Meme : Table Talk

I was surprised to see this tag from Nandita as I have been really keeping away from the blogger’s community, events and an award though I was posting regularly. There are just a handful of blogs I visit regularly and Doctor’s (as I like to call her) is one such. Thanks Nandita for pulling me out of the slumber.

What’s your favorite table?

picture: www.Chopa.com

I love the Kotatsu, the Japanese tea table. At work we sit on a chair for long hours, so once home I love to squat on the floor. This square table is ideal for a family of four. It can be surrounded by futons or soft cushions depending where I am, in Bangalore the cushion is a must but in Mumbai futon is the right choice. I had wanted it but never ended up owning it after the carpenter created a fuss.

I tend to use my dinning/ tea table for almost everything like writing/ cleaning the veggies and almost always it become an all purpose table. I also love it because it allows me to spend quality time with my near and dear ones.

In Mumbai, the dining table is a six seater with a swing in the same room so I can chat up while serving the guests.

What would you have for your last supper?
Aww this keeps changing with my mood. Currently Bangalore style curd rice.

Let me think of it again, may be death by a Durian is what I’d like.

What’s your poison?
Currently ice tea poured into a tall glass with a perfect slice of lime slid on the edge.

Name your three desert island ingredients.
A toothpick ;)! need to stay off deserts.....but chocolate drip, Hapoos aamras and cubes on vanilla ice cream and fruits to lessen the guilt when I am allowed to have it.

What would you put in Room 101?
a nice perfume...no food...

Which book gets you cooking?
e-cookbooks when I am specifically looking for some restaurant style cooking.

What’s your dream dinner party line-up?
Family it’s been a long time since all of us met up together for dinner. Bal, Somu if you are reading this give us an opportunity soon.

What was your childhood teatime treat?
Maska pav/ brun sliced horizontally and buttered generously, then sliced into fingers just about to hold all digits together. Oh I need to make a pictorial on that one.

Gol Khari/ Butter or Bhavanagari soaked in tea for evenings. Butter is the stiff bread seen in the picture and Bhavanagari is the shev there.

Why childhood, it is still a treat for me and that is what family gets for me all the way from Mumbai, and they get dirty looks at the airport for carrying such stuff separately in large bags with handle with care labels on it, lest the Butters~~ get crushed. :) LOL. V Bhau thank you! I'm still enjoying the last packet.

What was your most memorable meal?
The one I have described here of garlic naans, made extra crisp, stuffed tomato curry and dal makhani with jeera rice. We licked our fingers, ain't that true desi way of appreciating food? It was special also because we were in a special place.

What was your biggest food disaster?
Cooking for Blr 5.5 viz Anand, Asawari, Alok, Varsha and Gauri. We decided to make Pudina rice with corn and I made so much that we could have eaten it for 2 full days. They were witness to the disaster. Anand could not stop joking about it as both he and Alok are meager eaters and lanky guys, he kept saying, "Did we give you the impressions that we could eat that much". I packed boxes for distributing to the poor after our dinner and handed it over to them when they left.

What’s the worst meal you’ve ever had?
My only aunt (Aatya) invited me for lunch and served me stir fried greens and rice when I was young. I don’t complain much about simple food served by simple people but this memory refuses to be erased. For me the meal can be tagged worst only when it is served without a care.

Who’s your food hero/food villain?
Hero: Tony Bourdain for his open mind for all kinds of food he tries on his travels across the world, since I am pretty conservative, Indian vegetarianism is my style.

Food Villain: I'll look out for one now that you ask. It's a strong emotion not associated with food, I'm talking of villainy

Nigella or Delia?
Nigella!! She is for real, with real food habit issues like any of us.

Vegetarians: genius or madness?
None. Just a choice.

Fast food or fresh food?
Most time fresh foods yet on the road its fast food ofcourse.

Who would you most like to cook for?
Someone whom I can convert from eat to live to a live to eat. Sounds evil, ain’t it?

What would you cook to impress a date?
May be a story! Food would be the last thing on the mind. What say?

Make a wish.
Shhh…..Just blew the eyelash away.

With that I am throwing this Meme open to all. Take it up and share your stories.

Enjoy Maadi!

Arisi Upma

Sometimes we wonder why family behaves strangely. I have been inviting Uncle M to Blr for a good three years. However he is not able to make it, he is a busy man I do understand. As a daughter I would love to have both Kaka and Kaki over here but they have not been able to visit me. I think I must be lacking somewhere in my expression of love towards them.

Anyways here is Arisi Upma for my Uncle M who loves spicy food. It is a Hyderabadi variation of the regular upma made at the cafeteria at work. Arisi Upma gets its name from the rice meal that is used to make it instead of semolina that is used for regular upma.

Ingredients

1 cup rice meal
2 small brinjals
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 teaspoon sambhar powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon split black lentil
1 green chili
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
salt to taste
1.5 cup water
2 tablespoon oil

Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry the split black lentil and add the asafoetida. Fry the onions and then add the rice meal, give it a stir. Add thinly sliced brinjals, chopped chili and tomatoes. Cook till tender. Add water, salt and sugar. Cover and cook till rice meal is done also check if the brinjal is done too.

Uncle M you don't have to go to Hyderabad for this upma, I can make it for you, but yes you will have to come to visit me at Blr soon. I got your pictures though don't demand copyright!

My Uncle M in his indominable spirits!


Aruna Kaki the pillar of strength and Somu


Somu thanks for being with Kaka and Kaki all this while :)

Bare Necessities

When in school the movie Jungle Book was released and as Regal cinema was just across my school we just had to go for the movie. So the school booked the entire theatre for 2 shows for us. After which for many months we were smitten by this song and we would dance just like Bhaloo during our breaks. Ritu Pal, a classmate did it really well and she would dance in many a music class when we were learning this song.

As I grew up I understood and appreciated Bhaloo's mantra even more. This song is written for kids and I must admit it moulded my mind even at that young age. I feel the need to remind many of the people I care for about this song they might have enjoyed years ago or even if they haven't, they should actively listen to it now.

Does it touch you somewhere? It ought to.

We live in times when careers are so important to us. The Money that is meant to provide bare necessities is not enough for us. We pride ourselves in being global resources, earning salaries that match global trends. We are big spenders on a better home, better car, fashionable hangouts etc. We are in the rat race accept it! We mocked the American culture for this and we are doing exactly the same thing.

Family life is being affected by this rat race. Who could realize this more than a person like me who has lived in a joint family of 18 and now we are just 2 of us here in Blr.

The trends show, now it is more commonplace to see couples living separately by attribute of their career. Is career so important? Gone are the days when people like my Mom who did not pursue a career just to be at home and take care of not only me, her only child but even the rest of the family and visitors too. That is not the norm now but should not one of the spouse be making it possible to be together. It is really sad to see many couples separated by distance. This physical distance then creates ravines in the relationships that go beyond repair.

The women aspires to have any kind of career and some who have good ones want to give their best to it. The men are pushed even harder to be better providers, better schools for kids, better looks to match the women. Yes even looking good is not just a pressure for women anymore.

I know people who cannot sleep as they are working hard so they are on pills and some others take pills to stay awake so they can pack more into the day. Where are we heading by doing this? Why are we playing with the most natural healer that is sleep? Analyse this, is it worth it to invest in your work life that you will be done with in a couple of decades? No one will be able to sustain at the current speed. After the worklife is over you will find the rest of the decades gaping at you and no one around you. Simply because you were not around people who needed you most.

The women need to think, do I need the money I earn for myself or the family? Most times it is for themselves, very few shoulder the family demands equally with the husband, this is true especially in middle class and above in Indian families. There are fewer women who need the money they earn, to support families. The men need to think, is family demanding for things beyond their reach. Who is responsible for setting the expectations right? Both need to think what is it they will achieve by so much compromise on personal life?

Are we ready for a simple life? Else the future is dark.

Yes I am. The process began for me 3 years ago quite slowly but deliberately.

I would like to hear a resounding echo from the people I care for, brothers, sisters, friends and all those who are reading this. Go pick up the phone and say no matter what happens you want to be with people you care for and money is just a medium for bare necessities.

Talmalichi vinanti aahe. This is my heartfelt request to you all.

Are you ready to hold hands and feel the power of two? :)

Matkichi Usal

It is not an everyday thing to have Matkichi usal on the menu here in Blr at our home unlike in Mumbai. While in Mumbai we would have it almost once a week. In Blr I have to hunt for these legumes.

Matki, Moth or Moat is a small brown bean. It is particularly popular in Marathi and Gujarati cuisine, both make a slight variation of this Usal. Now Usal can be a dryish stir fry made with beans or a liquid curry. We like both the consistencies. It is a dry stir fry when I need to carry in the lunch box and watery for enjoyment at home.

Matki Usal is so much loved among Maharashtrians that it is one of those dishes that is enjoyed at any time of the day. A lightly flavored one for morning breakfast topped with grated coconut, for lunch, as an evening snack converted to a Sprouts Dahi Misal or at dinner time.

Yet the real secret lies in the spice, one may use simple spices for flavoring bean curries but for optimum taste a true Matkichi Usal has to be spiced with Goda masala or Kala Masala and jaggery adding an extra dimension to it. Yes those masalas are the ones that churned discussions all over the blogosphere sometime ago.

Though this is a traditional Marathi recipe it is not much popular with the carnivores that Kolis are. It's too tame for a Koli, almost to the point of dislike. However our family is a Matki Usal freak as much as a dal freak and has therefore earned the comment "Bhat zalet ho!" (They actually mean they have tamed, I won't do transliteration of the comment as I don't take pride in the conversion ;)).

Ingredients

Sprouting Matki

1/2 cup Matki/ Moth Beans

Wash and soak Matki in water all night, the beans should be covered with sufficient amount of water. Drain the water in the morning and put onto a sieve or tie it up in a muslin cloth. It takes a day to sprout in summer, once the sprouts are as big as the beans they are ready for use. While they are sprouting just toss them around to aerate so they don't become slimy. A 1/2 cup of matki gives about 2 cups and a little more of sprouts

Making the Usal

2 cups matki sprouts

1 onion chopped medium

2 tomatoes or 2 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1/2 teaspoon Kala Masala or Goda Masala

1 green chili

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1.5 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon jaggery powder

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the onions till translucent. Add the cut green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, Kala or Goda masala mix thoroughly. Add the sprouted matki and stir to coat it with the masala and pour water enough to cover the sprouts. Cover and cook. It takes 20 mins to cook well. Check if done by pressing a bean between the finger. Once cooked add the chopped tomatoes and jaggery, boil once. Tomatoes should be added at the end so that the matki is allowed to cook well and quickly. Tartness normally slows down cooking so this needs to be taken care of. Put off the heat. Serve with Chapati or bread of your choice.

To add the Koli untamed attitude to this post I must add my tuppence to the fart manual. Prudes don't read any further, you can go straight to the last line.

"Ada pada kon pada, damboricha ghoda pada". This used to be a game we played when someone liberated themselves while in a group. One points a finger at each member in the group and the one who gets the last word is the artist in hot air creation.

Also

A riddle that was very popular, "Don dongrachye madhin Bhikya Bombalte!" I'll try to say it in English, "Who is this Bhikya(name) that shrieks between two mountains? Guess it? (trying to keep a straight face)

Lets celebrate the Beans 'n Lentils fest with this sweet Punjabi Fart song, please sing together and dance to beats that drown the human sound effects. Dhum, Dhumak Dhum Dhum Dhola Re~~~

Hope Bee and Jai enjoy this post, I did writing it! Thank you!

Orange Choco Marble Cake

We are geared for the festive week ahead with Orange Choco Marble Cake, Mast Ladoo and Chivda.

The Brahmachaitanya Mandir at Bangalore is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Gopal Krishna idol. So we have guests from Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. After coming to Blr and living so close to the temple we have been blessed to meet more like minded people. It reminds me a lot of my native place, Thal. The feeling of belonging to a community that I never experienced in Mumbai as our family was mostly away from it.

So here we are ready to meet lots of people, it will be a time for lot of discussions. I like to be a listener at such times, absorbing the experiences of people from different walks of life. It is amazing to watch and listen to genuine stories and some fibs people tell with such confidence. One meets some prudes that don't think beyond their themselves and their immediate benefits and some emotional ones that make you realize what devotion and submission is, to the greater being. Also people who take themselves so seriously that they forget the work given to them. It is a great ground for learning.

At work too we had a Confluence that drained my energies for the last 2 months, gave me sleepless nights. In the end I am able to say it was a great experience, good learning and earning in the terms of acceptance by a large no.of people. I do not know whether this will make my year of dedication worth while. Hope the people value it, bosses included. I received very good support from part of the team. So to thank them I baked some stuff and took along some Chivda too.

I gave out some fun poor man's awards that totally shocked my team and and I was thrilled to see them smiling a lot and I am very sure they shared the stories of the fun with their spouses and kids.

All this said and done, Shree Brahmachaitanya Maharaj says, "Vayavahar kadhi sodu naye". (One has to be practical in this world).

While I strike a balance of the two different worlds this Orange Choco Marble Cake actually symbolizes that. Life has a marble effect. It is not homogeneous. The flavours must complement each other, the tartness and the sweetness. Come to think of it I enjoy both equally. I am gearing up for a practical decision that I have skirted for a long time.

Oh after this rambling I must give the recipe here, it is a food blog after all.

Ingredients

for the orange layer

1 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons Tang
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
3 tablespoon vinegar

for the choco layer

1 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons Cadbury's cocoa powder
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Mapro's Chocolate syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
3 tablespoon vinegar

To prepare the cake tin/ loaf tin

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon all purpose flour


Prepare the tin first by coating it with oil and dusting with the flour. Keep aside.

Take to big bowl and work simultaneously on both. Mix together all the dry items.

Choco bowl: all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sieve to homogenize and aerate.

Put the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and blend. As the milk curdles add the oil, butter, sugar and chocolate syrup and make it frothy.

Fold in the flour mix lightly. Keep the batter aside

Orange Bowl: all purpose flour, Tang, baking powder and salt. Sieve to homogenize and aerate.

Put the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and blend. As the milk curdles add the oil, butter, sugar and make it frothy.

Fold in the flour mix lightly.

Now in the prepared tin, scoop out the orange batter first then add the choco batter then top with orange layer again. Now pass a knife through the batter like a wave, this will give the marble effect once baked.

Preheat oven at 180 deg Celsius for 10 mins. Push the tin in and bake till done. Since I used a loaf tin it took me a good 35 mins to bake.

For the icing

50gms butter
2 tablespoons orange zest
50 grams fine granular sugar

Whip all the ingredients together.

Let the cake cool completely. Turn out the cake on a serving dish. Spread the orange butter cream on the cake. This spread is grainy and different for an icing.

The cake has wonderful flavors, is visually appealing and incredibly soft for an eggless cake. I think I have found a secret to moist cakes in this recipe

I must credit this recipe to a whole study I did of all the recipes of eggless cakes, marble ones, orange ones and chocolate ones too all facilitated by the Google we love.

Weekend Music:

Saturday was a Wham day: careless whispers, last christmas, jesus to a child etc. All my favorites.

Sunday was Marathi Music day:
Man Udhaana Vaaryache
Garvaa
Shankar Mahadevan Live - Marathi - lAjUn hAsaNe

Any non Marathi (especially SI) guys wooing Marathi girls go catch Shankar Mahadevan for a crash course. Gosh his wifey is one lucky Marathi Mulgi.

Chutney Pulav

Chutney Pulao, Vegetable kurma and papad

Chutney is a generic name for an All Indian dip. When an ingredient losses identity in the process they say it its turned into a chutney rather I would like to say when flavors merge to give birth to some yummy dip, it is of course a chutney.

When one needs to build bridges between the South and Maharashtra. When someone born in one state but parents are from a different state and loves some one from a different state, then Bambaiya for it is chutney! LOL

This rice is made with a chutney when one needs something fast and quick. Mostly for people with least interest in food and thats when we foodies who slog so much to create something different everyday can just put up our feet and relax.

This chutney pulao is to make peace between a Marathi and is pudina(mint) rice for a Kannadiga (what?). ;)

Ingredients

2 bowls cooked Sona masuri rice
1 Onion chopped fine
1 cup mint leaves packed tight
1/2 cup cilantro
2-3 green chilies
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon juice
salt to taste
1/2 cup mint leaves chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup cashew nuts

Grind together mint leaves, cilantro, green chilies, sugar, salt and lemon juice to make a chutney. Save.

Heat oil, fry the cashew nuts to a golden color, add onions and fry till translucent. Add the chutney and stir for 3-4 secs. Add the cooked Sona masuri rice and mix well. Why only Sona masuri? Coz the Kannadiga won't eat any other. Put off the heat and mix in the chopped mint leaves.

Put the rice in a mould and unmold onto a serving dish. One can garnish it with a sprig of mint.

Subash's Birthday Treat

Subash is the youngest one in our team, we have Mumbai Vs Chennai verbal matches all the time. Today was his birthday so he took us out for lunch at Ohri's food court in Total Mall. I almost missed it as I had gone for a management review. I don't know what the food tasted like as I decide to just binge on a sundae and the birthday boy chose my order. I liked the sundae it was nine in one (9in1 said the menu).


Preeti had a sizzler, decoded as a huge cutlet with an interesting sauce, garlic bread and french fries.

Subash had a sizzler too but just a veggies one. I caught the steam in the click. Preeti's was better he said.

Deepa had macaroni in white sauce that she enjoyed. Mamatha played a safe bet on appam and stew.

Ramesh in the far enjoyed his Hyderabadi biryani with mirchi ka salan.

And so did Mark.


That is my sundae and some paneer nachos that were served by mistake. We ate half of them wondering when they started making nachos with paneer meanwhile they realised the mistake and served us another plate of cheese nachos.

We like the place as its bright and not too rushed. All the portions are really big and 1.5 people can enjoy a single order. None of us could finish off our individual servings.

We were a happy lot and returned to work for our Team Eating err Meeting.

It is not yet midnight so here's wishing Subash Happy Birthday again!

Foodscapes

My Rock garden Foodscape with Mushrooms and Baby potatoes is ready to go to
Click @ Jugalbandi

Foodscapes was for me was a new word until last week. My dear friend Sangeeta sent me a pps. showing the work of British photographer Carl Warner. I was simply awestruck. The word is a derivative of food+landscape.

This post has to go to Click for Au Naturel this month before 30th April. So we still got 2 days to decide. Help me, won't you?

Vote for this picture if you think it is a better one to go to Au Naturel

Bee said I have to send her pictures of food in natural form and should be easily identified in natural form. On this basis my previous post is withdrawn. She and Jai get to vote first.

Updated: 30th April 08

Now that it is the last day of sending the entry. I can now let the secret out.

Bee and Jai are smart they created a tie, but did they guess what was up?

Arundhati is the only one who voted for the first picture but for a good reason.

With this post I conclude the Fool's month started off by Manisha and Anita.

All those who voted for the second picture, do think think it fits the Au Naturel theme?

You didn't have a clue, didn't you?

Observe carefully, the women is selling toy fruits made of Papier-mâché!

April Fool on the last day of the month!

Gimme Red ~~

Roasted Red Peppers and Toasted Sesame Dip


Gimme Red~~~ No no this is not the ad for a certain dry cell. This is what I said when I saw this Jugalbandi post on Muhammara.

If you break up this word as Muh-mara in Hindi it means mouth-dead. Now atleast the color challenges the mouth and one actually prepares to kill the taste buds. Surprise! the dip is very kind to the taste buds inspite of the color.

I adapted the recipe according to what I had in the pantry so I don't know if it can still be called Muhmmara, kyu ki mera muh infact abhi zinda hua hai!

• Toasted Sesame seeds instead of walnuts
• omitted hot chilli sauce
• used 1 tbsp white vinegar

Kept rest of the ingredients the same and followed the procedure. I made the paste rather smooth as I was using sesame seeds that are tiny compared to walnuts and need to be ground fine lest they remain whole.

I made it last night. Smeared on pita bread and stuffed the pockets with stir fried onion-yellow peppers-mushrooms. Wonderful summery dinner.

I had some leftover dip, so just made Kanda Bhajji to go with it and Thikat Khichadi for lunch. We are still burping as I post this.

A special bread from Daily Bread

Daily Bread is a Bangalore brand that makes Indian tasting breads. I love their spicy bread, herb breads, garlic breads and bread sticks plain as well as methi ones too. I cannot really write about every type of bread they make here but I can vouch for their taste and freshness.

What has made me their big fan is, the fact that we do not get the Mumbai brands like Britannia, Modern etc as freely here, remember we are in the south. Here bread is associated with illness. The only time they have bread is when doctor prescribes bread and milk. This brand has come to my rescue when I crave for bread and am not in the mood of baking.

Go try Daily bread it has variety and spice!

Paneerwali Bharwa Shimla Mirch

Withdrawn from Click: Paneerwali Bharwa Shimla Mirch before frying

Paneerwali Bharwa Shimla Mirch after frying

This post is special, as for the first time I am posting it immediately after cooking is done and even before enjoying it. Yes I haven't tasted it yet!

I have been lazy yesterday and something in life is taking me by surprise. I have been chattering all of last week and friends Mridula and Indrayani say I am funny and naughty too. I am taking long walks in the evening and focusing on my health more than before. Earlier I would give an excuse I need company etc. but now I go alone for the walk. I enjoy it so much, taking in the sights and smells as I wave out to kids playing outside the compound wall. The sweet smell of temple champa blooms is intoxicating. I feel like declaring to the world I am high on life!

Here are some pictures of Bangalore I took during my walk and while on the bus to work.

This post is for Click, the photo event by the duo Bee and Jai.

Do you want the recipe?

Chalo thik hai here it is.

Ingredients

4-5 capsicums
1 cup crushed fresh paneer
1 handful cilantro
2 green chilies chopped fine
1 handful golden raisins
1 onion chopped fine
salt to taste

2 tablespoons Oil to fry

Wash and clean the capsicums. Cut them at the middle to get two cups. Deseed by scooping out the middle with a spoon. Keep aside.

In a bowl mix together with a light hand mix all the items like paneer, onion, cilantro, chilies, raisins an salt. Now fill the cups of capsicum with this mix that is what names it Paneerwali Bharwa Shimla Mirch.


In an frying pan add the oil and spread evenly. Put on medium heat. Line up the stuffed capsicums in the pan. Slow fry till paneer gets a pink tinge on top. The cooking time is anywhere between 20 mins to 30 mins. You could even grill these in an oven.

Serve hot with paratha.

Music: Now listening Soona Soona

Guava Jelly

Guava jelly is really simple to make. Peel the guava and cube it. Measure out half the amount of sugar. Put the cubes and sugar together in a saucepan and put on medium heat. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves and the jelly leaves the sides of the pan. It is done in 15 mins for 2 guavas and 1 cup sugar.

Remove from heat and let it cool before you transfer to a jar. It can be stored in the fridge for a week.

Have it on pancakes, toast etc. or serve in tiny bowls and enjoy the pure flavors.

Banana Pancakes

Use those fruits! Dad ordered quite irate with the fact that his puja room had a very very fruity smell of overripe Bananas and Guavas. They had been lying there for over a week. I had not found time to make proper breakfast as I had lots to do at work and a colleague throwing tantrums was just wrong timing. I have concluded creative people should not be discounted for misbehavior, aren't all of us professionals? So I did what I had to do. Put the smelly bananas in their place, made pancakes and topped them with honey. Outcome you ask? Delicious, fragrant and visually appealing work.

Now, I cannot share here the recipe of what was the magic at work, yes but the recipe for the pancakes is here ;).

Ingredients

2 smelly bananas err overripe I mean
1 cup all purpose flour
0.5 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1.5 cup milk
Ghee to fry

Honey for drizzling.

Mash the bananas. You get it? Add all ingredients into a bowl and beat well to get a fluffy batter. Use more milk if you have to get thinner batter, it should be spreadable.

On a medium hot griddle spread small pancakes and fry using ghee on both the sides. Serve hot with a scoop of a jelly of your choice. Drizzle honey and enjoy!

Riddle

I have a seed, am I a fruit? I am sweet but what is that seed?

Updated: 14th April 08

YAY ! for all the gals. You gals sure are foodies. How come none of you thought that it is a ber/ bore?

Each one of you is a Anna Parabrahma certified Foodie :) !!

Yes it is a Gulabjamun with a pista tucked in. Yesterday was Ram Navami and I had to make Naivedya when I remembered the gulabjamuns from Jhama, Chembur Colony.

When I was living in my Uncle's home for some years in that area we have enjoyed hot gulabjamuns from Jhama. It felt like a treasure hunt to find the pista in the center.Now there is a Jhama next to my home too in Mumbai. When ever I am there we enjoy the tikis and gulabjamuns.

Jhama is a Sindhi Mithaiwala with the first outlet in Chembur Colony or Camp as it is know since the days of Partition. The food is always fresh and even single servings are sumptuous. One day I asked the guy frying the Jalebis how this innovation happened. To my surprise it was not to enhance the taste of the gulabjamun. This trick was adopted to avoid an uncooked center. Cool Tip! Won't you agree?

Incase you guys are in the area also check out the Sindhi Falooda stall opposite Jhama at Chembur Colony. Its authentic and rich~~ After Kailash, Colaba it has to be this place for Sindhi Falooda! Badshah go scamper fast....

Thank you for your responses and I enjoyed reading your responses though short but it made me smile each time and I know you gals too had fun:).

Nupur: You will be a good Mom when you do have kids and you are still a kid at heart I see it :).


Manisha: ex-winner is barred.


Divya Vikram : A whole Cardamom would be too much in it but I've seen Rosgulla with a single seed of cardamom in it.

Anonymous : Raisin does not fall into seed category but you were right partly.


Cinnamon : Say Pistachio with your mouth rounded in an "O"


Anita :Now you are the coolest gal! A floral fruit - gulab jamun! it is and seed is a nutty one ;)

SMN : Badam in the center will give a jerk, the pista however softens and complements the taste well.


Voyager : That was wild ;). Did you meant it?

Nandita: With raisin will try next time doctor :)

Arundathi: ditto minus doctor

Seema: V M?

ANJALI J. :Roasted cashew, another idea :)

P: Visarlas?

Food City

16th March: From my travel dairy

Before you read ahead guess which city you would see this?

While were were driving from airport to the Kolkata city we had spotted the "Haldiram Food City". After the visits to Belur Math and Dakhineshwar and all the queuing up for darshan that we did we were tired and hungry, we decided to check it out.


It is a two storeyed building and has a factory in the premises, the manufacturing and packaging too takes place here. You can see trucks being loaded. As we entered we were awestruck at the display of the varieties of farsan, sweets, chocolates, colorful packaging and beautiful gift wraps that won our hearts. We decided to first have our lunch at the restaraunt and then take a look around.

The restaurant had a buffet style service. We checked the day's menu that was extensive. There were two type of Thalis, a special one and a mini. The mini option did not include rice so we decided on the special one. Dad was craving for some authentic chat, remember since last three years we are in SI so when he gets a chance would he loose it? He went for a Rajasthani Dahiwada and mixed chat too. We bought the coupons and requested permission to take pictures for the blog.

The special thali consisted of three veggies of choice or 2 veggies of choice and dal makhani. I chose three veggies viz Paneer Makhani, Gobi Matar and Palak Paneer. The clerk at the counter helped in choosing the rotis, he suggested we choose masala kulcha, stuffed with potato bhaaji. The coldrink choice available was lassi, Badam milk, tea, coffee, slush or milkshake. While we were moving around Thandai was offered to us for a tasting. So we made a special request for Thandai to go with lunch. The last bit of surprise was the packaged water bottle they offered. Wow! I was a fan of Haldiram but loyal one now.

The Thali you see here has....

2 masala kulcha- soft like a stuffed pizza, the size of a phulka
1 bowl of Peas Pulao- Rangoon Basmati rice, lightly flavored and tender peas cooked to perfection.
1 bowl of Palak Paneer- Generous amount of paneer in the palak gravy.
1 bowl of Gobi Matar- Cauliflower and green peas gravy. I think the cauliflower was grilled before adding to the gravy, it had a smoky flavor.
1 bowl of Paneer Makhani- Paneer in cashew nut paste.
Salad of onions, carrots- Fresh and crunchy
Packaged Pickle- mixed veggies
1 small pack of bhujia- absolutely yummy, pack mentions moth flour used.
1 glass drink- Thandai was my choice not served usually. It was holi time so the tasting was available.

This meal is priced at Rs.100, a full paisa vasool.

The Rajashthani Dahi Vada and Mixed chat too was yummy. We had just too much food.

A good Indain meal needs an equally good closure so Dad bought the premade cone of paan for 10 bucks.

The restaraunt is much like a fast food joint not much by way of an ambience but you will defintely take back memories of delicious food cooked in the traditional way.


After lunch we took a walk through all the other sections. The rest of the store has high sealings and pillars that I loved.

I bought a bottle of Thandai syrup for Holi is around the corner though we will be on the train on the day. The Thandai reminded me of Hardesh Aunty who introduced me to it as a kid.

I also bought the dry fruit katli, Aam papad, they had labeled it Mango Katli, pack of cornflakes chivada and Shakarpara just because the pack looked lovely.

After a good two hours at Food city we drove to Science city.

One question was unanswered is the Haldiram, Nagpur and Kolkata the same? May be Stephanie can answer or anyone from Haldiram?

Updated: 3rd May 08

When I sent this post to RCI Bengal I had a doubt if it would make it there. This post is about Haldiram's Food city in Kolkata but not the traditional taste of Kolkata or of Bengal. However we all know how well the Marwadi culture has blended in there. The Food city is just an example of that. Yet Sandeepa included it in the round up, so a BIG THANK YOU!