SHOP TALK

This week Lifestyle turns towards the healthy, given the timing. Here's all things organic and good for consumption, whilst retaining the delicious factor.

Chickpeas
Bend your way through tradition and enjoy chickpeas in all their glory. Try tuna and chickpea summer salad, hummus with pita bread or even chickpea soup! Price: Tk.123.

Esob gul
The prolonged period of starvation -- add to it the unhealthy dose of iftar we are all accustomed to -- will play havoc on your intestines. Soak a spoon full of Esob gul overnight and add it to your iftar drink. This will help your bowels adjust to this new dietary routine.

Flat rice
Cheera is extensively used during Ramadan and its use is not limited to snacks alone. Mixed with mango pulp, or even sweetened yoghurt, flat rice is yet another Ramadan staple for you. Price: Tk.100-200. A variation of this is khoi which is also worth a try.

Ghee
Talk about indulgence! An Eid day essential, ghee also finds its place on the iftar table especially this year, when dinner and iftar kind of blends into one. Add a portion of ghee to the morog polao, or the beef tehari for your family and friends.

Handmade vermicelli
A popular dish among children, handmade vermicelli goes well with grated coconut. Refrigerate once prepared, sheyoi will make an excellent midnight snack for the entire family. Considering the high sugar content, prepared sheyoi will give you the extra boost for your 14-hour abstinence.

Honey
This isn't just sugar! Long before the advent of modern science honey had been hailed as the miracle drink by Islamic traditions. A natural antioxidant, with great anti-septic properties, honey should be on your iftar table every day. Drizzle your dairy drinks with honey for a quick boost of energy. Price: Tk.335.

Kashondo
As with everything else on this list, Kashondo is a healthy addition and can be used as a dressing or even flavouring. Like we do with mangoes that aren't fully ripe, Kashondo can be used to flavour most dishes. However, do not go overboard with generous amounts. Kashondo is a great addition to any kitchen cabinet. Price: Tk.90.

Kawn
There is more to this variant of rice than bou khudi and payesh, although we are not disputing their timeless appeal. Use Parmesan cheese, butter, onion and kawn grains for delicious risottos. Go Italian for a change!

Molasses
Sweet liquid Gur is sometimes the best thing. When honey just doesn't work, turn your attention towards Molasses. Available in various quantities, do give Molasses a try when you want a sweet addition to absolutely anything.

Mustard oil
Although the effect of mustard oil on health is a debated one, there is no doubt that it has many useful applications, one that isn't strictly based on consumption. Mustard oil is also used for infant massages but it can be used to add that extra little something on most dishes. Puffed rice with onions and chilli is fine but without mustard oil, it just seems incomplete. Price: Tk.140.

Peanuts
High in protein and fat contents (mostly the good kind), peanut is one legume you definitely should have in your Ramadan diet chart. Preferably unsalted and definitely not roasted, peanuts can be an excellent snack. Try peanut bhorta! Its excellent. Price: Tk.178.

Puffed rice
Puffed rice is high in carbohydrates whilst quite low in fat. It is also a common form of snack and is quite popular during iftars. In fact, an Iftar without puffed rice is like dinner without beef. Puffed rice is very popular as it is affordable and is consumed on its own, with tea or just like they sell the Jhal Muris on the street. Price: Tk.138.

Gul daal
The fact that fibre is good for one's health is well-documented. However, most things that are good for you happen to taste bad. Except for Gul Daal, which is actually quite tasty AND healthy at the same time. That is a combination you don't get to see everyday. Price: Tk.73.

Prices subject to market conditions.
Products available at Prabartana, 6/8, Sir Syed Road, Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207. Contact: 9140812

ON TREND

ChainS we can believe in

With Ramadan, comes the woes of hosting Iftar Parties. Hungry people are irritable people and pleasing them is quite hard especially when the only way to make them happy is to serve them food of their liking. And taste preferences are so varied, that failure is inevitable. Also, shopping just before iftar time to get the goodies fresh and steamy is another problem. Thankfully, ChainS offers a solution to the twofold problem.

The trinity of great pizza, pasta and coffee is one of world's greatest culinary pleasures. Sensationally succulent grills, luscious burgers and the variety of cakes ChainS offers helps to spice and sweeten the deal further. No man has ever gone wrong with pizza, pasta and grilled burgers, when it comes to starving guests. Neither will you.

Freshly baked, grilled, homemade dishes with the best of the ingredients served in a tantalising display will make sure your party is the talk of town. With a menu that also offers grills, shakes, juices and pastries among those mentioned, it'll be hard to mess this up.

Unfortunately, ChainS can only offer takeaway for now but they still cater to all kinds of events and iftar parties happen to be the one to become the most prominent in the current climate. Also, the menu isn't traditional, so here's a way to 'go bold' or 'go home' in a big way. Either way, it shall be memorable.

High quality and efficient timely service is now right at your doorstep. What more could you ask for?

Contact ChainS at #0176 876 6168; email them at chainscafe@gmail.com or log onto their Facebook page facebook.com/chains.cafe

SHOP SPECIAL

Dressy Dale's Eid 2012 collection

Dressy Dale has released its Eid 2012 collection and it contains an assortment of anarkalis, long kameezes and Tunics.

The anarkalis are more of the moderate flare variety in terms of its cut and ranges in designs from Jardosi, embroidery, patch work and cut works. The traditional, heavy flared anarkalis are also available in similar designs.

The long kameezes have been given greater attention in this year's collection. The craze with the Pakistani kameez style has been incorporated in the cuts of this collection and even some of the designs are Pakistani kameez-inspired. Print and tie dye has been used as well as embroidery, patch work and cut works. The cuts of the long kameez have many varieties with creative incorporation of yokes and flares and hanging corners at the bottom.

Almost all the kameezes in this collection are formal wears and hence have full sleeves. Three-quarter-sleeved long kameezes are also available but the half-sleeved variety has been left out of this year's collection. Sleeveless pieces are also featured but in limited numbers and designs.

This year's collection is slanted more towards the darker, deeper colours of navy blue, black, bronze and such. The whole kameez collection exudes sophistication and formal fashion.

In creating this high fashion collection, the Dressy Dale team did not forget the youthful teenagers and brought out a range of cheerful tunics to light up their Eids.

The teenagers' tunic collection is designed to be worn with Capri, tights or leggings and consists of different styles and cuts ranging from Kaftans to straight cuts and multilayered fatuas. The kaftans in themselves have different varieties in terms of designs and cuts. The colours for the tunics are mainly cheerful reds and pinks but other sombre colours are also available.

Dressy Dale's Eid 2012 collection mainly experiments with cuts rather than designs and allows you to choose a unique garment to turn heads this Eid.

By Raisaa Tashnova
Photo courtesy: Dressy Dale

NEWS FLASH

FamKam- a new name in the fashion industry

Famkam, a local brand, launched its first showroom in the country amid much fanfare. The store is a chicly designed one with contemporary interiors. Upon entering the shop you will be met by very accommodating sales-reps waiting to assist you.

The clothing lines at FamKam are all locally manufactured and designed by their designers flown in from India. Leather products, cosmetics, perfumes, jewellery, shoes, bags and few other garment items from renowned brands can be found here.

Formal and casual wear and shoes for men are seen as one enters the store. Jeans and panjabis, formal shirts and casual summer shirts are all found under one roof here. A range of stilettos and men's shoes are laid out on a platform further into the store.

A wooden frame holds a huge collection of famous perfume brands.

The children's collection is arranged in a cosy corner while the inner area of the store is more or less dedicated to women with gorgeous saris and kameezes along with casual western wear very suitable for the summer.

A counter at the innermost corner has the jewellery and cosmetic collection on display while another tiny corner showcases their collection of handbags.

FamKam is located opposite to Tejgaon Aarong in Hashim Tower, 205/1 A Tejgaon Gulshan Link Road, Dhaka.

By Karishma Ameen

Shodesh -- in tens we work

A number of brands, or more appropriately, a number of fashion labels under one roof. That is what Shodesh offers. This initiative was taken keeping in mind the comfort of shoppers, who now more than ever prefer to shop in their own areas in order to save time and avoid the ever growing Dhaka traffic.

This trend of converging a number of popular brands under one roof had been started some years back and gained immense popularity. Now Shodesh desires to be the new addition with yet another group of ten designer labels. “Doshe mili koree kaj (in tens we work)”, says Emdad Haque. “Based on that age-old Bangla saying, Shodesh started its journey”. He goes on to explain how this combination of ten is much more diverse than the ones we have come to know of so far.

Shodesh is actually more than just a fashion store, it's a lifestyle store, with a restaurant, a book shop and the famous Paan Shupari added to the list of ten designer labels. The ten brands of Shodesh are, Annomela, Indigo, Adroit, M Kraft, Tangail Saree Kutir, Nabarupa, Macoy, Smartex, Shoilpik and Studio Emdad.

The advantages of such an arrangement are indeed many. Shoppers can now spend more time in scrutinising their probable purchases having cut the time and hassle of going from one store to the other and they can compare the goods on offer, fostering healthy competition within the brands. This is how the Bangladesh fashion brands can hope to become bigger and better, by sharing clientele and experience.

Perhaps most important to the Shodesh story is its location. Located in Latif Emporium, Sector-3, Uttara, the mega outlet allows the somewhat cut-off massive population of Uttara to enjoy the same benefits as the rest of the city, without the trouble of leaving their own area.

By Raisaa Tashnova