Raising Little Picassos – Why Should We Introduce Art To Our Kids

January 21, 2021January 22, 2021 myworldwitheira15 Comments

Art is said to be food for the soul and it is rightly so! When I get involved with my kids into their creativity, it has instant uplifting effect. Cheers my mood right away! It is colourful, messy yet liberating. Art can be good in many ways. While everyone started to focus on STEM education, researchers gave “A for Art” an equal importance and included it in STEM, turning it into STEAM education. Art is a word that allows one to express their creativity in forms of paintings, crafts, literature, music and art.

*A finger dot painting made by Eira*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Schools always tend to focus on Maths, Science, History and Language while giving very little time to art skills so it becomes important for us parents to make sure they are introduced to it. It gives us a great way to connect with them and give their creativity new heights.

Let’s see what impact art has on kids…

When a child uses a crayon and applies different strokes with different pressures or swipes a paintbrush, the motions used develop fine motor skills. From drawing solid scribbles to colouring with finesse, a child grows with each line that he draws. Using scissors to cut shapes also works great for kids. Playing with playdough and slime have great benefits. All these tend to increase the fine motor skills of a child.

*Homemade Playdoh Art Activity*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

*Homemade Playdoh heart cookies art activityThis image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Nowadays, even a toddler learns quickly that a phone or tablet works on swipe which means visual information is the first that they process. Playing with clay, drawing and painting and threading beads increases spatial and visual learning.

*Diya painting by EiraThis image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

*Painted Diyas for Diwali*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Art gives an opportunity for kids to be themselves, to express themselves. To go above and beyond their imagination. You will be surprised at what a child can show us through art forms.

*Christmas snow bear ornaments which*
*we shared with Christmas goodies.*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Children who perform art activities quite often tend to have improved academic performance as well. The steps to be followed while making an art improves the level of concentration.

Art soothes a troubled mind and calms a child down instantly giving it a beautiful distraction.

It also boosts confidence, teaches perseverance and teaches patience.

*Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflower attempted by Eira*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Considering all the positivity that art brings, me and my daughter used to work on a lot of projects. She loves drawing and painting the most and since lockdown occured, I wanted her to try something out from a professional tutor online.

That’s when I came across Impart Art Academy. I was so tempted by the work they showed me not just of their art teachers but also their students. The detailed step by by step teaching that they show in their sessions is so amazing to watch and easily understood by kids. From crayons, to paint colors to charcoal drawings, kids get to learn a variety of work. The sessions are also not rushed to the point and even though online, every child gets an opportunity to show their work at every step and corrections wherever needed are explained well.
Images like shown below are shared after every class so that the child gets a step-by-step view of their teacher’s work and is also able to practice later.

*Mandala Art with Impart Art Academy by Eira*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

About Impart Art Academy
An Academy based in Kolkata, Impart Art Coaching is one of its kind. It takes pride in coaching ages 5+ till 75+ pan India.
Impart teaches varied mediums like pencil sketching, charcoal, soft pastels, pen and ink, watercolors and mixed media. It also organizes art workshops in acrylics online. The feather on its cap is its mentors, who are well known Professional artists of Bengal.

*Crayon coloring with Impart Art Academy by Eira This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

With 3 centres in Kolkata and having coached over 5000 students, Impart has now started mentoring students with their Art Portfolios for admission to colleges of design, art, architecture and fashion within India as well as abroad.

*Eira Crayon art done with Impart Art Academy*
*This image belongs to* *https://www.myworldwitheira.com*
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Impart Academy take pride in the fact that they have sent students to prestigious colleges like NIFT, NID, SRISTHI and many more in India and PARSONS, PRATT, LASALLE, UCL and many more such colleges abroad.

*Painting by a professional tutor from*
*Impart Art Academy*

Impart Academy is the place to go to for learning art, not only in India but also Dubai, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, UK and USA. They also have the concept of one on one personal tuitoring in their online as well as physical batches for students who wish undivided attention.

*A charcoal painting done by professional tutor from Impart Art Academy*

Impart Academy has been conducting an art exhibition each year since its inception showcasing artworks of its students. The show comprises of around 200 artworks in different sizes and mediums and is open for public viewing. For anyone who is looking to buy affordable art of amateur artists, the Impart Exhibitions are a huge draw.

As a parent, I definitely recommend Impart Art Academy for our budding artists.

As Pablo Picasso said, ” All children are artists, the problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up”.

Blog Away Blog-A-Thon in 2021

January 18, 2021January 18, 2021 myworldwitheira24 Comments

For all those have followed my blog in the past months, have known about my writing journey. From sharing my personal experiences as a woman and mother to what cooks in my kitchen. I also participated with many blog trains to make sure my writing was consistent. I thoroughly enjoyed it all.

For the New Year 2021, have decided to make sure we all as bloggers grow together and so I and my fellow mom blogger Hansa are thrilled to share with you all that we are starting “Blog Away Blog-A-Thon” which will be for all the writers out there, no matter what your genre of writing is!

Guidelines

Participant has to write 1 blog every fortnight, that’s in 15 days.
So, only 2 blogs a month, 6 blogs for the quarter.
The blog should be posted by 15th and 30th of each month.
It has to be a new blog as the whole purpose is to get you writing. You need not be a mom blogger compulsorily, all kinds of bloggers are welcome as this is also about learning and growing.
Participant has to engage and share 2 fellow bloggers post on any one social media platform (more details will be shared on WhatsApp Group created once the list of participation is final).
Engaging and sharing Host’s blog is mandatory.
Hashtag to be used #BlogAwaywithSeemaandHansa in the blog and while sharing on social media.
You have to add the line “This Blog is a part of Blog Away Blogathon hosted by Seema and Hansa”
There are no prompts or theme to follow as wish to allow the writer’s thoughts to flow freely and write what comes in their mind. It could be a short story, poem, promotional blog, guest post, book review, recipes, beauty hacks or anything related to your genre of blog. Just make sure that blogs are interesting.

To register and fill the form, click here

So what are you waiting for? Just get along and we will all have fun reading, writing and sharing.

Waiting to see you all in the “Blog Away Blog-A-Thon“.

Tilache ladoo (Sesame seeds laddoo)

January 13, 2021January 17, 2021 myworldwitheira23 Comments

Tilache ladoo is a traditional sweet made during Makar Sankrant and shared with everyone it the special day with the words saying “Tilgul ghya, God god bola…” meaning have the til ladoos and speak sweetly just like they taste.

This powerful seed other than having a distinct nutty flavor is a powerhouse of organic minerals especially calcium which supports a great deal in bone health. That’s exactly why Sesame Seeds made it to the list of ‘Foundation Foods’ in the diets related to Osteoporosis. A quarter cup of sesame seeds has more calcium than a cup of milk.

Sesame gives great texture to baked goods, in used in sushis and is used to make tahini to use in making hummus. Sesame butter is also loved by many and a sprinkle of freshly toasted sesame seeds can add an amazing flavor for to your salad.

These til ladoos are made specially during these winters to keep our body warm. Sesame seeds have alot of benefits while the addition of peanuts and coconut adds an aromatic flavor and the sweetness of jaggery to bring it all together makes it great for an after meal healthy piece of dessert as well.

I have used white sesame as well as black sesame. Black sesame has more calcium content than the white ones but is a bit pricey. You can also go with only white or only black ones as per your choice.

Ingredients
White sesame seeds (Safed Til) 1/2kg
Black sesame seeds (Kale til) 1/2kg
Peanuts 1 cup
Half a dry coconut.
Jaggery (Chikki ka gud) 1kg
2 tbsp ghee

Method

Dry roast both the sesame seeds. Make sure they are cleaned nicely before roasting. They should not be over roasted over these seeds can taste burned. We.roast them only to enhance their nutty flavor.

Dry roast the peanuts. Make sure they become crisp.and do not remain soft. Once cooled peel them. A gentle rub between your palms will do the magic.

Grate the dry coconut and then dry roast it too. This should also be roasted until golden brown and then run it between your hands to make it fine. Pulse them in a mixer grinder to get big chunks of peanuts instead of powder. You can even powder them if you like.

Jaggery should be used in equal amount to sesame seeds. I’m using jaggery which is known as “Chikki ka gud” in Maharashtra. This jaggery will be easily available in winters as it’s the season for all sorts of ladoos and chikkis. You might have noticed the difference between the jaggery that you bring home for kheer and the jaggery that you taste in a store bought Chikki. Any grocer or supermarket will definitely have it. This jaggery is easy to use whileaking ladoos and the binding is so much better and easier.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee. When heated add jaggery and melt it all while stirring it. Make sure it does not burn. Stirring continuously will make sure the jaggery is heated and melts evenly while leaving no over cooked or burned parts at the bottom of the pan.

Once the jaggery is melted, keep stirring until it gives you get a syrup kind.of consistency. Now add both colored sesame seeds, crushed peanut dry coconut. Stir all of it well and then turn off the flame.

It’s time to make ladoos. The mixture for these laddos should not be cooled. You have to start moulding them right when it is hot.
The trick to do this is to take only a little mixture out of the pan and keep it completely covered. Apply some ghee to your palms and take a small mixture according to the size of ladoo you want and start moulding. Be a little careful while handling the mixture. Do not use water at all while moulding. Only use ghee after every few ladoos.
Air dry them for a few hours. To maintain their shape you might have to rotate them in a plate. An activity that your kids can do and enjoy.

Tilache ladooThis image belongs to https://www.myworldwitheira.com
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Your til ladoos are ready. Make these ladoos all year around to reap it’s benefits.

Makar Sankrati Chya Hardhik Shubhechha🙏🏻
Happy Makar Sankrant🙏🏻

3Rs To Love Our Mother Nature

January 11, 2021January 15, 2021 myworldwitheira37 Comments

Our Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi got the prestigious Global Goalkeeper Award for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. India has definitely improved its sanitisation coverage but we still have a poor waste management infrastructure.

We can help manage waste right from where it all starts and that is our home. The 3 important R’s that everyone talks about when we come across waste are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Now the question, why should we use the 3Rs? Once we dump our trash properly, our duty is over, right? Absolutely wrong!! The current population of India is 1,387,160,324 as of January 2021. Think about the amount of trash generated on daily basis, then weekly basis and yearly basis.

The 3Rs help our environment and keep our planet clean. They also make one’s life eco-friendly and sustainable. Don’t forget that it will save you some bucks as well. Thanks to books and Peppa Pig, kids already have an idea about it. But how can we make sure that even our kids implement it in their daily lives.

We need to make sure that they know how and when can they reduce, reuse and recycle.

♻️REDUCE♻️

Reducing is nothing but cutting back on the amount of trash we make. This is the best way to keep our earth clean. Making less trash means no need to clean the mess. You are tackling the problem at the start itself.

Pack your kid’s lunch in lunchbox instead of paper or plastic bag. Even if its a sandwich, do not use cling wrap. Instead of using small plastic use and throw containers for sauces, chutneys and pickles, do one time investment in reusable containers like Tupperware.

Fresh Apples in a Shopping Bag Mesh. Zero waste, no plastic concept.

Make kids carry reusable shopping bags like cloth ones instead of using plastic bags or ending up buying paper bags at the supermarket. Some people do prefer to carry their own bags but only to the vegetable market or supermarket. When it comes to shopping at the mall, a reusable bag might not look nice but think about the difference are you making. Less buying of paper bags means less production and even lesser cutting of trees to make them. All in all, good for the environment.

Make sure kids turn off the lights of their room when not in use. They cannot see any waste made out of overusing or wasting electricity but a lot of work goes behind making it and we try to avoid that waste as well while saving some money over the electricity bills.

Make sure kids do not waste water by leaving the faucets open while brushing. Use water only as much as you require. Switch to plain old bath from a bucket instead of a shower or a bathtub. Lack of water issues are very well known to all that we face almost every year in India. We even have organisations who keep looking for donations to build hand-pumps with pipelines in small villages where water needs are hardly met.

♻️REUSE♻️

Use vegetable skins to make soups and broth. Garlic skin, onion skin and peels from vegetables like carrots, cucumbers and gourds can be used in an excellent way by adding them to the pot of vegetable broth or bone broth. Boil them nice and good and then strain them away. You are left with a broth full of nutrition. Eggshells are high in calcium and can also be used in your garden. Orange and lemon peels when dried and powdered can be used in recipes and also as a scrub.

Reusing is to find new ways to make use of the trash instead of throwing it out. Lots of our kid’s stuff can be reused and in much better ways.

Donate your child’s clothes. Make sure your children are involved in this and Instead of throwing away the clothes that do not fit, hand them down to someone who will reuse them. Orphanages are happy to accept kid’s clothes which are in good condition.

Do not throw away old toys. Make sure you use them in good condition or repair them in a way that they can be used and donate them as well. Not every child receives a toy every time they do something good or have a birthday. Believe me, your child will be very happy to see another less fortunate child happy with their toy.

Clothes can be turned into toys. There are many small businesses doing this for their living. You just have to send in a bunch of your child’s clothes and they turn them into beautiful dolls and stuffed animals for you, of course at a price. This way you have reused clothes and also supported a small business. You can even think about getting such toys made and send them in charity.

Cotton clothes also make good rags. Instead of buying wash clothes and kitchen wipes, use cotton clothes. They can also be used to make carpets and pullovers. Remember our Dadis and Nanis making big pullovers and blankets before winter also little ones for new babies coming in the family. Some brands like H&M, offer discount vouchers in excahnge of 8-10 old clothes and you can use the vouchers when you shop with them.

Make sure you use reusable cloth diapers instead of the plastic ones. They are environment friendly and skin-friendly for your child. Plus you save a lot of money on them.

Do not dispose your kitchen waste. Instead you can make good compost out of it for your garden along with your kids.

Do not throw away the waste water from your RO water filter. Collect it and use them to wash fruits and veggies. Wash vessels and mop your floor. You can even use it for washing your car.

Get rid of dark circles with used green tea bags. Instead of using new ones, make sure to chill the used ones and apply them over your eyes. Later you can use the green tea in them in your garden.

Make coasters out of CDs and DVDs. This can turn out to be an exciting craft for your kids while giving you some interestingly designed coasters.

Make sure kids use printed paper to do your crafts. Read the news online instead of getting newspapers and if you get them, use them for crafts and as gift wrapping paper as well.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Use metal bottles and straws for kids. Also make sure to use glass jars as containers in your kitchen.

♻️RECYCLE ♻️

Recycling is to recreate ways to make new things out of trash instead of throwing it.
Make sure you segregate your waste and have a separate bin for waste that can be recycled. Bottles and tin cans are collected and sent to plants wherever they are recycled and turned into new bottles and cans for reuse. Well-known recycled materials are glass, paper, plastic, and aluminum.

There are many more ways to use things before it reaches the trash can. All it needs is a bit of determination and time to do it and when you have you little ones to help you out, this job is just easy peasy! It is all about being smart when using things.

Just keep reminding yourself and your kids the mantra of…
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE…

This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.

10 songs of Christmas that we love…

December 17, 2020January 11, 2021 myworldwitheira18 Comments

Christmas is here! I mean almost here! We are already into the spirit as our Christmas tree is up and we have started making kuswar (sweets) . But while doing all these, one enjoys listening to the traditional hymns and songs that bring in the vibe. Chances are that you have heard many or all of them and still feel like hearing them over and over again.

So here is the list of our favourites as a family…

Deck the halls

Decorate your home and be ready to welcome Jesus and many friends and family to celebarte with you.

Santa Claus is coming

This song needs no introduction. Sing it to your kids and ask them to be good so that they can get all they ask from Santa.

Joy to the world

It’s time to rejoice and celebrate the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ. Christians all over the world believe in the birth of Jesus and that he is a living God and celebrate his birthday as Christmas every year on the 25th of December.

Jingle Bells

The bells that ring and indicate that someone is on his way with a sleigh full of presents.

Silent Night

This hymn tells us the story of how heavenly and calm it felt the night that Baby Jesus was born.

Rudolph the reindeer

This song tells of how the red-nosed reindeer was chosen by Santa to lead his sleigh because of his red glowing nose.

12 days of Christmas

A tongue twisting song with such pep yet so enjoyable. Learn and sing this with your kids and you will have a blast.

Jingle bells rock

This is another of the classic songs with wonderful music written in 1956.

O come all ye faithful

This hymn calls everyone to celebrate and worship the coming of Jesus.

Feliz Navidad

A Spanish-English song sung at the strike of midnight after the holy mass at every church ends and the atmosphere fills with the Christmas vibes.

My daughter Eira has recently explored the pop group Pentatonix and just can’t get over them. While me and my husband enjoy the traditional songs and also Celine Dion and Sixpence None The Richer. You will see a mix of them all here.

Which one is your favourite song for Christmas? Do share it in the comments below.

Adios 2020 by little ones

December 16, 2020January 11, 2021 myworldwitheira33 Comments

We reached the end of 2019 with much pomp and joy as we had a new member in our family. My son who was born in October. With great plans and hopes, started the year 2020. The Christening of my son was into planning phase as my husband was out of India for work and could come only somewhere in January.

With the date finalised to 2nd of February, my husband arrived somwhere after the mid of January and the preps took the final hike. The naming ceremony of “Eric” at the church and the celebrations later went on fabulously with many of our relatives and friends being there to bless us.

*This image belongs to* https://www.myworldwitheira.com
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

Then in no time broke the biggest news of the year. Covid-19 pandemic!! With many Indians stuck out of India and not able to get back home easily with one of the biggest disease in the history of humankind on the loose. My heart thumped every time at the thought that what if my husband would have been one of them, had he not come back in time. The thoughts that would run through our minds were scary and dreadful. Being thankful to God every second of my life is all that I can be!

With that started the struggle of the year for everyone. Work from home, online schooling, and the long hours in the kitchen making varieties of food from various cuisines. Everyone posted pictures of the same on social media. It all felt good for a while, but my kids started feeling stuck and bored. Eira was stuck between a set of grown ups and a baby. Nobody her age to play limitlessly and nobody who would not say I have work or I have to cook.

Eric started saying his first words. All this little child of mine had to call world was our home, his toys and books. When lockdown opened and I took him for vaccination, he was surprised to see that there was another thing in our home (main door) that opened up to another world altogether. There were people other than us. He used to watch everything and everyone with his bright eyes all widened up. That was when I understood the importance of having a sibling. They are the ones who you can depend on and that my daughter’s urge to have a sibling were absolutely right. They had each other in the most difficult time for them.

Rakshabandhan of 2020 was so exciting. Time to know the perks that Eira had heard of being a sister. It was time to reap in all the benefits. Hehehe! She was over the moon on that day. It felt special to her as it was her first time celebrating the festival. Her first experience altogether and Eric did all the justice by making his sister happy with all the precious princessy gifts.

Eira lost her first tooth. She was so happy about it. Waited for days for her teeth to fall off as many of her friends were already into that phase. Btw, we do not want tooth fairies to take away our teeth. She has been storing them away so that one day when all her milk teeth are fallen, she will hide them somewhere away in a land so thag our generations to come might see how earlier people’s teeth would look like.

Eric turned one during lockdown in October. It felt like this year just flew by and my boy grew up to be a toddler. We couldn’t have his paternal grandparents that day. None of our friends could join in as we were all staying home and staying safe. But we tried our best to make it all happy and memorable for Eric as well as Eira who did all the planning for the day. From the decor to food and his outfit, etc.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ѕєєmα вαrdєѕkαr (@myworld.with.eira)

So many incidents happened in this year that were disheartening and a year that none of us will be able to forget. Our future generations will hear of it as stories from us but I choose to remember the bright side that my kids saw. The milestones they reached, the memories they made with each other. The ups and downs they saw in and between themselves. The strength they have shown in overcoming everything that came in their path. Exploring their true capabilities and power!!

It’s the end of this year now and these little ones have hope that one day everything is going to be alright and they will be able to step out without their parents hovering over them without any fear. Hopefully 2021 is going to be good to all of us.

This blog post is part of a SpeakEasy Blogging Challenge with Dipikka and Ruchi #SpeakEasyWithRuchiNDips

Coconut Macaroons – Christmas Kusvar

December 11, 2020January 11, 2021 myworldwitheira12 Comments

It’s already December and with Christmas on its way soon, I’m gonna share some wonderful recipes from our Kuswar. Kuswar is a set of traditional sweets prepared just before Christmas. Christians all over the world go to churches and attend mass on 24th and welcome the birth of Jesus at the strike of midnight!

Macaroons an absolute treat which is liked by grownups and kids alike. With the deep coconutty flavor and crisp on the outside while a bit chewy on the inside. These are light and great for people who want a treat once in a while as I do not use condensed milk at all.

So let’s get the Christmas cheer going…

Ingredients
3 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut
4 egg whites
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4th salt

Instructions
Make sure you use store bought unsweetened shredded coconut and not the dried one at home. Grind the granulated sugar and keep aside.
Whisk the egg whites in a large steel bowl preferably with a beater until it becomes light. Add powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract and beat a little more. Now add the shredded coconut and flour and fold it all in properly using the spatula in only one direction. Now refrigerate this mixture for atleast two hours. You can also prep it at night and bake them the next day.
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celcius. Now line the baking tray with parchment paper (also known as butter paper). Scoop the mixture with a tablespoon and place it on the baking tray keeping them an inch apart as they will fluff up during baking and will need space. Bake them for around 15 minutes or until done. Remove the tray from the ovenr and cool.

The baking time also depends if one likes their macaroons to be chewy or crisp. You can have them warm or after cooling them with a side of English tea as well.

Tips
If you use sweetened shredded coconut, your macaroons will turn soft. So use them of you like chewy macaroons.

You can make them filled with nuts or chocolate dipped or even bake them with a piece of chocolate inside.

Coke Chicken Wings

October 29, 2020January 13, 2021 myworldwitheira15 Comments

For my last blog on #MyFriendAlexa I’m going to share an appetizer that will be ready in no time and will leave your family finger-licking for sure. Kids will especially love it as this chicken appetizer will be mildly on the sweet side just like Teriyaki Chicken.

People who own a proper BBQ prepare it in a very interesting way. They open a coke can and add some fennel seeds (saunf) to it. Place a seasoned chicken with salt and pepper/chilli powder over it and barbeque it until it is done. You will be surprised at the amazing flavor that the BBQ chicken gets due to coke and fennel seeds.

I tried to bring this recipe into an easier and quick way onto the kitchen stove. My family digged in the first time when I made it and since then it has been a family favourite.

So let’s make some Coke Chicken Wings…

Ingredients
Chicken wings 500 gms
Fennel seeds 2 taps
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp chilli flakes ( add more for spiciness)
Tomato chilli ketchup 1/4 th cup
1 tbsp dark soy sauce ( I always use Lee Kum Kee brand from Amazon)
Few tbsps olive oil/butter
Salt
Pepper
Coca cola 250ml

Procedure…
Season the chicken wings with salt and pepper. Now in a pan add some olive oil or butter for more flavor. Add the chicken wings and shallow fry them on both sides until they are almost done. Do not cook completely as they will cook again in the gravy. Add the ginger farlic paste and give it a good mix. Sprinkle the chilli flakes over the chicken and give it a stir. Now remove it and keep it aside.

Take a deep bottomed pan and heat some olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute. Add fennel seeds and fry them well. Now add the chicken and mix well. Now you can add more chilli flakes if you want to make it a little more spicy.

Add coca cola to the pan. It will bubble and froth up but do not worry. Mix it all well.

Add tomato chilli ketchup and soy sauce. Cook the chicken in the sauce completely. You can choose to keep the chicken with gravy. Keep cooking until the gravy reduces and sticks to the chicken.

Coke Chicken Wings are ready to be served! If you have some pineapple pieces handy, after taking out the chicken from the pan, add the Pinepaple to the same pan and let it fry well and mix it with the remaining gravy. You will have some BBQ pineapple as well on the side.

Coke Chicken Wings with Pineapple *This image belongs to* https://www.myworldwitheira.com
*and reuse is strictly not permitted.*

For vegetarians, try this recipe with shallow fried or deep fried potatoes.

With this post I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa and you can find all my posts for the theme “Food love” under the hashtag #seemabwrites .

Under this theme you might also like to read

10 Interesting Food Facts

Ever Wondered Of Food Phobias

Foodie are you? Which one?

Be the artist – Learning Food Art

Food Challenge – Patoli

Food with an unusual ingredient – Beer Fish

Unusual Foods Around The World

October 27, 2020January 11, 2021 myworldwitheira16 Comments

Human species is weird! Don’t you think?? Some munch on veggies while some are complete meat lovers. While there are some extreme vegetarians like lacto vegetarians, ova vegetarians and vegans, what would meat lovers be categorized into!!

Meat lovers go to extents that even I didn’t imagine. Be their reasons for nutrition or just the lingering taste. They do go beyond some limits that atleast I never knew of. So let’s dive into some of their unusual foods…

Nido Soup

This soup is all the way from Phillipines. One of their most expensive delicacies I must say! Would you pay $6600 for a kilogram of a bird’s nest? Yes you read it right! A swiftlet bird’s nest will cost you that much and that is what makes the Nido Soup known famously as Edible Bird’s Nest. This bird has very tiny legs and making its nest with sticks and straws is impossible so it uses its saliva to make its home. The hardened saliva nest is then plucked form it’s place and then used to make Nido Soup. This soup is considered to have properties that can fight cancer and many other diseases. These birds also reside in India. Soup Photo by Ponyo Sakana from Pexels.

Chicken feet

Considering the fact that chicken feet is consumed in India as well, this food cannot be much weird. It is widely consumed in East Asia, Carribean, South America and South Africa.

100 year old egg

This egg is not that old but definitely kept dipped away for a few months in clay, ash and quicklime. Its said to be rotten with time. The yolk is darkened to green or black and the white turns translucent brown. You will also find variants in the recipe.

Sakuraniku

Sakura means Cherry blossoms. The beautiful flowers in Japan which are are customorily celebrated as Hanami festival all over the country. Do not consider that Sakuraniku has to do something with those gorgeous flowers. Sakuraniku is horse meat. It’s gets the name due to the pink color of the meat. It is an expensive delicacy in Japan. This meat is consumed raw and is lov d so much that you even get an ice-cream flavor of the same. It is also consumed in other parts of Asia and Europe.

Escargots

These are widely consumed in France and are served as an appetizer. Purged from their shells, the snails are cooked to perfection with white wine, garlic butter or chicken stock. It is a gourmet dish in France and is said to taste similar to mussels and clams.

Dried Seahorse

Photo by Christian Bisbo Johnsen from Unsplash

Seahorses are dried and are readily available in pharmacies in China. It is said to have medicinal properties. A high grade seahorse costs around $3000 per kilogram.

There are many other unsusal foods like chicken foetus within eggs and bugs like spiders and worms consumed all around the world. With global warming, population rise, extinction of regular edible foods and many such factors, it is being researched and said that there will come a time when humans ready to eat whatever available will survive.

With this post I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa and you can find all my posts for the theme “Food love” under the hashtag #seemabwrites .

Under this theme you might also like to read

10 Interesting Food Facts

Ever Wondered Of Food Phobias

Foodie are you? Which one?

Be the artist – Learning Food Art

Food Challenge – Patoli

Food with an unusual ingredient – Beer Fish

Recipe with an unusual ingredient – Beer Fish

October 24, 2020January 11, 2021 myworldwitheira22 Comments

Nothing like a chilled beer on a hot summer day! A phrase that is often used. You might like to enjoy it on its own but it can be used in recipes as well. Beer gives an earthy flavor to food. It can be used in marination, cooking and baking. When you add it to your recipe, the bitteness of the beer is balanced out by the sweetness that onions, tomatoes and other veggies provide. You will be amazed at what goodness it can do to a recipe!

For the theme on “Food Love” I chose a topic to write about a recipe with an unusual ingredient. Wanted it to be something extraordinary. By now you know that beer is the unusual ingredient.

So let’s get started with the recipe…

Ingredients
Freshwater Fish 750gm
Oil 4 tbsp
Ginger 100gms
Garlic 100gm
Fresh Red Chillies 20gms
1 Red Bell pepper
1 Yellow Bell pepper
Shallots 100gms
Coriander Sprigs
1 Capsicum
1 Mild Beer (I used Turbo mild)
Light Soy 25ml
Oyster Sauce 25ml
Salt as needed
Pepper as needed

Procedure
Season the fish with salt & pepper and leave it until you chop your other ingredients. Chop the ginger in julienne. Crushed the whole garlic pods. Chop the fresh Red chillies. You may keep them a little longer in pieces to pick them out easily later after cooking. Chop the capsicum and bell peppers into juliennes. Chop coriander leaves and shallots into strands.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan in which you will cook your fish. Add the fish pieces skin side down and fry it until half done. Remove and keep it aside.

Heat some more oil. Add ginger julienne, crushed garlic pods and chopped fresh chillies.
Saute it for around 2 mins. Now add bellpeppers and capsicum. Add salt and saute for a while. Make sure you add just a pinch or two as we are using soy sauce and oyster sauce in this recipe which already contain salt.

Once the veggies are 60% cooked, remove half of it from the pan aside.
Place the fish pieces on top of it. Now dress the fish with the veggies you kept aside.

Place the coriander and shallot strands on it. Add soy and oyster sauce from the sides of the fish.

Now pour the beer around the fish. As soon as you add the beer it will bubble up and will continue for a while.

Let it cook till the beer sauce is thick. Once the sauce is thickened, turn off the flame.
Your Beer Fish is ready.

Serve this savoury Beer Fish over a bowl of rice and I’m sure you will enjoy it!

You can even use sea fish with this recipe but just be careful with your pinch of salt. You can also add tomatoes to the recipe for more tang.

With this post I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa and you can find all my posts for the theme “Food love” under the hashtag #seemabwrites .

Under this theme you might also like to read

Ever Wondered Of Food Phobias!

10 Interesting Food Facts

Foodie are you? Which one?

Food Challenge – Patoli

Be the artist – Learning Food Art