Heat getting to your skin? Here are 3 natural ways to combat an oily complexion

Since summer is still in full swing, women with oily skin are plagued by different skin problems.

Even if you find using a moisturiser difficult in this heat, you cannot do away with moisturising entirely. Here are three simple, homemade face masks that help women with oily skin, and anyone else in the mood for some extra special (yet inexpensive) pampering.

1. Banana bliss

Method: Mash a medium ripe banana and apply it to your face and neck for 10 to 20 minutes; rinse off with cold water. Add a quarter cup of yoghurt for a natural bleaching effect and two tablespoons of honey (a natural humectant, it naturally attracts and retains moisture).

Benefits: Not only will this help moisturise, it will also leave your skin softer, brighter and plumper. Oh, and try not mistake your face mask for a smoothie!

2. Coconut craze

Method: If you use coconut oil for your hair, now is the time to give this amazing ingredient a makeover. Add half a cup of coconut oil to two cups of raw brown sugar, one cup of olive oil and one tablespoon of honey; pour the mixture into a wide-mouthed jar and keep it in the shower. Apply it all over your face and body and then rinse; you can use this up to three times a week.

Benefits: It's a perfect combo of exfoliation and moisturising.

3. Eggalicious

Method: For oily skin, separate the yolk from the white, and add lemon and honey to the white. Apply to the skin for 30 minutes and then rinse.

Benefits: Eggs are a super food in more ways than one. While many people use eggs to moisturise dry hair, they also have the same effect on the skin.

A word of caution: If you have acne prone or problem skin, please consult your dermatologist before using these remedies.

• First published in the Health Advertiser Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser

With message to Shiv Sena, Dunkin Donuts Pakistan extends olive branch to India

LAHORE: On October 16, news channels in Pakistan reported that the family of Karachi-based Inayat Ali was denied accommodation in the hotels of the Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai.

The family visited 40 hotels, but none of them welcomed them because the family did not possess the draconian Form C.

The news may have sparked suitable outrage among the public, but one man decided to take a stand.

Iqbal Latif, who runs 26 franchises of international food outlet Dunkin Donut in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, took a step to show how Pakistanis welcome their neighbours, which also emulates Gandhi's teachings.

In the next few hours, the food outlets had banners with an announcement offering free meals to any Indians visiting Pakistan on a short-term visa. The banner was inscribed with Indian and Pakistani flags as well. The offer went into effect from Friday last week.

“I felt bad when I saw this that family had to spend [a] part of [the] night [on a] footpath near a police station and another part at a pavement at the railway station,” shared Latif.

“It’s not a big deal, but an effort to invoke the teachings of Gandhi Ji who preached love and coexistence all his life,” Mr Latif told Dawn by phone from London. The response to Latif's initiative was overwhelmingly positive.

“We served 2,432 people in Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore. They all loved it,” Latif revealed.

Sales went up by 30 per cent since the day the offer went into effect.

On the first day of the offer, 17 meals were served to Indians in a Dunkin Donut outlet in the Diplomatic Enclave of Islamabad.

“This is the place where US State Secretary John Kerry took breakfast last year. But we feel great honour [in hosting our] Indian friends,” said Mr Latif.

Elsewhere in Lahore and Peshawar, no Indian visited to avail a free meal. “We’re waiting to treat Indians with a big heart and a big smile,” said Tehmina, who works at the Liberty Market outlet in Lahore. She shared that a couple of passersby glanced at the poster and waved a high five at the staff.

Mr Latif is elated by the response to the offer, and sees it as vital for promoting love among the people of Pakistan and India. He says he was slightly apprehensive about the reaction in Peshawar to the display of the Indian flag, but visitors and passersby waved at the staff, a sign of approval.

“Where is the hate and stone throwing of Shiv Sena? Only a degenerated mind does it. We need to tell Shiv to grow up. Love conquers all,” he added.

Though the Pakistani and Indian public are more willing to be friends, states and armies on either side don't see eye to eye and often hit the headlines for trading shells and accusations at borders and international forums.

On Saturday, intelligence reports were in the media that India intelligence RAW could target Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Jamaatud Dawa head Hafiz Saeed.

Earlier last week, former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri was the target of threats from hardliner Shiv Sena activists on October 12 in Mumbai ahead his book launch, while the host, Sudhera Kulkarni, was painted black.

And Shiv Sena hurled threats, which resulted in the cancellation of the planned performance of Ghazal legend Ghulam Ali in Mumbai on October 8.

Vajee Vee, an Indian commentator, says it is the scar that was left by "Kasab and ISI post-Mumbai serial blasts".

Latif, however, says his pro-peace and amity initiative has not met with any interference by any Pakistani intelligence agency.

“No ISI, no intelligence came to us to ask about the display of the Indian flag,” he said. He added that some of his friends in the army even called him to appreciate his gesture.

He says Pakistan has shown its love for Indians.

“Across the border, there is no hate. We all love India. 1.4 billion people love each other. We are only marginalised by a few hate mongers on both sides. I propose such initiatives on the people-to-people level [to] help make bridges,” he said, adding that both Pakistan and India are nuclear countries that cannot afford strained relations.

“I suggest that Indian food chains put this (offer) on display in India, and see if [their] business goes up or drops.”

Being a vegetarian in Pakistan

When I gave up meat, four years ago, my family and friends were convinced that I would revert to the oh-so-juicy goodness of animal protein the very next day.

But, as time passed and they realised that I was serious about it, the deliberations started, with an intent to bring me back to ‘sanity’. I was open to discussions, but I had given it a lot of thought over the years, so it wasn't something I was just going to snap out of. It wasn't a fad, it wasn't a phase, and it certainly wasn't a ploy to lose weight.

After a while, people close to me gave up on convincing me otherwise and started respecting my decision, even accommodating me with good vegetarian cuisine when possible. But, out in the larger society, the responses were varied and ranged from bemused to utterly shocked.

The social nuisance

When I go out to a dinner where people are not yet aware of my vegetarian diet, and decline the offer of a meat-based dish, people almost always respond with, “Take a little bit at least” or “At least give it a try”. Their first reaction is that I am a little snobbish about food, or that I have had some bad experiences with meat dishes and that their food would change my opinion, if only I tried.

After reiterating that I have given up meat and don't eat it at all, quite a few folks go on to suggest a chicken-based item. This, I guess, is because they assume I have been medically advised to give up red meat.

When I clarify again that I don't eat any kind of meat, most people just go blank. And I kid you not, some still counter-offer and ask if I would like to try some seafood instead?

Better yet, when there's some kind of a meat-curry, many suggest that the gravy should still be fair game.

It is only after they have exhausted all their efforts, do people dishearteningly allow me to feast on the usually lone vegetable dish they had not expected anyone to indulge in. Large public gatherings like wedding ceremonies are especially hard to negotiate because most of our society considers it below themselves to include any vegetarian dishes in the menu – "loag kya kahenge ke kitney cheap hain (people would think we are so poor)."

Once the matter of what I will eat is settled, they are suddenly hit with a pang of curiosity and start inquiring about the reason for my vegetarian diet. Most people automatically assume it to be a medical reason and ask only to validate their assertion. When I deny, their curiosity multiplies and they push further with a desire partially to inquire, and partially to convince me otherwise.

When I tell them that my personal moral compass does not allow me to, they feel it's their duty to reason with me. It isn't unusual for the discussion to turn into a heated argument, so I had to train myself to politely back out of it or steer the conversation to a different topic.

These discussions become extra sensitive when people bring religion into them or start throwing labels like 'ungrateful'.

---

After a few of these conversations, I realised that the issue makes people touchy and insecure because my defending a personal belief and choice makes them feel like their own beliefs are being threatened.

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I have learned my lesson though, and unless I am dead sure the person at the other end of the conversation is on the same wavelength as I am, I rarely encourage the discussion. On occasions when I was too tired to argue, I even lied, admitting to it being a medical reason.

I can't say people have been condescending or judgmental, but I can see the nods of disagreements almost everywhere the topic is discussed. In countries like the US where people are more used to vegetarians, I don’t raise many eyebrows (but they do get shocked sometimes when I reveal I am not an Indian and this is not a religious thing).

Is it easy being a vegetarian in Pakistan?

Even though it's more of a social nuisance to be a vegetarian in Pakistan, I prefer the food scene here because of the breadth of vegetables you can get and the delicious ways they are cooked. I can eat chapatti and sabzi every day. In both places though, if you are eating out, most of the non-meat choices are full of staples or grains and not exactly vegetables, which makes it a tad harder to eat healthy.

People often ask me if I still crave meat, and honestly, there are times when I crave meat, a lot. No matter how strong-willed you are, when the aroma of a well-cooked chicken tikka, badami qorma or a juicy mushroom swiss burger tantalises you, it's very hard to ignore.

But just like we control a lot of our other desires that contradict our ideologies, this one also becomes a hard-but-necessary act of self-restraint. The craving becomes much less frequent as time passes. There are some soy-based proteins available that taste just like meat but I usually avoid them because of the large amount of preservatives and artificial ingredients in them.

Another question I am always bombarded with is whether I would eat meat for my survival; for example, let's say I am trapped in a jungle and it is the only thing available to me. My answer is always a resounding "Yes". Just like everything else I choose, my choice of what to eat should also have a degree of flexibility. In fact, there have already been a couple of occasions when I was really hungry and not so well, and had to eat meat because nothing else was available.

Did I like doing that? No. But I understand the importance of eating meat over starving on these rare occasions.

Also read: Why is India called a vegetarian country when two-thirds of Indians eat meat?

I am usually also asked about how I feel or what difference it has made in my life. To be honest, it feels amazing. I don't feel heavy after a meal, I don't crash a few minutes after a meal, and yes, it did make a tremendous difference in turning me into a calmer person.

Moreover, if I keep a good vegetarian diet (lots of vegetables) as opposed to an unhealthy vegetarian diet (lots of grains/staples), I also get a large amount of really important micro-nutrients that help a human body in healing itself. I have, over these last few years, fallen less sick with day-to-day ailments than when I was not a vegetarian.

I should clarify that my purpose here is not to convince anybody to become a vegetarian. Eating meat or giving it up, are both completely personal choices that each of us should make independently. All I am saying is, I made mine and expect people to respect it.

‘Textbooks replete with biases’

ISLAMABAD: Academics and education researchers called for a non-biased curriculum on Friday.

Speaking at a session titled ‘Curriculum of Peace or Hate?’ during the Children’s Literature Festival on Friday, Amir Riaz, who researches in school curriculums and has authored a book on the matter, said there was much evidence of bias in textbooks.

He said: “For example, instances of bias against women: you will see pictures of boys flying kites or playing cricket while their sisters are making or serving food.”

Mr Riaz said this problem of bias against different groups was not just present in public curriculum, but was also scattered with examples in private school syllabus.

He thought there were several reasons for this and said privatisation was a big reason where “we think it is the only solution to every problem”.

“Textbook publishing houses have been privatised as well and they only publish books they think they will profit from,” he added.

The researcher blamed the concept of centralisation as well.

“Centralised government can only care so much about people participation. If you don’t include people in the decision-making process, things are going to go wrong.”

The author said we have to address these issues because we cannot set our children on the straight path if we don’t remove bias from textbooks.

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Researcher Amir Riaz says these issues need to be addressed

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Tahira Abdullah of the Pehli Kiran School agreed, and said our textbooks were very wrong. She said they did not show love, respect or plurality.

“Our curriculum and textbooks are very wrong. They do not show love, they do not show respect and they do not show plurality.”

She said the concept of us being divided as Shia, Sunni, Ahmedi, Christians and Hindus had to be removed.

“Let us instead include a concept of being human.”

Samina Imtiaz of the Peace, Education and Development Foundation helped along Ms Tahira’s point by talking of an incident in Peshawar University. Ms Imtiaz said during a visit of hers to the Peshawar University, an MA student, who was a Hindu, said that a fellow student had alleged in class that Hindus worship dengue mosquitoes.

The Hindu student then told Ms Imtiaz that a teacher joined in and agreed with the fellow student and commented, “What can one expect from people who worship a god with an elephant trunk.” The teacher and student were made to apologise but, Ms Imtiaz said: “The apology was offered because this happened in a sophisticated, formal institution. These sort of things happen every day in villages across the country.”

She said Islamiyat courses should be replaced with comparative religious studies.

“The word Islamiyat should not be used because we live in a country where people of different religions live together.”

Baela Raza of the Children’s Literary Festival said it was up to the students to make their voices heard.

“This situation about different types of bias in the curriculum has gotten too messy. Our curriculum is not what we want. Thinking about these changes makes your head hurt. Some policies have not been thought about at all and others have yet to be implemented. In the meanwhile, why don’t you, the children, raise your voice and tell policy-makers what you want?”

Samina Imtiaz, however, said the government did not have to do much other than read the reports already prepared and just make a decision.

In another session named ‘Article 25-A: Right to Education’ discussions about the right to education were discussed.

The Right to Education’s Syedul Hassan said Article 25 meant all children were entitled to free education but, “rights come with responsibilities. You have a responsibility to attend schools and do well”.

A debate about devising plans to get more children from low-income families into schools followed. The audience was asked what incentives should be offered to parents to let their child go to school instead of work.

Haroona Jatoi, a professor at Quaid-i-Azam University and an adviser to the government for education, said millions of children across the country had never seen the inside of a school and that it was imperative to get them into a classroom.

She said: “We need a mechanism to get 25-A to every corner of Pakistan.”

She said there was a huge gap between what the government said and what they did. The government had previously said all children between the ages of five and 16 will be going to schools by 2015, yet there are millions of children who have never set foot in a school before.

“It has been six years since devolution of power to the provinces has been announced for educational matters and they have not even drawn up their curriculum yet,” she said.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd , 2015

Food Stories: Bihari Kabab

Mazhur-ul-Haq is from Bihar, he came to Pakistan with my nani aged 10 during the great migration in 1947. Agha, as we lovingly call him, was hired to play with the children, he has a strong Bihari accent, but tragically does not know how to make Bihari kabab, all my teen years I assumed that the Bihari kababs we ate at my nani’s house were Agha’s genius cooking. They were actually from Café De Khan.

Hence this Eid, I decided to go down memory lane and make Agha’s (actually Café De Khan’s) Bihari kababs.

It is believed that the Turkish and Persian soldiers enjoyed grilling fresh meat on fire, while it hung wrapped around their swords. The meat chunks were cooked in animal fat and once ready, consumed immediately. The soldiers hunted for survival, while journeying land to land for conquests. The kabab is also mentioned in the Turkish language script of Qissa-e-Yousuf published in 1377.

Kabab, like most exotic South Asian foods, has a wonderful history. It has traveled far and wide through times and regions, evolving to suit the taste of the indigenous population and cities it passed through.

Playing tune to the taste of the local spices and cuisines, yet maintaining its distinct universal appeal through the times. Undoubtedly, today, it is the most recognised eastern food in the western part of the world.

Kababs have always been a rustic favourite; and while they were said to be a prominent part of the Moghul menu, the variation of the modern day Bihari Kabab is a purely Bihari and Bengali take on the meat.

And though the Bihari kabab is made with meat chunks like in the ancient times, it is nothing like the kababs that the Turks must have eaten. Instead it has upgraded to a delicious, melt-in-the mouth texture, infused with spices, yougurt and tenderising papaya. The word kabab is said to originate from the Arabic language, but the Persians, Turks and central Asians also lay claim to it. It literally means to fry, burn or cook on a skewer through grilling or open fire cooking.

The subcontinent hosts more than a dozen popular kabab recipes; shami, reshmi, dum, boti, seekh, chapli, galavati and tandoori, amongst many. However, the uniqueness of the Bihari kabab is in its texture, marinade and spice content.

The people of the subcontinent boast a diet rich in spice content, and traditionally cuisines across Pakistan and India include a wide range of kababs infused with garam masala, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, yogurt, black pepper, lemon juice, eggs, cornstarch, atta, coriander leaves, tomatoes and onions, unlike their middle eastern counter parts, which tend to be much milder.

Though cuisine from Bihar is traditionally vegetarian, the bihari kabab is a meat delight that has an infusion of mustard oil, largely used in India, and specifically Bengal and Bihar, and a liberal amount of masala. The use of kabab chini, poppy seeds, nutmeg, mace and papaya as meat tenderisers makes it remarkably tender. The secret ingredient is a generous addition of bihari kabab garam masala.

While writing this blog, and preparing the kababs, I was left with a generous portion of marinade, and needless to say it was too delightful to be thrown away, hence that’s when I noticed the recipe of ungushti on the overleaf of the recipe given to me by Shazli Auntie, who is authentically Bihari.

Ungushti is a delight that is made with leftover bihari kabab marinade mixed in with a generous helping of flour, and salt if needed, wrapped around the skewer tightly like grilling a seekh kabab.

Needless to say the kababs and ungushti both turned out fabulous. Here it is, a very happy Eid Mubarak from my kitchen to yours.

Ingredients

1 ½ kg. veal chunk/beef chunk, thinly sliced and pounded

¾ cup yogurt

6 tbsp. finely grated raw papaya with skin

¾ cups fried onions

4 tsp. freshly grated ginger

4 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. nutmeg powder

1 tsp. cinnamon powder

1 ½ tsp. cumin powder roasted

2 tsp. paprika powder

2 tsp. red chillie powder, or to taste

2 tsp. poppy seeds

4 tsp. bihari kabab garam masala

¾ cup mustard oil (optional)

Salt to taste

(Mix in food processor and marinade meat) 

Bihari Kabab Garam Masala

(Use coffee grinder to make powder, and store unused portion in tightly sealed jar for future use)

2 tsp. kabab chini

2 tsp. fennel

2 star anise

4 tsp. whole back peppercorns

2 cloves

½ nutmeg

1 tsp. mace

10 green cardamom

6 black cardamom

2 tbsp. coriander, whole

2 tbsp. cumin seeds

12 dried red chillie

Method 1

Marinate the meat for at least 24 hours, grill meat on skewers, set a coal to heat on the grill.

Drop oil on the coal and cover with metal lid (if available) to infuse meat with smoke from the coal. Remove once the meat is tender.

Method 2

Heat a large pan with a heavy base, pour a little oil and heat, set meat chunks on pan, cover and cook for 10-20 minutes, flip and cook for another 10-20 minutes.

Transfer into an oven safe pan, broil for 15 minutes to dry moisture.

Heat coal, sprinkle with oil and set in oven for a few minutes to infuse kababs with smoke from the coal.

Serve with imli chutney, sliced onions, paratha or naan.

U.S. tells China cyber espionage is more than an irritant, must stop

U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice issued a stern warning to China on Monday before President Xi Jinping's visit that state-sponsored cyber espionage must stop, calling it a national security concern and a critical factor in U.S.-China relations.

"This isn't a mild irritation, it's an economic and national security concern to the United States," Rice said during remarks at George Washington University.

"It puts enormous strain on our bilateral relationship, and it is a critical factor in determining the future trajectory of U.S.-China ties," she said.

President Barack Obama and Xi are expected to have an intense back-and-forth about the issue when the Chinese leader visits the White House this week.

"Cyber-enabled espionage that targets personal and corporate information for the economic gain of businesses undermines our long-term economic cooperation and it needs to stop," Rice said.

Xi said in a written interview with the Wall Street Journal China's government does not engage in the theft of commercial secrets and does not support Chinese companies that do so.

"Cyber theft of commercial secrets and hacking attacks against government networks are both illegal; such acts are criminal offences and should be punished according to law and relevant international conventions," Xi said.

"China and the United States share common concerns on cyber security. We are ready to strengthen cooperation with the U.S. side on this issue," he said.

Rice also said the United States would insist on maintaining freedom of navigation and commerce through busy sea lanes in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

Xi told the Wall Street Journal that China's development of facilities on the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea do not impact upon or target any other country, and "should not be overinterpreted".

Rice said Obama would be direct with Xi on those issues and disagreements over human rights at their meetings.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Paul Tait)

COKE STUDIO SEASON 8 EPISODE 5

Coke Studio released the 5th episode of Season 8 featuring ‘Hina Ki ‘Khushbu’ by Samra Khan & Asim Azhar, ‘Khalis Makhan’ by Bakshi Brothers, ‘Kinarey’ by Mekaal Hasan Band and ‘Rangeela’ by  Ali Azmat.

‘Hina Ki Khushbu’ emerges as an old school classic melody, which soon transforms into a new age mix of a lounge track in this duet. Originally sung by Noor Jehan, the tune serves to be a great intro for Samra Khan’s debut performance with her soulful voice. The house band fuel the emotions with Aahad’s unique rhythm corralling into Imran Akhoond’s ambient notes while Omran Shafique gracefully marks his presence with his muted guitars. Asim Azhar appears on the track with his signature high-energy vocals, slicing through words penned by him in this flamboyantly memorable single.

It’s only within the first few seconds of ‘Khalis Makhan’; the Bakshi Brothers comprising – Shahryar, Anjum, Aafi and Yawar – set a premise that flourishes amidst the mesmeric rendition of the folk tune. The song is built for the quartet, floating with ease through Babar Khanna’s rhythmic ‘ghara’, and the ambient sound of Sajid’s flute.

In an unabashedly nostalgic turn, the song soothes the senses as it builds up to Saeein Zahoor’s famed, ‘Peera Ho’, recreated by Khalid Anum in the 90s. As Arsalan Rabbani’s keen sensibility on the Harmonium serves as an envelope that holds the melody together, the track comes alive in this ‘Kinarey’ is an audibly purposeful return of Mekaal Hasan Band’s second appearance iat Coke Studio’s Season 8. A distinctive and instantly memorable Mekaal Hasan riff, Sharmistha Chatterjee’s iconic vocal range shines through with Ahsan Papu’s looping flute. Sheldon D’Silva provides ample groove on the bass while Gino Banks’ classic jazz-rock rhythm on the drums carries the audience.effortlessly swims through the ambient sound accompanied by the backing vocals, complemented by Sikandar Mufti’s delicacy on the chimes creating a low-toned soulful track with a signature MHB sound. Ali Azmat’s ‘Rangeela’ is packed with several layers of nostalgia – lyrics penned by Junoon-day companion Sabir Zafar, originally composed by Bilal Maqsood and armed with his distinct antics – the track is a testament to the old school pop/rock anthem of the bygone era. Omran Shafique with his blazing guitar strokes opens the track with Tanveer Tafu’s Mandolin filling the sound scape, as Ali Azmat sings his way into the song with a smoldering chorus. Aahad Nayani’s knocking drums add to the texture of this enchanting melody, making Ali Azmat’s third appearance on Coke Studio as rebellious as ever.