The New Nation - Internet Edition

Beauty treatment for Eid

Farizaa Sabreen

To look like an effortless beauty, it takes just a little bit of effort.

For day time

Cleanse your face, using light massage-like motions to stimulate circulation and enhance skin colouring. Follow with a light scrub to clear the skin surface or any dead cell build-up, which can have a dulling effect on skin. Finally, slather on an antioxidant or hydrating serum.

For toning up, apply tinted moisturiser, making sure to blend it over ears and down through the neck. Use a soft eye shadow brush dipped in concealer to blur out discolouration. If you have oily skin, dust powder over your t-zone area.

Dot a cream blush in a rosy or peachy shade onto the apples of your cheeks and blend in with your fingers. Then dab an illuminsing cream on the tops of cheekbones and blend back towards temples. Paler skins should choose a pink-based cream, while darker skins are best going for golden tones.

Apply a light, shimmering shadow over lids and dust a little more at the eyes' inner corners followed by one coat of defining black mascara on upper lashes. If eyes are tired, colour rims in with a pale or white pencil. For lips, dab on a little gloss.

For night look

Bold lipstick is needed to balance strong colors. Choose hints of deep burgundy, black, purple and maroon to add a mysterious twist to any outfit. This is a great color for almost any skin type, and can be balanced with nude eyes and light blush.

For a warmer and richer look, which can easily be achieved with a touch of bronze. Mix up some of the bronzes and golds leftover from summer to highlight the upper lids, and combine with black eyeliner and mascara for a chic and glamorous look.

For mysterious look, smoky eye is best reserved for after-hours events and special occasions where you want to make a lasting impression. Perfect this look by outlining the eyes in dark shadow, and then creating a layered effect of gray shadows and metallics that can be blended for a dramatic look.

Dot on a stick foundation where needed and blend in. Instead of piling skin with powder, pack blotting papers in your bag.

Some kitchen tips

Clogged pores can pose a major problem for many women. how to unclog them and how to get rid of them. Remove an overripe tomato's skin. Crush it slightly. Using a cotton ball, apply tomato pulp to a clean face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Tomatoes contain oil-absorbing acids and natural exfoliants.

Drinking plenty of water every day helps the skin look soft, supple and more youthful. By keeping the body hydrated, your overall appearance will benefit, from improved skin texture, hair and nails.

Always remember that when you feel good, you look good.

Tips For Glowing skin

A facemask of egg white and honey gently removes the tan from your face.

Mix oats with honey, yogurt and ground almonds. Apply this in your face, leave it for five minutes and wash with lukewarm water.

Cucumber is a natural cleanser. Mix cucumber juice with milk and use it instead of a cleanser.

Take 1/3-cup cocoa, three teaspoons of heavy cream, 1/3-cup ripe papaya, 1/4-cup honey and three teaspoons of oatmeal powder. Mix it all together. Apply on your face. After 10 minutes, wash your face with warm water. This is best for oily skin

For oily skin, apply a mixture of grapes, lemon and egg white. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water. While lemon acts as a natural cleanser, grapes will soften your skin and egg whites will tighten it. Don't be alarmed if your skin tingles.

Cut the lemon and rub the wedge all over your face. Leave it for about 20 minutes, then rinse off with cold water. This will refresh your face. Avoid doing this if you have dry skin.

Mix honey, lemon and vegetable oil .This mixture is a good moisturiser for dry skin. Apply this mask for 10 minutes.

Apply the mixture of honey and milk on the face . This will make your skin glow.

For a soothing body pack, prepare a paste of mint leaves and almonds. Mix it with warm water and apply all over your body. Leave it till it dries and rinse with warm water.

Carrot juice applied daily fades blemishes.

For supple skin, apply a ripe smashed banana on your face for 20 minutes daily.

For a fair skin, try this natural bleach. Mix orange peels (sun dried and powdered) with milk. Apply this paste for 25 minutes and wash off.

Apply the mixture of tomato juice and honey on the face and neck , wash it after 15 minutes.

Apply the mixture of carrot juice and basin. Leave it till it dries and wash the face.

Add two teaspoon of tomato juice with 4 teaspoon of curd and apply on the face.

Add a pinch of yeast with 2 teaspoon of cabbage juice and apply.

Mix 1 table spoon of barley powder with half teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply it on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

Sizzling Ema

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

To most non-Asian, chili is something of an exigent quirk in the cuisine. What kind of vegetable makes a person breaks into a sweat and yelp and howls and gasps for relief, all at the same time? Or worse, makes you scoot to the loo right after consuming it. There is little room in mainstream cookery for food so potently flavored and impolite, they dispute.

To a Bhutanese, however, ema (chili) holds an exalted culinary position. It is not just a food or a fashion. It is the stuff of life. It is integral Bhutanese heritage and culture.

It is not just the vegetable; it's the taste. A bowl of black dhal or a cauliflower sabzi in a diner in India is likely to contain some chilies, and would be considered very hot by most people there. But that, as every Bhutanese who has studied in India would vouch, is piddling compared with the blistering fury of a highland Bhutanese chili. But it is not raw heat that makes Bhutanese chilies distinctive. It is their incomparable sharp flavor, which some describe as succulent and earthy, with a clarity that seems to reflect the taste and smell of the skies and landscapes of Bhutan.

Bhutanese eat chili raw or cooked, minced or roasted, but no Bhutanese dish is complete without ema. And young toddlers are initiated in the art of chili eating early on. Parents pick meat or vegetables from the chili dish, suck it to moderate the heat, and then feed their child, who breaks into a sweat but quickly adapts.

Ézay is one of Bhutan's favorite chili progenies. First, roast the chili pods and shred over a wooden mortar. Next roast traditional green tomatoes, then carefully drop its insides into the mortar. These are followed by roasted thing nay and coriander leaves. Salt is added. It is a mouth-watering sight. The roasted pods smell tastily pungent, and, as the bottom of the round-bottomed ladle grinds them gently, their blackened flesh turned supple and they glisten celadon green. When they are retrieved from the mortar, they give off the unique perfume of an authentic lip-smacking Bhutanese ézay: sharp and robust.

How can one forget ema datsi? The dish is chili cooked with cheese and it is a quintessential Bhutanese dish. For some, especially Bhutanese living abroad, the very thought of ema coated with cheese is enough to send their taste buds tingling into feverish desire. There isn't a restaurant in the entire kingdom that does not have ema datsi on its menu. It occupies a special place, in the high culinary company of matsutake mushroom. Only this is cheaper and readily available.

The origin of ema, let alone of ema datsi, in Bhutan is a hard one to trace. The beginning is fuzzy at best and the key characters and witnesses are long dead. This much is known, however, that the ema is not indigenous to the Himalayas, much less to Bhutan, and that it originated in South America. The Portuguese are said to have introduced the chilies in Asia. Once the chili arrived in Calcutta … it must not have taken too long for its flavors to spread northwards. The spread of ema in the country to Bhutanese has been done by traders and pilgrims of yore.

But it is also here that the fruit of the Capsicum plant -ema- has been elevated from a cash crop to a cultural favorite, a national dish. Today, along with those who boast they are from the land of thundering dragon or GNH, there are also many Bhutanese, who are proud to say that they are chilli-heads and who make a big point of distinguishing their food from that of others- and a central difference is the crucial role that chillis play.

The reason that Bhutanese actually enjoy eating alarmingly hot chili is not culinary masochism. Capsaicin, the chemical from the chilli, provokes pleasure as well as pain, but a satisfying one at that.

According to scientists, chilli sends the nervous system into a state of panic, and the brain reacts by flooding the distressed nerve endings with endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers - a sort of friendly morphine. The sudden shot of endorphins is what transforms the pang of hot food into pleasure, and also what makes it tolerable after the first few bites.

Doctors also say that the flavour and bite of chillies is as fundamentally good as the pungency of salt and the luxury of butterfat - with the added attractions that chilies are loaded with vitamins A and C, are cholesterol-free, and are a source of medicines that cure ailments ranging from rhinitis to phantom-limb pain. Dried ema on embers are also a nemesis to evil spirits. Beat that!

Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Tourism worker, studied Heritage and Buddhism in Bhutan.

One city three festivals: Hari Raya Aidilfitri, mid-autumn festival & Deepavali

Weekend Plus Desk

Singapore will once again celebrate the three ethnic festivals of Mid-Autumn Festival, 'Hari Raya Aidilfitri' and 'Deepavali' from September through November, and visitors can look forward to a first-hand cultural experience of the festivities through a host of activities specially designed for them.

From learning about the mythical tales behind the Mid-Autumn Festival and joining the Muslim community in the traditional breaking of fast, to visiting the magnificent Hindu temples of Little India, visitors can have a uniquely personal experience and understanding of local customs through a series of free walking tours in Chinatown, Kampong Glam, and Little India. Organised for the first time to coincide with the festivals, the walking tours take place in the ethnic enclaves in the heart of the city.

This is the third year in a row where the three festivals are celebrated close together.

Jeannie Lim, Singapore Tourism Board's Deputy Director for Cluster Development, Sightseeing & Attractions added on this occasion, "Visitors can enjoy free walking tours of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India. This year, the tours include more personal and cultural elements so that visitors can take home new discoveries about Singapore's heritage through a truly unique experience"

This year's "One City Three Festivals" celebration features an extensive calendar of events, starting with two spectacular light-up ceremonies for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which is the anchor venue for the festival. A highlight at both districts will be the traditional street bazaars that will be held in the lead-up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. For Kampong Glam, the Malay Heritage Centre will be the focal point of the festival, with weekend performances, bazaars and cultural demonstrations.

"The celebrations of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Mid-Autumn Festival and Deepavali are a perfect showcase of Singapore's multi-cultural heritage. This is a unique opportunity for families as well as those keen to discover and experience diverse Asian cultures to visit Singapore and discover the special charm of our distinctive blend of cultures," said Ms Lim.

Together with Chinese New Year and Christmas celebrations, ethnic festivities such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Deepavali and Hari Raya Aidilfitri have grown over the years to become Uniquely Singapore signature events with strong visitor appeal. These signature events will help Singapore attract 17 million visitors and S$30 billion in tourism receipts by 2015.

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board)

Curative properties of mango & banana

Mango

The mango is well-known for its medicinal properties both in unripe and ripe states. The unripe fruit is acidic, astringent and antiscorbutic. The skin of the unripe fruit is astringent and stimulant tonic. The bark is also astringent and has a marked action on mucous membranes. Mango pickles preserved in oil and salted solution is used throughout India. However, these pickles, if extremely sour, spicy and oily, are not good for health and should be specially avoided by those suffering from arthritis, rheumatism, sinusitis, sore throat and hyperacidity.

The ripe mango is antiscorbutic, diuretic, laxative, invigorating, fattening and astringent. It tones up the heart muscle, improves complexion and stimulates appetite. It increases the seven body nutrients, called 'dhatus' in Ayurveda. They are food juice, blood, flesh, fat, bone marrow and semen. The fruit is beneficial in liver disorders, loss of weight and other physical disturbances.

The unripe mango protects men from the adverse effects of hot, scorching winds. A drink, prepared from the unripe mango by cooking it in hot ashes and mixing the pith with sugar and water, is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Eating raw mango with salt quenches thirst and prevents the excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive sweating.

Gastro-Intestinal Disorders

Unripe green mangoes are beneficial in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders. Eating one or two small tender mangoes in which the seed is not fully formed with salt and honey is found to be very effective medicine for summer diarrhea, dysentery, piles, morning sickness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion and constipation.

Bilious Disorders

Unripe mangoes are an excellent fruit remedy for bilious disorders. The acids contained in the green mango increase the secretion of bile and act as intestinal antiseptic. Therefore, eating green mango daily with honey and pepper cures biliousness, food putrefaction i.e. when bacteria; urticaria and jaundice decompose proteins. It tones up the liver and keeps it healthy.

Blood Disorders

The green mango is valuable in blood disorders because of its high vitamin C content. It increases the elasticity of the blood vessels and helps the formation of new blood cells. It aids the absorption of food,iron and prevents bleeding tendencies. It increases body resistance against tuberculosis, anemia, cholera and dysentery.

Ripe Mango

Night blindness

Ripe mangoes are highly beneficial in the treatment of night blindness in which one cannot see properly in dim light. This disease is caused by vitamin A deficiency. It is very common among children who are victim of malnutrition due to poverty. Liberal use of mangoes during the season will be very effective in such conditions. It will also prevent many other eye diseases that may ultimately cause total blindness. Eating mangoes liberally will also prevent development of refractive errors, drynessof the eyes, softening of the cornea, itching and burning in the eyes.

Common infections

All bacterial invasions are due to poor epithelium the tissue that covers the external surface of the body. Liberal use of mangoes during the season contributes towards formation of healthy epithelium, thereby preventing frequent attacks of common infections such as colds rhinitis and sinusitis. This is attributable to high concentration of vitamin A in mangoes.

To gain weight

The mango-milk cure is an ideal treatment for weight gaining. For this mode of treatment, ripe and sweet mangoes should always be selected. They should be taken thrice a day-morning, noon and evening. The mangoes should be taken first and then followed by milk. The mango is rich in sugar but deficient in protein. On the other hand, milk is rich in protein but deficient in sugar. The other makes up the deficiency of the one. Mango thus combines very well with milk and exclusive mango milk diet taken for at least one month, will lead to improvement in health, vigor and gain in weight. The quantity of milk and of the mangoes to be consumed in this mode of treatment should be carefully regulated according to the condition of the patient. For rapid gain in weight about 4 to 5 liters of milk should be consumed with 3 to 4 kg. of mangoes.

Banana

In the traditional medicine of India and the ancient Persia this golden fruit is regarded as nature's secret of perpetual youth. To this day, banana is known for promoting healthy digestion and creating a feeling of youthfulness. They help promote the retention of calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen - all of which then work to build sound and regenerated tissues Banana also contains invert sugar, which is an aid to youthful growth and metabolism.

Intestinal Disorder

The banana is used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and blandness. It is said to contain an unidentified compound called, perhaps jokingly, 'vitamin U (against ulcer). It is the only raw fruit, which can be eaten without distress in chronic ulcer cases. It neutralizes the over-acidity of the gastric juices and reduces the irritation of the ulcer by coating the lining of the stomach

Ripe bananas are highly beneficial in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, being bland, smooth, easily-digestible and slightly laxative and they relieve acute symptoms and promote the healing process.

Constipation and Diarrhea

Bananas are of great value both in constipation and diarrhea as they normalize colonic functions in the large intestine to absorb large amounts of water for proper bowel moments. Their usefulness in constipation is due to their richness in pectin, which is water-absorbent and this gives them a bulk producing ability. They also possess the ability to change the bacteria in the intestines-from the harmful type of bacilli to the beneficial acidophilus bacilli.

Dysentery

Mashed banana together with little salt is a very valuable remedy for dysentery. According to Dr. Kirticar, a combination of ripe plantain, tamarind and common salt is most effective in this disease. He claims to have cured several cases of both acute and chronic dysentery by this treatment.' Ripe bananas are also very useful in dysentery of children, but they should be thoroughly mashed and beaten to cream before use in these cases.

Arthritis and Gout

Bananas are useful in the treatment of arthritis and gout. A diet of bananas only for three or four days is advised in these conditions. The patient can be given to eat eight or nine bananas daily during this period and nothing else.

Anemia

Being high in iron content, bananas are beneficial in the treatment of anemia. They stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood.

Allergies

The fruit is very useful for those who are allergic to certain foods and who suffer in consequence from skin rashes or digestive disorders or asthma. Unlike other protein foods, many of which contain an amino-acid which these persons cannot tolerate and which causes allergy. Bananas contain only benign amino-acids which in most cases are not allergic. The fruit, however, does cause allergic reactions in certain sensitive persons and they should avoid it.

Kidney Disorders

Bananas are valuable in kidney disorder because of their low protein and salt content and high carbohydrate content. They are useful in uremia, a toxic condition of the blood due to kidney congestion and dysfunction. In such cases, a diet of bananas should only be taken for three to four days, consuming eight to nine bananas a day. This diet is suitable for all kidney troubles, including nephritis. ( Those who are suffering from kidney failure because of its high potassium content should not take the fruit.)

Tuberculosis

Bananas are considered useful in the treatment of tuberculosis; the juice of the plantain or the ordinary cooked bananas works miracles in the cure of tuberculosis.

Urinary Disorders

Juice from Banana stem is a well-known remedy for urinary disorders. It improves the functional efficiency of kidney and liver thereby alleviating the discomforts and diseased condition in them. It clears the excretion organs in the abdominal region of toxins and helps to eliminate them in the form of urine. It has been found to be of great help in the treatment for the removal of stones in the kidney, gall bladder, and prostate. It is advisable to mix this juice whenever possible with the juice of ash pumpkin.

Menstrual Disorders

Cooked banana flower eaten with curd is considered an effective medicine for menstrual disorders like painful menstruation and excessive bleeding. Banana flower helps increase progesterone hormone which reduces the bleeding.

Burns and Wounds

A plaster is prepared by beating a ripe banana into a fine paste. It can be spread over burns and wounds and supported by a cloth bandage. It gives immediate relief. The young tender leaves of banana tree form a cool dressing for inflammations and blisters.

Precautions

Banana, taken as a table fruit, must be thoroughly ripe as otherwise it cannot be digested in the small intestine- which then ferments in the large intestine, often causing wind. The raw bananas contain 20 to 25 per cent starch. But during the process of ripening, this starch is almost wholly converted with assimilable sugar.

Bananas should never be kept in a refrigerator as low temperature prevents their ripening. Those who are suffering from kidney failure because of its high potassium content should not take the fruit.

Improve your eyesight

If you spend a lot of time working with a computer, reading or watching TV you are most likely short sighted. This means that you are unable to see objects in the distance very clearly.

This occurs because for the majority of the day your eyes are focused on objects that are close to you, so in effect your eyes become "used" to seeing close objects. As a result the eyes becomes less able to see distant objects clearly.

Dr William Bates, a New York ophthalmologist practising at the beginning of the 20th century, attributed many eye problems to stress, tension and laziness and devised a series of eye exercises to improve eyesight without resorting to lenses or surgery.

Bates' exercises aim to 're-educate' the eye so that it adjusts its focus more efficiently - what he called 'central fixation.' The eye muscles need to be able to move freely in order to make the tiny adaptations necessary to centre on the object of your vision. But, according to Bates, many people habitually strain their eyes by keeping them in a fixed position, 'staring' at a whole scene rather than allowing constant movement. His exercises teach you to relax the eye muscles and optic nerve and use memory and imagination to improve co-ordination between the eyes and the brain.

Exercises that improve eyesight

'Palming.' To rest and relax your eyes, sit comfortably in front of a table, resting your elbows on a stack of cushions high enough to bring your palms easily to your eyes without stooping forward or looking up. Close your eyes and cover them with your cupped palms to exclude light, avoiding pressure on the sockets. Breathe slowly and evenly, relaxing and imagining deep blackness. Begin by doing this for 10 minutes, two or three times a day.

'Swinging.' Relax and keep the eyes mobile. Stand up and focus on a distant point, swaying gently from side to side. Repeat 100 times daily, blinking as you sway. Blinking cleans and lubricates the eyes, which is especially important if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer.

'Colour day.' You may be asked to have a 'colour day.' Choose a colour and look out for it throughout the day. When you see it, be aware of the colour rather than the form. For example, if it's a red truck, experience the shade of red, not the truck.

'Sunning' Try to do this once a day. It requires a sunny day, or a good desk lamp with an incandescent bulb. The exercise is simple. Close your eyes. Look directly at the sun through

your closed eyes. While facing the sun, slowly rotate your head from side to side as far as you can.

This gets the sunlight on the peripheral vision, and it helps bring more blood circulation to your neck. Do this for 3 to 5 minutes. It's amazing, even on a cold day, how warm the sun feels on your eyes.

Eye exercise tips

General tips when doing eye exercises Please take off your glasses or contact lenses, you will then feel more comfortable and relaxed.

When doing the exercises, intensely concentrate on your eyes. Feel them working and coming to life again!

Do them on a regular basis, e.g. ideally 3 times a day. The results will be better.

Home Remedies for Eyesight Weakness

Mix equal quantities of fenugreek seeds (methi dana) powder along with Shikakai powder for washing hair. Wash frequently.

Mix seeds of cardamom along with 1 tablespoon honey. Eat every day.

Drink carrot juice twice daily.

Boil 2 tablespoons fenugreek leaves along with ½ cup moong dal and 10 small onions and eat regularly.

Using drops of eyebright herb are also beneficial for the eye conditions.

Eating spinach will help in preventing various eye problems as it contains carotenoid.

Washing the eyes with cold water will give relief from strain and will soothe the eyes.

Mix one part of rose water and one part of lime juice and store in a bottle and use it as an eye drop. Intake of sufficient amounts of vitamin A is very necessary for healthy vision.

Eating spinach will help in preventing various eye problems as it contains carotenoid in very rich amount.

Using drops of eyebright herb are very beneficial for the eye conditions.

The consumption of good amount of vitamin C also lowers the chances of developing cataracts.

Make a mixture of 4-5 grams of alum powder and 30-35 grams of rose water. Put 2-3 drops of this mixture in each eye every night to get relief from eyestrain and also redness in the eyes.

Fill a green bottle with water and keep it in sunlight for one day, use this water to wash the eyes daily. This will help in myopia cure.

Grind almonds, fennel and sugar candy in equal amounts to form a paste and store it in a glass container. Chew 10 grams of this mixture daily at night with 250 grams of milk. This is the effective natural method in the treatment of myopia.

For improving eyesight massage the soles and toes of foot with mustard oil regularly.

For the prevention of cataract make a mixture of 10-12 grams of onion juice, 10 grams honey and 2 grams Borneo camphor. Store the mixture in a glass bottle and apply it every night to the eyes.

Mangoes are a very rich source of vitamin A and calcium too. During summers at least 100-150 grams of mangoes should be consumed daily.

Carrots and tomatoes should be consumed regularly for normal vision as they contain good amount of Vitamin A.

Castle Inn

Situated in the prime location on Diplomatic zone Castle Inn Restaurant offers a wide range of services and facilities for any occasion. Be it family dinning, or friends, any business party, workshop, seminar, or conference-Castle Inn just the Suitable food and atmosphere'. It's also provided audio-visual and other necessary equipments on a rental basis for business purpose; take care of the total event management. In its huge premise consisting two executive halls and an open lounge, it can accommodate about 250 people at a time.

The restaurant offers a wide variety of facilities to choose from. From it's and Indian platter, items like Paneer and chicken pakura, Chicken Tandori, Chicken Tikka Kabab and Dal Butter fry are especially popular among the dinner. Price range from about BDT 300 to 550 per dish, the Restaurant is also planning to start BBQ facilities in its open lounge (Roof Top) very soon.

In addition to our regular a-la-carte menu, Castle Inn serves a wide array of special set buffet menus, full service menus, cocktail menus and tea break/snacks menus for parties. In lunch or dinner these special menus are for a minimum of BOT 400 to a maximum BOT 1200 per person, depending on the choice of menu. While the tea break/snacks menu will range between BDT 125 to 200 per person. For those who find it a bit burdensome on their budgets, the Restaurant also offers take away and executive lunch menus at very reasonable prices, starting from BDT 225 to 450 per person.

5th Women Entrepreneur Trade Expo

Farizaa Sabreen

5th Women Entrepreneur Trade Expo 2008 (WETEX) goes on display this weekend at the National Shooting Federation, Gulshan-1 with visitors having the opportunity to see and buy some exquisite Asian products.

Honerable Adviser Mrs. Rasheda K. Chowdhury, while inaugurating the Women Entrepreneur Expo, hailed the roles of women in business and industries saying "Without improving the quality of our products it will not be possible to compete in global market."

She insisted on private entrepreneurs to come forward to develop and promote the promising handicraft sector. She also stressed the need for improving the standard of Bangladeshi handicraft products to get an aggressive access in the global market.

From last four years, this Expo becomes the biggest and most diverse fair in Bangladesh.

It's a time for both introducing the Asian women entrepreneurs and forming a bond of friendship with both the artisans and the works of those participating countries.

Dozens of women entrepreneurs is exhibiting a wide range of items, including fabrics, stitched/ unstitched, embroidered/ unembroidered ladies/ gents and children's clothes, shoes/ chappals/ khusas, bangles, mehandi, bags, runners, scarves, cushions, herbal cosmetics, home décor and bed linen products, carpets (small), aluminum utensils, handicrafts, fashion jewellery, sarees etc.

Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, Jobs Group Bangladesh, Women Entrepreneurs' Association Bangladesh as well as SME Foundation organizes this event from September 7th to 12th, 2008 from 10am to 8pm.

Various products prepared by Women entrepreneurs are on display during the exhibition. The expo is sponsored by Bank Al Falah Ltd.

The aim of the trade expo is to provide a wide variety of products manufactured by women entrepreneurs from various countries in the Asian region under one roof for the convenience of Eid shoppers and to promote networking amongst the participating women entrepreneurs from other Asian countries.

The Expo is an innovative and unique regional opportunity, because it will make visible the economic, social and environmental inputs that women entrepreneurs bring to their countries.

The organizers of the expo say there are iftar stalls throughout the event.

Women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China are participating in the expo through 73 stalls.

The price of ticket for visiting the Expo is Tk. 20 per person.

Beverages for Iftar

Grape juice

Ingredients

225 gram.Grapes green seedless

3 tb Castor ground sugar

1/2 ts. Pepper ground

1 ts Cumin seeds; roasted & ground

1/2 ts Salt

2 ts. Lemon juice

3 c. Water chilled

750 ml Mint fresh; few sprigs

Direction

Wash grapes and crush them thoroughly.

Pour in water. Mix well. Strain through a sieve.

Add all the seasonings. Mix well. Chill.

Serve garnished with mint leaves.

Badam Sherbet

Ingredients

250 grams blanched almonds.

2 and ½ bottles water.

2 and ½ kilo sugar.

20 cardamoms powdered.

1 tablespoon sandalwood powder.

2 fresh sweet smelling roses.

Silver warq.

Method

Put cardamoms, roses and sandalwood in a small piece of cloth and tie up into a bag. Place sugar and water in a pan, put in the spice bag and boil gently till the sugar dissolves. Add 2 tablespoons milk, remove the dirt as it raises to the surface. Grind the almonds to a paste after blanching them and add to the syrup when it begins to thicken. Boil for ten minutes. Cool and squeeze out the juices from the spice bag. Discard the spice bag. Strain through a muslin cloth, put in a sterilized bottle, add pieces of silver warq and close tightly.

Mixed Fruit Explosion Smoothie

Ingredients

1 large banana, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup peeled and diced mango

1/2 cup peeled and diced papaya

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3 ice cubes

Directions

1Combine all ingredients in blender and whip until smooth.

Banana Sherbet

Ingredients

½ dozen bananas

1 cup sugar

Juice of one orange

1/8 ounce vegetable gelatin

¾ cup water in which to dissolve the gelatin

1 egg white

Water to make one pint of the dissolved gelatin

Method

Prepare the gelatin by soaking it in three successive change of hot water, allowing it to stand about one-half hour in each.

Peel the bananas and rub them through a colander, and add the orange juice to them.

Boil the sugar in one-half cup of water to 240 degree F., or till it threads, then beat this sirup into the stiffly beaten egg white.

While the sugar is boiling, dissolve the gelatin, after being drained the last time, by boiling it in the one cup of water.

Strain and add to it sufficient water to make one pint, then stir it into the bananas and orange juice.

Lastly, fold in the egg white, into which the sirup was beaten.

Turn into the freezer can, and freeze.

This is very nice with strawberry sauce served over it, or with chopped nuts sprinkled over each helping.

Chocolate-Cinnamon Sherbet

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 pinches black pepper -- freshly ground

2 pinches nutmeg -- freshly ground

2 cups water

24 fluid ounces evaporated milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Direction

In a saucepan, mix the cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk in the water and bring to a boil, continuing to whisk to break up lumps and prevent burning. Lower heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar, is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the milk and vanilla; let cool. When the mixture reaches room temperature, place in ice-cream maker and freeze according to directions. If a firmer texture is desired, remove from freezer, place in a dish, cover and freeze longer.

Lemon And Mint Sherbet

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh mint leaves -- (about 20)

2 3/4 cups 1% or skim milk

3/4 cup sugar

3/4cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest -- freshly grated

Method

In a large saucepan, combine mint, milk, and sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large glass measuring cup or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight. ( The sherbet base will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Pour sherbet base into a food processor or blender and pulse briefly to chop mint. Add lemon juice and zest and pulse to blend. Transfer mixture to an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers' directions. (Alternatively, freeze mixture in a shallow, nonreactive metal pan until solid, about 6 hours. Break into chunks and pulse in food processor until smooth.) Serve immediately, or transfer to a chilled bowl and freeze for 1-2 hours for a firmer texture. ( The sherbet will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 days. Let soften in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before scooping.) Serving idea: Spoon sherbet into hollowed-out lemon halves.

Papaya Sherbet

Ingredients

3 ripe papayas -- (about 3 lbs.)

½ cup fresh lime juice -- (about 4 limes)

1 cup sugar

2 egg whites

Preparation

Cut papayas in half lengthwise and remove black seeds with a small spoon. Scoop out the flesh. Puree the papaya with the lime juice in a food processor or blender until smooth, 1 or 2 minutes. In a medium noncorrodible saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Add the papaya puree, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture into the chilled canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufactures directions, until partially frozen. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Once the sherbet is partially frozen, add the beaten egg whites. Complete the freezing process. Place the sherbet in the freezer and serve when ready.