It is Christmas eve today, and yet there are always those of us in a fix about buying presents for loved ones

What’s better than the gifts you find under the Christmas tree on 25 December? The heavenly delights waiting on the dinner table, that’s what!

Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) submits a report to the High Court saying that it has recently tested seasonal fruits and found no health hazardous chemicals in them.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F or 175 °C. Pour the chicken broth into a small roasting pan, and set aside.

With the summer heat now an all too familiar situation, why not beat the heat by whipping up a seasonal raw mango juice? It is refreshing, and has enough electrolytes to keep you going throughout the hot days.

Biting into one of these during meals has to be one of the worst feelings ever, yet it is found in pretty much every dish, sweet or savoury.

Dating back to around 2000 BC, the chocolate we know and see today used to be consumed as a fermented drink with spices and wine. The chocolate we see neatly stacked in stores is the end result of numerous steps on the cacao pod.

Squeeze lemon juice over the bananas to keep them from browning. Coat bananas with the yoghurt; add cumin powder. Now mix and sprinkle the lightly toasted shredded coconut on top. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Salt was once one of the most prized of all seasonings, as revealed in the expression “below the salt”- nobles, who sat at the head of the table (above the salt), were allowed to use salt, while lesser folk, sitting below the salt, had to rely on herbs to flavour their food.

Although most of the world knows the word 'Tandoor' by now, let me give a brief description of it, even if just to make this read a little more technically sound. A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The tandoor is currently a very important fixture in many Indian restaurants around the world.

A contemporary fashion line that incorporates traditional wear with a classical touch, Manas showcases the Bengal heritage and traditions in bold and light colours for those who appreciate timeless classics.

Wash the dates and remove their seeds. Take a blender, add the seedless dates, pistachio, sugar and a glass of milk. Blend well for few minutes. Add the rest of the milk, ice cubes and blend all the ingredients together for 3-4 minutes. Strain the milkshake and pour the shake into the glass. Serve chilled!

In the current context, where food adulteration is a common phenomenon, perhaps consuming seasonal fruits, in their right season, is as safe as we can be from toxic chemical preservatives. They are also cheaper and as the years go round, makes sure that the taste buds don't get bored.

The best thing about salad leaves or lettuce, is that they are a universal favourite from children to the elderly of the family. And for some children, it is the only way to make them eat greens sans the coercion. Not only is this a super crunchy and juicy meal, but it is also packed with minerals and nutrients that our bodies need.

Organic food refers to food products that are produced, prepared, and processed without the use of any chemicals. It prohibits the use of chemical pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or chemical preservatives. Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and dairy products must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products.

Categorised as vegetable in stores and as fungi in books, mushrooms are what you make out of them. Most of us are accustomed to using mushrooms in numerous dishes, mostly as appetizers. But its huge array of health benefits are often overshadowed by its incredible taste.

You need to unleash the mad scientist in you, and look at an ingredient in terms of how it “behaves” when tampered with, and not what it's called or what you are used to seeing it as. You want to mimic the smell, taste, and texture of your favourite dish, and when you find the winning combination of your plant-based ingredients to do just that, the end result is often better than the original! Let me clarify further.

Ginger, or the ginger root, which is the underground stem of the Zingiber Officinale plant, has been widely regarded as one of the super foods that can cure almost every ailment known to man. Is this a fact…or a myth?

One of my earliest childhood recollections of Dhaka winters include peas. I can still remember that big, white, tin plate — one that was usually taken out after a big grocery haul — with blue flowers drawn on it.

We all experience cravings and often end up snacking on unhealthy food. Almonds are not only a great snack, but also the most nutrition packed nuts of them all.