"पोंछ कर अश्क अपनी आँखों से मुस्कुअराओ तो कोई बात बने,
सर झुकाने से कुछ नहीं होगा सर उठाओ तो कोई बात बने"
कहते हैं जहां नारी का सम्मान होता है, वहीं देवता बसते हैं।
यह हमारे भारतीय संस्कारों के मूल में है। स्त्री शांति और शक्ति दोनों का प्रतीक है इसीलिए हमने हमारे देश और जन्मभूमि को भारत माता माना है। भारत मां जिसने अपनी कोख से कई स्त्री रत्नों को जन्म दिया। जिन्होंने हमारे देश का नाम रोशन किया।
न जाने कितने प्राचीन समय से स्त्री इस पुस्र्षसत्तात्मक संसार का एक हिस्सा रही है, किन्तु धीरे धीरे निश्चित तौर पर उसकी भूमिका बदल गयी, पुस्र्ष के अधीन रहने की जगह उसने अपनी स्वतन्त्र सत्ता बना ली।
आज उसने हर क्षेत्र और जीवन के हर स्तर पर अपने लिये एक जगह बना ली है। । आज स्त्री समाज की आत्मशक्ति है। इसी शक्ति के माध्यम से समाज का भविष्य सुनहरा होता है।
इतिहास इसका साक्षी रहा है। हमारे इतिहास में नक्षत्रों की तरह चमकती एक नहीं कई वीरांगनाएं हैं, जिन्होंने भारतीय इतिहास को नयी दिशा दी है।
आज अर्न्तराष्ट्रीय महिला दिवस के अवसर पर हम उन भारतीय महिलाओं की उपलब्धियों और का सम्मान करते हैं, जिसकी वजह से भारत की लाखों स्त्रियों के जीवनस्तर में सुधार हुआ है।
अपने उददेश्यों के प्रति उनके इस समर्पण, प्रतिबद्वता और उनके पराक्रम को तथा इस पाकृतिक व सामाजिक तौर पर पुस्र्षसत्तात्मक समाज में उत्पन्न विपरीत परिस्थितियों में धैर्य न खोने के उनके साहस को आज हम नमन करते हैं।
हमारे देश की भूमि उर्वरा है वह ऐसे कन्या रत्नों को जन्म देती ही रहेगी। लेकिन इसके लिये हमें लिंगभेद और कन्याभ्रूण की हत्या को रोकना होगा।
गृहणी : घर संवारने वाली महिला द होम मेकर
एक समय था जब भारतीय महिला सुबह से लेकर रात तक घर का ढर्रा चलाने में संर्घष किया करती थी, खाना पकाना, बर्तन - कपड़े धोना, संतानों को जन्म देना और पालना। किन्तु आज परिस्थितियां बदल गयी हैं, आज स्त्री महज एक गृहणी नहीं आज वह घर संवारने सहेजने वाली जागरूक महिला है। वह पति की सहचरी है। वह घर की समस्त ज़िम्मेदारियों को गरिमा के साथ वहन करती है। न केवल घरेलू ज़िम्मेदारियां बल्कि वह बाहर के काम भी बखूबी करती है। वह वाहन चलाती है, बच्चों का स्कूल, बैंक का काम, सामाजिक काम सभी का निर्वाह अपने क्षमता के परे जाकर भी करती है।
स्त्री की एक प्रमुख विशेषता है जो पुस्र्ष में कम मिलती है, वह एक ही समय पर कामकाजी महिला और घर का कमाऊ सदस्य होने के साथ साथ माँ, पत्नी, बहू होने की भूमिका नटिनी की तरह कसी रस्सी पर चल कर बखूबी निभा जाती है।
हालांकि बहत कुछ हम पा चुके हैं, बहत सारी उपलब्धियां हमारे हाथों में हैं किन्तु अभी हमें मीलों आगे जाना है। आज भी हमारे ग्रामीण इलाकों की महिलाएं अपने अस्तित्व की स्वतन्त्रता से नावाकिफ हैं। कन्या भ्रूण व बच्चियों की हत्या आज भी हमारे समाज में व्याप्त है।
आज पिछड़ी हुई और गरीब स्त्रियों के लिए हमें एकत्रित होकर संर्घष करना होगा। आज हमें यह वचन लेना चाहिये कि हम ज़रूरतमंद स्त्रियों को पढ़ाएं और किसी भी स्तर पर उनके लिए सहायक सिद्ध हों या उन्हें जागरूक बनने के लिए प्रेरित करें। ताकि वे अपना जीवन स्वास्थ रहकर, आत्मनिर्भर होकर गरिमापूर्ण तरीके से जी सकें। स्त्री की जागस्र्कता ही उसकी सबसे बड़ी शक्ति है। इस देश के विकास के लिये प्रत्येक महिला का जागस्र्क होना अति आवश्यक है। आओ हम सब मिल कर नारी सशक्तिकरण दिवस की सफलता में योगदान का हाथ बढ़ाएं।
Saturday, March 6, 2010
हमें महिला दिवस मनाने क़ा अधिकार बिल्कुल नहीं है
हमें महिला दिवस मनाने क़ा अधिकार बिल्कुल नहीं है
जहाँ नारी का सम्मान होता है वहॉ देवता बसते हैं। शायद इसीलिये देवता हमसे रूठ गयें हैं और हम भृष्टता की खाई में गिरते जा रहें हैं। आजकल टीवी और अनेकों पत्र- पत्रिकाओं मे अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महिला- दिवस की धूम मची हुई है। कहीं सक्षात्कार लिये जा रहेन हैं तो कहीं तस्वीरें और व्यक्तव्य छापे जा रहें हैं तो कहीं महिलाओं क सम्मान किया जा रहा है। क़ौन हैं ये महिलायें? क्या आप इन्हें इस स्थिति मे लायें हैं?
नहीं ------ ! ये वे महिलायें नहीं हैं जो अपने दम पर सम्मानित हुईं हैं। आज जो औरतें अपने पैरों पर खडीं हैं उनमें से अधिकॉश आर्थिक मजबूरी के कारन घर से बाहर निकली हैं। किसी मे प्रतिभा थी तो किसी में कुछ बनने कि इच्छा। बुद्धिहीन समाज नारी को कमजोर मानता है, लेकिन नारी में इतनी शक्ति होती है कि स्यंव को पहचान कर बिन किसी सहारे के, बाधाओं को दूर करती हुई अपनी मंजिल पर पहुँच जाती हैं। कुछ लोग विशेष रूप से पुरुषवर्ग, नारी की हर कामयाबी का सेहरा अपने सिर पर बॉधने लगता है। आज लगभग 75% महिलायें पुरुषों के कारण ही कामयाब हैं। ये आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है क्योंकि पुरुष के दिये विष को उसने अमृत समझ के पिया है कुछ प्रतिवाद् करती है और उनके अहम् को चोट पहुँचाती है। ये चोट ही औरत मे कुछ करके दिखाने का अह्सास जगाती है और यहीं से नारी की स्यंव-सिद्ध यात्रा शुरु होती है। पर इस बात का यह मतलब बिल्कुल नहीं है कि महिलाओं को ऊँचा उठाने के लिये पुरुषों का अत्याचार जरुरी है।
इस यात्रा में कुछ महिलायें लक्ष्य तक पहुँच जाती हैं, कुछ रास्ते की चकाचोंध और मंजिल पर पहुँचने की जल्दी में शॉर्ट-कट अपना लेती हैं और भटक जातीं हैं। इन्हें बदनामी और गुमनामी का जीवन भोगना पड़ता है।
कुछ महिलायें समाज के सामने कमजोर पड़ जातीं हैं जिन्हें जबर्दस्ती पीछे धकेल दिया जाता है। ना चाह्ते हुये भी सब कुछ सहन करने की मजबूरी इन्हें असहाय और पीड़ित बनाया देती है। कुछ न कर पाने क दुख और अत्याचारों की चरम सीमा इन्हें विक्षिप्त कर देती है, तब ये महिलायें घर से बाहर कर दी जातीं हैं, और दर-दर की ठोंकरें खाती सड़कों पर भटकतीं हैं। इस पागलपन कि स्थिति में भी पुरुष प्रधान समाज द्वारा उनपर दया नहीं बल्कि शोषण ही किया जाता है।
दुनिया से संघर्ष करते हुये और अपने को बचाते हुये जो महिलायें समाज मे स्वयं को स्थपित कर सकीं उन्हें महिला-दिवस पर सम्मानित करने से क्या हमारा कर्तव्य पूरा हो गया? क्या हम महिला-दिवस के अवसर पर सिर्फ एक दिन के लिये भी उनपर होने वाले अत्याचारों, बलात्कारों और जानी- अंजानी यातनाओं पर अंकुश लगा सकते हैं।
नहीं ना! जब तक हम नारी का सम्मान करना नहीं सीखेंगें तब तक न हमें कोई सम्मान लेने का अधिकार है न ही देने का और न ही महिला दिवस मनाने का।
जहाँ नारी का सम्मान होता है वहॉ देवता बसते हैं। शायद इसीलिये देवता हमसे रूठ गयें हैं और हम भृष्टता की खाई में गिरते जा रहें हैं। आजकल टीवी और अनेकों पत्र- पत्रिकाओं मे अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महिला- दिवस की धूम मची हुई है। कहीं सक्षात्कार लिये जा रहेन हैं तो कहीं तस्वीरें और व्यक्तव्य छापे जा रहें हैं तो कहीं महिलाओं क सम्मान किया जा रहा है। क़ौन हैं ये महिलायें? क्या आप इन्हें इस स्थिति मे लायें हैं?
नहीं ------ ! ये वे महिलायें नहीं हैं जो अपने दम पर सम्मानित हुईं हैं। आज जो औरतें अपने पैरों पर खडीं हैं उनमें से अधिकॉश आर्थिक मजबूरी के कारन घर से बाहर निकली हैं। किसी मे प्रतिभा थी तो किसी में कुछ बनने कि इच्छा। बुद्धिहीन समाज नारी को कमजोर मानता है, लेकिन नारी में इतनी शक्ति होती है कि स्यंव को पहचान कर बिन किसी सहारे के, बाधाओं को दूर करती हुई अपनी मंजिल पर पहुँच जाती हैं। कुछ लोग विशेष रूप से पुरुषवर्ग, नारी की हर कामयाबी का सेहरा अपने सिर पर बॉधने लगता है। आज लगभग 75% महिलायें पुरुषों के कारण ही कामयाब हैं। ये आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है क्योंकि पुरुष के दिये विष को उसने अमृत समझ के पिया है कुछ प्रतिवाद् करती है और उनके अहम् को चोट पहुँचाती है। ये चोट ही औरत मे कुछ करके दिखाने का अह्सास जगाती है और यहीं से नारी की स्यंव-सिद्ध यात्रा शुरु होती है। पर इस बात का यह मतलब बिल्कुल नहीं है कि महिलाओं को ऊँचा उठाने के लिये पुरुषों का अत्याचार जरुरी है।
इस यात्रा में कुछ महिलायें लक्ष्य तक पहुँच जाती हैं, कुछ रास्ते की चकाचोंध और मंजिल पर पहुँचने की जल्दी में शॉर्ट-कट अपना लेती हैं और भटक जातीं हैं। इन्हें बदनामी और गुमनामी का जीवन भोगना पड़ता है।
कुछ महिलायें समाज के सामने कमजोर पड़ जातीं हैं जिन्हें जबर्दस्ती पीछे धकेल दिया जाता है। ना चाह्ते हुये भी सब कुछ सहन करने की मजबूरी इन्हें असहाय और पीड़ित बनाया देती है। कुछ न कर पाने क दुख और अत्याचारों की चरम सीमा इन्हें विक्षिप्त कर देती है, तब ये महिलायें घर से बाहर कर दी जातीं हैं, और दर-दर की ठोंकरें खाती सड़कों पर भटकतीं हैं। इस पागलपन कि स्थिति में भी पुरुष प्रधान समाज द्वारा उनपर दया नहीं बल्कि शोषण ही किया जाता है।
दुनिया से संघर्ष करते हुये और अपने को बचाते हुये जो महिलायें समाज मे स्वयं को स्थपित कर सकीं उन्हें महिला-दिवस पर सम्मानित करने से क्या हमारा कर्तव्य पूरा हो गया? क्या हम महिला-दिवस के अवसर पर सिर्फ एक दिन के लिये भी उनपर होने वाले अत्याचारों, बलात्कारों और जानी- अंजानी यातनाओं पर अंकुश लगा सकते हैं।
नहीं ना! जब तक हम नारी का सम्मान करना नहीं सीखेंगें तब तक न हमें कोई सम्मान लेने का अधिकार है न ही देने का और न ही महिला दिवस मनाने का।
नारी
हे नारी…. हे नारी, तू शक्ती है, तू भक्ती है
तू ममता की, साक्षात मूर्ती है।
तुझसे निपजता सारा जीवन, तूझमें विहरता सारा यौवन,
तू वृध्दों के लिए सेवा है, तू हर सुखों की कर्ता है।
हे नारी….
तू प्रकृति की परिभाषा, तू निसर्ग की परछाई,
तू भजन का भक्तिभाव है, तू रणभूमी की स्फूर्ति है।
हे नारी….
तू है छाया, तू है धूप, तू चंडी का रौद्ररूप,
थर्राती तुझसे धरती है, दिगदिगांत में तेरी कीर्ती है।
हे नारी….
तू सीता के मन में समाई, तू राधा के तन में समाई,
साधूसंत जिसे स्वर्ग कहतें है, तू धरती पर वही मुक्ति है।
तू ममता की, साक्षात मूर्ती है।
तुझसे निपजता सारा जीवन, तूझमें विहरता सारा यौवन,
तू वृध्दों के लिए सेवा है, तू हर सुखों की कर्ता है।
हे नारी….
तू प्रकृति की परिभाषा, तू निसर्ग की परछाई,
तू भजन का भक्तिभाव है, तू रणभूमी की स्फूर्ति है।
हे नारी….
तू है छाया, तू है धूप, तू चंडी का रौद्ररूप,
थर्राती तुझसे धरती है, दिगदिगांत में तेरी कीर्ती है।
हे नारी….
तू सीता के मन में समाई, तू राधा के तन में समाई,
साधूसंत जिसे स्वर्ग कहतें है, तू धरती पर वही मुक्ति है।
Friday, February 19, 2010
My Little Angel Sister
MY LITTLE ANGEL SISTER
As she entered in my life,
Days are filled with joy.
She is very cute and charming,
Looks like a cute toy.
When she chuckles on seeing me,
Oh, I feel myself happiest boy.
by chinmoy
class Vth
As she entered in my life,
Days are filled with joy.
She is very cute and charming,
Looks like a cute toy.
When she chuckles on seeing me,
Oh, I feel myself happiest boy.
by chinmoy
class Vth
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
20 tips for permanent weight loss
20 tips for permanent weight loss
Permanent weight loss can be a challenge. These 20 ideas can help.
Weight maintenance is much like weight loss. The principles are essentially the same: Eat healthy foods, control your portion sizes and exercise regularly. And to keep the pounds off permanently, you need to incorporate the new, healthy behaviors into your routine so that they become a natural part of your daily life.
Here are 20 ideas to reinforce your healthy lifestyle and to keep you committed to permanent weight loss.
1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session.
2. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking.
3. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Top off your morning cereal with sliced strawberries or bananas. Stir berries or peaches in yogurt or cottage cheese. Liven up your sandwiches with vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, onion, peppers and cucumber.
4. Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.
5. Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.
6. Plan a family activity. Get the family together to go for a bike ride, play disc golf or kick the ball around in the yard.
7. Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food, for example — you won't be so hungry.
8. Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates instead of placing serving bowls on the table. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.
9. Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.
10. Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.
11. See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.
12. Vary your activities. Regularly change your activity routine to avoid exercise burnout. Walk a couple of days, swim another and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Seek out new activities — karate, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, tennis or Pilates.
13. De-stress your day. Stress can cause you to eat more. Develop strategies that can help you relax when you find yourself becoming stressed. Exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques and even a good laugh can ease stress.
14. Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants. If you do eat out, decide what and how much you're going to eat before you start and have the rest boxed to go.
15. Plan healthy snacks. The best snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Fruit smoothies, sliced fresh fruit and yogurt, whole-grain crackers, and carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter are all good choices.
16. Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
17. Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.
18. Plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Make a detailed grocery list to eliminate last-minute trips to the grocery store and impulse buys.
19. Look for a distraction when you're fighting a craving. Call a friend, put on music and dance or exercise, clean the house, pull weeds in your garden, or run an errand. When your mind is occupied with something else, the cravings quickly go away.
20. Reward yourself. Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.
Permanent weight loss can be a challenge. These 20 ideas can help.
Weight maintenance is much like weight loss. The principles are essentially the same: Eat healthy foods, control your portion sizes and exercise regularly. And to keep the pounds off permanently, you need to incorporate the new, healthy behaviors into your routine so that they become a natural part of your daily life.
Here are 20 ideas to reinforce your healthy lifestyle and to keep you committed to permanent weight loss.
1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session.
2. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking.
3. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Top off your morning cereal with sliced strawberries or bananas. Stir berries or peaches in yogurt or cottage cheese. Liven up your sandwiches with vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, onion, peppers and cucumber.
4. Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.
5. Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.
6. Plan a family activity. Get the family together to go for a bike ride, play disc golf or kick the ball around in the yard.
7. Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food, for example — you won't be so hungry.
8. Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates instead of placing serving bowls on the table. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.
9. Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.
10. Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.
11. See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.
12. Vary your activities. Regularly change your activity routine to avoid exercise burnout. Walk a couple of days, swim another and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Seek out new activities — karate, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, tennis or Pilates.
13. De-stress your day. Stress can cause you to eat more. Develop strategies that can help you relax when you find yourself becoming stressed. Exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques and even a good laugh can ease stress.
14. Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants. If you do eat out, decide what and how much you're going to eat before you start and have the rest boxed to go.
15. Plan healthy snacks. The best snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Fruit smoothies, sliced fresh fruit and yogurt, whole-grain crackers, and carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter are all good choices.
16. Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
17. Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.
18. Plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Make a detailed grocery list to eliminate last-minute trips to the grocery store and impulse buys.
19. Look for a distraction when you're fighting a craving. Call a friend, put on music and dance or exercise, clean the house, pull weeds in your garden, or run an errand. When your mind is occupied with something else, the cravings quickly go away.
20. Reward yourself. Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Domestic Energy Conservation
Domestic Energy Conservation
Encouraging use of alternate sources of energy
Do you know that housewives can save upto 30% of cooking gas or kerosene by following a few simple ‘fuel–saving tips’?
We at PCRA have conducted a series of experiments on how to save cooking gas or kerosene. This was done in collaboration with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (R&D Center), and the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering & Applied Nutrition, NEW Delhi. Our experiments have revealed that it is possible to save upto 30% of cooking gas or kerosene by following good cooking practices. It will be surprising to discover that certain cooking habits cause substantial waste of fuel.
Given below are a few tips on how to minimize losses and get value for the money you spend on cooking gas or kerosene:-
A few minutes of planning ensures a big fuel saving
Every thrifty you can avoid an idle flame if you prepare and keep all materials required for cooking within reach, before lighting the stove. Experiments have revealed that keeping the flame of the larger burner burning unnecessarily in a gas stove, results Even a few paise saved everyday will amount to a sizeable saving by the end of a month.
Remember
Light your stove only after you have kept all the ingredients within your reach and ready for cooking. Put off an idle flame at once.
Pressure cooking saves fuel
Pressure cooking is one of the fastest and most economical ways of cooking. Experiments have shown fuel (kerosene or cooking gas) savings of 20% on rice, 46% on soaked gram dal and 41.5% on meat, as compared to ordinary cooking. The savings in cooking time were equally high. To obtain further savings from a pressure cooker, use the separators of the cooker to cook different items such as rice, vegetable and dal, all at the same time. Just think of the fuel and money you will save! And have your entire meal ready quickly.
Remember
Pressure cooking saves duel and time. Use separators in the pressure cooker to cook different items at the same time.
Use optimum quantity of water
The quantity of water used differs for various dishes. And even for the same dish, different housewives use varying quantities of water. Since water is extensively used in cooking, you should remember that surplus water wastes fuel. Besides, when the excess water is drained subsequently, precious nutrients are lost. An experiment on cooking rice with double the required quantity of water has revealed that fuel consumption increased by 65% So use only the optimum quantity of water for cooking.
Remember
Surplus water consumes additional fuel which could otherwise be saved.
Shallow, wide vessels save fuel
A visible flame touching the sides of vessel wastes fuel since it gives out heat to the surroundings. But if you cover the flame as much as possible by using a broad vessel, you will save fuel. Our tests have established that for most stoves, a vessel of 25 cm. Diameter is ideal for cooking. A vessel of this diameter tends to cover the flame completely. Where a narrower vessel cannot be avoided, try and reduce the flame so that it does not creep up on the sides of the vessel.
Remember
Hide the flame with broad bottomed, vessel. Do not use vessels which are narrow as they allow the flame to creep up on the sides.
Put the lid on heat losses
It is a good practice to cover cooking vessels and pans with a lid, as an open vessel loses heat to the atmosphere which means a waste of fuel. A vessel of 100sq.cm. opening , containing hot water at 96°C would waste 7.2 GMs Of gas per hour. The heat loss would increase by 2-1/2 times if there is wind blowing through the kitchen. If the vessel is covered by a lid , the heat loss would drop appreciably to 1.45 gm. Of gas per hour as heat is retained within the vessel.
Remember
Always place a lid on an open cooking vessel or pan.
The small burner saves fuel
A cooking gas stove has a big burner and a small burner. The small burner consumes 6% to 10% less gas than the big burner! An experiment on cooking 250 GMs Of potatoes revealed that the small burner consumed 6.5% less gas but look 7 minutes more than the big burner. Similarly in a kerosene stove, by cooking at lower flame you will use less fuel. You can now imagine how much fuel is being avoidably wasted. True, the small burner of the lower flame takes a little more time to complete cooking, but then you are not always in such a hurry that you can afford to waste fuel.
Remember
Use the small burner or lower flame more often, as the case may be especially when you have time to spare.
A clean burner helps save fuel
It is important to/clean the burner of your gas range regularly and trim or replace the wicks of the kerosene stove. Soot clogged gas burners and charred wick-ends of a kerosene stove increase fuel consumption. Regular maintenance of your stove helps you save fuel. In case stove knobs do not more freely, get them attended to.
Remember
A bright, steady blue flame means efficient burning. If you see an orange, yellow on non-uniform flame, clean the burner or wick as the case may be.
For additional saving
The use of ‘ISI’ marked kerosene wick stoves in place of non-‘IST’ marked stove saves upto 25% of kerosene and the use of higher efficiency ‘ISI’ marked LPG stove (the thermal efficiency level of which is 68%+) saves upto 15% of gas.
Clean vessels help too
A coating of undissolved salts is usually found on the insides of kettles and cookers. Even a millimeter thick coating can reduce the flow of heat to the vessel’s contents. This increases your fuel consumption by as much as 10%.
Remember
Cooking vessels should always be scrubbed clean.
Allow frozen food to reach room temperature before cooking Cold milk, frozen meal or any other cold food-stuff from the refrigerator should not be taken straight to the cooking pot. Keep it out of the refrigerator should not be taken straight to the cooking pot. Keep it out of the refrigerator for some time before putting if on the stove. Very cold food consumes a larger amount of fuel. Plan your meal timings
If all members of the family eat together, which signifies togetherness and increases joy, frequent reheating of food before serving can be avoided. If eating together is not possible, store cooked, hot food in insulated containers to serve it hot later.
Encouraging use of alternate sources of energy
Do you know that housewives can save upto 30% of cooking gas or kerosene by following a few simple ‘fuel–saving tips’?
We at PCRA have conducted a series of experiments on how to save cooking gas or kerosene. This was done in collaboration with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (R&D Center), and the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering & Applied Nutrition, NEW Delhi. Our experiments have revealed that it is possible to save upto 30% of cooking gas or kerosene by following good cooking practices. It will be surprising to discover that certain cooking habits cause substantial waste of fuel.
Given below are a few tips on how to minimize losses and get value for the money you spend on cooking gas or kerosene:-
A few minutes of planning ensures a big fuel saving
Every thrifty you can avoid an idle flame if you prepare and keep all materials required for cooking within reach, before lighting the stove. Experiments have revealed that keeping the flame of the larger burner burning unnecessarily in a gas stove, results Even a few paise saved everyday will amount to a sizeable saving by the end of a month.
Remember
Light your stove only after you have kept all the ingredients within your reach and ready for cooking. Put off an idle flame at once.
Pressure cooking saves fuel
Pressure cooking is one of the fastest and most economical ways of cooking. Experiments have shown fuel (kerosene or cooking gas) savings of 20% on rice, 46% on soaked gram dal and 41.5% on meat, as compared to ordinary cooking. The savings in cooking time were equally high. To obtain further savings from a pressure cooker, use the separators of the cooker to cook different items such as rice, vegetable and dal, all at the same time. Just think of the fuel and money you will save! And have your entire meal ready quickly.
Remember
Pressure cooking saves duel and time. Use separators in the pressure cooker to cook different items at the same time.
Use optimum quantity of water
The quantity of water used differs for various dishes. And even for the same dish, different housewives use varying quantities of water. Since water is extensively used in cooking, you should remember that surplus water wastes fuel. Besides, when the excess water is drained subsequently, precious nutrients are lost. An experiment on cooking rice with double the required quantity of water has revealed that fuel consumption increased by 65% So use only the optimum quantity of water for cooking.
Remember
Surplus water consumes additional fuel which could otherwise be saved.
Shallow, wide vessels save fuel
A visible flame touching the sides of vessel wastes fuel since it gives out heat to the surroundings. But if you cover the flame as much as possible by using a broad vessel, you will save fuel. Our tests have established that for most stoves, a vessel of 25 cm. Diameter is ideal for cooking. A vessel of this diameter tends to cover the flame completely. Where a narrower vessel cannot be avoided, try and reduce the flame so that it does not creep up on the sides of the vessel.
Remember
Hide the flame with broad bottomed, vessel. Do not use vessels which are narrow as they allow the flame to creep up on the sides.
Put the lid on heat losses
It is a good practice to cover cooking vessels and pans with a lid, as an open vessel loses heat to the atmosphere which means a waste of fuel. A vessel of 100sq.cm. opening , containing hot water at 96°C would waste 7.2 GMs Of gas per hour. The heat loss would increase by 2-1/2 times if there is wind blowing through the kitchen. If the vessel is covered by a lid , the heat loss would drop appreciably to 1.45 gm. Of gas per hour as heat is retained within the vessel.
Remember
Always place a lid on an open cooking vessel or pan.
The small burner saves fuel
A cooking gas stove has a big burner and a small burner. The small burner consumes 6% to 10% less gas than the big burner! An experiment on cooking 250 GMs Of potatoes revealed that the small burner consumed 6.5% less gas but look 7 minutes more than the big burner. Similarly in a kerosene stove, by cooking at lower flame you will use less fuel. You can now imagine how much fuel is being avoidably wasted. True, the small burner of the lower flame takes a little more time to complete cooking, but then you are not always in such a hurry that you can afford to waste fuel.
Remember
Use the small burner or lower flame more often, as the case may be especially when you have time to spare.
A clean burner helps save fuel
It is important to/clean the burner of your gas range regularly and trim or replace the wicks of the kerosene stove. Soot clogged gas burners and charred wick-ends of a kerosene stove increase fuel consumption. Regular maintenance of your stove helps you save fuel. In case stove knobs do not more freely, get them attended to.
Remember
A bright, steady blue flame means efficient burning. If you see an orange, yellow on non-uniform flame, clean the burner or wick as the case may be.
For additional saving
The use of ‘ISI’ marked kerosene wick stoves in place of non-‘IST’ marked stove saves upto 25% of kerosene and the use of higher efficiency ‘ISI’ marked LPG stove (the thermal efficiency level of which is 68%+) saves upto 15% of gas.
Clean vessels help too
A coating of undissolved salts is usually found on the insides of kettles and cookers. Even a millimeter thick coating can reduce the flow of heat to the vessel’s contents. This increases your fuel consumption by as much as 10%.
Remember
Cooking vessels should always be scrubbed clean.
Allow frozen food to reach room temperature before cooking Cold milk, frozen meal or any other cold food-stuff from the refrigerator should not be taken straight to the cooking pot. Keep it out of the refrigerator should not be taken straight to the cooking pot. Keep it out of the refrigerator for some time before putting if on the stove. Very cold food consumes a larger amount of fuel. Plan your meal timings
If all members of the family eat together, which signifies togetherness and increases joy, frequent reheating of food before serving can be avoided. If eating together is not possible, store cooked, hot food in insulated containers to serve it hot later.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Tea Snacks
Tea Snacks
Little teatime knick-knacks to liven up your evening brew.
Herbal Tea Mango Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 tsps Pengaree tea
2/3 cup fresh, cold water
4 green mangoes (each mango should be very firm, hard)
2/3 cup sugar (a little extra sugar may be needed)
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons non-fat dry milk
Directions:
In a large saucepan bring water to a rapid boil; remove from heat. Immediately add tea. Steep for 5 to 6 minutes, strain the tea. Peel the mangoes while the tea is steeping. Cut the flesh away from the seeds, dice the fruit. Sprinkle sugar over the fruit. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Taste, add more sugar if necessary. Remove from heat. Mash fruit with a fork until a coarse puree is obtained; drain off excess liquid. Allow to cool. Whip heavy cream and dry milk in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently stir mango puree into the whipped cream. Spoon into a freezer-safe plastic container and freeze. Makes about 5 cups.
Green Tea Dessert Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tsps Green Tea
1 cup fresh, cold water
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, in small pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, well packed
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring water to a rapid boil; remove from heat. Add tea; let steep for 5 minutes. Strain. Add butter to the tea and heat over low heat until the butter is melted. Stir in sugar and brown sugar, mixing well. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to simmer for two minutes. Serve over ice cream, diced fresh fruit, or pound cake. (1 1/2 cups)
Blueberry Bars
These summer pastries are guaranteed to turn your fingers blue. Serve them slightly chilled and, if using your fingers, with a large napkin.
Crust ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients and press into an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden.
Filling ingredients:
a cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
Combine sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour into shell and bake at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes.
Topping ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Sprinkle over pie and bake 10 additional minutes. Chill before serving.
Tea Jelly
Ingredients:
2 lemons
1 pkt. lemon jelly
3/4 pint (approx.) freshly brewed tea,
Whipped cream to decorate
Directions:
Grate the skin of the lemons finely. Place the jelly in a measure and make up to 1 pint with freshly brewed tea. Stir until dissolved, then cool. When it is slightly thickened stir in the grated lemon peel and pour into a wet 1-pint mould or into individual moulds. Decorate with cream.
Tea Ice Cream
(for making 2 lbs. of tea ice cream)
(a) Dry tea (with good flavour) 2 oz
(b) Refined sugar 1 lb
(c) Arrowroot or cornflour 1 oz
(d) Fresh milk 2 lbs
(e) Water 10 oz
Directions:
1. Heat water and remove quickly from fire when boiling. Rinse out the teapot with hot water and put in tea leaves. Pour boiling water into the teapot. Infuse for 8 to10 minutes. Strain off infusion and keep aside.
2. Boil the milk. Next, blend the sugar with the arrowroot (or cornflour) thoroughly and add to the boiled milk. Let mixture simmer for about10 minutes and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Remove from fire, add tea infusion, stir and freeze.
Cornish Tea-CakesIngredients :
8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz lard or margarine
4 oz currants
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 oz candied peel
2 ozs sugar
1/2 pt milk
(beaten egg to glaze)
Directions:
Rub the fat in the flour, then add the currants, sugar, peel and mixed spice. Add sufficient milk to make into a soft dough. Roll out to half an inch thickness and cut to shape with a round cutter. Brush with beaten egg to glaze and bake at about 350F for 10 to 15 minutes.
(Serves 4)
Little teatime knick-knacks to liven up your evening brew.
Herbal Tea Mango Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 tsps Pengaree tea
2/3 cup fresh, cold water
4 green mangoes (each mango should be very firm, hard)
2/3 cup sugar (a little extra sugar may be needed)
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons non-fat dry milk
Directions:
In a large saucepan bring water to a rapid boil; remove from heat. Immediately add tea. Steep for 5 to 6 minutes, strain the tea. Peel the mangoes while the tea is steeping. Cut the flesh away from the seeds, dice the fruit. Sprinkle sugar over the fruit. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Taste, add more sugar if necessary. Remove from heat. Mash fruit with a fork until a coarse puree is obtained; drain off excess liquid. Allow to cool. Whip heavy cream and dry milk in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently stir mango puree into the whipped cream. Spoon into a freezer-safe plastic container and freeze. Makes about 5 cups.
Green Tea Dessert Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tsps Green Tea
1 cup fresh, cold water
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, in small pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, well packed
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring water to a rapid boil; remove from heat. Add tea; let steep for 5 minutes. Strain. Add butter to the tea and heat over low heat until the butter is melted. Stir in sugar and brown sugar, mixing well. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to simmer for two minutes. Serve over ice cream, diced fresh fruit, or pound cake. (1 1/2 cups)
Blueberry Bars
These summer pastries are guaranteed to turn your fingers blue. Serve them slightly chilled and, if using your fingers, with a large napkin.
Crust ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients and press into an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden.
Filling ingredients:
a cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
Combine sour cream, egg, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour into shell and bake at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes.
Topping ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Sprinkle over pie and bake 10 additional minutes. Chill before serving.
Tea Jelly
Ingredients:
2 lemons
1 pkt. lemon jelly
3/4 pint (approx.) freshly brewed tea,
Whipped cream to decorate
Directions:
Grate the skin of the lemons finely. Place the jelly in a measure and make up to 1 pint with freshly brewed tea. Stir until dissolved, then cool. When it is slightly thickened stir in the grated lemon peel and pour into a wet 1-pint mould or into individual moulds. Decorate with cream.
Tea Ice Cream
(for making 2 lbs. of tea ice cream)
(a) Dry tea (with good flavour) 2 oz
(b) Refined sugar 1 lb
(c) Arrowroot or cornflour 1 oz
(d) Fresh milk 2 lbs
(e) Water 10 oz
Directions:
1. Heat water and remove quickly from fire when boiling. Rinse out the teapot with hot water and put in tea leaves. Pour boiling water into the teapot. Infuse for 8 to10 minutes. Strain off infusion and keep aside.
2. Boil the milk. Next, blend the sugar with the arrowroot (or cornflour) thoroughly and add to the boiled milk. Let mixture simmer for about10 minutes and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Remove from fire, add tea infusion, stir and freeze.
Cornish Tea-CakesIngredients :
8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz lard or margarine
4 oz currants
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 oz candied peel
2 ozs sugar
1/2 pt milk
(beaten egg to glaze)
Directions:
Rub the fat in the flour, then add the currants, sugar, peel and mixed spice. Add sufficient milk to make into a soft dough. Roll out to half an inch thickness and cut to shape with a round cutter. Brush with beaten egg to glaze and bake at about 350F for 10 to 15 minutes.
(Serves 4)
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