BASIC FACTS ABOUT SNOW LEOPARDS - CENTRAL ASIA

The snow leopard, known for its beautiful, thick fur, has a white, yellowish or soft gray coat with ringed spots of black on brown. The markings help camouflage it from prey. With their thick coats, heavy fur-lined tails and paws covered with fur, snow leopards are perfectly adapted to the cold and dry habitats in which they live.

Diet

Snow leopards primarily hunt wild sheep and goats. Snow leopards are also known to eat smaller animals like rodents, hares and game birds.

Population

Did You Know?

Snow leopards have very large paws that act as snowshoes and keep them from sinking into the snow. Their paws are also completely fur-covered, protecting them from the cold.

Very rare in most of their range, an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards are left in the wild, with 600 - 700 in zoos around the world. Exact numbers in the wild have not been determined due to the snow leopard’s shy nature.

Range

Snow leopards are found at altitudes between 9,800 and 17,000 feet in the high, rugged mountains of Central Asia. Their range spans from Afghanistan to Kazakstan and Russia in the north to India and China in the east. China contains about 60% of snow leopard habitat. They have already disappeared from certain parts of Mongolia, which is part of their historic range. 

Behavior

Snow leopards prefer to inhabit steep cliff areas, rocky outcrops and ravines. Such habitats provide them with the camouflage they need to ambush unsuspecting prey. They stalk their prey and usually spring from a distance of 20 - 50 feet. Their long and powerful hind limbs help snow leopards leap up to 30 feet, which is six times their body length.

Did You Know?

Snow leopards have light green or gray eyes, unusual for big cats, who usually have yellow or gold eyes.

Mostly active at dawn and dusk, snow leopards are rarely seen in the wild. Unlike other big cats, snow leopards are unable to roar. Solitary in nature, they pair only during the breeding season.

Reproduction

Mating Season: Between January and mid-March.
Gestation: period 3-3 ½ months.
Litter size: 2-3 cubs.

Females give birth in rocky dens lined with their fur. The young follow their mother on hunts at three months and remain with her through their first winter.

Typical Guard in Jammu and Kashmir - Pakistan

Afghan Girl - The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. - Marcel Proust

Afghan Girl - The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. - Marcel Proust

Samosa Recipe-Traditional Potato Samosa Recipe-How to make Samosa

Making traditional samosa at home is not as difficult as we all think. If you follow the cooking instructions given below, you can make delicious samosas at home. Though I have used potato stuffing, you can add steamed vegetables like carrot, beans, peas along with potatoes and make vegetable samosa. I have already posted onion samosa, today we will see how to make the traditional samosa with potato filling.

Prep Time : 20 mins

 Cook Time : 30 mins
 Yields: 10-12 samosas
 Recipe Category: Snacks
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
 Author:Padhu SankarIngredients needed (for outer cover)
   All purpose flour/ maida - 1 cup
   Carom seeds/Ajwain/omam - 1/4 tsp (optional)
   Oil - 1 tbsp
   Salt - approx 1/2 tsp

 Ingredients for the potato filling
   Onion - 1
   Green chilli -1
   Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
   Potato - 3 medium size
   Coriander leaves - few (optional)

   Chilli powder -1 tsp
   Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
   Coriander powder -1 tsp
   Cumin powder -1/2 tsp
   Lemon juice to taste
 For the seasoning
   Oil - 1 tbsp
   Cumin seeds/jeera seeds -1 tsp

Method for preparing the outer cover

In a bowl mix together all purpose flour, salt and oil nicely with your finger tips.The flour should be well mixed with the oil. This is done to get crispy samosas.

Then add carom seeds, water little at a time and make a stiff dough.

Cover it with a damp cloth (to prevent it from drying) and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. In the meantime we will prepare the stuffing.

Preparation for stuffing
Pressure cook potatoes, peel the skin and cut it into cubes or mash it slightly.
Finely chop onions, ginger and green chilli.

Method

Heat oil in a kadai/pan, add jeera seeds, when it sizzles, add onions, ginger, green chillies and saute until onions turn transparent.

Then add coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and salt needed. Mix well, cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add cubed potatoes, coriander leaves and mix well. Switch off the flame.
Add few drops of lemon juice to taste. Now our potato stuffing is ready.

We will proceed to prepare the samosas -
What you need - oil for deep frying samosas

Make balls from the dough depending on the size of samosas needed. If you want a small samosa, make a small ball and a slightly bigger ball for a bigger samosa.

Now take a ball of dough and roll it out very thinly in an oval or round shape. You do not have to be too perfect. Cut it into half as shown in the picture below.

Now wet the straight side with little water using your finger tips.

Fold it in such a way that you get a cone (see picture below). First bring one edge to the center, then bring the other edge and place it overlapping the first. Now you will get a cone as shown below.

Fill the cone with potato stuffing. See to it that you fill even the tip of the cone.

Now wet the circumference of the cone with water using your finger tips for sticking.

Stick together and fold it. If there is excess length at the back, you can make a pleat (see first pic below) and then fold it to form a triangle. Make it sit and shape it nicely. You can make a design using a fork.(see picture below)

Wow!! Look at the triangular shaped samosa with potato filling inside sitting beautifully.

Now repeat the same process for the rest of the dough. All the samosas are sitting (pic below) waiting to be fried in oil.

Now heat oil in a kadai. To check if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of dough into the oil, if it raises to the surface immediately, then the oil is hot enough to fry the samosas.

Now reduce the flame to medium and maintain the same oil temperature throughout frying. Drop 2-3 samosas into the oil gently and fry both sides until golden brown.

Fry the rest of the samosas in the same way.

Now you can make lovely samosas just like you get in hotels and road side stalls at your home itself.

Serve Samosa with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Kabuli Pulao Recipe (Afghan rice and lamb pilaf)

This ethereal mixture of rice and lamb, redolent of sweet and warming spices, is the national dish of Afghanistan. Kabuli pulao takes its name from Kabul, the capital of that land-locked Central Asian nation.

Kabuli pulao is special occasion food in Afghanistan. "Pulao" is a type of rice dish made with a special, two-stepped cooking process for the rice that is unmatched in yielding separate, fluffy grains with excellent texture.

While each step in the recipe is not particularly difficult, the dish does require several steps to complete. First you simmer the meat, then you caramelize the carrots and parcook the rice. These steps can be completed ahead of time. Then you can just layer the three components together and finish the cooking on your stovetop.

Sometimes spelled qabuli palao or palaw.

8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

• Basmati rice -- 3 cups
• Oil -- 1/2 cup
• Stewing lamb or beef, cubed -- 2 pounds
• Onions, thinly sliced -- 2
• Garlic, minced -- 3 or 4
• Cinnamon -- 1 stick
• Cardamom pods -- 8 to 10
• Cumin seeds -- 2 teaspoons
• Whole cloves -- 6 to 8
• Stock or water -- 2 or 3 cups
• Salt and pepper -- to taste
• Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks or shredded -- 3
• Sugar -- 1/4 cup
• Raisins, soaked in water and drained -- 1/2 cup
• Ground cardamom -- 1 teaspoon
• Salt -- to taste
• Sliced almonds, toasted -- 1/2 cup
• Garam masala -- 2 teaspoons

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, wash and drain the rice in 2 or 3 changes of water. Add more water to cover and set the rice aside to soak for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium flame and, working in batches, brown the meat on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onions to the hot oil and sauté until cooked through and softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and whole spices and saute for another minute or so.
4. Return the meat to the pot and pour in the stock or water along with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender.
5. Strain the meat, onions and spices from the simmering broth and set aside, reserving the broth.
6. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a saute pan or large pot over medium flame. Add the carrots and saute for 1 to 2 minutes to soften. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook for 1 or 2 more minutes to lightly caramelize the sugar, taking care not to let it burn.
7. Remove from heat and carefully stir in 1 cup of the reserved broth. (Be careful. It may splatter a bit). Then stir in the raisins, cardamom and salt to taste and set aside.
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the soaked rice and stir it into the boiling water. Return to a boil and cook the rice for 3 or 4 minutes. Then drain the rice, discarding the water, and place it into a large bowl.
9. Lightly oil or grease the inside of an large ovenproof pot with a lid. Mix the remaining broth with the reserved rice. Spread half the rice smoothly over the bottom of the greased pot. Spread the reserved meat and onions evenly over the rice. Top the meat with the carrots and raisins. Finally, layer the remaining rice smoothly over the other ingredients in the pot.
10. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke four or five holes through to the bottom of the pot. These holes allow excess liquid to boil out of the rice so that it doesn't get soggy. Cover the top of the pot with a clean kitchen towel. This keeps condensed steam from dripping back onto the rice. Finally top the pot with a tight-fitting lid and fold the overhanging towel over the lid.
11. Set the pot over medium-high flame for 3 to 5 minutes. Next reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for another 10 minutes.
12. Gently stir the rice and meat together with a large fork. Mound the pulao on a large serving dish and garnish with the toasted almonds and a sprinkling of garam masala. Serve warm.

KABULI PULAO VARIATIONS

• Meats: Feel free to substitute stewing beef for the lamb. Or for a lighter dish, use cubed chicken breast or thigh meat. Chicken won't have to simmer as long to become tender.
• Dried Fruit: Use golden raisins (sultanas), a mix of golden and black raisins or some dried apricots.
• Nuts: Use pistachios or a mix of pistachios and almonds.
• Toasting the Nuts: Heat an ungreased saute pan or skillet over medium flame. Add the nuts, stirring occasionally until they are lightly browned and release their aroma. Remove immediately to a plate to avoid overbrowning and set aside to cool. You can also spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast in a 400° oven.