Our friends Ashwath Narayan and Parimala had invited us to their home for high tea. I was now officially a NRM ie. Non resident Mumbaikar as my kid bros teased me and was bored of the regular bangalore snacks of idli, dosa etc in the one year in Bangalore. But Koot Avalakki served by Parimala really brought a zing into our conversations that day with the tangy flavors and powdery texture. The excitement of being introduced to new flavors and textures is what all foodies love to experience.
Ingredients
1 cup rice flakes (pohe/ avalakki)
1 table spoon peanuts
1/2 table spoon roasted chickpeas (phutane)
1/4 table spoon grated desicated coconut
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asoefotida (hing)
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 chilli finely chopped
1 tablespoon Pulp of tamarind ( lemon sized ball)
1 inch lump of molasses (jaggery)
few curry leaves
One handful chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste ( 1 teaspoon)
1 cup water
1 table spoon oil
First grind the pohe to a coarse powder and keep aside. Then in a kadhai heat the oil and splutter mustard seed in it. Then in goes the hing, curry leaves, peanuts, phutane, coconut fry till golden. Now in goes the chilli powder, chopped chillies, salt stir for a min. Add the powdered pohe and mix well. Splash the mix with water and keep mixing. After fininshing the water cover with a lid for 5 mins so that the pohe powder is softened. Then is the final tangy step not to miss. In the tamarind pulp add molasses and dissolve in a bowl. Remove the lid from the kadhai and sprinkle this tangy sweet sauce on the pohe and stir to mix well. Cover with a lid and cook still soft. Remove from stove and serve hot with cilantro garnish.
Prabhat Koli At Lake Tahoe After Completing Triple Crown
Prabhat targets to complete the Ocean7 challenge. He has been working very hard for it. Long swims in wild waters and practice swims in the pool near his home is all part to the build up. Maintaining fitness at the gym and eating a nutritious meal is intrinsic to this sport.
I have come to love this boy like my own in a short while. Like his sport he is a endurance personality too. Where he has to slog he does it yet he is very calm and patient. He is mild mannered and talks only when needed.
As I listened to Shilpa and Raju tell me about how Prabhat was shaped into this endurance swimmer, I began to appreciate the efforts they put behind him. They are incredible parents. Theirs is a tight Parents-Child team. Each doing what is needed to become the International swimmer of high performance and therefore honor that Prabhat Koli is today. Mother Shilpa has always been the one ferrying him to swimming pools across the city for practice sessions eversince he was 8yrs old besides taking care of his health and nutrition, she sacrificed her career for him. Raju is the solid leader of the Team Prabhat, this is his vision that you see accomplished by his son. YOUNGEST, FASTEST AND FURIOUS!
Shilpa and Raju sold their home to fund this family dream to see Prabhat where he is today, an international swimmer with several records to his credit.
They are extremely focused and passionate about Open water swimming. Raju opines our Koli genetics and heritage adds an edge to Prabhat's passion for swimming rather it is second nature to him. They totally captured my heart as parents and I am now Team Prabhat too.
When I got to know that Prabhat had attempted Cook Strait 3.5 yrs ago but due to Covid sweeping the world it has taken him this long to go back again. He has been training in a dam reservoir in Satara close to Gondavale which lead me to comment that he should visit Shree BrahmaChaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj's samadhi.
They decided to take me along. I was absolutely thrilled to take Prabhat to seek blessing for his upcoming challenge for Ocean7 completion at Cook Strait! This last leg of the challenge has wild waters charachterized by strong Tidal flows and infested with dangerous ocean life like Killer whales, dolphins and giant octopus. Prabhat is fortunate that a seal swam with him around Robben Island and is a dare devil so he is taking this challenge head on.
Yet it is my faith that after you have done your preparation when you offer all that effort at the feet of the Superpowers of the Universe. Then those same powers that brought you into this world for a purpose and designed your destiny takes care of achieving what you have worked for with ease. There is a reason for the attempts. Nature knows when to bestow grace. It is when you have worked very hard, when you desire it even harder and when it is the right time. What will be remembered is the sweet sucess!
It was 26 Jan 23, After flag hoisting by Prabhat at Rotary club, Ghatkopar we set out for Gondavale. Reached there by evening. I had already informed the Sansthan and requested for accomodation. They ensured our comfort. We jmmediately took Darshan of Samadhi of Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj. Prabhat was blessed with a coconut, flowers and tulsi patra. Then we had prasad and retired for the day.
Next morning we woke up for darshan and wanted to leave early as we had planned to go to Karla for Ekveera Aai's darshan but since the gates of Gondavale sansthan open only afer Kakad aarti we had to wait. It turned out as I had wished that Prabhat partake the Loni sakhar prasad. Then we got into the car said our goodbyes and decided to go for Ram mandir and other darshans. Finally staisfied that all went as I had wished. Sometimes we have to take it slow and IN PATIENCE LIES THE REWARD.
Prabhat Koli, a young #koliboy was featured in the newspapers for swimming the Bay of Mumbai from Dharamtar to Gateway of India back in December of 2012.
I had returned to Mumbai that year after living in BLR for 7 years and was watching all that was happening in our Koli community closely. The article mentioned he was from Trombay. My cousins are married to TrombayKars so I was keen to meet him some day. It is only now that Raju, Prabhat's father told me that the Keni home is his Aajol.
Since then I have been following his journey through news and media. In 2018 August a video went viral on Whatsapp. It was the award ceremony by President Kovind conferring the TENZING NORGAY AWARD on a #koliboy for WATER ADVENTURE !
clicked at Prabhat's home
Drowning in applause for Prabhat Koli !!
Ever since I started deep digging about him. I read every article, watched every video of him. Catching up on several details of his journey that did not make it to the media houses. I was then compiling a list of achievers in the Koli community for a project I was going to launch but was put away for later.
Finally this last Dec 2022 he accepted my invite. My Paternal home has been a vegetarian home but after my father passed away I set that rule free. So for the first time I cooked Non veg in that kitchen!
A Special person that Prabhat is, deserved a special treatment and respect.
Raju and Shilpa shared absolutely fascinating stories about how Prabhat was a total water baby ever since he was tiny. They shared their experiences about travelling the world for various feats. Technical challenges in this sport. Of breakthrough new swim routes. How they have steered clear from politics. Their struggles against red tape continues.
The conversations were so scintillating that not once I touched the phone to take pics.
They left with me the album a fan made for Prabhat, relished it leisurely.
Prabhat, Raju and Shilpa are the most humble people I have met.
I wear the color of ♥️♥️ every day! Many shades of it. Of a daughter, sister, mother, aunt but the deepest is of a wife. The love I got from my husband in our total 4 yrs together of which 2yrs 10 months of our marriage still powers me on to live my life to the fullest!
❤️🧲On this Valentine’s advice for single men🧲❤️
Are you in love with the IDEA of love or the REAL love and life together?
It’s good idea to believe in love and that it lasts a lifetime!
Know that bubble gum love doesn’t last. Singing songs, giving useless gifts can’t get you far.
Once that is clear. Keep aside lust. She will be yours if you do the right things.
1. First be a good friend.
2. Give time to build trust.
3. Make her feel safe and secure.
4. Don’t talk dirty instantly.
5. You BE everything first then expect it from her.
6. Show you care by waiting to eat and enjoy a bite together.
7. Honesty is the best policy. Don’t say things you don’t mean to do.
8. Don’t try to cut her off from her family and friends.
9. Invest in her by doing everything for her.
10. Self importance will create a divide.
11. Laugh together
12. Dress well and appropriately as per time and place. Don’t be a fox 🦊 in sheep 🐑 skin. You can’t groom up like a monk for sure!
13. Don’t talk bad about the past. Don’t talk about your unsuccessful relationships ALL the time!
By doing that you are telling you are no good at relationships. Also it says you are stuck in the past.
14. Only fools rush in love. Allow time for growth.
15. Don’t talk down. She will kick you out. No second chances here.
No matter how much advice you get. The real person you are will show up in the relationship. So superficial changes are not going to work.
Love is all about endurance. Love deeply and it will bloom!
Disclaimer:
*I am not looking for a man even if I wrote this.*
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