La Cinderella

This went out as a mail to update everyone on the hilarious incident I will never forget! Read on...

I was busy with my work and completely engrossed. Most of you know that when I am in that mood I remove my slippers and fold my legs up and squat on the chair. Now this morning I had atleast 4-5 women meeting me. After an hour I wanted to go for another meeting. I tried to feel for my chappal under my chair. The right foot slipper was gone. I looked around and saw a right foot slipper lying nearby. Hey but that one was not mine! I was zapped that someone had actually worn my right foot slipper and gone off. Now began the hunt for finding out which of the 5 women took it away, the hunt a much la Cinderella.

I was blanked out completely on how anyone could have done it. I went around looking for the slipper swapper. I was getting late for my next meeting. Then I came back to my laptop and saw a ping from the culprit. I told her to stay put where she was. I had a meeting in a different bldg. This slipper swapper was in that bldg too. Thank God!! So I went around the campus for some time with 2 different slipper on my feet and some comforting words from a friend “ Don’t worry, you are not alone there is the other person too roaming around with two different slippers on!!”

Guess who it was???

Doped Versha, Just out of bed.

To which Priyanka replies:

"Short and sweet compilation off the event.

I feel proud and highly honored to be the sole eye-witness of that fun-filled moment!

Yours Sincerely........."

Kakdi Dhirda

It is exciting times for me both on the work as well as personal front. I have been working hard and coming back to my waggy tail in the evening. It has such a calming effect. Plus I am going to have great memories of last Monday. He took a break from his busy schedule to be with me. How could I be unaffected. A new set of wheels and a handsome man at the control is every woman's fantasy, isn't it? It was my happy day, it was real!!!

I've become lazy with all the attention coming my way. Just want to chill out and take life at an easy pace. I cook if I feel like, eat what I want. Most times I've been making quick meals. My thoughts are elsewhere. There is action replay happening in my mind. Just soaking in.

I woke up today and felt like having something healthy. Kakdi Dhirda is quick, fragrant and emmencely satisfying. It is ready in a blink, oh not actually but I felt like that as I mixed together the batter. Planning other moves while doing it.

Do as I did if you care for this Dhirda. This is Kakdi Dhirda or Cucumber dosa marathi style.

In Maharashtrian homes Dhirda is made mostly for a quick snack with whatever is available in the pantry. You can say these are instant dosas or uttappams. What makes Dhirda a Marathi recipe unlike the dosa is the sweet tinge to it.

Ingredients

1 cucumber grated
1 cup fine semolina
2 green chilies chopped fine
2 tablespoons of crushed jaggery
salt to taste
ghee to roast

I used green skinned cucumber to get the really green look for my Kakdi Dhirda. Grated it in a big bowl and kept the skin on.

Chopped chilies went into the bowl. Then the jaggery and salt. I mixed the batter pensively using enough water to make it like dosa batter.

Heated the girdle on medium, spread the batter in circles. I like my Dhirda to be a bit thick. Like a uttappam. Leave a little bit of ghee from the sides. The ghee makes the Dhirda extra fragrant. Roast it on both sides.

Remove onto a plate and serve with Metkut but then I am in the south so no Bedekar's Metkut for me. I make do with Chutney pudi. Dhirda actually does not need any accopaniment it can be enjoyed on its own with a masala chai, it works wonders.

Bhandang To Spice Up Life

This picture is to remind myself of the chanawala at Fort who sat at a height in the shop and measured out "Sher" of the roasted chana, peanuts or puffed rice and handed out paper bags full to the customers standing on the road as they strained their neck to look up at him. Those shops have vanished from Mumbai city's landscape.

Zoom in today...The rains have started in Blr and the evenings are cold and wet. Bhadang is what puts you in a good mood.

Spicy puffed rice and tea with a warm Chimi cuddled behind me as I work on my laptop, is a recipe for a perfect evening.

I have been singing to her...

Ek Chimi chotisi,
dekho karti hai kaisi,
usko chahiye bas...
huggy huggy aur kissy kissy !!

She loves to spread out leisurely on the floor or cuddle in her bed. Intermittently rushes to me for a cuddle and some lick licks. When I am cooking she is next to me with the forepaws on the counter supervising my cooking.

Yesterday she managed to take away 2 slices of bread even after she had her dinner. I was making Dad's and mine. I am quite watchful but she sneaked them away so I broke up the slices into bits and put it in her bowl. It is better to legalize some behavior :), what say?


In general life is spiced up a bit. Besides Chimi's cutesy pampering there is pampering from another quarter so am thrilled. I am excited, can't wait for tomorrow morning, will tell you why but that is for later.

Chalo, but I can share this spicy Bhadang with you right away. Go get a steaming hot cuppa.

Ingredients

1/2 kg Puffed rice, thick variety
1 cup peanuts
1/4 cup roasted and split chickpeas/ dahale
5-6 green chilies chopped
1/ cup curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

The star ingredient
4-5 pieces of Kokum or 1 teaspoon of Aamchur

Heat oil in a big vessel big enough to hold all the ingredients put together or about 10 litre capacity. Fry the peanuts to a golden brown. In the same vessel add the mustard seeds and crackle them. Add the curry leaves and chopped green chilies and fry them to crispiness. Now let in the asafoetida, turmeric, red chili powders. Follow in with the Kokum pieces. Mix in the puffed rice. On slow heat keep mixing till the puffed rice turns crunchy.

Put off the heat, add the salt and mix well. Let is cool completely and then store in a plastic bin or steel box. This quantity lasts us about a week.

Instant Rava Appe

I made this today for breakfast and Dad loved it so am making more for our friends Shailesh, Manisha and their 2 kids, Turya and Tanmayi. They are joining us for lunch today as Shailesh is transfered to Chandigarh and the family is soon to move. We have spent some good times together and Dad especially is so fond of them. Wishing them All the best for the future!

Ingredients

1/2 cup fine rava
1/2 cup milk
3 elaichi bananas
3/4 cup jaggery powder
2-3 cardamoms pods, peeled and seeds separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
ghee to fry

Mix all ingredients together with hand. The batter should be like that of cake, it should fall in folds.

In an appam pan fill the slots half way with ghee. Add one spoon full batter into each slot and fry till golden on slow heat. The slow heat ensures cooking till the core. Turn over to cook the other side. Remove with a fork and collect in a box. Similarly fry all appams till batter is used up.

Let the appams cool completely before serving. The spongy appams are to die for without all the preparations and sweat spent on traditional God appe.

With the same batter you can even make pancakes in Marathi they are called Dhirda.

Navalkol Kofta Curry

Now that you know that Navalkol or Kohlrabi is not my favorite veggie you are guessing right that I tried experimenting to make it acceptable to my palate. Well is there a better way than making koftas. It looked very pretty too in a tomatoey gravy, if there is such a word.

This is also a log of me succumbing to the charms of frying in an appam pan, the phenomenon that has swept the blog world. But I used more oil. Ideally one should try to use as less as possible. I am still to work out the optimum oil utilization. It does given even frying and smaller pieces which makes it easy for serving and pragamatic indulgence.

Ingredients

For Kofta
1 bulb of Navalkol/ Kohrabi, grated
1/2 cup Chickpea flour/besan
1/4 cup or more wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt
oil to fry

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and knead together. Shape into small balls the size of a gulabjamun and deep fry using the appam pan. Turn over to get even color. Fry till golden brown on slow heat.

For the gravy

2 tomatoes chopped
2 onions chopped
2 green chilies
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon any special curry masala ( I used Catch's Shahi paneer masala)
2 teaspoon oil
salt

Heat the oil. Fry the onions till trasluscent. Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies and stir well. Add the tomatoes and cook till soft. Puree this masala in a blender.

Heat the ground masala and thin it a bit to make it into gravy as thick or thin as you like. Add the curry masala and salt. Boil for 10 mins. Till masala blends well into the curry.

To serve put the kofta in a bowl and ladle the gravy over it. You cannot even make out what the kofta was made with. Yet it is fragrant with the unmaskable Navalkol smell.

We quite enjoyed it with hot phulkas. The Navalkol Koftas surprised my Dad no end and his eyes said good job! Even though he was not vocal that was enough for me. I am still a Daddy's girl trying to please him once in a while so that at other times I can do my own thing ;)

And...

Our tea time snack came from Vidya Shenoy aunty. Wonderful cripsy, light and perfectly tan colored Chakli. I rarely make chaklis as I find them a daunting task so these were a treat.Thank you so much!

Pups for adoption in Mumbai

Hi friends

These three little pups are so cuddly. They need a home.

Believe me Chimi has made me a more cheerful person. Experience the joy a pet can give you.

If you have love in your heart and you want to shower on them then leave your email address or cell # here in the comments. I will not publish the comments in the interest of your safety, so go ahead and let me know if you want to take them home.

Will send out the details to you through mail or sms.

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)