Arzoo Online Magazine - Preserving Desi Culture

So What is Arzoo Mag?

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:01:40 +0000

Some people still fail to understand what Arzoo Mag is. Please also refer to the previous blog so you know what we’re not. Arzoo Mag is an online magazine. We publish articles on South Asian culture, fashion, weddings, bollywood, food, and more.

What can you do at ArzooMag.com? You can read articles and comment on them and enjoy browsing through some of our picture galleries. No you may not steal our articles and pictures. Using without permission is stealing.

What else can’t you do? You can’t order clothes and jewelry from us as mentioned previously. Arzoo Mag is very similar to any magazine you may pick up at a stand. One difference…we don’t have a print edition at this time. Please enjoy the free online version and happy reading

Buy From Arzoo Mag

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:53:00 +0000

Just to make things clear to our readers Arzoo Mag is an online magazine. We are not a catalog. We do not sell clothes or jewelry. The pictures of clothes and jewelry on our website are for viewing purposes only and you may not use them without our permission. We also do not sell any of those items.

Yes, at one point we decided to venture into selling some clothes from our website. However, we no longer do this. Due to high demand and several requests from our readers we agreed to sell saris and outfits on our site. Please note that we no longer do so. Please do not contact us by email or leave comments asking us the price of an outfit and how you can order it. We do NOT sell clothes. Thanks and sorry for any misunderstanding you may have had.

Summer Weddings

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:31:17 +0000

Since summer is almost “officially” over we’d like to know how a normal wedding-filled summer is for the average desi. How many weddings did you attend this summer? How many do you typically attend during the summer and during other times of the year? Most people of course attend the most weddings during the summer months since it remains the most popular time of the year to get married.

Some people love weddings while others despise them. Which one applies to you and why?

Eid Day of the Week

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:26:24 +0000

I am curious to know whether it makes a difference to you what day of the week Eid is on (or any other holiday for that matter but since Eid is around the corner I am more curious about it). Does it make a difference in how you celebrate Eid whether it is on a weekday or weekend? How does it make a difference, if so?

Are you more likely to celebrate Eid if it falls on the weekend? Or, do you still celebrate the same no matter what day it is? Do you always take off from school or work? If not, please share why. The information gathered may be used to create an upcoming article.

Please share: how do you celebrate Eid?

Online Eid Shopping

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:20:05 +0000

Eid shopping just isn’t the same if you do it online. I always prefer to go shopping in person for my Eid clothes. That, however, is not always possible for everyone. Depending on where you live you may or may not have access to Indian shops in your area. Even if you do they can often be of no use to you if they don’t have enough variety. You may not find your size or their selection might be outdated.

This is when resorting to online shopping can be a great solution, or not! Honestly, there are very few trusted sites out there. I’ve ordered from many of them. Sometimes you will get scammed. Other times you will have a great experience but when you order again they will try to take your money and you’ll never get the product. It can really be a hassle. It’s especially frustrating if you don’t get your outfit in time for Eid or the occasion you are ordering for! Then you have to deal with disputes, trying to get your money back, or trying to get them to ship you the item. Even if you do receive the item it may be messed up. Most of the time they won’t even take it back and if they do agree to they won’t pay for the return shipping even if it is their fault! So in the end, only shop online if you absolutely have no choice. If you’re sure about your size try to order readymade so you get the clothes faster. Be very careful so you’re not the victim of fraud!

Interracial Marriages

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:36:14 +0000

I recently read an article that said interracial marriages are becoming more and more common, especially in the United States. Interracial marriages are particularly growing and becoming more popular among Asians and South Asians in particular. Why do you think this is more common in South Asians than other groups? I am just curious.

[photo credit: sonathaker.wordpress.com]

Butter Chicken

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:19:40 +0000

Murgh makhani, more commonly referred to as butter chicken, is an Indian dish that has gained popularity all over the world, especially in restaurants. The dish can be traced back to Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant in Delhi. It was first introduced at a restaurant in New Delhi. It is important not to confuse Butter Chicken with Chicken Tikka Masala which actually originated in the U.K. Although there are a few variations of this dish, it usually consists of chicken cooked in butter with tomatoes and cream. Try the recipe below with naan or rice. It’s actually very easy to make!

Butter Chicken

1 inch piece ginger grated
2 large tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 chicken skinned and cut into 3″ pieces
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each: black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom
Melt the butter in saucepan. At the chicken pieces and saute few minutes. Add ground cumin and paprika and cook few seconds. Then add chopped tomatoes and ginger. Cook stirring until the tomatoes start to break down. Cover and cook on low till the tomatoes break down and are liquid. Add the heavy cream, salt, black pepper, clove, cinnamon, and cardamom powders. Keep on low till heated through. Don’t let it boil after you add the cream.

Poppadom Preach Book Review

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:58:36 +0000

If you’re looking for a book that you can’t put down then keep reading! Poppadom Preach, by Almas Khan, is a funny, entertaining, and very original novel. It’s a fun and easy read and can be finished in a weekend, leaving you wanting more.

The story focuses around a young girl of Pakistani origin named Dilly. It takes you through her early childhood till late teens as she is growing up in an extended family in Bradford with her four siblings, parents, and various interesting characters that include her relatives and neighbors. Poppadom Preach is a refreshing change from your typical immigrant story. On several occasions it makes you laugh as the characters are pure comedy.

Dilly is quite the character. She is a rebellious child who constantly misbehaves and gets into trouble. Her parents constantly complain that she has bad manners and fails to be a good Muslim and decent “Pakistani” girl. However, Dilly is British and as most children born to immigrant parents feels a little torn between her two worlds. She struggles to find her own right path and set herself apart as an individual.

Poppadom Preach is intended towards an adult audience due to some of the language used by the characters and their behaviors. Set in the 1970s, in a mostly Muslim neighborhood, it addresses many important issues such as racism, life in an extended family, and the burqa. Some of the major themes addressed in this book are domestic violence and abuse, immigrant life, and racism and bullying. It does a great job in portraying the way some of these issues persist throughout every day life for many and how difficult it can be to escape from them. All in all, the story is a great laugh and very amusing, yet pleasantly enjoyable.

It would be really nice to see Poppadom Preach turned into a film. It would make a great comedy that could be enjoyed by a wide array of audiences. As the book ends it leaves you hoping that the story of Dilly and her comical friends and family will continue another time!

[ Click here to buy this book from Amazon.com ]

Why is South Asian Makeup Different?

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:20:39 +0000

South Asian makeup, especially bridal makeup, is different because it needs to be in order to compete with the lavish clothes and jewelry. Brides often ask why they cant have a natural look on their wedding day as Western brides do. Well, you can but it’s tricky. The key element here is that you don’t want your outfit and accessories to empower you so that you’re almost unnoticeable. Simple makeup doesn’t go with an over the top outfit and heavy jewelry. However, your makeup doesn’t have to exactly match your outfit. In fact, it should match your skin and more so yourself, your personality, and who you are. Your wedding day is not the right time to try something new and over the top that you’ve never done before and wouldn’t even normally think of doing. It’s important that you feel comfortable in your makeup. After all, your husband is marrying you and not someone else so why do you need to look like something you’re not.

Doing Your Own Wedding Makeup

admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:32:44 +0000

If you’re thinking about doing your own wedding makeup I’m here to convince you otherwise! There are a many reasons a bride may choose to do her own makeup. South Asian bridal makeup can be expensive but it’s definitely worth paying a professional who does this job for a living than trying to figure it out for yourself. Even if you’re great at makeup it’s still not a good idea. Another reason a bride may want to do her own makeup is to achieve the look she wants. The modern South Asian bride does not want that old-fashioned plastered “whitey” look and prefers something more natural. The great thing about makeup artists these days is that they are willing to work with you. They are accustomed to working with other modern brides such as yourself and will work with you to achieve the look that you want. For this reason it is very important that you have a trial makeup session. At the trial you can bring in your outfit, dupatta, and any accessories to help your artist match your look so that everything comes together professionally and gracefully. In addition, you should also take any pictures with you of brides from magazines or printouts to show the artist exactly what you’re looking for. After all, it is your big day and there is no reason for you to fear that you will turn out looking like someone else. It’s very important that you choose the right makeup artist whom you feel comfortable with and is willing to work with you to create the perfect bridal look. Times have changed and there is no reason for a bride to have to settle. Don’t let a friend or aunty do your makeup either! They may know how to make you look good but not for the camera! I also advise against going to a makeup counter such as MAC. I know people who have had horrible experiences from there. It’s not that they don’t know how to do makeup but South Asian makeup, especially bridal, is very different. (I will talk more about that later). So start your hunt early. Even six months before the big day isn’t too soon. There are so many great artists out there who are willing to work with you at reasonable prices by offering you great packages that include makeup, hair, dupatta and jewelry setting, and even sari styling that you don’t need to stress yourself out on your wedding day. After all, you have so much more to worry about!