Super Soup

by Kiron Abraham


Do you have soups only when you’re out on culinary quests of the Chinese sort or when you have a few ready-to-cook soup packets lying around in the kitchen?





Do not take soup recipes for granted! And definitely don’t treat them like mere appetizers. Soups aren’t just side inclusions in your meals; they have a lot of nutritional value to account for. Let’s not reflect on the technical definition of a soup and spoil the essence of it all. Instead let’s jump to the healing powers it holds.





The health quotient:


Consuming soups not just helps evade various health issues; it also helps keep a check on your waistline. When you consume a bowl of soup prior to lunch/ dinner, you end up in-taking lesser calories than usual. Soups have considerably lower energy densities since it is essentially made of water. Hence it makes for fewer calories and more of nutrients per serving.





They help fortify the immune system, ridding the body of all toxics, supplying body heat, fighting infections, etc. If you’re seeking Soup recipes that detoxify the body, use ingredients like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, onions, horse-radish, mustard greens, dandelions, mushrooms, etc. To retain all these nutritional values soups have to offer, it’s best to cook them at a lower temperature. Soups cooked at high temperatures are devoid of important nutrients.





Soups help maintain a strong immune and digestive system. They eliminate infections not just superficially but right from the core. In places like China, people prepare special soups that act as medicinal tonics to fight seasonal flu and the likes. Chicken clear soup in particular is high on its remedial powers. In the long run, soups can potentially keep a lot of dreaded diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart attacks at bay.





The convenience factor:


Most soup recipes indicate a twenty minute preparation period on your clock. Preparing soups is a hassle free process but processing of its nutrients by the body is an even smoother affair.





Customize your soup smartly to suit your taste buds. Bringing in that little excitement to your soup will further aggravate your cravings. Soups can do so much for you and the thought itself is very comforting.











Kiron Abraham is a lover of all things FOOD and is especially fond of writing for Slurrpy.com, which has everything from simple soup recipes to complicated but delicious vegetarian recipes.



Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article218239.html

Have a Colourful Holiday in Batam

by John Natharal


Indonesia is made up of many islands and Batam is one of them. It is situated in the province of Riau islands. Batam is a great place for a holiday. There are so many things to do on this island. The most popular attraction is the waterfront area of the city which offers the tourists amazing water sports. There is more than you can do in the waterfront area like racing with go karts and a lot of shopping. The Ocean Water Park and another island called Barelang Island are two places that you ought to visit when you are here in Batam. Batam Center is the place that you can visit if you are interested in historical buildings and landmarks or even if you want to look at great architecture.



Batam is filled with entertainment and nightlife. For the best nightlife in the city you have to move to what is called the Nagoya district in this small island. There are a huge number of karaoke bars, popular night clubs and pubs. Two places that you might want to make a sure to visit are the Planet Ozon and Ozon Discotheque.



Go on a Journey of Taste and Class



Dining is something that is a part and parcel of holidaying here. But to make that experience of dining most memorable and to enjoy it, you have many fine restaurants that you can visit to enjoy the great cuisine. One of the most visited places for fine dining in Batam would be the sea food restaurant named Golden Prawn. This is situated in Bengkong and here is where you will get some of the best seafood dishes. Batam also offers a good fast food experience. A1 Pujasera, the Nagoya food court and Windsor would be fast food places that give you the best flavours.



Accommodation is one of the most important factors while on a holiday. Batam has numerous options when it comes to stay. Resort apartments are yet another choice that you can make. There is something new now called Kelong in Batam that is accommodation for those who like to watch sunsets. Excitehotels.com offers hotels in Batam that you can choose to stay in. You are given the option of staying in a luxury suite, a three-star hotel or if you are on a budget you have budget hotels too where you can enjoy comfort and class.



Excite hotels Takes Travelers to Relax in Cosy Hotels in Batam



Author Bio:



Excitehotels.com as a leading hotel reservation agency takes the traveler to experience a vacation in beautiful hotels in Batam. Tourists can enjoy great hotel accommodations with Excitehotels.com and have a memorable holiday.



Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article274322.html

Indian Food - How to Make Delicious Indian Food

by Sterlen Kamryn

If you want to surprise your family with something different for dinner then a unique and delicious Indian dish might be your perfect choice. However, being a non-Indian you might wonder why the ‘Chicken butter masala’ or the ‘Goan fish curry’ that you cooked did not taste the same as your Indian friend made it when you visited them. The distinctive taste of all true Indian dishes comes from the unique preparations and methods that are used to make them. This is true not only for Indian dishes but for any authentic cuisine that originates from different parts of the world. If you attempt to prepare an Indian dish in American style then of course the taste will turn out to be more American than Indian.

One of the secrets to make authentic Indian dishes is to add the right amount of spices, particularly for non-vegetarian dishes. Even a pinch more can offset the taste of the dish. Another tip to make your Indian dish taste more Indian is to buy the spices from an Indian store. This is because the origin of the spices used also makes a difference in how the dish tastes.

For instance, for Indian dishes that require tamarind you have to make use of Indian tamarind and not, say Thai tamarind. This is because Thai tamarind tastes much sweeter than Indian tamarind.

If you want to make classic Indian dishes like chicken curry, it is better to get ready made masalas required for that particular dish from an Indian store. Trying to put together the complex mix of different spices in right proportions by yourself might not turn out as good as you expected.

India is a tropical country where coconut is found everywhere and not surprisingly in most of the Indian dishes. Most Indian recipes, especially South Indian cuisine has either scraped coconut or coconut milk as one of the main ingredients. If you are trying to make an Indian dish that requires coconut it is better to buy the real coconut instead of making do with the readily available coconut powder.

To make Indian dishes with better results, it is better to follow recipes from authentic sources created by Indians. You can find numerous mouth-watering recipes from the various Indian recipe websites.

Cookin your favourite indian food recipes has never been easier.for more details about south indian food visit our website http://www.easy-indian-food.com

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article175566.html

A Festival of Truffles

by Rubel Zaman


Truffles, Those rare funguses sniffed out in deciduous European forests by hounds or pigs are coveted by many and afforded by few. They are celebrated in Michelin starred restaurants the world over, so to introduce the less wealthy, but equally curious gastronome to the delights of the much-esteemed tuber, festivals of truffles are celebrated across the globe for everyone to enjoy.





France – French culture rivalled only by that of Italy emphasises hugely on food and cooking, not just as a past time but also a way of life. For many years the French have celebrated the black perigold truffle (Tuber Melanosporum) at festivals from Dordogne to Provence, the area of the country where truffles are traditionally hunted. During the truffle season that runs from November to early February there are several truffle festivals in this region, consisting of markets, cookery demonstrations and often an auction and feast where black diamonds, the nickname of the Perigold, make up an ingredient of each course of a lavish menu.





Italy – The Italians play host to a truffle festival that celebrates the white truffle (Tuber Magnatum) at Alba in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Here, it is said that white truffles, which are in season during the winter months, are superior to the black truffle of southern France. At the Alba Festival chef’s and foodies visit the fair and market to buy truffle oil, cream, butter and truffle-infused sauces, and for general food-based merriment. There is an invitation only auction where the ‘white diamonds’ can sell up to £2000 per lb and, of course, a lavish, truffle based dinner.





Mundaring Truffle Festival, Western Australia – In July each year a truffle festival takes place in this town in Western Australia where truffles have been successfully cultivated to celebrate the black truffle. The food is celebrated in cooking demo’s and master classes and there are truffle dog trials, where the dogs used to hunt the truffles, show spectators their work. Food stalls and competitions complete this very inclusive festival where children are encouraged to take part in games such as guess the weight of the truffle. The winner in the 2010 competition correctly guessed 32.6 grams, which priced at AUS$3000 is an expensive lot of Australian truffle.





Napa, California, USA – Famous for its wine production, the fertile Napa Valley in Southern California holds a festival to celebrate truffles during December each year. Chefs, Truffle Scientists and Foodies celebrate two types of truffle, the Black Perigold and the Black Summer Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum/uncinatum). During the festivals there are informative and tasty demonstrations celebrating all that is truffle. Truffle scientists give talks on truffle cultivation and there are cookery shows and truffle based stalls for visitors to sample the fungus of their choice. On the Saturday night of the festival weekend there is a six-course truffle banquet, devised and prepared by a Michelin starred chef, making for the highlight of a delicious weekend.








If you enjoy fine dining, why not try some delicious truffle oil in your cooking, or even buy some fresh black truffles online fresh from Italy.



Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article217947.html