Chek it Out

Celebration collection Eid-ul-Fitr

"Colour brings joy,
Joy brings happiness
Celebrate the moments
Share the festivities"

This festive season, the house of Mayasir brings to you amazing collection of coordinated styles. The colours, forms and cuts have all been done with an innovative and trendy approach to design. Moving away from the traditional look but keeping the essence of Bangladeshi heritage the collections scream fun and joyous jubilation. Mayasir brings to you festive colours and shine with classic styles in timeless ensemble. This season festivity starts early in Mayasir, so visit this chic store for the finest pieces in men's, women's and children's wear.
Their Eid stock is available at both their outlets, 37 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, and also at Concord Arcadia Shopping Mall, Dhanmondi-4, Dhaka.

LS Desk

Dining room tips

As you know, a kitchen is the place from where energy is generated & where food is cooked and it is of the utmost importance. Obviously the place where one actually eats is equally important.

The dining space should be the seat of family activity and togetherness. When some members of the family don't join the others round the dining table, however, all the hard work that's gone into cooking goes down the drain.

This is particularly important nowadays, as, with everyone in the family having a different schedule, it becomes hard to converse and let the day's pressure out. It is nice to share food as well as get to know how each of the family members has been through the day.

Here are some tips, which need to be followed in the Dining Room.

1. When one is eating, the atmosphere should be calm and silent.
2. Avoid bright colours in the dining area. Use yellow, white or light shades.
3. Use silver or grey for the curtains and upholstery.
4. Place objects made of crystal, marble and clay in the dining room.
5. Avoid bright lights. Subtle lighting is ideal. Think how enjoyable candle light dinners can be!
6. Avoid television and loud music in the dining room. If you really want some music, switch on to some soft instrumentals, which give pleasure during dinner or lunch.
7. The shape and the size of the table depend on one's needs and one's taste. You have various shapes and sizes and the choice is left to the individuals and the utility.
8. The seating should be in such a manner that sufficient space is available for everyone sitting at the dining table.
9. Doing up your dining area again depend on one's taste. Try placing a painting. Add in a few plants.
10. Be it during dinner or lunch, make sure you get all the items onto or close to your table before starting. If you continuously need to move from dining room to kitchen to fetch items, you will not enjoy the food.
11. It is also a good idea to bring all items to the dining table as every individual has separate tastes and each might prefer different ways of having food. Getting all items at once makes life easy.
12. And of course, last but not least, avoid clutter.
Hope you have an enjoyable meal!

By Vidya Prasad

A true taste of Asia byTommy Miah

Ramadan is almost here, and it's time to start planning iftaar menus. If you'd like to take a break from the same old fare, then you've reached the right page. Say goodbye to the mundane chicken dishes, and hello to chicken like you've never tasted before, courtesy of our favourite celebrity chef, Tommy Miah.

Roasted Chicken with Spices
Serves 2-3Ingredients
Chicken 1 kg
Onions, large 2 nos.
Coconut, large 1 nos.
Tamarind concentrate 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
To be roasted in one tbsp. of Oil.
Red chillies 7 nos.
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Garlic flakes 6 nos.
Poppy seeds (khus khus) 2 tsp
Cloves 5 nos.
Coriander seeds 2 tbsp.
Turmeric 1/2" piece
Caraway seeds (shahjeera) 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon 1" piece
Cardamoms 2 nos
Aniseeds 1/2 tsp

Recipe
1. Grind the roasted spices together with 1 onion.
2. Grate half a coconut and extract juice.
3. Grate the other half and roast in a pan. Then grind it finely.
4. Cut meat into small pieces, salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
4. Then cook with a little water until all liquid dries up.
5. Finely chop 1 onion, and sauté it.
6. Add cooked meat, ground spices, ground coconut and 1/2 a cup water.
7. Cook about 10 minutes.
8. Add coconut juice and tamarind. Cook until well blended.

Chicken Kaali Mirch
Serves 4
Ingredients
1.. Medium-sized Chicken
1 tsp.. Fresh Ginger paste
1 tsp.. Fresh Garlic paste
2 tsp.. Coarsely ground black pepper corns
1 tsp.. White pepper powder
3 tbsp. .. Oil
1/2 cup.. Water
2 tbsp. .. Lemon juice
3.. Green chillies-slit lengthways
Salt to taste

Recipe
1. Mix together ginger & garlic pastes. Add salt, black pepper and white pepper.
2. Rub the paste on the chicken pieces. Leave aside for one hour.
3. Heat oil in kadhai and add the chicken pieces
4. Stir-fry for 10-15 minutes.
5. Lower the heat and add the green chillies and water.
6. Simmer until chicken is tender.
7. Add lemon juice and serve hot.

Chicken Anand
(Serves 2-3)
Ingredients
1 kg of chicken
2 tsp of poppy seeds (khus khus)
½ grated coconut
1 tsp. of fennel seeds
1 tsp. of coriander seeds
½ tsp. of cumin seeds
6-8 of whole red chillies
1 one-inch stick of cinnamon
3 green cardamoms
2 cloves
½ tsp. of turmeric powder
½ cup of oil
1 large onion
2 tsp. of chopped ginger
2 tsp. of chopped garlic
½ star anise
1 tsp. of red chilli powder
3 medium-sized tomatoes
1 lemon
10-12 curry leaves
Fresh coriander for garnishing
Salt to taste.

Recipe
1.Clean the chicken, remove skin and cut into twelve pieces.
2.Chop the onions and tomatoes separately.
3.Roast the whole red chillies, grated coconut, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds in oil and grind to a paste along with ginger and garlic.
4.Heat oil in a degchi and fry the onions till golden. Add the curry leaves and the ground paste and sauté for some time. Add the tomatoes, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
5.Add chicken and mix. Cook for five minutes and then put two cups of water. Add lemon juice, cover and cook till the chicken is done.
6.Serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves and accompanied with boiled rice or paratha.

Did you know

Trees Treatments

Fenugreek-The leaves of the fenugreek can be ground and applied or the seeds soaked in water and ground into a paste and applied for controlling hair loss and premature greying.

Sage- Its healing powers include strengthening and hair darkening, and hence it is used widely in hair oils and shampoos.

Beetroot -Rich in iron, it nourishes hair and it is especially helpful in getting rid of dandruff.

Lemon- Nature's greatest cleanser and conditioner. Not to be applied directly, but should be mixed with eggs or as a last rinse with water.

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Hanging Out

Euro Hut

The ground floor of Rapa Plaza holds up a neat food outlet. Yes, you got it right. I am talking about Euro Hut. Even those who visit this mall for window-shopping can't resist taking a peek at Euro Hut. Refined embellishment with fine seats and tables, pictures of food items, stairs, metal links and images of tall buildings have all made this shop a good place to sink teeth into burgers. Euro Hut has been known for its yummy burgers for a long time. Their cheese beef burgers will cost you Tk.50 whereas, the chicken burgers will cost Tk.45.

You can also taste their chicken broasts, which many customers admit are tasty. They also sell faluda at Tk.50, coffee at Tk.15 and chicken salad at Tk.30. The prices are actually very reasonable at Euro Hut.

There are 7 tables altogether in this food store, and the place is usually packed with people, young and old alike. It's a fast food shop, which is decorated unlike typical local food stores. It's like an open space carefully set up for food-lovers at one corner of a popular emporium. Therefore, there is no glass door to bump into as you enter to relish their palatable eats. The place is hygienic, which is probably one reason why so many people crowd inside this food outlet.

So, the next time you visit Rapa Plaza, do peep inside Euro Hut to enjoy their delicious foodstuffs.

By Wara Karim