ParentsWorld January 2020

(4 servings) Ingredients  4-6 slices bread  1 tbsp olive oil  4 bacon slices  2 tsp butter  350 gm mushrooms  1 crushed garlic clove  4 tbsp fresh cream Preparation guide  Toast the bread lightly, set aside. Add olive oil in a large frying pan, and fry the bacon for 2 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.  Add butter followed by mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, and add the garlic and cream.  Cook for 3-5 minutes more until the mushrooms are soft and lightly coated in cream.  Scoop up a generous dollop and pile it on the slices of toast. Top with bacon and serve hot.

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(4 servings) Ingredients  1 tbsp oil  1 chopped onion  1 large potato, chopped into small chunks  1 large brinjal, trimmed and chopped into chunks  250 gm mushrooms  2-4 tbsp curry paste  150 ml vegetable stock  400 ml coconut milk  Chopped coriander Preparation guide  Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and potato. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until the potatoes soften.  Add the brinjal and mushrooms, and cook for few more minutes.  Stir in the curry paste and pour over the stock with coconut milk.  Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender.  Garnish with coriander and serve with rice or naan. Better raw or cooked? Excessive cooking of mushrooms breaks down their cell walls. A study from Spain has found that the healthiest way to cook mushrooms is to microwave or grill them.

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According to legend, the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt loved iron-rich mushrooms. This fats-free, protein-rich food offers numerous health and nutrition benefits. Here are three simple mushroom recipes children will love – Parvathy Menon Mushrooms boost vitamin D levels, metabolism and immunity, lower cholesterol, protect against cell and tissue damage and are rich in iron, calcium, and protein. In particular, white button mushrooms are one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin D. The high fibre content in mushrooms aids digestion and prevents constipation. They are also rich in antioxidants, including selenium, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant. Given its numerous health benefits, it’s no wonder that many cultures around the world prize mushrooms as superfoods. In ancient Egypt, the pharaohs declared the fungi a royal food and forbade common people from eating them. It is estimated that there are 2,000-plus edible varieties of mushroom, but only about 10 are grown commercially. Button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms are available in India. Mini creamy mushroom pies (6 servings) Ingredients  25 gm butter  1 tsp olive oil  1 small onion, sliced  1 crushed garlic clove  350 gm sliced mushrooms  100 ml cream  1 beaten egg Pastry (Knead 2 and 1/2 cups flour, two tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup cold water. To bake: Roll dough into 12 inches in diameter, transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, trim excess dough, and fill with pie weights (dried beans or dry rice and bake with the pie weights at 400°F for 15 minutes. Cool until you need to fill with mushroom). Preparation guide  Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry until soft.  Add garlic, mushrooms, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Stir in the cream. Remove from heat and cool.  Heat oven to 180°C-200°C.  Divide the mushroom mix between the pies. Brush the pastry edges with a little egg, top each with a pastry lid and carefully press the pastry edges together to seal.  Brush with the remaining egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.  Cool on a wire rack and keep in airtight containers for up to one day. Reheat before serving. Mushrooms on toast One-pot mushroom

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The inability to speak clearly and fluently severely affects the confidence and self-esteem of children diagnosed with stuttering – Rekha D. October 22 was observed as the International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) to raise public awareness about this speech disorder which afflicts 77 million people — approximately 1 percent of the world’s population. The American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) defines stuttering aka stammering as an interruption in the flow of speaking characterised by repetitions (sounds, syllables, words, phrases, for e.g: co-co-co-cookie), sound prolongations (for e.g, cooooooooooookie), blocks (for e.g, I want a …… cookie), interjections, and revisions, which may affect the flow and rhythm of speech. We all have times when we don’t speak smoothly. We may add “uh” or “you know” to what we say (for eg, “I um need to go home.”). Or, one may articulate a sound or word more than once (for e.g, He is-he is my uncle). These dysfluencies are normal if they occur every once in a while. But if they happen repeatedly, it’s likely that the person is stuttering. The inability to speak clearly and fluently severely affects the confidence and self-esteem of children and adults diagnosed with stuttering. Onset Stuttering is common among young children aged 2-6, as they learn to articulate. Young children may stutter when their speech and language capability is developing as they struggle to translate thoughts into words. But most children outgrow developmental stuttering. Typically, children above the age of six don’t stutter for more than six months. If stammering lasts longer, medical diagnosis and intervention is required. Stuttering can also occur during adolescence and right into adulthood. There is no specific cause of this speech disorder, but probable causes include family history, imitation of an adult who stammers, brain defect, among other disabilities. Early intervention by qualified speech-language pathologists is critical to enabling children to overcome stammering. Incoherent and confused communication apart, stuttering also results in young children suffering anxiety, fear, shame and guilt. Moreover a large majority of children and adolescents who stutter tend to become withdrawn and anti-social. Treatment With the aid and advice of a speech language pathologist (SLP), stuttering can be corrected at any age (earlier the better) with speech therapy. Dos and Don’ts for parents Here are some do’s and don’ts for parents, teachers and caregivers interacting with a child/adult who stutters: Don’t finish their sentences. As a parent, teacher or even listener, you might be tempted to finish their sentences with the good intention of helping them. But this does more harm than good. Resist the temptation to finish phrases and sentences of children who stammer. Don’t look distressed or avoid eye contact. When a person is experiencing difficulty finishing her sentence, avoid looking away. You need to continue paying attention and listening to what they say rather than how they say it. Don’t say ‘relax’ or ‘slow down’. Such advice is patronising, demeaning and damages self-confidence. Don’t speak deliberately too slow or fast. Talking naturally with children/adults who stutter promotes…

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