A dose of kindness on your plate

** Ninety-nine per cent free

In Anantapur’s markets, where the convicts sell their harvest directly to customers, their town’s prison produce is associated with chemical-free, high-quality fruits and vegetables. Even in the aftermath of demonetisation, when cash was hard to come by and shelves were full of unsold stock, prisoners say their produce consistently sold out. “The locals don’t treat us like criminals. Because of what we do here, they don’t see a criminal as someone to be feared or kept at a distance. They call us anna (brother) instead of kaidhi (criminal),”

** Usually,thandai masalais a mix of spices, all fragrant and with the inherent cooling properties as per Ayurveda. This love for thandai begins during Maha Shivratri and culminates in a heady climax on Holi. If you were to take a poll, Varanasi would be the best place to enjoy an authentic glass of thandai .

THANDAI SHOTS

INGREDIENTS

1CUP THANDAI SHERBAT

45ML GIN PER GLASS (or bhang for a traditional touch)

LOTS OF ICE METHOD

Add 45ml of gin/vodka/white rum to the thandai sherbet and serve chilled. You can rim the shot glasses with colourful sprinkles to give it a festive holi vibe.

Usually, thandai masala is a mix of fragrant spices with inherent cooling properties as per Ayurveda. Blended with water, milk and even some fruit juice,thandai is a delight. Dry fruits such as almonds, cashews and pistachios are often paired with watermelon and musk melon seeds, poppy,

THANDAI SHERBAT

INGREDIENTS

2CUP MILK

1CUP WATER

2TBSP THANDAI MASALA

CARDAMOM, ROSE PETAL, SAFFRON FOR GARNISH METHOD

In a sauce pan, add the milk, water and suga. Add the thandai masala and let it come to a boil. Then reduce flame and simmer for 10minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. When cool enough muslin cloth or leave it as it is, depending on how you like it. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with rose petals, saffron and cardamom.

     

    fennel, cardamom, nutmeg, and peppercorn, and ground. This is then added to soaked saffron strands and rose petals. Then it is further ground with a mortar and pestle.

One teaspoon of this aromatic thandai masala can turn your daily glass of milk into a celebratory affair. Usually for our Holi soirees, we serve these with milk.

** 

A dose of kindness on your plate

Ram Mohan of Farm Made Foods, which supplies free-range eggs to several stores across Chennai

Born free

He adds that free-range simply means the animal has been allowed to grow in a natural environment. “For instance, in our farms, we let the chickens run about and scratch the ground for their feed. There are no hormones or antibiotics involved; nor are they forced to lay eggs. Everything is a natural process. This does mean that production costs are higher and the yield lower, but that’s how it usually pans out when it comes to natural products. This is also why free-range products

An egg a day

Eggs are rich in choline, which promotes normal cell activity, liver function and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body.much like a commuter train for vitamins and minerals.

Health above all

One of the biggest advantages of choosing free-range products, says Chandran, is that the animal takes its own time to grow. “This directly translates to better composition of protein and vitamins and reduced fat. Everything is natural; the growth is not accelerated with hormones. It’s a healthier alternative.”

At The Farm in Semmancheri, where one can buy free-range eggs and organic dairy products such as cheese, paneer, curd, butter and ghee, the focus is on letting their animals lead a free life. “The cows are not tied up; they move about freely. Also, we milk them once the calf has been fed. There are no machines involved in the process, which means that there’s no pain or discomfort caused to the animal. When they walk around the farm, the bull is around too; there’s no artificial insemination involved. The natural grass they feed on adds tremendously to their diet. All of this translates to great quality milk and the nutrients that we get from it,” says Shalini Philip, who runs The Farm with Arul Futnani. She adds that while a conscious shift has happened in terms of choosing free-range eggs