Tips
Get ready for winter!

With the winter creeping into the country, it's time to get ready to hail it. The presence of winter is felt in chapped lips, dry skin and less heat and moisture in the air. Winter means sleeping under heavy blankets, wearing woollen garments, relishing steaming pithas and planning for picnics. All these together mean that the season demands some changes in our daily lifestyle. Let's take a quick look at the things-to-do list of winter.

Chapped lips are a common problem during this season of the year. Lip balms or chap sticks can be a great relief in such a case. Keep one in your purse or pocket and apply at regular intervals. Chapped lips are anything but attractive, so remember to keep your lips moist throughout winter. If your skin is oily, body moisturizers should be enough to soothe your dry skin. However, people with dry skin should be extra careful during winter. These people should apply petroleum jelly, olive oil or glycerin mixed in water for better results.

Use oil-based toiletries to beat the winter shocks. Dove cream bar is wonderful and works great on dry skin. A Dove soap bar should be available at around Tk.100 or less in the stores of Dhaka City . Many people make the mistake of applying body lotion on face. Don't do this! Put cream or moisturizer especially made for the sensitive skin of face. Garnier, a subsidiary of L'Oreal India, has come up with a wide range of face moisturisers, which are great for sub-continental skin type. Garnier moisturizers are widely available in Dhaka; a jar should cost you about Tk.200. Then are also brands like Pond's, Nivea and Boots that are available in the superstores of the city. A container of the above-mentioned brands of face cream should cost between Tk.200 to Tk.250.

Drink plenty of water during winter. You may not feel thirsty, but even then force yourself to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. This is a great way to keep your skin all glowing during the cold season.

Eat foods that are rich in hearth-healthy oil as they will lubricate you from inside out.

Wear enough warm clothes while going outdoors. Many of us would rather shiver than cover themselves properly in winter clothes. But remember that it's not cool to feel cold when your warm clothes lie unused in closet. Put away your short-sleeved dresses for summer. You can start shopping for warm clothes from now as price will increase once the winter really begins. For a good bargain, visit the all-time favourite places like Badruddoza Market located opposite of Dhaka College , New Market and Banga Bazaar.

Plan at least one outing before the winter is over. If budget is a constraint, plan a trip to the outskirts of the city. Distance is not an issue; the issue is a trip away from this bustling city for some tranquil hours among greeneries. Since the heat is not unbearable during this season of the year, outing is always fun.xYou can also plan a get-together with your friends. Just throw a rooftop party and chat away an entire winter evening under the clear star-spangled sky.

Winter is a short but festive season. So don't let cold winter weather let you down, Celebrate winter!

By Wara Karim

Hyderabadi Biryani

Ingredients

1 kg boneless mutton

½ kg Basmati rice

2 Onions

¼ cup lime juice

½ kg curd

6 tsp ginger-garlic paste

6 green chillies ground into fine paste

2 cloves

10 g cinnamon

4 cardamoms

Finely chopped coriander leaves

12 mint leaves

Pinch of saffron immersed in water

2 tbsp ghee

2 cups oil

Salt as per taste

Method

Wash the meat and cut into small pieces.

Marinate the meat with ginger and garlic paste and keep it aside for an hour.

Cut the onion into long, thin pieces and fry till they are golden brown. After cooling crush the onions with hand.

Mix curd, ¾ part of crushed fried onion, red chillier powder, green chilli paste, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, coriander leaves, mint leaves saffron water, salt and the remaining of oil. Add this mixture to the marinated meat and keep it aside for one hour.

Cook the basmati rice. When the rice is half cooked remove it from the flame.

Drain out the water completely and spread the half cooked rice over marinated meat.

Upon the rice layer spread limejuice, saffron colour, ghee and remaining part of crushed onion.

Cover the utensil with lid tightly and cook on a very low flame for half an hour.

Tandoori Drumsticks

Ingredients

10 drumsticks

2 tablespoons plain yoghurt

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, shredded

6 cloves garlic, ground

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons vinegar

Salt, to taste

Red pepper, to taste

Garam masala, to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method
Skin drumsticks and make cuts on the drumstick meat. Mix yoghurt, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper and garam masala. Marinate chicken in this paste for six hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes.

Pop up

Skip a meal

When attempting healthy living, this one move could have truly dramatic results. In a recent study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the hearts of the leaner human calorie-cutters appeared 10 to 15 years younger than those of regular eaters.

In other research, calorie restrictors improved their blood insulin levels and had fewer signs of damage to their DNA. Eating less food, scientists believe, may reduce tissue wear and tear from excess blood sugar, inflammation, or rogue molecules known as free radicals.

Try it

Skip a meal a day- according to whatever suits you best. You don't need to try to cut calories; research suggests you'll naturally consume less that day. Or try fasting one day a week. Just drink plenty of water.