In The Beginning There Was Bombay Duck

Like good friends who spot me on TV and never forget to send me a screengrab. Poonam sent a picture of the book she was reading when she found me mentioned in the pages. In The Beginning There Was Bombay Duck by Pronoti Datta. 

In 2023 Pronoti the author of this book interviewed me and over a few more interactions she tried to understand a bit about Koli food, culture, anthropology and my personal history.

I requested her to send me a signed copy of it. She promptly sent it. Thank you🌷 

It’s 26 yrs ago someone had taunted me शेवटी जातीवरच जाणार! I quietly keep doing what I have to. Leaving an imprint on this globe 🌏 👣 👣 👣

P.S : Nudging other writers who have used my inputs to send me their books, media, research papers etc after publication. I shouldn’t have to ask no?

The Curse of the Hutatma

जय महाराष्ट्र 🙏🏽

This is the statue of "Martyrs carrying a Flame" in the Fort precinct next to the Flora Fountain. A dedication to the lives laid down for a unified Maharashtra along with Mumbai!

My head bows to them who fought for a Marathi speaking Mumbai to be integrated with rest of Maharashtra.

These Hutatma foiled the evil intentions of politicians to create an independent Mumbai city.

Mumbai prides itself for letting people earn a living here in this city but its soul is undeniably Marathi and nothing can change that!

———————————————————

There is a personal story attached to the Hutatma chowk. 

When I look back at my Cooper family history I see the family has suffered severely. The walls of this house wailed of grief and pain even when I got married into this family.

1. A young Behram kaka leaving home and dying in London.

2. Inspite of he being a social worker and reformer. He founded the Student’s lending library, the DPYA school and the Perviz hall for widows. Adi my father inlaw had a heart attack and fell on the road.

3. Grandmother inlaw Arnavaz after loosing her 2 sons and my mother inlaw Chandan after her husband died in depression. 

4. Aban went through divorce, daughter was kidnapped by husband. She went into severe depression due to being separated from daughter and a broken marriage. Dying in transit while returning from a holiday in Panchgani when she was not even 50 !

5. My husband Ardaviraf who died of heart failure at the age of 51.

I was wondering why ? 

The connection I see is this…

I never knew I would marry into a family that was connected to the Morarji administration. My grandfather inlaw M P Cooper was Secretary to the CM.

The 1955 massacre of 106 demonstrators of Samyukta Maharashtra chalval were fired upon. Those are the Hutatma and that is the chowk in their memorial.

On 1 May 1960 Maharashtra state was formed.

Leaving out villages from Karnataka that spoke Marathi like Belgav, Bidar, Karwar etc. Later in 1969 when there was a fight for linguistic borders to be included Morarji ran his car over demonstrators killing 2.

Every year on this day I seek forgiveness on behalf of COOPER FAMILY even though no one is alive anymore from those that were killed and harmed. Their families that were affected by this inhumane act.

🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

Sattu Sharbat

Please ignore my hand it is stained since I peeled pomegranates.

It’s been a struggle with shedding weight I gained since October. Prescribed bed rest meant no exercise and a high protein diet just added more weight. Wondering if all of it it went to muscle mass or fat in some proportion? 

While I travelled I ate everything including sweets but never over ate anything. I took care of my gut. However after coming back I had weird feelings. 

Light meal for dinner. सत्तू का शरबत. For the rescue!

This is a summer favourite in UP-Bihar where I was doing pilgrimage couple of weeks ago. It has a ton of benefits. 

It aids digestion, promotes weight loss by keeping you full, acts as a natural summer coolant, and provides sustained energy.

How I made it?

1/2 cup roasted chana

Grind it.

Add one peeled small onion to the mixer

Salt to taste. Black preferably.

Handful of Fresh green Dhaniya. 

Grind again to fine powder. 

Mix curd and water and use मथनी to churn it. 

I did not add green chili but go for it if you like spice in your drink.

TODI MILL FANTASY

On Saturday evening I watched this fantastic satire TODI  MILL FANTASY. 

1. Well written script. Fast faced. 

2. It’s a musical. I went for it because I love musicals. This was excellent. It traverses a lot of genres from Rap, folk to qawali literally ! Kudos to the band 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

3. It’s the story of lost identity, homes, jobs and struggles of the Mill workers of Girangaon. It is that story of Mumbai where even today the mill workers haven’t received justice. I have been witness to the morchas that blocked the roads in Kalaghoda. As a child when I walked past the Datta Samant led morchas when walking to and fro to school my heart ached for them. They would sit there thru the hot summers and monsoons. In the end they had to sell their homes and the children’s lives were ruined. 

4. The actress maintained really good bearing. All the actors were top notch. Amya is a notable singer. They really made you react to the dark comedy 😩

5. Appeals to the youth of today.

6. This entire troupe deserves a hat tip. 👩‍✈️

7. It did feel influenced by Phantom of the Opera due to the set and costume. But that’s just the beginning. 

Don’t miss this very contemporary drama. Go watch wherever it plays 🔥🔥🔥

Living Queen Size Before I Go

Some homes take your sweat, some your blood and some your life! 

Only you know what you give to it.

My palace

Lwing Queen size before I go.

अक्षय तृतीया २०२६

On this day of अक्षय तृतीया I pray for a full life, filled with happiness and joy. Of many travels and fulfilled wishes. If my heart stops I don’t want to be revived. Anyways I live alone. So that is a moot point. श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹

Steamed Dhoma

Steamed ढोमं or Croaker. 

Since I have started eating fish. I mostly made fried fish or curried it. Today since these Dhomi plural for Dhoma were whole and ideal for steaming I tried it. 

I was not sure how they would taste? In the back of my mind I was thinking of the phrase नासकं ढोमं which in Koli is used for people who are not accepting to love. 

The croaker lent well to this treatment. The flesh was tender yet flaky. Will use this idea more often instead of frying ❣️

Here is this super simple recipe. 

Ingredients 

2 Dhomi / Croakers

1/4 teaspoon of Koli masala

2 teaspoons of mustard oil

Salt

Salt the fish. Leave to absorb for 10 mins. 

Steam on a porous plate so the excess water doesn’t make the fish soggy. 10 mins is good. 

To serve: place the steamed fish on the plate. 

Heat the mustard oil until smoky. Remove from heat. Add the Koli masala. Mix with a spoon to avoid burning and lumping. Pour quickly over the fish. Squeeze a lime over the fish to brighten up the flavours. 

Here you can do many variations with garlic, spring onions, curry leaves, cilantro and what not !

On the side add a salad. Today I just added lettuce. 

There is also a lovely sprouted masoor usal for a wholesome meal. 

Enjoy ! 

My cousin Akshay had brought these for me. They were extremely fresh. He delivers seafood so sharing his number here. Call 📱 98193 84328

The Usefulness of the Uselessness !

As a child who grew up in SOBO specifically in Colaba and Fort. I have always seeked the vastness of places. Holed up in a small home through the week meant spending weekends playing on Bombay Gymkhana lawns.

The seashore of Thal. Vastness of sea and serenity like no other place. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder truly.

I read something powerful on a post. 

The Usefulness of the Uselessness ! 

I understand now well why I did not like the Coastal road from Marine drive to Worli. When man builds in concrete while you marvel at the Engineering. It does NOT warm your heart. 

While wide expanses of land which we call wastelands are so useful. They are habitats for migratory birds and home to several species of animals. 

Everything need not be built up. I don’t even like manicured gardens. I rather soak up in the beauty of an unkempt garden. 

We can have a Balance like Odisha. Manicured gardens on the sidewalks of Bhubaneswar and wilderness of the Chilika which is protected. They have got it right 👏🏽

 Good example to emulate.

How it heals the soul !

No need of ghats or wharfs 

Shankar Mama’s 80th Birthday

आज माझ्या शंकर मामाचा ८० वा वाढदिवस साजरा पाहून मला निखळ आनंद झाला ❤️✨ मी त्याशी फोन करून बोले. 

एकेकाळी एक अतिशय यशस्वी व्यापारी होता. सर्वात श्रीमंत शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 पुरवठादार. त्याचा क्लायंट दुसरा तिसरा कोणी नसून ताज पॅलेस होता. माझ्या आईचा सर्वात धाकटा भाऊ पण तिच्यापेक्षा मोठा होता. माझी आई त्याच्यापेक्षा ४ वर्षांनी लहान होती, म्हणून ती जिवंत असती तर आता ती ७६ वर्षांची असती. 

तो शिक्षित होता पण त्याने सीफूडचा व्यवसाय करणे पसंत केले. शंकर मामा आणि द्वारकानाथ मामा माझ्या आईला शिक्षणासाठी प्रोत्साहित करत असत, ६ दशकांपूर्वी कोळी लोकांमध्ये ही एक दुर्मिळ गोष्ट होती. खरं तर, त्या काळात ते माझ्या आईला घरी शिकवत असत आणि तिला गृहपाठात मदत करत असत. माझी आई नेहमीच तिच्या दोन्ही भावांबद्दल कृतज्ञ असायची. ते ५ भाऊ होते तरीही हे दोघे सर्वोत्तम होते. 

आज शंकर मामाचा वाढदिवस आहे आणि तो माझ्यावर करत असलेल्या प्रेमाबद्दल मी त्याचे आभार मानते. 

मी लहान असताना त्याने मला शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 आणल्या की मी गुरुवारचा उपवासही सोडून ते शेंवंडी / लॉबस्टर 🦞 खात असे.

गेल्या दशकात त्याला अर्धांगवायू झाला आहे पण त्याचे दोन्ही मुलगे सर्वेश आणि शुक्लेश त्याची खूप काळजी घेतात. तो आणि कमू मामी आहे म्हणून थळला जाण्यात मला आनंद वाटतो.

******

Seeing my Shankar mama’s 80th birthday celebrations today gave me pure joy ❤️✨ I called and spoke to him. 

Once upon a time he was a very successful businessman. The richest Lobster supplier. His client was none other than Taj Palace. My mother’s youngest brother yet older than her. My Aai was 4 yrs younger than him so she would have been 76 yrs now had she been alive. 

He was educated but chose to deal in seafood. Shankar mama and Dwarkanath mama encouraged my mother to study, a rare thing 6 decades ago among Koli people. Infact as was common back then He taught my mother at home and helped her with homework. My mother always was in gratitude for it to both her brothers. They were 5 brothers yet these two were class apart. 

It is Shankar mama’s birthday today and I take this opportunity to thank him for all the love he continues to shower on me. 

When I was younger he brought me lobsters and I would quit even my Thursday fasts to eat those lobsters. 🦞 

In the last decade he has been paralysed but his two sons Sarvesh and Shuklesh take great care of him. I am blessed to have him and Kamu mami to go back to in Thal.

The Wealth I Amass.

Prakash Maharaj with shawl and My MJ Kaka with outstretched arms

Posted on FB in the past. It was the year I lost my Baba.

It is 10 December 2021, the month of Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj's punyatithi utsav. This year it the 108th year, it is on 29 Dec 2021. This year like the last the Utsav is online due to COVID protocol. The number 108 is very spiritually charged. It is the basis of life. 

In December when I am not able to be in Gondavale I miss all the people who continue to influence my thoughts even though they have left this earth. The most intelligent group of people consisting of Engineers, Doctors, high level professionals the creme la creme of our country. In Gondavale they would do whatever seva they could. As they grew older they did more and more jap. I have asked curious questions and may be been stupid and audacious in the young age. They never avoided any confrontational queries about spiritualism. They loved my father for his dedication in jap. I am lucky to have received the love and blessings of these people in various forms. Dr. Appa Athavale gave me a copy of his handwritten diary, I absolutely cherish it. Ghadi kaka who handed over his Dnyaneshwari to me with a sankalp. Dr. S. R. Phatak who guided me when I was a teen explained to me the effects of Maruti stotra on physiology. Dr. Arvind Bawdekar, Dr. Bhide, Bapusaheb Marathe, Nana Kulkarni, G. S. Gokhale and Shalini tai, and the youngest of the 7 gems Prof. S Khaparde who we loving call Balasaheb. Sir is now the only one after my father who is my lighthouse. I have known him since I was in my 20s. When he asks, "kashi aahes tu?" my eyes well up. There is so much love. Shree Maharaj took samadhi in 1913 but I feel his love thru Sir. He just retired from IIT Mumbai as and spends time focusing on jap.

I am lucky to have spent time with Prof. K. V. Belsare in the last year of his life when I would visit him often from work. Since I worked in Goregaon at the time I was able to attend his final goodbye in Malad. What a life!

I am blessed to have cooked for Prakash Maharaj in my twenties. He used to eat only roots at the time. I would make him dishes with suran and potatoes on his rare visit to Mumbai. He would not eat at any other place and would tell me to make something for him because food carries sanskar.

Ghadi kaka at his home in Suman Nagar

All of these people have been such an inspiration in my life. The proof of blessings is I am happy in life even after all the storms I weathered. 

Shree Maharaj always said for a grihasth should do his duties well and chant the name of Ram. He has made it so easy. 🙏🏽🌸

Pesarattu of the coarse kind

You have seen thin pesarattu like a regular dosa but you haven’t seen this type of a coarse ground pesarattu. Have you ? 

This is an Andhra / Telangana secret from the homes. Shared with me by Chandhana. I had Telugu neighbours so assumed I knew a bit about their cuisine. This is such a gem. Absolutely underrated. 

So this isn’t a recipe but more of a technique to achieve a wonderful texture. 

Here is what you do…

1. Soak moong dal with green skin as much as required  for about an hour.

2. Coarse grind soaked dal using pulse mode on the mixer. Along with green chili, a small piece of ginger and cumin 1/2 teaspoon for a cup of dal. It should have thick consistency. Use no water unless it’s hard to grind. 

3. Chop onions fine like for bhel. 

4. Mix the onions and salt into the ground moong dal. Ensure the consistency of batter is easy to pat on the griddle. 

5. Apply ghee to dosa tava with a half cut onion. This helps make cast iron griddle ‘non stick’. 

6. Place some of the thick batter on the dosa tava and pat into a thick pancake. Just like a thalipeeth. Roast well using ghee on both sides. 

Enjoy with the range chutneys from the Andhra / Telugu repertoire. On that day I see I enjoyed it with the wonderful peanut chutney. 

I have Allam pachadi in stock. Now I need to get the moong dal soaking to enjoy this pesarattu. 

Thank you dear Chandhana this has become a favourite way to make pesarattu!

Memories of Valentine’s

Memories is all I have. My real Valentine is Arvi. The man I married. 

Reposting from FB. When I was living life and none of this was posted on the blog.

14 Feb 2019

You always made our Valentines special. Our first Valentines when you called and led to our marriage.

The second one in our first year of marriage, you took me to dinner at Copper Chimney at Worli, on the third you were just back from the hospital and you slipped away quietly to get a bouquet of roses. It was the first time you totally showered me with love. Our fourth last year when I did not feel like going out for dinner and you insisted and took me to Khyber because that's where we had celebrated our wedding day lunch with family and you wanted to enjoy again.

Following it a walk at Chowpatty, eating and buying Kulfi to bring back home. You always tried to make me happy….

Tomato flowers filled with Feta

There were large tomatoes just delivered. Taut and fresh. A perfect promise of a juicy bite. I had some Feta that needed to be used. I wish I had some fresh fragrant Italian basil. But none. Anyways I made this lovely salad fit for a party table on a very ordinary day. 

It was a day of sabudana khichadi and toasted banana chips. On starch heavy days one needs some bites of fresh salad as palate changer. These tomato feta flowers were perfect 👌🏽 

It’s an idea not a recipe. So here is what I did. 

1. Cut the tomatoes from smooth side vertically so it will sit on the stalk side on the plate without tilting.

2. Bloomed the ‘petals’. 

3. Crumble the feta. Spooned it in the centre of the flower. 

I would have put a plucked basil leaf each to top the feta if I had the option. 

A beautiful looking salad you have. Tadah ! 

Praying To Hanuman The First Special Forces Operator

Praying to Shree Hanuman whom I lovingly call Maruti Raya. The first Special Forces Operator.

1. Identified target by finding Seeta inside enemy territory. 
2. Used Pyrotechnics, demolition after dealing with waterborne threats and destroyed Lanka.
3. Returned with valuable info.
4. Engineered the Ram Setu.
5. Airborne back to destroy Lanka.
6. Brought back Seeta.

Accomplished mission !

He goes where no one dares !!

He writes history !!!

Inspired by thoughts of SWO Prateek Mahtha 🫡

प्रिय मारूती राय हनुमान राया तुझी मदत आणि दया भाकते  

श्री राम 🙏🏽🌹 

Colorful Frittata

A Colorful frittata entered my life through the blogging world. I would see this seductive looking dish on my other buddies blogs and think I cannot make it and have it as I was vegetarian and I never liked eggs anyways. 

Then 3 yrs ago after 35 yrs of being a vegetarian I restarted eating non vegetarian. Life’s experience taught me that protein was required to fortify my body. The body doesn’t understand the religion connection with non veg. My DNA of a Koli that builds my body was better off eating my ancestral food. So Ghar vapsi happened. 

On this day I found beautiful fresh Italian basil. So I decided to make a frittata with some colorful vegetables. This dish is a perfect carrier for the “Eat your rainbow” concept. Even better for creative photography. 

Since I was making eggs this way for the first time I decided to have it with lovely toasties from a favourite bakery and some airfrier potato wedges. 

I brought out my heavy baking dish for this. Here is what I did…

Ingredients 

6 eggs

Handful of diced colored capsicum 

Yellow and Red

Handful of sliced carrots 

2 handfuls of Italian basil leaves 

Fresh ground black pepper as much as you like

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon Butter

In a pan heat butter. Add sliced carrots and cook till soft. Then add the colored peppers. Cook for a minute. Save 1/4 of the veggies for topping.

Let it cool a little. Then add eggs, basil leaves, black pepper and salt. Whisk everything together. Pour into butter lined baking dish. 

Bake at 200 degrees for 5 mins. Once the top looks set. Add the saved cooked veggies on top. Bake another 7 mins till knife inserted in the bake comes out clean. 

Serve in a pretty plate and dress up your table with some fresh fragrant basil to heighten your experience. 

 

Have a bright happy Sunday!