The Cleanest City Chandigarh

Being the daughter of an army man, I have travelled and stayed at quite a few places for a considerable period of time. So when I got this opportunity from Tata Motors to choose and write about my favourite city in India, I was in a fix as to which one to choose. Because I have been in love with almost all of them. After giving a lot of thought, I finally chose Chandigarh over all other cities. Well, I do have a soft corner for Chandigarh because I spent some of the best years of my schooling period over there, but even otherwise, it is a very beautiful city. It has a unique distinction of being not only a union territory but is also the capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Anyone would fall in love with Chandigarh given its cleanliness and greenery. It is surely one of the best cities to live in, in fact it is one place where I can live forever.

If I would describe the city in terms of its design, drive and connectivity,

Design:

Though it is not as big as the metro cities like Delhi or Mumbai, but you will be amazed to see how meticulously the coty has been developed. No wonder it is well acclaimed as the most well-planned cities in India. The city is known for its design and beauty. In fact it was the first planned city in India after attaining Independence. Its master plan was shaped by Le Corbusier, the famous Swiss-French architect and urban planner. The city is divided into various sectors that are very well connected to each other. It is designed in such a way that one would easily come to know which sector would come next i.e. finding the routes is easy to follow.  

Photo: www.topyaps.com

The roads are broad and there are enough number of service roads to keep the traffic flow in check. Add to that, the lush greenery on both sides of the roads make it a joy to drive. Thus without a doubt, the city stands up to its epithet of "the City Beautiful". 

Drive:

The Punjabis are known to be very industrious and Chandigrah epitomizes that very fact. Not only does the city boasts of having some well-known multinational companies and thereby generating opportunities for employment, it also lays emphasis on development of pollution free industries. In addition to that, there are also excellent educational opportunities in Chandigarh. The city provides a very conducive environment for work and academic development. Chandigarh already possesses an IT Park that houses some major IT MNCs like Dell, IBM, Infosys and TechMahindra. Due to so many good educational institutions in and around the city, there is never a shortfall of skilled manpower in the city. The quality of life in Chandigarh is one of the best you will find in India in the country

Connectivity:

Chandigarh is very well-connected to all the major cities and states in India through roads and railways. It also has air connectivity with all major Indian cities. It has got a well-maintained and a user-friendly public transport system (buses, taxis and autos). 

Not without good reasons do they say that once someone has lived in Chandigarh, she won't find any other city as beautiful or liveable.

No matter how many times I visit Chandigarh, I always look forward to going back again.

*** Written for "Made of Great Favourite city Zonal Wars" sponsored by Tata Motors. For more details, please visit http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

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Eat Caramel Custard without guilt - thanks to Sugar free Natura

Most of us, I am sure, at some point in time would have experienced intense cravings for sweets and desserts. While there are some who manage to hold themselves back and get satiated after having a tiny bite of a chocolate or a cake or some other sweet but otherwise probably most of us fail to control the urge to have some more. Since sugar is addictive, so we tend to not stop at having a restricted amount of sweets, rather we often end up indulging in a large portion. The worrying part is that sugar is not good for our immune system. Not only does sugar play a harmful role in tooth decay but excess sugar in our body also robs it of vital minerals, affects our pancreas, can lead to diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer and so also can make one feel weak and less energised. In addition to that, since eating sugar results in adding up empty calories, so it is one of the major contributors to obesity.

Thus if we wish to have a healthy and fit body, we will have to minimise our sugar intake. However that would mean that we will have to give up our favourite sweets and desserts. Wouldn't that be too harsh?

What if I say that we now have a healthier and safer alternative to white sugar - Sugar free natura - which not only gives the same sweetness as the normally available sugar but with the advantage of negligible calories. Also since it is made from sucralose, which is highly heat stable, so it is an ideal replacement for sugar to use for cooking and baking. Not only can the weight-conscious people eat desserts made with sugar free natura but also those having diabetes.

Since the last few months, I have been religiously trying hard to shed the extra kilos from my body. Therefore I have been exercising rigorously and so also have cut down on sweets and desserts. But every once in a while, I do treat myself a sweet dish or a dessert made with Sugar free natura. Not only do the taste good (just as sweet as they would have tasted if made with normal sugar) but also without the unwanted calories. I couldn't have wished for a better gift. Recently I prepared Caramel Custard using sugar free natura and it tasted very yummy.

Ingredients
Sugar free natura - 1/4th cup + 1/4th cup
Whole milk - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
Vanila essence - 1/2 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tbspn

Procedure to make Eggless Caramel Custard with Sugar free natura

In a sauce pan or fry pan, add 1/4th cup of sugar free natura and to it, add about 1 tablespoon of water and keeping the burner on medium-high flame, keep stirring gently so that the sugar starts melting. After a few minutes, it will start boiling, keep moving the pan all around so that it spreads and melts evenly.

After abt 5 minutes of cooking, it will start changing its colour to slight golden. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, continue to stir it or else the sugar at the sides may crystalise.

When it becomes slightly brownish, take it off the flame and pour the sugar syrup to the mould (I am using a small sized steel bowl). Now move the mould around so that it gets evenly coated with caramelised sugar syrup.

Now in a mixing bowl, take 1/2 cup each of each of whole milk, yogurt and sweetended condensed milk - all of these need to be at room temperature. Then add 1/4 cup of sugar free natura, 1/2 tsp of vanila essence and 2 tbspn of corn flour and whisk everything nicely so that they turn into a smooth solution.

In the mean time, take a pressure cooker and add that much of water so that its height is approximately 2 inches inside the cooker. Place a stand as well in the water. Now heat the water over medium heat.
Then pour this custard mixture into the mould or bowl containing the caramelised sugar solution, cover it with an aluminium foil and place this mould or bowl inside the cooker over the stand.

After removing the whistle and the rubber gas kit of the cooker, close the lid and keep over low heat for about 25-30 minutes or till the custard gets ready.

To check whether it's ready or not, insert a tooth-pick into the caramel custard. If it comes out clean, that would mean that it has been fully cooked.

After 30 minutes, turn off the gas and give the cooker a standing time of 5 minutes. Then opening the cooker, take out the mould or the bowl containing caramel custard and remove the aluminium foil. Using a knife, loosen the sides of the custard from the mould. Now placing a plate over the mould, give it a flip, so that the caramelised custard comes onto the plate.

Now you may start devouring it

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Hold me tight

If a time comes when I become unable to express,

will you be able to read from my eyes?

If a time comes when I am left all alone,

will you be there for me?

If a time comes when I need a shoulder to cry,

will you lend me yours?

If a time comes when I feel really cold,

will you hold me tight never to let go?

If a time comes when I reach out for your hand,

will you hold it with love, never to leave?

If a time comes when I need a hug from you,

will you give me one?

Image Courtesy: www.rapgenius.com

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