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Showing posts from August, 2024

Milk in Nepal and India: the difference!

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 I have observed that whenever milk ferments when I am in India, the paneer or cottage cheese does not come out easily. Even if I boil it and add lime juice to it, the cheese formed is quite little and more powdery than cheesy.  But when the same happens in Nepal, the cheese formation is immediate, dense and cheesy. I do not have to do more efforts to get cottage cheese out of the milk in Nepal. What is the reason? I checked internet and found some factors that can affect the quality and amount of cheese  1. Freedom from pathogenic bacteria - Good cheese forms of milk is free from pathogenic bacteria. Differences between Nepali vs Indian panipuri  2. Different milk quality with different amounts of fats and proteins  3. Ultra-pasteurization can destroy vital enzymes and bacteria that are required for cheese formation  4. If temperature of milk is less when it ferments, cheese formation will be less.  5. If milk is rancid, it means it's fats are also br...

Taste vs nutrition: what to eat?

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In the olden days, humans used to eat raw foods. Over time, they learnt the art of making fire and cooking. Now, people eat mostly cooked foods. They discovered spices and herbs and began their culinary use for aroma and taste.  This has further reached a stage where people prefer processed and ultra processed foods that are easily available in supermarkets. This could be due to lack of time and laziness, but many also prefer these foods due to the taste factor.  But when we look for tasty foods, somewhere along the way we are opting for less nutritious foods. So what should one prefer; tasty foods or nutritious foods? Tasty foods Most tasty foods are made of refined flour, unhealthy fats, and sugary base. These are artificially flavored and colored. Other additives are added to enhance texture and make foods more palatable.  Most of these foods are mass prepared and have added preservatives to increase their shelf life.  All this leads to these foods being stripped ...

Why eating at five-star hotels is no big deal?

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 Often, people in your inner or outer social circle or your extended family members or relatives might have boasted before you that they ate at a five-star hotel or restaurant. These are the people who believe in show off as way of life. These are the people who think such things as an achievement. And these are the people who usually have no big achievements in life.  These people think that expensive means best! But this is not true.  Why eating at five-star hotels is no big deal ? I pity people who boast about having eaten at costly places or having eaten costly foods. But is expensive food or eating places always good? Do such places assure you nutrition or hygiene? The answer is a Big No. I say so due to the following reasons: 1. Food served at these places have a lot of oils, grease, ghee (saturated fats) and such unhealthy fats in them. They sell sugary sweets and fluids. These foods might have added food colors and flavouring agents. All such additives are harmful...