Food
10 Tasty Immunity Boosting Winter Soup Recipes for Children
The chilly weather of winter brings cold waves which can harm children. During the cold months, keeping children safe from flu, colds and other kinds of winter sickness becomes a struggle for their parents. One effective way to enhance a kid’s immune system is by treating it with nutritious homemade soups. Here are some tasty soup recipes that cater to your child's health needs.
10 Delicious Soups to Strengthen Kids' Immunity This Winter
Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar
Enjoy the nutritional benefits of Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, a blend of fresh broccoli, butter, cheddar, and milk. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, broccoli enhances immunity. The soup provides essential nutrients, including calcium, supporting bone health. To make this comforting bowl, gently sauté fresh broccoli florets in butter, adding a creamy mix of cheddar and milk until velvety smooth.
This velvety creation is both satisfying and nourishing, offering a wholesome strategy to fortify your child against winter ailments. Incorporating broccoli's goodness, it contributes vitamins A and C. Relish a warm bowl of this nutrient-packed soup, making it a delicious yet health-conscious choice.
Read more: 10 Types of Natural Honey: A Guide to Varieties, Benefits, and Uses
Hearty Chicken and Vegetable
Nourish your child with the wholesome goodness of the Chicken and Vegetable Soup. Packed with essential nutrients, this recipe combines protein-rich chicken with an array of nutritious vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions in a hearty broth. To prepare, gently simmer the chicken with the vibrant vegetable mix until it reaches perfection.
The dish is rich in vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C. These vitamins contribute to a strengthened immune system. Additionally, the soup provides essential minerals like iron, supporting the body's metabolic processes and maintaining energy levels. This nutrient-dense soup is not only comforting on winter evenings but also serves as a robust defence against seasonal illnesses.
Spinach and Chicken Soup
Enjoy the nourishment of Spinach and Chicken Soup, a delicious mixture designed to enhance both taste and health. Combine spinach with chicken for a nutrient-rich infusion. Simmer these ingredients, allowing the flavours to merge into a comforting soup. Serve with lemon.
Read more: Superfoods: Worth the Hype?
Beyond its delicious taste, this soup is a rich source of iron from spinach, essential for maintaining healthy blood. Chicken contributes essential proteins necessary for the growth and immune function of children. Together, they create a fortifying concoction that delights the taste buds of youngsters and strengthens cold resistance too.
Nourishing Coconut Carrot Lentil
Savour the health benefits of Nourishing Coconut Carrot Lentil Soup, combining protein-packed lentils, carrots, and velvety coconut milk for a wholesome infusion. Simmer the ingredients to meld flavours seamlessly. Together, they create a nourishing symphony that boosts your child's immunity, ensuring good health in winter.
This creation acts as a strong defence against winter ailments, with essential proteins, vitamins B and C, and coconut milk adding a creamy texture rich in healthy fats. This nutrient-dense delicious soup provides nutrients, making it a health-conscious choice for your child.
Read more: Prospects of Safe Broiler Chicken Farming
Tomato and Basil Delight
Savour the health benefits of Tomato and Basil Delight Soup, a nutritious fusion designed to boost immunity. Simply combine tomatoes with aromatic basil, simmering until the flavours mix seamlessly.
This soup is a powerhouse of nutrients, providing essential vitamins such as vitamin C from tomatoes. Basil contributes additional vitamins, including vitamin K, essential for bone health. Together, they create a nourishing concoction that supports your child's immune system with every serving.
10 Tasty Drinks to Boost Kids' Immunity This Winter
As winter rolls in, it brings cold waves and fog. In chilly weather, kids may catch cold and fall ill more frequently. However, there are some secret weapons to combat these seasonal maladies: immunity-boosting winter drinks! Discovering tasty and healthy options to fortify children's immunity can make winter an enjoyable journey. Let's explore palatable winter drinks that not only tantalise the taste buds of children but also serve as shields against sickness during the cold months.
10 Delicious Immunity-Booster Winter Drinks for Children
Turmeric Milk
Turmeric milk is known for its medicinal properties. This drink blends the beneficial properties of turmeric and warm milk. To prepare, heat a cup of milk first. Then add half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, and a dash of honey to the milk. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes, then strain before consumption.
This golden elixir boasts curcumin which is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Consuming turmeric milk helps bolster the immune system, aiding in the prevention of winter ailments like colds and flu. Its natural healing properties provide relief from sore throats, coughs, and other seasonal maladies.
Read more: 10 Types of Natural Honey: A Guide to Varieties, Benefits, and Uses
Vegetable Soup
Vegetable soup, a wholesome blend, incorporates an array of vegetables like carrots, spinach, tomatoes, and onions. Simmer these veggies in a broth, then season with some herbs and spices. This nutritious soup is filled with a plethora of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, fortifying kids' natural immune systems and aiding in preventing colds and flu.
The warmth, nourishment, and hydration provided by this soup make it an appealing and immunity-boosting choice to keep kids healthy while relishing an appetizing meal.
Orange Carrot Juice
A vibrant and refreshing drink, orange carrot juice is a burst of immunity-boosting nutrients. Combine equal parts of carrot and orange juices for a rich blend of vitamin C and beta-carotene. These ingredients can fortify the immune system, essential in shielding kids from winter ailments.
Read more: Superfoods: Worth the Hype?
The juice's high vitamin content bolsters immunity, warding off cold and flu during colder months. The antioxidants in this juice act as a defence mechanism, aiding in preventing illnesses, while its delicious taste makes it kid-friendly.
Pumpkin Seed Milk
Pumpkin seed milk is another delightful way to keep winter ailments at bay for the little ones. This remedy involves blending soaked pumpkin seeds with water and straining the mixture. Rich in zinc, antioxidants, and omega-3s, it safeguards kids against winter sickness.
This nutritious vegan delight acts as a shield against seasonal ailments by fortifying the body's defence mechanisms. Its high zinc content aids in immune response, while antioxidants combat free radicals. Providing a wealth of nutrients, including magnesium and vitamin E, pumpkin seed milk contributes to overall health, offering an extra layer of winter protection.
Read more: Prospects of Safe Broiler Chicken Farming
Fruit Smoothies
Organic fruits are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential nutrients. Preparing smoothies involves blending a variety of fruits such as berries, bananas, and oranges, with a splash of yoghurt or milk. Each sip is a celebration of the body's strength.
The fruit medley provides a powerhouse of vitamins C and E, crucial for fortifying their defences and warding off colds. Its richness in antioxidants aids in fighting off infections, ensuring a tasty and convenient way for kids to stay healthier during colder months.
10 Types of Natural Honey: A Guide to Varieties, Benefits, and Uses
Honey, a revered golden elixir, has been celebrated for centuries across the globe, not just for its delightful sweetness but also for its remarkable nutritional and medicinal properties. This natural sweetener, crafted by bees from the nectar of various flowers, presents an array of types, each with its unique tapestry of flavors, origins, nutritional profiles, and health benefits.
Exploring Origins, Health Benefits, and Culinary Uses of Organic Honey
Himalayan Honey: A Mountain Treasure
Hailing from the majestic Himalayan region, which includes Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Tibet, Himalayan honey is derived from a diverse mix of wildflowers like rhododendron and wild cherry. This honey is not only a powerhouse of antioxidants but also enhances immune function, aids digestion, reduces inflammation, and combats fatigue. A local beekeeper says, "Himalayan honey's health-boosting properties are unparalleled."
Manuka Honey: New Zealand’s Healing Nectar
Originating predominantly from New Zealand, with some sources in Australia, Manuka honey is a product of the Manuka bush. Known for its high methylglyoxal content, it exhibits strong antibacterial qualities. It's widely used for healing wounds, bolstering the immune system, and fighting illness. Its antioxidant-rich profile makes it a staple for maintaining robust health.
Read more: Beekeepers in good spirit as Sundarbans sees honey boom
Clover Honey: Sweet and Beneficial
Clover honey, celebrated for its delectably sweet taste and rich antioxidant content, supports heart health and combats inflammation. Predominantly produced in clover-rich regions of Europe, New Zealand, and North America, it's gentle on the digestive system, making it an excellent addition to a health-conscious diet.
Superfoods: Worth the Hype?
In recent years, the term "superfood" has garnered significant attention in health and wellness. These foods are often touted as nutritional powerhouses. They are praised for their exceptional health benefits.
The buzz around superfoods stems from their purported ability to provide a high concentration of nutrients, antioxidants, and other health-promoting compounds. Now, the questions arise, what exactly qualifies as a superfood, and is the hype surrounding the superfoods justified?
Are Superfoods Worth the Hype?
Superfoods are nutrient-rich foods often hailed for their exceptional health benefits. They typically contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients that contribute to overall well-being. Superfoods include blueberries, spinach, salmon, chia seeds, and kale.
The term “superfoods” was coined in the 1990s. But it became widely familiar in 2007 after being mentioned in an article in Time Magazine. While the term "superfood" might spark intrigue, it is essential to approach the concept with a critical eye.
Read more: Popular Winter Breakfasts in Bangladesh
Scientific evidence supporting the extraordinary health claims of superfoods varies. While some foods offer remarkable nutritional values, others might not live up to the exaggerated claims. Assessing the actual worth of superfoods involves understanding their nutritional content, benefits, and limitations.
Tips for Incorporating Superfoods into Your Diet
Seeds as Garnish
Seeds like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds have gained attention as superfoods due to their rich nutrient profiles. They are packed with proteins, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
These tiny seeds work excellently as garnishes. Their subtle taste makes them perfect for enhancing the nutritional value of dishes and snacks without overpowering the flavours.
Dark Chocolate Desserts
Contrary to popular belief, dark chocolate is a nutrient-rich superfood. It is abundant in antioxidants and various essential nutrients. It is a versatile ingredient for desserts and can serve as a flavour enhancer.
Read more: 10 Bangladeshi Winter Street Foods: Taste Meets Tradition
For instance, you may have strawberries or banana slices dipped in dark chocolate for an antioxidant-rich dessert. It offers a delicious pre-workout snack or an evening dessert.
Nuts as Snacks
Nuts are another nutrient-dense superfood group. It delivers proteins and omega-3 fatty acids and is ideal for plant-based diets. They make for a satisfying and healthier snack option between meals and keep hunger at bay. Nuts serve as a convenient way to boost nutrition and resist unhealthy snacking both at work or home .
Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower is a superfood due to its nutrient content like protein, vitamins, and minerals. But it is often overlooked. Cauliflower can replace potatoes and is excellent as an alternative to regular or brown rice. To prepare cauliflower rice first, boil the florets, then cool them. Now process them in a mixer. Your cauliflower rice is ready to be savoured.
Read more: 5 Tasty Savoury Winter Pitha Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen
Yoghourt Desserts
Yoghourt is a versatile and nutrient-packed superfood that serves as a savoury side or a base for desserts. Yoghourt can be paired with granola, dark chocolate, or naturally sweet berries. It creates effortless and nutritious dessert cups.
Berries Candy
Berries such as strawberries and blueberries make a healthy substitute for candies. You need to transform them into candy-like treats by squeezing lemon over the berries and refrigerating them for a few hours. This trick works with citrus fruits like oranges too.
Green Iced Tea
For a refreshing and nutritious drink, you may try iced green tea. It is packed with nutrients and is known to boost metabolism. Green tea infused with ice, lemon, and honey offers a superfood-packed beverage.
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Garlic Olive Oil
Both garlic and olive oil qualify as superfoods. They are rich in nutrients and known for their healing properties. Creating garlic-infused olive oil serves as a healthier alternative to butter for toast toppings. You need to simply combine olive oil with peeled garlic cloves and bake to prepare this delicious garlic olive oil.
Prospects of Safe Broiler Chicken Farming
In the ever-evolving food industry, broiler chicken is one of the most popular preferences. This article delves into the subject of safe broiler chicken, a key issue in the future of the poultry industry. Let's find out how this chicken farming system plays an essential role in the food industry.
What is Safe Broiler Chicken?
The misuse of antibiotics in broiler farming has surfaced as a global public health menace, propelling the surge in popularity of antibiotic-free broiler meat production on a global scale. In this paradigm shift, emphasis is placed on alternative methods in broiler production in Bangladesh as well.
The safe broiler system prioritizes animal health, a conducive environment, and high product quality. This approach emphasizes the absence of hazardous ingredients, including antibiotics and growth hormones. It fosters a bio-preservative system and incorporates herbal supplements in animal feed.
The result is poultry reared in an eco-friendly manner, embodying the essence of safety and health consciousness in every aspect of production. Consumers increasingly seek assurance in their food choices. Meanwhile, the emergence of these chickens heralds a positive shift towards sustainable, health-centric practices in the poultry industry.
Read more: 10 Best Winter Teas to Fight Cold and Flu
Recent Advances in Broiler Breeding
Md. Shafiqul Islam, a professor in the pharmacology department at Bangladesh Agricultural University, and his associate Md. Abu Raihan Parvez has recently achieved breakthrough success in alternative broiler production. They were able to produce broilers without any form of antibacterial agents, using different types of herbal plant extracts in their laboratory.
In their research on broilers, they predominantly utilized various types of herbal extracts, noting their superior efficacy compared to antibiotics. The broilers exhibited significant weight gain, and this increase was notably rapid.
Moreover, the rate of morbidity and mortality among them was remarkably low. This research program, spanning five years, holds the potential for a significant leap toward the development of a more advanced poultry industry if implemented on a large scale.
Read more: Microwave Cooking: 7 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
10 Teas for Upset Stomach and Improved Digestive Health
Bloating is an uncomfortable sensation often caused by gas or indigestion and can significantly impact gut health. However, a natural and soothing remedy lies in the comforting world of teas. With their diverse flavours and healing properties, certain teas possess remarkable abilities to alleviate upset stomach and enhance digestion abilities. Let's explore ten teas that aid gut health and contribute to overall well-being.
Best Herbal Teas to Relieve Bloating and Indigestion
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea, with its refreshing taste and soothing properties, is renowned for its ability to soothe an upset stomach and support digestion. Its menthol content relaxes digestive muscles, lessening gas and discomfort. This tea soothes the gut, alleviating discomfort and promoting a healthier digestive system.
Moreover, it offers additional benefits such as freshening breath and providing relief from headaches. Brewing this remedy involves steeping peppermint leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes. It offers a simple yet beneficial cup to support overall well-being.
Read more: 10 Best Winter Teas to Fight Cold and Flu
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea boasts a zesty and revitalising taste. It serves as a reliable solution for excessive gas and digestive concerns. Its anti-inflammatory qualities effectively reduce digestive problems by calming the intestines. This tea actively supports gut health by alleviating digestive discomfort.
Additionally, ginger tea offers benefits like providing relief from nausea and boosting immunity. Making this therapeutic drink involves steeping fresh ginger slices in hot water for 5-10 minutes. It creates a flavoursome concoction that aids digestion and keeps you fit.
Dandelion Tea
Dandelion tea is mildly bitter in taste yet effective. It enhances digestive functions and diminishes gas. Its natural diuretic properties reduce water retention and bloating. To prepare this cleansing infusion, steep dried dandelion roots or leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
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Besides aiding gut health, dandelion tea offers additional benefits such as detoxification and liver support. You may indulge in this beneficial brew for a mildly bitter yet cleansing drink to promote digestive wellness.
Cardamom Tea
Cardamom tea is famous for its aromatic and subtly spicy taste. It holds digestive properties that alleviate gas and discomfort. This tea aids in regulating digestive functions, supporting overall gut health. To prepare this flavoursome brew, steep cardamom pods or powder in hot water for 10-15 minutes.
Besides aiding gut health, cardamom tea offers benefits such as freshening breath and providing antioxidants. Enjoy this aromatic infusion for digestive relief and a delightful beverage.
Read more: Top 10 Kidney Cleansing Teas with Recipes
Coriander Tea
Coriander tea is famed for its mild and refreshing taste. It naturally aids in alleviating gut health. Its properties calm the stomach, easing gas and discomfort. It provides support for digestive good health.
To make this tea, steep crushed coriander seeds in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Other than gut health, coriander tea offers benefits such as improving cholesterol levels and providing antioxidants. Embrace this soothing infusion for digestive comfort and overall health support.
What is 'fine water' that's become fashionable among the world’s privileged?
Monsoon rains have finally passed and floods blocking the lone dirt road have retreated enough for a small truck to climb these Himalayan foothills to a gurgling spring. It spews water so fresh that people here call it nectar.
Workers inside a small plant ferry sleek glass bottles along a conveyer. The bottles, filled with a whoosh of this natural mineral water, are labeled, packed into cases and placed inside a truck for a long ride.
Ganesh Iyer, who heads the operation, watches like a nervous dad, later pulling out his phone, as any proud parent might, to show the underground cavern the waters have formed in this pristine kingdom, the world’s last Shangri-La.
This is no ordinary water. It will travel hundreds of miles to some of India’s luxury hotels, restaurants and richest families, who pay about $6 per bottle, roughly a day’s wage for an Indian laborer. Millions of people worldwide don’t have clean water to drink, even though the United Nations deemed water a basic human right more than a decade ago.
Yet, even as extreme heat dries up more aquifers and wells and leaves more people thirsty, luxury water has become fashionable among the world’s privileged, who uncap and taste it like fine wine.
This “fine water” is drawn from volcanic rock in Hawaii, from icebergs that have fallen from melting glaciers in Norway, or from droplets of morning mist in Tasmania.
Connoisseurs, some who study to become water sommeliers, insist this trend isn’t about snobbishness. They appreciate the purest of the pure.
“Water is not just water,” says Michael Mascha, a founder of the Fine Water Society, a consortium of small bottlers and distributors worldwide. He likens consumers of high-end water to foodies who’d drive miles to find heirloom tomatoes or a rare salt. Some drink fine water instead of alcohol.
“Having the right stemware, drinking at the right temperature, pairing it with food, celebrating with water – all those kinds of things are important.”
As a truck rolls out of the Bhutanese bottling plant, operated by Veen Waters India, the 40-some line workers take a tea break along a short row of employee housing. They check their mobile phones and chat, while birds chirp in the background. Laundry hung out to dry flaps in a subtle breeze. It’s a steamy day, even at this higher elevation.
Up a hillside behind them is a mineral spring, once a source of fresh water for nearby villagers, who used bamboo rods as pipes to help funnel some of the steadily flowing clear current into buckets they carried home. Now that source, which Veen purchased from the previous owner more than a decade ago, is kept behind a locked gate for safekeeping.
Veen’s business slowed to a trickle during the pandemic, says Iyer, Veen’s managing partner. But now the company is exporting about 20,000 cases — or 240,000 bottles — of the water into India each month, minus the occasional few that break on their bumpy multiple-day trek. He figures they’ve tapped only about 10% of the potential market so far.
After crossing into India, the trucks carrying the bottled water run through lush green Darjeeling tea plantations, past road signs marking elephant crossings and the occasional cluster of teenage boys cooling off in a rain catchment next to rural villages dotted with banana trees.
Eventually, the cases are delivered to luxury hotels and restaurants many hundreds of miles away in cities like New Delhi, Pune and Mumbai, where Veen is headquartered.
A few wealthy families get weekly shipments. Iyer jokes that the richest of the rich buy so much that they “probably bathe in it.”
Market reports predict even greater demand for premium water worldwide in years to come. In India — now the most populous country in the world, with a rising standard of living and growing concerns about water quality — Veen is poised to help satisfy that demand.
For many Indians, however, the story of water is very different, including in Mumbai’s Dharavi neighborhood, one of Asia’s largest slums, jammed with working families.
There, water arrives in municipal pipelines just once a day, from about 6 to 9 a.m., setting off a flurry of activity as the day’s crushing heat arrives in spring and summer.
The three-hour window for water shapes the neighborhood’s rituals. Men in shorts or underwear lather up in a bath area. Their upbeat banter is constant as they prepare for the day. Residents of this labyrinth of narrow alleyways and small homes brush their teeth while standing on front porches, spitting toothpaste into water that runs along the uneven blocks of concrete on the ground. They fill up buckets and reclaimed bottles to keep water at home. A few women wash aluminum pots and pans or briskly scrub T-shirts, scarves and other clothing.
Still others are more desperate, such as Rekha Nagesh Pawar, who lives with her four children in a tent made out of blue plastic tarps along a busy Mumbai roadway. The water she gets from a neighbor, when he’s feeling charitable, has been siphoned illegally from a public system with a garden hose. She says her husband, a mason, died from a heart attack in 2021, leaving her to beg for money for food.
She frets that there’s often not enough water to bathe her children or wash their clothes. “We have to live in filth,” the weary-eyed woman says.
It’s hard for her to fathom that someone would pay a day’s wages for a bottle of fancy water.
Veen is far from the most expensive in the fine water category. The rarest of all, often bottled in collectable glass, sell for hundreds of dollars apiece.
This scene was on full display when members of the Fine Water Society gathered in April at a swanky hotel in Athens, Greece, for their annual international tasting competition and symposium.
With bottles and glasses lined up before them, judges from several countries sampled various brands, swishing gulps of water and sometimes spitting mouthfuls into canisters, as wine tasters do. Spectators seated before them watched intently. Many were bottlers who’d come to compete.
The judges flipped cards to indicate their scores for each entrant: 92, 98, and so on.
“Who wins here? It’s really sometimes very hard to predict,” says Mascha, who served as a judge. “There’s always a sleeper.”
Twenty years ago, people mocked his fascination with water, which grew from his doctor’s insistence that he quit drinking alcohol. He searched for alternatives that might enrapture him the same way a complex bottle of cabernet once had.
As he tried more waters from small batch bottlers, he discovered like-minded water devotees. That group has only grown.
They discuss “virginality,” or purity. They learn about “terroir,” the environment in which water originates. They compare the total dissolved solids, or TDS.
Waters with low TDS are more like rainwater that hasn’t touched the earth. Those with high TDS — such as Vichy mineral water from thermal springs in France and Catalan — have robust mineral content that may include calcium, magnesium, potassium or sodium, among others.
A few restaurants in countries such as Spain and the United States now have menus that pair food with particular types of fine water. A bolder mineral water, for instance, might be suggested as a companion for a charbroiled steak. More subtle rainwater might be paired with fish.
This year’s champions in each category, from still water to sparkling and super-low minerality to high, came from Austria, New Zealand, Panama, Scandinavia and other parts of the world.
Awards, however, do not guarantee success in what can be a very competitive business, especially for the mom-and-pop bottlers.
“Every brand has to find its unique selling point,” says Jamal Qureshi, founder of the now-defunct Svalbardi Polar Iceberg Water, based on the far-north Norwegian island of Svalbard. “If it’s just like, ‘Oh, you know, we’re a special water from wherever,’ it’s hard to stand out.”
His company, once a rising star in the fine water scene and winner of awards, sold melted Arctic icebergs, bottled in fancy glass containers, online.
The idea was to harvest small floating remnants of glaciers to tell the story of climate change, the proliferation of greenhouse gases and its direct impact on the disappearing Arctic landscape.
People paid $100 (US) for a bottle of Svalbardi. Often, the company sold out.
Then in late 2020, a shipment of 15,000 empty bottles from a supplier arrived broken and scratched, forcing the fledgling company to close down.
Without its opulent packaging, the average consumer might fail to taste the difference in these waters. Even sommeliers say it can take months of practice to determine the subtleties.
“Please smell my water and tell me how good or bad it is,” people sometimes tease Iyer, of Veen, when they learn he’s a certified water sommelier — India’s first, he says. He takes no offense.
But Mascha, of the Fine Water Society, is quick to differentiate fine water from “mega-corporations that exploit water.”
Water sold in clear plastic bottles that are ubiquitous the world over is often simply filtered municipal water that’s distilled and bottled from any number of sources. In many instances, Mascha says, a water filter on your tap would produce the same result, with far less impact on the environment.
When it comes to fine water, he says natural spring water, for instance, must come from a single source and be bottled near that source. He calls the bottlers in his society small “water farmers.”
Solutions to the world’s water problems won’t come easily.
That is the reality of life in water-stressed countries like India, a country that has 18% of the world’s population, but only 4% of its water, according to the World Bank.
Water shortages have sparked protests and conflict. Last year, a man was stabbed and killed in a fight over water in the town of Aurangabad, north of Mumbai.
The Indian government has promised that every household will soon have plumbing and running water — a goal set for this year that has yet to be reached.
“But just because we spend money and put the pipes in, doesn’t mean that people will actually have water in their taps,” says Veena Srinivasan, executive director of WELL Labs, a research institution in Bengaluru, India, that studies water sustainability.
Climate change has only worsened droughts and heatwaves and put more pressure on India’s underground aquifers, as well as rivers that also are polluted by industry, farming and sewage.
India is among many countries that have built huge plants to desalinate sea water. Others, including Singapore, are collecting and cleaning up storm and wastewater to try to solve their water woes.
But solutions like those are in their infancy in many countries, if they exist at all.
That means the commodification of water, and those who profit from it, are likely to become more contentious. Fine water is certainly a commodity too, though its connoisseurs and those who bottle often speak of the importance of respecting and conserving an increasingly precious resource.
Even for them, luxury water is often just that – a luxury.
Iyer only drinks Veen when out at a restaurant. At home, he and his wife consume tap water after boiling it. As many do, he likes to store it in a matka, an Indian red clay pot that is a water cooler. He also still bathes with a bucket, while sitting on a stool, a common Indian custom that also saves water.
“On one hand, we consider water to be holy and divine,” Iyer says. “But we take it for granted. We believe water will always be there.”
In Bhutan, Buddhist prayer flags are a common sight -- squares of five colors, strung along bridges and at meditation stops next to scenic mountain roadways. Blue represents space. Red is for fire; yellow is earth; white is air.
Green symbolizes water, a revered resource in a country known for its environmental stewardship.
It is a common custom to place the purest spring water in bowls as a sacred offering in a home or a temple.
Water also has economic benefits for the kingdom, where an abundance of rivers and a small population of about 700,000 mean there is a surplus of hydroelectricity to export, much of it to neighboring India.
Here, water is both pure, and powerful.
Tshering Bumpa, the longtime manager of the Veen bottling facility, understands the significance.
“We are so proud of our water,” says Bumpa, who has dressed in colorful Bhutanese traditional garments to welcome rare visitors to this remote spot in the jungle.
There is enough water to share. At least for now.
10 Best Winter Teas to Fight Cold and Flu
Winter brings chilly foggy weather. The plummeting temperatures and fluctuating weather conditions pave the way for seasonal illnesses. Many people suffer from common colds, coughs, sore throat, and flu during the cold months. However, nature has bestowed us with a remedy – herbal teas. These comforting brews warm the soul and offer relief from the common winter illnesses.
10 Teas for Relief from Cough and Flu this Winter
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is renowned for its refreshing taste and soothing aroma. This tea can aid in combating colds. Its menthol content helps clear nasal passages and alleviate sore throats, offering a revitalising experience.
This herbal infusion holds various health benefits, including aiding digestion, reducing headaches, and promoting relaxation.
To brew, simply steep peppermint leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Then strain, and enjoy the comforting warmth and healing properties of this invigorating tea.
Read more: 10 Best Teas for Weight Loss
Ginger Tea
The robust and spicy essence of ginger tea makes it an effective remedy against winter illnesses. Loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, it aids in alleviating nausea, reducing congestion, and boosting the immune system.
Its health benefits extend to aiding digestion, soothing upset stomachs, and providing relief from muscle soreness.
To prepare ginger tea, simmer sliced ginger in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Next, strain, and savour the potent blend of warmth and health-boosting elements in this invigorating brew.
Read more: Top 10 Kidney Cleansing Teas with Recipes
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is famed for its soothing nature. It offers a gentle yet potent remedy. Its anti-inflammatory properties not only alleviate throat soreness but also induce relaxation, aiding in improved sleep quality during illnesses. Health-wise, this tea can support digestive health, reduce anxiety, and may relieve menstrual discomfort.
For preparation, steep dried chamomile flowers in hot water for 5-10 minutes and allow the floral essence to infuse the liquid. It creates a comforting brew that soothes both body and mind.
Turmeric Tea
Turmeric tea is of a radiating golden hue. This tea is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant prowess. It effectively eases sore throats, clears congestion, and fortifies the body's immune system. Its health benefits span from supporting joint health and reducing inflammation to aiding digestion and improving skin conditions.
Read more: Health benefits of floral teas: 10 blends you can try
To prepare, simmer grated turmeric root or powder in hot water for 10-15 minutes. After that add a dash of black pepper and a hint of honey for enhanced absorption and a touch of sweetness.
Green Tea
Green tea is celebrated for its abundant antioxidants and serves as a versatile elixir. It bolsters the immune system, diminishes inflammation, and fosters holistic well-being. Its health benefits encompass enhancing brain function, assisting weight management, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
To prepare green tea, steep green tea leaves in hot water (not boiling) for 2-3 minutes then allow the delicate flavours to infuse. It creates a revitalising brew. Embrace the wholesome goodness and rejuvenating qualities of green tea with every sip.
Read more: These are the 10 Most Expensive Teas in the World
Microwave Cooking: 7 Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
In our hectic life, time-saving recipes are a treasure. Microwave cooking offers convenience without compromising taste. Chicken breast, a lean protein, packs essential nutrients like protein, vitamins B6 and B12, and minerals. Here are seven delightful chicken breast recipes that can be cooked in microwave for Bangladeshi households. These dishes promise to elevate your culinary experience while saving you valuable time in the kitchen.
Nutrition of Chicken Breast Meat
Protein Content
Chicken breast is a great source of high-quality protein. It is crucial for muscle growth, repair, and overall body function.
Low Fat
With a low-fat content, chicken breast is a favourable option for those seeking a lean protein source while watching their fat intake.
Vitamin B6
Abundant in vitamin B6, chicken breast aids in metabolism, and red blood cell formation, and supports a healthy nervous system.
Vitamin B12
Offering vitamin B12, chicken breast promotes proper nerve function, red blood cell production, and assists in DNA synthesis.
Phosphorus
Rich in phosphorus, chicken breast contributes to bone health, energy extraction, and optimal cell function.
Zinc
Chicken breast contains zinc, essential for immune function, wound healing, and maintaining a healthy sense of taste and smell.
Niacin
Niacin in chicken breast supports digestive health, skin maintenance, and the conversion of food into energy.
Read more: 7 Delicious Duck Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen
7 Tasty Chicken Breast Microwave Recipes to Try at Home
Chicken Steak
Ingredients
4 large chicken breasts (boneless), 2 eggs (lightly whisked), 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 cup onions (finely chopped), 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (chopped), 2 green chillies (finely chopped), 1 tablespoon black pepper powder, enough to make a thick coating flour, 1 tablespoon vinegar, salt (to taste ), and oil (as required).
Instructions
First, flatten chicken breasts with a mallet or knife. Cut each into two pieces. Then marinate chicken with eggs, ginger, garlic, onion, coriander leaves, green chillies, black pepper, flour, vinegar, and salt for around 2 hours.
Next, brush a flat dish with oil and cook covered on high for 1 minute. Now, place the chicken pieces without touching them. Cook covered at 70% power for 5 minutes, flipping halfway. For browning, turn once and grill until lightly browned. Serve hot.
Read more: Popular Winter Breakfasts in Bangladesh
Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
2 large lemons, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 3 cloves garlic (crushed or minced), 1/2 cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped), 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (200 grams each)
Instructions
First, mix lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, dissolving the salt. Add garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Then, marinate chicken breasts in the mixture for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 ˚F and grease a baking dish. Next, transfer the marinated chicken to the baking dish, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Add lemon wedges and cover the chicken with oiled parchment paper, securing it loosely around the chicken.
Now, bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before serving, drizzling with cooking liquid. Or slice the chicken and return it to the baking dish with the cooking liquid.
Read more: Popular Winter Breakfasts in Bangladesh
Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
800 grams chicken, 3 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 cup curd, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 2 teaspoons oil, 2 dry red chilli, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder, salt (as required), 3 lemon wedges, and 1 sliced onion.
Instructions
First, wash the chicken with lukewarm and cold water, then pat dry and make diagonal incisions. Marinate the chicken with spices and lemon juice, refrigerating for 1 hour.
Next, microwave the chicken on a plate for 9-10 minutes. Follow by brushing with oil and grilling for 15-20 minutes, turning frequently.
After that, sprinkle chaat masala on the tandoori chicken and serve hot with onion rings and pudina chutney. Enhance the flavour by drizzling with lemon juice.
Read more: 10 Bangladeshi Winter Street Foods: Taste Meets Tradition
7 Delicious Duck Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen
As winter graces Bangladeshi landscapes, the culinary tapestry unfolds with the seasonal bounty of duck recipes. A tradition deeply rooted, the demand for duck meat peaks during this time, aligning with increased production.
Beyond the practical, there is a culinary secret – the meat quality reaches its zenith in winter. So, while chicken and beef are the most popular in other seasons, in winter, duck is the most hyped.
Health Benefits of Duck Meat
High Protein Content
Duck meat boasts a high protein content, crucial for muscle development and repair. Incorporating it into winter meals ensures fueling the body with the building blocks it needs.
Rich in Iron
Iron plays a vital role in oxygen transport within the body. Duck meat is rich in iron. It becomes a valuable addition, especially during the winter when our bodies crave increased energy levels.
Abundant in Zinc
Zinc is an excellent mineral to support the immune system. By indulging in duck dishes, you are not only treating your taste buds but also giving your immune system a boost.
Read more: Popular Winter Breakfasts in Bangladesh
7 Tasty Duck Recipes to Try at Home
Kerala Duck Curry
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, 6 garlic cloves (crushed), 1 ½ inch fresh ginger (crushed), 4 green chillies (slit), 3 large onions (sliced), 2 sprigs of curry leaves, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon coriander powder, 2 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 tablespoon chicken masala, 1 kg duck (cut into medium-sized pieces), 1 tablespoon lightly crushed black pepper, 1/2 cup thick coconut milk (coconut cream), water, and salt to taste.
Instructions
First, heat oil in a big frying pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic, ginger, and green chillies for a delightful minute. Then add onions and a sprig of curry leaves, sautéing for 3-4 minutes. After that add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, and chicken masala, stirring the spices for another minute.
Next, add duck, fry for 3-4 minutes, then cover with water, add curry leaves, and season with salt. Cook covered for 45 minutes or use a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles. Finish by stirring in thick coconut milk, and black pepper, and heating through. Relish the rich, spiced symphony of flavours!
Read more: 10 Bangladeshi Winter Street Foods: Taste Meets Tradition
Honey & Soy Duck Salad
Ingredients
2 duck breasts (skin on), 100g bag salad, 250g cherry tomato (halved), a bunch of spring onion (sliced diagonally),
For dressing: 1 garlic clove (grated), 1 teaspoon fresh grated root ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons honey.
Instructions
First, preheat the oven to 180°C. Score the duck breast skin and season generously. In a hot non-stick frying pan, sear the duck, skin-side down, for 4 minutes until crisp. Flip and brown the underside, then transfer to a baking tray.
Then, combine the dressing ingredients. Spoon the majority over the duck, reserving 2 tablespoons. Roast for 10 minutes for a pink finish. Rest for 4 minutes, then slice into strips. Toss the salad, tomatoes, spring onions, and duck slices, and drizzle with the remaining dressing. A succulent delight awaits!
Read more: 5 Tasty Savoury Winter Pitha Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen
Duck Biryani
Ingredients
4 duck legs, 3 cups duck stock, 2 tablespoons duck fat, 1⁄2 cup tikka masala curry paste, 2 onions (sliced), 300g basmati rice (rinsed under cold water), 1⁄3 cup sultanas, 2 tablespoons flaked almonds (toasted), and 1⁄2 cup fresh coriander leaves.
Instructions
First, in a saucepan, melt the duck fat over medium heat, adding and browning the roast duck legs. Set aside. Then add onions and curry paste, stirring for 5 minutes until the onions are soft and the curry paste releases its fragrance.
Next, add rice, and sultanas. After that add the duck legs to the pan, pour in the stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 10 minutes until the rice is tender. Stand for 5 minutes, then serve, garnished with almonds and coriander. Enjoy this flavourful creation!
Read more: 5 Tasty Sushi Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen