Ingredients

• Brown rice [cooked] – 1 cup
• Onions finely chopped – 1
• Ginger –  ½ inch piece finely chopped
• Garlic – finely chopped – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli – 1 finely chopped
• Double beans [cooked] – ¼ cup
• Vegetables – ¾ cup [carrot, beans, cabbage and bell pepper]
• Oil – 1½ tbsp
• Salt and pepper powder to taste
• Lemon juice – 1 to 2 tsp

Preparation method

1. Cook brown rice, fluff it with a fork and let it cool. [Soak brown rice for 1 hour prior to cooking].
2. Chop all the vegetables finely.
3. Heat oil in a pan; add finely chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until onions turn transparent.
4. Add all the vegetables except bell pepper and sauté on high heat for 2 – 3 minutes stirring continuously. The vegetables should retain their crispiness.
5. Then add bell pepper and sauté for a few more seconds on high heat.
6. Reduce the flame, add cooked double beans, cooked rice, salt and pepper powder. Toss gently and switch off the flame. Add lemon juice, mix well and serve hot.

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Makes: 12 cups
Serving Size: 2 cups
Serves: 6
Pre-preparation time: 6 – 8 hrs
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1½ cups rice, uncooked
• ½ cup uncooked red chana [soak for 6 – 8 hours]
• ¼ cup French beans, chopped finely
• ¼ cup carrots, chopped finely
• ¼ cup green peas
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 cup tomato purée [made from 3 large tomatoes]
• 1/3 cup fresh curd, made from toned milk [or peanut curd for vegans]
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• ½ tsp jeera [cumin seeds]
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped finely
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1½ tsp lemon juice [juice of ½ lemon]
• Pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 3 tsp oil
• 2 tsp salt or as per taste

For the garlic paste

• 7 large garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 2 green chillies, chopped finely
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp water

Preparation

1. Rinse the rice and soak for 20 minutes.
2. Pressure-cook the chana for 8 – 10 whistles.
3. Heat ghee in a pan; add the jeera. Once the seeds begin to splutter, add red chillies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Sauté for 1 minute over a low flame.
4. Add rice, 4 cups of water and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook over a low flame.
5. When the rice is half cooked, add saffron along with the water in which it was soaked; add lemon juice. Cover and cook until all the water dries up. [Keep checking that the rice does not get burnt at the bottom].
6. Remove from heat and cool. Discard the red chillies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks.
7. For the garlic paste, grind the ingredients together in a blender.
8. Heat 2 tsp oil and sauté the paste for 5 minutes.
9. Stir in the tomato purée and add 1 tsp salt; sauté for another 8 minutes.
10. Add the boiled chana, carrots, beans, peas and curd; cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
11. Add sugar and remove from heat.
12. In a separate pan, heat 1 tsp oil and sauté the onion until dark brown.

To Serve

1. Preheat the oven at 160C° for 7 – 10 minutes.
2. In a baking dish, first spread the chana.
3. Top with the rice.
4. Garnish with the sautéed onions and bake in pre-heated oven for 5 – 7 minutes.
5. Serve hot.
6. Complete your plate with a bowl of mint raita.

The post How to Make the Perfect Vegetarian or Vegan Biryani From Scratch appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

From fast food to slow food

Slow Food is defined by three interconnected principles:

1. Good food—Food that is of good quality, flavoursome and healthful
2. Clean food—Food production that is done in a way that it does not harm the environment and is clear of harmful chemicals
3. Fair food—Accessible prices of food for consumers and fair trade for producers.

Terra Madre was an amazing experience to know and feel how we are not alone in wanting change. Parallel sessions with lectures, discussions, film shows kept us busy; we home-stayed with local Turinites. Simultaneously Salon del Gusto was also being held in the same premises so that Terra Madre participants could get a taste of good, clean and fair food and also be able to purchase. Salon del Gusto, another Slow Food project, has become a popular international fair dedicated to artisanal, sustainable food and the small-scale producers that safeguard local traditions and grow high quality products.

The highlight of the Terra Madre event

Amidst music and dance at the finale event, the crowning moment was listening to Carlo Petrini speak with passion about the need for safeguarding our food supplies and the importance of saving biodiversity to save the planet. It is he who has been the heart of the Slow Food movement. He founded it with a group of activists in the 1980s and in his words, ‘Slow Food unites the pleasure of food with responsibility, sustainability and harmony with nature.’ In 2008 The Guardian named Carlo Petrini as one of the 50 people who could save the planet. In 2013 he received the highest UN environmental award, Champions of the Earth. It is an amazing story of what one man can achieve. Carlo Petrini is one of the key people responsible for upholding many important practices that promise us safe food. Many hold him in very high esteem, as do I. It is Slow Food that supported The Farmers’ Market, Mumbai, in its first few years for which we are very grateful. And today we are proud to be part of slow food’s global network of farmers’ markets called The Earth Markets which respects the slow food philosophy. (More details on www.earthmarkets.net and  www.farmersmarket.co.in)

 Some other projects of Slow Food are

1. 10,000 Gardens which creates good, clean, fair food gardens in African schools and communities.
2. Ark of Taste draws attention to delicious foods that are at a risk of extinction. Identifying these foods ensures that they stay in production.
3. Presidia sustains quality, protects unique ecosystems, safeguards native breeds and local plant varieties.
4. Chefs’ Alliance is a network of chefs defending food biodiversity across the world.
5. University of Gastronomic Sciences.

Slow Food represents a global movement involving thousands of projects and over 1,00,000 members in over 160 countries. Over 1500 Convivia [Slow Food chapters] exist all over the world and India is just beginning to have a few. It is very simple to become a member. Log onto www.slowfood.com to know more.

Why the need for Slow Food

Slow Food is a watch dog for us as far as our food history goes. Every consumer cannot be expected to know details of what goes into his food. And even though we may take the time to read labels, we all, in our hearts, want to believe that what is available is good for our body, mind and soul. Organisations like Slow Food assist us in ensuring this. For instance one of Slow Food’s projects is “Say NO to powdered milk in cheese” which we may not even be aware of. Similarly there is “Save the Bees”, “No GMO”, “Save Seeds” and many other projects demanding that we safeguard our food chain for ourselves and our future. Slow Food celebrates food and demands that it remains delicious as it is meant to be.

Slow Food recognises the strong connections between the plate, planet, people, politics and culture. Our lives are interconnected with the life of the planet we live on. For too long we have relied on businesses to give us our daily bread without questioning its impact on our health or on that of the earth or on that of the farmer who produces the raw material or his agricultural wisdom that will be lost to us if we are unable to attract his children to the field. If we do not do something quick, our inheritance and traditions will be forever lost and we will have no food on our plates and certainly no food that is nourishing. For too long profit has overtaken ethics. We need to understand the urgent need to go back to our roots and the wisdom of food sanity that is essential to feed the world in a wholesome way.

Slow Food in daily life

Living with full awareness of how our food choices affect the lives of our children is what Slow Food is all about. So, in real terms, what is a Slow Food way of eating and what are its benefits? Being conscious of what one consumes, buying as local as possible [eat the Indian millets as opposed to quinoa, eat sabza seeds instead of chia], seeking out small producers [artisans if you please], knowing the company or people one buys from [at least some research to know the motive behind the company], choosing variety of traditional foods, opting for organic, cooking slowly and eating slowly are some of the ways of ensuring that all is not lost on the food front.

Slow Food began to counteract the influx of Fast Food in our lives. So if we want to taste life in its fullness, we need to slow down to savour it before it is too late.

I have been saying since over three decades, eat according to your taste buds but choose the organic versions of whatever it is you decide to favour [hoping, at least, it isn’t going to be a bunch of refined foods!]. Slow food is saying the same thing, choose whatever, no restrictions, just buy local, buy fair, buy good, buy clean, buy small, buy traditional, buy variety, use some intelligence. This will ensure good life for all and for the future too. So the benefit of understanding the slow food philosophy goes beyond just personal health benefit, it also takes care of the earth in which we reside and all its guardians. Not asking for much, just some common sense.

* Slow Food is a global NGO that envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet.

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Benefits of a diet high in fiber

1. Keeps digestive system healthy

The most undisputed advantage of insoluble fiber is its ability to soften and expand stool volume easing bowel movement. In case of watery stools, fiber soaks in the water, while adding bulk to the stool. Thus, fiber ensures a clear passage of stools, which would otherwise stay in the digestive system, get fermented by the intestinal bacteria and lead to constipation, colitis and hemorrhoids [piles].

2. Keeps cholesterol levels in check

Soluble-fiber [one that dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance] binds with the cholesterol in the blood and helps in its elimination from the body. Gradually, the blood cholesterol levels come down, and so do your chances of heart related disease.

3. Maintains blood sugar levels

Fiber-rich foods have a low glycemic index that means there is a gradual release of sugar in the body and hence no fluctuations in blood sugar levels or insulin.

4. Aids weight loss

Roughage, being energy-dense, provide few calories [since most of it is not digested by the body]. They also take time to chew, which in turn gives the body time to realize whether it’s still hungry. This reduces overeating. Also, such foods are digested slowly, leaving you feeling satiated for long.

Besides the above, roughage may protect you from colon cancer, suggest some studies. It also has cholesterol-lowering effects, thus improving your heart health too.

What if enough fiber is not consumed?

The digestive system is constantly at work, digesting the food and getting rid of the waste. And only a good supply of fiber helps it function smoothly. A diet generous in refined or processed foods and one lacking in fiber, leads to inefficient digestion. This leads to several digestive disorders.

Difference between soluble and insoluble fiber

While soluble fiber dissolves in water, the insoluble variety doesn’t.

The soluble variety absorbs water to form a gel-like material. This helps reduce cholesterol and blood glucose levels. It is mainly found in whole grain cereals like oats, pulses, vegetables and fruit.

The insoluble variety is found in whole grain cereals, wheat bran, skin of fruits, nuts and vegetables. This remains undissolved in water thus adding bulk to the stool and allowing easy movement and elimination of material from the digestive tract.

Your daily requirement

According to the Institute of Medicine, USA, one should consume about 14g fiber for every 1000 calories every day. So, if you are consuming 1500kcals, you should consume 21g fiber. You can take the help of your nutritionist/dietician to calculate your daily calorie intake.

Following are some general intake recommendations for adults*. It is usually lower for women and elderly.

Men Below age 50 and younger = 38g
Women Below age 50 and younger = 25g

Men Above age 51 and older = 30g
Women Above age 51 and older = 21g

*The National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, USA

However, the Harvard School of Public Health encourages having 20g or more fiber each day for children and adults from natural foods rather than supplements.

Easy does it

Sudden increase in consumption of roughage causes cramping, flatulence or bloating. So, one must go easy by adding it slowly into one’s diet. Add a portion like a fruit daily and wait for a week or two. Gradually introduce other food sources. This gives time for the natural bacteria in your digestive tract to adjust to the fiber. Here’s how to go about it…

• Begin including fiber in your diet with whole grain cereals like oats, muesli and wheat. You can have wheat flakes or whole wheat or multi grain [wheat, bajra or ragi flour] chapattis. In case you consume breakfast cereal, ensure it has 5g or more.
• Include 2 or 2 ½ cups vegetables in every meal in the form of fresh raw salads, vegetable or soups.
• Eat at least ½ cup of beans or pulses in every meal.
• Consume at least two cups of fresh fruit daily.
• Snack on a handful of nuts and dry fruits as they contain good amount of fiber.

After having roughage, drink plenty of water. Since fiber absorbs the water, you need to maintain the water levels in your body. Water also helps your body in processing the fiber. Also, reduce the consumption of caffeinated beverages like tea, coffee or carbonated drinks to avoid dehydration.

Alternative to natural fiber

Some individuals are allergic to certain foods such as wheat. However, for such people, given the wide variety of foods that are high in fiber, finding the suitable food to include in their diet shouldn’t be a problem.

Those with severe food allergies or intestinal problems need not deprive themselves of fiber. They can resort to supplements under the guidance of a physician. This is also important for diabetics as fiber supplements tend to lower blood sugar levels and may require monitoring, if taken along with insulin.

To wrap it up

Although dietary fiber seems to be the least digested nutrient, its sources are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fats and are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help build strength and immunity. So, including roughage in your diet brings in more benefits than intended.

Last updated on 3^rd July 2020

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