If you think that Diabetes only affects the obese and old, you are sadly mistaken. I was 36 years old, 63-65 kgs in weight when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I am from the Indian sub-continent and diabetes runs in my family and most of the males have got it at an early age. Going by that I knew that diabetes would be in my life as well.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are over 366 million people with diabetes around the world and over 50 million reside in India. Based on the circle of family, friends and colleagues, it appears to me that Indians have a higher risk of being diabetic, often at younger ages. 14th November is World Diabetes Day and I wanted to spread the word about the disease and help raise awareness. 

Its Diwali once again and our kitchen gets busier than usual with the preparation of snacks and sweets. We try and make at least 5 items every Diwali and it's a lot of fun. It helps bring in the energy and memories of being in India. This year, the first snack that we made was the Masala Puri. Masala Puri is a crispy and mildly spicy puri that is created by deep frying some dough.

Masala puri can be made in many different ways but the basic recipe is the same. Masala puri is made using wheat flour, turmeric and ajwain or cumin seeds. The dough is rolled into small balls, flattened using a rolling pin and deep fried in oil. Take a look at the pictures below to get an idea for the steps. 

You can find the recipe for Masala Puri in our recipes section.  Masala Puri is really easy to make and you should consider it on your Diwali snack list. You can get a pretty big batch done rather quickly. We were able to get a box of 50 puris completed in less than an hour. If you store them in a nice air tight container, they will stay nice and crisp for a few days. We had a lot of fun making them today and now the air is filled with smell of fresh crisp puris. Next on our list, some Besan Ladoos. 

The awards, now in their eighth year, have become the country’s main showcase for the £3.5bn a year curry industry. The winners of the British Curry Awards 2012 will be announced at the Battersea Evolution, London, on Monday 26th November at a black tie gala dinner. Be prepared to be amazed.

This year again the event will be packed with celebrities, MPs and high profiles guests amongst others and will be more spectacular and celebrating the industry’s involvement with the Olympics. The Awards dinner itself is the biggest event of the year in the hospitality industry calendar.

On a more positive note, the nomination process for the 2012 British Curry Awards is now open and anyone can put forward a restaurant for consideration. With around 10,000 restaurants, 80,000 employees and a turnover of £3.5 billion, the curry restaurant industry is not only an important part of the UK economy but also of its social fabric.

The Texas State Fair is an annual event held in Dallas during the Fall, usually held some time in September and October. The Texas State Fair is the largest state fair in the US with over 2 million attendees in2010. The fair has a number of things that people of all ages can do such as see new auto products, learn about wine, learn about farming, enjoy of few rides and of course sample some great food, not just anyfood but "Fried Food". One of the biggest things at the fair over the last few years has been the various types of fried foods. We had only heard about the various fried foods but were quite amazed to see thatthey fry anything. 

The fried food is available all over the place but if you want to sample something specific, you may have to figure out where exactly that is being sold. We took pictures of the food stands and came up with all thefried products we could find. Turns out, you can have a complete fried meal - from drinks to desserts. We found so many fried things but no Fried Rice. :-)

Warning - your cholesterol and blood sugar levels may go up just by reading the list below. 

 

• Diabetics - If you are a diabetic like me, or have family members who have diabetes, you know that diabetics have to control their portions. The buffet is not the right place for that. Its like taking an recovering alcoholic to a pub for a celebration. Most buffets are priced with the expectations that their patrons will probably eat at least 2-3 rounds. If you are a disciplined diabetic, you will probably eat much less than what you paid for.

• Individuals on a diet -  While you may not be diabetic, you may be pre-diabetic or on a weight loss program and again buffets are not the place to be. 

• Wastage of Food - Buffets encourage people to waste food. If you don't like it, ditch it (for fans of the movie Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron - "Thoda Khao, Thoda Phenko"). I have seen many plates go to the trash can with the food having been barely eaten. For a country with a high poverty level, its a criminal waste to throw away such food. 

Mate (pronounced Maa-tey) is a traditional South American infused drink that is very popular in Uruguay and neighboring countries, particularly in Argentina, Paraguay, southern states of Brazil, south of Chile and the Bolivian Chaco. During my stay in Uruguay, I have seen everyone drinking Mate. People have it at their homes, at the office and even walking around the city.

We are currently visiting Uruguay and will be sharing some of the popular recipes and dishes from this country. Uruguayan cuisine is traditionally based on its European roots, in particular, Mediterranean food from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, but also from countries such as Germany and Britain, along with African and indigenous mixtures. The first dish we are featuring is a local sandwich-like dish called the Chivito.  

As you can see in the picture, the Chivito consists primarily of a thin slice of filet mignon (churrasco beef), with mayonnaise, black or green olives, mozzarella, tomatoes and commonly also bacon, fried or hardboiled eggs and ham. It is served in a bun, often with a side of French fries. Other ingredients might be added into the sandwich such as red beets, peas, grilled or pan-fried red peppers and slices of cucumber.

The Chivito I had was made of chicken and had lettuce and peppers as well. The chicken and bacon seemed to be grilled with the egg making the flavors quite interesting. 

We have been asked the question, "What is Indian Food like?" many times and I have always struggled to answer this question because there is no easy answer. India is a vast and diverse country and each state is a country in itself in terms of its food, dress, language etc. You can eat Momo's from the North East, Sambhar in the South, Dhokla in the East and Dum Aloo in the North and they are all unique and fascinating.  The North has Mughal influences while the East has Chinese influences, all making for a great dining experience. With the recent economic growth in India, many of these dishes are now available in the big cities. However, its probably best to travel to the respective states to savour the real taste. 

We recently came across this India Food Map that lists some of the Must Try dishes in each of India's states and it answers tha question "What is Indian Food like?". Now I can send anyone who has this question to this map. Click on the Read More link below to see a larger image of the map.

According to the World Diabetes Foundation, India has the most diabetics in the world with roughly 50 million. The number is expected to grow to over 70 million by 2015. With the recent growth in the middle class wealth, there are certain elements and trends that I see that will make this situation even worse over the next few years.


Genetics - I cannot say this based on any proven scientific evidence but as I look around, I feel that there is something genetically different among Indians that make us prone to diabetes. Diabetes is normally associated with overweight and people who are closer to 50. However, I was 36 years old when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I am 5'11 and was about 63 kgs at the time. My father was the same age when he was diagnosed. I know a few others now who are young, not overweight and diabetic. Is there something genetically different among Indians, that makes more prone to diabetes?