** Steamy business: An African spirit in Fort Kochi saves the puttu from crumbling

The technique of steaming rice flour shapes (idlis, puttu) arrived on India’s coastlines from East Asia, especially China, and was adapted to India’s non-sticky rice flours. As per local beliefs, puttu is offered to African slaves’ spirits in Fort Kochi somewhat like a ‘prasad’.

** New species of red algae seen in west, south east Indian coast

Two new species of seaweed have been discovered by a group of marine biologists from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. Named Hypnea indica (after India) and Hypnea bullata (because of the blisterlike marks on its body – bullate), the seaweeds are part of the genus Hypnea or red seaweeds.

** The story of two women, adopted by Dutch families, in search of their birth parents in India

Face on milk carton

Last year, Jyoti and Regina launched the Milk Box Project, an initiative aimed at creating a network of adoptees in the Netherlands, Indian families who fear their missing children have been adopted, and NGOs and people connected with the adoption process. The drive is named after the American practice in the 1980s in which advertisements were put on milk boxes about missing children.