Two Guesses...Come On... Tell me...

This is a gift from a dear friend Gurunath Kulkarni. Anyone knows what it is called? It hails from the deserts, pun intended!

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Guess what this is? Has anyone brought home something so garish just because it cost less than a sober color. It does not go with anything else at home, our's is an almost ethnic home!

Batate Song

Why is this called a song? Is it a gana or is it pretending (Marathi : song). None. It is a very rustic flavor, appeals to the heart. It compliments a very simple meal like Khichadi. My tray was divine with this trio of Batate Song, Khichadi and Shevayi Kheer.

Ashwini has been away very long but her blog is still an inspiration. Her pictures are so alluring. This Batate song had first attracted me in her post, A 'song' for JFI Chillies.

Then recently it made an appearance again on   Aayi's recipes Potato in coconut curry(Batate Song)

On one Sunday this became our meal.

This goes to One hot stove's Blog Bites 9: The Holiday Buffet 

Ingredients

2-3 Boiled potatoes

1 onion diced fine

2 teaspoon oil
salt to taste

The masala

3-4 red Byadgi chilies

1 marble sized ball of tamarind

1-2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut

Dry roasted chilies and coconut till nutty in the wok. Then ground the chilies, tamarind and coconut with a little water into a paste.

Then fried the onions till pinkish and slightly caramelizing. Add the boiled potatoes at this point. I skinned and cubed them. Salt the dish. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Then add the masala and cook for another 5-7 mins. It is ready to serve. 

When using bolied potatoes make sure you use well cooked ones. Since we use tamarind in the masala paste the potato cubes shrink and become tight. Cooking them further after adding the tamarind paste is not possible. Goes well with a maincourse that is bland and makes even a simple khichadi enjoyable with Batate Song for company.

Shevayi Kheer

Shevayi Kheer, Khichadi 

and something something (I plan to send as an event entry...)

Shevayi Kheer, we love it but in our joint family we rarely made it for Naivedya, don't know why? While we lived in Tata Colony in Chembur one of Mothe Baba's colleagues always sent over a large glass bowl of Sheer Kurma on the occassion of Id. It is the samething you will agree but may be richer. Some how only Mothe Baba ate it none of us ever tasted it. As kids we were pretty finicky about our food if we were not introduced to it at home first. I think most times we would make Sweet Shevayi for Holi as is tradition in Colaba, will talk about it some time later.

I think it is only me who started making Shevayi kheer in the family. BTW in my family we never were kheer lovers. I can't say that now as I am in Payasam country. There is a payasam for every occassion here  in the  south. Here is where my love for Shevayi kheer blossomed I must say. Sapna my young SIL seems to think I love it a lot so she makes it without fail when I visit home. Yes this week I was in Mumbai and she made it yet again. Well I am now bored of it and promise not to make it anytime soon. Before going home I had made it for Dad on Dasara day. I wanted it to have a creamy consistency and color. I achived the consistency well but when I tried using jaggery to give it the extra special color the milk split :P :(

So there was Shevayi kheer the next sunday too just to assure myself that I am capable of making a lipsmaking kheer. Don't believe me then go try it, here is the recipe. Oh there are many on the net but won't you try mine?

Ingredients

1/2 cup Roasted Shev

1 litre milk

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ghee

4-5 cardamoms

handful cashew nuts

handful golden raisins

First in a large heavy bottom vessel fry the dry fruits in ghee. Remove and keep aside.

Roast the shev in the same ghee till it is darker shade than the bought out. Don't char it though. Now add the milk and let the shevayi cook till soft. Keep stirring and keep a watch on the milk to avoid spill over. Pick up the shevayi on the spoon and press a few strands with your fingers to ensure they are completely cooked. The milk would have thickened quite a bit. Boil further till it coats the back of the spoon inserted in it. It should be lucious. Now add the sugar and let it dissolve. Keep stirring to avoid lumping at the bottom. 

Finally add the dryfruits and pounded cardamom seeds, mix well. Serve in a colorful bowl to add a festive cheer to it as this is a white dessert Slurp it up in unison with friends and family, and celebrate the season.

DivaLichya Happy Walya Shubhechya !!!

(These lamps are painted by Sujal, my nephew)

Shimla Mirch Patal Bhaaji

A lunch of Shimla Mirchi Patal Bhaaji, Poli, Phanas Ambode, Karlyachya Kachrya

I was quite bored with the coconut masalas and curd based gravies. It was one of those days you wonder what will make you like the food you cook. Especially when you have to cook small quantities. Our everyday food is really simple with no accompaniments like you see here of Phanas Ambode or Karlyachya Kachrya. It is always just plain chapati bhaaji or Dal rice, both together decorates our plates only on the weekend. Most times when I cook a full meal it is for both times morning and evening. It is such a pain cooking for 2 people who eat like 1.5 people on an average day!

This bhaaji is one we can actually make in a quantity one needs with just 1 or two Shimla Mirch and a Potato. 

Ingredients

2 Shimla Mirch/ Capsicum

2 boiled potatoes

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon red chili powder

0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

0.5 teaspoon amchur powder

salt to taste.

pinch of sugar

Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add the capsicum and fry for two mins. In the mini grinder jar add sesame seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and give it a whiz just to crush them but not too fine. Add this masala to the bhaaji. Fry to make it aromatic. Add the red chili powder and turmeric.

Now add the boiled potatoes. Crush with the back of the spoon. Add water to it and let the bhaaji simmer for 10 mins. Once it all comes together and the bhaaji looks thick add the amchur powder and  salt. Balance the tang with a pinch of sugar.

This bhaaji goes best with any type of rotis.

Polka Dots Cake For The BC Fighters

To cheer the two fighters V Aunty and P Aunty. One fighting for last 8 months and other for last 2 months. Women who have the attitude to beat the Bad C, this one is for you!

This Sunday evening was planned to be a counseling session for P aunty by V aunty. I had promised to pick up V aunty from her home. So I decided to bake something to cheer them up. Something high protien and with a Wow factor.

These two women have pampered me many times. One rushing to feed me breakfast at 7 am with hot Jackfruit leaf idlis and packing special treats in her hand bag and handing them out to me in unexpected places. The other has cooked hot meals many a times for me when I have visited her on a whim. I would do anything to make them gleeful. Both have been mentioned many times on this blog.

I had seen many of the bloggers create beautiful upside down cakes

Nupur's Ginger-Pear-Saffron Cake

Sailu's Pineapple Upside down Cake 

and Saee's Sunny side up that I keep dreaming about !

OK so I fell for the upside down thing. I am a little scared of using fresh fruits when I am presenting a cake to someone lest it is not consumed when fresh. Dried Anjeer/ Figs in my pantry sounded purffecto!

I designed my cake in my mind like a true genious! It will be Polka dots when upside down. On cutting it will show the marble effect of chocolate and out will fall the richness of dryfruits...

So I went and pulled out all my dryfruits stock. The figs were submerged into the water while I did other things. The butter was kept out to be in semi molten state since last night so that I could rub it into the flour. 

Oops let me tell you what you should keep ready before we proceed coz I know you are baking with me after drooling at the pictures.

Ingredients

14 roundels of dried figs/ Anjeer

1 cup all purpose flour/ maida

1 cup of almond flour (homemade)

1/8 cup of coarse ground pista

1/4 cup Cadbury's cocoa powder

5 black date chopped fine

handful of golden raisins

50gms of Amul butter

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk approximately

1 inches of cinnamon bark

2-3 cloves

2 cardamoms

3/4 cup sugar 

First grind sugar along with the spices, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms to a fine powder. Keep aside. 

Then prepare the tin. I used 5 inch hexagon. Grease with butter and dust with flour. Tap the upside down lightly over your mixing bowl to remove excess flour. Set aside.

Before starting to mix the batter. Switch on th oven and preheat it at 180 degree celcius. You will need 15 mins to mix the two batters. Meawhile the oven will be ready to take the cake in its womb.

Now take 2 mixing bowls. One for chocolate batter the other for white batter. 

First in the Chocolate batter bowl put the almond flour, coarse pista powder, chopped dates, cocoa powder, raisins. Add 1 teaspoon baking powder. Now scrape out about 10 gms of butter into it. Rub the butter into the mix. Finally add 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup above sugar n spice powder. Mix well and swiftly. To get a slighty frothy choco dryfruit mix. Keep aside.

In a different mixing bowl add the flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 cup sugar n spice powder. Rub in 40 gms of butter. This will make the cake really light and fluffy. Mix swiftly while you add the milk. You may use up 3/4 cup of milk and need a little more. Since this is flour batter you will need to make sure the consistency of the batter is foldable. That means the batter must fall in folds when dropped from slight height into the mixing bowl.

Remember we had soaked the figs in water only till your batters get ready. Remove them from water and line the up at the bottom of the pan. Now pour the white batter first. spread it evenly with a spatula. Then pour the chocolate batter over it. Swirl a knife in the batter to give it a marble effect when baked.

Now is the time for the cake to go into the oven. In about 10 mins time I just checked the cake and saw that it had already formed a crust but was jiggly inside. I inserted a knife and it came out with powdery white tip and gooey chocolate. From my experience in baking I thought it smart to cover the cake tin loosely with aluminium foil. Then it took almost 25 mins to bake till inserted knife came out clean.

After cooling it for 5 mins I turned the cake out onto a colorful tray. Let it cool and then covered with the same foil tightly and draped a nice little napkin over it and carried it over like a buttler to V aunty's home. This one went to V aunty and P aunty got one shapped like a loaf as there are more people in her home.

After delivering the cake at V aunty's and picking her up we drove to P aunty's. After the intial akward talks and seriousness we were enjoying ourselves. While I had baked the cakes Dad had made our famous Rolled and sliced Kothimbir Vadi. He had steamed the rolls which we carried over and shallow fried at P aunty's  to serve hot of the tava.

I felt happy both women felt a little lighter sharing their experiences with each other. My heart was smiling inside to see the tensions diffused for just a while.

Request to all Ladies: 

Get the Mamogram done the moment you find an unusual lump in the breast, even if it is not painful or if you find any of these symptons. Irrespective of your age. Early diagnosis will give better control over Breast Cancer. It has more chances of cure than internal cancers. Be prepared if you have to fight it than being ignorant about it because it is very common.

Request to the Men:

Remind the ladies in your life, wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law to check periodically. Educate them if they are not aware. You are the Men of today, show you are sensitive to the ladies in your life.

Mohanthal

I love my Mohanthal crisp with lots of ghee. That is how Rajput Kaki, my neighbor aunty would make it. I am so tired of the dry fruits we eat all the time, cashew is added to everything sweet. Almonds go on almost all cakes and barfis. So this time I went all rustic with Kharbooz (Melon) seeds and Khus Khus (poppy) seeds to add the extra crunch. 

On the Dasara morning I made shevayi kheer but this time I experimented with jaggery and the milk split. So I could not share it with my neighbors. Then in the evening I decided to make this Mohanthal just for my neighbors. It is quick and easy. Give it a try you might want to make it your pantry staple as it used to be in my home when we were a home full of hungry children and as it is in many Gujarati homes.

Here is what you will need.

Ingredients

1 cup besan/ chickpea flour

1/2 cup ghee

1 tablespoon khus khus

1 tablespoon Kharbooz (melon) seeds

1 cup gul/ jaggery

0.5 cup water

First in a vessel add jaggery and water. Boil it to get a syrup. Put off heat and keep aside.

Then in a wok heat the ghee. When its completely molten add the besan and roast till you get a nutty flavor. The golden hues will tell you that it is cooked. Put a drop on a plate let is cool and taste it. It should not have even slightly bitter taste. If it does not taste bitter then it is cooked properly. Lastly add the Khuskhus and Kharbooz seeds. Give it a stir. The hot ghee will crispen it and bring out the flavors too.

In between grease a plate with oil or ghee and keep it ready for moulding the Mohanthal.

Now add the jaggery syrup to besan and keep stirring till it all comes together as a lump. Stop at this point and pour it out into the greased plate. Let is cool for 10 mins. Then cut out squares like seen in the picture. If the Mohanthal cools completely you will not be able to cut out neat pieces so you need to score while the mixture is still warm.

Once cooled completely separate out each piece and pack into gift boxes. A good piece of Mohanthal is slightly crunchy and lot crumbly. The crunch is dual from the jaggery syrup and the seeds.Very rustic.

Life is a mixed bag...

 Steal the moments from time...

Today was an unusual day. How could I sleep without documenting it.

Yesterday I had left the power chord of my laptop at a different office a friend collected it for me. She called me up this morning and asked to pick it up. It was a wake up call for me. It was 6.30 am and I was still fast asleep (I am a early riser remember). I jumped out of bed and assured her I would reach in time.It was a lovely cool Blr morning. A nice drive later I was the first to reach there. So instead of waiting in the claustrophobic office I decided to go to the terrace. This was the terrace where I loved to have my morning tea when I first came to Blr. It once upon a time had amazing views. You just had to look down and enjoy the city's green cover. It is vanishing. Before I loose it I took the first picture. Here is what the demanding needs of a growing population has done to good old Bangalore, that boasted of a lone good road named after the Mahatma who resides on the 500 rupee note. 

On my way back I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Adiga's next door to my office. As I was just about to start working on something important my friend called up. 

After a cursory "Kashi aahes?" She started cribbing about a choice she had made. She was trying to break the mould she herself had set. In an otherwise perfectly happy life personal aspirations were pushing up their head. If I was in her situation I would not have made life difficult for myself. I was affected because I am so involved in my loved ones. I have decided to recieve phone calls of a certain pattern post office hours.

Another call shocked me informing me of a family friend's critical illness. She and the family had drawn into a shell. We are pretty close and we were not part of this major event in their life! I was shocked. Only to know later today why we were in the dark.

Then I got busy and all of a sudden I realized it was lunch time. Some of my team members were deciding on a venue for an eat out. My friend Seema told the gang she would not go without me! Some one told me about it and I felt special! 

After the two phone calls I was quite pensive and reflecting on life while working at my desk quitely. So when I got to know about the lunch out I decided to take back home my lunch box. I definitely needed a change.

We had a gregarious time together at Little Italy near Forum. Each one of us ordered what we wanted and then all of us wanted to dig into each other's plate. Amidst a lot of laughter and teasing we ate our fill of garlic herb bread, various pastas, pizzas and finally concluded with a dessert which we found unusual on the menu. It is called something like chocolate cake with vanilla icecream and sizzling chocolate sauce !!! We dug into it all of us!!! Plus this is an all vegetarian place, so it gets a big thumbs up from us!!!

Can you smell the caramelizing chocolate sauce?? :P

I attended all the scheduled and unscheduled calls and meetings the rest of the afternoon and then made up my mind to visit the friends mentioned above.On the way at a signal a helpless person knocked on the car window. I was busy on the phone but quickly managed to hand out the packed lunch which I had left untouched in the afternoon and would have gone back home. Dad had cooked for me in the morning and taking it back would have upset him. I muttered to myself, "Dane dane pe likha hai khanewale ka naam!"

As I rang the bell, Aunty opened the door, she looked pale and was wearing a skull cap. I almost hugged her and was desperately holding back my tears. Instead she assured me that she was getting better and stronger. I refused to talk to Uncle for not telling us about this. Then he disclosed something. I felt so ashamed of myself. The last time he had visited my home, it was to tell us about Aunty's illness! However since Dad and me were quarreling about some petty issue. He did not tell us about it and returned home dejected. I appologized for it.

However see the spirit of this Aunty, she served me Bisibele bhaat as is her tradition not to let anyone leave her home without eating something. I was touched and as I usually do I bowed my head in front of the Lord before saying goodbye but this time prayed for her speedy recovery and strength. I touched their feet as I always do and finally I could not stop myself, I hugged and gave her a kiss.

In a single day I understood that Life is a mixed bag. I however would like to steal my moments with all the people who mean a lot in my life.

to be with your loved ones...

(In this pic the monkeys are huddling together, that is obvious. Look closely there is a baby in the middle they are trying to protect from us. This pic was taken at Nandi hills. This behaviour clearly indicates they have experienced loss.)

Wonderful Navratri & Dasara

 Pancha bhog for my Durga Mata

(Authentic Bengali, the goddess face, the dish and bowl are souvenirs from Kaalighat and the sweets from K.C. Das)

All of last week I was planning to visit one of the Durga Puja Pandals in Blr. Sayantani's post was a motivation for me to go to Kormangala for a dekho.

Finally I did make it today. It was a beautiful puja with the Mahishasur Mardini in the center. There were 4 other idols flanking on the sides of which I could recognize only Ganpati. We reached there sometime after noon and a pushpanjali was being offered in the midst of chanting of a stotra. The mantra/ stotra were being sung to the tune of Rabindra sangeet. It was a very soothing experience, a huge crowd bowing their heads in front of the towering idols on the stage was a moment of connection to the divine. In spite of the Bengali people being away from their home they were here to pay their respects. Most people looked on mesmerized, I was trying to read what different people where thinking when they were praying. One thing I was observing whatever the child in them was demanding for the Shakti Maa the expression on their face was of submissions.

As we stepped out of the hall we saw there were many shops set up selling food right from aloor dum and luchi to Kathi rolls, you had Sarathi, Bangaliyana to Nizam there. I am a wimp when it comes to eating out at mass production area like these stalls. So I almost went to buy something and came back. There was a bhog ticket available and people were lined up but we decided not to go. Instead we lunched at Mast Kalandar which is located further down on the 80 ft road. Our order consisted of Dasara Combo of Alur dum, ajwain puri, matar puri, dal tadka, mutter paneer kaju makhana, salad, sweet curd, Rajbhog and Mutter Paneer pulao and an extra Aloo do pyaza paratha. 

While coming back home we craved for more Bengali sweets so we picked up 5 varieties for the two of us.   On returning home I promptly offered it to the Durga Mata I have at home and settled done to feast on them. That is the panchabhog you see here. Instead of a sugar high I was completely doped and needed an immediate snooze.

The Kormangala Bengali Puja opposite Prasanna Ganesha temple on 80 ft road.

Before going to Kormangala puja I went to our Brahmachaitanya temple as it is Ayudh Puja here today. While talking to one of our friends there he asked me, "Why are you going to a Bengali Puja?" I told him because I've never experienced it.

 

Navaratri puja set up at Shree Brahmachaitanya Mandir in all the colors of the South Indian tradition.

  Even the city's helpers do a ayudh puja!

When I came back home I was tracing back memories of the Navratri celebrations in Fort. This is the period when you have the mid term exams coming up just before Diwali vacation so I have never attended the Ghatasthapana in Thal. The worshiping of the power of a women in the divine form is as diverse  and colorful as the Indian people. Coming to think of it. I always associate this celebration of Shakti pooja in my mind with Gujarati traditions. In that sense a part of me is Gujarati.

Dad and me got talking about the celebration in Maruti Lane, Fort, Mumbai where a huge shamiyana was put in front of our building and right from Ghatasthapana to Kojagiri it stayed there. It was always Navratri celebration first and culminated with a Homa-Havan on Kojagiri day. 

It was nights of sneaking down to play garba and dandiya. When we would invite troupes for fancy dress dandiya dancers. It was hilarious to see Alexander, Krishna, Mirabai and Africans playing dandiya together.  It meant nights of talent shows for all age groups. Of being the first to check out the flower decoration done by Neeru aunty for Mataji ni Wadi. Most evenings one of our Gujarati neighbors would invite Mom for garba and haldi kumkum in their homes, I would like many other girls tag along with Mom. We would come back with little glass bowls or katoris filled with prasad, a gift from the host. 

The announcement of the aarti "Amba Ma ni aarti maate baddha niche aavjo" made us dump the books and race down  while shouting back telling parents we will come back to finish the homework. Along the Aarti Jai Om Jai Om Maa Jagadambe  we sang. What was amazing is the whole crowd touched the person in front of her/ him like  in a game of dominoes till the person who held the aarti thali. It was a human contact chain or rather a rosette. Mohanthal was always the prasad for everyone at the end of it. Most times when we were not allowed to go  down when Amba Maa was moved back into the temple on the last day at 3 am in the morning with chanting of Jai Ambe Jai Bhavani! Jai Ambe Jai Bhavani!! Jai Ambe Jai Bhavani,!!! Jai Ambe Jai Bhavani!!!! Jai Ambe Jai Bhavani!!!!!  I would wake up to chant from my third floor window sitting up in bed. It was an amazing time, I still recollect very vividly.

Listen to this fabulous Garba geet there are many new cover versions of it but this is closest to the traditional one I have heard as a kid growing up in the heart of Mumbai. With that I wish Shubha Dasara!! to all my readers and their families.

Watch the guy swinging the cymbals

Fire in the vicinity

Shot from my window, am keeping out of their way while most like to be onlooker at close. 

Idiots! when will they understand. Move out off the way~~~

There was a short circuit in the lane an hour ago that caused a fire in the basement of a commercial building. As I reached home common sense told me that the car had to be parked far away so that the fire engines can move with ease. I don't know how people can be so stupid, the people are not moving their vehicles to vacate the lanes for the free movement of the fire engines. Who should teach them common sense!

Till now one engine went back and one more has come in. In all 3 fire engines, it is still not under complete control. The electrical fire has been put off but the off shoots that ignited bales of paper and plastic sheets is causing caustic fumes. The neighborhood is shaken and awaiting to hear from the Head fireman that all is safe.

This Friday night has brought in a scare.

Update

The fire was doused completely after 2.5hrs of fire fighting. I have seen firefighting and life saving being carried out in Mumbai and for the first time I saw it in Blr. This was a small fire yet it took 4 fire engines and 2 water tankers to get control besides 10s of firemen. Sorry to say I found they lacked skill! The seemed lousy! Many of them were entering the basement without proper equipment and coming out coughing immediately. Heroism is not enough in such situations. There has to be good range of equipments, masks and whatever it may take to control the fire. The men lacked technique too. Instead of pulling down one of the walls to provide ventillation for the fumes (This is what I have studied as a student of Environmental Technology) these men prefered to risk their life and enter the almost dungeon like basement without masks!

It gave me a heartache to see the fire took so long to get control and to get put off completely. The equipment available is not latest forget being top class. The Fire engines itself were not well maintained, the way I have seen in Mumbai. It is a sad state of affairs.

It is the Lord's blessing that the losses were only material.

Lime-Mint-Pepper Tea

It was a lazy evening. I was feeling fatigued after a hectic week and a busy day even though I was at home. At lunch we had Dry Fruit Kheer which had resulted in a good late afternoon nap.

When I woke up it was dusk and a little chill in the air called for some refreshing tea. I had used up the milk for the kheer leaving us no milk for tea. Though I could just go down and get it I decided instead to make a spiced n flavored black tea.

Ingredients

1.5 glasses of water

1 lime

1 teaspoon dried pudina/ mint

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon tea leaves

sugar to taste

Boil the water and sugar. Add the mint/ pepper/ tea leaves one by one and boil for 5 mins as it turns a pretty gold. Squeeze the lime into tumblers. Strain and fill the tumblers with the tea.

We enjoyed this tea thoroughly. The cheeselings were nice to pop into the mouth between sips of the refreshing drink. The smells of citrus and mint and pungency of the pepper are a sure shot way of relaxing with aroma therapy, the Ayurveda way !

Cheers!

Dudhi Ke Kofte

Kofta of any kind are always fun to make. It is a special treat when soaked in the tangy gravy. Kofta gravies are excellent with any type of roti or Naan but have you ever eaten a kofta crumbled in its gravy and mixed with hot steamed rice. I have never done it. Some how I'm yet to try it. Try or fantasize it now!

Last Sunday made this little treat which made my Dad jump like a kid exclaiming "You made so many things?" When all I made was Dudhi ke Kofte in tangy gravy. Plus in an attempt to rationalize our sweet indulgences I thought it was a great idea to eat boiled sweet potato for dessert instead of making Ratalyachi Kheer .

You have seen the platter we enjoyed so sharing here the way to the joy and for you to replicate it in your homes.

Ingredients

For the Kofte

4 - 5 inch piece of dudhi/ bottlegourd

2 -3 tablespoons of Besan/ Chickpea flour

1 green chili

1 handful of chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt to taste

Mix everything together. Shape lime sized balls. Fry in the ape pan. Like Navalkol Kofta Curry

For the Tangy gravy

2 tomatoes

2 onions

1 green chili

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon Kitchen King Masala

1 hand full cilantro

1 table spoon of oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Heat oil. Fry the oils till shiny. Add tomatoes and let them soften on slow gas. Add the rest of the ingredients. Switch of the heat. Let it cool.

After cooling completely grind to fine paste. Meanwhile heat a kadhai. Add the masala paste and koftas together. Wash the mixer with water. Use the water to thin out the masala to a consistency of your liking. Bring to a boil. The curry tastes better as it cools.

Lap up the Dudhi ke kofte with hot rotis. Some change is always welcome.

Lajjatdar Shakarkand

The Silver Metro next door has been a favorite restaurant with the team on many occasions and there is this Shakarkand sabzi that surprised us the last two times we were there. It was a boiled and roasted stir fry that one could eat on its own too. We actually did not have it with roti. It has the makings of a starter.

Obviously I wanted to try it out at home. I guessed garam masala, a hint of amchur and haldi-mirch. I  thought  it's a nice change in the method of cooking the root. I make sweets with this inherently sweet tuber like Ratalyachi Kheer but never tried anything savory with it.

So here is a savory one inspired by Silver Metro. 

Ingredients

2-3 big tubers of Sweet potato/ Ratala/ Shakarkand (Boiled)

1 green chili chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon oil

few curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

a generous pinch of amchur powder

Salt to taste

Dice the boiled sweet potato. Heat oil in a kadhai. Splutter mustard seeds. Get the curry leaves crackling. Now add the chopped green chili then add the turmeric and chili powders give it a stir and quickly add the sweet potato dices to it. Quick so you don't burn the spices. Stir, cover with a lid and let it collect steam. Stir again. Add the garam masala, amchur and salt, mix well. Cover and cook for 10 mins or till the smell of garam masala tempers. Give it a final stir and remove from heat.

I took it to work for my lunch box to share with friends especially Preeti  she had liked it at the restaraunt but she was not around on the day and missed it.

Tiramisu of my own

Joy of Baking is my site to go to for non Indian desserts, my inspiration. However due to personal choices I have to make adaptations. Tiramisu is such a permissive one. People have started deviating from the once used Zabaglione custard and that is about the evolving food and recipes as mentioned on the Joy of Baking site.

I choose to evolve this recipe and adapt it to my likings and eliminate ingredients that I do not choose to use. I do not want alcohol so will replace it with Orange juice. The Eggs used for the custard are a no no in my household so I'll go for the custard powder instead. Ladyfingers are not found in the Indian market so I used soft powdery biscuits.

Lets see how this recipe plays out. Here is the list of the ingredients of my choice.

Ingredients
 
Soaked Biscuits
20 soft powder biscuits from the local bakery

(They are like Nankhatai, the ones I use here have chili powder and cumin in it and lend a wonderful balance to the sweetness)

2 Oranges
1/3 cup of sugar
2 teaspoon instant coffee (I used Nescafe)
1 cup water

Custard
Make 2 cups custard as instructed on the packing. (I used Weikfield)

Fresh cream
200 ml of Fresh cream ( Amul)
1 tablespoon sugar

Topping
Grated Chocolate
1 tablespoon Cocoa powder
Orange Zest

This dessert is really easy to put together and yet lead your guests to sinful bliss. Come follow the steps.

First harvest the zest of 2 Oranges and save them for the garnish. Then on a citrus juicer extract the juice of the oranges. Keep it aside.

Next dissolve the instant coffee and sugar in 1 cup water. Add this to the Orange juice.

Take 4 pieces of fancy drinkware or tumblers. Put 5 biscuits in each one. Now slowly pour the coffee and orange juice mixed liquid over the biscuits. Let them soak for a while. Incase you see the liquid at the bottom and the tip of the biscuits dry turn them over and bring up the wet ends and dip the dry ones in. We cannot soak these biscuits in a different container and transfer to the glasses and they will colapse so we do it directly in the serving glasses.

Now check if the custard you made is cool. Pour it over the biscuits. As you pour the custard will spread to fill the tumbler and the coffee will rise and crawl on the sides giving it a marbled effect.

Next is the fresh cream. Empty the 200 ml of it from the carton into a bowl add a tablespoon of sugar. Beat it with a plastic spatula till peaks are formed. Scoop out the now sweetened fresh cream on to the custard and biscuits.

Finally garnish with grated chocolate and cocoa and sprinkle some orange zest. Chill the tumblers in the fridge for couple of hours.

Hand out the Tiramisu and see the focus with which your guests will scoop it up. It is the smiles that light up their faces that will make your day, I'm sure!

It is creamy, sweet but not too much. There is a hint of Indian spice of chili and cumin in the biscuit and that surprises your taste buds as you least expect it in this one. You will love it.

When I'm hosting a party I never have dessert with the meal and when I have chattering to do. I always keep it for later, I enjoy such treats when I'm alone in silence and peace. Food is my Therapy.

This post was meant for the anniversary celebration of A Mad Tea Party  I could not make to. It is also to show the way to the ignorant people (I'm assuming this) and also people who  are delibrate in not giving credits to the source. You should know that it is only graceful to acknowledge the source of inspiration. 

If you are creative enough then go tweak the recipe to suit your preferences and the availibility of ingredients in your country or neighboorhood. Atleast readers will appreciate that. Food bloggers are a close community and very inclusive, give credit where required and you will be welcomed with warmth. Read what Anita has to say.

There are others by the name of Gourmet Gurus etc on TV. Most of them are inspired by homecooks like us. In the recent show I saw, Koli Ishtyle flashing on the TV screen and I drew close. The chef created a fish dish that was unique. He baked a fish in a bed of salt, unsusal way of baking, truly. Yet reminded me of my two post Galtarcha Sarga and Buzlela Bagaa.

Next he created a salad with Barik Methi which I have used in Barik Methi Moog Dal . I may try this one sometime. The chef mentioned he had discovered Barik Methi for the first time, he called it Methi sprouts though and was amazed at how low cost they were and yet so healthy.

My family and some friends called up to tell me they remembered me when they watched the show and my Koli Style category on this blog and for exactly those posts of mine. It was very clear the chef and/ or his programming team had been here. However what they did was unique and very creative. I tried to google for a recipe with barik methi or methi sprouts by him and could not find it! I did not find any other link where young methi leaves are featured in a recipe :). Does that make me a unique user? You know the answer.

Hey, I missed the Tea party but I'm definitely supporting Anita in this anti-plagiarism drive. Go over to see who else made it for this Tea party with a cause.

Some More Glimpses

 The boat docked at the shore, It is the monsoon time and today is Visarjan so time to enjoy instead of going to high sea.

The most traditional way to carry Ganpati for Visarjan is on a Zula or swing hung from a bamboo.

 Sunset from Malbandar, Khandheri, stands witness to the life on the shores of Thal. Today it is a day for festivities.

Ganpati is a festival for letting loose the imagination. Instead of Arjun here is Ganpati and Krishna is his the sarathi/ Charioteer. It is not a confusion or ignorance about our history or mythology but creative liberties only Hinduism tolerates. This is Arjun awatar Ganapti.

AND

How can I miss out the visarjan in my society. I was back from the village and on the 7th day, that is the no.of days we have Ganpati in our society in Mumbai. As always I am a complete recluse outside my Koli community, whether I am in Mumbai or Blr. Actually the thruth is I am a distant observer anywhere, that is if I am not an organizer. I watched the visarjan from the balcony. I am rarely a part of these celebrations or even if I am, I'm very discreet.

 

You see the local band playing music.  The truck is ready for visarjan and people come out of their homes to see off the Ganpati Bappa. The essence here is the cosmopolitan celebrations involving all castes and religions, people who have left their native lands in search of greener opportunities  and have made Mumbai their home. You will see a Sardar, Muslim, Christians, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannadiga, Bengali etc all 250 families trying to live in harmony, all participating in each others festivals. After Ganpati there will be Navaratri celebrations and then Christmas Party and New year celebrations. The National holidays like Republic Day and 15th Aug are the neutral reasons to unite this diversity. It is the Siddhivinayak's blessing that makes Mumbai what it is!

Well and here is Chimi enjoying the vacation with her Hrushi Mama :)

Did you notice she has got a tail trim, by her groomer and my Dad!

Gauri Visarjan

After our Ganpati Visarjan we were about to return home via the seashore. It had grown dark but Sushil mentioned that the Gauri were expected to come down on the seashore any moment. As Deewane's Gaur is his family's Gaur we decided to give him company. Sapna had not seen Gauri Visarjan last year so she too was keen.

Meanwhile we watched other Ganaptis being sent off. The first Gaur to arrive for Visarjan was the Chaipatil family's. The Gaur is carried along with the chair on the head by a women and brought to the shore without disturbing the flower decorations. We too offered our prayers and watched them do the aarti and then the ladies danced around the Gaur. Meanwhile the Deewane Family's Gaur also came to the shore.

 

 

We bid our final goodbyes to every one and returned home. The next day I was too return to Mumbai. My time was up. I had to return to Blr on Saturday. Take rest on Sunday and Monday onwards I would return to my sterile Corporate world.

Yet it is the want of not just butter but also jam on the bread that takes us places. I do have plans to return one day...to my beloved Thal.

Ganpati Visarjan

Our Ganpati goes along with the Gauri so this year the visarjan/ farewell was on the 6th day after Chaturthi, it was the 16th. Visarjan is always done at dusk and the entire scene is something to experience.

Earlier we would carry our Ganpati on the large swing we had at home. It would be hung from a bamboo pole and my father's maternal cousins carried it to the Malbandar. Especially Uttam Kaka always claimed that it was his duty and respect bestowed by us on him, he also is the burliest among all of my father's cousins. However now since we dismantled our swing from the terrace and we do not have burly men at home ;) Mothe Baba the genius converted it into a cart, He made it himself and uses the cart only for our own religious processions in Thal.

It has been tradition that the Patil families both ( Nagesh Patil and Vani family) take their Ganpati for emmersion  together. So in that tradition we decided that we will start from home at 5.30 pm for visarjan.

On the day of the visarjan the naivedya offered is not distributed as prasad but instead it is packed as a Shidori or packed meal for the Bappa as he will be traveling back to his abode.

At 5pm we moved the Ganpati and place him near the main door so that we could do the aukshan, everyone gets a darshan before departure. Ganpati is never moved from the sthapana place directly, it is a tradition to do a goodbye at the door and then move him.

I admire the fact that Sumeet wears the Nangota or Rumal for all religious celebrations when today the village youngsters shy away from wearing it.

Nagesh Patil family were also getting their Ganpati ready and the the push cart was stationed in front of their home which is just behind ours. The loud Ganpati Bappa Morya! was a signal for us to get ours out too by the time the cart was in front of our home. After placing our Ganpati on the cart the men folk took turns to push the cart while the others helped all the way through the old bazaar, bus stand and through Undher Ali and on to the Malbandar. All this among chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya!!

I would like to point out that we maintained a noise free Visarjan even though it was in the village. We could hear a lot of bands playing and loudspeakers blaring in the distant. For us it was just the pure chanting and villagers chanted back in response to our Ganpati Bappa Morya! as we moved ahead.

Baabli Kaki was praying for the family all along . It sounded like she was brainwashing the Bappa. I was missing the fact that there were no senior women from Vani family to do it for us but found solace that aleast B kaki was doing it. She was muttering something like, "Kaama dhandhya la pora jatan, yashacha vata des, Phurach dekh, mangari valu nako. Sukhi thev, Vighna kai haanu nako." Her tone was of demand for her children. It made me sentimental how much the success of the children meant to the mother in her.

We were the first few to reach the Malbandar, the pristine beach of Thal. The sun was on the horizon and so without wasting much time we did the farewell aarti. Kishor Bhau quickly removed his T shirt and his two boys followed suit they to wanted to take the Ganpati into the sea.

I was teasing them that they are the new trainees. Technically Kishor Bhau is the eldest among the  current generation in the two families and it is his duty to perform the Visarjan. Lalit, Hrushi and Sumeet were standing back and watching. The sun was ready to submerge in the sea, first with the Vani's Ganpati and then the Patil's Ganpati, Kishore Bhau along with another man carried the Bappa straight into the sea.

Ganpati Bappa Morya! Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya! 
Ganpati Gele Gavala, Chain Padhe Na Aamhala!

Ganpati Bappa Morya! Come back soon next year! 
Ganpati has gone home, leaving us restless.