Did you know???

February 24, 2004

Psst...yours name is my name

Many plants have a Roxberghii species like Pandanus roxberghii.
Actually Roxberhii was a biologist who came to India during the British Raj as some officer and named many plants, some of them ending with his own name.

And I thought the ICBN allowed the name of the discoverer to be written in Roman after the name of the species.
  Abhishek 2:58 PM || permenant curiosity || |

You can have more than one home

Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes Anthrax and was believed to strive on only mamalian tissue has also been found to survive on soil, reports researchers from Michigan Medical College.

It's okay to have more than one home, huh?
  Abhishek 2:24 PM || permenant curiosity || |

I just LOOOVE my roots

Plants of the Monotropa sp. is composed only of roots. It does not have a stem or anything. Its roots has got green pigment which performs photosynthesis and helps the plant to survive.

On the other hand Wolffia arhiza, an aquatic plant which is found floating in fresh water does not have roots at all. I guess it doesn't like its 'roots'.
  Abhishek 12:20 AM || permenant curiosity || |

February 23, 2004

How is Jahangir and the US army who fought in Iraq related?

A primary dish in the US and British army camp during the invasion of Iraq was was Biryani (the other being chowmein). The dish was prepared by mainly Indian cooks. And the person to bring this dish to India was Jahangir.
Jahangir (as you must be knowing) was the first Mughal ruler of India. He fed Biryani to his soldiers because it was very nutritous as it consisted all food groups.
Today Biryani is a yummy must-eat in almost all parts of India. Here's one of the many ways you can prepare Biryani.
Biryani

Ingredients:
4-5 lb chicken cut in small pieces or
3 LBs beef cut into 1-2 inch cubes
2 medium onions sliced thin
6 garlic cloves crushed
3" piece ginger ground
1/2 cup yogurt
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
10 green whole cardamom
6 black whole cardamom
2 Tablespoon black cumin seeds
10 cloves
2 Tablespoon black pepper
2-4 bay leaf
2 2" inch cinnamon stick
2 teaspoon coriander powder
3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
2 green chilies chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup oil
1 Tablespoon saffron, dissolved in cup hot milk
5 cups basmati rice
Method:
Heat oil in a big pot and add onions. Cook on medium-low heat until golden brown. Remove onions to plate and add chicken to pot, stirring until brown on all sides. Meanwhile, in blender add yogurt 1/2 of cooked onion, and garlic/ginger. Blend and add to the browned chicken. Also add tomatoes, 5 green cardamom, 3 black cardamom, 5 cloves 1 Tablespoon black pepper, 1 Tablespoon black cumin, 2 bay leaf, and 1 stick cinnamon. Add coriander powder and 1 Teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook for 1/2 hour on medium heat. Stir frequently. When water is dried up and chicken is tender add nutmeg and mace. Boil rice in 8 cups of water with 2 Teaspoon salt and the rest of the spices remaining. Cook approximately 10 minutes, drain the water leaving the whole spices with the rice. In a big oven resistant pot put 1/2 chicken on bottom and then 1/2 of rice. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice, 1/2 of the onion remaining, cilantro and the chilies. Repeat layering. Pour 1/4 cup oil on top along with the saffron/milk mixture. Place in pre-heated oven(350 degrees) with lid on for 1 hour. Serves 10.
  Abhishek 11:57 PM || permenant curiosity || |