Growth of plant made visible to the eye by Indian invention

Inventions of Indians are amazeballs.They remained unique.One of them is crescograph.A crescograph is a device for measuring the plant growth.It was invented in the early 20th century by Sir Jagadish Chandra bose.He also experimented with temperature, chemicals, gases, and electricity.It uses a series of clockwork gears and a smoked glass plate to record the movement of the tip of a plant (or its roots) at magnifications of up to 10,000. Marks are made on the plate at intervals of a few seconds, demonstrating how the rate of growth varies under varying stimuli.

The electronic crescograph plant movement detector is capable of measurements as small as 1/1,000,000 of an inch. However, its normal operating range is from 1/1000 to 1/10,000 of an inch. The component which actually measures the movement is a differential transformer along with a movable core hinged between two points. A micrometer is used to adjust and calibrate the system. It could record plant growth, magnifying a small movement as much as 10,000,000 times.

Using the crescograph,the response of the plants to fertilizers, light rays and wireless waves were researched. The instrument received widespread acclaim, particularly from the Path Congress of Science in 1900. Many physiologists also supported his findings later on, using more advanced instruments.

                                                 Jagadish Chandra Bose

This invention proves the brilliance of Indians.

-Vishali Kannan 

Cute as a button......

With previous weeks of exploring the different superstitions and various types of cuisines across India, this week we are going to explore the various discoveries and inventions made in India.

It is fascinating to know that there are innumerable discoveries made right from introducing zero to maths to flush systems in toilets in ancient times. It is also interesting that a small object which joins two fabrics or things together have been found in India. Yes, the buttons, the small objects which is discovered in Indus valley civilization.

Buttons are small, fastener, commonly made out of plastics, but also made out of metal, wood or sea-shell. It usually joins 2 fabrics. It is considered as a significant artifact by Archaeology Department. The buttons are first discovered in the Indus valley civilization during Kot Diji phase(3300-2600 BCE). Those buttons were made out of sea-shell and used for ornamental purposes. Some buttons are carved into geometric shapes. It is mostly used in ornamental than fastening, the earliest known being found in Mohenjadaro in Indus Valley. It was like curved shell which was dated about 5000 years ago.

Many button seals were found in Harappa. For example:
Stealite button seals, glaze on Kot diji phase button seal, button seals, etc.

Stealite button seal 

Fired stealite button seal looks like there are four concentric circle designs from the Trench 54 area.

                                     

Button seal

It is found in upper layers of Mount AB. This seal was found in mixed deposits dating to the Harappa and late Harappan periods, the carving suggests that it is actually in early Harappa seal, dating to be around 2800-2600 BC.

It is surprised to know that this small objects like buttons are found in early civilization and its use in fabrics and other objects such as leather purses, etc. is in till date. With lot of modern buttons made in today's world, it is proud and awe-struck to know that our ancestors were the founders of even small objects.

- PENNARASI. R

Blandly Flavourful

                                                 

                                                               

                                    If you think Indian people love spicy food only, you are wrong.  As we move to the eastern part of India, the cooking style, food preferred completely differs from the other part. Though every state has a unique food taste, the eastern India food contrasts with the other parts. Assamese cuisine is characterized by less use of spices and involves little fire. They use dried, fermented vegetables and fruits for cooking. The foods are made in earthenware which gives them, a special smell and taste. If you are a lover of roasted and meat dishes with little spices, then Assam is the place for you.

                                                                Assamese are non-vegetarians providing more non-veg foods than vegan foods. Their main dish involves rice with curry of different types and the meal ends with a sweet, a beet nut and paan. If you want to taste and experiments with new food, from pork to duck, even silkworms, fish and duck eggs, Assam cuisine gives it to you with exotic flavours.

Assam's specialized dishes:

1) Khaar

2) Duck Meat Curry

3) Masoor Tenga

4)Aloo Pitika.

 Khaar is usually made for lunch and this dish involves meat, raw papaya, and pulses. These ingredients are filtered in banana leaves which adds a refreshing flavour to the dish.

Aloo Pitikais is known as the comfort food of Assam. This dish is made mostly of mashed potatoes. Eaten with dal Aloo pitika is the most preferred dish in Assam.

Best Snacks:

1) Momos

            Eaten with Assamese's chilli dip, this mildly flavoured paneer or pork stuffed momos taste like heaven.

2) Bahoor Chugat Maach and Pitha

 Assamese obsession with bamboos resulted in tasty evening snacks. Pitha contains roasted, dried barbequed ingredients inside the bamboo stems. As for the Bahoor Maach, little fishes are placed inside the bamboo stem and cooked in the                          charcoal fire to obtain an exotic flavour from the dish.

The tribes in Assam make herbal dishes namely xaak, which is known to have many medicinal values that help in the growth of the body. There are also several dishes made of green leafy vegetables like Babori Bhaaji.

Last but not least, Don't miss out the Assaam's black tea. This tea is known for its strong, brisk, bright colour and malty flavour. This tea was first found and used by the SIngpho tribes of Assam. Robert Bruce, a Scottish Adventurer is said to introduce Assam's tea bush in Europe in 1823.

Though the cuisine may sound bland and tasteless, it is not. The subtle yet strong flavour found in this cuisine ie., not too bland, not too spicy makes this cuisine special and worth trying in your lifetime.

- S.Varshini

                                   
                     
                            

Heartland of India.

         Uttar Pradesh which is referred to as the Heartland of India boasts of a rich cultural heritage .It is not only gifted by nature but it is also home to some of the best man-made monuments. 

Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh is just as diverse as it's geography.The state is famous for its royally delicious Nawab food . Cooking techniques in Uttar Pradesh were greatly influenced by Mughals.The cuisine of northern Uttar Pradesh is very different from the classic Mughal food of Delhi

Petha

It is another famous delicacy of Agra.It is made of pumpkin.The white pumpin is soaked in water for three to four days and then cooked in flavoured sugar syrup.A wide range of flavours are available for this delicacy like chocolate, Kesar, paan etc

Tehri

It is also known as vegetable pulao. The finest of all basmati rice is used to make this dish.varieties of Vegetables are cooked with this rice with different spices which provides it the taste and aroma.The dish is usually paired up with green chutney which enchances it's taste.

Galaouti kebabs

It  is the most famous dish of the city of nawab. The minced meat is mixed with spices and baked on tava. The aroma and taste of the spices are mesmerizing.The speciality of this dish is that it will melt down as soon as you keep it in your mouth

Kakori kebab

A famous nawab recipe from Lucknow passed down through generations. It derives its be from the city of kakori. It is made up with the finest meat of lamb and a few spices

Baigan ki lonje

\

This is a special dish.The brinjal is sliced from between and filled with masala. The stuffed masala is made of all types of spices. The stuffing is quite spicy and tasty.

- Lakshmi Priya K

Travelers Paradise

         Sikkim is one destination in India that is on the list of many travelers. The place is not only famous for its beauty, but also its culinary delights .Most of the people in the state are rice eaters. The state has plenty to offer for one to relish.

Momos 

      Momos is the ultimate favourite Tibetan delicacy among the people of the state Not just Sikkim, Momos have expanded its base in the entire country. It is a dumpling made out of flour dough with a filling inside. It is steamed to perfection and served with a spicy mix of sauces and herbs

Thukpa

      Another delicacy that can be tried is thupka. The dish is a flavorful noodle soup that has its origins in the eastern part of Tibet. The noodles soup has garlic , chopped onion and green chillies to add a flavor of taste.There are both vegetarian and non vegetarian versions of this dish.

Dal Bhaat

        Dal Bhaat is a traditional napalese dish that is quite famous in many parts of Nepal ,Bangladesh and India.The combination is that of boiled rice and lentils soup.Many parts of India call this dish as Dal Chaawl.sikkim people love this dish as their daily food.

Kodo Ko Roti

      This Nepal cuisine is a favourite local food among people in Sikkim. The combination is tomato char and the kodo Ko Roti.it can also be served with varieties of pickles. The pancake is prepared with finger millet as its main ingredient locally called kodo. The other important ingredients include sugar and ghee

-Lakshmi Priya K

The Pav cuisine

The Marathi cuisine, also known as the maharashtrian cuisine, shares a lot of dishes with other parts of the country, while having its own distinctive properties.Basic breakfast dishes in a marathi family would include poha, misal, upma, vada pav, sabudhan khichadi, etc. Other dishes that are quite popular are, Modak, Thalipeeth, etc. In this blog, let's see some special dishes from the Marathi cuisine.

A plate of Misal pav

1) Vada pav

I think every Indian has heard of this delicacy at least once in their life. It is a simple dish made by stuffing a spherical potato fritter(Aloo Vada) between Pav(Bun). It's available at literally every corner in Maharashtra and is quit cheap. Not to forget, it is very delicious and filling. It came existence in the late 1960s and was invented by a street vendor named Ashok Vaidya whose idea was to make a affordable, easy to carry snack for daily commuters. Vada pav has come a long way since then and I am quite sure we all enjoy this creation of Mr.Vaidya.

2) Bhakarvadi

Bhakarvadi is usually consumed as a snack and has a tangy yet sweet flavour at the same time. The dual nature of its taste is probably why it's so famous. It is made of gram flour and the stuffing contains poppy seeds, coconut,etc. It can be stored for weeks together. There is a conflict with the origin of the dish between Gujarat and Maharashtra but the credit for it's popularization goes to A Marathi businessman Raghunathrao Chitale through his brand Chitale Bandhu.

3) Kothimbir Vadi

A perfect Maharashtrian tea time snack and an easy to make dish at the same time. It is made using Gram flour and coriander in addition to different spices. It can be steamed as well as fried for a crunchy crust. It would also make a great dish for the rainy days.

4)Misal Pav

This all time available delicacy is consists of misal ( a curry based on moth beans ) and pav ( an Indian bread roll or bun ). The presence of moth beans make it very healthy. It is consumed at all times of the day and is available in all snack corner in the state. According to me, it is the most undermined dish of the marathi cuisine. In 2015, it was also name as the tastiest vegetarian dish in the world at the FoodieHub awards London.

5) Pav Bhaji

Another Pav based dish. It has become quite clear by now that the state loves Pavs. This dish surely needs no introduction and is famous all over the world. The Bhaji is a curry made with mashed Potatoes, Tomatoes and a lot of Indian spices. It originated in late 1850s as a fast lunch time dish for the textile mill workers in Mumbai. 

The list will go on and on and surely has no end. I hope I have been successful in drawing your attention towards these delicacies. Now it's your turn to try these and treat yourself.

- Uditi Naagar

Oldest cuisine

As we savoured the flavor of Odia cuisine....we'll see the one of the oldest surviving cuisine in India.

Karnataka cuisine is one of the oldest cuisine surviving in India. It combines a range of flavours, ingredients and cooking techniques from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

This Karnataka cuisine comprises of different types of cuisines

• North Karnataka
• South Karnataka 
• Kodagu
• Udupi
• Mangalore
• North Canara
• Navayath

In this we'll look at Mangalore cuisine and udupi cuisine.

Mangalore cuisine

                                  This cuisine is unique and diverse owing to the different communities settled. Curry leaves and coconut along with local spices are the basic ingredients of this cuisine. Need dosa, Kori rotti, Mangalorean buns and Macaroon are the local dishes in this cuisine. Since, Mangalore is along the coastal region, the staple diet is fish.

Udupi cuisine

                         This cuisine consists of local fruits, vegetables, grains and beans as basic ingredients. It usually comprises of vegetarian food. This cuisine also consists of dosas and spicy rices and jaggery, rice, coconut are fully used.

Sequence of food items served

                                                         The food items are served in a banana leaf. Starting from the top right hand side uppu(salt) is placed first followed by kosambari(south Indian salad), pickle, palya(vegetable side dish), Raita or gojju(vegetable cooked in tamarind rice), then desserts, fried dishes along with Thovve(cooked dal), huli(a thick broth of lentils and vegetables) and goes the rice based dish Chitranna along with plain rice and ghee are served.

Sweets

              The famous Mysore pak is one of the delicious, non-dairy sweet which is popular in south India. Most of the desserts are sweetened with Jaggery. Other sweets are rave unde, kajiya, kesari bhath, etc.No meal can be finished without the desserts.

Mysore pak

                      It is one of the popular sweets in south India. It is made with generous amount of sugar, gram flour and often cardamom with over flowing ghee which melts in your mouth once you savour.

With the typical south Indian servings and taste, this cuisine remains evergreen in our hearts forever.....if you want to taste some traditional food this cuisine welcomes you with its delicious aroma.

PENNARASI. R

                                 

Cooks fake their caste

Odhisha cuisine is very simple yet delicious, prepared in little or no oil which not only enhances the taste, but makes them very healthy as well.

Here, you will find a mix of vegetarian and non- vegetarian dishes. Again people there loves eating sweets and may be this is the reason they themselves are so lovable.It is prepared with  chhena or fresh  cheese, sugar and nuts and baked for hours till the cake cooked.

                        Vegetable curry

 Odiacooks, particularly from the Puri region, were much sought after due to their ability to cook food in accordance with Hindu scriptures. During the 19th century, many Odia cooks were employed in Bengal and they took many Odia dishes with them.This period saw a heavy demand for Brahmin cooks, leading many Odia cooks to fake their castes. 

Temples in the region make offerings to the presiding deities. The prasadham of the Jagannath Temple is well known and is specifically called Maha prasadham meaning greatest of all prasadas. It consists of 56 recipes, so it is called chhapan bhoga. It is based on the legend that Krishna missed his eight meals for seven days while trying to save a village from a storm holding up the Govardhan hill as a shelter.

Khatta is an  part of Odisa cuisine and it is mostly eaten as a side dish. Mostly preferred for lunch  meal with its nice sweet and sour flavor. Any meal is incomplete without this. There are many variations to this dish like tomato  It goes best with dalma and steam rice. Khatta is prepared along with jaggery and other condiments to make it lip smacking. And it is a one more dish very famous in odisa and it color shows a taste of this dish.

                    

Ghanta in Odia means mixed. This dish is prepared by mixing a variety of vegetables and is mostly enjoyed during festivals. It’s very high in nutrition and has got a typical taste which can be enjoyed with either rice or chapatti along with lentils soup.

Dahi puri  taste is so authentic that you will not mind the strange combinations of Dahi Vadas with curries. This unique dish can be had for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. People are mostly eat dahi puri instead of eating rices.

Golgappe is also called as panni puri not only the odisa people love this most of the Indian people's are love to eat pani puri is the favorite snacks for teenagers.

This sweet dish has small cottage cheese balls dipped in thickened and sweetened milk seasoned with cardamom and saffron for that awesome flavor.

Another famous dish is rasagula we can get rasagulla everywhere but from Odhisha it's very special this special brown ones is sure to make us forget everything.

-M.Anandhi

Haryana calls you

To taste it's signature dishes 

In haryana people's are fond of eating different kinds of rotis.In earlier times rotis are made from a grams,flour of wheat and barley a truly nutritious and healthy combination.However with the rising price of gram and barley, people prefer the comparatively cheaper wheat flour, a loss both in terms of taste and nutrients.

People make butter and ghee at home and use these liberally in their daily diet. Homemade fresh butter is called nooni or tindi ghee and is churned daily in most homes. It is customary for a girl's family to give her gifts of clarified butter Some of the famous foods in haryana are kicheri,roti,

mixed dal,kheer,kurma etc...

Buttermilk is a favourite drink and is an instant cooler for summers. Lassi made from pure  yoghurt in haryana  The Haryana people's favorite drink is lassi.

Tomato Chutney

Tomato chutney is spicy, tangy chutney made from tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices, salt and a pinch of  chilli it is also a famous dish in haryana.

Mixed Dal is good for satisfying both your health and taste  It is a protein rich are mixed with spices and are cooked in ghee. The semi crushed grains of the dal allow the dish to have a rich and thick texture to eat the dal. Most people have dal with plain rice or jeera rice mostly dal rice liked by kids also.

                                      

Dahi Vada is famous in the whole of North India. The dish's main ingredients are yogurt and vada. The vadas are plain pakoras that are fried and then soaked in water sweetened yogurt is poured on them along with different chutneys, chilli powder, salt and cumin powder. This dish is eaten cold.

                                       

-M.Anandhi

Yummy ,Tummy Full.

                                                               The land of five rivers aka Punjab is known for providing finger-licking foods from butter chicken to tandoori foods. This cuisine is specialized for its rich and buttery flavours providing a huge number of dishes that we can call Punjab 'The Land Foods.' According to the area, the taste differs. The foods originated here are influenced by both Indian and Pakistani cuisine as this state shares the border with Pakistan. Here, the food prepared in house and restaurant differ much as people at home still stick to the old ways of cooking. This state is known to give the world, the tandoori chicken as Italy gave the world pizza. This dish is now cooked all over the world namely Hong Kong, Britain, Japan, etc.

                                                      

 Can you believe this? When Britain asked people to vote for the National dish, Do you know what they voted most for? Do you know what is the National dish of Britain? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, an Indian dish. And this one originated from Punjab. This speaks a lot about the greatness of the Punjab cuisine. This cuisine is known for providing food until your 'paet bhar jayega' type ie., stomach full, with chapatta flavour.

Some of the Special foods of Punjab Cuisine

1) Chole Bhature

2) Rajma ka Chaawal

3)Sarson ka Saag

4) Makke ki roti

5) Butter Chicken

6) Tandoori Chicken

7) Gajar Ka Halwa

8) Motichur laddu               

  Much to our surprise, the tasty butter chicken, the food loved all over the world was made accidentally in Moti Mahal, Delhi as they mixed the leftover chicken with the creamy tomato gravy, adding butter. So we can say that the dish is made from leftovers accidentally which became an epic success.

It turns out the hotel which gave yummy Butter Chicken was the one who introduced the lip-smacking Tandoori dishes to the world. The head chef, Kundan Lal Gujral, left the spice applied skewed chicken pieces in the tandoor longer than what he intended to do and much to his surprise, it turned out to be the tasty tandoori chicken.

The food of Punjab with its buttery flavorful nature appeases us greatly and it is one of the cuisines which one shouldn't miss in their lifetime.  

-S.Varshini

Love from Rice bowl of India

The State of Chhattisgarh is known as the rice bowl of India and has a rich tradition of food culture.Most of the traditional and tribal foods are made of rice and rice flour, curd and a variety of green leafy vegetables.

 

                                          

Here are few dishes of Chhattisgarh that you must munch on to experience the diversity of food culture of India.

Baasi 

One of the common meal had during the scorching summer is bore baasi.Literally it means rice from last cooked meal dipped in water or dahi or buttermilk.It is eaten along with pickle and raw onion.It helps to maintain water levels in the body and keep it cool and hydrated during the hot and arid

summer days. This food is similar like tamil food "pazhaya soru" which is famous in village sides.

Iddhar

Another well known traditional dish of chhattisgarh is Iddhar.It is made with urad dal and kochai patta arranged in alternate layers two to three times and thwn rolled. This roll is cooked in steam and cut into pieces.after that it is prepared with curd like curry. Some of people also make it with gram flour instead of urad dal.

Muthia

Muthia are dumplings cooked in the traditional style of this state. Muthia is prepared with the rice batter which is seasoned with various spices. The dish is not fried but is steamed and hence it retains the original flavor of its ingredients. Muthia is a famous dish of the state which is usually enjoyed in the breakfast. This dish is also famous among the rural people of the state.

Chila

Chila is flat chapati like dish which is prepared with the rice batter mixed with the Urad Daal. The dish is very easy to cook and is very delicious in the taste. Chila is an important part of the breakfast meal of the people of Chhattisgarh. To grab the best taste of Chila, complement it with the green chutney.

Bhajia

Bhajia is a famous street food of which is very popular among the local people of the state.Bhajia in Chhattisgarh are prepared with different ingredients, each one of them adding a taste to the dish that will get your taste buds going. Bhajia is prepared along with the gram flour. Various type of Bhajis such as Mirchi Bhaji- prepared with chili, onion Bhaji prepared with onion, and Aloo Bhaji prepared with potato are some of the famous variants of the dish.Bhajia are best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea along with spicy Hari chutney.

Actually What we all enjoy eating in all the parts of India is a gift from the Chhattisgarh region. Being a state which produces staple food in abundance, a great part of the food culture of Chhattisgarh consists of the staple crops such as Rice, Bajra, Jawar. The food of the state is highly inspired from its neighboring states. Hence, a great meal of food of Chhattisgarh promises a great taste and delicious inspirations from its neighbours.

-Vishali kannan