Spice up Pancake Day with curry pancakes this year

With it being Pancake Day tomorrow, why not spice things up a bit by giving it an Asian twist by trying out a curry pancake recipe?

Traditionally, pancakes are eaten with sugar, lemon or chocolate sauce on Pancake Day, but who says you have to stick to tradition? There’s some delicious Indian-inspired pancake recipes out there for you to try, so why not give them a go this Pancake Day!

The first recipe – Indian potato pancakes with curry-lime yoghurt – is perfect as a side dish or if you’re preparing dinner for a large number of people. It will make 24 pancakes that are packed with spices including turmeric and cumin. This is a great twist on the traditional Pancake Day pancake and is a relatively quick and easy recipe, so why not add it to your list of signature dishes?

The next recipe, called simply “Curry Pancakes” serves six people, and can be served on their own or with whatever toppings or fillings you fancy! Ordinary pancakes can taste a bit bland on their own, but these curry-flavoured pancakes are anything but bland! The recipe is really quick and easy, and you only need four ingredients. So you have no excuse not to make this delicious, savoury, Asian-inspired take on pancakes tomorrow!

Got leftover curry and don’t fancy curry and rice for dinner again tomorrow? Well, why not make it into a pancake for Pancake Day?! Chicken and coconut curry pancakes are a delicious way of incorporating curry and pancakes together to make a yummy dinner that serves four. This is slightly more complicated than the other curry recipes listed, but it’s well worth the extra time and effort!

This recipe works brilliantly as an appetiser, and is a really traditional Indian dish. Puda (aka Chilla in some parts of India) is a vegetarian savoury pancake dish made with chickpea flour and semolina. This is the perfect recipe if you really want to Indianise your pancakes tomorrow! In case you aren’t sure what “cilantro” is, it’s just another word for coriander!

Hopefully these recipes will provide you with plenty of Indian inspiration so you will have a flipping great Pancake Day!

 

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Talking Bunty releases on iTunes to rave reviews

The world’s first Indian talking phone app, Talking Bunty, has launched amid much frenzy as fans rush to download the app and try out its features for themselves. Talking Bunty is a revolutionary product in that it is the industry’s biggest Asian app and provides users with a quirky and fun service that promises to be entertaining for all.

Available on the iOS App store, Talking Bunty is an interactive app that allows users to generate speech in an Indian accent along with the ability to make Bunty, the character of the app, perform a variety of comical stunts. This new mobile application has been praised by users from the Asian community across the world for being the first app that is directly complimentary to their culture and roots.

Talking Bunty has been produced in partnership with The Sound Pipe Media and Midnight Apps and is available on the iOS platform to iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 users. The makers of this app have targeted markets in the UK, USA, Canada and India although they strongly believe that the app will find popularity amongst markets across the world.

Talking Bunty will soon be available to download from Android app stores.

The developers behind Talking Bunty have a string of successful apps to their name including Tumbi Nut and Dhol Nut both of which featured prominently in the paid-for music app charts in the UK and in India.

It is only a matter of time before Talking Bunty finds its place in the top ten paid-for music applications charts but in the meantime you can download and enjoy all that Talking Bunty has to offer from the iTunes store.

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New wedding car comparison website caters to Asian weddings

Asian weddings are gearing up for a year of celebration and festivities as the season of weddings kick off in 2013. Colourful sarees and lehengas, impressive wedding venues ranging from mandaps to gurdwaras, catching up with distant relatives and friends in an event that sprawls a few days – an Asian wedding is more than just tying the knot. Famous across the world for its attention to glamour, delicious food and opulence, Asian weddings require minute planning to achieve the successful day.

A big part of Asian weddings is the entrance in a grand wedding car adorned with fragrant flowers and colourful ribbons. Finding the wedding car may be a stressful process with the many choices for models, colours and deals available on the market today. However, there is  hope in sight with the launch of a website dedicated to finding the best deals on wedding cars!

Compareweddingcars.co.uk does exactly what it says on the tin; offering couples across the country access to a comprehensive wedding comparison service that allows them to fine-tune their wedding car choices and find the best fit for their big day.

With Compareweddingcars.co.uk, couples can choose from chauffeur-driven and self-drive wedding car hire to fit their budget and their wedding theme. The website has a specialised Asian wedding car hire service that factors in the details exclusive to Indian, Pakistani and other Asian weddings to find wedding cars that will complement and enhance the big day.

A recent customer of Compareweddingcars.co.uk said: “This service has been absolutely fabulous! We didn’t spend ages trying to find a wedding car thanks to Compare Wedding Cars. It’s a simple online process – we just typed in our preferences and had a list of suitable wedding cars to choose from displayed in front of us. The team are very friendly and aware of the nuances of Asian weddings which made the journey and the whole day more comfortable and enjoyable for both us and our guests.”

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Offlicence release ‘Style’ ft Panjabi MC and Trilla

A brand new single is doing the rounds of the bhangra music industry in the UK and it’s none other than the Offlicence release ‘Style’ ft Panjabi MC and Trilla! The British urban trio, comprising Punjabi singer Sunny J and rappers Lexeye and Projay, have captured the British Asian and British urban music scene with ‘Style’ which has witnessed phenomenal success among fans and critics alike.

Coming together on this single are some of music’s hottest names. From MOBO and MTV award winning DJ and producer Panjabi MC to grime star Trilla Jermaine Trilloski of 0121, Etap and G Star fame, ‘Style’ has captured the attention of music lovers for its catchy lyrics, punchy chorus and sleek music video. Adding to its credentials, international music artist Jazzy B has also co-signed ‘Style’.

The music video for ‘Style’ has been directed by Carly Cussen who has previously directed videos for international music stars like Tinie Tempah, Ed Sheeran and Sunday Girl. The video reflects the robust personality of the track and boasts martial arts tricks from the Shaolin Temple Academy alongside magicians, freestyle dancers and a range of high-end luxury cars.

Sunny J from Offlicence says: “The song is about expressing yourself through what you do best. Whether that’s sports, partying or how you dress, it’s whatever you enjoy or do. Style is limitless and has no boundaries.”

The trio rose to fame in 2010 with their chartbuster ‘Maar Glassi’ supported by the globally recognised Christian Audigier Wines. Following this, Offlicence released their 2011 single ‘Ghaint Patola’. ‘Ghaint Patola’ captured top spot on the World Music iTunes store (UK) chart and featured on second spot on the ‘Official Asian Download Chart’.

Buy ‘Style’ today from iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and all other major online music stores.

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First Indian talking phone app, Talking Bunty, ready for launch

The app world is in for an exotic treat! Talking Bunty, the industry’s biggest Asian app, is ready to make its big debut on the iOS App store amid excitement amongst fans and the media alike. Talking Bunty is a one-of-a-kind innovative and interactive mobile phone application that is already creating waves for being the world’s first Indian talking application on the App store.

Talking Bunty, in partnership with The Sound Pipe Media and Midnight Apps, will soon be available on the iOS platform to iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. Android models of this highly interactive and engaging app will soon be available for download on Android app stores.

With the Talking Bunty app, its developers and producers want to target the markets in the UK, USA, Canada and India. However, the makers of Talking Bunty are aware of the keen attention received by the app even before its release and expect Talking Bunty to fare well in other markets across the world. This latest viral application is another offering from the expert developers who have previously designed some of the app store’s biggest hits including Tumbi Nut and Dhol Nut. While Tumbi Nut raced to fourth position on the UK paid-for music applications, Dhol Nut featured in the top 3 list in India making the creators of Talking Bunty talented developers whose experience is bound to impact the viral nature of their new Indian speaking app.

The media attention received by Talking Bunty has been incredible with the app even being featured in a music video, ‘Bappu Ve’ by TajE & Bee2, that received over 500,000 views in the first two weeks of its launch. The app has also been publicised on several media outlets and is already creating hype amongst adults and teenagers alike.

For more details on Talking Bunty, follow it on Facebook and Twitter. You can also log on to its website, http://talkingbunty.com/, for more details.

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Honey Singh says, “Don’t use me as an excuse”

Honey Singh, one of bhangra music’s most iconic stars, has spoken out against the recent uproar caused over offensive lyrics of some of his songs that led to a scheduled show being cancelled in Gurgaon in the aftermath of the brutal gang rape that took place in India’s capital city, Delhi.

The Punjabi rapper was forced to cancel his New Year’s Eve show scheduled in Gurgaon following public outrage over certain lyrics to his songs that have been termed offensive towards women. With an online campaign underway against the rapper, activists have also lodged an FIR against him in Lucknow on Monday.

The Delhi gang rape that led to the death of the 23-year-old victim has raised the issue of increasing violence against women in this South Asian country and placed India in the international spotlight. Responding to the allegations, Honey Singh said: “Before you blame me, blame the government for not taking action against the rapists in the first place! Don’t use me as an excuse.

“#HoneySinghIsInnocent – trend if you’re with me! I’ve admitted that my past was a wrong choice, but now I deliver completely different music.”

Mr Singh’s manager, Anup Kumar, has denied claims that the Gurgaon show was cancelled due to the outrage caused over the singer’s offensive lyrics and instead stated that the cancellation was an act of solidarity for the Delhi gang rape victim.

He told Indian news agency PTI: “We did not cancel the show because of this petition and FIR. We cancelled it in the wake of Delhi gang rape issue. This is not the first concert we are cancelling in Delhi after that horrific incident. We had also cancelled our much publicised December 25 event.”

However, the hotel itself has refuted such claims. The Bristol Hotel in Gurgaon where Mr Singh’s show was scheduled to be held has maintained that the event was cancelled due to the mounting agitation over the star’s offensive lyrics. The hotel has also stated that the cancellation was a decision by the management and not by Mr Singh.

Mr Singh has released a public notice that claims that he is not the author of the lyrics and has threatened legal action against media outlets playing the videos/songs: “Honey Singh wishes to clarify through this notice that he has no connection whatsoever with the said songs. My client has already written to various digital platforms to immediately take down the video/songs and is also considering appropriate legal action for defamation, loss of reputation and violation of privacy”.

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RDB ‘We Doin’ It Big’ crosses 2 million YouTube views

The latest offering by international bhangra group RDB, ‘We Doin’ It Big’, has been a roaring success with the music video recording over two million views on YouTube since its release earlier in November. The track debuted on top spot on the official Asian Download Charts and been recognised by fans and critics alike for its energetic beats and soulful lyrics.

‘We Doin’ It Big’ brings together some of the industry’s biggest names in a collaboration that can only be termed as massive. Featuring 34 artists representing the Asian music scene, ‘We Doin’ It Big’ features Juggy D, Apache Indian, Jazzy B, Punjabi MC and many more. The track also brings together Smooth and Raftar and has been conceptualised as a tribute for RDB member Kuly Ral who succumbed to cancer earlier this year.

Fellow RDB member Surj says: “The video was shot is in memory of my brother Kuly, who died of brain tumour this year. All the artistes involved very readily stepped up to perform as a tribute act to him.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1OPOGA03Fo&feature=share&list=UUTXzemD6vFHKqkGshIey_Fg

Talking about Kuly, Surj reminisces: “He was my big brother, always emitting a positive vibe wherever he went. But Manj and I have decided to look at RDB future as a positive chapter, and taking the legacy that Kuly had created into a bigger dream.

“I wouldn’t wish this dreaded disease on anyone, and I won’t deny that we haven’t been personally affected, not hearing his voice, not seeing him in the recording studio. But we are motivated to keep his name alive with our fans and RDB is working hard to live up to Kuly.”

Here’s to the track that’s getting bigger each day! RDB’s ‘We Doin’ It Big’ can be downloaded from the iTunes store.

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Meet The Chaudhry’s – Britain’s first animated sitcom based on an Indian family

The Indian society in the UK is eagerly awaiting its latest addition! Get ready to meet a quirky Indian family unlike any other – and grab a peek at ‘The Chaudhry’s’ coming soon to your TV screens. Randeva Productions have launched their trailer for the highly-anticipated British animated sitcom ‘The Chaudhry’s’ that brings to life a unique multicultural family in the heart of London in one hilarious rollercoaster of a ride!

‘The Chaudhry’s’ is a home-grown British animated situational comedy that draws on the elements of everyday British life, antics and humour to create an explosive package of rib-tickling gags and laughs. The show chronicles the antics of the Chaudhury family – some of whom are still trying to get to grips with the British culture, some are trying to relive their youth in the different culture, while there are yet some who are so distant from Indian culture that it creates a host of awkward situations. The family includes a drunken parrot who is mostly cheeky, wholly offensive and usually up to mischief.

‘The Chaudhury’s’ is an amusing reflection on multicultural Britain. Randeva Productions have deftly incorporated all elements of British life encountered by immigrant families such as the integration into British life, and the acceptance of British culture vis-à-vis traditional and conservative Indian values.

Randeva Productions have drawn on classic TV animated sitcoms for inspiration when creating ‘The Chaudhry’s’ such as ‘The Simpsons’, ‘American Dad’, ‘South Park’, ‘Family Guy’ and British offerings like ‘The Inbetweeners’, ‘Only Fools and Horses’, ‘Goodness Gracious Me’, ‘Father Ted’, ‘Black Adder’ and ‘Monkey Dust’.

‘The Chaudhry’s’ have already created a buzz among fans of animated adult comedies and the industry  in general who are looking forward to the unique show that is one-of-a-kind not just for being a British home-grown animated TV show but also because it focuses on the antics of an Indian family for the very first time.

Watch this space for more information on ‘The Chaudhry’s’!  You can also follow ‘The Chaudhry’s’ on Facebook and Twitter.

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Kudos Music launches stylish new website

Leading wedding entertainment and event services company Kudos Music have launched their brand new website, www.kudosmusic.co.uk. Kudos Music, who are a leading name in the wedding planning, entertainment hire and event management industry, have been recognised as one of the country’s finest suppliers of high quality products and services.

The new Kudos Music website reflects a strong black theme and sports a contemporary design. It has integrated a chic and fresh approach boasting a clean, modern feel based on contrast and minimalism. The new website is easier to navigate and efficiently categorised in order to help the user reach the required information in the quickest and most visual manner possible.

The website has now been categorised into eight key sections and includes News, Services, Our Team, Galleries, Entertainment, Packages, Venues and Contact. With its sleek and stylish design, the new Kudos Music website is bigger and better than ever before!

Kudos Music is one of the UK’s leading event and wedding organisers proving parties and corporate events access to theme and event management services at some of the country’s most competitive prices. The company is well-known for its exceptional services and attention to detail that adds a touch of class to any event.

As a wedding supplier, Kudos Music has been recognised for their creativity and bespoke packages that help couples stand out on their big day. With years of experience in the event industry, Kudos Music have established themselves as the leading designer brand in Indian and Asian wedding themes while also maintaining a strong reputation in corporate event management.

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British Curry Awards 2012 winners announced

The UK’s “Curry Oscars” have crowned this year’s curry kings and queens as the British Curry Awards celebrated the best of Indian cuisine talent in a glittering ceremony at the Battersea Evolution last evening. The prestigious event, that awards top honours to all those who have made the curry industry proud, was co-hosted by BBC presenter Jenny Bond and celebrity impersonator Rory Bremner.

The winners were judged on several aspects including menu choice, wine list, exterior and interior decor and plate presentation. With over 270,000 nominations from diners around the country, the 2012 British Curry Awards was hotly anticipated and culminated in a glamorous finale to the countdown of the year!

The event was attended by Prime Minister David Cameron who said: “It’s often said that curry is Britain’s national dish and it’s easy to see why. It’s not just the flavour served up in the thousands of the curry restaurants across the country, it is the welcome too. Those who work in the curry industry enliven Britain’s high streets, boost local economies and contribute to local communities.”

 

The Winners

§  Best Delivery Restaurant/Take-away by Justeat.com – MUSHTAQS (Hamilton, Lanarkshire)

§  Best Restaurant Scotland - TAJ INDIAN (Prestwick)

§  Best Restaurant North East - AAGRAH (Leeds)

§  Best Spice Restaurant North West - INDIAN OCEAN (Ashton-u-Lyne)

§  Best Spice Restaurant Midlands – ITIHAAS (Birmingham)

§  Best Newcomer Restaurant Midlands - FIVE RIVERS A LA CARTE (Walsall)

§  Best Restaurant Wales - RASOI INDIAN KITCHEN (Swansea)

§  Best Restaurant South East - HAWELI INDIAN RESTAURANT (Twyford, Berkshire)

§  Best Newcomer Restaurant South East - SHAMPAN 4 – THE SPINNING WHEEL (Westerham, Kent)

§  Best Restaurant South West - SPICE LODGE (Cheltenham)

§  Best Restaurant South West - THE MINT ROOM (Yeovil, Somerset)

§  Best Restaurant Central London & City - BOMBAY PALACE (Paddington)

§  Best Newcomer Restaurant Central London & City – CHAKRA (Notting Hill)

§  Best Restaurant London Suburbs - CHAK 89 (Surrey)

§  Best in Casual Dining  - THE CHILLI PICKLE (Brighton, East Sussex)

§  Special Inspiration Award - Dipna Anand of Brilliant Restaurant - Female Chef

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