DATE:28.11.2014

Plantoraisesambapaddyon60,750acresSamba paddy cultivation has so far been completed on 45,350acres in thedistrict.Cultivation in therestof15,400acreswillbecompleted before December 2014. The plan is to raise sambapaddy cultivation on 30,000 acres in delta area and on 30,750acres in non-delta area. Announcing this at the grievance daymeeting,CollectorA.SaravanavelrajsaidthatpaddycultivationhasbeendoneunderSystemofRice Intensificationmethodon4,918acresin81villagesoutofthetargetof5,400acresin95villages.Sambacultivationhaspickedup in thedistrict thanks to copiousshowers.TillThursday, thedistrictreceived586mmofrainfallasagainsttheannualaveragerainfallof954mm.Thisis15mmmorecomparedtolastyearonthesamedate.Regarding fertilisers, there is a stockof 228 tonnesof urea, 624tonnesofDi-AmmoniumPhosphate (DAP),548 tonnesofPotashand597 tonnesofcomplex fertilisers.Asmuchas251 tonnesofcertified seeds have so far been distributed through AgricultureExtensionCentresand16tonnesthroughco-operativedepartmentand176tonneshavebeendistributedthroughprivatecompanies.Totally 443 tonnesof seedshavebeendistributed.Farmers saidtherewasdemandforureainthedistrict.FarmersopentoexploringalternativeagriculturalmethodsPloughing an unchartered terrain and taking the accompanyingrisks in adopting alternative methods in agriculture is becomingcommonamongfarmersinMysururegion.This isbeingattributed to theshrinkingagricultural incomeowingtoincreaseincostofcultivationthatiserodingtheprofitmargin.

Asaresult,thereisgrowingacceptanceofnaturalfarming,organicfarming and natural zero-budget farming. The shifting patternstems fromagrowing realisationof rise incultivationcostdue toexcessive dependence on chemical pesticides and insecticidesthathasdevastatedtheeco-systemandsoilfertility.Acase inpoint is thatofKrisnnappa,a farmer fromBannurwhohas changed his fortunes from being a debt-ridden cultivator tocash-richandcrop-surplusfarmer.But the transformation of Mr. Krishnappa, who owns about 20acresofland,wasnotanovernightphenomenon.Asheexplained,“Iwasneck-deep indebt.Agriculturewas least remunerativeandhadrunupadebtofRs.20lakh.”Having learnt of zero-budget farming of Subhash Palekar — atraditionalpracticethatentailsnoextraneousadditionstosoil likefertilizerandpesticides—Mr.Krishnapparecalledthathedecidedtotaketheplungeasitentailednoinvestmentandtheresultswereimpressive.“Overtheyears,notonlyhaveIclearedthedebtbutIambetter-offand even the food I cultivate, sell and consume is devoid ofcarcinogenicmaterial,”hesaid.Anotherpractitionerofzero-budgetfarminginH.D.KoteisM.N.Anand.At the last count, there were anywhere between 500 to 1,000farmersintozero-budgetagriculturalpracticeinMysururegion.This is besides the existence of organic farmers like VivekCariappa, who spearheaded organic cultivation that spannedassociation like Savayava Krushikara Sangha in H.D. Kote;Kailash Murthy, a natural farmer near Kollegal, and scores ofothers.Also,organisationsuchasSahajaSamruddha isnotonlypromoting organic and natural farming but also networking withsuchfarmersandprovidingthemaplatformtoselltheproduce.

EventheKarnatakaRajyaRaithaSanghaispromotingthemonawiderscaleamongitsmembers.Badagalpura Nagendra of the KRRS said for too long farmershave been at the mercy of seed manufacturers, financialinstitutions for loans, fertilizer companies and insurancecompaniesandthealternativeagriculturalpracticeprovidesarayofhopeforfarmers.The shift ing pattern stems from a growing realisation ofr ise in cult ivation cost owing to excessive dependenceonchemicalpesticidesandinsecticides Hort icultureexhibit ionheldToincreaseproductivity,andfamiliarisefarmerstothestate-of-arttechnology, an exhibition, and training programme was held atGovernmentFruitFarmatKarumanduraihereonThursday.DistrictCollectorK.Maharabushanam inaugurated theexhibition.P.Saroja,MLA,andofficialsfromDepartmentsofHorticultureandAgriculturewerepresent.He said mango, jack fruit, andmedicinal plants were present atKalvarayanHills, locatedat analtitudeof 815m, formany years.“Tribal people here used to cultivate these apart from smallmillets,”headded.TheCollectorsaidthattheaveragerainfallis1,200mm.Claysandwaspresentatthehills.Afarmwasestablishedduring1981-82at1,037acres.Mango, sapota, guava, pomegranate, and other fruits werecultivated here. About six lakh saplings were sold to farmersfetchingarevenueofRs.75lakheveryyear,hesaid.

The Collector inspected the two water bodies in the farm, andaskedofficials toclean themto improvestorage.Fruits thatweretraditionallyavailableinthehillweredisplayed.Scientists explained to the farmers the measures to increaseproductivity, and the use modern gadgets available with thedepartment.PrisonersharvestgroundnutcropThe variety called TG 37-A was developed and released byBhabhaAtomicResearchCentreThe day was drawing to a close but a group of inmates of theVelloreCentralPrisonwerebusyatfieldharvestingthegroundnutcropsthattheyhadcarefullycultivatedoverthelastthreemonths.Thisweek,groundnutcultivatedon4.5acresoflandbytheVelloreCentral Prison was ready for harvest. The TG 37-A variety ofgroundnut,whichwasdevelopedandreleasedbyBhabhaAtomicResearchCentre(BARC),wassowedduringtheendofAugust.ThePrisonsDepartmenthadbroughtintheinitiativetoreformandrehabilitateprisoners.Thosewithanagriculturebackgroundwereengaged in these agricultural activities, said V. Karuppannan,SuperintendentofVelloreCentralPrison.BARC had distributed 350 kg of the groundnut variety to theprisonsatSivagangai,MaduraiandPalayamkottai.“ThePalayamkottaiprisonharvested thegroundnutcrop inJune.Theyhad received140kgsofseedsandharvested5,600kgs in102 days. These seeds were again distributed to the prisons atCoimbatore,Salem,Cuddalore,VelloreandPuzhalinChennaiforcultivation,” J. Daniel Chellappa, senior scientist, TechnicalCoordinationWing,BARCsaid.

BARC had developed 42 varieties of seeds, including oil seedsand pulses, considering various factors such as environment,climate and soil condition. “The TG 37-A variety of groundnut isrichinoilandprotein.Thepodfillingisgood,”hementioned.HesaidthattheVelloreCentralPrisonhadworkedhardtoconvertanalmostbarrenlandintoacultivableone.Theprisonhad takenupcultivationof thegroundnut varietywithtechnical assistance from theDepartment of Agriculture, Vellore.G.C.Singh,assistantdirectorofAgriculture,Velloresaidtheyhadtested the soil and found that it was suitable for cultivatinggroundnut.“The seeds were treated with pseudomonas, a bio pesticide,beforesowingtopreventdiseases.Itwasthensowedusingseeddrill machine. Basal fertiliser was applied to the soil as per therecommendationofthesoiltestlabandmicronutrientmixturewasalsoapplied,”heexplained.TheseedswerealreadythreetofourmonthsoldwhenitcametoVelloreforsowing,hesaid,addingthatnowaterwasappliedandtherewas no pest attack. “This is a rain-fed crop. The prisonershadcultivatedredgramandhorsegramasintercrops,”hesaid.Sixty-six-year-oldNatarajan,aninmateoftheprison,saidatotalof44prisonerswereworking in the fieldandallwere farmers. “Wehave cultivated red gram, lady’s finger, coriander, cholam andvegetables in the surrounding area of the prison,” he said. Theyspendeighthoursatthefieldfrom8.30a.m.Mr. Karuppannan added that once the groundnut was harvestedcompletely,theywillapproachgovernmentfordirectiononwhattodonextwiththeseeds.

‘Supplymoremil lets’All India Samuthuva Makkal Katchi leader R. Sarathkumar hasurged the government to make a range of low-cost millets like‘kambu’, ‘kezhviragu’ and ‘cholam’ available to people throughrationshopsandcutbackonricesupply.Thiswouldhelpfarmersgrow alternate crops that need less water. Millets are a rich,traditionalsourceofnutritiousfood,hesaidinastatementhere.Ragif lakes,anyone?ThenutritiousmilletisnowavailableascerealtoappealpeopleIfragidosai,roti,puttu,andkanjiarenotyourtype,howdoesragiflakessound?Orraginuggetsfilledwithchocolateandvanilla?Anagro foods company has come up with a range of breakfastoptions made using the nutritious millet. Launched at the M.S.SwaminathanFoundationinChennai,itincludesbanana-flavouredragiflakesandfillsthatarecrunchyontheoutsidewithadollopofchocolate,vanilla,andstrawberrycreamontheinside.Speaking at the launch, genetic scientist M.S. Swaminathanexplained how India was once home to about 1, 50,000 ricevarieties, 10,000 years ago. “Men went hunting and womencollected plants and grew them,” he said. “This is the origin ofagriculture.” As years went by, the ‘food basket shrunk’. Themarket gradually went down for pulses other than major cropssuchasrice,wheat,andsoybeansleadingtothe‘geneticerosionofarangeofnutritionalfood,’hesaid.However,Swaminathansaidthattheminormillets,hecalled“nutri-cereals,”were important elements in the foodbasket, given their“climate-smart” nature and nutritional value. Only if there was amarket for them, can the nutri-cereals such as samai, thinai,kezhvaragu,amongothers,berevived. “Foodandhealthsecuritygo together,” he observed. Swaminathan added that it’s for thispurposethat “wearepressing theUNtodeclareoneyearas theyearofnutri-crops.”

But it’s not just the millets, our traditional rice varieties aredisappearing too. In Koraput, Odisha, for instance, rice varietieshavecomedownovertheyearsfrom3,500to300.“Thesecropswillhaveasoundfutureonly ifweassurefarmersremuneration,”saidSwaminathan.The consumer playsan important role in this— it could make all the difference to the farmer if consumerscreateamarketformilletsbyincludingthemintheireverydaydiet.Which is why “putting them in a form of contemporary value” isessential,feelsSwaminathan.Theragiflakes,forinstance,wereanattemptatthis,accordingtoPrashantParameswaran,theManagingDirectorofKottaramAgroFoodsthatmanufacturesthecereal.Heexplainedhowthedietaryfibre-rich millet was much more nutritious than rice and wheat.However,bringingour traditionalgrainsback to the fore is “notaone-man-show”, he explained. People and companies shouldcomeforwardtodotheirbit.Ragifacts · - Ragi is a r ich source of calcium, iron, and aminoacids - It helps keep sugar, and blood cholesterol levels incheck - Since ragi is gluten and fat-free, i t ’s good for babiesandpeoplelookingtoloseweight Picklesel lerattradefair inspiresA corner stall manned by a couple at Pragati Maidan is ratherimpressive.ItiswhereBiharresidentRajkumariDevi,inher60s,isselling different kinds of pickles, including litchi, mango, karela,mushroom,bananaandjimikand.However, thisalone isnotwhatbroughther to theCapital a fewdaysback.Shecamehereforthe6theditionoftheAadhiAabadiWomen Achievers Award 2014, an honour meant for womenachieversacrossthecountry.

Rajkumarireceivedthisawardrecentlyatafunctionorganisedbythe Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.ShesharedthehonourwithpeoplelikeSumedhaKailash,thewifeof Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, boxer Sarita Devi andchoreographerSarojKhan,amongothers.WhatdidRajkumaridotodeservealltheaward?Shetellshertalewhilequicklyattendingtocustomers.“IcomefromMuzaffarpur,located90kmfromPatna.TheycallmeKisan Chachi there. I am the first woman from the area to whogatheredwomenfarmersbelonging to theScheduledCastesandScheduledTribestoform36self-helpgroups.”What makes Rajkumari, who is always wears a yellow saree,unique is that she rides a bicycle and motorcycle to spread themessage of self-sufficiency in an area largely orthodox andpatriarchal.Shewasforcedtodareso,shesaid,aftershewasaskedtoleaveherin-laws’homewhenherfather-in-lawremarriedandthrewheroutduetohernewwife’sinfluence.“We had two daughters and a son, and barely had anything tosurvive. Then someone told me about the Bihar Government’sscheme in 2006 for farmers below poverty line. The schemepromised financial support for thosewho could perform better inthe field of agriculture. So I decided to ‘do good’ by growingvegetables in my tiny field. I grew mostly green vegetables,besideskhaini[localtobacco].Andinsteadofgivingtheproducetomiddlemen,wesellitourselvesinthelocalmandi.”Sincewaitingtwohoursforthebustoreachthemarketandbackstarted affecting her domestic work, Rajkumari learnt to ride abicycle.

“I didn’t approve of it,” says her husband Avdhesh KumarChaudhary,“butshewouldn’trelent.Mysontaughthercyclingandshestartedsellingtheproduceallbyherself.”However, this led to criticism from society. “People called menames,complainedtomyhusbandthatIwasnotvirtuousandsoon.Butitonlymadememoredeterminedtocontinue.”Since the government banned tobacco, Rajkumari gathered thewomengraduallyandformed36SHGswithrepresentationfromallcastes. The groups were assigned different works, like rearingcows, buffalos, goats, fish, and even honeybees, besides craftwork like image-making and idol-making. For herself, Rajkumarichosetomakeandsellpickles,besidesdoingsocialwork.A “matricpass”Rajkumari knowsEnglish,Hindi,Sanskrit and iswell-versedwiththepoetryofKabirandRahim,besidesbeinganexpertatweavingandstitching.

Abitterpi l l forsugarcanefarmers

The HinduSugarcane Farmers taking food on premises of sugarfactoryascrushingstartedatSangareddyinMedak.Photo:MohdArif

FactoriesrefusetoofferanythingmorethanRs.2,600pertonne,thepricethatwasfixedlastyear.Hefoundfaultwiththefarmers’unions stating all that they did was for publicity and not foraddressingtheproblemsofthefarmers.Farmers,nodoubt,havetobattleseveraloddsrightfromdecidingwhich crop to grow till selling the yield. Adverse weatherconditions, lack of groundwater and other financial woes havecontinuously been hitting their prospects. In Medak district, thesituation is no different and this time around, it’s the sugarcanefarmerswhoarefacinghardtimesastheyarebeingexploitedbymarketplayers.The sugarcanepricehasnot yet been finaliseddespite the JointCollector,A.Sarath,holdingtwomeetingswiththemanagementsof sugar factories and farmer representatives in the recent past.WhilethefarmingcommunitysettledforRs.2,800pertonnefromtheirinitialdemandofRs.3,600,thefactorymanagementsclearlystatedthatitwasimpossibletogiveanythingmorethanRs.2,600pertonne,thepricethatwasfixedlastyear.Commencing crushing process without finalising the rate is notnewinthedistrictasfactorieshavebeendoingsoforthepastfewyears.Butnow,theyneitherhavefixedthepresentpurchaseprice,northepricethatwouldbeofferednextyearasdemandedbythefarmers. “We are in a catch-22 situation. We have alreadycultivated sugarcane and the harvesting season has begun.Wehavenootherwaybuttosellourproducetothefactoriesandtheyare taking this as an advantage,” says Pandu Ranga Reddy, afarmerfromZaheerabad.“Holding discussions with farmer representatives has become afarce.It’snotpossibleforfarmerstowaittilltherateisfinalisedasthey already have given advance amount to labour and fortransportation. The administration has also not taken any actionagainst themanagementswhohadagreed topayRs.2,700,butpaidonlyRs.2,600,”asksanotherfarmer.

Hefoundfaultwiththefarmers’unionsstatingallthattheydidwasforpublicityandnotforaddressingtheproblemsofthefarmers.Steps on for cent per cent organic farming:MinisterPolicyshouldnotbeimposedonpeople,saysThomasIsaacAgricultureMinisterK.P.MohananhassaidthatthegovernmentistakingcomprehensivestepstoturnfarmingintheStatecompletelyorganic.He was addressing a workshop on ‘Lessons learnt fromimplementing an organic policy in Kasaragod’, organised by theKerala Agricultural University’s (KAU) Agricultural TechnologyInformation Centre (ATIC) and the State Horticulture Mission(SHM)hereonThursday.FormerMinister T.M. Thomas Isaac said organic farming shouldnot be imposed on people. “It cannot be a mandatory practiceimposedbyasuddengovernmentdirective.Itshouldbeapeople’smovement,”hesaid.He urged agricultural scientists to make available a list oftechnologies from which farmers could choose the mostappropriateones.Heattributed thesuccessoforganic farming tofactors such as innovative branding, modern salesmanship,effectiveuseof natural resourcesandcreationandmanagementof agrarian institutions.He spoke about the success story of theKanjikkuzhymodelfarming.Presidingoverthefunction,V.T.Balaram,MLA,stressedtheneedforastrongpoliticalwilltorealisecentpercentorganicfarmingintheState.

The workshop observed that the sudden imposition of cent percent organic farming in theState,without sufficient preparations,wasneitheradvisablenorsustainable. It recommendedagradualtransformationtoorganicfarmingthroughintegratedcropandpestmanagement using available organic inputs and safe inorganicagents in acute necessity. The workshop called for research todevelop bio-pesticides, preserve soil health and enhance theefficacyofavailablebioinputs.KAU Director of Extension P.V. Balachandran presented therecommendations of the workshop at the valedictory session.Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) head Ranjan S. Karippai was themoderator.PaperswerepresentedbyC.K.Peethambaran,formerDirector of Research; Jim Thomas, Associate Director ofResearch;UshaKumari, coordinator,KAUOrganicFarmingCell;C. Thampan, Principal Scientist, CPCRI; K.M. Sreekumar,professor, College of Agriculture, Padanakkad and N. Jayaraj,headofKVK,Kannur.

‘HaryanaFresh’outlets inDelhisoonDelhiítesmaysoonbeabletoenjoyreasonablypricedvegetablesfrom Haryana as the State Government has decided to open‘Haryana Fresh’ outlets across the National Capital so that thegrowersmaybeabletogetremunerativepricesfortheirproduce.AnnouncingtheinitiativeduringtheKisanMelainKarnal,HaryanaAgricultureMinisterOmParkashDhankharsaidonThursdaythatwhilefarmersofUttrakhand,Jharkhand,UttarPradeshandPunjabweresupplyingvegetablesinthemarketsofDelhi,Haryanawouldnowstriveforalion’sshareoftheCapital’slucrativemarket.Al l farmers to get soi l health cards in the nextthreeyears:KrishnaByregowdaStating that soil testwas crucial in cultivatingany crop for betteryield, Agriculture Minister, Krishna Byregowda has said that thegovernmentintendstocoverallthefarmersoftheStateforgivingsoilhealthcardsinnextthreeyears.

Addressing presspersons at a farm in Angadageri village ofBasavanabagewadi talukof thedistrictonThursday,hesaid thatsincealargesectionoffarmersintheStatewerenotawareoftheimportance of soil testing, the government would test the soil intheirfarmandprovidesoilhealthcard.“Thecardwouldheldthefarmerstoknowwhichnutrient/fertilizerisimportant and in what quantity for which soil. The preciseinformationhelpsinreapinghighercropyield”,hesaid.TheMinister said that in order to help the rainfed farmers to getbetter yield,hesaid that thegovernmentwasofferingRs.2 lakhfinancial aid to the farmers for constructing a water pond under‘KrishiBhagya’scheme.Callingitas‘protectiveirrigationmethod’,theMinistersaidthatthegovernment wishes all the rainfed farmers to make use of thescheme.Hesaidthatfarmerswhohavenoirrigationfacilityoftenlosetheircrop to deficient rain. To ensure adequate water to the crop toprevent it fromwithering, thepondswouldhelp instoringtherainwater,whichcouldbeusedinemergencies,hesaid.Mr. Byregowda said that the government has already receivedsome1.85lakhapplicationsundertheschemeforthisyearitself.To a question, he though admitted that the production of Jowarwas still not sufficient in the State to be given under PublicDistributionSystemforthepeopleofNorthKarnataka,hehoweversaidthatthedecisionhasbeentakentoprocurethecommodityatRs.2000/quintal toencourage the farmers formorecultivationofJowar.

Deepoceanhasnoroleinsealevelr iseIn these timesof globalwarming, it is awell-known fact that thesealevelsoftheEarth’soceansarerisingduetomeltingicebergsandglaciersandthermalexpansionduetooceanwarmingcausedbytheheattrappedintheatmospherebygreenhousegases.A new study by NASA (National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration) scientists has found that the contribution to sealevelriseisonlyfromtheupperhalf(0-2,000m)oftheoceanandthe oceanbelow this depth has no role to play in sea level rise.This conclusion was arrived at by subtracting the sea levelchanges occurring at 0 to 2,000 metres depth from that of theentirewatercolumn.Thesubtractionprovidedonlyzerovalues.Satell i tealt imetryThetotalcontributiontosealevelrisefromtheentirewatercolumnwasdeterminedusingsatellitealtimetry (measuringheight) usingNASA’s Jason-1 and Jason-2 satellites. Satellite altimetrymeasured the changes in sea level and annual mean sea levelincreaseswereobtainedforthestudyperiod(2005to2013).Fromthevaluesobtainedbythismethodthecontributionsduetothermalexpansionasmeasuredby theArgoarrayof floatsweresubtracted. Water expands as it gets warmer. The sea level isrisingpartlybecauseofthisexpansion.ArgoarrayScientistshavebeenrecordingthetemperatureandsea levelsofthe top half of the oceandirectly since2005, usinga network of3,000 floating temperatureprobescalled theArgoarrayof floats.TheArgo floats are used tomeasure sea level variations due tothermalexpansion(stericsealevel)of theoceaninthe0-2,000moceanlayer.

To subtract the sea level variations due to ice berg and glaciermelt data from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and ClimateExperiment)ofNASAwereused.Thesedataalsopertaintotheupper(0-2000m)halfoftheocean.The two subtractions resulted in zero values indicating that thelowerhalf(2,000mtobottom)hasnoroletoplayinsealevelriseduetobothclimatechangederivedmeltingicebergs,glaciersandthermalexpansionduetorisingtemperatures(oceanwarming).The study, whose first author is William Llovell of NASA, waspublishedrecentlyinapaperinNatureClimateChange.

FoodStory:ThesagaofPanchmelDal

ThereissomethingendearingaboutPanchratnaDalItmaynothavetheglobalreputationofDalMakhaniortheancientconnect of the Channa Dal (guguni), yet there is somethingendearing aboutPanchratnaDal (also calledPanchmelDal) thatmakes it one of the few lentil preparation that has a version foreverystate,wellatleastmostofit.

If there is one ingredient with which Indian cuisine, and in thatsenseIndia,sharesanumbilical-likeconnect,ithastobelentilsordals. History talks about dal recipes as old as the pre-Harappaculture,wherelentils–ofallkinds–wereastaplefood.ItwasinthemenuevenbeforericeandwheatarrivedinIndiaandbecameanindispensablepartoftheIndianthali.Infact,thesheerfact that most of the dal tempering doesn’t have the culinaryquintessentialtomatoesindicatesthatdalexistedduringtheearlierdaysofAyurveda,andhencetheoldestoftherecipesintheGreatIndian Cookbook. A fact seconded by old texts that often speakabout simple recipes of dal that was served to guests as acelebratory meal. Like in the Helen of Troy and ChadraguptaMauryaweddingbackin303BC.It’sbelievedthataspecialkindofchanna dal was prepared to mark the auspicious occasion. Therecipe thatwasdeemedasaculinarymasterpieceamongotherslike Malpua (Yes, it is that old!) and Patala (which is the firstiteration of the gajjak) for the burst of flavours each spoondeliveredwasGuguni–alentilpreparationthatisstillprevalentinEastIndiaandcanbeoftenfoundbeingsoldinstreetsideshopsaspartofthemorningbreakfast.

(Source:tasty-indian-recipes.com)Thedishwasdescribedasfollows:Bengalgramsoakedovernightwith turmericandcoriander,boiledwithcoldpressedmustardoil,cumin, crushed pepper, ground ginger, bay leaf and cardamom,toppedwithslicedonionsandcookedondumonlowheat.

For themodern day culinarymind thismay not come across assomethingexceptional,albeitthoughtsmaydiffer,backthenitdidtrendsettwothings:firstthedumcookingtechniquethatsawafullrevivalundertheMughaldynasty.Andtwo,itroseBengalgramorchannadaltothestatureofthequeensofdal.Somuchsothatinyears to follow, serving any other dal except channa wasconsidered suicidal. This was the image that the advent ofPanchmelorPanchratnadalhelpedchangewithitsuniqueflavourforeplay.Whendidthepanchmeldalcomeintotheculinarysceneisafactthat ishard toascertain,as little isknownabout theoriginof thislentilpreparation.However,manybelievethatthefirstmentionofthepanchratnadalwasinMahabharata. It issaidthat itwasoneofthepreparationsthatKuntiandthereafterDraupadi,wouldprepareasamendmenttotheelaborateroyalcuisine,andalsotofulfillthePandavasneedofnutrition,duringtheirexile.FolkloresdownEastIndiatalkabouthowBhimafteraccidentallymakingtheaviyalinKingVirat’sroyalkitchenalsocreatedthefirstpanchratnadalbyboilingall thefivedals in a pot and garnishing it with a good amount of ghee.Interestingly, itwasBhim,whowhenaskedwhathemade,calledhis dish ‘pantchratna’ or five gems,whichwas befitting as dal inancient India was considered an important ingredient of everykitchen.WhetherBhimreallymadethefirstpanchratnadalornotcanbeatopic of another debate, but by the medieval times, the Indianculinary world had progressed to combining two to three dalstogether.Oneofthefinestexamplesofthesameisthekalidalthatwenton to take theshapeofDalMakhaniunder theexpertiseofKundalLalGujral,whoalso invented the famousButterChicken.The real Panchmel dal first came into limelight from the MewarGharana,whereitwasintroducedmoreoutoftheneedtohaveasubtle flavour to balance the fiery flavours that were dominatingthetable.Itwasalsotherecipethatwentbeautifullywiththeuseof

curdandbuttermilk.Suchwas the interest in this tomato-lessyetflavoufullentilthatitwasoneofthefewdishesthatwasintroducedintoAkbar’scourtfromJodhaBai’skitchenthatintroducedmanyavegetarian dishes into the predominantly non-vegetarian diningarea.The use of five different lentils aside, what gave panchmel dal,whichwasnameddue to theuseof fivedifferentdal, is thenicesmokey flavour that thespices tempered inghee imparted to thedish.ThemarriageofthelentilsandspiceswassuchahitthatbythetimeShahJehantookoverthethrone,theMughalcourthadaShahiPanchmelDalrecipethathadbecomeamonthfeature,andwasoftendemandedbyAurangzeb,whobeingastrictvegetarian,fanciedthedishmorethanroastmeat,whichwasafavouritewithBabarandAkbar.Manybelievethatmuchlikethedalmaandaviyalthatwereresultsof a wife/cook’s ingenuity to create something interesting fromlimited/leftover food, panchmel dal was the necessity of creatingsomethingnewfortheroyalmealeveryday.Thedal,whilebeinghigh on flavour, did allow immense scope for the khansamas toworkaround.Temperingforinstancecouldmakealotofdifferenceas to how the dal would taste. So they could use a series ofcombination to create a new dish the next time. And two, thecombination of dals ensured that the dal wasn’t presented thesamewayatanytime.Thismayexplainwhyevenafteralltheseyears,tomatoisn’tapartof therecipethatusessubtle flavourspicesandreliesheavilyonclarified butter or ghee to do the trick. Understandably then thiscouldhavebeenareasonwhythesimpledalwaspickedupbythehomemakersacross India,andeachhouseholdhad its veryownPachratnaDal,whichwasslowcookedandextremelyflavourful.In fact, India currently has over 9 different varieties ofPanchmeldal that is identifiedby theway it is tempered–which isstillwithgheeandnotomatoes.

Three cups of coffee a day reduce Alzheimer’sr isk

DrinkingthreetofivecupsofcoffeeadaycouldreducetheriskofdevelopingAlzheimer's(Source:ThinkstockImages)DrinkingthreetofivecupsofcoffeeadaycouldreducetheriskofdevelopingAlzheimer’sbyupto20percent,scientistsclaim.The study, released by the Institute for Scientific Information onCoffee inUK,noted thataMediterraneandiet, consistingof fish,freshfruitandvegetables,oliveoilandredwine,hasalreadybeenassociated with a reduced risk for development of Alzheimer’sDisease.The latest researchsuggests that compoundscalledpolyphenolsandcaffeinecanalsoberesponsibleforthisprotectiveeffect–andtheseexactcompoundsarealsofoundinhighquantitiesincoffee,accordingtothestudy.

“The majority of human epidemiological studies suggest thatregular coffee consumption over a lifetime is associated with areducedriskofdevelopingAlzheimer’sDisease,withanoptimumprotective effect occurring with three to five cups of coffee perday,” said Dr Arfran Ikram, an assistant professor inneuroepidemiology at Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, whocontributedtothestudy’sfindings.The study found that moderate coffee consumption wasassociated with a lower risk of developing dementia over a fouryeartestperiod–byupto20percent.However, the effect diminished over a longer follow up period,‘express.co.uk’reported.The researchers found caffeine helped prevent the formation ofamyloid plaques and neurofibrulary tangles in the brain – twohallmarksofAlzheimer’sDisease.Both caffeine and polyphenols reduced inflammation anddecreased the deterioration of brain cells – especially in thehippocampusand cortex, areasof thebrain involved inmemory,researchersfound.

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Sleep-deprivedschoolchildrenrunobesityriskChildren of mothers who work full time may not be getting theamountofsleeptheyneedeachnight,placingthemathigherriskofbeingoverweightorobesewithinayear,findsresearch."Welookedatnight-timesleepinparticular,becausestudiesshowthat theamountofnighttimesleepmatters for regulatingweight,"saidco-authorJanetLiechty,aprofessorofmedicineandofsocialworkatUniversityofIllinois."We think that it might be the more hours that mothers areworking, the less time theyhave,and theremaybesomesortoftradeoffgoingon, 'DoIspendqualitytimewithmychildordoweget to bed early?'" explained lead author Katherine Speirs, apostdoctoralresearchassociate."And then in the morning, when mothers leave for work, theirchildren also wake up early to get to day care," Speirs added.The researchers followed 247 mother-child pairs for one year.The children, who ranged from three to five years old, wereweighed, measured and had their body mass index (BMI)calculated at the outset of the study and again one year later.At the second weigh-in, 17 percent of the preschoolers wereoverweightand12percentwereobese,according toBMI-for-agegrowthcharts.

Childrenwhosemothersworkedfulltimegotfewerhoursofsleepthanpeerswhosemothersworked less than20hoursperweek.Thechildrenofwomenwhoworked full timealso tended tohavehigherBMIsatthesecondweigh-in.ThestudyappearedonlineinthejournalSleepMedicine.

Fibre-richdiethelpsyouloseweightCertainfibrescontainedinpreparedfoodssuchascereals,cerealbars, baking mixes, and drinks may cause a shift towardsbeneficialbacteriainthegutandassistinweightlosswhenmadepartofalong-term,dailydiet,saysanewresearch.The researchers focusedon two fibres -polydextrose,which isacommonfibrefoodadditiveandsolublecornfibre."We needmore fibre in our diets from lots of different sources,"saidHannahHolscherfromtheUniversityofIllinoisintheUS."Thesetwofibreslookliketheycouldbebeneficialwhenincludedinabalanceddietalongwithwholegrains, fruits,vegetablesandlegumes,"Holscheradded.Theresearchersfoundthat thereweresignificantshifts inthegutbacterial populations with fibre supplements and when thesupplements were stopped populations seemed to go back towhere they were before.Whatwasmostsurprisingandnovelintherecentstudywasashiftin theBacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio towardsmoreBacteroidetes,somethingtheresearchershadnotviewedpreviously.

"Thiswasofparticularinteresttousbecauseotherresearchworkshave shown that having more Bacteroidetes may be beneficialbecause the higher that proportion is, the individual tends to beleaner. With higher Firmicutes, that individual tends to be moreobese,"Holschersaid.The researchers used whole-genome sequencing to explore thefull range of bacterial genomic information in the gut after fibresupplementation.Previous research has shown that dietary fibre can also helpreduce the risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and otherdiseases.

Trythesehealthy,winterdelightsIt'sthattimeoftheyearwhenthefruitandvegetablemarketsareawashwiththebestseasonalproduce.Sayscity-baseddietitianPriyaKarkera,"Notonlydarkredcarrots,butorangesquash,spinach,leafygreens,turnips,freshpeasandmoreareallavailableandtasteexcellentatthisatthistime."Shetellsyouwhyyououghttotuckintothreeofthese..Amla:Thisfruit,loadedwithvitaminCcanbefoundeveninsmallmarket nooks now. Sinceamlais rich inpolyphenols, it aids inbetterabsorptionofinsulinandhenceisverybeneficialfordiabeticpatientsinmanagingbloodsugar.It'shighironcontentandaidsinreliving menstrual cramps if taken regularly. It serves as anexcellentimmunebooster,mustbegiventochildrenlessthanfiveyearsofagetopreventfrequentcoughsandcold.

How to have it: It can be taken as amla juice, dried andpowdered,andcanbeusedinchutneys,graviestoaddapungentflavour.Rawamlacanbeusedinsalads.Sweetpotato:Anexcellentlowglycemicindextuber,itisloadedwith fiber. It is also antioxidant rich and contains beta carotene,which isconverted tovitaminA in thebody.Sweetpotato isalsoanexcellentsourceofvitaminB6,manganese,zinc,magnesium.ThehighvitaminAcontentproves it tobebeneficial forexcellentvision.Howtohave it: Thiscanbegiventodiabeticpatientsasithasalowglycemic index. Itcanbeusedasasubstituteforpotatoes inrecipeslikepavbhaji,wada.etc.Singhara:This isanenergy-loadedwinter fruitalsocalledwaterchestnut. It is rich in antioxidants and has high carbohydratecontent,hencemustbeavoidedbydiabeticpatients.It is rich in antioxidants and helpful in prevention of cancer.Singhara can also boost energy and is thus apt for athletes andthosewithastrenuousschedule.Howtohaveit : Driedshingharaflourisusedduringfasts.Boiledshingharainwater.Thiscanbeusedtocuredysentery.

PowerupwithpistachiosTermedasoneof thebest sourcesof antioxidantsamongplant-based foods, pistachios are also low-cal. Here are some morebenefitsofpistas...The Skinny-Nut:Dubbed the "skinny nut" by nutrition experts,pistachiosareoneof the lowestcalorie, lowest fatnutsandyield

themostnutsperserving;49kernelsperounce,comparedto23almonds, 14 walnut halves and 18 cashews. Just a handful ofpistachios -about30kernels -offersadeliciouslysatisfying100-caloriesnack.A "Mindful" Snack:New research recently presented at theAmerican Dietetic Association's national conference found thatbecause they're in-shell, pistachios take longer to eat, slowingconsumption and reducing overall calorie intake by 41%.Nutrient-Rich:PistachiosareanexcellentsourceofvitaminB6,copper and manganese and a good source of protein, fiber,thiamin,andphosphorus.Rich in antioxidants:A recently published study by Italianresearchers reveals thatpistachiospack inavarietyofbeneficialantioxidantsandphytonutrientscommonlyfoundintea(catechins),fruits, vegetables, red wine (anthocyanins) and soyfoods(isoflavones). The researchers concluded that pistachiosareoneofthebestsourcesofantioxidantsamongplant-basedfoods.Recipe:Batt i chokha

Recipe:Battichokha(ThinkstockPhotos/GettyImages)

GrilledbattisservedwithIndianmashedpotatoesIngredients:Forthebatt isWholewheatflour200gSalt½tspOil2tspForthestuff ing:Roastedgramflour(sattu)200gChoppedginger1tspChoppedgarlic1tspSalttotasteCrushedblackpepper½tspOil1tspStuffedwholeredchilipickle1Desighee(Clarifiedbutter)Forthemashedpotatoes:Mustardoil1tbspPotatoes250gSalttotasteChoppedonions2tbspChoppedgarlic1tspChoppedgreenchillies1tspMethod:-Mixtheoil&saltintheflourandkneadintoasmoothdoughwithlukewarmwater.Letstandforsometime.-Boilthepotatoes.Whendone,peelthepotatoesandmashwell.Mixinthechoppedonions,choppedgarlic,mustardoil,salt,greenchilliesandmixwell.Removethefillingfromtheredchilipickle.Discardtheskin.Use1tspofthistomixinthestuffing.Mixinthe

alltheingredientsforthestuffing.Forthebaatis—kneadthedoughforanotherminuteanddivideintosixballs.Cookoverglowingcoalstilltheoutercrustislightlybrownedandthebaatisarefirmtotouch.Removeandimmerseindesighee.Servehotwiththepotatochokha.

Recipe:Laukikikheer

Recipe: Lauki ki kheer(ImageCourtesy:www.pankajbhadouria.com)BottlegourdandmilkpuddingPreparationt ime:20minsCookingt ime:1hourServes:4Ingredients:1cupgratedlauki/ghia/doodhi(bottlegourd)1cupsugar1lmilk½tspcardamompowder2tbspmixeddryfruits

Method:Bringthemilktoboilinaheavybottompan.reducefor20minutesonlowflameandstiroccasionally.Addthegratedlaukiandcooktillthemilkthickens.Addthesugarandcookfor5moreminutes.Addthedryfruitsandthecardamompowderandserve.

Recipe:AlooTikki

Recipe:AlooTikki(Thinkstockphotos/GettyImages)Whybothertobuyitfromoutsidewhenitcanbepreparedeasilyathome?Ingredients:Half kg potatoes, bread crumbs, about five green chillies(chopped),choppedcoriander leaves,onetspcuminpowder,salttotaste,oil.Method:Boil the potatoes, then peel and mash them. Mix with breadcrumbs, green chillies, coriander leaves, cumin powder and salt.Makeafewballsfromthismixtureandflattenbetweenyourpalms.Nowshallow fry inhotoilonagriddleandgarnishwithchoppedcorianderleaves.

Trickstoprepareadeliciouslobster

TrickstoprepareadeliciouslobsterConsidered a delicious bite, lobster is certainly the creme de lacremeof seafoods.ActorGeorgeClooneyhad it onhisweddingbanquetmenu at theCipriani hotel in Venice and it can also bemade European style — a la a Lobster Thermidor (baked withcheese)andineverythingfromadimsumtoasoupandtossedina wok! Eating lobster with a nutcracker and bibs, is akin to achallengeinrestaurants.Though boiling it is the most popular way to cook it, use theseothertrickstopreparethecrustacean...Steamit.Thiswillkeepthemeatmoretender.Ideally,aone-poundlobstershouldbesteamedfor10-12minutes.Youcanroastthemeat intheoven,whichwillgiveitasweetertaste.Anotherway to cook it is togrill themeat.Place itwith theshell(meat side down) onmedium heat and once it is done, flip andfinallybastewithbutter.Always remember, it is best to cook a live lobster immediately.DIDYOUKNOW?Lobster is actually a great source of protein. It is also low incalories - a five-ounce serving is said to contain just 0.3 gmssaturatedfat.

India'sgroundnutoiloutputmaydropby41percentPoorcropoutputresultsinoi l productiondipIndia'sgroundnutoilproductionisexpectedtobelowthisyearonaccountofpoorcropoutput.Reducedproduction,accordingtoindustrysources,isexpectedtodrivethepriceshigher,forcingpeopletodiverttootheredibleoils.Country'sgroundnutoilavailabilityfor2014-15hasbeenestimatedat240,000tonnesbyTheSolventExtractors'AssociationofIndia(SEA). It is downby 170,000 tonnes or 41.50 per cent from lastyear's410,000tonnes."Worldwide,groundnutcrophasbeenestimatedlower.Millers,asaconsequence,willfacescarcityofgroundnutforcrushingduringtheyear,ultimatelyresultinginlowgroundnutoilproduction,"saidSamir Shah, president, Saurashtra Oil Millers' Association(SOMA).Loose groundnut oil is currently priced between Rs 820 and Rs825per10kginSaurashtra'swholesalemarkets.RatehasgainedRs30per10kginthismonthandmillersexpectittogouptoRs900 per 10 kg in the next one month.Retail price also rose by Rs 40-45 in this month to touch Rs1,455-1,460per15kg.Citingdecline ingroundnutproductionas themain reasonbehinddrop in oil production, B VMehta, executive director, SEA said,"Lowerprojectionofgroundnutoilproduction isbasedondecline

in production of groundnut, themain rawmaterial required for it.Poor returns from groundnut last year shifted farmers to othercrops resulting in decreased production."As per SEA estimates, groundnut production in India will bearound3.30milliontonnesthisyearasagainst4.71milliontonneslastyear.SureshKaneriya,managingdirector,Kaneriyaoil industries,said,"Groundnutoilpricewill surely improve thisyearand itmayshiftpeopletootheredibleoils.Nearly25percentpeoplemaydiverttootheroilsthisyearfromgroundnutoil."

Hyderabad Chemicals to sel l 74% stake toJapaneseagrochemmakerTheRs.500-cr deal will help Nihon Nohyaku in building amarketing,manufacturingpresenceinIndiaMumbai, November 27:HyderabadChemicals,aHyderabad-basedagrochemicalandpesticidesmanufacturer,hasdecided tosell its 74 per cent stake to a Japanese firm Nihon Nohyaku,manufacturingbasicandfinechemicals.Thetransaction,valuedatoverRs.500crore,isexpectedtocloseinJanuary.Nihon Nohyaku has been expanding its business and haschemical products, pharmaceuticals and animal health products,even as it caters to agrochemicals. Officials familiar with thetransaction toldBusinessLineon the condition of anonymity thattheacquisitionwouldhelpNihonNohyakuinbuildingamarketingandmanufacturingpresenceinIndia.

“Thecompanyhasbeenlookingtoestablishdirectsalessystemsandproductionfacilities inIndia,andwantedtoacquireanIndiancompany to take their vision ahead,” said an official. HyderabadChemicals has its own distribution network, and research anddevelopmentfacilities.ThedealhashelpedHyderabadChemicals“divestatanattractivevaluationandworkunderaJapanesepartner.”A statement from the Japanese company noted that thecompanieshope tostart jointoperationwithcurrentshareholdersaftercompletionofrelatedprocedures.TheJapanesecompanyisalsointendingtodispatchateamfortheboardofdirectors,officersandmanagerstojointlyoperatethecompany.Yohichi Kohyama, Nihon Nohyaku’s President, said in thestatement that the company had decided to invest inHyderabadChemicalssinceitmatchedtheJapanesefirm’sbusinessstrategy.Headded thatHyderabadChemicalsalsohasacostcompetitiveproductionsystem,andby“utilisingitstechnologyandcapacity,itis expected to boost our business not only in India, but also inothercountries.”Vegetable farmers’ col lectives spark interestamongforeignbuyersFPOsalsoactasapotentialvehicletofostertechnology,improveyieldandenablebetteraccesstoinputs

monticello/shutterstock

Bengaluru, November 27: The process of organising smallfarmers into collectives such as producer companies or co-operativesisattractingtheinterestofforeignbuyers–mainlythosefromEuropeandtheWestAsia.“Large retail chains inEuropeandWestAsiaarekeen tosourcevegetables from farmer producer organisations (FPOs) here,provided they are offered guarantee on traceability issues,” saidPravesh Sharma, Managing Director of the Small Farmers AgriBusinessConsortium(SFAC)that isspearheadingthecreationofFPOs.Retail chains are keen to source green vegetables ranging fromcabbagetookraandbabycornamongothers.“Ifallgoeswell,weshouldhavesometie-upsinplacebythenextvegetable season inwinter 2015, ” Sharma added.However, hedeclinedtodisclosethenamesoftheforeignretailchains.ThisisasignificantdevelopmentconsideringthattheFPOsareinthenascentstageandisexpectedtogiveafurtherimpetustothecreationofsuchcollectives.Sofar,about350FPOshavebeensetupacrossthecountryandanother500areintheprocessofbeingformed,Sharmasaid.Tamil Nadu tops the list of States with 50 farmer producercompanies, followed by Uttarakhand with 45, Telangana 44,Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh 34 each, Uttar Pradesh 27,Assam25,andRajasthanandGujaratwith22each.Besides acting as aggregators of farm produce and helpingestablishmarket linkageswith largebuyers,FPOsarealso seenas a potential vehicle to foster technology penetration, improveproductivityandenable improvedaccessto inputssuchasseedsandfertilisersandservicessuchasfinancialandinsuranceamongthefarmingcommunities.

Apart fromenabling the famers to leverage themarket for betterprices, FPOs also provide a window for channelising the fundsundervariousschemessuchastheongoingRashtriyaKrishiVikasYojana.If the interest shown by European andWest Asian retail chainsfructifiesintoaformalarrangement,theshipmentofvegetablestothese regions could see a pick up, once traceability issues areaddressed.Inthemiddleofthisyear,theEUbannedimportoffourIndianvegetables–includingeggplants(brinjalsandgourds)alongwithmangoeson thegrounds theycontainedharmfulorganisms.Even Saudi Arabia recently banned the import of Indian greenchilliesonthegroundsofhighpesticideresidues.Exports of fresh vegetables from India, excluding onions, for theApril-August period stood at 3.33 lakh tonnes, valued atRs.939crore.