Flavors of India

Vegetable Polao

        Ingredients

·         Flavored Rice (Basmati, Gobinda Bhog etc.): -                           250gm.

·         Carot:-                                                                                         1piece

·         Beans (slice in fine pieces):-                                                   5-6 pieces

·         Peas:-                                                                                          1/2Cup

·         Cashew nut:-                                                                       10-12 pieces

·         Raisins:-                                                                              15-16 pieces

·         Bay Leaf:-                                                                                    2pieces

·         Refined Oil:-                                                                                    1Cup

·         Ghee:-                                                                                  2 tablespoon

·         Sugar:-                                                                                    2 teaspoon

·         Salt:-                                                                                            to taste

**For Garam Masala:

·         Green Cardamom pods:-                                                                4pieces

·         Black Cardamom pods:-                                                                 1pieces

·         Cinnamon:-                                                                                  2-3 sticks

·         Cloves:-                                                                                       4-6pieces

Process:

 

 

1. Rinse rice well twice at least and soak in water for 30mins set aside.
2. Grind  the Garam Masala and keep aside.

           3.   Heat ½ cup of oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Fry the vegetables and keep aside.     

4. Heat the remaining oil. Add the bay leafs and the rice and fry for 3-5min.
5. Now, add the fried vegetables, cashew nuts and raisins and mix well.
6. Then, add salt, sugar, four cups of water and stir well. Cover and cook until the rice is done on slow flame. Stir once a while and may add water after rice will half done if need.
7. Off the flame when the rice is well cooked and sprinkle the grinned garam masala and the Ghee and cover for 5 min.

8.   Serve hot with any Curry dish.

* It is test best when serve with Chicken Red Curry (26.11.2012) or Mutton Curry (30.10.2012) or Fish in Red Curry (26.08.2012) or Aloor Dam (will publish within next month).

** Garam masala: 

Garam ("hot") and Masala ("mixture") is a blend of ground spices common in North Indian and other South Asian cuisines. It is used alone or with other seasonings. The word ‘garam’ refers to intensity of the spices rather than capsaicin content.

The composition of garam masala differs regionally, with wide variety across India. Varying combinations of these and other spices are used in different garam masala recipes in accordance to region and personal taste,  and none is considered more authentic than another. The components of the mix are toasted, and then ground together.

A typical Indian version of garam masala is:

• black & white peppercorns
• cloves
• cinnamon
• black & white cumin seeds
• black, brown & green cardamom pods

Destination India

Orissa (PART-XI)

Wildlife of Orissa (2)

Chandaka Elephant Reserve

 

Chandaka elephant reserve is located in the Bhubaneshwar, were designated as an Elephant Reserve in August 1982. It is only one of its kind in India. The residents of the reserve are elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, pea fowls and pythons. The Sanctuary was marked out to check and restore the depleting forest cover which once covered Bhubaneswar. Conservation management techniques over the last two decades have revived the natural vegetation of the designated area which now supports a variety of wild life.
From a bushy cover that characterized the landscape before 1982, the diversity of flora today ranges from the semi evergreen, to the moist kangada forests, coastal sal forest, thorny bamboo brakes, planted teak and eupatorium scrub. There is a suffusion of medicinal plants and bamboo plants, with a few orchid species also thrive in the wet and shady areas of the reserve.
Among the fauna about 30 species of mammals, 27 species of reptiles and 120 species of birds can be sighted. Besides the elephant, leopard, chital, barking deer, mouse deer, langur, rhesus monkey, mongoose, sloth bear, wolf and hyena also inhabit the sanctuary. A variety of snakes, like the python, and the monitor lizard can also be sighted there. Mugger crocodiles have adapted to large water bodies within the sanctuary.

Deras Dam

Deras Dam is a small dam, used for irrigation purpose, situated within Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary. It is a very popular picnic spot and known for scenic beauty.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary

 

 

 

The pleasant environs of the Hirakud Lake supporting a mixed deciduous forest provide a natural habitat to a variety of wild life in the Debrigarh WildLife Sanctuary, which stretches across the Lohara and Debrigarh Reserve forests on the Barapahad hills in Baragarh district. The waterfalls tumbling down the hill sides during the monsoon and the proximity of the large Hirakud reservoir attract a number of tourists.

Waterfall

 
The tiger, leopard, sloth bear, chital, sambar, and nilgai inhabit this almost virgin forest. Besides, a host of resident and migratory birds such as the chousingha and the crested serpent eagle add colour to the landscape. The mugger crocodiles and freshwater turtles residing in large numbers add to the diversity of the reserve forest.
Enclosing the Kamgaon and Lakhanpur wild life ranges, Debrigarh is flanked by the Debrigarh, Jhagadabehera, Lambipalli and Mundakati villages.

Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Ushakothi wildlife sanctuary is sprawling in an area of 285 sq kms. It is located at a distance of 22 kms from the silk city of Sambalpur on NH6 connecting it with Kolkata. The majestic Hirakud Dam lies on the west of the Sanctuary. This small pristine wildlife reserve is home for many wild beasts and serves as abode for numerous flora and Avi fauna. Its wild wealth and natural beauty make it a splendid location for ecotourism, tourists from distant locations flock here to witness this great biodiversity called Ushakothi.
The Royal Bengal Tigers and the wild Asian elephants are the flagship beasts of this sanctuary. Apart from them it also serves as natural habitat for leopards, bisons, Sambars, Nilgais, Cheetals, sloth bears and Wolves. Panthers are sighted occasionally here.
Ushakothi is home for a wide variety of fauna. The most impressive amongst them are the flying squirrels and racket tail drangos.
The forest cover of Ushakothi is primarily Dry deciduous. Neem, Sal, Acacia, Sandalwood, Arjun, Casuarinas are the common trees of this sanctuary.Wardha and Penganga are the main rivers flowing through this sanctuary. On occasions the wild animals of Ushakothi venture into the nearby villages following the trail of these rivers. The wildlife of Ushakothi is primarily comprised of nocturnal. Many watch towers have been erected on the prominent spots to allow the tourists to have an aerial view on the life of these wilds.

Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary

 

 

Tikarpada wildlife sanctuary adds a new line of popularity in the land of wildlife sanctuaries in Odisha (Orissa). It is a beautiful place encloses the Satkoisa Gorge – a place where Mahanadi Plunges into Eastern Ghats. Visiting the amazing wildlife in Tikadpada Odisha (Orissa) is truly a memorable experience that is a home to a number of water-creatures, reptiles, wild animals and different birds. Tourist and wildlife tour enthusiasts come to Tikadpada wildlife Odisha (Orissa) India to enjoy boating, white water rafting, fish angling, trekking, and spending more and more time in lush green forest ranges. The Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is actively conserving and breeding the endangered species of the crocodiles in the Mahanadi eco system in Tikarpada. Though tigers are rarely sighted now, the wildlife within the sanctuary includes the Indian adjutant stroke, red jungle fowl and Indian pitta.
Located at a convenient distance of 120 kms from Dhenkanal and 58 kms from Angul, tourists can proceed to Saptasajya, a scenic picnic spot. The Saptarshi and Raghunath temples in the vicinity are also frequented by tourists visiting the sanctuary.

Talk about India, from India with you

Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening my friends, wherever you are! This is 11:00pm. 26^th December, Wednesday in India. Wish a belated Merry Christmas and a flourishing New Year to you all! I was getting ill last week; so I missed the Sunday blog. Hope you all enjoy the Christmas.
This Christmas, my all friends were going for outing! So, I have celebrated the Christmas with my husband (Subhankar) and I enjoy a lot! As I told you, I live in Burdwan, a district town of West Bengal, India. Here we have two Churches. Every year, in the 25^th December, we must go there. This year is not an exception! We go to Church and join the pryer and then enjoy most of all programs. I will describe how we celebrate the Christmas in India in the ‘Festivals of India’. Here I share some sweet memories. 

A Church in Burdwan

Inside of the Church

After Church, we went to a famous temple of Lord Shiva in Burdwan. It is an unique temple site where 108 temples you can see at once! Then we go to a restaurant and eat Dhosa (a South Indian food) and Chana Batura (a North Indian food). After back home, we through a party with lot of foods each other! It was full of enjoyment! All thanks goes to Subhankar, my husband!

108 Lord Shiva Temple

That’s all for today! Hope you are enjoying the holidays with your family. Take very care of your families and yourselves! See you on 2nd Jan., Wednesday! Yes, Wednesday, not Sunday; I want to change my blog-post date from the Sunday to the Wednesday! Keep watching! Have a good day/ afternoon/evening/night! Namaskar.