South Thindies

and a weekend all about Chimi.

Address: South Cross Road, Near Krishna Rao Park, Basavanagudi, Bangalore.

Whenever we took Chimi to the Vet we passed the South Thindies. A very busy place especially we noticed that at 7 am in the morning they had roaring business going. My Dad wondered that it must be really something to go there for breakfast and be in a crowd. I always run away from crowds so breakfast at South Thindies never happened.

Yesterday was different, we were on our way to the Vet again as Chimi had to see Dr. Yatiraj, she is completing 11-12 months. It was time for deworming. My driver came on time and shook me out my weekend siesta so we went without tea. As we drove by the shiny facade of South Thindies looked welcoming in the evening sun. There was a crowd as usual but we decided to check it out anyways. It was good we stopped over. They dispose the customers quickly at the billing counter I noticed.

This is a self service restaurant with high counter tables to rest your plate on. When it is about food I like the restaurants that have service and love the ones with unhurried service. This is because in Bangalore we have the luxury of such restaurants. Having lived in Mumbai most part of the life this is what I hate, having to stand and gulp food and rush out. I noticed they have take aways. Next time it will be that.

As I went to the counter I notice a board with the day's special. We were not in the mood for heavy Thindis (snacks) so turned towards the kitchen, saw masala vade and bondas looking fresh and not so oily. I bought the coupons for Masala vade for me and Kesari bhat for Dad and 2 filter coffees. They serve half glasses here, a trade mark, yet enough for a evening wash down after the snacks. For the driver we bought Mangalore bun.

In a jiffy we picked our plates and the Mangalore bun was promptly warmed and packed with chutney. As they were packing I took permission for taking shots and they happily allowed, they have a spanking clean kitchen, open for all to see.

What I loved about the place is its cleanliness, the bright lights (he he, in such places I like them) and quick disposal of customers.

The Masala vade were crunchy on the outside and crumbly inside and accompanying chutney was good. The Kesari Bhaat oozed ghee but I like the Kesari bhaat I make with milk added so this did not stand up to my taste even though it was good by restaurant standards. My Dad liked it. The driver liked the Mangalore bun with chutney too. The Coffee was frothy and not too bitter, just the right taste for a Non South Indian in Bangalore, Bangaloreans like their filter coffee realy bitter.

So that was Saturday evening for you. Today we, that's me and Chimi spent the day at Sulekha's. It was Chimi's date with the handsome Oscar. Both the Mamas were excited initially but it turned the other way round. We had to keep them in two different rooms to make sure there was peace in the house towards the end of the day! Meanwhile Jayashree called and I was discussing it with her. She assured me that they need to get to know each other more. It did not matter that My Chimi is a Mongrel and Oscar is a Golden Spaniel.

Sharing here the joy of watching them together even though we wanted to see filmy love :) and nothing really happened. May be another date.

Crackling Spinach

Crackling Spinach is a spunky name for a dish I thought the first time I spotted it on the menu of Mainland China. Then when I ordered it I was impressed that the spunk did not end just at the name. It was a spectacular taste for a simple preparation of spinach if you consider deep frying as a simple technique in culinary science and how only a few ingredients can make a recipe so exciting.

When I was narrating to Sulekha about it, she gasped, "Deep fried!" Come on give me a break. We all love deep fried stuff once in a while. Good friend Sulekha will forgive me for making it the second time round however this time for Dad that too within a week!

I know am tempting you too much. So get ready to make it with me.

You will need...

Ingredients

spinach leaves
(1 bowl fried spinach)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Oil to fry

First wash and drain spinach on a mesh.
Pat dry the leaves. Tear them up into small bits. In a mesh/ strainer fry them in hot oil. It should turn the leaves crisp. Test the degree of crispness by removing some on a paper and try to crumble, if you are able to then that's right, if not they fry a little more. This will save from the trouble of collecting the fried spinach and also will fry it evenly. Drain it on a mesh. Then transfer it onto an absorbent paper or kitchen napkin to remove as much as oil as possible.

Now in a non stick pan toast the sesame seeds till aromatic. Add the fried spinach to it and toss. Now add the sugar and salt and toss again to homogenize the taste.

I would recommend the use of powdered sugar. Next time I will use it. It is easier to sprinkle it and mix it. Also powder sugar will mask the oily spinach.

At Mainland China they serve it in a fried pastry basket but I served it in small Chinese bowls. Also I did not crumble the fried spinach leaves, that's what they do at the restaurant. Yes presentation is key to success but I guess I still need more perfection in draining all the oil first. The tip of using powder sugar is also what will help me in the future. Will update here when I do it but I am not making it so soon.

Give it a try. I think you will adore this one.

It is easy to make and will be definite a hit at any party. This is a one helluva starter.

Mainland China's Awesome Oriental Flavors

And Meeting A Friend After 15yrs.

It was a Thu evening, I got a message from my schoolmate, Shalaka suggesting a dine out. I was thrilled. Memories came back flashing. The last time I met her was on the Kalina Campus, Mumbai University while both of us were doing our post grads way back in the early nineties.

After a long silence that life brings in when we chase other things, we got back in touch through the social media. It is such a phenomena, last year most of my classmates met online and all the time gone by melted away the distance. We were clued in on everyone's life and happenings. Sharing our happiness and sadness. It was now time to meet up in person and they did in Dec. I missed it, got cursed for not attending. So this was my chance to meet up a classmate after ages.

We met at at MG road and decide to go Mainland China which is on Church Street. I always loved Mainland China. The Saki Naka location was a favorite place for lunch with clients in my younger days. We agreed food was only a "Bahana" but it had to be good for the two foodies.

Well once we were in the cozy first floor of the restaurant we settled in a corner. Shalaka filled me in on the Dec lunch out with classmates slowly moving towards family and kids. We exchanged notes, I got a lot of good advice from her.

We instructed the hotel staff to give us time and not to disturb us. So while we munched on the Khimchi and the salads we ordered the soups. Sweetcorn for her and hot and sour for me. I was so excited that it was after a long time food was not the focus for me that evening. I barely had 1/4 of the soup. Shalaka loves Crackling Spinach and so do I. As the plate was brought I loved the little pastry basket filled with the crumbled deep fried spinach speckled with white sesame seeds. It was superlative. You have never tasted spinach tasting so good. The sweet, salty spinach crumbling in the mouth is a must at Mainland China. The main course was American Chopsuey. The balanced flavors sweet, tangy, saucy with fried noodles was enjoyed with loads of veggies in it.

Lastly it was time for dessert, she is not a dessert person I found out. Yet she made sure I had my favorite Fried honey noodles with almond flakes accompanied with vanilla icecream.

As we wiped off our dessert got a call from home. I looked at the watch it was 11 pm. Saw her off at the hotel wished good night and warned her from staying on the net too long. It was late already and returned home at around 12pm. It was a first since I came to Blr.

As always the service was good at the restaurant. The staff is courteous yet non interfering.

The restaurant had low lights and I was not carrying my digicam so avoided taking pictures of the food on the cell. May be another time. Yes but for memories sake we took pictures of both of us under the streetlights to share our excitement with our friends.

Veg Biryani, No Onion No Garlic

Most times people associate Biryani with that flavor called "VashaT" in Marathi. To prove them wrong I made this Veg Biryani. No onion, No garlic!

It is a veg biryani made from pantry staples. It is quite quick to make. Unlike my healthy low oil style of cooking this one is about lot of fried veggies.

Ingredients

1.5 cups Basmati Rice
1/ cup cauliflower
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup diced paneer
2 small potatoes
1.5 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 handful of cashew nuts
1 handful of golden raisins
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup curd
salt to taste

Wash Basmati rice and clean. Cook it with 2.5 cups water in a pressure cooker. Allow a single whistle. Put off heat. Once it is cooled open the cooker and remove the cooked rice on a tray. Let is cool further and then fluff it up with a fork. This should be done with a light hand to avoid breaking the long grains of rice.

Then in a wok heat oil. Fry the cauliflower till golden remove in a plate. Then cut the washed potatoes into wedges. Fry them till golden. Keep aside. Now it is the peas, fry till the green color intensifies. Add the cashews and raisins. Mix in the garam masala and the red chili powder. Cook for 5 mins. Now add the diced paneer. Cook another 5 mins till masala coats the paneer. Now mix in the fried potatoes and cauliflower. Lastly add the curd and salt and cook for another 5 mins. You will see the oil separates at this point. Put off the heat.

Finally to plate the Veg Biryani, layer out the cooked Basmati rice on a serving tray. Follow in by a layer of the Curried vegetables. On top another layer of rice and now the fourth one is again a vegetable layer.

This vegetable biryani tastes spicy without even a remote reference to "VashaT". Actually this could be called a Jain style cooking.

Mixing the curried vegetables into the rice delicately the wafts of basmati makes makes the bowl inviting. The cashews lend the nutty and raisins a sweet note to the rice.

Bal do try it. I have avoided whole spices in this one and used garam masala so cooking is a breeze for you.

Weekend dinner: Veg Biryani with Potato papads and Mango milkshake

Penne In Arrabiata

Penne in Arrabiata and Knorr's Vegetable Hara Bhara soup

We are not a Pasta loving family. Pasta is made on days we want a change without much fanfare. Penne Arrabiata is the most dependable recipe. Nothing goes wrong with this one. Posting it for Hrushi who is caught in the harsh winter in England.

This is simple to make. A fool proof recipe just right for a bachelor.

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked Penne pasta
4 large tomatoes
4 onions
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried Basil or fresh as much as you like
salt to taste
3 teaspoons Olive oil
and
cheese (I used cheddar)

First cook the Pasta al dente (slightly undercooked) or phaphadit as we say in Marathi. You will need to cook the pasta in about four cups of water. Once the pasta is plump drain the extra water. Add cold water and drain it again. Leave just a little bit of water in it at the bottom so it does not stick to the vessel.

Now get to making the sauce. Start by cutting the onions. Fry them till translucent in the Olive oil. Cut up the tomatoes in chunks. Add them and fry them along with the onions. Cook them down until really mushy soft. Add the salt, basil and give it a stir. Now add the cooked pasta along with the saved liquid. Cook for 5 mins, tossing intermittently. If you find it difficult to toss use a fork to mix gently.

Serve in a deep plate, spoon the sauce over it. Grate the cheese on it in generous amounts. I used cheddar. Use whatever type you have. Even paneer crumbled over it is yummy. Eat it immediately.

Tip:
If you want to freeze pasta. Always and always freeze cooked pasta separately. Make sauce in large amount and store separately. Do this prep on the weekend. When you are back from work tired and hungry remove as much cooked pasta as you need in a sauce pan. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup water to give it more sauciness. Mix and heat. Enjoy it hot while you catch up with the day's news.

Let your Amygdala be hijacked

Hello everyone.

Thank you for all your support through the last 13 days. Last couple of weeks were exactly about what life is, a mixed bag. Loss and gain. Lost my Aaji and another. Met my classmate, Shalaka after 15 years. Got a long distance call from my best friend Ambrish after 6 years. It was wonderful talking to old friends.

So now as I comeback on this blog I owe you a smile. Recipes of the food kind will follow tomorrow but today it is the recipe for a life.

I was bantering over lunch with a colleague. He asked me, "How did that happen? You are such a level headed person! Then?"

I was amused how people considered me to be such a level headed person. Ok, I analyse, reason out and try to get answers but let me share a secret, many times my decisions are influenced by emotions. Now who said emotional decisions are bad. Especially when it comes to relationships and by that I don't just mean love. Plus I am a woman, so what you read is right, I have the birth right to emotional decisions. We play safe, when relationships fail we can always blame on emotions, now is that not intelligent!

Then I sat him down to explain to him the advantages of emotional decisions. I said, "Let the Amygdala be hijacked." He was taken aback and visibly disturbed. Now what was this woman talking about he wondered loudly. He pushed himself back on the straight backed, moulded chair in the cafeteria trying to relax himself as he prepared for some gyan. I could see he was looking for a halo around my head.

I went on to dissipate some, Amygdala are 2 almond shaped glands in the medial temporal lobes of the brain. They store the memories of emotional events, learning is enhanced by accumulation of such information over a period of time. When we face similar situations again our response is based on the processing done by the Amygdala. When you face an intense emotion the blood supply to the Amygdala is cut off. An intelligent response is blocked. This is called Amygdala hijack. Reasoning is blown into the wind. The decisions we take during this hijack are foolish because they lack the input of caution from our brain. You do what you would not have done in a normal situation when you base your decisions on analysis.

In return you are rewarded by a bumper of similar responses from another person who's Amygdala is hijacked and then follows a series of acts that try to cover up for the foolish acts with more foolish ones. One enjoys the ride. So let the Amygdala be hijacked :)!

Then one day you can sit down and laugh about it. Life would be so boring if we did everything after analysis wouldn't it?

People say, to be able to by-pass the Amygdala hijack is sign of a successful leader. But then you don't want to be a leader everywhere. Atleast I don't.

That is EI or Emotional intelligence for the uninitiated.

Disclaimer: This is a piece of art and references to any one are purely a coincidence.

Silence

Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never;Never was time it was not; End and Beginning are dreams!Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the spirit for ever;Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems! Who knoweth it exhaustless, self-sustained,Immortal, indestructible,shall such. Say, I have killed a man, or caused to kill? Nay, but as when one layeth His worn-out robes away, And, taking new ones, sayeth,These will I wear to-day! So putteth by the spirit Lightly its garb of flesh, And passeth to inherit A residence afresh.

-Bhagavad Gita

Aaji passed away today at 10 am at her home in Thal.

I will maintain silence on this blog for 13 days.

This blog owes its popularity entirely to Aaji.