Homecoming breakfast

Goda masala and Kanda lasun chutney that Dad bought from Gondavale and a homecoming breakfast for him of Idli Chutney and Sheera.

At times I want just 4 Idlis for a quick serving. I have not cleaned the Idli stand for a breakfast of idli chutney, sambar or both. That's when I have started using the vatis/ bowls. In any pan I put water bring it to a boil. Fill the vatis with idli hittu and steam with cover lid. LO! you have idlis out in a jiffy and a stuffed tummy. Plus each time  you have fresh steamed idlis. I am addicted to this tip. Sometimes I sprinkle some coconut oil over hot idlis in the bowl itself and powder them with chutney pudi. Then scoop up morsels with a spoon straight from the vati.

Come back again to see in what recipes I am using the Goda masala and Kanda lasun chutney I am teasing you with...

There are stories to be told...

Over lunch and while commuting together my colleague and friend, Sapna has shared many anitics and anecdotes about her kid bro. It is the typical tale of Indian parents against a creative child's aspirations a la "Tare Zameen Par". So Gowtham went through the grind completed studies took up a job with ICICI bank to make parents happy. Then finally chose to follow his heart. He went for a course in film making. He has been very happy he did it!

Today got a mail from Sapna to vote for her bro Gowtham Shravan Kumar for his films:

Dark Waters - short film category - cameraman
What saves u? - Ad film category - cameraman
Rickshaw Nomads - Documentary category- cameraman

Sabse Peeche Hum Khade - Music Video Category - director

Here is the link. Watch the films. Send him a bountiful of votes. Spread the word

Dark Waters is the adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's "Subha" a soliloquies. Gowtham's camera caresses the girl's moves. Some of his shots at the river side are soothing and for a moment it creates an era of  the slow life for the viewer, which is the essence of a Tagore story.

What saves u? Is a spunky ad film, this is a family blog so I don't want to put the message up here. Go over to watch the film and don't miss the end :P

Rickshaw Nomads Is a documentary made for an imaginary TV news channel. Captures the change in pace of life and economy and conveys a crisp message in typical news channel style.

Sabse Peeche Hum Khade A music video shot on Silk Route's music track of the same title. Very commericial but sweet.

I voted for all four movies but my first favorite is Dark waters and second one is What saves us? specially for it's last line. I am not a film critic but have reviewed as per my own sensibilities. It would be great if you leave here comments for Gowtham so that he can learn more.

The voting is open only to registered users. Register here. Vote for Gowthan Shravan Kumar.

P. S: 
Hey Sapna I must meet your bro to get his autograph before he becomes famous :) ;) !!!

Rain makes us house bound

A view from my bedroom window @ 2.49pm today

Storm water gushing down my street, it has a steep gradient.

Launching Hridaya Vaahini

In the recent times I have had requests coming in to post about pets available for adoption. I have not been able to say no. Also seeing the good work Karthik is doing I thought of creating a separate space for such posts. What else can a blogger like me do?

Yes remember Karthik, I mentioned in the post on Narasimha, he takes care of abandoned, stray and lost pets till they get foster parents and a wonderful home.

Go check out Hridaya Vaahini...

Jarokha: A window to veg food from across the globe

It was almost lunch time the conversations over the phone went like this, one said I have to go out, I said I will go with you, third said take me too. So happened this impromptu meet up. It had been couple of months we had not met and there was a lot of news to be exchanged and gossip to be caught up on. She suggested Jarokha if we were game for some good food. 

The address : 14th main, 17th cross, sector 7, HSR Layout, Bangalore. 

Landmark: above Snap fitness center.

A silver lettered board welcomes you on the 3rd floor. We walk into a really naturally bright restaurant with turquoise green tapestry and furnishings. Distinctly different for most restaurants have reds, browns and all those dirt disguising colors. One wall has modern art with back lights that make it look trendy.

We take a table and instantly are handed out the menu which is in the form of a magazine. Going through it I realize it's vegetarian, D confirms it, So both of us are happy. This can happen only in Blr. In Mumbai I would not expect a trendy place to be strictly veg.

We were so engrossed in our talks and since this was our first visit there we were not familiar with the menu. The waiter checked with us twice if we were ready to place the orders. I had to tell him, we needed more time and that they had so much and such a variety. 

The restaurant is a window true to its name Jarokha, to vegetarian food from across the globe. There was Italian, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Thai and Punjabi. The menu was proof that they were trying to be different. Only the most famous dishes from around the world featured on their menu not entire cuisines.

My friends coaxed me to place the orders, both of them wanted pasta while I wanted something different. Though we had met impromptu, we decided to go all out and have a multi-course  lunch. So we ordered for drinks, starters and mains while we decide if we had space for dessert we'd order later.

So fingers placed on Jarokha sherbet, a blend of musk melon, sugar syrup with a hint of lime, pepper and cinnamon is what we guessed. A unique drink but since I use very less sugar at home found it slightly sweet but its sherbet so normal for everyone else.

Starters were everyone's favorite Nachos with mustardy cheese sauce and salsa. They loved the salsa so we called for more. Nachos were nice and crisp the cheese sauce could have been creamier and served on the side instead of the drizzle. Since it was a bit runny it stayed in the platter. So the first serving was a bit drier and the second serving quite wet. They should double the quantity of salsa, their bowl in tiny; to match the quantity of Nachos. Of course we were happy they served us an extra bowl on demand.

Then came the dramatically delivered Vegetable Lasagna, Penne in Masala Mafia sauce

and my choice Thai Red curry with steamed rice, khimchi and fried papad :)

The Vegetable Lasagna was outstanding, baked to perfection with cauliflower and other vegetable mishmash layered into the pasta sheets and cheese. A scoop of arabiata sauce on the side and splash of Basil pesto on the top. With a dollop of sour cream. You could relish a different flavor with every piece on the fork. Delicious was a unanimous verdict.

The Thai red curry was a mix of mushrooms, baby corn, Chinese cucumber in a very rich coconut milk gravy. It was very creamy and sat plop on the rice when picked from the bowl. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The curry was double the amount of rice. I prefer it slightly thinner. It got a thumbs up from us though. It was served with Khimchi made of red kraut and fried punjabi papads. They know we are Indians so that bit of fusion is allowed.

The Masala Mafia it turned out was a Makhani sauce marrying arabiatta. Penne was a choice we had made. Though it was good it could not stand up to the Lasagna.

The portions of the main course are enough for a single person and slightly more for ladies but right for the guys. The pricing is slightly on the expensive side but worth it.

We three friends shared wonderful bonhomie over the awesome food. Sometimes working Moms need their space and that's what they did this time. I love my friends the new age women balancing home, work and friends. Cheers to you girls! ahem Ladies!

Take a closer look

No Prep Papdi chaat

When people are out guzzling beer 
We feast on Papdi Chaat and Foamy Mosambi Juice

There are many of my friends who love their hard drinks and most often on weekends they plan for a chill out at the bar or pub. My idea of a chilled out weekend is quite different, even while I was in Mumbai I would love to relax at home and do things I would not get to do on weekdays. Like reading the newspaper from end to end. Cooking elaborate meals. That is an obsession you would say and the proof is this blog. Do some embroidery. Read some book which I had bought and did not get time. My weekends were never of "nothing to do so went to the pub" or "planned a party with friends at the pub". In that sense I was brought up as a conservative. So while others guzzle beer we feast on freshly extracted frothy Mosambi juice  or such and our Chakna ( a typical Mumbai term used for salty snacks that accompany drinks) is some chat item. The picture shows Papdi chat was on the menu one such weekend.

I had some ragda leftover and had boiled potatoes in the afternoon while making lunch so putting this together was really quick and easy. What made it healthier is we did not have shev at home so I skipped it completely. I did not want to make any chutneys so used Maggi red chilli sauce. It turned out quite nice.

Ingredients

1 cup ragda

2 onions fine chopped on a mandolin

1/2 cilantro, fine chopped

20 kadak puris/ papdi

1 cup boiled and cubed potatoes

1/4 cup Maggi red chili sauce

Chaat masala as much as you like

Ragda is dried green peas, soaked overnight and pressure cooked to mush with salt, turmeric, cumin seeds and a dash of oil.

 All it takes is layering everything on to serving quarter plates. Put 10 puris on each plate. Spread the cubed bolied potatoes, scoop the ragda on top with a small spoon so it sits perfectly on the puris. Spoon the red chili sauce. Now garnish generously with fine chopped onions, dash of chaat masala as per your liking. If you don't adore chat masala sprinkle some salt instead. Lastly give a whole hearted sprinkle of cilantro to the plate. Hand it out like the best chat you ever made. Who said chats are not healthy and require lot of  preparation?

Papanus Antidote for Maiyya's Gujarati Thali

In Marathi we call it Papanus, it is seen growing in the Konkan area. Papanus is a large fruit anything between 10-15 cms diameter. It's appearance in the bazaar beckons the Ganpati festival for me. The Ganpati sthapana is incomplete without this fruit. Like all fruits and large sized ladoo and Modak this is a must have display in front of the Lord.

We await the cutting up of the Papanus and separating the segments. Sprinkles of fine sugar or salt or a dash of chili powder and it is ready to be relished.

The fresh flavors of mild citrusy flavor with a tinge of bitterness is characteristic of this fruit that the Englishman call Pomelo.

We found a fresh looking Papanus and got Dad to cut it immediately after we returned from the grocery shopping and eat out at Maiyya's, Jayanagar. I prepared it and kept it for chilling in the fridge for our evening meal. Yes we went raw that evening.

Maiyya's has started a Gujarati Thali. This place is neat. They serve the food in copper thali and katoris. (It reminded me of  the olden days when we would hear Kalai-wala shouting out and women rushing out to get them tin plated.)

The waiters speak Kannada, what should I expect. No special dress code. A welcome drink of Jaljira with South Indian boondi floating on it. I ignored the glitch. The rhythmic service of plonked bhaajis on your platter and rest of the many items.

There was small katori of soup, Cauliflower dry, Mutter Paneer, Channa Masala, Khati Meethi Dal, samosa, they called it Kachumbar it was zunka!, cookie sized Puranpoli, biscuit sized bhakari and brittle too, Thepla was authentic- I had 2, plain rice, veg pulav, dahi vada, boondi raita, green chutney was good, pickle with vinegar - not gujjju, 1 small kala jamun, 1 cham cham, curd, their usual fruit cubes with icecream and badam milk and concluded by paan.

Everything was very good quality was sweet tasting and made with ghee. Both me and Dad could not eat half of the food. It was a confused wanna be Gujju Thali meant for a Gujju born and brought up in South India. I found the flavours were something I could not identify with. Having grown in Gujju dominated Fort,  Mumbai for 8 formative years of my life, the Gujju food I know is different; adding jaggery and ghee and  using South India sambar powder for the curries does not make it Gujju.

Koi emne Maharaj moklavi dio. Someone send them a true blue Gujju Maharaj (cook) please.

Chaalo even if they lack authenticity, Maiyya's food quality is very good. Power to pure ghee, long live the Indian Paula Deen. We love their authentic South Indian Thali more. They should stick to it. 

Well well but who cares what I feel I guess because We went there at 1 pm, went straight to the 3rd floor for  the Gujarati Thali. When we came down around 2pm there were hoards of Bangaloreans lined up and  We almost felt like a celebrity trying to find our way out through the indisciplined Deshwasis, my bros and sis. 

Mouthfuls of Ma'moul

My memories of Ma'mouls are of MJK Kaka returning from one of his Middle East trips loaded with lots of unusual eatables and video tapes of all those Hindi movie songs. Though now I cringe at the thought of those videos and prefer to stuff my mouth with Ma'mouls instead. 

Ma' moul and those Lata's songs or Mohd. Rafi and Lata or Mukesh and Lata's songs are inseparable. It was those years when Doordarshan played good programs only on Sundays. Entire households finished their washing cleaning and would be all set for the weekend movies or Chayageet in the morning or on Thu evenings. At all other times it was those video tapes produced by Shemaroo. 

In the joint family we always had a visitor or too from our village. People who would come down to Mumbai for some work and for the night stay at our home. Entertaining them was a difficult job for us kids. We didn't share much in common with them except that we liked to hear stories of our parents growing up in Thal, the saviour for us were these Chayageet video tapes. We had learnt to play these and ensure that our guests were glued to the TV.

We had watched those videos so many times actively and passively that when we played antakshari there would be a reshuffle automatically and we sang all the songs in the order of the videos. I can almost see all my brothers and sisters gleaming at this. Aaj mausam bada, be_iman hai bada, be_iman haiaaj mausam...followed by Chaudavi ka chand ho~~ or Yahooo!!! Koi muze junglee kahe followed Deewana hua badal.  Those songs were from our parents generation but we giggled and watched the heroines running down meadows in those will-burst-now Punjabi suits. As Mom pointed out, "See Asha Parekh started that trend of wearing the dial of the watch on the inner side of the wrist." I still wear it like that because Mom said it was stylish.

It's been years now, we haven't played the video tapes. There is fungus on it and the VCR - the Video Cassette Recorder is dead but still in its cabinet in my Mumbai home. The DVD player now sits on top of it. The VCR made me realize I was technically inclined, I would repair it many times, cleaning the magnetic head with a special spray, opening the hood to clear out stuck tape or when the tape load gears refused to budge. I think Mothe Baba was my inspiration he was a natural mechanic. He could repair almost all home appliances and electronic goods.

Now that I have tried making Ma'mouls at home I plan to make them for my Unc. MJK who has stopped all travel now. I am pretty sure he will love them. I need to try the Khubuz too, that was another thing he always got for me. I think I inherit my Uncles love for vegetarian adventures when it comes to food. Plus when you have google you have nothing to worry. Tadah! and you make your own.

Ma'mouls are crumbly eclair cookies filled with dates and there are variations with nuts too. These are shaped in special wooden moulds but in case you don't have them use your Mudh (rice mold) like I did or small tart moulds.

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teapsoon rose water

2 cups dates ( I used Khadrawi dates)
1/4 honey
4-5 cardamoms

In a large bowl put the milk and add yeast to it. Leave it to bloom for 10 mins. Now add the sugar, all purpose flour, semolina, salt and butter. Rub gently. Add rose water. This will help you make a dough that is just brought together and crumbly. Let it proof for at least couple of hours. I kept it entire afternoon and baked in the evening.

While this was on. I deseeded the dates and poured honey over it. Plus added the cardamom seeds to it.

Once the proofing is done. The sugar would have dissolved and the yeast would have worked its magic. Just knead the dough one more time gently. Keep aside.

Now the dates would have gone nice and soft in the honey. You could kneaded them with hand. I tried grinding in the chutney grinder and it went plonk! The gooey stuff chokes the grinder but hand kneading works great.

Divide the dough and the date mix into 16 parts.Make a basket of the dough and stuff them with date mix like ilustrated here. Keep the size that of a lemon.

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. I greased my bhaat mudh (mould) with butter and pressed the date stuffed dough balls into it. I got a faint design but that's ok when you don't have those pretty Ma'moul moulds.

Tap the mold on the edge of the kitchen platform with your hand below it, to catch the release cookie. Place them in a neat line on the baking tray.

Preheat oven to 180 deg Celsius. Bake the Ma'mouls for 20-25 mins or till golden.

Let them cool before you take a bite. The crumbly cardamom flavored date filled cookies are a treat.

Canine Conversations

I made a mistake of inquiring with someone whom I considered a friend if the couple loved pets. I was shocked, disgusted and dumbfound on hearing the thoughts. I was checking with this person if Narashima could get a place in their home. I got a NO. I said how about on your porch? NO. That NO was so harsh. I did not mean to go beyond in the conversation but this is what followed.

We have too many dogs in the compound. Owners don't take care of their dogs. They bark all night. Owners should muzzle them at night. Sometimes we want to call the Municipality to have the dogs put down! You know there is this law and I can do it.

I am wondering how many people in this world think this way. Further more the person went on to point out how I was wrong in getting Chimi spayed.

I am not a person who keeps quite when I hear or see something wrong but I was too shocked to react. Especially when its a person you consider a friend; saying these things.

I feebly attempted to say

If it were a dog ruled world and you had to be muzzled how would you feel?

I as a parent have taken the decision to spay Chimi because I want her to have a longer, healthier life. Besides other factors on convenience so that she can live with me as I live in an apartment.

After that conversation I was so shaken that I want to hold Chimi close to me all the time. I as a person have not been very selfish in life but yes living alone with just Dad for 5 long years sometimes dries out emotions. I wanted to share my life with someone and when Chimi came home my world changed quite a bit. 

I reflect on the last one year and a little more. I cannot think of Chimi not being a part of my family. I love her routine. Dad feeds her in the morning takes her for a walk. I spend time with her before I go to work. The whole day she gives Dad company. He is Dad to her too including discipling her. I return to a home filled with warm affection. Chimi dodges Dad to rush into my arms. Showers me with all her licks, pawing and wagging. We spend a good 30 mins together till she is finally calm. The rest of the day she is my tail. moving around the house wherever I go. I feed her and then we go out for a walk. If am working at my desk, she creeps into my lap. Once in a while pawing on the keyboard. At times when I shoo her away she comes back and does a uuM, uuM...as if she is tryin to tell me, "Enough now."

I love to watch her lazing, scratching, running after the insects that float into the home. To see her watching the pigeons outside the window keenly. Responding to a bark from the distant. I sometimes hold her near the window and we watch passerbys together. She does her duty of scaring strangers away with a gruff one.

At night once I'm in bed she comes to check if I have closed my eyes, leaning against the bed. Then she climbs on to the bed and makes herself comfortable near my feet. I know even with a slight touch when her body is warmer than normal. She knows when I am down and nuzzles me.

We go out on pleasure trips exclusively for her. She accompanies us everywhere we go. I have stopped taking flights instead we travel by car so that Chimi can go with us wherever we travel and our longest journeys have been 15-16 hrs. We don't complain. Chimi has motion sickness so she is very quite. I give her a pill to prevent puke.

There is a lot of cleaning we have to do as she is free to roam into any room. She is not allowed into the kitchen and she understands it. She sits outside the kitchen door while I cook. She is a quite dog, barks only when she senses danger. There are bouts of puking when she eats something when she is playing outside, she manages to do it even though we are hawk eyed, but we don't complain. Even my driver never complains when she messes the car and he has to clean it. We are human we do feel dirty but do the cleaning because we are committed.

She is completely untrained yet she has learnt the ways of the family and rules at home. We talk a lot to her like we would to a child. I love to whisper to her sweet nothings. At times explaining to her why Dad is angry with her. She imitates me throwing up her eyebrows just like me when she does "What?" as in what now.

She gets a sense of warmth when she holds my hand in the mouth. It is not a bite, never has she dug her teeth in, she is very aware that it is my hand and not a piece of bone.

When we visit my friend Sulekha she jumps on her at sight and when we depart she cries. Sometimes I call up Sulekha so that Chimi can hear her voice. All my family talks to her over long distance calls. If she is in the mood she woofs back else most times she is all perked ears and uuuM...uuuuM.

A sign of a kind soul is the way they behave with animals, servants and the helpless. I will always  continue looking for these qualities in people I want to befriend. Tell me you have seen many such people and they are in abundance. I need a reaffirmation after the above mentioned interaction.

To my friend, give yourself a chance and experience the joy of parenting a pet and am sure you will comeback to tell me that it has changed you for the better, even if the change is an iota. You deserve some unconditional love, you really do. Hope this melts your heart because I believe you may use harsh words but you have a heart that is capable of caring.

Spring Onion Pakoda and Brinjal Pakodas Etc.

Weekend treats: Spring Onion Pakodas, Brinjal Pakoda, Hot and sour Knorr soup and Fruit salad

That Sunday 3 idiots was being run on TV and I had planned to watch it. It meant that without spending much time in the kitchen churn out a tasty and fun meal. It's been gloomy in Blr for many weeks now with the sun peeping out only once in awhile. Thus giving rise to cravings and planned indulgences, with a bunch of spring onions on hand I caved in.

These spring onion pakodas turn out like savory cookies in texture. May be because the besan is not smooth here in Blr., it has slight texture.

I made green chutney to go with the pakodas and served ketchup too along with it.

Spring Onion Pakodas

Ingredients

1 bunch spring onions (8-9 small bulbs and sprigs)
3/4 to 1 cup besan/ chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
salt to taste

Oil to fry

Clean and cut spring onions into 12 inch lengths. wash thoroughly. Drain the washed spring onions on a mesh. Then in a bowl mix together all the ingredients with just a few drops of water. It should be airy dough like consistency.

Heat oil. Test it by dropping a bit of the dough in the hot oil. If it rises up slowly, the oil is ready for frying. Now pinch out small pieces from the dough and drop in the oil. Fry till golden and crisp.

Enjoy them hot.

I also made Brinjal Pakodas.


Ingredients

3-4 small brinjals
3/4 to 1 cup besan
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
salt to taste


Oil to fry

In a bowl make a batter of besan and the spices. Wash, clean and decap the brinjals. Slice on a mandolin. Dip the slices in the besan batter and deep fry in oil till crisp.

The two pakodas taste completely different and have unique texture. The spring onions pakodas are crisp and crumbly like a cookie as mentioned above while the brinjal pakodas are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside when hot.

To complete the meal as well as to balance it out I had made hot and sour soup from Knorr and mix fruit salad of banana, apples and pomegranate arils.

When you eat rich fried food balance out with equal proportions of raw food is my Mantra. I had a happy Dad that day! If ketchup kid is happy I am happy.

Narasimha needs a home

Here is the gorgeous guy for you.

Some time ago Chimi and me were at the Lakeside Vetenary Clinic. It was too early. There was an operation in progress on another pup. Just then a youngster came out from the inside and started playing with Chimi. He was so friendly that Chimi became instantly friends with him. We got talking and I got to know that he had got a dog with a fracture to be treated and nursed by the Doc. He mentioned to us that some people had put their dog out on the streets and now needed shelter. We exchanged nos. and was waiting for Karthik to send me his pictures. I felt really bad that it was already late for Narasihma.

Karthik tells us

"ppl r hittin him wid metal rods throwin stones only coz he looks aggressive...but he dusn even growl such a decent chap...rite now he is being taken care by a family who keep him in their passage dat they use for dryin clothes...they cant keep him for long..i really dun know where else to keep him...am tensed...."

"no he hasn found 1 yet ..actually am worried where dat family will give him away to arf or cupa..datll be d end...somehow am pushin them but am pretty sure i cant hold nemore.. "

If you think you have a place for him in your home drop me your email id or phone no. Not to worry about the  email ids, I will not publish the comments with personal details.

Doctor Yathiraj filled me in about Karthik, he gets street dogs for treatment and spends from his own pocket.  This was reconfirmation of the conversation I had with Karthik. He had pleaded,  "If Narasimha can get a home, I'll take care of his medical expenses." Way to go young lad!

Am sure there are a few good souls who can help Narasimha. Is it you? 

Shev Kurmure and Lassi

Shev Kurmure and Lassi

When I was a kid many evenings me and my neighbor in Fort, Preeti would spend time together in her balcony. Her mother, Kaki used to supply us with eatables. Mumra - sev or Shev Kurmure was a timepass snack. One day I was just chilling out and had no particular plan for the weekend when I made this Shev Kurmure and Lassi.

I remember we used eat one grain at a time to make it last long and one of the things we did was poke each grain of puffed rice with 1 grain of shev ! What a timepass...Any one looking for killing time can try it.

For Lassi take 1 cup thick curd in a glass add sugar or substitute as much as you permit yourself. Beat it with a hand blender once for 2 mins. Then add as much water as you want, depending on thickness of your choice. Beat it again for another 2 mins. Serve chilled or add ice cubes on top.

A Slice Of Mawa Cake

I complete a set of decades today. My life has been an upward journey materialistically and spiritually. I have enjoyed some of it. I have given myself selflessly to the people I love and care for, some were able to handle it some were not. I rarely regret the way I have led my life. Yet wish I could change a few things.

I wish I had been more greedy.

I wish If not a bimbo I was a dumbo.

I wish I was selfish.

I wish I knew how to live off my family.

No, I thank GOD I am not what I wish for. I am not miserable and therefore I think I am happy.

Just one wish I had planned that I will fulfill it by the time I complete this milestone has not been possible. Give me a year and may be I will share it here.

Yes but what I can share with you right now is a slice of Mawa Cake. Take a bite.

You want the recipe too?

Ingredients

1.5 cups All purpose flour

1/2 tin sweet condensed milk

100 gms unsweetened Mawa

1/4 cup oil

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of sugar or more

some milk to adjust the thickness of the batter

In a large bowl sieve the all purpose flour. Crumble the Mawa with your hand and mix with the flour. Now add the oil. Mix well with a spatula. Then stir in slowly the condensed milk, cardamom, salt and sugar till it dissolves. Finally dissolve the baking powder in about a tablespoon of milk and stir in carefully into the batter. Now fold the batter to smoothness. Lift the batter with the spatula and if it falls in folds then it can be poured into the tin else thin it out to make it foldable with more milk. Use a tablespoon at a time. You don't want very thin batter. Grease the loaf tin and dust it with dry flour. Tap dual coated tin over the sink to remove excess flour. Pour the batter into the tin slowly and spread it evenly.

Bake it in a preheated oven at 185 deg celsius for 10 mins till golden and the next 20 mins covered lightly with a tin foil. Make sure the crumb is dried out and this you check by inserting a knife into it. If it comes out clean, it's time to remove the cake tin. Let it cool for 10 mins then unmould it on a platter. Slice it when completely cool.

The Mawa cake has a crumbly texture as opposed to a spongy one that's characteristic of cakes. This is a tribute to my childhood's Irani bakeries of Mumbai, the one that was at the entrance of 1st Koli lane in Colaba, Yazdani and one in Bazargate, Fort. Till Monginis showed up on the cake scene in Mumbai all my birthday cakes were from these bakeries. Mawa cakes are mostly made as cup cakes only some sell as slices.

A Friday & A Meeting Over Eating

Friday was a very busy day for me at work, an eventful one. The day began with my driver complaining to me that his id card had expired and the security guy asked him to get his passport as identity proof! I mocked at him, "It must be passport sized photo. Is the company sending you on an onsite assignment?" I asked. It turned out that I need to mock the security heads who came up with this super idea of asking for a driver's passport. I asked at the gate, "Isn't police verification enough?" Thank God they agreed. I flicked the renewal forms from the gaurd's hands and rushed to a different office where I had to reach in time for a session of influencing the top management about some org wide decisions.

On the way called up another meeting organizer and pushed back a virtual training session I was doing by 30 mins so that I could run from one campus to the other and also get a bio-break! I just knew there was going to be a spill over from the first one. Then as I was about to finish the livemeeting the reminder popped on my screen and the entire batch of participants knew I was going to Papa John's for a Pizza lunch. Thankfully it also said Team meeting over lunch! Else I'm sure most of the voyeur minds would have jumped to a conclusion. Well the first push back caused a cascade and I had to call up and inform my friend Shrinidhi who was giving us this treat that I was running late. 

Actually I had told him in the morning itself that I'd be late and had promised I'll take center stage on reaching the venue ;). Having worked together for a few years now, he agreed because he knows I mean it, nodding his head said, "Then you come late." LOL.

When I reached they were almost through with lunch and some business discussion. I refused to talk on work immediately so we got talking about some interesting things outside of work. While I enjoyed the thin crust Veggie Barbecue (Fresh Mushroom , Red onion , Golden Corn with Delicious Barbecue Sauce drizzled on top). We hit on the topic of 3 idiots and Boman Irani. I am a big fan of this man. 

The hushed whispers that went around in Parsee circles in Mumbai are that  Boman Irani is a international class photographer and his talent as a photographer was suppressed by Alyque Padamsee but he did make him an actor on Shaimak Davar's recommendation. All this at the age of 34 and he  still keeps surprising us with his multi faceted talent.

This video is for the SM Theme Team. Didn't I tell you Boman is a Rockstar!

 

It got the audience including all the big stars there cheering and singing along. Even our best singers are rarely able to engage the audience this way.

Don't miss the 3 idiots screening on Sony at 8pm on the Sunday Superhits.

Send Boman a tweet and show him how much you love him.

Anjeer Bhat

In Marathi homes in the olden days the special treat would many times be sakhar bhat or Kesari bhat or NaraLi bhat. This Anjeer Bhat is a variation I have tried. It has subtle flavours and I have used the whole garam masala spices that makes it really delectable.

The bhat can be eaten warm as well as cold. The Anjeer lends itself well for this rice with luscious pieces that you will find in mouthful morsels and its seed gives you the crunch. Some time ago I made this for Dad using some cooked rice as he was craving for something sweet.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice

4-5 dried figs quartered

1 tablespoon almond slivers

1 bayleaf

4-5 cloves

2-3 cardamoms

1 black cardamom

1 tablespoon ghee

1/2 cup sugar

Put sugar in a suacepan and add 2 tablespoons of water. Let it boil and form a sticky syrup. Add the Anjeer/ dried figs to the syrup while hot and let it cool a bit.

Meanwhile heat a kadhai. Melt ghee. One by one add bay leaf, cloves and the two types of cardamoms. Fry till fragrant. Add the cooked rice. Mix well to coat the rice with fragrant ghee and spices. Then add the syrup and mix while still on heat. Mix gently. My syrup was a little runny and made the rice a little soft as I stirred it in. Finally dress it up with almond slivers. Serve it warm.

Beetroot Yogurt

Did you think it was ice cream?

Some vegetables bring with them a rigidity. They can be cooked only in a certain way. When I am challenged I insist on breaking that rigidity but not today. Beets for me can become beetroot bhaaji in south indian style, cutlets reminiscent of Mangalore and koshimbir.

This koshimbir is rather simple but very colorful. It can brighten up the plain pulav just by sitting on the side. 

Ingredients

1 beetroot boiled, peeled and cut

1 cup yogurt

Mix and serve.

Phanas Ambode

Last couple of weekends I am cooking Konkan style food. Remember my friend Mridula she is a konkani and when ever I make anything Konkani I recollect all the gossiping we did in the office bus. Her stunts of opening a box of very strong smelling jackfruit appe in the bus and trying to stuff my mouth with it. Promise I was embarassed to the bone.

It was on one of those days after our driving classes, we hopped on to the office bus. During that one month we would start from home at 6.30 am attend driving classes, have a shared cup of coffee and then take the bus to work. It was too early for breakfast so we would reach office and have breakfast together and go our ways to our desks. We were quite inseparable before and after work and in the bus. I credit Mridula for it. I am not the kind who becomes very close instantly. I take time, but Mridula was different she became very close to me. I found it surprising. Now after she has found a great friend in her husband yours truly is rarely remembered! Yet am happy for her. 

So this weekend when I was enjoying some luscious jackfruit flesh I smiled and put away just 2 pieces for another day with plans to recreate the smelly stuff that got our fellow bus men and women sniffing and me all crimson. You cannot hide the jackfruit smell. There is proof.

Jackfruit is the mutilated copy of the original word Chakka in Malayalam. In Marathi it is Phanas.

Ingredients

2 pieces jackfruit flesh

3/4 cup Semolina

1 tablespoon jaggery

handful cilantro

a big pinch of salt

Oil or ghee for frying

Puree the jackfruit fesh in a chutney jar along with jaggery. Remove puree in a bowl. Mix in the semolina, salt and cilantro. Mix well with hand to even out lumps if any. You should be able to drop small balls of the batter into hot oil or ghee for frying. If needed add more semolina or a just a bit of water to adjust the consistency. It is important that the batter is not very thin else the rava will bubble up in the frying medium and will not hold the lump together.

Heat the Oil or ghee then reduce it to medium heat. Drop little balls into it and fry till caramelized. Enjoy the Phanas Ambode.

Alternatively you can also make appe in the appe pan.

The smell will attract one and all. They guess it right too. I told you, it's not possible to hide a jackfruit.

Well I also like people who are like a jackfruit, spiky on the outside and luscious on the inside :) I think I'm like that ;) I also wish at times I was born in Chakka land, my choice would be Allepey.

Steamed Gajar Koshimbir

Sindhi Koki with Steamed Gajar Koshimbir and Mango pickle

I love this Koshimbir, you may call it raita. Whatever! it tastes good and makes you feel equally good about eating healthy and in the end that's what matters right? When it's a light lunch we eat it plenty just like a bhaaji. When in a thali it is served, a spoonful. Who said a koshimbir cannot elevate to a higher position when it is so good. On this day that's what we did. You might have your favorite koshimbirs but I bet you will include this one instantly to that list, once you taste it.

So hereis what you got to do.

Ingredients  

4 medium carrots

1 cup curd

salt and sugar to taste

1 green chili

handful of cilantro

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

1 teaspoon oil

Shave the carrots clean, wash and then grate them. In a small box pack the grated carrot and steam. Do not add any water to the carrots. This steaming can be done along with other things in a pressure cooker like when you are cooking dal and rice.

After steaming let the cooker cool. Remove the steamed carrot box and keep aside.

Heat oil in a smal kadhai or handi. Splutter mustard seeds, add the asafoetida, green chopped chili and cilantro in that order. Add the salt and sugar. Mix well then cream it up along with curd. Putting in your little finger, check if it is good. You will agree with me instantly, it is. Serve it with a choice of parathas, we had ours with Sindhi Koki . A guilt free meal.

Mangana

Mangana is chana dal kheer with coconut milk. It was the first time ever I had heard this name at Valaval.

We make Chana dal puran but this was new to me. The coconut milk lends it a very delicate flavor and how it brings out the savoriness in a Sol Kadhi and the mellow sweetness in a Mangana is amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup Chana dal

Milk of 1 coconut

1/2 cup jaggery

1 tablespoon ghee

4-5 cardamom pods

1/8 cup cashews and raisins

Put the chana dal in a small pressure cooker. Wash it several times. Cover the dal with enough water, I used about 2.5 glasses and keep on heat for cooking. Allow 4-5 whistles. It should make the dal a mush.Put of the heat. After letting the cooker cool open the cooker. Mash the dal with the back of the spoon. It is ok to leave some dal whole. This rough mashing gives the kheer the desired texture.

Now heat a deep vessel. To it add the ghee. Add the dal and give it a stir. Add the jaggery and keep stirring till the jaggery is cooked. Take care the raw smell of the jaggery does not remain. Once that is done fry the nuts and raisin in very little ghee and add to vessel of chal dal and jaggery. Put of the heat and mix in coconut milk. Mix well when still warm. One should not add coconut milk when on heat. It might curdle. Lastly add the cardamon powder made by peeling the cardamom pods and crushing the seeds.

Serve warm. Enjoy the very rustic Malvani kheer.

Sol Kadhi

Sol Kadhi, gets it's name from the Kokum used to sour the coconut milk. Kokum is called Sol in the coastal regions of Maharashtra and Goa and a little upto Mangalore. Kokum is a tropical fruit which looks like a plum and the botanical name is Garcinia Indica.

It's a simple kadhi, very good for the appetite and balances the juices in the tummy when they are going haywire. It's even simpler to make when you have the coconut milk ready. The garnish just covers the whole kadhi green but ideally I would love to do the sol kadhi without the garnish as I hate all that garnish coming in the mouth making sol kadhi less sippable. But then if you don't garnish one might get fooled by the baby pink color and sip it like strawberry milkshake.

Sol kadhi is never to be confused due to the color. This curry is very subtle in taste and absolutely refreshing. Most people do not give it a tadka. However in home cooking I have seen both my Malvani SIL and Ghadigaonkar Tai, a Malvani to the core do a tadka. So that's the way I make it. However I have never seen hotels make a tadka. May be it is a shortcut they devised.

I have seen traditional home cooks use Kokum extract or what is called Agal. This extract is unsweetened and is stored for the year and used in cooking. Whereas I used Kokum sarbat  this time which is Kokum and sugar concentrate. The Agal is always stronger in taste and thinner. Whereas the Kokum sarbat is thick and milder, it is pale too. So when you use Agal use less and Sarbat you will need more. The taste of the sourness is balanced with jaggery when using Agal whereas additional sweetner is not required when using Kokum sarbat.

I have exhausted my stock of Agal but did have Kokum sarbat from Mangalore gifted to me by my dear friend Deepa. So I used that instead.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Kokum sarbat (juice)

OR

2 tablespoon of Kokum extract (agal)

+ 1 small piece jaggery

Coconut milk of 1 coconut

1 green chili

handful of cilantro

few curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

1 teaspoon coconut oil

In a deep vessel make a tadka of smoking coconut oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, slit green chili and curry leaves. Add the cilantro to the hot tadka, so that the juices will flow out and will flavour the tadka. Add the kokum sarbat or agal. If you have the coconut milk separate in the thick and thin batches. Then add the thin coconut milk on the tadka in the vessel and warm it up a bit but do not boil. Now pour the thick coconut milk into it and stir to mix. Put off the heat. This dish is never boiled as the sour kokum separates the coconut milk into globules which look unappetizing. 

When using agal add the jaggery after the tadka and let it melt on heat then follow in by the coconut milk and put off heat.

Enjoy the Sol kadhi like a soup before the meal or drink along the meal or like the traditional way make it your main curry. That's what I did, see.

A Simple Malvani/ Gomantak Thali

And A Flashback To Valaval

It was the year 2001-02. I had this habit of writing my day's happening through mail to P. We would chat everyday for atleast an hour, 10 pm was when both of us would be online. I would have had my dinner and he would have lunch after talking to me. Most times the conversation would start with a "Zevlis?" from him. I would think c'mon everyday why does he have to ask me that! My take was intelligent people don't talk just about food. I was right we never did talk only about food but much more. Yet the conversation would begin on a foodie note. I'd console myself thinking poor guy he is missing Indian food in the US. He'd crib about eating pita bread with bhaaji, he didn't know the art of chapati making then.

Well that was the beginning when I started writing everyday. Sometimes he would wonder if I did not have anyone to talk to :)!  He wondered how I could write such long emails. His replies were most time couple of lines but at times a full page specially when he wanted to explain something to me especially after our tiffs.

Then one time I went with my family to Valaval. On return from the trip I wrote to him every little thing about the trip. I simply loved writing to him. That's when he had commented "Keep writing one day may be you will be a writer". I think this blog too is a result of those words of encouragement, actually he had meant to tease me, I think ;). I know my writing, technically is not super but blogs are meant for people like me. Public does not pay to read what I write and hence forgive the mistakes in the writing.

I do not have that email for reference which I had written to P about Valaval but I will narrate it from memory...

The most favorite dinner I had in Valaval on one of those 3 - 4days consisted of Sol kadhi, bhaat, batatyachya kachrya, bhaji and mangana that too served on a patravali and droN (dried leaf plates and bowl). It was completely different from all the Malvani coconut masala and garam masala dishes I knew. It was pretty light on the tummy too.

In the posts that follow I will share the recipes of Sol Kadhi and Mangana. These are two dishes based on coconut milk but completely different in character. One savory, the other sweet. Both are fantastic.

Sol Kadhi, Batatyachya Kachrya, Mangana and Moogache bhajji

Note: 

Malvani - means from the coastal region of Malvan, Maharashtra.

Gomantak - refers to origins in Goa.

NaraLi Pak

When I was in the 9th standard my Mom moved to Thal. I thought it was her turn to stay in the village. My other two Aunts came to stay in Mumbai. In joint families this is very common. Children are taken care by elders and it did not matter whose child it was. Most times all children got equal attention from the elders.

I however felt my Mom and Dad deserved a little more attention from me because they were the ones with more responsibilities. Especially when Mom went back to Thal she started attending all the festivals and celebrations hosted by our community or relatives. She enjoyed very much being part of the Vata pournima and going to the Banyan tree for worship along with a group of women. The 3 day celebration of Ram Navami in the temple saw her resume her bhajan singing in public. She loved to get decked up for HoLi and Dev puja annually. So her need was to have a pretty cover for a pooja thali. 

As you are aware the Pooja thali is always covered so that no one eyes the wonderful naivedya of sweets and fruits greedily before it is offered to God. I made this large napkin by hand hemming the edges and decorating it with a simple embroidery. My Mom loved it a lot and when some one enquired she would tell them proudly my daughter made it! She used it for many poojas. Then after a long time after she passed away I was browsing through her stuff I found this napkin. It showed signs of weathering and the cloth had become soft with use. I picked it up and held it to my lips. It was something my Mom had used so kept it with me as her memory. I have many of her personal stuff, small little things that I kept for myself  while I gave away her sarees to relatives. I lost most of her jewelry in the burglary that we had in Ramurthy nagar rented place. But I still have the green bangles she wore, her sign of being "Akhanda Saubhagyawati" an eternally lucky women though here it refers mainly to staying married till death did her apart from my Dad.

She always came to Mumbai to see me loaded with home made NaraLi Pak and Badam Pak made by Anya from Thal.

It is Mom's anniversary today and have scheduled this post for publishing at the exact time she left me. 

"May your soul be happy and peaceful wherever you are! I do not mean to pull the strings from the past but want you to be free. Yet I remember you for you were my Mother, my Aai in the past :D"

 So on this day presenting to my readers her recipe of coconut burfi which is called NaraLi Pak in Thal. 

Ingredients

2 cups fresh grated coconut (only white flesh)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

3-4 cardamoms

2 teaspoons ghee to coat the plate

Combine all the coconut, sugar and milk together and put in a heavy bottom pan. Keep it on heat and keep stirring with wooden spatula. Maintain medium heat. Let it boil while you stir. It will start thickening. Keep moving the spatula. Drop one grain of the mix on a plate and if it dries quick and solidifies, it is time to remove the mixture from the heat. Peel and separate the cardamom seeds. Keep the peels for flavoring tea. The seeds must be crushed and added to the thickened coconut sugar mix. 

Grease a plate with ghee and spread the thickened mix of coconut and sugar on it. Let it cool. When it is semi solid. Score it and make shapes of choice. I made small 1X1 inch squares. Once completely cooled and set. Run the knife through the scores and cut out the pieces. You can store this NaraLi Pak for a month in an airtight container. In the fridge it can last you longer. When Mom made it, it lasted us only 2 days no matter what quantity. Now I think these 35 pieces that I made will last me long enough to be handed out to the visitors I get not so often nowadays.

Naturo: Real Fruit to surprise you!

Naturo Is a brand that stands for a new taste and fresh ways of preserving fruits. It  is dried in controlled atmosphere. There are two varieties with sugar and without sugar. I have tried these

• Strawberry bar - no added sugar
• Jackfruit chips - dried, no added sugar : I adore these the most!
• Mango Candied Fruit

Loved all three. I am not paid to recommend but I must say I am a fan!

Must Thank Dheer Uncle for introducing this brand to us almost a couple of years ago however  now the products are more visible in the supermarkets so writting about it here.

Tzatziki, Ek Greek Koshimbir

Tzatziki is served as dip with almost anything Greek. I guess there is a recipe of curd and cucumber wherever cucumbers are grown. This Koshimbir is unique because the cucumbers are pureed along with herbs and topped with olive oil.

I did not know until I made this a whole meal that it is traditional to serve fresh triangles of bread along with Tzatziki! Mad angles can be used for snack time.

This bowl is a memento from Khushi for making it to her naming ceremony. Thank you Rashmi for inviting!

It is the first time I made something in large quantities so that we could enjoy it for longer time.

Ingredients

2 cups Hung curd

1 cucumber

1 handful Mint leaves/ Dill leaves

2 green chilies

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon Olive oil

salt to taste

Prepare the hung curd by tying one liter of thick curd in a muslin cloth. You will get 2 cups of thick creamy hung curd after 3 hrs.

In a chutney grinder puree the cucumber with mint leaves or dill leaves, green chili, garlic and salt to taste. I don't like dill so I used Mint instead.

In a large bowl remove the hung curd. Mix it with a wooden spatula to make it lump free. Pour the pureed cucumber on to it. Mix well. Drizzle Olive oil over it.

Tzatziki is a dip so goes with roasted veggies or if you are a meat eater with roasts. I served it with toasted bread triangles. This was a simple meal in itself for us when we thought we had feasted too much on the days prior to this. Consensus deliciously finger licking!