method:

Recipe by:

Take any home-use blender.

Benefits

Add 5 cubes of ice.

The carrot juice will help you boost your immunity as contains carotenoids. Carrot

Then add ingredients except the mint syrup.

juice is also an wonderful antioxidants.

Blend it together.

This drink contains fresh pineapple juice rich in bromelain enzymes which will help you to

Pour it into the glass.

fight cough and cold.

Then drop the mint syrup.

Pineapple will help you strengthen your teeth and gums.

Serve it fresh.

This drink will help you cool off and minimizes your sugar and fat cravings thus helping you to loose weight.

Arjun Waiba

Arjun Waiba is a senior bartender at Club Himalaya, Nagarkot.

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Himalayan Lemonade

Gorkha Delish

Ingredients required: Lemon juice:

Note: 30ml

You can flavor your sugar syrup by adding cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick.

Simple sugar syrup:

60ml You can maintain the sugar syrup density by

Soda water:

180ml

adding less or more.

Fresh mint leafs:

to garnish

You can keep your sugar syrup in the fridge for long periods and use it for your cold

4 ice cubes:

drinks.

Ginger: 20gms

Tapping the mint or clapping it gently in your hands helps to realize the juice easily.

Recipe by: Don’t muscle mint in your hand hoarsely otherwise it will give a bitter taste.

Arjun Waiba

Method: Benefits Wash and peel the ginger carefully.

Ginger is an easily an available ingredient, Make sure to wash and dry the mint leaves.

which has a great medical value when it comes to digestion because of its phenol

If you don’t have sugar syrup, a simple way

compounds. It helps to relieve stomach

to make it is by boiling one cup of sugar with

irritation and bile production. The ginger in

2 cups of water. You can flavor it by adding

this drink helps to reduce menstrual pain.

lemon zest.

On the other hand, mint leaves have a Once the ginger is peeled, cut into small

lot of mediciational value. Mint is an anti-

pieces and place in a shaker, then extract

microbiological agent that keeps your mouth

its juices

fresh and prevents bacterial attack. Mint is also a great anti allergic agent.

After that, pat the mint leaves with your hand and place them in a glass.

Lemon, being an universal acetic acid helps prevent fever, respiratory disorders, benefits

Then add in lemon juice.

Add sugar syrup or replace it with a teaspoon of honey.

Stir well with a spoon, and add in ice cubes.

Now top it with soda.

skin and helps in weight loss.

Arjun Waiba is a senior bartender at Club Himalaya, Nagarkot.

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Food 0 Sc

Gorkha Delish

Fed up with regular Horoscopes??? Try our dose of FOOD-O-SCOPE instead

From time immortal, civilizations have believed that distant stars and celestial bodies of the Universe influence life on Earth. Astrologers are of the belief that we were created of the same matter that constitutes the universe and therefore the subjectivity of the stars and celestial bodies have a direct impact on our lives. Suddenly I came across a thought: to link one’s eating habit with the day and time s/he one was born.

cope

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Aries: March 21st- April 19th This month is a mixed bag for Aries as it will bring possibilities with love connections.

An Aries in a relationship may end up having his or her partner climbing higher positions. Your expectation is going to be rewarded easily and on the work front there may be new partnerships in business or ventures which will be productive. Aries need to pay attention to their health this month and discard some long term bad habits.

However don’t push yourself too hard. This month you will need to go easy on heavy foods as there will be lots of parties to attend. Avoid greasy and junk food. Opt for fresh lime soda or hot lemon with honey. Go for lot of greens and vinaigrette salads and fish.

Taurus: April 20th- May 20th This month even though you will gain in depth insight on the work front it could be frustrating for you. Your relationship with your partner, colleges and others may be trivial, however your energy level will be on the high end so don’t worry this is a learning phase for you and the next two closing months are promising. Avoid red meat and rich protein pulses, drink lots of water and include leafy vegetables into your diet. You may also want to make sure that you have some clear fish or white meat soup. And if you are bored with the usuals treat yourself to smoked chicken pizza.

Gemini: May 21st- June 20th Your relationship with your partner will be harmonious this month. This month will strengthen your bonds. On the work front, a lot of new task will be completed within the given time frame. But do not neglect at all as health this month. Avoid junk food go for simple food and refrain from eating out. Make some nice whole wheat chapati at home with less greasy curries or accompaniments. Have some cheese or go for yoghurt and muesli to keep yourself from having an upset stomach. Indulge in yoghurt based drinks.

Cancer: June 21st- July 22nd Jupiter this month makes you wise and helps you to captivate ideas or knowledge easily. Use this to your benefit and learn something new, like a new language or go for courses you have always wanted to do but never got round to it. This is a busy month for you and you will be on the move. You may face a few health problems related to your bones and teeth . Keep active and drink lots of water and if you can stop alcohol consumption this month. It is time to move from an underpaid job. Make sure that you eat healthy brown bread with preservative free jams. Visit nearby organic markets and go for natural foods. Have lot of sprout based salads and soups with chicken.

Gorkha Delish

Leo: July 23rd- August 22nd This month you may hit the jackpot at work with your original ideas where you will be appreciated by seniors and will get new attention. This is a constructive month for you and it is the best time to focus on improving your organizational skills . Be careful with your money listen only to honest and trustworthy people when it comes to finances don’t make any hasty decision. On the health front you have may suffer from digestion related problems, like gallstones or inflammation. Try to indulge in foods with less cards. Now a days you can get organic whole wheat or buckwheat pasta have it with just a hint of garlic or chilli flakes in olive oil. Keep it simple when it comes to your food make sure to have your food on time. Avoid milk coffee or tea this month.

Virgo: August 23rd- September 22nd This month logic and novelty will enter your house of love. A few changes that your partner makes will guide you towards a better month. Shopping for goodies this month will get even more exciting as your partner pampers you with new gifts. Things won’t be so bright on the work front as there will be battles to fight however you will overcome obstacles as a successful warrior. Watch out as even minor accidents and small injuries may hamper your work or may be painful. All of a sudden you may need to visit the dentist. This month make sure that you eat food with high water content such as watermelon, cucumber and iceberg lettuce.

Libra: September 23rd- October 22nd You may face a few difficulties this month. Always make sure to have second plan or opinion ready when it comes to work as it may help you overcome difficult tasks. As you will be working a lot this month avoid eating fried and junk food. However, as Jupiter plunges into view this month it boosts your confidence level. This will help you get through the obstacles. Your relationship may have been on and off lately. May be single ones should consider a marriage or long term secured relationship. Don’t worry about the hole in your pocket and go for romantic dinner- may be something indulging yet healthy as Thai red or green curry or some good stir fried Chinese Hunan or Cantonese restaurant. There is no harm to have Chinese white chicken with scallion and ginger sauce.

Scorpio: October 23rd- November 21st As the most seductive sign of all when it comes to sensuality, you know there is no love at first sight and you are good expressing it no matter how merciless it may seem.

Listen to your heart. The pollen and allergies might be problem for you this month and autumn as weather is changing it may be not severe but you need to give your energy and vitality a boost. Opt for nourishing drinks made from multi grains and avocado.. maybe with a bit of lemon and cumin. Have holy basil tea with dash of black pepper that will ease your coughs and help you to relax. Please avoid food like dumplings made from whole purpose flour. Maybe a romantic dinner is coming your way so ask your partner to take you out for Korean bbq or to a Japanese sushi joint.

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Sagittarius: November 22nd- December 21st This month brings with it, your freedom from a relationship that has been burdening you. You will receive good news from aboard. You may be moving to the Far west as the door has opened with a better job and a better life. May be someone you have been seeing discreetly will ask you for long-term partnership. Make sure to sort out your legal issues so it won’t be an obstacle in future. This month be prepared for a lustful yet soulful romance. Make sure to have lot of fruits and eat lots of bitter gourd which will help you remove impurities from your blood. Make sure to include non fatty kebabs into your diet as it will help you keep your vitality going as you will need it a lot this month.

Capricorn: December 22nd- January 19th You may hit a rocky patch in your relationship this month but there is nothing to be blue about you will bump into opportunities which will help you financially. Make sure not indulge in overspending. The best thing to do this month is to hang on in there as it could be a bumpy ride. Just be patient and let this month pass you by. To make the most of this month have a good cheese platter and good red wine to keep your romantic encounters memorable. Indulge in zesty natural fruit desserts as apple pie with cinnamon or go for good brand ice creams. Make sure to have liver pie and veg beetroot Carpaccio to boost your blood platelets.

Aquarius: January 20th- February 18th This month is the month of making friends and you will bump into a few of your kind who you share common interest with. This month all of a sudden an unexpected love companion will light up the fire inside you. When it comes to health you will feel more agitated due to your own unnecessary tensions. You may feel restless because you are thinking too much. Try including a hot bath and Milk with turmeric into your bedtime routine. Avoid alcoholic beverages to the best of your ability and opt for a vegetarian diet this month. Try south Indian dosas or idle as it is healthy yet filling.

Pisces: February 19th- March 20th Singletons, your luck is about to change this month as you might walk into someone you fancy very much. While married couples who are working away from home will reunite with their partners. This November your romance will fill the piscean air. Your past efforts may pay off with good profit. Your goodwill and hard work may attract potential investors so make sure you are groomed well and geared for it. Avoid working hard this month spend lot of time at home and take care of your health.

Indulge in root and leafy vegetables and fish. Try stir fried veggies tossed in olive oil or have a simple veg briyani with buttermilk, or a good salmon fillet in lemon caper sauce.

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