The New Nation - Internet Edition

Farizaa Sabreen

In the mid of din and bustle of our city life, The Pongti started its journey on 6th September at Aziz Super Market Famous designer Bibi Russell formally inaugurated the boutique.

An ideal Boutique, where you will find the latest design ladies and gents clothing including cap.

The idea for the store was in the making for many days, spawned from the need of the young ladies and gents of new ages all over the world for superior quality, low priced merchandise, directly from Dhaka.

They have many different designed t-shirts, ranging from Tk.150.

Fatua and t-shirt on the runway, it also is seen everywhere from teenage parties to university lecture halls, casual lunches to official meetings. These have emerged as a strong part of the Bangladeshi fashion scene over the last few years.

Team the fatua with jeans or skirts and there is the fusion of an Bangladeshi look with an international sensibility. "It hides all your flaws and highlights only the assets," is how Sadia, a NGO employee, described it

For younger girls in traditional families or more conservative parts of the country, fatuas have become an acceptable alternative to Western clothes. "It is comfortable and doesn't highlight the figure like T-shirts do," said Rehana, who runs a home based-boutique.

The versatile garment comes in an overwhelming range of colors, paterns and materials. The cool cap remain the all-time favorite. Prices range from Tk.03.

The demand of t-shirts is going up in summer for its casual, good-looking style, which is funky as well. They have some educational designed t-shirt, also.

Artist Shahabuddin Ahmed, Ikramul Haque, sculptor Rasa, Shahidul Islam and Shatabdi Zahid design the stunning dresses of Pongti. Pongti always work for our Libearation War.

Tropical Fruit Punch

A tropical recipe, fruity tasty and juicy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2.00 cups grapefruit juice, fresh

2.00 cups orange juice, fresh

2.00 cups pineapple juice

2.00 cups guava nectar

1/4 cup lime juice

0.00 some crushed ice

0.00 to garnish - mint leaves and lime slices

How to Cook:

1. Cook sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat and keep aside to cool completely.

2. Blend juices, nectars and syrup in a large pitcher. Chill thoroughly.

3. Pour into tall ice filled glasses. Garnish with mint leaves and lime. Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 3 people.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Alloo Cholay

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas soaked overnight

6 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon chaat masala

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 large potatoes

1 - onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 - green chillies, chopped

1/4 cup imli ka ras

2 medium tomatoes

How to Cook:

1. Put the chick peas in a large heavy-based saucepan, add water, salt and the bicarbonate of soda and bring to boil. Cover the pan and boil the chick peas for about 2 hours until they are tender but still retain their shape. This process can be speeded up in a pressure cooker. Use half the quantity of water. (Follow the manufacturer's instructions for timing.)

2. Boil potatoes with plenty of water, peel and cubed.

3. Heat oil in a medium heavy based saucepan over medium heat Add chaat masala, chili powder cumin, imli ka ras, potatoes, chickpeas and 1||4 cup water. Stir gently until well combined. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-8 minutes.

4. Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with sliced onions, tomatoes and green chilies.

This recipe serves 3 people.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

Cooking Time: 120 minutes.

Chicken Paties

Chicken Mince Pies

Ingredients:

225 grams puff pastry

1 quantity chicken fillings for paties

How to Cook:

1. On a floured board, roll the pastry out thinly and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes. Using a 2-2 1||2 inch round cuter, stamp out 24-28 circles of pastry.

2. Line 12 tartlet tins, or as many as needed, with half the pastry circles. Place a teaspoon of mincemeat in the center of each. Damp the edges of the pastry lid with a litle beaten egg and place over the filled tartlet tins. Gently press the pastry edges together to seal.

3. Cut one or two slit in the top of each pie. Brush with a litle beaten egg.

4. If tartlet tins are not available, these mince pie can be made on a baking tray.

5. Place one pastry circle on a floured board, place a tablespoon of filling in the centre. Damp the edges of the pastry lid with a litle beaten egg and place over the pastry base. Gently press the pastry edges together to seal.

6. Cut one or two slit in the top of each pie. Brush with a litle beaten egg.

7. Put on weted baking tray and Place in a very hot oven (425F, 220C. Gas Mark 7) and bake for 20 minutes or well risen and brown. Serve warm.

Note: Puff pastry can be made at home or can be purchased from grocery store

This recipe serves 8 people.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

Fish Fingers

Fish Fillets

Ingredients:

500 grams fish fillets, hamour or any firm

1/2 cup Soya sauce

2 teaspoon ajinomoto

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 - egg, beaten

1 cup flour

. - oil for frying

How to Cook:

1. Dry the fish fillets thoroughly with clean paper towels. Using a chef?s knife, cut the fish into fingers 1||2 inch wide and about 3 inches long.

2. Place the fish in a large bowl, add ajinomoto soy sauce, salt and pepper and rub gently to coat the pieces with the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes. Drain the excess marinade.

3. Dip the fish fingers, one at a time, in the egg, then roll in the flour. Place them in single layers on a baking sheet

Pour enough oil into a heavy based frying pan to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil to 325?F.

4. Fry the fish fingers in batches until they are golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

5. Serve with French fries, ketchup and Garlic Chutney.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

Stuffed Purri

Roti filled with different vegetables

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoon milk

. for filling: -

2 cups potatoes boiled mashed

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic (crushed)

1 tablespoon coriander, grounded

1/2 teaspoon green chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

. - oil for frying

. As per taste salt

How to Cook:

1. Combine flour with bicarbonate, salt, water and milk, knead untill smooth and homogeneous dough.

2. divide dough into walnuts size balls , arrange in tray.

3. Fry onion and garlic in oil, add green chilli, parsley,

potato,cumin,and salt, stir over low heat for 10 minutes .

4. Fill dough with filling , shape and fry in oil, serve hot

This recipe serves 6 people.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 20 minutes.

Tandoori Chicken Pockets

Chicken boties like tikkas

Ingredients:

3/4 cup yogurt

2 tablespoon Chicken tandoori masala

4 - boneless chicken

4 - shami roti

. for filling: -

1 - cucmber, peeled fine chopped

1 medium tomato

2 tablespoon plain yogurt

2 tablespoon mint leaves washed, fine chopped

How to Cook:

1. Combine yogurt, Tandoori masala and salt in a medium bowl. Coat the chicken pieces liberally with the yogurt marinate. Cover and leave to manatee at room temperature for about 5 hours or over night in the refrigerator. Place the chicken in a preheated oven ( 170C, 375F). Roast for 15 minutes, bast the chicken with ghee or oil frequently and tuning once.

Alternatively, place chicken on a cold lightly oiled grill tray, cook under high heat for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cool chicken, slice thinly.

To make filling:

Combine cucumber, tomato, yogurt and mint in a medium bowl. Cut smallest shami roti (Lebanese bread) in half, fill it with chicken & filling. Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30 minutes.

-Sheikh Arif Bulbon

To celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, we go across a month long time of special prayer and fasting. Each day passes and brings us near to our celebration and to end each day we get together with our family and friends to break out fasting. But this fasting becomes more enjoyable if it ends with special Iftar of Khazana Restaurant, a treasure of Indian cuisine.

Like every year Khazana has some exciting new additions to their special menu for the Iftar. The Iftar will be available from 1:00pm till it lasts.

From the first day of holy month of Ramadan, Khazana will be catering their Iftar items. This year their specialty will be 'Khazana Mithai Collection.'

A press conference organized by Khazana Restaurant was held to disclose the mater at its restaurant in the capital on September 8, Saturday.

Avishek Sinha, General Manager of Khazana Restaurant, among others of the restaurant, were present on the occasion.

Avishek Sinha said, "To showcase all these special items, master Halwai Chef from India has come over for the entire Ramadan month. The chef had worked with premium property like Taj Bengal, 5-star deluxe in Kolkata for more then a decade and had also showcase his culinary skills successfully in place like London. Some of his specialties he will showcase for Khazana are as follows:

a) Gulab Jamun,

b) Rabri Malpua,

c) Rasmalai,

d) Motichur Laddu,

e) Kaju Barfi,

f) Badam Pesta Barfi,

g) Gopal Bhog,

h) Khazana Sandesh,

i) Chocolate Sandesh."

Khazana will also be holding this time Iftar buffets through out the month at a very reasonable price of Tk 550+ per person. Along with their family guests they will also have special packages for the corporate. For corporate, Iftar parties there are different set of proposals to choose, he added.

Meanwhile, Khazana has already started taking booking for the Iftar parties. Khazana has also Iftar take away boxes to go. The other specialties of the Iftar menu are as follows:

1) Shahi Haleem (Muton and chicken),

2) Chicken Chat Pata,

3) Dahi Barra,

4) Chicken Kathi Rolls,

5) Khazana ka Jalebi,

6) Matka Lassi.

The co-sponsors of the Iftar event are Teem Lemon and Igloo Ice-cream. Khazana is giving a deal of purchase of Iftar Tk 600 or more will get one Teem Lemon free, organizers said.

They also said that they would also sell Igloo Iftar ice cream exclusively made for Khazana. The radio partner for this event is Radio Foorti who will be giving away Khazana gift coupons to their listeners in the month of Ramadan.

Avishek Sinha said, "Khazana is trying to give something new to its food-lovers by its presentation of different types of activities through food items from the beginning. As part of its continuation, we are going to organize these special Iftar items including Khazana Mithai collection for all. By testing these food items everybody can get different taste and flavour."

"Basically we believe in quality of food. For this reason, in every occasion, we took special chef for our occasions. As a result, quality of food must be ensured all time and also we believe in beter service. In Ramadan, people will be fasting. After breaking their fast, when they will get something new food items, surely they will enjoy the taste and flavour of these food items," Avishek also said.

Khazana Restaurant is working for the quality of food from its beginning. Though sometimes, its food price could be seen much higher, but food-lovers will get different taste and flavour with quality service in a different mood under a common roof of the restaurant in the Dhaka city. This could a special atraction for all during the holy Ramadan.

For reservation and more information anybody could contact in the following numbers: 028826127, 01711476379.

Photo: Khazana Restaurant

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

1) DARU CHEENI DIP

Genre: Bangladeshi movie produced by Impress Telefilm and presented by Lux.

Story and Script: Humayun Ahmed

Direction: Tawkir Ahmed

Camera: AR Swapan

Editing: Apis Dey Sarkar

Music Direction: SI Tutul

Starring: Lux Channel I Super Star 2006 Mamo, Bindu, Emon, Abul Hayat, Asaduzzaman Noor, Dolly Zahur, Wahida Mallick Jolly, Afroza Banu, Abdullah Al Mamun, Challenger, Rahamat Ali, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Mosharraf Karim and Riaz.

Vocal (Artistes): Samina Chowdhury, Fahmida Nabi, Bappa Majumder and SI Tutul.

Story: Different aspects of human life including friendship relationships among a group of dream-lover young males and females were presented in the film. Those families are as like our families. The youths were highlighted in the pictures of the movie every time. Once young men decided to go to Daru Cheeni Dip. Females also wanted to go with them. A group of young men along with women will go to Daru Cheeni Dip. The story goes on and then happened many incidents.

2) BONGSHER BATI

Genre: Bangla comedy drama

Script: Masum Reza

Direction and Camera: Salahuddin Lavlu

Courtesy: Elite Cosmetica Ltd

Starring: ATM Shamsuzzaman, Chanchal Chowdhury, Farzana Chabi, Dr Mohsin Khan and many more.

Story: Chanchal Chowdhury, son of a lemon businessman ATM Shamsuzzaman, is the only son of the family. But father of Chanchal becomes tense due to dishonesty of his son. Father is also sick and thinks many things about his son. He confuses his son could retain his respect in future. The old man decided that his house will be given to a village school. But his son does not give it to the village school. He finds many bad ideas. But his father understands all bad ideas of his son. Then the story goes on with many happy things.

3) BUDDHI CHORE

Genre: Bangladeshi comedy drama

Script and Direction: Gazi Mazharul Anwar

Camera: Anwar Hossain Bulu

Editing: Arman Siddiqui

Music Direction: Sheikh Sadi Khan

Starring: Zahid Hasan, Shahriar Nazim Joy, Afzal Sharif, Tazin Ahmed, Babar, Obayed, Ashraf Kabir, Syed Shuvro, Biplob Prasad, Dewan Rashed, SM Aziz, Wahida Shimu, Bannya, Anjana, Ehsan, Sumi and many more.

Story: They are three friends- Zahid Hasan, Joy and Afzal Sharif. All of them are workless and unmarried. So they decided that they would thief ideas and would earn money. Then they started to thief ideas and cheating people. The story goes on with various comedy incidents.

Farizaa Sabreen

Enjoy an array of iftar delights at radisson during ramadan

Radisson Water Garden Hotel Dhaka invites to indulge with a series of Iftar delights during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Spice & Rice Restaurant of Radisson Water Garden Hotel Dhaka will display a special buffet with tempting traditional and international Iftar delicacies such as special soup, date, Thai salad, pakora, spring rolls, halim, sheik kebab, jali kebab, koti kebab, reshmi kebab, potato chop, nargis kofta, lamb kofta, fish cutlet, pâtés, naan, biriyani, mix fruit cocktail, chicken wings, fish finger, fuska, chatpati, faluda, banana smoothie, lassi, channa masala, dahi balay, meat ball, vegetable tikka, halwa pori, jilabi, rashmalai, assorted dessert, shahi zardah, fresh fruit cuts, and many more until the end of the holy month.

Apart from the regular iftar buffet at Spice & Rice Restaurant, one may also choose to host a private iftar party with a specially tailored Banquet Menu at any of the hotels' banquet halls. Guests may also choose to take-away delicious iftar items from Chit Chat Deli Café located at the ground floor of the hotel.

KFC Gulshan celebrates 1st anniversary

KFC is the international restaurant chain in Bangladesh opening its flagship outlet in September 06, 2006 at Gulshan. Transcom Foods Limited - a subsidiary of Bangladesh's leading business group Transcom operates KFC in Bangladesh. Besides KFC, Transcom Foods Limited is also the franchisee of Pizza Hut which is the first ever-international restaurant chain commenced business in Bangladesh market

KFC celebrated its first Anniversary on 6th September 2007. To mark this splendid occasion, a program was held at its Gulshan outlet Representatives from all the leading dailies, dignitaries and a host of guests took part in the daylong celebration.

On this momentous occasion, KFC expressed its deep gratitude to all its loyal customers and well-wishers. The champion brand also believes, without the enthusiastic support of the customers, it couldn't have come this far where it's now.

To comment on the occasion Mr. Akku Chowdhury, Executive Director, Transcom Foods Limited adds, "To us KFC is not just about serving great food & delicacies. Since our first day, the service, quality, hygiene and safety standard has been the number one focus point for us and we are happy that we could deliver the international service coupled with great ambience. I express my heartfelt gratitude to our customers and extend my sincere thanks to all my colleagues at KFC for their outstanding contribution to make KFC Gulshan an exemplary restaurant among country's burgeoning food business."

Workshop on Energy for Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

On 11 September, a Half-day workshop on "Energy for Millennium Development Goals", was held at Seminar Room, LGED-RDEC Bhaban, Agargaon. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MoPEMR) organized it

Speakers were Dr. M. Fouzul Kabir Khan, Secretary, Power Division, MoPEMR, Mr. Larry Maramis, Deputy Country Director, UNDP, Prof. M. Rezwan Khan, Vice Chancellor, United International University, Dr. Abul Barkat, Professor of Economics, University of Dhaka, Mr. B. D. Rahamatullah, Director (Training), Rural Electrification Board, Ms. Shireen Kamal Sayeed, Assistant Country Director, UNDP

The MDGs provide concrete, time-bound objectives for dramatically reducing extreme poverty in its many dimensions by 2015 - income poverty, hunger, disease, exclusion and lack of infrastructure and shelter - while promoting gender equality, education, health and environmental sustainability.

Even though none of the MDG explicitly refers to energy, it was recognized by the countries in the MDG+5 global meeting that improved energy services - including modern cooking fuels, improved cook stoves, increased sustainable biomass production and expended access to electricity and mechanical power - are necessary for meeting all the goals. The link between energy services, poverty reduction and MDGs was also explicitly identified by the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).

Workshop on Violence agaist women & children

UNICEF and Centre for Women Journalists, Bangladesh organized a sharing meeting with women journalists on 10th September at UNICEF office. Custry Mcyver, Chief of Communications of UNICEF inaugurated the workshop. Nasimun Ara Huq, chairperson of Centre for Women Journalists gave her speech about violence against women and children, while Shabnaz Jaherin, child protection officer of UNICEF spoke about the programme of violence against children and women of UNICEF and Arifa S Sharmin, communications officer of UNICEF directed the whole programme.