Seer Fish Soup

Seer fish is a delicacy in south India. Its called Naimeen / നെയ്മീൻ in malayalam and Vanjaram in Tamil Nadu. Also refered as Spanish Mackerels/King Mackerels and are very good source of Omega 3 fatty acids which help keep arteries open and allow blood to flow smoothly. Also omega3 has anti inflammatory effects which helps sinus, osteoporosis, arthritis and other conditions.

Choose fatty fish with dark flesh or muscle. The depth of their colour represent the oil amount present. Lean fish are pale and their liver contains the fat unlike the muscle where fat is present in fatty fish. Salmon, tuna, mackerel, seer, back pomfret, hilsa, katla are some fatty fish.Shell fishes are very rich in omega despite cholestrol content.Select fresh fishes instead of canned ones and choose low fat cooking method instead of deep frying. Grilling, steamin,poaching and baking are preferable methods.Having fish directly benefits more, instead of supplements for fish oil.

So lets prepare a healthy seer fish soup after knowing all the benefits of omega 3

Ingredients

• 100g Seer fish
• Tomato 2 small
• Green Chilli 2 medium sized
• Curry leaves a sprig
• Coconut oil 2 tsp
• Fennel 10g/ 1/4 tsp
• Pepper corns 10-15
• Garlic crushed 2-3 medium pods
• coriander leaves 15g
• Ginger crushed 10g
• lemon 2
• Fish Bones 50g
• Shallot 4-5 or 30g onion

Method

Make fish stock with the fish bones, crushed ginger and fennel,pepper corns and strain it.
Cut fish into very very small cubes
Heat oil in sauce pan and add crushed garlic, onion, green chillies, tomatoes and curry leaves and and saute it.
After 5 minutes add the fish cubes
Add the fish stock to this
Let it boil for about 15 minutes.
(if you prefer you can grind this in the mixer )
Season with coriander leaves, salt and pepper .
Add lemon juice to this
Serve it hot

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Thupa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 cup noodles boiled
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tsp fresh cream
• 3 cups water

Preparation:

Add tomato puree, ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, sugar to water and boil it well. When soup is done , add boiled noddles and cream. Boil again for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: You may add chilli sauce, soya sauce and vinegar

Source:WomensEra

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Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg tomato chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 4 tsp butter
• 2 glasses of water
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

For garnish:

• Fresh cream and croutons

Preparation:

Add water to the tomatoes in pressure cooker and cook for about 6-7 minutes. When they are done, sieve the soup. Melt butter in a pan, fry garlic, ginger paste. Add tomato soup. When it starts boiling, add ccornflour mixed in 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper. Garnish with cream and croutons.

To make croutons:
Cube bread slices and brown on meal rack in OTG. Alternatively, you may fry them in oil till they are brown in colour.

Source:WomensEra

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Build natural immunity to fight viruses in your body

Influenza, H1N1, Swine flu is causing worry (latest Corona virus) and fear among many people. One can take some preventive steps to keep these virus at bay. There are some natural herbs which can surely boost your immunity system. Keep your body well nourished and build a strong immune system with colorful vegetables, fruits rich in vitamins especially vitamin C and consuming whole grain so that it can fight against the flu .Never underestimate simple prevention methods. Also one should not fear as fear itself will weaken ones immune system. If you feed your brains with negative thought it will attract negativity.

Children and elderly people need to be taken care as they have less immunity. So avoid going to crowded places. Remember SARS during 2003 which was also a respiratory syndrome, it came and vanished. People will develop immunity to this one too. All we have to do is take preventive measure and build a flu resisting immunity system. These days there is a big demand for masks. Wear a mask and help protect yourself and others too. Be safe.



Foods that Boost the Immune System are Citrus fruits,Garlic, Turmeric, Ginger, Yogurt, Spinach, Sunflower seed, Almonds, Green tea, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Shell Fish, Shallots

Some SUPER FOODS are listed below, include them in your diets and see the difference yourself

• Walnuts
• Blueberries
• Pumpkins
• Avocado
• Coconut oil 2 tsp
• Kale
• Pepper + Turmeric + Honey
• wild Salmon
• Cauliflower
• Cocoa
• Olive oil
• Sweet potato
• Quinoa
• Spinach
• Moringa
• Chia seeds
• Steel cut oats

Too much of something is good for nothing - the usuage of too many immunity boosters might turn out to be harmful to your body. So take them in right amount only and not overdo it.

Warning:
Natural immunity booster concoctions / supplements and such products are being taken in an overdrive. Medical experts have warned against taking these supplements in excess. Always reveal the details of supplements ( Natural or counter top ones) in case you are undergoing any treatment or surgery

So let’s build a natural immunity with the following concoction drinks and soups. Check out the Herbal tea and Moringa Soup, herbs which help fight viruses. A more effective alternative to boost immunity is EXERCISING or Intense Physical activity, which many people ignore the most. Excercise results in cellular damage and induces an immune response which floods sites of damage with immune cells.

Herbal Tea

Ingredients

• 7-8 tulsi (basil) leaves
• 2 cup Water
• 1 inch piece of ginger (grated and crushed)
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 3-4 cloves
• ¼ tsp fennel seed
• 1/4 tsp anise seed
• ¼ tsp pepper ground

Method:

Boil till the water reduces to 1 cup. Sieve this and to this add 1 tsp of honey (or molasses/jaggery). Have it twice a day

You can also try this simple domestic therapy.

• 30 leaves of Tulsi (Basil)
• 30 leaves of Bela/bilva (Ball tree, Bengal Quince, Golden Apple)
• 10 nos. of Black Pepper (Kali Mirch/Miri)
• 4 liters of Water

Boil for half an hour. You can have it throughout the day till you attain normal temperature

• Do surya namaskaar and pranayamas like anuloma viloma, and bhramari, Avoid Kapaalbhati and Bhastrika if suffering from cold.
• Do meditation or om chanting in the open, facing the sun early morning
• Gargle twice a day with warm salt water. A simple gargling is said to prevent proliferation.
• You can use Eucalyptus oil drops on handkerchiefs and mask as one preventive measure
• Avoid less sugar, less refined food.
• Reduce garlic and onion intake
• Consume more food with omega 3
• Consume vitamin rich vegetables and fruits
• Drink lots of warm liquid, if possible drink tender coconut water .Coconut water is the very stuff of Nature, biologically pure, full of Natural Sugars, Salts, and Vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks, very natural.

Another wonderful plant is Moringa Oleifera called the Miracle Tree. Its also called the Drumstick tree, moringakkai, shigru or Malunggay.A tree rich in nutrient enrich anemic blood as it contains iron, rebuild weak bone as it has calcium and even enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby, it can treat diabetes and control high blood pressure

• Moringa has 7 times the vitamins found in oranges and strengthens our immune system and help fight against cold and flu
• Moringa has 4 times the calcium found in milk which builds strong bones and teeth. It helps prevent osteoporosis.
• Moringa has 4 times Vitamin A found in carrots which is good for eyes, skin and heart
• Moringa has 3 times the potassium found in bananas which is good for brain and nerves
• Moringa has .75 times the iron found in spinach and good for hemoglobin

Moringa/Murungakai chicken soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup Murungakai leaves, rinsed
• 1 cup shredded white corn (you can powder it to fine texture)
• 1 cup chicken breast diced
• 1 piece minced/crushed garlic
• 1 small piece minced/crushed onion/Shallot (2-3piece)
• 1 piece minced/crushed ginger
• 1 tsp oil
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Preparation

Saute the mince garlic, onion and ginger in oil To this add the chicken breast till half cook. Now Add the powdered corn to it and then pour water Let it boil till the corn is cook. Now when the texture will be a bit thick,season it with salt and pepper. To this add the Moringa/Murungakai leaves Cook in low flame for about 5-10 minutes then turn off.

Moringa with mashed potato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Moringa leaves rinses and blanched in boiling water
• 2 cups potatoes boiled and mashed
• 1/4 cup butter preferably melted
• 1/4 cup fresh milk heated
• salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Preparation

Rinse, blanche the moringa leaves in boiling water. Squeeze the excess water away. Now mince it. Mix all the remaining ingredients together. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Most of the Indian curry’s have spices included in them and many of us are grown drinking herbal, Ginger and Masala spiced tea. So we might have built a good immune system by now :). Note that Tamiflu which is a preventive medicine for bird flu is synthesized from shikimic acid which is a sourced from anise seed which is effective against cold, influenza, cough, sinus, bronchitis, digestion problem and good for your eyes too. The commonly found tulsi has anti-viral and anti bacterial properties. Go through the benefits of tulsi here Also you can read about the Symptoms, Precaution and treatment here.

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Chicken Corn Soup

Ingredients :

Sweet Corn - 1 tin
Chicken Stock - 3 cups
Corn Flour - 1tbs
Salt - to taste
Ajinomoto - a pinch
Egg - 1
Milk - 1/4cup
Chicken pieces sliced into thin pieces - 1/2cup

Method :

Put the sweet corn in a dish and add the chicken stock into it. Mix the corn flour with 1/4cup of water. Keep the chicken stock in the fire and when it begins to boil, add the corn flour into it. Boil it for 10 minutes.

Add the sliced chicken pieces and salt into the chicken stock. Also add the milk into it. Beat the egg and add it slowly to the boiling soup. Stir the soup continuously while adding the egg. Remove from fire and add ajinomoto.

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