Life On Simmer

Sweet Sakura Tea: Brewing a Prayer for Japan

2011-04-05T17:55:00.001+05:30

Sakura is Japanese for Cherry Blossom. This is one tea which is well-traveled, literally, as Sakura is the only tea that been to space (in 2005 with astronaut Mamoru Mouri.)

It's around this time of the year, Japan celebrates Cherry Blossom Flower Viewing. Japanese turn out in large numbers at parks, shrines, and temples with family and friends to hold flower-viewing parties. However, given the recent catastrophic events in Japan, I am told this year, the mood is subdued and there are official requests to refrain from hosting Flower Viewing parties in Tokyo.

It was not long ago a colleague from Japan brought me this tea. With my cup of Sakura, I grabbed a cushion, settled down with a book and a few French Palmiers; but it's so difficult to concentrate on the reading. With every sip I'm transported to the thoughts of my friends in Japan and the wonderful memories we've shared together.

As I blankly stare in to my tea cup in daydreaming, I acknowledge that a lot of who I am today in my professional work comes from values I imbibed from my Japanese colleagues. Come to think of it, my love for tea also stems from learning how tea is practiced in Japan and their high regard for it in Japanese culture and traditions. I think it's always nice to be grateful for your learnings and it's only apt that I dedicate this post to all my Japanese friends from past, present and future.

On this summer afternoon in Mumbai, Sakura tea has got me in a reflective mood with its mild flavour. Just like all floral teas, it has health benefits related to skin. It is also a ritual to eat the cherry blossoms just before you finish the last few sips. Here's a step-by-step guide on how it's brewed traditionally in Japan. Sakura Tea spells celebration! Salt-pickled cherry blossoms in hot water is called Sakurayu, and drunk at festive events like weddings in place of Green Tea.

Sakura tea is reserved for special occasion but I believe any day with a new tea and old memories is special enough. Itadakimasu!

Three Cheers For Carrots

2011-03-12T17:14:00.000+05:30

When Maa came over with 5kgs of seasonal red carrots urging me to make Gajjar ka Halwa, I knew I had to come up with an innovative escape route. I am not too fond of sweets and thoughts of carrot pickle and carrot chutneys filled my head when I saw big piles of carrots come out of her bag.

I remember eating carrot chutney with moong dosas long ago and so I immediately started looking up for a recipe on that (which was fairly easy to find). No matter how flavorful this South Indian chutney turned out, I was still looking at a pile of remaining carrots on the counter. So I went back looking for something with a tangy twist on the carrots when I found my second recipe. Reminiscent of the ever-awesome “aam ka murraba”, this chutney had wonderful aromas going in my kitchen.

Very happy with my two creations, I started clearing up, but on one end were two big beautiful red/orange bowls of chutney and on the other end was yet another, smaller pile of carrots. Typically when I run out of ideas, I always try bringing in some capsicums. And yet again, it worked as I whirred up the remaining carrots in an impromptu recipe. Here’s what I used:

1 large capsicum

6 medium sized carrots

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 inch of ginger

1 tablespoon Habanero Chilli Sauce

Saute all ingredients except the chilli sauce on a high flame. Remove from flame just when the onions start turning transparent. Give a good run in the mixer to make a thick paste. Remove in a bowl and add the Habanero Chilli Sauce. There, it’s done!

I relished it with steamed rice and it also went well with the vegetable burgers I made. Next day Mr. B came home to tell me we’re leaving for Goa that same evening. In all the rush to pack up I completely missed to take pictures of this last container I stuck in the freezer. For now, sitting by the poolside, next to a bright red hibiscus plant, I can only relive those flavors in my memory until it’s time to raid the freezers again.

Blushing in My Tea Cup is Some Rose Bud Tea

2011-03-02T20:11:00.003+05:30

Now I know why they say the best camera is the one in your hand at the right place and right time. A careless tripping of some rose bud tea over a book I was reading resulted in this visual poetry...

I must confess I've been biased to this beautiful blush, so much so that I've reserved it for special occasions only. What I've captured here is the last batch of my rose bud tea. It saw me through many a tough days and kept me company through days when I wasn't in the pink of health. Rose Bud Tea is said to add sparkle to your skin and ease complaints of bloatedness.

Flower teas are some of the most popular Chinese herbal tea (Tisane), especially Chrysanthemum and Rose Bud Tea which are noted as Woman's herbs. Tisane is not tea at all, it is a caffeine-free herbal infusion which you can savor any time of the day, any number of times a day. Do give it a try. If you're in Mumbai, it's available at Chado, Phoenix Mills.

P.S: Book Cover is Good Night God Bless by Anita Nair and the Rose Bud Tea was bought from a 50-year old Tea House called Tea Chapter in Singapore.

Roobois Tea: Storm in my Tea Cupboard

2011-02-23T00:10:00.005+05:30

Imagine the storm in my tea cupboard when the new Roobois tea arrived from Sweden. If my teas could come alive at midnight, they would have surely given Mr. Roobios a tough time for grabbing all my attention.

Roobois literally means "Red Bush"

Roobois infused with orange, cactus and those big chunks are liquorice root

Thank you Lova for sending me tea love. Native to South Africa, roobois is used as traditional medicine to cure digestive and dermatological ailments. I learn it's popular among the health-conscious tea lovers for its rich in antioxidants and flavanols. This particular roobois that I received was infused with orange, cactus and liquorice making it a truly unique brew. Yes, cactus. It was a refreshing change for my tea palette. While I love my classic teas, it's these exotic twists that add spice to my everyday tea time experience.

Storytelling in Social Media at Kalaghoda Arts Festival 2011

2011-02-22T22:11:00.002+05:30

If we look closer, each life event has a story to tell, a lesson to learn. On my way back home from the "Storytelling in Social Media" workshop I conducted at Kalaghoda this year, I couldn’t help thinking about the wonderful stories each participant carried within themselves, oblivious to the potential of these living stories.

Through my series of workshop on Storytelling I aspire not only to teach businesses about power of narratives; but also train the common eye to catch a shooting story.

Read my notes from the Kalaghoda workshop

View Picture Story of the Kalaghoda workshop

In case you missed the workshop, but are keen on learning more about “Storytelling in Social Media”, I’d be happy to share some of my notes from the session. Please connect with me via www.about.me/snigdha

[Cross-posted from my blog http://actionink.wordpress.com/http://actionink.wordpress.com/]

Tea Spirit

2011-01-04T22:31:00.000+05:30

It is very strange, this domination of our intellect by our digestive organs. We cannot work, we cannot think, unless our stomach wills so. It dictates to us our emotions, our passions.

After eggs and bacon it says, "Work!" After beefsteak and porter, it says, "Sleep!" After a cup of tea (two spoonfuls for each cup, and don't let it stand for more than three minutes), it says to the brain, "Now rise, and show your strength. Be eloquent, and deep, and tender; see, with a clear eye, into Nature, and into life: spread your white wings of quivering thought, and soar, a god-like spirit, over the whirling world beneath you, up through long lanes of flaming stars to the gates of eternity!"

~Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat

Image: The Joy of Color

Folk Tales and Garlic

2010-12-13T23:43:00.000+05:30

Much as I love Folk Tales I love Garlic. The sound and smell of frying garlic is my favorite memory from my mother's kitchen. Every region has it own version of how the Garlic came into being and how it was used throughout history.

During the reign of King Tut, fifteen pounds of garlic could buy you a healthy slave. Even when King Tut's tomb was excavated, there were bulbs of garlic found scattered throughout the rooms.

The Koreans, ate pickled garlic before passing through a mountain path, believing that tigers disliked it.

Roman soldiers ate garlic to inspire them and give them courage. They planted fields of garlic in the countries they conquered, believing that courage was transferred to the battlefield.

The following Philippine Folk Tale narrates how garlic came into being.

The First Garlic

There once lived a beautiful maiden whose mother arranged to be married to the son of one of the richest datus in the land. She was so lovely that a rival suitor murdered her fiance. That rival was, in turn, killed by the dead fiance's loyal slave.

As news of the double-deaths spread, the young maiden runs up a sacred mountain and implores Bathala (their God) to take her away so that her beautiful face will no longer cause any future killings.

She gets zapped by lightning.

Her mother buries her and grieves, watering her grave with tears.

One day, the mother sees some grass-like plants sprouting on top of her dead daughter's graves. Thinking it was some useless weed, she pulls it out and sees seeds that look like her dead daughter's teeth.

She hears a supernatural voice boom: "Those are your daughter's teeth."

She gives thanks, knowing this is Bathala's way of giving her something that will remind her of her daughter. She plants the seeds all over her land to spread the memory of her daughter, and that's how the garlic plant began.

References:

http://folktales.webmanila.com/folktales/plants/?garlic

http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/10/garlic_superstitions_folklore.html

Image Courtesy: http://www.designmom.com/

Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet @Indian Harvest

2010-11-25T17:24:00.002+05:30

In a nation obsessed with food and in a city obsessed with success, finding the right balance between the two is not easy. Food has always been “social”. Like the British have the weather, Indians have food to talk about as an icebreaker.

Irrespective of the season or reason for the gathering, food often becomes a centerpoint of conversations. So it’s only natural how well Social Media complements the essence of food. Add to this, the burgeoning bloggers community in the city and you have an active reminder of how social sharing is impacting the business of food today.

I was the 2^nd Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet. In my hands was the menu exclusively designed for us (see photo) and in my mind was the thought “This is happening! We are here today because someone acknowledges the role of online communities in their Marketing Mix.” This excitement was greeted with an amuse bouche which has sparked off a new love for Indian Fusion cooking for me. It was a Butter chakli topped with paneer bhurji and a light seasoning of spices, which will remain to be the highlight of the evening for me.

Exclusive Menu designed for 2nd Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet

We were hosted by Meher & Satyen Dasondi of Indian harvest, who had started off this Indian Contemporary Dining experience by serving plated food. Sadly, it wasn’t well received by their local audience and they had to offer the conventional portions as well. For the bloggers, they served a tasting menu in the plated format and I promise you I could munch on that methi churan bhendi on my plate all day long. Palak Shorba spiked with Feni was a refreshing treat and indeed perfect for some soup shots! The Tomata Rasam came with miniature vade in them and some strong pungent flavors I adore.

The Parda Murg served next could well be a meal by itself and the most awaited Bhatkali Biryani came in last and completely lived up to our expectations. In between we drooled over Aalo Makhana Chettinad flavored with dagadphool, Black daal, a delicate paneer with pineapple and saffron cream, Ghost do pyaaza naarangi, but none of this could prepare us for the finale'...

A dessert they created in honor of the bloggers meet and dedicated it to Rushina, the sole strength behind organizing Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet. It was a rendition of honey noodles with ice cream, but in an unimaginable form of orange ginger honey coated thepla crisps served with a mouthful of phirni and a motichur laddu. It was an instant hit! None of what I describe here can possibly recreate the magic of those unique flavors.

The evening ended with all of us picking up an Ice cream bon-bon from the ice bucket with dry ice and some (like me) went back home with a paradigm shift about Indian Fusion food. Here’s what some of my friends wrote about this dinner on their blogs:

The Sassy Fork

The Nonchalant Gourmand

Fond Of Food

Notes: Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet is put together by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal and hosted by different restaurants across the city every month. Our 1^st meet was held at 55 East, Grand Hyatt.

If you are a food blogger from Mumbai and interested in being a part of this community, please join the Facebook group (Thanks Sunshinemom for creating this!)
If you are a restaurant and excited by the idea of hosting food bloggers, please connect with Rushina.

To make your reservation @Indian Harvest

Gate no.1,Acres Club,Hemu Kalani Marg.

Chembur

Mumbai

telephone:022-65169339; 022-65169338

Rose Garden Green Tea

2010-11-08T23:45:00.001+05:30

I completely believe in the Slow Food Movement because you've no idea hows slow I will be in finishing this treasured bottle of tea! Big thanks to Rushina (A Perfect Bite) who gifted me "Giardino Rose" from Terra Madre Conference she attended recently in Turin.

Crunchy Pista Squares

2010-10-30T19:57:00.000+05:30

I'm a snack monster, so come Diwali and I'm faced with the difficult task of deciding which sweet it's going to be this year. When I made the crunchy pista squares last year, I didn't realize it was also vegan. While my pick for this year still hangs, I'm sharing this simple recipe I tried last year.

In a nutshell, this is your regular samosa strip filled with pista mix, deep fried and soaked in sugar syrup.Please don't get intimidated by the elaborate recipe. It takes only 15 minutes to put together a plateful. Cheer on...give it a try!

32 thin samosa strips cut into smaller squares
(4 squares from 1 strip)

For the filling
1.Peel and dry the pistachios on a tea towel.
2.Grind the sugar and pistachios in a blender coarsely.
3.Place this mixture in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water and heat over a gentle flame till the mixture is cooked and leaves the sides of the pan. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
4.Cool and divide the mixture into equal parts.

For the sugar syrup
1.Dissolve sugar with half a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of 1-string consistency.
2.Add the saffron and lemon juice and mix. Remove from the fire and keep warm.

How to proceed
1.Place a portion of the pistachio filling in the centre of one samosa strip.
2.Apply the flour paste on the samosa strip around the filling, taking care to leave the edges dry, so that the layers separate while the square is being fried.
3 Place another samosa strip on top and press gently around the filling in order to stick the two strip together. Apply a little flour paste in the centre of the stuffed square and stick another samosa strip.
4.Deep fry in hot oil until golden in colour. Drain on absorbent paper.
5.Transfer the squares into the warm sugar syrup. Allow the excess syrup to drain before removing.

Image and Recipe: Kuch Mitha Ho Jaye

Cu-tea Calendar 2011

2010-10-29T00:23:00.005+05:30

There's still time for 2011 to peep in, but nothing keeps me away from Tea indulgence any time of the year. Karel Capek, a Japanese tea company and their cu-tea calendar:

Images: Omiyage-simply charming things from Japan

Adrak Tulsi Ice Cream

2010-10-28T23:49:00.006+05:30

The moment I read it on the menu, I imagined a little kid with a runny nose pleading his mom to let him have the "Adrak Tulsi" ice cream. Actually, the kid was me- most of my growing years I avoided eating ice cream due to my on and off affair with sinus. I truly wished they had this flavor back then. Would've made the perfect excuse for me :)

Zero degrees, the third ice cream parlour which opened up in my locality (after Kwality Swirls and Gokul Ice Cream) carries this flavor. The store proudly announces that you're in for an ice cream treat from Rajkot.

Second scoop we brought back home: Adrak Tulsi and Rose Petals Ice-Cream

The guy at the counter first let us taste a few flavors, when the cashier announced in his strong regional Gujju accent that this will be our last tasting. The counter guy meekly points out to the handwritten note which says "Tasting not allowed." By then, we had tasted Adrak-Tulsi, Rose Petals, Gems and Jelly, Butterscotch, Black Currant, Litchi, Paan and Choco Blast (pretty much in the same order). I totally avoid chocolate when there is so much more choice. So I went on to try the Adrak-Tulsi, while Mr. B picked on Rose petals with cashews. Slowly and gradually as my ice cream melted and I relished every bit of the Tulsi leaves and Adrak slivers, the cashier's babbling in the background became fainter and distant. He stopped only when we handed out the monies to him. In any other case I would've cribbed about the poor service, but today I just didn't care. After the ice cream, I could've forgiven Satan in his place as well!

Roundup: Adrak-Tulsi and Rose Petal- must try. If you're a Tutti-Fruitti fan, go for Gems and Jelly. Pay the guy first for a carefree ice-cream eating experience. No regrets guaranteed!

Baked Vada Pav!

2010-08-24T12:22:00.000+05:30

Now that we have a Baked Vada Pav, imagine how upset the MNS will be! This little wonder is actually the potato mix of batata vada enveloped in a bun. Sounds simple; but the experience of biting into one is far from ordinary. You hold a nicely rounded bun which only reveals the magic after the first bite. The entire time you keep comparing the experience to a Kachori or to the yummy mix in a masala dosa. A must try for both baking enthusiasts and local flavor lovers!

I was so glad to have discovered this on a long journey back home from Chembur. I just didn't want to stop at a Barista or CCD and kept my eyes glued for locals cafe's when I found Ambrosia at Diamond Garden, Chembur. They have some other interesting breads and bakes too which I hopefully get to explore next time I'm around.

In the Kitchen with Banana Yoshimoto

2010-08-22T18:23:00.002+05:30

I have to agree that I might be biased in reviewing a book which mentions a boiling kettle and tea every third page. I can’t help but notice how much this imitates my life. Come to think of it, my day is planned around my four cups of tea (one black, three green). I will read the newspaper, finish breakfast and chat up with B between the first and the second cup. Work gets intensive after that time and I finish off all phone calls and email replies before my third cup. The fourth and final cup is a declaration to myself that the day is over and it’s time to slow down. On days when I’m sipping my fifth cup (strictly a herbal infusion) it’s mostly because I’m treating myself for staying up late to finish work or waiting for B to be back.

‘Kitchen’ by Banana Yoshimoto is a book I honestly picked up only because I was drawn to the cover design, idea of flavors from Japan and the author name. I was a bit ashamed to acknowledge this when the book revealed it’s true story to me. Mikage the central character of the novella is an orphan raised by her grandmother and finds a Kitchen to be the most comfortable place in the world. So much so, that after her grandmother expires, she could only sleep next to the refrigerator in the kitchen where the constant hum would comfort her. Her imagination is descriptive when talking about her dream kitchen. Another amusing characteristic you’ll notice is that she would often be found scrubbing the kitchen sink or floor as this would have a calming effect on her and help her deal with her loss. Cooking and cleaning can be meditative and the same thread is carried throughout the story. It gives her strength to carry on with her life despite being caged in steely loneliness.

Yuichi the male protagonist leads a strange life too. After his mother dies, his father turns into a woman because he can’t bear loving another woman in his life. After he/she dies, Yuichi is left to deal with his own solitary life. All of this changes over a full meal Miyage cooks for both of them. I promise you that by the end of it you’ll be craving for some soupy rice or ramen. How beautiful that their story is destined to culminate over a meal of Katsudon (pork-rice)! Yuichi find himself in a monk-town where restaurants serve only Tofu dishes while Miyage is far away on a food tour with her sensei. (She quits school to work with a celebrity gastronome.) The sudden urge to share her Katsudon with Yuichi is when she gives in to her feelings and travels through the night to scale the walls of his hotel to bring it to him.

Although I make it sound very Bollywood, but the writing is far from it. It's bursting with true Japanese flavors and the simplicity of it steals the show. For example- A sentence asking for take-away at a restaurant reads as “Can this be made to go?” It’s also dotted with powerful notes such as “People aren’t overcome by situations or outside forces, defeat invades from within.” Yoshimoto-san has generously garnished her book with sashimi, prawns, tempura, soba noodles for that perfect one-pot read for hungry eyes. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did and do keep the ramen handy!

Curtain Raiser

2010-08-20T20:29:00.005+05:30

From where he comes, space is basic not luxury, privacy is effortless and sanctity is still safeguarded. Knowing this, I understand his unsettling feeling of being a lab specimen in your own house; but I’ve rarely ever experienced it.

Growing up in apartments of a crowded city like Mumbai does that to you- You stop counting the number of windows that have clear vision of your apartment when the tube comes on. This, however, hasn’t grown on B even after being here for over a decade. Every evening B will track me down with the curtains carelessly drawn. Without a word, he’ll make a calculated move and the curtains will behave like the hopelessly punished mischievous kid from school.

In Lonavala tonight, we’ve stayed at this solitary bungalow before but it’s the first time that the sense of space fills me up. A funny feeling creeps in. One part of the grand window is blurred with steam from the Dimbula tea I’m sipping on. Even then, I am sure that nearest lit room is far away. A song plays in my head and I turn to see B on his desk, deep in thought, doing what he does for a living- weaving stories. He senses my eyes on him and looks up. I promptly turn and with my free hand begin to draw on the steamy window- a house.

A smiling B gets up from his desk, with eyes pointing to my tilted teacup and the small puddle on the floor! In his characteristic way he fetches the cup from my hands and dabs some tissues on the floor. He’s the perfect antidote to my clumsiness! He pours me some more tea from the white teapot, beaming this entire time. As the cup exchanges hands, he unassumingly opens the window to a sea of dark.

As we both stand there, my mind wanders off to the fields of turnip and raddish we can see from B’s family house in Doon. They have different set of curtains for summer and winter. While recalling the patterns of each, I make a wish...I hope that curtains always remain as furnishing for me.

Ode to a Lemon

2010-08-03T19:10:00.000+05:30

Found myself at Dadar a few days ago. At 7am even before the markets open, there's a lot you can buy here. I look around, surrounded by heaps of veggies and fruits, I make a mental list of things to buy when I'm distracted by a huge pile of lemons. They are not far. I suddenly mark the distance in a visual alley of sorts and bowl myself over to fetch the yellow ten-pins. I'm amused with my imagination, amused with the power a 'diminutive fire of a planet". Señor Neruda here echoes my Ode to a Lemon...

Out of lemon flowers
loosed
on the moonlight, love's
lashed and insatiable
essences,
sodden with fragrance,
the lemon tree's yellow
emerges,
the lemons
move down
from the tree's planetarium

Delicate merchandise!
The harbors are big with it-
bazaars
for the light and the
barbarous gold.
We open
the halves
of a miracle,
and a clotting of acids
brims
into the starry
divisions:
creation's
original juices,
irreducible, changeless,
alive:
so the freshness lives on
in a lemon,
in the sweet-smelling house of the rind,
the proportions, arcane and acerb.

Cutting the lemon
the knife
leaves a little cathedral:
alcoves unguessed by the eye
that open acidulous glass
to the light; topazes
riding the droplets,
altars,
aromatic facades.

So, while the hand
holds the cut of the lemon,
half a world
on a trencher,
the gold of the universe
wells
to your touch:
a cup yellow
with miracles,
a breast and a nipple
perfuming the earth;
a flashing made fruitage,
the diminutive fire of a planet.

-Pablo Neruda

Photo Courtesy: Thanks Amelia for this lovely watercolor

Dinner For Two

2010-05-28T23:46:00.010+05:30

In the glowing candlelight I smell your shampoo

You know how much I love dinner for two...

(click on the pic to see an enlarged view)

Reflexology by Visually Impaired Therapists @Metta Foot Spa

2010-04-09T10:29:00.001+05:30

“Fifth lamp post when you take the right” Fifth lamp post? I was confused. I have never heard any directions like that in Mumbai. Enter Pali Village and I see five posts of time- each with its own unique character from a different era. I should've guessed they aren't going to be the usual lamp posts. For anyone who knows Pali Hill, Pali Naka and so on...Pali Village is a revelation; but little did I know more surprises awaited us at Metta Foot Spa. First step in and I see a group of bubbly visually impaired friends greet us, urging us to go up to the reception. We climb up a fleet of stairs and reach the reception greeted by John (who had 10% visibility- highest among the others. Hence, he was assigned to the reception. It was impossible to guess that John too was visually impaired until Joanita told us about it when we were leaving. )

It is said that when you lose one sense, your other senses become stronger. After experiencing it first hand, I no longer take this as a saying alone. My therapist, Pallavi who travels 2 hrs from Mankhurd to get here every day is well versed with all the nuances of reflexology and traditions of a regular spa. Her expertise reflected in her simple touch. After cleansing my feet with a hot towel she wraps one up in a traditional Thai manner while she kneads the other. At one point I yelp and she announces that this the sinus point which is hurting you. After 5 days of cold and cough, I couldn’t agree more. She remains focused on my sinus points while maintaining that it will offer me relief. Over the next one hour she plays different tunes on my legs, back, shoulders, hands and head. All this with some soothing music in the background.

What started out as a reaction to a tweet I read, went on to become the best spa experience I've ever had. “Pampering yourself is good but doing it for a noble cause only makes it better.” This is one indulgence which offers no guilt at all.

I called in to make an appointment for three of us- the usual suspects- me, Amrita and Gargi and the number went up to five when we managed to rope in Nikhil and Saurin as well. During our sessions- Nikhil went on a spiritual trip, Amrita-the tickly one- went berserk laughing. I joined in too until Joanita sent her to another room to manage the situation. (She remarked that she has never heard so much laughter during a session and the other therapists were wondering what was going on upstairs!) Gargi and Saurin clasped their hands tightly containing the surge of energy from the pressure points. Their therapist asked them to bear the pain so that it helps in blood circulation. They looked like two little school children trying very hard to maintain silence in the class.

After the sessions ended Joanita shared the story of her journey to Metta Foot Spa. I'm not giving it away. Hear it all from the horse’s mouth- please visit Metta Foot Spa and do spread the word around. Also Joanita is looking for a place in the suburbs. If you have some place in mind, please do discuss with her. In the past one year of their existence the spa has commissioned no publicity/promotions. The least we thought we could do is help her set up a Facebook Fan Page. More postings coming up here soon.

Experience Metta (Loving compassion):

Services Offered- http://mettafootspa.com/services.htm

To make an appointment, call 9870719923

For more details- http://mettafootspa.com/Contact.htm

Thorns in my Throat- A Poem in Progress

2010-04-06T19:54:00.009+05:30

Digging up old treasures is a certain high. Another dive and I come up with a half crumpled note dated 2007. I clearly remember the crazy day at work when I wrote this, exasperated. You'll know why I celebrate the thrill of of my own randomness today. I'm tempted to add more to it each time I read it. This one surely is a poem in progress!

I got thorns in my throat.
Nomad syrup? I spot promote.

Try to exercise but my mind.

It's working on its own design.

Someday this drum will stop to roll.

Pick me up- like ramen from a bowl.
I can fix this. There's no doubt.
A teapot with a broken spout.

Swim through this day in misery.
With a blue jar of green tea.
I want it to rain. Clear all, lest my panes re-frame.
Drizzle now now. Soothe my thorny throat again.

Image: Big thanks to http://www.etsy.com/shop/luminousphotographer

Five point Something: Club Mix

2010-03-06T12:47:00.000+05:30

"Hey! Did you read the novel by Chetan Kumar? It's rocking!"

"Oh yeah? Which mix?"

What hit the music industry a decade ago, will hit the publishing industry as well? Remixing to make different versions maybe an author's nightmare but do you think we are far from it?

China Mie Ville noted the above point at a recent group discussion at Landmark. Although the subject was "The Detective and Criminal Mind" the two crime writers were missing as they were still 10,000 feet above us in the aircraft. So the discussion veered to future of readership.

A gaming enthusiast from the audience asked if authors would consider having multiple endings to their stories and would even let the readers decide the end in some sort of a collaborative project. He was confident it would work citing the example of Heavy Rain (recently launched game which depending on the user actions allows him to choose the ending. There are 3-4 different endings.) He even urged the writers to check out the game so that they can be convinced of this possibility. Billingham who was the only other writer present clarified that “Gaming is active while reading is passive. When you are playing, your actions provoke certain reactions and this may differ from time to time. However, while reading, you are being told a story which remains constant every time you read it.” I buy his point.

Every author injects his personality in his writing. The voice of the writer is unmistakable in it. Would a piece of work be equally revered if the artist behind it changed? Will a Picasso still be a Picasso or will it just be a Guernica. I love the books not just for their narrative but also because I admire the human form which could conceive such engaging stories.

I love Ruskin Bond not because of how he makes heroes out of simple people but because he still refuses to come down the hills of Mussorie and settle elsewhere. I love paintings by Amrita Shergill not just because her work is marked as 'national treasure' but because she had a revolutionary streak which I admire. People who create need to be revered more than what they have created. As a rookie gamer, I’m going to check our Heavy Rain; but as a serious reader I’m going to ban the remix.

A Dinosaur House

2010-02-22T11:08:00.002+05:30

You and I probably didn’t go to the same school but the first ‘house’ we drew has to be identical. Wasn’t it a triangle roof, with one door and two windows? It had a big tree behind the house and a flower garden upfront? Yes yes, it’s all the same. I’m born and brought up in suburban Bombay. It wasn’t until my eighth birthday that I actually saw a 'house' like that. Pity me? That’s fine; but please help me understand what kind of house should a four year old be drawing.

As a student of Class I-A, I once drew a ‘house’ which was the aerial view of our 2 BHK apartment. My teacher wasn’t amused but sitting on the third bench in center row, I couldn’t possibly fathom what was wrong with my drawing. After many years of drawing the “ideal house”, I realized that those art lessons were instead a lesson in Geometry. Angles were more important than aesthetics. Lines were more important than landscapes. It bewilders me why kids are taught to draw this “ideal” house even today. I wish they are explained that they aren’t drawing dinosaurs and such houses do exist.

Curious to know more I grabbed my neighbours’ three year old daughter and ask her what the drawing (above image) was. She promptly replied “House”. The mother shifted in her place to look proud while I felt both sad and relived at the same time. In Bombay, anybody who stays on the ground level (in a setting like that) is either a multi millionaire with a huge ‘bungalow’ or a daily wage labourer in a makeshift ‘hut’. Having seen more huts in suburban Bombay than bungalows, I am going to teach the little girl to call this a ‘hut’. Add a gate to the same thing with a security guard outside and I’ll show her a ‘bungalow’.

Ting Tong! That’s my door bell. In ten paces from here I will reach the door of my 7^th floor 2BHK apartment. I hope it’s the kid next door because I also want to show her what sunrise behind brown-crayoned triangular mountain actually looks like.

Happy Weekend!

2010-02-14T16:37:00.001+05:30

Coming to the last few hours of an eventful weekend I think about the beauty of simple things around me. Take for instance this lovely flowering plant (as above) which is the latest entry in our window garden. Simplicity is a value I treasure the most. At my previous workplace where I was involved in defining the company values, I was strongly vouching to include "Aesthetics" along with the regulars such as 'Integrity'. A long discussion ensued around aesthetics. We weren't a design company. We wanted to keep the spirit of aesthetics but not use the word as such. Soon enough we all agreed on altering it to "Simplicity"! It worked for us.

When in chaos, pause, simplify the situation around you. Be graceful in your thoughts and solutions will come. Success of a solution lies in the simplicity of the solution. Think about it. Hope you had a relaxing weekend just like me. See you on Monday with a fresh new week!

Reaching Out

2010-02-13T14:57:00.001+05:30

This morning had me organizing my inbox when I found this poem I had written in October 2006. This happens very often when I look through my old stuff- look for something and you find something else. Fortunately this one had me feeling like a trophy winner!

I don't remember the exact mood or moment when I must have written this...but it does reflect some shades of fear. Fear of something afar, fear of something slipping away. Today I smile, and as everything surrounding this poem continues to evade me, I wonder if I made the journey to what, at that time, seemed- so far away.

Reaching Out

I can see my rainbow even in the dark

But today I fear i might not reach that far

Its far..so far away

I'm trying to be the face in the mirror
Who knew this part would be the toughest to play

I dig myself to pour me out

To cast myself in the earthly ways

But today i fear i might not reach that far

Its far...so far away

Two paths, too near, to wash out my fear,

To take me away from a cage of peers,

Bring in some tears to fill in my heart

Reach out to those who will now part

But today I fear I might not reach that far

Its far...so far away

The Quiet World

2010-02-12T16:08:00.001+05:30

Do you remember what were the first one hundred and sixty-seven words you spoke today?

The Quiet World – Jeffrey McDaniel

In an effort to get people to look

into each other’s eyes more,

and also to appease the mutes,

the government has decided

to allot each person exactly one hundred

and sixty-seven words, per day.

When the phone rings, I put it to my ear

without saying hello. In the restaurant

I point at chicken noodle soup.

I am adjusting well to the new way.

Late at night, I call my long distance lover,

proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.

I saved the rest for you.

When she doesn’t respond,

I know she’s used up all her words,

so I slowly whisper I love you

thirty-two and a third times.

After that, we just sit on the line

and listen to each other breathe.

Even I don't remember but I do wish I could recollect....and you?

Midnight Snack and Surfing

2010-02-09T19:24:00.001+05:30

Although well ignored by the live-healthy fraternity, a midnight snack is an important part of the day (err...night) for me. It's the time to indulge yourself...reward yourself for all the hard work which you're upto. This spread below saved me on a long night of research work last week.

Simple Spread for Midnight Workers Club:

A cup of milk

Fresh figs

Fruit bun with orange marmalade

Eat well. Work hard.

[Image: Snigdha Manchanda Binjola]

Fiction to Fantasize OR Non-Fiction to Materialize

2010-02-08T11:35:00.001+05:30

Fiction or Non-fiction? For a girl, it's like choosing between Pink or Black.
Both are gorgeous but depends on what you feeling like today.

Within minutes an assortment of books piled up in Gargi's room.

Her Mission- Find the bookmark.
Her Strategy- Toss all the books on the table and bed. Flip through each one of them (even though the target bookmark is lying in the carton of stuff from work.)
The Outcome- Two girls discussing fiction vs. non-fiction.

Ever since the beginning of my sabbatical I have been hooked on to fiction alone. It seemed like I was driven to establish my lost contact with a world I had ignored all this while. When your reality is filled with things you want to escape, its natural that you choose the tunnel of fiction which will let you in another world. A heavy head in the evenings only allowed me to read Ruskin Bond. It was a welcome window to escape to his hills and the rumored Pari Tibba (Fairy Hill, do you think it exists?). Now when I have the luxury of time and a stress-free existence, I am drawn to questions of objective relevance. While reading, I now have the space to mull over certain parts for longer and give them the 'thought space' they deserve.

Talking of thought space, I may be an author's nightmare. I have never read a book one at a time. Depending on the mood and time of the day; I pick a book and continue reading it hoping I tagged the bookmark correctly. Earlier this assortment of these books would contain a mix of fiction, non-fiction and sometimes magazines. Of late it has been only fiction. This didn't strike me until Gagri mentioned that fiction puts her to sleep.

What she said next with a halo around her head was "Non-fiction is often just a fact file. If there are things we need to know, why not weave them beautifully in fiction. We'll get the same know-how and much more." It's a reasonable thought. Fiction includes juicy pieces of information which are bait to get "googling". While this is good, the experience may not be internalized. Doesn't matter if it's Paulo Coelho or Malcolm Gladwell- A reading experience which gets you "googling" your mental space works the best for me.

4. The Bottomline- Look for the bookmark in the carton. Look for a book which suits your current mood. Doesn't matter if its pink or black.

Something's Fishy!

2010-01-31T17:36:00.000+05:30

There I was talking to our Gouramis again. We chose not to name them. In my husband's neighboring village in Garhwal, they have a tradition of calling all their pet animals by their "real" names. For example: Even if they had five dogs, each one would be addressed as "kutta". Any rooster would be called out as "murge, chalo idhar aao" and so on. Amused, I decided to call our pair of golden Gouramis as "Machlee" and "Fishy" respectively. The female is "Machlee" and the male is "Fishy" (chuckle). It seems they respond to their names. Gouramis are known to recognize their owners. However, I'm sure ours identify with their names as well.

An enthusiastic dog trainer, my husband has not spared the fishes even. (Last he trained the regular pigeons at our home on how they should stop eating our plants. They have shown good progress since then and so have our plants.) Machlee and Fishy put up a show every time Vipul goes close to the fish bowl and calls out to them in a peculiar voice. Quickly they'll start swimming with the rhythmn. When he calls out to stop (in the same tone), they pause and then the show begins again. At the end of it, they gently swim between the blades of grass to come and kiss the tip of his finger dipped in the water. Fishy is an aggressive kisser while Machlee is shy and gentle. When you sing to them you can almost see them transform into the calm and quiet being they never are!

Don't you think fishes are the best pet to have. Their stay content in their water world. Feeding is simple. They co-operate with you when you are still learning how to change the water (well, atleast the gouramis do; but goldfish can get tricky.) So finally after spending months of thinking on what I should gift animal-kingdom-lover-husband on his birthday (two months ago) I zeroed in on Machlee and Fishy (No, I like dogs but I'm not ready to have them around just now.) and what a wonderful choice it was!

Feel like a song? Come over and sing for Machlee. Nothing's Fishy!

Be Prepared!

2010-01-31T13:21:00.000+05:30

Winning and losing are two sides of the same coin. If you want coins, you need to be prepared for losing as well.

- Snigdha Manchanda Binjola

Camomile and Lemon Syllabub

2010-01-16T00:10:00.003+05:30

My favorite bed time drink- a warm cup of camomile tea. Pure flowers of Camomile have a soothing effect on us (helpful when you come crashing back home). It's also known to aid healing in case of stomach disorders. So perfect after a guilty (heavy) meal :)

The delicate white flower has a taste that doesn't go well with many; but it's a must-try drink for all herbal tea lovers. Loose Camomile flowers are not readily available in Mumbai, India. However, don't fret as tea bags from a reliable brand or source is also good (Twinings, for me).

I found this unusual recipe by Gordon Ramsay including Camomile. It's a light English desert called Syllabub. It is usually made from rich milk or cream seasoned with sugar and lightly curdled with wine. It carries quite an interesting origin- Traditionally a bowl containing 'Sille,' a wine that used to be made in Sillery, in France's Champagne region, was placed under a cow's udder, which was milked into the bowl. Well, we don't need to try that hard. Here is something simpler we can try at home-

1 camomile tea bag
50ml boiling water
50g caster sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
4 tbsp dry sherry
300ml double cream

Infuse the tea in the water and leave for 30 minutes. Strain through a tea strainer or fine sieve and chill for 30 minutes.
Place all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and with an electric whisk start to whip together. When the mixture is starting to thicken, slowly add the tea. Continue to whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stands in soft peaks.
Transfer to four wine glasses and chill for 2 hours. Serve with sponge biscuits.

[Image: Snigdha Manchanda Binjola for Now Cooking]
[Recipe: Gordon Ramsay for TimesOnline]

Quick Meal: Carrot Salad with Spinach & Walnut Stir fry

2010-01-14T19:46:00.004+05:30

Salad and Stir fry- my quick fix dinner when our beloved maid-servant gives us a miss.What you see here is Walnut and Spinach stir fry with a crunchy carrot salad. I am still learning how to take better pictures and more importantly I need to get rid of the date settings in my camera. Also my card reader decided to stop working so I must thank Preetesh, my colleague, who sent his multi-card reader which made this post possible.

Carrots are in season and my local market carries this fresh produce. So most of my salads these days include the "desi" red carrot. All through the year we eat the orange carrot. I like them in a variety of continental and Chinese dishes but our "desi" red carrot lends an altogether different flavor to Indian cooking. The salad here is simple with a lemon, olive oil and green peppercorn dressing. The magic is in the stir fry. I am sure there will be a detailed recipe for a similar stir fry but here is my quick fix version:

Spinach and Walnut Stir Fry

Ingredients

2 cups of spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 table spoon ginger garlic paste
3-4 cloves of peeled garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (roughly crushed)
Parmesan cheese (grated) [This is optional]
Salt

Directions
In a non-stick pan, heat oil on high flame. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and chopped garlic.
Add the spinach and cook on high flame for 3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.
Add salt to taste. Lower the flame and stir in the walnut and cheese.

Have a hearty meal!

[Image: Snigdha Manchanda Binjola for Now Cooking]

Cupcakes, Graphic Recipes and Yvette Van Boven

2010-01-12T15:50:00.000+05:30

Cupcakes are invited to all the best birthday parties. So true! Cakes are a given at a birthday party but with cupcakes, the cake goes personal. As a kid I wasn't very happy at getting "a piece of cake". I was happier having a simple cupcake finding solace in the fact that I have the whole cup "cake" to myself. I am still as selfish when it comes to a cupcake.

Yvette's blog is full of such visual foodie delights. (She even has a font to her name!) Her illustrated recipes are much more than A Dummies Guide to Cooking. I hope she has a cookbook mapped on her hectic calendar. I can imagine it being full of such lovely graphic recipes:

Even as a food stylist her work goes beyond the ordinary. Like the make-up cake for Elle's 20th birthday. I'm hooked on to this one. To know more about Yvette's work, visit http://yvettevanboven.blogspot.com/

Vintage Foodie Posters

2010-01-12T14:54:00.000+05:30

Classic foodie posters from allposters caught my fancy this morning. I browsed through most of the collection and connected with the following series the most:

Vintage signage from a local farmers market but perfect for my kitchen too!

Eggplant Tomato Bake

2010-01-11T22:25:00.000+05:30

I have been wanting to use eggplant in a salad. I found couple of oriental recipes which can be used as a spread. They were more or less a bland version of the Indian "baingan ka bharta". So after giving up on an eggplant salad, I took up this light and simple eggplant bake. I am going to try it with the variation suggested by Jessica by including some basil and pepper cheese.

Ingredients

1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup grated fat-free Parmesan cheese
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick oil spray. Arrange eggplant rounds on the cookie sheet and sprinkle Parmesan over the eggplant. Layer one slice of tomato on top of each eggplant round. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

[Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Eggplant-Tomato-Bake/Detail.aspx]
[Image: You can buy the Eggplant poster here

Gujarati Dal Dhokli

2010-01-05T20:17:00.000+05:30

This one-dish-meal wonder, I ate for the very first time at my sister's marital home. Somehow it reminded me of the lovely "churee" (in punjabi) which I used to eat as a child. I am going to try making Dal Dhokli at home soon. I chose the recipe from Tarla Dalal because it has kokum. I prefer kokum over lemon and amchur because unlike others it also adds a hint of color.

Cooking Time : 1 hour
Preparation Time : 20 min.

Serves 4 to 6.

For Dhokli
• 1½ cup Wheat Flour
• ½ cup Chana Dal Flour
• 1 tbsp Cumin Powder
• ¼ tsp Asafetida Powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 tbsp Oil
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• Water (for kneading dough)
• Salt to taste

For the tempering (of the dal)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
10 curry leaves
2 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 small round red chillies (boriya)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon oil

For the dal
2 cups toovar dal (arhar)
2 tablespoons peanuts
8 pieces kokum, soaked
1 tomato, chopped
3 to 4 teaspoons jaggery (gur)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 green chillies, slit
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon grated ginger
salt to taste

How to make Dal Dhokli:
•Add all the ingredients required for the dhokli in the bowl and knead the dough. It can be made smoother by adding a little oil after kneading. Keep it aside.
•Now heat oil in a kadhai and put cumin seeds into it. When seeds start spluttering, add all ingredients for the tempering.
•Fry them for a minute. Add water, salt, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, jaggery, kokum and boiled groundnuts to it. Now boil the dal on medium flame.
•Now roll out chapattis of the dough.
•Cut the chapattis into squares or diamond shape. Add them in the boiling dal and let them cook for 5 minutes.
•Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and little desi ghee.
•Dal Dhokli is ready to serve.

Now Cooking Tip: Add some chopped onions to up the crunchy quotient.