SHOP TALK

Puja picks
This week, Lifestyle goes back to Adda and scopes out the additional flavours that are a must for your munch-able Puja's palate. Look through our selection of munchies and be sure to stack up on these goodies before the festivities kick off in full gear.

By Osama Rahman
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Food: Adda

Puri Pleasures
Few things beat aloo puri really. Have it alone or with something else, aloo puri is almost considered to be in a different food group, classed on its own. The potatoes inside, when spiced a little, taste all the more better. Dipped in gravy, sauce or even a little achaar, aloo puri is a firm favourite among “snackers” from all walks of life. Dal puri works in the same exact way while those who want something heavier can always opt for keema puri.

Too Sweet to handle?
So what do you do when the menu just becomes much too sweet to handle? Do you feast on salty goods at the risk of dehydrating yourself? Or take a pinch of that very unhealthy helping of salt? When it comes to snacking, you do neither; sit back and pop one of the nimok para in your mouth. Not sweet and neither salty, yet laced with a mysterious flavour, these nimok paras are just what you need to get rid of that much too sweet taste in your mouth. So why not go ahead and do just that before we move on to the next dish?

Nokshi Pitha
As deshis, we love pitha, be it summer, winter or spring. But nokshi pitha are more than just regular pitas. Cooked in a wonderful design, this culinary work of art is a favourite of many. The really well done ones break easily, retain the honey flavour when added and don't have to be munched down but easily melt in an explosion of tastes. We specifically mention nokshi pitha because it looks just so good when it graces the dining table, adding a touch of beauty to an otherwise normal setting.

An Additional Sweetener
Murali is the one item which is the right amount of sweet. Coated with sugar, these little delicacies are munched down without need for an occasion. A certain fix when you have the sweet tooth, give these a try next time you crave sugar but not the sugar rush.

Samosa Again?
And why not exactly? We had the spicy, the sweet, the negating factor and now we go back to square one because every meal is a circle after all, isn't it? Although square one and circles don't exactly add up, what does is a generous helping of samosa because a deshi snack cuisine without samosas makes no sense at all. Having the flour stuffed with meat or vegetables and deep frying them in oil. Indulge yourself in the golden goodness that follows.

Laddu on Top
And no meal is complete without that final dessert. To complement the meal, finish off the proceedings by partaking in the age-old delicacy known as Laddu or any other sweet-meat at your disposal. We suggest Laddu because that's what tastes best. It's easy to digest and easy to chew, so what else can you ask for?
Head off to Adda and snack away already.

ON TREND

Take up a hobby

You should take up a hobby simply because it's a fun thing to do. Remember those childhood days when you eagerly looked forward to coming of the postman who brought mail, and along with it pretty stamps that ended up in our albums? Or the teen obsession with comic books; enthusiasm with photography and films at the beginning of the twenties?

A hobby can be your salvation. If you think your life has turned dreary and if the concrete structure that hides the blue skies and the view suffocates your soul, then going back to your passions or selecting something new altogether may just be the answer.

No one has to approve of your hobby, unless, of course, it is interfering to the extreme with your marriage and family life and then you need to step back, assess the situation and maybe come up with a more suitable hobby.

Shakil Haq is one person who goes the extra mile for his hobby. Not only does he love spending time with his collectibles, he loves to share his joy with other collectors as well. Although a collector of numerous curios and oddities, he specialises in collecting match-boxes or Phillumeny, as it is called.

He also maintains a website: matchboxmuseum.blogspot.com, where a portion of his vast collection is hosted for all to see.

A hobby gives you a purpose. It gets you up in the morning and out to your workshop or to your loom or sewing machine or easel. When you keep your brain and your hands active you are less likely to sink into dementia or be crippled by arthritis.

Even if you are impaired physically, you can purchase assistive living aids that allow you to continue using your arthritic hands and help you see and hear better. You can even purchase writing aids that help you write better and easier.

Young people need hobbies every bit as much as older people do. A hobby can stay with you for a lifetime, and it may even branch off into another area. You are broadening your horizons and your interests and your knowledge. If you are curious, you will continue to be an interesting and engaged and engaging person.

Being passionate about something is a good way to lead a long, healthy and productive life, even -- and most importantly -- after you retire. Death can wait.

LS PICK

Dazzle Collection: 2012

With the festive season around the corner, Kloset brings out its new collection, aptly christened Dazzle, as that's exactly what the new line plans on doing. From magnificent wedding nights or the after parties, elaborate Eid day or Bijoya morning, Kloset attempts to deliver the perfect something for you for every special occasion you can imagine. With the brand new glitzy glam shoes and bags backing you up, let the party begin right on wherever you are. The new line includes the latest word on fashionable footwear, various lines of sandals and numerous styles including flats, kitten heels, sling basks and block heels all ranging from Tk.1550-5300. With a further Tk.1830-3350, one can also complete the dazzle effect by procuring the latest in totes and clutches.

So, now the question is: are you ready to party?

Photo courtesy: Kloset

Byline Deco

As the city gets even more cramped and spaciousness becomes synonymous with extravagance, its time to turn our attentions towards making the best of what we have. In places like Hong Kong, where space is a rarity, the tiniest of apartments have been known to be redesigned to house 24 rooms. Taking a leaf out of Japan's book, we too can do the same. Dhaka now finally has the architectural solution to our cramped quarters.

Byline Deco, the brainchild of Kazi Tarannum Hossain, an architecture major from the University of Asia Pacific, brings customised architectural solutions that many of us have long been searching for. But before wondering whether your apartment can make do with Byline Deco's facelift, step into their studio and get a first-hand understanding of what the studio is all about.

The tiny studio, measuring a meagre 180 square feet, seems much larger owing to the architectural astuteness that went behind correctly playing with the elements of light, space and furniture setting. "In our studio people will feel how one can transform even a small room into a modern and comfortable space provided with maximum functional possibilities," said Tarannum. The studio seeks more to bring out the elements of familiarity and cosiness than just making a loud statement. Therefore, if it ends up feeling more like a home than a showroom, then consider the attempted design a success. Materials used at Byline Deco are solid Burma teak wood as well as Burma teak commercial board. But mostly material selection is based on the client's choice and budget. For the interior, different types of paints, wall papers, slates, different textural materials, wood, mirror, glass and many more elements are used to create innovation.

With more 650 square feet flats emerging all over the city and anything beyond that exceeding the budget of the consumers, there is no need to not live large anymore. Studio apartment or not, utilisation of every inch available and without going overboard with heavy furnishing along with Byline Deco's help, now you too can go all Feng Shui and breathe easy in your now bigger-than-it looks home.

You can consult their designer to get perfect solutions according to your need and desire.

Address: House 3, Road 72, Gulshan 2, 1212 Dhaka, Bangladesh