Latest news with #Samosa
NDTV
03-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Why You Crave Aloo Samosa At 4 PM: The Science Behind Evening Snacking
Every day, I plan to eat healthily, and every evening, I fail. Why? I blame my route home from the office. If you commute daily by metro like me and thousands of other office-goers, you will be well acquainted with the irresistible aroma of burgers and sweet corn pulling you towards those tiny street stalls. Along with the shiny packets of chips and cold drinks dazzling in front of us, it makes our stomachs growl even louder. So, I give in. And why should I not? After a long day at work, what is wrong with eating a bite or two of something tasty? Right? Not quite. The 4 PM samosa? Just a metaphor. For you, it could be a jalebi, a kachori, a leftover slice of cake, or whatever sweet-salty snack your brain romanticises after lunch. Cravings are not just hunger - they are the urge to eat something high in salt, sugar, or fat-and they can seriously mess with our health. They cause us to lose control over mindful eating, leading to snacking on high-calorie or processed foods. Many people face these cravings daily, especially in the evening. But why does this happen, and how do we manage it? Read on to understand. Understanding Cravings Are Not Hunger Cravings may feel like hunger, but they can occur even if you have just eaten. According to Harvard, a craving is an intense urge to eat a specific food, usually immediately. The food we crave tends to be sugary, salty, fatty, or a combination of all three. Often, we become increasingly excited imagining how the dish will taste and how satisfying it will be once we eat it. Here Are 4 Reasons Why We Crave Snacks Like Samosa In The Evening There is no single cause; multiple factors drive these evening cravings. Let us take a closer look: 1. Your Brain Thinks It Deserves A Treat At the end of a busy day, eating a tasty, high-fat snack can feel like a reward to your brain. Hyper-palatable foods are usually high in sugar, salt, and fat. Studies on animals and humans show that eating these foods activates neurons in the brain's reward pathways, producing intense pleasure. This reinforces the desire to eat them repeatedly. 2. You Find Comfort In Comfort Foods The more you snack on fried foods in the evening, the more likely you are to turn it into a habit and experience cravings daily. Studies suggest that regularly eating high-sugar or high-fat foods disrupts brain signals. According to Harvard, this disruption can trigger hormone release that reduces stress, causing habitual cravings for these "comforting" foods. 3. It Is Hard To Say No When Snacks Are Everywhere When snacks are easily accessible, such as tempting displays at shops or advertisements on your phone, it becomes even harder to resist cravings. Visual and physical access to these foods makes you more likely to give in, even when you are not truly hungry. 4. You Are Probably Just Sleep-Deprived On days when you are sleep-deprived, cravings tend to increase. Sufficient sleep helps regulate metabolic functions. When sleep is inadequate, hormones like leptin and ghrelin become unbalanced, making you more likely to crave sweet, salty, and fatty foods. Here Are 5 Tips To Deal With Evening Cravings Evening cravings can become automatic habits, but here are five practical ways to manage them: 1. Change the Routine, Change the Craving Cravings often link to routines, such as snacking on chips on your way home or while watching your favourite show. Break the habit by switching to healthier snacks like nuts, seeds, or fruits in the evening. 2. Ask Yourself What You Are Really Feeling Next time a craving hits, pause and check in with your feelings. Are you stressed, bored, or angry? Cravings often stem from these triggers rather than genuine hunger. Becoming aware of your cravings can help you control them and choose healthier options. 3. Find Other Sources Of Dopamine If fried snacks lift your mood, find other healthy ways to do the same, such as calling a friend, going for a walk, dancing, or watching a funny video. Distracting your mind can help you let go of whatever processed snack you craved minutes before. 4. Eat Balanced Meals Include healthy protein and fibre sources in your breakfast and lunch, such as eggs, paneer, and yoghurt. Meals rich in protein and fibre keep you fuller longer, reducing intense cravings later in the day. 5. Stop Letting Hunger Build Up Cravings should not be controlled by staying hungry. Long gaps without eating can increase hunger, cravings, and the risk of overeating. Aim for a healthy meal or snack every three to four hours. You can still indulge in an occasional samosa in the evening, but understanding cravings and how to manage them will ensure your favourite snacks do not wreck your health or control your happiness.
India.com
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet woman behind Mumbai's most loved homemade cakes, favorite of Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani's mother Kokilaben, her name is...
Meet woman behind Mumbai's most loved homemade cakes, favorite of Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani's mother Kokilaben, her name is... Nearly five decades ago, Azra Goriawalla began her journey in the world of baking in the most modest way standing in her kitchen with a Le Cordon Bleu cookbook in hand, a thoughtful gift from her cousin. Her first creation? A batch of chocolate brownies. What started as a small step to contribute financially to her household after the birth of her daughter slowly grew into something much bigger. Azra, who previously worked as an accountant, wanted to get back to work after marriage. Encouraged by her mother, she decided to try her hand at baking. She sold 16 brownies from that first batch and they were just the beginning. Over time, her homemade desserts found fans in some of the most well-known names in the country — from Bollywood celebrities like Karan Johar, Kajol, and Vidya Balan to big names like Kokilaben Ambani and the Mahindra family. Today, Azra is the proud founder of Goriawalla's Bakery, a beloved spot tucked away in South Bombay, best known for its signature chocolate cake that's been winning hearts since 1972. In a recent interview with Localsamosa, Azra shared, 'I started baking mainly out of financial need. I had just learned how to make brownies, but I soon realized they didn't work well for birthdays since you can't write on them. So I found a good chocolate cake recipe and began making cakes with icing. I've never changed that recipe — I still use it to this day. People like Kokilaben Ambani have personally come over to place their orders. I've made cakes for so many — from Shammi Kapoor to Kajol — I've lost count!' In a recent podcast, filmmaker Karan Johar shared a sweet memory that speaks volumes about the love people have for Goriawalla's Bakery. 'I used to call Azra and say, 'It's my birthday — can you send me my birthday cake?'' he revealed which showed just how special her chocolate cake is to him. That's the kind of affection Azra Goriawalla's humble bakery has earned over the years. Speaking about her journey, Azra said, 'The recipe we use is very simple — just a basic chocolate sponge with my own twist on the icing. I've refined it over time. I still mix everything by hand using beaters and cook in large pots. We never advertised — people just kept sharing it by word of mouth.' Talking to Local Samosa, Goriawalla mentions that the day at the bakery begins as early as 5 a.m., with the staff prepping all the ingredients for the day. Around 40 to 50 cakes are baked fresh every morning and sold daily. 'Starting a business like this was never on my list. It was not a planned project for me, and neither did I expect such a good response from people,' she said. What's even more remarkable is that Azra still uses the same oven she baked her very first cake in back in 1972. For Mumbai's cake lovers, it's a place full of warmth, stories, and the timeless joy of chocolate.
Al Bawaba
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Saudi chef makes world's most-expensive Samosa, one for $26
ALBAWABA - A Saudi chef said to have created the world's most-expensive Samosa, a familiar dish, that is always found on the Iftar table during Ramadan. A Saudi chef, known as Abu Omar, has posted on his YouTube channel how he created the world's most expensive samosa, which he said each piece could cost around 100 Saudi Riyal ($26). Abu Omar is followed by 2.41 million people on his YouTube channel as he was first famous for posting streams for video games, but he recently started his career as a chef. Saudi chef Abu Omar makes world's most-expensive Samosa. (YouTube/@Bo3omar22) For the filling, the Saudi chef decided to use one of the world's most expensive meat pieces in the world, the "Wagyu beef Grade 12". Abu Omar first added salt and pepper to the raw meat and placed it on a pan, then he added butter and rosemary. Then he said to make this the world's most-expensive samosa, he added "black truffle oil". About Samosa: A samosa from the Persian word sambosag, which means 'triangular pastry', it is a fried South Asian and West Asian snack. It is a pastry with a savory filling, mostly vegetables, spiced potatoes, onions, and peas, but also meat or fish.
