Recipe: KOVAKKAI WITH CHICKPEAS

This is a side dish that works both with roti or rice. Ahem! I created it :)

Ingredients:

Ivy Gourd - கோவக்காய் - थिनडली - ½ kg (cut length-wise)
Chickpeas - கொத்து கடலை – चन्ना (white or brown) - 200 gm (soaked overnight)
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - கடுகு - राइ - 1 tsp
Black gram - உளுத்தம் பருப்பு - उरद डाल - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - chopped
Optional - Onions - 3 (finely chopped)

For Masala:

Channa dal - கடலை பருப்பு - 3 tbsp
Coriander seeds - தனியா - सुक्का धनिया - 3 tbsp
Red chillies - 6
White sesame seeds - எள்ளு - तिल - 2 tbsp
Coconut - ½ cup (grated)
Tamarind - புளி - इमली - 3 strips


Method:

Take the chickpeas and water in one vessel, the washed kovakkai in a strainer. Place one on top of the other and pressure cook for ten minutes on slow gas after the first whistle.
Masala: Take a saucepan and add a spoon of oil to it. On heating, add the channa dal and shallow fry. When it becomes golden in colour add coriander seeds. When that turns red, add the sesame seeds and once that crackles add the red chillies. Turn around the chillies and add the grated coconut and roast till a light brown. All these to be done on a slow fire only. Cool the mixture, add tamarind and grind it dry to a coarse powder.

Add oil to the saucepan and crackle mustard in it. Then add the black gram and once that is red, add the drained chickpeas and vegetable to it. Cook them with salt and turmeric powder on a slow fire. After five minutes add the ground masala and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis or rice.

If you are using onions, add the chopped onions after the black gram turns red and add the chickpeas and ivy gourd after the chopped onions turn golden brown. Tastes delicious either way!

Sharing: ROSES GALORE

The 28th Rose Convention was held at the Kalina University Campus over this weekend. The university grows 221 varieties of roses or so I heard. I never got to see them when I went there for the show.
Special types of roses were entered in the contest from 20 states of India. I went on Saturday afternoon. Mrs. Kavita Vinod Khanna was the chief guest who arrived just then. Luckily, the viewing of the flowers and the formal programme continued simultaneously without any break.
There were about ten pots of rose plants placed outside in the garden. There were single roses and those in clusters in a myriad of colours, looking just gorgeous.
I learned quite a number of new terms while viewing the display in the main hall.

Rose Polyantha is a small plant that will cover itself with trusses of tiny blossoms.

Rose Floribunda are those flowers that grow in clusters.

Hybrid Tea Roses are the most popular in the world. They are a cross between hybrid perpetuals and old fashioned tea roses and are rose royalty.
There were more than a hundred roses that had been part of this contest. They looked gorgeous – the abovementioned varieties, single roses, bunches, roses in different stages of bloom and what colours! There were very many shades of white, cream, yellows, orange, vermillion, red, green (yeah, there were green roses too) and pink. There were combos too that were a visual treat.
One cream coloured bloom was a wide as at least three inches. I was zapped!

Festival: PONGAL aka MAKAR SANKRANTI

HAPPY PONGAL to all my readers!

This is the harvest festival celebrated all over the country.
In the South: Four days are dedicated to the celebration of Pongal in South India, especially Tamil Nadu. The celebration is at the maximum in the villages and towns where farmers live.

Day One is called Bogi Pandigai when all old and unwanted stuff that has accumulated while cleaning up the house are burnt in a huge fire early in the morning. A special brunch is prepared and the family gets together and eat it after prayers.

Day Two is Pongal (Makar Sankranti), the day dedicated specially to the Sun God or Surya Bhagavan. It is to thank the Sun for the role he plays in agriculture – how he shines and brings forth the rains on time. Freshly harvested rice is combined with fresh moong dal (பயத்தம் பருப்பு) and along with fresh jaggery, ghee and cardamom, Sweet Pongal (சர்க்கரை பொங்கல்) is prepared as prasadam. The villagers usually get together and prepare this together in the village square or in a temple compound. Freshly harvested sugarcane is also served as prasadam.

Day Three called Mattu Pongal is set aside for the domestic animals that help out in the farms, namely cows and bulls. The morning begins with feeding the crows with a feast consisting of rice coloured with haldi and kumkum, sweet pongal and curd rice with pieces of sugar cane thrown in. Then a special lunch consisting of mixed rice such as புளியோதரை (Tamarind Rice), தேங்காய் சாதம் (Coconut Rice) and அவியல் (A mix of vegetables in coconut gravy) are prepared for lunch along with fried vadams and pappadams. Those who have cows at home, decorate their horns, put garlands on their necks and worship them. Jallikattu - ஜல்லிக்கட்டு (Bull fight) is a form of sport that happens in the villages. It is a form of sport that has been followed over many centuries in the South of India. Unlike the Spanish bull fights, neither the humans nor animals are harmed, weapons are not used and there is always help at hand.

Day Four - The final day is all about going on a picnic. The villagers set out in their bullock carts. They deck up in finery while the carts and bullocks are also decorated beautifully and they set out for a long ride to a river or lake nearby and spend the day there relaxing under the shade of trees and playing games. They carry lunch baskets along with them that they get together and eat with great merriment. A well-deserved break indeed to the farmer and his family!

In the North: The festival is called Makar Sankranti and is celebrated in gratitude of a good harvest. Til-gud – a sweet made of sesame and jaggery – is a very important ingredient of the fest. Both items give warmth to the person eating them and are therefore ideal for the winter season. Then there is the flying of exotic kites that is followed especially in towns and villages.

Film Review: PYAAR IMPOSSIBLE

Cast: Uday Chopra, Priyanka Chopra, Anupam Kher, Dino Morea, Advika Yadav
Director: Jugal Hansraj

Alisha (Priyanka Chopra) and Abhay (Uday Chopra) are both students at a California University. While she is revered as the beauty queen of the college, Abhay is a geek who goes unnoticed most of the time. Abhay loves Alisha and hopes to catch her eye one of these days. The lucky day comes when a drunken Alisha falls into a lake and our geek-hero jumps in to save her life. But unfortunately for Abhay, Alisha does not get a chance to even thank him or see his face before her father removes her from the university.

Seven years later, Abhay lives in Mumbai with his father (Anupam Kher). He has created a software that could be used on all kinds of PCs and mobiles. Before he could get around to marketing it, the suave Varun Sanghvi (Dino Morea) steals it from him. Soon, Abhay gets news of his software being brought to the market by a company in Singapore. He rushes there at his father’s behest and sees the divorced, single mom Alisha of all people. The rest of the film is all about whether Abhay gets back his software and gets together with the woman of his dreams.

Uday Chopra is good in his role as a geek who is in love with the beauty queen. Priyanka is sizzzzzzling hot! She looks awesome, with a fantabulous figure and her acting is excellent too. Young Advika Yadav as the little Tanya – Alisha’s six-year-old daughter – has done a creditable job.

The storyline is nothing new and there is nothing different or unique about the film. It is just a fun watch and the best part is that it is only two hours long. The songs flow with the film without interrupting or clashing in any way.

Verdict: The film is good and worth a see.

Rating: *** Smart

* Silly
** Shaky
*** Smart
**** Snazzy
***** Super

Recipe: PICKLED GREEN CHILLIES

This is one of my own creations and tastes awesome, even if I say so myself! Do try it out and I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients:

Green chillies – ½ kg (Choose those that are large, not spicy and generally used for making bhajias and cut them lengthwise into two)
White Til (Sesame seeds) – ½ cup
Methi seeds – 3 tsp
Red chillies – 6-8
Hing (Asafoetida) – ¾ tsp
Haldi (turmeric powder) – ½ tsp
Salt – 3 tsp
Til Oil – 1 cup (Idhayam Sesame Oil should be ideal)
Rai – 1 tsp
Juice from four lemons

Method:

Take a saucepan and roast the sesame seeds till they crackle. Keep them on a plate to cool. Next, roast the methi seeds till brown in colour and add the red chillies to them. Turn around a few times and add to the cooling sesame seeds. Once they are cool, grind them to the consistency of rava in the mixer.

Add the oil to the pan and heat it. Add rai and allow it to crackle before adding the cut green chillies. Keep the flame low and fry the chillies adding salt, hing and haldi. When the chillies are half-fried, switch the gas off and add the powdered masala and mix well. Add the lemon juice and mix again. The delicious Green Chilly Pickle is ready to eat.

Why use Sesame oil and none other?

Sesame (Til) oil tends to cool the system. I have noticed one thing about traditional recipes. They have ingredients that balance one another. I have tried to adopt this method to make this pickle. Chillies are heating while sesame seeds, sesame oil and methi seeds are cooling. Rai and hing take care of the digestion while turmeric and salt act as preservatives. Red chillies and lemon juice add to the flavour.

Film Review: 3 IDIOTS share the last laugh!

Cast: Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, Omi Vaidya
Director: Rajkumar Hirani

The film is loosely based on Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone or so I heard. I have yet to read the novel to relate to this.

The Story: Farhan Qureshi (Madhavan) stops an Air India flight by feigning a heart attack. He wants to rush to meet Rancho (Aamir Khan), his college buddy. He calls Raju (Sharman Joshi), another friend, and rushes to meet Rancho whom they have not heard from over the past few years. The two friends rush to the top of the college tower only to meet Chatur Ramalingam aka Silencer (Omi Vaidya), the smart-aleck they used to hate. It has been ten years since college and Silencer wants to show off his success. When threatened, he offers to take Farhan and Raju in search of Rancho. A large part of the rest of the film is shown in flashback over their college days and the balance in their search for Rancho. How they find him and what Rancho has become forms the end of the plot.

In the end it was the 3 Idiots who share the last laugh!

Our Perception: The film has been very well made with the plot keeping you fixed to your seats despite being three hours long. A couple of songs may have been avoided. Aamir has done an excellent job, but then so have Sharman and Madhavan. Boman Irani as Veeru Sahasrabudhe aka Virus has done a super job. His make-up and lisping have gone a long way in ensuring that the role is not the same as that of Dr, Asthana in Munnabhai MBBS. Kareena was okay as Pia. I would award the first prize to Omi Vaidya as Chatur Ramalingam. The guy was just fantastic – he did not seem to act but to walk through his role.

By the time this blog is up, most of the Mumbai population must have seen the film at least once or twice. I am glad in a way as I can go ahead and write anything about the film without spoiling anyone’s fun.

The delivery scene was over-the-top but then again, truth can be stranger then fiction.

Most of the people I know thought the movie was damned funny. I agree to a point. But beyond that, I would say, it was a very thought-provoking film and I cried quite a bit in a few scenes. Especially the one when a student plays the guitar wishing that he could live life once again with different choices. It was heartbreaking to see it more because it is so true in today’s society. I have seen so many youngsters forced to study subjects that they never want to. Worse is not being allowed to pursue the career that one adores. I sincerely wish that people would not just see the jokes but look beyond to what, I am sure, the director was trying to say.

Education for the sake of learning VS getting marks is a subject close to my heart. I am glad that more people will become aware of this after seeing Aamir Khan saying it on screen. Another one that touched the heart was when Rancho explains ‘machine’ in simple language while Silencer rattles off a book definition and the teacher’s reactions to both. Totally realistic!

I only wish that the ragging had not been shown as if it is the best that could happen to one at college. The scene also was very similar to the one in Munnabhai MBBS. I was under the impression that this is not permitted in colleges nowadays.

The best scene was probably the speech given in Hindi by Silencer. It was just hilarious. I have copy-pasted the speech for your reading pleasure, thanks to my friend Diti.

Adarniya sabhapati mahodaya …atithi vishesh shikshan mantri shri R D tripati [tripathi] ji ..maanyaniya shikshagan aur mere piyaaare [pyare] sahpatiyo [sahapathiyon] …aaj agar I.C.E aasmaan ki bulaaandiyo [bulandiyon] ko chhu raahaa [raha] hai ..to uska shreya sirrf [sirf] ekinsaan [ek insaan] ko jaataahai [jata hai] shri veerusahastra buddhe ..give him a a big hand ..he is a great guy really .. Peechle buttis saal se inhone nirantar is college mein balatkar [balaatkaar ] pe balatkar kiye ..umeed hai aagey bee [bhi] karte rahege [rahenge] ..hamine to aashcharya hota hai ki ek insaan apne jeevan kaal mein itni balatkar kaisi kar sakta hai …inhone kadi tapaasya se apne aapko is kaabil bunaya [banaya] hai ..waqt ka sahi upyog ghante ka purna istemaal koi inse seeke [seekhe] ..seeke inse seeke ….aaj hum sab chaatra yaha hai ..kal desh videsh mein fail [faael] jayenge ..waadaa hai aapse jis desh mein honge waha balatkar karenge I.C.E ka naam roshan karenge …dika [dikha] denge sabko jo balatkar Karne ki shamtaa yaha ke chaatro mein hai wo sansaar ke kisi chaatro mein nahiii ….No other chaatra No other chaatra Adarniya mantraji namashkar aapne is sansthaan ko wo chees di jiski hamein sakht zaroorat thi ...sstunn ..stunn hota sabi [sab hi] ke paas hai ..sab chupa ke rakte hai ..detaa koi nai …aapne apna stun is balatkari purush ke haat mein diya hai…ab dekiye yeh kaisa iska upyog karta hai.. Sloke..... Utamamm dadh dhadhattt padam…….. madhyam padam thuchuk thuchuk…….. khanishtham thudthudiiiy padam…….. sursuria pran khatkam..!!!!

Verdict: Definitely worth a watch. I went for a late night show and was wide awake throughout the film.

Rating: ****Snazzy

* Silly

** Shaky

*** Smart

**** Snazzy

***** Super

Sharing: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

Yeah, I am aware it is the 4th day of January 2010 and this blog should have been in place four days ago. Well, I thought that it is only four days since the New Year began and since we still have 361 days to go… why not?

To begin with, I wish all my readers a Terrific 2010!

The past few years have brought on a lot of pressure on all human beings around the world, what with accidents, calamities, economic crises, water shortage, etc. etc. etc. Then there was the film ‘2012’ that must have dashed the flickering hopes of most of the people who saw it.

Well, we are on a roller coaster ride towards a tremendous change that is happening on the Earth. We are living in a special time when the planet and we, those living on it, are undergoing a dramatic change – FOR THE BETTER – and we are the luckier ones as we have seen the worst and will be seeing the best there is.

So, put on your seatbelts, hold on tight and do not give up hope – 2010 is the beginning of great times to come.