Kadlekai Parishe, The Groundnut Fair

Going back in time in the middle of a growing city

Tonight I was at the Kadlekai Parishe or The Groundnut Fair on Bull Temple road in Basavangudi. This is the first time I went there in all these years here in Bangalore. I live in South Bangalore which is so rich in its heritage and culture. This fair started today and will go on till Tuesday evening. The fair takes place annually and has been a tradition to appease the residing deity, The Big Bull with the first harvest of groundnuts. The farmers from surrounding villages come to sell here.

I walked from Ramakrishna Ashram towards the temple, soaking in the atmosphere. It is so amazing to watch Bangalorians enjoy this fair. In rural India this is the only way of entertainment but Bangalore has it all and still attracts huges numbers to the fair, to enjoy simple things like boiled peanuts, sliced fruits with salt and pepper, cucumbers, fluffy pink sugar candy. The little shops sell all sorts of stuff from fried savories to puffed rice, sugar crafts, halva etc. Other things like toy sellers, cheap artificial flower sellers, pots and pans and other kitchen implements which we get only in rural areas are available here at the fair.

My buys at this fair consisted of a appe patra, Gods posters with glitter and ground nuts for cooking. I ate hot fresh popcorn made in sand, bought some boiled peanuts but did not manage to eat. Then finally I walked toward Kamat at Bugle Rock and had my dinner there.

See the vivid colors of the fair...

Breaking Dibba Roti with Kiran

Dibba Roti with Gongura Pickle

Kiran and me had been planning an outing together for a long time. Finally we did make it one sunday. I reached her home early morning at 7 am. We were supposed to have breakfast and then proceed to A Fortress & A Temple for a little trek and and lots of fresh air just on the edge of Bangalore city. 

This is what I love about Blr.,1/2 to 1 hrs drive and we are in rural Blr and with nature. This was never possible in Mumbai. We, that's Kiran and me are both Mumbai born and bred and both have started loving the country side more after we left behind Mumbai and our families, she for marriage and me for the job.

But like anyone from South India we love our idli, many know only the flying saucer shaped ones but there are many types with different shapes and subtle flavors. It was a new learning for me to know that in Andhra the fresh first day fermented batter was used for idli, second day for dosa and third day for Dibba roti. Dibba means thick. Almost like the Gujarati Handvo, its cooked in a deep wok or pan on slow fire. She served it with Tomato chutney.

With her permission I am posting the traditional-use up your idli batter trick here. 

To make Dibba roti you need Idli batter. Grease a deep wok or pan generously with ghee/ oil/ butter. Ladle into the pan about 1 inch to 2 inch batter. Cover and slow cook on gas. It may take a total of 20-30 mins depending on the thickness. If you are not confident if the center is cooked insert a knife and check if it comes out clean and dry. Roast on one side till browned or 10 mins flip over and brown on the other side and roast another 10 mins.This cooks the thick roti thru and thru.

Remove and cut up into pieces with a cutting wheel, quarters look neat. I served this with Gongura pickle for the authentic taste of Andhra.

In Andhra she tells me that this is made really thick in her inlaw's home and a single Dibba roti can feed 10 people.

After a leisurely breakfast we went to the fortress temple where R. K Narayan's Swami and Friends from the TV serial Malgudi days was shot. We walked around and spent couple of hour breathing in the fresh morning air. Then returned to IIMB campus to enjoy a piping hot lunch made by Kiran's cook. 

I was supposed to return home for lunch but we were so chilled out that day that I stayed on and post lunch was treated to a walk around the beautiful IIMB campus, along the SPINE and PERGOLAS and insights on the architecture and history of the campus by the architect in Kiran.

Sharing here the only two pics I took of our day together. Kiran is camera shy and I was shy to take pics of the IIMB campus. 

I'll be gone for a week away from the hustle bustle of the city and smelling the salt laden breeze La Côte d'Azur de l'Est. Until then vous voyez!

Going Up South?

"Going Up South?" No one ever says that, not even a southner. South is always supposed to be down. Right? No wrong! If you meant the new restaurant at Ragigudda, then you are going to Up South.

Now If I am taking visitors to see that lovely Ragigudda temple complex I also have a food destination where they can sample authentic South Indian snacks and meals in a clean environment. The combo platters are really like tasting platters, every item is in small portions. The medu vada is small, the idlis are cocktail sized, the dosa is shruken. There are 3 chutneys so enjoy, the peanutty, garlic and plain cilantro in a single plate. A ladle of sambar, sagu and some onions for sprinkles. This plate is for one large eater or can be shared by two people with an additional snack order. Like we did you could order one of the other dosas or rotis of choice, like ragi roti, akki roti etc. Our addition was set dosa. With the combo platter you could choose to have a glass of Buttermilk or filter coffee included in the price of the platter and an extra coffee for Dad. We obviously chose the later to complete our proper South Indian meal. We had this at lunch but in the South this is actually a breakfast platter. Oh I forgot to add there was a big puffed Puri too in that platter but it got passed on to Dad so you don't see it in the picture.

There are other North Indian platters too but as always avoid those in a restaurant that calls it self Up South. South is their specialty and that is what I recommend.

The colors of the decor are bright citrusy and clean. This is a self service place so you bill at the counter at the entrance. Pick your order and choose a table that gives you the view of the side road and far view of the ring road or if your focus in going to be conversation while eating then climb up to the mezzanine.

It's a good place to snack when you are in Jayanagar, J.P. Nagar shopping around or on one of the unhurried days when you are heading to work. So now you won't frown if some one asks you, "Going Up South?"

Maha Shivaratri Procession

Lalbaugh Flower Festival

This flower festival is hosted for a week before the 15th August every year on occasion of the Independence day.
1

Enter Lalbaugh from the Main gate

The sweet smelling rose garden

Head for the glasshouseFlowery animals, is it a rabbit? or a stag?

The center piece, a mermaid surrounded by rosy fish and teddy bears!


The flower show a reason for a mela

Different species of coconuts

The American hybrid rabbits

Orchids

Toys from Channapatna

The beautiful grill work

The pretty roof of the glass house with wind cock

To complete the experience a bubble maker attracting the kids...

Lunch at Bugle Rock Kamat

and strolling around Basavangudi

Starting of with Holige, spring onion, Zunka (Pithale vadi) , papad and Majige(Butter milk)

Having grown up in the heart of Mumbai walking around was something I enjoyed. While in Colaba every evening going for a walk to Gateway or Cuffe Parade meant having the salt laden sea breeze in your face. I loved to see the bobbing boats on the water front and the twinkling lights.

In Fort the walk was mostly from home to Bombay gymkhana and the back lanes. If walking on the main road it meant peering at all those beautifully decorated shop windows, my favorites Satguru's, Khadi gram udyog, HMV etc.

In Bangalore I love to stroll around Basavangudi. Yes Basavangudi or Bull temple that is almost the trademark of Bangalore. It is a charming South Bangalore locality dominated by Kanada speaking people. The green canopy of trees lets you take a walk even in the hottest of seasons and still enjoy a cool breeze caressing your skin. Most times my strolls here start of with the darshan of Dodda Ganesha or the big Ganapati but more famous than that is the adjacent temple of the 15ft tall and 20 ft long monolithic Bull. This temple was built 500 yrs ago and there is even a legend associated with it.

Bull Temple

In the evenings this place is home to thousands of birds and bats. It used to be a pleasure to watch the flocks fly over the terrace of my old place while I sipped on tea. I have seen so many parrots, kites, mynas, doves etc.

We were out for some work in the area, after wrapping it up we wanted to have an early lunch at the Bugle rock Kamat. I love this place as it gives a nice view of those huge trees lining the road from the second floor dinning hall. We were early and eating at Kamat for us is always the Yele Oota or meal served on banana leaf. This is not a place where we would like to eat idli or dosa for lunch. So we decided to take a stroll and come back in time.

Humm... even after the darshans and loitering around watching the tourists that visit the place we still were the first ones to reach Kamat.

This place has a North Karnataka theme. They serve food on young banana leaves. We ordered the special meal. It would include Holige they said. We were early so the service was really slow. That gave us time to enjoy the view by the full glass panelled window. We had requested the captain to have the blinds pulled up near our table so we got an unobtrusive view of the street below and the greenery.

The men serving were dressed in dhoti and kurta in keeping with the theme. The meal started of with a glass of Majige, then the Holige and copius amounts of ghee served generously. There was the whole range of typical North Karnataka fare right from Zunka which was like Pithale vadi, spring onion, fresh sprig of methi, roasted papad, Moog dal kosumbari, raita, green vatana bhaaji, methi dal and Chili bhajji. Curd is served in a separate small bowl and in the begining itself. This is confusing when you are in for a traditional lunch. Serving curd signifies the conclusion of the thali meal. All through you keep wondering what's next in line and how much to eat what! They don't serve all the items at one time, they keep serving and you keep eating :). The trick is to eat a little of everything and wait for the next thing.

Then followed the special soft Jolad roti and Vangi rassa. Some how I always find they under do the brinjals or may be the the tamarind juice they use keeps them half done, especially near the stem. I am wondering, did they serve us from the pot that was still cooking ;)! Don't know, we were the first ones in there!!

On the table are about 3 varieties of chutney pudis and a pickle. You never really touch them because your banana leaf is so laden with goodies.

Then the rasam and sambar follow with the rice. Even the rice is more like the thick village quality. Is this deliberate? They could easily serve better quality rice.

The meal ends with fruit salad with a mini scoop of icecream of local Bangalore standard. The fruits are mashed, what a put off :( and it even had mango pieces with the skin on! I would like to skip the fruit salad with icecream business in any thali restaraunt in Bangalore. I have never liked what they serve, whether it was MTR, Maiya's or this Kamat.

Yeah but I liked the sweet paan and the banana they serve at the end. Very traditional.

You pay a 140 Rs. for a special Thali on a weekend here. On the whole a good experience. I like to sit there and spend time on an unhurried lunch but as a regular I must learn to weed out what I don't like about the food.

Jolad roti and Vangi Rassa, Moog dal Kosumbari, raita, Green Vatana bhaaji and Methi dal in the back

Another thing I have noticed a schedule for inhouse musical performances pasted in the lift but whenever I have gone there I have never seen or heard any. My friends the Chorghades have been luckier, they were able to catch on some of those.

Kamat is dependable when I have to ensure that Dad will enjoy eating out. He is a thali person these days, age changes people you see and plus just a day before he gave me company at Domino's for lunch so this lunch out was for him.

Cauliflower Dum Biryani

for lunch after a visit to Rajarajeshwari Temple

Rajarajeshwari Temple

On the outskirts of Bangalore is a beautiful suburb called Rajarajeshwari Nagar. It is home to a more beautiful temple. We were planning to visit it since almost a year. This 4 day break finally made it possible. Here in the south the Alankar seva (decoration) is really wonderful. The Goddess looked resplendent in all her finery. The darshan was calming and I was absolutely still for a moment and felt a glow inside and that traveled to my face instantly.

The construction work of the smaller temples in the complex is still going on. It is a pleasure to see sculptors work with modern tools while they retain designs and the ancient art.

sculptors at work

The walls are used to make designs for sculpting. It is evident a lot of geometry is the base for it.

Designs for sculpting and the sculpted pillars on the Garbha gruha of Chakreshwar temple in the same complex

We took Chimi along and no one objected to her presence in the entire temple complex. I did not take her in the Mantapa though. She is very quite during drives I had noted when I had taken her to the vet so she deserved this visit too. She loves to sit on the floor of the auto and rest her head on my feet as she watches the vehicles go by but just to be extra careful I prop her between Dad and me.

We returned home just in time to make lunch. I had a cauliflower that was looking good so Dum Biryani it was.

Ingredients

2 cups large cauliflower florets
2 onions sliced thin
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 cup curd
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 green chili
small piece ginger
4-5 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup raw rice

1 cup raw rice

salt as required


Make a paste of the green chili, garlic and ginger. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the sliced onions in it till crisp and golden. Save them.

In the same oil splutter the mustard seeds. Then add the cauliflower florets. Stir to coat them with oil. Add the tomatoes and chili, ginger garlic paste then cover and cook till the florets are softened and the tomatoes have disintegrated into a paste. Add the spices at this point and the curd and salt. Cover and let it simmer for a while. Put off the heat and add the chopped cilantro. The cauliflower masala is ready.

Meanwhile in two boxes steam the rice in a pressure cooker. Wash the raw rice. Put 1 cup of rice in one box, mix in salt as per taste and 3/4 cup water. In the second box put 1/2 cup of the washed rice with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 cup water. Steam for just one whistle. Let it cool completely before opening.

Remove the 2 rice separately on 2 plates. Fluff it up with a fork.

Now in a flat pan layer the biryani. First a layer of half of the white rice then half of the fried onions. Now a layer of half of the cauliflower masala. Then a layer of half of the yellow rice. The second layer of cauliflower masala. Now mix the remaining half of the white rice and remaining half of the yellow rice. Spread it at the top and then sprinkle the remaining fried onions on the top. Now keep the pan on heat and cover it. Let it sit for about 10 mins. Slide off the rice off the pan carefully into a serving bowl taking care not to disturb the layers.

While serving scoop up from the bottom to get all the layers.

This Biryani is a complete meal in it self. I served fried papad along with it and slices of mango for desert. The Cauliflower Dum Biryani is tasty, not so spicy and moist.

More of the temple....

The Gopuram and the Swarn Khamb in front of the sanctorium

The watch tower that gives a view of the entire complex. This is where I took the long shot of the temple (1st pic.) and the garlands for sale.

The dome just before the gopuram is where all the preparations for pooja are done. It is also a place for homa-havan (fire sacrifice and worship)