A stone a day- Stone #11

'What's your favorite food?' was the cue and set just the right mood
Vada Pav and Bhel Puri, just can't go wrong with Mumbai street food!

Giving thanks!

This year, thanksgiving came in its true spirit. It came with the spirit of cozy dinners and lunches with friends and their families. The warmth of candle light and incense sticks, the aromas of chef specials, the scent of fresh flowers, the simmering spices and flavorful dishes...the teasing, lazing around watching trashy movies, the silly questions of trivial pursuit, test driving the kindle, playing Wii bowling(my very first encounter with Wii, btw) with my friend's 6-yr old niece....

Here's a peek into one part of the holiday which was a very traditional North Karnataka meal at Suj's place. My, what a delicious spread it was! I was 'spread' out on my couch for hours after this wonderful feast. What is a Thanksgiving holiday without some overeating, eh?

Oota from my hometown

For a small dinner party this weekend, my menu was typical Bengaluru fare. It read thus

Maddur vade with chutney
Bisibelebath with (cucumber/tomato/onion) raitha
Curd rice
Sandige(that's vadam for the tams)
Shavige payasa(vermicelli kheer)














(Sujatha Ramesh : Since you asked for my weekend updates as well as what was cooking in my kitchen, this is entirely aap ki farmaish! :)

Annam Parabrahmam

Back in April, when I called her on my birthday, I found that she was out spending her time thus. This impressed and interested me immensely and I concluded there was a message for me and ever since then, this bug has been successfully implanted in my mind. While I browsed the fmsc site, it became more and more evident that this seemed like a Mid-West organization that didn't have too many such events out here in the Mid-Atlantic region. While I found other volunteer opportunities in the meanwhile, I just couldn't squash this bug.

Sometime back in June-July, I was back at the website and was surprised to hear that they would have the meal packing event on the road through fall of this year. The closest location happened to be in PA, about 2 hrs away from my place. This was scheduled for October and as I mapped out the location, I discovered, much to my delight, that the route to get there was along one of my favorite roads. A road that I have driven along many a spring/summer morning or evening right after a satisfying meal when the mood craves for a long drive, along winding roads and lush fields and thriving farm stalls selling berries or pumpkins or fresh apple cider. It was a done deal. What could work out better, right? Right!

Food has always been a big part of me. I enjoy my food, specially good food. Its what defines me and I believe that no gathering of friends and family can be a success without food being involved. I think food is a unifying thread that binds cultures and personalities. I am a foodie and hence it was no coincidence that I signed up for the 'Feed my starving children' make-a-meal event.

The drive began at around 6am, on a somewhat cool fall morning. There was a mild drizzle which didn't really dampen my spirits since dawn hadn't set in yet. I reached there in good time and was welcomed by a group of volunteers who showed me around the warehouse where this event was scheduled. In addition to meals, this distribution center also supplies clothing and shoes to about 55 countries around the world. The people who make Crocs had just sent 18 pallets to be shipped to the underprivileged.

The make-a-meal event began with a short video about the starvation that is out there, primarily in countries like Haiti. To further enforce this fact, we went through a small exercise. The organizer made 80 of us gathered there to stand up. One by one she would call out certain 'conditions'. All of you that wear glasses, raise your hand- and then she would go 'then if you lived in these countries, you couldn't get glasses. So for the rest of this exercise, shut that eye or eyes and realize your plight if you were here'. Next- all of you who have fractured a limb-hands or legs, raise your hand- and if you did, you wouldn't have had any treatment, so for the rest of the exercise consider the hand or leg to be out of function. So on and so forth she went- those of you who've had measles and mumps- sit down- cos you would not have survived out here.

At the end of the exercise, almost everyone was sitting, which means 80 of us would've been wiped out. A pretty daunting realization, eh?

Within a few minutes we were in the packing center, with hair nets and gloves. We were given instructions on what each food packet would contain and the quantities. Chicken(powdered and dried)-1 packet spoon, vegetables(dried)=1/2 spoon, soy-1 cup and rice-1 cup. Once the packet was filled, it would be weighed and sealed. These sealed packets would be packed in boxes, 36 to a box.

Each station had about 5-6 people to ladle the food, fill the packet, weigh, seal and pack. Thus we chugged along for an hour, the atmosphere filled with cheer and busy chatter. I was paired with some high school children :D who had volunteered as part of after-school activities.

When we were called to stop, 80 of us in one hour had packed 13,608 packets. That's 378 boxes. That's food for 37 children for 365 days. Yes, in just one hour of time. As the boxes were loaded into a pallet and sealed for shipment, we were asked to gather around and sign the boxes with our messages and with a short prayer of thanks, we were asked to disperse.

On my drive back, the rain had cleared and the farms along the way looked green and fresh. Thanks to my recent farmville pursuits, I paid special interest to the red barns, wheat and berry patches, granaries, hay bales, wood-piles, farm cottages and so on and so forth. The lines between farmville farms and real farms began to blur as I soaked in the beauty of these sights. The route was familiar and soothing, the breeze was light and airy and the skies were blue and clear ;I needed nothing else to end my morning.

I was back home for lunch, food that was all the more significant thanks to my early morning venture.

On this vein, have you heard this quote by Gandhi? “There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” Yes, there's hunger out there, hunger that kills. Not that you don't know this already, but please- please don't waste your food.

Annam Parabrahmam- Food is God!

Nutty treats for the weekend

Its been a while since I've posted about food, its even been a while since I baked. A friend of mine used to say baking was therapeutic. The measuring and the mixing and patting into baking trays- shaped as cookies or loaves or muffins all adds up to a combination of art and science and the aroma that pervades a home once the goods are done is unmatched. Last night I made a batch of pecan squares and chocolate-almond biscotti. The pecan ones went by fast, the poles didn't take to biscotti that much.



Happy weekend y'all!

A dollop of tune

Saturday brunch : Mooli paratha, baked palak kofta kadhi, mango chutney and a glass of buttermilk!



















And to deliver the right kind of ambiance, a shot of this:

Bake and take

Each year its been a tradition of sorts for me to bake a batch of holiday goodies to take to the workplace. Its not a potluck or any such. So far, its been some banana nut muffins one year, cookies with festive decoration the next, and fruit cake one year to mark the spirit of the holidays. I usually make it closer to the Christmas holidays, but the traffic levels are usually low at that time of the year and hence a small batch of 20-25 pieces is good enough.

This year with my trip coming earlier than usual, I didn't want to skip this little "tradition" of mine. I was also planning to not make it too holiday themed while still wishing to make something different. And it had to be a bigger batch, around 40 pieces since everyone was around. Obviously the economy had forced them to stay around town. Thus the requirements were set.

I usually watch some Food Network program while having my dinner, how about you? It sets the mood for me, most times. And thus I happened to catch this episode of Paula Deen. While I generally don't try too many of the recipes I watch, this was something that seemed simple and interesting. I love pecans too, which was an added incentive. And thus this became my "bake and take" dish for this year.

Here, feast your eyes, while I feast my tummy :P and feed the rest of the lot.

Brunch, anyone?

The holiday season is right around the corner. The sun decides to call it a day at 4pm. Whats better than waking up on a cold winter Sunday morning and prepping for a special brunch? Saturdays are busy mornings. Laundry to be done, chores to be taken care of..there's usually a lunch or a dinner get-together...or a long overdue shopping trip. Now Sundays- Sundays are to make the best of the 24 hours before a busy week begins.

Usually my Sunday brunch menu consists of dishes that are kinda sorta fancy and special-not your usual week day fare. My choices vary, and it'd been a while since I made Pav Bhaaji. So thats what it was.

So, while on the topic of Pav Bhaaji- you know, for many years I could never get the right taste for the bhaaji. I always felt something was amiss. It was NEVER just the way I used to have it back home- at our neighbourhood Ice Thunder(people who are familiar with the Gandhi Bazaar area, would know!). I have tried MTR Pav Bhaaji masala and Shaan and MDH and Badshah so far. I've come to conclude, MDH comes closest.

Whats your favorite brand for Pav Bhaaji masala? Or maybe it doesnt matter, perhaps its all in my head! Anyhow here's how it turned out. You couple this with some warn strawberry crumble for dessert(pic not included)...Yummm.

And Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

TGIF supper time

As she put the PBM on simmer to let the paneer soak in on the flavors of the gravy, as she topped the dish with some coriander, as the last aloo paratha had been loaded into the casserole.......

......the clock read 5:45pm

Ring Ring

She : 'Hey - I am finishing my cooking. Want to come for dinner?'

A : 'I'm still in the lab. Though food sounds inviting enough. How about 6:30?'

She : 'You didnt ask what the menu was going to be....'

A : 'What do I care, right now I could eat you even.'

She : 'Ahem, alright see you at 6:30. Want to watch a movie after that?'

A : 'Hm, I still have work to do, but I'll see. Did you get my salwar altered?'

She : 'Just come.'

Thaali - Aloo paratha, Paneer Butter Masala, Yogurt, Pickle and Gulab Jamun

The cheesecake stories

If its one dessert I fell in love with right as soon as I landed in this country, it would have to be cheesecake. Bang in the heart of cheesecake heaven too. Yes, at the Big Apple.

My first job was at a place near Times Square. The day I started, I was whisked off for a send-off lunch for a coworker who was leaving. And it was her wish to eat at Carmine's. And so we did.

Now anyone that's been to the "heart" of NYC's theatre district can vouch that its simply impossible to not finish a lunch without some cheesecake. Thus I was convinced on my first day out. They took me to this small shop tucked right in between a dingy souvenir shop and a gadget store. I could never remember it's name, but I'd always find my way back, for all the time I was working there. And thus I dug into some heavenly strawberry cheesecake. Since then, I've been its ardent fan.

I am not a chocaholic. But a cheesecake-aholic(if there is such a word for it)...yessiree that I am! In all the time I worked in Times Square and I was feeling low at work, I'd take a brisk walk across a couple of blocks and indulge myself in some of this delicious picker-upper.

After that, I moved to Atlanta. Well not that the speciality cheesecake shops in NYC could be compared to Cheesecake Factory, but cheesecake it is. And with me, one cant go much wrong with it. There were CF's(woh apna Cheesecake factory yaar) all over the area and I didnt need much else to be appeased.

When I moved to Virginia, I realised CF's were few and far in between. I'd jump at opportunities to have to pick-up/drop-off friends and family at Reagan Airport, since there was a small CF stall out there. Or find reasons to celebrate and drive 30 mins to the closest CF. Till a year ago. Guess what happened? A CF opened right across from where I live, attached to the mall. Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!

But seriously, no I dont live/eat/breathe cheesecakes. I probably eat a slice once in 3 months. Ya, I know- that is quite lame! Why have I launched into this long drawn spiel about cheesecakes on a Friday evening? Well just this afternoon, a coworker took us to CF for a long overdue lunch promise she'd made. She kindly offered to let us all take cheesecakes to go since we were all stuffed with the gigantic-proportioned lunch entrees. This time I chose dulche-de-leche. And here's a picture to prove. Pliss to bear with the poor quality of the pic. My camera has gone for a drive and I dont own fancy iphones. This is thanks to apna Razr. You enjoy the picture while I go scrape the remnants of the whipped cream.

Compulsive chaat'ing

For normal people who come home from abroad, its usually jetlag that hits them the first few days after they land. Remember, I said - "for normal people". Second, for these aforesaid individuals, comes the nostalgia of homecoming. Probably their mom's filter kaapi or the familiar sights of their dads with the newspaper or their siblings setting off to work or studies, the maidservant, the newspaperman...so on and so forth.

So, what is it for me? Ha! Jet lag and I have lost touch with each other some years ago. The same insomnia that assails me across the seas, tags on like a leech out here as well. No issues on this. I am sleep-deprived there, that I am here as well. All is good on that front, we believe in consistency. Now, even before the euphoria of coming home sets in, there are two companions of mine that never fail to show up as a welcome sign. One would be an upset stomach and the second, dust allergy. Its a matter of hours after I land that I launch into a sneezing fit with a swollen/runny nose and an irritable throat. Around the same time the stomach decides to go for a toss. For the former, I am usually armed with a strong dosage of allergy medication from my doctor friend. OTC Claritin does nothing, not even helps me get some shut-eye. Big help, that!

Now for the stomach upset. This seemingly has been my bedside companion all my life. Amma has tried every kind of medicine possible-from antibiotics to Ayurveda, from homeopathy to yunani, from faith healing to getting my horoscope checked! Yes, therein we found our answer. Apparently some planet is in some key position-thus my stomach ailment will be my lifelong aide. There, we've solved that mystery.

The inevitability of such a situation only drives one to challenge it. Hence, stomach upset or not, I will be indulging in my favorite food of apna desh. Chaat!

Yes, this post is about my obsession with eating chaat. It is the single biggest ticket item I miss from back home(well maa-ke-haath-ka-khaana comes close, ok-they run neck to neck). There is not one chaat place worth its salt out there that comes close to serving some decent fare. I usually resort to bhel mixes from the Indian store to satisfy my cravings. Hence, whenever I am here, I make it a point to aggravate my tummy with a dose of chaat every evening.

Masala Puri. The quintessential chaat item of Bangalore. Pav Bhaji, Sev Puri, Bhel Puri, Kachori chaat, Pani Puri........sweet, medium, hot versions. Dowsed with a liberal dose of Cold badam milk or Chickoo milk shake or Pineapple juice.....be it Ganga Sagar, Shanti Sagar, Ice Thunder...the streets are littered with chaat places of every kind. Its a new item at a new place every day. Yes, this IS really the only thing I miss about being in the US. Easy access to chaat!

Tis the hour of twilight, as the cool breeze sets in like clockwork on the Bangalore skies a spoonful of a chaat item gets pushed into the mouth, followed by a gulp of cool badam milk.....what is a stomach upset, compared to the joys of such an indulgence?

Alimentary, my dear Watson

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

~Jim Davis

Its been a while since I made a food related post. I am reminded of this fact, cos food plays an important part of me. I am not a regular cook, in that its not everyday that I like to spend time in the kitchen, experimenting and exploring. In fact the days I dont spend any time in front of the gas stove are the days I enjoy myself the most...surviving on leftovers, takeouts, lunch/dinner invites-all this and more. I bake once in a while, try new recipes or go back to my basics with time tested recipes...each in moderation. The monotony of doing the same one thing many times over begins to weigh in on me quite often. I am not a big fan of rice and rice-dishes, which works well for me in adopting to low-carb diets. The only monster that I need to tackle, time and again, is my sweet tooth. Specially the post-dinner sweet craving. I am told a small piece of dark chocolate solves this problem.

Soul food or comfort food is something each one of us indulges in, in those moments when we wish to reconnect with simplicity and tangible comfort. To me, right now, my comfort food is puri and aloo bhaji. It appears to change, over random periods of time. At one time, it used to be masala dosa, then it morphed into kachori(dont ask!), then it was moong daal khichdi. Right now I am at puri-aloo bhaji. The fullness of aloo, the spicyness of the chillies, the fluffy puris...a simple brunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Then its time to curl up for some reading and a nap.

Soul food+Siesta= Perfect sunday afternoon.

All about B's- Bangalore bakeries

For many Bangaloreans(Bengalureans?) the word "bakery"- predominantly associated with Iyengars- will invariably propel them into nostalgic journeys where the baggage claim conveyor belt delivers myriad varieties of puffs, buns, biscuits, masala toasts and so on and so forth. If one lived in South Bangalore in the vicinity of any of these locally famous bakeries like VB Bakery and Butter Sponge, like I did, one can only wax poetic about the aroma of freshly baked bread and buns and puffs that emanates from these baking havens around 2 in the afternoon- right when college or school is out. It would be a superhuman feat to not stop at one of these bakeries and gobble a quick snack like an onion puff or a masala bun. I have spent hours in front of the cash counter trying to decide what to eat.

And yes, this is what scrimping and saving is for. There have been many afternoons where a group of buddies have pooled in their meagre financial resources to be able to indulge in such simple pleasures. I guess the term "venture capital" made its humble beginnings right here.

Recently, having stumbled upon a spate of such passengers like this blog or even this one, I was reminded of an old recipe that a friend of mine had given me. One of making j-e-e-r-a biscuits akin to those that these wonderful bakeries dish out. After making multiple batches of these jeera delicacies(yours truly not being a big fan of this spice), I tried a variation which produced amazing results.

Edited to add : As of March 2008, the number of people googling for this term(k-h-a-r-a biscuit) is roughly two per day. Its amazing to know how many people get nostalgic about this great bakery item and google for the recipe. Hence all references to this item and its recipe have been removed. While it helps my ego to see so many hits for this post, I do not see any feedback on whether anyone has used this recipe or how it turned out. So if you need the recipe for this bakery item, please do email me at the address provided in the profile and I will send the recipe out or leave a comment with your email id. Thanks for understanding.

Bean balance

  

Brunch brouhaha

Lazy saturday fare

- Besan dosa with red bell-pepper chutney
- Curd rice
- Shira(also called Rava Kesari or Kesaribath- Recipe mastered thanks to Minu)

Diwali

  
From darkness to light - with sugar and spice and everything nice!
  

JFI for August- Akki Rotti

My first food blog and offering for the JFI for flour hosted here

Being from Karnataka and Bangalore the one dish that came to my mind when "flour" was mentioned was the mouth-watering brunch soul food-the akki rotti. There are many interesting additions for the simple "rice flour" to dish out mouth watering variations of the akki rotti. My mother usually makes it with onions and freshly grated coconut. This gives the akki rotti a crisp texture(which my poles-apart sibling loves). I, personally, love the softer version. That of adding cucumber and sometimes dill leaves. Dill gives a wonderful aroma and of course abundant proteins. Grated cucumber dispenses water and the soft texture. During the season, most Bangaloreans would add fresh avrekalu(aka surti papdi lilva) - but then in that season Bangaloreans would add this ingredient even to their tea and coffee, if they could!!! :)

So, without further ado, here's my humble offering- the akki rotti

Ingredients :

Rice flour (sieved to remove lumps)- 2 cups
Grated cucumber - 1 cup
Chopped dill leaves - 1 cup
Green chillies - 5-6(according to taste)
Jeera - one or two teaspoons
Salt - according to taste


Mix all the ingredients together and knead into a soft dough with warm water. Add water slowly while kneading so that the dough doesnt get too watery.

Once the dough is ready, heat the tava and start making rottis(I make mine using aluminium foil with oil spread on it). Divide the dough into hand-size balls and pat them with sufficient water and oil so they are flat. When tava is hot enough, spread some oil over the tava and invert the aluminium foil and sprinkle cold water on the reverse, so the roti peels off onto the tava. Cook well on both sides. Serve hot with any kind of side-dish like green mint-coriander chutney, pineapple gojju, onion-tomato gojju or even tomato sauce. Its seen here being served with Indira's red bell-pepper chutney(yumm!!!). This dish makes one very thirsty- so make sure you drink plenty of water during and post-meal. Oh and its lights-out siesta time after this brunch. Of course, Sundays are reserved for Bisibelebath!!

Bon Appetit!