Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Swine Flu (H1N1) Kashayam

Being the most talkable disease of recent days, claiming lives and alarming each one to take precautionary measures, we need to guard ourselves from this vulnerable H1N1.

In Tamilnadu, raining has started and it causes spreading of the diseases more fastly. As a Chef, It is my duty to recommend some medicinally valued food or drink to the society. Following this interest I bring down new H1N1 Precaution Kashayam.

Kashayam is an extracted medicinal drink from different varieties of herbs and spices. Its medicinal properties are better to cure or prevent you from all illness. I was very careful in adding each ingredient to the Kashayam recipe and all the ingredients are mentioned in ayurvedic script for its H1N1 preventive nature. The new H1N1 Kashayam increases the immunity as well as protects you from the clutch of all rainy season’s illness.

Ingredients

Neem

Tulsi (Basil)

Small Onions (Shallots)

Betel leaves

Peppercorns

Garlic Cloves

Amla (Gooseberry)

Cloves

Dried Ginger

Palm Jaggery

Method of Preparation

1. Crush a little small onion, peppercorns, garlic, amla, dried ginger and gloves. Add little Neem leaves.

2. Add the crushed and the remaining ingredients except palm jaggery in cold water. Simmer till the water reduced to half.

3. Strain it, squeeze the residue well with ladle to extract the essence and add Palm Jaggery into the decoction.

This H1N1 Kashayam can act as an antiviral, antibacterial medicine or as an antidote. It strengthens the body, boosts immunity level and defence mechanism. It regulate body temperature, stabilize blood circulation and has fever reducing properties etc.,

Taking a cup per two week will be better to stay away from all diseases. Sure it will be bitter but good to sip in piping hot. Before ending, I would like to say a statement from ayurvedic scripts…..

Langanam Parama Avusadham” means resting (fasting) is a best medicine. Periodical fasting is good, advisable and heightens your immunity level.

Have a good health with the H1N1 Kashayam.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

CHICKEN SODHI

Chicken Sodhi is an another variation of the Sodhi, which is a special preparation in the Tirunelveli region. It is normally made for lunch, but it is awesome to serve with plain Idiyaapam. To increase its flavour and taste add lemon juice when it gets cool.



Ingredients

Chicken – 1kg
Coconut Oil – 50 ml
Mustard Seeds – a tsp
Onion – 100 g
Curry leaves – a few
Coconut Milk – 750 ml
Turmeric Powder - little
Slitted Green Chillies – 5 pieces
Potatoes – 100g
Salt – to taste

Ground Mixture


Ginger – 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Method

Heat Coconut Oil, temper the mustard seeds and Curry leaves
Add the sliced onion and Chicken pieces, sauté it
Add turmeric powder, Potato cubes and salt.
Add thin coconut milk extraction. Add the ground mixture after 5 minutes.
Remember to cook all this in medium low flame.
Cook the Sodhi till the Chicken and Potatoes tender. Garnish with fried curryleaves.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

True Face of Hospitality Studies


A Colourful life, can cruise, Career at luxury hotels, fly all over the world as Air Hostess, become entrepreneur, Profession at Corporate houses…… Options are plenty.

Visiting travelers and customers are expecting high in regard of the value to their payment. The service industry requires skilled employees to meet out their desires and to cater specialized services. This is the root cause for the establishment of the Hotel management training institutes all over the world.

Curriculum
Curriculum pattern changes as per the affiliation of the institute, but it is designed on the basis of the current requirements of the service industry. Everyone who enters in to the hospitality studies have a thought that it is all about cooking. Other than culinary arts the programme consists of four major operational subjects and few allied subjects. The four operational subjects are Food production, F&B Service, Accommodation and Front office. The duration of the course depends upon the board or university. Besides the theoretical papers the Operational subjects consists of practical papers in which the students will be trained in the laboratories by a professional trainer. Some universities include project works in the curriculum there by helping the students to get into the current happenings.

Training
“Observation = Application” is the mantra of training. Hands on Training are the discerned fact of hospitality studies. Industrial Exposure Training (IET) is also the part of curriculum. The students can be trainees at various leading star hotels under different departments. The IET period varies from 3 months to 6 months, based on the curriculum or the skill based requirements of the student.

During this period, students will receive the culinary knowledge from the Training Kitchen of the college. The students attain different serving styles, menu compiling, mixing, selling techniques by thorough practical activities at Training Restaurant and Mock Bar.

Campus Placement
Placement service is the heart throb of the hospitality education. Revised wage packages in the hotel industry show interest among the students to join the industry. Group discussion, Product Knowledge test, Personal interview are conducted in the campus interview. In Kitchen the selected candidates are asked for the Food trial at the concerned hotel. As per the test result, their salary and position will be fixed by the Organisation. In F&B Service, the candidates have to do menu planning and lay the cover on table as per the planned menu. As per the quality of the candidates the organisation will decide their position, Entry level, Management Trainee, Hotel Operational Trainee, Executive Assistant etc., .

Guidance for choosing hotel schools
Check the college have any affiliation with Universities, National Bodies etc.,
Check who is running and managing the institution
Faculty Profiles
Infrastructure
Students beneficiaries activities done by the hotel management school
Check the worthiness of the institution for your valuable payment
Analyze the family strength (money) and your potential
Norms of the college
Placement Services

My golden words for one who wishes to opt for the hospitality courses,
Hundreds of training institutes in India, among only 5 - 8% are decent to good.

Needs lot of patience, competence, eagerness to learn, application of knowledge, hard work…..

These are the secrets to succeed in the hospitality arena.
All the very best for choosing hospitality studies / hotel schools…. Touch with me on any queries.