With Eid fast approaching, you know you are in for a treat, as all the main dishes for lunch and dinner will be on form. But what about those moments in-between, when you do feel peckish, but can’t really handle the heavy main dishes?

The holy month of Ramadan brings with it a fresh wave of festive cheer. It is a time of self-reflection, to focus on the soul rather than the body and an opportunity to reconnect with our faith.

We all make normal lemonade but ever thought of adding cucumber to it? If no then try it now; the drink is so refreshing that if you try once, you will be hooked to it.

A simple and easy recipe of rice tossed with butter and salt, which tastes great with all kinds of meat, fish, daal, and vegetables. Although only a small amount is used, you can actually feel the rich, buttery taste of this preparation.

Winter offers a wide variety of seasonal goodies, and one such goody that you can add to your diet is jaggery (gur). Although it is hugely popular in South and Southeast Asia, many are unaware as to where jaggery is made of.

Pampering the newest member of the family starts with the mother-in-law treating the newly-wed groom with sherbet. This refreshing drink recipe has coconut water, the soothing texture of tender coconut meat, and the pleasant aroma of rose syrup.

Both the breast and the leg portions are well-exercised muscles with plentiful fat, which gives an additional richness that chicken and turkey just do not have. In addition, duck breasts are thinner, flatter, and blockier than other poultry breasts, and their wings are longer.

This is a delicious Bengali side dish, easy to rustle up, and goes well with rice. Sheem shorshe tastes heavenly when simmered in mustard paste until soft and tender.

Fruit skewers or kababs are made with fresh fruit that is thread onto wooden sticks and served as a dessert or a party appetiser.

An integral part of the wedding celebrations here is the ‘aiburo bhaat’ — a symbolic sendoff meal arranged by the family, featuring delectable dishes the bride is fond of. Traditionally hosted by the family a day before the big day, nowadays, families host this feast for their beloved children two-three days in advance.

Potol bhorta, a traditional Bengali recipe, is very quick and easy to prepare with few ingredients. It goes well with steamed rice or roti.

In Bengali culture, people often claim “payesh” to be the best dessert, especially if the occasion is a celebratory one, like birthdays, anniversaries, rice ceremonies or even baby showers.

How do different oils factor into a healthy diet? It all comes down to the types of fat found in the oil. Fat provides satiety and enjoyment to the food we eat, but it also serves nutritional benefits.

GHONO MAASH DAAL (WHITE LENTILS)

MUTHI KABAB Punjabis are known for their distinctive cooking style and taste, and muthi kabab is a quintessential Punjabi dish. For all those who love to undertake different but extraordinary side dishes, I present you another effortless and easy side dish, muthi kabab. Serve hot with different kinds of dips.

T-BONE STEAK

Eid-ul-Azha is just around the corner, and some are already looking forward to mouth-watering meat preparations. No wonder, as this Eid is largely about gatherings with your dear ones and delving into yummy food.

Food is always better when properly seasoned. You’ll enjoy cooking a lot more once you’ve mastered the herb and spice basics. Spices are almost always used in their dried form. They can be found whole or ground. Spices are much more varied in flavour than herbs and tend to pack a bigger punch.

There are at least 30 kinds of dates around the world, and they fall pretty much under three broad types — soft, semi-dry, and dry. The differentiation is made according to the glucose, sucrose and fructose content.

Place beef steak and corn starch in a bowl, toss to coat. Combine sugar, 3 tablespoons of water, and soy sauce in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, swirl to coat. Add steak to a pan